Baran Ottoman Kitchen Restaurant — Restaurant in Fatih

This is the worst place ever I’ve dined at. food is awful, although we ordered common turkish food (iskander and chicken durum is very dry, and inedible) prices are much higher compared to other places (chicken durum small - 300TL, Iskander - 560TL) service is 0 (for which 10% to the total bill is charged) they do lie you when seating, you realize it only after you are served management could not care less about service and image, they only want to rip off tourists and visitors

We went out after Jumaa namaz from Blue Mosque and decided to grab a lunch there (it looked decent from outside). We didn’t pay much attention to the fact that we had to ask to clean the table after recent guests, and that menu was a bit pricey compared to other places hoping to enjoy the food. Could not be more wrong with the place: Iskander was brought barely warm, and it was so dry even yoghurt did not help to make it edible. Same was with chicken durum - chicken slices were too dry and there was no veggies, no salad, or any other sauce added when wrapped into lavash-bread.

When asked for drinks order, I told them that I don’t want to order anything, cause later I’d take away orange fresh juice from the stand-alone kiosk at the entrance. Waiter said, no problem we can bring it to you. Only when paying I noticed that they added extra 40 TL on the bill for the juice (that is not theirs!)

Made it clear I was unhappy and shared with manager there, he could not care less - for me it is just a rip-off point.

Guests at the neighboring table were also complaining about their bill saying that they were told different price.

The only good thing about this place is the location (vicinity to the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia) - but there are many other options available...

We were walking past this restaurant when two men grabbed some friends (we were a group of 12) and started telling them to try the kebaps and swiftly took them inside. Great tactic. We followed in and saw a wonderful display of food, glistening under the kitchen lights.

Each dish varied in price from 8 to 12 lira and you could choose as many items as you wanted. There was a fabulous looking cottage pie type dish (mashed potato and golden cheese on top, minced meat and vegetables underneath), which I think we all ended up trying (in addition to the pilaf rice).

Everyone's food was stone cold. We were really annoyed. We told the waiters to warm it up and they brought the plates back as if they'd put it out under the kitchen lights for a few seconds. When we complained that the food was still cold, they started acting as if they didn't understand English anymore.

The food was average in taste (perhaps it would have tasted better when hot) and had to be washed down with a lot of drinks.

When the bill came, we told the waiter that we'd like to pay individually, since everyone ordered different dishes (we agreed to pay in this way with the manager when we first entered the restaurant). He became livid and started shouting and screaming at us. We called the manager, he snatched the money from each of, whilst muttering words under his breath (much to the laughter of his colleagues) and didn't even bother apologising for the cold food or the behaviour of the waiting staff.

We stayed on in Istanbul for a few more days and found that there are much better and friendlier eateries towards Eminonu (10 minute walk away).

Conclusion: over priced, average tasting food with abysmal customer...

If I could give zero stars, I would! Baran Ottoman Kitchen is hands-down the worst restaurant I have ever visited, and I wouldn’t recommend it to my worst enemy. Let’s break down why this place is a total scam:

Awful Food Quality: I’m not sure where they get their ingredients, but everything tasted stale and flavorless. Their attempt at "authentic Ottoman cuisine" was nothing more than poorly cooked, unseasoned food slapped on a plate. The dishes were cold and greasy, and honestly, I’ve had better microwaved meals.

Outrageous Prices for Garbage: Be prepared to pay a small fortune for a meal that isn’t worth a dollar. The portions were tiny, and the prices were absurdly high, especially given the lack of quality. They lure you in with promises of "authentic flavors" and then completely overcharge for the worst food I’ve ever eaten.

Deceptive Service: The staff seemed completely uninterested and borderline rude. I asked about a few items on the menu, and they either couldn’t explain them or brushed me off. It felt like they were just rushing us in and out to make a quick buck, with zero regard for customer experience.

Questionable Cleanliness: This place doesn’t even seem to be maintained properly. The table was sticky, and the overall hygiene was questionable. Given the state of the dining area, I’m genuinely worried about the kitchen.

Bottom line: NEVER, NEVER go to Baran Ottoman Kitchen! You’ll regret wasting your time, money, and appetite. There are plenty of places to get good food without being ripped off and served a plate of...