Mado — Restaurant in Fatih

Having been to this restaurant yesterday and found that the Lemonade was delicious and the food was very tasty, if a bit late for my companion - we decided to go back today. We sat down and ordered our drink and food, as normal. The Lemonade appeared and once tasted decided that it was nothing like we had experienced yesterday. It was very weak, with very little taste. I spoke to one of the waiters, he said he did not speak English, but did not get anyone else for us to talk to. My meal arrived and I proceeded to eat it - delicious and tasty again. I continued to eat my meal but my companion did not get any food ! Noted that 2 people who had arrived after us had both been served their meals and had nearly finished. We had to ask for my companion's meal and was told another 2 minutes ! I had finished my meal before my companion's meal arrived at the table ! Well over 30 minutes between meals being delivered to the table. We then asked for the bill, which had a 10% service charge on it. We waited a further 5 minutes before we had to ask again if we could actually pay. I said I did not want to pay the service charge as I felt the service was exceptionally bad today. I was told I had to pay it, so rather than cause a scene I duly paid. There were at least 10 members of staff and the restaurant wasn't even half full, so I didn't understand why the service was so bad and why my complaint about the lack of taste of the Lemonade...

I went to this MADO for breakfast after visiting many others in Istanbul, but it fell short of the chain’s standards. I ordered the ‘My Breakfast’ and found several issues: 1) the dish was almost unrecognizable, with expensive items swapped by cheaper ones. When I complained, the attendant said it had finished, but brought it after I insisted (?); 2) a bottle of water was brought to the table without asking, then charged at a premium price - unlike other branches that offer it openly (paid) or as a courtesy. This is a well-known “trick” to get more from tourists; 3) the breads were hard and stale, unlike the warm, fresh bread at other MADOs; 4) when I asked about the differences, the attendant said each MADO is different and don’t have the same standard (?) I thought a chain implied the same experience. As tourists, we value consistency so we know what to expect, even when paying premium prices over local restaurants. MADO is not a...

A disgraceful and inhumane experience at Mado near Aksaray metro station, Istanbul.

This place is not only overpriced with a mysterious 10% “service fee” added to the bill, but the behavior of the owner is absolutely appalling. If you dare to question the extra charge, you’ll be met with rudeness and disrespect.

But what I saw today, December 9th, was beyond shocking. In front of all the customers, the owner slammed his fist on the table and screamed violently at one of his employees. She couldn’t hold back her tears and ran away sobbing, completely broken. It was heartbreaking to witness someone being humiliated and treated as if they were less than human.

This man treats his staff like slaves, showing no decency or compassion. I call on everyone to take a stand—don’t support this kind of cruelty. Boycott this place and demand better treatment for workers. Let’s stand up...