Galata Sanat Restaurant Galata Köprüsü — Restaurant in Istanbul

Located on the lower level of a bridge, this open air restaurant has an outdoor and indoor option of dining. Featuring nice views of the river, you can see random fishing lines of people from above. Diverted from our original choice by a shady cab driver, who we later found out gets kickbacks for customers brought, we were seated immediately. Surrounded by pushy employees, they pushed for us to order appetizers and seafood specials. I asked how much they cost and they said don't worry. Big red flag. I had to ask twice for a menu before realizing the egregious costs of the items shown. We decided to order 2 appetizers and they of course brought 3 in a valiant attempt to add to a bill. We'll played, but no. A baby octopus appetizer and mussels appetizer were correctly brought. Both were tasty, however the octopus appetizer was clearly from a can. Main courses were ordered, lamb meatballs and chicken schnitzel. Lamb meatballs came with rice which was the tastiest part of either dish ordered, grilled tomato that was nice, French fries and a blistered shishito pepper. The meatballs were tasty and on the moist side with good seasoning. The schnitzel came with French fries, rice, tomato, rice, a blistered shishito pepper and a grilled tomato which all mirrored the other dish. The schnitzel however was a processed piece of chicken that was likely store bought. The inside seemed to be a mixture of chicken and a starch product, overall it was overly salty and inedible. 2 bites were taken of this and it was pushed to the side. Wait staff did not ask about this until we were ready to leave, and did not remove it from the bill. You can see in the photo that only 2 bites were taken/cut. Schnitzel is also traditionally served with lemon or a gravy, neither of which came with it. I had to ask for lemon on the side as well as condiments for the fries. Dessert was a complimentary order of 2 small baklava pastries that were not likely made on premises. Service was abysmal. Orders were taken and food was delivered and no attention was paid to the table. After tasting the food that was for sure made on premiis, it seems someone knows how to cook. It's a shame that management is cutting corners and quality to save money. This establishment also let people smoke inside which was not appreciated. I had to Google if this was legal in turkey at this time which it's not. I would not recommend...

Service was extremely slow given there were no other customers and still took over 40 minutes to prepare the dishes. We ordered two grilled fish and they were reasonably grilled if a little over and certainly too big a portion and very bony (turbot). The salad didn’t look fresh was overly vinegar heavy and wilted lettuce. The rice was stodgy and looked off- it tasted (only had a tiny bite) grainy yet coated in a ‘left stewing in a damp pot’ covering that was wholly unpleasant. The atmosphere next to the water was nice but soured by the rest of the experience. Then a bill came and it was mentioned ‘service charge hasn’t been included’ I thought to mean sorry for the time to serve. I gave 500 as a tip anyway but then they charged 500 over the actual bill for ‘service’ such as the bread and tea which- are as far as I can tell- relatively customary in and throughout Turkey given a multitude of holidays to there and other cities and Turkish establishments throughout the world. Certainly I would avoid ever eating here again outside of cheap dishes and a place to sit next to the water, be very clear...

I had the pleasure of dining at Galata Sanat restaurant recently and I have to say, it was an amazing experience! The food was absolutely delicious, and the staff was extremely friendly and welcoming! In particular, there was a gentleman who spoke multiple languages and he greeted us in our native language - that was such a special touch that made us feel even more at home.

The ambiance of the restaurant was also very charming, with a cozy and inviting atmosphere that made us feel like we were in a true Mediterranean eatery.

As for the food - we tried a variety of dishes from the menu and every single one of them was exceptional. From the appetizers to the entrees, each dish was prepared with precision and care, resulting in a flavorful, satisfying meal.

All in all, I highly recommend Galata Sanat restaurant to anyone looking for an authentic and delicious dining experience. The friendly staff and the amazing food will leave you feeling satisfied and eager to come...