Salonika 1881 — Restaurant in Kaş

Honest Review of Salonika 1881, Antalya

We visited Salonika 1881 as a family of six, with very young children (our eldest is 11). For the kids, I ordered a plate of creamy mushroom and chicken penne for them to share. I shared a 700g fish with my son, and my wife had the lamb shank meal. We also ordered a plate of six mezes (served in small cups) along with some drinks.

The laneway setting is attractive and the service was quick and polite. No issues there.

But the price was absolutely unreasonable. The bill came to 9,000 TL, which is shocking considering that much of what we ordered was shared among us. To compare, in Bodrum we’ve had far fresher fish, incredible views of the Greek islands, and a much more memorable dining experience — and still paid the same or less. Here, in a laneway with outdoor seating, we were charged Bodrum-level prices without the quality or atmosphere to match.

The fish didn’t taste fresh, certainly not on the level of what you’d expect from coastal Turkey. While the food was fine, nothing stood out as special — no unique service, no exceptional flavors. Just standard grilled fish and a few mezes.

Even overseas, where dining out is generally expensive, I wouldn’t expect to pay this much for what we had. For an outdoor restaurant with average food quality, it simply doesn’t add up.

In short: lovely laneway, good service, but overpriced and long wait time, not worth it. If you value freshness, atmosphere, and fair pricing, there are far better...

We ate here this evening despite the mixed reviews we read here on TripAdvisor and let's just say, this is the first 5* review I've ever left!

This is a charming establishment situated down a bustling alley brimming with pink flowers-very picturesque and great if you like people-watching.

Having an extensive mystery shopping background, I am always aware of the customer service experience and tonight was very impressed by the attentive service that I received: our drinks were constantly topped up, the waiting staff knew the menu well and were able to make recommendations and they provided regular cleaning and fresh cutlery. (Even the wet wipes smelled incredible!)

Bountiful freshly-baked bread and homemade dips were offered and replenished. I was almost full by the time the starters arrived!

The house wine was perfectly drinkable at £10/bottle.

Starters- baked feta for me and the calimari for my better half. Both were sublime.

Main- lamb shank and mousakka. Again, couldn't fault them. Generous serving sizes, too.

Dessert- the baklava and creme caramel were simply divine, although I'm not sure how we had room for them! Needless to say, we rolled home.

In total, for 3 courses with alcohol, our bill was £50.

Would I eat here again? In a heartbeat!...

I would give them more stars if I could. The food, the service, the owner are all very kind, and you feel how they love their job, and they understand the food and pairing raki. If you want recommendations, ask them. We had çitlenbik, midye pilav with kavun, lalezar, something with turp(I don’t remember the exact name, I blame the raki for that 🙄), şakşuka, Ezine cheese, and melon with Beylerbeyi raki. The atmosphere is lovely for a casual raki or a romantic night with loved ones. The guests have a beautiful energy that will make you raise your hands with sweet Turkish and Greek songs by the end...