Moda Midyecisi — Restaurant in Kadıköy

I couldn't believe my luck when I stumbled upon this place while lugging my suitcase uphill. This place was on my "must try" list of street food and it ended up being my first meal in Istanbul in this trip. These Mussels are stuffed with rice, never had stuffed Mussels before. The friendly guy who was serving didn't speak the best English, but he was able to explain the important things like, plain, spicy, with or without sauce. I asked for a take-away, he showed me a box & I nodded for him to fill it up with the spicy ones without sauce. It came to 10 Lira per piece with the box fitting 30 of them & he added a lemon to go with them. If you're unsure, you can try one and pay for it. There's a small place indoors, behind the counter & a couple of tables outside where you can sit/stand & eat. You pay for as many as you eat. The Mussels are served in a bowl with lemon.

There's always a crowd of people around this place so it must be the most popular one in Moda/Kadikoy as the others don't have half the crowd. I ended up going here two more times,...

Istanbul #10, Turkish #8, Seafood #2, Bar/drinking food #2: came here for a few stuffed mussels after a few drinks (Stereogun) + kokoreç (Reks).

Upon arriving, one of the guys working immediately opened a mussel and put it in my mouth lol. Unlike the other mussel spot we went to, they just give you a bowl/bucket of stuffed mussels and you pay according to how many you eat.

I also enjoyed that you're basically at a table on the street in the center of Moda, so it's very fun and lively. While I can't attest to these being the best stuffed mussels/midye dolma (I was a few drinks deep), I can certainly say these were tasty!

While I may prefer the mussels at Kadikoy Midyecisi (more flavor options), I strongly preferred the vibe and seating here at...

This is a must-stop for us every time we’re in Kadikoy. My husband absolutely loves the mussels here, and the service is always top tier. Despite how busy they usually are, there’s rarely ever a wait. You can either grab a table outside or stand at the counter for a quick bite. They fill your bucket with mussels and count the shells at the end—you’re charged per mussel. Each one is generously stuffed, perfectly seasoned, and served with plenty of fresh lemon. They even provide moist towelettes for easy clean-up. It’s always a satisfying,...