Calipso — Restaurant in Maltepe

If you are expecting cheap and cheerful, then this is not the place. Calipso is without a doubt, the best seafood restaurant I have dined in, and the election of dishes, both self-chosen and recommended by the staff is amazing. From the initial greeting, to being escorted to the “showroom” and settling the final bill, the staff were friendly and attentive, without being overbearing. There were some unexpected finds, such as the grouper balls in a cherry sauce, which sounds like it shouldn’t work, but absolutely did!!! The standard of presentation and quality of the dishes was spot on every time and would meet high end dining in any country. The whole dining experience for three of us lasted almost two hours. With drinks and wine, the final bill came to ₺4,000 per person, which is around €120, and although for Turkey, this may be considered as a high price for dinner, you would pay significantly more than this in Europe, and possibly have less choice in the seafood available. Would I eat here again? Absolutely I would, and fortunately for me, I will be back in Istanbul in a few months, so I am already looking...

This was our third time at Calipso and the second time after they were recognized by Michelin as a “good food at reasonable prices (bib Gourmand)” restaurant. One goes to Calipso to eat dishes whose main ingredient is fish. Whenever we’re in Istanbul we try to eat “kalkan” and we love Calipso’s “kalkan tandır”. It’s an expertly prepared, incredibly tasty (and very expensive) dish your taste buds will remember long after you’ve left the restaurant. My only gripe is that the best (front) part of the restaurant is where “smoking is allowed” and since almost everyone In Turkey smokes (and smokes while eating!) restaurateurs understandably try to cater to the whims of these people. Non-smokers are sent to the back of the restaurant! I would consider what I paid for the dinner was “very reasonable” by European/N. American standards even if rather expensive for the locals. Highly...

After seeing a few pictures while looking for a place to have dinner, my husband and I stopped by and ended up pretty much blown away by everything. The service, first and foremost, was incredible. I could not begin to tell you which fork was the right one to use but it didn't matter because I didn't feel out of place either way 😆 Mr. Uğur and Mr. Adem were absolutely lovely. Mr. Uğur (an absolute gem) recommended the moonfish (iirc) and a salad, and even made sure we didn't order too much (I was a bit overly enthusiastic and wanted to get way more than we needed 🤭). The appetizers, main dish and desserts... All did wonderful things to my mouth. 10, 10, 10... Tens across the board! Mr. Adem checked on us to know how everything went and it was just really nice to be that well...