Balkan Restaurant

4.9

506 ratings

Rate this place

кацярынка

Level 3 Local Expert

The dishes are big and tasty, while the price is absolutely good. Definitely coming again.

Алексей П.

Level 7 Local Expert

Great dining room! It was delicious and satisfying, and the prices were low by Istanbul standards. We had dinner for 700 lire (about 1400 rubles) for two, but we collected a lot of money for this money. You can have a good snack for 400-500 lira (up to 1000 rubles). I recommend merjimek soup, rice and pilaf, vegetable salads, desserts. There is an English menu with prices above the tables if you go inside the cafe. The atmosphere is simple, it's not a restaurant, but I liked it — it's quite cozy. I recommend it as an option for lunch and dinner on the first day of your visit to Istanbul (if you are staying nearby, in the Fatih area)

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Ксения Мезенцева

Level 29 Local Expert

The establishment is located in the central part of the old town. At lunchtime, the queue goes outside, but it moves quickly. There is a large selection of dishes, there are vegan options, some chefs understand Russian. There are desserts. The interior is simple, the dishes are delicious, the prices (relative to Istanbul) are low.

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Михей Андреев

Level 27 Local Expert

The most important impression is why I have not been to this place in the previous 5 visits to my beloved Istanbul! Now we have lunch or just eat, being in the Sultanahmet location or Eminu marina only in Balkan Locantasi. The soup is served in funny aluminum bowls. Everything is very tasty! Soups, second courses, salads, desserts. Ayran! Lots of locals. If you see a queue on the street, don't panic, it's a maximum of 5 minutes. If you see that the whole hall is full and there are no empty seats, then, too, do not panic, there is also a hall on the ground floor, which is almost always either empty, or even there are always full seats. Funny cashiers who don't give you a check unless you ask for it are just funny dudes. There are toilets on the ground floor, attention, one stall in each location. In the end, it's just fucking delicious and safe. Yes, everything in our beloved city has gone up in price. But what to do. In mid-October 2025, the bill for 1300 lire for two is 2 soups, 2 second courses, ayran and cola with bread. And there's a lot of everything and it's delicious!

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Виктория Стерхова

Level 8 Local Expert

A great place for lunch, we stopped by several times for lunch and dinner, the portions are very large, the Turks have a side dish and a main dish served on different plates, such as rice with liver, they will give a large portion of rice separately on a plate and a large portion of liver on the second plate. We had lentil soup and a second course for two, desserts are also normal. There is an announcement in Russian for Russians in the hall.I'm talking about the prohibition of drinking alcoholic beverages in cafes. You won't regret going, the prices are reasonable

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Владимир Кодаченко

Level 9 Local Expert

Excellent dining room. It is considered a social institution. That is, under the control of the state.There are a lot of locals who eat. And the locals know a lot about food.There are many national dishes, and the pastries are wonderful. The meat just melts in your mouth. A large assortment. And relatively inexpensive, for the center of Istanbul. For two people with a good lunch, 400-450 lire. For comparison, shawarma in street cafes costs 280 liras. So I highly recommend it.

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Александр Деревков

Level 20 Local Expert

Great dining room! We took moussaka, salad and water with my wife. It came out all together for 600 lire. Quite a decent price. The portion sizes are large, and the food is delicious. Below is the current price list for September 2025.

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Евгений Селезнев

Level 9 Local Expert

In an area that is expensive for tourists, this budget institution is simply a salvation. For two, a simple lunch of 600 lira (1,200 rubles) is usually the price of only one dish in Sultanahmet restaurants. Everything is fresh and quite appetizing. I recommend you to visit.

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Xelenafenix

Level 10 Local Expert

Delicious dining room!) We got there in the morning, so there were soups and desserts) I have lamb soup in my video. There's only broth thickened with flour and meat. Very tasty and satisfying. Only if you are a tourist, they will give you a full portion, and this is a lot and not so cheap. You can ask for a half. Another very interesting dessert is something like baked rice pudding, I recommend trying it, it's creamy) if coffee is offered, it means it's Turkish coffee, the volume is small, keep in mind)

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Сергей Г.

Level 7 Local Expert

Friends, I accidentally found this place on the Internet and I strongly advise you, we went here for two weeks to have breakfast and sometimes lunch, very tasty dishes and budget prices! Two excellent lentil soups, a salad, and tea were priced at 250-270 liras. I advise you to come for breakfast at 10:30-11:00, there are practically no visitors at this time! And once again I will draw your attention to the lentil soup, tastier than I have never tasted anywhere else!

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Марат Х

Level 19 Local Expert

Nice dining room, very rich selection. There are a lot of local people, which means everything is delicious and not expensive. I eat here often when I come here.

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Вера

Level 13 Local Expert

We came here after reading the positive reviews, everything is really fresh and very tasty, for 2 salads, shurpa with lamb, 2 servings of rice and chicken fillet with cheese, 2 lemonades we gave 630 lire

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Максим Б.

Level 9 Local Expert

Great location, all the locals eat here. Prices don't bite at all, the child can be fed, take the usual delicious chicken soup "Tavuk Chorba" or lentil soup "Merjimek Chorba", you can ask for a takeaway, in Turkey it is called "in a package"))

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Егор К.

Level 9 Local Expert

This establishment is a chain of canteens. There are no waiters and everything is self-service, but everything is very tasty. Don't pay attention to the simplicity of the dining room itself, the tables are constantly being cleaned and wiped. Most of the visitors are locals, including many young people. Given the presence of only tourist-oriented restaurants and cafes around (there is more expensive food, but the quality is unimportant), the prices here are very pleasant. At the same time, very large portions. Soup and a second course for a man, and I'm already full. We took another dish for two with my wife, and we had already finished eating. In terms of cost, we did not pay more than 20-22 dollars (790 liras). And this is with ayran and dessert. I highly recommend it, especially in this expensive area. 👍

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Наталья Денисова

Level 9 Local Expert

I highly recommend the dining room, but the prices are affordable. But the food is all delicious. Ideal for tourists, the cuisine is Balkan, as the name implies. The choice is good, the portions are huge. They only speak Turkish, but they want to help and are friendly, such is the staff.

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Марина

Level 4 Local Expert

It's a very nice place. We took two hot ones, salad, baklava and two teas, which cost about 500 lire. Delicious, satisfying and inexpensive, the staff is friendly. In contrast to the cafe, where touts are constantly walking, with a crazy price tag and a desire to deceive you, this is just a paradise, I definitely recommend it!

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Иван Иванов

Level 7 Local Expert

A wonderful place for a hungry tourist) Against the background of very expensive cafes and restaurants in Istanbul, this is not a bad alternative: it is not expensive, very tasty and very large portions. While looking for a place to eat with the family (wife, son 13 years old), the queue of locals at this cafe attracted attention, if the locals go, then it is acceptable in all respects. We went too, we did not lose. It's quite simple to explain, you can point your finger at the right dish and they understand everything. By the way, there are a lot of Russian-speaking tourists among the visitors. The three of us ate for 600 lire ("first, second and compote") )) They came to eat twice.

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Вячеслав К

Level 15 Local Expert

The service is fast. If you see a queue on the street, don't be scared. 5-7 minutes and you are already at the table with the selected dishes. A varied menu, not a restaurant of course, but the prices here are very reasonable. Cheap and satisfying and of high quality. It is in high demand and therefore there simply cannot be expired food here. There is a hearty and normal dish, but there is, right, delicious. Clean and tidy. In general, it is satisfying, cheap and with confidence that you will not go without heartburn - this is here.

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Туйара Ка

Level 11 Local Expert

The food is delicious, the portions are large, especially the meat side dishes There is rice porridge, pasta, pearl barley with curry. The soups are delicious, there is even a stew. The price tag for a decent meal is in the range of 1,000 lire

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Leon

Level 15 Local Expert

Of course, this is not a restaurant, but a canteen. It is visited by both tourists and locals. We only had lunch here for 5 days in a row, because we immediately liked the food and there were no negative consequences). Bulgur is especially delicious, and rice is also delicious. Meat dishes are also well made, but the island is rich for my taste.

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надежда к.

Level 22 Local Expert

Oh!!! This is a very tasty place!!! Especially delicious lentil soup (during the trip I ate in 3 different places and this one in 1 place) Everything that we ordered in the fourth is very tasty here. There were four of us, and for the first time we ordered beef, moussaka, rice, and desserts for everyone, but we ate too much. The next time, they already took one portion of meat and side dish and divided it into two. I advise you to try something spicy and then wash it down with ayran, I was surprised by this combination. Prices are affordable a full serving of meat, side dish, bread, soup cost me 480 rubles (as one dish in a restaurant)

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Ника

Level 14 Local Expert

Locants are social, state-owned canteens/cafes. The service is like in canteens, the food is like in a cafe. The prices are very low. For 300 lire, the three of us had a hearty meal (without drinks). Everything was very tasty. Tables are cleaned efficiently and instantly. We noticed that a local man standing in front in work clothes paid much less for a full tray. For tourists, the price is probably different. But it's still much cheaper than cafes and restaurants. I especially recommend those who have a budget limit.

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Дмитрий Константинов

Level 6 Local Expert

It's a good place. Cheap and delicious. In July 2025, the average lunch cost about 300-350 liras. (salad, second course, dessert and lemonade)

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Kirill Ezimov

Level 8 Local Expert

An excellent and inexpensive cafe with a wide variety of dishes of both Turkish and Balkan cuisine. The portions are good, so it's better not to gain, you can ask for a small portion of soup or the 2nd.

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Ольга М

Level 14 Local Expert

Something like our canteens. Lots of dishes. You walk in with a tray and tell me what to put in. There is a menu, but it is difficult to find the dish on the counter. That's why you take what you like. And then you'll find out at the checkout how long your lunch lasted. The usual dishes are soup, meat, side dishes, salads. There are a lot of people, but there are always empty seats. Empty dishes are quickly removed. Lunch: soup, rice, meat with gravy for one person cost 480 lire. Not to say that it's cheap. But if you want to eat quickly and simply without sitting around and without paying 10% for the service, then you can go here.

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Сергей Халимов

Level 12 Local Expert

Hello everyone, it will be short but honest. We visited this "restaurant" a couple of times, the choice of dishes is really good, the food is quite tasty, except that it can be cold, but this more often concerns side dishes and food that is already on the plates. The portions are quite large, there is an option to ask for half, the menu is in Turkish and English, the prices are written, but it is not clear how they are considered. An average meal for two adults cost 800-900 lire. In principle, it is 200-300 liras cheaper than in similar places. As a summary, you can eat. Everything is in your hands)

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Анна К.

Level 5 Local Expert

To begin with, I'll make a reservation that this is not a restaurant, but a budget canteen. But everything is delicious and fresh there. And very cheap. Given that this place is within walking distance of the main attractions of Sultanahmet, it's just a magic wand for "eating, but fast." Having a nice beer or enjoying dessert is not the place to go. Eating delicious and safe for the stomach for little money is definitely here.

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Дмитрий

Level 30 Local Expert

A quick service canteen, I would call it that. There are a lot of ready-made dishes, everything is delicious, you can see for yourself what you will eat, all the dishes look very appetizing, I want to try everything! The prices are pleasant. The big advantage of such canteens is not only low prices and "goods in sight", but also fast service for further sightseeing tours. There are a lot of tourists in Istanbul and you just can't waste time!

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Ирина Оро

Level 15 Local Expert

A great place for both a full lunch and a snack with desserts. The first impression of our canteen, but then comparing it with all the street eateries, the Balkans win. There is a very large selection of dishes. Usually there are 4 types of the first and 15-20 of the second. There are chicken in different variations, fish, meat, side dishes and salads. Of the disadvantages, there are queues, but a large number of staff are served quickly.

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e-fun.vladimir

Level 16 Local Expert

Here, perhaps, is the best place to have both fresh and tasty and a lot and not expensive. A large selection of dishes. Everything is fresh. People are coming in a line, so the dishes don't stagnate, and in the heat it's important. Chicken, beef, offal, fish didn't notice, but I didn't want to either. 3 fresh boiling soups to choose from. Everything is baked, not fried, for many it is important. The service is quite decent. Everyone is friendly and ready to help. Interesting desserts. Leave tips. It may be a small thing, but it's always nice.

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Дмитрий Герасимов

Level 14 Local Expert

Super canteen, much cheaper than most cafes, large portions, very tasty food! The locals eat here, and this is the main indicator of quality! I highly recommend it, especially for lovers of Turkish cuisine!

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Елена

Level 14 Local Expert

A nice dining room. The prices are inexpensive, unlike any establishment in Istanbul. The queue is moving fast. There is a lot of choice. Everything is fresh and delicious. I really liked the bread))) the floor of the baguette is 1 piece)) but there is also a disadvantage. I got a hair in the porridge. Fortunately, I saw it right away and it was on the side of the plate. I showed it to the employees. They apologized and offered to change the plate. But I refused. Very tasty lentil soup.

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Александр Цыганков

Level 5 Local Expert

In central Istanbul, this is the only place with an adequate price tag for food - the queues from the locals will not let you lie. In the queue, you can meet both a worker and a local clerk in a suit and tie. Clean, tasty, cheap, without cheating - what else does a tourist need? ) For example, the price at 04.25, two delicious lentil stews, bread, ayran, a small drink - 164 lira or 360 rubles. Highly recommend it.

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Светлана Андреевна

Level 10 Local Expert

It's very tasty, there are queues, but they are somehow dealt with quickly, both locals and tourists eat here. The portions are very large. Despite the large flow, it is clean and cleaned quickly from the table. It doesn't make sense to compare the dining room and restaurants/cafes. But we returned to this place more than once to eat. Prices don't bite. I definitely recommend you to visit.

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юлия леонтьева

Level 12 Local Expert

Great place, the food is delicious, homemade. The staff understands Russian, if it is not possible to explain, you can just show it. The average check for two is 400 - 600 lira, 2 soups, 2 main courses, drinks

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Алексей Никитенко

Level 6 Local Expert

Good tasty food with large portions. Everything is neat and clean. All ordinary Turks eat here, so the prices are adequate. Maybe without any special frills, because it's just like a canteen, but compared to the prices in other pretentious "restaurants", it's wonderful here and you can just eat, and that's the most important thing!

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Nat

Level 10 Local Expert

Great place! We went here almost every day. Delicious homemade food at affordable prices (October 2024). I especially liked the rice and chicken soup. They put a lot of meat on it. We took 1 serving of meat for two. Dirty dishes and tables are quickly cleaned. I recommend it!

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Дарья

Level 7 Local Expert

Delicious, fast and inexpensive (for Istanbul) Chicken with potatoes, vegetables and soup with meat came out for 368 liras. Two desserts with 165 lire.

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Татьяна Гринберг

Level 7 Local Expert

Great dining room! Highly recommend it! The interior is modest, but that's not the main thing. The main thing is great food! A large selection of ready-made dishes. Everything is delicious, homey. The prices are very encouraging. Despite this, meat is not spared. The portions are large. One of the workers at the distribution speaks Russian. A great option for inexpensive and delicious food at the tourist center.

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Мария

Level 12 Local Expert

Canteen in the Sirkeci area, prices are not expensive, not a bad choice of soups, hot dishes, sweets. There is Turkish coffee. The portions are large, you can order half a serving. It's worth stopping by for lunch and dinner. There are no breakfasts (omelets, fried eggs), the locals eat soups for tomorrow. On average, you can eat per person (salad soup is hotter) up to 250-300lr.

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Helen Oley

Level 9 Local Expert

Our only regret is that we found this place too late. Probably the only place in the center of Istanbul with normal prices. The food is delicious, in a large assortment. The prices are reasonable, the service is pleasant, the cleanliness. You can take it out. When we are still in Istanbul, we will only go there for meals.

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Вера Ш.

Level 5 Local Expert

The dining room is very good, the prices are among the cheapest in the city, and the portions are simply huge. The food is fresh, delicious, and took meat and side dishes, soup, salads, and desserts. A very decent place for budget travelers. We've been here many times

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Сергей Левачев

Level 11 Local Expert

We found this cafe based on Internet sources, it's generally budget friendly (compared to other cafes), the food is delicious/varied. The contingent is generally "local", which indirectly confirms the quality of the institution. The staff is friendly, the waiting time is minimal and they work quickly. I recommend it to everyone for the price/quality ratio.

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Борис П.

Level 9 Local Expert

Cheap, tasty, large portions, an excellent choice against the background of the robbery of many restaurants where everything is the opposite for the sake of profit. This canteen saved us!)

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Александр Борисов

Level 12 Local Expert

A great canteen where you can eat inexpensive food in the Center of Istanbul. We ate for 500-650 lire for two. These are two soups, a salad, the second with meat (a very large portion, so we took 1 for two), two teas. This is for the beginning of 2025, well, it's sooo economical. The average check in cafes is 1500-2000 lire. I definitely recommend it!!!

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Сергей

Level 9 Local Expert

As in this whole area of Istanbul, the prices are wild. But if you take a meal, it is very tasty, satisfying and large portions. It's not a pity. The place is good. Not like in tourist eateries with touts. Together with his wife, they ate 300-350 lira, which in August 2024 is 800-900 rubles. It's quite pleasant for myself. And there are a lot of locals eating here, which says a lot

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Михаил Паркаев

Level 9 Local Expert

Go ahead!!! And enjoy !!! Don't look at the dining room! The food is very tasty and satisfying!!!! All the food is in the palm of your hand, you can choose spicy or not spicy!!!! The food is mostly local, and this is an indicator and no one is trying to take off your shoes and breed! It's more than budget-friendly!

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Екатерина Васина

Level 7 Local Expert

A great place to eat inexpensively and deliciously in Istanbul. It is very diverse, the portions are huge, the prices are reasonable. I took poultry, chickpeas, beef, soups, side dishes. I recommend it for independent travelers

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Игорь Бидненко

Level 4 Local Expert

Delicious food, courteous staff and pleasant interior. I really liked the soups and desserts, at the same time the homemade and restaurant taste. I definitely advise you to visit

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Стас П

Level 23 Local Expert

It's most likely a bistro or a canteen. Don't pay attention to the interior and exterior, the food is really delicious. We went there after reading the reviews of our compatriots and did not regret it. The prices for Istanbul are very affordable, the choice of dishes is large. There are a lot of people, including visitors, but there is always a place. I recommend

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Balkan Restaurant

328 reviews