One of the best traditional Turkish Restaurant in town. If you are not familiar with Turkish Cuisine, then this place is a must visit for you. As a local, I even didn’t know this much variety of dishes that existed. Also, the dishes are from all over Turkiye. Anatolian, Southeastern, and Black Sea region dishes are diversely represented here. All the dishes we tried were perfect! I can’t say anything negative about the dishes we tried. It was simply so savory and delicious. We’re planning to visit more often to explore the other delicacies. The personnel was very friendly, and informative. You can ask all the dishes one by one at the counter visually. I highly recommend a cold appetizers plate, and some hot appetizers. You can also go and try the kebabs, too. Prices were pretty reasonable for this great quality of food. Overall score 4.7/5 for a Traditional Turkish Cuisine Restaurant

The rices and stuffed foods there are nothing crazy but any dish with meat in it tastes really good, especially the lamb shank. However the prices for the minuscule servings and the rude waiters make it so that it’s very difficult for me to rate this place any higher than three stars.

What a nice experience! Very friendly staff and even though we were very late, we still had all the time we needed to eat. The food felt like the grandma of the owner was making it in the kitchen. If I ever go back to Istanbul I will definitely come back!

5/5. To be honest having heard so much and having read the reviews I thought we maybe let down on the taste of food and as such didn’t expect much going in. This changed, in a dramatic fashion. The service is amazing and staff is very kind. Upon entering they showed us to the table of our choice and then walked us to see the daily Anatolian menu offering. Following which we picked out a few dishes to try and they all were great. MUST HAVE THE BAKLAVA - hands down one of the best you will ever have. The Kebap was amazing, great tasting and juicy meat. Flavourful with the simplest of ingredients. The falafel were made the same day but were cold when the arrived as they were sitting there. Same with the vegetable pancake and bulgar wheat dish. The red bean soup , wheat and chicken and the lamb yogurt dish were great and got better with every bite.

Our tour guide accompanied our group of 4 here for dinner. As we were not familiar with Turkish food, we let him and the staff at the counter provide us an assortment of dishes. It was a delicious dinner and reasonably priced as well.

Great place for Turkish cuisine, very popular with locals. You can see the food and then order what you want (half or full ration). The staff is very attentive and they translated everything. They also have an area with an oven where they do meat and the Turkish kind of lamb pizza “lahmacun”.

Love the story behind this restaurant - the owner is determined to restore forgotten foods and traditions from many regions across Turkey and neighbouring countries. The flavours were so unique and delicious, and truly the best hummus I’ve ever had!

Çiya is one of the most famous restaurants in Kadikoy. There are three places in total. Both are with eastern traditional cuisine with cooked food. The third has mainly grilled and kebab. I have gone many times noon and night, years ago but also recently. I usually ate kebabs, skewers with pieces of beef, lamb and kebabs with mixed minced meat decorated with spices. This time I got lettuce salad, esme, lamb cooked in the wood oven and kebab. The service was fast and polite. I told the person in charge that I wanted to try some of their dishes and with the help of the cook they prepared a variety of them, veal casserole with white olives and herbs, veal braised with eggplant and eggplant and eggplant. All tasty and well cooked. The space inside is clean and comfortable. Proportions quality-percentages are a bit expensive because it is quite popular to visit. I prefer it if you are in the area for the first time.

Great place to sample many different home style Turkish dishes from various regions. You can choose from several dishes made daily. Most dishes were very good and you can taste it's made family style. We had intestine sausage, parsnip, artichoke, beans, mezze and more. Would return and consider it must visit restaurant. Make sure to come on time, we came at 21:00 and some dishes were not available.

This place has been widely recommended for a reason but still remains a local restaurant in a popular part of the asian side. I stayed a bit too basic with my orders, better is actually to try the not so known stuff. Apparently the restaurant collects recipes from different parts, so there is some really unique dishes.

We visited Ciya after watching Chef's Table on Netflix. The food was amazing. We asked if we could get some really small portions to taste many different dishes. The staff was very friendly and explained the dishes well. The only sad point of this experience was that we couldn't taste more because we were full, but we will definitely come back. Thank you for a great experience and for giving us the chance to learn more about Turkish cuisine.

Excellent restaurant for local food. They serve a wide range of Turkish dishes. I would recommend their kebabs, lahmacun, lamb shank, beans with meat, and salads.

Incredible meal. The atmosphere here is great and it wasn’t too busy since I went at 1pm on a weekday. The menu looked really good and I wasn’t sure what meze to get so I let the waiter pick my dishes for me. He was great because he chose all the right things. Highly recommend this place and would definitely come back. It lives up to the hype for sure

We went to this place with our local friends. I was very sceptical at first, but I was pleasantly surprised about the variety and quality of the food. Every dish was more delicious than the other one. The service was great. It turned out they had other locations across the street, but we are the original one, where the chef cooks the dishes in large pots. It’s a must try while visiting Istanbul. We were invited, so I don’t know the prices. Our local friend ordered so many dishes to try.

Came to this place after watching chef table on Netflix and we were glad that we made the trip to the Asia side for this. The service staff was very friendly and patient to explain the ordering process and the dishes displayed in front. We sat inside which was very comfortable with good air conditioning (especially on a hot day). We were able to try new dishes that we have not seen before. All were very tasty and we thoroughly enjoyed the meal. 10/10 recommend.

If you visit Istanbul, this is one of the best places to experience Turkish cousine. Their menu changes periodically so every time you visit, you get the chance to taste a different dish. From soups to appetizers everything is really delicious and the service is really fast. Thank you!

Am Essen gibt es nichts auszusetzten. Super authentisch, traditionell und wirklich lecker. Im Restauant geht es ein wenig hektisch zu, der Service ist freundlich aber einwenig chaotisch gewesen. Dies weil auch gleich mehrere geführte Touristengruppe eintragen. Am Preis sind wir ein wenig erschrocken, wir haben es gerne bezahlt, da es sehr gut war aber, für die Türkei eher teuer (touristisch).

Excellent food. Excellent service. I had no choice but to come back 2 days after my first visit. Even if you are staying on the European side, you definitely should take the ferry and try Çiya.

I'm so glad I came here. Just the salad bar is worth it if you are looking for fresh vegetable options. The beet salad was great and the hummus top quality. I also got an okra lamb stew that was amazing. There are way more locals here than tourists.

My friend saws this restaurant on Netflix and wanted to see and try so we went and I wanted to say yes the food was delicious and we enjoyed but the waiter was not very nice because we ordered and we were there with a lot of food on our table but they said we closed and we have to go and they took our food without asking or our permission 🥸 and it was the first time that I saw this attitude 😒 but I can say food was delicious but service wasn’t great . But for traditional Turkish food I recommend this restaurant. Our bill was 810 tl as you can see our food in pictures below

I have tried hummus in 7 different places in Istanbul and this is by far the best. Food was spectacular and at very reasonable prices. Super recommendation

This place is really nice, we just arrived in Istanbul, and it was our first stop to try Turkish food. We dont speak any Turkish but the staff were very nice and even spoke to us in English and tried to help us. The food is very tasty tasty it is a good place to try Turkish food!

Great food and excellent service! A bit pricey for many locals. The quality of the produce is remarkably good. All the plates are delicious so is really hard to recommend just one. Try them all, if you can. The bread is not that good, but this is the kind of place where bread is not the main attraction, although it would definitely be a great improvement to have a delicious bread as well.

We had meze for lunch as a part of a food tour. Many dishes, everything was delicious. The spot is a bit crowded, but it was lunch time and it is a popular spot. I can't comment on price as it was included in our tour. Everything was very tasty!

I’d recommend this place over and over! Traditional Anatolian cuisine. Had cabbage rolls, lamb served with eggplant stew cooked in milk and the best pilaf rice I’ve ever had.

Simply amazing, the men serving were SO KIND and funny. We initially ordered some dishes and we had to order more simply because the food was so good, I'd dare say best we had in Istanbul. I don't know why the price category is higher than other restaurants in Istanbul, it seemed pretty average to us.

Chose this spot due to the number of recommendations I found perusing reddit. There were plenty of customers (mostly tourists) for a Monday lunch, and prices were relatively reasonable. Ordered the Lahmacun, Roasted Zuccini, Red Lentil Soup, Spicy Lamb Kebab, and the Onion Kebab. Overall, the food was good, service was excellent, and it was a nice place. Nothing too special, so I wouldn't go here just for this restaurant, but if you're in the area, its worth a try. Note down the modest portions for the rice pilaf (as shown in 1 of the images), if you're looking to order an additional rice pilaf.

I'm truly grateful for the opportunity to savor a perfectly spiced and harmoniously balanced Turkish dish. As the chef-owner by myself wholeheartedly recommend this place for anyone seeking to embark on an exciting journey into the world of Turkish cuisine. correction after second visit. the desserts were awful. i had the worst künefe in my life and other desserts were to sweet as if i need a insulin shot after.

An excellent restaurant. The chef's ambition seems to be to offer the best version of the familiar Turkish cuisine, without leaving the formula of a traditional urban eatery. Very tasty and fresh. Lively, seemingly authentic place.

Indulging in the culinary offerings of this restaurant is like embarking on a delectable journey through the heart of traditional Turkish home cooking. With each bite, you're transported to the warmth and comfort of a Turkish household, where generations of culinary expertise are skillfully infused into every dish. From the moment you step in, the ambiance wraps you in a cozy embrace, setting the perfect backdrop for the gastronomic adventure ahead. The menu reads like a love letter to Turkish culinary heritage, featuring a wide array of dishes that have been passed down through generations. Every plate is a testament to the time-honored techniques and the use of locally sourced ingredients that define true Turkish flavors. Without a doubt, this is a must-visit destination for anyone seeking an authentic taste of Turkey. Whether you're a connoisseur of Mediterranean cuisine or a curious food lover, the restaurant's dedication to preserving and sharing traditional Turkish home food is a culinary experience that should not be missed. Your taste buds will thank you for the journey.

Found the place by chance around 3plus on Wed. Managed to find a window seat on the upper deck. Was given an english menu to order but took the courage to approach the staff managing the food counter. Fortunately, he was able to communicate and under a little english to explain and allow me to place the order (pointing to available dishes, i.e. chicken, peas, veg, etc). He also asked/gesture if i would like to add donar (meat), which i said yes. And he confirmed for 2 pax. Managed to script down my order to be handled to the waiter to register the order. The food served was great, but seems to over-ordered for 2. Will recommend. Was served with free thyme tea to assist in digestion. Heard it was in some netfix chef table show.

Excellent service & AWESOME food! 100% recommended! The only thing I didn't like was the fact that they say "service tip is not included"... It has always sounded sort of pushy and rude to me, but still, the service was very good and the price VERY fare, so 5 stars!

This place was a great find. Staff really helpful and friendly, doing a nice job explaining some Turkish food and what kind of things are available. Also super tasty, we just wanted a snack but ended up ordering more things because of how good it was. Pleasant atmosphere in a cool neighborhood of Istanbul, also getting a good and fair price for high quality in Istanbul, can’t beat it.

Interior is like typical turkish lokanta, 2 floors, many turists coming here. waitresses speak english and they are polite with turists, but much slowed with local people who coming there. on the first floor you can choose meze - starters and some other food (like köfte, soup and another cooked vegetables) they put them on one plate and on the weight. or you can find a table, sit and ask for menu. many Kebap options, we ordered 2 portions of fıstık kebap - was really tasty, very good pide, mezes was ok, tasty, but nothing wow. suggest to order kebaps is this lokanta👌

One makes a pilgrimage here . The food takes you back to the ottoman kitchen. Chef Musa Dağdeviren who is at the helm of Ciya is not just a chef but a food anthropologist or a historian. When New Yorker write a glowing tribute or Netflix feature Ciya on a docu and more recently featured on World’s 50 best Discovery , you know there got to be some truth. The ingredients and fresh produce Ciya use are just superb and hence the delicious aromatic food. I have been to Ciya Sofrasi few times, whenever I am in Istanbul and I can just say that take the ferry and go to Kadikoy , immerse yourself in a fascinating gastronomical journey !

Best kebab in town! A must visit on the Asian side.

Great Turkish food and very reasonably priced!! Would recommend the kebab that comes with very good bread on the plate, the lentil soup (super good) and then getting some hummus and salma (vine leaf wrapped rice) from the salad bar. Friendly staff and good service. Lots of seating indoor and outdoor. Overall would recommend!

Good, but not the best in the area. A little higher priced than other restaurants on the same street. Best feature is they have a set menu and then a daily menu. They also have a deli style section where you can see what they have and then you pay by weight. Lots to choose from.

Great food in very local atmosphere in a busy lively street of Kadikoy! Both barbecue and their daily menu is great. Definitely worth the visit if in the area. Also not sure why it has three euro signs at google maps, prices are at best moderate.

Delicious Turkish food with warm hospitality and terrific service. We ordered a bit of everything and liked everything we got. My word of advice for anyone considering this spot, bring others with you and make sure you have an appetite because you'll definitely want to try a lot of dishes so the more prople you can share with, the better!

Service was amazing. But food was ok and overpriced. In my opinion it’s hyped up. And possibly a tourist trap. You can find many delicious Turkish foods way cheaper elsewhere.

It is well known that Istanbul is a great gastrononic location, but Ciya is something else. Here you will eat beautiful authentic food, perfectly balanced and spiced... We ordered mezze, in order to try as many meals as possible. We were thrilled... And it is very cheap, I really do not understand why the place is marked as expensive. Authentic feeling and homemade food is what we seek for on our journies, and we found that in Ciya. Only for true food lovers.

Great restaurant in busy street packed with restaurants , food was great I recommend to go early

I have seen this on netlfix and decided to try and it did not disappoint. The food is excellent, The pistachio Kabab was amazing, also their lentil soup was great too. Definitely a must try.

This place serves traditional Turkish food. We came here around 8:30pm on Thursday and many popular dishes were not available. The waiter was very accommodating. He brought us great substitutions to what we wanted with juice and coffee on the house. Both food and service were very good! Highly recommend this place. If you plan to come here for dinner make sure to be there no later than 7pm.

Just amazing! Highly recommended! Kebabs are so delicious and mouthwatering! I think Pistachio kebab was the best kebab which I’ve ever tried in my life ! Just another level!

Great home style restaurant to try cuisines from different regions of turkey

If you want to taste the real turkish meals from different area and cities of Turkey so here is the best adress, so delicious food and different plates never tasted in other restaurants. Prices very good and you can choose your plates by yourself infront the chef and the waiter will bring to your table.

Great place to visit. Pistachios kebab was amazing. If you don't know what to order - ask chef. Food has taste Bill was 160 tr, they changed 179, I guess it was for the service but it is better to see this initially in the bill

A perfection. One of the best meals I ever had. Friendly staff in spite of the full restaurant.

This place is a must go if you are looking for traditional Turkish food in Kadıköy and want great service. We enjoyed the food, the waitstaff was very accommodating, weed definitely return. The lamb stew was delicious!

This is the top restaurant in Turkey if you want to experience all Anatolian cuisine in one place. Very inspirational dishes if you are a cook. One of my favorite rest. in Istanbul