Constantine's Ark Restaurant & Cafe

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 — Absolutely Worth It! Right at the beginning of our meal, the store manager recommended the lamb rib steak for two people — and I do not regret that decision. It was worth every penny. I’m usually not a big fan of lamb because of the smell, but this place handles the meat perfectly. No smell at all — just soft, juicy, fresh lamb cooked beautifully. They even prepare it right on the street, which was really fun to watch and made the whole experience feel special and authentic. Customer service is top-notch. Everyone was so friendly, especially Salem. He was very attentive, kept checking on us, and made sure we had everything we needed. He even surprised us with a complimentary dessert and tea — such a genuine gesture that made us feel like true guests. The pricing is very reasonable for the quality. I will definitely come back here again! Highly recommend! 🥰🍽️✨

From the start when we arrived, we were coaxed in by the guy at the front. given that someone from our hotel mentioned that this place was really good, we trusted him and made our way to the restaurant. What was met with, was a high review list but empty on the inside. Understandably it wasn’t peak hour or season, but this was strange. We sat on the top and ordered our food, then realising that the prices were nearly 2x of any of the places we have eaten or seen prior. That being said, the food was decent and not too bad, but i felt that the food was not good enough to justify the price.

We were recommended this place by our hotel, citing that all types of Turkish cuisine was available. We came for lunch, and it was surprisingly quiet. Nonetheless, we ordered and were pleasantly surprised by the freshness of the food and how delicious it was. The reception was warm and accommodating, I definitely enjoyed myself. Would recommend stopping by if you want to try a wide variety of Turkish food!

Nice atmosphere, bit pricy but the hospitality is very good ( the rating would have been but the server was annoyed it wasn’t a 5 so it gets a 3). I don’t have pictures of the actual meal but dessert was given to us for free and that’s posted below.

I was a bit sceptical when entering the restaurant as it screamed tourist - BUT I was pleasantly surprised. Good food and great service. Could make most of the dishes gluten free. Great gluten free bread! Would recommend to eat here!

Authentic restaurant with amazing food. Extremely friendly and attentive waiters, very welcoming atmosphere. Big vegan selection. Highly recommended!

One of the best dining experiences I had in all of Istanbul! The restaurant Was peaceful, servers were knowledgeable and patience, and the food was exceptional! I happened to come across Constantine’s On my last day in Istanbul, Which was a wet snowy afternoon. The owner Took The time to ensure that I enjoyed my dining experience. Upon my return, I will absolutely ensure that I visit Constantines Once again for a delicious authentic Turkish meal.

After having one great meal here my friend and I returned for another dinner and were equally as delighted, if not more-so, with the fantastic quality of food provided. The service is superb, especially from Latif, that man really deserves a pay rise! He's very well informed and explained things so clearly to us. The atmosphere here is relaxing and calming, exactly what you want for a leisurely meal out. Would 10/10 recommend this place and would 11/10 recommend asking for Latif!!

One of the best meals you'll ever have. The chef is inspired and the cuisine devine. Don't be fooled by the casual fun atmosphere or the cute cats that will try to join your party. This place is a major find.

Service was great. The atmosphere was so fun. Not sure what a group there was celebrating but the staff added to there festivities. I am so glad I found this restaurant on Yelp! I'd definitely come back and recommend this place to anyone looking for a good dinner venue. The food was delicious and very reasonably priced.

We ate dinner here in January, 2024. The food was excellent as was the service. Above and beyond. Friendly and fun!

OMG!!!! This place is AMAZING!!!! like literally everything we ate was delicious! This will definitely go down on my top 10 list of best places in the world to eat. We got the plate for two, and a side of falafel ( had been craving), and we didn't leave a single thing on the plate. The rice was so buttery and delicious, we will be back at least 2 more times during our stay.

We went to this place multiple times on our trip. The jumbo shrimps are very well prepared and the fresh bread is on point. The prices are not cheap, but very reasonable for the area. Similar to many restaurants in Istanbul the music can be a bit loud, but we generally liked the playlist. I think they have rooftop seating, but we only sat in the main cafe. The service was nice and professional and they recognized us upon our return. They also offer compliments Turkish tea and light dessert at the end of the meal.

Nice deco, friendly service but food was not well prepared and not nearly as good as it should be at their prices. I ordered a lamb dish that looked so good on the plate but it didn't taste fresh and delicious! The salad had so many pickles tasting extremely salty. Do not recommend this place.

This place is a gem. Oguz is the nicest man you will meet in Turkey. Excellent hookah at beyond fair prices and the food is excellent. Our party came here almost every night.

What a wonderful experience for our first meal (lunch) in Turkey! The service was friendly and super attentive. The food not only tasted delicious but they presented it beautifully. Fabulous vegetarian selection. The decor was lovely too!

My friends and I loved this restaurant so much! Snow during our visit to Istanbul closed down almost everything else one night, and thankfully Constantine's Ark was open and welcomed us! We sat in a lovely balcony upstairs and ate delicious food; the cocktails are also excellent! For those who like heavier Ottoman food, I recommend Constantine's Love -- stewed meat and quince, which I as an Argentine loved. Hookah was also on offer, and the staff's flavor recommendation served us well. And what's more, the owner offered us a fruit plate as a gift! I suggest you come here if you're near the palace for dinner.

I have been in turkey for 10 days and this is considered one of the best Turkish food i had so far... do me a favor guys.... don't waste your money and stomach... just come here for a real thing ..and you will thank me

AVOID this place. I ate here back in December, and it was terrible. The silverware and glasses were filthy, and the food was really bad. I got sick afterward.

This is a TOP destination on Trip Advisor. In reality, it's a clean tourist-centric relatively expensive spot with an Americanized menu. It is FREEZING in there. We were shivering. We went for New Year's. They were upset when we didn't want to do the expensive pre fixe, but they allowed us not to order it (kudos) and ended up extending that to others. All in all the food was clean, but not delicious. I wouldn't recommend or go back. PS: My mom LOVED the bathroom.