Guney Restaurant

Came here 3 years ago with my partner and brought my parents here again. The food is always great and atmosphere is one of the best in the area 😊 Dad can only eat well done meat and the lamb was cooked perfectly for him. Serkan was our waiter and besides the lovely service, he helped us with choosing our wine and helped take pictures for our memories. Thank you! I will be back here again when I’m in Istanbul.

I can’t speak for the bad reviews since I actually had a good experience. So good that we came back three times in three different days, since our Hotel was close by. The food was great and the staff were really attentive to our questions. Only Con is that it is a little pricey assuming because it’s in front of the Galata Tower.

I have been to this restaurant 2019. and now 2025. again. First time was really nice thats the reason we returned again but resto turned into propper tourist trap in the meantime. I am leaving pictures here of the same meal 2019. and 2025. to show the example. However cake was nice so we returned couple days later and asked waiter if we can just have drink and eat desert and he refused to seat us even half of the restaurant was empty! We paid 4500 TL for the dinner

Güney restaurant is a true culinary gem! The gastronomy is outstanding (starter : Muammara, dishes : ALİ NAZİK KEBAB), with deliciously balanced dishes that highlight high-quality ingredients. Every bite is a burst of flavors, and the attention to detail in the presentation is worthy of the finest establishments. The service is equally impeccable: the waiter was exceptionally friendly, always smiling, attentive, and ready to meet all our requests with professionalism. Güney is definitely an unmissable spot for lovers of great cuisine and memorable gastronomic experiences.

I passed by and I did know about this restaurant, i checked the reviews, I got curious and I went to try this restaurant, the food was not bad, but nothing that special (I didn’t try anything that could be super tasty). The staff was friendly cannot really complain to be honest!

We came back again as the eggplant beef was so soft and with the creamy eggplant. The seafood salad is not what we expect. So the second time we visited, we ordered the pitas and it was crispy and taste very good!

Unsatisfied with the service. After I was trying to order some sweets and tea , waiter rejected my order and started shout on me that sweets are not food and we can’t order sweets and tea without other food. So they asked us to leave, which is illegal. Strongly do not recommend.

The only saving grace for this restaurant is its proximation to a tourist place .food was okay ,music and ambience was good .They have limited vegetarian and vegan options ,but more suited to European pallete than Asian .However ,suggestion of kebabs was not to our expectation .Hoping the servers can understand multicultural requirements for food .Pita bread was okay .

Delicious place near the Galata tower. Best food in the area and friendly service for foreigners.

Located right in front of the Galeta tower, I expected this to be touristy but was pleasantly surprised by both the quality of food and service by Serkan. We got the falafel wrap and adana kebab wrap. Both were very good. Good place for a bite near the touristy area of Galeta.

Service - Beat expectations Food - lemon cream brulee was tasty Ambiance - two choices; We opted for a view of the tower. Excellent Other choice was covered with view of the distant historic area

I came here twice while visiting Istanbul. It might seem touristy because it's packed and next to the tower but it's actually extremely good. The chicken shish are some of the most flavorful kebabs I've ever had. They come with a little salad, fries and a thin bread (almost like a tortilla). The pizza was good as well. Wish we had tried the pastas.

We were impressed with our meal. The staff were very friendly and accommodating for a large group of us that came later in the evening. Everything we tried was quite good, and the pide was a terrific. Highly recommend!

Excellent food. I went to this restaurant in Istanbul in August 2021. I was staying at an airbnb nearby and my friend suggested that we visit this place.

The view is spectacular and it's located in a very popular spot near the tower. Service was good and the atmosphere is lively. The food was just average and basic. We ordered the zucchini fritters and they were served cold, over fried and hard as rocks. Our chicken with mushrooms and cheese was below average taste and the chicken was dry. The best dish was the filet steak with butter, good but not great. This is definitely geared for tourists wanting to sit in the heart of the action. The menu is basic and doesn't reflect true Turkish dishes. Food wasn't great but the atmosphere on a busy night was fun. I wouldn't recommend this place because Istanbul is full of better places.

I really thought this place was going to be a tourist trap. It was right next to the Galata tower near our Airbnb so we decided to come here after getting in from the airport. To my surprise, this place was pretty good. I liked some dishes better than others but overall a very pleasant experience. (See pics) The staff were very nice and though it was busy, we got seated right away. The total bill came out to roughly $80 USD and that was because we got a bottle of wine. The wine itself was half of the check. So for the food it was about $10/pp since we had 4. We ended up coming here a second time for lunch and it was still good. Would recommend, not a bad spot!

Traveler from Georgia, USA and our family had a great experience! We actually ate here twice because we loved it so much and it's conveniently located next to the Galata Tower. Great way to ease into Turkish foods!

We went with a Turkish friend, it was our first dinner in Turkey and we really enjoyed the food and atmosphere!

Found this place while strolling around Galata Tower - we visited during Ramadan and had dinner here, absolutely loved it! The service is exceptional and the food is really great. Be sure to try the teas after your meal, they're served in individual teapots and great as a palette cleanser. It's a really busy area and very popular restaurant but we walked in during peak dinner time and only had to wait 5 minutes! Seems like an expensive place, but was super affordable!

Excellent experience near Galata tower. Vast menu and reasonable prices. Lamb and eggplant burger was excellent, fries, seafood salad and grilled chicken wrap were all wonderful.

Wonderful ambiance, location and decor. The waiters are stylish with old school Istanbul charm. Great service, easy menu, tasty food with exotic European feel. Great neighborhood shopping within steps from restaurant. We dined here 3 times in 4 days. I highly recommend when sightseeing Galata Tower.

I use to be a server, and pride restaurants on their service. However , our waiter was the rudest , most unprofessional man I have ever come across in my life . His name is Serkan. Takes plates away before you are done, makes horrible sounds while he rushes you to finish , and laughs and points while you're eating. I came with my family and was so embarrassed to have them treated this way . Food is subpar, but Serkan definitely made this place uneatable. Shame on the management for allowing this man the freedom to mistreat customers. Serkan deserves 0 stars .

This is an excellent restaurant with superb food and service to match. I stayed with my family near Galata for a week and Guney fed us almost everyday. We never got bored of the food at Guney. I highly recommend this place!!!

I was in need of some late night food and the hotel front desk recommended Guney. I was able to link to their menu via a QR code and ordered through WhatsApp. I got their CHICKEN SHASHLIK for less than 50 TL. It looks nothing like the pictures that I found on Google (I never had Chicken Shashlik before and had no idea what it is). It turned out to be grilled chicken chunks on a bed of fries with salad and bread. It was delivered straight to my hotel room door. Chicken was flavorful and juicy, and the fries soaked up all the chicken grease. Both were really good without any additional sauce. Definitely fulfilling after a day of walking around the City.

Tourist trap that turned out to be a true gem! My boyfriend and I came here after walking around the Galata. The place was full, furnished like a classic brasserie and lively, yet we expected it to be yet another tourist trap with subpar food. To our surprise the mezze selection was amazing with some of the best hummus, Muhammara and taboule we'd had throughout our trip. If you're okay with close quarters, this place is a sure bet. Side note: I accidentally spilled sauce on my dress and the waiters and manager were absolutely amazing. Not only did they bring me towels, water, etc they went so far to spray my messy self with spot remover! Talk about customer service.

Extremely touristy located right in front of Galata tower but good service and great desserts. We stopped here for dessert one night and ordered a baked rice pudding and baklava. Both were amazingly good and tasty. We absolutely loved both desserts. A good place to take in the view, have a drink and watch people come and do silly poses in front of the tower whilst taking selfies :-))

Good service and excellent food within walking distance from our hotel! Golden City Hotel.

One thing we noticed in Istanbul was how great the restaurant service can be. There is no better way to exemplify this than meeting Serkan and his speedy team. Awesome friendly people and the food was top notch.

Food was ok. Nothing exceptional. The location is convenient. The server was ok. It felt very run of the mill. The fish and Adana kebab were good. The chicken skewers were a little under seasoned for my taste. The fries were on the cold side and the salad was just something to fill up the plate. The breads were dry. If it hadn't been raining and we hadn't been right by the Galata tower we probably would never have gone into this restaurant.

Great atmosphere great service great food. Very happy with everything. I had Ali nazik. Very very delicious.

Our hotel was half a block from this very European and tourist friendly restaurant. It was a great place to sit outside and people watch! The food was always fast and fresh and tasty. All the servers were polite and spoke enough English that we could get everything we wanted. It wasn't the cheapest place, but it wasn't expensive. Beers were served in coffee mugs, Rakı in tea cups. The menu is full of options from something Turkish to something from home if you have a craving. I'd highly recommend this place and hope to return one day.

My travel companions only came into this restaurant because they wanted some free wi-fi near Galata Tower. But I got to try something new that sounded disgusting but actually tasted delicious. Chicken breast pudding (Tavuk göğüsü) was sweet and creamy and didn't have any meat taste at all! Cool bar scene, too, with plenty of outdoor seating. There was a cat lounging outside under the menu stand, and it never seemed to leave its spot.

This place is an old world tradition. The buildings architecture is fantastic and it has a distinct old world turkey vibe. The food was excellent, the portions large, and the staff was helpful. It is centrally located. I had the yoghurt juice (a Turkish tradition) and also a mixed plate of meat. It wasn't on the menu but the waiter suggested it. Don't go there wearing anything nice. The smell from the Kevin grills will stay with you for a while ;)

Americans traveling in Istanbul, my wife and I were looking for a place where we could sit outside and people-watch, have some good food, and not be cold. The restaurant overlooks the beautiful Galata Plaza, which was filled with a steady stream of people. We had the cheese plate appetizer (delicious), the Turkish ravioli and the salmon fettuccini (both very good). The outdoor tales all had individual space heaters built into them - an innovation I hope to see more often - and a massive heat bar under the awning. We enjoyed our food and the beautiful city without having to bundle up in our coats.

Ok I love this place it's a must stop if you are in Istanbul. The food is great, really nice bar and good mixologist. Atmosphere is excellent with perfect sidewalk cafe seating overlooking the Galata Tower. Super romantic and fun spot to people watch. Try the shrimp casserole which is just shrimp sautéed in butter and spice but oh so good.

Love the atmosphere of the place. Services were quick and courteous. The menu was clear and nicely presented. The food was awesome!

If you want a good location right next to the Galata Tower to sit down and relax, this is the spot! My friend and I decided to stop here for some Cay (tea) and ended up buying dessert as well. The servers were quiet, but were very prompt with their service. We sat outside on a nice breezy day, so the atmosphere was perfect, especially after walking the entire day, it was a nice place to take a break. The cay was great, and the desserts were excellent. We didn't try any of the actual food, but I would definitely eat here. Overall, excellent place to relax, have an excellent view of the Galata Tower. Oh yeah, free wifi! Just ask one of the quiet servers for the password.

This place is right by Galata tower and the apartment we rented. Walked by it multiple times and skipped it thinking it might be a tourist trap... it's NOT... the food was good... service was excellent. And the prices were decent. We tried the ginger chicken, schnitzel, chicken fettuccine, hamburger, lahmacun, beyti kabab and everything was flavorful, moist and juicy. Definitely recommended.

We stopped by the restaurant to get advice on where to go out in the neighborhood, and the servers were super friendly and helpful, providing tips and directions on some of the best spots in Galata (Araf and Peyote). The restaurant has a lovely outdoor seating area with heaters for cold nights and clean bathrooms. Highly recommended!

It has a great atmosphere. Cute cozy ambience. The food was very tasty and the service was wonderful. Will definitely recommend people to visit Guney.

This restaurant is in a prime location under the Galata Tower, providing a beautiful view to go with whatever food and drink you're having...and with the business of the pathway outside its doors it's also perfect for tea (cay) while people-watching. The servers are friendly enough, but they're mostly quiet and let you be while providing prompt (but not rushing you) service. The dondurma here is really, really good and I would definitely return to try a full meal sometime. My friend and I sat on the outside (as we did everywhere, even though it was chilly), but the inside is very nice and has a fully glass front so you don't have to feel like you're hidden away from the street if you do go inside. Also, there's free wifi.

We ate here several times because of the great food and location. It is right next to Galata Tower and a few minutes from Istiklal. The staff is also very friendly.

A little surprised at how highly recommended this place is and at other reviews. I've only been in Istanbul for two days and have had better meals at mom and pop establishments. Guney has a great space and inviting atmosphere, and you certainly can't beat its location near Galata Tower. However, if you're new to the area and looking for more authentic turkish cuisine, just head down one of the side streets and you'll be pleasantly surprised by all of your options.

Enjoyable time. Great view and drinks. Nice place to hangout late at night and stare at the Galata tower. Plus the peeps are cool. Istanbul is cool.

Lively spot in a great location. Great view of Galata Tower, especially after dark. Food is good, but not awesome. It was very busy, so service seemed rushed. Sit outside for the best experience. Overall, we enjoyed it.

We had dinner here on a busy night ( it appears every night is busy as this is on a popular street). The waiter was nice and was responsive. The food is good, not great. The tables in front are great for people watching and viewing the Galata Tower.