Amazing Balkan kofte with yogurt and aubergine paste, nice salad with beans and cheese, great bureks and manti. I’ve had food in this place for a few times, and the quality is always good.

Found this place accidentally by walking and exploring Taksim Istanbul. Had a balkan kofte and coffee afterwards. Food was very delicious. Service was also good.Recommended

I went there for having a coffee, I took Turkish coffee which was good. The environment was very attractive to see. I liked their Dizayn too.

One of the best places in Taksim area. Oldies but goldies. You can also see the Ara Gülers art works. I strongly recommend Balkan Köfte.

Place is nice, but the turkısh tea they serve is s.itty

Awesome destination, brilliant atmosphere and yummy sütlaç

Good place, but the price is higher than average. The soup of the day costs 12 TL and served very fast, main dishes are around 30 TL, Ayran costs 6.5 (tasty), cappuccino is 10 TL. Meals we ordered were delicious, portions are good. There arent napkins and toothpicks on tables. We sat outside, but inside the place looks very cosy and interesting, especially the huge photos on the walls.

The place of one of the greatest photographers of Europe.

Friendly staff and good service. I thought the food was ok but my friends really liked their meals. Chill spot. No problems. Good breakfast option.

Great ambience with good food and decently priced.

Very good Turkish breakfast for good prices. Nice outside terrace near the main street .

Mexican style hot chocolate is the best! Its Strongly my advice.

A perfect place to enjoy Turkish tea and some bites as you watch strangers pass by in a rainy Istanbul.

Established by the legendary photographer late Ara Güler, place is a temple for peace in the middle of the bustling Beyoğlu district. Good for all kinds of food but definitely visit for the exceptional desserts and sip a glass of tea while you admire the art on display.

Super nice place ! Highly recommended !

Vegetable burger wasnt tasty.

3.5 Stars : Charming! This Cafe is truly charming. Food-wise, its one of those places you wanna know what to pick. They got some hits and they got some menu-fillers. The hummus here is definitely a hit, but the pasta I had wasnt as note-worthy, hence my just above-average food rating.I can already see myself coming back here in the future to try something else. And maybe raise that rating a few quarter stars!

Very specific cousine

Very cosy atmosphere away from the crowd of İstiklal caddesiTheir Coffee is very tasty, and the crew hospitality mükemmel

Great food. But low level of understanding English.

Very nice and peaceful place

After a long walk in the city we made a stop here for a coffee, having read about Ara, the Eye of Istanbul. I think the best choice we made. Its warm atmosphere, nice and young people, great photos, good music and delicious turkish coffee make it one of the best cafes in the city.

Best antrikot I have eaten in Turkey till now. The üç mantarlı füme etli makarna option is very good too. The decor and service are also very good. Recommended!

Great location and nice vibe. Food could be better, but who cares, when surrounded with great Ara Güler’s photography... Try their coffee. It’s very nice.

Great...

Nice food and nice location. But a little noisy and not very friendly service

Nice place for breakfast

Excellent

Perfect place for quality and tasty food especially the goat cheese salad with almonds and from dessert the pumpkin puree with cinnamon were marvelous with excellent service.

Very cute quirky place, cosy and inviting.we only had coffee and deserts which were very lovely, so cant comment on the food

Didn’t manage to have food there. Came at 10:00 for a breakfast, but was asked to wait for half an hour. Came again at 10:30 — zero communication from the waiter (eye-contacting me only), no menu offered, no explanation. I left the place after 10 minutes wait. Never again.

Love this place, staff are really friendly, kind and helpful. The design is beautiful and its not over priced. Finally they play great jazz, I sat here drinking tea and reading for ages... I would highly recommended.

We stumbled upon this gem as we were looking for some good Turkish dinner. What we found was great hospitality, a lively warm vibe and incredible food. We ate the trio mushroom pasta and the sea bass and black eyed peas salad. Highly recommend!

Cute place. Locals eat here. Fast service. Great food

One of the cosiest cafe brasseries on the İstiklal street. Late owner was a world known photographer.

Like everyone else here, my husband and I were approached in the street by someone from the hotel. We had literally just come from a hotel in the area and assumed it was someone we had just met and not remembered. He led us to an amazing local spot where he has been going with his wife for 30 years. Red flag number one.When we sat down, there was a table with two ladies sitting nearby and we could overhear their conversation about how they had been brought food they had not ordered. By the time they left, they were yelling about the restaurant being a scam. Red flag number two.Since we had already ordered a few appetizers, we convinced ourselves that they were being dramatic and proceeded to wait for our food. We ordered the hummus, which was chunky/grainy and not fresh tasting, chili salad that tasted like someone dumped a jar of salsa on a plate, and stuffed grape leaves, which were not fresh and did not even look handmade. We also had a glass of wine and ordered tea, which never appeared. At some point the waiter informed us that there was a woman making fresh Turkish bread. We did not accept or ask for it, but it showed up. Assuming the bread was part of our meal like in most other restaurants, my husband ate it and I tried a small piece.We asked for the bill and they kept trying to bring us more food. We refused on the basis that everything wed had so far was terrible, and I am glad we did. When the bill came, we say a charge for 50 lira for the bread, which we never agreed to in the first place. We disputed it with the waiter, who proceeded to tell us that he would call the police if we continued to argue. He then told us it was cash only, even though I had just seen another server use the machine for a customer outside. We did not have cash and offered to go find an ATM, but he someone made a visa machine appear out of nowhere. I now know we should not have paid the bill at all, but the prospect of being arrested in Turkey when we had a flight to catch in the morning was not an option. We intentionally made a scene and let diners around us know that we were being scammed, but just like did in the beginning, they wrote us off as dramatic tourists. DO NOT GO HERE. THE FOOD IS NOT GOOD AND YOU WILL BE OVERCHARGED BY more than 100%.

Always crowded here and nice atmosphere supported by historical pictures and artifacts. Service tends to be slow although food arrives quickly after you get to order finally. Dishes are well prepared and taste good. The desserts on the menu and the balkabak that I tried was the most impressive and tasted delicious. Not on the menu but definitely interesting to try is the spicy hot chocolate drink, one of a kind.

Good location, great service, good prices 1 tea cup is only 8 tl and fantastic decoration

Good and tasty food and drinks, nice to seat here with friends

Very nice place it gives you the relaxed feeling. Would recomend for a a chat and if you have time enjoy the environment. We have tried the hazelnut French Latte, both iced and hot. The iced was too sweet for my taste. Regular was fine.

Excellent restaurant

Amazing food. The menu isnt extensive but whatever we tasted was great. I recommend the Balkan meatballs, which are meatballs on a mashed aubergine base, covered in yogurt and a tomato sauce.

Great coffee

Nice place, average food. It was simply ok. Nothing special, but nice service. Touristy.

One of best places at Istiklal Street . awesome music delicious food but might be lil expensive then normal

It used to be a nice place, once upon a time. But now it is an ordinary restaurant which has average food. For tourists I recommend it, but for domestics It is not advised.

Nice nook for a private lunch or dinner. Good food but avoid rush hour if youre looking for some special time with your significant other.

This is a place where never changes with its delicious menu, incredible photos on the walls. The legendary artist Ara Güler might be sitting next to your table.

I loved the place and the location, just a few footsteps from the overcrowded Istiklal. Very warm cafe, with some large-sized photos of Istanbul once upon a time on the walls, taken by the famous photographer Ara Guler. A perfect choice to take a break.

Nice and really famous place in İstiklal for a quick snack or coffee. Although I would suggest to not take coffee as the cappuccino I ordered was from a sachet.

Had breakfast there for many times, food is good ingrédients fresh, staff is nice but sad that not knowing much about Ara Güler/his work/books in the café (Ara Güler actually gave the cafe its name and was the owner) .

The location is great, its discrete and despite being literally in the middle of Istiklal street, it is a place where you can actually have a conversation and take time off from the crowded Istiklal. Owned by the renowned photographer Ara Guler, the place is nicely decorated and has a vintage vibe to it. Since his studio is just upstairs, you can find him regularly hanging out in his cafe, having Turkish tea and reading.Unfortunately the service is nothing like it used to be in the early days. Ive been visiting this place since it opened back in early 2000s and it is sad to see it degrade. Expect poor service, indifferent waiters and long wait times. The food is rather overpriced but the portions are of decent size. The menu has not changed a bit since it opened, Its not complicated and unlike many restaurants in Istanbul, there are relatively not too many options to pick from. Which is good because it enabled them to master the menu and i can safely say anything on it will be nicely done and taste great.

Nice food affordable prices beautiful atmosphere

Great ambiance and I love its cold apple tea, but the desserts need some improvement

Friendly staff nice ambiance

Have a drink and take a look at Ara Güllers amazing photography of bygone days in his coffee table books.

Very good place, nice food and fast service. I highly recomend thi place.

One of the best Turkish café.

Very good tastes,decently priced,good for lunch/dinner. Overall a very pleasant experience!

Like this place for chockolate cake and milky turkish coffee. Cozy and noisy in same time. Did not try other food there but it is perfect for tea or coffee.

The food is fine and the place is designed mediocrely, but the location is central and the service is good.

With generous portions and quality ingredients, Ara Cafe is one of my favourite lunch spots. Theyre located just off busy Istiklal in a quiet nook.

Taste of coffee is so nice and atmosphere in the cafe is also good

One of the most beautiful cafes of Istanbul! Very tasty coffee. Excellent atmosphere.

A lovely, warm, cozy place full of photos taken by Ara Güler the photographer of Istanbul. The food is not at the level of the place though.

A must visit casual coffee shop for a quick drink.

Interesting decoration and fun place with good deserts. Classy.

A classic ! Fantastic food and atmosphere.

A little comfy place to escape the crowd in one of the back streets of taksim

Impolite staff, bad service, cold food. Nicely decorated place though.

Very nice place, good food, service a little slow

Best coffee and tea in Taksim

Always good service, the menu is quite nice. Wonderful place to get away from the chaos of İstiklal but still be close enough :)

Nice place, delicious and balanced food. They dont sell alcohol.

Love this place, great food and drinks and quiet setting in the heart of the Taksim action.

Delicious ginger beer and nice location.

Great quiet place just off the main drag. The salads are refreshing, and their menu is as good as any of the cafes in the area.

Great food, great music, fantastic photography by the owner, renown photographer Ara Güler. A must if in Istanbul!

Amazing food and atmosphere. The service that day wasnt the best though.. But overall, a must!

Good food, moderate price. Good Ambiente.

My favorite cafe. Nice food, nice people, kind staff.

For a cafe they should have a richer desert menu.

Great food and a BEAUTIFUL atmosphere.

It is at a good location + good food

Nice place to have a soft drink and healthy food ...

Amazing local hang around always packed with people

Nice place to be with friends.

Cool place but unfortunately poor service..

My favorite cafe in Beyoğlu and certainly the most comfortable, relaxed and suave of the many in the area.

Just perfect!!

Nice place

Central location, nice food. Doesnt serve alcohol beverages.

Best place to eat and work in Istanbul, RIP Ara Guler

Nice place , good food, friendly staff. Try Balkan Köfte

Fantastic cafe with great ambience and photography by Ara Guler

Great views and outdoor seats. Unfriendly staff.

Bad service bad quality of drink didnt like at all

Very cozy cafe

Great cafe with friendly stuff

Nice and gozy