Neolokal

Firstly, the setting is exquisite. We sat outside but you get to see the south side of Istanbul in all its glory. If you’re having dinner, as the sun sets and the lights come on in the city, it’s truly marvellous. Secondly, the staff are so attentive and friendly. They describe the dishes very well and everything is professional and on-point. Thirdly, the food is beautiful. Everything is presented so well to the tiniest detail. The flavours aren’t bold, but they are fresh and tasty, and the ideas created by the chef with the local ingredients are so intelligent. I can see why it has a star, and it fully deserves it! Kudos to everyone at Neolokal, a truly wonderful experience. Thank you

What a wonderful experience. It's tucked away in like a museum and you get an excellent view of the city. The service was attentive, informative, and welcoming. The food was excellent and continued to get progressively better as the meal went on. The wine pairing is a must and the whole service lasted about 3 hours.

I visited this restaurant with my husband back in March and just realized I hadn’t left a review. The service was outstanding, the ambiance was perfect, and the wine pairing experience was truly exceptional. The combination of flavors and the presentation of each dish were a solid 10/10. Also, the night view is absolutely beautiful. Highly recommended!

What stands out of about this place is the presentation. Artwork on a plate. Plate after plate, just beautiful masterpieces. We loved the final lamb neck course the most. Dessert was okay… service was fine, but I wish the staff wasn’t so stiff and had some personality. It felt like we were being served by robots. Cocktails were outstanding, probably the best in the city. Restaurant was beautiful and pretty quiet. Would come back.

Unfortunately, our experience at Neolokal fell far below expectations. As guests who also work professionally in the industry, we felt a clear lack of care on both the service and kitchen sides. I share this feedback mindfully and with full awareness of the standards such establishments should meet. Firstly, the quality of service was notably poor. It was disturbing to hear staff members using foul language and openly voicing their dissatisfaction with their work in the background. This seriously undermined the overall atmosphere and professionalism of the venue. The wine pairings were not served in harmony with the dishes—wines were brought out before the courses were finished, and there was no satisfactory explanation about the pairing or what kind of flavor profile to expect. In general, only the name and type of wine were mentioned—something I could have read from the label myself. While a few dishes were technically interesting, the presentation and storytelling fell short. The sea bass dish in particular was very disappointing—completely bland, with no salt or discernible flavor. It overshadowed anything I might have enjoyed up to that point and left me with a negative overall impression. From a restaurant of this level, I expected a far more coherent, professional, and thoughtful experience. Sadly, the value for money was also underwhelming. I strongly believe that every guest deserves the same level of care and attention in a place like this. Unfortunately, our experience failed to reflect that standard.