12 bars worth the trip across Turkey, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All Turkey guides.
Mikla Bar ★ 4.5 · Istanbul
beyoğlu · Meşrutiyet Caddesi No:15, 34430 Beyoğlu, İstanbul
Mikla Bar atop the Marmara Pera, Mehmet Gürs's rooftop terrace pouring a 450-label wine list and Anatolian-spirit cocktails over the Golden Horn from 18:00.
Bayazhan ★ 4.4 · Gaziantep
sahinbey · Akyol, Atatürk Blv. No:119 D:1, 27010 Şahinbey/Gaziantep
Bayazhan keeps a bar and an upstairs meyhane inside a Gaziantep caravanserai, with live traditional music running on most nights of the week.
Tip: Weekends need a reservation. The family section is alcohol-free, so specify which floor.
Kavanoz İstanbul ★ 4.3 · Istanbul
beşiktaş · Arnavutköy Mah., Tekkeci Sokak No:1/A, 34345 Beşiktaş, İstanbul
Kavanoz on Tekkeci Sokak in Arnavutköy, a florist-fronted cocktail room with a tree-shaded back garden, the upper-Bosphorus answer to Beyoğlu craft bars.
Geyik Cocktail Bar ★ 4.3 · Istanbul
cihangir · Kılıçali Paşa Mah., Akarsu Yokuşu No:22/A, 34433 Beyoğlu, İstanbul
Geyik on Akarsu Yokuşu flips from a third-wave roastery to a cocktail bar after dark, the work of Turkish barista champion Serkan İpekli and Yağmur Engin.
Tarihi Cumhuriyet Meyhanesi ★ 4.2 · Istanbul
beyoğlu · Balık Pazarı, Sahne Sokak No:47, 34435 Beyoğlu, İstanbul
Tarihi Cumhuriyet Meyhanesi in Beyoğlu's Balık Pazarı, a 130-year-old meyhane spread across three floors with fasıl music upstairs and the rakı table running.
MiniMüzikhol ★ 4.2 · Istanbul
cihangir · Soğancı Sokak No:3, 34433 Cihangir, Beyoğlu, Istanbul
MiniMüzikhol in Cihangir, an apartment-floor club opened in 2009, hosting Istanbul DJ residencies and the occasional Anatolian psych-rock set into the early.
Mahlas Meyhane ★ 4.0 · Gaziantep
sahinbey · Karagöz, Şakir Sk. no:9, 27100 Şahinbey/Gaziantep
Mahlas Meyhane pours rakı inside a restored Antep courtyard house in Karagöz, and its meze tray is the most local drinking food in Gaziantep.
Tip: Wood and stone keep the room cool. It is the better summer option of the old-city meyhanes.
360 Istanbul ★ 4.0 · Istanbul
beyoglu · İstiklal Caddesi No:163, Mısır Apartmanı Kat:8, 34433 Beyoğlu, Istanbul
360 Istanbul atop Mısır Apartmanı, an eighth-floor wraparound-window space that flips from a mezze dinner to a club on weekends with city-wide views.
Gece Gündüz Bistro ★ 3.9 · Gaziantep
sahinbey · Bey Sk. Atatürk Blv Öğretmenler Evi Karşısı 27010 Gaziantep
Gece Gündüz Bistro is Gaziantep's modern meyhane, a Bey Mahallesi courtyard with fasıl bands, DJ percussion and a cook-your-own grill table.
Tip: The ocakbaşı tables let you grill your own meat. Say so when booking, they are limited.
Akınal Gar Restaurant ★ 3.8 · Gaziantep
sehitkamil · İstasyon Meydanı TCDD Gar Binası, 27060 Gaziantep
Akınal Gar Restaurant drinks and dines inside the TCDD station building in Gaziantep, a licensed room with platform views and a long meze list.
Tip: Trains still run past the windows. Ask for a table on the platform side.
Gaziantep Baro Lokali ★ 3.6 · Gaziantep
kavaklik · Gazi Mahallesi, 24014 Nolu Cad. Kavaklık Parkı Girişi No: 4, D:1, 27060 Şehitkamil/Gaziantep
Gaziantep Baro Lokali is the bar association's club at the gate of Kavaklık Park, open to the public and one of the cheapest licensed gardens.
Tip: The garden is the point. Weekday evenings are calm, weekends fill with family groups.
Salaş Restaurant ★ 3.6 · Gaziantep
sahinbey · Türkmenler Cad, Sedef Sk., 27300 Şahinbey/Gaziantep
Salaş Restaurant is an unfussy licensed grill on Türkmenler Caddesi in Gaziantep, built around kebab, cold meze and a table you can sit at for hours.
Tip: No frills and no reservations culture. Turn up early on a Friday if you want a table.