Şahika on Nevizade Sokak in Beyoğlu runs five floors stacked from a ground-floor pub through casual lounges to a techno-leaning rooftop terrace, a queer-friendly Nevizade fixture that combines neighborhood crowd and electronic programming.
Tip: Climb to the rooftop for fresh air and Beyoğlu views; the techno floor is just below. The room peaks after midnight Thursday through Saturday.
Address: Nevizade Sokak No:5, 34435 Hüseyinağa, Beyoğlu, Istanbul
Kiki on Sıraselviler Caddesi in Beyoğlu is the Burcu Denizer gastro pub running since 2009, known for house-vodka cocktails like the mastic and pomegranate pours and a back-room dance floor that kicks off most nights after 23:30.
Tip: Walk in for the bar; the back room turns club after midnight. Taksim Metro is a 5-minute walk. The apple martini is a regular order.
Tekyön Club on Sıraselviler Caddesi in Cihangir has run for over 15 years as Istanbul's reference gay dance club, with drag shows on quieter weekdays, a crowded Saturday floor and a programme that draws both local crowd and visitors.
Tip: Open six nights, closed Monday. Doors after 23:00; Saturday is the peak set. Cash bar and card both accepted. Taksim Metro is three blocks.
Geyik on Akarsu Yokuşu in Cihangir runs a third-wave coffee roastery by day and a cocktail bar by night, with brick walls, wood paneling and a creative drinks list that earned it Time Out's neighborhood-bar reference for the district.
Tip: Coffee through the afternoon; cocktails take over from early evening. The room is small, the bar seats fill first. Open daily until 02:00.
Kiki on Sıraselviler Caddesi in Beyoğlu is the Burcu Denizer gastro pub running since 2009, known for house-vodka cocktails like the mastic and pomegranate pours and a back-room dance floor that kicks off most nights after 23:30.
Tip: Walk in for the bar; the back room turns club after midnight. Taksim Metro is a 5-minute walk. The apple martini is a regular order.
Alexandra Cocktail Bar on the Bebek-Arnavutköy waterfront strip in Beşiktaş runs a Gault and Millau Turkey listed cocktail programme from a narrow corner storefront, a Bosphorus-village hideaway with a street terrace and a creative shaker-led list.
Tip: Walk in for the terrace; the inside bar fills first on cold nights. The corner seats catch the strait breeze. Cab back to Beyoğlu is fastest after midnight.
Sensus Wine Boutique on Büyük Hendek Caddesi behind the Galata Tower runs an underground stone-vaulted cellar bar with more than 350 Turkish and international wines by the glass, regional cheese boards and an occasional jazz programme through the evening.
Tip: Below the Anemon Galata Hotel; the cellar fills first. The in-house sommelier picks the by-the-glass flights. Cash bar runs faster than card.
Tekyön Club on Sıraselviler Caddesi in Cihangir has run for over 15 years as Istanbul's reference gay dance club, with drag shows on quieter weekdays, a crowded Saturday floor and a programme that draws both local crowd and visitors.
Tip: Open six nights, closed Monday. Doors after 23:00; Saturday is the peak set. Cash bar and card both accepted. Taksim Metro is three blocks.
Love Dance Point on Cumhuriyet Caddesi in Harbiye has been an Istanbul gay-scene institution for over a decade, with resident DJs, house drag queens and go-go dancers across a weekend-only Friday and Saturday programme.
Tip: Open Fri and Sat only, doors 23:30 to 05:00. A 15-minute walk north of Taksim Square; Osmanbey Metro L2 is the closest stop.