Kadiköy, Moda, and Üsküdar
KÜP CAFE
Caferağa Mah. Güneşlibahçe Sok. 47, Kadiköy
GARDEN CAFE
216 347 8694 www.kupcafe.com
It’s difficult to find for those who aren’t searching for it, but Küp’s atmospheric courtyard has everything you need for a quiet night out. There’s a jungle of vegetation, some mood lighting, and a lot of corners to sit in. Come here when you’re fed up with looking at the skyline, not too excited about people-watching, and just want to have a beer and discuss the more important things in life.
Located toward the end of Güneşlibahçe Sok. If you’re walking from Söğütlü Çeşme Cad., it will be on your left side. Tea 2-4TL. Beer 6TL. Entrees 8.50-15TL. Open daily 9am-1am.
KARGA
Kadife Sok. 16, Kadiköy
BAR
216 449 1726 www.kargabar.org
One of the best known bars this side of the Bosphorus, Karga is so cool that it doesn’t even need a name on its door. Thanks to its four stories, a garden, numerous balconies, and a top-floor art gallery, you can choose the decibel of your music and what kind of night you’re going to have. Don’t expect any Turkish music—Karga plays mostly alternative rock that fits its edgy atmosphere.
On the bar street. Walking from Rexx Cinema it will be on your right, an unmarked wooden door with a raven drawn above it. Beer 6TL. Cocktails 6-16TL. Raki 7.50TL. Food 4-9.50TL. Open Sept-June noon-2am.
ARKAODA
Kadife Sok. 18, Kadiköy
BAR
216 418 0277 www.arkaoda.com
With red lighting and three different levels, Arkaoda tries to embody the alternative spirit of the Asian side of Istanbul. Usually playing minimalistic techno, ambient drone, or freak folk, Arkaoda also has frequent live concerts and DJ nights with internationally acclaimed acts. Try one of their alcoholic coffees (7-10TL), which ingeniously manage to combine two vices at the same time.
Walking from Rexx Cinema it will be on your right. It has an unmarked wooden door right next to Karga. Tea 4TL. Beer 7.50TL. Raki 8.50TL. Whiskey 16TL. Open daily 2pm-2am.
LIMAN KAHVESI
Kadife Sok. 37, Kadiköy
BAR
216 349 9818 www.limankahvesi.com.tr
This place will make you feel like you’re on a boat—or at least surrounded by them. The drinks counter is in the shape of a boat, the bookshelf on the second floor is modeled after a barge, and there’s a massive ship hanging from the ceiling. On the wall there are yellowed instructions for putting on an inflatable vest as well as a brick of an old ship transmitter—just make sure their various shots don’t make you seasick. Liman Kahvesi brings in weekly DJs, presumably spinning nautically inspired sets.
Toward the end of the bar street. Walking from Rexx Cinema it will be on your left. Beer 6TL. Raki 8TL. Shots 9.50TL. Burgers and dürüms 8-9.5TL. Open daily 10am-2am.
Beşiktaş and Ortaköy
REINA Muallim Naci Cad 44, Ortaköy
NIGHTCLUB, RESTAURANT
212 259 5919 www.reina.com.tr
If you’re going to wallow in excess, do it big time. Probably the most famous club in the city, Reina is where local and international social elite come to spend unchristian amounts of money. The club has six different restaurants (Chinese, sushi, kebabs, Mediterranean, fish, and international) and a dance floor in the middle, all with the Bosphorus Bridge looming as a backdrop. Reina also owns two boats that will transport you here from your hotel, if you happen to be one of the VIP guests. Not sure if you qualify as a VIP or not? Then you probably don’t. However, there are ways to enjoy the club for very little money—come on a weekday and then spend the night nursing a beer or two.
Take the bus to Ortaköy. Then walk down Muallim Naci until you see it to your right. Reservation for dinner required. Dress code is strictly enforced. Men need female company to enter the club. Cover F-Sa 50TL includes 1 drink. Beer 10TL. Cocktails 30TL. Open daily for dinner 6pm-midnight. Club open daily midnight-4am.
ANJELIQUE
Salhane Sok. 5, Ortaköy
NIGHTCLUB, RESTAURANT
212 327 2844 www.istanbuldoors.com
Don’t let the absence of cover charge at Anjelique on the weekends trick you: this is still one of the most prestigious clubs in the area. There are three floors, two restaurants (Asian and Mediterranean), and, during the club hours, two DJs at a time (one plays house, the other popular songs). The decor is stylish and simple (you won’t find any of Reina’s antlers-turned-lamps here) and the club’s position over the Bosphorus is definitely an asset.
Take the bus to Ortaköy. Anjelique is in a small street in the center of Ortaköy, opposite the Jazz Center and near a Hotel Radisson entrance. From the Ortaköy ferry jetty, head inland and take the first left, Anjelique will be to your left. Reservation for dinner required. Dress code strictly enforced. Men need female company to enter the club. No cover. Beer 13TL. Cocktails 30TL. Open daily for dinner 6pm-midnight. Club open Tu-F midnight-4am.
SUPPERCLUB
Muallim Naci Cad. 65, Ortaköy
NIGHTCLUB, RESTAURANT
212 261 1988 www.supperclub.com
This undeniably cool concept club has a number of branches in metropoles all over the world. There are no chairs; instead, there are huge beds covered with white satin. There is no menu either—if you order the surprise dinner (80TL), the only thing you need to say before they bring it is whether you’re vegetarian or not. The DJs are imported from the Netherlands and the club remains open till 7am, the latest among the Bosphorus’ bling establishments. It is more compact than the other clubs, with the dancing section separated from the drinking section by a big glass wall.
Take the bus to Ortaköy. Walk down Muallim Naci until you see it on your left. Reservation for dinner and club required. Dress code strictly enforced. Men need female company to enter the club. Cover F-Sa 35TL; includes 1 drink. Beer 10TL. Cocktails 30TL. Open daily for dinner 8-11:30pm. Club 11:30pm-7am.
JAZZ CENTER ISTANBUL
Salhane Sok. 10, Ortaköy
JAZZ CLUB
212 327 5050 www.istanbuljazz.com
If you’re one of those people whose knees start to shake when they hear names like Mike Stern, Dave Weckl, or Stanley Clarke, you’ll enjoy visiting this club. Outside of the summer months, the Jazz Center hosts jazz concerts five days a week, with two sets per night. The names that come to play here are relatively big, and so is the bill for food and alcohol at the end of the night. The small performance room gets crowded very easily, so come a bit earlier to catch a good spot.
Take the bus to Ortaköy. From the Ortaköy ferry jetty head inland and take the 1st left; Jazz Center will be to your right. Cover 15-50TL. Beer 15TL. Set menu 40-60TL. Entrees 25-36TL. Open daily 7pm-4am. Music daily 9:30pm-midnight. Performances less frequent during the summer.
Beyoğlu
PAPILION INC.
Balo Sok. 31/4
BAR
537 840 6359 papilioninc.blogspot.com
This place combines surprisingly cheap drinks with an elaborate decor (think aquariums, a crazy disco ball, and something that looks like a big spiderweb). It’s run and manned by friendly young people, and you can choose between the louder lower level or the more intimate upper level with beanbags. If you’re lucky, grab a seat on the coveted balcony.
Taksim. It’s on the opposite side of the street as Araf. Find an unmarked black gate with two red alert lights (Machine Club), and then walk up the staircase that’s to the left; Papilion is on the top floor. Happy hour beers 2.50-3.50TL. Tequila 3TL. Beer 4-5TL. Vodka 5TL. Open M-F noon-3am, Sa-Su noon-6am. Happy hour noon-9pm.
PEYOTE
Kameriye Sok. 4
LIVE MUSIC
212 251 4398 www.peyote.com.tr
Don’t get discouraged by Peyote’s first floor, which features some indifferent electronic music—the real places to be are the second floor (live music) and the third floor (a beer terrace). Peyote is a well-known venue whe
re young bands perform before going big, and the place even has its own record label.
Taksim. Walk to Galatasaray, turn right onto Hamalbaşi Cad., and take the 4th right and walk until you see Peyote on the right. Cover varies. Sausages 8TL. Beer 6TL. Shots 9TL. Open daily noon-4am. Live music W, F, Sa at 11:30pm.
LIMONLU BAHÇE
Yeni Çarşi Cad. 98
CAFE
212 252 1094 www.limonlubahce.com
With its overgrown vegetation and apathetic-looking tortoises crawling amidst the table legs, this garden is great for an evening drink. The furniture and decor aren’t glittering with newness, but perhaps that’s part of its appeal. The food portions are big, so you can consider coming here for lunch when the prices are lowered by 10%. Fun game for erstwhile Pokemon fans: catch all the tortoises.
Tünel or Taksim. Walk to Galatasaray, go down the hill on Yeni Çarşi, and continue until you see its sign on the right. Free Wi-Fi. Entrees 13-23TL. Coffee 5-6TL. Beer 7.50TL. Cocktails 13-19TL. Open daily 9am-midnight.
LEB-I DERYA
Kumbaraci Yok. 57/6
RESTAURANT, BAR
212 243 9555 www.lebiderya.com
Leb-i Derya is a posh place, widely acknowledged as having one of the best views of Istanbul in the city. Its open terrace is quite nice, but if you want the best view, reserve the tiny upper terrace in advance as the spots here go quickly. The cuisine is Mediterranean and international, but the cheapest way to enjoy the place is to come for a drink. Don’t get this branch confused with the other Leb-i Derya branch in the Richmond Hotel, where the view isn’t half as interesting.
Tünel. Walking up İstiklal from Tünel take the 2nd right. Walk down the hill for a while, until you see Leb-i Derya to your right. Beer 11-15TL. Cocktails 25-29TL. Entrees 32-40TL. Desserts 15-16TL. Open M-F 4pm-2am, Sa 10am-3am, Su 10am-2am.
MOJO
Büyükparmakappi Sok. 26/1
LIVE MUSIC
212 243 2927 www.mojomusic.org
Bars on İstiklal tend to have a very limited understanding of what “live music” means (one jangly guitar and an annoying singer), so this edgy club hosting performances of local underground bands (pop rock, alternative rock) is a refreshing change. There is no seating on nights when cover is charged, so you’ll have to either dance, stand, or pretend you’re dancing. The club isn’t very big and can get quite crowded, but that’s the problem with most good clubs anyway.
Taksim. Walk down İstiklal and take the 3rd left turn. The club is toward the end of that street, on the right side. Cover W 15TL, F 20TL, Sa 25TL. Beer 8-10TL. Vodka 10TL. Open daily 10pm-4am. Live music M-Sa at midnight.
KIKI
Siraselviler Cad. 42
BAR
212 243 5373 www.kiki.com.tr
A place popular with Cihangir dwellers, Kiki is known for its brunches and low-pressure atmosphere. The beer isn’t cheap, but the price is similar to what many places in Cihangir charge. In the back there’s a small garden good for talking and smoking (if a bar in Istanbul doesn’t have an outdoor space for smoking, it’s doomed), while indoors some dancing takes place between its narrow walls.
From Taksim, walk down Siraselviler. After a few blocks, Kiki will be on the right. Beer 10TL. Cocktails 20-22TL. Open M-F 6pm-2am, Sa-Su 6pm-4am. Music W, F-Sa at 11:30pm.
ARAF
Balo Sok. 32
LIVE MUSIC
212 244 8301 www.araf.com.tr
Some expats say Araf is an “Erasmus trap,” attended mostly by exchange students and Turks who would like to hook up with them. On the other hand, the odds that you’ll meet somebody who actually speaks English are quite high, which could be a refreshing change after every other place in Istanbul. The bands play loud world music, the drinks are relatively cheap, and the focus is on dancing.
Taksim. Walk down İstiklal toward Galatasaray, then turn right at Halkbank onto Balo Sokak. Continue down the street until you see Araf on the right. Live music M-Th and Su; DJ performances F-Sa. No cover. Beer 6TL. Raki and shots 8TL. Open M-F 5pm-2am, Sa-Su 5pm-3am.
ARTS AND CULTURE
Bathhouses
ÇEMBERLITAŞ HAMAMI
Vezirhan Cad. 8, Çemberlitaş
HAMAM
212 522 7974 www.cemberlitashamami.com.tr
This is one of the well-known hamams frequented mostly by tourists, and everything here corresponds to that—it’s clean, aesthetically pleasing, and on the expensive side. Built in 1584 and based on plans created by Mimar Sinan, this hamam offers all the basics from body scrubs and bubble washes (55TL) to facial masks (12TL) and head massages (40TL). Your experience here depends on the crowds, so try to come in outside the rush hours (generally 4-8pm). If you plan to go to a hamam only once, this place is one of the top contenders. Yes, it’s touristy, but visiting a hamam seems to be turning into a tourist activity anyway.
Çemberlitaş. The hamam is just across the street from the tram stop. Separate sections for men and women. Self-service 35TL; body scrub and bubble wash 55TL, with oil massage 95TL; facial mask 12TL; reflexology 40TL; Indian head massage 40TL. Open daily 6am-midnight.
SOFULAR HAMAMI
Sofular Cad. 28, Fatih
HAMAM
212 521 3759
If a local, “authentic” experience is what you’re after, consider going to the Sofular hamam in Fatih. Don’t expect much English from the staff or too much polish in the changing rooms (it looks a bit like a hospital here), but once you enter the hararet (hot room) and lie down under its pleasant dome, all of these amenities will not matter. Instead of other tourists there will be old, local men with enormous bellies (or their female equivalents), and you’ll pay about half the price charged by touristy hamams.
Take bus to Fatih. Head southeast down Fevzipaşa and turn right at Aslanhane. After 1 block get on the diagonal Sofular Cad. and continue down that street until you reach the hamam, which will be on the left near Sofular Mosque. Separate sections for men and women. Self-service 20TL; bath with massage 28TL, with scrub 28TL, with scrub and massage 36TL. Open daily for women 8am-8pm, for men 6am-10:30pm.
CAǦALOǦLU HAMAMI
Cağaloğlu Hamami Sok. 34, Cağaloğlu
HAMAM
212 522 2424 www.cagalogluhamami.com.tr
For some reason, somebody decided to list this hamam in a book called 1001 Things To Do Before You Die, and the hamam has been unabashedly profiting from this citation ever since. With walls covered in photos of celebrities who have stopped by (yes, this includes Mr. Atatürk) and a few of Kate Moss engaging in some softcore posing, these guys surely know how to advertise themselves. If you keep in mind that few things that are well advertised in Sultanahmet live up to their image, your visit to this 270-year-old hamam could be very enjoyable.
Sultanahmet. It’s a few blocks down the street from the entrance of Basilica Cistern, on the right side. Separate sections for men and women. Self-service 38TL. Bath with scrub 57TL; with massage 62TL; with scrub and massage 75TL. Full service 95TL. Open daily for women 8am-8pm; for men 8am-10pm.
TARIHI GALATASARAY HAMAMI
Turnacibaşi Sok. 24, Galatasaray
HAMAM
women 212 249 4342, men 212 252 4242
www.galatasarayhamami.com
Another hamam focusing mostly on tourists. How do we know? Their brochure is filled with pictures of some pretty steamy heterosexual situations among young people, despite the fact that everyone who has been to a hamam before knows that genders have separate sections (an exception is the Süleymaniye Hamami, near the Süleymaniye Mosque). This hamam is one of the priciest of the lot, but in exchange for its pricetag, it offers one of the loveliest interiors of all the local hamams. Not that you’ll pay much attention to it when you’re being massaged, but it’s a nice touch.
Taksim. Walk down İstiklal from Taksim and turn left at Turnacibaşi, near Halk Bank. It’s at the end of the street. Separate sections for men and women. Self-service 50TL. Bath with scrub 75TL; with massage 80TL; with scrub and
massage 95TL. Full service 125TL. Open daily for women 8am-9pm; for men 7am-10pm.
BÜYÜK HAMAMI
Potinciler Sok 22, Kasimpaşa
HAMAM
212 253 4229 www.buyukhamam.net
Serving mostly locals, this is one of the biggest hamams in town (as you probably figured out by your fourth day in Turkey, büyük means “big”). Although this hamam is not frequented by tons of tourists, it still holds historic value similar to that of its more popular brethren—it is the brainchild of Mimar Sinan, built in 1533. While its walls could use a fresh coat of paint, its swimming pool on the roof (only for men) and its cheap prices make Büyük a decent choice.
Tünel. From Tünel go up İstiklal, then turn left at Kumbaraci Yokuşu. Go down the hill until you reach Bahriye. Cross the street, turn right and walk for 1 block. The hamam will on your left close to Kasimpaşa Mosque. Separate sections for men and women. Self-service 17.5TL. Bath with massage 25TL; with scrub 22.5TL; with massage and scrub 30TL. Open daily for women 8:30am-7:30pm; for men 5:30am-10:30pm.
Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide Page 216