It seems way too often lately I have had to meet people in S'met for drinks or a meal and I can never think of a good place that has tolerable food a beer or two and maybe a nice view. Anyone have any suggestions? Someplace that's relatively easy to find and convenient?

Thx!

a friend of mine runs a restaurant called amedros.

divanyolu cad.hoca rustem sok.n:7, sultanahmet (near the tramvay)
522 83 56 / amedroscafe@hotmail.com

A little down from Sultanahmet in Cankurtaran near the Armada Hotel is Balıkçı Sabahattin. Mezes and fish are above average (as are the prices but nothing too exorbitant) and they have a lovely garden seating area. Raki, beer and wine abound. Reservations are likely helpful: 212 458 18 24

WHY would anyone (who knows better places to go) choose Sultanahmet as a place to hang out at night? esp when the tram and funikuler get people easily from S.met to Taksim...

yah well, if you've got people who've just arrived and you don't want to subject them to taxis and meeting up on Istiklal for a quick drink or meal, sometimes it's necessary. OR if you're dragging folks around sightseeing all day, you need a decent place to eat.

I've always heard the fish place was good, but is it fancy-schmancy?

The Four Seasons - at least you can get decent cocktails.
Armada Hotel restaurant - views are great too.
Hamdi of course.

[quote user="burbaco" post="92318"]A little down from Sultanahmet in Cankurtaran near the Armada Hotel is Balıkçı Sabahattin. Mezes and fish are above average (as are the prices but nothing too exorbitant) and they have a lovely garden seating area. Raki, beer and wine abound. Reservations are likely helpful: 212 458 18 24[/quote]

I totally agree, and it is not too "schmancy" Cequirk.

Also, not for food, but for a wonderful atmospheric game of tavla there is Cafe Yeni Marmara down the hill from the far end of the Hippodrome (check for location in a Lonely Planet) which also boasts a fantastic view.

I had a wonderful time there a while back watching Maymunn lose game after game of tavla.

i find taksim too busy and full of *ankers at weekends and have the last two years often gone to sultanahmet on saturday nights. there are a few good restaurants and its quite nice to sit around in the tea gardens at night. Try the korean restaurant. the a garden in front of the Yesil Ev has performances of Sema and ney and could be nice to take visitors to. the Yesil Ev has a nice tea garden at the back. for some cheap turkish fare try Doy Doy at the back of the Arasta Carsisi.

When people I know come from overseas, I take them to, surprise surprise, Istiklal However, it'd be good to know of a few decent clubs/bars in the Sultanahmet area. Anyone here know of some ? And...I hope they don't have the fricking 'no entry for guys unless accompanied by women' thing. I find this discriminatory thing an embarrasment, especially when I must explain it to a foreign friend (it has happened once at a place in Levent and I had told my Spanish friends that the venue was holding a private party that time.....I couldn't get myself to tell them the truth.....unfortunately, many foreigners already have some thought (which is, sadly, a true thought) that Turkey is too conservative in some social aspects and so I didn't want them to know about this fricking rule).

Well.....actually why don't we arrange a mini get-together in Sultanahmet next week ? I am also getting bored of Istiklal.

Cheers,

Cem

I'd be up for meeting fellow forum folk if you come to this neck of the woods. Although I live here in Sultanahmet, I don't much go to bars at night because most of my friends here are still working and as a single woman, I feel a wee bit uncomfortable going alone. I do, however, know where the bars are. At least one has (or had last I was there) live music on occasion. I can check it out again.

If I didnt have a meetnig brunch there today, I'd never have known how love-ly sultanahmet is on sundays...

Many of my close friends live in Sultanahmet. As a result, I spend a considerable about of time there. I would definitely be interested in hanging out.

I am currently in Çemberlitaş and would also love to meet up in the Sultanahmet area sometime. As my PM doesn't work and I am currently without a cep telefon, shoot me an email at lauren.mcfarlin@gmail.com.