esmer cafe

review on 16 january,2018:
i tried esmer again during the new year holiday. i was a little disappointed. the place is still pleasant with friendly staff no matter how crowded. this time we only ordered the tortellini funghipastaand pepperoni pizza. the cream was a bit salty for me, but overall thepastatasted good. as for the pizza, i still love the crust. but the pepperoni was unappetizing. 
review on june 16,2016 (4.5 rate):
during my five day stay in istanbul, i ate at esmer 4 times. basically it was the only place i tried there where everything was as i hoped. friendly staff, delicious food, cozy place , and really good prices.
lazanya bolognese and ravioli spinach are to die for. mexica pizza was flavorsome. i tried the desserts as well (tiramisu, creme brulee and cheese cake). they were equally tasteful. one platter i wasn't a fan of was the chicken panzerotti. the crust was a bit too dry for me. however this restaurant was one of the highlights of my stay. recommended.

best place to eatpastaforpastalovers.
i visited the place twice in 2 days.
the tricolor tortellini is to die for, salads are refreshing. huge portions and very good pricing. you need to wait a little bit to find a seat but it is worth it. i tried tricolor tortellini and fettuccine alfredo they are amazing. pesto ravioli is an amazing choice.
fries are so good you will not stop eating.
great staff and they are so friendly. a must try place.

located in the middle of taksim, it is a small restaurant which seemed to be always packed especially that during july there are a lot of tourists. we were lucky to find a table.
we went the following:
- iskender kebab pizza: i am glad i took the risk with this pizza, it was deliciouss!! loved the doner pieces with yogurt in my pizza
- seadfood pasta: it was very very rich in seafood items, however, thepastaitself should have been cooked for longer.
if you are in taksim make sure you stop by!
recommended

very tasty food, thepastaand the dessert are very tasty. i recommend it. very professional staff and very affordable price to dine or to have lunch.

this place is located in the upper part of istiklal street. we have tried several plates(pasta, fries “yummyy seasoning” , meat balls , onion rings” sweet sauce ??”). the portion is big enough for sharing!!enjoyed the place but the service was a little bit slow. all in all it was a good choice!!!

located right of istiklal street, this place serves up yummy italian food. we had the spaghetti with beef and a grilled chicken dish. both were really good especially the spaghetti which was just spectacular. thepastawas fresh and the sauce was delicious. the chicken was cooked well and the fries they served with that were yummy and had a delicious spice mix on it. 

all in all a good experience.

goodpastaand good salads... not so good on the barbecue specially the chicken which was very dry!
overall experience was not bad but not great...

bestpastain the whole world.
i am apastalover and i enjoyed every bite to the max.
the place is so cosy and the ambience is amazing especially with the live cooking.
it is really a must try for all istanbul visitors ?

very good service, the food is delicious as well. the waiters are friendly, restuarant is clean. we liked the shrimp noodles, mushroompastaand seafood pasta.

catchy restaurant in taksim square where a live cookingpastastation makes you drool.

this place is a gem serving tasty international dishes with good portion and quality vs price. the service is exquisite. high five to mohammad for the best service during my multiple visits. pasta, burgers, pizzas, chicken, meat you name it.

rating:a+++
definitely do not miss it in taksim.

it was one of the most amazing food i have ever taste.. i orderedpastawith salmon and it was incredibly good from the sauce to the flaky fish and the fresh mushroom. and thepastawas cooked perfectly.
then i ordered tiramisu and the taste was heavenly.. the portion was huge and the prices are so reasonable.
the waiters were nice and with a smile on their faces all the time. i'll definitely be coming back soon! :d

as a tourist, after a long walk through istiklal's all you want to do is a find a comfy place to sit and relax but still enjoy the sights that the street has to offer.  esmer is one such discovery. late into the evening, me & my friend thought to try this place. we ordered our creamypastaand risotto with steaming cuppa coffee to go along. the staff is extremely friendly, speaks english and the decor is very comforting.  do try their tiramisu as well!

i loved the place! it’s small but it’s a very nice place to dine in. pizza andpastaare prepared in live stations and the food comes so fresh, hot and delicious! portions are more than good and the service is fast. i ordered the chicken caesar salad (it’s not actually chicken caesar that was served) but it was good. the shrimp were amazing! thepastawas perfectly al dente and the sauce was delicious. i also loved the tiramisu! prices are excellent for portion size. it’s a must visit in taksim!

i looovvveee this restaurant. i go there every year and i just can’t get enough of it. plus the waiters are amazing. my favorite plates are seafoodpastaand salmon pizza. prices are excellent.

the coziest little place in istiklal street. went in for the delicious display of all the types ofpastayou can dream of and the fact that it seemed to be always super packed. maybe this set our expectations too high as we didn't really enjoy the food we ordered. looks better than it tasted. service was great and the location is superb.