to be fair, this review would be closer to a 3.5 if zomato would let me. let's keep it simple.
pros: nice decor and atmosphere. fun music. great service. food presentation was solid. mezes were the highlight. eggplant with yogurt and grilled calamari were the highlights. fresh bread was also a nice touch.
cons: if.you can't stand smoke, avoid this restaurant. when we called before to ask, the man on the phone said it has never been complained about. i find this shocking. luckily, the wait staff was able to place us upstairs and this wasn't an issue. foodwise. the hamsi and accompanying salad was way to salty. the cacik was over complicated with cabbage for a crunch, unnecessary. the pacagna was covered in tomatoe.sauce which made a normally delicious dish into a poor man's pizza. the girit ezme was hard ans seemed like it was made the night before and wasn't thawed out completely. the sarma for dessert was hardly that, instead a mushy mess. probably the biggest con of all was the disgrace of a panna cotta. now to be fair, i did not look at the menu to see that they made a findikli karamel and turk kahve sauce on top. call me a traditionalist, but like the pacagna, stop trying to be different and just make it taste delicious.
overall the night was fun. would i go back for the food and the 500tl price tag (with 50cc raki,) no way. would i go if i was invited to a party, sure why not. add to the list of sub par meyhane type places in istanbul.