WHO IT SUITS
Is this venue right for you?
For guests who want classic ocakbaşı flavors in contemporary form with a view, cocktails and increasingly lively evening music.
Gümüşsuyu · Beyoğlu
Mesai İstanbul
Rooftops
Opening hoursDaily: 17:00–01:00
Price level$$$
Entry & reservations
Show details
There is no admission ticket. Table requests must be completed using the form at https://mesai.com.tr/; the phone is for information, not finalizing reservations.
Google rating
EDITOR'S REVIEW
Get to know the venue before you go
After its first chapter in Karaköy, Mesai İstanbul reopened in Gümüşsuyu, bringing contemporary ocakbaşı cooking together with Bosphorus and historic-peninsula views, signature cocktails and music that builds into the night. Food comes first, making it equally appealing for celebrations and long after-work get-togethers.
Music & programme
Turkish classics, modern meyhane tracks and acoustic pop play throughout dinner. The tempo rises after roughly 9:30 p.m.; live music or a DJ may be added for special dates.
Atmosphere
The panoramic upper floor in Gümüşsuyu faces the Bosphorus and historic peninsula. Ocakbaşı tables share a dim, modern room with a cocktail bar; lights lower and celebrations around tables grow livelier as dinner progresses.
Concept
Charcoal-fired ocakbaşı cooking, modern Turkish meze, a rakı-and-cocktail bar and a panoramic upper floor. A food-led evening gradually becomes a sociable night with music, balancing modern meyhane and rooftop dining.
Guest profile
Professionals seeking refined ocakbaşı, couples and friends celebrating, local food enthusiasts and international visitors after Turkish food with Bosphorus views.
Dress code
Dressy smart casual works well: dresses, shirts, jackets and polished city outfits suit the modern ocakbaşı room.
Inside the Venue
Mesai İstanbul's curved glass ceiling stretches above the tables, together with hanging lamps. White-clothed tables set with small plates and tall glasses face the sea. The opposite shore is clearer by day, while the city's lights emerge in the evening. Watching the world outside change without leaving your table is part of the evening here.
Customer Review Summary
Mesai Istanbul is a popular choice—especially for celebrations like birthdays and anniversaries—thanks to its Bosphorus view, stylish yet warm atmosphere, pleasant music, and generally attentive service. While the mezes, içli köfte (stuffed meatballs), pide, and kebabs are frequently praised, some main courses have been criticized for being dry, cold, or small in portion. Tables with a view are assigned based on reservation order, so early planning is important; table spacing can be tight. Charges for water, valet parking, and certain beverages have been deemed high or insufficiently transparent. One visitor claimed to have found a hair in their meal and felt the management failed to provide an adequate explanation. Excessive heat and communication difficulties are also among the isolated complaints.
HIGHLIGHTS
Highlights
Views of the Bosphorus and historic peninsula, Chef Ali Karababa's modern ocakbaşı, a broad rakı, wine and cocktail selection, central Gümüşsuyu location and a balanced transition from dinner to entertainment.
NOTE
Before your visit
Reservations are completed only through the form at mesai.com.tr, not over the phone. Use its seating-notes field to ask for the view-facing upper floor of the Opera Hotel Bosphorus.
GETTING THERE
Getting to the venue
Follow the address İnönü Caddesi No:26, Gümüşsuyu, for Opera Hotel Bosphorus; Mesai is on its terrace. From Kabataş take the F1 funicular to Taksim, then walk toward Gümüşsuyu.