Ficcin Restaurant

Suggested to us by a local friend, Ficcin proved to be a great dinner at a lively alley near İstiklal avenue. The restaurant takes up a big part of the alley and when we visited there were no tables available on the street but we easily found one in one of the cozy interior spaces. We got intrigued by the lentil balls and then went all out on the beef options: minced meat dumplings, meatballs and their specialty meat pie. All were well made with quality ingredients but the lentil balls and dumplings were our favorites. The cost was 12-13€ which is good for a restaurant.

It’s one of the memorable meals for us during our Istanbul holiday.
We had to wait for a table, it was quite busy that evening but the staff were very friendly and managed to get one table for us outdoors.
Absolutely delicious food, not a single dish that we ordered we didn’t like. A nice vibe to the street too.
Will return when in the city again.

Ficcin is a must visit while in Istanbul! We ate there twice and only because we weren't close by for other meals hehe!! The owner Ali is so friendly, he made us feel very welcome, all the staff are lovely. Atmosphere upbeat and easy, food just so amazing!! Top place!

Definitely one of the best restaurants in Taksim. The atmosphere was amazing in one of the small streets. The service was great and the food delicious. There were options for vegans and vegetarians as well which I chose, not because I am one, but I wanted something light after all those days consuming food in high fat and carbs. I had the last dinner in Istanbul here and I will remember it for a long time.

A great experience
Various foods, all tasty. Had 4 different dishes here.
Meatballs were delicious and served hot with cooked rice. Calamari was tasty. Octopus salad was an awesome experience and didn’t taste like a seafood. But the most interesting part was spinach crepes. Warm and cheesy. Made my day.

Very delicious food just off of Istiklal Street. It was one of our favourite restaurants during our trip to Istanbul. The staff were friendly and attentive. It was lovely to dine outside and the tables quickly filled up in the early evening (around 5-6pm).

I would highly recommend the octopus salad, artichoke in basil (like a pesto), grilled sea bass, liver cooked in butter and the star of the show - the meat filled dumplings. I will forever dream about those dumplings! Very affordable prices too, especially for fresh fish.

We loved this place. First night in Istanbul and then wanted to come back again to the same place.
The cats were welcoming and so was the owner ;-)
The food was a great introduction to the local cuisine. In fact, this turned out to be really tasty and good value too.
Loved the welcome and food we received.

The good:
- I really liked the yogurt, cucumber, dill dish
- It went well with the meatball dish
- The service was good: when I tried to add a 10% tip, the young Server pointed out that it was already included
- The location was nice. I sat alone but could hear into the various conversations around me. There was life going on, but not crazy traffic. Great atmosphere.
- The bill came with a free glass of tea. Loved it.
The bad and ugly:
- I wish the drinks came in larger portions. Istanbul in the summer is a hot place. I really liked the 500 ml sized, cold lemonades I experienced in Bucharest.

Ficcin is a nice neighbourhood meyhane which is also suitable and welcoming for non-drinkers. Due to it was a Sunday and summer, the menu was more limited, didn’t have daily specials as they usually have. We shared mixed meze and vegetable platters as and also ordered an octopus sallad as starter. As main dish, we ordered istavrit - horse mackerel fish, ficcin-beef pie and Circassian gozleme with spinach and cheese. Out of those, I especially liked the fish, beef pie and meze platter. For the dessert, we went with walnut pastry and kadayif with muhallebi, the walnut pastry reminded me my childhood pastries made at home. The owner was very hospitable, made us a recommendations and have nice conversation. I can definitely recommend if you look for a non-touristy spot to taste some typical dishes from Turkish Circassian cuisine.

The best random encounter I've had in Istanbul. I was attracted by the live traditional music inside the restaurant so I got in without knowing how tasty the food is.
You will find families there, with kids. It's like grandma's house gathering.
Had the kofte meatballs and the traditional lentil appetizer. Both were tasty + good portion + fair price.
Will be visiting again soon, of course.

Ficcin ( meat pie ) was really good indeed. The salad with Mediterranean herbs and pomegranate was different yet tasty but the portion was way too small. We had dumplings with cheese which was just ok and I should have gone for the one with minced meat. The staff was lovely and the street vibe was super too.

Amazing and inexpensive food, great and quick service, highly recommended

Das ist einfach wunderbar! Alle Gerichte haben mir sehr geschmeckt. Alle!

Ist is a wonderful place. Cosy atmosphere, nice street tables, relaxed settings. All the dishes we tried were top. Highly recommend. Prices are very good. I am ready to come here everyday for the nest 5 days left in Istanbul.

Lots of locals eating what looks like a set menu at lunch. We asked for the same and it was cheap and cheerful. Lots of tables down a long alleyway. Friendly staff.

I've been a regular for about 20 years. The owner and the staff are very good. They always give you the best service and food. If you want to try traditional dishes and local alcohols, it is the best in Istanbul in terms of price performance.

Amazing food and great ambiance ! Was recommended by many Turkish friends as being a local spot with great quality fresh food, and we experienced the same :) lovely service as well, would go back anytime !

Nice place with vibrant outdoor seating. The food is good and affordable. Staff is very friendly. WiFi was broken when I went I went, but the waiter connected me to his hotspot.

Visited twice over the weekend with family group. Great food. Very reasonable prices. Great atmosphere.Packed in Feb - Largely local clientele which shows how popular it is.

Very good food, good prices, nice personnel. Recommend trying meat pie ficcin. P.S. I cut it in two parts before taking a picture, it was served nicer :)

we had a really special dinner🤩 the owner is super friendly and made sure we had a nice time!! he even celebrated the birthday of our friend with us and gave her a cake!! 1000% recomondation!!!❤❤❤ all the best for their upcoming future