Kebab is one of the first things that spring to mind when talking about Turkish cuisine, and it's no surprise that many tourists want to find the best kebab joint to sink their teeth into some freshly grilled and spiced meat.

When visiting Turkey, you'll find a lot of delicious foods that will leave unforgettable memories on your palate. However, Istanbul Ocakbasi restaurants are about more than just taste. They are a unique tradition, originally from the eastern parts of Türkiye.

The word 'Ocakbaşı' is translated as 'fireside,' which is literally what it means. These are unique restaurants where you sit by the grill and watch the chef cooking special kebabs and meat varieties right before you. The mouth-watering aroma of the grill cooking on sizzling coal will make you want to return and leave an excellent memory for any food lover.

Istanbul is an excellent destination for meat eaters, particularly those who love kebabs. It has a lot of beautiful restaurants that make delicious grills; that's why we have rounded up some of the best kebab types to consider when ordering your ideal meal and the best Istanbul grill restaurants so that you eat only the finest grill.

Types of Kebabs

Kebabs are meat, fish, or vegetable dishes specially grilled or roasted on a skewer. In Turkey, the kebab refers to dishes cooked over or next to a flame. Some kebabs are made from ground meat and other cuts of meat.

Turkish kebabs are served on plates called porsiyon or in sandwiches and even in wraps (known as durum). Here we mention some famous types of kebabs to consider when ordering your ideal meal.

Doner kebab has thin slices of grilled lamb basted in tomato sauce over pita bread and generously slathered with melted sheep's butter and yogurt.

Şaşlık is another kebab made from thin pieces of beef and onions marinated in yogurt and cooked to perfection on a skewer, giving the meat a soft texture and a perfect taste. 

Adana kebab is a special kebab made from hand-minced, juicy, spicy grilled lamb meat.

Çöp şiş is a special lamb shish kebab made from pounded boneless meat with garlic and tomatoes marinated in thyme, black pepper, and oil. It is served on wooden skewers and traditionally accompanied by Rocca leaves. It is eaten throughout Anatolia in Turkey.

Köftes are meatballs made from beef or lamb and sometimes both– with onions and spices. There are various koftes, including the Tekirdag kofte (lamb and beef chops served with red pepper sauce), the Inegol kofte (a mixture of lamb and beef), and even cheese-stuffed Koftes.

Istanbul's Best Kebab Restaurants

1. Bayramoğlu Döner Restaurant

Bayramoğlu Döner is a simple and affordable restaurant that serves only döners. It is located on the Asian side and is hands down the best döner kebab restaurant in Istanbul.

People go on round trips to wait in line to get a table in this restaurant. Although the place is casual, it is so popular that local celebrities and travelers often go for lunch or dinner.

The meat they serve here is 100% beef sliced relatively thin and cooked on natural wood charcoal. The meat is eaten with the traditional "lavash" bread, seasonal salad, french fries, and a hot bowl of soup at your request.

Address: Rüzgarlıbahçe, Cumhuriyet Cd. No:2, 34805 Beykoz/Istanbul

1. Zübeyir Ocakbaşı

Zübeyir Ocakbaşı restaurant is an ocakbaşı restaurant, meaning that customers sit around an open grill in the center of the restaurant, which is the restaurant's main attraction besides the meat quality. It is located near Taksim square.

Since the restaurant is always full, you may have to make early reservations if you want to sit near the grill, as these seats are always the first to be occupied.

You can start your meal here by ordering some Mezze, a Turkish snack treat, or you can try the Gavurdağı salads or Közlenmiş patlıcan, mashed grilled eggplant.

The restaurant mainly offers a Sebzeli Şiş Kebap, çöp şiş, which is a skewered meat composed of spice and vegetables. Be sure to try some cold Raki Turkish drinks to accompany your meal and give you a heavenly experience.

Address: Şehit Muhtar Mahallesi Istiklal Caddesi Bekar Sokak No: 28/ Istanbul

1. Adana Ocakbaşı Kurtuluş

Adana Ocakbaşı restaurant is another famous restaurant located in the Kurtuluş district, a cosmopolitan, middle-class neighborhood next to Taksim. In this restaurant, you can enjoy grilled meat in an authentic atmosphere. This restaurant gets quite crowded on evenings and weekends.

Address: Bozkurt, No:2, Baysungur Sk, 34375 Şişli/Istanbul

1. Hamdi Restaurant

Hamdi restaurant is more of a tourist establishment located in a historic neighborhood close to the main sights of Istanbul. This restaurant was opened in 1960. It is located at the top of a building next to the Egyptian Bazaar.

Hamdi restaurant features a fantastic view of the city and is lavishly decorated. It has three floors with plenty of seating available on each floor.

Address: Tahmis Caddesi Kalçın Sokak No: 17 Eminönü-Istanbul

1. Beyti Restaurant

Beyti restaurant is located in Florya, an upscale residential neighborhood close to Atatürk International Airport. Beyti restaurant is one of the oldest barbecue restaurants in Istanbul, featuring 11 dining rooms of various sizes plus a terrace.

The restaurant was designed with a modern architectural style, and the interior decoration was inspired by Turkish art from the Ottoman era.

This restaurant is worth the visit though it's a bit farther from the city's center and more lavish and expensive than average classical restaurants.

Address: Şenlikköy, Orman Sk. No:8, 34153 Bakırköy/Istanbul

6- Adana Yüzevler Kebapçısı

Adana Yüzevler Kebapçısı is located in the trendy Etiler district. This place is the perfect spot to try the tasty Adana kebab. This restaurant has a cozy atmosphere, and many outdoor seats are also available.

Address: Etiler, 70, Nispetiye Cd, 34337 Beşiktaş/Istanbul

1. Şehzade Cağ Kebap

Cağ Kebab is a special kebab originating in the eastern Anatolian province of Erzurum. Cağ Kebab is a marinated lamb in a sauce with basil, pepper, and onions, cooked horizontally. It looks like a horizontal döner but tastes even better. This little restaurant serves only Cağ Kebabs.

The skewers here are tender, crispy, and served on a warm lavash flatbread.

Address: Hoca Paşa, Hoca Paşa Sk. No:6 D:4, 34110 Fatih/Istanbul

1. NUSR-ET Restaurant

Nusr-Et is not necessarily a kebab restaurant, but it is impossible to talk about Turkish meat dishes without mentioning the famous world-class chef, Nusret Gökçe, known as Salt Bae. Salt Bae owns restaurants worldwide, including in Dubai, New York, and Miami. In addition, he has restaurants in Istanbul, and their Turkish specialties are well worth the trip.

Address: Harbiye Mahallesi Abdi İpekçi Caddesi No:57/A, Reasürans Pasajı, Nişantaşı/Istanbul

1. Çiya Kebap

Çiya Kebap restaurant is one of Istanbul's finest kebab restaurants. Its menu offers some great kebab dishes and regional specialties from Turkey's southeast region, which is famous for its kebab.

Hashasli kebabs with poppy seeds and Fistik kebabs with minced lamb and chopped pistachios are two must-tries cuisines on the menu. You can also try some lovely seasonal kebabs–such as grilled quince, loquats, or fresh garlic cloves.

Address: Caferaga Mah, Güneslibahce Sk. 48/B Kadiköy-Istanbul

1. Kebapçi Enver Usta

Are you searching for a quiet, underground kebab house? Enver Usta is the perfect choice for you. It is located on the calm Beyoğlu Alley.

Kebabci Enver Usta restaurant boasts an array of sublime kebabs. Try the chicken kebab, wings, and Adana Kebab, minced meat mixed with red pepper flakes.

Another must-try from the menu is Ezme Sala and Tasi, a salad made of red onions, tomatoes, red peppers, and parsley.

Address: Şahkulu, Tramvay Sk. No:5, 34421 Beyoğlu/Istanbul

11- Antiochia Restaurant

Antiochia restaurant is a classy, cozy restaurant located in a culturally bohemian neighborhood and serves food from Turkey's southern Hatay region.

Antiochia restaurant is known for its simple, recognizable meat dishes dialed up more than a few notches.

Şiş Kebab, a plate of marinated, skewered beef cubes grilled over a charcoal flame, is one of the best on the menu. They also serve one of the best-minced meat in Istanbul, Dürüm wrap, which is usually served with tomatoes and onions.

Address: Asmalimescit Mah, General Yazgan Sok. No: 3, Beyoğlu Istanbul

12- Dürümzade Restaurant

Dürümzade restaurant is an all-night grill serving only dürüm or Turkish wraps. For a dürüm to be good, you must make a good lavash or Turkish flatbreads. The lavash here is like a thin pizza crust with crispy edges and chewy pockets.

Dürüm is a kebab made of minced lamb or chicken, cooked on a grill and wrapped around lavash to make a roll.

Address: Hüseyinağa MahallesiKamer Hatun Caddesi 26/A34435 Beyoğlu/Istanbul

1. Mabeyin Restaurant

Mabeyin restaurant is located in a restored 19th-century mansion with an elegant interior design. Mabeyin restaurant features earthy and intricately spiced food from Turkey's southeast and is strongly influenced by the Middle East.

Mabeyin restaurant has seven stylish dining halls and a vast garden with centuries-old pine and magnolia trees.

Address: Kısıklı, Eski Kısıklı Cd. No:7, 34662 Üsküdar/Istanbul

1. Köfteci Hüseyin Restaurant

A köfte is a traditional Turkish dish of grilled meatballs, but it's not as ordinary as you might think. As with New Yorkers and pizza, Turkish people take köfte very seriously.

The best köfte dish in Istanbul comes from this small restaurant. The restaurant is located in the "Taksim" region. It has a winning recipe that combines quality, consistency, and low prices since 1958.

Address: Şehit Muhtar, Kurabiye Sk. 9/A, 34435 Beyoğlu/Istanbul

1. Kasap Osman Restaurant

This restaurant maintains an authentic kebab scene in a busy, dynamic city center. This is the restaurant to visit for that mouth-watering döner taste.

The cooked meat is laid over chopped flatbread, garnished with peppers and tomatoes, and dressed in tomato sauce. The dish is then grilled in an oven to crisp the bread and soften the garnish. It is then doused with butter and browned in a skillet with a quick dollop of yogurt.

Address: Hoca Paşa, Hoca Paşa Sk. 8/A, 34110 Fatih/Istanbul

1. Siirt Şeref Büryan

Siirt Şeref Büryan is a superb restaurant specializing in Büryan kebab, a Turkish version of Texas pit barbecue, in which the side of a small lamb is simmered over coals in a deep hole in the ground.

The result is a slice of exceptionally tender meat covered in a thin, crunchy layer of crackling.

One of the must-try dishes here is the Perde Pilavi, a fragrant, peppery pilaf made with chicken, rice, almonds, and currants wrapped in a thin pastry shell and baked until the exterior is golden and flaky.

Address: Zeyrek, İtfaiye Cd. No:4, 34083 Fatih/Istanbul

1. Just BBQ

Just BBQ is a new but very popular Istanbul BBQ House in Beşikta. It's trendy, so you should be ready for long queues of meat lovers all waiting for the famous briskets, ribs or unique burgers simmered on cherry wood. For a sweet finish to your juicy meats, try their churros.

Address: Vişnezade, Şair Nedim Cd. 33/A, 34357 Beşiktaş/İstanbul, Turkey

1. Tok BBQ

Tok BBQ claim to be the 'first smokehouse in Türkiye.' Its first branch opened in Izmir. This barbecue house has the best 'pastrami.' These thin meat slices come from a chunk smoked for 158 hours! Tok BBQ restaurant also has burger varieties and mixed meat platters for sharing.

Address: Caddebostan Mah. iskele sokak ata apt. no:5 dükkan/A, 34728 Kadıköy/İstanbul, Turkey

1. Saltanat BBQ House

Saltanat BBQ House is different from what it looks from its humble appearance from the outside. When you see the restaurant from the outside, you might easily skip it, but don't make that mistake. The restaurant has friendly staff and warm service and serves all kebab varieties.

Address: Alemdar, Çatalçeşme Sk. NO:19 D:1A, 34110 Fatih/İstanbul, Turkey

1. Kucukoglu Barbecue Restaurant

Kucukoglu Barbecue Restaurant is close to the Topkapi Palace. This barbecue house is a fan-favorite thanks to its top-notch service, luxurious design and delicious kebab options.

They serve many dishes, from good old doners to spicy Adana; you won't regret your choice. You can also try varieties from Ottoman cuisine along with Turkish kebabs.

Address: Alemdar, Prof. Kazım İsmail Gürkan Cd. No 24/A, 34110 Fatih/İstanbul, Turkey

1. Kirmizi Barbecue

Kirmizi Barbecue is a trek from most of the tourist parts of Istanbul and is located on the seaside at Maltepe. What makes Kirmizi Barbecue so unique? In this barbecue house, every table has its grill in the middle! So you can cook your barbecue for yourself.

Address: Çınar Mahallesi, Turgut Özal Blv. No:47, 34841 Maltepe/İstanbul, Turkey

1. Kuruçeşme Alaf

In Kuruçeşme Alaf, you will have a chance to try Kelle, işkembe, and,kokoreç specialties of Anatolian cuisine. This unique restaurant will show you the best dishes prepared in a wood-fired oven.

Address: Kuruçeşme, Kuruçeşme Cd. No:19, 34345 Beşiktaş/İstanbul, Turkey

1. Ahali Teşvikiye

Be ready to get addicted to various mezes and unique meat dishes prepared in the wood-fired oven. This new generation of meyhane combines typical Turkish tastes that Turkish people have known since childhood with modern presentations and acoustic music.

Address: Teşvikiye, Av. Süreyya Ağaoğlu Sk. No:33, 34365 Şişli/İstanbul, Turkey

1. Ali Ocakbaşı

If you want the fantastic views of Istanbul to accompany your barbecue house experience, you should visit any of the three restaurants of Ali Ocakbaşı without hesitation.

All three branches have stunning views over The Bosphorus and Istanbul. This classy barbecue house is trendy, so make a reservation beforehand to get a table with a scenic view of the city.

Address: Gümüşsuyu, İnönü Cd. No:22, 34870 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Turkey.

or Kuruçeşme, Muallim Naci Cd. No: 58 / A, 34345 Beşiktaş/İstanbul, Turkey

or Suadiye, Kazım Özalp Sk. NO: 60 D:C Kat:4, 34740 Kadıköy/İstanbul, Turkey... The best one!

1. Peymane Ocakbaşı

Peymane Ocakbasi is a modern Istanbul barbecue house. It is located on a hip side street of Beyoglu. Peymane Ocakbasi serves cold starters from different parts of Anatolia and many other kebab options straight from the grill.

Their must-try specialties include lamb skewers and lamb ribs. Peymane Ocakbasi is a modern type of meyhane, where you can listen to jazz melodies instead of traditional Turkish music.

Address: Sinanpaşa, Alaybeyi Sk 7/A, 34353 Beşiktaş/İstanbul, Turkey

1. Günaydın Kasap & Steakhouse

Günaydın Kasap & Steakhouse restaurant is located at Şaşkınbakkal. The restaurant is famous for its dry-aged meats. They serve various dry-aged types of beef, and If you want a burger, Günaydın restaurant won't disappoint as they have many burger options. But don't forget that you must be ready to splurge if you want to visit Günaydın Steakhouse.

Address: Suadiye Mahallesi, Bağdat Caddesi, No: 399 - 1B, Kadıköy, İstanbul