Mehmet Gürs's one-star New Anatolian rooftop, 10,500 TL for seven courses — book the terrace direct, three weeks out, for a proposal.
The Reservation Problem at Mikla
Mikla runs its own door. There is no Resy queue and no Tock drop here; bookings go through the reservation form at miklarestaurant.com, and the only table that needs a real head start is the open-air terrace. The dining room you can usually land a week or two out. The terrace, open May through October, is the seat people fly in for.
Mikla sits on the 18th floor of The Marmara Pera, Meşrutiyet Caddesi No:15, in Beyoğlu's Tepebaşı. Mehmet Gürs built the city's most-photographed dining-room view, then refused to let it carry the meal. His New Anatolian Kitchen holds one Michelin star, the room is a World's 50 Best alumnus, and it ranks second in our Istanbul dining guide. The view is the bonus. The cooking is the reason.
How to Book Mikla
The mechanic: fill in the form at miklarestaurant.com with your date, party size and a one-line note. Dining-room tables surface a week or two ahead. The terrace needs two to three weeks and an explicit request — write "terrace, please" or you will be seated inside. Dinner only, Monday to Saturday; doors at 18:00, the kitchen takes its last order at 21:30, and Sundays are dark.
There is a 35-euro-per-person hold on your card that you forfeit only on a no-show, and the room wants eight hours' notice to cancel clean. Parties over eight go by phone, +90 212 293 5656, or email [email protected]. Everyone else: the form is faster.
The Workaround
If the form shows nothing for your night, email [email protected] directly with your dates and the line "terrace if at all possible." Aim for a 19:30 to 20:00 seating between May and September, so you are mid-tasting when the Golden Horn turns from gold to dark. Cancellations come back onto the form in the final week before a weekend; check midweek and move fast when one lands.
The Test Dish
The order that tells you the kitchen is on tonight is the smoked lamb loin with charred endive and apple molasses. If it lands at temperature with the molasses cutting the fat, the seven-course tasting at 10,500 TL is worth taking over the three-course prix fixe. Gürs's contemporary take on balık ekmek, the Istanbul fish sandwich, is the other signature to look for. Take the tasting; the prix fixe is good, the tasting is the argument. If the terrace is gone for your dates, Neolokal works the same New Anatolian thinking for less, and 360 Istanbul is the cheaper rooftop view down the hill.
Not for a winter visit or a spontaneous walk-in. The terrace shuts November to April, the kitchen takes its last order at 21:30, and Mikla is closed Sundays.
View Mikla on Restaurants for Kings →
Related Reading
- Our full profile: Mikla in Istanbul.
- The wider city: Istanbul dining guide and the hardest restaurant reservations in Istanbul.
- Sibling guide: how to book Araf in Istanbul.
- Strategy: how to get impossible restaurant reservations.
- Platforms: OpenTable, Resy and Tock compared.
- By tier: how far ahead to book each Michelin tier.
- Occasions: best for a proposal and best for a first date.
- Nearby tables: Neolokal and 360 Istanbul.
Frequently Asked Questions
How hard is it to book Mikla?
Moderate, with one catch. The indoor dining room is usually bookable a week or two out through the form at miklarestaurant.com. The open-air terrace, which runs only May through October, is the hard table: it needs two to three weeks and a specific request. Book early, ask for the terrace by name, and aim for a dusk seating.
How do I book the Mikla terrace?
Use the reservation form at miklarestaurant.com and write a clear note asking for a terrace table, then aim for a 19:30 to 20:00 seating between May and September. If the form is full, email [email protected] directly with your dates. The terrace is non-negotiable for the view, so request it explicitly or you will be seated indoors.
How much does Mikla cost?
The seven-course New Anatolian tasting is 10,500 Turkish lira per person before drinks, with a three-course prix fixe offered at a lower price. There is a 35-euro-per-person card hold that is charged only if you no-show. For the cooking and one of the great dining views in Istanbul, the tasting is the order worth making.
What should I order at Mikla?
Take the seven-course tasting over the prix fixe, and use the smoked lamb loin with charred endive and apple molasses as your test dish. If it lands at the right temperature, the rest of Mehmet Gürs's menu will too. His contemporary balık ekmek, the Istanbul fish sandwich, is the other signature worth seeking out.
What is the dress code at Mikla?
Smart casual to elegant. No jacket is strictly required, but this is a special-occasion room at the top of a hotel and most diners dress up. A collar and decent shoes for men, anything you would wear to a celebration for everyone else. The terrace cools at night, so bring a layer for after dusk.