The Verdict
Sakız Alsancak is an Aegean, Cretan and Mediterranean seafood restaurant on Atatürk Caddesi in Alsancak, Izmir's waterfront district. Founded in 1989 with a focus on healthy Aegean cooking and run by Hikmet Alpay since 2007, it serves the long mezze-and-fish meal Izmir does well: cold Cretan mezze, fried calamari, daily fresh fish and raki, often with live fasıl music in the evening. It is an à la carte room rather than a fixed-menu one, and a full seafood dinner runs from around ₺1,000 a head. Come hungry and stay late.
The Kitchen
Sakız has been run since 2007 by Hikmet Alpay, who took over a restaurant founded in 1989, and the kitchen reads as an Aegean and Cretan seafood specialist rather than a chef's-tasting room. The meal builds the Izmir way: a spread of cold and hot mezze — the Cretan greens and herb dishes the city is known for — then daily fresh fish chosen from the counter and simply grilled. The order regulars name is the kalamar tava, lightly fried calamari, and the kitchen is also praised for seafood paella and sole served with grilled asparagus on an aubergine purée. A full seafood dinner runs from about ₺1,000 per person, more with raki and a whole fish. Cooking is fresh and unfussy, built around what the day's catch allows.
The Room
The room is a lively Alsancak seafood restaurant a step from the waterfront, the kind Izmir fills on a warm evening for a long table of mezze. Evenings often bring live fasıl music, so the mood is sociable and loud rather than hushed; lighting is warm, tables are close, and the night stretches on. Service is the traditional fish-house style — bring the mezze tray, pick the fish, keep the raki coming. Dress is smart-casual.
Best for a Long Aegean Dinner
Book Sakız for the night Izmir does best: a long, sociable seafood dinner with a table of mezze, a whole grilled fish and raki, ideally with live music. It suits a birthday with friends, a celebration or closing a deal over a generous table that goes the distance. Come with a group and an appetite, and let the meal unfold across several hours.
Not For
Not for a quick, quiet or budget meal — this is a full mezze-and-fish dinner that takes its time, with live music on many nights and seafood prices to match. Skip it if you want a fast bite or a hushed table for two.
Reservations
Sakız sits on Atatürk Caddesi 158/A in Alsancak, near the Izmir waterfront, and books up on evenings with live fasıl music, so reserve ahead for weekends and large groups. It is an à la carte seafood room; choose your fish from the day's catch at the counter.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long has Sakız Alsancak been open?
Sakız was founded in 1989 with a focus on healthy Aegean cooking, and has been run by Hikmet Alpay since December 2007. It now sits on Atatürk Caddesi in Izmir's Alsancak district, serving Aegean, Cretan and Mediterranean seafood à la carte with daily fresh fish.
What should you order at Sakız Izmir?
Build the meal the Izmir way: start with a spread of cold and hot mezze, including the Cretan greens and herb dishes the restaurant is known for, then choose daily fresh fish from the counter. The signature hot dish is the kalamar tava (fried calamari); seafood paella and sole with grilled asparagus are also praised.
How much does dinner at Sakız cost?
It is a mid-to-upper seafood restaurant rather than a budget meze house. A full seafood dinner runs from around ₺1,000 per person, and more once you add raki and a whole fish chosen by weight. Pricing reflects fresh daily fish and a long, multi-course Aegean table rather than a quick meal.
Does Sakız have live music?
Yes — many evenings feature live fasıl music, which makes the room sociable and loud, the traditional setting for a long Izmir seafood dinner with raki. Because those nights are busy, reservations are recommended, particularly at weekends and for larger groups celebrating an occasion.
Also in Izmir
Izmir's seafront is built for seafood. Compare the institution Deniz Restaurant on the Kordon, the waterfront Kordon Balık and French-Mediterranean La Cigale.