Istanbul is a great night out and packed with a great variety of restaurants and eateries. All over town, traditional local taverns, known as a meyhane or a birahane, offer classic dishes, bottles of Efes Pilsen beer and small glasses of the aniseed spirit raki. Around Taksim and Etiler, stylish Western-style bars abound. A local club scene is a fairly recent invention, most venues opening between October and May. In summer, glitzy, expensive club/bar/restaurants open along the Bosphorus.

James Joyce , Zambak Sok.6, Beyoglu - Main Irish-style pub in town, which attracts a local and ex-pat clientele with televised football and occasional live music