Göksu Lokantası

This is definitely the best restaurant in town – if you know what to eat. Black sea region inspired dishes are definitely the best. Some personal favorites:
–gavurdagi salatasi (salad with finely chopped tomatos, onions, and peppers)
–borc corbasi (borscht soup)
–fasulye tursusu (fried pickled beans)
–acili iskembe (tripe with red hot pepper)
–böf strogonof (beef stroganoff)
–i have heard that the arnavut cigeri (fried liver) is also good but never got to try it.
If you stick with these dishes, I can guarantee that you will have a great meal! Great for small or big parties. I like to go on the most busy days, friday and saturday when the place is buzzing with many interesting-​looking folks. But beware, the average age of the guests is around 55.
And the décor is all 80’s or 90’s so this place is as close to time traveling as you will get. Highly recommended!

This is my favorite restaurant in Ankara. Note that they have two locations these days. The original is the one in Kizilay that has the listed address. You can see their second and new location on their website which has become my preffered location. It’s in a huge building and has a very nice outdoor terrace. The food is very consistent which is very unusual for Turkey. My favorites include the liver, eggplant salad, and the Venetian tripe. The mezes are invariably high quality and delicious. The Sunday brunch is also a good place to take visitors from other countries.

When I was living in Ankara and working up the street, I would usually step into Goksu at least once a week for lunch or dinner.
With Old World service, waiters in jackets, with bread and chilled butter shavings coming in on a bed of ice, Goksu reminds you of the ceremony involved in serious eating. There a giant Hittite antelope, a symbol of Anatolia which separates the dining room sections. They have an outdoor eating area also covered in grape vines which helps you to forget about the frantic-​ness of downtown Ankara right outside.
Waiters pulled out chairs for you, linen napkins were spread out for you, chilled water automatically poured.
Then there is the food.
Sizzling steaks, brought right to your table, chocolate souffles (you need to order when you sit down since it’s a half hour preparation), along with Turkish specialties like Iskender Kebab, and the famous Tavuk göğsü, the chicken pudding.
I loved coming here, it was an oasis of civility, great food, impeccable service and would you be surprised to hear, not that expensive at all for what you get?
Tip well, the waiting staff deserve it.