Restaurant in Istanbul, Turkey
Michelin-noted Japanese worth the Bakırköy trip.
Akira Back İstanbul holds consecutive Michelin Plates (2024 and 2025) and a 4.5 Google rating, making it the most decorated Japanese restaurant in Istanbul at ₺₺₺ pricing — one tier below the city's modern Turkish fine dining ceiling. Book it when you want Michelin-recognised Japanese cooking without the premium cost of the ₺₺₺₺ tier. Booking is easy, with a few days' notice typically sufficient.
Akira Back İstanbul earns its two consecutive Michelin Plates (2024 and 2025) and holds a 4.5 Google rating from 167 reviews, which is a credible signal for a restaurant in Bakırköy rather than the more trafficked European or Asian shore dining corridors. At ₺₺₺ pricing — one tier below the ₺₺₺₺ competition including Turk Fatih Tutak, Mikla, and Neolokal — this is the strongest argument for booking: Michelin-recognised Japanese cooking at a price point that doesn't require a business expense account. Book if Japanese cuisine is what you want in Istanbul and you'd rather spend less than at the city's modern Turkish fine dining tier.
Akira Back is a global restaurant concept with outposts across Asia, the Middle East, and beyond, known for Korean-inflected Japanese cooking that leans on bold flavour combinations and precise technique. The İstanbul edition sits in the Ataköy district of Bakırköy, a waterfront neighbourhood on the European side that draws less international foot traffic than Karaköy or Beyoğlu but is well connected and easy to reach. For a first-timer, the key orientation detail is this: you are not walking into a neighbourhood izakaya or a stripped-back sushi counter. This is a full-service restaurant with considered interiors and a kitchen that has twice been recognised by the Michelin Guide , expect table service, a full menu, and a pace set by the room rather than by you.
The service philosophy here is where Michelin recognition does meaningful work. A Michelin Plate is not a starred award, but it signals that the Guide's inspectors found the cooking worth noting and the overall experience coherent enough to recommend. At the ₺₺₺ price tier, the question for a first-timer is whether the service matches the ambition of the food , whether staff are pacing courses, fielding questions about the menu knowledgeably, and generally earning the price premium over more casual Japanese options in the city like Itsumi. The 4.5 Google average across 167 reviews suggests consistent delivery, which at this category is the baseline expectation. If service falls below that standard on a given night, the value proposition weakens quickly , the ₺₺₺₺ tier restaurants in Istanbul have stronger service infrastructure and more established reputations to fall back on.
For a first visit, arrive without fixed expectations about a single signature dish or tasting menu structure, since specific menu details are not confirmed in Pearl's verified data. What the Akira Back brand typically anchors around , globally , is Japanese technique with Korean seasoning influence, sharing-format dishes, and a cocktail programme that runs alongside the food. Whether the İstanbul version follows that template exactly is not something Pearl can confirm from current data. What is confirmed: the kitchen has been Michelin-recognised two years running, which means the execution is not inconsistent or in flux. That matters when you are considering a restaurant outside the central districts where alternatives are fewer.
The Bakırköy location on Rauf Orbay Caddesi puts this restaurant within the Ataköy Marina development, a waterfront address that carries its own atmosphere , salt air, proximity to the Marmara, and a setting that distinguishes the experience from a mid-city dining room. For guests staying in central Istanbul, the journey is worth factoring into your evening's logistics, but it is not prohibitive. If you are already on the European side, this is an easier reach than it might appear on a map. Guests comparing options for a Japanese dining night in Istanbul should also consider Nobu İstanbul at the higher end of the price range, or the more understated counter experience at Itsumi for something quieter and more intimate.
For context on what Michelin-recognised Japanese cooking looks like at the reference level, Myojaku in Tokyo and Azabu Kadowaki in Tokyo sit at the starred end of the same culinary tradition. Akira Back İstanbul is not competing at that level, but it is operating in the same reference category , technically informed Japanese cooking delivered in a full-service format. For Istanbul, that is a relatively short field, and the Michelin recognition two years running puts it at the front of it.
Booking here is rated Easy. You do not need to plan weeks ahead or monitor release windows the way you would for a Michelin-starred counter in Tokyo or a sought-after tasting menu seat at Turk Fatih Tutak. For weekend evenings, securing a table a few days in advance is sensible. For weekday dinners, shorter notice should be fine. This accessible booking window is one of the practical advantages of a venue outside the central tourist dining corridor , demand is real but not frenzied.
Reservations: Easy to book , a few days' notice suffices for weekdays; aim for 3-5 days ahead for weekend evenings. Location: Ataköy Marina, Bakırköy, European side of Istanbul , factor in transit time from central districts. Price tier: ₺₺₺, one tier below the city's modern Turkish fine dining ceiling. Awards: Michelin Plate 2024 and 2025. Dress: No confirmed dress code in Pearl data; smart casual is appropriate for the price tier and setting. Group size: Suitable for pairs and small groups; specific private dining options are unconfirmed in current data.
Planning a broader trip? Pearl covers Istanbul restaurants, Istanbul hotels, Istanbul bars, Istanbul wineries, and Istanbul experiences in full. Elsewhere in Turkey, Pearl also covers Maçakızı in Bodrum, Narımor in Izmir, Nahita Cappadocia in Nevsehir, Aravan Evi in Ürgüp, Kokorecci Asim Usta in Bornova, and Poyraz Sahil Balık Restaurant in Beykoz.
Bar seating availability is not confirmed in Pearl's verified data for this venue. Call ahead or check at the time of booking if bar dining is your preference. The restaurant format and full table service suggest the dining room is the primary experience, but the Akira Back brand globally has often maintained a bar area as part of the room.
No confirmed dress code exists in Pearl's current data. At ₺₺₺ pricing with Michelin Plate recognition in a marina-adjacent setting, smart casual is the safe call , clean, put-together clothing without requiring formal attire. Overdressing slightly is safer than underdressing at this price tier.
Specific dietary accommodation policies are not confirmed in Pearl's data. The general advice for any Michelin-recognised restaurant: contact the venue directly before booking rather than on the night. Japanese kitchens at this level often work with dietary needs when given advance notice, but specific allergen or preference handling at this location is unverified.
Pearl does not have confirmed menu data for this venue, so specific dish recommendations are not possible without risking inaccuracy. The Akira Back brand globally centres on Korean-inflected Japanese cooking , expect technically executed dishes with bold seasoning rather than minimalist traditional Japanese formats. Ask your server for the kitchen's current focus on the night; at a Michelin Plate restaurant, front-of-house staff should be able to answer that question clearly.
Three things: First, the location in Bakırköy's Ataköy Marina is outside central Istanbul , plan your evening accordingly and don't underestimate transit time. Second, at ₺₺₺ this is priced one tier below the city's leading modern Turkish restaurants, making it accessible without being budget dining. Third, two consecutive Michelin Plates (2024, 2025) mean the kitchen delivers consistently , this is not a one-hit-wonder or a venue coasting on a single good review cycle.
Solo dining at a Michelin-recognised Japanese restaurant at ₺₺₺ is a reasonable proposition, particularly if you are interested in Japanese cuisine and want a full-service experience rather than a counter format. Pearl does not have confirmed bar seat or counter availability data for this location. For a more confirmed solo counter experience in Istanbul's Japanese category, Itsumi may be worth comparing. Akira Back suits solo diners who prefer a table setting and don't require counter interaction with the kitchen.
| Venue | Price | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akira Back İstanbul | ₺₺₺ | Easy | — |
| Turk Fatih Tutak | ₺₺₺₺ | Unknown | — |
| Neolokal | ₺₺₺₺ | Unknown | — |
| Mikla | ₺₺₺₺ | Unknown | — |
| Nicole | ₺₺₺₺ | Unknown | — |
| Arkestra | ₺₺₺₺ | Unknown | — |
What to weigh when choosing between Akira Back İstanbul and alternatives.
Bar seating availability is not confirmed in available venue data, so check the venue's official channels before arriving with that expectation. Given that it books easily with a few days' notice, a table reservation is the safer call and gives you full access to the menu.
Akira Back İstanbul sits at the ₺₺₺ price point with two consecutive Michelin Plates, which signals polished but not black-tie. Neat, presentable clothing — a step above casual — is the reasonable expectation for a dinner booking here.
No specific dietary policy is documented for this venue. Japanese restaurants operating at the ₺₺₺ Michelin-noted level generally accommodate restrictions with advance notice, so flag requirements clearly when booking.
Specific menu items are not available in the venue record, so ordering recommendations can't be given without risking inaccuracy. The kitchen is built around Korean-inflected Japanese cooking, so dishes leaning into that crossover are likely where the concept earns its Michelin recognition.
The location in Ataköy, Bakırköy puts it further from central Istanbul than competitors like Mikla or Neolokal, so factor in travel time. On the upside, it books easily — a few days' notice covers most weeknights — and the two consecutive Michelin Plates (2024 and 2025) suggest consistent kitchen execution rather than a one-season spike.
Nothing in the venue data rules it out, and the relaxed booking lead time makes a solo reservation low-friction. At ₺₺₺, it is a considered spend for one, but the Michelin Plate recognition suggests the food warrants it if Japanese-Korean crossover cooking is your focus.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
