Tool 17 — Food & Stay

Rakı & Meze Party Cost

A real estimate of an evening with the "lion's milk."

What this solves

Rakı + meze is the Turkish social ritual, but the cost is genuinely opaque to outsiders. A "rakı table" is one bottle shared by two; a "çift rakım" is two bottles for four. Beyond: beer and wine rise as toast rounds. Most guides say "rakı is expensive" without giving numbers. This tool gives the per-person cost of a 3-hour meyhane session by region and venue.

Estimate your evening

Group size

Rounds of rakı (each round = 1 bottle per 2 people)

Venue

Region

Meze coverage

Drinks besides rakı

Beer / wine / soft drinks

Per person (₺)

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Total (₺)

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Per person in EUR

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Limitations

Special rakı bottles (Tekirdağ Altın Seri, Yeni Rakı) cost 30–50% more.
Hot meze plates (kalamar, levrek izgara) double the meze portion of the bill.
Some meyhane charge "giriş" (entry fee ₺100–200 pp) on weekends.

FAQ

How much rakı per person is normal?

Half a 70cl bottle per person across a 3-hour meyhane session. Less than that and you're sipping, more than that and you're the last one standing.

Is rakı sold outside restaurants?

Yes — Migros, Tekel, all liquor stores (viskici). Some neighbourhoods have 24h Tekel. Buying at a supermarket and drinking at an Airbnb halves the cost.

Do I need to order a meyhane "tabey" (table)?

Many meyhane have a minimum tabey spend (₺1,000–1,500). Otherwise it's à la carte with a corkage policy.