Such a lovely atmosphere, really great outdoor seating and super quick service. Really recommend the kurdak and and mati!

Place is very good. Food Exellent..everything we order was perfekt... Stuff little confused, only few know English, but it will progress.. Prices correct... Wine Merlot from France 2022 cost 12eur for bottle..

A 4.9 rating feels a bit generous. Objectively speaking, the food quality is excellent, and the value for money is definitely a strong point. However, the service could use improvement—food preparation was quite slow, and the timing felt disorganized. Some guests had already finished eating while others were just being served. The meat dishes, in particular, took the longest—possibly due to a shortage of skewers. That said, the overall experience was still enjoyable and definitely worth checking out!

This place is mostly good. Food is very good, very yummy.The service is not so good because they promised the food would come in 20 minutes but it only came in 38 minutes.The atmosphere was kind of fine but the manager was criticizing a waiter right in front of us. Overall this restaurant is good but they have some things to improve.I recommend you to come to this restaurant if you want to have yummy food.But you have to be ready to wait a long time.

Meh. Average. Ordered steaks, they were not done properly. Ordered beers, waited for 10-15 minutes before getting them. And we wanted another round and after ordering and waiting 15 more minutes, we decided its not worth the hassle.

They managed to fit the 7 of us quickly, food and service was great by Aidana! Would recommend.

Lively and lovely restaurant. My wife and I had dinner there: Lentil soup, Kataman, Lagman, Vinaigrette and the baked trout. Every dish was delicious, cooked/grilled to the point and well seasoned. Staff was friendly and helpful, the prices are cheap for the size of the portions as well as the quality of the food, we only paid 2200com for 5 dishes plus a can of tea. It can get loud as many people go there for celebrating certain events like a birthday party. If you are looking for a quiet restaurant you should maybe try "Archa" next door. If you are looking for good, authentic kyrgyz food and good mood, you should definitely visit Altın Kumara. PS: The name of the restaurants translates to "golden wonderlamp", like Aladin in the fairytale had to call his djinn. PPS: Vegan and vegetarian options are available as well, and not just salad but while dishes!

Most of the service staff here speak English!! Made ordering food such a breeze. They had various cuisines (Asian, Kyrgyz, pizza) - food was tasty and good. Service was warm and friendly but one star chopped as we waited 30min for our bone marrow. Also very clean toilets!

Had dinner there at 8.30pm. Strong local vibes from the restaurant n very spacious. Indoor and outdoor sitting tables available. You can dine and watch performance from the local e.g. folk dance n musical instrument. Taste of food is not bad, unfortunately quite a number food we wanted to order were not available. We ordered ice cream for desserts and were served before other foods… strange. Thumbs up for the fried eggplants n we ordered a 2nd serving. Dining experience is pleasant

The food was delicious, I would rate it 8 out of 10. The day I went it was quite crowded, but fortunately there was outdoor seating available. This was my first time visiting Karakol, and I was surprised to find a 15% service charge.

The food was really great. You can choose between typical Kyrgyz food or more western food. Both are delicious. The restaurant is very big with many tables and many waitresses. I loved the boursok, grilled eggplants and the broccoli soup

Came here for lunch on a Wednesday afternoon, was super easy to get a table and food came quickly. The lagman and Kurdak was really yummy but the soup was very bland - we ordered two soups previously and both had run out and ended up with the lentil soup.

Our tour leader brought us here for a group meal. I was pleasantly surprised that there several vegan food options including two soups, two salads and three mains. Our server Nazik was friendly and had her work cut out serving our table of 10 plus it was extremely busy and full inside and outside. I would recommend sitting outside as our table was closest to the live traditional music and dance performed. I ordered boorsook ( traditional fried bread accidentally vegan), minestrone chickpea soup and soba noodles with vegetables. All the food was delicious, good portions and reasonably priced. I especially enjoyed the wonderful traditional live entertainment. It is a lively , busy place and I would recommend making reservations. Definitely would recommend coming here!

We came two times to this place. I wish we had more time in Karakol so we could come to taste more dishes.. amazing food!

Old and beautiful mosque with different architecture like Chinese construction. The Mosque is well maintained and beautiful with colors. Entry for tourist is allowed. Still worship and prayers are ongoing. Don't forget to respect their culture.

Very nice mosque. We prayed Jummah, even though I don’t understood the speech, but the general environment is great. Clean mosque.

Also known as the Ibrahim Aji Mosque. Cousin to the Leaning Tower, this mosque leans heavily on wood, faith, and a dash of Qing Dynasty flair. Built without a single nail back in 1910 by Chinese artisans for the Dungans (Chinese Muslims), the structure looks more like a Buddhist temple on the outside.. surprise, it’s a functioning mosque. Located in the heart of Karakol, Issyk Kul’s moody town that feels like it missed the industrial revolution memo, the mosque stands calmly amidst Soviet blocks and sheep traffic. Inside? No minarets, no domes, just creaky timber beams and peace thick enough to slice with a prayer. A sign in three scripts, Kyrgyz, Arabic, Russian, greets you like a trilingual gatekeeper. If you don’t understand any, you’re still welcome. On my visit, a flyer announced a group circumcision event. Don’t worry, tourists not required to participate. A place that blends cultures, confuses expectations, and remains surprisingly serene. One of Kyrgyzstan’s quirkiest religious gems.

The Dungan Mosque in Karakol is one of the most unique and beautiful sites I’ve visited in Kyrgyzstan. Built entirely of wood in 1910 by the local Dungan community, it has no nails in its construction — which is incredible when you see the size and detail. The colorful exterior, painted with rich reds, greens, and yellows, makes it stand out from any other mosque I’ve seen. Inside, the atmosphere is serene and calm, with delicate woodwork and cultural details that reflect both Islamic and Chinese influences. It’s not just a place of worship, but also a glimpse into the history of the Dungan people who settled here. The mosque is still in use today, was able to pray Asr prayers. Lots of fellow brothers even at this time.

It's so pretty with all its colors, and the imam(?) working there seemed so nice and was welcoming. Entrance is only 50 soms

Hidden in the heart of Karakol, the Dungan Mosque is a wooden marvel built by Chinese Muslims in the early 1900s — no nails, just pure craftsmanship and culture.

Nice, colourful mosque - took me around 15-20 minutes to look around. You need to cover up, and they have robes and scarves if required. Slightly crowded when I visited despite going on a weekday morning. I suspect because it is on a tour route of Karakol. - Matt | @mattsnextsteps

You can find anything you need but you can not pay by international visa card

It is a good supermarket with a wide range of products & a very nice deli.

Visited after dinner here and lots of variety of things to buy from here , we bought a lot of Kazakhstan 🇰🇿 chocolate from here , alcohol, etc , forgot to take photo as busy shopping lol 😝

Good protein bar there !

The best supermarket in the town. It is open 24 hours and there is almost everything that you need.

Great supermarket with a wide selection. There is also a fresh food section which is perfect for ready made meals for bringing on hikes. There is also a pharmacy inside which is quite handy.

Don't visit this business. It's simply a days outing for people who want to be seen in a "Western" style overpriced supermarket. The cigarettes they sell are often up to two years expired and the staff have attitude issues. I visited today (28/05/22) and purchased some candles amongst other items, yet when I went to the cashier she refused to leave her chair and check the price of the candles (these candles didn't have prices on them) and then she confiscated the candles and refused to serve me. This staff member was working at 15:00 on the far left cashier register when you enter the store. She should be fired. 👍

Really nice place, for breakfast and lunch. Big menu with local dishes but also western European. Everything is made freshly and tasty. Good prices and nice service. But why i gave 4*? Lack of draft beer and coffee (and they have them in the menu as also at the entrance sign) made me to give them a star less.

There aren't many restaurants in Karakol. I recommend this one wholeheartedly. You'll find a wide selection of nicely served dishes here. Personally, I liked the Russian fish soup the most, but the other dishes were good too. It's clean, the service is nice and the decor is pleasant, although nothing special. I paid 1000 som for a 2-course dinner with beer, including the tip.

Delicious traditional food and friendly staff! Would recommend! Vegan/vegetarian friendly 🌱

Cafe Zarina in Karakol offers a delightful taste of traditional cuisine that transports you to the heart of Kyrgyz culture. The menu boasts a variety of mouthwatering dishes, each carefully prepared with authentic flavors and ingredients. One of the highlights at Cafe Zarina is their wide selection of teas, providing a perfect accompaniment to the flavorful dishes. We particularly enjoyed exploring the different varieties of tea available, each offering a unique and soothing taste. In addition to the delicious food and tea, the cafe also offers local honey for sale, adding a sweet touch to our dining experience. It was a pleasure to support local producers and take home a jar of this golden goodness. While the food at Cafe Zarina was enjoyable and satisfied our cravings for traditional cuisine, we felt that it was merely "okay." Although the dishes were tasty, we were hoping for a slightly more exceptional culinary experience. In conclusion, Cafe Zarina is a lovely spot to savor the essence of Kyrgyzstan's traditional food and experience their diverse tea offerings. The addition of local honey further adds to the charm of this cafe. While the food was good, we wished for a touch of greatness to make the experience truly exceptional. Nonetheless, it's worth a visit for a taste of authentic Kyrgyz flavors and a cozy atmosphere.

Nice restaurantvwith very good choice of food local and international. Cozy interior with comfortavle tablses and chairs. Nice place for tourist coming to find good place. The sad was to order a vegetble plate where greens was not washed properly. Unfortunately the traces of soils was on cucumbers and tomatos as well instead of replacing the dish the kutchen washwd the greens and turnwd back it without understanding why we had complained. Otherwise food was delicious and very very well coocked. If not smallincinsent with vegetableplate I'd rated 5. Still I advise to visit this place.

Good food, central location, friendly service, cold beer.

Ordered items Cripsy wings in sweet sour sause Chicken noodle soup

The cathedral was originally built in 1872 as a replacement for an earlier church destroyed by an earthquake. During the Soviet era, the cathedral was repurposed for secular use, serving as a school, gymnasium, and even a dance hall. In the 1990s, after Kyrgyzstan’s independence, it was restored to its original religious function and reopened for worship. Built entirely of wood, including its intricate framework, with no nails used in its construction. The architecture blends traditional Orthodox Christian features, such as onion domes and ornate carvings, with local influences. The cathedral is painted in soft tones, and its lush green surroundings add to its serene ambiance. The interior features beautiful icons, religious frescoes, and sacred artifacts, although many were lost during the Soviet era. Visitors are welcome but should dress modestly and behave respectfully. Women are encouraged to cover their heads when entering. While exterior photography is generally permitted, you may need permission for interior photos.

Holy Trinity Cathedral is one the recommended place to visit in karakol. Its significant architectural design constructed in wood is an amazing work and art of construction. The place is calm and surrounded by vibrant in colors of trees. Its is rich by its history . Well maintained and prayers are still active. Always respect the the place and their culture . Visitors and tourist are welcomed A Short time visit place, you can spent a 15mins to 30mins.

Amazing building and peaceful place. It's first church I entered with plants inside, and they look amazing and well taken care of 😊 Entry is free and it's open daily 8:00-17:00, except for lunch break 12-13. On Sundays and public holidays it's open 7:00-17:00. Visitors can enter for free, but you can donate inside if you like (it'll be nice to support them).

It’s a very old wooden church right in the centre of karakol. Since it’s in the centre there a lot of things to do In and around the church as well. The wooden architecture is beautiful and they also have garden and a sit out area.

Very beautiful cathedral which is free to look around. It took me around 15-20 minutes to complete a loop and look inside. No photos are allowed inside. - Matt | @mattsnextsteps

Splendid cathedral made of wood without nails, very unique church with rich history.

Golden domes, green walls, and mountain air — Karakol’s Holy Trinity Cathedral is a postcard come to life. 💚✨”

Lovely place in the lap of kyrgyzstan. It's beautiful mesmerizing. The efforts to reach the top pays off. However, have a few suggestions. There are 3 ways to get up there: 1. Horseback- very expensive 2. Russian vans- takes a toll.in the back since the jeep is moving over rocks only It takes 2 hrs of bumpy ride to travel the top. 3. Spend 2 days here.. if you are young and fit start your day trekking.. the terrain is quite simple and takes 5 hrs to reach the top depending on speed. Reach the top, relax and stay in the guest house or yurts at the top. Next day starts trekking down early morning n you should reach the starting point by noon. I would recommend this way personally.

Magnificent place. We hiked 35 km there and back from yurt camp near the city. The hike was medium by difficulty but the scenery along the way is worth it

Beautiful valley from which you can hike to Ala Kul lake. It’s about 15km from where the bus/taxi drops you off. We walked on the way up and it took us 4.5h. The trail is mostly flat with two steeper parts, one in the middle and one in the end. On the way down it’s about 3.5h of walking. You can also go with old russian bus, but the ride is extremely bumpy. We took it on the way down for the last 6km and it was so stresaful and uncomfortable. There are no seatbelets, so we were jumping almost to the roof. If you have back or neck problems I would avoid this! From the valley you can walk to Ala Kul lake, but it’s a long and very steep hike all the way. It’s 10km to the pass. We tried walking there but after 5km we realised we’re very tired from the previous day so we gave up and walked on a nice path more into the valley. You can also ride a horse to the lake, which I think is better if you’re not used to hiking a lot, but even that way there is a very steep part that you have to walk in the end. There are some hot springs in the valley, we went to private one which was 250 som per person, for 30min, but there are also free ones. Springs are very hot so 30min is more than enough.

Spectacular place. It was an amazing experience, Nature there was amazing, locals were very kind. We were there in end of September, weather was a bit cold but sunny during the day. Truly beautiful place. I definetely recommend visiting.

Attempted the hike towards Altyn Arashin Valley on a Sunday morning after some torrential rain and hailing earlier that morning. We drove slightly pass the 14km sign and found a spot to mark before embarking the hike towards AAV by foot. It would be a 13km+ hike which we expected to take 4-5hrs one way. Along the way we passed by multiple 4WD as well as minibuses which were able to navigate the rough rocky terrain. There’s an entry point where you have to pay a small fee. For foreign tourist it’ll be 220som. From here if you decide to skip the hike and go via vehicle it’ll depend on which vehicle you use and if you have people to share with, more on this later. There’s less incentive to use horses as it is almost as pricey per pax as compared to vehicle as it is compulsory to pay for a guide and their horse. However some of them are really young (I’m guessing 10 years old) and I’ve seen some of them share the horse with the customer. From there most of the way is relatively flat with only a slight elevation, going through the same way as the vehicles and horses. About 4.5km in my guide managed to strike a deal with a 4WD heading towards AAV with an empty vehicle as he was going there to pick up his customers. We ended up taking it the rest of the ~9km. At around the 10km mark there’s a very steep uphill climb, this will probably be the most draining part of the hike. After that it is flat all the way to AAV. The ride itself took 40mins, and I would estimate it to be 1hr if we took it from the start point. Anyway, we ended up paying 3000som for 4 pax, granted 2 pax were locals (my guide and his brother). At AAV, there’s not that much to do except explore the village and sit and have a picnic. While exploring the village a lady came up to us and offered 2000som for dinner, breakfast and a night’s stay at her yurt. We had no plans to stay so we declined the offer. There’s also a small natural hot spring area when you go downhill towards the stream. It is a short hike from the end towards the hot spring with pretty narrow passageway. The hot spring itself is tiny, so if it’s crowded it’s best to wait till it’s emptier. There’s 2 hot springs but the one at the end is warmer. Each hot spring probably can comfortably fit 4-5 pax at most. We didn’t stay for long and attempted the hike back after soaking ourselves in the hot spring. From there we took roughly 3.5hrs to our car with minimum rest stops, just in time as the sun was setting. All in all, if you’re attempting a day hike to and fro AAV, I would recommend catering a 4.5hrs to, 3hrs fro and 1.5hrs for hot spring and lunch.

It’s an amazing place to visit, however i Would personally recommend to atleast stay for A night or two nights. The reason I Suggest this is there a three ways to Reach on to top of altyn arashan a) Russian jeep, they operate from the entrance and the 18 kms distance is covered in around 1.45-2 hours. There is barely a road and hence I would recommend option 2 or 3. b) hiking depending on your speed would take around 5-8 hours one way c) horse take around 5-6 hours. There are plenty of guest houses to Stay at the top. Lot of these guest house have a a private hot water spa next to the river. They also serve meals here. There is also a public hot water spring but has a queue and no changing facilities.

Beautiful hike through the mountains leading to an open valley. We went in November so it was very snowy and we didn’t see anyone else, but there was a guest house open luckily. A must see in Kyrgyzstan!

The service was great, trying to make us satisfied. The starters (Greek salad and Manty) were delicious, noodle soup reminded european Goulash and the steak was a bit tough (probably not beef?). Overall, we can recommend the restaurant. On the other hand, it is quite unusual to ask guests to write a review of which the waiter takes photo...

The restaurant has a nice decor and the presentation of the food was excellent. The problem was that the beef, the main part of the meal was inedible. It was as tough as shoe leather. No matter how much I chewed it did not soften up. There was also a large chunk of fat which is not healthy to eat.

"A truly awful dining experience. The staff was completely unaware of what was available, leading to a long and frustrating ordering process. We then waited over an hour for our food in a half-empty restaurant and they didn’t bring all our order. All waiters were standing around and chatting only. Don't waste your time." Even though the restaurant has good interior design. It doesn’t worth it.

Great food. Many many options. Everything was tasty and the prices weren’t too high.

The food, atmosphere, and service is top notched! Our server, Kaukhar was very attentive and spoke English perfectly well which made ordering easy. The food came out very quickly and every dish we had was fantastic. One of our best meals in Kyrgyzstan, thank you!

We love the food especially Kuurdak and Boorsok! The service from the staff is excellent especially Mr Nursutan! Would love to come here again. The restaurant is nicely decorated too.

Thanks alot to the staff that made our visit amazing the food the place decorations and the staff were excellent 👍

Food was okay…had a salad which was much better than the rest of the meal. Then we had rice and chicken. Wouldn’t come back but the server spoke English and was very kind.

The place looks pretty nice and is comfortable but we were disappointed. The supposed translated menu was not actually translated and they didn’t have any water, neither still nor sparkling. The tea was good but when the food came, the waiter accidentally stuck his thumb in the soup and still gave it to us. I think the smetana had gone bad since it was yellow and tasted very bad. At least they have air conditioning, a bathroom and some cute old chuckling ladies in the restaurant.

This restaurant has absolutely delicious uyghur food! We came here and tried their set menu, everything we had was delicious.. The server also told us a little story about the history and culture of the uyghurs, it was a very nice experience!

The citus and ginger teas were absolutely amazing and it's a very peaceful place

Excellent restaurant. Serves delicious authentic Kyrgyz dishes. We had lentil soup, beef shashlik and Boso laghman and they were all delicious. Cozy, clean with excellent service. They have no English menu but Aisha and Emir were very helpful in explaining what they have. Highly recommended.

Dont expect European style :) but food is very good, and reasonable prices. Nice people

After visiting Karakol's museum we intended to take a cup of coffee and some cake. They have no coffee, no coctails, no asked beer on the menu list. No cakes, pie or icecream. It's the shame.

The eggs and dumplings were an amazing breakfast! The honey cake was great - very sweet. The owner was very accommodating in spite of not speaking English. Thank you for a wonderful last breakfast in Karakol!

Very quiet and cheap. So tasty.

Fast, not expensive, not tasty, we got belly sickness (2 people) after the dinner there

Awesome place. Great service. Love the food they make out there. I hope they will expand their space.

This is very good place with local fast food, very tasty and cheap

Good, cheap place to try local food

Good prices, good cooking, friendly staff

It isn't really catered around English speaking tourist, most of the operators don't speak English but would try to use a translator app on their phones. Anyways, the stunning views you could see lies at the peak of the chair lift number 2. But it only operates from 12pm till 2.30pm (not sure) for those who wish to only enjoy the view. After the time, they would not allow anyone without gears to use the lift. Additionally, if you wish to travel down the lift don't bring any snow gear with you. As in, don't bring your snowboards if you wish to use the lift down, there is a storing space at the entrance of lift number 2. They will not allow you to do so, therefore your only option is to ski down from the peak, which there's no posted signage (heads up), if you brought your gear along. Anyways hoped this helps~

Pretty good place to ski for a cheap price but from the summit its a bit hard to ski sometimes since some places have less snow covered and you can rocks pointing out

I visited there last week of March, the ticket guy charged 300 som pp for the ticket to let our taxi in and asked us too many questions. When we went up , nobody was there and the ski Base had been closed a week before. Came downstairs to the ticket guy and asked him why he charged us for ticket and didn't tell us that the base was closed . Finally, he agreed to refund half of the ticket price. Very typical of Central Asian countries , not to give necessary info in order to charge the tourists.

I was there on a hike in summer. Really steep hike, so my knees did hurt. But definitely worth it.

It was a good experience and beautiful view of mountains.

We went there in summer and wanted to go up with the lift and hike down, since it was 4pm when we arrived. They told us we cannot go, so we hiked up. On the hike up we saw people going down even at 5pm so we really didn’t understand why we couldn’t go, we also had cash. The hike is very challenging since the last 200m up there is no path and it is very steep. Anyway, it was still worth it since the views are incredible from up there!

Place was stunning, and the hike up the mountain wasn't long

Very relaxing atmosphere. There’s a bridge, several benches, and a small walkway along the river.

Cute park by the river with nice flowers and sitting facilities. Very safe and calm. Opening hours from 8am to 10pm.

Very Nice Park. You can spend your weekend with your family and kids there. I recommend this park. Very clean and sunny park

A nice park near the Karakol river, great place for picnics and evening walks.

One of the most beautiful parks in the city (at least in winter).

Very new park for all citizens and guests of Karakol city! I love here very much!

Thanks USAID all perfectly👍👍👍👍👍

Free online Audioguide provided a great English tour! Glad I went!

Before I paid, I asked what I could wear inside. The woman immediately called me Jewish, which was a very racist act. It was very surprising. I don't even understand why she asked that. I was wearing shorts and a short-sleeved shirt. So she doesn't even know the Jewish dress code.

Very nice small museum. Entrance 100 som pp,photo 20,video 50

A Little bit expensive for the Time We spend inside (200 som). There is a free audioguide in english and French.

it’s not expensive (200 som ≈ 2 €) and gives you nice insights in kyrgyz culture from stone age til now :) can recommend!

Nice museum with local history and a permanent exhibition of swiss photographer Ella Maillard.

Small, but very nice museum. 45 minutes is enough to see all expositions.

Had an early dinner here , came here to try the local food of Karakol , one of the best lagman I ate was from here . I try a local snack from here and it was tasty too

A bowl of cold, sour affordable ashlan-fu on a summer afternoon is really hard to beat.

This little restaurant is the most popular place to eat the famous Ashlyan Fu cold noodle soup and for good reason. The white staff are so cute in their uniforms, smiling and busy. The best!

Great fun place. Ashlan Foo is the foos you must try in Karakol, a cold, spicy Dugan noodle soup.

lovely brunch (cold noodle soup and potato filled fried bread)

Delicious and well priced Ashlyan-Fu, a must try in karakol!

I loooove Ashlyan-Fu. This area is great to find the spots that are approved by the Locals

Lighthouse is hands down the best place to have breakfast in Karakol. We tried several dishes and everything was delicious. The veggie frittata comes with perfectly crunchy broccoli, and the oat porridge is very filling. I also had the French breakfast, swapping the croissant for their handmade yeast bread, which was a great choice. The service was excellent, and I especially recommend the cappuccino with coconut milk—it was amazing! You can pay by card or cash, which makes it super convenient. Definitely a must-visit for breakfast lovers.

The food here is unbelievable. The best western food I’ve had in Kyrgyzstan! Staff are nice and speak good English. Good atmosphere and good prices.

The food was very good. The price a little more expansive and usual but it was fresh fruits and the quality and taste was really good. I would come back

The coziest coffee shop in town. Rainy day feels softer here, a perfect spot to slow down, sip warm coffee, and enjoy the quiet ☕️

I don't often give good reviews to restaurants....but man this one hits the spot. Been travelling in Central Asia for two weeks and we were craving Asian food. Over the course of 2 days, came here 5 times because of how good their food and drinks are... By then, their staff recognized us... Specifically, their ramen, bibimbap, and warm shrimp and avocado salad on the food side and their green and berry smoothies on the drinks side were absolutely fire 🔥🔥🔥 Highly recommend this spot to anyone and everyone passing through Karakol. Don't even bother exploring other restaurants in the city...this is the one!

Lovely breakfast, and very professional and pleasant staff.

Loved the 'Lighthouse' waffle. Delicious cheesecake and brownies. Lovely outdoor seating area.

Super friendly local owner who even speaks german and english. He poured us some great drinks and we had a great conversation. The bar has a nice atmosphere and you can play darts and table soccer which is a nice addition. I would reccomend to come here for some beer or some cocktails for a really fair price. Cheers

A must visit while on Karakol when you need to relax!! Great staff, music, vibes and drinks. No food on site but they have free delivery of delicious burgers and pizza from a local restaurant. Darts and foosball as well!!!

We went Friday night after a hike. First ones in the bar. The choice of drinks really good and well priced. Nice friendly atmosphere, darts and table football. The owner of the bar clearly proud of his place. Would recommend. We also ordered food food duet and they delivered there.

Perfect place for having great time great music and atmosphere. Must go and have fun. The barman is a super guy! Drinks are aldı.👏🏻✌🏻🤘🏻🇹🇷

Absolutely beauty owner, Nurs. The man goes out of his way to ensure you are served a drink. Great place to meet local folk and the travelling ones as well. A+

Best bar in Kyrgyzstan, good vibes good music, good drinks at a fair price. Great place to go with friend or show up and make them!

Great bar! Very kind owner, nice choice of drinks and great atmosphere. Really nice to visit after a day of hiking. Also great choice of music

The restaurant is big and clean. There are inside and outside sitting area. We ordered variety of pizza flavours. They are all delicious.

Such a great spot we went back twice. Sushi was great and so were the stir fry and noodles. Fried rice a bit greasy but very full of flavour. Beer offer of 1+1=3 was also great!

ENGLISH MENUS + pictures of each dish! Staff are willing to amend dishes. Food was delicious, also lots of VEGAN options. We ate here for breakfast, lunch & dinner for three days straight! We tried lots of other restaurants in Karakol but nothing compares to this place. Toilets are immaculate too. Highly recommend!

I had delicious food, almost no waiting time and very kind and helpful English speaking staff who did a great job! Also best Negroni Spagliato in Central Asia. I hope I can come again!

Food is alright too eat nothing special. The wait is forever, I spent 3h here and still going while my total eating time is 20 minutes. AC doesn't work even though it's evening time, inside is even hotter than outside and staff doesn't want to solve the problem and just ignored us. Told them to not bring the food if it's not ready by the time I asked but they still brought it in after 30 min (we were waiting for dessert that's why they had a chance to bring that food i order 2h ago). Horrible experience.

Modern, tidy restaurant. We came for dinner. The English-speaking waitresses were very helpful and the food arrived quickly. It was delicious and the price is fair. The toilets are also nice.

This was our 2nd restaurant in Kyrgyzstan and I must say that it is the worst when it comes to the service, they have a good hierarchy of workers but they doesn't care about the service its purely money, we waited like 20 mins for someone take the order and 45 mins just after the order , but still nothing on our table and sadly we had to leave as it was late night 12.30 and we have been forced to pay 1395 without any food. Which makes them a terrible in hospitality. I wonder why after so many bad reviews on service still nothing improved. Strange but please avoid visiting this restaurant. Started my trip to Kyrgyzstan on a bad note and will be in bad book forever.

Small little restaurant with enough seating options. There is not much to choose from but you will get your meal quickly. Unfortunately not very clean.

Delicious Hoshan served up quickly in a diner setting. Optional chilli sauce and vinegar make for fine additions. Easily some of the best Hoshan I have had in all of Kyrgyzstan. This is a must try spot for quick eats in Karakol

Very nice place in Karakol, much better here than in many fancy places you may find around, good shashlik and plov

It's a first time in trying Hosham, and I liked it. Guy was there very helpful and friendly

perfect! super cheap! 80kgs for one piece

I LOVE these dumplings!

Nice food

Overall a nice experience with good Kyrgyz food. They have an English menu and the staff spoke English which was very helpful for us. The portions were quite large though so be wary of that when ordering. If however you still have some food left over you can ask them and they'll let you take the leftovers with you. We paid in cash.

Great place. English menus. We ate here twice during our stay in Karakol. Bathroom is clean and service was very good. Only hiccup was when we ordered the schnitzel which took a very very long time. Food was delicious and no tummy issues! Portion sizes were very generous. One of the best meals we’ve had on our trip.

High level service Very, very tasty food Everything is fresh and clean

It's a coffee shop and a resturant.. Very cosy atmosphere, Delicious food and excellent service.. My Favorite dish is the Lavash Kebab❤

Tasty meals, especially their fried lagman, steaks and salads. Good prices and very friendly and helpful staff. If I ever come back to Karakol I will visit this restaurant again for sure. Also the steak in this restaurant is a real steak and not a cutlet like in other restaurants in Karakol :D.

Local cuisine is pretty good

English speaking stuff, beer in menu. Ok food

Duet is a lovely oasis and base camp in Karakol for travelers. I didn’t stay here, but I ate here multiple times and was able to charge my phone, use the WiFi and do laundry. The hostel/tourist info section has a guidebook with tips on things to see and do in the area and logistical information on how to get there. While on the minibus from Bishkek to Karakol having just arrived in Kyrgyzstan for the first time, a local recommended I go to Duet to plan my next move, and once I went I could see why.

We didn't stay at the hostel but went here for breakfast. Probably slightly more expensive than other places but definitely worth it. We had the chocolate and banana pancakes and they were delicious. You get 3 big, fluffy pancakes and enough chocolate so they're not dry, highly recommend!

We are staying in the Duet house and Hostel next door and have always come in for our morning coffee. The best coffee and food selection in Karakol with beautiful interiors and a great atmosphere! We have stayed in the house and hostel next door on two separate occasions and will be coming back again after our hike. The owner is a wealth of knowledge on the local area and they have a booklet full of hikes and things to do in and around Karakol! Highly recommend!

Good place to unwind and work. But food is on the expensive side compared to other cafes in the city.

I had burger, stroganoff and mojito. Burger was ok with nice side but not amazing. The stroganoff lacked proper spices and taste and the low score is mostly due to this dish. It definitely needs more work as otherwise I wouldn’t serve it and call it the stroganoff. Same with the Mojito which was nicely served but was completely without limes, instead it had lemons which doesn’t make it mojito at all. The interior is cool but the menu needs more work. I saw that also cool options of coffee with different liquors are available and if I would ever come back I would only do it to try coffee.

One of the best noodles I have ever had. Great places with a nice atmosphere.

Nice green tea! Friendly service. Ordered a veggie burger and I've never had a burger made of such a substance. It was drier than Ghandi's flip flop and crumbled on first touch so it was not really possible to eat it as a burger. No idea what it was made of, I should have asked I suppose. Either way I don't recommend this item off the menu. Seemed a good place to come if you want to meet other travellers.

Quiet and pleasant atmosphere - probably best for an early afternoon coffee and cake! Friendly staff that spoke English. Coffee was good, and pancakes were as expected. Wished the opened earlier for an early morning coffee. I tried to go a couple of days earlier having heard about their good coffee, but unfortunately they were closed. - Matt | @mattsnextsteps

Cosy and calm cafe. The homemade lemonade and the apple strudel (almost like a real Austrian one) are top. Good place to read a book, to work or just hang out.

We popped here for lunch after returning from altyn arashan before heading to bokonbaevo - really quick service and very good value. We had the vegetarian sandwich and banana and peanut butter sandwich, both were very tasty. Lovely interior too

Great spot. We had pancakes & fruit with cappuccino and hot chocolate. It doesn’t look fancy from the outside, but is very nice and highly recommended.

nice and cosy cafe with a nice outdoor area. pizza was tasty, but the tea was a tad too diluted. brilliant service and nice souvenir section to browse as well

So many cool pieces of local art. Good atmosphere with lots of games and decent coffee:)

I rarely leave negative reviews. Nice place but we were waiting over 30 min for coffee (coffee was sour) and more that an hour for breakfast. The staff does not process orders sequentially, but at their discretion.. Serving breakfast through other people's heads.. There are more coffee shops in Karaköl worth to see.

Local? Yes, it is! I liked the look of the reviews/pictures so off we went for a visit. We nearly missed out as it was that busy! Then I spotted 2 free seats on a table and just sat down while my partner went up and ordered. Delicious flavour at an affordable price! Go go go

Kyrgyzstan is one of those rare countries. Small, beautiful, and amazing food. This restaurant is representative of all of my descriptions of the country it belongs to. Small place with beautiful surroundings and amazing food.

A local told us one can get the best ashlyan-fu here. There is no place that is actually called Local Karakol Food, there are several eateries located in this area behind the Konak cafe. We went to the one called У Саиды (at Saida's) and loved it. Delicious, cheap, authentic, local food. Warning - this place is for eating only, not really suitable for extended hangout.

Simply amazing and cheap!! Must!

The alley to pick up your local cold noodle soup. Absolutely delicious!

Quick service, tasty ashlyan fu! Can get busy quickly

Nice food

Perfect clean and quiet place to have good rest after climbing, skiing and sightseeing! Breakfasts are great, they even make brewed coffee! Nice garden in the summer with flowers and fresh apples. Everything is Ikea, it felt like home.

Bedrooms are very clean and nice. There is also a living room and dining room where you can spend time with other guests. There are refrigerators for guests and they may also use a kitchen. Everything nice and comfortable. Kiryl who takes care of this place and guests is very nice and friendly. This is the place where you will feel great.

Our stay at the house in Karakol was truly exceptional, largely thanks to Kirill, the manager. He was incredibly so nice, attentive, and welcoming, making sure every aspect of our visit was tailored to our needs. His recommendations were impeccable, particularly when we inquired about a Dungan cooking class. Kirill went above and beyond by organizing a private class at the house with Railia, who was an absolute delight. Not only was she warm and friendly, but she also guided us through the preparation of some of the most delicious dishes we've ever tasted. I highly recommend requesting her cooking class; it was an unforgettable experience. Throughout our stay, we felt more at home than ever before. The house itself is spotless, comfortable, and ideally located in Karakol. And as a charming touch, Kirill's dog, who was incredibly lovable, made our stay even more enjoyable. We will carry the memories of this wonderful experience with us for a long time.

We stayed at Memos with a group of friends before and after hiking to Ala Kul. The rooms were really nice, the garden and outside table cosy and the breakfast made by раелиа was really delicious and Kirill was so friendly and welcoming to all of us. We had a great stay :)

I stayed 3 nights at Memo's guesthouse in Karakol. Totally recommended due to the human factor. The manager [who's name is Ree], a guy who looks you in the eye when he's talking to you, always helps, offers local recommendations that aren't in the guide and prepares incredible breakfasts [with espresso]. The guesthouse has a large garden and the quality-price room is incredible [bed commfortable and hot shower]

A very friendly and welcoming host takes care of the place, alongside his happy dog. Rooms were clean, guests had access to common areas and the breakfast was well prepared. I can definitely recommend this place.

This is a very welcoming place with cozy apartments. Kirill and Raila are golden and sunny. There were eight of us and there was enough room for everyone. We lived for three days and left with a feeling of gratitude.

I enjoyed it very much. Not too big but with a variety of things from small pets to chickens, antiques, clothes and bread and cheese.

Good for second hand goods

disappointed.. or maybe unlucky day

Good👍

Top

(Translated by Google) A very colorful market. Open only on Sundays. You can find fresh homemade eggs, sour cream and vegetables. They sell both antique and modern items. What I like is the atmosphere. People even go there just for a walk. There is a dog and bird market nearby. (Original) Очень колоритный рынок. Работает только по воскресеньям. Можно найти свежее домашнее яйцо, сметану и офощи. Продают как старинные так и современные вещи. Что мне нравится так это атмосфера. Туда ходят даже просто погулять. Рядом есть собачий и птичий рынок.

(Translated by Google) Here on Sunday you can buy almost everything, that's why it is a Slavic market, on weekdays they sell hay and lard, behind the Slavic market they sell coal. (Original) Здесь в воскресенье можно купить почти все, на то он и славянский рынок, в будние дни продают сено и салому, за словынским рынком продают уголь.

Cozy place with frozen cake. I like the atmosphere of the place in general. And the waiter was super friendly. And they have USB plugs at very place, super helpful. They only had a few last cakes where we could choose from. And as we realized later: they were all frozen inside. Drinks were normal, prizes a bit high. The service took quite long as there was only one guy for the whole place.

A lovely café with a calm and peaceful atmosphere. The service is excellent, and the cakes are absolutely delicious. The restroom is impressively clean—one of the cleanest I’ve seen. Highly recommended for a relaxing break.

Food was amazing! The quesadillas and the chicken fajita bowl were soooo good! Staff is really kind and resourceful! Great place and nice terrace!

Best cafe I’ve tried with the most options too. But waiting for your food will take a long time. Worth the wait, not for time crunch!

If you order delivery, you might have a bad experience (as we did, picture below of the quantity of fries it brought) HOWEVER when we ate lunch there it was delicious and well served (pictures below as well)

The food are delicious and the staff are accommodating. Good experience.

Unlimited brewed coffee (great quality) for 180 som. Good wifi. Grilled cheese is cheap and comes with fries. Shockingly good snack. They also have a Dungan food menu at reasonable prices to try local dishes. I remember trying this coffee chain in Bishkek ten years ago, and it's so awesome it's still around. Love this place. Don't forget to check the souvenirs. Lots of reusable cutlery and tuperware at good prices including a glass double wall coffee mug for 500. Great candles, magnets, jewelry for good prices. Good selection of the jams and stuff from Isykuul Brand. Love it!

the waiter made us choose dishes and wait before and after taking the order for a total of 60min. then came and told that the place was closed :D truly off the charts experience :D

Mediocre food. For which we waited three hours total. Atmosphere is that of a fast food place (it's de facto not a restaurant, but rather a food court). Music very disturbing and bad. Several of the dishes on the menu turned out not to be available. And the bad experience culminated in a wrong bill, including several dishes we had neither ordered nor received. Management wouldn't give in to the persuations of nine guests, but insisted we pay these extra dishes. If you don't want to spoil your day - don't visit!

Nice cozy place for family and friends gatherings. Has Kyrgyz authentic meals, Chinese, sushi, and other fast foods. Prices are acceptable.

Good food.

Great food with lots to choose from. English speaking staff were very helpful also.

It is a clean and good restaurant with delicious traditional Kyrgyz and international foods.

Very bad. They charge you even for katchup

I loved staying at Snow Leopard. Myself and 5 friends stayed here for four nights. It has such a nice vibe that Aizada and Jalil foster alongside their family. They are so welcoming and helpful, they will do their best to organise whatever it is that you are after at the drop of a hat. The weather meant that we had to postpone our hikes but it meant that we got to spend more time exploring Karakol which was a bonus.

Amazing hostel, Jalil and Aizada were the best hosts, very knowledgeable and friendly. Helped answer and solve all your questions. Very nice rooms, good communal area and kitchen. Well stocked fridge full of beer and chocolate bars. The pancakes for breakfast are delicious also. You can rent camping equipment, book tours and get pretty much everything you need at this hostel. So recommended!

Incredible hostel. Super social, so cozy, delightful, helpful, fun, incredibly kind hosts. Such a vibe, and such a perfect spot to stay and rerun to after hikes etc. couldn’t love it more. And amazing facilities. There’s even a Sauna, and some gym equipment, amazing kitchen, and a yurt. Thanks so Much Jalil! I hope to see you again

Snow Leopard an awesome family run hostel. The family that operates this hostel is so incredibly helpful and kind. They make you feel right at home. The rooms are clean and spacious (my wife and I stayed in a private room, we can’t speak to the dorms). There is a nice common space to hang out and meet travelers. If you need any help with trekking, transport, food, touristic, or other info, the owners can direct you. The only downside is there isn’t a kitchen that you can use to cook in, aside from the microwave, dishes, and hot water. Overall, a wonderful place to stay in Karakol.

A little bit late review We loved our stay here. Couldn't ask for more. We stayed one night and the hosts are very helpful and nice. We booked a horse riding tour to Sirotacamp from the hostel. Adle(I'm not sure if it's the right way to write down) who was our guide, He is professional and also hilarious. we had a blast with him hahah. Highly recommend this hostel especially if you are considering to do Alakul pass trekking.

The family running this place is amazing and so so warm. I loved hearing their stories and they are always available to help 24/7. They provide many services such as rentals. Definitely easy to meet people here.

Best guesthouse in Karakol ! The family is so nice and Jalil is super reactive on WhatsApp. I stayed several nights in a private room which was very confortable. The breakfast for 250 soms is very good. It’s also a great place to meet other travellers. Jalil I hope to see you again whether in Karakol or in Paris ;-)

This was the first mosque in Karakol and was built by the Tatar people.

(Translated by Google) Beautiful from the outside, very particular, different from the others. Unfortunately we were unable to enter because it was prayer time. (Original) Bella dal di fuori molto particolare diversa dalle altre.Purtroppo noi nn siamo riusciti ad entrare perchè era l'ora della preghiera.

(Translated by Google) A large mosque and there are good facilities. (Original) مسجد كبير ويوجد اهتمام بالمرافق.

(Translated by Google) It is the oldest surviving mosque-madrasah of the city of Karakol. The reason why it is called the Tatar Mosque is because it was founded by the Tatars and the Tatars mainly came here in the first years. Although it is inadequate in terms of service, its function continues. It is worth seeing. #LocalGuides (Original) Karakol şehrinin ayakta kalan en eski cami-medresesi..Tatar Camiisi denmesinin sebebi, burayı Tatarların kurmasından ve ilk yıllarda Tatarların ağırlıklı olarak buraya gelmesinden kaynaklanıyor.Hizmet noktasında yetersiz olsa da görevi devam ediyor.Görmeye değer. #LocalGuides

(Translated by Google) Beautiful old mosque (Original) Красивая,старая мечеть

(Translated by Google) Yes one of the best places in the city (Original) Да одна из лучших мест в городе

👍👍👍👍

We had a very good Lagman with chicken at this local eatery. Note that the Google Maps location is incorrect, it’s two blocks up north in the same street, in a side street on the right

Great lagman, good prices, not fancy.

(Translated by Google) The only interest of this restaurant is its location in the center. Otherwise, I didn't like the food or the behavior of the staff (Original) Le seul intérêt de ce resraurant c'est son emplacement en plein centre. Sinon, je n'ai aimé ni la nourriture, ni le comportement du personnel

Favorite restaurant in Karakol. Can’t remember what the dish is called but the meat and potato dish is excellent. Visited 3 times while in town.

(Translated by Google) A good restaurant where we tried the plov meal. It was delicious, which is fried rice with meat and vegetables (Original) مطعم جيد جربنا فيه وجبة البلوف كانت لذيذة وهي عبارة عن رز مقلي مع لحم مع خضار

(Translated by Google) I ordered five fingers, but it could have been better. (Original) Беш бармак буюртма бергем, дагы да жакшыртса болчудай.

(Translated by Google) The iron restaurant is good but it stinks (Original) Ресторан утюг хороший только Там воняет

It is a small bazaar in the center of this city. You can find fresh vegetables, fruits, some technical equipments, tailors etc.

Nice shops and restaurants in the centre

Doesn't feel like a bazaar, more like a string of tiny shops. Not very lively.

Nice

Good

(Translated by Google) I visited two Ashrampu restaurants. Photos 1~3 Ashrampu Restaurant 1: It was the largest and cleanest restaurant among the restaurants. The food was also clean. Photos 4~7 Ashrampu Restaurant 2: It was a small restaurant, but you could see the Ashrampu noodles being made right in front of you, and the sauce was richer and tastier. Both were delicious, but the second restaurant was the best for me😆 The owner speaks English and accepts card payments, so it was the best! (Original) 아쉬람푸 맛집 두 군데 들렸습니다. 사진 1~3 아쉬람푸 맛집 1 : 식당 중 가장 규모가 크고 깔끔한 곳이었습니다. 음식도 깔끔합니다. 사진 4~7 아쉬람푸 맛집 2 : 아담한 규모인데, 눈 앞에서 아쉬람푸 면 뜨는 모습도 직접 볼 수 있고, 소스 맛이 더 진해 맛있었습니다. 둘 다 맛있는데, 두 번째 맛집이 저에겐 더 짱이에요😆 아주머니가 영어도 하시고 카드 결제도 되고 짱!

(Translated by Google) There are several restaurants and clothing stores lined up, but it gives the impression of being deserted. (Original) 飲食店と衣料店が数店並んでいますが、寂れた印象を受けました。

(Translated by Google) Ashlyanfu with chemicals, the room is small, there is no server, no self-service (Original) Ашлянфу с химикатами, помещение маленькое, сервера такова нету самообслуживания

Shady experience. I read about this on the Destination Karakol website and Duet Hostel. They should have a banya. The lady pointed at a sign saying 1,000 som when I asked about banya. It should be maybe 150. She them covered it up when I tried to translate it, and wouldn't let me see what the 1,000 is for. So, it seems like she wanted me to pay 1,000 for the banya, and she would pocket the exorbitant fee. No transparency or honesty. I walked out. Lady was blonde with short hair. If you're a foreigner, don't bother.

Expensive for this area bit friendly and fast staff. U can use private rooms

Good

Nice place to spend a bellyful

Not too posh but pretty nice for Karakol.

The kompleks Ruslan is good, but the service is bad.

Nice Place. Foods are tasty