Tektekçi is Istanbul’s first shot bar located in Tomtom Mahallesi. This tiny venue is always overflowing with fearless dancers who can see the bottom of several shot glasses in less than minutes. Here, you’ll find a wide variety of interesting shot combinations, from the sweet to the sour, to the spicy to the sweet-and-sour. And then there is the straight up rakı, beer, whiskey shots. You won’t get anything in a bottle or a regular glass, but you’ll surely get them in regular-sized or humongous shot glasses - it all depends on where you want the night to go.

It has to be said, although the concept of Tektekçi is to warm up for a long night out, the music is so good that many end up spending the majority of their night at Tektekçi. If you like to dance to a mix of upbeat songs – anything from Adele and Lily Allen to the golden oldies pieces like “Let’s Twist Again” - you may have to cancel your post-Tektekçi plans.

Now - the logistics. There is no coat check but there are several overhead shelves and hooks under the bar where you can put your coats. The venue is very crowded and you may have to wait a while to get to your long-awaited shots, but the wait is definitely worth it. The sweet bartenders are more than helpful in helping you choose what to drink. The menu is quite comprehensive, which may make the decision process painful. But the menu is arranged for even the most wasted in the room: there are separate sections for sweet, sour, sweet-and-sour, spicy, and straight. The easiest option may be to order the tray where you get 10 or 20 shots at once to avoid waiting and to try as many delicious shots as possible. Beware that this technique requires much more caution - it is pretty much a one way street to hangover hell. 

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