Kafana Reviews

The food is delicious! it's authentic and reasonably priced. Anything you order will be amazing. The bad part about this place is the service, specifically the women. Once they find out you're Serbian, all service goes out the window. No courtesy, no smiles, no hospitality. Serbian people come here to get a taste of home and they manage to ruin the experience every time. They are beyond rude. I would love to say that the review is based off of one experience, but it's more like 6-7. I started pretending I'm American, just so I can get a better experience.

Fantastic Serbo-Croatian restaurant. Wide open dining room shutters open to the street give it a mellow bistro/cafe vibe. Orange wine, an ethnic specialty, was a perfect cool drink on a hot summer evening. Smoked trout was perfectly executed, tomato salad with feta was delicious and light. Cash only, but the deli next door has a cash machine.

We visited this place several times and food was always tasty, but not always consistent. Maybe this is charm of Serbian restaurants, lol! Cevapcici were always good and appetizer pies. Service is good if you are used for waiters and waitresses to chat with guests in the meantime. Atmosphere is cozy, but we prefer to come in a bit odd hours when it's not full. If you are coming by car, well, this is NYC.

Went here on my birthday with my two sons, my partner and some of their friends. Like Serbia itself, it was warm, unpretentious and we had an evening in a warm and welcoming environment that will live in all our memories for a long time to come The service was super friendly and the food plentiful and very meat based. Not the place to go if you are vegetarian or looking for fine dining but otherwise highly recommended. Thank you!

Why I only score 3 points? Portions: rather small Prices: high, looking at the size of the portions. Prices matching other more posh areas of NY Quality: good but not outstanding Other points: NO payment by credit cards accepted. Unbelievable, we are in NY! Staff is OK, but not great. TIP was included in the bill, straight away, without even asking, how much we wanted to grant. Summary: bit disappointing, won't come back there.

In a few words - I have been expected more from this place. First of all, this should be an authentic place that serves Serbian dishes, but it is far from it. They serve bad rakija (an alcoholic beverage made from plums/quince/pear or apple, traditional for Serbian culture), and probably the worst bottled beer from Balkan region - Niksicko beer (once upon a time it used to be a decent beer, but not anymore). They don't serve dark beers, so keep that in mind. And keep away from Zvonko Bogdan white wine, quite bad choice. The food have an average (even below) taste. All cold cuts (cured park, beef and lamb) have the same flavor and they do precut (slices on the plate are too dry). A cheese pie is a little bit better, but "ajvar" (a traditional spread made from minced roasted red peppers) they should change definitely (low quality, too acidic). And please do not recycle the bread! Their mixed grill is easy to forget, served warm (not hot). The problem are bad ingredients. "Prebranac"- a traditional dish made from white beans and onions is untasty, starchy and underseasoned. Don't get me wrong - I am not trying to ruin this place with my review, I'm just trying to express my humble opinion as a customer. The place is tiny and small, chairs and benches uncomfortable, so don't expect too much. They have one small (and filthy) unisex toilet. Finaly, service is bad and chaotic. I will be polite and stop here. The venue by itself deserves better maintenance. And some general repair. I wonder if the manager or the owner spend some time over there. There are so many things to do. Back in Serbia, I bet this place wouldn't make any significant success. It has an excellent potential and nice concept, but some things are missing. Also, the location of this restaurant is not an advantage definitely. I went there for the first time, since I was invited by a friend of mine. It's probably my first and the last time.

A long time ago, I chose this restaurant for lunch with a friend. I remember the delicious, unique Serbian dishes. Yesterday, I suggested to my husband that we go to Kafana. I made a reservation, and we went there for dinner. My order was: Karadjordjeva, Cevapi, Dimljena vesalica, and Rolovane dive alive and dzigerica. All the dishes were delicious. The portions were quite large. I also ordered a glass of Yellow Muscat dessert wine on the recommendation of our waiter. It was very tasty and aromatic. The restaurant has a very cozy, homey, and welcoming atmosphere. The interior is seemingly simple, but it gives the restaurant an ethnic feel. The service was also very good. It felt like we were visiting hospitable hosts rather than going to a restaurant. I would also like to point out that the prices are very reasonable! Visit this restaurant and you won't regret it!

The best cevaps we've ever had!!!! We were there for a family wedding reception and the food was delicious!!! Be careful if you are sitting on a bench that you are not sitting in the middle of the pad/bench as you will be very sore after...lol..

Just back home from a vist to Kafana with my sister and daughter. We arrived early for our booking and the staff were so nice about it. The grilled meat was fully cooked as I like it with yet so moist and delicious demonstrating real skill at the grill. As I am from Trinidad and Tobago, I like well seasoned well cooked meat and this was satisfying. My sister had the sausage plate which she shared with me. The sausages we of obviously good quality and grilled just right. There was a lot of cabbage with it and I would habe been happy with half that amount of cabbage. We ordered a cevapi to go for my brother. A seasoned hand at the grill himself he loves it The staff were warm and helpful and we felt genuinely welcomed. Every element was done well and I hope to bring my brother to not just enjoy the food again but the experience the atmosphere and service. Keep in mind it is cash only which they did state on the menu to be fair to them. Carry enough cash, however it's worth the price. This was my first time having Serbian food and what a first impression to have. Delicious.

This place is completely insane, the people who work there are straight up rude and so disrespectful. If you open at 5pm and customers walk in at 4:54pm... (mind you the place was completely empty my husband and I were the only guest inside) You should allow them to have a seat, Instead of giving them attitude and shouting we don't open till 5 and have them exit and wait outside the glass door in the freezing cold. We stared at them through the glass door for 6 minutes while they did completely nothing. I am a Serbian women but did not address it as I walked in. I spoke English when entering. So I'd like to say thank you very much for your little side comments. Completely uncalled for. Learn how to run a business. Seriously don't waist your time going there!!!!

I visited this restaurant with a friend from Montenegro, and she confirmed that this place is as authentic as it gets. I tried their tomotoe, cucucmber, cheese salad, their little sausages and the cheese pastries and they were to die for. The wine was tasty too. I think the live musicians really add to the experience, all the patrons started singing what sounded like folk songs, it was really fun. The place is packed, so reservation is a must.

Really unbelievable wine selection. Service is wonderful. CASH only. I have traveled throughout the Balkans (check my reviews) and I know and love the cuisine. I really expected much more from Kafana. Food is quite good but just not great, even by comparison to (former) Yugoslavian restaurants in much smaller cities throughout North America.

I recommend the lamb shank and mashed potatoes. Great for a winter night dinner! ...stay away from the spinach appy ( it's dry) ...but order goat cheese appy...nice and creamy filling.

Ordered several Serbian tapas at this little but very unique restaurant. Very friendly staff and tasty food. Bill was around 35$ per person which is reasonable for the quality. Some of the portions were small (for example the cevapi) that is why a star is taken off. Part of my disappointment was the fact that they did not give us any official receipt, however charged us tax normally ! I am not very happy with this way of doing business... Anyways, in general is very good food and you should go unless you do care about the receipt. Maybe if you ask they will give you one...

They were surprisingly fussy in taking a reservation. The menu is decent but the food is mixed, some dishes were good, some not so. It's a nice place with a good atmosphere, with some craft beers and a limited choice of wines.

Took a cap from Time Square to get to this restaurant. It took forever! Turned out that the cab driver mixed avenue and street up... The evening started on the wrong foot but the visit to Kafana for sure got it back on the right. This place is really a nice place with great authentic dices. Highly recommendable and take time for a stroll in the neighborhood afterwards if you have time.

If you want to taste great, quality food rich in taste, you must visit Kafana. Start with sarma, go to pljeskavica sa kajmakom and finish with pita sa visnjama. Drink rakija-dunja for start and Regent red wine during your meal (if you have 60$ per bottle..). It is not a cheep place, but it is sooooo good!!

We did the vegetarian option with very tasty beans, salads and cheese pie along with bread and soft cheese. You really get the taste of the Balkans

Best thing about this place is food - perfect Balkan taste. If you are a foodie then this is a "must visit". Good job guys!

We have visited this restaurant many times in the past. The food is always excellent, although service was such a disappointment today. I never felt worse due to the facial expressions of 2 hosts. Such ignorant and unwelcomed behavior. One of the waiters was probably drunk or had consumed some kind of substance. He spilled good amount of our mineral water (while serving) on our table, without noticing. No one offered us anything to drink, besides water. Place smelled bad for the first time. I wanted to leave several times during meal, but I was very hungry on the long way back home to Boston, and stayed to enjoy the good food. My husband felt the same and shared my opinion. We left uncomfortable. Kafana used to have nice waitress during our previous visits. She was not present this time.

I went here on Valentine's Day, and it was packed. Despite the day that I'm sure the staff look forward to the least, they were very friendly, prompt, and the food was filling. I was impressed. It was filling, too! We barely had room for baklava which was very, very good. I'd say the prices are on point considering how filling they are, but remember that it's cash only. It's small, but it doesn't feel small, and it's cozy, too. I look forward to going back again.

Very unprofessional and unfriendly service.. Food was not bad but not with authentic serbian ingredients as promised. That was the first and last time that i have visited this place!

We stopped in right before closing and were treated as if they just opened! We had the chevapi (little sausages) & gibanica (cheese pie) which were excellent. The atmosphere was very nice. Nicely decorated in old balkan charm.

Food and ambiance was lovely, you can taste Balkan grilled meat, typical Balkan dishes made with American portions. tasty, not expensive, great atmosphere. Top!

What a lovely quaint and cosy restaurant this was. Fantastic service and the food quality was right up there with food I had tasted in Europe. Would come again and would recommend anyone to go.

The quintessential New York jewel, international flavours accessible to all. Quaint and jovial. Excellent spot. Nice decor. Excellent food. Outstanding pricing.

It was Serbian Christmas Eve so we were a bit worried about getting in, so we made reservations and I was happy we did. The restaurant is not large. We went here with a Serbian, who is studying abroad here in the US and missed Serbian food. She was excited by the authenticity of the food. It was delicious and we enjoyed everything we tasted. We had the dried meat appetizer as well as the cheese pie. We also had the mixed meat plate and I recommend this if you would like to sample a wide variety of food. It really was good and though we ate it all, three adults (with smaller appetites) could have easily shared. In addition we had the bean stew with smoked ribs and the chicken stuffed with ham and cheese. We also had the tomato, cucumber and onion salad... because there was a lot of meat. Our service was not as bad as some of the reviews describe, we ordered, got our food, had our water refilled at least twice with out asking, but we did have to request our bill. The waitress was reasonably prompt, considering how busy they were. It appears a small family run restaurant, with authentic food. We would go to Kafana again and we would recommend it to others.

Found this little gem by Open table. It's our first Serbian experience. We were very happy with the food and service. It was Monday night before 6. The restaurant was empty. So getting a table was not a problem. My favourite dish was the grill mix mince meat. It's so juice and perfectly seasoned. We also tried the baked beans and grilled bacon wrapped chicken liver and prune. Interesting dish and rich! I will definite eat more Serbian food in future.

I'm from Balkan and I live in the states for 5years. I visited NY and wanted to go to "Kafana" and eat food from back home. I was disappointed overall. Service was bad, we asked for bread and their their answer was "ohh we gave you bread once already." Overall bad experience, and newer coming back!

I was in Kafana with my friend cuz we were really excited about trying traditional food from her country and of course my neighbor country. I had Karagjorgjeva and she had Pljeskavica sa kajmakom = nothing traditional, not real kajmak! (You can buy real kajmak in NY). Such a disappointment! Even the service was not good at all! I will never come back to Kafana, New York!

This was the first time I have ever eaten Serbian food. It was delicious and the atmosphere was quaint.

In NY rom London meeting family and fancied some cevapcici. Found this place on line, which I was surprised to hear had been here since 2008, so.... The downsides: Parking can be difficult Not near a subway Only takes cash. The upsides: Great food - we had mixed grills we couldnt finish with roast peppers, sopska salad, bread and spicy ajvar, gibanica with a range of soft drinks and Serbian Niks beers. Great waitress with a sharp sense of humour Great little ambience starting with Serbian music and moving into dosco (!) Just the right size Recommended. Worked out around $35 per head and left very full!

I had wanted to check out this place deep in the East Village on Ave C near Tompkins Park since seeing glowing reviews on Yelp. Finally last weekend we went there and enjoyed ourselves. I'm not sure how long Kafana has been around, but when I lived on 1st Ave on the LES in the mid-80s we didn't wander much past 1st Ave- a tribute to NYC's continual re-invention of it's historic past. This place is small, so it is best to make reservations (on Open Table). It was cold out when we went, so seated near the door was no a favorable placement either. Still, wearing our jackets, we persevered and found the food pretty good. The description on the website is accurate- crunchy salads and grilled meat. I recommend sharing the grilled meats amongst the table and ordering a bunch of salads and apps, so everyone can taste things. Paired with an "orange" wine- actually white wine with the skins still on, this was a reasonably priced and tasty meal. хвала (pronounced ha-vala, meaning thank you) Kafana.

Great food, great atmosphere, great service. If you want to experience a little taste of Serbia come here. There were three of us and everything we ordered was wonderful. Recommend.

Kafana is tiny and dark, and romantic. Be sure to make reservations or you will eat at the bar like we did (and we felt lucky to sit there). Food is authentic and delicious, and waitstaff are very friendly and helpful. Menu descriptions are in English. I had a bean and short rib dish that was spicy and succulent. Also a shredded beet salad with grapes, celery, dressed with a perfect dressing. My companion loved his lamb shank and Macedonian beer. Price is moderate, and well worth the price. Go too to hear Serbian spoken by friendly people!

The food, the service, the ambiance was perfect for a family gathering that we'll all never forget. What happens in this initimate setting is pure magic that embraces all five senses.

Was so looking forward to enjoying a meal at this little cafe we found on the web before we arrived. It did not fail to meet our expectations! We spent a great day at Greenich Village to end the day with great food, great service - thank you!

We were visiting NYC from the UK, and this restaurant immediately caught our eye as we had travelled around the Balkans a few years ago and have struggled to find Serbian restaurants ever since. The meal was delicious and very authentic and the staff super helpful- it was amazing to have Serbian beer again too! Would recommend the Cevapi- so good. Thanks for having us!

The place is a nice Balkan style in Manhattan!The food was delicious and hot, my choice was fish of the day.It was so fresh, well spicy and tasty made. I recommend to those who love fish to try my choice!

Excellent place to dip your toe in Serbian cuisine, which is hearty and flavorful. Enjoyed starters of cheese pies and salad (tomato, cucumber and fresh feta). Main courses-- were all good. Enjoyed the pork neck with cabbage, Serbian burger, and kobasice (sausages). Desserts were quite tasty--sour cherry pie, a cold concoction of wheat and walnuts with whipped cream, and chestnut purée.

Me? I loved food from Serbia, Croatia, beer from Macedonia. It's a fairly quiet place, even when crowded (and it gets crowded on the weekends). I loved their version of Cevapi or ćevapčići which are grilled spicy sausages. Cash only (though there is an ATM down the block if you get stuck).

We had tried Serbian food in different cities in the US, and were looking forward to try Kafana during our visit in New York. We didn't have high expectations but at least decent tasty food. The portions were very small but pricey. We ordered the calf chowder (teleca corba). It was not creamy at all. It was water down and just one small piece of meat. Lepinja looked like a small thin piece of pita. Ground beef burger (Pljeskavica) was also very small. Overall taste was ok but not impressive. Having tried food in Serbia and having been to other Serbia restaurants in the US, we were disappointed with this restaurant.

Being a Serbian descendant, I can tell you that the food is really good and authentic. My kids loved the cevapici (a kind of kafta...) and my father and husband had the kapama (spinach stew with lamb) which was really good! Start with gbanica (cheese pie) and ajvar (red bell pepper spread)and you won't regret! Ah.... save some room for the desert.... pita sour cherry and palacinka (thin pancake with chocolate or jam) are unforgettable. Everytime we came to NYC, it is a must go!

I had never had Serbian food before so went out of curiosity. Was very happy with what I found - nice venue, friendly welcome and tasty food. We had a two year old with us and staff were very kind and accommodating.

Average food quality and too high prices - not recommending! You can find better Serbian restaurants!

This Serbian restaurant offers a type of cuisine I had not tried before. It is a relaxed, casual, unpretentious place with reasonable prices. I had the red pepper salad, which was fine but not distinguished. The lamb and spinach stew was quite good and was a generous portion. Service was friendly.

The space is cute but every inch is packed in tight. We had a very small table and the temperature was too warm for my taste. The Serbian beer is good although could have been chilled more. The bread is very tasty, nice crust, and the pepper spread was good that goes with it. The celery root/beet salad was just ok - I didn't expect them both to be entirely uncooked though so I felt a little like a rabbit eating it. On the other hand, my spouse had the lamb shank and THAT was delicious, together with the mashed potatoes. Very very good. My conclusion was that, since it's very near, I will order that dish again as a TAKE OUT and enjoy it in the comfort of my home next time.

I dined alone, but I didn't feel alone. I was welcomed into Kafana warmly. I am not a big meat eater, so I thought I would not have much to choose from the menu, but as the restaurant came highly recommended by a friend, I gave Kafana a go. Fingers crossed, I ordered the grilled fish with Swiss chard and potatoes. I was elated by it. I look forward to my next visit to NYC so that I can go back to Kafana.

Food was quite good. Not bad but nothing to write home about. More American-Serbian than authentic Serbian honestly. Ajvar was good. Rakija was good. Had the meat platter for two - good portion and good value for money. Service was good and quick. Atmosphere was nice as it was a Sunday evening. Reasonably priced. Would recommend.

If Serbia isn't on your short list of travel destinations (but it should be), the next best thing is Kafana at 116, Avenue C. Authentic Serbian cuisine, in a rustic setting, off the beaten path but still conveniently in Manhattan. Start with a Sopska salad, big enough for two, and go from there. Unpretentious atmosphere, friendly service, reasonable prices. Book on savored.com and get up to 30% off depending on the day/time of your reservation.

I love this place. It is such a find -- so intimate (yes, can get crowded, and that is loads of fun), funny and friendly staff, and delicious, deeply satisfying Balkan food. Yes, mostly meat. Yes, plenty of carbs. But really, delicious: cabbage rolls, veal stuffed with kale and cheese, or my favorite: chicken livers wrapped in bacon with lashings of red cabbage coleslaw.

My fiancé is Serbian and she wanted a taste of home. Kafana is a small but very nice place that has outdoor and indoor seating. The food was great and the prices were reasonable as well. We would definitely visit again and recommend to our family and friends.

If you are in a mood for some old-school good meat-visit Kafana. I love that place and its burger with melted cheese and french fries on the side. It was the first time to try orange wine there and I was not impressed. Still, if you are into trying new stuff-why not. If you are into Serbian food, go there, you will not regret that. It is cozy, great for couples and friends. Cheers!

Wife and I were in the Lower East Side and happened to find this spot doing a quick online search, and the reviews led us to eat here. We hadn't had Serbian or Balkan food before, and were delighted to try many different dishes, made with familiar ingredients, just prepared in different combinations. The starter bread had the crust a little too done, but it was still good with the tomato based sauce for dipping. The appetizer Cheese Pie, was a soft bread like pie with baked in goat cheese, yum. We shared the mixed grill dish, and it was cooked right although if we go back we may try something else simply because we can get grilled foods in many ethnic restaurants. And, for desert the sweetened wheat was something unique we wanted to try, although next time we may go for the sour cherry pie (which the waitress said was different than American-style pies). Overall, including a glass of wine and a beer, we ended up spending about $80. The food portions were very large and we did take a to-go container home. The wine and beer were a little pricy, but about what you can expect normally in the city. Overall a good spot to eat, waitress was very friendly, and we would return.

Very Unfriendly straff, however food was quite ok If you like the Balkan quisine. Small place But Seems to be crowded quite often

Real serbian food from real serbians! Great location, you feel like you are in a real "kafana" in serbia! The look is authentic with nice pictures and a collection of old stuff! The stuff is really friendly and helpfull!

the FOOD is superb and the STAFF is outstanding--we have been lucky enough to have visited more than a half dozen times and have NEVER been disappointed...

You really don't need to be from Serbia( or that part of the world ) to enjoy this place. Its very hospitable, friendly, perfect for intimate celebrations, dates, dinner with friends. Rustic and tastefully authentic setting, goes along hand in hand with the delicious food. For meat lovers I would recommend " Cevapcici" (a dish translated as a little meat sausages) . To be ordered with the side of "Kajmak" Cheese pie ( Gibanica) and " Sopska" salad , baked beans (" Prebranac") also stand out. There is also always a delicious Fish of the day on the menu. Service and the owner are hospitable and friendly. Occasionally, there is a Balkan band there that plays unplugged. Regardless of whether you are in the area or not- I couldn't recommend more to go and have a dinner at this place.

Just do it ! A must experience in NYC get the whole experience!! 100% Punch Approved oldest & first Eastern European Family!! Thank you!

We loved this place. Food is excellent, and service was outstanding. Nevena was amazing. We will came back for sure!

A friend recommended the restaurant. Cosy inside and it was busy on the Friday night. Started with the beef soup which had way too much pepper. Terrible!!! I ordered prebranac and smoked sausage and that was good. My partner had the karadjorjeva and it was ok but I have had much better. The spoiler for me was the sour cherry pie which was the worst desert I have ever tasted. Terrible Terrible. So if you do go to Kafana, give the soup and dessert a miss. Stick with the mains and you should be OK.

First of all, it took the waitress 10 minutes to bring us the menus. The beers are not in the menu and are only bottled. I ordered veal soup and I got it with a mosquito included - no soup for me, I guess :) The check had already included the 20% gratuity - for what? I Will not go there in the future, that's for sure.

Always like bringing others to this restaurant so they can experience good Serbian food. Service is a little slow but the meat is really good quality and warms the soul. Love the sausage over baked beans! The ambience of the restaurant adds to the experience as well, feels like a time capsule without being kitschy. Will be back soon!

After a New Your Times two star recommendation, the appeal of a good Serbian restaurant in NYC was enticing. We had been to Serbia and had some good food there so, we knew something about the style of food. Our dishes included the cheese pie, the roasted peppers and the Serbian burger. All were good, but hardly two stars. The service is fine and the wine list interesting with lots of Serbian, Croatian and Slovenian wines, even a few from Albania. The meal with wine for three with tip was $200. The restaurant only accepts cash.

Took my family for traditional Serbian food on a cold December night...Success all over. My kids loved the bread and kajmak, my husband couldn't get enough of the Serbian spinach pie ( zeljanica) and lepinja sa kajmakom(yummy, yummy, yummy). The fish of the day was a Branzino with potatoes and kale- simple but delicious. My cevapi were excellent. To top it all off- a true comfort chocolate tort- Reforma- was out of this world. My husband is picky with his chocolate and usually goes for John Kelly or Teusher's. He vowed that this was THE BEST chocolate cake he's had in years- better than the original ones in Belgrade. Highly recommended !!! The waitress was very accommodating- the kids loved her!

This place is something what you can simple avoid during your stay in NewYork. I am realy shame like somebody from Serbia that place like this represent my country. very bad advartaising for us. But what we can do, we can just simple avoid. That is my , unfortunatly

If you want to try something better than burger go to this place and try "cevapi". Also try "sarme" something that you will not have opportunity to try in this part of the world.

First time visitors. Cozy surrounding and excellent choices of Serbian wines. The variety of appetizers were terrific (especially the fried spearing). The veal soup special was indeed special. Loved the lamb shank and pork shoulder and the sour cherry pie for dessert is to die for. Thumbs up and congratulations for winning the Olympic gold metal in Men's Water Polo.

Great ambient, polite stuff and amazing food.You have to try meat meze and cevapi with kajmak(homemade cheese spread).Good wine selection too.

One of best balkan food place. I really liked their kabab meal, and also the bread with cream. Their burgers are also good. I will definitely go back again to eat there. Reasonably priced, it will cost around $50 with starter and main dish (No Drinks) for two people.

I have eaten here quite a few times and the food and service have always been great. The staff are very friendly and the prices very reasonable. The only gripe I have with them is that they open late on weekdays (I think 5pm), so I am not able to stop by for lunch.

We were treated to a dinner here by our daughters - this would not have been our first choice because almost every menu item has some kind of pork or bacon and we do not eat pork. The tables are so close together that unless you are literally a size 2 you can't slide between them. That being said, our table was ready on the dot of our reservation time, the service was prompt and correct, and the food was excellent. Our party had the bronzino which was tender and garlic-y, and the lamb shank which was falling off the bone tender. Dinner for four (without apps, desserts or wine) was $100 which is quite low for the city. TIP: Because of stairs and ultra tight aisles, the restaurant is not handicap-accessible.

If you wanna try some real authentic food from Serbia, well then this is the place. Do not miss the cevapcici and pljeskavica, serbian burger and "kebab". Absolutely delicious!

We found the name of Kafana in Newsweek's 'list of 101 best places to eat around the world'. This is a Serbian-Croatian place in the East Village and really has a cosmopolitan vibe. We were not disappointed. The mixed grill is excellent. A pitty we could hardly see the dishes: at Kafana's you eat in candlelight only.

I probably do not have to say it, seeing my name anyone from former Yugoslavia knows that I am Serbian, however that I am from Belgrade, born raised, finished school there you can not tell. So, what that has to do anything with Kafana one will ask? I will tell you why: First because I grew up and spent first 34 years of my life in Belgrade, as a tradition from back home my mother is a good cook and I was lucky that my wife is a good cook too, both of them University educated and not home staying moms, but both also being proud of their cooking as well. - I also eat great grilled meets as well as cook food in Belgrade kafanas (kafana is common name for local restaurants with mostly ethnic Serbian/Balkan food and drinks), so I know what I am talking about when topic is Serbian food. Second, eating in kafana is experience and beside food hospitality of the staff is not small part of it. So, let me start with first issue. I have ordered "Pljeskavica sa kajmakom". For the ones that do not know what that is, it is Serbian version of Hamburger, although 100 times more tasty as you do not eat it with ketchup or mustard, meat is spiced enough to create wonderful taste. In Belgrade and everywhere in the Balkans "pljeskavica" and "cevapcici" are considered soul food of the region. Knowing what I got in the past in other places in USA I have asked if "kajmak" (special thick, creamy milk fat, about 60% that can be found across Balkan countries and Turkey, similar to clotted cream) is a real deal and not cream cheese whipped with butter or margarine which is what you get in "ethnic" places in USA. - Young waitress was almost offended and told me I should first try it before saying something like that (even though I was just asking if it is real, so dear customer, don't you dare asking anything about our food!) - Before my food came i got a small basket of fresh bread and a little bit if roasted pepper spread (ajvar), both were excellent and it aroused my expectation for Pljeskavica. - What a disappointment when my pljeskavica came, .... taste was just OK, but no texture of real deal, in addition to that, it was the poorest and thinnest pljeskavica I had ever seen and it came in similar thinnest "lepinja" (Balkan version of flat bread). If you want to see how proper Pljeskavical look like just open Google and and type "Pljeskavica sa kajmakom" and click Images. What you get in NY Kafana and in Belgrade kafanas is night and day difference. - As far as "kajmak", of course it was not the real deal but kind of whipped cream cheese that you get when you buy beagles in USA. - Food came with a bowl of fresh cabbage salad, which was good So, for Food I would give 2+ Now back to hospitality. I am not American and I do not expect waitress to be kissing my back, however when she asked me how is my "kajmak" I said it is not real and she said "Really?" So, I asked where is she from, she said from Belgrade, I asked from what part of Belgrade, at which point she immediately turned and walked away like I slapped her across the face. She passed by my table after that, served others with more vine, water, ... she never came bask or asked if she can bring me check, ... It looks like I hit the nerve there, without any intention. So, small town girl from the country side, you can hide your accent, you can come to live in NY, you can pretend you are cool, ... but there is one thing you are missing. Lack of style, lack of grace, otherwise you would not be ashamed to be a waitress and pretend that you are cool and that you are above being a waitress. There is no shame, on contrary there is only dignity in seeing someone professionally doing her job, how ever temporary that job might be. - So if you enjoy being served by phony cool girl from the countryside (in Serbian: folirant, dodjos), then go a head this is the place to be. Last but not the least, my poor small Pljeskavica and a shot of pear brandy cost me 25.00, really guys? Ah, should I add that a shot of what was supposed to be Gold medal awarded Stara Sokolova Pear brandy did not actually taste very real (tasted like it was tinned with cheap vodka). For the service and the price, 2- No I will not be back, but I will be sure to tell my brother in Belgrade that he should not believe everything he reads or hears, that there is a great Serbian restaurant in NY.

It was the second time my Serbian friend brought me here. The first time it was for lunch, and it was absolutely lovely. This time, it was for dinner on a Saturday night and, boy, this place was PACKED, and that meant it was very tight (squeezed at near theoretical density) and very loud. I had just recovered from a cold so it was rough on my voice to speak loudly the whole time, but the food was delicious. I would definitely come here again next time I'm in the area, but only for lunch or maybe for dinner if it's on a weekday.

Since I was in NY, I wanted to check for any serbian restaurants here. I found one and made a reservation, not easy way to find it but it was worth it. The restaurant is very small around 10 tables but cozy. Menu consists of mostly traditional dishes together with barbecue. Prices are reasonable, service is ok. The only disadvantage is that they don't take cc. Food is excellent like homemade. Worth a visit if you like serbian food.

On our first night in East Village in NYC we found this terrific restaurant. The food was authentic and delicious (Lamb Stew and Cepavi), served quickly and very well presented. The service was charming, professional and great fun. We had a great night and plan to go again before we leave.

While the prices are definitely American and maybe a bit high, the food is excellent and makes me nostalgic about living in the Balkans. The waitress was very friendly, and the food came out pretty quickly. You don't need to get a starter - even just one main will be very filling! East Village is definitely an inconvenient location, generally speaking, but I'd walk 20 minutes from the nearest metro to eat here again, that's for sure. :)

I love this restaurant and the staff is super friendly. This is the third time back and it was just as enjoyable as the other two times. There were three of us and we all shared the sopska, which is the cucumber/tomato/onion/feta salad and shared the roasted red peppers as well. The salad was great and the roasted red peppers were out of this world. We all commented on how sweet they were and with all the years of eating roasted red peppers, have never had them this sweet. The bread and ajvar were so good. My son ordered the soup of the day which was a tomato soup with feta, which he loved. he also ordered the gibanica/cheese pie and the prebranac/baked beans and they were delicious. I ordered my usual cevapi with kaymak and it was good to the very last drop!. My husband had the prebranac with sausage and some of my cevapi. We all shared two desserts, the palacinke with hazelnut spead and the sour cherry pie. What more can I say, but I can't wait to go back. Love this little restaurant! Hvala to Kafana!!!!

First experience with Balkan Cuisine. Decided to make reservations in advance, about three days out and that was a good decision. The place was consistently crowded, a mixure of ex-pats from the Balkan region and other patrons. Front of house is ran with two individuals who were constantly working their tails off. Service was fantastic, consistently making sure people were taken care of. The place is small and intimate, as to what might be expected for both NYC and what something would be like in Europe. Food was excellent as well. Went with someone from the Balkans who raved over all of the food saying it reminded them of home. I loved the food as well. A bit pricey, but not too bad. If I’m back in NYC and close, I’ll go again

I was happy to find out there is a place in New York City with my kind of the food I grew up with.In last 30 years living abroad anywhere I travel always looking for the restaurants from back home. When I entered the restaurant I felt little coldness from the gentleman working there although we spoke our language. Service was horrible and felt like unwanted as a guest.Bread wasn’t fresh and meal I ordered (mixed meat) wasn’t really like back home. On the end when I pulled my credit card to pay waiter just looked at me and said:”cash only”. I don’t remember seeing any sign saying “cash only”. Very disappointed and sad with my experience.

Very charming neighborhood restaurant with reasonable prices. Attracts the local folks. The cuisine is Serbian, so somewhat unique. We had good meals. The best part is the wine list, lots of Balkan choices that you cannot easily find. So we ordered by the glass and had a tasting tour. Fun. Very cool neighborhood.

Kafana has great food and a fantastic menu, but we experienced almost fatally disinterested service. I can see from other reviews that lame service is not usually the norm, but on the off chance, better come armed with your own knowledge of Balkan wines and a thick skin with regard to an overt lack of warmth.

Love this restaurant! Have eaten here several times and even had my birthday dinner here in March. Food is simple, but cooked to perfection. I usually order meat (which is always delicious), but tried the bronzino fish special this summer and it was DELICIOUS! Their food and wine is extremely reasonable for NY, and for the quality and quantity, it's a great deal! They will also offer a reasonable pre-fixed menu for larger groups, but call for reservations as seating is very limited. Always leave happy :-)

While the food, in particular the lamb shank, was pretty delicious, the service was European. Which makes sense, since this is a dyed-in-the-wool Serbian joint. It's pretty much your typical East Village ethnic haunt and it's priced as much. If I lived in the EV, I'd probably go 4-5x a year, but I won't be going out of my way to go again. Good, solid place, though, and those are always worth at least one try.

It really pisses me off when a restaurant publishes its menu on their website and then charges more on their menu when you arrive. How difficult is it to update your website? Or is it deliberate customer fraud? That said, the food was hit or miss and the service was subpar. Two of the four entrees were fair to poor (don't even think about ordering the smoked ribs and beans unless you enjoy eating fat and gristle). The salads were good and the pork neck was enjoyable but it came with a salad that we had already ordered for a starter. Bad waitering!

But the staff is young! Very enjoyable place for small or bigger party, good selection of typically Balkan dishes, even Serbian beer which is good and comes in the European half-liter bottles. We’ve enjoyed it as a couple for dinner and a as group of five guys. Try everything...

I have ambivalent feelings about this place. The reason is because I am from the same country this food comes from so I don’t want to say anything bad but I feel like that would not be right. Anyhow, coming from Jersey this location for me was painful to get to and it cost 40 bucks in uber rides to and from the midtown ferry. Just an fyi. The wait staff was disinterested and we had to flag them down every time. The place was busy and they tried to cram as many people as possible in a very small space. Because it was dinner time and very dark I could not tell much about the decor but it just seemed like a lot of clutter, that is, an unsuccessful attempt at an ethnic atmosphere. This place seems like a good fit for people who have a craving for dishes from the Balkans or just to experience something different. The food seems acceptable and reasonably prices. There is no wow factor but maybe it isn’t even needed as the majority of the people would have no previous experience to gauge this food against. The coffee is good. I have a phobia of dark restaurants as I like to see what I am eating and drinking. Also - cash only so one more inconvenience especially when you are not aware of this. Anyhow, I was told the soup in the pic was good and prebranac also although a little too have on the onion. My zito sa slagom was kind of runny which is not how it should be.

Lovely place, very delicious Serbian food and drinks off course. Live music with two guitars (seems to be only on Friday) so the atmosphere was great. Strongly recommended!

Great , home made Serbian food just like my mother makes . Portion sizes good and good choice of traditional Serbian dishes . The sour cherry pie was superb .. Second time we have visited with a gap of 5 years in between , it is now much more of a popular place to go so probably need to reserve - completley full the Wednesday night we went ..

I brought my Yugoslavian girlfriend here for Valentine’s Day in Feb 2020 and we had the most amazing food and drink - great hospitality and authentic setting, our best meal in NYC. Staff were really helpful and the food faultless. Actually one of the best cevapi I have had! We will be back, I just hope this place doesn’t get too popular we can’t get a space!!

I been here w my brother! And honestly food is really authentic, taste is amazing, really good, and unique! We had a spinach pie, and Balkan salad to start with. And then w order, burger, and pork neck, we didn't know but portions are really big! On the end w had a crepe w nutella, food is amazing! Service they can w on it!

You must try the food. Delicious. The atmosphere is nice, but the place is small and that was our problem - we were kicked out immediatelly after finishing our dinner because they wanted to give the table to new customers. They should have let us know before we sat down that they will need the table at a certain hour. Overall poor hospitality combined with lack of financial transparency - they don’t have modern cash register and they accept only cash payments. If these things don’t bother you as they bother me, than you’ll have a good dinner at this place.

I went there with my family, because my grandpa is serbian, so we wanted to experiment the serbian food. The service was good, my grandpa talk serbian with waitress, but the food was the best part! I ate a cevapi that was perfect! I never ate something like that! I recomend this restaurant to everyone!!!

Beautiful restaurant, great service, tasty food, good prices! Came here on Serbian Christmas with my partner and we both loved it!

I was on a short business trip to New York, and got half a day (and night) to spare solo. NY is packed with good food, so trying to find the best choice for dining is like browsing Netflix with no clear idea of what you are looking for. I decided to limit my hunt, and ‘test’ whatever place would offer a menu familiar to me – one from my own heritage. I was on Manhattan, so the choice easily narrowed down to the East village “Kafana” (simply translates as coffee-place, restaurant, inn) – a Serbian/Balkan place offering traditional fare. I forgot to check for the opening hours, so, being early, I’ve had a bit of time to discover this funky part of the city I haven’t seen before. The mix of ran-down, dodgy housing & new funky hotels, restaurants & bars is, as I hear from locals, one of the main destinations for city’s nightlife - favored by ‘real’ New Yorkers. In the middle of it, is “Kafana”. Its Cyrillic signage/logo & Yugoslav and Serbian memorabilia throughout the space add to the unpretentious but intriguing atmosphere. Décor is simple-rustic and inviting, with hints of Serbian folklore patterns (furniture) and an eclectic choice of nostalgic photos. I liked that they didn’t over-clutter, so it feels clean and well maintained. The inside/outside open concept & the nice light-washed patio add to a relaxed, enjoying mood. The first look at the menu resembles the usual suspects: appetizers (meze) of assorted cold meats, cheese, pies (zeljanica, gibanica); grilled meats like Cevapi, Pljeskavica, Sausages etc. followed by (less-expected in a Serbian kafana) - grilled Branzino & Mackerel - served Adriatic style. Home-style dishes like stuffed peppers w/mashed potatoes or Prebranac (Serbian baked beans) looked equally appetizing. The wine menu is extensive, and it covers pretty much every/any respectful wine from the region! There are also, beers from around exYugoslavia, not easy to find elsewhere. I opted for the Cevapi (grilled sausage-like minced meat kebabs) as this staple to me is usually a good ‘reference’ if the place is up to expectations. They were fabulous! Served with onions & kajmak, accompanied by real, home-style bread and Ajvar (Balkan roasted pepper dip), and a Sopska salad (tomatoes, cucumber, onions & feta-like cheese), this classic didn’t disappoint. I’ve savored my dinner slowly, sipping ice-cold spritzer (white wine/soda water), just as people would do for hundreds of years in traditional kafanas in Serbia! The experience, the food, service, friendly staff, the (not too loud) live music, the mixed crowd, were universal & enjoyable as any high-class food establishment would be! I’m looking forward to going back and trying the balance of the menu. Good job – highly recommended! P.S. If I’m to be picky, one improvement would be to make an effort to source real Kajmak

Authentic Balkan food that will satisfy Balkan expats and novices alike. Normally great service, been many times, but this time guy was very rude...o well love the food!

I visited Kafana in East Village in New York after I read about it in Newsweek magazine. It was one of their "101 best places to eat in the world". Kafana is a cozy small restaurant that serves Serbian food, mostly grilled meat and fish. The owner came to New York from Serbia, as I understand he is not educated as a chef, but cooking is his passion. I loved the authentic decorations; even in the tiny restroom, everything was from or about Serbia or former Yugoslavia. Although the quality of the food is good, this restaurant is not among 101 top restaurants in the world. There are so many better ones serving this type of food in Serbia and outside of Serbia. The menu is good. I recommend Cevapcici - grilled links. Karadjordjeva snicla was huge, dimljena vesalica also. Four of us ordered way too more food than necessary. Two people can easily share one of these dishes. Sides are good. The appetizers gibanica and zeljanica are excellent. Do not miss lepinja with kajmak. We tried all four desserts and they were delicious (zito, sour cherry pie, Chestnut puree, reforma). The service was good and prices were reasonable. Beware, no credit cards, cash only. I plan to definitely go back. They have live music as well. Nice neighborhood. Well visited place and popular among locals.

I was in NY with a Serbian friend and he choose a Serbian restaurant for dinner. The Kafana is perfect for that - it is proofed by my friend ;). It was a very warm welcome in the nice sweet restaurant, we had no reservation but it was no problem. The food, the wine was original Serbian stuff and really tasty. huge portions so you should be hungry.

It was worth travelling a bit out of a central Manhattan to enjoy excellent tradicional Serbian food. We had a lot of oportunities to taste original food in Serbia and we can tell that food in Kafana New York is on the top end. They also served excellent Aleksandrijevic's wine. Especially we recomend young cheese in hot bread (lepinja sa kajmakom). Decoration of Kafana is experience of itself. We would recommend Kafana because of very delicious food, friendly staff and uniqe atmosphere.

This place is quite unique, in the fact that it brings you the kind of Serbian food you would get in Serbia proper, not in Bosnia, Croatia or other places that surround Serbia, where Serbs live. It has a little more of the flair that Belgrade restaurants and cafes have and a little less of the intimidating factor that ethnic places like this can have, where the clientele is 99.9% percent belonging to that group. The menu pretty much sums up the main dishes of Serbian origin, you can also enjoy some really good wines and beers and, to top if all off, the music on Fridays is authentic as well. Really, a great experience and a great place to experience Serbia and Belgrade, in specific, without plunging the money for a plane ticket. As far as recommendations, start with a Sopska Salata (Shop-skah sah-lah-tah), which is essentially a tossed salad, akin to a Greek salad, with cheese, minus olives and feta. Continue with any of the mixed grill items, and finish with a wonderful dessert. Wine recommendation: Vranac. Little strong, but it goes well with all the red meat you are going to eat, most likely! A little note about service: as in European restaurants, the waiters and staff (really, the wife of the owner and a few friends) are not going to see themselves as your servants, rather than, as friends hosting you over for a dinner. Be pleasant, open minded and enjoy a nice and relaxed meal and you will be fine.

Kafana was recommended to me by a Serbian friend and separately to my son by a Serbian friend of his. Interesting food, heavy on the meat, which I like. My wife is not a big meat-eater, but she loved the prune dish, with lamb I think. We went with an infant, about 6 months old, and they were quite accommodating. Be sure to ask for the check when you want it, they will let you sit and chat if you don't.