Even though it says Italian, it has Serbian dishes and Turkish coffee in the menu. Very Mediterranean! The place is clean and welcoming, super cute inside and out. Friendly staff and peaceful atmosphere. My friend and I shared the Balkan mixed plate. The meat was seasoned nicely and the pimento sauce was an excellent addition. We had to get Turkish coffee. So pretty the way it's served. I was curious about this place for a while and I was very pleased. I'm coming back to taste their pizzas! read more

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I am delighted I stopped. A true find. Lovely staff. Very welcoming and helpful. Sure the facility is a bit older, but it's very clean. I mean very clean. Dinner consisted of Cesar salad, cheesy bread and lasagna. Salad was spot on with an interesting tanginess. I enjoyed it. Just don't think about it. Get it... I'm referring to the cheesy bread. I usually don't like marinara sauce on the side. This with the bread was outstanding. Let's talk about the lasagna. The marinara was a tad bland. But the components of the lasagna come together very nicely. To be honest a very good meal. Not the best in the world. But worth having. So get in your car and give this place a chance. I've often said a server makes the meal sing. That is definitely true here. Enjoy: the fat man did! read more

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Great place for a late-night meal. They have a lot of history, and the decor definitely showcases it, we loved seeing that! The place was also very clean, which we appreciated. Despite arriving about an hour before closing, the service was great. The server was very welcoming as soon as we walked in, and we really appreciated her recommendations. We ordered two pizzas and one kid's Alfredo my son loved it and already wants to plan another visit! I got the gluten-free pizza with prosciutto, pineapple, and mozzarella, and my love got the same one, just not gluten-free. For our appetizer, we decided to try their sirnica, it was our first time trying it. We definitely had different opinions at the table, but I thought it was absolutely delicious. I had it with yogurt, and it was flaky, cheesy, and the flavor paired perfectly with the yogurt. The pizza was good but not amazingI'd give it a 7 out of 10. read more

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Space: super cute cozy spot, we came here because a while ago, we went next door to Santorini cafe and saw this place we knew we wanted to come back. Very cute and cozy vibes upon entering, there wasn't a single person outside or inside when we came, I felt sorry since they were so sweet and the food was amazing. Please go check these guys out, I promise it's worth the visit! The staff is super friendly and welcoming as well:) Food: I was craving some pasta so I got the penne alla vodka and my partner got the burek pita. They gave us some toasted ravioli as a sample and wow, those were so good. It was like a mozzarella stick but more balanced. Then.. the food came and I LOVED IT!!! The penne alla vodka with shrimp OH chiefs kiss!! Absolutely amazing. Wow, it was so good. The burek pita was a bit bland in my opinion, maybe I'm just not the target audience and maybe because I took a bite right after the pasta. Still super cool, I love trying new cuisines! Definitely will be back, I love this small gem that we found!! Pasta: 8/10 (the shrimp was $7 more which was quite steep considering there was only 6 shrimp but it was still so good!) Burek: 2/10 again, just not for me personally, but super cool to try new things! Toasted ravioli: 10/10 honestly best appetizer I've had in a really long time Overall: 9/10!! read more

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I loved the Balkan food - the burek and the cevapi were all great - but I was so disappointed that there were almost no more Balkan menu items and almost everything is now generic Italian American pasta and pizza. It does seem like they are getting a lot of business from their pasta and pizza, but I don't need to travel so far from home to get that here. So I guess this review is the warning to those coming here thinking they will get Balkan food. Ignore this review if you want Italian food. read more

Stumbled upon this restaurant as I was looking for lunch options and it did not diaappoint. I've never had Balkan food before and wanted to try something that's authentic and native to the region. Their menu consists of burgers and salads but since I wanted to try something more native to the region, the server provided some recommendations and I decided on the Cevapi. At initial glance, it didn't look too impressive but I was pleasantly surprised by how good it tasted. The sauce it came with complemented it really well. I would definitely get it again! As a side note, I did ask about the some of the food I'd had seen photos of here on their Yelp page, however I learned that some of those items unfortunately had been taken off the menu as business had slowed during the Covid years. Maybe they will bring some of those items back in the future *fingers crossed* read more

Balkan Cafe & Grill - Cevapi - Modern European Near Me - Austin, Texas

Very subpar food. I had ćevapi. Bread was soggy and meat was not very tasty. Service was great but not very good Balkan food.

THIS RESTAURANT NEEDS TO REBRAND AND CHANGE THEIR TITLE. DOES NOT SERVE BALKAN FOOD. SERVED AMERICAN FOOD. For folks who Loved the delicious Serbian food being served at this establishment, prepared to be disappointed. The menu has completely changed. Not only has it changed but the atmosphere is just weird now. There is nothing remotely Balkan about their menu except for a couple of things. They changed their menu from the traditional Serbian food we all used to eat and into the same cookie cutter American food so many restaurants are known for. This is the worst mistake they could have made because that menu itself was what set it apart from other competitors in the area. And now they want to go and look like everyone else? Something smells fishy. Look at the photos I attached. We gave the food a try and although it was good it was nothing to write home about. So many of the areas where people could have sat were now stuffed with these stupid gambling machines. From a business development perspective, if you're having to rely on gambling machines to get more foot traffic in the door then your business is a fail. The atmosphere looks much less cozy and family friendly which is going to hurt this business overall foot traffic...not help it. It's an incredibly shady. The ambience is not what it used to be and I find it unethical to call themselves Balkan when it's just crappy American food. It's insulting on top of that. This restaurant needs to do themselves a favor, pack their things, and go to 6th Street where this type of business model would be more appropriate. The title really needs to be changed. After we got our food, a couple of customers came in also disappointed by the lack of Serbian food on the menu. read more

Balkan Cafe & Grill - Crappy not so Balkan menu. - Modern European Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I came here with a friend who came here regularly years ago. I'd never been here before, but he said the menu's changed a lot since he last visited Balkan. The interior also changed, updated with a giant arcade game and a wall of internet gambling PCs. The service was great, the staff was really polite and attentive. We both got paninis. I got the pepperoni panini and my friend got the chicken panini. You can choose a side of fries or a salad, and we both chose fries. Fries were hot, but a little salty. Panini was well toasted and pressed. I actually liked mine more than I expected to. I've never had Serbian food before so idk if what we ordered could actually be called Serbian food.... If you're looking for a chill and low-key lunch spot in the area, I'd recommend Balkan. read more

Balkan Cafe & Grill - Pepperoni panini with fries - Modern European Near Me - Austin, Texas

Chopped salad special was delicious and service was great! Already planning next visit back.

I've been to Balkan Cafe twice in the past few months and to be honest have been mostly underwhelmed. The staff has been friendly and I like their space, but food wise I haven't had anything that has me itching to go back. My first time I went for the Balkan Meat Plate to get a variety of their offerings. The portion size was good for the price, but quality wise it felt like a sampler platter from a hotel or conference buffet type of lunch. The sausage had the best flavor of the three, but thats really more a testament to the lack of flavor in the chicken and pork. When the breading flavor is the first thing that comes to mind on a pork chop, I certainly think something has gone wrong. For my second go around I went on a rare chilly day and had the Beef Veggie Stew and Turkish Coffee. I definitely enjoyed this experience more, the stew was hearty and satisfied that desire for something warm and savory on a cold day. The coffee was super strong, but even for Turkish Coffee I thought the portion size was laughably small. Overall, I haven't experienced anything at Balkan Cafe I can recommend in particular to make them worth a visit. Particularly with the multitude of ethnic food options in the area, I think you are better served taking your business elsewhere. read more

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A small quiet restaurant. The menu is decent and the food is very good. The service was excellent! It is a nice place to dine without the hustle and bustle of other restaurants. It's clean and plenty of parking. There are specials and even desert! Stop by the Balkin Cafe & Grill the next time you feel like trying something different. read more

Balkan Cafe & Grill - Turkish Coffee. It's unfiltered meant to be sipped. It's served with hard sugar and some jelly candy. - Modern European Near Me - Austin, Texas

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I'm not a pizza fan, but the Balkin Cafe has a hamburger pizza that I'd be glad to tuck into again any time. The best I ever tasted. I recommend their lasagna too.​ read more

This place is a gem that is hidden in plain sight. I must admit that I didn't know a whole lot about Balkan food before trying this place and I'll also admit that I cannot wait to go back. The ambiance inside was not what I expected. There were some casino machines and I would describe it as dark yet lively. It seems like a fun place to hang out, especially on the patio outside. The server was very informative and welcoming when I told her it was my first time at the restaurant and trying the cuisine. For starters, we had the Bread & Spread. It was a bread similar to pita bread with a sort of creamy buttery cheesy spread. I still dream about it! We also had the Sopska Salata which was a refreshing break in between the appetizer and the meal. For our main meal, we split the special, at the suggestion of the server, because it had a little bit of everything. It included Cevapi (finger sausages made with beef and veal), Balkan burger and fries. The Balkan Burger came with just the patty which I didn't expect but I appreciated because otherwise it would have been too filling for me. Next time that I go back, I'd like to try one of the paninis. For dessert, we took a slice of Tiramisu to go which was divine! read more

This is an interesting place. We started with the bread and spread I have no idea what the spread was but it was darn tasty as was the bread. We shared the meat platter. It had a sausage, burger patty and chicken. The chicken was excellent. There are a lot of video machines here. Slot machine style. I'll be back for the Turkish coffee and something else. read more

Always in my quest to try all things new... I noticed a couple pics of their offerings online so I decided to try out Balkan for a late lunch today. I decided on the Mesano Meso (meat platter) which comes with 4 beef sausages, a chicken filet and a breaded pork loin and for my side I got the Sopska Salad which consists of cucumber, tomato and raw onion mixed with oil & vinegar and topped with a ton of feta cheese. It was clear to the server that it was my first time there as I asked questions to ensure I had the correct sauces to go with my meal. She assured me the best sauce to accompany all the meats was the ajvar sauce which I ordered a side of. You can only imagine all the F-Bombs (there were lots) I dropped when I got alllll the way home and found no sauce whatsoever in the bag to accompany all that meat. Ugh. I was totally upset about that and apparently I was also mistaken thinking that the platter would come with a side of pita bread... it did not. Despite the no sauce dilemma, I thought the meats were good. The grilled chicken filet was juicy and tender, the beef sausages were tasty and were packed with a good flavor profile and the breaded pork loin was delicious. The piece I had was just a bit tough and was very crisp on the edges but perhaps the ajvar sauce would've made it even better... I dunno. I have to say that the Sopska salad was great along side all of that meat. The veggies were super fresh and were so flavorful paired with all that feta cheese. Overall I enjoyed my meal and will most likely return to try out their Gulas (Beef Stew) and perhaps finally taste the infamous ajvar sauce read more

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I'm breaking my own rule, I like to review a place after showing up at least a couple of times. This place is worth a first time review. I was greeted by a friendly staff member upon arrival, very attentive made sure I was taken care of immediately. (felt like I was in another country with this kind of service) I started with logging myself into their wifi because yo' girl has to work. Then ordered the espresso martini, (what a delight) it wasn't too sweet and was comparable to high end cocktail spots except it was under $10. I had the lunch shrimp scampi. I rarely go for the pasta but I was feeling it today. The shrimp was cooked to perfection and was super fresh, the flavor of the butter sauce was on point and plentiful to cover each noodle! I would definitely order this again. I normally set the brea aside when ordering pasta, but after that first bite; my eyes glazed over and I became the carb monster I try and keep in the closet. I ate the whole dang thing! It was tender, flakey, buttery, and melted in my mouth. I ordered another adult beverage, (mind you, still working) and the balkan pear whatever it's called was the perfect pallet cleanser to end the meal. I don't like sharing these hidden gems but I hope other foodies can appreciate this cute spot. Great for date nights, remote workers, affordable eats and coffee. read more

Balkan Cafe & Grill - The epic scampi and garlic knot, I'd do it again. - Modern European Near Me - Austin, Texas

I was questionable about coming in here as it's in a little strip center next to a barber shop and another Greek restaurant. However, it's not a bad location and it is good if you have a little group to come study, or to just have a quick bite to eat. The bar isn't that big (only 4-5 seats), but it's a good space to come and take a load off after work. The menu isn't really enormous in food selection, but there are plenty of small dinners and salads one can have if not too hungry. They also have a thorough selection of house wine, and various other drinks if you're in a relaxing mood. I had the Balkan burger, which is a burger with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and cheese. The burger was really tender and delicious (it's some sort of special veal meat), but the bun was a bit crunchy for my taste. However, this is a nice little meal if you don't want to cook at home or settle for some other fast food place. I think I'll have a salad or something else the next time I come here. All the food choices other than the burger are a bit pricey, but I'm sure they are delicious as the pictures look. Come on in for lunch or dinner, and bring a colleague. It's right next to a sports facility for volleyball as well, so it may get a bit busy when they let out, but it was pretty slow when I went and investigated. read more

Balkan Cafe & Grill - Balkan burger with fries - Modern European Near Me - Austin, Texas

This was a terrible dining experience. The bread appetizer was pretty good, the bacon sandwich was so so, but the meat platter special was a total bait and switch of ridiculous overcharging for some of the worst food we have eaten in a long time. The sausage and burger patty were totally flavorless, and the chicken was so rubbery, we both tried to choke down one bite and left the rest. It was like eating the chicken from a children's play set. But the worst part came when we got the bill and were shocked to be charged $25 for that terrible meat platter when NOTHING else on the menu was over about $15, including the steak! The meat platter price was not shown anywhere, nor told to us by the server, and we would have no reason to expect it to randomly be almost 2x what the next most expensive thing on the menu cost. I don't mind spending $25++ for a good meal, but this felt very deceptive, and the fact that it was so awful we threw half of it away just added insult to injury. It's no wonder the Greek place 2 doors down was packed and this place was empty. We so regretted not going there. I called to ask for a partial refund. The lady who answered the phone told me there was nothing she could do about, but I could call back in 3 weeks when the owner/manager was back in town if I wanted. I read their story on the website and wanted to love this place, but it was terrible. read more

Very nice family owned business. We ordered pita sampler and mixed meats. Fresh and delicious. Waitress is nice. Will come again read more

Balkan Cafe & Grill - Modern European Near Me - Austin, Texas

Place: awesome vibes and cool spot with character on the inside and homey vibes. There are two sand volleyball courts out back which is actually what caught my eye and brought me here first. Would love to play on them some time Food: Balkan food which is the region of southeast Europe north of Greece. I got the meat platter because I wanted to try something super traditional. It was fresh and delicious. It's real food and you can just taste that the meat and everything is better than at quick serve places. It might seem a bit bland to some people but the ajvar sauce helps (made from eggplant, red peppers, and paprika). But despite the little seasonings you can taste how delicious the meat itself is and you get to experience the real taste of the food. I am grateful to be able to experience and appreciate some real Balkan region food right from austin. Price: all other items seem well priced and I will definitely be back for the beef stew and other traditional items. For the meat platter, it ended up coming to around $18 with tip and the portion size wasn't actually as large as I was hoping. It's definitely a big portion but I usually choose buffets or other places where I can make sure I leave very satisfied for the price. But for the experience, it was well worth it. read more

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Super cute and homey Balkan restaurant with great food! Simple menu, focused meals. Friendly staff, great music, nice place to take the family to or drink with friends read more

We decided to give this place a try since it was highly reviewed, it was close to our place and it was next to Santorini which is one of our favorite restaurants in Austin. Not sure if we went on a bad day? ordered wrong? but the food was terrible! The sausages were dry and so was the chicken. Definitely made a mistake of giving this place a try. read more

There's a first for everything and in this instance, it was my first taste of Balkan cuisine - Serbian to be exact. I had the Cevapi (uncased sausages) with a side of Ajvar, a Serbian Red pepper sauce/dip, as well as Lipinja bread. That bread for me was so addicting. It was fresh out of the oven and just warm and oh so chewy. I could eat this dish all day probably curl up inside a giant Lipinja bread and take a nap. Then I could eat my way out after. Speaking of napping, their Turkish coffee was a great choice and prevented that post-lunch. It came in a small cup along with sugar as well as a really sweet cube of gummy-like candy on a too I'm excited to come back and try other dishes. read more

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LA Native; had the opportunity to spend some time in the Balkans. This restaurant is absolutely great and my wife and I feel this is our favorite restaurant in all of Austin (we try to patron it whenever we visit from San Antonio). It is now open again during COVID and I highly recommend you make a visit. I'm trying to drive as much business their way as Austin would lose a true-culinary gem if this business were to close its doors. Stumbled across this small establishment while searching around for ethnic food in Austin. Since I had visited the Balkans before (Croatia & Bosnia), I wanted to show it to my wife who wasn't able to visit with me. I was pleasantly delighted in that not only was the food amazing (Cevapi was as-good as I recall it being in Croatia) but the owners were super-cool and I had great pleasure discussing my visits to the area with them. I think it is super-cool of them to push it as a *Balkan* restaurant and actively work to counter the divisiveness that could easily result from the airing of old grudges. Talk to them about it: it's super-cool (and...something which I feel we need more of given today's super-charged political environment). RECOMMENDATIONS (for group of 2-4) APPETIZER: -Cheese-Pita "Sirnica": filo dough pastry with delicious cheese ENTREE: -Grilled Beef Sausages "Ćevapi": Made of beef and veal finger-sized sausages. Served with raw onions and ajvar. Almost good as I recall them being in Croatia! -IF visiting over the weekend, around 2:00 PM they start having roasted lamb. I believe that this can be ordered as an entree or by the pound to go with your meal. VERY tasty. BEVERAGES: -Stallion's Blood wine: semi-sweet Serbian red wine. EXTREMELY drinkable (if only we could get this imported to us in TX!) -Rakija/Rakiya: assorted fruit-flavored spirits. Ask your server for recommendations DESSERT: -Baklava: very tasty Enjoy! read more

Balkan Cafe & Grill - -Cheese Pita -Grilled Beef Sausages (Ćevapi) - Modern European Near Me - Austin, Texas

If you love Balkan food or in the mood to try something different then this is a must try for you. Growing up on this type of food really hit home for me. Everything about this place is wonderful. The decorations throughout the restaurant to their menu will make you feel like you're back in former Yugoslavia. The staff is welcoming and the owners will be there to welcome you with open arms. They will go into detail about their menu and help you pick something that you'll like. Go out of your comfort zone and give this place a try if you're never experienced this style of food. I look forward to coming back read more

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Great little bar and grill with a Mediterranean theme. Food is better than your typical bar food and they have paninis which are some of my favorite. The service is good and it feels like a local pub. I have two volleyball courts in the back and plenty of parking. Support your local North Austin establishments. This is a great spot that does good business and has been around for a while. Stop in and see what I gave it five stars! read more

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Delicious and warm!! It was so nice to have something different. I'm glad there are places like this here to provide cuisine from less represented food cultures. Everything was so good. We brought a friend from out of town and she was in love. read more

Balkan Cafe & Grill - Menu - Modern European Near Me - Austin, Texas

Service and experience were good. Very casual, good food. You must try it! It's a treat for me.

Amazing. Get the feta fries. Just do it. They're fresh, hot, perfectly crisp, and delicious. Generous helpings, drool-worthy sauces. The Balkan burger is brilliant! Just go. read more

Balkan Cafe & Grill - Modern European Near Me - Austin, Texas

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We like trying different food and have eaten here before so no doubt, for us, this is a place worth repeating. We had the beef stew (goulash) and cabbage rolls and found both very appetizing. The beef stew had lots of chunks of beef, no denying that you'd get a lot of protein from that meal. We had some bread (squares of fluffy bread) that came with the goulash and that was perfect for getting every last bit of stew up from the bowl. Restaurant looked clean but not busy at the time we came to eat and the menu items looked very enticing for another visit down the road. The only negative (and subsequent lower stars) was that none of the staff, including the chef & server, wore any masks the entire time we were there and right now it is mandatory that all business do so. Until that changes I don't think we'll chance it until either there is a vaccine or their mask policy changes. read more

It feels really strange to know this little covey of restaurants exists, especially now that the fire department headquarters has given way to a poker room. Through it all, Balkan Cafe has been a steady presence, the only restaurant of it's kind in Austin. A good mix of Eastern European, Greek and Russian culinary heritage, Balkan food emphasizes grilled and stewed meats and vegetables along with simple, earthy sauces and strong alcohol (beer, wine, liquors) to provide the acid against the fat and salt. A great place for vegetarians and those eating keto, too, as several salads and vegetable options exist alongside "just meat" dishes. Everything is expertly grilled, well matched on a plate, and the service is always attentive without being overbearing. Check out the daily special as you walk in - it's a great way to try new things? read more

I was in the area for a training and decided to check out this cafe. I walked in to a very pub-like decor, which was very cool. I think that the interior is based off of Serbian design and culture. When it came to ordering, I had a huge craving for a burger so I ended up ordering the Balkan burger. The meat is made with beef and veal. The burger, itself, was so good and juicy! It comes with a garlic/mayo sauce and I recommend smearing that bad boy on EVERYTHING! Even the fries were perfect - thinly cut and crispy. I definitely want to come back to try the pork chop entree! read more

Balkan Cafe & Grill - Balkan burger! Highly recommend! - Modern European Near Me - Austin, Texas

The food was alright. The guy at the front was very rude though; when my boyfriend asked for recommendations on what he should get, the guy wouldn't even let my boyfriend decide and completely picked for him aggressively. Even after we had ordered, my boyfriend still didn't know what he was even going to get, since the host was so insistent on deciding himself. The food was alright, but the service was sub par. We waited over 15 minutes right by the front where we were supposed to pay just so that we could get our bill, even though the place was empty. I truly wasn't impressed with this place. read more

There's a reason why I come back to this Serbian cafe every week- good food and good company! Expect to be greeted by the owner, a friendly and hardworking guy. My favorite thing to get is the beef stew (gulas). It is very filling and warms me to the core; reminds me of home. It comes with either rice or what I prefer, the lepinja bread- a fluffy white bread. The cevapi dish is also a good experience- a plate of finger sized meat sandwiched between the lepinja bread. The red sauce that goes with it is pretty unique and tasty. A delicious off-menu item that only gets served as a special is the stuffed bell peppers. A basic rule is you should get it if they are serving it that day, because it's not on the menu all year. Enjoy hours of sand volleyball here! The court is beautifully maintained and decked with lights to use at night. read more

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I would give this place six stars for the atmosphere alone. I came here alone, and it wasn't that busy, so I was able to be taken care of very quickly, but man, I walked in, and was told to make myself right at home, which I did, and was helped immediately and given a perfect amount of time to look over everything and make my order. I got the Turkish Coffee, which was freaking awesome. The meat platter (which is about 90% the reason I even came here, the coffee being the other 10) was so good. I mean, it's Texas, so all the BBQ and whatnot is going to be stellar, but this was different, yah mean? Had that Euro influence which was reminiscent of my time in Europe. Which was A FREAKING AWESOME TIME! Also snagged a Moscow Mule, which, sadly, didn't come in a Copper Cup. So I'd dock them like, 1/100 of a star, because I'm a baby about it. But man, that Rakija... So good, but watch out, cuz it WILL. GET. YOU. Oh, and the Happy Hour makes everything very affordable. So you can just keep buying more. Plus, dude, they have a beach volleyball court in the back for pick-up games. How dope is that? Hella! Come here. You will thank me later. read more

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I really wanted to low-key give this place one star so no one went there. But I couldn't. Everything is right with this place. It's welcoming, is SO clean (even the bathroom...like, pristine), the food??? The food is outstanding. This is going to be in our regular rotation. It's in this cute little "mall" with beach volleyball out back. It's tiny and cozy. Turkish coffee, breaded pork loin, beef sausage, homemade baklava, all fantastic. I could go on and on. 10 stars!! read more

Balkan Cafe & Grill - Turkish coffee. Amazing. - Modern European Near Me - Austin, Texas

I can't get enough of this place! The paninis are all super tasty. The service is very good here, and you can even play volleyball out back!! read more

Very different, but we had good experience the type of food. They have a bar, game room. Clean and friendly. read more

Very nice little place for lunch or brunch. It is a nice cozy atmosphere with a country vibe. The food was good and the service was very nice. The menu is more lunch type food. There is a full bar. I definitely recommend for lunch. read more