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

Delicious and flavorful food. I got the chicken pocket and it was seasoned and grilled perfectly and had a lot of roasted vegetables in there. The side salad was really good as well. If you're here, be sure to get the Hurmisica dessert - it will change your life. read more

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

I wanted something different for dinner so we checked this place out, it is in a very odd parking lot with a few random other places. It is in what looks to be a converted house and was not very busy on a Tuesday night...the space is lovely and they have a nice mix of seating. They did have a late night happy hour which we just went ahead and bought a bottle of wine instead since it was so inexpensive. It was a Croatian wine, which I do not have much experience with but I thoroughly enjoyed it! My honey spent a year back packing in Europe and especially liked this region with their food and culture so this was a nice nostalgic treat for him. The waitress was very friendly and had no accent, but when she pronounced all of the food on the menu...it was mesmerizing. She had a few suggestions, of the Balkan mixed plate and Sopska Salata but I read the ingredients on the sampler plate and felt it was too much sausage. Instead, we did get the Sopska which had a very generous helping of feta, also the Gulas and special of the night which was a stuffed pepper simmered for two hours with three types of beef - ground, veal and smoked beef in a tomato sauce and all served with their bread that has crack in it apparently because it was fluffy triangles of heaven. Overall, it was enjoyable and even though the menu is small...the food is good. I did wish that my pepper was warmer but it was very yummy still and the stew was very good. We were too full to get any dessert or Turkish coffee but I would definitely go back here. All of what we got was about $52 which included the bottle of wine! The weekend fare is a whole roasted lamb, so that might be something worth checking out as well. It is just overall a very warm and welcoming place where you can hang out if you want and just enjoy some good conversation. Very nice addition to the area. read more

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This was my first restaurant meal after COVID. I enjoyed it tremendously. My wife says that the food was so-so, but I disagree. The food was fantastic. read more

Order the pear brandy. Really. Not sweet, just peary and very alcoholic. It's great. The plum is awesome, too. Comfortable, offbeat interior. Very pleasant server. Gulas was rich, meaty, full flavored from paprika. Chunks of tender beef melts in your mouth. The bread was a bit of a disappointment. It was tasty but the texture was little gummy for me, just my tastes. Soak the bread in the soup, very good that way. Next up was the mixed plate with three kinds of sausage. All were good. Sorry I can't tell you which is which in case you wanted to order them separately. Homemade flavor, good texture, right amount of fat. The pickles and reddish relishy condiment served alongside were a nice foil to the rich sausage. I wanted to enjoy a cup of Turkish coffee, but was too full from my hearty dinner. I'd definitely return. I foresee a gulas craving when the cold weather hits. read more

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

A great hidden jewel in our four months in the Austin/Round Rock area! The Balkan Brandies were great, the food fresh, delicious and savory. Our server was a lovely young lady with a real enthusiasm and knowledge of the cuisine!!! Excellent place read more

Stopped in for a much needed latte and had to try these amazing crepes! Omg so yummy! Such a cute little spot for lunch or date. Will come again to try the food. Super nice staff read more

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

I'm on the fence about giving this place 4/5 stars, and would've gone with 4.5/5 instead were it an option. I like this place. I've been a few times. I enjoy the food, and the times I've eaten in the service staff have been friendly and fun to talk to. The only issue I have is how limited the menu is, with some of the choices not even being Balkan ones. I'd be fine with that last part if there were more traditional Balkan foods to choose from, but if I want something like a pepperoni panini I can find one somewhere else. There are only a couple items on the menu I buy, so I don't go here very often. If they were to expand their menu with more Balkan offerings (or even foods from the surrounding area -- Greek, Albanian, Romanian... whatever), I'd have more unique variety to choose from and a better reason to be returning regularly. I like what they do have, it's just not enough to keep me coming back with any frequency. read more

Amazing food good service and a very good vibe. I recommend trying the meat stew it's very delicious and gives you vibes from Europe read more

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

Pro: the drinks were good, cheese appetizer was amazing, the panini was good, Con: veggie burger was alright read more

We never ate a Serbian restaurant so we enjoyed the experience! The host asked us if we spoke the language. Unfortunately, we do not, but it would rock if we did! I like that a place inquires about such things. Serbian pictures and other Serbian things decorated the establishment and thus provided intellectual stimulation while we were waiting for the meal. The host accommodated our needs, so I thank her for doing that while wearing the mask. I worked food service at stages of my life, but not during a pandemic, so I appreciate her for that. We appreciated the portion sizes! Having never tried Serbian food before, apprehension set in, but the meal pleased my palate. When you want an experience, try this establishment. read more

I don't see why this place has 4.5 stars and a lot of reviews. I cannot knock the service, the taller girl who served us was very nice and a good host. But to have microwaved bread, not a lot of actual Mediterranean options, apparently they used to have more platters that didn't seem like bar food. I got the burger and the bread and spread. The burger itself wasn't too bad, but nothing is made in house or fresh ingredients that deserve 4-5 stars. Having hummus and pita bread on your menu doesn't make you "Mediterranean" lol not the worst experience, but probably not going to show my critiquing foodie self there again. No hard feelings! read more

Mixed grill plate is a must try! Soft, tender meat and spiced sausage with homemade bread is better then I've had in some middle eastern cafes. Clean and nice inside, friendly and attentive service. Lots of decoration from Balkan countries, in particular from Serbia. Appetizer Salata is a nice compliment to the mixed grill plate. Gulas - traditional Hungarian dish had a nice taste but nothing spectacular. I saw coffee shop couch settings with chess, dominos, and checkers as well as a bar. This place is definitely worth checking out. read more

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We found this restaurant a little bit by accident, or perhaps my girlfriend took me there knowing that she had heard good things about it. Who knows? What matters is that the food is delicious. I've been there twice and tried both the Goulash and their sausage sampler. Both excellent, full of flavor. Oh and that lepinja bread is so tasty! My girlfriend also ordered their Turkish coffee and she liked it so much she asked to see the brand and I think she will order it at home. We've heard that they are famous for their lamb, so we need to plan another visit when they have that dish, which I believe is not every day. read more

Balkan Cafe & Grill - Goulash and sausage sampler - Modern European Near Me - Austin, Texas

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We drove over 20 minutes from South to North Austin because I had my heart set on trying the breaded pork chop. I talked my boyfriend into ordering from here also, to avoid going to another business after visiting this one. We ordered the breaded pork loin chop, the balkan burger, and the burek pita for pickup. The service was fine. I like the whole coffee bar setup and thought to myself that maybe I would come back for the coffee. The breaded pork loin chop was not very seasoned and was tough and at some points fatty. The mashed potatoes were pretty much regular mashed potatoes. The burek pita was kind of stale and not warm at all. It did not taste fresh at all. The Balkan burger was not seasoned and was not a good burger. They did give plenty of fries so that was a good thing. Overall, the food was okay. If we lived 10 minutes away we would come back, but at 20 minutes it is too far of a drive for the food to be worth it. read more

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The menu has recently been paired down and unfortunately all of the signature Balkan dishes I love are no longer offered, so don't trust the linked menu here on Yelp. Also there are two rooms in the restaurant with gaming devices which was unexpected and gave the establishment sort of a speakeasy vibe. No thanks. read more

Sad and greasy food and service at a high price.. This restaurant has really gone down in quality, but not in price. We have been to Balkan Cafe many times. The food and service have been good if a little pricey. That has changed. We arrived about 7pm Saturday night a couple of weeks back and were the only patrons there. The American waitress/barkeeper acted like it was a chore to deal with us and the food was just sad. Sad and greasy. My wife's favorite dish there has always been the gulaš so we ordered one to take home. But it was so bad she ended up throwing it away. read more

I was so lucky that one of my classes assigned me to eat at this place for a report! Seeing some past reviews, I has a good impression on its authenticity and vibes. My friends and I came here after our activity since it was recommended to come here with a group of friends. The food did not disappoint! The bread came out hot and fresh, the gulas was fulfilling while you felt warm inside eating it (it was a very cold day). From what I gathered, it's family owned(?), and I really enjoyed the service they gave! The day we ate there, there was a birthday party, so they allowed us to join the festivities. Definitely family friendly and there's a volleyball net at the back. read more

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I used to love this place but they stopped serving my favorite dish. They make good chocolate Martinis though.

This restaurant really deserves all FIVE STARS ! Food is delicious, we tried ćevapi, gulas and djuvec - everything is perfect! Ambiance is really nice, staff friendly. My honest recommendation! read more

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

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This cozy place was such a treat! It is in a little plaza of separate buildings that look like gingerbread homes. This restaurant has a seaside feel to it with wooden walls and floors. You can hear the echoes of laughter and good times, over the quiet music and muted TV. I would like to see curtains in the ladies' room, but it's very spacious with everything you need including a couch to rest. I heard about this restaurant from a stranger, so I thought I'd give it a try today while in town. The highly energetic waiter from Serbia was all smiles and graced interesting conversations, and gave me a menu right away. It was extremely busy and he wasn't able to get to me until about 10 minutes later. I was in a celebrative mood after a successful day of work and ordered the ready-made, chilled baklava. I never tasted one like this before. It was beautifully decorated with half a lemon slice on top and it tasted of cloves and raisins. It cut nicely with the steak knife that came wrapped with a fork in a paper napkin. For my meal I selected the grilled chicken pocket on lepinja bread. It's not really a pocket, but it is really good. The chicken was charcoaled slightly and the red sauce was very good. It had an Olive/pepper tomato taste to it, even though I don't know what the ingredients are. The cabbage was recommended to me as a substitute to the side salad. It was finely shredded cabbage with vinegar, sprinkled with black pepper. It had a surprising flavor. The plate reminded me of the simple flavors of Polish food, although some could argue. If I want to feel like I'm getting a freshly cook home meal, I would try here again. read more

This place is amazing! Stopped in last month and had the most wonderful, warm, comforting food. Reminded me of my moms cooking! I could eat the beef stew every day. If you're around north Austin this is a place you have to visit! read more

We ate here a few years ago and loved it, and for some reason it dropped off our radar. We met a guy from this part of the world and we told him about this wonderful eatery and we realized it's been a while since our last experience. That was rectified today, we loved every dish we tried, the Balkan meat platter was beef sausages from heaven, a grilled chicken filet, and the best chicken fried pork loin chop....which came with a choice of a side salad, mashed taters, grilled veggies or fries...we went with the side salad, my wife shared a beef and veggie stew. This was one of those culinary experiences where whatever you had the last bite of was the best....and repeat. We splurged and had a well crafted latte and a cappucino, glad we did. I didn't have room for it and sealed the food nirvana deal with a couple palacinke/crepes, one Nutella filled and one rose hip jam...yum. The only thing better than the food was the service provided by Zivojin. We won't be waiting too long before our next visit with some friends. read more

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Balkan Café is like a mom and pops hole in the wall type restaurant. I came in on a Friday at lunch time and we were the only people there for a while then another group came in. I'm always iffy about restaurants that aren't busy during lunch time because it usually gives off a bad sign but this place definitely reassured me that it was anything but bad. Service: Service here was impeccable. There was only 1 waitress and she was super helpful. About 20 mins in, the owner approached us and asked us what our favorite thing was and he explained all the different types of meats. He even told us what type of chocolate he used in the crepe. It is called Eurocrem and it is 100% better than Nutella. Food: So I tried the sampler type plate that was $22.99. But I split this with a friend and it had 3 different types of meat. All 3 of the meats were deliciously packed with flavor and very juicy. The bread that was served with it was fluffy and delicate. It was almost like a pita but fluffier. It was also served with a side of a tomato type paste. This was so good, I almost want to compare it to like spaghetti sauce but more flavorful? The crepe was delicately crafted with a small sprinkle of powdered sugar. The Eurocrem melts so smoothly inside of your mouth. Restaurant: The inside of this restaurant was so hip. There were guitars hanging on the walls and on pretty much every corner mounted on a stand, there were pictures hanged everywhere, it has a real chill "Austin" vibe to it. The outside is deceiving. This place is definitely a diamond in the rough. You have to try it, I used to pass it up simply because the outside doesn't really have that curb appeal but don't let that sway you away from this delicious authentic food!! read more

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I went with a Serbian friend, who claims the food is very authentic. It was absolutely delicious as well! The staff was so friendly and treated us like family. I went with a group of local foodies and one of the waiters even bought us all shots. Overall, the entire experience was wonderful! read more

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So so so disappointed. Nothing "Balkan" about this place whatsoever. Took off all burek/pita from the menu. Čevapi had no flavor. The plješkvice is now a "Balkan cheeseburger" served with American cheese. Not sure how this place is open. I had such high hopes for being a euro. Go to santorini across the parking lot for authenticity read more

The GOOD: The service by Yelena was personal, warm, and attentive. She took interest in us a couple. The pita bread served with the hummus is just like I remembered from my days living in Turkey. The BAD: The three choices of hummus were virtually indistinguishable in taste and they didn't taste all that good. We both ordered the lamb special. The lamb was tender but it had no flavor. I thought that was odd since this had never happened to me before anywhere else. First I thought it was just me so I didn't say anything so as not to disappoint my wife. But then she remarked that the lamb had NO flavor. Big disappointment. The UGLY: My wife's lamb was not hot, barely warm. When I mentioned this to the server, she dismissed our concern and said that it was served hot. The rice served with the lamb was worse than the lamb. It had NO flavor or seasoning or anything. Again, I did not expect this as I didn't think anyone could mess up rice this badly. My wife agreed. The baklava was a big disappointment. Everyone knows that baklava has a long shelf-life at room temperature in an air-tight container (easily up to two weeks). Unfortunately, they stored theirs in a refrigerator which hardened all the butter and then made the phyllo soggy when reheated. Again, big disappointment. My wife left hungry. We will not be going back. read more

Simply can't find a place like it. We like Tuesday's night cause it can get busy. Whole menu is good, we have eaten it all. Same owner, always friendly, makes you feel at home. Happy hour 5-7, don't know what else to tell you but it's good. read more

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Very nice Serbian food selection along with a welcoming ambience. We had Gibanica as an appetizer, then a mixed meat plate along with their cucumber, tomato, feta side salad for our main course. We follow it with pachinka for dessert - save room for dessert! Good food, good service, nice atmosphere and a decent wine selection. Can't go wrong here. read more

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

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This is a great place! I had never had the opportunity to discover Balkan food before so I didn't really know what to expect. I am very glad I tried it. I ordered the combination plate so I could try several items at once. It was predominantly meat, which I did expect, given the menu description but I was surprised how different each meat tasted. Really great!! It came with a warm and delicious hunk of fresh bread made in the Balkan style; round like a pita but thick like Sicilian pizza. It was also garnished with some fresh veggies and tasty little cucumbers/pickles. A roasted red pepper spread too; delicious. The restaurant itself felt very authentic. The staff was friendly and informative. It was clean. Great cappuccino after the meal as well. Everyone should give it a try... What are you waiting for!! read more

Pleasant surprises... Far North Lamar Blvd., between 183 and Parmer, is an astounding mix of ethnicities all doing their thing. Anyone who thinks it's just taco trailers and Chinatown is really missing out on some wonderfully surprising great food. Sure, my first interaction with Balkan Cafe & Grill was mostly because I had lost track of time, and it was getting dangerously close to 9pm, where most of north Austin turns into a pumpkin. I remembered seeing buzz about this place, and remembered that it is open until midnight. So I stopped by and picked up a ćevapi plate. This combination of veal and beef, served oppan kebab-style, is one of the national dishes of Serbia, and one that nation, and the Balkan Cafe, should be proud of. While waiting, the charming waitress, and Zi, the owner, walked me through the rest of the menu. Fast forward to an evening when my gluten free wife, and our extremely low-carbing friend wanted to grab a quick bite. It was a hard sell for me to get them to stop at the Balkan Cafe, since none of us could even name a dish to look out for. But, what followed was a series of pleasant surprises... The spice mix used in most of the meats was gluten-questionable. So the wife had to "settle" for a bowl of Đuvec, with slowly stewed vegetables taking center stage. Expecting something boring, we ended up each being wowed by the deep flavors here. A pleasant surprise... We expected the hearty and meaty "Balkan Mixed Plate" to be tasty, and good for my low-carb friend (or anyone that likes good food). And it certainly was. But we added the šopska salata, vegetarian like the Đuvec, a simple mix of onion, cucumber, and tomato, topped with feta. When we first saw it (and the reason I didn't bother with a picture) I assumed it would be something we politely picked at and only ate half of. But it disappeared in a hurry. A pleasant surprise... Add to it ridiculously cheap happy hour drinks until 9pm (including the wife's $3 bubbles, and Madi's low-carb Michelob Ultra), friendly service, and the disco-ball looking snail helping decorate such a quaint locale. A pleasantly surprising evening. 4.4 stars. read more

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AMAZING food and service!! Husband and mother in law are Serbian... and we are passing through... decided to try some Serbian food... We were greeted right away and she made us feel at home!! Everything we ordered was amazing and authentic... so happy we came!! Defined recommend!!! read more

What a surprise! This is the only place like this in Austin. I genuinely hope that they do really well. These guys are awesome and they're doing really fantastic food that you can't find anywhere else in the city -- cevap, gulas, Lepinja bread and wines from Montenegro and Croatia along with the option to whole roast a lamb. Their happy hour is a good place to be but the beer and wine is so damn cheap anyway that you don't even have to be there during that particular time. Last time I was there, I saw posters for eastern European musicians. Skip your same ol' same ol' and head north to this quirky global spot. And it's totally okay if you don't know how to pronounce Cevapi, Sudzukice, & Pljeskavica. read more

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I walked in here with no expectations. I'm not really familiar with this type of cuisine, so I was intrigued! Located right next to Santorini Cafe (and strangely enough, a foot massage place), Balkan cafe is in a little house-looking building. When I walked in, I was surprised at how clean it was. Kind of eclectic and modern at the same time - my personal favorite design choice was a large, shiny, mirror-decorated snail next to our table. (And also, a curious GIANT picture in the bathroom of a blonde woman...her eyes follow you. I had to look away. Shy bladder is a thing, ya'll.) We sat on a little round table with high, rotating chairs. Our waiter was awesome - friendly and knowledgeable, he turned out to be the restaurant owner's son. He gave great advice, listened to us with our weird stories, and told us how certain recipes were family/mom recipes. Awesome, right? But the proof is in the pudding. Nothing mattered if the food wasn't good. And it was amazing! My good friend and I shared the Mixed platter (DEFINITELY enough for 2 people) with various delicious pieces of meat, veggies, sauces, pickles, and lepinja bread that was like pita from the heavens (fluffier, chewier, deliciouser). Everything smelled, looked, tasted so good. My other good friend, who had joined us, can be a bit wary of strange sounding/exotic foods. The waiter suggested she try the Gulas, as it didn't have anything that sounded particularly strange to her ("That sounds good. Ok, I'll have the beef stew!") She loved it. "Don't tell my mom, but this is the best beef stew I've EVER had!" That's good pudding, friends. Good, good pudding. Oh, and happy hour lasts until 9 - so some super reasonable glasses of wine for those of ya'll interested! They also appear to have Turkish coffee. Definitely a must try when I visit sometime earlier in the day. I can't wait to go back! read more

Small meathouses on North Lamar are becoming a thing... at least I hope they are! Balkan Cafe next door to Santorini Cafe is sure going to throw me a conundrum, from now on I'll likely spend my visits at both. Balkan Cafe is open til midnight, which has me saying something I never thought I would, "I wish I lived in 78758 again!" I came into this experience not knowing much about Balkan food, much less Serbian food and my mind has been both expanded and blown! The atmosphere is warm, lodgey, and eccentric enough to feel like it belongs in Austin. The bartender who attended to us was incredibly friendly and charming! Happy hour until 9PM (aka forever) for $3 wines. They also sell some interesting regional sodas and drinks are by the can. The mixed platter is a low carber's dream! My favorite meat concoction on the plate was the tender, flavorful cevapi made with beef and veal, I'm remiss that these haven't been in my life sooner. The platter was served with ajvar, a delicious condiment made of red bell peppers and garlic that I recommend spreading on anything. Don't forget about the pickles and onions too! The pecene paprike salad was simply roasted peppers, tangy from the garlicy vinegar sauce and rich from the tiny cheese stuffed spicy peppers. The gulas smelled amazing, loaded with paprika, and looked as if it had undergone a serious stewing process. Most dishes are served with lepinja, the most leavened and delicious version of pita I've sampled. I wish I tried the crepes with something fancy called "eurocream" but we were called for dessert by the siren down the street, snomo. The weekends here are extra special featuring a whole roasted lamb by the pound and a stew cooked under hot coals, so I must come back and try the crepes and coffee then. P.S. If ever someone was to liberate an item from a restaurant for me I would ask for that mirrored snail.* read more

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Because I'm all about that meat, 'bout that meat, no veggies. All about that meat, 'bout that meat, no veggies. So I was over ruled in going to Chuy's to come here. So I had a mission to kind of hate this place so I could prove that I was right and we should have gone to Chuy's but DAMN IT this place is amazing! So since I'm not Balkan, I didn't super understand the menu and what I'd like but the very helpful owner/server did a wonderful job explaining the dishes and which ones we'd love and which were GF, etc. We split the meat plate $20 to try all the meats avail and a cucumber feta thing which I thought would be disgusting but I LICKED THE BOWL clean! Jen C got a vegetable stew that will absolutely replace pho this year for me and be my go to winter, warm your bones, dish. Phenomenal! I also love their happy hour drink choices and prices, $3 ultras and sparklings, you really can't beat it y'all. Order all the meats and all the things and give those boys a little more booty to hold at night. read more

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Well well well! Austin's food scene continues to grow impressively. What a truly delicious addition. I've never been to the Balkans, but, I quickly assimilated into their diet. You got Lamb? Like white on rice, I'm there. Lord have mercy, these Serbs have my taste buds dancing a Kolo! Where's Novak? He's on the wall here. The owners and staff here are super friendly and pleasant to chat up. Let's talk Yugoslavia. They have tales to tell. Turkish coffee is always a winner in my book. So are the Turkish Kababs. You won't find the Kababs here, but, you will find the coffee. If you've never had a Turkish coffee, it is a must. Trust me. On my first few visits, I courted the stews. I gotta tell ya, I'm pretty impressed with them, especially the smoked Lamb. Oh man, that smoked Lamb stew was stellar! Meat, Meat, Meat! Heck yeah, I'm a man that loves good meat. I am so glad they have made a spot in Austin. Go there during the week. You will find daily specials along with their limited menu of meats (no lamb), stews, and such. It was the lamb on the spit that is offered only on Saturdays that had my full attention. I finally made it. They use a simple salt rub for the lamb. It was pretty good, but, I've had better. A big disappointment for me was the Lamb was $21/lb. That included bone in. I felt we got more bone than meat. I wasn't satisfied with the cutting of the meat. I probably won't do that again. Serbs seem to keep their diet simple. Meat, bread, stews. If you go here on Saturday for the Lamb roast, order a salad along with bread and a dipping sauce. Otherwise, they just bring you meat. I love meat. Can't get enough. I also love my veggies. Besides that you can make little pocket sandwiches with the meat, veggies, bread and spread. I like this place. The people are super nice. I hope they stick around. read more

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Probably, most definitely the only *Balkan* food in all of the Austin-ish area. And well, I have first (or really second) hand knowledge that this place is legit and authentic. I can't pronounce anything here, so I let my Bosnian girl do it for me. I don't even try. She loves this place and maintains that they are authentic and do a good job of it. I trust her judgement on this. My first visit we ordered everything that was meatless on their menu. The veggie stew, veggie burger and the bell pepper "salad." All three of these items were in the A-OK level for me. You should probably get the meat here to be wow'ed, but I am glad they had veggie options at all. The most recent visit included the spinach pie special served with sour cream. It was good but needed a different dipping sauce as sour cream does not feel very appropriate. Dessert was a pastry that looks strange and spongey, yet unique and apparently done well and authentic in taste and execution. While the menu is small and semi-limited, it does help keep with the freshness and efficiency. I really like the lepinja bread served with just about everything. I also tried their "shot" of plum brandy, which is for sipping not shooting. They also offer it in pear flavor so if you're into brandy, you should probably get it. Their hours include surprisingly late hours, which is convenient for the late eaters of the world. Most enjoyable was the Croatian wine they offered and the outside loungey areas for hanging out. 3.5 stars. read more

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Balkan Cafe on N. Lamar serves up Eastern European fare that tastes like grandmother's back there cooking it all. The chef is Croatian, the menu is apparently serbian mainly. The food is just outstanding, straight up, not conceptual - it's traditional. The space is very nicely done and for what you get the value is hard to beat. This is my kind of restaurant. On Saturdays they roast a whole lamb out front and serve it up. Try that Olamaie! The menu is short and the servings hearty and hefty. My wife got the cevapi with chicken, a sandwich made with lepinja bread (think a puff cloud version of the best pita you ever had). The chicken was tender, moist, well seasoned, and paired with grilled peppers and onions. You can also get various other meats (veal, beef, maybe lamb) in that. I got the Gulas, a rich meaty hearty winey and oniony stew of fall apart chuck roast. spectacular. it came with a side of that puff cloud bread I dipped into that thick broth. wonderful. We split a feta, cucumber, onion, tomato salad that had a less salty, well crumbled, almost cottage cheesy looking layer of feta on top that was a dish we both agreed was the best feta / cucumber / tomato salad we ever had. very simple dressing on the veg. Then, the crepes. One had a house made warm apple jam inside, with a strawberry glaze drizzle, the other had something they called "euro cream" on the menu. Pretty sure that equals straight up crack cocaine. It was fantastic. We liked 'em both, but the eurocream and chocolate stole that show. The service is friendly and attentive, the kitchen is a tad slow, but it should be for food this good and straight. The sausage plate next to me looked stellar. veal, beef, and there's a big ass mixed plate for 20 bucks where you get a threesome of sausages, cevapi, and "various meats". Two meals, enough for lunch tomorrow, a salad and dessert totaled 28 bucks. rockin' read more

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A fine Serbian restaurant. Strictly a family affair with the son as waiter and mom in the kitchen. A very limited menu - but what they've got is pretty decent. The house specialties tend to be grilled meat (two types of sausage - one spicy and one bland along with an econo steak.) - but the stars of the show are the non-meats. An absolutely amazing red pepper salad. (oil vinegar garlic and fine fine peppers). Don't leave without ordering this. It is great by itself and a terrific foil for the meats on the rest of the menu. Garnishes are important here. With all the meat you are eating, you want something tart and strong to cut the meat. They have superlative cornichons. (undoubtedly out of a jar, but a better jar than you get at home) - very superior olives - (how many canned olives have i had to endure in austin restaurants?) and a fine chopped onion. Garnishes are rounded out by a pleasant enough yogurt-like dip and red pepper ajvar. But meat here is the main focus. Servings are very generous. (Make that huge). (Make that belly busting.) The steak is a passable cheap econo steak - but the raw onions make the dish much more interesting. Ask for extra onions and slather them on. You will be glad you did - because you now have a really interesting dish. Sausages come in two flavors - bland and hearty, and thinner and spicy. If you are only getting one - get the spicy one. These don't have much taste in your mouth - but they come back with tremendous after taste from the hot pepper inside. If you are judging just on the basis of the meat alone, the spicy sausages are strength of the kitchen - and I don't know of anywhere else in Austin where you can get a dish like that. The room is set up to be more of a social club than a restaurant. There is a large lounge, a proper bar in an adjacent room, and a conference room with a conference table and leather meeting chairs. They only have a wine/beer license at this point. If they can get a hard liquor license, and serve slivovitz - you would now have a proper Serbian social club and that could be a VERY interesting thing to have in Austin. They DO book touring Serbian music acts - and they have all sorts of pictures of Serbian dancers, Serbian heroes and Serbian folk dancers all over the wall. So I am going to guess that the Serbian Cultural Center role is one they would like to grow into. Serbian culture is totally totally cool (good folk music, good techno, good metal, great traditional dance). And the Balkan's food is fine. So keep your eye on this place. This could turn into a gem. read more