Bubala Café & Grill - Preston Rd. (Dallas) Without a doubt, the absolute best Russian and Eastern European Cuisine in all of DFW Metroplex‼ I've been here a few times. Here, you're more than a customer. You're treated like family. I've eaten Pelmeni most of my life, but never tasted fried Pelmeni before. Surprisingly they were really good and delicious. Dipping it in Sour Cream made the flavor extra unique and special. Bubala kitchen did a great job preparing them. My friend, Misha and I came here to unwind, relax and enjoy good, Russian and Uzbek cuisine. Here, every table is white cloth with elegant, yet affordable food menu. The space is great for all group sizes. They offer plenty of tables and chairs. On weekends they are usually fully booked. Be sure to call in advance for reservations. Every dish reminds you of simpler times and the food... Cooked to order. Every bite reminds you of home-cooked meals. Some menu items will specify cook time. That is a nice touch of transparency. In most Russian and Eastern European cultures, you don't rush through the cooking process or eating process. You're meant to gather around the table, packed full of meaningful conversation before and during your meal. We ordered, "Boiled and Fried Pelmeni," "Borsch," and "Herring Under Furcoat/ Shuba" (Layers of pickled Herring with onions, beets, potato, carrots, eggs and mayo) Portions were generous. Kiril was our waiter and he did a great job. He was very knowledgeable about the dishes and was helpful in answering any questions we had. They've been open for five years, at least. What is their success secret? "The key to our success is simple: providing quality consistent food that tastes great every time. We pride ourselves on serving our customers delicious genuine dishes from Eastern Europe." (Quote from their website) If you're looking for absolute best Russian and Eastern European dishes, this is the only place to go in all of DFW Metroplex. They do speak English and Russian, for your convenience. read more

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Service was slow. Out of the stuffed cabbage we ordered. Pushed salmon and stroganoff. Ordered chicken kebob, stroganoff and lamb chops. Started with Caesar salad. It is BYOB but did not announce this well so we had no wine. Salad was dinner plate size and quite tasty. Does not inform that it is shareable size. Out of stuffed cabbage so ordered chicken kabobs and stroganoff. Chicken overcooked and dry. Stroganoff had no mushrooms, shredded beef and little flavor. Lamb chops were requested medium and came out so well-done, they were difficult to cut with the provided butter knife. When paying bill, was asked how meal was. Provided feedback and service stated "sorry about the chops but glad you enjoyed your meal". Define language barrier between servers and cooks. Nice idea but not for us. read more

Nice restaurant but very quiet Sunday morning. All the food we ordered taste good but a big bug landed on our table and crawling for a while. Service is okay but they don't remember who ordered what dish and have to keep asking. read more

Bubala Cafe & Grill - Lamb kabab - Uzbek Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Ive been here several times throughout the years and this place does not disappoint. Whether its the herring under a fur coat, the khachapuri, the khinkali, or just the kebabs, its all delicious. It also helps that this place is close to where I live. read more

Long overdue review, but everything here was so good and the restaurant is cute! We ordered the spinach and feta app, pickled veggies, Olivier salad, beef stew, vareniki, beef stroganoff, and Russian honey cake -- not a single miss. Great service, quick turnaround, and such comforting food. Wish it was closer to home because we'd be regulars for sure! read more

Was very excited to try out some Georgian dishes ,,it's been too long ! I ordered the chivuriki to begin with . Two large pockets , freshly fried and filled with beef and onions . Very yummy 4.5/5 I also ordered the khachapuri with the egg - a fairly large pastry that was altogether pretty good . Not the best I had but it was fresh and tasty . 3.9/5 Friendly and efficient service. Place is not cheap read more

Bubala Cafe & Grill - Adjarian Khachapuri - Uzbek Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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Started with the big cheese bread appetizer with the egg. Some confusion at first with server who didn't really understand us or didn't want to be there. We got it straight and it was delicious. I asked for a taste of the tongue appetizer and was laughed at and told no. /ok....I get it why even try and ask for a customer who wanted to try something. You didn't even ask... I live 2 miles from the restaurant and on a Saturday night with only 4 tables occupied, maybe you would care a little bit? Pilaf was great, every thing else was ok. Your bad attitude was evident. You lost the restaurant quite a bit. read more

Tried Uzbeki food for the first time, and I'm obsessed! Growing up on Chinese food, I noticed some similarities, and so it totally hit the spot for me. We got Khachapuri (cheese boat), Plov (traditional rice dish), and Manti (dumplings) --YES, you need to try them all! read more

Bubala Cafe & Grill - Uzbek Near Me - Dallas, Texas

We, 8 of us, scheduled dinner at Bubala for Saturday night. We were seated in a much expanded space. We had eaten there under the previous ownership; the menu was updated and expanded. The food was delicious, the service staff were professional, courteous, and friendly. Thank you for bring back the delicious food. Please add back the Apple Cake and Plov. read more

The food is full of flavor. Meats are tender perfectly cooked. The spices are different than other cuisines i've been too but it is delicious. Will be back to try other menu. Service is great. The place is a bit fancy. read more

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Food: outstanding Service: outstanding Ambiance: meh. Typical for Dallas. Needs modernized and warmed up a bit. read more

Edit: After coming back again, the food has gone down in quality. See pics for comparison. The plov has a shorter grain rice that is missing things they used to have like chickpeas and veggies on the side. The samsas taste like frozen ones from the store. The dough is very thick, no layers (not flaky), greasy, tasted undercooked, meat was still cold inside, and left me with a stomachache. It's sad to see what was a staple for us decline but hopefully they can improve. read more

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Can I add a 6th star?! First timers at Bubala as well as trying this cuisine. We dove in without hesitation and fell in love - beef tongue, herring under fur, Khinkali, etc. Wanted to try 6 more things but we'll save that for next time. Service?-perfect. Food?-perfect. And, LOVED the atmosphere: 1) No Fox TV or sports screens anywhere 2) Women dressed to the nines, men in sport coats and suits. 3) International, multi-lingual crowd which we prefer, having been to 70+ countries and lived on 3 continents. We felt transported to middle Asia! 4) Fantastic music and dancing that was non-stop 5) Lively but you could still talk at your table without yelling because Europeans know how to behave in public 6) Welcoming patrons at nearby tables that 'adopted' my wife and I after a quick chat in French and taught us about the cuisine and more. We even exchanged phone numbers to get together again. Definitely returning with another couple who will appreciate this extraordinary experience. read more

First-time visitors to Bubala Bar & Grill. Can't believe we have been missing out on this place! It is a true gem. Just walking through the door gave us welcoming vibes reminiscent of our trip to Eastern Europe. Delightfully adorned with intricate aesthetic elements, a charming, inviting dining space complete with white tablecloths, and tastefully elegant ambiance, I knew right from the moment we entered that Mom and I were in for a treat. It set the mood and tone for the afternoon. We were greeted, seated, and served by Kirill and ordered their traditional Kompot Berry Juice to start. It was crisp, cool, refreshing, and went perfectly with our meal. The service was attentive, courteous, and exquisite. Kirill ensured we had received the dishes we ordered and oftentimes anticipated our needs. We ordered Adjarian Khachapuri, Vareniki Dumplings, and Chicken Kebabs to share and split the Russian Honey Cake for Dessert. All excellent! Everything is made in-house daily from scratch, and you are sure to find something that sparks your fancy on the Menu. It is clear that high-quality ingredients (and a dash of true love and care) are utilized in food preparation. The Adjarian Kachapuri was melty and cheesy with the right balance of flavor from the egg and butter. As delicious as it was, we had to box up the remainder to take home as it was far too large a portion, (even between the two of us), to share. Next time, we will order one less item. The Vareniki Dumplings were absolutely divine and can best be described as soft, pillowy pockets of savory potato and onion. Sour cream was the ideal accompaniment here and truly enhanced the taste by providing a sharp contrast and depth of flavor. The Chicken Kebabs were succulent, juicy, flavorful, and tender. Served with rice, onion, cabbage, and potato chips, the dish was a true palate-pleaser and a delight, both in presentation and taste. The Honey Cake was perfectly and lightly sweet with airy and flaky layers of goodness. We never felt rushed during our meal and will certainly come back to try other Menu items. Adding to our regular restaurant rotations for sure. read more

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First time diner at this restaurant. Dining room is nicely appointed with tables seating up to about 6 per table. Service was attentive and responsive (I came with a group of 8). The MEGRELIAN KHACHAPURI was ordered as one of the shared appetizers for the table. It was a hit amongst ALL the diners. The pastry was soft and the filling was a delightful combination of melted cheeses. Not a bit was left on the serving platter. I ordered the PILAF (PLOV?) with beef as a main course. It was a generous personal serving which allowed for many to taste. The beef was tender (resembling excellent prime smoked meat tenderness) and flavorful. The rice was spiced to balanced perfection and each included vegetable added to the texture and flavor balance of the dish. This restaurant is worth visiting. The dishes I had and sampled convinced me to place this on my 'visit again' list. The food is interesting and well executed. And, it is a BYOB establishment. The Argentine malbec paired well with everything. But the food begs to be paired with other wines for a new experience. read more

This place had me feeling a little nostalgic given that the last time that I had cabbage rolls that weren't made by myself were made by my grandma. I absolutely love a place that has Slavic dishes that are hard to find in most restaurants in DFW. My only note is that the service was really slow. I know that a lot of their food is made to order and might take longer than normal to give you that good quality, but there was only one server on a Tuesday night waiting on everyone in the restaurant. I felt like there was a point where we were waiting a while just to order dessert and leave. Note: Their Russian Honey Cake is to die for. Do not come here without at least taking a slice with you. read more

Bubala Cafe & Grill - Adjarian Khachapuri - Uzbek Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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I came here on a date night with a friend, this spot having been recommended for a good classy spot to dine. While I did enjoy my time and the live performance, I can say it could be considered overwhelming for those who are less inclined towards loud noises and party scenes. There was a live performer and DJ who were singing and remixing music and it was almost a persisting volume which may interfere with any individual seeking a more quiet and classy experience (maybe for quiet, go on a weekday). The friend I visited with almost seemed upset that he could not talk or hear over the performance, making communication difficult with the server. Personally I did not mind it. It's not everyday you see a live performance, afterall! The service was mediocre but not off-putting, but certainly not spectacular for a place considered so high end. I ordered the salmon whereas my friend ordered the stragonoff. Because everything was made fresh, it took a while for the food to come out, and when it did it was delicious! I thought the portions were quite generous and hearty - though the bill is rather pricy for what it is. However, for the cultural experience and the novelty of trying new things, I would recommend this to my friends and family, just warning them to watch the bill and be mindful of the day and atmosphere they want! read more

Bubala Cafe & Grill - Uzbek Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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Went here for date night and the contrasting energies are a bit overwhelming. The dining area is clean and on the finer casual side with white linen napkins and table cloths. The music was abhorrently loud, so much so that I thought about deducting a star but the food is too tasty to do so in good faith. Plov- immensely delicious. The rice is medium grain and cooked perfectly. Not too soft but also not too firm. The carrots are braised to the perfect texture and the beef is tender and flavorful. It's decadent and homely. Lagman - a very tasty soup!! This reminds me of a veggie crock pot soup my mother makes every winter. It's a tomato-based soup that echos all over the world but there's definitely something special about this one. The noodles look irregular so I assume they're made in-house. The veggies are perfect and the broth is rich with beef flavor. Khachapuri - worth the wait! Although we didn't have to wait long. This is technically an appetizer but you have to wait for them to bake it, so it takes 25+ mins to arrive. In the meantime we received and enjoyed our other dishes. It's a fluffy, pillowy bread filled with cheeses and a raw egg. It's so hot when you receive it that you can see the oils bubbling from the cheese. It's way too good. And when it gets too salty or rich, dipping a piece in the Lagman helps resets the palate. This is certainly a place we will be adding to the rotation. Can't wait for our next visit. :) read more

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Second time here on a Saturday! They have live music on Sat and Sundays. Great place, food is amazing Portions are huge BYOB Don't forget to try Uzbek breads, very tasty Soups are a meal ! I had one with Uzbek bread for dinner read more

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Pilaf is my favorite. The dumpling (Manti) with beef and lamb is also good. Big portion. Service was great. The vibe of the restaurant is romantic and welcoming. read more

Bubala Cafe & Grill - Manti - Uzbek Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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Had a dinner meeting here with a party of seven and tried a few different things served family style. We first had the Adjarian Khachapuri which was interesting and pretty tasty but not my favorite. We then had an array of skewers that included CHICKEN KEBAB LAMB KEBAB LAMB RIBS KEBAB (SEMECHKI) CHELAGACH LAMB CHOPS LULA KEBAB LAMB LULA KEBAB BEEF. I was quite sure exactly what I was having but I enjoyed all the different options and would return. I would rate it closer to 3.8 stars. LULA KEBAB CHICKEN read more

amazing food,super tasty,clean,amazing employes,so good,nice employees and just so good!!!! read more

This was my first time trying Russian food and I loved it. My Russian foodie friend took a group of us here and knew exactly what to order. The tongue salad sounded strange but was quite good. My favorite dishes were the Plov (a braised beef and rice dish with carrot matchsticks), Adjarian Khachapuri (a fresh bread boat filled with gooey cheese and runny egg yolk - drool!), and the Lamb Samsa (flakey pastry filled with minced lamb). I had my doubts about the Shuba (chopped herring, eggs, potatoes, carrots, beets, onion and mayo) but it was surprisingly good - like a potato salad and not too fishy. We also had some Varniky (boiled dumplings with sour cream) but this was the most plain dish compared to the others. Definitely try the amazing honey cake for dessert if you have room. Soooo good! I hear they have music and dancing on the weekend nights. read more

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We had our last book club there. Food was excellent, service was attentive and corkage fees were reasonable. We will definitely visit again. read more

A variety of dishes from the Russian Empire turn this Uzbak restaurant up to 11. My plov was so simple, yet so tasty, and the Georgian cheesy bread bowl, the name of which I cannot remember, was amazing. I have no idea how high my LDL cholesterol jumped eating it, but it was worth it. I can't speak directly to service because my order was to go, but the staff members I interacted with were friendly and helpful. The decor is really nice on one side and very nice on the other. When I get back for a sit down meal, I definitely want to sit in the area with the tapestries on the wall. read more

Bubala Cafe & Grill - Uzbek Near Me - Dallas, Texas

Seriously, everything I had here was delicious, and I had a lot of stuff (four of us decided to eat everything family-style) Lamb rib kebabs- smoky and flavorful, just the perfect amount of fat Adjarian khachapuri- bread boat filled with cheese and a raw egg on top. After stirring the cheese and eggs, it was this rich mixture that tasted like the best grilled cheese sandwich ever Khinkali- kinda like a large version of Chinese mini soup dumplings, filled with beef. Grab it by the tip, flip it upside down, take a bite, and suck out the broth before eating the filling. Delicious and savory Manti- I've never seen dumplings shaped like these, but they tasted amazing. Filling comprised of lamb and onions, but not gamey at all Plov- the rice was cooked to the perfect firmness and the flavors melded together beautifully. A tiny bit on the greasy side, but I'd definitely eat this again Chicken Tabaka- juicy and flavorful with crispy skin. I bet they brined the chicken ahead of time because I'm impressed both the white and dark meat remained juicy Kompot- refreshing fruit drink that wasn't overly sweet. I'd probably skip this when I come back, but it was nice to try for my first time In addition, our server was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable about the menu items and gave honest recommendations without trying to upswell us. I would definitely return again! read more

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Food still good as previous.,smaller portion though n get a little more expensive. But I think worth it. read more

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This is the best of all the Russian restaurants Ive been to. Their plov is so delicious. Everything is delicious here. Its expensive but its worth it. read more

Exclusive russian restaurants are not very common in USA . This sweet little place is well kept with huge TV screen and fine dining arranged tables. New and clean cutlery and table cloths welcome you. Servers are nice as well. I ordered the bread with cheese and egg in it which is their specialty called Adjarian Khachapuri , dough stuffed with cheese. When its fresh out of oven , it is so soft and so yummy but too too cheesy . So if you can't eat cheese then don't dare to order this. Little salty side of it makes you not finish it. Another appetizer i got was lamb dumpling called Manti . For me they were bland and lacked flavour. Serving dumplings with sour cream didn't match for me but maybe that is how they do it there so no comments. I am not disappointed but my choices didn't match my taste. I have had cabbage rolls at other Uzbekistan restaurant so i should have ordered that. But never mind. Menu have a option cabbage rolls, buckwheat salad , kebabs apart from other main course foods. I loved the russian honey cake which was made with biscuits and cream. Yummy and not extra sweet. read more

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This spot never fails to deliver. The Uzbeki/Russian menu is unique in this town and delicious. Some nights you get a classy, chic ambiance, and other nights, a lively DJ with music dancing/belly dancing. A fun place with great service and food! Check it out! read more

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I have to start of saying that I am in no way acquainted with Uzbek or Russian food, but I found Bubala extremely delicious and would highly recommend for anyone wanting to try out this cuisine. Upon entering, the restaurant already had two parties having a celebration. The waiters were quick to seat us and were super helpful in suggestions and kept checking up on us to make sure everything was good. For two, ordered the plov, kachapuri, pelmeny, and Russian honey cake. Definitely more than enough for two people. We both really enjoyed the pilaf of the plov, and the warm kachapuri. The Russian honey cake was probably our favorite part - spiced but not too sweet. The waitress told us that they made it fresh every day. Overall, a good experience trying new cuisine. I cannot attest to authenticity myself but judging from other reviews, if you were looking to try Uzbek food, this would be a solid place. read more

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I feel like home here! I like the atmosphere, the most important thing when you come to restaurant, you should feel welcomed, and I feel it in Bubala. Food, music, service, I like everything. I'm glad I have a place where I can come and enjoy! read more

Thank you for a wonderful dinner party, even on a short notice! Amazing food, served in a family style, great ambiance, and excellent, friendly and attentive service, make a really winning combination for this awesome establishment! We are greatful fans! read more

Our first time having Uzbeki food and it was pretty good. We went on a weeknight, so it wasn't busy at all and there was no live music. The decor was a little tacky and had a fake fireplace, but the food and service were great. We ordered family style for two of us so we could try a few things and the portions were large. We had enough to take home! We didn't get a photo of this dish, but we started with the Chebureki (fried dough with onions and beef). It was a little salty and could have used a bit more flavor, but it wasn't bad. The Baba Ganoush tasted homemade so you could tell it was authentic. The Manti was alright - thought it could also use more flavor. But the lamb kebab dish was amazing! The meat was tender and very flavorful and the rice and vegetables it came with were great partnering items. Overall, it was nice getting to try this cuisine for the first time and it would be interesting going back on a busier night for more of the ambiance. read more

Bubala Cafe & Grill - Lamb Kebab - Uzbek Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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I am familiar with the cuisine and the tendency for these types of places to be crowded by countrymen on the weekends. Maybe that somewhat explains the lack of patrons during the week and didn't stop us from turning around and leaving when encountering a pretty much empty restaurant. As some background, my ancestors hail from Romania/Moldova and Uzbek on my father's side. So long story short, I grew up on most of this food and its nice to taste it, as my grandmother is no longer with us and I haven't had this type of food in a homestyle prep for many years. Food: The Chicken Tabaka is my all time favorite and HAD to be ordered if offered on the menu. It was a bit pricey for the portion and no side included. It looked much better than it tasted, but I would still give it 4 stars. The disappointment was the Adjarian khachapuri. It's basically a pizza boat filled with cheese and a raw egg on top, but only works when the bread is cooked well. Our came out undercooked and with the hot cheese, only got softer/wet, ruining the taste. We also ordered a side of bread (basket) which was killer. I would come back, order the bread, spread butter on it and sit here all day. It was that good! Service: The young guys working the front seemed bored. If there are limited customers in the front, that does not mean that you just hang out and chat. Your friends popping in to chat, etc; again not acceptable. This is not a bar, it's a sit down restaurant. Overall: Worth a visit, but pricing is a bit on the high side for what are simple staples. Maybe I am old school or just old, but the cheap dough Eastern European staples of vareniki,etc are pretty cheap to make and seem to have a crazy markup here. I get it, rent, wages,etc need to be paid. The high prices prevented us from ordering more food. So overall the tab would have been higher, had the prices been more reasonable. read more

What a fantastic find in Dallas! We started with Lamb Samsa. Samsa are a savory pastry with chopped lamb and onion, don't skip the red sauce. Next, we had beef Pelmeny which arrived in a bowl with butter and sour cream. The Pelmeny dumplings were the perfect comfort food appetizer. Our main courses included Plov, Chicken Kiev, Stuffed Cabbage, and Lula Kebab. The portion of plov was a massive portion with a real depth of spice that comes from home cooking. Highly recommend the Honey Cake! We will be back. read more

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I was born in Russia! I have Slavic roots and taste! Slavic, Ukrainian, Georgian, Uzbek cuisine left the indelible mark on my soul and tongue! The culture of Slavic taste will live in my heart and in the genes. My husband prepared a wonderful surprise for my birthday. He took me to Bubala! Last time we were in Bubala on Christmas! We came around 4 pm on Thursday. It was empty. A waitress was very hospitable and gave us the best table. The manager was also very kind and asked how we are doing every 10 minutes. We were surprised they offered us an alcohol menu. They did not have one before. We ordered khachapuri, borsch, pelmeni, kebab, desserts. The waitress gave 2 liters of compote to my son! The meal was super tasty and fresh! Prices for the wine and food were lower than in other local restaurants we have visited. The wine list is big. You will find your favorite wine or drink. I recommend Bubala to everyone. Every Friday and Saturday evening they have a special event with a DJ and belly dances. I evaluated the level of Bubala: Service - 5 Food - 5 Wine/cocktails - 5 Atmosphere - 5 Prices - 5 read more

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If you are craving or interested in trying the flavors of former Soviet republics - that's your spot. They gave it all: plov, khachapuri, kebabs, dumplings of all sorts, Russian salads, soups, cakes. The portions are generous and the service is quick and friendly. A different type of cuisine but incredibly delicious. read more

Bubala Cafe & Grill - Adjarian Khachapuri - Uzbek Near Me - Dallas, Texas

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wait staff was excellent I will return because of it the food was amazing we will be returning atleast weekky

The food in this restaurant is very good, but very expensive. The service is not very good, the waiter rarely comes to your table. If you come here on a weekday, prepare to be one of the few people there. I like the food, but I wish it wasn't so expensive, especially since Russian/Uzbek cuisine is not exactly sophisticated. Come on a weekend it's more fun, good ambiance. I say only go on payday))) read more

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