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    Cafe Lily

    4.2 (82 reviews)
    ModerateRussian, Korean, Uzbek
    Open 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Cafe Lily Takeout or Delivery

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    Business Info

    CAFE LILY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Cafe Lily

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    Reviews With Photos

    Namesake
    Karen Y.

    Must have passed Cafe Lily more times than I can remember... and finally went for lunch, Solo and then w/ a friend. A Uzbek restaurant, mix of Russian and Korean fusion cooking... I used to live near another spot that served up really delicious Uzbek food on 19th Avenue & 86th St (I love their fern salad!!) Situated on a quiet street with a mish-mosh of shops, and tinted windows, can seem uninviting... and staff could be a bit slow with service, so if you're in a rush, come when you have time to enjoy the meal. My first meal was of course to try their version of "cold noodle"... similar to the Korean style cold noodle but not made with buckwheat noodles. Here, they serve it with white noodles and tops with veggies and beef. The soup was not icy cold but also vinegary. It was good but I prefer the Korean style naeng-myeon which offers more chew & texture. My 2nd meal, had to try my other fav - Yuk Kae Jang; but here they call it Yu-KajJan. Now this one is interesting, the soup comes out bland... and you mix in the aromatics to your taste and eat over a bowl of rice. I actually enjoyed this a lot and would recommend this! My friend got their crispy potatoes & mushroom, it was ok. Nothing special. Also tried their meat manty - didn't like this, the skin was dry and tough to eat, the meat was a little gamey - perhaps bc it's lamb. Not my kind of dumplings! Also got their fern salad and the sauce, OMO delish! Soak it up with the toasted bread and your belly will thank you! The price is ok, not too crazy but also not an everyday lunch outing. Overall would come back for the Yu-KajJan & Fern salad.

    Fried Salmon
    Jaida F.

    I went with a friend to try out this Korean-Uzbekistanian spot in Brooklyn based off of a TikTok that emphasized that the food itself is not a fusion but the food of a "dying culture." As someone who loves to eat, I know that culture is preserved in the food. So I just had to check it out with my friend before they left NYC for the next few months. Highlights below! ---- Wait staff was super attentive and friendly Service was fast and very considerate Very patient with us as new comers Friend's meal- Pigodya ---- Good portions Came with a spicy sauce: a little salty but very good! The meat is very tender The cabbage has a good flavor and very well seasoned The dumpling dough itself was very airy Vegetable/beef broth Super juicy but not too liquidy Needed some acidity like some soy sauce or something vinegary My meal ---- Fried salmon I do wish I had more greens The salmon was very good! I do wish it was a little more tender but I love the way it was fried, perfectly crispy ---- We also shared some of their homemade compote which was super fresh and refreshingly sweet! If you're in the neighborhood you definitely should give them a try

    Plov
    Sarah A.

    Came here as a party of 3. We ordered the plov, cold noodles, fern salad, and a pitcher of their homemade fruit punch. They also provided a basket of yummy bread for the table. It was very soft and I ended up dipping the bread in the fern salad sauce. The fruit punch was not overly sweet and it was refreshing although I am not sure what fruits they used. It was my first time trying fern salad and I actually really enjoyed it. But my favorite dish was definitely the cold noodles. I would definitely order it again next time and try other dishes as well. The plov was good too, but way too little meat compared to the amount of rice they give. And some pieces of the meat were less tender than others. They had plenty of seating when we came on a Friday afternoon around 2pm. And the staff was so friendly.

    Kuksi - cold noodle soup
    Anna S.

    This place is such a hidden gem! Uzbek + Korean fusion... I only discovered it after seeing an Instagram reel advertising this place. I think since then it blew up because when I visited the staffs were definitely overwhelmed by the traffic coming to the restaurant. They had to turn down many groups - so just be aware that they might be busy but if you don't mind waiting they will still accommodate you. We got the Korean salad sampler, Korean fern salad (amazing!), and kuksi. We had ordered manti and shurpa but they messed up and forgot our order - which actually turned out for the better because we were so fully already as they are very generous with their portion size. The meal also comes with complimentary bread and butter. The highlight was the Korean fern salad. It was served warm and seasoned so nicely with garlic sauce. I was dipping the bread in this sauce! Their menu is very extensive. The staffs are so friendly and I could tell they were overwhelm but still trying their best to accommodate everyone. I can't wait to come back again and try out all the other items on their menu.

    Annie N.

    Came here yesterday with my friend for lunch. We came around 2pm and it was empty besides 1 other table. The younger waitress was so sweet, she remembered my friend who came the week before and also gave good recommendations. It was me and two other girls and we shared the plov, fern salad and the cold noodles. I think my favorite was the plov and the cold noodle, I found the fern salad a little too salty imo and the carrot salad bland. We also go the campote to share which was nice, I liked that it was not overly sweet. The guy (owner) there was really friendly also, he was explaining to us that with credit card there would be extra fees and recommended cash instead for a slight discount

    Kimchi, carrot salad, and cucumber salad
    Hannah Q.

    The plov. You must get the plov. The fried tofu was also devine. 10/10 service, our server made the best recommendations and everything was plated perfectly. My previous neighbors were immigrants from uzbekistan and used to cook for my family; this dinner took me right back to their home.

    Kim-chee /  Korean Carrot Salad /     Assorted Korean Salads /
    August Q.

    Just yes. Guys this place is so underrated. Pllleeaaaseee go give our girl Lily some loovvee. The Plov will change your LIFE. Hospitality was amazing too everyone is soo sweet and there was car video games on the tv which was honestly very fun. 100/10 experience, food, and service.

    Tofu with Vegetables in a Spicy Sauce
    Maggie B.

    I came here with a group of 5. One member of our party arrived early. They showed her to the patio and gave her bottled water while she waited, which was very kind. We sat in the back patio on a raised platform table with seating on the floor. The table had cushions all around it, as well as carpeting, so it was comfortable to sit. The patio was lovely with faux greenery and flowers adorning the walls and a wooden ceiling. It felt like an oasis. To eat, we shared the korean salad platter. It included carrots, cabbage, and eggplant in a kim chi style. All the vegetables were pickled, but they were well seasoned and tasty. For my main, I had the tofu with spicy sauce. I enjoyed this dish. The tofu was a perfect, firm texture. It was accompanied by peppers and onions. The sauce was flavorful and slightly sweet with a subtle spicy kick. They also provided warm bread and butter for the table. My friends got several of the meat dishes and loved everything. We also got the compote punch. It was fruity, but quite sweet. Similar to a classic fruit punch, but I wouldn't order it again. Our waitress was gracious and welcoming. A lovely restaurant to visit for a very authentic meal.

    Jessica H.

    The food was good overall, service was decent but staff could be bit more attentive, and ambiance is rather chill (albeit too lax for me, as there were screaming kids running around who I assume are the owner's or friends).

    Waheda I.

    This place was under renovations when I went. Grateful they fed me regardless as I hadn't eaten all day and it was super late. Food was delicious and prompt. I paid through Venmo. Service was prompt. I liked the spot and hope to return again when renovations are completed.

    Pitcher of fruit punch - super diluted not great
    Melody C.

    My friend wanted to try this Korean Uzbek restaurant, and I was open to it as I've never had this type of cuisine before. It was pretty quiet on a Sunday night, and we were allowed to choose where we wanted to sit (indoors or outdoors in the back). We chose to sit outdoors but I didn't have to worry about mosquitos because there was shelter on the top though it has some opening. We asked the staff to recommend us some dishes that we should try and went with it. Interestingly, they served the dishes in order of deliciousness so we filled our tummies with all the yummy food first. Pitcher of fruit punch - 1/5 It was extremely watered down, so I highly don't recommend it. Manty - 3/5 Very filling steamed dumplings with chopped meat and onion inside. I was expecting some juice in it but it was on the dryer end. There is a side of sour cream for dipping which made the dumpling less dry but it didn't feel like they matched. House bread - 5/5 Maybe free stuff just tastes better but their bread was pretty unique. It reminded me of shanghai sesame pancakes. Kimchi - 4/5 Complimentary kimchi like at Korean restaurants. It was ok. Chicken patty with mashed potatoes - 1/5 The mashed potato didn't have any gravy so it was very dry. It would've tasted better if it was heavily seasoned but it was pretty bland. The patties were fried but I didn't like the taste and the texture wasn't it. It was harder than I expected. Plov - 4/5 Very homey taste. No frills but nice enough to keep eating. It was basically Uzbekistan-style fried rice. The rice is long grain and each one was separated from one another, which is what fried rice should be like. Meat with vegetables Korean style - 2/5 Too salty! Or else it would've been a decent but simple dish. Has a spicy kick to it. The workers were really nice. Cash is preferred here.

    I usually don't write negative reviews, but this was one of the worst experiences. We came for their famous pegodi, but were told we could only order one per person because they were "too busy." When we asked for pelmeni and kebabs instead, they said those dishes were unavailable and kebabs would take 1.5 hours. We agreed to wait for other food: pegodi came in 20 minutes, but meat with vegetables arrived almost 40 minutes later, when we had already finished eating. The service was terrible, and the older lady with black hair (one of the owners) was extremely rude. The food was average at best. This is not how you treat customers--definitely not coming back.

    Vinegar with baby cockroach, if you like guys!

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    10 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    Page 3 of 3

    Ask the Community - Cafe Lily

    Is the meat served halal?

    Based on this article in the New York Times there maybe some food items that are halal. I think the place is worth a try. Worst case scenario seafood items. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/16/dining/cafe-lily-review-bensonhurst-korean-uzbek.html

    Is the meat served halal, kosher or regular?

    Based on this article in the New York Times there maybe some food items that are halal. I think the place is worth a try. Worst case scenario seafood items. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/16/dining/cafe-lily-review-bensonhurst-korean-uzbek.html

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    Skovorodka

    Skovorodka

    3.9
    (280 reviews)
    2.5 mi
    $$

    My last time to Brighton beach was well over 20 years ago. I remember it well. All of the…read morestorefronts with. Cyrillic writing, clothes, food with wonderful smells, trays and trays of caviar, just bursting out the door. And, a Starbucks. Today, not too many Eastern European businesses are left. Now, it's banks, cellular, provider, stores urgent care, a 7-11, even a Popeyes freaking fried chicken. Oh, and the Starbucks is still there. After walking out of a very bad experience at imereti Georgian cafe down the street (see separate review) I found this place. Boy, am I glad I did. I was seated in the front. The restaurant was gorgeous. ! I could hear a beautiful voice singing, Eastern European songs in the back of the restaurant and at one point,, he switched to Elvis's "I can't help falling in love with you" in English. That made me a little emotional, because that was my late partner's and my song... Anyway, I decided to go for the crêpes with red caviar (salmon roe), and the Ukrainian borscht. Bread and butter is brought to my table. The white bread was OK, but the brown bread had a deep rich flavor. The crêpes come first, and they were amazing. The crêpes were very warm, soft and delicious. I loved the "red caviar". A little bit salty, more briny than fishy, and a wonderful explosion of flavor when the eggs "pop." in the mouth. I was very happy. Next came the borscht. It had cabbage, beets, potatoes, and either beef or pork. I'm not sure which one. The meat , beets and potatoes was very tender, and the soup was delicious and not too rich. A very satisfying flavor., the beets gave it a little bit of an earthy flavor. The sour cream that came with it, just added a creamy richness to it without overtaking the flavor of the borscht. 1000% a home run. Dinner wasn't cheap. Two dishes, two iced teas (I found out they charge for refills), and tax, and it came out to about $48 before tip, .I didn't care. I don't mind paying extra if the food is that good, and this food was absolutely beyond awesome. I would be glad to come back and try other items on the menu. Thank you!

    Stopped by as we wanted to try some authentic Russian food, and this did not disappoint! We ordered…read morethe classic Ukrainian Borsch, along with the green borsch with chicken meatballs, and the blintzes with meat to start. The classic borsch is very dill heavy, but that was my favorite! The blintzes were also delicious and came with a tangy yogurt/cream sauce. For entrees, we shared the chicken stroganoff with buckwheat and Cornish hen with mashed potatoes. The hen was incredibly tender with a dill gravy, and the buckwheat was perfect with the stroganoff. Overall really delicious dishes and a beautiful indoor environment! Also the service was incredible and the owner was very kind in explaining to us the dishes.

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    Skovorodka
    Skovorodka
    Ukrainian Borscht

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    Ukrainian Borscht
    Sheep by Barashka

    Sheep by Barashka

    4.3
    (22 reviews)
    1.5 mi

    Sheep by barashka on Ave. U Fighting, upsetting my guests,…read moredisappointing the birthday girl, and not crediting my deposit towards the check...shame on you barashka! This place ruined by mothers 70th bday party. I made a reservation with the manager Roman for the birthday party about 3 weeks in advance;and left a deposit to secure the date/time. They told us we would have half of the main dining room. One day before the event Roman calls and asks that another party that booked the other side has had an increase in their party size and would it be ok to move my party further away to the bar area... He said it would be more quieter there. I didn't want to cause trouble so I agreed. The day of the event, Roman is MIA. Our table is set up, and there's a concert going on in the main dining room. These people had a MC, dj, karaoke, games ... BLASTING music in the microphone. When we asked what's happening, the man in charge didn't even flinch or seem to care much. We started complaining and said we booked with you guys and you promised a chill quiet atmosphere... we asked for the other party to lower their music... we almost got into a physical FIGHT with the other party. Why is my mother birthday being dismissed in such a rude way. We could not even make a toast, we couldn't even hear our own thoughts over the loud music. It was ridiculous. The waiter apologized a million times, but why did the owner/manager not handle things??? Even worse; let it escalate? We were basically treated like guests at the "primary event". Shame on you guys as a business . After all that, they didn't even credit my full deposit to the bill.

    This restaurant single-handedly ruined what was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime celebration for…read moremy mother's 70th birthday. The experience was a complete disaster from start to finish. The staff was shockingly rude, dismissive, and clearly uninterested in providing even the most basic level of hospitality. On top of that, an outrageously loud party was allowed to take over the space, completely destroying the atmosphere. The noise level was so extreme that our table couldn't hear one another speak -- not conversation, not toasts, nothing. I made multiple attempts to speak with the manager, hoping for some basic professionalism or intervention. Instead, we were flat-out ignored. No apology. No effort. No concern whatsoever. It was as if management simply didn't care that they were ruining a family milestone. This place fails spectacularly in every category that matters: service, management, and overall dining experience. If you're looking for a restaurant that values its guests, respects special occasions, or understands basic customer service, look elsewhere. This restaurant is incompetent, poorly run, and absolutely not worth your time or money. Avoid at all costs.

    Photos
    Outside lighting
    Outside lighting
    Lulya Kabob. Very good.
    Lulya Kabob. Very good.
    Outside lighting

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    Outside lighting
    Varenyk House

    Varenyk House

    4.7
    (37 reviews)
    8.0 mi

    The people who work at Varenyk House are nice and not chatty. There isn't seating available. I was…read morejust in the other day and it looks like they got a bunch of new freezers and offer hot food to go now, too, not just fresh frozen! I bought a bag of frozen potato and cheese varenyk (pirogies), and they were delicious. Attaching a photo of what they looked like after I cooked them at home (boiled and then sautéed in butter with diced onion and spices).

    Came on a Thursday night a few minutes before closing and they had such a large selection of…read moreUkrainian goodies! the staff were still hard away making dumplings in the back. Once stepping into the store, you are met with large freezers and fridges stuffed to the brim with all things Ukrainian. Many of their dumpling items are in large packages (2-3lbs a pack) and range from $8-$15 per lb depending on the filling. $15 a pound for their lamb and short rib Pierogis. Price-wise, it's very fair! And you can taste to quality and heart they put into these Pierogis. Can't go wrong with any flavor. I got the lamb and it was stuffed with tender lamb pieces, no filler. And they make for great quick meals! I also snagged a box of cabbage rolls stuffed with a pork and rice filling. Simple home-y flavor and better than rolls I've gotten from restaurants. Just reheat and it's ready to go! $15 for 5 large cabbage rolls was a great deal as well! Would get again. The only thing I wouldn't get again is their soup dumplings, as it was a bit difficult to cook and was a little too doughy near the top of the dumpling. Flavor wise, it was delicious and had a nice broth (assuming you didn't pop them. Only 1 didn't pop). But it was a difficult item to cook right in boiling water, like the instructions mention. Perhaps, user error. Every item is sold by weight and labeled after selecting your items. But they're happy to check the weight/explain price before purchasing.

    Photos
    Homemade pierogies
    Homemade pierogies
    Ukrainian Plate Special Meal
    Ukrainian Plate Special Meal
    Beef Short Rib Varenyky: Frozen, $14 for 24 small dumplings

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    Beef Short Rib Varenyky: Frozen, $14 for 24 small dumplings

    Cafe Lily - russian - Updated June 2026

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