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!

Nice service from the owner/manager, very empty at 2pm on a Friday but a charming vintage…read moreatmosphere. Kotlety, bliny with caviar and meat were all great. Golubtsi was delicious but only 3 smaller sized ones. Greek salad was delicious with the cured meat on top. Lamb shashlyk was great too. Only average thing was the smetana which was a bit liquidy. Overall it was 4.99/5 and I look forward to returning.

Very nice European cuisine with a lively atmosphere, dancing, and an elegant high-end bar area. The…read morechairs and seating are very comfortable and upscale, which makes it easy to relax and enjoy the evening. The food is consistently fresh and delicious, the staff is friendly and attentive, and the convenient parking nearby makes the whole experience even better. A great spot for a fun night out with friends or family.

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.

I've been here plenty of times. The food is really good. It's one of the only restaurants in the…read morecity that have authentic Russian food. They also have Ukranian, Georgian dishes. The decor is fun: the Imperial style wallpaper covered with writing all over - peoples names, dates, etc, white table cloths, chandeliers. Charming for queens and everyday ladies alike. If you're into tea service, their desserts are so so delicious. The service is a hit or miss.. mostly pretty good though. They check your coat in the winter.

I hate reviews that complain about service, and I hate that I am writing one now. But man, Mari…read moreVanna really blew it tonight. We had a good sized group there for an early birthday dinner. Our server, Palina, was nowhere to be found for nearly the entire evening. It was not crowded. Some lowlights: - We ordered a couple bottles of wine and a beer for the table right when we sat down. It took almost an hour before the wine showed up (seriously), and we had to start flagging down random other employees to find Palina to bring it. The beer arrived only after I remembered to mention it near the end of the meal (Palina made a big show of taking it off the bill, which I didn't ask for). We'd already received a lot of the food before the initial drinks came. - We ordered the Red Square, an expensive caviar dish that comes with vodka. The vodka never arrived, which I only realized after we left. So we just got screwed on that. - We got put at a really tiny table for the group we had, and it made it really awkward to fit all the food on the table. It was also hot and cramped, which made the lack of drinks and water particularly rough. - Had to ask for the bill at least three times. We were all ready to just get out of there, but we were held because Palina wanted to deliver a "free" piece of cake for the table--presumably so I'd forget the terrible service when leaving a tip. The service killed the vibe of what was supposed to be a really nice celebration. The person celebrating their birthday was pretty upset afterwards. I regret trusting Mari Vanna with our evening.

Cozy spot for a late night dinner! Loved that this place is open so late - it was perfect for a…read morecozy meal after a night out. There are two sections to the place, one part was a to-go area and the back section was the restaurant for sit-down service. Definitely try the borscht - this soup actually felt like it was healing my soul. The pierogis were also yummy! I tried the stuffed cabbage as well - pretty good but I think the borscht was better. Quite large portion sizing! Service was excellent and they were very quick with bringing out the food. Definitely want to visit again!

Veselka is a definite repeat when I'm in NYC. Delicious comforting Ukrainian specialties with…read morefriendliest of staff. More importantly is Veselka's place in the neighborhood and its commitment to the food and supporting Ukrainian food and it's culture. Expect consistency - food that never changes in all the right ways. Veselka - If you are listening, please bring back the baked chocolate pudding! Our absolute favorite chocolate dessert anywhere.

We have New Year party at Gurman restaurant every year. A…read morehuge thank to the staff and the manager! Always perfectly done! Nice atmosphere, delicious food and friendly staff!

Attending a friends birthday with about 60 or so was a very nice event and the food was good as…read morewell. The service in this long and narrow space was really top notch. All of the staff were able to speak both Russian and English which made things easier for those who don't and they were quick to clear a plate or replace a napkin or utensil. There was a DJ who also sings and another singer as well to keep us all entertained. A smaller sized dance floor is available for those of us who wanted to cut a rug, so to speak. Another room in the back was setup for the children and a menu for them was set up as well. Parking is street side so you might have to walk a couple of blocks in a nicer Brooklyn neighborhood. Great night out with good food served in at least seven or eight courses. The lamb chops and the potato and mushrooms dish were particularly delicious. Also you can't go wrong with any of the pickled dishes available. This is a BYOB spot so bring your favorite bottles and servers will supply water and soft drinks for you and your guests.

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.

All the food was so good but seriously the best chicken kebab of my life. Pumpkin and meat manti…read morewere hot and juicy, plov also excellent.

Such a good food! Visited this place on Monday afternoon to meet some friends and were pleasantly…read moresurprised with the food quality and atmosphere. Service was excellent with a little correction: they should really coordinate the order in a way that they could bring bread and salads first and then main dishes instead of bringing all at once. Our friends and us were still very pleased with how tasty the food was. Will definitely come back.

The best place on Brighton Beach to spend your time for the lunch,fam dinner!!!! Definitely must…read morevisit!!!!

Behind a retro blue awning sits a restaurant dear to Brighton beach and to me! Ive been coming here…read morewith my family since I was a child so the food, vibes, and TVs playing endless Russian music are so nostalgic for me. Recently, I took a friend here who is not familiar at all with Eastern European food and she loved all of the dishes. The cutlets were perfectly seasoned, and the buckwheat was buttery and warm. It tasted just like what I eat at home. We also had the sweet cheese vareniki which tasted desert-like and were so decadent with the sour cream. The Compot had a refreshing fruit flavor and paired so well with our meal. The service was quick, and we were able to request extra plates to share our order.

Super casual Polish eatery. Huge portions for reasonable price. You'll leave stuffed and all that…read morefood will barely make a dent in your pocket. A huge entree of mashed potatoes and pork jowl will set you back only $24. Appetizer platter is massive for sharing amid several people. All food is satisfying, heavy, and homey. Drinks are strong--the White Russian was balanced and will be enough to make you tipsy. Staff are helpful and food is delivered quickly. You can have a quick meal and be out of here in record time, if you're in a rush.

We came here to celebrate my grandmother's birthday and couldn't have asked for a better…read moreexperience. This is a very authentic Polish restaurant--everything is spotlessly clean and the atmosphere is wonderful. The food was incredibly fresh. We ordered the breaded chicken cutlet, chicken meatballs, and fried chicken roll, all of which were delicious. We were especially grateful that they offer a grilled chicken cutlet; it was perfect for a member of our party with dietary restrictions. Our waitress, Joanna, was the highlight of the night. She is beautiful inside and out, and her attentive, professional service made the celebration seamless. I would also like to say a huge thank you to our bus boy as well. We didn't get his name but he was exceptional to ensure we had everything we needed. Thank you, Joanna, and the whole team for taking such great care of us! We will certainly be back.

This place has been a part of Brighton as far as I can remember. The food is very authentic, and so…read moreis the service :) Eating here looks and feels like I'm back in the USSR, take that as you will!

The food was good. The salad was fresh, the hot entrees were hot and well made. The portions were…read moregenerous. But the bread tasted like it came on a slow boat from a bad bakery and in Russia. As good as the food was, the service was so awful as to make to ensure I will never return. We had to ask for v the bad bread several times. We had to ask for water a few times. Our waitress spent more time vaping than serving. We were there for 45 minutes and got our entre to go as we were leaving. The tip was included in the bill but the waitress was visibly and loudly angry when we didn't add to it. The ambiance indoors was chaos and disfunction. In summary: good food subsumed by bad execution. ​​