Best food we had in New York! we came for my birthday celebration and not just that food was great, atmosphere was fantastic as well as service. I was surprised with Big slice of adobos torta with a candle ! we also ordered some žito which was like made at home ! I wish I have place like this in Edinburgh! read more

The best Serbian restaurant, delicious food, great service, great lively atmosphere. I highly recommend it

I took my 9yr old kids for lunch here, and we sat outside. The food arrived quickly, and everything was delicious! Ajvar (the pepper spread) tastes as homemade, my kids asked for more and were eating it with no bread it was that delicious. The staff is friendly and we had fun talking to them and kids were super impressed with the old-time items in the restaurant. Also crapes with Nutella and nuts were a hit! I also dinned here with my husband some years ago and we had a great time too. We all love Kafana and will stop by again! read more

Basically writing this review so I don't forget this place. It's been about a year and there were drinks so we don't remember exactly everything we got, but what we do remember is being completely wowed by it all. Our dinner involved the lamb shank and chestnut purée (a new dessert for us, based on the advice of or server). The side of mashed potatoes were surprisingly great. The bread and dip (sundried tomato purée?) were awesome. Service was helpful but not invasive, the atmosphere was nice with an Eastern European vibe. A perfectly cozy little date spot. read more

Far off inside Alphabet City is this longstanding Serbian restaurant. Well decorated interior as well as outside seating for the warmer days. Saturday afternoon, was able to get a table without a wait. Good sized menu with many enticing options, though 'cash only' kept me from getting something more expensive. Settled on the Lepinja sa Kajmakom ($6) to start and the Karadjordjeva ($19) as the entree. Both my appetizer and a free bread basket arrived at the same time (didn't realize you get free bread, would have opted against the appetizer). Lepinja is warm cut outs bread with a cream cheese filling. Simple and easy to eat; the perfect starter. Entree comes out next, a large fried pork sausage, a large handful of fries, cabbage, and mustard. Already feeling a little full from the pits and bread basket, this was a hell of task. Meat is juicy and well fried, french fries are oversalted, cabbage is nominal. Was able to finish the pork and not much else. Server here is friendly and got the food in on time. Cash only sucks, especially with fairly expensive entrees. A bit far away from the train to make a return trip. read more

Kafana - Lepinja sa Kajmakom - Modern European Near Me - New York, New York

Only been once. Strong food. Incredible wine. Great service. Those of you clocking any "grumpiness" should check yourselves. Think of it as an immersive experience. We sat outside but the inside walls are hung with fun historical kitch. We got a few things, including the prebenac - which is described as baked beans. I'd never had before and normally "baked beans" couldn't sound less appealing, but that was the intrigue. We ordered it and it was delicious. An insane amount of paprika which a juicy sausage on top. We drank a healthy amount of wine, from what I gathered - natural producers and all from Serbia, Slovakia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia. Baller. Can't wait to go back. read more

Amazing. Got the Zeljanica, Sopska, Cevapi, Karadjordjeva, and Baklava- loved everything. Great wine list too read more

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Skip spinach pie; it was a dense chunk of wet dough...cold, dry, and flavorless...super disappointing. Prunes and pâté wrapped in bacon was interesting but could only handle one piece each as they were very heavy (makes it an appetizer). Service was ok. Ambiance was comfortable casual but because the place was quite tight, any larger party(ies) and the noise level was overbearing. A disappointing dinner. read more

When you and your friends decide to get dinner, you've probably never heard them say "you know, I'm really craving Yugoslavian food tonight". But, this lesser known cuisine is such a gem and you won't regret stopping by Kafana to get some authentic food that will transport you right to the Balkans. Kafana is a tiny little restaurant in alphabet city with only a few tables inside, and now some seating outdoors as well due to COVID. The inside of the restaurant is a bit dark and casual. The menu is only a page, and the options may seem a bit intimidating because they seem unpronounceable. After a few visits here I can recommend the following dishes: Cevapi - grilled meat, well seasoned, gluten free Kobasice (Ljuta) - spicy sausage, also gluten free Rolovane suve šljive i dzigerica - cheese and walnut stuffed prunes and chicken livers, both wrapped in bacon (so good!) Pujena pljeskavica - burger with no bun (traditional in Serbia) stuffed with ham and cheese Pileci ražnjici - chicken kebabs The service here is very laid back, and the staff is helpful with making suggestions. I brought a couple friends here a few weeks ago and they didn't know what to expect, but left leaving super impressed. Just remember to bring cash because even during COVID this spot is cash only (come on, join the 21st century). read more

Had the mešano meso--a mixed grill for two--and grilled vegetables, all of which I believe were GF, since everything was grilled. Very good food -- and a lot of it. Fun servers and a great atmosphere. read more

Kafana - Mešano Meso - Modern European Near Me - New York, New York

Delicious food, great interior, and a very nice wine list. Favorites are the šopska salad, pljeskavica burger, and rakija :)

Unfortunately, I have the worst dining experience with Kafana . First of all ; they weren't welcoming in the beginning they didn't smile or said welcome plus the music and ambience pretty weak . Second of all ; the selection of the menu was tiny. Final part ; the food obviously wasn't good enough to fill me up. the burek wasn't fresh they heated the burek and served us ( it wasn't tasty anyway ) I wouldn't recommend it. The cevapi was okay it comes with 10 pieces with non fresh bread. Overall disappointed by everything. read more

Extremely authentic restaurant with both an east village and European vibe. I loved the mixed grill, fish, and spinach pie. Definitely makes my nyc top 10 restaurants. read more

VERY SALTY. Let's start with that. VERY VERY SALTY. The portions are big and for sharing. We had the stuffed burger with salad and fries and it tasted like SALT. We were very disappointed. read more

Sooo.. what exactly IS Serbian food? Apparently meat. Lots of meat. Roasted, spiced, kebabs, stew, smoked, aged, wrapped in bacon MEAT. A buddy recently booked Kafana to celebrate a double birthday. We reserrved a big table for 12 which literally spanned wall to wall and out the door of this tiny Serbian restaurant. The doors were thrown open to the warm summer night [1] and conversation flowed smoothly to the constant pours of the snagria pitcher. The table shared allt he appetizers, of which the smoked meats, cheese plate (eat it with the jam!), and the grilled cheese sandwiches were a hit. For entree's, most people ordered the Cevapi, which is the traditional kebab style meat plate. Order this to share as it is delicious, but get monotonous pretty fast. The meat plate for two was also a winner. I thoroughly enjoyed the lamb and spinach stew, which has a ton of great flavor, hearty texture, and really rich meat. (I would totally eat this again). The boyfriend had the prunes stuffed with walnuts wrapped in bacon and chicken livers, which is interesting, but sounds exactly as it tastes. If you're not a fan of one of those things, you're going to be sad. Pork chops looked great too. Oh - and I think there's salad on their menu... somewhere. What bumps a good 4 star review to a 3 is the service. I know we were a large group. But we had a 7:30 reservation and regardless how how many pitchers of sangria we ordered, it was still a really long wait to get our entrees at 8:50 pm. The waitress did have her hands full all evening, but I would have appreciated a little more communication or spring in her step. [1] Translation: Mosquitos come free. read more

Kafana - Modern European Near Me - New York, New York

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My 1st time having Serbian food...I AM IN LOVE! The hot melted milk cheesy pita bread cut in triangle thing was to die for!!!! The little sausages that taste like burgers were addicting! The sausage with the beans was super yum...the quiche pie like thing was awesome...wish I knew how to pronounce it all, but these descriptions will get you what I had! I plan ot come here everytime I am in NYC, unfortunately my NYC must have while here rest list is getting quite long! read more

Looking to watch a World Cup game without the threat of being trampled by angry German fans? Aiming to fill your belly with a meat-filled mosh fit for King Robert Baratheon? Never tried eastern-medi-eur-anian food? Swing by Kafanas. While we didn't dabble in the extensive wine menu, the proteins elevated the company of their spread of appetizers and solid but less than memorable lager. Come for a swell time on a Saturday or Sunday midday, and make room for a carnivorous good time. read more

Kafana - Modern European Near Me - New York, New York

Ne bih dala ni jednu zvezdicu... Na zalost, Kafana je divno mesto sa lepom muzikom i divnom hranom.! Ali osoblje je vise nego neprofesionalno!! Konobarica koja nas je sluzila sinoc, bila je jako neprijatna . Racun smo dobili jer kako je ona rekla "sedimo tu bez veze i racun nam je samo 90$ " . Bez ikakvog izvinjenja.!! Mislim da je to sramota, da jedno takvo mesto ima takvo osoblje.! If could I would give them 0 stars... The place is beautiful, the atmosphere is great , food is delicious. But the waiter was so unprofessional and rude .! Last night she gave us a bill saying that "we are sitting there for no reason, and our bill is only 90$.!!!! With no shame .!!! I think that's really bad for that place, that they have unprofessional stuff.!!! read more

Pretty close to perfect on a summer's eve. The wide-open al fresco setting is the most tranquil ambience, as the restaurant is tucked enough away in Alphabet City to not witness a lot of traffic. Come for the meat-based dishes--so characteristic of Balkan cuisines--like the Jagnjeca Kapama (lamb and spinach stew) and Svinjska Plecka (braised pork shoulder). Oenophiles will adore the Serbian wine offerings. read more

I love this place, it's an Eastern European restaurant. I love their wine selection. Descent prices, I come here for the cevapi is a Serbian-Croatian dish like a sausage that comes with ajvar which is a roasted pepper spread. Service is great. read more

Kafana - Cevapi with Croatian wine - Modern European Near Me - New York, New York

After a New Your Times two star recommendation, the appeal of a good Serbian restaurant in NYC was enticing. We had been to Serbia and had some good food there so, we knew something about the style of food. Our dishes included the cheese pie, the roasted peppers and the Serbian burger. All were good, but hardly two stars. The service is fine and the wine list interesting with lots of Serbian, Croatian and Slovenian wines, even a few from Albania. The meal with wine for three with tip was $200. The restaurant only accepts cash. read more

The best grilled fish, fresh salads and tasty stews. They also have pretty good wine selection. Currently, they are taking all precautions due to pandemic. read more

Another food adventure for me. I went here with my friend to try out some Serbian food for the first time. This place turned out to be a pleasant and authentic spot that is great for those with a curious appetite. We ate the following: -Lepinja Sa Kajmakom - Traditional Serbian bread. This bread is a flat bread with butter in the middle. It was a perfect appetizer for the meal - served hot and fluffy. -Zeljanica - This is a Serbian spinach pie. It is similar to the Greek spinach pie, but it was denser, drier, and harder as well. It tasted a little old, though maybe that's how this item normally is. -Cevapi - This is one of the national dishes of Serbia. It was a bunch of little grilled sausage links, with a side of chopped onions. I ignored the onions, because I don't like onions unless they are grilled. The sausages though were excellent. They are very similar to breakfast sausage links in size and texture - very juicy and soft. -Prebanac - The menu calls this vegetarian dish "baked beans", but these are far different from American and English baked beans. They use Great northern beans, which are similar to lima beans. The beans are boiled and a dash of garlic and tomato sauce is in the dish. -Zito Sa Slagom- This hard to pronounce item is actually a traditional Serbian dessert. It was a cup filled with an oatmeal like pudding, with sugar added, and whipped cream on top. It had a nice, sweet taste and was a good way to finish off our meal. Recommended. read more

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My mom is Serbian so I grew up with the Serbian cuisine back in Sweden. This place is almost as good as it gets. Obviously home cooked will always be better but this is almost as good. I've been here around ten times now, the food I usually order is: Gibanica - Cheese Pie (sometimes) Lepinja sa Kajmakom with smoked ham (is a must every time) Sopska salad (is a must every time) Cevapi (is a must every time) Pljeskavica (sometimes) They have great brandy, plum brandy is my favorite. Wine list is good as well, or so my friends say as I don't drink wine. Definitely order Cevapi, Sopska and Lepinja sa Kajmakom and add smoked ham! Service has always been good, I speak Serbian and they treat me and my friends very well. Great atmosphere, small and cozy with authentic Serbian decor. It's a cash only place, be prepared to bring cash. read more

My husband and I came here on a double date to meet up with another one of our long-time couple friends. The space is pretty small (so not the best for larger groups), but if you are a meat-lover then the food will def pack a punch! The husband of the couple, we were meeting up with, is Macedonian and came here once before and wanted to bring us here. For starters we had the baked cheese, baked spinach pie, and red cabbage salad. All were very delicious with the flaky baked spinach pie being the the tastiest dish of the night!!! This place is very meat-heavy and offered two fish options, to which I got the grilled Bronzino which came with a side of boiled potatoes and steamed spinach. The grilled bronzino meal was a decent solid grilled fish-dish, so no complaints. The others at the table ordered the Kabapi and grilled sausage to share. They raved about their dish and cleaned their plates. While the food is okay, the staff is not the friendliest. I don't know if it's their cultural nature or what, but the service from the staff was pretty cold (even with other tables) while we were there. It really just seemed like they just wanted to do their job and wait for closing hour so they could go home. Don't get me wrong, because there weren't any rude encounters, but we were all in great spirits (since we hadn't seen each other in a bit) and the cold service just kind of put a cloud over the whole dinning experience. Overall the food is decent and solid, service is fast, and all our drinks were made to perfection. This is an okay place to go if you are in the area and want to grab some good food by yourself or to dine quietly with a friend. PROS: - food is solid - fast service - baked spinach pie!! - good for meat-lovers - drinks are made well CONS: - staff not very friendly - small space - not recommended for larger groups read more

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I really, REALLY wish I had written this review the same week I had gone. This is not the type of food I usually eat, in fact I actively avoid olives, feta, dates, cabbage, beets, and lamb. Those flavors are still something I'm trying to develop a taste for, but the reputation won me over in the end. If I'm going to try to eat outside my comfort zone, this was the place to do it. First of all, the moonshine is ridiculous. $8 may seem like a lot for a shot, but it's worth the money. The "flavors" they have are a joke, maybe the bottle is stored under a pear tree but I couldn't detect any fruit in either of the flavors we got. Burn baby burn. The bread basket comes with a roasted pepper puree that is...I don't know how else to say this, but something I've been searching for. I found it, in a jar, at a store, and used it on everything. Then I couldn't find it anymore and mourned, and it's been years since I tasted it again. I swear I almost cried. We ordered a salad with a lot of feta, Sopska. The onions, cucumber, and tomato were all very fresh and delicious, and I guess the cheese didn't bother me too much ;) My favorite thing ended up being an appetizer, Lepinja sa kajmakom: bread served warm with creamy cheese spread and smoked meat. Simple, fresh, hearty, warm, and amazing dipped in that pepper puree. Jesus. I've been thinking about this ever since. It's at this point where the meal gets fuzzy, not because of the moonshine but just because it's been too long. I did try the Rolovane suve šljive i dzigerica: prunes stuffed with walnuts and cheese, rolled in bacon with chicken liver rolled in bacon. Maybe when you put all those things with bacon it gets passed my sensors, but I would order this again. Really, really well done. Like something you recommend to an out of towner. The above came with the mixed grilled, I can tell you the sausage was out of this world. Fries were solid too. The waitstaff was eager to answer our questions and make suggestions, they were patient with me. But also not fake, Applebee's smiley-friendly. The wood decor felt well loved. I felt like I was in a place that honored its history and welcomed families. I can't wait to come back. read more

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Opens at 5PM and walk ins are welcome when not busy in the open times. The service is pleasant and music quaint. The location is good and the staff knows English and Serbian. Good selection of domestic beers. read more

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Menus were thrown on our table, no friendly behavior whatsoever. Waited over an hour for the food. No apology. Tip was added automatically, otherwise would not have given any. The food was good, the branzino was great especially. Will never return, what a shame read more

Excellent food with outstanding service. Unique dishes with great wine choices. 5+. Worth a trip every time.

I been in NYC for the last 5 years, this is my first in my native (Serbian) restaurant here. I take my American friends out! They were super happy with servis and everything, especially with mix grill, lamb, sarma and of course with Jelen bear and our national alcohol drink rakija (sljivovica). I highly recommend Kafana, no just because this is my Serbian folk and food there, just because l think everyone should treat them self and take friends there for the dinner! You won't regret! Kafana GO GO GO read more

I gave Kafana a 5 star purely for food only. My daughter and I ate there Monday June 12 around 6:30 pm. Most importantly this is a CASH ONLY restaurant. We sat outside. We had a glass of wine each, a bottle of Pana water and our meal lamb shank each with mashed potatoes and a salad total was $95 with tax. I have to tell you the meal was freakin AMAZING!!! My daughter and I were totally and happily surprised. The salad was just lettuce and green onions but the dressing rocked!!! I didn't even leave a drop of the dressing on the plate!!! The men who waited on us were not there for conversation it was order your food and we'll bring it no chit chat. But that's ok! As we were leaving more and more people were coming to dine. Popular local spot we gathered. DEFINITELY WORTH A TRY!! FYI: We r taking a friend there for dinner on Thursday! read more

Haven for carnivores, Kafana is a traditional Serbian restaurant in the heart of Alphabet City. We came on Memorial Day, in the early evening, and were seated immediately. Despite the early time, there were a couple of diners sitting inside already. The waitress was very lively, and was singing aloud the entire time while working. She was very attentive and friendly, albeit in a brusque Serbian manner. The menu contains hardly any vegetarian dishes, except for one main dish of beans, so I wouldn't recommend bringing any vegetarian friends. The servings are also large, so I don't recommend ordering appetizers unless you are coming with a large group. They also bring you complimentary bread, served with a delicious roast bell pepper dip on the side. Our main dishes took around 20 minutes to be served, perhaps more. I ordered 'Rolovane suve šljive i dzigerica'- the prunes stuffed with walnuts and cheese wrapped in bacon + chicken liver wrapped in bacon, while my boyfriend had the 'Karadjordjeva'- pork schnitzel. Both plates were large enough for two people to share, and we both ended up getting our half-finished meals to go. The bacon wrapped prunes were an amazingly delicious dish that I would have had a hard time replicating, and that I highly recommend. My boyfriend's pork schnitzel was also good, but I preferred my dish of the two. Recommend visiting Kafana for an authentic Serbian meal at decent prices. read more

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I don't really get the hype...it was salty sausage like meat, and overpriced and crowded. I've heard amazing things, but really I didn't find the food all that impressive. The service, however, was excellent! The lady was super attentive and accommodating, so she pulled it to 4 stars. read more

Kafana - Modern European Near Me - New York, New York

We booked table for last night and with reservation we waited for 33 minutes to be seated. Two girls who were working were rude. At one point I wanted to ask would you feel better if you slap us all so we can start enjoying our night?! The service was slow, utensils were not changed after apetizer, just droped from the small playes directly to the table. Pita as an apetizer was exceptional but Karadjordjeva was overcooked and it had taste of already preused oil for so many times. I was super excited about home style food but ended up dissapointed... read more

Kafana - Karadjordjeva (uzegla) - Modern European Near Me - New York, New York

Actually, I clicked on "update your review", but I guess mine was too old to update. Outstanding place to get Serbian food! Better than some places I have eaten In Belgrade! Wish they would take credit cards, but I know ahead of time to bring cash. I would caution those who are reading bad reviews on this place. First note these people don't seem to be able to spell or correctly form a sentence. Second, look up their other reviews and you may find they trash most every place. (I only add this because there is no way to flag a review for that reason.) read more

The servers were a little stiff and straight-faced. They didn't seem to be having a good day, but it seems other people had the same experience with them. They could use some uppers or anti-depressants. Oh well, it is what it is... Life is hard and I get it. Anyway, the food was delicious, the wine was great, and the bathroom was pretty rad too! The bread was pretty rough. 3.3 stars is the best rating I can give. Not great, not terrible. Service could've been a little better. I'd be excited to have customers trying my country's cuisine. read more

beautiful place awful service . I never met such inattentive service . The server were cold and just did not care about us . The waiter prefer to spend time with her friend instead of doing her job. The guy server gave us an attitude when when I asked for assistance because our server was to busy talking to her friend. Then they did not even gave us a receipt . Cevapi was aright no Kajmak they charge extra and no flat bread, go to queens if you want to eat Cevapi the right way. Ovo mjesto nije dobro read more

omg!!! Amazing! The food was phenomenal and service great. If going with a group do the pre fixe menu. The food keeps coming and coming so don't fill up on one plate. Cash only so bring cash. Everything is delicious so don't sleep on one thing they bring you. If driving leave yourself plenty of time to look for parking because parking in the area is rough. Make a reservation!! read more

I came to visit my daughter from Boston and ate here once then came back to get a meal to bring back home. The food is wonderful and Dimitri is the best. He recognized us from the night before and brought us out drinks (he remembered what we had) while we were waiting for the takeout. Thank you Dimitri. read more

I have to say this place has an amazing authentic Serbian food and I loved going there but for some reason every time I visit I feel as tho I was not given the same level of costumer service as others. Calling me derogatory words behind my back is just Unacceptable. LGBT IS NOT WELCOME HERE I FEEL LIKE! Therefore I give them one star! read more