Generally recommended dishes from our banquet: Chalahach, Kutab/Qutab, Lulya Kabob, Sturgeon Kabob…read more Side Note- Review is from a meal from several months ago. Sheep by Barashka (or in other words rather humorously when translated Sheep by Sheep) is an Azerbaijani restaurant (specifically Gorsky) similar to Village Cafe or Baku Palace with the prices on the menu being somewhat in the middle though closer to Baku. Like those spots, you go here and have one of two experiences depending on whether someone speaks Russian/Azeri and whether you're here for a party. It's part of the experience and luckily I was part of the latter. When my part of the group arrived, there were several salads such as an avocado salad with tomato, eggplant salad (basically the same thing as Turkish Soslu patlıcan,) and an Achuchuk salad (tomato and onion based.) There was also herring which was tasty. Soon arriving were some hot appetizers. There were two variations of Kutab/Qutab which is essentially a flatbread either stuffed with meat or with greens with both being outstanding and in my opinion a bit better than the other spots I mentioned. There was also potatoes with mushrooms which was okay (I prefer more of a crisp) as well as Khachapuri or cheese bread which was salty and delicious though perhaps a bit too buttery. The main dishes were the standouts. The sturgeon kabobs were outstanding with very tender flaky fish which paired nicely with the pomegranate molasses/narsharab found commonly in the region as well as another cold sauce which I believe was tomato based. In terms of meat, their specialty is chalahach or in other words baby lamb chops. These were meaty, tender, and some of the best I've ever had. The lulya kabob or ground lamb kebab was also tender and delicious and I would recommend them. The rest of the meat was also good but these were definitely the best. I don't remember having dessert. The food overall here was delicious and I can see why this has become a preference for them. There is apparently live music here but they weren't in that night which I didn't mind as it was easier to talk. Good food (especially the main dishes) and friendly staff. Would go back for another party.

The space is great! Often empty, looks like an event space for the most of the time. Closed Mon and…read moreTuesday. First time I came, I wanted to try potato kebab, which I didnt see anywhere else, they were out. I ordered small pies, they were out. Waiter said they are never out of kebabs. So I ordered kebabs. 10 min later he came again and said they are out of it as well. Like how the waiter can not know what they have?!! Ended up with grilled sturgeon, which came bare on a plate, not even a leaf of green or anything. Wanted to give 3 stars or even 2, but gave it a second chance. Second visit they had everything and it was delicious. Apart from potato kebab, which ended up being just a puree on a stick. Nothing exciting. Food is really good but quite pricey. Especially for the area.

My husband and I visited this restaurant on June5, 2026. We ordered the herring appetizer and the…read morehome made dumplings appetizer. We also had the chicken Kiev and the duck leg and breast entrees. The Napoleon was our dessert. Absolutely delicious! The ambiance is cozy and romantic. Our table service was amazing. Irina did a wonderful job taking care of us, especially when we joked around when I accidentally spilled my cocktail all over the table. Irina came back with a new table cloth and in a split minute everything was changed and cleaned up. Great job and service. Ask for Irina, she is amazing. Hope this post helps with everyone's decision to visit this restaurant.

I had read about this place a while ago and was happy that a friend suggested it for dinner…read more Charming atmosphere. The staff were lovely. Great cocktails. Learned that Beluga vodka is made in Montenegro (who knew?). Pet peeve- bread service as a menu item. The bread was good, but really? Just charge 50 cents more for everything. The food was excellent. We shared the eggplant salad, the blini with smoked salmon and the artichoke salad to start. I had beef stroganoff for the first time. It was excellent. Really rich, couldn't finish it. My wife had the Kamchatka, same thing. I had a bite of a friend's chicken Kiev (is it transgressive to eat this in a Russian restaurant?) and it was delicious. We were too full for dessert. Unique atmosphere. Excellent, but very rich food. Worth checking out.

I've been wanting to go to Veselka for two years. I finally got a reservation on Resy, but it…read morewasn't really needed. They took walk-ins and had several empty tables. It's Friday, July 3...and it's a heatwave; lots of people are out of town and streets of NYC are not super busy. I got the lunch special with two fried BEC pierogi, two fried short rib pierogi, and a cup of cold borscht. For $4, I added the bacon/kielbasa/onion topping, which came in a little cup; it's worth it. Both pierogi options were great, but I actually thought the BEC was the star of the show. The egg was not runny and the bacon was chopped very fine; the filling was seasoned well with salt and pepper. My husband really enjoyed the short rib pierogi. Next time, I'll try the potato one. Service was fast and the prices were reasonable. The space is very retro with interesting art on the wall. My only (minor) complaint would be that the Diet Coke is watery, but I'm not gonna subtract a star for that. Will definitely come back.

Outstanding blintzes. I get it. It probably is the best dessert blintz I'll ever have…read more The lime rickey was delicious, as was the egg cream. They did bring out the wrong order for me and it took a while to get the correct one. I got the vegetarian plate. The dumplings were good, but nothing out of the ordinary. The kasha tastes like chemicals and plastic, but I hear it's an acquired taste and I don't hold that against Veselka. Serving sizes are pretty small for the cost!

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.

Very good food nice beautiful place. I tried dumplings very juicy and it got good choice kebab and…read morealso fish. Definitely recommended.

I came to Nargis cafe for a birthday party. Like the typical restaraunt in Brooklyn, there was very…read morelimited street parking. When we came to the address, it was a little hard to find the exact restaraunt and we even went to the wrong one. Upon reaching our table and ordering, our appetizers came out very quick and the appetizer was alright. We had the babaganish and it was alright. The spinach salad was the other appetizer and it was decent too. For the main course, I had the calmari and it was 3/5. All in all, the food was decent (3/5). The service was very good. But I didn't like a few things - first, it was hard to find. Second - there aren't enough restrooms, which created long lines. Third - the entrance door and door after entrance door opened in opposite directions and I almost hit my head.

Despite the name, there's no 'ocean view." Since our go-to cafes on the boardwalk have become…read morepricey I felt it time to branch out. Yelp reviews propelled us here. And I'm glad; lunch was delightful. Weather was perfect, neither hot nor cold, so we sat outside enjoying the 'ambience' of Brighton Beach Avenue (ie, the rumble of the Q train from the corner el.) Seriously -- I liked it! Our Odessa salad was particularly good because of Oceanview's light and flavorful vinaigrette. At first I was skeptical -- iceberg isn't my favorite lettuce -- but with peppers, tomatoes, scallions and more, I'd order this again. Red caviar with blintzes was surprising. I was expecting my idea of blintzes, but these were blini. We topped each crepe with sour cream, salmon caviar and salad ingredients. A one-shot deal for me. T and I shared an order of chicken kebobs. Had I known they use dark meat, I would have ordered cutlets -- but the chicken was so nicely seasoned and prepared -- moist, yet cooked through -- I was pleased. Accompanying buckwheat (a throwback to my mom's kasha) was a great side. Service was attentive and very nice. If you pay cash, you'll reap a 3% discount. Card and cash prices are listed on the menu. The menu also notes that a "10% gratuity may be added to your check." We of course added more.

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.

We were walking around in Greenpoint and suddenly the neighborhood turned Polish, which is super…read morebecause I love Polish things...especially stuffed cabbage. I saw a couple pointing and nodding, so I asked, is this place amazing? They said yes. We were sold. We were wanting a drink and conveniently, they had a bar. Polish beer and incredible Polish cabbage on the way to meet friends for dinner at another restaurant? Duh!! Im Jewish - not religious - but it's important because beef/rice is the norm in my world. Karczma makes a pork version which was so so good. Big fat pieces. Thick, perfectly wrapped cabbage. Juicy, flavorful filling. The sauce was bright with tomato flavor. The wagon wheel decor was a curveball, but the warm and comfy vibe in the restaurant is what mattered most. We loved it.

Well, it has been 11 years since I first reviewed this place. Time flies! I have not been here in…read moremaybe 6 years and I can tell you the food is very sad now. I got the schnitzel (breaded chicken cutlet) and it came with a side of coleslaw and mashed potatoes. You used to be able to pick two sides, but anyway... There was zero seasoning in the whole dish. The coleslaw tasty like nothing. It was full of mayo but tasted like nothing. The chicken was super dry and tasted like it had been fried yesterday and then heated in the microwave. The mashed potatoes had an annoying amount of chopped dill on top, but no salt. The biggest sadness came when I tasted the pickle soup. It is a shadow of its former self. It is light on pickles and full of under-cooked potato cubes. It was badder than bad. What is going on here? SAVE YOUR HARD EARNED CASH!