Wow, what an amazing experience! This was my first time trying Cafe Balkan, and I was completely…read moreblown away, especially by the customer service. And the funny thing is, I was only doing takeout! After being treated so warmly just picking up my food, I'm already eager to come back and actually sit down for a meal in the restaurant. I was craving some comforting, homey Eastern European flavors, and Cafe Balkan popped up on Yelp. I'm very happy I followed the recommendation! I ordered the Salma House Special, their take on sour cabbage rolls stuffed with ground beef and rice, served with mashed potatoes and pita. This was absolutely mind-blowing good. Hearty, flavorful, and exactly the kind of home-cooked meal I was craving. I also picked up the chicken noodle soup, which featured tender chicken and fresh herbs. It was light but incredibly comforting and tasted like something made from scratch with care. Of course, I couldn't stop there and also grabbed two bureks, one cheese and one spinach. Both were generous portions, flavorful, and delicious. They made for the perfect savory additions to the meal. But the desserts were the real standouts! I tried two different desserts, and both were unbelievably fresh, creamy, and utterly craveable. They were the kind of desserts where you take one bite and immediately want another. Definitely don't overlook the sweets here!

My husband and I have been here several times for lunch and truly enjoyed the food and experience…read more They are always so welcoming and friendly. It has also become a favorite lunch spot with my girlfriend and me. My husband really likes the bureks; however, my favorite is the goulash, which is served with mashed potatoes, and some amazing homemade bread. My friend and I had the lamb gyros, which is typically served with french fries and a drink. We asked for a substitute for the french fries, and were given generous portion of shopska salad. And the desserts are delicious, especially the krempita!!

Wonderful Pan-Yugoslavian (Bosnian, Serbian, Croatian, etc.) dishes that truly make you feel at…read morehome. I have American friends who didn't grow up with this cuisine and have never set foot in the Balkans, yet they adore the food here just like the rest of us! It's so easy to get addicted--especially to the soups and stews (supe, čorbe) and meat dishes (roštilj!). They bake their own breads, including fresh lepinja, so you'll leave with much more bread in your belly than you thought you needed (and feel happy about it for days!). All the traditional delicacies are spot on: ćevapi, ajvar and burek. The staff is wonderfully friendly, and the warm atmosphere inside completely complements its unpretentious (and, honestly, sketchy looking) exterior, which only adds to the charm.

What an experience at Old Town Saravejo. I tried ce vapi in Bosnia a couple months ago and…read moreabsolutely loved it- perfectly season sausage, delicious bread- so tasty. The ce vapi I had at Old Town Saravejo was awesome. I ordered the 5 sausage ce vapi for lunch which was plenty. The staff was super friendly. I enjoyed my conversation with the Serbian man and Romanian woman. They were nice enough to let me try a Nutella crepe they just made as well. I can't wait to come back and bring my family. No restaurant like it in PHX. Hidden gem alert.

This place has all the ambiance of your babushkas basement with all of the creature comforts dining…read morein the desert of Arizona. The menu features enough sausage options to think there was a factory out back. There were over 10 varieties to choose from, and after a brief existential crisis, I settled on the two sausages with sauerkraut. They were so good I immediately regretted not ordering a few more links. That's the missing link in my decision-making process. Then came the potato and cheddar pierogies. Naturally, I smothered them in bacon, sautéed onions, and sour cream because moderation is for people eating salads. Each bite tasted like a warm hug from someone's Ukrainian (grandma) who also wanted to make sure you never skipped a meal again. Just when I thought my arteries had filed for divorce, dessert arrived: a cottage cheese crepe with berry sauce that was somehow light, rich, sweet, and ridiculously good all at once. This isn't a place that wastes time trying to impress you with Edison bulbs, reclaimed wood, or a menu that describes water as "locally sourced." They let the food do the talking, and the food basically says, "Sit down, you're too skinny."

Man, not what I was expecting…read more Soup and cabbage rolls tasted good. Portions on cabbage rolls were tiny for the price. We got these fried dumpling things that were good but desperately needed a dipping sauce. The dessert was their like specialty cake. It was frozen and the food dye icing ruined it badly. Staff seemed irritated we asked for a food to be cooked in olive oil or butter. So we just said cook it how you normally do. 2 people, soup, mains, dessert $55. Wasn't close to enough food. Unique but overall a disappointing experience

Great homemade European sausage! Served by friendly,…read moreknowledgeable staff. Rye breads available on Fridays.

Friendly service for our traditional Easter meal. Walking in the door you instantly smell the…read moresmoked meats. It feels like walking into grandma's. The pierogi are delicious and the family loves the kielbasa. They also had nut roll that was very good. It was the perfect finish to our Easter basket. We have been shopping here for years and will be back.

Our family loved milk and honey - especially my kids. A perfect treat if you're at the JCC but even…read moreas a dinner spot it's great. Staff are always so polite and attentive. They even know exactly what my kids like and often times lead the ordering process by asking them if they want their usual ;) Don't think of this place as a restaurant inside a gym - give it a shot and you won't be disappointed.

Every now and then, I have a meeting in the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center or attend an…read moreevent or function or milk+honey espresso bar & eatery caters. For a Kosher (dairy) restaurant, they certainly make tasty dishes and drinks. The staff are always kind and helpful, and the atmosphere is a fun place to be. I certainly recommend it to others! I was at the JCC today for a meeting, where there were various wraps and salads served, which was catered by milk+honey. The wraps included the Chipotle Salmon Wrap (with grilled salmon, grilled red onions, arugula and chipotle mayonnaise) and the Veggie Humus Wrap (with kale, tomato, avocado, cucumber, hummus and sunflower seeds). We got it without the avocado today. We also ordered the Caesar Classica (with traditional Caesar with house dressing) and the Quinoa Salad (with quinoa, grape tomatoes, cucumber, arugula, Kalamata olives and sliced almonds topped with feta cheese). I enjoyed the Veggie Humus Wrap and the Caesar Classica today. I also was recently at a birthday party (for my cute one-year-old niece) held over lunch at milk+honey where we enjoyed Margherita Pizzas (with San Marzano tomato sauce, mozzarella and parmesan), Homemade French Fries, and some gelato. Everything came out quite tasty! The milk+honey concept was based on offering homemade breakfast and lunch options while providing a full sit-down service experience for dinner. Authentic Italian tastes are pervasive in the pizzas and fresh, homemade pastas as well as the appetizers and desserts. They say that "even though all the dishes are Kosher one forgets upon the first bite!" The restaurant is under supervision of the Greater Phoenix VAAD Hakashruth. If you visit the milk+honey website (https://www.milkandhoneyjcc.com), you will see find their various menus, learn their story, find their contact information, order food online including lunches for children, and make a table reservation. They are open Monday through Thursday from 9 AM to 6 PM, Friday from 9 AM to 3 PM, and Sunday from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM. They are closed on Saturday.

It's hard to put into words how great this place is. Have you ever been somewhere when everything…read morejust feels "right, balanced, happy"? That is Farish House. The cozy, intimate comfort of what used to be Coup des Tartes blended seamlessly with the deep, peaceful, gentle "love" you felt from House of Tricks into one calm, warm, easy spot. Farish House is a real, soul-warming experience across the board. The service, care, comfort, ambience, food, value and clear love they put into everything make Farish House our new favorite place. We walked through the front gate, up onto the front porch and inside where we took one of three small tables in the cozy front salon of this soul-warming 1899 French Bistro. *Food: we started with a bottle of Australian Cab. Shockingly good. And not crazy expensive, especially on Thursday when bottles are 30% off, it was an amazing deal. Turns out, the owner, Greg, was in the wine distribution business for several decades, curating wine programs for top Valley restaurants, so he really knows his stuff and their vast wine selection is amazing. We were offered a basket of truffle popcorn, mmm, salty, crunchy, and rich. We ordered the Chef's Selection Charcuterie and Warm Noble Baguette & Marinated Olives to get started. Both were beautifully curated, balanced, and incredibly high quality. The flavors and textures blended perfectly. with cheeses broken from large wheels, rather than cut and sliced, house-made pickled grapes, unique and unusual ingredients, smokey meats, compound butters, just awesome! We then moved into one of the cozy dining rooms and ordered the slow roasted Peposo Short Ribs and fingerling potatoes pan fried in duck fat served with Moroccan spiced aioli. Both were rich, warm and delicious. For dessert, and yes we thought we'd explode from all this food, we ordered a massive slice of bread pudding, some of the best I've ever had, rich, gooey and incredible. Along with that we ordered a beautiful Espresso Martini and an off-menu banana cream martini. Their drinks are not "poured" or mixed here, they're balanced and expertly crafted. This is French Bistro comfort food at its finest and it's unmistakeable. *Service: it just doesn't get better. Everyone working there is "family". And that's how they make you feel; like family, cared for, wanted, welcomed. Service isn't a choreographed masterpiece, no tuxedos, cloths draped over arms, napkins frantically re-folded when you step away, dishes served and cleared in unison. No, it's relaxed, warm, friendly, kind, like being at your grandmothers house and knowing you're surrounded by people who care. Met Greg and Katherine, the owners, and their daughter Alexandra and several other "family" members taking care of us. Their appreciation for your presence is unmistakable. *Ambience: it's just plain comfy, cozy, easy, relaxed, warm, deep, gentle, worn (in a good way), wise, and calm, that's the best I can describe it. Hard wood floors, cozy rooms, soft, warm lighting. It's a non-pretentious, French bistro that feels like the home of a favorite grandma or great aunt living in a warm family cottage in the outskirts of Paris. *Value: it's perfect. It's not ridiculously expensive like Kai, Brinkley's, Cafe Monarch, Christopher's, or French Laundry where you go, "okay, that was fun but we'll only do this very occasionally/rarely and it's probably worth it, but dang that was pricey!" No, Farish House is 100% value to experience, not cheap, but not overpriced, the balance is just right. It's a place you can go often, and we will. Yes, our meal with apps, drinks and dessert, some on happy hour and the Thursday wine special, was around $200. I'd happily say this experience was worth every penny. *Overall: I can't recommend Farish House highly enough. Parking is on the street or in a nearby lot, and that's a downtown thing. There's a small lot in back. The food, ambience, service, quality, and experience were stellar. I wish I could rate them 6 stars instead of just 5. I'll return often and highly recommend Farish House to everyone. I genuinely hope you enjoy as much as we did!

Of all the restaurants I have tried during my recent visit to Phoenix, this establishment is a…read morestand out! We arrived just around dusk and since the weather was beautiful, we got a table on the patio. There is such a contrast of two vintage homes, one being the Farish House in a sea of highrise buildings in downtown Phoenix! If you like a restaurant with a great wine selection, this is your place. I was lucky enough to have both of the owners (Kathryn and Greg) come by and greet us. This bottle (pictured below) of Pinot Noir was suggested to us, and we decided to have with our meals since our chosen dishes were beef and pork. One of the best wines I have had recently. We had the stuffed date appetizers which were devoured so quickly I did not have a chance to snap a pho My friend chose the beef short rib dish, which was well presented and extremely flavorful. After carefully reading each item, it was very hard to make a choice. I ended up with the pork chop meal, see cauliflower/potato mash, asparagus, and the awesome sauce along with the perfectly cooked pork chop made my taste buds very happy! We had service by Ella who is fabulous and also got to meet the owners daughter Alexandria. But there's more! After much deliberation and compromise, we both decided to share the bread pudding. I have been to New Orleans many times where they make fantastic bread pudding. The Farish House bread pudding can stand up to the best of the bread pudding in New Orleans and that is saying a lot. If you are a foodie and like local family owned businesses, this is your spot. Since I am only visiting, I will not be here for their Saturday Tea Service! Thank you so much for providing me with another wonderfu and delicious memory of my Phoenix visit. As Arnold Schwarzenegger says "I'll be back!" Bob, the Farish House cat ‍ was a delightful "host" as well.

would have to say, out of all the fine dining restaurants I've been to in the Valley, this one…read morewould be at the top for me. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, with the open kitchen right at the bar, and the views through the wraparound glass are amazing. All of the food was great. I had the goat cheese salad, and it was perfectly fried with a light vinaigrette dressing. The duck was the best I've ever had. It wasn't greasy or gamey at all and had a really nice smoky flavor from the wood-fired grill. The desserts were amazing as well. The soufflé was one of the best I've ever had--not overcooked like so many others, but still soft and creamy inside. The chocolate mousse was great too. I loved the texture of the shell combined with the smoothness of the mousse. The service was top-notch. We never had to ask for anything; the staff was attentive throughout the entire meal without being overbearing. For the quality of the food, atmosphere, service, and overall experience, I thought the price was perfect. You could easily spend more at a high-end steakhouse and not get an experience this good. I would definitely come back and highly recommend it.

We dined here last night for our 28th wedding anniversary and it was an incredible experience…read more Part luxury, part gourmet meal and part magic show (but in a very classy way)... it was a stunning evening. For those familiar with Kevin Binkley's former projects, there are hints of what we used to experience at his restaurants but this takes it over the top. The evening was full of surprises, culinary theater and the gorgeous view makes it unforgettable. We used to eat at Christopher's at the Biltmore and it was wonderful to see this playful and stylish iteration. The food was phenomenal, interesting, well-excuted and so very enjoyable. There were a few service hiccups. We were served the same course twice (which was promptly removed when we notified our server). There was a significant gap between two of the courses (maybe 20 minutes or so) and it felt odd. The kitchen knew that I am pescetarian and they beautifully accommodated me except when a plate of lamb appeared in front of me (it was quickly rectified). This is definitely a special occasion meal and if you're looking for something unique and delicious, this is it.

This place is a hidden gem. The atmosphere is beautiful and feels like fine dining without the…read moreprice tag. They have a great happy hour 3-6. At our table we had flatbread pizza, sliders, steak and frites, and a Caesar salad. Everything was delicious!! We enjoyed their cocktail menu and wine choices. Oh, and the cheesecake was a perfect finish! Our server was attentive and friendly. He patiently listened to the many stories are table blessed him with. Please fill this place with happy diners and save Bijan from talkative tables. You won't be disappointed!

I honestly don't understand all the 5-star Yelp reviews for this restaurant. After reading so many…read moreglowing reviews, we went in with high expectations and were thoroughly disappointed. The first red flag was walking into the restaurant on a Friday night and seeing only two other tables occupied and a couple sitting at the bar. The restaurant felt strangely quiet and lacked any real energy or atmosphere. That should have been our cue to turn around. We came for the first night of Restaurant Week, with a 6:30 PM reservation, and were already told that one of the prix fixe menu items, the salt fish fritters was unavailable. On the very first night. I ended up ordering the watermelon skewers instead, which were sad-looking and underwhelming. My sea bass was decent, but the pilaf was way too salty. My boyfriend ordered the lamb chops, which he described as anemic, served on a bed of mushy, tasteless rice with overly salty broccolini. For dessert, we ordered the regular-menu Burnt Basque cheesecake, and it was quite possibly the most tasteless cheesecake I've ever had. It didn't even taste like cheesecake, it was more like an egg custard. Ironically, the special bread pudding they whipped up for Restaurant Week was much tastier than the Burnt Basque cheesecake, although the outer edges of the bread pudding were burnt and hard. And then there was the service. Terrible. This was a three-course dinner that took two full hours to complete. The server never once came over to ask how the dishes tasted, and we had to ask for our water glasses to be refilled. By the end, we couldn't wait to get out of there. Overall, the food was subpar, the service was painfully slow, and the entire experience was frustrating from beginning to end. Whatever everyone else is raving about, we certainly didn't experience it. Needless to say, we won't be returning.

Absolutely delicious! I ordered the mici, and they were amazing--not only fresh and flavorful when…read moreI first had them, but they still tasted fresh and delicious the next day! You can really tell that the food is made with care and quality ingredients. Everyone was so kind and welcoming, which made the experience even better. The food is truly amazing, and I'll definitely be coming back. Highly recommend Shawarmania!

Food was good but i got 4 complaints. 1. They asked if I…read morewanted spicy and there was none. It's that pink sauce I believe. I know some can't handle spicy but when you hear or read "spicy" I'm looking for some good heat. 2. I think the chicken could have been more flavorful 3. I don't like that the fries aren't made fresh. They are made in bulk and then put into a metal container for fast orders. Some fries were stale and cold 4. The meat was lukewarm. Cooked but not warm enough But overall the customer service was good and employees were nice. The food still had flavor with all the sauce so I'm not docking it 2 two

The restaurant's parking lot is the size of a postage stamp and its almost impossible to get a…read morespot. That's how the night started... I was pissed and angry!! I eventually parked a half-hour later and we got inside. The restaurant is small, but quaint. Kira, our server, made numerous recommendations, which we followed. The service was EXCELLENT and the food WAS BETTER THAN EXCELLENT!! What started as a pissed off evening ended in a WONDERFUL NIGHT of food and drink. Overall, the trip was well worth the rocky start!!

It's a cute little place. The service was really awesome. after we were eating and having drinks, a…read morecouple came in and the woman had incredibly strong smelling perfume on - just totally overpowered the whole end of the restaurant where we were sitting. The servers kindly moved us to a table on the far side of the room. That was really helpful. The food was ok. Creative dishes, but they were a bit bland generally speaking. The squash salad is a fabulous idea for a fresh salad that is different - but if they'd added some olive oil & lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt, it would have been great. It was a bit dry and not well dressed. Octopus salad was the same - I really wanted to like it, and I took half home (just because I was full) when I added olive oil and lemon juice and Salt & pepper, it was great. The meatballs were pretty flavorful. It's called a Wine Bar, but there was not a big selection of wines by the glass. Part of what makes a wine bar fun, is having a lot of choices, and perhaps a flight or two. They did have a few unusual wines. But there are so many wine bars (or restaurants with really good wine programs), you're going to have to expand your selection a bit to compete.