Supper great spot to get some authentic Serbian food. They even have imported Serbian beer! The staff were nice, the restaurant and bathrooms were clean. Also the outdoor seating area is supper nice

We are more than pleased with Kafana! This was our first time trying Serbian food, and everything we ordered was made so well. All the servers worked hard to ensure all customers were taken care of. Kudos, Kafana. We will be back and bring more people with us. Also, please remember to bring cash, as this establishment is a cash-only location.

This place has a very comforting vibe with an authentic feel. The food is amazing and you will leave craving more for next time. It’s a pretty small, low key spot but definitely worth the visit if you’re looking to try Serbian food!

Delicious food, very authentic and generous portions. Interesting wine list! Great atmosphere overall.

I love Balkan cuisine and this is some of the best I've had! We got the cevapi, mixed grill, celery root and beet salad, cheese pie, and red pepper salad. The cevapi was probably the best I've had, with tender sausages and fresh bread. The texture on the cheese pie was also out of this world, and it gets a deep flavor from the oven. You're always in for a treat when you order a non-leafy green salad at a restaurant like this, and the red pepper salad didn't disappoint! They mentioned it was the house special, and it lived up to the name, with savory, gently roasted peppers dressed with oil and garlic. We were also given sourdough with ajvar at the top of the meal, and both were excellent. Don't sleep on the dessert menu either! We were able to make a reservation for a party of four at the last minute on a Saturday evening without hassle. Service was great, everyone there was very friendly and the server did a great job of explaining the menu and suggesting an appropriate amount of food for the table. Just make sure to bring cash, they are cash only! We'll be back!

Serbian food, who knew it was so tasty! The grilled meats are excellent. The pork chop is delicious and could feed a family. All portions are large and tasty. Fun atmosphere and excellent staff. Let them recommend a perfect Balkan wine for you. Great value for money and fun to try something different. Certainly a funky European vibe. Michelin Plate awarded as well.

I love how unpretentious and authentic this place is! Both the ćevapčići and pljeskavica were great, the kajmak (an unpasteurised, soft cheese spread) on flat bread was fresh and made for a great starter. Service was quick, efficient and kind. Will return!

Every dish demonstrates the difference skill makes in cooking. The restaurant's appearance sets the right mood. The quality shows throughout. The workers recognized me from day one and continue with their attentive service. I discovered this enjoyable place while searching reviews.

Great balkan restaurant, super foods. My dad and I are from Serbia and I looked for restaurants with the same background, so my dad would feel "at home" in NYC. It was a great find, we had a blast at Kafana, the waiters are supernice, the foods are almost as good as my mother's (but noone makes better Karadjordjeva than my mom, sorry Kafana). All in all, I recommend this place to anyone curious about balkan foods and ambience. Thank you!

This has the perfect home away from home look and feel. From the cheeky guys at the counter, to the friendly talk afterwards. The food is on par with any Belgrade place, and for those several hours I've spent there I felt home. Away from NYC. One thing you have to know, you will not get a restaurant chain service here, and this is not a place where you can just barge in, devour your food and leave. This is a place where you come to relax and enjoy yourself. Talk with the guys, joke around and just have that time for yourself. You will not get serverd by some generic over the counter worker, but by genuine persons. Go with the right mindset and experience the proper Balkans hospitality to the full. Order a coffee and a brandy with mineral water. Take your time with your meal, enjoy yourself and grab a coffee before you go to finish your meal. Don't rush anything and experience everything. You'll come out a better person. It will feel like you've visited a friend. This is definitely the first stop when I get back to NYC, for a coffee and a brandy at least.

+3

We had a wonderful experience at Kafana. The staff went above and beyond to accommodate our needs and preferences, especially Milos was really friendly and professional. And the food was outstanding, cevapi are must try!!!! Recommended 10/10✨

This was my first experience with Serbian food and Kafana set the bar high! Everything we ate was fresh, well made, and served with enthusiasm. The crew at Kafana is very energetic and friendly. At the end of a big dinner, we had this wonderful assortment of desserts. Definitely a gem in LES

Authentic Balkan cuisine. This place was suggested by a Croatian friend, and it was delicious. I had the Karadjordjeva which was amazing. It's basically a pork schnitzel wrapped around ham and filled with a cream cheese. Some friends shared the Mešano Meso. It's a bunch of different dishes from the menu for two people. An excellent bargain. You can't go wrong with this plane. Especially if you're missing good food from home. Service is Balkan service. Don't expect someone asking to refill water every 2 minutes.

One of the last authentic restaurants in the city w/ amazing Serbian cuisine. On a Friday night, my friend and I were among many Serbs having dinner. My partner is Serbian and showed me this place, and it’s truly so special with amazing food & wines. The fish of the day (usually branzino), cevapi (meat sausages), sopska (Serbian Greek salad), and lepina- amazing. It’s now my favorite restaurant in the city, which says a lot, and the service is really great as well. Much love for Kafana.

My wife and I took a group of 6 people to celebrate our son’s birthday and it was a wonderful experience. The service was great it felt like we were at someone’s thank you, Kafana for a great experiencehome. Food was fantastic Serbian fare from a pre fixe menu. We were treated so well in every way. Thank you Kafana!

Possibly the best restaurant I've been to in NYC. The Ćevapi is OUT OF THIS WORLD. Trust the waiters/waitresses when ordering, they're all Serbian and now their thing. There was a live band singing Serbian songs on the Friday night we went to. Nice crowds. The restaurant itself might seem small but can seat 40 people. It is decorate with pictures of Yugoslavia-era (aka pre war) Serbians, and Serbian monuments.

+2

Beautifully decorated, cozy spot with great service and food. Took my American husband and it did not disappoint! Can’t wait to go back.

**CASH ONLY** Excellent comfort food, served in the large portions. We had 2 filling appetizers and shared the braised pork shoulder entree and were completely satisfied. Fun vibe, good service, delicious food. Very cramped seating, but you know... welcome to nyc!

This place is great for comfort Balkan food and good wine. The service was great and the atmosphere is cozy and lively. Great for hangouts with friends and after work drinks

Food was amazing! Atmosphere is warm and welcoming, service was on point! We had great time and will definitely come back ! Highly recommend! Tamjanika wine is wonderful, same like ćevapi and deserts! You won’t regret ordering anything from the menu !

Best pljeskavica outside balkan that I have tried. Ćevapi are good as well and chicken ražnjići but pljeskavica is on the spot. Highly recommend!!!

Excellent Serbian specialties! Great service. Will come back with bigger appetites. Update: We came back a couple of times and it is still awesome. Love, love, love this place!

Was visiting NYC with my family and my girlfriend and wanted to try something different. This place had great service. They're really nice and friendly. The food was good. The salad was delicious and my burger was cooked to perfection!

Seriously delicious. I love Eastern European food, so I was excited to try Serbian. The food was delicious & the wine was pretty good (a bit more acidic than I like, but that’s on me for not knowing what I was ordering). The waitstaff was not super attentive, but they also didn’t rush us, or hover which was nice. All in all, a great date night spot

What an amazing place . Me and my wife went for our second anniversary.. Got treated like a family . I am a Serb but the food in this place smh . I wanted to run to kitchen and kiss the chef . Omg it was amazing . Definitely go here if you love your food . Thank you 🙏. We Will be back for sure .

Very authentic atmosphere of a Kafana in former Yugoslavia back 50 years ago. Food is great and people seem to love to hang out at this place.

•Zeljanica - A delicious spinach pie made with phyllo dough, spinach, and feta. It was like a cloud of fluffy cheese! •Cevapi - Flavorful sausages served with raw onions, simple but really good! •Karadjordjeva - This was my favorite dish of the night. Pork schnitzel rolled with ham and oozing with delicious kajmak cheese. Also the French fries it came with were amazing! • Svinjska - Extremely tender braised pork shoulder with creamy mashed potatoes. Drinks: Kafana has a deep collection of wines from from countries that were previously part of Yugoslavia including Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, and Friuli, Italy (on the boarder of Slovenia). There are a lot of interesting older wines to choose from! We started with the Simcic Sauvignon Blanc Opoka from 2006, skin-contact wine from Slovenia. The wine still had some of its original fruit flavors of juicy peaches and citrus, but there were a lot of interesting savory and tertiary flavors as well! We also had to try a wine from the iconic Friuli producer Radikon. We got the 2020 Slatnik, a skin-contact wine made with 80% Chardonnay an 20% Sauvignon Blanc. The wine is made with about 14 days of skin contact, and is then aged for 1 year in barrel. It was delightfully aromatic and perfect with all of the delicious food!

+1

Incredible spot, not one bad bite. We had the sausages, beans, spinach and feta bites, and a bottle of wine. Large wine list! Couldn’t recommend enough, the staff is super friendly, and well priced

+1

Kafana is truly a lovely place with great servers and employees. The food was delicious and definitely got everyone full, the size of the portions are huge! We got the Braised lamb, Pork neck, and schnitzel. All dishes were superb and highly recommend them!

Absolutely adore this place. It’s a must visit, the food and service is incredible. The only thing I didn’t love on the mixed grill was the liver - but that’s not their fault - I do t love liver unless it’s processed a garbage, hahah. Like liverwurst. The wine prices are way more than reasonable and the people who work there are amazing. Will definitely return. A place you can go for lunch and spend almost 5 hours, which we did.

This is a hidden gem in East Village/Lower East. It's full of amazing food, kind staff and the vintage decor is out of this world. If you want delicious meat and to feel like you're in Serbia, come here!!! We must never lose places like this!

Fluffy, round loaves of lepinja are crisped on the grill before they are sliced open and filled with creamy kajmak cheese and, if you like, a few thick, purplish slices of dry-aged pork loin. A plate of roasted red peppers topped with pickled feferons, the half-spicy, Chartreuse-colored Serbian chiles. And of course there is a great version of the Serbian burger, pljeskavica, pressed until it reaches the edges of the loaf of lepinja that serves as a bun. The patty can be left alone or stuffed with ham and kajmak; in either case, a bracing schmear of ajvar, the heat-packing relish made from red peppers, is almost mandatory. This may also be the time to mention that Kafana makes excellent French fries, or “pomfrit,” as the menu has it.

+3

For an amazing Serbian and European food this is the best spot in Manhattan❤️ . Super fair prices You have to pay in cash tho so have that in mind During summer they have outdoor seating so thats cool. Great polite service - and the most important food is soooooo gooood Cevapi,girice,salads - amazing stuff Would deff come here again👍🏻😇

Delicious food, cozy atmosphere. Ordered the lamb stew with mashed potatoes on the side. Perfect for a snow day.

If you like to experience Serbian food like Cevapcici and many others then you just found a hidden gem. The restaurant is very well booked and once we tasted the first bites we immediately understood why. All food is traditional Serbian food. From sugar for the coffee to the coke, I found nothing that was not an original Serbian product boosting the experience to the maximum. We found some of the best Serbian wines on the list at a very fair price. The service was very friendly too. One of my top three favorites in New York.

Wonderful experience! Authentic Serbian food, great waiters & portions are beyond filling. Definitely a place to visit!! Thank you for a great experience!

I did not expect food to be this good! We've got nothing alike in California and I am already tempted to go back tomorrow. And I am not the Serbian person who thinks Serbian food is the best food in the world - I just obviously like it and when I want it, I want it to be good. My little family and I spent 5 months in Belgrade a couple of years ago, and I spent an inordinate amoutn of time chasing the great kafana of yesteryear. Kafana NYC does a far better job than many in Belgrade, fortunately or unfortunately. ANd the wine list was enough to get this mostly non-drinking gal to enjoy a glass. YUUUUUUUUUM!

This restaurant excels in so many areas it's hard to prioritize. Not once have I been disappointed by their food. The staff cares about more than just your order. Workers display authentic niceness. The restaurant maintains standards across the board.

We loved our dinner at Kafana! We started with Sopska - the tomato, cucumber and feta salad and it was insanely good. Where do they find tomatoes that taste like they came from Italy?! We also had the Zeljanica - spinach pie, to start. This was also delicious, pure comfort food, almost like a bread pudding but with spinach and feta. The feta was smooth and creamy in both of these dishes. For our mains we had the Cevapi - the little meat links with diced onions on the side and the braised pork shoulder, both were excellent. The pork was juicy and tender, and served with buttery mashed potatoes and a lightly dressed cold cabbage salad. I would order all of this again in a heart beat.

Everything is really good with this place, but the service, they are kinda rude. Just because the food is authentic Serbian food I’ll come back again.

+3

Kafana is one of the best places in Mew York City if you are looking for great food from Balkan region. Super friendly staff and cool energy. Affordable prices and good for family lunch and dinner.

+1

So proud that there is a great Serbian restaurant in Manhattan! The food is really good, very authentic, from Serbian style barbecue to sides and appetizers such as prebranac (baked beans Balkan style), ajvar (red pepper salsa), gibanica (cheese and spinach pie) and many more… I’m pleased to see people all over the world enjoying the food here. The staff is nice, we got some free rakija shots before we left. Definitely try rakija! :) Kafana was a great choice to take my New York friends to, and they loved everything they tried!

+1

The food was really good. Meats were done just like we asked for, good flavor and the sides were very generous. They were busy on Saturday night so it took a bit for the food to be done, which is expected. Overall a great experience and we would go there again.

While the service was slow, the staff was friendly and things started moving after that. The traditional bread and cheese was good while the cevapi completed this fine lunch. Rounding it off was a glass of Prokupac, a red wine made from an indigenous grape from Serbia that was reminiscent of Pinot Noir with the sour cherry notes usually associated with Sangiovese. The restaurant is cash only so be prepared to bring some.

+4

Welcome to Serbia 🇷🇸 in New York! Restaurant has been around for about 15+ years and this was my first visit. The food 👌🏾 great portions worth all you pay for and Oh so yummy 😋 The atmosphere felt cozy and quaint like you transported back into time to grandma’s delicious diner in Europe somewhere. I mean ☺️the dishes were made so well and approved by a native of the country so I say, well done 👏🏾 Thanks for a yummy experience!

+2

Relaxed atmosphere, wonderful service and delicious food. We always leave with full bellies and full hearts! Cash only. Make a reservation. The menu is authentic to Balkan cuisine, with plenty of salads and a few vegetarian options. If you are not a fan of Balkan food, the fish will not disappoint. Check out the live music on Friday nights for a cozy and fun experience.

I love everything about this place from the food to the wine and beer and not to mention the rakija my go to is the Ćevapi, punjena pljeskavica & sir meze favourite beer is jelen and juice cockta & jupi. I’ve celebrated birthdays, Valentine’s Day holidays anniversaries at this place. It’s my favourite place. The staff make you feel like you’re at home just can’t get enough! Also perfect place if you speak the language to practice. They have both outside and inside dinning and open early on the weekends. Volim vas!

+6

Julia Burke Freytsis

Amazing food, and an incredible wine list. If you are not familiar with Balkan cuisine and wine, just ask the staff for recommendations! They are super knowledgeable and have never steered me wrong. We come here a lot and brought our families recently for a celebration, and despite the meat-centric menu they had tasty vegetarian options as well. This place is a gem in the east village.

My first time trying Serbian food and let me tell you it was delicious, I’m very picky about food but when it comes to try new restaurants i am very excited, every dish I had exceeded my expectations. Had some Orange wine from Slovenia. Definitely going to try more Serbian food. They had some live music which was great, good music, good ambience, good service. The only thing I would recommend is the bathroom, wasn’t in the best condition but overall my experience was great. 10/10 ONLY CASH ALLOWED for my Apple Pay folks 😌.

+6

Delicious food; tried several appetizers desserts and mains (pictured). Each was lovely. Atmosphere was also great, along with the service. 100% recommend if you're into breads, cheeses, and meats (the eastern Europe staples).

+1

Dario Vujovic

I dined at this place today after doing some research on Balkan restaurants in NYC. It is a small and cozy restaurant serving awesome Balkan food. Everything we ordered was cooked well and tasted like it does back in the Balkans. I can recommend the cevapi as it is a good portion of 10 cevapi and the meat is good quality. Thank you guys, all the best. Svaka cast!

Kristian Dusaj

If you want real Balkan comfort food with heart, this is the place. The moment you walk in, it feels like home — warm, cozy, and full of that classic Serbian hospitality. The staff treats you like family, not customers, and the service is always genuine and welcoming. The food is incredible. Everything tastes homemade and full of flavor. The cevapi are perfectly seasoned, the lepinja is soft and fresh, and the burek is on another level. You can tell every dish is made with pride and tradition. The drinks, especially the rakija, are the perfect touch to complete the experience. Kafana has that rare mix of amazing food, great vibes, and authentic culture. Whether you’re Balkan or just love good food, this spot never disappoints. Easily one of my favorite restaurants in NYC. Highly recommended — can’t wait to come back.

Marc Baumann

We came here for the Serbian food and we weren’t disappointed! The lamb shank was outstanding, so what’s the spinach pie, cabbage salad and the pork stew. Small place, but lots of charm.

ReedH

I loved this spot. Having visited Serbia last year, I was missing the food from the region - and Kafana delivered. It’s a got a small cozy vibe and the server was great. We started with some complimentary bread with some traditional red pepper paste which was excellent. For food, we started with cevapi - every country in the Balkans has their variation on these - and they were excellent. The star of the night though was the schnitzel - which was rolled veal with ham and cheese inside and a thin layer of bread, almost like a savory strudel. Delicious! We’d started with beers prior so continued with a local one here but they have a lengthy menu of regional wines which I look forward to exploring on a future visit.

Martina Ruseva

We came here on a Friday night and the restaurant was at capacity, highly recommend getting a reservation in advance. This spot feels so homey and has authentic Serbian cuisine. It’s cash only, so make sure you have cash before you go, there is an ATM within a block of the spot too. The portions were huge, we got two mains and the roasted peppers appetizer and couldn’t finish the food between two of us. Overall, great food, service and vibe

+3

Mark Mikkelsen

First time trying Serbian and I loved this place! It's quite small and intimate and gives family dinner room vibes. Highly recommended!

Isabella Grandic

(4.5/5) - CASH ONLY Balkan restaurant with a great vibe! By far the best seating is indoors. Try to call / reserve. The meat platter is the best thing to get. Grilled veg is great. Bread appetizer that comes free with the red pepper spread (Ajvar ) is fantastic. As someone who grew up around this food, some of it is good, not all of it wowed me, but it’s pretty solid. Great to switch up and try new things! Lovely staff. I liked the salads, cheese mezze and the meat mains.

+6

Jostlexd

Came here with my gf for the schnitzel and it did not disappoint! The food and the sodas we had were incredible (I especially recommend the schnitzel and lamb chop) and everyone there were really friendly. Definitely would come back here with more people to show them this spot!

carlos borges

Floored by our evening at Kafana. This is our new favorite restaurant. The service was welcoming, attentive, and informative. This was our first Serbian/Balkan meal. We are hooked. My wife had the burger. It's made of ground meat stuffed with cheese and ham. No bun, It was excellent. I had the lamb and spinach soup which was lighter than it sounds. Very good. Great for sharing if you're order a lot of food. Great on it's own if you're into something light. I'm going back for the roasted pepper app. If you love roasted peppers, then this app is a must. I overlook chicken on the menu for other options. We had the chicken kabob and it was the best, anywhere. My son had the smoked pork sausage. It was dry but flavorful. The bread basket comes with a type of spicy adjika that is a must. I don't know if they bake their own bread but it's some of the best, anywhere. The cucumber, tomato, and feta salad is a must. I haven't seen a larger natural wine list in NYC. We had a fantastic orange wine (Maurer Oszkar Karom) at $80 that was summer in a bottle. I highly recommend it. I can't wait to go back to learn more about Balkan wines. There were two guitarist playing live music at our Friday night dinner. The room can be noisy from loud conversations that surround you, so be prepared. We simply can't wait to go back to explore the menu and the Balkan wines!

+6

Peter Kotchev

This place is killer. Authentic Balkan food and vibes. The food was incredible: the mixed grill was delicate, smoky, and rich. The fries and salad were great sides. And the desserts and coffee were also incredible. Servers were a highlight, super personable and fun! A great place to introduce your friends to Balkan culture.

Incredible Dining experience. The service made you feel you were in your extended family’s kitchen. The food especially the lamb shank was amazing. I am definitely going to come back here. Keep in mind, it is a cash only restaurant.

Valery T

We were lucky they had a table for us on such short notice, i would definitely recommand making a reservation as the restaurant is kinda small and seems really popular ! The food was just insanely good! We had braised lamb shank, braised pork shoulder, traditional minced meats, sausages, etc. I would really recommend to order many dishes and share with friends as you can taste so much more :-) Would definitely go back on my next NYC visit ! (They only accept cash)

+1

Lana Crown

A long time ago, I chose this restaurant for lunch with a friend. I remember the delicious, unique Serbian dishes. Yesterday, I suggested to my husband that we go to Kafana. I made a reservation, and we went there for dinner. My order was: Karadjordjeva, Cevapi, Dimljena vesalica, and Rolovane dive alive and dzigerica. All the dishes were delicious. The portions were quite large. I also ordered a glass of Yellow Muscat dessert wine on the recommendation of our waiter. It was very tasty and aromatic. The restaurant has a very cozy, homey, and welcoming atmosphere. The interior is seemingly simple, but it gives the restaurant an ethnic feel. The service was also very good. It felt like we were visiting hospitable hosts rather than going to a restaurant. I would also like to point out that the prices are very reasonable! Visit this restaurant and you won't regret it!

+2

Lloyd Holmes

Our server's recommendations all turned out to be excellent choices. The employees were quick yet pleasant, making me want to return with my family. The servings are hearty and the pricing stays reasonable. The menu features genuinely excellent items. I'm protective of the current atmosphere.

Jennie Rivera

I found this hidden gem just days ago and it's exceptionally good. Each person ate their entire meal - it was that tasty. Restaurant staff showed authentic friendliness while serving promptly. They serve excellent meals in a relaxed atmosphere with fantastic staff and visible happiness. I value this restaurant's consistency!

Rafael Otero

Kafana was my first time trying Serbian food and it was a good as it was advertised. The appetizers and side dishes were delicious, especially the lepinja sa kajmakom (bread). Keep in mind, this place is cash only. It can be an inconvenience but don't let that discourage you from haves a great meal, just plan ahead. The staff is very friendly too.

Sasho Kralj

If you’re looking for hearty Balkan comfort food and a warm, laid-back vibe, Kafana delivers a memorable experience steeped in Serbian tradition. Nestled in Manhattan’s East Village, this rustic gem feels more like a friend’s home than a restaurant — the kind of place where meals are shared slowly and stories flow just as easily as the rakija. Atmosphere: Kafana embraces its identity with wooden furniture, vintage Eastern European decor, and handwritten chalkboard menus. The ambiance is casual but full of character, making it perfect for a relaxed dinner with friends or a cozy date night. It’s not a large space, so reservations are a good idea, especially on weekends. Food: The menu is rich with traditional Serbian dishes. Start with the mezze platter — a flavorful spread of kajmak, ajvar, and cured meats. The ćevapi (grilled sausages) are a standout: juicy, perfectly seasoned, and served with pillowy lepinja bread. For something heartier, the sarma (stuffed cabbage rolls) and veal goulash are deeply comforting. Vegetarians won’t be left out — dishes like grilled vegetables, cheese-filled pastries, and baked beans are all flavorful and satisfying. Drinks: A robust selection of Balkan wines and house-made rakija (fruit brandy) rounds out the experience. The staff is happy to recommend pairings if you’re new to the region’s offerings. Service: Friendly and low-key, the service feels genuine and unrushed. The staff clearly takes pride in sharing their culture, and that warmth comes through in every interaction. Overall: Kafana isn’t just a meal — it’s a cultural journey. Whether you're Serbian or simply curious about Balkan cuisine, it’s a soulful, unpretentious spot that gets the details right. Come hungry, leave happy (and maybe just a little buzzed from the rakija).

Andrew Erskine

We had he most superb meal and time here at Kafana, food we had little prior experience of that was just amazing from start to finish. Friendly and helpful staff and we felt welcomed and looked after brilliantly. Would highly recommend to anyone going to nyc and looking for something deliciously different.

+1

A true taste of Serbian cuisine in a quaint LES cafe. Excellent wine list. Take your time, settle in, and have some great proteins!

Really good and nostalgic feeling in the restaurant. The Ćevapi Are ridiculously good, make sure that you get the lepinje and the kajmak on the side if they're not served. The apps are good, lots of cold cuts and cheeses (meza). The mains are very good and are all of the Balkan classics. The ambiance is really good and it has a lot of old school Serbian/Yugoslavian feel to it. Really well done, I felt like I was in the Balkans for a few hours. The only down side is the price, for 3 people it was approx 184$ + 20% tip which sort of felt like it was mandatory.

+6

Very good food. Delicious. I would have liked some Yugoslavian music playing in the background. It would have made it even more authentic.

Authentic balkan cuisine, particularly covering countries from former yugoslavia. I had pljeskavica, shopska salad and, of course some pear rakia which wasn't on the menu but well worth asking for. Service was authentic too which means they'll leave you alone unless you signal that you need something. Several patrons spoke their native slavic language showing that the meet expectations of authenticity. They are a cash-only restaurant which was a surprise to us at the end.

+5

Not really a kafana (would be too much to ask). Great food. "Cash only" is weird, it's 2025. The waiter was rushing us a bit, even though it was a quiet weekday.

I never had Serbian food but basing on my experience with Balkan food the food at Kafana felt traditional and authentic. The feta spinach pie was extremely good, and we also enjoyed the kebabs and wrapped schnitzel. The Greek style salad was a bit too cold and small considering its price. We also had some wine from the Balkan, the restaurant holds an impressive wine list. All in all it was an enjoyable dinner and I would recommend giving it a try. We managed to get in on a Friday night with no reservations but the restaurant was definitely busy, so I guess we got lucky. *This is a cash only restaurant*

✨Zeljanica - this spinach and feta phyllo pastry is nothing like the Greek version, thick thick layers of phyllo dough stacked up to a pillowy pie, very comforting ✨Girice sa urnebes sosom - tiny fried fish that you can eat from head to tail was very crunchy and well seasoned ✨Karadjordjeva - pork schnitzel rolled with ham and kajmak, a dairy similar to whipped cottage cheese, the pork was a little too tough to eat ✨Cevapi - very meaty grilled sausage but not too salty I have to mention the complementary bread comes with pepper jam was good too

+2

As someone who had never previously had Serbian food, I honestly had no idea what to expect. I was not even fully sure what all the items on the menu were, but thankfully the very helpful staff explained and answered a lot of questions about the food. The mains were alright, but the cheese and meat board as well as the bacon wrapped prunes and liver absolutely blew my mind. I would highly recommend ordering and sharing appetizers and maybe one main if you have a decent sized group. The table wine was great for the price too!

+1

great food. great wine. great hospitality. bonus points from old new yorker ... serving past 10pm.

4/5 (complimentary) Bread with Ajvar 4/5 Sopska Salad 4/5 Lepinja with Kajmak 4.5/5 Fried Spearing 4/5 Mixed Grill -- a very large amount of meats, I would say easily suitable for 3-4 if you are ordering apps. Everything on the platter leans a bit on the salty side, smoked flavor is however excellent. The sausage variety on the platter was probably my favorite!

Leila Habibi

The bread basket with the red pepper dip were fantastic! The cheese pie was yummy, the spinach pie was not as good as it looks, it is just a little underwhelming. The baked beans tho were super salty, and when I told them about it they said they’ll change it, so they took it away and came back with a supposedly new version which was just as salty :’) so I didn’t feel comfortable telling them again and just left it almost untouched. The drinks however were really good and it is a lovely and gorgeous place, so I guess a great choice for drinking and small bites

The food at Kafana is really good—authentic Serbian dishes with rich flavors. The ćevapi and the cheese pie were standouts. The atmosphere is cozy and charming. However, service was a bit slow on my visit. Korra was nice, but we waited a while for our food to arrive. Also, it's cash only, which is fine but good to know in advance. Still a solid spot for something different in the East Village.

I think we should have taken the meat sharing plate... I enjoyed the atmosphere, but the food was only ok. Stuffed pepper was nice, so does the chicken liver rapped in a bacon. The first course pastry was not good at all.

Vicki

Tried Serbian food for the first time at @kafananyc in the very East of East village! I’m not well versed in this cuisine, but the food and vibes felt very traditional. It’s a small place packed with people so can get pretty loud but chill.

+2

I’ve had great experiences here in the past but recently the service has been unconscionably bad even with a reservation…. There was also a 20% tip automatically added to our bill which feels illegal when your server is extremely rude, forgetting your order, not checking in regularly etc.

Arrived with group of 6 to be told the pre-fixe was a requirement for party of that size, no choice for the more interesting options on the menu, and we were missing two items! Also everyone shared from the same one plate they brought out per course, no personal main dishes… $60pp for family style sharing. The included gratuity in the circumstances felt like a lot considering the servers were not that attentive, but the restaurant was very busy until around 9pm. They were very accommodating for nut allergy and brought nut free dessert which was very nice. The food was decent but nothing special for pre-fixe, would not have chosen the fries if we had the choice! Very cool to try Serbian food, wish we could have had more variety. The meat was very nice and the highlight of the meal among the courses. Felt a bit like highway robbery for what we ended up getting. I would try again with smaller group, and be prepared to pay in cash!!!

They don't say anywhere in the internet that they don't accept cards, so you go till their restaurant and you realize you can't be served cause they don't accept cards So, too much expectation for their own cash way , for which you are very late notified. No further comments

We had a terrible experience at this restaurant. After waiting a long time for our food and trying to enjoy our evening, the staff kicked us out after just 1.5 hours because they had another reservation. No prior warning, no apology - just rude and abrupt behavior. The staff were incredibly disrespectful and clearly cared more about turning tables than providing any sort of hospitality. Would not recommend to anyone looking for a decent dining experience. Absolutely disappointing.

The food was ok. But what was really disappointing was the fact that they „rushed“ us out the restaurant after 1.5h! There was no warning whatsoever during the reservation that we would only have the table for 1.5h.. Keep this in mind in case you want to enjoy a full evening including live music with a group.

We sat down at 7pm. At 8pm we asked for another round of drinks and they said “we don’t think we have time.” The staff were rude and they just wanted to get us out so the next table can sit even though we made a reservation and were only an hour in. Food was good but the staff was very rude.

Massive disappointment. At first they gave us smallest flimsy table located outside out of restaurant premises. It was literally on sidewalk next to the cars parked on the street with exhaust fumes going directly towards us. Explanation for that was that we didn’t have reservation ( place was almost empty with just 1 table being occupied). We ordered food and in meantime realized that is impossible to eat on that table with exhaust fumes going towards us so we told waiter to make it to go. It took them 45 minutes to cook food and I repeat PLACE WAS EMPTY. I was not surprised when I opened to go boxes. Food was mediocre with no napkins, and no utensils. And just one last thing, no receipt, just some handwritten paper from waiter. Pictures can’t describe. Maybe it was not like this all the time but...

We ordered 2 appetisers, 2 entrees and drinks. After 1 hour and 15 minutes, the check came in with drink half full and not even asking for dessert and the waiter started to clean. This is not acceptable, 90 minutes is considered a rush dinner, 1 hour and 15 minutes is absolutely not acceptable, it ruins the date experience. BTW, I made a reservation. I am not coming back.