I've been to Apteka many times and I have yet been able to get myself to order anything other than their potato dumplings and potato noodles with seasonal vegetables. Every bite has a nice and tender chewiness and seasoned right. The cocktails are so well made and great down to the last drop. There are very few restaurants that make me miss their meals and this is one of them. I truly crave Apteka's delicious meals very often. Come and experience this fabulous restaurant and your tastebuds will thank you. read more

Apteka - Potato noodles - Vegan Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Over our Pittsburgh weekend, Apteka was hands down my favorite meal. The food was inventive, delicious, and beautiful; the wine and cocktails were excellent; and the vibes/decor/service are great. Apteka was just cool, without losing the quality of the food (not style over substance; Apteka has style and substance)! Apteka is open for dinner Friday through Sunday from 5-10pm. We got there right at 5 at on a Sunday night. You order at the bar, so there was a bit of line to order when we arrived, but it moved pretty fast. Once you've ordered, they ask if you want a table inside or out and take you to a table. (There is no ordering service at the table, so you do have to go back to the bar to order another drink, glass of wine, dish.) We decided to sit outside. It was ultimately a bit too warm for me outside that day (July), but the outside seating is lovely and beautiful - wildflowers, gravel patio, cover. It's gorgeous. I wanted everything so ordering was torture. Actually, when I ordered, the staff told me that I ordered the equivalent of four entrees (it was just two of us)! I'm glad he told me, because my eyes were bigger than my stomach, and I struggled to decide what to order. We barely finished what we ordered after he recommended we cut at least one dish! We shared four dishes: the rzepa naciowa z chrzanem (rabe and milk weed buds dressed in smoked onion with horseradish and charred and pickled radish); wiosenna salatka (greens salad with pickled beets, herbs, shaved radish, spiced sunflower seeds, and roasted parsley vin); smazone pierogi (fried pierogi with two types in the order: (1) fava bean, herbs, potato, scallion and (2) shredded and seasoned cabbage, served with double fat, radish salad and herb crisp; and kotlet selerowy (celeriac schnitzel with beets, leek/apple salad, dill slaw, dilly potatos, and horseradish sauce). Of these dishes, the celeriac schnitzel is the only one I probably wouldn't order again; it was good but not great, and I wish I'd gotten the Silesian potato dumplings because they look amazing!! The other dishes were amazing, creative, delicious, and surprising. Some of them included ingredients I was unfamiliar with (milk week buds) or that were used in a new way that I loved (the herb crisp that comes with the pierogi)! Overall, I would say I loved the food. If I have a single complaint about the food, it's that even the small plates aren't that small. I found myself wishing the portions were a little bit smaller so that I could enjoy more of their dishes at a single meal! (FYI: I am a former vegan. I didn't even notice the menu was vegan until I showed it to my husband, and he said: "This Polish menu has no meat?!" Then I noticed the "Menu is entirely vegan" on the bottom of the menu! He wasn't thrilled with the idea of eating at a vegan restaurant, but we both really loved the food. Even if you're not vegan, this is delicious food.) With our meal, I had a glass of natural wine and he had a cocktail (house-made cherry cordial with whiskey and vermouth) - both were great and added to the meal. Overall, I just loved this meal. From the food to the drink to the service to the space itself - five stars. I'd happily return. Hopefully, I'll be back in Pittsburgh soon and get to try more of their food. read more

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This place is so different in the idea of cuisine but in the best way. The food is fresh and authentically polish. For meat eaters it is just veggies and such however, the pierogies are AMAZING. What made this experience amazing was the ambience and the staff. The staff was so patient and helpful when explaining all the different foods and wines/beers. I deeply care about hospitality and they went beyond! (SHOUTOUT TO ETHAN you were so kind!) read more

I don't think it matters if you are a carnivore or vegan, this place should appeal to all who love food. One of the best places in the city and, frankly, as I write this I wonder why I don't come more often. It's all so good. I don't even get the pierogis any more since I appreciate the wide variety of other delicious items that are pervasive across the menu. Best bet is to come with someone(s) who shares read more

Excellent ambiance. Felt like I was in a trendy New York restaurant. The vibe was very queer-friendly. Good service. Interesting method of delivery. You order and pay upfront. Know what you want in advance of arriving. I ordered the pierogis. Not your ordinary pierogi. The accoutrements added flavours difficult to describe but fun to experience. My friend ordered the schnitzel, which I tried. Not bad, but tasted like a potato pancake or has brown rather than imitation meat. My friends also got one of the desserts, which was good. read more

Apteka - Pierogis - Vegan Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The food was amazing! You wouldn't know it's vegan, if vegan isn't your thing. Nice atmosphere! Friendly Staff that will explain menu. Recommend going as a group of 4.Order all the mains, and share. Portions are just enough to get a taste of everything. Fun coctails to try! read more

If there a rumor there's a line before opening it's a GREAT indicator there's a reason why. So glad we decided to get in line at 4:30 and try this place for the first time. Serene atmosphere with happy workers. Food is hands down just delicious. We like to try places and move on to other great places but this one definitely will get a few more visits from us. Go and share all of your dishes for the best tasting experience! read more

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Easily a contender for best restaurant in Pittsburgh. In a different city, this restaurant would have a Michelin star. Every item on the menu is delicious and remarkably creative. Vegans and non-vegans alike will be on cloud 9. The sunflower ice cream is the perfect way to end your meal! read more

Apteka - Pierogis - Vegan Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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I love pierogies, so when I heard of this vegan polish restaurant I knew I had to give it a try. I feel like this place has become super popular, and I was excited to go and see what the hype is about! I read some reviews that commented on their archaic method for being seated at a table, but we had no problems. We went at around 530-6pm on a Saturday and waited for about 25 minutes for a table. We opted to sit outside in their little patio, and it was very cozy. We obviously looked at the menu while we waited to be seated, but the first thing you do is order all the food/drinks you want before you sit down (there is also an option to keep your tab open if you want to order more food later). For drinks we got a poppy seed soda and a black pepper soda. Both were really interesting. The poppy seed soda was kind of milky and sweet and the black pepper soda was kinda spicy (almost like ginger beer). For small plates, we ordered the pickled veggie plate (zakaski) and the potato salad (salatka z ziemniakow). The pickled veggie plate was really enjoyable. The bread it came with was perfect, and it was fun to mix and match the veggies on each piece of toast. They also pickle all their veggies in the restaurant. You can see the giant jars on the wall at the entrance. The potato salad was my favorite thing that we ordered. The potatoes were cooked perfectly, there were little crunchy bits in each bite, the asparagus was cooked perfectly, and the fresh herbs were refreshing. We also ordered the pierogi z- potato and cabbage. The beet horse radish, vegan sour cream, and czarna salsa that come with the pierogies is delicious. I'm still not sure what czarna salsa is (maybe a blend of peppers and black pepper to make a paste-like condiment)- whatever it is, it's amazing on pierogies. The pierogies we ordered are boiled not fried which I think would be my only complaint because I prefer a little crisp. Overall this was a really great dinner, and I would love to try some more items from Apteka's menu! read more

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This place was so fire! All the reviews are true, You won't be longing for meat in any dish, so much flavor as is.

Speechless. Best restaurant my boyfriend and I have ever been to. Line outside before doors open. Was confused at first but immediately understood afterwards. 10000000/10 read more

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Delicious vegan food in Eastern European style! Come early at 5pm or make your reservation, they are busy! We ordered smazone pierogi, pierogi z ziemniakami, and kopytka, started with with a zakaski, finished with ciasto rabarbarowe. Everything was delicious! Strongly recommended even you are not a vegan. Service was excellent too. read more

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Mixed review here. I really wanted to give a higher rating but with the hot weather and the wait, maybe my expectations were too high. My husband and I have been wanting to eat here but it hasn't worked out until tonight when we had no kids home. Saturday night. Place opens at 5. We parked across the street in the meter parking. Lots of spaces. There was already a Line of 20 some people before the doors opened. A nice host took our names and gave us a menu and asked if we were okay with sitting in the outside garden section which is covered by a tarp. We didn't think it was an issue at the time. The line outside moved pretty fast and helped that we already had a menu to look at. We got to the front counter and ordered all of the small playes except the beet soup. Then we were given a number. There was a slight misunderstanding when the host then asked if we were ok sitting at the bar. We said it was ok to sit in the outside area but we were looking at tge wrong seating area. Another waitress took us to the back where the seating is under a tarp. The seating is very rustic like old wood bench seating and chairs. Gravel floor. Pretty flowers. It was very uncomfortable for us older people, especially since it was 92 degrees and there weren't any fans. The heat didn't hit until halfway thru our meal. I think it would have helped if there had been ice in our glasses of water. I'm sure we could have walked back inside to get ice from the bar or ask, but we didn't. The waiter and waitresses are very good, so great service. The small plates are NOT small, so great for sharing. Lots come with bread which is very filling. We ended up bringing a lot home for leftovers. I wasn't blown away with the food but I did appreciate having things that tasted dairy but weren't (me being lactose intolerant). My favorite really was the cauliflower small plate, the salad small plate, the grainy thick bread, and some bean thing on the plate that came with carrot pate. See, I really didn't know what I was eating which was fun. Definitely try dessert. We had the walnut cake with walnut ice cream. Again a plus for me since I rarely get ice cream at a restaurant that is nondairy. I can't seem to be able to give another 1/2 star for the experience itself. I'm hoping to try this place again when it is not summer and also try the main courses. read more

Apteka is a vegan restaurant that has so much flavor bursting from its dishes. Apteka has a very peaceful ambiance and it is really lovely dining here. I love how they change the dish ingredients depending on what is fresh and in season. I've dined a few times and I love ordering a few shareable plates: salad of choice, fried pierogi, steamed pierogi, and a wine or a non-alcoholic drink. read more

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The ambiance was really nice just walking in and the staff were friendly! It was a really fun experience trying different dishes that I wouldn't have thought would taste as good as it did. TMI warning: with the dishes we ate, they were on the more seasoned side and also left us gassy later but is to be expected with the ingredients used read more

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Intro: This restaurant has been a favorite of my friends for a while but after it came up on New York Time's Top 50 Restaurants for 2022, they insisted I try it. So, when I visited Pittsburgh, we naturally had to try. We went in as a party of 3 with no reservations and were told we would have to wait about 30-45 minutes. Food: All the food here is vegan and Eastern European. Definitely something I don't have too much experience with, but I absolutely loved it. We decided to share all the plates we ordered. For the appetizer, we had the Nalesniki z Roza which were crepes with rosehip jam and yogurt. I had a hundred guesses for what the flavor profile would be, but I was completely wrong. To me, it was an interesting mix somewhere between sweet and sour with a lovely texture. Next came spaetzle noodles with cabbage and oyster mushroom (Kluski Lane). Noodles were delicious and hearty (I didn't think you could describe noodles as hearty, but it's the best word I can come up with). It also had a lovely smoky aroma and taste as well! Definitely loved this one. The next two arrived at a similar time: Smazone Pierogi and Kluski Slaskie. These were amazing and full of flavor. Super rich, filling, and amazing. Something about eating warm, potato dumplings and fried pierogi in a cold night just makes it so much better. For the dessert, we ordered the Placek z Wisniami z Lodami (preserved dark tart cherry crumb cake), Rurki z Kremem (rolled tuilles) and hazelnut cream Paczki. They were all quite good but my favorite of the trio were the glazed donuts (Paczki). Amazingly, all of them were not overly sweet and had different flavors working through it as well (fruity, tart, etc.) Tl;dr: Amazing vegan Eastern European food and in my opinion well worth the spot on the Top 50. Personal rating: 9/10 read more

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It ridiculous that they take reservations for parties of 4 but not two. Also yelp is not even close to being accurate. It said expect a 15 minute wait. We were told 45 min but waited over an hour and a half. Thanks but no thanks. read more

Overall great experience and food. The garden was quaint and simply lovely. The food was flavorful and does not sit heavily in my stomach. I was definitely full. I tried the crumble cake with cherries, but thought it was a bit too dry read more

Second visit to Apketa, now running a junk-food inspired vegan menu under the whimsical alias "Crapteka" (mid-January 2025 visit). Arrived at 4:15 on Saturday in mid-January and was able to get in for the first seating at 5:00. Indoor seating was the way to go on this cold winter evening; it's a comfy, warm, simply beautiful space. No pretense here. The Klasyk burger was incredible as were the peanut oil fried french fries (a touch over salted). The sunflower seed milk-based milkshakes are unbelievable (I had pistachio), but I advise sharing it and the fries with your dining buddy. It's a lot of food and don't assume vegan means "light." Crapteka sticks to your ribs. If you must, you can order take out and they'll take care of you. If you're dining in, be ready to place your order as you walk in, so you don't keep your fellow diners waiting through your lack of decisiveness. (It's hard to go wrong here, people. Go for it.) Take the number to your table; close out your tab on the way out and don't forget the tips are shared! Thanks for the lovely evening. read more

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Even though I am not a vegan, this all-vegan-menu eatery is my go-to recommendation for vegetarian and vegan visitors to Pittsburgh on weekends. Far from the typical tourist areas, it's located in a neighborhood with grit and it's representative of the immigrant history of a bygone era. There is both metered (free on Sundays) and short visit exception permit street parking. It's also ideal to have a party of four so you can both make a reservation and order several of the small plates and large plates to share. We arrived before they opened their doors at 5 o'clock on a sunny cool Sunday in early April, and there were at least a dozen people ahead of us. Thankfully, we were still early enough to be offered either inside or outside seating when the hostess was walking down the line making her list and handing out menus to peruse as you order at one of two cashiers before being shown to your table. What I liked most was how fast the food runners started delivering food to our table. The key is though if ordering dessert, go back to the cashier and order it before your done eating your other plates as we waited some time for the dessert to make its way out. Once you've eaten and drank you fill, you go to the cashier and close your tab. Good luck to their chefs, Kate Lasky and Tomasz Skowronski, who has been nominated for a James Beard award! read more

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incredible food, incredible ambiance, incredible concept, I cannot say enough about this restaurant! each menu item was perfectly balanced with fresh herbs and spices and I absolutely loved the delivery of this plant based eastern european cuisine. every staff member was very attentive and knowledgeable. the layout of the restaurant was simple yet inviting, I felt transported to a european cafe. my favorite menu items were the ikra z bulka (summer vegetable dip) and the kluski slaskie (silesian potato dumplings). the drinks were delicious and I really appreciate the house made syrups. overall a 10/10 experience! read more

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How good was it? So good I didn't even take a picture of the food! Honestly I would probably give it 4.5 it I could, just because I thought some of the appetizers were a bit lame, but the pierogis were SPECTACULAR. Decor: very cute and hipster, I go to Portland Oregon a lot because I have family there and this place was VERY Portland to me. From the ordering at the counter to the big jugs of water it's just a very chill but still up-scale/clean vibe. Service: the staff was very nice and attentive and they were happy to make recommendations! They were accommodating about putting sauces on the side instead of on top, and they were patient enough to explain what was in what we were eating when we asked. Food/drinks: I think the appetizers are a little bit lame. We got the pickle plate which was a pretty small portion for the price in my opinion, but it was fine--probably wouldn't get it again. We probably wouldn't re-order any of the apps. For the mains we got the fried pierogis and the boiled pierogis and both were fantastic. I don't even LIKE pierogis usually, but I was blown away. Seriously could not recommend more highly. It's not often that I feel genuinely surprised by a place, but Apteka did it. I definitely understand the James Beard nomination. For a drink, I got a whiskey/cordial mix. It was good, but very tart! read more

Apteka - Cherry cocktail - Vegan Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Mind-blowing. Now, I'm a positive person in general, but it's safe to say Apteka was the best food I'd ordered in a very long time. The pandemic ordering can be a pain, but we've had Apteka twice and each time our palates were just delighted with the savory and sour goodness. The dishes held up well when we had to drive our takeout home. Pierogi: splendid. Not the greasy wet kind (though those are good too); these have a delicious wrapper that's moist on the inside, somewhat puffy, and with a crisp on the outside. The fillings: we've had mushroom and spinach/potato. Both are good but the mushroom is more flavorful. Both are excellent paired with the best vegan sour cream I've ever tasted, and the other fixings (cabbage, etc). Vegetable plates change a lot. We had roasted endive (?) with toasted hazelnuts and sour cherries. It was an adventure and all the flavors melded perfectly. We've also had potatoes and some kind of plum, which is essentially like the potatoes from the best roast you've ever had, minus the meat. Basically any vegetable plate, we adored. The paczki are okay - a bit on the dry side. Though the fillings (while meager) are tremendous. Anything potato is top-notch. We had these flat, thick patties with various toppings and they were incredible. The sour soup around Easter is not for the faint of heart (my SO hated it), but if you love sour, you will probably share my adoration of it. All the accompanying bread is so, so good. Hearty and the taste is incredible. We loved the apple cake (kind of an apple crumb cake) as well. Yelp is glitching so I'll add my photos later. This vegan Polish food rocks. read more

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The waiting experience is TERRIBLE, only visit if you have a lot of time to waste. Arrived at 5pm, waited for 40 mins before a staff attended to us, and told us to leave our phone number as there is another 45-60 minutes of wait. read more

Vegan Polish cuisine. I wish I could eat here everyday. Traditionally, pierogis are boiled and not fried. So, get the boiled pierogis with the vegan sour cream made of cashew and almond cream. Delish! read more

This place is fabulous. Just go. You order at the counter and pay (or leave open a tab), then are seated. Parking can be a challenge since it's on the street but it's worth it. The flavors are spot on and the servers are great. Absolutely worth a stop. read more

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Wow absolutely recommend. The ambiance of this restaurant gives nice and classy but at the same time super hip. The whole menu is vegan and it seriously does not disappoint. Everything was so tasteful and unique in its presentation. Waiters were also very helpful in picking out what they recommend. read more

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Service was more like a fast food restaurant. Our food was ordinary at best and the pierogies were hard and deep fried. So different from good homemade ones.There was NO ambiance! It felt like a cafeteria. read more

Great service, everyone was very kind when trying to make a decision. Wasn't sure what half the menu said but my table ordered a bunch of items to try. Still don't really know what I ate but it was all amazing including the cocktails. read more

We had to wait for an hour to get a table here on a Saturday evening. But the quality of food made up for the long wait. I'm so bad with the names of the dishes here: I could barely pronounce them. You order at the counter, pick up plates and water and then get seated, which I thought was weird. After you enter the restaurant, you have to still wait in a line to order. We got the Zakaski and the Letnie Pierogi and the semolina tea cake with black tea. I also got the iced mint tea. Everything but the dessert were fantastic!! The cake was embedded with plums and was dry and not to my taste. Although we shared the plates, we were full by the end of this meal. Service was fast and the staff were friendly, I would definitely visit again to try more dishes! read more

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It's pretty difficult to say something about Apteka that hasn't already been said by countless others, including the New York Times. So I will just say that as an avowed carnivore, I was not just pleased with this restaurant: I was absolutely blown away. I am a diner of a certain age and standing in line to order is not always my favorite thing to do but Apteka is absolutely worth it. The flavors were so unbelievably punchy, the food was all so fresh and delicious, and the level of enjoyment that I had was completely completely unexpected. I highly recommend a pierogi and the salad, but the absolute highlight this meal was the celeriac schnitzel. Sitting on their patio and candlelight made the whole experience even more sublime. read more

Delicious vegan food in Pittsburgh! Amazing wine selection. Helpful staff and beautiful restaurant.

Apteka was a fantastic experience. I came with just one other person, so couldn't get a reservation, and waited approximately 20-30 minutes on a weekend evening. Neither of us are vegan, but we had heard good things about Apteka so were excited to give it a try! The food here lived up to all its hype. It was beautiful, so delicious, very unique in its flavors, good portion sizes, reasonable prices, and the restaurant and service were all lovely. We are already looking forward to our next return. read more

Apteka - Vegan Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I love the atmosphere of Apteka, it's very open and minimal. The menu selection is a bit confusing for a first timer, but the girl at the front was extremely helpful with letting us know exactly what we were ordering (thankfully) You order at the counter, and food is brought out at the same time. I can't really rate the service because no one really interacted with except for the food runner. The food was very, very good! read more

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Very busy, make sure you have time to wait for your table because they are packed. Food is great and fast. read more

Apteka - Vegan Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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I was honestly shocked at all the 5 star reviews for Apteka after experiencing it myself and I honestly teetered between a 3 and a 4 star. My husband and I both left thinking the whole experience was just... weird. He had put in a reservation for our one year wedding anniversary. It was a Sunday night, later in the night - I think 8. A lot of the experiences we've been having lately aren't mainly about the food, but by the staff. This was no exception. We walked in the door to a line at the host stand, and a busy restaurant. Once it was our turn my husband was cutoff before he could even speak and the host asked "There's an hour wait for walk-ins". He stated that we had a reservation and were just there to check in. She told us it would be a few minutes and to wait in the lobby or outside. I'm not really sure why they wouldn't say hello or even ask us if we have a reservation first but... anyways. The hostess who sat us told us to go to the bar to order food and that we don't have a server. We went up to the side of the bar closest to the door since there was no line, were waiting to get served, and the hostess told us to go to the other side of the bar to order. I'm not sure why, both sides were open. The bartender seemed in a rush to take our order and when we asked for recommendations he didn't really seem like he cared to offer many. He did give a few after we told him we would be sharing multiple, but it wasn't insanely helpful. As we sat back down at our table, a man and woman next to us made a comment about how weird the restaurant and staff were. We laughed and shrugged it off. Once we did get our food everything felt VERY rushed. At one point the same hostess took a plate off our table that we had JUST finished grabbing a bite from, like she was watching and waiting for us to be done. Honestly, the food was good, but the main thing that stood out were the pierogis, which you can get pretty much anywhere in the city. Pros: -Fresh, fresh food. In house ferments. Everything is pretty much made from scratch, and it shows! -A lot of the dishes you can hardly even tell are vegan. Definitely elevated vegan food that's hard to find. -Cool atmosphere. Definitely a little hipster, but the atmosphere was cozy and welcoming. Cons: -A lot of the food can end up tasting the same. I do think this is the same for a lot of food inspired by that region but nonetheless. -The staff. What in the world... I have been seeing this so much in restaurants lately. I get it. People are rushed, people get frustrated. But starting off by a simple hello to a customer versus a negative statement goes. -Experience. My husband had told them it was our anniversary in his reservation, mentioned it to the bartender, and no one said anything. Now - I'm not saying we need a pat on the back or a free meal, but in the past almost every restaurant would ask if we wanted to split a desert or cocktail or something like that for the occasion. They didn't mention a thing. I don't know if that's a CON per se, but for a restaurant that has so many 5 stars. Overall: I guess we just expected more. Maybe they just had an off night, but would I go back? Meh. Probably if friends asked, but I wouldn't go out of my way to do so. Which, to be honest, the location is out of the way for us. Would I love to learn from the chef about their ferments and processes? Absolutely yes. read more

Great food ever for those that are not vegan! Drinks you do need to go up to the bar for.

Delicious and unique. A great mix of comfort food and high cuisine. I love how lively the restaurant feels while the low lighting and small tables make the atmosphere cozy. Great guidance on menu selections from the waitstaff. read more

Love this place! Great vibe, food and service! It was so busy for a Sunday which was so nice to see. Can't wait to go back

Overall very nice service however the oil that the food was served in had gone rancid and ended up giving me and my girlfriend food poisoning. I had been to speak before and liked it however this time it just felt like the restaurant had gotten lazy with service and quality. The food made me nauseous on first bite we had gotten pirogies which were both cold and very dry. Also for 20$ an entree for cold rancid food is a bit much with no table service. Then on top of that the waiting area is not seprate from the tables you just get frantic looks all evening making any person feel rushed. We were told the wait would be an hour and ended up being an hour forty which was annoying. read more