My last time to Brighton beach was well over 20 years ago. I remember it well. All of the…read morestorefronts with. Cyrillic writing, clothes, food with wonderful smells, trays and trays of caviar, just bursting out the door. And, a Starbucks. Today, not too many Eastern European businesses are left. Now, it's banks, cellular, provider, stores urgent care, a 7-11, even a Popeyes freaking fried chicken. Oh, and the Starbucks is still there. After walking out of a very bad experience at imereti Georgian cafe down the street (see separate review) I found this place. Boy, am I glad I did. I was seated in the front. The restaurant was gorgeous. ! I could hear a beautiful voice singing, Eastern European songs in the back of the restaurant and at one point,, he switched to Elvis's "I can't help falling in love with you" in English. That made me a little emotional, because that was my late partner's and my song... Anyway, I decided to go for the crêpes with red caviar (salmon roe), and the Ukrainian borscht. Bread and butter is brought to my table. The white bread was OK, but the brown bread had a deep rich flavor. The crêpes come first, and they were amazing. The crêpes were very warm, soft and delicious. I loved the "red caviar". A little bit salty, more briny than fishy, and a wonderful explosion of flavor when the eggs "pop." in the mouth. I was very happy. Next came the borscht. It had cabbage, beets, potatoes, and either beef or pork. I'm not sure which one. The meat , beets and potatoes was very tender, and the soup was delicious and not too rich. A very satisfying flavor., the beets gave it a little bit of an earthy flavor. The sour cream that came with it, just added a creamy richness to it without overtaking the flavor of the borscht. 1000% a home run. Dinner wasn't cheap. Two dishes, two iced teas (I found out they charge for refills), and tax, and it came out to about $48 before tip, .I didn't care. I don't mind paying extra if the food is that good, and this food was absolutely beyond awesome. I would be glad to come back and try other items on the menu. Thank you!

I have said this before and I will say it again, good food will only get you so far…read more That is putting it politely. Yes, the food is good. I enjoyed everything I ate, except some of it is on the saltier side, especially the pelmeni (a Russian tortellini). This was my first time eating these and I can say this is something I enjoyed. The Duck Legs are tasty, especially with the candied orange on top. It is not very boney and the portion of buckwheat received is generous and I ate every bit of that. The cheese blintzes are dense but also are a nice way to finish up. Free bread is served when you walk in and I ate this to an overall mixed result. The stumbling block for this restaurant is the service. Considering I was the only diner here during dinner, that is telling. The servers seemed to forget I was there and I often had to ask them to get me water. It was not until the third time I asked and was 45% of the way through my meal where they finally got it to me. The Kompot I got I enjoyed, but a cherry juice drink is not going to quench my thirst. Water will. I was also confused on how the meal is served. Perhaps that falls on me for a lack of cultural knowledge, but failing in the water game falls on them. It was only until the very end of the meal where I felt any sense of value here. The 1970's interior is something I did appreciate. All I needed was Russian caviar and the smell of cigars to take me back to a time when this was my fathers' Brighton Beach. However, I cannot endorse lackluster service. That is the biggest reason I will not be back, despite everything else.

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 had a birthday and we decided to have dinner at this restaurant. It has a very beautiful…read moreinterior, comfortable chairs. I would especially like to draw your attention to the menu. In addition to our favorite dishes of Azerbaijani cuisine, there are many delicious and unusual dishes. We ordered crispy eggplants, kutabs and a signature salad as an appetizer. For the main course: sturgeon shashlik, lula kebab, lamb shashlik, vegetables and grilled potatoes. Everything was very fresh and tasty, especially the crispy eggplants - amazing! In honor of the birthday, we were served free tea, 3 types of jam and Baku baklava. The waiter serving us was called Anar. Thank you for the excellent service! I would also like to note that the prices were reasonable, which is also important.

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.

Always consistently good! When you come here, you know what to expect, especially if you've been…read morebefore. Thr staff is nice and has that old school feel as it should since it's been around so long. The pierogies are really good, and I personally prefer them steamed, though you can also get them fried. I tried the egg noodles for the first time last night along with a four-piece order of potato pierogies. The onion and sour cream on the side are a must for the potato pierogies, and definitely ask for butter and mushroom gravy for the egg noodles. It makes for such a warm, comforting meal! There's so much more on the menu I still want to try. I'd definitely recommend stopping by if you're in the East Village!

Stumbled upon this place during a girls trip to NYC, and it ended up being the best food we had all…read moreweekend! We shared the pierogies (highly recommend the goat cheese and arugula one--make it a full meal with kielbasa sausage, caramelized onions, and sour cream), and tried the matzo ball soup, which tasted just like home. Don't miss the Bloody Marys either--so good! The food here was so similar to what my mom makes, which made it a special and comforting stop for me. Yes, it was super busy, but honestly, where in NYC isn't? The wait was actually shorter than at other spots we tried. If you're planning a trip or live nearby, I definitely recommend checking out this cute little restaurant!

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.

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.

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).

The restaurant was beautifully designed and decorated. The…read moremodern ambiance was very pleasing to the eye. The restrooms were also very clean and well appointed. The salad was very tasty and dressing light but flavorful. Each of us had a main and were pleased with the temperature, flavor and presentation! One Chicken Kiev was very good, another was borscht and they loved it. One had a broiled salmon platter and said it was delicious. My grilled shrimp was to perfection. Wait staff was efficient, friendly and experienced. We traveled quite far to meet here and would do it again! A great spot for friends to meet. Parking is available in a municipal lot for 2.00 an hour. Our waiter Z was excellent!

It's a modern twist on one of the most ancient culinary treasures, and it surprisingly works really…read morewell! I am from Tashkent, and original kebabs require a special type of lamb that you can't find in the US, so this is not the real thing, but it's as close as you can get to it here. Service and ambiance are both impeccable. 5 stars, which I don't give lightly. #UzbekCuisine #CoalKebabs #TashkentWayOfLife

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.

A friend who grew up in the Bronx had never gone to Brighton Beach. 'C'mon,' I said. 'Let's go!'…read more We didn't start off with a bang. Delicious elsewhere, their Ukrainian borscht -- one of my favorites -- fell a bit short. G ordered lobster bisque. Compared to a restaurant in Florida, Oceanview's soup had minimal lobster. Her rating, a measly '2 stars.' G's chicken kebob with grilled vegetables was as good as what I had here before. This time I ordered cutlets, fried with chopped chicken. It was okay, jazzed up with G's hot sauce. I won't get it again. With a glass of wine and a table outside, we enjoyed taking everything in: a heated argument between two Russian men cursing each other over parking. (It was like a skit from 'Saturday Night Live.') A table of locals chain-smoking ... I didn't think anyone smoked anymore. And of course, the rumble of the Q train above which is practically a signature of Brighton Beach. Lunch was actually pricey which is why we avoided both cafes on the boardwalk. In retrospect, we should've splurged on a scenic view for a few dollars more. 3.5 stars.

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.

Came here for lunch and tried a couple of the lunch specials…read more The breaded pork cutlet was my favorite over the kielbasa. Both pickle soups and white borscht soups were great. The two lunch dishes were enough food for 4 people.

Great show Great service as always smost of these places…read morealways have . The food was hit or miss but mostly okay over all. The food platter was a bit fishy but looked good . The steak was just okay sauce smelled a bit weird . Loved the marinated peppers and I don't like peppers ? Loved the fresh fish . Sushi nothing special at all. Good spot over all for years and will be until they close

Pork Shish Kabob Baby Octopus Salad…read moreExpresso Martini Server: Petroslav was an amazing professional. The outside was slammed, and this guy never missed a beat. Water filled. The food was flavorful. The pork kabobs were a bit fatty for my taste, but the meaty parts were packed with flavor. Great drinks. Great! My companions who brought me obviously loved their food as well. The atmosphere was scenic. The ocean view under the umbrella canopy was exactly where you wanted to be at the beginning of the summer. 5 stars: recommend to others.