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Austin, TX

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Balkan Cafe & Grill

4.5 (366 reviews)

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BALKAN CAFE & GRILL ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Classy
Casual
Quiet
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Balkan Cafe & Grill

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Ravioli
Sarah L.

Space: super cute cozy spot, we came here because a while ago, we went next door to Santorini cafe and saw this place we knew we wanted to come back. Very cute and cozy vibes upon entering, there wasn't a single person outside or inside when we came, I felt sorry since they were so sweet and the food was amazing. Please go check these guys out, I promise it's worth the visit! The staff is super friendly and welcoming as well:) Food: I was craving some pasta so I got the penne alla vodka and my partner got the burek pita. They gave us some toasted ravioli as a sample and wow, those were so good. It was like a mozzarella stick but more balanced. Then.. the food came and I LOVED IT!!! The penne alla vodka with shrimp OH chiefs kiss!! Absolutely amazing. Wow, it was so good. The burek pita was a bit bland in my opinion, maybe I'm just not the target audience and maybe because I took a bite right after the pasta. Still super cool, I love trying new cuisines! Definitely will be back, I love this small gem that we found!! Pasta: 8/10 (the shrimp was $7 more which was quite steep considering there was only 6 shrimp but it was still so good!) Burek: 2/10 again, just not for me personally, but super cool to try new things! Toasted ravioli: 10/10 honestly best appetizer I've had in a really long time Overall: 9/10!!

Cevapi
Sandy G.

Stumbled upon this restaurant as I was looking for lunch options and it did not diaappoint. I've never had Balkan food before and wanted to try something that's authentic and native to the region. Their menu consists of burgers and salads but since I wanted to try something more native to the region, the server provided some recommendations and I decided on the Cevapi. At initial glance, it didn't look too impressive but I was pleasantly surprised by how good it tasted. The sauce it came with complemented it really well. I would definitely get it again! As a side note, I did ask about the some of the food I'd had seen photos of here on their Yelp page, however I learned that some of those items unfortunately had been taken off the menu as business had slowed during the Covid years. Maybe they will bring some of those items back in the future *fingers crossed*

Crappy not so Balkan menu.
Erika N.

THIS RESTAURANT NEEDS TO REBRAND AND CHANGE THEIR TITLE. DOES NOT SERVE BALKAN FOOD. SERVED AMERICAN FOOD. For folks who Loved the delicious Serbian food being served at this establishment, prepared to be disappointed. The menu has completely changed. Not only has it changed but the atmosphere is just weird now. There is nothing remotely Balkan about their menu except for a couple of things. They changed their menu from the traditional Serbian food we all used to eat and into the same cookie cutter American food so many restaurants are known for. This is the worst mistake they could have made because that menu itself was what set it apart from other competitors in the area. And now they want to go and look like everyone else? Something smells fishy. Look at the photos I attached. We gave the food a try and although it was good it was nothing to write home about. So many of the areas where people could have sat were now stuffed with these stupid gambling machines. From a business development perspective, if you're having to rely on gambling machines to get more foot traffic in the door then your business is a fail. The atmosphere looks much less cozy and family friendly which is going to hurt this business overall foot traffic...not help it. It's an incredibly shady. The ambience is not what it used to be and I find it unethical to call themselves Balkan when it's just crappy American food. It's insulting on top of that. This restaurant needs to do themselves a favor, pack their things, and go to 6th Street where this type of business model would be more appropriate. The title really needs to be changed. After we got our food, a couple of customers came in also disappointed by the lack of Serbian food on the menu.

Pepperoni panini with fries
Vicky N.

I came here with a friend who came here regularly years ago. I'd never been here before, but he said the menu's changed a lot since he last visited Balkan. The interior also changed, updated with a giant arcade game and a wall of internet gambling PCs. The service was great, the staff was really polite and attentive. We both got paninis. I got the pepperoni panini and my friend got the chicken panini. You can choose a side of fries or a salad, and we both chose fries. Fries were hot, but a little salty. Panini was well toasted and pressed. I actually liked mine more than I expected to. I've never had Serbian food before so idk if what we ordered could actually be called Serbian food.... If you're looking for a chill and low-key lunch spot in the area, I'd recommend Balkan.

Meat Platter
Andrew L.

I've been to Balkan Cafe twice in the past few months and to be honest have been mostly underwhelmed. The staff has been friendly and I like their space, but food wise I haven't had anything that has me itching to go back. My first time I went for the Balkan Meat Plate to get a variety of their offerings. The portion size was good for the price, but quality wise it felt like a sampler platter from a hotel or conference buffet type of lunch. The sausage had the best flavor of the three, but thats really more a testament to the lack of flavor in the chicken and pork. When the breading flavor is the first thing that comes to mind on a pork chop, I certainly think something has gone wrong. For my second go around I went on a rare chilly day and had the Beef Veggie Stew and Turkish Coffee. I definitely enjoyed this experience more, the stew was hearty and satisfied that desire for something warm and savory on a cold day. The coffee was super strong, but even for Turkish Coffee I thought the portion size was laughably small. Overall, I haven't experienced anything at Balkan Cafe I can recommend in particular to make them worth a visit. Particularly with the multitude of ethnic food options in the area, I think you are better served taking your business elsewhere.

Turkish Coffee. It's unfiltered meant to be sipped. It's served with hard sugar and some jelly candy.
Jeff B.

A small quiet restaurant. The menu is decent and the food is very good. The service was excellent! It is a nice place to dine without the hustle and bustle of other restaurants. It's clean and plenty of parking. There are specials and even desert! Stop by the Balkin Cafe & Grill the next time you feel like trying something different.

Side Sopska Salad
Chanel M.

Always in my quest to try all things new... I noticed a couple pics of their offerings online so I decided to try out Balkan for a late lunch today. I decided on the Mesano Meso (meat platter) which comes with 4 beef sausages, a chicken filet and a breaded pork loin and for my side I got the Sopska Salad which consists of cucumber, tomato and raw onion mixed with oil & vinegar and topped with a ton of feta cheese. It was clear to the server that it was my first time there as I asked questions to ensure I had the correct sauces to go with my meal. She assured me the best sauce to accompany all the meats was the ajvar sauce which I ordered a side of. You can only imagine all the F-Bombs (there were lots) I dropped when I got alllll the way home and found no sauce whatsoever in the bag to accompany all that meat. Ugh. I was totally upset about that and apparently I was also mistaken thinking that the platter would come with a side of pita bread... it did not. Despite the no sauce dilemma, I thought the meats were good. The grilled chicken filet was juicy and tender, the beef sausages were tasty and were packed with a good flavor profile and the breaded pork loin was delicious. The piece I had was just a bit tough and was very crisp on the edges but perhaps the ajvar sauce would've made it even better... I dunno. I have to say that the Sopska salad was great along side all of that meat. The veggies were super fresh and were so flavorful paired with all that feta cheese. Overall I enjoyed my meal and will most likely return to try out their Gulas (Beef Stew) and perhaps finally taste the infamous ajvar sauce

Balkan burger with fries
Jordan W.

I was questionable about coming in here as it's in a little strip center next to a barber shop and another Greek restaurant. However, it's not a bad location and it is good if you have a little group to come study, or to just have a quick bite to eat. The bar isn't that big (only 4-5 seats), but it's a good space to come and take a load off after work. The menu isn't really enormous in food selection, but there are plenty of small dinners and salads one can have if not too hungry. They also have a thorough selection of house wine, and various other drinks if you're in a relaxing mood. I had the Balkan burger, which is a burger with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and cheese. The burger was really tender and delicious (it's some sort of special veal meat), but the bun was a bit crunchy for my taste. However, this is a nice little meal if you don't want to cook at home or settle for some other fast food place. I think I'll have a salad or something else the next time I come here. All the food choices other than the burger are a bit pricey, but I'm sure they are delicious as the pictures look. Come on in for lunch or dinner, and bring a colleague. It's right next to a sports facility for volleyball as well, so it may get a bit busy when they let out, but it was pretty slow when I went and investigated.

Meat platter with ajvar sauce
Collins D.

Place: awesome vibes and cool spot with character on the inside and homey vibes. There are two sand volleyball courts out back which is actually what caught my eye and brought me here first. Would love to play on them some time Food: Balkan food which is the region of southeast Europe north of Greece. I got the meat platter because I wanted to try something super traditional. It was fresh and delicious. It's real food and you can just taste that the meat and everything is better than at quick serve places. It might seem a bit bland to some people but the ajvar sauce helps (made from eggplant, red peppers, and paprika). But despite the little seasonings you can taste how delicious the meat itself is and you get to experience the real taste of the food. I am grateful to be able to experience and appreciate some real Balkan region food right from austin. Price: all other items seem well priced and I will definitely be back for the beef stew and other traditional items. For the meat platter, it ended up coming to around $18 with tip and the portion size wasn't actually as large as I was hoping. It's definitely a big portion but I usually choose buffets or other places where I can make sure I leave very satisfied for the price. But for the experience, it was well worth it.

The epic scampi and garlic knot, I'd do it again.
Cassirae R.

I'm breaking my own rule, I like to review a place after showing up at least a couple of times. This place is worth a first time review. I was greeted by a friendly staff member upon arrival, very attentive made sure I was taken care of immediately. (felt like I was in another country with this kind of service) I started with logging myself into their wifi because yo' girl has to work. Then ordered the espresso martini, (what a delight) it wasn't too sweet and was comparable to high end cocktail spots except it was under $10. I had the lunch shrimp scampi. I rarely go for the pasta but I was feeling it today. The shrimp was cooked to perfection and was super fresh, the flavor of the butter sauce was on point and plentiful to cover each noodle! I would definitely order this again. I normally set the brea aside when ordering pasta, but after that first bite; my eyes glazed over and I became the carb monster I try and keep in the closet. I ate the whole dang thing! It was tender, flakey, buttery, and melted in my mouth. I ordered another adult beverage, (mind you, still working) and the balkan pear whatever it's called was the perfect pallet cleanser to end the meal. I don't like sharing these hidden gems but I hope other foodies can appreciate this cute spot. Great for date nights, remote workers, affordable eats and coffee.

Qingbo Z.

Very nice family owned business. We ordered pita sampler and mixed meats. Fresh and delicious. Waitress is nice. Will come again

Turkish coffee

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1 year ago

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Photo of Senka S.
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1 year ago

Very subpar food. I had ćevapi. Bread was soggy and meat was not very tasty. Service was great but not very good Balkan food.

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4 years ago

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5 years ago

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1 year ago

Chopped salad special was delicious and service was great! Already planning next visit back.

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4 years ago

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Business owner information

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Zivojin Z.

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7 years ago

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3 years ago

Service and experience were good. Very casual, good food. You must try it! It's a treat for me.

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7 years ago

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Page 1 of 10

Ask the Community - Balkan Cafe & Grill

No more goulash?

You call them I think they have beef& veg stew everyday.

Do they allow hookah smoking inside?

No only on the patio.

Do they allow dogs in the patio?

Yes our patio is dog friendly

View All 6 Questions

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