Borsch, Vodka and Tears is somewhere I've been wanting to try for a while. I finally got my chance yesterday. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. It's not huge inside, so if you really want to go there for a particular meal/event, make sure you call ahead and make a booking. The decor is European style, I suppose, but the table they sat us at, was right next to an open style kitchen and I hate that. It's not fun looking at them cooking the food, and to me, it just ruined the aesthetics. We were there for brunch, and I ordered the Potato Blintzes, because I LOVE blintzes. But they were NOT blintzes. They were potato pancakes/latkes. I was so disappointed. The description in the menu itself described the dish perfectly, but given the heading, I must not have registered that the description and name of the dish were a conflict. I wouldn't have ordered that dish. Having said that, the food was flavourful, but the pancakes/latkes - NOT blintzes - were very oily and I couldn't finish them because I started feeling queasy. The service was good and the staff were friendly, but you know what? I've tried it, and not been swayed to go back again. If a restaurant can't get the food right, well ... there are other places to go to. read more

Borsch Vodka & Tears - Bars Near Me - Windsor, VIC

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This was the first restaurant I ever went to in Melbourne, and I've been in love ever since! It's fairly small so if you're planning on dropping by on a weekend, you might want to organise it ahead of time or head in early. As I'm a creature of habit, I usually order the same thing every time: pierogi and a Bloody Mary. The pierogi are amazing, served up with minted sour cream and a ton of diced pickles. See, I usually wander in on a Sunday afternoon, slightly hungover, so the dark interior paired with the Bloody Mary and hearty comfort food is honestly the best cure I could ask for! If you're in for dinner all of the platters are pretty amazing. Meats, pickles, cheese, vegetables. Each plate is fantastic, and VERY filling. Fantastic. My boyfriend and I ordered one as an appetiser and I seriously think it could have been the main event! I've never really had any vodka other than whatever's in the Bloody Mary, so I can't really speak for that. The menu is pretty impressive, though! The wait staff do have a habit of being a bit too cool for school, but I'll forgive them simply because there's nowhere else in the city to get decent Ukrainian food. read more

Amazing food and killer drinks! I went here with one other guest and we scarfed down everything that was put on our table. The waitress serving us was more than happy to give us recommendations. The food also came promptly, despite the place being packed. I will say, although the drinks are to die for, the average price for one vodka drink is about $14. But very much worth it. Also, reservations are a must. There is a reason this place is packed every night :) read more

Borsch Vodka & Tears - Bars Near Me - Windsor, VIC

Nor as good as Babcia's Barszcz or Pierogi, but that's no surprise. :). All in all a great experience and lovely food, but I'm blown away by the quality Vodkas on offer. Thumbs up. Na zdrowie read more

I really didn't know too much about Polish cuisine before I stumbled across Brosch Vodka and Tears, but honestly thank god I did. There is something so authentic and rustic about this place, as soon as you walk in you a greeted and treated like one of the family. Quaint little tables and chairs inside as well as picnic tables outside in the breeze start your experience off with a glass of fruit water. Now before you stop me and insist you need something stronger than a glass of WATER, just try it, it is like nothing I have ever had, they have jugs up at the bar of water that has been infused with fruits, herbs and spices and it is an experience in it's own. Ok now for the cocktails; these are to die for, with a very impressive list of European as well as infused vodkas, it is safe to say anything you order off the drinks menu will be a winner. The food here at Borsch Vodka and Tears is equally as impressive everything tastes like a home cooked meal. Highly recommend for anytime of day/night, drinks/meals... water. read more

Borsch Vodka & Tears - Bars Near Me - Windsor, VIC

Borsch Vodka & Tears is the best place to spend time alone or with friends. This place is a new culture, new traditions, unknown to me. I like the atmosphere, the food, the people. The most preferred place is the table from the window. I can stay alone and just see how the world is going. The name of the restaurant amused me. Why? Because I have read what the name means. It's a very good idea. My favorite food is Lamb Ragout. It's very tasty !! So, try! It will be tasty, cheerful and pleasant. read more

This was one of the worst examples of customer service I have experienced in recent times. Booked a table for two. Nice and easy. We arrived on time and were seated immediately. Then we waited. And waited. And waited. Half an hour later, a staff member asked if there was anything needed. We ordered our meals and a round of drinks. Yes. It took half an hour to order some drinks. It took about 10 minutes to get our drinks. A further half hour elapsed prior to our entre being served - soup. Then we ate that. Looking forward to another round of drinks. No one offered. No one refilled the table water. An hour and fifteen minutes into the experience, we had to give them the fifteen minute warning for us to be leaving. They had not commenced preparing the main meal. There were no more rounds of drinks. Eventually, we decided to leave. We received our main meal in boxes and took them with us. Soup was good. Meals and drink expensive. Service terrible. read more

Borsch...what can I say. Borsch: the food is sensational, it isn't known for its breakfast but they should be! Get the baked eggs or the vege bvt for a true polish morning delight, even though breakfast is served until 3pm Advice # 2 try their coffee!! The staff make the best coffee and I am a soy drinker. So that's not always an easy task. Advise #3 their cocktails. For the coffee drinkers do not go past the espresso martini. For the fruity cocktail lovers velvet fog is the way to go. So in my opinion, you could spend a full day at Borsch quite happily. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, cocktails but don't forget about some of the best coffee in Melbourne! read more

I adore Poland and have spent a lot of time in that atmospheric, historical, fascinating country, including seven weeks in Krakow some years back. I was prepared to write off BVT as another pierogi pretender, but happily I found close to the real deal. The cozy, candlelight atmosphere took me back to some of my favourite cafe bars in Kazimierz and the pieorogis tasted delicious and authentic. The menu is vast and includes a plethora of Polski favourites with an Ashkenazi Jewish twist: dill pickles with horseradish and capers, roasted honeyed carrots, creamy chicken stroganoff, beetroot cooked every which way, smoked fish, and of course, VODKA. If you're a fan of the humble potato and grain based boozy stuff, BVT has got you covered. You've got your fancy (and seriously good) cocktails, your hard stuff (shots all around!), and your mixed drinks. I recommend going the delightful herbal zubrowka and apple juice route. Contrary to other reviews, I found the service here to be a step above most establishments in Melbourne: Friendly, prompt, and enthusiastic, despite the busy Friday night rush. Na zdrowie! read more

Order the saganaki and you'll get two saganaki slabs, each the size of a porterhouse steak. So much saganaki that you'll consider something you long thought impossible... "Is this *too much* saganaki?". You can probably stop reading now - I think that's enough of an endorsement? From the blintz to the pierogi to the borscht. Simple food, delicately made and wonderfully executed. Actually, when I say "simple" that's not fair. Try and make a pierogi that even approximates theirs and you'll be tearing your hair out. The drinks menu is out of control. There is a combinatorial explosion of drink types and the kinds of vodka you can try. Fortunately the staff are all quite well versed and can steer you in the right direction. My vote is for a straight-up Martini and mix it up (pun intended) with your matching vodka selection. Tips - Do take the time to book as it's always busy. Plus, it's really easy to over-order. The meals are generous, so get advice from the staff on what's reasonable. read more

Although I've been to Vodka borsch and tears many times, I've been putting off a review due to the fact that I haven't a recent chance to go again due to the fact that it's always insanely busy. I am also a fan of pierogi but didn't have them on my recent visit. The outside tables, of which there are very few and scant are always occupied. Inside, it's a better chance and whilst you peruse the vodka compendium, which is far too easy to get lost in and forget what it is you're actually ordering. Then there's the getting lost in waves of vodkas, then switching to other drinks, then finishing with a bloody Mary because by some unknown and irrational logic, the tomato juice will make it filling and I won't need to order another drink. Staff are good and i give them credit for being under the pump for the majority of the hours they work. Always come back, and have been multiple times. read more

The other day I came here and ordered a cocktail so delicious it changed my life. It instantly took me not only back in time but all the way to eastern Europe. I felt like I was in Poland experiencing life like my grandfather, drunk and surrounded by polish dumplings. Out of nowhere appeared a gypsy band, to this day I don't know if it was a figment of my drunken imagination or this is just one hell of a place to drink. read more

Borsch Vodka & Tears - Bars Near Me - Windsor, VIC

We've been there a couple of times with friends, and the place is very cozy in a Polski environment while being in a centralized location on Chapel St. They offer yummy traditional food & wide variety of drinks to enjoy. Prices are affordable & there is an outdoor seating for smokers. read more

Hungarian lamb stew - simply devine. My favourite dish that just melts in your mouth. However their actual Beetroot borsh is brilliant too. The overwhelming drinks menu can easily be tackled by ordering a drink tasting platter - three delicate little shots of pure joy -- I usually leave it up to them to surprise me with an Absynth selection. read more

First is drunk for health Second is for pleasure Third is for tears Fourth is for madness read more

There are way too many restaurants in this culturally diverse gastronomic city to not eat in a new place and explore a new culture every single day for at least several years...! So this evening it was off to Poland-Down-Under for Borsch, Vodka & Tears. The place was packed; however, we saw an open two-seater table, and decided to see if it was available. The waitress said if we could be done in an hour's time (as the table was reserved), we could have it. No worries. Let's get to it...! :) The menu at BVT is about 15 pages, with (seemingly) more than half of those pages being vodkas! I started with a taste-testing trio of vodkas ($14.50) (served in delicate, barely-larger-than thimble-sized half-shot glasses) consisting of Jazz ($9/shot), Ukrainian Honey Pepper (vodka sweetened with honey and infused with chili) ($7.50/shot), and Gruba Pszczla Morela (vodka infused with apricot) ($8.50/shot). Naturally, each vodka was very distinctive of its own character, with the apricot-infused one being with most potently astringent. (My partner had a Chopin dirty martini ($21; with martinis starting at $16+).) For an entree (starter), we went with the Salt and Pepper Squid (dusted with chili and fennel salt, with a squeeze of lemon) served with a simple dollop of aioli ($16). These were the meatiest squid curls I've ever eaten! Each were lightly fried, but not crispy; the squid meat had a nice bite without being rubbery. Very good. For my main, I went with the good ol' Pierogi dish (4 @ $18; 6 @ $25). BVT serves three different stuffed Pierogis (I did two of each): (1) beef, chicken, herbs & spices with bacon, fried onion, and raspberry vinaigrette; (2) porcini mushroom and sauerkraut with a breadcrumb coating; (3) cheese and potato baked with fried onion and served with sour cream and mint. I've never had a pierogi before, but I loved this dish! Each pierogi was no-nonsense and wonderfully flavorful. The "rocket" (that's arugula Down Under) bed (with bits of bacon and other minced veggies) perfectly complemented the butter-fried pierogis. (My partner went with the Polish Borsch (beetroot broth made with beef and chicken stock, garlic and marjoram, with beef and chicken dumplings; $14.50), which -- if you like beets -- was very beet-y in flavor. Personally, I only like beets juiced, so this borsch was not my bag.) The whole atmosphere of BVT is like out of a movie set. Being that it's the weekend before next week Tuesday's Melbourne Cup -- a HUGE event and Melbourne holiday (comparable to Louisville's Kentucky Derby) -- a number of the gals were dressed to the 9's, with guys looking dapper in suits. Everything was a bit decadent and rowdy! The noise level was high, on top of the all-too-cool and funky tunes that were spinning in the background. The wait staff was absolutely fantastic and attentive, despite the filled-to-capacity house. Bravo! Borsch: Check. Vodka: Check. Tears: Check. Not sad tears; just tears of joy...! We'll definitely be coming back soon.... :D read more

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Sick? Here's the cure: Step one - make reservation at Borscht (trust me, you need a reservation). Step two - order borscht and a flu shot Step three - consume Et voila, illness cured. I don't care what the illness is, trust me - it's cured. read more

We were foolish people to think that we could walk in at 5 on a Saturday night and get a table for two with no booking....but we did! I'd be looking forward to going to this place for ages, it's basically the reason we went to Melbourne. I'm half Eastern European (Ukraine) and I have never really explored the culture of that side of my family. Food is a huge part of any cultural experience so this was a great place to start. The staff had that classic 'ugh customers' vibe when you first walked in...but to be honest it kinda makes the experience authentic! Nothing like that Eastern European Chill! We started with some Vodka (duh) based cocktails which for their price (about $14) were extremely generous in size. And freaking delicious. They went down way to well. For food we got the Lamb Ragout (OMG), Rice and Fetta Balls (OMFG) and the Potato Blintzes (!OMFG!). Delicious. The rain and chilly weather outside just added to the warmth all this hearty food was bringing. We had a shot of cream caramel vodka which was delish and as Monty Python fans could not got past a cocktail entitled 'Your Mother Was a Hamster and Your Father Smelt of Elderberries'. Definitely more elderberries than hamster...delish! I didn't want to leave without trying some vodka from the Ukraine...if they had any. And they did! I did a shot of honey chilli vodka in honour of my Nanna. This was my way of making it up to her for not doing a shot of vodka after I delivered the eulogy at her funeral - a fine tradition if there ever was one! read more

This place never fails to please, very reasonable prices and good service. Golaki, Blintzes & Gnocchi are a must and the muddled drinks are worth a try. Wish they were Northside... read more

It's nearly 2am on a Saturday night, our group of Sydney dwellers are trying to get as much Melbourne nightlife into a single Saturday night before our dreaded hungover flight home the next day, so we on a search for this highly recommended vodka bar. The party gods were smiling down on us because as we walked into the place a table for four opened up and we took a seat and dived into the epic cocktail menu. With the amazing array of cocktails available we all decided to try something a little left of centre and go for absinthe. It was really great how the girls serving came to the table with a wide silver tray with a boat of sugar and a special spoon, she told us 1 for Heath, 2 for happiness and with the third absinthe came tears. She then lit them on fire and rubbed the sugar around the rims of the glasses. I just loved the ritual of it and the care taken to serve us our absinthe. After we ordered cocktails, I recommend the watermelon mojito! I also loved the fact you could order food at 2 am, let me tell you the risotto and feta balls went down well! A definite must do for Melbourne! read more

Its super easy to get out of control here! Great buzz about the place, traditional Polish food done very well and extensive vodka and mixed drink menus make for a fun filled night and a possible bender! Its probably a real good idea to eat something (you won't be disappointed its delicious!) before getting too deep into the vodka. I tend to stick with the old tried and true cocktails mostly but this is the place to find a new favorite. Mine is the Velvet Fog and boy are they addictive. Soooo dangerous! Guess thats a little revealing on how my evening went there... If you want to rev up your night you can hardly go wrong at B,V &T. Alot of positive reviews and I'm jumping on that bandwagon. Its the real deal! read more

I totally loved this place. Amazing polish food and sipping on various vodkas all night, such a good combo, like sake and sushi. I've been to Poland before and loved it so have a soft spot for stiff vodka drinks and Polish food. Equal focus on drinks as food here. You can get vodka shots or a double shot in a martini. I highly recommend the Sobieski Estate martini from the reserve vodka list, which is what I ended up sipping on all dinner. For food, I highly recommend a Zakuski tasting plate to share (The farmers was good). The red Polish Borsh is great too. And the Pierogi and Kiebasa (Polish sausages on menu) are awesome. I'll def return. It gets very busy so reserve in advance for either 6pm or 8:30pm seating, but service is still attentive and nice throughout. read more

This was my second trip to Borch, and there is a very good reason I returned.... VODKA. The list of vodka is amazing and the cocktails to suit and just as great. I started the night with a Vodka Martina, Shaken with a twist. I decided on an old school clear grain vodka for this. I was not disappointed. It was smooth and bitey, but with mellow notes of vanilla and that pop that only a martini gives. Next on the list was the next to be ordered, a Polish Aviator, and I must say, this little gem, also served in a martini glass, my become a regular on my palette. It was well structured whilst not trying to be too fancy. I left the ordering up to someone else (who knows what I like and I was not disappointed. With tradition German sausages, including sauerkraut, mustard and potato salad. Slow cooked pork, Potato and Cheese dumplings, to the delicious fried haloumi (Who I am kidding any cheese fried is going to be amazing), cabbage wrapped mince, zucchini flowers and the list goes on. All the meals were delicious and were brought to the table with a smile. Good portion sizes and the menu is definitely for sharing. We had a group of 6. After mains we indulged in dessert, and what a great way to finish off the night. Nutella Crepes, Baked Cheesecake with hazelnut ice-cream, and some warmed chocolate cake. All the flavours were delicious, and carefully selected, whilst still staying true to that style of cuisine. All in all a thumbs up from me. read more

Came here for cocktails. I had the Moscow Mule and my friend had a For Your Health! Little on the pricey side - and not great service.... But hey, the drinks were great! read more

Borsch Vodka & Tears - Moscow mule with chile vodka. - Bars Near Me - Windsor, VIC

Food was delicious, service was quick, waitress was great with giving suggestions on the menu and suggestions of her favorite places to eat and drink around South Yarra. Only thing is, like most Australian restaurants and bars the alcohol percentage in the cocktails are very very weak compared to the states. Our passionfruit mule was very tasty but tasted like a delicious fruit tea with no alcohol. Better luck to just order beer or shots if you're looking to get a buzz. read more

Borsch Vodka & Tears - Lamb croquettes - Bars Near Me - Windsor, VIC

Great food, large servings and impressive collection of vodka. read more

Borsch Vodka & Tears - Bars Near Me - Windsor, VIC

I am a complete and utter fan of this venue. It's so strange to think of Hungarian cuisine and what it would be like, but BV&T deliver it oh so well. My sister was in town on business and she wanted something like a home cooked meal and a thought raced through my mind and alighted the name of this charming restaurant. The venue is something funky (but not your uber-Fitzroyality décor) and cosy (but not your Let's-all-squish-together hotspot). There's plenty of room for tables and the bar is well dressed by decorations and lighting. Forgot about sitting down outside, every time I've walked past, has been occupado. Our food was a delectable range of cold meze-style (for those not so European, that means a mix of dips, olives, cheese, mushrooms etc) and everything else we ordered was scrumptious and prompt. There's an extensive cocktail list and we sampled the cherry cocktail (can't remember its full name) but it was super refreshing and went down a treat. The staff are friendly and even accommodated to us when we asked to move tables half way through our meal (trying to have a serious conversation whilst a baby cries in the background is not ideal). In conclusion, this is definitely a place you want to check out on your travels down Chapel St. read more

This is one of those places that will forever be in my heart, because many years ago now I shared an evening here with some of my dearest friends. It was a winter that we all headed down to Melbourne from Brisbane for a holiday, to try to catch the colder weather. We ended up at BV&T, stuffing our faces full of pierogies and drinking some truly ludicrous cocktails, of which the best was definitely a tea-inspired one, served in giant teacups and SET ON FIRE. Ah, the memories. On my most recent visit to Melbourne, friends said that BV&T did breakfast, too. These every-service businesses in Melbourne are blowing my mind! Surely for these places their talents must lie in just one area, be it breakfast, lunch, dinner or drinks... but no, my friends told me to give BV&T a chance to breakfast-wow me. So I did. And so Borsch, Vodka & Tears did wow me. I had a fairly simple breakfast, just avocado on toast with a side of mushrooms. The toast was this enormous, delicious sourdough. The avocado was plentiful and just at that perfect ripeness. The mushrooms were juicy and tasty. Even the coffee was good. The only thing that upset me was how quiet the place was! Come on, people, don't overlook Borsch, Vodka & Tears for breakfast... even if they do have the word "Vodka" in their name. The breakfast menu goes until 3pm, so you could get away with a cheeky one if you really wanted to. read more

You don't find all too many Eastern European restaurants in Melbourne. Perhaps tainted by misconceptions of stodgy stews and not a whole lot else, very few people seem to have actually sampled Polish cuisine. Well thank god Borsch Vodka and Tears is hear to clear that up. This is hearty peasant food at its best! Przekski (Polish tapas) are a great way to get started. The Zakuski is an antipasto plate for two that comprises of a selection of gypsy ham, csabai, kransky, russian salad, roast capsicum, beetroot, polish dill cucumbers, pickled mushrooms, goats cheese and a basket of rye bread. This is the perfect way to sample some tasty Eastern fare. When it comes to mains you can't go past Pierogi. These are Polish dumplings that are insanely moorish. Choose between beef, chicken, herbs and spices with a paprika meat sauce or porcini mushroom and sauerkraut with a breadcrumb coating or finally, cheese and potato with fried onion and sour cream. This is place to go on a cold evening and indulge in some hearty, heavy Eastern food. read more

I've been walking by this place forever and finally stopped in for dinner as a group of 3 last night. It was a Tuesday night and it was pretty crowded, but we were able to be seated without a reservation. I was happy that they have a solid selection of vegetarian dishes, which is something that I don't normally associate with Polish food (when ordering Polish food in Chicago, all my "vegetarian" dishes came with pork). My partner and I shared the veggie borsch (eh), mushroom pierogis (yum), and a tasting platter of vodka (3 tasting portions for $14). Our friend got the sausage platter and said it was good, with nice spicy horseradish. Overall I'm intrigued enough to come back and try a few other food items on the menu, but I thought the dishes we had were a bit on the expensive side and the service was spotty at best. I'd definitely try some more of their vodkas (but maybe not the one they describe as "the worst vodka we've ever had") and want to see what the breakfast is like. Maybe next payday. read more

Starting off my birthday with an espresso martini and Borsch soup. The soup was delicious and very filling served with a generous amount of bread and dumplings. The espresso martini is the most expensive drink in the menu but what the hell, it is my birthday! Hubby had pastrami, delicious and fatty served with pickles, sauerkraut, mustard. A kind of put it all together yourself. Quite good. read more

Well I came here after a long hiatus I decided to go back based on the great reviews of the pierogi but I was very disappointed. Firstly the pierogi was very bland and super overpriced - we got the mushroom and sauerkraut. The chocolate pudding dessert was average and $14 very expensive too. Most of all though was the service. I have never complained about service if u look at my reviews but this place really ticked me off. Firstly our table needed a wipe down and when I asked quietly and politely after five minutes for it to be wiped the waitress gave me a 'r u serious look'? Wtf Then I asked if the absinthe I ordered came French style ( with dripping sugar ) and she pulled the face again! Fuck off! Anyway for less than an hour the bill came to $83. Now I know how we got a table so easily on a Friday night. Nb apple pear vodka was very good and 'vanilla vodka infused cocktail was vodka with vanilla coke! read more

I came here for Sunday brunch with a friend, and it was great. The traditional Polish breakfast was yummy, and it was really nice to try something a bit different: the dish was served with a ham hash, pickles, feta, horseradish, lemony avocado & egg with a side of sourdough. My only feedback is that it would have been better if it had been served warm rather cold. My brunch buddy had two small kids with her, and the staff were very accommodating to them, despite it not overly being a "family" place. There was also a good selection of teas. All up it was a great brunch, and I'd definitely go back again. read more

I always love coming to Borsch, their drinks list is amazing and their food is just like the traditional Polish food I ate growing up. The prices are extremely reasonable and it just has a wonderful atmosphere. Make sure you book in advance, and try the beef and chicken pierogi! They are sensational! read more

Wow! I like Polish food - when in Poland, but here, on the other side of the world, I found a gem that truly delivers very good polish food! Wether you want dozens of different Vodkas or a Borscht, you get it here! I just tried two dishes, the Borscht and a polish version of Cevapcici, both was excellent. Very nice service, moderate prices and all at Chapel street - a place you should visit anyways when in Melbourne - less tourists than in Saint Kilda and a much better international choice of restaurants! read more

First timer and it was a fantastic level of service. I arrived first perusing the menu and it was warm and welcoming and that didn't stop through the night as we fumbled our way through the extensive vodka menu as well as the food options. Wait staff were warm and friendly and great to interact with. Would definitely visit again. read more

Borsch Vodka & Tears - The Advocaat - egg nog liqueur with brandy and vanilla - Bars Near Me - Windsor, VIC

Dark, moody, interesting interiors with bright & friendly staff. This is a must for cold winter nights. Rich red wine, hearty pierogi, feisty Hungarian stew & astoundingly aromatic croquettes. Seriously, try it!! read more

Pirogies to die for!!! meat platter and meat dishes not so much.. we got some type of tasting plate and it was presented horrendously with a weird combination of sausages and various fruit pastes. One of which was frozen solid. Wish we just stuck to the pirogies. read more

Friendly staff, cosy venue. Came in for a cocktail ended up staying for snacks and a second cocktail. If you like things sweet and hot you have try the shockolate martini! We'll definitely be back. read more

Hands down, unfailingly, the worst service in Melbourne. Great food and drinks though.