Budapest cafe is a staple on the UES and has been here for decades, even before I moved to the UES. We decided to go for lunch, they do have a lunch menu (3 course that includes soup, entree, and a slice of cake). The Goulash soup was ok, just tasted like vegetable soup in a tomato paste with a few pieces of boiled veal. My schnitzel was good! And of course the apple crumble cake was the highlight of my meal! Budapest is really excellent for that dessert! All homemade desserts that hit the spot. This spot is really a gem of the upper east side. read more

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While my best friend, Bagel Boy, goes bagel bopping in Astoria, I went restaurant roaming at lunch today on 2nd Ave. The Budapest Restaurant & Cafe piqued my interest. A little hole in the hole, very narrow. A two person operation. I opted for a lunch special. Choice of soup (2 kinds) or salad, entree, pie. Soup was a choice of goulash (hot) or cherry (cold). Never had cherry soup b4, so... it was amazing, soooo good. I would definitely get it again. Lots of macerated cherries in a creamy liquid. My kapusta came w a rich, brown sauerkraut like the kind brought to the family picnics of an eastern European church. Delicious! Choice of apple or cherry square for dessert. Not wanting to mix drinks, I mean food, chose the cherry. A good choice. They have a large assortment of pastries, cookies, cakes, etc. The linzer tarts attracted me, as did the poppy seed loaf. For another day. Baked goods from a Hungarian bakery in Queens. 4.5 tart, cherry-flavored stars read more

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There was a hair in one of the pastries, do not recommend. Proceed with caution, I saw it on the plate as it was brought out. And on top of it service was incredibly slow and the food wasn't even good, do not reccomend. read more

Running an errand in Yorkville and passed Budapest Café & Restaurant. Their scrumptious looking items in the window called me in to check it out into this narrow, cozy, intimate spot. In the glass counter was a selection of enticing homemade, old world style baked goods: assorted cakes, Hazelnut Triangles, Honey Slices, Cherry Squares, Apple Squares, Swiss Rolls, Rainbow Cookies, Apple Strudels (including one Sugarfree), and something interesting I've yet to try... Cabbage Strudel. The clerk also pointed out they had Passover-friendly macaroons: Regular Coconut, Pecan, Chocolate Dipped and a Chocolate enrobed Almond Cream Filled. Decided to test out their variety of Macaroons. So, glad I did! Wow! Fantasic! Will definitely return the next time I'm in the area to enjoy more of their treats. Recommend you stop by Budapest Café & Restaurant too! read more

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If you find yourself on the upper east side with a hankering for something sweet, check out Budapest Cafe. Order coffee and relax in the tiny restaurant, or take dessert to go, as we did. Indulging in their cherry cheesecake, T said "this is the best cheesecake I ever had" which is exactly what I said last time about their blueberry crumb. With large slices (and only $6 each) I packaged most up to eat at another time. Desserts are VERY rich. I won't even think about the calorie count! read more

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Pictures next time. I never ate a meal here but I do stop by for their linzer tarts and asst. cookies and a great apple crumble pie. Yummy. It's authentic and not premade. read more

One of the worst meals i've had in years. The chicken paprikash was inedible.. I was psyched for the desserts and disappointed there as well. The chestnut roll was stale and tasteless. The cheese strudel left a lot to be desired as well. My family is Hungarian so I can tell you from experience that this meal in no way resembles Hungarian food. read more

A little gem in the UES for authentic strudels and apple pie. To go or to consume in the cafe, this Hungarian bakery is worth a visit. read more

Budapest Cafe and Restaurant - Cherry strudel - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

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My brother and I enjoyed Budapest Cafe & Restaurant immensely. For an appetizer, we split a palacsinta (crepe) with chicken paprikas: tender shredded chicken with a rich yet light sauce. My brother then had the veal goulash with nokedli (like spaetzle). I had the lightly breaded chicken cutlet (schnitzel) with mashed potatoes: a bit of the chicken and the potato were the perfect bite. For dessert, my brother had the honey cake (I tasted it), a dense, satisfying nut cake surrounded dark chocolate: quite yummy. The appetizer and the entrees were served piping hot. The portions are ample. Our waitress was very attentive, answering our questions. This is a small space, seating 24 guests. It has the feel of a European cafe. All its desserts are on display in the cases at the front of this establishment. An excellent casual dining experience, and an excellent value. read more

This is a cute spot to go for coffee and dessert. The people who work there are lovely. read more

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Another gem in the neighborhood. The food is a bit pricey for my liking but the goulash was extremely tasty and flavorful. I forgot what my husband got, I think one of the cutlets but he wasn't super impressed with it. This is a place where you can say "oh i tried that place once". It's really a bakery more than anything. Their pastries are to die for and their strudels are the best. I'm very much a fan of their rugelachs, cakes, and pies. My husband said their pies were among the best he's ever had and trust me, he's had many pies. I love stopping by this place on the way back from the gym and getting pastries. If you haven't tried their pastries, do yourself a favor and try them. Service is quick and ambience is usually quiet and chill. Very laidback. read more

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I ordered take out food from Budapest Cafe on Valentine's Day. First, they were out of goulash - it was a Hungarian cafe without goulash on a holiday ( bad planning). The chicken paprikash was just regular baked chicken without much flavor. The Layered Potato dish was kind of a mess and the Hungarian sausages it looked and tasted like hot dogs. I love Hungarian food. This food was palatable, but it was not the Hungarian food I have had in the past. It was almost like a regular restaurant trying to copy Hungarian with a chef that had never cooked it. The menu looks good, it just needs a complete Hungarian makeover. And, btw - it was not cheap. read more

Authentic Hungarian dishes Excellent crepes best chicken excellent stuffed cabbage goulash was tender Very good read more

I had the chicken paprikash for dinner, and it was delicious. They served a big portion enough for two. They also have an excellent selection of baked goods. I am a fan of the apple strudel. The staff is nice and friendly. I will definitely go back again. read more

Budapest Cafe and Restaurant - chicken paprikash - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

You'll plan your next visit. The team creates a judgment-free environment for everyone. I enjoyed the dishes and appreciated the waiters. This restaurant has a charming character. We're considering visiting again this week. read more

The food is memorable and service is consistent. Their food meets requirements. The meals are good, charges don't hurt and service makes the experience better. Staff show authentic hospitality. I hope this restaurant maintains its standards. read more

My taste buds and stomach were equally pleased with this meal. The visuals and feeling complement each other. Our food came out fast and tasted remarkably good. Food arrived promptly with great service throughout. We plan to make another visit soon. read more

The entrance contradicts what follows. The meals were reliably tasty, I must point out. The dishes here outclass everything else available. The proprietor and workers make guests feel welcome. I'm determined to come back to this spot. read more

I'm surprised by the food quality during my first time at this place. Staff members delivered prompt service with a smile. Even with every table full, waitstaff stayed focused and the mood stayed positive. The meals feature fresh ingredients arranged with care. This restaurant gives you obvious reasons to dine. read more

Ugh. I hate to leave bad reviews. I really do. I wanted to like Budapest Especially when you walk in and see the delicious pastries. Unfortunately it ends there. I won't tell you how bad the "grilled chicken" was or the noodle dish my friend ordered...but I will tell you, as we walked out to pay the bill and told the waitress, "look, we're nice people and you're really nice...but the food was terrible." "I know," she replied. read more

Budapest Cafe and Restaurant - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

When we got there, we were greeted with a smile from a Hungarian lady and her Egyptian colleague. He made a joke about being Hungarian and the lady made a rude remark about how of course he isn't Hungarian. It was a bit awkward. We originally ordered to go and last minute we asked if it was okay if we actually ate in - she angrily said of course not "it's different". Which is fine but the interaction was a bit cold and the place was empty when we came so I did not feel that we were imposing on them. She angrily agreed to let us eat in and then slapped our food on a plate. The Egyptian man was very nice and accommodating - the presumable owner not as much. The pastries and cookies are fairly good but the service not as much. read more

Budapest Cafe and Restaurant - Blueberry Turnover - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

took our order over ubereats and our money and did not deliver any food! referred us to ubereats, who will not be responsible for budapest cafe's mistakes. you owe us money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

Picked up a cherry and cheese strudel to go. Was hoping to see more Hungarian items. Most of the pastries were what you'd find at most NYC bakeries. Service was quick and accommodating. read more

Coming from a Hungarian family, I grew up eating Hungarian food - prepared all different ways. This was the worst Hungarian food I have ever had. I should have trusted my gut based on previous reviews on yelp. Not only was the chicken paprikas dry and terribly flavored, the nokedli was like paste. The others at my table had the stuffed cabbage which was not good either. The server was very unattentive and couldn't care less about the customers. I do not recommend this restaurant at all and wonder why yelp has it as their first choice for Hungarian food. Never again! read more

Nice, cool spot to grab a coffee and sweet treats on a hot summer's day! Friendly service and fresh cookies are wonderful ET read more

Budapest Cafe and Restaurant - Apricot linzer cookie, raspberry linzer cookie, sugar free raspberry rugelach and coffee - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

Wonderful pastries! If you enjoy Hungarian strudels and rugelagh, this is the place to go.

No lie, this small but charming bakery & restaurant helped me choose Budapest as a destination this summer! While the presentation & preparation was... rustic perhaps, it was still all pretty delicious. We had the veal goulash and the chicken palacsinta, as well as some peppers stuffed with a cream cheese and a couple of pastries. Of those, I recommend the chicken and the pastries the most, both of which were good enough for us to actually go wow! The goulash was a bit overseasoned though (which I can confirm now is not just a cultural thing after having like five different goulashes IN Budapest itself). Service is very friendly and sweet. read more

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I've been meaning to come here, and I'm glad I did. The window facing the street beckons you. When you go in the customer service is incredible, the staff is super helpful at helping non-Hungarians pick out pastries. The pastries themselves are great. Live a little and try something made with prune, or poppy seeds. You'll be pleased. read more

Budapest Cafe and Restaurant - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

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Budapest Cafe and Restaurant has always been intimidating for me to enter. It's the entry space that disturbs me. Its very narrow in front of the pastry counter. It's been a long time before the pandemic that I have frequently peered into the window wanting to try the delicious looking pastries. When I walked by recently and saw the tables and chairs outside I made it a point to go for the Spinach Feta Strudel I wanted so badly. I should never have put this off so long! The young lady greeted me with a big Hello and quickly made her way to the front behind the counter putting on her gloves. I knew what I wanted and she had it in the oven to heat before I paid. I had the smallest piece of Spinach Feta Strudel and a small coffee for exactly $9.00. I must say the table outside needed to be cleaned off. I wiped the crumbs with my napkin. I was given disposable utensils and sat in the chilly morning for my brunch. The Strudel definitely is NOT a disappointment. I'm sure I'll get this Spinach Feta Strudel to bring home in the future. I didn't care for the coffee taste. The coffee was only $2 and was warm and stimulating which was what I needed. I saw the sign for the PENDING Grade from sanitation inspection while I was eating. I would still eat here it's that good to me. I'm recommending you try this shop. There's a steady stream of people taking food out. I definitely will return for the other pastries I want to try. The French sliced cake looks great. Enjoy my photos! read more

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I wanted to come here for a long time. There are not many true Hungarian restaurants left in Mew York City. I grew up near one and used to go with my parents once a week as a child. I would order the same things - cherry soup, chicken paprikash and apricot pallacinta for dessert. This place helped bring back childhood memories. Come for lunch where they have a great lunch special - 3 courses for $26.00. Got my childhood favorites. Food was very good. Will come again. read more

Budapest Cafe and Restaurant - Palacsinta Apricot - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

this place has been under new management and now offers no authentic Hungarian food. Not sure who cooks but food tastes like microwaved frozen dinner. They also rip customers off. I paid $10 for a cup of Hungarian dessert and they filled it less than half way. Would not recommend this place. read more

Budapest Cafe and Restaurant - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

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Nestled in a friendly neighborhood spot that you might miss as you pass by, this place offers a warm, inviting atmosphere that feels just right. I stopped in and ended up just trying their chocolate rugelach. While it wasn't the culinary highlight of the century (especially compared to Lee's), it was pleasant enough. The real charm of Budapest Cafe lies in its vibe and the people. The customers there seemed to all be regulars and encouraged me to order a number of other pastries while in line. While I can't speak for their lunch or dinner offerings, the pastry scene here is definitely worth a further investigation--if not for it at least being an authentic Hungarian food spot in a city with very few of them. read more

Service is friendly and prompt. We tried the cheese cake, napoleon cake (a little soggy) and the winner was the apple crumble cake. read more

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Really, really bad. Food appears to be microwaved and served. Staff is rude. Chicken was dry and cold. Bacon was old and crusty. One of the pastries was dry. The poppyseed cake was good. Extremely overpriced. read more

The cookies & pastries are wonderful. The cherry desserts are made from real cherries, not the sweet gooky stuff from a can. There are also savory biscuits which are great for appetizers at home. The hot restaurant dishes are good and enormous! read more

Classic food and desserts from Hungary and Slovakia. The desserts interest me more than the food, to be honest.

I was born and raised in Budapest before moving to the U.S. in 2015. Despite going back every year, it hits different having Hungarian food in another country. I went with three other friends who also lived there for a long time, and everything about the restaurant and it's food reminded us of home. Firstly, I was surprised at how many people stopped by to purchase pastries. While we were seated indoors, there was a never ending flow of people coming, which is partially why the service was a bit slow just because the staff was extremely busy. But when the food came, that was all that mattered. We had the first three items on the entree menu - all traditional Hungarian dishes. The best part was when we learnt the soup of the day was goulash, a staple. Nothing is better than a large bowl of hearty goulash season for every occasion and season. For the entree, we were shocked because it was definitely not Hungarian portion sizing... it was HUGE. We all had to bring the rest home and could have totally shared a few among us. The flavour was on point as if it were back in Budapest, though I'd just say the chicken paprikás could have had a bit stronger sauce and was missing the sour cream that this usually comes with. The other two dishes were spot on. Dessert is one of the best parts about Hungary. From the Nutella palacsinta (crepe), to the poppy seed and curd cheese strudel, our sweet tooth was satisfied. Even though we could barely eat anything more after the entrees, we still went for the dessert knowing we wouldn't be disappointed at all. Afterwards, we also all bought pastries to take home. This was a nostalgic meal reminding us of home, and we're so happy to have stopped by. Though unfortunately at the time there were no Hungarian staff onsite, next time hopefully we can learn more about their background and story! read more

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I went because previously the strudel was pretty good. However, today, open at 10am on Saturday and by 11:10am there is no apple or cherry strudel, C'mon read more

This new area we've rented in is going to be dangerous, lol! Stopped by here on a long walk up 2nd Ave. We bought apple strudel and coffee and OMG. The strudel is (was, actually, sorry I forgot to take a picture!). absolutely stuffed with fruit and exceptionally delicious! Sweet but not overly. Coffee the perfect foil (only wish they had decaf). We will definitely be back here again! read more

Years ago, this restaurant was very good. Now it's terrible. The food last night was inedible. Some burned. Some not fresh. The server was inexperienced and hard to communicate with. I could on, but why bore you with the details. Suffice it to say, a waste of money and a frustrating dining experience. It's almost as if they don't realize they're running a restaurant. read more