If ever there was an ethnic restaurant, Kavsar is it. It's tucked into the second floor of a home, as if you had just dropped in for dinner at your Uzbekistani neighbor's house. The whole dining area has a tidy, simplistic charm. The one thing that threw me off after sitting down was the flat screen TV on a wall, from which Eurasian pop stars danced and beckoned flirtatiously, their disembodied voices pumping over the speakers. The lively beats were completely at odds with the calm crowd of diners and the timid waitress, but it kinda feels right. A bathroom was squished into the corner facing the second floor landing. We started off with a pot of green tea in big, cylindrical cups that was gone in a few sips. Unfortunately refills are not free, and one pot is not enough to last four people more than a cup each. For starters, we chose some Mushroom and Mashed Potato Pancakes and Beef Julien in Pancake Bags. The pancakes are slightly thicker than crepes and complement the savory fillings wonderfully. The Mashed Potato Pancakes are creamier (owing to the sour cream) and heavier, while the Julien delivered well-rounded bites of tender beef. We couldn't decide which one we liked better, so I guess you'll just have to get both. ;) I've always loved a good, hearty soup, so I tried the Shurpa and another friend got the Borsch w/ Beans. These are medium-sized bowls, but the broth turned out to be thinner than we expected and the pork ridiculously tough. As if it were kept simmering in the pot for hours and hours. My Shurpa turned out to be just an average vegetable soup with a hunk of pork and judicious use of fennel, and my friend wasn't wowed with the Borsch either. The other members of our party took the well-traveled and wiser path of ordering entrees: one Kavsar and one Brizol. I couldn't even tell you what was in these dishes except that it was the work of a kitchen god or goddess. Comfort food presented on a plate almost too genteel for its contents. And all halal! The whole time we were there, we couldn't help but creep on the spread on our neighbor's tables - everything just looked so damn good. Reflecting back, I might actually like Kavsar better if they had a more down-to-earth feel. We forked over quite a bit of $$ for the meal and spared no morsel, and a return trip may be necessary if just to partake in this unique cuisine again. read more

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Exceptional food. Never had that cuisine before. I took a walk around Mount Washington and tried to find something new and different and that place is a true true true hidden gem! I ordered based on menu pictures and I must say the taste, the presentation, the freshness of ingredients is absolutely worth it. Don't hesitate to try it. The lady that took the order has a thick accent , she is very polite and lets you up front know that her English are not so good BUT so are not mine and it was a funny moment for both of us trying to figure it out. I think it adds to the charm of authenticity. Enjoy read more

We were glad to find Kavsar and to get to try Uzbek food for the first time! :) The restaurant is slightly hidden as it is up the top of the hill of Shiloh St and a couple of blocks away from other restaurants/cafes down the hills with higher foot traffic. From the outside, it looks like a normal home and there's a slightly weird setup where you have to walk up the stairs upon entering the restaurant to get to the main dining area. The restaurant itself is not upscale by any means, but instead, has a homey feel to it. Meaning, it feels as if it's not as a professional restaurant (although I'm sure they are licensed! :D)...but rather more like you are dining at another person's home. We tried the Uzbek yoghurt drink on a hot summer day (it's not too overly sweet and has a slight salt taste to it. You should try it for once!). For lunch, we tried a mix of pumpkin and beef Manti dumplings (their menu said to pick beef, pumpkin or spinach, but we asked them if we could mix the dumpling fillings, and they were happy to accommodate our request!), Kavsar Beef (delicious!...I also loved their slightly pickled fresh carrots that came on the side, too. Very refreshing!) and eggplant rolls. The addition of the fresh dills to the fries and other dishes makes the dish tastier..and is definitely a much better alternative to salt that we typically see in American food! :D Overall, we found the dish very tasty and not too heavy. We ordered quite a bit of food, but surprisingly, after eating, we didn't feel like the meal was too heavy or too bloated like you'd feel bad eating when dining out and gorging yourself with too much food at all. Overall, a great place for people to adventure our to try new food out of their comfort zone! We love our experiences and their prices were very reasonable. Service was slightly slow (and therefore -1) but I suspect that was because the dining room is upstairs, so at times, the waiter/waitress was elsewhere downstairs at the kitchen/on the first floor getting the food/drinks ready for the tables upstairs. read more

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Wow!! I hate that I've lived in Pittsburgh this long and haven't been here. Now that a lot of places are closing early, we saw that it was available for delivery for a late dinner and gave it a try. Anthony Bourdain's Uzbekistan episode of Parts Unknown whet our appetites to try some of the country's specialties. Everything was so flavorful and arrived hot. Got some of the Beef Manti, Ayran, and Mushroom Potatoes Samsa. Will definitely be back!! read more

As soon as I walked in I felt super welcome. My server, Svitlana, was great and explaned what all the entrees consisted of. She was very knowledgeable of the menu and gave me her recommendations, which did not disappoint. She was super friendly and we talked basically the whole time I was there. I had the traditional tea with bread as a starter. Didn't really like the combination, I prefer the bread with the Mastava soup I got along with my entree. I ordered the Kavsar special and the Manti. The Kavsar special is 2 homemade sausages, lightly seared then topped with a house sauce. I can't remember if they bake it, or simmer in the sauce after searing, but I do wish they seared it longer. It tasted more boiled/simmered than anything. It came with a carrot salad which was amazing, another house salad and rice. The Manti were good, (dumplings) but I didn't like the meat inside. It was a glob of ground beef, not much flavor in it. The spinach and cheese were definitely better. The honey bread for dessert was pretty good, not too sweet and would go really well with the tea or coffee. Overall, I would definitely recommend. It's something different, and worth a try. If I'm in Pittsburgh again I will come back! read more

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My friends and I ordered food from here and we all loved the food. Together we ordered, the bread, Kasvar boat, chickpea soup, Borsch, Uzbek, Manti, Plov, Lagman, and Gampan. They were all absolutely phenomenal. I personally highly recommend the Manti dumplings and Uzbek plov. Both were very flavorful with all the herbs and vegetables over soft and warm rice. Highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Kavsar Restaurant - Halal Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

A group of friends and I went for a late night dinner at this Uzbek and Russian cuisine restaurant. They have a small downstairs dining area but a larger one upstairs. Place is BYOB. They also serve pizza here. Kavsar specializes in fresh ingredients drawn from local farmer's markets and prepare them in house. Please note that the desserts aren't homemade. Our group was shown labeled boxes that they came in prior to ordering. It goes without saying that you should invest in their homemade bread. There's enough to feed at least 4-5 people. It comes in a round which you can break off. Oh so good!!! They also have a vegetarian menu but vegan options are available. Check carefully on this one and you will find a few things. Better yet ask your server. We started off with sharing a couple of appetizers which eggplant rolls and sweet cottage cheese pancakes that resembled crepes. Both were delicious!! I decided to go with one of the homemade soups. Russian borsch is on the menu but I opted for Mastava which was a Uzbek soup. This soup is a meal in itself that included beef, chickpeas, and rice in a traditional beef broth. The bread we had ordered made a perfect accompaniment. Someone in our group ordered Varenki which was a Russian version of periogies with a potato and onion filling. I got to sample a piece and it was so light! Some of the others had different soups and my friend sitting next to me had beef and fried vegetables over rice. That too I got to sample and believe me it did not disappoint. Portion sizes are generous! Our waiter both friendly and helpful as always offered us dessert. Although we were fairly stuffed we all split an order of Napoleon and baklava. The Napoleon had a sweet creamy center and the Baklava was indeed very good. Reservations can be made on their website and catering is available. Parking can be a problem but there is a city metered lot a couple of blocks down. This is a great hidden gem in Mt.Washington and my first chance to sample authentic Russian and Uzbek cuisine. Prices are very reasonable for what you get and makes a great place to go if you want to try a new cuisine. You can also order on grubhub. Will most certainly return to try their other offerings. read more

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What a fun place! First of all, they have a whole vegetarian menu! That is simply music to my ears. Amazing. I do want to point out to my fellow vegetarian eaters that there were a few items (and good ones at that) that were vegetarian but not on the strictly vegetarian menu. The cheese pancakes and bread are some examples. I am lucky enough to be familiar with many of these dishes, so I did not hesitate to try a few things. They are definitely authentic tasting and worth the awkward parking. For my main, I got the handmade Vareniki. Basically think of dumpling-like pierogies filled with just potato and onion. Served with sour cream in the middle and dill on top. I loved them! Like I said before, authentic and simple. The cheese pancakes and bread (also mentioned before) were very good as well. The cheese was sweet and the pancake was like a crepe. For dessert, I tried the napoleon cake. It reminded me a bit of the cake made of wafers and condensed milk but it was softer and a bit creamier. I loved it! I will definitely come back. read more

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This place is amazing! The food was delicious and filling. The bread is so amazing and smells so good, I had to break it out on the way home. read more

When you started to google whether this place delivers 5 mins after you left the restaurant, you know this place is AMAZING!I always like to try food from different places, and as the only Uzbek restaurant in town, Kavsar has been on my bucket list for a while. I'm glad that I finally get to try it! My friend and I were first astonished by the nicely decorated interior. Exotic but homey, decorative but unassuming. Then we were amazed by the generous portion of the home made bread. It was a nice huge bread to share, with golden crusty edge and soft fluffy inside. Not your typical pre-dinner bread basket but we wouldn't want it otherwise. Then we both got our soups. Mine comes with the entree and my friend ordered separately. I was neither impressed nor disappointed. It was similar to what you would expect from an eastern-European types of eatery. But then the entree! OMG i love them!!! Both of us couldn't finished due to the giant portion. But: the chewy, juicy, coated-with-sauce chicken breast from my plate; the warm, soft, well-cooked chickpeas from my friend's. Both were amazing and we had to pack up the leftover. Anyway, this place is also near the grand view area where you got pretty scene. Funny how I always thought this place was in Southside. But anyway, I will definitely comeback. If not, I'll have the Grubhub to let the food come back to me. read more

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Soooooo good! Our favorites are the beef plov, spinach manti, olivje salad, and mushroom soup. The beef is incredibly tender and the flavors are delicious. The food is so rich and filling. I would recommend ordering a bunch of different things and sharing. Makes for great leftovers too! read more

Kavsar Restaurant - beef Uzbek Plov, Olivje Salad, Kavsar boat -mushed potatoes/cheese, Mushroom Soup, HANUM, Manti 6 pc - spinach - Halal Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Big fan! The food is delicious. We've ordered delivery several times. Never had Uzbek food before but haven't had a bad item yet. Really enjoy the dumplings w/sauce and calzone-style cheese-filled breads. A guilty pleasure. Mmm mmm! Thank you for exposing me to new cuisine and culture Kasvar! read more

Went to Kavsar with a group of friends. This is a small, lovely Uzbek restaurant on Southern Avenue. We were delighted with the authentic atmosphere and warm and comfortable feeling. Our host was very knowledgeable regarding the Uzbek and Russian dishes they prepare. We were offered a photo menu to be sure we knew what the dishes might look like. Everyone shared a variety of different appetizers and main dishes. All were delicious; we enjoyed the traditional Plov, and I especially recommend the Beef Stroganoff. Drinks were no problem since it's BYOB. The parking lot is a little further down Southern on the left. Very affordable for a wonderful evening out. read more

Kavsar Restaurant - Halal Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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The girl was on the phone was so RUDE! A big NO! RUDE! We were outside, trying to order on the phone. And the women in the phone was so RUDE! We were gonna order for bunch of people, because she was so rude, we just wanted to talk to the manager or the owner but she told us she is not there. We told her she is rude and hung up!!! These kind of people should not work in restaurants! They just lost a big order and a valued customer. We already know that the food is good but we will never come here again. And, we had no problem with language. (Russian, Turkish, Uzbek, English) read more

Outstanding. Never have had Uzbek food or ever seen a place to get it until finding Kavsar. We had the Kavsar bread - huge and full of meat - 1 is plenty for two people. Also had the carrot salad - uniquely flavored and shaped like pasta. This is carry-out or delivery only and tucked in a little old neighborhood but I would absolutely go back and try other menu items. read more

This is an amazing family owned restaurant! Every dish is a hit! I loooove their hanum, plov, manti, and pretty much everything else on the menu:)))) This restaurant is THE ONLY one in the Pittsburgh area that serves delicious authentic uzbek plov. Also, the new Kavsar boat dish just melts in your mouth, so delicious! I totally recommend this place! read more

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I have eaten here twice, and have not been disappointed. The food is excellent and unique, and the prices are very affordable. We had a lovely server, who introduced us to Uzbekistan tea (Ahmad). Absolutely fabulous!! The bread is to die for, and I enjoyed the pickled vegetables. Can't wait to go back again. read more

Delicious traditional dishes served in a pleasant atmosphere by a warm and personable staff. All of our dishes were delicious and reasonably priced. I will be back! read more

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We walked up the hill to a building with the sign for Kavsar Restaurant. Classical music played over a small room of tables covered with tablecloths. Looking over the vast menu it was difficult to pick but we had to try the bread. This is a dense bread topped with sesame seeds and served warm with a side of butter. I started with the eggplant roll. It is rolled with tomato and onion and served cold. The eggplant was spongy and greasy. Seemed like I was eating a cold breaded & fried eggplant. It was too heavy so I don't think I'd order it again. The entree I ordered was called vareniki (dumplings) with onion and potato. Translucent Dumplings arrived beautifully arranged on a plate. Texture was perfect and filling had delicate flavor. Topped with dill of course. Definitely recommend. Someone got beef stroganoff. Tender beef on mashed potatoes with gravy. Someone else got the beef Plov. It reminded me of fried rice with chickpeas. Unique flavors. Overall my companions and I enjoyed the food and the service. Can't wait to go back to try more! read more

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We really wanted to like this restaurant, the reviews were great and we were craving central Asian cuisine. My boyfriend is Russian-American and this is his comfort food. We ordered the eggplant rolls, their house bread, lamb plov, and spicy cucumber salad. The service was nice but every dish except for the eggplant rolls was disappointing. The bread was flavorless and maybe stale. The spicy cucumber salad was soggy and over spiced. The lamb plov was the most disappointing of all. We were expecting a fragrant rice dish with tender pieces of lamb, but instead we received an oily rice dish with cheap cuts of tough lamb and undercooked rice. We were visiting Pittsburgh for the weekend and wasted one of only dinners in the city here. Would not recommend. read more

Great food. Clean ingredients. Interesting recipes. Menu descriptions can be a little confusing at times, but the overall experience is always worth it. read more

We were in that cafe because my friend eat only halal. Place looks not bad, the cafe staff were polite and sociable, BUT I was distracted by the phone and my order was brought to me, it was soup. and in it I found a FLY!!! It's was disgusting. I canceled my order and leave. I hope they will do something wiz this problem. read more

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Spending a lot of my time at this place. Always gives me a great mood and takes me back to my childhood! read more

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I don't understand why this place isn't packed from open to close. It's a gem. My husband and I went to dinner here a little after 6 on a Friday and we were the only two in the entire restaurant. The space/decor is kinda like grandma's house if grandma had white table cloths. It's homey and dated in that charming grandma-y way. There was only one server working and she was helpful, taking the time to make suggestions and answer all of our questions. The menu is extensive and I had a tough time deciding what to order. Everything sounded SO GOOD. We finally decided on cottage cheese pancakes, sherpa soup, meatball noodle soup, manti, and kavsar. Everything was delicious. The soups were flavorful and the cottage cheese pancakes were awesome enough to have as a dessert course (even though we ate them first). I particularly loved the Manti and the Kavsar. The manti are steamed dumplings stuffed with meat. They were so flavorful and I could definitely tell they were hand-made and fresh. The Kavsar was the star of the night. It's described as a "roasted meat sausage rolled with whipped eggs and cheese steamed with vegetables". It was a party in my mouth. I found the texture to be more like a fluffy meatloaf. It was so good and everything comfort food needs to be. We had a fantastic first experience with Uzbek cuisine. We'll definitely be back again with friends! read more

Kavsar Restaurant - Cottage cheese pancakes. Crepe-y goodness. - Halal Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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I ordered from here a few times during COVID and I loved it. I'm not familiar with this cuisine but everything I tried was great. Much of the food has a unique flavor I've never encountered before. If you're bored with ordering pizza and Chinese, give this a shot. read more

This time around we tried some different items, namely a rice dish, a noodle dish, and dumplings. The chuchvara dumplings were pretty cute and small, but one plate came with 16 of them so there was plenty to share. The dumpling skins weren't too thick and the stuffing was tasty with a bit of soup inside. Definitely not as substantial as say Chinese pork soup dumplings, but very satisfying nonetheless. The lagman and gampan both came with a very similar sauce and were seasoned with many of the same herbs and spices (dill on top was the most visually obvious). They also shared a lot of the same cut vegetables. The main difference was that the rice was much drier since it was not mixed with the meat and veggies, while the noodles came underneath the bottom layer of sauce. Both were superb. The rice paired well with the broth, while the lagman was not too overwhelming despite the noodles already sitting in the sauce. All are things I would get again. read more

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This is a quante little family owned restaurant. They make you feel at home and feed you till you are full. Would come again! Would recommend to others. read more

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I miss this place so much! It will probably be the first restaurant I go to once all the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted and it's safe to do so. I ordered takeout from here a couple weeks ago and it was delicious. I recommend the stuffed tomatoes, homemade bread, eggplant rolls, and salmon salad. I've loved all the entrees I've tried as well, but am blanking on the names. The baklava is amazing and definitely the best I've ever had. I also highly recommend the cherry crepes because they are so dense and delicious. You really can't go wrong with anything here. Takeout is great, but the inside of the restaurant is so unique and really adds to the experience. I can't wait to go back! read more

I love it. Geno loves it. You should go and try it aht. They always take you into like three rooms up four flights of stairs and it is exciting and mysterious. Idk anything about Uzbek food but I know it tasted great. read more

Absolutely love this place, my wife and I tried it.. we have been back several times!! I highly recommend it!!

I love Kavsar. Definitely one of the best meals I've had in Pittsburgh, especially for the value. Uzbek plav, lagman, cucumber lecho( umm, to die for), the bread, the samsa. Everything has unique flavors, dill is prominent. I'd say this is one of my top five restaurants in Pittsburgh. I love restaurants that aren't overpriced hipster establishments, This place is the real deal. read more

Coming off the Monangahela Incline in Pittsburg, a chance walk up the hill on Mount Washington will get the erstwhile traveler to this rather small & non-descript restaurant. For the uninitiated, you will have to know what you are looking for, or will miss it. Maybe it has a dedicated clientele too. It is easy to walk right past unless you are looking for the sign. This appears to be a home converted into a restaurant. The sitting room is up the stairs of a steep climb, so, if you have knees that don't agree with the climb, then you may not be able to get to the dining room. If there is a downstairs room, I did not see it. Thankfully, GrubHub delivers within 4 miles of the restaurant, so, if you are downtown, you can still access the cuisine. Sparsely decorated, the main attraction is the food, and, if you are in the mood, a chat with the wait staff. The wait staff of 2, is dominated by Kair. He is ebullient, I believe well educated, well-travelled, and fun, should you engage him in conversation. The food is good. I tried 3 items - the bread, the Uzbek Plov with beef, & the beef Samsa. I found that the bread desperately needed something to dip into, or mop up. That was interesting that no one gave me that suggestion, & unlike a general middle-eastern, or, Indian cuisine it had no particular dip suggestion on the menu. But it was still good on its own merit. The Plov is apparently a signature Rice dish from Uzbekistan. I found the quantity less than what I anticipated for traditional Biryani-type of dishes in Indian or Rice-dishes in Middle-eastern restaurants. Also, it is more oily than Biryani or Middle-eastern rice dishes, but, that is not a demerit, just a notification based on your preferences. The Samsa is a take on the Indian Samosa with its own twist. It is really a Puff-pastry, unlike a samosa, filled with, (choice of) Beef, or, Veggies. It is downright delicious. The restaurant does not serve ETOH (that is alcohol my friends). It is a Halal restaurant, (if it matters to you - so, no pork dishes either). Restrooms are so-so utilitarian, and could use some attention. In summary, based on the 3 items that I tried, I found it a nice break from the standard grills, or the other commoner ethnic cuisines, and a nice break from monotony. I will surely be back when visiting the area. The menu is available online at: http://www.kavsar.net/menu/. Bon Appetit. read more

Kavsar is a newly discover treasure for us. Double dated with friends, all of whom had never had this cuisine. The unique atmosphere, helpful waitress to explain menu items, delicious meats and home made breads & pastries all made for a memorable evening. 3 course meals for 4 adults, with generous tip, all came to $100. Kavsar is a bargain not to be missed! read more

The short version: Would highly recommend this place if you're looking for a unique culinary experience that you can't find everywhere. Delicious food at reasonable prices. The long version: Took my boyfriend here for lunch today and we LOVED this place. A few reasons why I really enjoyed my experience: (1) First and foremost, the food was *delicious* and fresh. We ordered: - A traditional Uzbek bread (shaped like a disk with a thick rim and an indented middle, sprinkled with sesame seeds). This was served piping hot and fresh. - A spiced pumpkin + onion samsa (an Uzbek-style samosa). Made to order and very fresh. Amazing balance of flavors. My mouth is watering as I type. - A beef julien (a crepe folded around a creamy beef and mushroom filling to make a pouch shape). - Plov (traditional Uzbek rice) - Beef manti (steamed dumplings served with sour cream). Kind of similar to Chinese soup dumplings. Succulent packages of meat and juice that explode with flavor on every bite. - Ayran (a chilled yogurt drink) The yogurt drink is probably a bit of an acquired taste (I'm sure it's quite refreshing once you get used to its strong sourness), but we really loved everything else from the first bite. To me, the highlights were definitely the bread (SO soft and airy), the pumpkin samsa, and the manti. Get at least those 3 things when you come here. (2) The pricing was very reasonable. Even with all that food we ordered (which ended up being too much for the two of us), the price came out to just $37 before tip. (3) It was just so much fun to experience a new culture. Due to the country's geography and history, Uzbek food features elements from many other cuisines that you may already be familiar with: Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, Eastern European, and possibly more. It was very cool to see all these flavors come together into something I had never tasted before. (4) The service was outstanding. Our waiter was so polite and courteous that it really stood out because it's uncommon to see servers being so formal. My one criticism is that the interior could really use a facelift. While the Uzbekistan-themed art and tapestries are nice, the building is very clearly just a house that got converted to a restaurant, and it seems like it's been a while since it's been renovated. It doesn't have much of an atmosphere. It didn't help that the TV on the wall was randomly playing Keane music videos that didn't go very well with the decor. Still, I can't wait to come back again! My stomach is already craving more manti... read more

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Their food specialty their rice dishes are extremely bad , not sure who gives any star to this restaurant! May be they have never tried rice dishes before! Also Very rude staff ! read more

Really excellent Russian cuisine, enjoyed the breads and the shredded beef with fresh dill. Something different that I'm not too familiar with but will definitely be back. read more

The food here was ok. I wasn't blown away. The bread was delicious, served hot. The lagman noodles were good. Overall average food

All around best ethnic restaurant in Pittsburgh! It's a hidden secret at the corner of Shiloh and Southern Ave. Excellent Borsct soup!

Great place! Great staff! Delicious food! Want to mention server Lilya! She is precious! Definitely recommended! Omg I would eat there daily! read more

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Great food. Manti with meat are a hit. My husband, our 5 year old daughter and me all loved them. Those are a must. Also, we loved shish kebab (the skewers). Charcoal grilled - do I need to add more? Definitely will be back to try other things on the menu. They bake bread fresh! read more

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