It's a nice little place nuzzled in a small strip mall. If you blink you would miss it as you drive by. A place that has maybe 10 tables, but our host gladly seated our party of 12. I have never been to a Russian restaurant before so he was nice enough to explain to our group what all the food choices were. They are big on lamb here so some group members said those dishes were delicious. I chose the beef and chicken items like the kabobs and they were juicy and perfectly cooked. The tomato & goat cheese appetizer was delicious. I could've eaten that all night. The pumpkin puff pastry was delicious. I did not try the other meat one but once again our group loved it. We had some rice and aside order of fried potatoes, which were like potato chips and they were delicious garlic. Very good. We ended with homemade desserts which consisted of chocolate mousse, a puff pastry of some sort, a baklava, which was delicious. Everything was delicious. Bring your own alcohol. You're in for a very tasty treat. read more

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Very good food but way too expensive and their ambiance is just ok. Nothing special for the prices they charge

excellent location great food staff is super freindly and accomodating to be able to bring our own drinks was a great plus too highly recommended read more

The menu contains just the names of the dishes. If you don't know what they are they will explain it to you or you can look it up. It is very small and the food is fine but not great. read more

Absolutely delicious with great service. I ordered the bread with the eggplant spread and two warm appetizers that were made of beef and lamb. The food was fresh and flavorful and expertly prepared. I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and the simplicity of the restaurant. Dessert is not to be missed. I ordered the pecan cake. Try it. You will not regret it. I'm looking forward to returning to try other dishes. read more

Food was delicious, we liked every single dish we ordered. I have pretty picky children and they devoured their food. Staff were very helpful and patient with our party too. Enjoyed all the decoration as well. We will be coming back. read more

Excellent food, great and friendly service , relaxed ambience -- I wanted to go again the following day! I think food is authentic. Desserts homemade by the mom of the guy serving us. The chocolate mousse and napoleon were sumptuous! I want to go asap. We will take other family (members) there. read more

Love this place!!!! Amazing, food and service. You will not leave hungry. Soup and chicken shish always my go to.

Delicious food for a date night and BYOB. Everything tasted so fresh and authentic. Will definitely be back!!

Recently placed an order for take-out. Without getting into specifics, the food portions were ridiculously small compared to the price. The food was delicious but for that amount of money they could have been more generous with their portions. We ordered a bunch of different items for people to try (dinner for 6 people) and there wasn't nearly enough for everyone to get some of each. Can't say I'll be returning for more, unfortunately. read more

The food is really top notch here and is very consistent! Our usuals include: - Achuchuk (Tomato Salad) - Kutabi - Chebureki - Chicken and Lamb Kabab - Chalahach (lamb chops) - Lyulya Kabab (ground lamb) - Home style potatoes - Kompot (home-made fruit juice) Food is always cooked to perfection and packed with flavor! Even for take out, it tasted as if we were eating it at the restaurant. Only thing to note is that it is on the pricy side. But definitely worth the visit! read more

I ordered 3 plovs to go. It all came in 1 tray and the quantity was very less. I had ordered single plov before and it was good enough quantity. But when I ordered three , it seemed they reduced the quantity of meat and rice both. Very disappointed. However the plovs tasted very good. Also ordered the Kutabi & cherubeki. They were both excellent. Only if they have not reduced the quantity of the main dish so much it would have been perfect. read more

Thanks for great home cooking made me remember my background luv you guys Frankie my bestie plus Nadia, Inez Albert you and Marina rock my taste buds. The best place this of the Caucus. read more

Shirin Cafe - Russian Near Me - Manalapan, New Jersey

Not quite sure how to start this review but I know you want here about the food. I'll get to that but first let me tell you about the staff and the service. The owner of Shirin Cafe sees to it that you're treated like family. Albert, Frankie, and Marina welcome you as though you are their first and best customer. The room is decorated with such ambience that you feel as though you are back in your mother country. Now, as for the food, well I certainly have my favorites but everything on the menu is simply delicious. I typically start my meal with their Borscht and then proceeded to any of their salads. Their menu has been updated and includes many of the all-time favorites. You can't go wrong with any of their kebabs but the new ribeye kebab has been a stand out. Everything on the menu is made from scratch, and it reminds me of my grandmas kitchen. Go to the Shirin Cafe and you will not be disappointed . read more

We were curious to try this meal and I am so glad we came. This was one of those meals where on the first bite you start wondering when you can come back. Everything we ordered was a 10/10. We ordered the chicken Tabaka which was basically the best fried chicken I've ever had. It's crispy and flavorful but still light. It also comes with a refreshing salsa-like dip which was phenomenal. We also got the Pavlov, which is Uzbek fried rice with lamb. I don't typically like lamb and I inhaled this. My husband said it was one of the best fried rices he's ever had (high praise from a Filipino!). We also got the dumplings (FYI expect a 40 minute wait for these, we got them at the end of the meal instead of it being an appetizer, but was well worth the wait). The dumplings were melt in your mouth good. I'm so happily surprised with this place, one of those places that should be packed every night but is a hidden gem. We will be back!!! read more

Amazing food! Authentic home made, everything is very delicious. Great service and ambiance. We love this place.

If you like smaller portions for the higher price and not so tasty food then you will love this place! The name is misleading! The waiter was not friendly either. Overall not so good place to eat. They should increase their client services and improve ambiance. read more

As soon as you walk in, shout for an order of "Manti, Manti!" They're soup dumplings that take 45 min to prepare, and you're going to need them. It's 4 large dumplings to an order. If you order a glass or pitcher of compote to drink (the fresh cranberry juice), make sure to bring Grey Goose or your choice of vodka to cut it with. Other essentials: You need the Uzbek bread - warm, fluffy, delicious. You need at least 1 pumpkin samsa, a perfectly puffy puff pastry. If it's cold outside, get the shurpa or mastava soup. For entrees, the lamb kabab is extremely flavorful, served on a sword, topped with plenty of onions. The plov is what they're most known for, and always a strong order. After you're finished, order the sochinskiy (honey cake). You're gonna end up wanting another piece. read more

I've never had Russian or Uzbek food in my life. Met a friend from college here and we ordered random traditional items off the menu. We got the King's herring; the fried eggplant, and the lamb chops and lamb kebab. We also had a whole kettle of green tea and ate had a cup of fruit juice with real fruit at the bottom. Everything was amazing and I can't wait to go again ! read more

John, me, and our friends Yuri and Lou did some celebrating at this charming and exotic little cafe on Route 9. Shirin Cafe specializes in dishes of Central Asia, featuring grilled meats, pilaf, stuffed doughs and dumplings, and hearty soups. Recipes from Uzbekistan, Armenia, and the Caucasus region are represented. Our goal was to sample as many appetizers as we could without exploding. We waded through: Uzbek traditional bread (a round, flat, dense yeast bread traditionally baked in a tandoori oven) Armenian lobio - a kidney bean and herb salad topped with julienne-cut basturma (dried meat) This was outstanding! Chuchvara, boiled (small meat-filled dumplings) two kinds of Samsa (stuffed flaky pastry triangles), the first filled with meat and the second with sauteed pumpkin and onion (ohhhh my!) two varieties of Kutabi (a thin round flat dough, filled and folded over, and stuffed with ground meat or a combination of leafy vegetables, onions, scallions, and dill) Hachapuri - a flaky triangle stuffed with cheeses, scallion, and dill Plov (pilaf) - an entree of rice and vegetables topped with sliced lamb Homemade Kompot (cranberry punch) and hot tea accompanied the meal. Russians, (and I suppose central Asians) often accompany a meal with sweet fruit punch. These beverages are almost always waaaaay too sweet for me, and this one was no exception. I would have to cut this with a lot of club soda to enjoy it, however, John, Yuri, and Lou -- all sweet tooths -- were as happy as clams. The tea was brewed from loose leaves. My three companions enjoyed drinking it through their cut sugar, while I, not surprisingly, sipped it straight. Everything was fresh and tasty, with lovely textures, seasonings, and flavors. My favorite appetizers were the lobio, the pumpkin samsa, and both of the kutabi, but I would happily order anything that we sampled again. I look forward to dining here again and trying soup on my next visit. read more

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Uzbek food = new foodie experience so sign me up! Had a chance to try Shirin Cafe (and Uzbek food) for the first time and what a nice experience. Located in a strip mall off of Rt.9, the restaurant is decorated with a lot of Uzbek themed clothing and ornaments that were pretty and not over the top. Service was very polite and cordial. Ordered three appetizers: Uzbek bread was delicious. It was very similar in texture and taste to Turkish Pide bread marked by a crispy crust exterior and airy, light, soft, and pock-marked interior perfect for any types of spreads and/or butters. The Pumpkin Samsa and Hachapuri were both delicious too. The puff pastry on each was so delicately flaky and buttery. Pumpkin Samsa filling of shredded pumpkin and other vegetables was yummy, but the cheese filling in the Hachapuri was wonderful. It was the most delicately pungent (a good thing) spiced goat cheese. Note that the Samsa and Hachapuri are made fresh to order as our waitress told us right away that each take 30 minutes to prepare, cook, and serve. Entrees consisted of: The Lamb Kebab was served on a huge metal skewer, on top a bed of vinegar brined white onion slices, and a side salsa-like dipping sauce. Lamb chunks were pretty substantial, but I think a tad more salt & pepper would have helped as well as a bit more grill flavor and a notch lower on the temperature (the lamb was a tad above medium, but I would have preferred medium-rare. Nonetheless the lamb was fresh and very meaty. The vinegar brined white onion slices were delicious! Beef Stroganoff was excellent. The slow cooked beef was so tender and beefy. The beef and gravy taste was so reminiscent to that of the Polish Hunter's stew I've enjoyed at Krakowiak (Polish restaurant). The bed of fried potato strings (basically French Fries) were fresh and awesomely soaked up a lot of the meaty stew and beef rendered beef fat (not the most appetizing of descriptions, but trust me....delicious). Also ordered a piece of the Napoleon. In this case my sister enjoyed most of it, as Napoleon's happen to be one of the few desserts I don't like, and she indicated it was excellent. I also have to mention the Uzbek green tea which was a perfect drink to compliment the meal, as the tea was mild and soothing. It was served in a very pretty and almost British high-tea formal style of cubed sugar, raisins, and a sugar-crusted peanut snack. Aside from the slight foibles on the Lamb Kebab, Shirin Cafe is a really solid 4 to 4.5 on my scale. read more

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We stopped at this supposedly Uzbek place when we were in the area. We liked everything we ordered, but this place is more Russian than Uzbek to be honest. They had a couple of tables outside and service was decent. read more

Really had a great time at this byob Uzbek/Russian restaurant. The owner was very personable and food was outstanding! Never experienced this type of cuisine, but after this meal, I highly recommend. The owner happened to accidentally knock over my glass of wine and he apologized profusely, and then gave our table a free bottle of French red wine! He also gave my friend complimentary dessert for her birthday. It was truly a great meal and a fun time! I definitely will come back again! read more

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This place is in a random strip mall in the middle of who knows where but the food is amazing and the 40 min drive was well worth it. First they give you this flat circular bread which is delicious and crispy and topped with toasted sesame seeds. Try not to fill up too much on this because there is much more deliciousness to come. Next we ordered the pumpkin samsa which was absolutely heavenly. I expected the samsa (pretty much a samosa but with a thinner, flakier crust) to be sweet but the pumpkin was savory and there was what seemed like sauerkraut in it as well which only added another layer of depth to the flavor. I have never tasted anything like it and I will definitely order it again when I come back here. Next we ordered 3 main dishes - the ground lamb kebab which came with thinly sliced onions which were marinated to perfection, the spring chicken which looks and somewhat tastes like Korean fried chicken, and a yellow rice dish with lamb on top whose name I can't remember. All entrees were cooked perfectly. Overall, I was really surprised to find a mom and pop restaurant in a strip mall that produces dishes that contain so much flavor and depth. I've never had Uzbek food before but I will definitely be coming back here for some more dill. They love dill... and now I love dill. And best of all, it's BYOB. read more

We had a fabulous experience here last night. This is a cute little restaurant in a strip mall on route 9, but as soon as you enter it has that "home" feel that so many restaurant lack over high design. Brick walls, maybe 10 or so tables and a partially open prep / kitchen area. The owner was quick to greet and seat our party of four. We ordered samsa's and dumplings both of which were fantastic. The pumpkin samsa was my favorite and the dumplings were streamed and almost reminded me of the famed soup dumplings. We then ordered the lamb, chicken and another kebab that escapes me. Everything was delicious - especially the sauce that accompanied it. We finished with a trio of desserts. Loved the chocolate and pecan cake. Everything about this experience was positive and I can't wait to come back. read more

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YUM! This spot was part of a bachelorette/bridal weekend. Thank goodness our bride-to-be is an open-minded well-traveled gal who has visited Uzbekistan or we would have never made it to this little gem! I'm a vegetarian but loved the red bean salad (requested without the ham), the varanikis (like pierogis), the crispy thick slabs of bread, the wonderful Uzbek black tea and even the hot sauce (I am very partcular about my hot sauce!). My friends were even more so in love with the rest of the meat-heavy food - soup dumplings, lamb pilov, chicken and salmon and lamb skewers, etc. etc. We were the only non-Eastern European/CIS nationals there but I would highly recommend anyone who enjoys good food (and good/polite service) to visit if in the area! This is another one of those NJ spots that cements my belief that NJ suburbia may just have better immigrant food gems than NYC! And I live/eat out in NYC a lot! read more

My wife and I just ate here for the first time. Sadly, my wife doesn't want to go back. Everything we ate was good, although the touted cranberry drink was indistinguishable from cranberry juice cocktail, except for a few tart berries lurking at the bottom. The service was friendly, but not up to dealing with the full house they had and a big delivery being prepared, so we did not get to have any of the grilled specialties. The bread, pirogies, borsch, etc were all fine. Unfortunately, the noise level from the group tables and the little children whose parents allowed them to run around, shriek, open and close the front door, etc ruined it for us. It's not the noisiest restaurant in the area, but the food couldn't overcome the din. Maybe delivery or takeout will be the way I get to have more of the really enjoyable dishes, sigh. read more

NOTE: We generally DO NOT DRINK! So, this review comes from a "sober individual" who has eaten EVERYWHERE from Char in Redbank, to The Mill in Spring Lake, to Fins in Bradley (or Belmar who can tell) to Café Artist in Spring Lake. We constantly strive for new experiences and spend about 1600.00 monthly eating out mostly on the weekends. We like Food, not Booze, and while others may mainly be focused on catching a temporary high, our primary focus is taste, portion size, satisfaction and environment. Anyway, we went last night at around 7:00pm and the place was packed. We waited a few minutes for a table to open and within 15 minutes we had our drinks and "one of the best breads I ever had in my life" that they serve warm Kind of tastes like a croissant but cut into smaller wedges and crispy on the outside. The butter was 'real' too which is important to us as we cannot stand 'whipped cheap junk fake butter'. Inside you kind of feel like you are in a Russian restaurant in Moscow. There are various decorations placed throughout that look like 'Russian things' and everyone around us was speaking Russian. The noise level was fine contrary to what one of the single male critics posted and aside from our own 2 girls, there were no kids in the place. We don't mind kids as long as they act like ours meaning, nice and quite and respectful of others and ME! It is not often that we eat at a place that we do not find at least 1 or 2 issues with the food. The food here was excellent. Every dish was loaded with seasoning and spices and cooked perfectly. We had 2 filets and 1 lamb kebob, 2 bowls of unreal and delicious homemade soup, a large Greek type salad loaded with feta style cheese, vegies and rice. Even the rice was excellent kind of tasting like sushi sticky rice but at a way better quality. Once we started eating, we could not stop! The food is really fantastic. Even the desserts were fresh and homemade, and really good. The servers were all Russian with 1 speaking fluent broken English and the other 'trying' real hard to understand everything we said, which was really cute. . Between servings the servers constantly removed used dishes and reset our table for each every course. Really nice place and of course we will be back! Total cost for 4 people eating full meals, ordering a huge salad, 2 appetizers and 2 soups. (our kids don't eat 'kids' food) with 2 extra desserts as takeout ran us 190.00 and we left a 40.00 tip. Insider tip: We were going to order one of their pastries filled with pumpkin but the server said that they take about 20 minutes to bake so we skipped it. If you want to try a pastry, count on waiting a little for the pastry. Ps: This is a BYO and everyone was drinking wine (Except us). read more

I've been here three times by now and have loved it each time I've gone. Coming from a Russian family (half of which specifically hail from Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan), I held a high standard to this place with respect to babushka's cooking. The service, in particular, is your traditional Uzbek flavor: very hospitable and friendly. Lana (I believe that's her name), the vibrant redhead, graces her way to each table with a smile. It probably also helps that I speak Russian and my knowledge of the cuisine has her constantly questioning whether I am Uzbek, but regardless, she really makes a table feel at home. For appetizers, I would definitely recommend the meat samsas (I tried to be "different" my first go with the pumpkin and wasn't very satisfied), achuchuk salad (a spicy tomato and onion salad), traditional lepyoshka (Uzbek naan bread), chuchvara (Uzbek dumplings; we ordered them fried and while they were really tasty, I was saddened I didn't get a giant helping of sour cream to dip them in), manti (a larger Uzbek dumpling that has an amazing mix of cumin spices with lamb and onion inside with a beautifully delicate dough outside; be sure to order them at the start as they take at least 40 minutes to cook), kutubi (traditional Azerbaijani savory pancakes), and khachapuri (a traditionally Georgian cheese pastry, but their version presents an interesting take with tarter cheeses and spices). I've tried their eggplant caviar ("ikra") and it was just ok (lacked salt in my opinion). Also, the rendezvous salad, while an extravaganza for the eyes to watch how it is prepared before you, is also just ok. Uzbeks are known for their tasty soups and Shirin definitely delivers. In particular, their lagman is amazing (even better than babushkas) with the tastes of cilantro and the thick noodles creating a journey through the Silk Road. I also particularly liked the Mastava, which is a spicy lamb soup. For entrees, I always order the delicious lyulya kebab (ground lamb) which comes on a hot skewer to be enjoyed with deliciously spiced and slighty sautéed onions. The real superstar, however, is always the potatoes. I don't know how they get them to be so thinly sliced or fried so perfectly, but everyone I've taken here always remarks on them. Combined with plenty of garlic and dill, they're a real treat. One negative I will say, and it's a big one for an Uzbek establishment, is that their plov, the pride and joy of this ethnicity's cuisine, is mediocre. The meat is dry and the rice a bit undercooked. The flavors are there; texturally, however, it's a miss. For dessert, order their Uzbek teas (both the black and green varieties are great). I particularly loved their honey cake and the sugar powdered chickpeas (sounds weird but tastes delicious). read more

Shirin Cafe - Uzbek Heaven. - Russian Near Me - Manalapan, New Jersey

Family owned and operated Russian/Uzbek restaurant located in the back of the strip mall next to the Avanti spa and across from Konbu Japanese restaurant. Restaurant has an old world atmosphere with television shows of Russian dance and music. Owners and staff are very friendly and attentive. Love the food! Great soups, salads and shish kebab! And don't forget their homemade desserts! It is so worth trying to find this place. I guarantee it'll stay on your list and you will return. read more

When it comes to food, LA spoils you. There's restaurants all over the place, tons of different cuisines to choose from, and all reachable by freeways when they're not clogged. Not to mention LA is foody-ville central, where everyone's a critic, word spreads fast, and hole in the wall places quickly become overrun with customers. So it's only in hometown suburban NJ where I can find a nice quaint family owned restaurant with light patronage in an old forgotten strip mall. Came here with my friends and my sister, and we had a pretty grand meal. The hot Mastava soup was amazing to start off with, really flavorful, with tender chunks of meat and lots of rice. I also really enjoyed my samsa puff pastry with meat, which was flaky and delicious. Then between the 5 of us, we split several quails and some kebabs of lamb meat. I'm not too big a fan of lamb, but the big chunks of meat were quite tasty, as was the quail (though it was rather difficult to get at some of the meat). To finish off, we split a slice of baklava, which, as always, is freaking heavenly. I'd highly recommend trying this place out! It's in the Design Center on Route 9 South, after Town Pointe, and right across from Mom's and the Dunkin Donuts. read more

Great little restaurant with an extensive menu. And lots of vegetarian options! When I went there, we only got an assortment of appetizers, but they were all fantastic. The eggplant pate and herring were the two standouts for us, but I'm looking forward to coming back and trying the entrees. And the service was quick and attentive, even though by seven the place was pretty full. read more

Very good food. A friend recommended this place to me and exactly what to order off the menu. Only had 1 person working up front so the service was really basic, that's why I didn't post 5 stars. Otherwise really good food. read more

I have been here a few times to date. Yummy, home-style food. Everything is very tasty. Try their signature salad. Two thumbs up!

Great food! We started with the Uzbek bread that came warm to the table. My husband and I loved the appetizers, my favorite was Kutabi with meat and Hachapuri. Then I had the Borsch Soup that was delicious. For dessert my favorite this thin layered pastry that was so so good. I put this place on my calendar for next month and bring my family. read more

Shirin Cafe - This place is amazing, next time I'm around here this is a must!! - Russian Near Me - Manalapan, New Jersey

I am very a picky eater when it comes to Eastern European cuisine, since I was born and raised and from the former Soviet Union. The food at this restaurant was authentic, fresh and very flavorful. From our appetizers to main dishes to dessert. I would especially recommend lamb and lyulya kebabs. This is a hidden gem. If you are in the area, you should definitely pay it a visit. read more

Shirin Cafe - Russian Near Me - Manalapan, New Jersey

Food is so tasty and authentic. Friendly family owned place. Great for couples and groups. You must try the Manti! They are worth the wait. The bakhor salad is also really good. The only thing not so great is that everything is just a little more expensive than it ought to be. At the end it all costs more than it should. read more

This place is a sleeper. Went in on a lark, the ambiance is OK . However the food is a killer. The food is great. The owners are Uzbek, the food is great down cooking. Do not miss the soups, aromatic, lots of meat veggies and great seasoning . The meats ( kebabs) are plentiful, salads are big and well prepared. Owners are friendly and helpful, the home made bread is great and overall I am coming back here again soon, and this time will try the deserts ( could not do now because we ordered too much food) OK this is our 5th time there. Doesn't disappoint the food and service is great. They were full, and it was business as usual. Had to loosen my belt. Albert (owner manager whatever is charming) read more

This was my third time visiting and was completely disappointed compared to the previous visits. From the start everything seemed off. All tables had a table cloth except ours. The servers seemed very outgoing to the other tables but weren't very friendly to us. The younger bus boy was giving dirty looks and made us feel unwelcome regardless of how nice we were to him. We also had to ask for water multiple times before it was served. It's a shame because the food is good but definitely not worth enduring the horrendous service. We took two friends with us talking about how good it was and felt a little embarrassed at what they experienced. read more

Great food. We had a party of 6. Ordered hot and cold appetizers. Logman soup was delicious. Pork shish kabob was made to perfection. Lamb was tender. Not one of the dishes was less then 5 stars and all of us loved the food read more

Shirin Cafe - The icing on the cake - Russian Near Me - Manalapan, New Jersey