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    Vanka Cafe

    3.8 (95 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 11:00 pm

    Vanka Cafe Photos

    VANKA CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Vanka Cafe

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    There clearly stellar record

    DEAR Marina... I explicitly asked to speak to the owner end I have 3 recorded videos that I already submitted to the health department. Please do not try to discriminate and lie yet again and bluntly dismiss my legitimate concern. I uploaded pictures of exactly two of your staff who one of them claimed to be the owner. Disobeying and disregarding the Americans Disability ACT you should be ashamed of your employees. Instead of coming on here to bash me and claim this never happened, you should teach your employees that harassment and discrimination is unacceptable in the United States and I will make sure of it that your cafe will answer for it. Little did you know but the person with us who witnessed everything is a very well known lawyer, and the whole incident was very clearly documented. Claiming you never recieved bad reviews regarding your hygenie - well check your reviews again. Almost every one mentions how filthy the place is. Very nice to see your actual violations - live mice in establishment. We were denied service with our service dog. OWNER AND WORKERs ARE BOTH DISGUSTING AND RUDE. Educate your employees on the law and how to speak with clients. Refused to allow a 75 year old man with a service dog into the premises. Discrimination at its finest, I will be calling the health department so they can inspect what a dirty and disgusting establishment you run. Hope this place gets shut down.

    Front of restaurant
    Arthur M.

    Great spot with amazing food!! The service is very friendly and nice. I ordered green borsh, holodec, lamb shish kebab, and cherry vareniki with black tea. Everything came right on time and very tasty!!! Huge thanks to cook chief you guys did an amazing job!! Definitely coming back!

    Chicken Kiev with French fries
    Eddie B.

    Vanka Cafe is the quintessential Russian eatery in south Brooklyn. Vanka is a great place to come with a group of friends or family to have some solid Russian comfort food. The prices are very reasonable, the atmosphere is warm and welcoming and it's BYOB! Some of the great items I like to order here are salad "Olivier", pickled herring with boiled potatoes, mushrooms "julienne", home fried potatoes with mushrooms, Khachipuri, and beef tongue. And these are just the hot and cold appetizer options. Some of the tasty entrees I've sampled here are chicken kebab, pork kebab, chicken schnitzel with sunny side egg, grilled salmon in cream sauce, the beef stroganoff is pretty good and my favorite, the chicken Kiev. All these great options come with a side of mashed potatoes, or French fries or buckwheat kasha. I've been here many times and celebrated many occasions here over the years and they're consistently good quality. They're friendly and always treated us well.

    Paul M.

    A MUST if you are in the area! Traditional Tasty Inexpensive Russian Food Served up Fresh & Tasty with a Warm Friendly Attitude (non- NY & "non-Russian")! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FOOD: Having grown up near Brighton Beach (Little Odessa), of Slovak Ancestry, well traveled, I am very familiar with Eastern European, Russian, & Middle Eastern cuisine. After I left NYC at the age 32, for Hawaii & then California, I had not had a Chicken Kiev for decades....that is until I had Vanka's EXCELLENT CHICKEN KIEV among other tasty offerings. The Chicken Kiev (see pic) was filled with tons of lovely artery clogging butter, while still maintaining a nice crunchy non-greasy exterior. It was one of the few things in NYC that it was as good, or better, than I remember from back in the day! The Cherry Dumplings were yet another stand out, that were identical to the Polish or Slovak Pierogi versions. My veggie wife did love them. On the other hand, I was not expecting the Russian style meat Pierogi would be so different, and more like a Pastry. The Chicken Soup with dumplings was just like "MOM USED TO MAKE" and was surely homemade. While we sampled our own little feast, it was nothing compared to the usual extravagant spread that a large group of Russian had behind us. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SERVICE: They were attentive, friendly, & nice, without any pressure. They communicated well in English & were really accommodating when it came to my Vege Wife's preferences. Their service & attitude was on par, or even better, than many of the fine restaurants in San Francisco. It was a big stand out in NYC, where rampant rudeness is the norm. In other words, they did make a non-Russian newcomer feel like an accepted regular in an ethic restaurant. They single handedly blew away the usual stereotypes associated with such places. We really thank the Vanka staff for making our ARTIC FREEZING NYC stay with my NY brother, much more pleasant. I only wish that we had time to frequent it many more times during our stay, but it was not possible since we were busy taking care of my extremely ill mother who also spent two weeks in NYU Medical Center in Manhattan. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ATMOSPHERE: Pleasant, clean, utilitarian, & non ostentatious. The bathroom was clean & spotless. Overall, it was ideal for a humble "mom & pop" operation. The staff was warm & friendly, & I had some nice conversations with many of them. Since we came at a off-peak time, that added to the casual atmosphere. This place stands in stark contrast to the rude or indifferent attitude & unhygienic Russian Deli that is a few blocks away...were their hot bar is exposed to whatever & has many items spoiling without proper heat (or cold)...that place must pay off the health inspectors. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In Summary, GREAT Handcrafted Homemade FOOD & SERVICE, in a friendly local peaceful Neighborhood setting... SO GO HERE FOR RUSSIAN FOOD !!! It is in my opinion, far better than most places in Brighton Beach where they are not anywhere near as nice & where the hustle & bustle, will stress you out! Again..... Thanks VANKA !!!!!! P.S.- See menu/pics for great extensive Take-Out/ Delivery options at amazing prices!

    pelmeni

    this is called "pelmeni" which can be eaten in one bite. Each one is the size of my pinky and the amount of oil it was in was crazy.

    Enriko G.

    The food was ok, nothing special TBH, the service is extremely slow. And no parking near by. It's ok for families dinner but nothing to crazy.

    Wilkie J.

    This place is great in many ways. This establishment offers great food, customer service and wonderful drinks. I have decided to visit this resturant, because I wanted to eat something different. I am glad I visited this place, because I wanted to eat everything after my first meal. I am happy with my selection and I know I will return with friends. If you decide to visit this place, do not hesitate to ask someone for their recommendation, because if you decide on your own it make take a while. Why? Everything is prepared nicely on your plate. Trust me, you will begin to take many photos instantly. Recommend dishes: This is a difficult choice, because the chef prepared their meals with love. I recommend you to come here and choose for yourself. Your selection will always be the best choice.

    Elvira G.

    Russian speaking people really like This place because it is special: decor is outdated but cozy , service is nice and simple , food is not expensive and not fancy .If you like heavy fatty food and you do not know were to take you grandma for lunch - this is a place to go. We went here for lunch and I think their Chef had a bad day or maybe we made a wrong choice.After all ,they do not care what you think about them.

    My amazing take out meal at Vanka Cafe. Thanks Gabby for treating! ;)
    Shannon Z.

    My friend ordered out from this place and we ordered an assortment of dishes which included a split chicken dish, an eel salad and beef salad baked escargo baked potato gratin like dish. Taste wise, this place was amazing. Everything was exceptionally well made and it tasted like what a hearty meal would taste like. This place is inexpensive and a great place to try if you're in need of some Russian food! Yum-O

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    5 years ago

    Five stars, the cheese is not processed! The place is warm! Wayyy better than rnr. This place is so great

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    14 years ago

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    Marina A.

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    9 years ago

    Good food and decent prices. Service kinda chaotic and slow. Def not enough help and very loud.

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    12 years ago

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    Marina A.

    Thank you, we look forward to serving you!

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    16 years ago

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    Marina A.

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    9 years ago

    Delicious Russian food. Everything is made fresh. Their red borscht always hits the spot.

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    13 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Been here a number of times. Bathe food is always fresh and delicious. Good prices and excellent service. We always leave satisfied.

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    12 years ago

    Great Russian food and very fair prices. Just make sure you call in advance as they have big parties regularly.

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    Marina A.

    Thanks!

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    12 years ago

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    Marina A.

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    11 years ago

    Went here for a birthday maybe I came on the wrong time but both me and my friend had food poisoning.

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    10 years ago

    Food here is very delicious. Will most likely celebrate New Years here this year. Thanks

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    9 years ago

    The food is very yummy. I started going here a lot now after work. The service is good and I'm obsessed with their borsht !!!

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    8 years ago

    Very good. Chicken kiev is family favorite. Call your order in 40 min early for take out.

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    Page 2 of 3

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    Miriam - Halloumi Salad

    Miriam

    4.0(1.3k reviews)
    6.5 miPark Slope
    $$

    The food was amazing. Had the Jerusalem breakfast (formerly known as the Israeli breakfast) and the…read morelamb shawarma terracotta. The lamb was a balance of sweet and savory. The presentation in a terracotta dish with a baked dough cover added to the appeal. Great place for a Friday afternoon celebration with attentive service.

    Miriam has always been great, we've been coming here for 4 years, but they keep changing the menu…read more Every time we come now it's different which I understand to a certain extent but we also come for the dishes we love. My husband LOVED the burek, but then they totally changed it and now it's just gone. The food is still delicious, but unpredictable of what we can / will order. The new space is beautiful and open and airy, but sadly the service has dipped. This place used to be almost too fast, we were in and out and we consistently knew we could come here and get out in a very timely manner. But now I literally had to flag down our waitress and I still didn't get her attention, another waitress came over to help us get our check. We also didn't get checked on at all, luckily our food was good and right. The table next to us didn't get greeted for water or anything so they had to flag down the guy delivering food to get a waitress. I thinkkk it may be because the wait staff is servicing here and the location next store but it's really impacted the experience. Totally understand that a lot of places are understaffed, but we've never experienced this before Miriam we love you, but pleaseeeeee stop changing the menu.

    Photos
    Miriam - Inside

    Inside

    Miriam - Chicken liver with beets

    Chicken liver with beets

    Miriam - Lamb Shawarma

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    Lamb Shawarma

    Olea - Mushrooms

    Olea

    4.2(1.1k reviews)
    6.9 miFort Greene
    $$

    Had an incredible dinner here! I made a reservation on Resy for indoor dining (they have outdoor…read moredining, but I thought it was too cold outside even with heat lamps). It's super cozy inside, and they also give you pillows to sit on. Our server was really friendly and gave us great recommendations. We ordered a few different things to share for our party of two: - Bacon wrapped dates (5/5) so good!!! - Short ribs (5/5) I actually don't usually eat beef but these were so good and not dry. The orzo on the side also balanced it out well. - Kale salad (5/5) This seemed like a simple salad but it was so yummy and dressed well. The pine nuts tasted good with this too! - Vegan fruit sundae (2/5) Sadly this was the only thing that missed the mark. I didn't like the raisins and the almonds didn't really work well with everything but that was just me. The sorbet was also pretty sour. The best thing about this was the white cream on top (it tasted like real cream)

    Okay! Came in recently for a cheeky happy hour perusal of the menu. No reservation, just walked in…read moreon a Monday right as they were opening for dinner service and we were seated right away. Drinks were great, nice amount of alcohol in them. We tried many things, would 100% recommend the Patatas Bravas & Brussels. We both enjoyed the Beef Empanadillas but my friend through the Chicken Shawarma sliders were very cilantro forward. Dessert was nice as well, I think the only disappointing item was the Spanish Pitza which we both didn't like. Very nice space, aesthetically pleasing. Can definitely see myself coming back to continue exploring the menu

    Photos
    Olea - Atmosphere

    Atmosphere

    Olea - Lamb Pasta

    Lamb Pasta

    Olea - Kale Salad

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    Kale Salad

    Theodora - Steelhead Trout

    Theodora

    4.5(209 reviews)
    6.8 miFort Greene

    Ordered: Iara Cocktail (~$20): Cachaça, Mint, Coconut,…read moreMelon, Green Tea, Gentian Root Hildegard Cocktail (~$20): Bourbon, Fennel, Turmeric, Lemon, Verbena Ginger Foam Hiramasa Crudo (~$20): Finger Limes, Avocado, Dashi Whipped Ricotta Sourdough (~$17): Brown Butter, Honey, Sage Prawns (~$26): Honey Habanero, Pineapple Pico de Gallo Octopus (~$26): Smoked Shallot, Snow Peas, Freekeh Whole Butterflied Trout (~$48): Pil Pil, Harissa, Chermoula Doughnuts (~$16): Cranberry Pomegranate Jam & Crème Fraîche Anglaise Aya's take: Easy 4.5 stars and some of the best elevated seafood you will find in NYC. Theodora needs no introduction and the race to a reservation is proof. I was able to snag a reservation a month before I wanted to visit and opted for the chef's counter as many have recommended. I enjoyed sitting there and watching the controlled chaos in front of us. We were seated right in front of the Josper Mangal and Josper Oven which they use in many of their dishes. It offers the ability to preserve moisture while adding aromatics from the smoke. The Iara Cocktail was beautiful, light in flavor, and refreshing. If you're the type to sip on a cocktail throughout dinner, this is a good one! The Hildegard Cocktail was unified yet you can still taste the ingredients; I particularly enjoyed the Verbana ginger foam. So good! The Hiramasa Crudo was art in food form. A must get from the fresh fish to the citrus flavors to the garnishes. The Whipped Ricotta Sourdough was basically a dessert in the best way. The Sourdough was some of the best I've had and the whipped ricotta was fluffy, rich, and went crazy with the brown butter & honey. The Prawns were unbelievably delicious; I genuinely could've eaten 10 of them. It was smoky with a charred exterior and a clean, tender interior. The Pineapple Pico de Gallo was bright and tropical. The Whole Butterflied Trout was fantastic. The trout was buttery, moist, and so light. I can't decide if I liked the Harissa or Chermoula more. The skin got beautifully crisp from the Josper Mangal while retaining the tenderness on the inside. I wish we ended the meal there because this is where we lose the half star. The Octopus wasn't hot in temperature when we received it and it didn't have that smoky/char flavor like with the Prawns. There was also some flavor that was a bit off-putting I couldn't quite recognize. The Doughnuts were also pretty basic. They're essentially 4 doughnut holes at ~$4 each - an easy skip, in my opinion. All in all, Theodora is doing something special and is already booked & busy. If you snag a reservation, definitely go and thank me later!

    Theodora is the perfect dinner spot for a date night. My partner and I joined the standby line 30…read moremins before they opened on a Saturday and it was time well spent for the fantastic dinner we enjoyed. The tuna was our favorite out of the fish dishes we tried. The sauce is unlike anything I've tried before, tangy and refreshing but not overwhelming enough to throw off the fish. The ricotta bread was also well balanced and the honey was surprisingly rich. The other two dishes were tasty as well but I wish I would've tried something else. Staff was great and very attentive.

    Photos
    Theodora - Inside (bar)

    Inside (bar)

    Theodora - Dry aged Branzino

    Dry aged Branzino

    Theodora - Half chicken 100% so good

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    Half chicken 100% so good

    Sawa - This was their ice cream desert with Tree Sap syrup and Turkish cotton candy, pistachios, and flower petals. Insane

    Sawa

    4.4(52 reviews)
    6.5 miPark Slope
    $$$

    Went to Sawa for dinner with a group of six on a Friday night, and it was a great dinner. When you…read morewalk in, you are immediately greeted by a giant oven baking fresh pita as well as an open kitchen. There is also an outdoor dining area, as well as a mid-sized dining room and we were seated near the window. Sawa serves Lebanese cuisine with some more modern dishes. Additionally, they have a mostly Lebanese wine list, which gave us an opportunity to try some new wines. We ordered both a red and a white for the table, and I was especially drawn to the red, as the red was served chilled, light-bodied, and very enjoyable. Nearly all of the reds and whites on the menu are from Lebanon, with just one red from Morocco, plus a couple sparkling options from Lebanon as well. We started with several dips for the table: hummus, baba ghannouj, and muhammara. The hummus was incredibly smooth, and the muhammara was especially flavorful with large pieces of walnut throughout. Everyone at the table receives fresh pita, and we ended up ordering a few more to share. We also shared the Brussels sprouts and the snap peas. The Brussels sprouts were rich and flavorful, but the snap peas really stood out. They were unlike anything I have tasted before, intensely mint, served with garlic mint labneh, and very delicious. For mains, we focused on lamb: two orders of the lamb ribs, two orders of the kafta, and two orders of the sfeeha. We probably over-ordered by about one entrée, but otherwise it was the right amount of food for six people. The lamb ribs were phenomenal, fall-off-the-bone tender and packed with flavor. The lamb pies were also very good and came with a delicious dipping sauce. The kafta was good, though not quite as memorable as the other lamb dishes, but still very satisfying. Service was attentive throughout the meal, and despite the number of dishes on the table, the staff handled everything smoothly. The table got a little crowded at times, but it was manageable. I would absolutely recommend Sawa, especially for anyone who enjoys trying something a little different. They do classic Lebanese dishes very well, while also offering some creative dishes that feel unique and memorable. I am already looking forward to going back.

    Great place. Good food with great service. Cozy atmosphere…read more A great place to share multiple dishes to try. Gets pricey, but worth trying

    Photos
    Sawa - Sawa's beautiful open kitchen.

    Sawa's beautiful open kitchen.

    Sawa - Gem salad

    Gem salad

    Sawa - Layali lubnan

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    Layali lubnan

    Laser Wolf - Steak Shishlik

    Laser Wolf

    4.4(513 reviews)
    9.0 miWilliamsburg - North Side
    $$$$

    Excellent service from Josh!…read more ACYE literally on their sides, reminds me of Korean ban chan. Their hummus is amazingly rich with excellent quality olive oil. And omg bread, eat it right away when it's warm. Four of us got all the meats except chicken and seafood. It was all tender, juicy, flavorful and super delicious. A rainy night had the curtains down, but we still enjoyed the view. Classy entrance in the hotel lobby to the elegance terrace like rooftop. Brooklyn in the house fo sho!

    Went to Laser Wolf with my wife on one of those depressing rainy Brooklyn days where you question…read moreevery life decision that led you outside. Luckily, unlimited salatim healed us emotionally. We did the prix fixe -- my wife got the steak shishlik, I got the trout. Before the actual entrees even arrived, we were already fighting for survival against wave after wave of hummus, babganush, potatoes, pickled cabbage, olives, Israeli pickles, and endless fresh pita. At one point I'm pretty sure the pita basket respawned automatically like a video game. We also ordered the halloumi which was delicious, but absolutely unnecessary. That cheese showed up like an uninvited cousin to Thanksgiving dinner. Nobody needed it, but somehow we were still happy it came. The drinks at the bar were the real MVPs. Fruity, dangerous, and exactly what you want while staring dramatically out a rainy window pretending you're in an A24 film. The trout was excellent. My wife's steak was slightly over salted, which honestly just gave us an excuse to drink more cocktails. Overall, 10/10 experience. Come hungry, leave bloated, slightly tipsy, and emotionally attached to the pita basket.

    Photos
    Laser Wolf - View from the counter

    View from the counter

    Laser Wolf - Platter with dips etc

    Platter with dips etc

    Laser Wolf - Window view

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    Window view

    Vanka Cafe - russian - Updated May 2026

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