Coming here for a work lunch with my boss, who was the one who recommended we dine here, with some other colleagues, I wasn't sure what to expect from this place that I've passed multiple times on the BQE while on my commute to work. Apparently there is more than one location in Manhattan. The inside reminded me of a classic diner. Comfy and with a pretty cool vibe. We all slid into a booth and looked over the seasonal offerings along with their standard menu. I was lured by the chicken Kyiv based on the picture of having two rolled up chicken cutlets stuffed with dill and other yumminess, but was a bit disappointment when it arrived with a single small cutlet on my plate with two heaping mounds of potatoes mash and broccoli. I instantly had regret when I should have gotten the borscht soup with pierogies, but wanted to try something I wouldn't usually. I should've stuck to what was safe. My work mom got the stuffed cabbage and that was a clear homerun- really loved the mushroom gravy that it came with. My other colleague got the potato pancake and wasn't too thrilled with it, while my boss got the two Swedish meatballs that he described to be Ikea worthy. Although this was my first time here, I can't say that anyone really loved the food nor would come out of their way to come back. I really was hoping this would have wow-ed me in some way, but I guess I'll stick to what's familiar. read more

Cuisine: 7 Service: 9 Decor: 8 Value: 7 Overall: 8 I have always been a fan of the original Veselka in Manhattan since my days in college, so finally visiting the new Williamsburg location is well overdue. A friend and I each got a soup to start our meal, along with sharing a Potato Pancake. The Matzoh Ball Soup and Potato Pancake were good, but not great. However, I enjoyed the Pork & Cabbage Soup enough to take home a quart. For entree, we shared a Deluxe Meat Plate that was quite delicious. All three pierogi flavors were great, but the short rib was my favorite, followed closely by the mushroom & sauerkraut. I also really enjoyed the grilled kielbasa, but sadly it was served at room temperature. Lastly, the stuffed cabbage is not usually my thing, yet I liked this version. Once again, it was served barely warm. Thankfully, we finished on a high note. My friend really wanted the Challah Bread Pudding, which was moist and tasty. However, the lovely waitress advised us strongly to try the Medovyk. This Ukrainian layered honey cake had a wonderful texture, not too creamy or sweet, with a great walnut flavor. We were extremely happy with her suggestion. We also really liked the diner vibes that felt warm and inviting. This was so close to a five star review. The main reason for the deduction was the temperature of our food being served. Hopefully that problem will be solved on my next visit. read more

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I could eat this again and again. Boiled pierogies and latkes! I've been to the original location in East Village and the outpost at Market Line that has since closed and they're all just as good. The Wburg location has the classic old school diner vibe and the service is efficient and friendly. The potato and cheese are my faves and the sauerkraut mushroom deserves a spot too. A special moment goes to the perfectly crispy outside and soft, evenly cooked inside of the latkes. Just perfect. And of course everything topped with applesauce and fried onions. Delicious. read more

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We love Veselka on the Lower East Side! Parking is always a challenge so I told my wife let's go to Veselka new location in Williamsburg for dinner. Walking inside, the restaurant feels likes its been in Williamsburg for 50 years. They made the restaurant so comforting, so.. Williamsburg! Veselka Williamsburg is smaller than the Lower East Side location but the smells coming from the kitchen close to the dining area seals the deal. We're focused on one item, the Borscht. In the winter its served hot so I don't want a cup but a bowl of delishiousness. We also ordered a large combo plate with plenty of pierogies. The pierogies came with two cheese and two meat filled pierogies, I like to come here and get the boiled pierogies, The hot borscht is served with meat, I thought it was short rib but I asked our waitress and was told it was pork. I am swooning over this dish. Even the sour cream, its not a dollop of Daisy, its so smooth and creamy. I highly recommend starting with the Borscht. The boiled pierogies, they are homemade and filled with goodness. The sides are caramelized onions and that terrific sour cream goes very well with these bad boys. The stuffed cabbage topped with a brown gravy was a total game changer. The stuffed cabbage was also another great addition to our combo plate, I loved this dish. I'm not sure if there is a reservation system, we walked in and waited about 10 minutes before our table was ready. Veselka Williamsburg is a great addition to the restaurant chain! read more

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I ordered lunch delivery from here. I tried the Stand with Ukraine special. I got my it fried rather than boiled. I'm guessing the sautéed bacon and onions it comes with are very oily, because there was a pool of oil at bottom of the container, that spilled into the bag. Despite that unappealing start the flavors were on point. The bacon and onions were delectable and each perogie was expertly constructed and filled. Still, all that greasiness didn't make me feel great. I think eating it at their restaurant would be a better experience. read more

Veselka Williamsburg - Stand with Ukraine Bowl - Desserts Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I was worried it would be super crowded on a Sunday night, but we walked right in and were sat instantly. The food also comes out super quick! We ordered and then BOOM it was in front of our faces. Great sized location. You don't feel like you're sitting on top of the next table. read more

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I am so full! I couldn't even finish my meal. I have only tried Veselka once at the location on 2nd Ave but I won a giftcard on Instagram to the Williamsburg location. DELICIOUS! I tried to order different things than last time and I was not disappointed! I want to keep coming back! read more

Veselka Williamsburg - Mulled wine - Desserts Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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The chicken soup is great and so are the pierogies! I like to come here and get the boiled pierogies, I feel like they're a little healthier than fried, but maybe that's just in my head read more

Veselka Williamsburg - Desserts Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I came here with a friend on a Monday night for dinner. I went to the original location a few years ago and remembered I really liked the stuffed cabbage, so that's what I ordered. You have the option to choose between a tomato sauce and a mushroom gravy, and to choose if the cabbage is stuffed with meat or vegetarian filling. I opted for the mushroom gravy and vegetarian. It was just as good as I remembered: so comforting and savory. For dessert, we shared the chocolate cake, which was delicious (but very rich). Great service and fairly affordable, too. read more

Same quality as the original, but much quieter. The kitchen is reliable. Counter seating available. Great service!

i got the brooklyn lunch special of 4 pierogies + a bowl of borscht on a chilly, rainy day and it was the perfect meal. i loved the borscht and my favorite pierogies were the braised short rib and chicken + vegetable flavors. i came during an off time so i was seated and served very quickly. read more

Veselka Williamsburg - pierogies with sour cream and grilled onions - Desserts Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Food is excellent can't find it anywhere else . Service is attentive and friendly. Love this place although I think the city location has a bigger menu . read more

Veselka's brand new location in Williamsburg offers the same delicious Eastern European food and drinks as their other locations. Service was fast and the place is clean. I had the potato pancake combo plate and chose a cup of borscht and beef Stroganoff with it. Super filling! The borscht is amazing. I recommend going for lunch if you want to beat the prime time rush. read more

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Everything at Veselka is delicious, down to the borscht, butter on toast, and the potato latkes. However I wanted to give a special shoutout to an underrated star -- the pancakes. They are the perfect diner pancake- a stack fresh off the griddle, remains hot even after 10 minutes. Huge, crispy edges and fluffy in the middle. Haters will say, why not a more popular diner spot. But I've tried a decent bit and for me it really is the crispy edges and temperature freshness which is hard to come by at the more popular spots. The fact that Veselka is popular but can still deliver is impressive to me. I took off one star just because it's always so busy and I don't love sitting at the bar but these are the downsides of fame!! read more

Veselka Williamsburg - Pancakes - Desserts Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Think Veleska East Village 2.0. Opened only since June, it is catching a following with the locals as it is a bit away from most activities. Same huge menu and service. We had 2 great breakfast meals and decent coffee. Recommended. read more

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5 stars for the ambiance and service, but 3 stars for the food. Pros: - Fun old-school diner vibes with playful odes to Ukraine - Ukrainian Borscht soup was delicious, clean, and flavorful. Cons: - I found the Stuffed Cabbage and Perogies to be bland and had to eat them with loads of sauteed onions, the Veal Goulash was dry and stringy (the sauce and mashed potatoes were solid), and the side of broccoli was steamed and you had to apply cold butter on it yourself (far from the Garlic Butter Broccoli described on the menu). Overall, we were not wowed by our meal. I'm curious to return and try the buttermilk or potato pancakes. read more

Veselka Williamsburg - Desserts Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I just ordered delivery from here. Wow I had to write this review right away. The food is beyond delicious.literally everything was pure comfort and with the best flavors. So satisfying. We ordered so much to try different things and Literally wanted to save every last drop of everything. You can tell the food is made with heart and soul. Outstanding. I loved the stuffed cabbage and the latke and the pierogis (all flavors were wonderful) the beef stroganoff is so warm and comforting. The chocolate cherry cake was delicious and perfectly balanced. This is definitely on my go to list for the winter. Exceptional. read more

Really fantastic food, the classics are the best here--boiled potato pierogi, potato pancake, cold borscht. Plenty of vegetarian menu items. Unique flavors of classics like arugula and goat cheese pierogi (great with apple sauce, bc otherwise a bit dry). The kasha was also dry. Service was fine. Pick up orders are not marked as ready to pickup in the app so best to check directly with staff. read more

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Veselka rose to the occasion on a recent weeknight when a dozen members of my book club descended on the premises for food, drinks, and a place to discuss our most recent read. The staff accommodated us by pushing tables together and patiently taking all our orders in turn, then painstakingly ensuring that each of us received the correct items. It was a serious production but the servers and waitstaff pulled it off! I wanted to order just about everything on the menu. Breakfast all day? Always tempting! I ordered the chicken schnitzel and an Other Half IPA. My tastebuds were rewarded: that schnitzel was pounded flat without being too thin, breaded and fried to a delightful crisp, clean and easy to chew, not greasy at all. It's hard to imagine a better schnitzel. I adored the mashed potatoes that came with it, and the side of beets made for a lovely topping. I opted for sweet potato fries on the side, and they were just great. Thanks to the compassion of others, I got to try some of the pierogies as well. The potato pierogies were my favorite, followed by the braised beef. I liked the sauerkraut mushroom pierogies but they wouldn't be my first choice. I'm curious to try some of the specialty pierogies next time; the short rib sounds particularly appealing. The decor and ambiance are great in here, and I'll give another shout out to the awesome staff that were very hospitable to my large group. Y'all did a great job and I can't wait to return someday. read more

Veselka Williamsburg - Desserts Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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tried the pierogies and borscht, the pierogies have the option of boiled or fried. i really liked it fried! i normally don't like beet but i really liked the borscht! don't let the red color scare you off. they did forget it in our order for takeout but we came back and they quickly gave us some. read more

Veselka Williamsburg - fried potato pierogies, boiled beef pierogies, borscht - Desserts Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Stopped by Velska for a light bite before meeting up with friends. It was such a pleasant find while walking around downtown Williamsburg. The service was amazing, interior was modern diner decor, and it was such a delight to learn this place was a Williamsburg institution. I wasn't too hungry so I stuck with ordering a small order or a variety of pierogies and a side salad and a small cup of borscht. But looking around I definitely had fomo because everyone was going for their heavier entree items including these delicious looking latkes that I definitely need to go back and try. The service was excellent and food came out quickly. Highly recommend if you ever come to Williamsburg! read more

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After coming here 3 times in the last few months it's safe to say I really like this place. Not the most authentic Ukrainian food but an interesting spin on it. I liked everything from their pancakes to the vareniki. Haven't had one bad meal here. The inside is very cute, great decor. The service is great too, super friendly. An easy recommendation for good food in the Williamsburg area. read more

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We had four fried pieces of pierogis: cheese, goat cheese and arugula, potato, and bacon egg cheese. My favorite was the goat cheese and arugula. They came with apple sauce, sour cream, and sauerkraut. We also ordered the stand with Ukraine bowl and we had boiled pierogis of two potato, two braised beef, and two mushroom sauerkraut. These came with kielbasa and slab bacon on top. We liked the food! read more

Veselka Williamsburg - Desserts Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Warm cozy diner vibes with nice booths and dim lighting. I went to this restaurant before a music venue and it is the quintessential place to catch up with a friend. I had the chicken paprika and it was good, comfort food on a plate. It was melt off the bone chicken over egg noodles with a side ....I went with the mashed potatoes. 100% recommend. Staff is very attentive and was ready to serve. read more

Veselka Williamsburg - Chicken paprikash. - Desserts Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Finally! A restaurant that is quiet enough for conversation, informal enough for comfort, and offering a menu unusual in this part of the world. Their mushroom soup will bring many first-timers back. read more

We only waited about 30 minutes for a table of 4 on a busy Saturday afternoon. We were there for a while due to the crowds but service was still decent. I dabbled in their vegan options. They had oat milk for coffee, the vegan borscht, and the vegetable soup was vegan. I also had sweet potato fries. All was wonderful and worth the while but I do really wish there was one more vegan option that was more filling. My friends enjoyed their pierogis and egg cream very much. I loved the whole vibe of the restaurant and plan to visit again. Thank you! read more

Veselka Williamsburg - Borscht - Desserts Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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As a big fan of their original location in the village, I was excited to have Veselka in my neighborhood. The service is wonderful. Truly, the staff is very kind and observant. The restaurant itself looks like a nod to old school NYC eateries. The food was pretty good. There were a few hits and a few misses for me. Solid matza ball soup. Delightful pierogi. The stuffed cabbage is bit odd - not bad per se - just odd. The kielbasa was unfortunately kinda cold. I'll definitely go back to try their breakfast though! read more

Veselka Williamsburg - Deluxe Meat Plate - Desserts Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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The pierogi were delicious. the service was good. It could be cozier and some people acted weirdly when I left.

The service was great and the food was amazing. I came here because of gossip girl lol but I'm so glad I did because it was a good experience and I loved the environment. read more

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I don't know who's running the kitchen at Veselka Williamsburg, but it feels like they lost a bet and ended up in the restaurant business. The food is bland, overpriced, and somehow manages to feel both undercooked and overhyped. You'd get more flavor chewing on a napkin. Service? Let's just say I've had warmer greetings from TSA agents. We waited forever, got attitude for existing, and left wondering how this place is still in business. There's a hundred better places within a 3-block radius. Go literally anywhere else. read more

We ordered a feast, to go. Pierogies: cheese, braised short rib and beef. For my daughters, we orders the fried predation even though my husband I are traditionalists and would have normally had (boiled) cheese with onions! Still they were perfectly prepared. Flavors balanced. Fried appropriately, crisp outside and stuffed perfectly. We also had the beef stroganoff which for taste wasn't quite balanced: the dish was a little more sweet and didn't allow the tart to come through but the flavor was still good. The beef was tender and the noodles were not overcooked. Order was ready fast. Would order again if in the neighborhood. read more

A wonderful addition to the neighborhood! Came in for lunch on a Saturday with my 5 year old. We were seated immediately in the diner-style restaurant. They had crayons and coloring paper for my little one and she was super happy with it. I ordered a chicken schnitzel sandwich for my little and she absolutely loved it - portions are large so she only ate half but the other half wrapped up nicely for dinner later that day. Not knowing what to order, I got a steamed order of the short rib pierogis with a side of kielbasa and garlic butter broccoli. I was mistakenly served fried original potato and cheese pierogis and it was a kismet mistake because they were my favorite. The kielbasa was huge and had a great snap to it. The garlic butter broccoli was surprisingly delicious - even my 5 year old was asking for more. I cannot wait to return to try their other items - the stroganoff and challah sandwiches are calling my name! read more

Exactly the same as its legendary east village sibling. The meat plate deluxe w perogie & stuffed cabbage and a bowl of any of their amazing soups - always has me leaving happy read more

I encountered none of the problems mentioned in the critical feedback. The food represents their standard for components. I find comfort in the environment they maintain. The team care was exceptionally good! This restaurant gets my complete endorsement. read more

Great food, always a solid pierogi, and love their dessert too! Quick delivery as well. So glad they opened up out here too, I missed them when I lived out in ev read more

The support Ukraine bowl says it has kielbasa... the kielbasa is maybe one sliver chopped into shavings. Also, who deep fries pierogi instead of pan fry?? So disappointing. The borscht is served with white bread instead of brown bread. Saving grace is great service, crispy latkes and a plethora of sour cream. read more

Everyone loves Veselka. Felt compelled to shout out their Kyiv Torte, which is addictive and my favorite dessert. I'm not a sweets person (will always take savory/fried over sweets any day of the week) but this raspberry/ hazelnut/ buttercream cake concoction is deeeeeevine. Veselka's is also is one of the very few restaurants I know of where you can get kasha varniskhes with mushroom gravy. They are earthy and kind of plain, but I love them. read more

Best borscht ever. Their short rib pierogis slap, too! I'm so happy they opened their spot in Brooklyn, totally holds up to the East Village days. read more

It's a good day for Williamsburg, Brooklyn, as the legendary New York institution, Veselka, has opened a new location right by the Lorimer L stop. I've been out to the new Williamsburg location several times and I am glad to report that it's the real deal, folks. Imagine the one out in the East Village, with all of the amazing food, point for point, but without the line. What's not to love? The first plate I had here, a collaboration between Veselka and Katz Deli, featured pastrami-filled pierogies atop a bed of sauerkraut, mustard and swiss cheese. As I tucked in for my first few bites, I found myself involuntarily making several deeply Southern noises, leading my good friend to comment, 'when Steve starts sounding like Kid Rock, you know it's gonna change your life.' She was right, of course; that plate and every one I've had thereafter has served as a reminder as to why Veselka is one of the best restaurants in the game out here: the food comes out at the speed of light and proceeds to rock your world, all served by waitstaff who are friendly, attentive and efficient. What really surprised me, though, was that all of this was true from the first week that this location opened. Usually it takes a while for a restaurant to get into the groove, but, true to form, Veselka had it down from the jump. Legends. Ambiance-wise, the atmosphere is lively, featuring a cross-section of the neighborhood, and the decor riffs on the original's diner-like feel with a nod to the space's automotive shop origins. It's going to be a little dangerous having a Veselka so close, what with the regular 'rogi cravings that must be satisfied, and I am so glad that they set up shop out here. read more

We were excited that Veselka had opened in our neighborhood. And we are always happy if part of the money we pay goes to support worthy causes, in this case Ukraine. But honestly, it would make a lot more sense to send the money straight to an organization helping Ukraine, and eat somewhere else. The food came out in three seconds (not a good sign), it was exceptionally tasteless, but for the salt. The only thing that's eatable is the cold borscht which is delicious, in fact. Deeply disappointed, won't go back. The East Village original is far superior. read more