Balkan Cafe and Grill Reviews

We stopped in for lunch having read good reviews about this spot and it was awesome. Homemade sausages and grilled meats were delicious. Be sure and order the meat combo platter and it comes with onions and soft fluffy bread. We also ordered the tomato cucumber salad with feta and it was a very tasty combination. Friendly staff and great service.

Having checked off our BBQ and Tex-Mex eats during our several days' visit to Austin, we were pleasantly surprised to learn about Balkan Cafe and Grill. Good Balkan food is hard to find in the US. The Sopska salads were outstanding. These Bulgarian salads of cucumber, tomato, onion and feta are unique because it is Bulgarian feta, which is different from other feta. The salad servings were very generous. Also generous were our main course servings. My son had Cevapi, kebabs served on round, fluffy, warm and flavorful lepinja bread, which I'd not had before. I had the pljeskavica, which is a combination of ground meats served in a large flat patty on lepinja. Magnificent spicey flavor. My son also enjoyed a couple of mixed drinks made with rakija, the local liquor of choice. The restaurant is in a nondescript building off the beaten path, with a combination of regional photos and instruments adorning the walls. Also adorning the walls are several extremely positive local reviews, including the one just published in the March 2017 monthly Austin Review. We were served quickly and enthusiastically by one of the restaurant's family members. And best of all, the food was bargain-priced!

First of all, there is nothing to DISLIKE about this restaurant. The restaurant itself is like eating in someone's home. They have great patio areas a nice little bar and they serve Balkan made wine. The menu is small, but filled with Balkan dishes. If you like Croatian or Bulgarian food you will like this place. I had a veal and beef sausage dish with bread. The bread had some of the best texture I have had in a while. For my entree I had beef stew which was delicious. The staff were very friendly and glad to have you there. If I went with a couple of people I would order a first dish, an entree and a salad and split it. They have roasted lamb and goat on the weekend and I hope to try that soon, because I like me some roasted Ovine. Sheep or Goat.

My wife and I have returned here 2x since ny initial review and still find it excellent (though we wish they served lamb other than on weekends). The service and food are both consistently great.

I visit Austin often and on a recent trip, I wanted a restaurant that was not typical Tex Mex or BBQ. Also, I've been on a low carb, portion reduced diet so I wanted something where I'd have more choice on the type and amount of meat, veg, and option not to have starchy sides. It's located in the Northwest commercial hinterland of Austin. It's part of a quirky complex of interesting eateries all set in ranch style buildings. Balkan food has some similarities (to this non-Balkan) to Greek and Eastern European. Menu is simple and a nice mix of grilled specialties, salads, and desserts. I was with three others including one Austin local. We shared in a couple of plates of their mixed grill and a couple of their unique salads. All have incomprehensible names so I am not able to tell you what we actually ate. All the food was very nicely prepared, extremely fresh and flavorful, and I am told, very authentic. In fact, the server told us that the chef was the former chef for Marshall Tito ... part of the quirky lore of this place. The decor is actually worthy of note. It's an interesting mix of hip cafe and Star Trek Next Generation with a variety of Balkan pictures and imagery scattered about. Not unpleasant but not what one might expect in a homey ethnic restaurant. The price in the end was also good. Four adults with drinks, no dessert, enough food for all with a bit of a doggy bag ... $100. I'd go back in a heart beat.

Nice out of the way place serving Balkan style food in a neat chalet atmosphere. My concubine and I went on a Friday night and hit the happy hour. Service was prompt and friendly and as I noted - the food was tasty and the service very helpful and prompt.

This place had some of the best cevapi I've ever had in the United States . It's the closest taste of cevapi to your home town . Definitely no complaints there . However I did wish the restaurant itself was a bit more authentic . Like instead of the guitars on the walls it would be nice to see some Bosnian/Serbian paintings; just things that represent our country a little more. It's a little to Americanized. Also the lepinja could of been a bit more moist for my liking. The 2 person tables could be wider, it's hard to place two plates in front of each other comfortably.Other than that it was wonderful , the waiter we had was great , and the atmosphere was very inviting. And the location was very easy to find ! We will most definitely stop here again!

Great Serbian food like mama used to make. Super friendly and clean. They are family owned and fresh made daily. One of my favorite restaurants in Austin

I just had lunch there and it was sooo good! I had the sausage and the italian wine!! It was an excellent choice ;-). The waiter was amazing, I didn't know her name but she was very helpful and good. She's too pretty too!! I recommend this place for all.

Food was excellent. First time eating this type of cuisine. Simply awesome. I love opening my horizons and this was a definite positive memory. Morana was an excellent host and server. First class all the way around. I hope to come back for the lamb on Saturday. Hvala!!!!

My husband & I went there with great expectation, based on the reviews. We ordered zeljanica (spinach pie) & burek (meat pie). Zeljanica was ok, still nothing to brag about,since I know how reall zeljanica should be. Burek was too greasy, too salty. Then we ordered Cevape. Meat was good, however bread was too hard. I did express my disappointment to waitress and owner. They brought us different bread for Cevape, that was better. They didnt charge us for Burek. Gave us free Bosnian coffee.Service was good, food not.

When we walked in, we felt as though we had traveled back to Europe, and were sitting down at our favorite cafe for dinner. The organic growth feel of the building only added to the delectable aroma wafting from the kitchen. The Fut on theTVs, exotic liquor on the menu and amazing food flowing out of the kitchen rapid fire completed the illusion. Now we just have to go back to work our way through the rest of the menu, including the vegetarian options.

We were in Austin 5 days. This was the best meal we had. The food is fresh, prepared well, presented thoughtfully, and the service was was done. It is a simple restaurant with a welcoming atmosphere. I highly recommend.

Seeing a restaurant that abides by the Corona-Virus procedures made my family & I smile! Being able to eat away from home finally during quarantine was super nice & the staff was nice as always too. & of course the čevapi was a plus!!!

Very cosy place at the outskirts of Austin offering authentic Balkan dishes. Worthy to give it a try. Very pleasant owner Mr Z.

About 6 of us went for lunch a couple of weeks ago. A bit different but very good. The meat plate was delightful, and included a delightful pork chop, which was pounded flat and breaded like a wiener schnitzel. Staff very friendly and pleasant.

My Lovey surprised me with a Balkan inspired date night at this local eatery. I ♡ this cafe and grill. The ambiance is cozy with a successful blend of European charm meets 80's retro chic. They were down to one server who busted her tushy to help an almost full house. Not only was she a hard worker, but she was genuinely warm and friendly. Then came the food. We ordered the Balkan Mixed Platter--cevapi (beef/veal kebabs), PLJESKAVICA (meat patty), SUDZUKICE (beef/veal grilled sausages), lepinja bread along with a mixed salad and baby pickles on the side. Additionally, we chose the sopska salata with onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, and feta cheese. Just yummy for this gal's tummy. It was perfection. But we could not leave without ending the meal Turkish coffee and Palacinke, basically crepes with a chocolate hazelnut filling. Decadence and deliciousness. I highly recommend this reastaurant and we plan to go back in the very near future. Cannot wait to try the Gulas next time. I think this eatery is my new favorite.

Would of loved to see a slightly bigger menu and a warm ajvar dish on the menu but it was outstanding. Goulash was outstanding, cvepai was perfect. We would defiantly return.

Not everyone has heard of, much less offers, Serbian (or other Balkan) plum brandy. The Balkan Cafe not only offers that, they offer quince brandy as well. These mark in small measure the authenticity of the place. Then to the food-- remarkably true to the forms, cuts and spices found in the Balkans. Even the interior shows an influence of the mountains of northern Serbia and eastern Montenegro. But authenticity is not everything-- on top of that, the food here is quite good and reasonably priced, and service is pleasant and helpful. This place is worth a visit-- it provides an introduction to parts of the world that many Austinites don't think of often.

Sometimes you just want something a little different....and this place was great! We tried the Croatian sausages (little sausages served with a bell pepper relish and outstanding homemade bread) and a Balkan burger (beef and pork I believe). Both entrees so big, we could not finish them. Add to it a diet coke and a hearty pour of really good chardonnay and our bill was just $34. If we were locals, we would be regulars here!

I've been seeing this restaurant when driving by. They appeared to be really marketing this place. I have tried much Balkan food. Set down and looked over the menu and picked a kind of pita with ground beef and veal sausage. (I think. ) Absolutely delicious. You could split this with a partner, but you won't want to. Check it out and expect to stay a while. Cheers!

I stopped on the way back from a hike and decided to try it for dinner. They were kinda busy but knew the service would be a little slow. I ordered the Balkan burger and it came out pretty quickly. It was a very tasty burger. The mixture of beef and veal was perfect. It was not dry and came with plenty of veggies on it and a large helping of fries. Loved the garlic mayo which added more flavor. Burger was juicy and I used plenty of napkins. Highly recommend this place. Will be back.

Definitely a gem up north! We stumbled upon this place which didn't look like much in from the front.. but when we entered we were amazed by the decor! We sat down and the server came up right away and gave us a menu, and she was very friendly about explaining what the food is about. My husband and I ordered a Balkan Mixed Plate with a side of salad that was perfect for two.. We also ordered a couple of Balkan margaritas. All I'm going to say is that this place is truly amazing. :) and the food tasted fantasitc!

This is not a coffeehouse, it's great food and drinks, they have special grill that it's strongly recommend

I stop by often with my husband and we both love "pljeskavica". He tried one in Serbia and says this one is even better. Thank you for bringing some of the Balkan culture and cuisine in this area!

My friends and I had a wonderful time at this restaurant! The food was splendid and the rakjia as good as always! (as expected) would go back if I could

Located in a small congregation of eclectic businesses (including Ross's Café) the Balkan could use a bit of marketing expertise as it is almost a turn off then viewed from the street. However, the great surprise is that the place serves unique ethnic dishes that would please anyone in the area. We had their most popular Balkan Mixed Plate consisting of three meats (two delicious and different sausages and a most tender steak) that pleased the palettes. For $22.99 it fed two hungry men. The cucumber salad was terrific. The décor is a collection of pictures and posters of the countries that made up the former Yugoslavia and multi-level dining areas with a full bar on the main floor. Our server Marina was wonderfully attentive and genuinely interested in our understanding some of the ethnic background of our meals. I would highly recommend this place as an alternative to the omnipresent steakhouse and/or taco establishments that pepper the area. It's quiet, comfortable, and has really good food!! Oh, and the bread (looked like little puff pastries) were totally unique and tasty!!!!

Come on Austin don't let strange words like Cevapi and Pjeskavica scare you. These are wonderful home made dishes served at this nice cafe that we ate at during a visit to Austin a few weeks ago. So DELICIOUS, give it a try. We will certainly recommended to all our friends on their way to Austin.

The food is good, the atmosphere very pleasant and relaxing, the music is current radio, streamed from Croatia, a great big plus for me. The somewhat limited menu, heavy on the grilled meats, could be expanded. We shared the $22.00 mixed grill, which was very good. The salad, with excellent ingredients,(bulgarian feta,chopped onions, tomato and cucumber) needed to be a bit more sophisticated and nuanced. The meal is accompanied by excellent bread and a very nice sweet pepper spread. We ended with excellent cappuchino. This is a new business, and I am hopeful it will succeed as it becomes responsive to expanding the menu. I will go back and take my friends and family.

I've been intrigued by this restaurant tucked away on North Lamar and am delighted to say it was wonderful. We split the mixed plate and got to taste the sausages and ground meat patty as well as a salad. Everything was delicious, a nice change of pace. Very good sized plate, we brought home easily another plate after having a satisfying serving for two. Definitely give the plum brandy a taste, mmmmmmm!

My wife and I ate here yesterday for the first time (it was our first time with Serbian food as well). The experience was wonderful - the food was great, and the service and recommendations (on what to order) were fantastic. We both loved it immensely, and we will go back again (and again ... ). Please try it, you will probably love it too.

We visited for lunch with no idea what to expect. We were quite pleased. The sudžukice (sausages) were tender, not drippy, and spiced without being "spicy." The gulaš featured tender chunks of beef in a reddish-brown sauce that added an interesting and pleasant sweetness to the typical flavor. The lepinja bread was soft with a hint of sourdough taste. The palačinke (dessert crepes) were delicate and tasty, though they could have used more filling. I would have preferred more menu options. I would also recommend this café for those seeking to relax over coffee or a dessert.

LA Native; had the opportunity to spend some time in the Balkans. This restaurant is absolutely great and my wife and I feel this is our favorite restaurant in all of Austin (we try to patron it whenever we visit from San Antonio). It is now open again during COVID and I highly recommend you make a visit. I'm trying to drive as much business their way as Austin would lose a true-culinary gem if this business were to close its doors. Stumbled across this small establishment while searching around for ethnic food in Austin. Since I had visited the Balkans before (Croatia & Bosnia), I wanted to show it to my wife who wasn't able to visit with me. I was pleasantly delighted in that not only was the food amazing (Cevapi was as-good as I recall it being in Croatia) but the owners were super-cool and I had great pleasure discussing my visits to the area with them. I think it is super-cool of them to push it as a *Balkan* restaurant and actively work to counter the divisiveness that could easily result from the airing of old grudges. Talk to them about it: it's super-cool (and...something which I feel we need more of given today's super-charged political environment). RECOMMENDATIONS (for group of 2-4) APPETIZER: -Cheese-Pita "Sirnica": filo dough pastry with delicious cheese ENTREE: -Grilled Beef Sausages "Ćevapi": Made of beef and veal finger-sized sausages. Served with raw onions and ajvar. Almost good as I recall them being in Croatia! -IF visiting over the weekend, around 2:00 PM they start having roasted lamb. I believe that this can be ordered as an entree or by the pound to go with your meal. VERY tasty. BEVERAGES: -Stallion's Blood wine: semi-sweet Serbian red wine. EXTREMELY drinkable (if only we could get this imported to us in TX!) -Rakija/Rakiya: assorted fruit-flavored spirits. Ask your server for recommendations DESSERT: -Baklava: very tasty Enjoy!

I loved coming to this place, and the food was always great, but my favorite dish, cevapi, was everything but good, they tasted like a shoe, if you offer this as cevapi anywhere on the Balkans, they will throw that plate in your face. They definitely need to change whoever provides for them. The goulash was very tasty, that why I will give two stars. The service was ok, I ordered shopska salad, and god it 30 minutes later when I was done eating, the waitress told me “oops, they made your salad to go, but it tastes the same”, I mean, common, I am all for the Balkan was of service but common, don’t deliver my salad when I am done in a plastic box and tell me how it tastes!!! I was very much looking forward for the cevapi and beer, but unfortunately this will be the last time I visit this place.

We went to this little cafe, nestled in a small group of houses off north Lamar. The menu is small but it hits all the high points; salads, stew, kebabs, and several sandwiches. There is a meat sampler for $22 that looked delicious, but we were not overly hungry. We ordered a grilled chicken sandwich and a meat sandwich (made with three different types of ground meat), basically a Serbian hamburger. They are served on Balkan bread, a delicious pita-type of bread. The grilled chicken with grilled onions and peppers were accompanied by a red pepper spread and a side salad that appeared basic, but was delicious. My friend's sandwich was huge! A small family could have nibbled on it for a week. A seriously large sandwich. Saturdays they serve lamb (come in at 1pm to get the first servings - when it's gone, it's gone!). A great place to stop in for lunch on weekdays or weekends. Don't be put off by the names on the menu - the staff is ready to help and everything we tasted was really good and a great value. I will be back.

First time in Serbian place and it was amazing. A Very clean and cozy restaurant with delicious food. I highly recommend it. Everything is fresh and good looking. Meet lovers welcome :)

My husband & I stopped in after driving past this place numerous times over the years and finally stopped. I'm SO GLAD WE DID! I had the beef stew (Gulas) and the Burek Pita. Reminded me of my mothers cooking. They even had Croatian wine (I'm Croatian) which was another special surprise. We left so happy. Do yourself a favor and don't pass up this place! Stop and get some good food and friendly service!