Balkan Cafe & Grill

I loved the Balkan food - the burek and the cevapi were all great - but I was so disappointed that there were almost no more Balkan menu items and almost everything is now generic Italian American pasta and pizza.It does seem like they are getting a lot of business from their pasta and pizza, but I don't need to travel so far from home to get that here. So I guess this review is the warning to those coming here thinking they will get Balkan food. Ignore this review if you want Italian food.

Space: super cute cozy spot, we came here because a while ago, we went next door to Santorini cafe and saw this place we knew we wanted to come back. Very cute and cozy vibes upon entering, there wasn't a single person outside or inside when we came, I felt sorry since they were so sweet and the food was amazing. Please go check these guys out, I promise it's worth the visit! The staff is super friendly and welcoming as well:)Food: I was craving some pasta so I got the penne alla vodka and my partner got the burek pita. They gave us some toasted ravioli as a sample and wow, those were so good. It was like a mozzarella stick but more balanced. Then.. the food came and I LOVED IT!!! The penne alla vodka with shrimp OH chiefs kiss!! Absolutely amazing. Wow, it was so good. The burek pita was a bit bland in my opinion, maybe I'm just not the target audience and maybe because I took a bite right after the pasta. Still super cool, I love trying new cuisines!Definitely will be back, I love this small gem that we found!! Pasta: 8/10 (the shrimp was $7 more which was quite steep considering there was only 6 shrimp but it was still so good!)Burek: 2/10 again, just not for me personally, but super cool to try new things!Toasted ravioli: 10/10 honestly best appetizer I've had in a really long timeOverall: 9/10!!

I'm not a pizza fan, but the Balkin Cafe has a hamburger pizza that I'd be glad to tuck into again any time. The best I ever tasted. I recommend their lasagna too.​

Stumbled upon this restaurant as I was looking for lunch options and it did not diaappoint. I've never had Balkan food before and wanted to try something that's authentic and native to the region. Their menu consists of burgers and salads but since I wanted to try something more native to the region, the server provided some recommendations and I decided on the Cevapi. At initial glance, it didn't look too impressive but I was pleasantly surprised by how good it tasted. The sauce it came with complemented it really well. I would definitely get it again! As a side note, I did ask about the some of the food I'd had seen photos of here on their Yelp page, however I learned that some of those items unfortunately had been taken off the menu as business had slowed during the Covid years. Maybe they will bring some of those items back in the future *fingers crossed*

THIS RESTAURANT NEEDS TO REBRAND AND CHANGE THEIR TITLE. DOES NOT SERVE BALKAN FOOD. SERVED AMERICAN FOOD.For folks who Loved the delicious Serbian food being served at this establishment, prepared to be disappointed. The menu has completely changed. Not only has it changed but the atmosphere is just weird now.There is nothing remotely Balkan about their menu except for a couple of things. They changed their menu from the traditional Serbian food we all used to eat and into the same cookie cutter American food so many restaurants are known for. This is the worst mistake they could have made because that menu itself was what set it apart from other competitors in the area. And now they want to go and look like everyone else? Something smells fishy. Look at the photos I attached.We gave the food a try and although it was good it was nothing to write home about. So many of the areas where people could have sat were now stuffed with these stupid gambling machines. From a business development perspective, if you're having to rely on gambling machines to get more foot traffic in the door then your business is a fail. The atmosphere looks much less cozy and family friendly which is going to hurt this business overall foot traffic...not help it.It's an incredibly shady. The ambience is not what it used to be and I find it unethical to call themselves Balkan when it's just crappy American food. It's insulting on top of that. This restaurant needs to do themselves a favor, pack their things, and go to 6th Street where this type of business model would be more appropriate. The title really needs to be changed. After we got our food, a couple of customers came in also disappointed by the lack of Serbian food on the menu.

I came here with a friend who came here regularly years ago. I'd never been here before, but he said the menu's changed a lot since he last visited Balkan. The interior also changed, updated with a giant arcade game and a wall of internet gambling PCs.The service was great, the staff was really polite and attentive. We both got paninis. I got the pepperoni panini and my friend got the chicken panini. You can choose a side of fries or a salad, and we both chose fries.Fries were hot, but a little salty. Panini was well toasted and pressed. I actually liked mine more than I expected to. I've never had Serbian food before so idk if what we ordered could actually be called Serbian food....If you're looking for a chill and low-key lunch spot in the area, I'd recommend Balkan.

I'm breaking my own rule, I like to review a place after showing up at least a couple of times. This place is worth a first time review. I was greeted by a friendly staff member upon arrival, very attentive made sure I was taken care of immediately. (felt like I was in another country with this kind of service) I started with logging myself into their wifi because yo' girl has to work. Then ordered the espresso martini, (what a delight) it wasn't too sweet and was comparable to high end cocktail spots except it was under $10. I had the lunch shrimp scampi. I rarely go for the pasta but I was feeling it today. The shrimp was cooked to perfection and was super fresh, the flavor of the butter sauce was on point and plentiful to cover each noodle! I would definitely order this again. I normally set the brea aside when ordering pasta, but after that first bite; my eyes glazed over and I became the carb monster I try and keep in the closet. I ate the whole dang thing! It was tender, flakey, buttery, and melted in my mouth. I ordered another adult beverage, (mind you, still working) and the balkan pear whatever it's called was the perfect pallet cleanser to end the meal. I don't like sharing these hidden gems but I hope other foodies can appreciate this cute spot. Great for date nights, remote workers, affordable eats and coffee.

A small quiet restaurant. The menu is decent and the food is very good. The service was excellent! It is a nice place to dine without the hustle and bustle of other restaurants. It's clean and plenty of parking. There are specials and even desert! Stop by the Balkin Cafe & Grill the next time you feel like trying something different.

I've been to Balkan Cafe twice in the past few months and to be honest have been mostly underwhelmed. The staff has been friendly and I like their space, but food wise I haven't had anything that has me itching to go back. My first time I went for the Balkan Meat Plate to get a variety of their offerings. The portion size was good for the price, but quality wise it felt like a sampler platter from a hotel or conference buffet type of lunch. The sausage had the best flavor of the three, but thats really more a testament to the lack of flavor in the chicken and pork. When the breading flavor is the first thing that comes to mind on a pork chop, I certainly think something has gone wrong. For my second go around I went on a rare chilly day and had the Beef Veggie Stew and Turkish Coffee. I definitely enjoyed this experience more, the stew was hearty and satisfied that desire for something warm and savory on a cold day. The coffee was super strong, but even for Turkish Coffee I thought the portion size was laughably small. Overall, I haven't experienced anything at Balkan Cafe I can recommend in particular to make them worth a visit. Particularly with the multitude of ethnic food options in the area, I think you are better served taking your business elsewhere.

This place is a gem that is hidden in plain sight. I must admit that I didn't know a whole lot about Balkan food before trying this place and I'll also admit that I cannot wait to go back. The ambiance inside was not what I expected. There were some casino machines and I would describe it as dark yet lively. It seems like a fun place to hang out, especially on the patio outside. The server was very informative and welcoming when I told her it was my first time at the restaurant and trying the cuisine. For starters, we had the Bread & Spread. It was a bread similar to pita bread with a sort of creamy buttery cheesy spread. I still dream about it! We also had the Sopska Salata which was a refreshing break in between the appetizer and the meal. For our main meal, we split the special, at the suggestion of the server, because it had a little bit of everything. It included Cevapi (finger sausages made with beef and veal), Balkan burger and fries. The Balkan Burger came with just the patty which I didn't expect but I appreciated because otherwise it would have been too filling for me. Next time that I go back, I'd like to try one of the paninis. For dessert, we took a slice of Tiramisu to go which was divine!