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Balkan Express Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Mediterranean Restaurants Hungarian Mediterranean, Hungarian [Edit]
2237 Grays Ferry AvePhiladelphia, PA 19146
Neighborhood: Graduate Hospital
(215) 545-1255
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 3 pm
Thu-Sat 5 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
26 reviews for Balkan Express Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"We had the cucumber salad, stuffed cabbage and lamb steak." In 5 reviews -
"...service from the (presumably) husband and wife who run this..." In 5 reviews -
"I especially enjoyed the cucumber salad and the onions that..." In 4 reviews
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26 reviews in English
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Review from Liz W.
Newtown, PA
5/2/2011
We live in Bucks County and trek into the City for the sole reason of going to our Hands-down, no-contest, favorite restaurant. My husband spent a few months living in Yugoslavia and we returned for a portion of our Honeymoon in the 80's and fell in love with the food and people.
Wendy is the perfect hostess, Radovan welcomes all to his restaurant like he is welcoming you into their home. We always over order! The choices are all so delicious and irresistible, perfect for a romantic night out or a boisterous BIG family outing.
You will NOT find on this menu anything remotely like what is on a worn out national chain's menu, its all made by the hands of the man you'll meet during your visit, or grown by is lovely wife.
I honestly can't direct you to a best entree option, we've had nearly all of them, they are all outstanding. The smoked meats and the bean soup as starters are excellent. We're not big dessert eaters, but Wendy's almond cake is both light and rich, and REAL.
Byob, seriously consider joining them for one of the big holidays, they celebrate on the Orthodox days, a week later!
I have never posted on a restaurant review site, but can't let this little diamond in the rough go under-appreciated. -
Review from Valerie T.
Philadelphia, PA
2/17/2012
This takes me back to Brasov, Romania...almost. The sarma was amazing, but the other foods I tried were 'meh' at best, such as the spicy fish soup. Perhaps I am spoiled because I have eaten at real deal eastern european restaurants and homes. I wish I could write a review on Mimi's goose egg and polenta breakfast.
Definitely try the sarma, leave the rest to the tourists who don't know any better.
**One last note-considering the location and type of food, The Balkan is crazy expensive! Food from this region is notoriously cheap, IMO.** -
Review from Megan H.
Philadelphia, PA
5/4/2012
Tonight was our first time at Balkan Express Restaurant. We had the three salad platter, stuffed cabbage, and chicken cubes with vegetables. The bread served with the meal was light and tasty.
We learned that many of the restaurant's dishes are made with vegetables fresh from the owners' garden.
The restaurant's atmosphere is cozy and the owners are very friendly.
We enjoyed our dinner with a bottle of wine from the nearby state store (just a few blocks away).
We recommend Balkan Express Restaurant and will definitely return!
(Cash only.) -
Review from stefan g.
Philadelphia, PA
4/28/2012
The house smoked meats were insanely good. Everything pork related was absolutely delicious. On top of delicious food, the owners are as nice as can be. I will go back again for sure, and have been recommending it to anyone who cares to listen to me.
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Review from Michael O.
Philadelphia, PA
10/28/2011
Yay! A delicious family run restaurant. BYOB. Good food, very comfy and pleasant atmosphere.
We tried two dishes, both with meat and you could tell it was superior quality. Very uniquely seasoned, and most appreciated NOT salty. It seems anytime I order meat dishes anymore all I can taste is salt, I was so happy for this not to be the case.
La Colombe coffee and baklava for dessert. -
Review from Edward M.
11/7/2011
Stopped by here for an impromptu dinner with a friend recently. There was a large party wrapping up when we arrived; seems this place would be a great place for a party.
We shared a couple of piscine appetizers, which came with a side of pretty decent bread, and a galline entree. The food was good simple fare, and went well with the booze we brought (it's BYOB). Service can seem a bit slow, especially if you're in a corner not in the line of sight of the kitchen, but the husband and wife who run this place are very friendly. Note: cash only. -
Review from Christi J.
Philadelphia, PA
9/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
The food is great!! I just found out that Jake does all of the cooking. Delicious. We had the cucumber salad, stuffed cabbage and lamb steak. Everything was fresh and well seasoned.
The group at the table next to us had the goulash, pork kabobs and a few vegetarian dishes. They were a talkative bunch but once the food was served they dug in. I heard a lot of complements. Next time I have to try dessert -
Review from Liz C.
Baltimore, MD
I came here with my family after another restaurant we planned to go to was full, and we found this place on yelp. I have never had Balkan food before, so it was interesting to try something new. It is very earthy fare -- meat, potatoes, cabbage, beets, etc.
We had excellent service from the (presumably) husband and wife who run this restaurant. It was really a family atmosphere and we felt very welcome. One of the family members was also having his second birthday party, which was cute. It was really like being invited into their home.
We ordered a bunch of different things to try, including smoked salmon, beet salad, cucumber salad, beef sausages, veggie stew, beef stew, pork skewers, and a burger. Everything was pretty good, though admittedly, I am not really a "meat and potatoes" type. I especially enjoyed the cucumber salad and the onions that came with some of the dishes. The beef burger wasn't a ground beef hamburger, but rather it was more similar to the sausages, but in the form of a very large patty. I also enjoyed the taste of the beef stew. It was advertised as spicy, but it was more like the slight spicy tingle of paprika. The pork was a bit tough but tasted fine.
Overall: 4 stars. Excellent service, great family atmosphere, good quality and flavorful food. I like to support mom & pop places like this. -
Review from Hung L.
San Jose, CA
11/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great food, friendly staff working there. I think it's home owned. Its like a fancier home cooked meal. Everything was delicious. We couldn't decide so we ended up with the meat sampler and the cucumber salad and spicy fish soup.. then to top things off they had baklava which was pretty good too :)
overall great place to eat. -
Review from Lisa M.
11/6/2010
This place is great!! Its run by who I assume are husband and wife, and they are so nice. Eating there was like being welcomed to eat in a house of an old friend. Everything is fresh and made to order. All the vegetables come from their garden and you can taste the freshness. My boyfriend and I shared the caseless meat sausages and he had the lamb dish and I had the vegetable stew. The bread is made fresh everyday and was awesome and they give you a dish of hot peppers that are really something.
When we were leaving we gave them our email address because apparently they have nights with live music. We will totally be back. Its our new special date night location.
Its BYOB and cash only but still worth checking out. -
Review from Paul V.
Philadelphia, PA
10/22/2011
Great food and friendly service. Reminded me of some of the dishes my mother made for me when I was a child. Give this place a try.
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Review from cherie c.
Updated - 7/14/2008
After yet another fabulous meal here, I learned another cool thing about Balkan Express. Many of the dishes feature produce from their garden. My dish featured tomato and peppers that they'd grown.
If they have a special, I recommend ordering it (despite what Anthony Bourdain might advise). Specials like stroganoff are excellent; get them while you can. There aren't many specials in summer, save an occasional meatless dish. The chef experiments with dishes on the menu, so you'll never get the same thing twice (those who crave consistency might be disappointed). You'll find food from across Eastern Europe on the menu and in the specials.
Summer is a slow time for them, so they have limited hours and take vacation. Call ahead. But whatever you do, please go soon! Brunch is coming back, so look for that.Listed in: Happy Places in Philly, Valentine's Day dinner?
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/29/2006 First to Review
Fabulous BYOB just off South Street. The chef cooks with influences from Hungary, Austria, Greece,… Read more »
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Review from TL C.
Philadelphia, PA
Updated - 11/29/2009
Still the best (and by I mean only) Balkan food I've ever had -- absolutely every bite is perfection. The only down side is that they only take cash, it's a byob (makes it even more affordable) and due to the economy the hours are really limited (and spotty) -- although if you have a party of 6 or more they will open especially for you how cool is that??!
Please help save this little restaurant -- eat here more often, your tummy will love you.Listed in: me liky, by which all others are judged
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/28/2007
Thanks you Yelpers! This is an amazing find. I can't believe how good the food was! And how cheap!
As… Read more »
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Review from Chrissy R.
Philadelphia, PA
12/15/2007
I love the Balkan for brunch. It's a family run place attached to the hardware store also owned by the family.
Affordable, simple food. Really really well done. -
Review from Ron B.
Los Angeles, CA
6/16/2008
It's not bad but not really that great of a place. They close for long stretches (vacation, I presume) and will also close randomly for a day, so call first. It's a nice, clean, cozy place off South Street. The owner is very nice but hangs around a little too much for my taste. The same couple staff the hardware store next door where I get my keys copied. The restaurant is probably about 20% too expensive. You can BYOB which makes up for it though. The sausages I had were great but the Sarma was nothing special. Then they gave us some moonshine after dinner.
Overall, I just think the cost and the small portions outweigh the friendly owner and decent food.
Cash only. -
Review from Bianca L.
Mountain View, CA
4/10/2008
This place is terrific - homey and friendly and a BYOB too! They took care of us like we were family (in fact, the owner noticed two other people dining alone and introduced them to each other - how nice is that?) and the food was quite good.
We were a group of 7 and I apologize to the other diners who might have been trying to have a nice quiet dinner, as we were pretty raucous that night. Nonetheless, the appetizers were fantastic (we had the smoked meat, sausages and stuffed cabbage) and the dessert was awesome (the poppy seed cake was a particular standout).
The entrees, though, were decent but not mindblowing. I think it was probably due to the size of the party but my meat was a touch dry and tough and some of the side salads were a bit weirdly lukewarm. Hence only four stars. -
Review from Matt R.
Philadelphia, PA
2/3/2010
Let me first say that the savory aroma that hits you as you walk in is enough reason to give it a shot...
Having moved from one side of Graduate Hospital to the other, we knew we would miss the close proximity to the byobs on the 1600 and 1700 blocks of South Street. We love them, and will return, but the Balkan has stolen our hearts.
We had never tried Balkan food before, but that didn't matter. The hostess and waitress (co-owner and wife of the chef) guided us through the short-but-sweet menu, adding in cultural references as she inquired about our preferences. She also let us know that all the vegetables they serve are homegrown in their garden (off-site). A nice touch.
Let me set the scene a bit. My fiancée and I doubled with another couple. Only a few other tables were occupied, which was disappointing because the whole experience was great and people should be eating here, but also a blessing, because we felt like we were guests in the husband-and-wife owners' home.
On to the food. Let me start by saying everything was wonderful. We started with the Sarma and Cevapcici for the table. Both were very delicious. I particularly liked the Sarma (skinless sausages) but the table was split on this. For the entrees we had two Vesalica, a Snapper, and I had the Muckalica. Each entree was wonderful, I enjoyed mine to the last bite. I think next time I will have the Vesalica. All were large portions, you will not go home hungry. We ended with Turkish coffees to wake up a bit after three bottles of wine, and a whole lot of food. The coffees come with a little candy in one of four flavors. Delightful!
To end our lovely experience, the chef (husband and co-owner) came out to chat about the food, the restaurant, and life in general. The six of us stood around and chatted for fifteen minutes, then we left with big smiles and full stomachs. Truly a great all-around dining experience. Every morning when I walk by the Balkan on my way to work I anticipate the next time I am on the other side of the wall with friends or family.
In conclusion, if small byobs with great food are your thing, try it, there is nothing not to like. -
Review from steven e.
Baltimore, MD
11/2/2006
First of all, know what you're getting yourself into when you visit the "BALKAN RESTAURANT". This isn't French food or fine dining. This is cabbage and sausage and all sorts of other heart-clogging goodness. The place is a bit eclectic, and everyone eating there seemed to be related to the owner, but I guess that's part of the charm. I was served a baklava-like dessert that was pretty good that I want to eat again.
For an interesting dining experience, definitely search out BALKAN RESTAURANT. -
Review from Jen H.
Philadelphia, PA
3/7/2010 2 photos
WOW! My family is Croatian and after moving here from New York, I was upset that I wasn't able to find an ethnic restaurant in Philadelphia that compared to home.
By random luck, my fiance (whose father is from Hungary) and I came across this restaurant on Yelp last night and read nothing but great reviews. We decided to try it out and I am SOOOO incredibly happy that I did. The owners, Radovan and Wendy, are so friendly and helpful, it truly is like you are dining in their home. The food is straightforward and simple - but high quality and packed with flavor. All the vegetables are organic and grown in their own garden.
We had the Cevapcici and Hungarian fish soup to start. Cevapcici are like a cross between hamburgers and skinless sausages - they are paired with raw diced onions. I highly recommend asking for the Ajvar, a red pepper spread, to accompany them. It's how I grew up eating them and it's fantastic! My fiance said his Fish soup was nice and spicy and pretty spot on close to ones enjoyed in Budapest.
We followed that up with the Mixed Grilled Meat plate for two and a Cucumber salad on the side. The grilled meats were all great and offered a nice variety - chicken, pork, hamburger, beef, etc over rice - and there was so much food we couldn't finish it!
For dessert, we forced ourselves to order the almond cake, which was light, smooth and tasty. Afterwards, we stayed to chat with Radovan and Wendy for over an hour! We shared stories of travels throughout Europe and Radovan offered us two samples of homemade brandy - one grape, one plum. They were STRONG, but very good. The whole experience reminded me of summers at my uncle's house in Croatia and it was a very warm and friendly experience!
It's obviously not a familiar cuisine for most people, but if you're looking for something different, very reasonably priced, and a place that feels like home, I can't recommend it enough! In fact, although they are only open for regular business on Thursday - Saturday, if you have a group of 6 or more, they'll open especially for you and create a special menu for your group. -
Review from Kate B.
Philadelphia, PA
12/29/2008
I had dinner at this place once and absolutely loved it!! Unfortunately, we were short on cash and kind of in a rush, so I don't feel we got to have the full "Balkan" experience. But the food is very authentic and rich. We started with the stuffed cabbage which was AWESOME and then I had the stew which was just the right spicy, very hearty. There was a Turkish wedding party there while we were dining, which was loud but entertaining.
Definitely take a bottle of wine, great date place. The owner is very nice! -
Review from Brian A.
Philadelphia, PA
1/26/2010
My friend and I went here one Saturday night. We started with the pepper salad, which were red and green hot peppers marinated in oil. It was quite good. For dinner we shared the grilled meats for two with rice. The selected meats were cooked perfectly. While good, I definitely would like to try something more "exotic" next time. I should mention there was an ample amount of hearty bread as well. For dessert I had the baklava and he had Eastern European type crepes. We both had Turkish coffee, which they serve with a piece of Turkish Delight. At the end of the meal the owners shared with us a home made plum brandy.
The food was great. The piece of candy with the coffee was a great touch. The service was wonderful. Both owners were very friendly. My friend and I will definitely be back again. -
Review from Rachel U.
5/11/2009
Balkan food, from my experience, is largely a 'meat and potatoes' cuisine, so not necessarily my preference, tho I have enjoyed the lighter fish or chicken dish options. More importantly, tho, is the people. The owners, a husband-wife-son team, are out on the floor, warmly welcoming customers, and taking the time to explain dishes. For my vegetarian-sister's birthday, we called ahead and they made sure to have a veggie-friendly meal ready, and a delicious off-menu cake. And my dad, who is of Balkan decent, revels in attempting to pronounce the menu items and chatting about the husband's most recent visit back home.
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Review from J B.
Philadelphia, PA
11/22/2010
I can't believe it has taken me so long to get to this place. The nondescript exterior boasts only one clue : small print saying "balkan restaurant," so maybe I just never noticed it. BYOB is a plus. Cozy interior where the activity in the kitchen blends seamlessly into the liveliness of the dining area, like being in someone's home. The owner and his wife are a delight; friendly, attentive, full of stories and life. The pickled vegetables, olives, feta, and smoked meats were fantastic, as were the caseless sausages. My pork skewers were very good. That they were served with eggplant, which I hate, is nobody's fault. My dining companions had what appeared to be incredibly savory stews.
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Review from Thor T.
Philadelphia, PA
1/7/2009
The Balkan Express is a family restaurant in the true sense of the word - the father works in the kitchen (when not talking to appreciative guests) and mother and son wait on the tables of this sizable place. Everyone is very friendly and the restaurant has a very "neighborhood" vibe - homey if not terribly efficient.
Of course one expects hearty, stick-to-your-ribs food when eating at a Serbian restaurant and most of the dishes we had on the special menu for Orthodox Christmas fell into that category - a mixed plate of appetizers with cured, smoked meats and pickled vegetables, a soup with boiled beef, sarma (stuffed cabbage), suckling pig with kraut and potatoes and lemony spinach, and finally a sour cherry strudel. Still, I would have preferred a little bit more finesse with the different dishes. The Sarma, served without the usual tomato sauce, was very salty and a saline exuberance affected also other dishes. The sour cherry filling of the strudel tasted very good, too bad the Phyllo dough around it was limp and lackluster. A home version of Sljivovica, served complimentary at meal's end, would have been much more appreciated if the shot glasses had not just come out of the dishwasher, piping hot and wreaking havoc with the already volatile alcohols of the plum brandy. -
Review from Sue K.
12/3/2010
It was my first time trying Serbian food and I went with someone who knows the food, but we were both new to the restaurant. It was a quiet Thursday night (Eagles game) so we were the only ones in the restaurant. My friend chatted up the chef who was incredibly hospitable and friendly. We ordered several dishes, including the smoked meats, sausages and beef wrapped in cabbage. My favorite was the beef wrapped in cabbage; the juices from the beef was delicious. We finished our meal with Serbian baklava which was drowned in a very sweet syrup. They smoke the meat in the restaurant and grow all the vegetables (some come from their home garden!). It doesn't get any fresher than that. This place has to be the #1 restaurant for hospitality. Even though they are only open during certain days, they are willing to open for parties on other days as long as you make a reservation. Prices are as friendly as they are!
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Review from Michael S.
Philadelphia, PA
5/3/2011
This restaurant is one of the treasures of my area. The food is great and well prepared. The owners are very accomodating and able to please. This eatery is definitely worthy of many return visits
