I would come here just for the perogi. They are so good! The veal was good too and the various sides like mash potatoes and sauerkraut and red cabbage. This place gets pretty crowded at night. There are indoors and outdoors seating. I’ve never really had Ukrainian cuisines but this place was good regardless. Definitely check this place out when in the East village area! Highly recommend!!

A lot of people seem to really like Veselka, and Id definitely say its solid but I cant say I love it as much as other people seem to. Its a fun space and the food is pretty competent, but not really anything that special (with the exception of the cup of borscht I got which was quite tasty). The pierogies I got were tasty but not mind blowing. Service was good though, my party was definitely a headache because we kept having more people show up and they were able to work with that.

Absolutely my culinary happy place! Amazing homemade Ukrainian food: savory, delicious soups, luscious blintzes, 8 kinds of pierogis, not to mention my fave, kielbasa and eggs. If you haven’t gone, go now! Grateful they are still in the East Village! Super yum!

Great Ukrainian spot. A bit loud and busy, but with tasty food. Very rich selection ranging from pierogi to golubtsi and desserts. So many things that I would still want to try. We had only 40 minutes and were able to make it on time. They had quite a lot of space inside as well as outside.

Ate outdoors on a Saturday night around 930pm, our waitress Olena was on point and made our experience next to perfect. She suggested some items on the menu and I went with the Ukrainian Borscht (like a meat and beet soup) Veal Goulash, and Short Rib Perogies. I very much recommend having mashed potatoes with the meal. We had Ukrainian beer and they were both to our taste. We would like to come again next time we visit the city. Food was delicious! 1st time eating this type of meal.

Very happy to have tried this Ukrainian restaurant! The food was very delicious and fresh. We were greeted upon entering the restaurant and while leaving as well.The veal goulash was AMAZING!! The watermelon iced-tea was very good too. Pierogis are a MUST try here!!! Extremely good! Cant wait to be back again soon!

I have searched high and low and there are maybe 5 restaurants in the world that serve chicken paprika (chicken paprikakash) and Veselka in NYC is one of them.This place gets jam packed on Saturday….waited 20 minutes for a table on a Saturday at 1:30 and I’m glad I did.Great service and awesome foodThe people watching is also hall of fameAnd the chicken paprika was outstanding.

It’s a bright nice place. They have a lot of tables. Seems like Not enough staff members though. Simply because our waiter was in such a rush. I didn’t know if I should have taken it as if he didn’t wait to serve us or was just too busy with other tables. Anyway, he didn’t let us finish making our order and literally left after we had named 2 items only. And it happened many times. I had to call him and stop leaving us couple times. It was just rude.We had soups. The borstch was great. I loved it. But the rest of food was too salty.Crepes (cheese blintz $15) were huge and it was great. Veal Goulash very salty. SoI would come back for cheese blitz but only if I could get a better service. At least while I try to order.

Authentic Ukrainian food at a classic New York style restaurant. Most of the waiters are students from nearby schools such as New York University, so they are really friendly, helpful and efficient (and well deserved for a good tip!) Their soups are especially good, e.g. their borscht and the cucumber soup. Their offer a combo menu which has a smaller portion of a main dish plus a soup of your choice.

Tasty, good service, solid pierogi! I preferred the beef over the spinach and goat cheese. Wish I had some hot sauce, could have used a bit of a kick.

I gave Veselka 5 stars 3 years ago. After a dozen + midnight meals here, I still give it 5 stars. The staff are wonderful and the seasonal dishes are excellent. You can come here after a concert or before work and its always as welcoming. Stay strong Veselka!

Felt extremely rushed the whole meal, server came up 4 separate times to take our order after 5 minutes of sitting down. The food came out luke warm. I came here with two Russian friends who were not impressed as well. I think they might just be too busy and are pumping the food out as fast as possible. Might be better if you don’t come during prime hours.

Amazing! Great food and great service. Food arrived super fast. Totally recommend

Very cute location, cabbage rolls were only ok though. I really liked the potatoes they made, mashed potatoes and the potato pancake!

Incredibly delicious, Ordered the Brunch Salmon and the Brunch Perrogi. Recommend to order two separate dishes and share to try more of the delicious food they might have.Very fast seat time in peak brunch and in-table checkout, server carrier around a system to pay the check.Our particular waiter could use more patience and training. Still was an enjoyable experience.

Highly recommend this place as a real Ukrainian!Veselka - the best place to get acquainted with Ukrainian cuisine and understand Ukrainian culture.Potato pancakes, pierogi with cherry and borscht is a MUST TRY!Space is clean and cozy. Staff - hospitable, friendly. High respect to their chef❤️Love it!!!

Fantastic service and great food. Really enjoyed pierogi and cabbage rolls. Quite large portions - which is great for refueling the energy!

Authentic Polish cuisine. The waiter was a little too Russian but all in all the food and experience was great. And yes theres seating inside and out.

Great place for some delicious Ukrainian comfort food. Good service and quality meal. Look forward to eating there again!

Great food, nice ambience and not too expensive a menu. For vegetarians, there are plenty of options to try from and their vegetarian chilli was amazing! Obviously fantastic pierogis and the servers were very helpful.

Surprisingly short wait for an outdoor table on a busy Friday night! Well worth it. The pierogi, potato pancakes, and blintz are definitely the right choices for a quick bite. We also got a to go borscht!

What a treat. I finally got to experience dining here. I tried the meatless borscht as a starter and it was good and filling. A nice hot soup on a chilly night. The stuffed cabbage went well with the wheat bulgar. Add some of their onions and it’ll be even better. The potatoes dumplings weren’t bad. I just wish they were bigger. I was surprised how tasty the food was considering a bad review from a Ukrainian friend. I’m glad we went and I got to try their food. My friend thought the food tasted better this time from the last time they went. Our server was really nice. The service there seemed pretty good judging from the other patrons sitting there. It seems like they’re good for groups as well as for two people. They have both outdoor and indoor dining. A bit busy on a Friday night, but you’ll still be able to have seating. I will come back and have more of their borscht and stuffed cabbage.

This was my first time trying Ukrainian cuisine, and I had a great time.I experimented with four different types of pierogis (the 4 most popular ones). The potato and meat were a little bland, but the arugula and cheese and regular cheese ones were fantastic. The cheese wasnt overpowering, but it tasted like ravioli without the sauce.I also ordered the latke combo plate, which came with beef stroganoff on top. The latke was tasty, but it was a little soggy due to the stroganoff. The beef stroganoff was also tasty, albeit a little salty.Finally, I tried the well-known blintz. The texture of the crepe was fantastic. The cheese inside was light and airy, similar to ricotta. The raspberry jam was delectable and went perfectly with the blintz.

Perfect for a rainy day. The Ukrainian food here will warm your soul.Make sure to get the perogies and borscht. Come a little early, theres often a line.

I had the short rib pierogies and the potato mushroom pierogies. Definitely a fantastic balance between the two, definitely get them fried! Cant wait to come back

Want to impress someone? Your boss, your new business partner, important clients, that fashion model you had a conversation with, you can invite actors to royalties here and they will be in for a treat. As long as they dont have dietary requirements ask them: Have you been to Veselka?” If they are Ukrainian the better!I have to try Ukrainian delicacy in NYC. They have a good community here. It happens that this place have a good rating I want to try it. I had tried it in Vancouver, I want to try what New York has to offer! You will be served by mostly young beautiful people. I love the way my server say Enjoy! with a little bow after every serving.I started with a Watermelon Lemonade. Then their $6 Ukrainian Borscht and wow thats the best tasting food I had. It got meat, vegetables, nice slightly thick stock, add a little sour cream and your in for a surprise itll turn creamier and gave more sweetness but mild sourness, its perfect.I ordered their 67th Anniversary bowl which is not on their current menu and opted fried, its good but theres something missing. It needs to be eaten with fresh greens, I ordered Burrata Salad with Spinach and Fig. These comes as wonderful pair. I ended up my excellent dinner with a Medovik, a very soft layered cake. Right sweetness and got a creamy delicate texture, so nice you can just smashed it with your tounge it burst in your mouth. I smiled with joy, I am more than satisfied! All of this for just over $50 as if Ive eaten more than a hundred dollar food.Food at its finest without making you broke. Food thats soooo good it fills your heart with goodness! Thats Veselka!One young Indian youth that passed by brag to his companions, this is a good place to eat, its delicious! If you had someone praise your food thats outside their traditional palate then youve got the highest praise from a previous guest.

Food was very good but our glassware was dirty. My napkin had red wine splashes on it from being on a used table so I didnt use it. Not cool during covid times

Very good hearty fare from the old country! Stuffed cabbage and pieroges are excellent! Very popular spot.

I had the Deluxe Meat Combo with hot borscht. Every item was satisfying, the kielbasa most of all.I liked the borscht, but the challah slice served with it seemed stale, though maybe I just forgot the texture of challah.The pierogis I didnt find super interesting; though that might be more of a reflection about me than the way Veselka makes them, and I liked the beet & horseradish salad. I wanted to taste the horseradish more intensely.

Made my day :) we went in for brunch we wanted to have Ukrainian delicacy . We had potato pancake which was nice felt similar to nicely made hash browns . Pierogies we’re very nice and we got varieties in that . The cheese Blintzes was very delicious and I went for the additional strawberry sauce which was a good decision. We tried Metzoh ball soup and surpassingly we liked it :) we also had Chicken Paprikash which was very delicious 🤤. And finally we had the simple coffee which was really good :) all in all we loved our time there . The host was very accommodating as we were taking time to order the food and he also helped us understand about the food . I would definitely come back and recommend this place 100%

Good ukranian cuisine. Our ukranian friend said she felt like eating at home! But she wished more waiters were ukranian, she wanted to speak her language.Most plates are bigger than usual, sharing is a good idea to taste different flavors.The desserts are very good! Delicate, not super sweet, and big enough to share too.

Amazing! We didn’t wait long, they even sat us outside because we asked. Got the food quickly, tasted amazing! Need to try the perogies. Also make sure to get the blueberry perogies!

You go for the Pierogis but stay for the Ukrainian beer! It’s the perfect comfort food and also great for a night out with friends!You can’t skip it if you’re in town for a couple of days.

Best place in the city for Ukrainian/ Eastern European food. Consistent, great service and huge portions! Can’t recommend enough!

Homey and cozy with excellent food. I had 67th anniversary bowl (fried with a side of sour cream) and it was fantastic! I was a little concerned by the pricetag on my milkshake, but they brought it in a mixer with a glass. Came out to two shakes. Def worth it.

Delicious food. Some of the best pierogi in the city.

I dont remember not loving a single dish I tried at the restaurant (including the non-alcoholic drinks), Borscht being the highlight. Food at this place is a heartwarming mix between comfort and upscale soul - leaves you with a broad smile and a full stomach.

As a Polish person, this is primo Polish food. It may be a new pallette for you, meaning it might take a second to register what youre really tasting, but once you do youll be amazed! Its worth the wait and the price!

Food was very good. Service was fantastic. Our server was very understanding when we needed time to think and when we ordered a second time (because our first order of pierogi wasn’t enough!). Get the fried pierogi instead of the boiled ones—they’re worth the calories!

Visited looking for traditional Ukrainian food. To my delight, the mixed grill and pierogis were delicious. The borscht and mushroom soup were even better. Great service and aesthetic atmosphere. I’m looking forward to coming back to try their brunch!

Quick stop for perogies and a beer. Cane out quick and the waitress was helpful, but not super friendly. Perogies were(are) a little small but they are tasty and traditionally made. Potato one are the best

Amazing boiled pierogies, borscht, pancakes and really anything you might fancy at an elevated Ukrainian diner. Sometimes can be quite the wait but if you go on weekdays it’s usually a bit better. Love their outdoor set up as well!

Delicious pierogi. Try all the flavors and try them fried. It is so delicious by themselves or with the toppings of sour cream and apple sauce. My favorite is anything with potato and onion. The meat flavor is also good. The stfaf is friendly and the to go seevice is quick.

Great food and amazing service. The traditional perogi is super tasty. Highly recommend. A***Sorry not the best photo though.

Never tried this kind of food before. Surprisingly good. Eye opening.

The beef stroganoff was fantastic. The breaded chicken was good but kind of dry. Loved the fries.

Searching for the Ukrainian roots in the East Village and of course I had to come here. First time and I got the beef stroganoff and a potato pancake and both were so flavorful and delicious! Will definitely be back to try more!

A monument. A must for everyone in New York.Its an experince to live. If Veselka had another name is would be hospitality. The story says that it satrted with a man who was always inviting his friends at home to cook dinners and have few drinks until the crowd started being way too big for an appartment and had to open a restaurant.The service. And the outrageously great food makes you feel like you went to your aunties house. Its beyond a dinner. We had a goulash, a vegetarian deluxe meal and as much as my friend was a regular for like 12 years, it was my first experience and my idea after reading about them maybe a month ago in the NY Times. The dessert a ukranian cake is everything my grandma would do.If you are not eastern european you never had any of this kind, its delicious, generous and everything feels like a hug. Please go to Veselka and enjoy this beautiful life we have in the city of being lucky enough to travel the world and discover everything within the island.When you enter Vesleka. Veselka enters your heart and stays there.

We found ourselves here because the nearby wait times were well over an hour; but I’m glad we didn’t get seated anywhere else. We loved everything here.

Great stop excellent service. A little slice of Easter Europe.

My favorite restaurant in the city. It’s simply the best!

Just like grandma used to make! Try the watermelon cocktail!

The borscht, beef stroganoff, and pierogies were all very comforting and delicious. I typically dont like beets at all, but the borscht was completely different from what I expected and really good.

Loved the borscht, super flavorful. A little bit salty though but is good with bread.Fried mushroom pierogies were great, very good texture and not too oily.Boiled meat pierogies were good, but they seemed to have boiled it for a bit too long... And one of them broke!Overall would definitely come back for the soup!!!!!

Food was amazing! Wanted to take their pierogis back home with me.

Great place! I have been there in February and at that time there was no dine-in. It was cold outside but they had heaters. The best thing is that during that cold weather, they served glintwine. I ordered Buffalo-style Pierogi. It was a fried and interesting thing to try. The food there is Ukrainian.Overall, everything was great!

Food was good— I just wish that we had an umbrella over us while we ate so I didn’t get a deluge of rain on me mid-meal from the awning. It took a long time to get our food, and the staff didn’t help us move our table closer to the restaurant

Food tastes great, healthy meal. The restaurant really took steps with social distancing; especially, for indoor dining. They had a plastic barrier in between tables that are already distanced. Menu prices very reasonable, I’d say on average 1 people would spend about $30-40 there with entree+drink or appetizer and tax & gratuity.

Havent been here in quite a while, just as great as I remembered. Kielbasa omelet was awesome. Very unique!

The soups here are fantastic. The matzah ball soup and the borscht (beet soup) were both great. The borscht was extra delicious with sour cream added. The veggie burger was good not great, but you gotta realize the soups are the main attraction here. We got quart sized soups which are huge! 😊WARNING: I ordered the vegetarian borscht and there were pieces of chicken in it ☹️

Amazing food and 10/10 customer service! Worth every penny. I’ll definitely come back :)

Not a bad place, but it could have been better. The dishes are very ordinary, I would not call them very tasty, but in general you can try. I am well acquainted with Ukrainian cuisine and culture as I grew up in Ukraine. It is worth stopping by, but you should not expect something incredible.

Unbelievable Ukrainian/Polish classic restaurant. The pierogis were delicious and I’m upset I couldn’t eat more. Can’t wait to come back and try everything else I missed

Brunch was good! but wish i didnt get fried dumplings. really amazing outdoor dining and vibe

They really need more stalls in the bathroom or stalls in general b.c this place is so popular that there is a line to eat, & use the bathroom. Amazing food & service each time

I went for service twice the same day- brunch and dinner. This review will encompass both experiences.Brunch:I order the brunch breakfast bowl, and it was truly underwhelming. Their potato filling inside the pierogis lacks flavor, and overall tasted like fried dough. The kielbasa is delicious.Dinner:The boiled pierogis are way better. Avoid any potato filled pierogi isn’t worth your money because they are EXTREMELY bland. I would highly recommend the short rib and mushroom sauerkraut pierogis. The potato salad will be the only reason I ever return here because IT’S DELICIOUS.I usually keep my reviews to just the food, unless their is something to note about their customer service. Unfortunately Veselka could do better with their attentiveness. You will always be seated quickly but the waiters are not as fast. Both the brunch and dinner service had us sitting for staff for about 15 minutes before we were approached, and thats after flagging them down. Additionally the brunch server seemed annoyed when ringing us out...like sorry to inconvenience you for the second time our entire duration there? For dinner service we had two waiters walk pass us twice and we eventually called the manager over and he took our order and waited on us the remainder of the night. Why did we go back after the brunch experience? My friend is loyal to this place and he truly believed dinner would be better. Overall I would probably return on a less busy day to enjoy their potato salad.

Delicious perogies!!! sauerkraut & mushroom are my favorite! We got perogies to go and ate them while walking around!!! WOW!!! I am craving them right now. BUT SKIP their EGG CREAM - it is disgusting here!!! Go over to Rays Candy shop open 24/7 to get your egg cream soda fix!

Excellent selection, authentic food and very reasonably priced.Please dont order classical American dishes experiment! Bigos is very interesting, bet salad has a wonderful kick.

We walked in for the dinner service and it wasnt very busy but for some reason we had to wait a very long time to be served. We waited fifteen minutes before we requested someone to take our drink orders at least and they just ignored us. So we walked out. I saw a few tables had the same issue, so I wouldnt recommend going there if you expect to have a timely meal.Theres a place next door called Ukrainian east village restaurant, I recommend going there for a more authentic and friendly experience.

Really solid Pierogies. We tried boiled as well as fried. Never had them with apple sauce. It was a great contrast in flavor with the sweetness. The service was Quick and efficient. The Staff was okay. Interior was clean. No complaints.

Good food but bring back 24 hour service!!

Great family run place with friendly service. Went in on a Saturday night when ippudo had a 2 hour wait. Waited for less then 30 min on a packed night for a table for 3. Got the veal with mashed potatoes which was so tender and flavorful. Tried the breakfast sausages as well which I recommended.

Ever an establishment and eatery in the east village. I’m not sure what I would do without you. Thank you so much for being delicious and providing so many good memories for the 20 years I have lived in nyc. Perfect for all occasions.

Sooooo good!! I can’t wait to go back and try the potato pancakes! I had the fried potato pirogi and loved it! Service was quick and friendly. I will be back!

This place was overall fantastic! The ambience of this place is outstanding and so inviting! Pretty much every thing that we ordered was super fresh and flavorful. The crew was extremely welcoming and service is awesome. Every thing was amazing at Veselka.

My family and I had brunch here and we enjoyed every yummy bite. The cheese and meat pierogies are... delicious. The breakfast sausage is... delicious. The pancakes are huge and... delicious. The chicken schnitzel was flavorful and crispy. The challah french toast made my cry tears of joy. We basically ate our way through the afternoon. The line was long when we arrived (as expected at a brunch place on the weekend) however! We didnt wait any longer than10min for a table. The staff was quick and attentive, and I look forward to going back.

The place is really nice. The food was great. The reason Im giving it a 4 is because the utensils and cups were dirty and also the waiter seemed like she was rushing to get us out. We werent even asked if we wanted desert before she brought us the bill.

Luv their potato pancakes.

Delicious food and good service. A bit pricey.

Veselka is an East Village institution, occupying the same cozy corner of Second Avenue for almost 7 decades while serving up hearty portions of Ukrainian comfort food.In the city for the first time in almost 10 months and looking to satisfy a pierogi craving, I decided to finally give this spot a try. Even at noon on a cold December Tuesday, a line was building for tables outside (either under a heat lamp or just at a table on the sidewalk). Shielded by a huge winter coat, I grabbed a table on the sidewalk.Service here is lightning quick: my order of Ukrainian borscht, a pierogi bowl with mushrooms, onions, dill, and sour cream, and a Lvivski lager all came out in record speed.Dont look for anything fancy here: this is solid Ukrainian cuisine. The borscht was just sharp enough, with bits of short rib and chunked beets while the pierogi (boiled, in this case, and filled with potato and mushroom) were expertly prepped with just enough dill in the mushroom and onion topping.In bygone times, Veselka ran around the clock. Heres hoping things pick up and they can return to feeding the masses 24/7 again soon.

Original version of Ukrainian food. With great original deserts. I definitely recommend.

Went for brunch during COVID. Great outdoor space. Tables are spaced appropriately and servers wear masks. Had eggs with Pirogis and Keilbasa. Was really tasty. I dont know authentic Ukrainian but I like this place. If you only drink coffee, very reasonably priced.

Only after the meal did we realized the inner side of the napkin had already been used by someone else.When it’s about time to pay, the waitress also came with just the card machine and not the actual bill. She verbally told us the price which was in fact more than twice the amount we should be paying. I would have way overpaid for the meal if I didn’t pay attention to what she said and caught the mistake.I would take an active effort to tell people around me not to come eat here.

Great meals and drinks for brunch! A little more on the savory side, but definitely a good time.

Best Ukrainian food in New York! If you’ve never had this food, it’s very similar to Polish food. Their pierogies are outstanding

A timeless classic on the LES that has something for everyone. Efficient service and delicious food all at a reasonable price. Always a great meal.

The vibe, staff and food are great. One of the servers (blond/white haired male) was absolutely top notch in service.We had the smorgasbord and the special egg sandwich. The smorgasbord was absolutely delicious which we washed down with a couple of the IPAs and lagers. The service was attentive without being intrusive and would recommend anyone in the neighbourhood to visit this joint.

Ukrainian food in this established culinary location.

The food was decent. Definitely try the veal goulash. The outdoor seating is a little tight, but the servers were very accommodating.

Where do I begin?!Best comfort food, excellent quality, friendly, family owned, they deliver and I have been eating there for over 30 years. So happy its going strong! Dont forget about taking a loaf of bread, a soup, sides or amazing desserts home. Everything is made in-house and is so delicious.My grandmother used to cook like this and now I can go and sit down at Veselka and feel like a child around the holiday table with all the wonderful food memories and smells of Eastern Europe.

Classic NYC. Great food!!!

Amazing pierogis! Nice environment.Definitely recommend the cheese and arugula boiled pierogi!

Popular place it seems. Very long lines. Open 24/7. Busy waiters. Crowded but comfy. Food does come out pretty quickly but that seems reasonable with the number of people waiting just to get a table. Simple and delicious meal. Small portions but fills you just right. Definitely enjoyed the simple lunch :)

Excellent breakfast at a very popular place. The line moved fast with a worker (or two) connecting with us throughout the 15 minute wait. Server was attentive and food was excellent. Highly recommended.

Delicious and reasonably priced. You have to get pirogies, all flavors are delicious. Veal goulash and mushroom barley soup are great, too. I’d recommend the beat and horseradish salad as a side.

Overall pretty nice. This place is kinda hidden. Didnt have to wait to be seated. Enjoyed the borscht soup a lot and its nice to have a combo. The potato pancake was great and seemed very popular. Big portion too. There was complimentary bread.

Food is good and arrived quickly after ordering. Downside is that the waiter made us wait outside in the 6 degrees rain for a table while there were standing room inside. They could have a heater placed outside to help.

Just ate here the other day. Great mix of Ukrainian dishes like perogies and stuffed cabbage (pictured is the Deluxe Meat Plate which contains both) as well as more American stuff like fish and chips and burgers. Good beer selection with stuff from Poland, Russia, Ukraine, etc. They have lots of outdoor seating and very helpful service. My two friends and each got a beer and a filling, satisfying meal for under $90 (before tip). Highly recommend!

Delicious brunch options and nice outdoor dining. The wait can be long at times.

Ethnic Eastern European food.A lot of but size foods that is perfect for a snack.