Veselka

We went to Veselka with some friends not really knowing what to expect, and we ended up absolutely loving it. The food was amazing from start to finish.<br><br>It was our first time trying deep fried vareniki, and they were definitely one of the highlights of our trip to NYC. Crispy, flavorful, and completely different from anything we had tried before.<br><br>The atmosphere was great, the service was solid, and overall it turned into one of those unexpected meals you keep thinking about afterwards. We’ll definitely be back next time we’re in New York.

A must for visitors to NYC. Delicious food with a chill, hip atmosphere. An iconic establishment at 2nd Ave and 9th St. Fast, friendly service; large indoor dining area(s) with tables and chairs for mostly 4 and 2. Also some counter seats. Additional outdoor seating (as of May 2026). Known for its authentic Ukrainian style food.<br>I had the Lentil salad with chicken schnitzel and it was Delicious! A very cool place where you might just see an inconspicuous celebrity or two hanging out, having a bite to eat. Beers, wines, specialty drinks, and soft drinks, coffee, tea, etc. served. To-go orders too.

I had a great experience at Veselka. It is truly authentic. The proceeds from the beer I ordered (which was great) goes to help Ukraine, which is the reason I ordered it. My son and I were there for lunch and we each had matzoh ball soup (his first time having this, he enjoyed) and fried pierogis. I love that you can order all the varieties of pierogis without being pigeonholed to three of the same kind. Our server was very friendly and the atmosphere was very appropriately decorated. I’m glad we went.

This place is hands down one of my favorite places to eat at because everything is made fresh and tastes like we walked into grandma’s house for authentic homemade Ukrainian food. You will not be disappointed.

This restaurant has been on my wife's bucket list for years and I'm so happy she brought me along to experience what I can only describe as one of the 10 best meals of my 53 years! Seriously, absolutely fantastic food, incredible service, and outstanding atmosphere! I will be thinking of the potato pancake, short rib perogies, and that cabbage roll....omg, non-stop until I get back for more!<br>We wanted to try as much as two people can reasonably consume so we had the Taste of Ukraine, a three course meal that I feel they could easily charge more for, some fried perogies, a chocolate egg cream (like a Yoo-hoo, only 100 times better!), and a lime Rickey.<br>Judging by the line forming as we were finishing up, I'm so glad we got there when we did as we were immediately seated. I know the city has an impossible amount of options when it comes to food, but do yourself a favor and try Veselka<br>for yourself. I promise you won't be disappointed!!

Such an iconic establishment. It’s almost like if The Cheesecake Factory was a local Ukrainian restaurant. Just great vibes all around.<br>The latkas were great!! Very crispy!!<br>The borscht was a bit too sweet for my liking. Like it was really really sweet.<br>The REAL highlight was the flourless chocolate cake (gluten free dessert). It was PHENOMENAL cake!!! So rich. 3 of us shared it and it was very big.<br><br>Honestly lots of great gluten free options, including gluten free bread (I’m not celiac)<br><br>We went on a Wednesday at 730 as a group of 3 and waited around 10 mins. The whole group needs to be there to be seated.

This place is so good, I love the pierogies, the borsch and everything about it. It’s a little bit pricey for what it is, but the food is filling and makes me happy. This is a good place to come after hosting a party when you don’t really wanna cook, but do you want something that feeds your soul. I loved the onions that came with the pierogies.

I had such a great experience at Veselka. A good friend highly recommended it to me, and I'm so glad we went. The service was super fast, and everything we tried was really delicious. We ordered the Ukrainian borscht, chicken paprikash, and the Stand With Ukraine bowl, and all of it was comforting, flavorful, and clearly made with care. The borscht was especially cozy, and the chicken paprikash was hearty and satisfying. Overall, great food, quick service, and a chill, welcoming vibe. Totally lives up to the recommendation. I'd definitely come back.

The food was decent, but the prices really took away from the enjoyment. Eight dollars for a small cup of soup is a bit much. The varenyky were also overpriced. we ordered two kinds the cheese and potato, and together they came out to $22. Four dumplings for $11 just doesn’t feel worth it, especially if you’re used to getting them much cheaper at Slavic stores. At least with the toppings they were quite filling.<br><br>The raspberry lemonade was quite good.I also tried an egg cream for the first time. it was definitely an experience. I was worried it would be sour (looked like kefir for a sec), but it tasted more like vanilla, with an aftertaste that reminded me of the smell of an old bookstore.<br><br>Overall, the food is okay, but the pricing really isn’t. If you’re already familiar with Slavic food, you might want to skip this. If you’re there purely for the experience, then it could be worth trying once.

First time here. Not the last, for sure!<br>What an amazing home cooking place!<br>Delicious, friendly and so packed.<br>We have enjoyed Veselka so much.<br>I absolutely recommend this wonderful Ukrainian restaurant!

It was a interesting cuisine. I loved the pierogi/ dumplings 😋<br>I just couldn't feel my body or enjoyed the meal after standing in line outside for more than 30 minutes in 20 degrees weather.<br>If you planing to go dress warm and enjoy 😉

Great and cozy restaurant for a nice lunch. They have traditional ukrainian borscht, in the special and also as a main dish ( both different sizes). The pierogi are absolutely amazing, you can get them fried or boiled. Last, we enjoyed the honey layer cake! A place worth it visiting!

We had the pleasure of visiting Veselka and were very positively surprised by this Ukrainian restaurant. On our first day, we ordered bigos and pierogi for takeout, and everything was absolutely delicious. The next day, we came back to try more dishes and enjoyed bigos again, chicken noodle soup, and Ukrainian borscht.<br>The portions are generous and definitely filling, the food is fresh, flavorful, and tastes truly homemade. Everything we tried was rich in flavor and very satisfying, especially after long days in the city.<br>If we ever visit New York again, Veselka will definitely be on our list of places to return to. This spot exceeded our expectations, and we highly recommend it to anyone looking for comforting, authentic Eastern European cuisine.

I loved and still love Veselka after all of the years.<br>The borscht always hits. I wish they used better Ukrainian bread and not American bread. The dumplings are always yummy and tender. Latkes or potato pancakes are so fluffy - one of the best ones I have ever had even in comparison with my grandmas and that says a lot.<br>Today I tried beef Stroganoff for the first time and I was disappointed but wasn't fully satisfied. I like everything except the meat because of how not tender it was.<br>Medovyk is always to die for!!!

Best perogies you can find. I ate like 6 of them. I need to lie down but I’d do it all over again and likely will. Beef stroganoff was 👌👌👌 And the honey cake dessert thing was unreal. 🍰 Definitely should go. 🇺🇦💛💙