I still remember my first time having borsch or borscht at a hole-in-the-wall deli specializing in Eastern European foods and goods almost 10 years ago! The bright crimson soup with a dollop of sour cream was so foreign to me at the time, but I had no trouble polishing it off with some chicken pelmeni and a cold sandwich. Naturally, when I learned that a Ukrainian restaurant opened in LA, I immediately bookmarked the Playa Vista location back in early May 2023. Funny that I ended up visiting their second location in Mid-Wilshire though, which appears to have opened in December 2023 (kudos to the owners for expanding from their mail-order business to opening two restaurants within a year - what a feat). After spending some time at a local museum in Miracle Mile last weekend, my partner and I were starving, so after checking online to see what restaurants were around, he mentioned "Mom, Please" and I immediately said "YES, we're going there". The good: + Owners have great taste in decorating the interior as the use of natural materials really bring a homey feel and warmth to the small restaurant + Ceramic tableware created by a Ukrainian artist that's also currently based in LA + All the dishes we ordered came with a side of sour cream + Menu consists of a variety of foods and drinks that makes sense in LA: sandwiches, pancakes, shakshuka, toast, salads, bagel, soup, coffee, and tea to name a few + Uniquely Ukrainian: borsch, holubtsi, mlyntsi, pelmeni, syrnyky, and varenyky + Business hours run from 8am - 8pm daily + Fridges are stocked with pre-made dumplings which can be purchased online or in-store The food: * Holubtsi with Turkey ($18) - delicious, but quite small. Mixture of ground turkey, bell peppers, onions wrapped in cabbage and baked in a personal cast iron pan with tomato sauce and two halved cherry tomatoes. Sprinkled with some chopped greens for color and cup of sour cream on the side. This was probably my favorite dish, but I wish it came out last as it was the most flavorful and so the other two dishes kind of paled in comparison. * Pelmeni Beef ($18) - 13 beef dumplings with a side of sour cream. Other than the steep price for dumplings, we liked this simple dish very much. I even dipped the pelmeni in the leftover tomato sauce from the holubtsi and it was just scrumptious. * Mlyntsi with Chicken & Mushrooms ($22) - this dish came out last and right off the bat, I thought it was strange that the microgreens was discolored. Half of the greens were already turning yellow! Perhaps the cook thought we wouldn't eat greens, but we actually do, so this was very disappointing. These three egg crepes were filled with chicken and mushrooms and sat on a creamy mushroom sauce and sprinkled with parmesan and not the freshest-looking microgreens. The so-so/bad: - Street parking only, so good luck - Breakfast foods only served from 8:30am - 1pm - Service was average - Prices are unduly expensive, especially for what you get - Suggested tip on screen shows left to right starting from 22%, 20%, and 15% but you have to order everything first at the counter - Even with three dishes, we were both still hungry
Lorena escobedo cedillo
Delicious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kateryna DOB
I was surprised to find such a nice location in LA. I totally respect what they have created there. Every detail immerses you in the Ukrainian atmosphere. They make really good coffee and delicious desserts, and they also have Ukrainian dishes on their menu. I highly recommend visiting this place to experience how serving and tasting food should be.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pierogi
Jessica L.
I really wanted to like this place, I am a fan of Shakshouka. But I was really thrown by my experience here. My meal was OK, the orange juice was truly disgusting, but the rest of my meal tasted fine. BUT! I was there with a friend who was served his meal almost 40 minutes after mine came! It seemed like they forgot about it. An entire table that came after us was served before he was served. When his eggs and bacon arrived it was supposed to be something akin to a continental breakfast. He paid $25 and the two pieces of bacon that they gave him were not even cooked. When he asked the staff to please re-cook the bacon, they took his entire plate and kept it for another 15 minutes. His two very small eggs and one little piece of toast got very cold while they microwaved or re-heated his nasty bacon. I was so sad for him. He was so hungry. And I just could not believe he spent $25 on that pitiful plate. After this, they didn't come and check on him, and there were still more issues! He also wanted to ask for some pepper, and nobody checked to see if his meal or if he was OK. I do not recommend this place and I will never go back.
Max Romanenko
Well, this is the best food you can eat in LA. Not only food here is perfect, but service as well on an other level! Love you guys!Btw, I didn’t liked one of the dishes, and they gave me a dessert for free ♥️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Mlyntsi Classic, Caesar Salad with Chicken, Syrnyky with Berry Sauce, Syrnyky with Custard, Varenyky with Cherries, Borsht, Mlyntsi with Chicken&Mushrooms, Avocado Toast with Salmon, Pelmeni Dumplings
Maryna T.
Amazing food and atmosphere! Highly recommend their borscht or beef pelmeni if that's your first time trying Ukrainian food. I also loved the playlist - was pleasantly refreshing to hear Krystyna Soloviy or Odyn v Kanoe in LA
JS N.
What a gem! We were looking for a quick lunch and found a beautiful Ukrainian cafe with great traditional dishes like borscht, dumplings and stuffed cabbage. Portions are ample, food is freshly prepared and tasty. Prices are moderate. Staff are warm and welcoming, attentive and efficient. Desserts are great, too! The interior is comfortable with plenty of light and sun. We will definitely return!
Mohamed P.
Love the service here and the atmosphere. However, the pricing and portion size is wayyyyy off. The $18 Reuben was good, but for that price, there should have been more meat and a free side. The Pelmeni Beef was delicious, but again, not enough of the portion size for the price. Also, they charge $$$ for condiments like ketchup and sour cream?! Like the restaurant in Playa Vista, pricing is too high.
Layla L.
I've grown up eating pierogis and stuffed cabbage and this place did not disappoint. The food was so fresh and tasted homemade. I'd highly recommend the potato pierogis!
Daria D.
I highly recommend this place if you are missing Eastern European food or just want to try something new! my favorites are VARENYKY WITH POTATOES and SYRNYKY WITH BERRY SAUCE. Enjoy the atmosphere and delicious food in one place!
A lovely, dacha-styled interior with numerous Ukrainian dishes and a smattering of standard American fare. Examples include: Pelmeni, varyeniki, borscht, cirniki, avocado toast and tuna sandwiches (with boiled egg -- yum!). Most staff speak English, Russian and Ukrainian, and at least one also speaks Armenian. I found the Ukrainian dishes and desserts on point and similar to how my family would make food at home. Come in and have a taste of Ukraine! The spot also sells frozen foods to go. (This is a review of the Miracle Mile location on Wilshire; owners have another location in Playa Del Rey.)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Varenyky with Mashed Potatoes, Mlyntsi Classic, Syrnyky with Berry Sauce, Varenyky with Cherries, Pierogi, Pelmeni Dumplings, Caviar Bagel
Lauren Fritsch
I stopped here while in LA for a work trip. I've never tried Ukrainian food, but the girls at the register helped me decide on the syrnyky with berry sauce. It was delicious! Such a cute little spot with great service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Syrnyky with Berry Sauce
Neil Parker
Very fresh. Great atmosphere. Great staff, very welcoming.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Janet N.
First time eating here and eating Ukrainian food. It is AMAZING! Service is wonderful very welcoming and friendly. Small warm place to sit and enjoy delicious food made by a great chef. Thank you for the great hospitality and
Rebecca D.
This place intrigued me because I don't think I even have a reference point for what Ukrainian food is. So I went into this with an open mind but also knowing this place had a lot of great reviews. Well, this place did not disappoint. My friend and I had Varenyky with potatoes ($22) and the Holubtsi with beef ($18). I absolutely loved both dishes especially the Varenyky (which are essentially potato dumplings). The white sauce on the side is what makes this dish good. The dumplings by themselves are good but with the white sauce, they're out of this world. We also had dessert - Trubochka with coconut. This is a waffle cannoli essentially with a coconut cream. Good but maybe too sweet for me. Outside of the food, the decor of this place is absolutely adorable. I kept wondering if this is what a traditional Ukrainian house looked like because that's what it felt like to me. Needless to say, I loved absolutely everything about this place!
I still remember my first time having borsch or borscht at a hole-in-the-wall deli specializing in Eastern European foods and goods almost 10 years ago! The bright crimson soup with a dollop of sour cream was so foreign to me at the time, but I had no trouble polishing it off with some chicken pelmeni and a cold sandwich. Naturally, when I learned that a Ukrainian restaurant opened in LA, I immediately bookmarked the Playa Vista location back in early May 2023. Funny that I ended up visiting their second location in Mid-Wilshire though, which appears to have opened in December 2023 (kudos to the owners for expanding from their mail-order business to opening two restaurants within a year - what a feat). After spending some time at a local museum in Miracle Mile last weekend, my partner and I were starving, so after checking online to see what restaurants were around, he mentioned "Mom, Please" and I immediately said "YES, we're going there". The good: + Owners have great taste in decorating the interior as the use of natural materials really bring a homey feel and warmth to the small restaurant + Ceramic tableware created by a Ukrainian artist that's also currently based in LA + All the dishes we ordered came with a side of sour cream + Menu consists of a variety of foods and drinks that makes sense in LA: sandwiches, pancakes, shakshuka, toast, salads, bagel, soup, coffee, and tea to name a few + Uniquely Ukrainian: borsch, holubtsi, mlyntsi, pelmeni, syrnyky, and varenyky + Business hours run from 8am - 8pm daily + Fridges are stocked with pre-made dumplings which can be purchased online or in-store The food: * Holubtsi with Turkey ($18) - delicious, but quite small. Mixture of ground turkey, bell peppers, onions wrapped in cabbage and baked in a personal cast iron pan with tomato sauce and two halved cherry tomatoes. Sprinkled with some chopped greens for color and cup of sour cream on the side. This was probably my favorite dish, but I wish it came out last as it was the most flavorful and so the other two dishes kind of paled in comparison. * Pelmeni Beef ($18) - 13 beef dumplings with a side of sour cream. Other than the steep price for dumplings, we liked this simple dish very much. I even dipped the pelmeni in the leftover tomato sauce from the holubtsi and it was just scrumptious. * Mlyntsi with Chicken & Mushrooms ($22) - this dish came out last and right off the bat, I thought it was strange that the microgreens was discolored. Half of the greens were already turning yellow! Perhaps the cook thought we wouldn't eat greens, but we actually do, so this was very disappointing. These three egg crepes were filled with chicken and mushrooms and sat on a creamy mushroom sauce and sprinkled with parmesan and not the freshest-looking microgreens. The so-so/bad: - Street parking only, so good luck - Breakfast foods only served from 8:30am - 1pm - Service was average - Prices are unduly expensive, especially for what you get - Suggested tip on screen shows left to right starting from 22%, 20%, and 15% but you have to order everything first at the counter - Even with three dishes, we were both still hungry
Delicious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I was surprised to find such a nice location in LA. I totally respect what they have created there. Every detail immerses you in the Ukrainian atmosphere. They make really good coffee and delicious desserts, and they also have Ukrainian dishes on their menu. I highly recommend visiting this place to experience how serving and tasting food should be.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pierogi
I really wanted to like this place, I am a fan of Shakshouka. But I was really thrown by my experience here. My meal was OK, the orange juice was truly disgusting, but the rest of my meal tasted fine. BUT! I was there with a friend who was served his meal almost 40 minutes after mine came! It seemed like they forgot about it. An entire table that came after us was served before he was served. When his eggs and bacon arrived it was supposed to be something akin to a continental breakfast. He paid $25 and the two pieces of bacon that they gave him were not even cooked. When he asked the staff to please re-cook the bacon, they took his entire plate and kept it for another 15 minutes. His two very small eggs and one little piece of toast got very cold while they microwaved or re-heated his nasty bacon. I was so sad for him. He was so hungry. And I just could not believe he spent $25 on that pitiful plate. After this, they didn't come and check on him, and there were still more issues! He also wanted to ask for some pepper, and nobody checked to see if his meal or if he was OK. I do not recommend this place and I will never go back.
Well, this is the best food you can eat in LA. Not only food here is perfect, but service as well on an other level! Love you guys!Btw, I didn’t liked one of the dishes, and they gave me a dessert for free ♥️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Mlyntsi Classic, Caesar Salad with Chicken, Syrnyky with Berry Sauce, Syrnyky with Custard, Varenyky with Cherries, Borsht, Mlyntsi with Chicken&Mushrooms, Avocado Toast with Salmon, Pelmeni Dumplings
Amazing food and atmosphere! Highly recommend their borscht or beef pelmeni if that's your first time trying Ukrainian food. I also loved the playlist - was pleasantly refreshing to hear Krystyna Soloviy or Odyn v Kanoe in LA
What a gem! We were looking for a quick lunch and found a beautiful Ukrainian cafe with great traditional dishes like borscht, dumplings and stuffed cabbage. Portions are ample, food is freshly prepared and tasty. Prices are moderate. Staff are warm and welcoming, attentive and efficient. Desserts are great, too! The interior is comfortable with plenty of light and sun. We will definitely return!
Love the service here and the atmosphere. However, the pricing and portion size is wayyyyy off. The $18 Reuben was good, but for that price, there should have been more meat and a free side. The Pelmeni Beef was delicious, but again, not enough of the portion size for the price. Also, they charge $$$ for condiments like ketchup and sour cream?! Like the restaurant in Playa Vista, pricing is too high.
I've grown up eating pierogis and stuffed cabbage and this place did not disappoint. The food was so fresh and tasted homemade. I'd highly recommend the potato pierogis!
I highly recommend this place if you are missing Eastern European food or just want to try something new! my favorites are VARENYKY WITH POTATOES and SYRNYKY WITH BERRY SAUCE. Enjoy the atmosphere and delicious food in one place!
Restaurantji Recommends
A lovely, dacha-styled interior with numerous Ukrainian dishes and a smattering of standard American fare. Examples include: Pelmeni, varyeniki, borscht, cirniki, avocado toast and tuna sandwiches (with boiled egg -- yum!). Most staff speak English, Russian and Ukrainian, and at least one also speaks Armenian. I found the Ukrainian dishes and desserts on point and similar to how my family would make food at home. Come in and have a taste of Ukraine! The spot also sells frozen foods to go. (This is a review of the Miracle Mile location on Wilshire; owners have another location in Playa Del Rey.)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Varenyky with Mashed Potatoes, Mlyntsi Classic, Syrnyky with Berry Sauce, Varenyky with Cherries, Pierogi, Pelmeni Dumplings, Caviar Bagel
I stopped here while in LA for a work trip. I've never tried Ukrainian food, but the girls at the register helped me decide on the syrnyky with berry sauce. It was delicious! Such a cute little spot with great service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Syrnyky with Berry Sauce
Very fresh. Great atmosphere. Great staff, very welcoming.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
First time eating here and eating Ukrainian food. It is AMAZING! Service is wonderful very welcoming and friendly. Small warm place to sit and enjoy delicious food made by a great chef. Thank you for the great hospitality and
This place intrigued me because I don't think I even have a reference point for what Ukrainian food is. So I went into this with an open mind but also knowing this place had a lot of great reviews. Well, this place did not disappoint. My friend and I had Varenyky with potatoes ($22) and the Holubtsi with beef ($18). I absolutely loved both dishes especially the Varenyky (which are essentially potato dumplings). The white sauce on the side is what makes this dish good. The dumplings by themselves are good but with the white sauce, they're out of this world. We also had dessert - Trubochka with coconut. This is a waffle cannoli essentially with a coconut cream. Good but maybe too sweet for me. Outside of the food, the decor of this place is absolutely adorable. I kept wondering if this is what a traditional Ukrainian house looked like because that's what it felt like to me. Needless to say, I loved absolutely everything about this place!