Visiting Çka Ka Qëllu was an amazing culinary journey. From traditional dishes to the warm hospitality of the staff, every aspect exuded authenticity. The ambiance transported me to the heart of Albania, making it a memorable dining experience. Highly recommend!"
Alena K.
The best food ever I love it in here so so much! instantly brings me back home and it's such a comforting environment. the service is amazing and everything is so tasty. please come visit!
Dafina P.
Amazing experience if you want an Albanian / Kosovo / Balkan experience - 100000/10 My go to place to take my friends in America - try the Mantia en Tave also the Fli! Can't go wrong with the Tradita Mixed Platter as well as the Shop Salad!! Also - have to end it with the Albanian Trilece and coffee!!
Vee K.
Always feels like home when I walk in here. So grateful that I get to bring my friends into my world and sharing the food I grew up with. The staff is so attentive and caring, the food is phenomenal and fresh. Çka Ka Qëllu? Kurgje because we scrape the plates everytime!
Lorraine Debo C.
We reserved for 2 at 6:30 Sunday.Got out of Lincoln Center late.Two subways to East side both late.We arrived wet,hungry and late sometime after 7:00.Apologies NOT ACCEPTED we were told they could not seat us because other reservations were coming in. We have not been this punished since late demerits in high school.Not sure if I can recommend this place with heartless greeter. PS we're both in our 80's.
Cassandra W.
loved their bronx location so this time, we headed to their location in murray hill, manhattan! the restaurant was dimly-lit and super cozy. their walls are decorated with 18th & 19th century albanian artifacts, which adds a lot to the dining environment. amazing service and super great food. they were rated one of the top 100 restaurants in NYC by the NYT so you know you're in for a treat. also i've heard that this might just be dua lipa's favorite restaurant in the city :O what we ordered (* = my faves): -drinks: balkan 75, mediterranean rum punch* -tarator* -baked cheese -mixed olives -mediterranean salad -leçenik (cornbread with spinach & cottage cheese)* -tava kosi (clay dish baked lamb & rice)* -tave dheut (clay dish with beef liver, garlic, onions, red peppers, & cheese)* -mixed meat combination (lamb, veal, chicken, shish qebap) -desserts: albanian trilece*, baklava PRO TIP: their freshly made bread is UNBELIVABLY GOOD and goes well with literally anything. it's my favorite restaurant bread in the city!! i looove how flavorful and unique albanian clay dishes are! the tava kosi & tave dheut were both DELICIOUS and i've never had anything like them before. highly recommend both of these, as well as their mantia which i ate last time at their bronx location. also the tarator reminded me of tzatziki and was very refreshing to eat! don't sleep on their grilled meats either - my faves in the mixed meat combo were the shish qebap and lamb. and you NEED to try their skenderbeg! end your meal with the albanian trilece (like a tres leches), it is top tier guaranteed
Edo Rastoder
Slow service, they don't know where to hit, we waited 50 minutes for the main course. When we arrived, we emphasized that we were fasting, and that we were hungry, that we hadn't eaten all day, and they were struggling instead of being their priority.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 1
M. P.
Food preparation and quality needs a major improvement ! It is a far cry from the quality that once had in the Bronx location.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 5
D Guo
This restaurant exudes a strong Eastern European style in its decor, cuisine, and service. It's perfect for those interested in Eastern European cuisine, especially Albanian dishes, and for those seeking a cultural journey. The restaurant is adorned with many antiques, making it quite intriguing to explore. Additionally, the waitstaff is highly efficient and welcoming, making guests feel right at home.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rupel J.
WOW!! This was some of the best food I've had. The baked feta dip was incredible and the fresh pita was perfectly crispy and fluffy at the same time. I really loved the meat as it was so flavorful and juicy. They were so kind and gave us a complimentary birthday dessert with a super cool sparkler candle too!! Would 100% recommend to anyone (not great for vegans though). I already can't wait to come back!!
Wow… it’s rare that I can’t find words to describe how amazing a place is. We were a group of 5 and decided to share multiple plates: mantia, village salad, mixed platter, tave dheu, qofte, chicken soup, & trileçe (dessert). Each platter had a unique, delicious taste. The kind of taste that makes you close your eyes and teleports you somewhere else. The ambiance was so relaxing and I loved the Albanian music in the background (traditional decor, etc). The service was great, so attentive, and every server that stopped by our table made us feel spoiled and taken care of.This place may be pricey or have small portions for some but for the quality of each ingredient and plate I think it was 100% worth it. This is an experience, not just food.
This place is fantastic!! It has it all: delicious food, very professional staff (Thank you Klajdi and Ilsa!), and such a warm and cozy atmosphere! The food is truly authentic. The portions are abundant and very very tasty. This is a wonderful place overall. Thank you!!
Visiting Çka Ka Qëllu was an amazing culinary journey. From traditional dishes to the warm hospitality of the staff, every aspect exuded authenticity. The ambiance transported me to the heart of Albania, making it a memorable dining experience. Highly recommend!"
The best food ever I love it in here so so much! instantly brings me back home and it's such a comforting environment. the service is amazing and everything is so tasty. please come visit!
Amazing experience if you want an Albanian / Kosovo / Balkan experience - 100000/10 My go to place to take my friends in America - try the Mantia en Tave also the Fli! Can't go wrong with the Tradita Mixed Platter as well as the Shop Salad!! Also - have to end it with the Albanian Trilece and coffee!!
Always feels like home when I walk in here. So grateful that I get to bring my friends into my world and sharing the food I grew up with. The staff is so attentive and caring, the food is phenomenal and fresh. Çka Ka Qëllu? Kurgje because we scrape the plates everytime!
We reserved for 2 at 6:30 Sunday.Got out of Lincoln Center late.Two subways to East side both late.We arrived wet,hungry and late sometime after 7:00.Apologies NOT ACCEPTED we were told they could not seat us because other reservations were coming in. We have not been this punished since late demerits in high school.Not sure if I can recommend this place with heartless greeter. PS we're both in our 80's.
loved their bronx location so this time, we headed to their location in murray hill, manhattan! the restaurant was dimly-lit and super cozy. their walls are decorated with 18th & 19th century albanian artifacts, which adds a lot to the dining environment. amazing service and super great food. they were rated one of the top 100 restaurants in NYC by the NYT so you know you're in for a treat. also i've heard that this might just be dua lipa's favorite restaurant in the city :O what we ordered (* = my faves): -drinks: balkan 75, mediterranean rum punch* -tarator* -baked cheese -mixed olives -mediterranean salad -leçenik (cornbread with spinach & cottage cheese)* -tava kosi (clay dish baked lamb & rice)* -tave dheut (clay dish with beef liver, garlic, onions, red peppers, & cheese)* -mixed meat combination (lamb, veal, chicken, shish qebap) -desserts: albanian trilece*, baklava PRO TIP: their freshly made bread is UNBELIVABLY GOOD and goes well with literally anything. it's my favorite restaurant bread in the city!! i looove how flavorful and unique albanian clay dishes are! the tava kosi & tave dheut were both DELICIOUS and i've never had anything like them before. highly recommend both of these, as well as their mantia which i ate last time at their bronx location. also the tarator reminded me of tzatziki and was very refreshing to eat! don't sleep on their grilled meats either - my faves in the mixed meat combo were the shish qebap and lamb. and you NEED to try their skenderbeg! end your meal with the albanian trilece (like a tres leches), it is top tier guaranteed
Slow service, they don't know where to hit, we waited 50 minutes for the main course. When we arrived, we emphasized that we were fasting, and that we were hungry, that we hadn't eaten all day, and they were struggling instead of being their priority.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 1
Food preparation and quality needs a major improvement ! It is a far cry from the quality that once had in the Bronx location.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 5
This restaurant exudes a strong Eastern European style in its decor, cuisine, and service. It's perfect for those interested in Eastern European cuisine, especially Albanian dishes, and for those seeking a cultural journey. The restaurant is adorned with many antiques, making it quite intriguing to explore. Additionally, the waitstaff is highly efficient and welcoming, making guests feel right at home.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
WOW!! This was some of the best food I've had. The baked feta dip was incredible and the fresh pita was perfectly crispy and fluffy at the same time. I really loved the meat as it was so flavorful and juicy. They were so kind and gave us a complimentary birthday dessert with a super cool sparkler candle too!! Would 100% recommend to anyone (not great for vegans though). I already can't wait to come back!!
Restaurantji Recommends
Incredibly good food
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very tasty
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wow… it’s rare that I can’t find words to describe how amazing a place is. We were a group of 5 and decided to share multiple plates: mantia, village salad, mixed platter, tave dheu, qofte, chicken soup, & trileçe (dessert). Each platter had a unique, delicious taste. The kind of taste that makes you close your eyes and teleports you somewhere else. The ambiance was so relaxing and I loved the Albanian music in the background (traditional decor, etc). The service was great, so attentive, and every server that stopped by our table made us feel spoiled and taken care of.This place may be pricey or have small portions for some but for the quality of each ingredient and plate I think it was 100% worth it. This is an experience, not just food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tradita Mixed Grill Platter, Freshly Baked Bread, Albanian Trilece, Mantia
This place is fantastic!! It has it all: delicious food, very professional staff (Thank you Klajdi and Ilsa!), and such a warm and cozy atmosphere! The food is truly authentic. The portions are abundant and very very tasty. This is a wonderful place overall. Thank you!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tava Dheut, Tava Kosi, Salad, Sausage Dip
Great food , terrible service !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 1