This 24-hour Ukrainian diner has become an East Village institution.
Historic Ukrainian Restaurant
Open 24/7 & We Deliver
Homemade Ukrainian Foods
Just like its neighborhood, Veselka is bustling twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Its menu continues to expand, with an extensive selection that features traditional homemade Ukrainian foods, American Diner fare, an Eclectic mix of daily specials, as well as beer and wine. Outside tables along second avenue and Ninth Street have been a popular addition. Veselka's fame has spread beyond the borders of New York City, being known as a place that serves great food in a lively but unhurried atmosphere.Veselka is the perfect place whether its for breakfast, lunch, dinner, late night or brunch. A renowned NYC food critic, Josh Ozersky dubbed us as the best place in NYC to have a burger. No matter what you're looking for Veselka is here to satisfy your senses.
Veselka's 24-hour kitchen is a magnet for East Village night owls looking to fill their stomachs before heading to bed. Solitary diners get comfortable at the counter, while eclectic groups fill up the tables in the large rear section, which is served by a largely Eastern European waitstaff. Bright lighting--the better to view the sprawling diner-themed mural by a longtime patron--keeps everyone awake. Polish and Ukrainian dishes such as pierogis and kielbasa share counter space with standard diner breakfast and dinner fare, including challah French toast, hearty cheddar-topped chili, a Polish "hunter's stew" called Bigos. Chilled summer soups and year-round homemade pies are a bonus, as is the always flowing hot coffee and cold Ukranian beer.
Veselka has only gotten better over the years. I've dined there numerous times as a single late-night party girl, and continue to go at least once a month now as a mom of 4 kids.
The food is always fresh and the prices are fair.
the pierogis are outstanding. Don't forget to ask for sour cream and carmelized onions to go with them.
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This was one of the best restaurants on our recent visit. Although we thought it was strictly Polish food, it is more Eastern European. There are a variety of choices. I was very pleased with the pierogis, although my husband wished they were crispier. The stuffed cabbage was also good. This place is open 24 hours so if you get a late night craving, head there.
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Veselka is a great place to go late after a night of bar hopping. The service is fast and the food was good. I had the beef stroganoff and I was not disappointed. I practically licked my plate clean.
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Let me to tell you what I like in this OK restaurant , you walk in , you order , the food arrive very fast , I eat twice over there and always seated quickly and served quickly. the food is delicious , the mac 'n' cheese is my favorite, and i also love the pierogies, grilled cheese, burgers and fries. the only thing this restaurant is too crowded .
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I love weekend breakfasts at Veselka. I dig the atmosphere, no matter what time of the morning- 2am with a buzz on or 10am with a hangover on- no matter, it's always delicious.
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Latest reviews by Citysearch:
(read all 64 reviews
on Citysearch)
24/7 cheap goodness
By haleypaul
best 24/7 place in the hood. little bit of everything. great dill dressing. yummy sweet potato fries. perogies are very good. highly recommended.
Pros: 24/7
Posted 05/26/09
bad bortsch
By isl777
Me and my husband got severely sick after eating bortsch at Veselka. Stay away from this place at all costs.
Posted 03/10/09
Horrible Customer Service
By kimsmith12345
I live two blocks away from Veselka and love the buckwheat pancakes. It's simple food and the place has great history in NYC but the service is terrible.
I realize this place is busy but there's a way to be treated as a person not just number. I feel rushed every time I order to go food and the guy at the cash register could care less whether or not you come back or not. Three out of four times they messed up my order specifically leaving the bananas out of my pancakes or forgetting my eggs, etc. Last Saturday really was the final straw for me as when I went to pay I asked for a description of the stuffed cabbage and he looked at me like I had three heads saying, 'Well it's cabbage stuffed.' Not wanting to make a big deal I just smiled and nodded and watched after he rang me up with his dirty hands finger every muffin for a customer to eat/ buy. I most likely will not be returning until I get over this and I start craving the meatballs again.
Posted 02/25/09
Awesome Russian Food
By confusedwanderings
I have been wanting to eat Russian food for a long time and was finally able to work it into a NYC vacation. I chose this restaurant based on the the number of people that had reviewed it so highly. However, the ratings still do not give it justice. The food was incredibly good and the service was excellent.
We got there around 6:30pm and it was jam packed with people. However, we were told that it would only be a 10-15min wait and it ended up being about 5 minutes. Our server explained anything that we didn't understand and made suggestions that complimented our order.
Definitely make sure you get a bowl of borscht if you go!
Posted 01/05/09
Pretty good Ukrainian restaurant
By ifeldsherov11
I am confused by the few negative reviews. Perhaps they had one bad experience and gave up on the place, which is too bad. Having been born in Ukraine I judge Ukrainian food by the way I know it should taste--as if I'm eating it at home, and Veselka delivers on that. The borsh isn't the best, but I chalk that up to being made differently than the way I like it--there are over 100 varieties of borsch and maybe theirs isn't my favorite. The bigos is by far my favorite meal but everything else that I've had I've enjoyed quite a bit. Maybe if there were 500 other Ukrainian restaurants in the city, I would judge Veselka more critically, but there aren't, and from what I have available to me Veselka is my favorite.
Pros: Great food, fair prices, especially in manhattan Cons: service isn't spectacular (but not bad)
