Oda House
“The adjaruli bread is ridiculously delicious, and Georgian wine (we had the Saperavi Merlot) is fantastic.”
“Quality of food is 5 I always bring here my international friends, all of them are in love with Georgian cuisine.”
“Mitsvane Lobio: might be my new favorite way to eat green beans
Khinkali: giant soup dumplings!”
Oda House
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
Rate and write a review Cancel reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Fantastic low-key, exotic spot in East Village! I was surprised by how empty it was on a Tuesday evening. There were maybe three tables with patrons. It's also a spacious area so it looked emptier.
First, if you're trying Georgian food, you MUST try their cheese bread (adjaruli). It looks like a giant donut with the middle filled with cheese, butter and poached egg. You mix everything in the center and dip the bread as you rip pieces from outside-in. You will not be disappointed.
We also tried the mushroom pasta – it was tasty. I'm a huge fan of pasta so I rarely ever complain unless something goes horribly wrong. This was moist with clear sauce that also tasted a bit creamy. They'll also serve a big side of Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on it for taste.
The next item on my list is the beef soup (kharcho). The broth is thin but with the beef and vegetables inside, it was hearty.
My least favorite item was the shish-kebab (mtzvadi). The chicken felt a bit over-cooked and dry. I did like the abundance of red onions on top, though.
I enjoyed tasting Georgian wine – I find they're on the dry side (which I like) but not heavy and flavorful like a Cabernet. We had three glasses total.
For all these items, the bill came out to be about $90 – not bad!
Things I Like About Oda House:
-Everything that is baked and served in a clay pot.
-Those salty dumpling things (khinkali, I believe).
-The house special dish that consists of salmon, mushrooms, and some vegetables in a nice sauce.
Things I Love About Oda House:
-Adjaruli Khachapuri: fresh bread + cheese + egg + at least a stick of butter = Yes.
-Not having to go out to Brighton Beach for Georgian food (mostly khachapuri).
-The descriptor of "Pheasants' Tears" that is very commonly thrown about on the winelist.
Things I Could Do Without When It Comes To Oda House:
-The ravioli-esque dish. Just not great.
-The most obnoxious birthday celebration I've ever seen (although, I wouldn't mind subjecting a friend to this in the future). And I worked at an Applebee's in a past life, I know obnoxious birthday celebrations.
The adjaruli bread is ridiculously delicious, and Georgian wine (we had the Saperavi Merlot) is fantastic. Service is friendly and laid back, and the staff don't mind if you spend hours visiting with friends as we did. I loved the chakapuli lamb stew especially, though all three of our dishes (chanakhli and lamb mtsvadi) were fab. Can't wait to go back.
This was my first experience with Georgian food and I am hooked! Loved everything we ordered – the kachipudi(OMG if only I could meet the person who created this ooey gooey cheesy eggy buttery bread, I would give them a bear hug) , thus beef dish wrapped with leaves that comes in a broth, the main dish with spices and roasted peppers served in an earthen pot ( cant remember the name) and lamb kebabs which were a bit too well done and tough to chew, although the flavor was promising so that was kinda sad. Overall- had a great time, would love to be back here soon! PS : don't forget to pick a fistful of sweets by the entrance cause they re yum and are Georgian I am guessing!!
Tucked away in the Caucasus lies a country that is as old as wine itself: the Republic of Georgia. A crossroads of east and west, the flavors of Sakartvelo, as it is known in Georgian, are truly unique and delicious. And the best place to taste what Georgia has to offer is Oda House in the Lower East Side.
The cafe itself is quite unassuming. It's tackily decorated and quite dark. But it has a nice warm feel to it. And what comes out of that kitchen can only be described as wonderful.
I eat at Oda House at least once a month and every time I go I order the following:
Adjaruli khachapuri, a cheesy, eggy, butter bread boat. Don't use utensils. Use your hands.
Beef and pork khinkali, Georgian dumplings reminiscent of ravioli and soup dumplings. Take a bite, suck out the juice and leave the doughy, nipple-looking thing on your plate. It's meant to be passed up.
Georgian salad with walnut dressing, full of truly unique spices. I could eat a whole bowl by myself.
Georgian wine, a rustic approach to wine that is pleasantly enjoyable. Georgian wine isn't refined like French varietals. It's got more oomph to it that is reminiscent of something your grandma or grandpa would make. Go for it!
All in all, delicious food in a great environment.
The cheesy, eggy bread was INCREDIBLE!!! I'd go back again just to eat this! I'm not sure what it was that I ate, but I felt kind of gross later in the night after the veal soup and beef/pork dumplings. The red wine was a Georgian grape blend with Merlot. It was good but not amazing, but I'd never had Georgian wine before so maybe it's just not my favorite? I'll have to try Georgian white wine next time. Also, I wouldn't recommend going on a cold day…the heater wasn't really on because the building controls it, not the restaurant, so it was freezing!
My first time experiencing Georgian food and It was amazing! I have heard of Georgia and knew very little about the people, the cuisine, or very much at all. So when the opportunity presented itself I jumped right in.
The Customer Service:
Beyond kind, the staff was welcoming, friendly and they gave me an insight of the foods I was about to taste. The two members I met were in their young 20s but exuded such a welcoming attitude and an excitement for me experiencing the cuisine for the first time that it quieted my nerves and opened my belly to what was to follow. I give them 5 stars on that!
Food:
I had a sampling, which included their
Adjurlie- which is the bread, cheese and poached eggs, I hope you understand this reference but it left me saying YAAASSSSSSSSS!.There is an element of fun in mixing the eggs and cheese together, feeling the hotness of the bread and dipping it in the mixture. I loved the entire process and the taste was yummy to say the least.
The Khinkali- Which is the dumplings mixture was a 4star. Totally because of preference. I liked the flavor and the juicy seasoning of the meat but I am a fried dumplings kind of person generally.
Tolma- I have had greek grapeleaves before but these were warm, there was meat it was delicious! I recommend without a doubt. 5 stars
Lastly I had the Fresh Tomato Salad with green ajaku sauce by far my favorite part of the meal. It was tangy and delious 6 stars.
Overall I enjoyed everything about this restaurant and will be back with other friends and pretend to be an expert 😉
I went in here for some Georgian wine, appetizers and that delicious bread that you see on almost every food bloggers Instagram page. I get it – it's equally beautiful and delicious. I had to check it out for myself.
I had never had Georgian wine and I was actually pretty impressed. It was earthy and bold. We had the Pkhali Trio which was just – eh. Given all the wonderful flavors in the ingredients they used, it was surprisingly bland. Now the Adjaruli bread was just awesome. I definitely could have eaten the entire thing myself; however, it's bread, cheese and egg so it is no surprise that it was delicious.
The atmosphere was a little lacking, the tables were very close together (even by New York standards), and the service was not great. I know this is one of the few restaurants of its kind in New York so I would definitely give it another shot but I wasn't blown away on my initial visit.