Ukrainian National Home
“I remembered reading previously that it was better and less touristy than Veselka and I sheepishly suggest we check it out.”
“When it comes to pierogi, stuffed cabbage, borscht and blintzes this is the spot.”
“Every time I come here I feel like I'm walking into my grandparents' dining room in the best possible way.”
Ukrainian National Home
Takes Reservations: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
2 reviews
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For my 100th review I have carefully selected one of my favorite places to eat the food of my people in the city, The Ukrainian National Home. As you walk towards the establishment on 2nd avenue an awning looms, as you approach closer to the doors you will see a chalkboard of specials. You must walk into a hallway through the glass and metal doors that one would consider more suited for a pharmacy or perhaps another bank. But just a short 10 or 12 step down a slight incline you will be ensconced in the warm glow of neon and at the doors of the best eastern European food around. Walk in and wait only a moment to be greeted and seated .
Take in the shiny clean wood paneling walls and floor, the pleasant looking art hung every few eye movements apart, the artistic plates above the wooden cross beam and the festive clothing behind glass of this cozy institution. The restaurant has about 10 to 20 tables and in the back has a nice sized banquet room with plenty of space for celebrating, dancing to a live polka band or listening to some Solomiya Krushelnytska.
My heritage and family history was cultivated in this area and the home is a place I go to remember it at its best. Eastern European stick to your ribs fare so you can satisfy a "plow the fields" hunger, made by loving hands, served in a place much like my baba's dining room.
The pierogi (perogies, we were taught to pronounce it "Pirohi"), soft medium sized pillows of dough come your choice boiled or fried (Perozshki) with fried onions, stuffed with either, cheese, potato, kapusta (sauerkraut) or meat and even a fruit filling if you like. With a side of sour cream you will find yourself very satisfied. I always order potato and no other. The holubtsi (stuffed cabbage) is with a brown sauce, so delicious, tender and flavorful. The kovbasa or kiełbasa is good and flavorful. The nalensnyky (blintzes) are pretty good. The borsch is served either cold or Ukrainian hot. Oh, and the gigantic potato pancakes are also so very crispy, hot and just wonderful. Served with apple sauce or sour cream, I get both. Thats what I order! Every time I go there. Yes, they have a more extensive menu and I really want to delve in to explore the halusky, Ukrainian Goulash, stuffed peppers, beef stroganoff and more, but I always end up yearning for the simple dishes I remember the most served at my baba's table as a young one. Come have a visit for a taste of Ukrainian heritage, leave satisfied, stuffed to the gills with a package of leftovers for the next day. Enjoy!
Yes. Yes. Yes.
Friday night. 10pm. My friend and I are out at the bar, and we are getting hungry. Neither of us ate dinner. So we walk along the east village looking for sustenance. I realize where we are and confidently suggest Veselka–I had been there before, it was good, and she had never been. We go and the wait is ridiculous. I look to the right and see a shining beam of light–an answer to our prayers–The Ukranian National Home. I remembered reading previously that it was better and less touristy than Veselka and I sheepishly suggest we check it out. My friend and I head in, going through a weird hallway, and are greeted with what we can only assume is the most authentic Ukranian restaurant.
There is a huge Ukranian family already seated. There are a few older Ukranian couples. This was it.
We ordered a carafe of cab sauv, I got fried potato pierogies, cheese blintzes and mushroom barley soup. My friend got a ukranian platter that I think had kielbasa, kasha, a roll, and pierogies. We were both in awe–it was absolutely AMAZING.
We were so tired by the end of the meal that we left the restaurant without even finishing our carafe. Doesn't matter–we were more than happy having only paid around $25 each with tax and tip and all that wine.
Saturday morning, 11am. I wake up and I have to go meet my family–some from out of town, some from the suburbs, some from the city. They texted me asking for lunch suggestions in the Union Square area–I suggested max brenner, spice, and "authentic Ukranian" and headed downtown to meet them. Somehow, they all agreed on Ukranian. And so, I went back to the Ukranian National Home just 14 hours after I had left.
The waitress recognized me immediately. She brought me my leftover wine. We laughed, we cried, everyone loved their food, and I swore that this is the only place I will ever eat for the rest of my life. This ended up being a lie approx 5 hours later, but whatever, girls gotta eat.
I hope that me writing this review does not lead to more people going because it is so nice and authentic and not busy and hot hip and I love it so much so please only go if you promise not to ruin it.
THAT MUSHROOM BARLEY SOUP THO