We are new to Jacksonviille. We are not Balkan, this is a family owned restaurant that is on the flip side of awesome. The food was amazingly tasty, service was extremely professional, I am personally hooked. We went back 2 days later for the Cevapi which will knock your socks off! Thank you, this place is a little Gem on Beach Blvd that warrants a visit by All.
A few week ago a food blogger friend of mine invited me to lunch. Never one to say no to food, I agreed. This is how I learned about the Balkan Cafe. Almost hidden, on Beach Boulevard across from Super Wal-Mart in the Rowe’s grocery shopping center but on the opposite end. With a large Eastern European community in the area, it’s easy to see why they have been in business for eight years. It’s just the rest of us who have missed it. No more. Family owned and operated, by the Korjenic family, the restaurant could be viewed as a hole in the wall, with amazing food. Each family member brings something special to the mix, dad is in charge of making the sausage and other meat dishes, done in house each day so you are sure to have the freshest dishes available. Mom is the master baker, and Adnan the son, is the front of the house ambassador, his energy is infectious. I just felt good about being there.
Very friendly staff. My wife and I both got sampler plates of the grilled beef and sausages. I also got an order of the spicy sausage. It was extremely delicious. The roasted pepper dip and the cheese dip were wonderful. The meats were placed on authentic pita bread which soaked up some of the juices. Also delicious. We were in Jacksonville to go on a cruise and wanted to try someplace unique (something ethnic we do not have in Tallahassee). I highly recommend the Balkan Cafe.
Simply good food. Enjoyed tasty, fresh, homemade food at Balkan Cafe. It was a nice change from the usual fare. Tried the Cevapi and homemade Snow White cake and loved them both. The owners wife makes the desserts which are unique and delicious.
The restaurant is clean, simple and friendly. Will be returning!
Best cevape in town, great customer service, friendly environment and great sports on the tv at all times. One of mine and my families favorite places to grab something quick, with quality.
Best food. Ever!. Love this place. Great service, friendly folks, clean, great prices. You could not get better Chevapi in Bosnia! Do yourself a favor and try their food, I promise you will be coming back for more.
Unless you are vegetarian/vegan.. this is a meat-friendly cuisine.
Overall the Place is very good ,clean,good food, inexpensive and nice staff
A friend brought me in here and the staff got me to try something new so I got the Ćevapi, they had some dipping sauce and homemade cheese.. Amazing.. I will def come back here again.
Excellent Place. There is nothing not to like about this place. I had the Balkan Mix: Ćevapi, sudžuka, and teleće krpice. The portion size was good, the pita bread was excellent, very fresh, and I even tried the kajmak (cheese spread) despite not liking cheese. For me to like that really tells me they make great food. I had their cake of the day to finish off my meal, and it was just as good as everything else I had just eaten. Everyone there was so nice and friendly; it is the perfect little place to stop in for a meal. I would highly recommend them to anyone.
Mighty meaty matey. Apologies for borrowing from an old UK sausage ad, but it's appropriate here.
This is a strip mall restaurant on Beach just west of Southside specializing in a variety of grilled meats on a large flat soft bun with a choice of spreads (cream cheese or vegetable) and chopped raw onion on the side. Furniture and decor is lunch counter basic.
Had the Çevapi (Chev-arpi) plate to day which was comprised of ten grilled small sausage shaped pieces of lightly spiced ground beef. Very tasty, satisfying and affordable.
As this was our first visit our server explained each menu choice in detail and had recommended that we try the Çevapi . Service was prompt and efficient.
We'll return to try the other menu choices and "Mum's" desserts.
Great find!. Balkin Café is small place with a few small tables but filled with friendly staff and good food. I initially wanted to try the Balkin Mix, Cevapi, Sudzuka and Veal Strips (beef rolls, beef sausages and veal strips), and get the most of my visit. Unfortunately I was informed they did not have enough ingredients to make up the mix due to heavy Saturday volume, so I had just the Cevapi.
As a goodwill gesture, they included a free side of their Vegetable and Melted spread with my order. Despite my initial feeling, I felt it was a nice gesture and the quality of the food more than erased any lingering disappointment.
The beef rolls and pita were delicious. The addition of the Vegetable and Melting (very light homemade cream cheese) only served to improve the flavor. Based on this initial visit I will most definitely be returning to try their Balkin Mix, just a little earlier in the day.
Thanks to urbanspoon, I can get my cevapi fix. Quick trip over Harts bridge from downtown. Very cozy inside with a most helpful staff. The food was outstanding in flavor, portion, and speed. I got the mix grill with kaymak and ajvar. Fantastic taste, just like I remember. Definitely will be back.
Great local find! The staff is very friendly and helpful, and the food is flavorful and delicious. The
Love this place!. Great food! It closes early for dinner so go early
Nestled in a hidden corner of the Food Lion complex, across the street from the Super Walmart where Beach and Southside meet, this nice little cafe serves up authentic food and beverages from the Balkans.
First time trying Bosnian food and this was great! Would come back to visit Jacksonville,FL. Just to come back here.
If you’ve ever been to Eastern Europe, or have ever wanted to go. This place sets the tone for what a Balkan restaurant is. Family owned, good food, affordable prices, and a an atmosphere where you could spend hours exchanging stories.
Stop in. Stay awhile. You won’t regret it.
Food was delicious! What a good alternative to your typical American food. Got the salad and Balkan mix. More than enough for two people. Service was great and they were very friendly. I'll be back for sure!
Awesome friendly staff recommended what to order for a lunch share plate that was more than enough for the 4 of us. Will definitely be coming back. The cappuccino was excellent.
The heat from the grill seemed to overcome the A/C system so it was uncomfortably warm. The food was tasty and very filling. Price was good, staff very freindly. Would definitely go there again....on a cooler day.
Very good restaurant. Had Cevapi, Balkan Mixed Grilled Platter, Cappuccino, and a soft drink. The meats are very flavorful. The coffee was great. The owner was very helpful with explaining the dishes and recommending things for a first timer. Definitely will come back to try other items.
So glad to discover this place! Enjoyable, casual atmosphere. Wonderful food served fresh and reasonably priced. Hospitality and service was pleasant and engaging.
This place is packed with amazing food, people, and atmosphere. The food served here is absolutely consistent in quality, taste, and deliciousness. The best cevapi in all of the USA and Balkan peninsula is actually in this restaurant. How lucky are we!
I can only say wow! We were across the street at the Jacksonville "hands on" museum with our granddaughter and found this place on Google Maps for a quick lunch. It's a small and unpretentiousness restaurant, friendly and spot on for quality and taste! The server made recommendations that we followed and we're handsomely rewarded with a very nice meal. The menu is small but diverse enough to appeal to most folks looking for a great meal that centers in flavorful meats and downright awesome fresh pita bread. I'm talking the best pita bread I've ever had. I lived in Philly for half my life and ate at literally 50+ middle eastern, mediterranean and eastern europe venues. If this is what they serve every day, they win the pita wars!! I know I'm gushing here but they deserve it... At least for this meal they do! Highly recommended!!
The food delicious, the place clean, the owners friendly, the price incredibly modest for how delicious it is! Most definitely coming back here! This time we chose the Balkan mixed platter.
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