Balkan House Ferndale

My husband and I visited Balkan House this past weekend and would rate it a solid 4/5. While the food was fantastic and my husband loved it, I felt it could have been a bit more authentic. Listening to Katy Perry didn’t quite match the vibe of enjoying Bosnian hits! As someone who grew up with ćevape, I found them a bit lacking, but overall, it was a great experience. Since we don’t have comparable restaurants in Indiana, I wouldn’t hesitate to drive another three hours just to satisfy my cravings!

I absolutely love Balkan House, but I'm getting to a point of not going there anymore. A couple years ago, the Doner sandwiches would always be overfilled and absolutely amazing. For the last couple years, time and time again, they are half empty and they have raised their prices. I understand raising prices, but don't cut back on the quality. $15 for a half full sandwich and $1.25 for a half full 2oz cup of extra sauce is getting absurd. Please fix this Balkan House.

The Balkan House is hands down one of my favorite spots for authentic Bosnian cuisine! I’ve visited both their Ferndale and Hamtramck locations, and the food is consistently amazing. The doner kabobs are the best around, and I love that they’re 100% halal. Their menu has so much variety, from classic cevapi to imported and grilled platters and everything is packed with flavor. Plus, their Thursday special (doner kabob, free fries, and a drink) is such a great deal! The atmosphere is cozy, the staff is friendly, and the imported drinks add a unique touch to the experience. Highly recommend to anyone looking for delicious, authentic Bosnian food. Can’t wait to come back!

Absolutely amazing! Service was great, food was delicious! We had the doner kebab, doner chicken wrap and the cevapi. The flavors hit just right! Everything we had was amazing!

We really enjoyed our meal. We had a doöner bowl and wrap, and I have leftovers from that HUGE bowl! Yum! The service was wonderful and kind, and the food was fresh and tasted really good.

What a great find! When so often restaurants seem to be so similar, a dime a dozen, this one stands out- Service was great! The young lady( wish I had gotten her name) wears many hats and does it all with a positive, friendly…attitude- Answered questions about background of the sandwich- She was quick considering she had customers at the counter, serving food to customers at the tables, cashing customers out, dishing up soups, salads …People better tip her well! The food ( sandwiches and bean soup) were delicious! The absolutely best bean soup I’ve had outside of my own home. It tasted exactly how I would make it at home so flavorful-Served with 2 chunks of hot fresh bread- The sandwich was delicious- it reminds me of a Gyro, but it’s stuffed in a pita type bread- a cabbage, lettuce type slaw and special dressing- The meat is like Gyro meat excepted. It had a zesty type seasoning. Sooooo good! Turkish coffee will put hair on your chest- 😂 Husband needed a lot more cream- The feta, cucumber, tomato salad was good, but a bit pricey- Prices are a couple bucks higher than I’d expect and I think the prices I saw online were less- Minus the coffee- Meal was $40 plus tip- My husband got the coffee at the end of the meal-

As someone who grew up in Germany and that had authentic döner at times once a week and definitely regularly, I have been craving this dish for the longest time and have to say I was very impressed and fully satisfied. The bread, meat and sauce were amazing and basically what makes the döner a döner. The toppings (vegetables) vary, but were a great twist and were fresh! Overall I’ll try to be back twice a month, I wish there was a location closer to me. I thought it was spot on. Definitely delicious! Also, I appreciate the great service, since we were late for a concert and the döner for dinner was my highlight of the day, so no way skipping that. So I called the business ahead of time and they made sure the food was freshly done by the time I got there in the friendliest manner.

EDIT: July 18th, 2020 Grabbed food for the family and got more items and kabobs. Excellent! Better than last time, IMHO. The kabobs were amazing, the crepes are yum, but the baklava is the best that any of us has ever had and we're pretty picky about our baklava! Just a great real European meal locally made. Excellent Döner Kebab, OK fries. First visit, called my order in and they brought it out curbside, so I can't comment on the actual place, but the staff I interacted with were friendly and professional. The Kebab was excellent, hearty, tasty bread, generous amount of lamb, great tasting sauce and fillings, just an excellent food. The fries sadly were undercooked, not severely, just could've used some extra time, but a minor complaint really.

As close to a döner kebab I've had here in the states. Friendly staff, clean restaurant, crispy fries. Turkish coffee was very good as well.

Interesting, sorta familiar but not exactly. They specialize in "Doner" which I assumed would be most similar to middle eastern lamb/beef but it reminded me more of greek gyro. You order at a counter and then can sit (mostly tables for two). Then when it's ready they bring the food out. My husband had the Doner kebab and I had it on top of fries. It was like a salad with cucumber and tomatoes mixed with gyro and fries with a tasty sauce to put on top. It was pretty good. A large portion for sure. And I would consider having it again. Maybe a tad too much going on though. Hmmm.

It would be four stars if not for the service. When we arrived, the two ladies (which I assume were the owners) were sitting outside smoking, and when they saw that we clearly wanted to eat at their place, they seemed to be irritated that we are disrupting their free time. This kind of behavior is so typical for Eastern European countries, I know it very well. So sad. Fortunately, the younger one got herself together and took our order with a better attitude. We sat outside awaiting. They don't have many tables outside, but it's still nice they have some. I'm very happy that they do offer some vegan items. Looking at their menu, they have plenty of vegan options to choose from. We both had the döner in a pita, my husband got the traditional one, and I went with vegan falafel. Both were very good. This was probably one of the best falafel I've had. Wish there was more sauce, I'm a saucy person, but there was no issue to get some more. We will try to visit them again, hopefully with a better chance of politeness from the staff.

On a recent trip to Royal Oak, I wanted to try something different for our meal. Balkan House was nearby and had good reviews, so it got our vote. Located in a cozy space on the main drag, we were immediately greeted by a friendly associate. She explained the menu to us when we ordered at the counter. I decided on the Balkan Basket - Döner Kebabs over French fries! We took our seat and only waited a short time before the food arrived. It hit the spot! Fresh ingredients with comforting flavors, and more than generous portion sizes. We left with happy hearts and full tummies. This is definitely a place to bookmark and visit again soon!

Food is spectacular. Would highly recommend the doner wrap. The staff are great and very welcoming. Will be back soon.

Pretty sweet spot, and the food was really good. The staff was nice and very friendly We sat outside because it was a noce warm day

We've ordered multiple times from this location and have never had an issue. My husband usually gets the doner kebab and I the doner bowl with rice. We ordered I believe an hour and a half before close, on 7/3, all of my rice was stale. There wasn't a fresh piece in there. Just disappointing since the meet and sauce are so good. I'm sure we'll be back but taking a breaking.

It's 7:05pm on a Wednesday night. Craved a Döner so bad. I am from Germany originally and drove 30 min from Novi to this place. Yelp said it's open until 8pm. So disappointed!!!!

As someone who works in the food industry, I'm shocked and disappointed by the drastic decline in quality at Balkan House in Ferndale. When they first opened, their food was exceptional, but recently, it's been a catastrophe. The dishes are now flavorless and overcooked. But what's even more appalling is the atrocious customer service. When I called to speak to a manager or owner to express my concerns, the person who answered the phone was shockingly rude and dismissive. As someone who understands the importance of customer service in our industry, I was taken aback by their demeanor and didn't feel comfortable pursuing the conversation further. It's clear that this establishment has lost its way and no longer values its customers. I'm left with no choice but to share my dismal experience and warn others in the industry and beyond.

Balkan House has amazing doner sandwiches. I had the loaded doner which included fries and feta cheese in addition. The lamb/gyro meat was flavorful and had an authentic flavor to it. The feta added a good amount of salt which was balanced out by the cabbage and other veggies. Also had a side of waffles fries which were perfectly cooked. This is a quick service restaurant where you order at the counter. This location has limited seating but it wasn't too busy when I went for lunch.

Love Balkan House! I ALWAYS get the Doner Kebab and they are huge portions, well seasoned lamb and the Doner sauce is so delicious and zesty I could eat it on literally anything! It reminds me of a tzatziki sauce but better! The bread itself is really good and toasty. These kebabs remind me of the ones I used to get in Spain! I could never find them here in America until I found Balkan House, so thanks for the delicious memories

Delicious wrap! The ingredients are fresh and I love the sauce. It's a good filling wrap. I'll definitely order from here again.

my favorite food in Ferndale! if you crave something unique and lovingly made, look no further than Balkan House! This place adds some much needed diversity to the Ferndale food scene. As a vegetarian I love to get the Falafel Doner, with crispy fresh bread and a savory delicious sauce over falafel and veggies. I also highly recommend the bean soup when it's available. My meat-eating companion loves the chevapi (sausage) or the beef/lamb doner. Really, there isn't a bad thing on the menu. The restaurant is small but cozy, and not often too crowded as they do a lot of carry out orders. Service is always amazing and friendly. I truly can't say enough good things about this place!

The Döner was a bit on the salty side.... Next time I'll ask for less meat and more veggies. The bread it comes in was soft and delicious. The service quick and friendly. We will definitely be back.

The people who work there are always very nice! And the food is absolutely delicious. I'd recommend coming back multiple times to try everything lol, honestly it's that good

Another fantastic vegan meal from Balkan House. I ordered the vegan Döner bowl with extra sauce and it was wonderful. Just get there before 8!

The food here was great. Got the loaded doner kebab and I could not have been happier. Service was ok, but nothing to write home about. Atmosphere was interesting on the morning I went, but probably because I was the only customer and it was early. Overall great experience and I will be back.

Fantastic! We thoroughly enjoyed our experience here. The food was hot, service was on par and it was obvious that they cared about what they served. We both got the Loaded Döner and it reminded us a lot of a gyro. The biggest difference was the fantastic bread that it came on. The produce inside of the sandwich was so fresh. Tasted like you got it from the garden! The French fries were great and came with a seasoning on them that made them even better. As a crisp crunch, we also got the kupus (cabbage) salad which paired nicely with the meal. If you're in the area, I would absolutely recommend stopping by. You'll enjoy it!

I reviewed Balkan House after my first time eating here and it was amazing, but I need to expand on just how great it is. The Döner Kebab is undeniably good, but as a picky eater, I generally look for more simple, but still tasty entrees. That said, the Chicken Noodle Soup is seriously to die for. It comes with the bread used for the döner to dip in the soup and it's just fluffy goodness. The staff here is so friendly, specifically Sonny who makes my day whenever their working. The wait time is slightly longer than I wish, but the food is always fresh and made right. It's a very small, but comfortable restaurant with limited seating and it's often packed (but for good reason).

We had the doner kabob and chicken doner kabob and both were amazing. Excellent flavor and bread was soft but held up well for the sandwich. Staff was friendly! We will definitely be back

We stopped in during the Dream Cruise. The food was affordable and quick compared to other things in the area. They stayed open a bit later than some which was also helpful. I called ahead and asked if the food was halal. The other said it was so we headed over. The food was really good and the perfect mix of savory meat and fresh veggies with light sauce. Their fries were also really good and the woman working the counter was nice too. We will definitely get it again when in Ferndale.

The taste is great, the sandwich wetness is great, the ratio is perfect. Quick service. Simple restaurant. Love it

Ordered delivery through Door Dash and an item was missing. I called Balkan House and informed them and they were very apologetic, they made the kebab and delivered it themselves along with some complimentary sweet treats! The food was so fresh, flavorful and delicious! Thank you Balkan House for going above and beyond and for stepping up and kicking out amazing food!

Yummy! Great food, the sandwich I ordered was delicious. They forgot to include our fries in carry out order but gave us a credit for next order.

Soooo Goooood! That's it! Plain and simple very small mom and pop shop. People are nice and friendly.

This is an adorable, quick, fast food restaurant. The Turkish coffee was something different I've never had before so it was a learning experience. (It was good!) The wrap was amazing! The chicken was cooked well and well seasoned and overall it was well sauced! The cashier was very helpful in menu selection and was very knowledgeable!

I absolutely love this place, a great spot for lunch or anytime. The food is generous portions, the service is always great. I love all the local art on the walls! Surely a great place to dine!

Really good food!!! I stopped here for dinner and so glad I did. The Doner Kebab with chicken was excellent. The bread they use is made from scratch. The sauce they use for the sandwich was delicious, it's "spicy" but not that spicy, just very flavorful. The chicken was very lean and they fill it quite full of chicken. The kebab was very filling but somewhat healthy because of the chicken and the vegetables that they put in it. We also got a side of the Bosnian salad (cucumber salad) which was delicious. The staff are super friendly as well and it's very clean inside. Will definitely be coming back to this place and trying more of the menu.

Went here after reading the Detroit News review, Spot On Melody! Great Beef Lamb Doner Sandwich. I got this carry out. It was ready in five minutes, really excellent. My wife had the Chicken Doner Wrap and also enjoyed that. Thanks

I spent a few years in the Balkans so wasn't going to pass an opportunity to give this place a try. I'd say this place has done a pretty awesome job of bringing a taste of the Balkans to the area. The kebabs were absolutely delicious. Even the kids devoured theirs! The cevapi was prepared perfectly and served on bread as fresh as possible. The staff were super friendly and genuine. The place isn't big but it's a nice stop for a quick bite with a few trinkets from Bosnia to add to the atmosphere. If I lived in the area this place would be on my list of regular stops! Highly recommended. Enjoy!!

I ate here about 2 weeks ago. They let me bring my dog in when I made my order and took care of both of us when we sat outside to enjoy our food in the beautiful weather we had that day. They even brought out a bowl of water for my dog! I was treated very well here, the food was excellent, the fries were tasty, but the Doner Kabob was outstanding! I will come back, like I mentioned, they treated me very well that day and I can tell they treat everyone like that too. Highly recommend this place!

I am embarrassed to say I'm just now making it here. I have never seen a doner kebab in the states and anyone who has lived in Europe knows it is the greatest food ever. I am really impressed with this place; tasted like being back in Granada! Nice staff too :)

I like this place! Had the chicken kebab sandwich which comes with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and sauce all wrapped up in a yummy pita. We also got the lamb and everything but loaded which adds French fries and onion and feta to the sandwich. Both were good options, just depends on how hungry you are! Would definitely come here hungry the portions are big and filling. I didn't need a side or anything. Service was very nice, they answered all our questions. They have seating inside for tables of 2-4 people. Would come back.

Really great food overall, but was told that the Doner Salad doesn't come with the meat as the online menu listing clearly says. Frustrating, but would still eat from here again.

Doner kabob was amazing and the service was great. You have to try it. My friend and I split it while visiting an Art fair. The place is clean and the food comes fast. I ate too fast to take a picture lol

Came here due to hype around it being the best "German Döner kebab" in the area. Unfortunately my friends need to get out more for a German or even Polish kebab it was not. No visible spit for the meats, ingredients, or anything being made in front of you which is weird, since that is standard for most respectable kebab stands in the EU. The sauce is literally Tzatziki sauce with maybe an extra ingredient to then call it "Döner sauce"? The fact there was not a spicy sauce option for the kebab is a crime against humanity. Garlic and a Spicy sauce are the standard sauces for a Döner kebab which this "Döner sauce" was neither. Overall the meat itself was more Greek tasting than Turkish in seasoning. The "Döner kebab" lacked sufficient veggies and was missing onions entirely, which normally fill a kebob balancing the meat out. If this was a gyro then 5 stars because it was a good gyro. Except this is being billed as a german döner kebab. Being forced into getting fries and a drink was not appreciated either when we just came for a kebab. Save your money and try to make a stop in Berlin for the real thing if you find yourself in Europe.

Had the pleasure of trying all this good food. Pictured: mixed meat platter, lamb doner kebab, chicken doner wrap, Bosnian salad and homemade Nutella crepe (Palacinke). My all time favorite was the doner kebab on their housemade bread. Thank you so much @balkan_house_313 for inviting me to try all this amazing food.

Omgsh! How did I never know that this place existed before? I am sold on the doner kebabs here. I e now had both the beef/lamb and the chicken. Although both are heavenly, the beef/lamb is my winner! The staff is seriously the nicest, too! I love this place and will be back over and over again!

I don't usually write reviews coming from the service industry myself but here we go....I walked in from the back entrance and noticed a strong cigarette smell as I walked up to order. I saw two women were smoking in the front at a table outside by the door and the front door was propped open. I looked at the menu and waited for someone to greet me but it was crickets. After being patient I finally shouted hello? I was surprised to then see the women smoking out front came in and apologize to me and said they didn't see me walk in when they clearly did! I would expect this service/behavior from a teenager who doesn't take their job too seriously but these women were in their 40's or older....like ew that's embarrassing and rude that you work here and act that way.

Having many donors in Cologne, Germany the Balkan house is authentic and great tasting. One of my favorites.

The restaurant is not big, but don't sleep on it. This is the Ferndale branch, and another site is located in Hammtrack. The one in Hammtrack is featured among 38 essential restaurants in Detroit according to Eater Detroit. They serve Easter European sandwiches. You order and pay at the counter, thus it's perfect for a quick meal. I ordered Chevapi, a special Bosnian sausage stuffed between flatbread (called Lepenja). It's actually good! I suppose Chevapi is more aromatic than regular sausage from all the spices. My favorite part is the Lepenja though. I never tried Lepenja before, but I definitely love it! It's soft, fluffy, and chewy on the inside with a slight crisp texture on the outside. They serve it with some salads. Could use a little bit more of the salad though, just to balance all the saltiness and heartiness of the meat. They also gave a red sauce and a white sauce. I prefer the red sauce because it's more refreshing and I like spicy stuffs.

The perfect spot for a quick meal!! I love Balkan House!! Pros: Friendly employees Fast service The food is so good! Convenient location Cons: None really!

Phenomenal. The food came out quick and it did not disappoint. I got the Chevapi sandwich and fries (SO MANY FRIES) which came with a side of a red pepper dipping sauce and a thicker version of sour cream which I forgot the name of. The owner was delightful and I really dug the laid back atmosphere. So many new restaurants in Ferndale are forcing this upscale hipster vibe down your throat. It's really nice to just sit and eat good food and know you're supporting a small business.

I really wanted to try chevapi sausage so we went to Balkan House in Ferndale. It's nothing fancy but we got such a warm welcome and the food was amazing. I got the chevapi with some wonderful Lepenja bread and my husband got a chicken döner. The young guy working there, might have been the owner, was super nice. There were huge pots of steaming soup on the counter. Balkan House deserves a 5 star review for being so welcoming and serving excellent food.

I have been searching high and low for these sandwiches. There used to be a place in Lansing that served döner but they are long closed. I was so excited when this place opened in Hamtramck and then over the moon when their second location opened in Ferndale. These are legit! Taste just like the Turkish street food you'd get in Germany. The bread, the sauce; everything about these döner sandwiches is amazing! We've ordered from here three times now and each time they estimated the wait exactly, order was correct, and food was hot and tasty. We also went to their tasting at Frame and got to see what the chefs could do beyond döner and I have to say I'm very impressed with their food. Nothing tastes better than food cooked from the soul. This food is what they grew up with and you can tell they enjoy what they do. Please go and try a döner sandwich, you won't be disappointed.

Had a few gyro platters for takeout. Seemed like a lot of filler and less meat. Lots of rice. Fries were cold. A bummer as all of it tasted good.

The Doner kebab, this was the rage that fueled Balkan house to expand beyond hamtramck and open this Ferndale location. I'm Very pleased to see that the taste and quality of this infamous sandwich carried over from the original Hamtramck location. It's a tasty treat that you don't want to miss. This location seems to be focused on take out with limited table's and spots to sit, so keep that in mind if your looking to dine in. The meat served is 100% Hala and the bowls, falafel and chevapi (spiced sasauge) sandwich are very good. And if you like it a little spicy get some fire sauce to add to your meal. Balkan house gets two thumbs up and four stars from me. Give it a try and don't forget to vote for my review. useful funny or cool. Thanks.

I don't usually vacillate this much between one star rating on another, but in this case it was a tough decision. The Ferndale location is a different experience from what you get in Hamtramck, and I didn't know that before I walked in. When we arrived and settled into our seating, there was an uncomfortable couple of minutes where we didn't know that you were supposed to approach the counter and place your order deli style. There's no signage on the doors or at the tables to make you aware of this, and I felt a bit silly that I was just sitting at an empty table. Once the ordering business was sorted out however, the rest of the experience was wonderful. The Donor was terrific, and I also sampled the bean soup, which I found to have a nice flavor balance and texture. We are opted to order dessert as well, and shared a crêpe, which was surprisingly delicious. The wait staff that cleaned up after us was very nice, and the cook even came out to say hello at one point which I thought was a nice touch. Bear in mind if you visit here it's intended to be a quick stop operation, you order at the counter, they bring your food out in fairly short order, you eat and you go. This is not intended to be a place where you linger over a meal like you would in Hamtramck. Now that I understand the operation a bit better I'll be better equipped to enjoy myself even more the next time I visit. There will most assuredly be a next time!

Bottles of orangina, mango smoothie, cabbage (kupus) and Bosnian salad, 2 doener baskets with fries on the side instead of the chicken on top of the fries. The chicken amount is rather scant for $12, in fact I feel it's all so small for $12. The deconstructed doener is not special. The bit of meal given tasted moist and decent as far as taste. The Bosnian salad is bland and nothing compared to the incredibly fresh and tasty salads we had while we were in the Balkans in October of last year. Their mango smoothie is mostly ice and the mango is not fresh, almost tastes like it's made from concentrated mango juice. I did like the kupus salad, would be better with the doener from my view. The fries I thought would at least be seasoned, they are just plain with the doeners. Food was underwhelming to say the least. My Balkan friends would say this is not authentic and the quality of the veggies was less than good. Total bill is $42.91. I was left hungry afterwards. Getting more food down the street. Would have hoped to be full after paying what we did for the bit of food here. We would've gotten for good meals for the same price we paid here in the Balkans and and for bigger portions too.