Çka Ka Qëllue

We came here for dinner last weekend and were very impressed. The service is very friendly and the atmosphere is so warm and inviting. I love Eastern European food, especially during the colder months, and this is definitely authentic. We had a stew of sausage and white beans - rich and heartwarming, so perfect for the season along with a platter of grilled meat. Both delicious! I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention the bread - similar to pita and steaming hot, it was the perfect accompaniment. Such a great find in Midtown. I’ll definitely return!

This place was amazing! Perfect for a lovely date! The food was just too good. I had such a great time. I will definitely be back again. If you are looking for a cute place with great food this is the spot. The flavors are very unique and great tasting. The service was great even though I feel they didn’t really understand English too well but all was good.

I had an amazing experience at Cka Ka Qellu in Manhattan! I brought some foreign friends here for the first time, and we all absolutely loved it. The cozy atmosphere made me feel right at home. The food was incredible—especially the homemade bread and the traditional Albanian dishes. We also got to try the white Albanian wine, which was a lovely gift from the house and tasted fantastic! A huge thank you to Gresa for the exceptional service and to Xhoni for the warm hospitality. Everything was perfect, and I’ll definitely be coming back. Highly recommend this place—10/10!

As an Albanian, I love when my people spread our culture and food to the world. My friends and I enjoyed the tava kosi, ajvar, and mixed grilled platter with the qofte being the highlight. I still think about the fresh baked pita. Even though I’m from Toronto, I look forward to the next time I visit so I can try more of the menu!! Our servers were also exceptional.

Wooow!!! In NYC for my birthday and a friend recommended this place. It's amazing! Love the atmosphere, the decoration of the restaurant takes you to Albania. Our server was great, she helps us with our questions and explained menu items. Her recommendations were the best!! This will be a place I will come back and recommend to everyone.

Step out of New York into Çka ka Qëllu for a great meal with equally as great ambience and service. Every dish is perfect in it's own way and I felt like I was east of the Adriatic for a couple of hours. A worthy experience.

Amazing place. Food was super-authentic and tasty, service was great, and the atmosphere is warm and cosy. Everything we had was excellent. In terms of appetizers, the spreads were fresh and perfectly executed, with bread that was straight out of the oven and delicious; the dumplings were tasty; the baked cheese was a little salty but also very good. For main courses we had the lamb with rice and egg, liver with paprika, qebapa, and mixed grill. They were all fantastic — my personal favorite was the liver. And to close, baklava and Albanian coffee were both excellent! What a great find, and will come back soon!

Very cozy place with delicious dishes. We really enjoyed the atmosphere there. Good quality meats, unbelievable fresh breads . Will definitely come nack

An amazing evening with wonderful food, fantastic service, and a charming atmosphere. We couldn't have asked for more. We started out with the assorted olives and also their yogurt. Served with their fresh bread, I could have happily made this my meal. We ordered their Tavë Kosi and their meat sampler platter. All was so delicious! We've already recommended this place to our friends that are local.

Lovely spot with fantastic service and a rare chance to try Albanian food! We were a large group celebrating a birthday and made a reservation in advance. Service was wonderful -- we got great recommendations from the staff, our water was always full, and they gave us such a special treat for the birthday celebration. The food came quickly. The dishes here are definitely on the pricier side for somewhat small portions, and it's not your typical mediterranean restaurant (a great time to try something new). We tried the dips, fresh bread, and mantia which were super delicious and flavorful. For mains, we got the branzino, shareable grill platter (the kofta is really standout), fusul, and tava kosi. I enjoyed the fusul and branzino a lot, but the others weren't as impressive. I also really loved the shaved feta on the shop salad! so refreshing. We had a great time here overall and would highly recommend it for the exceptional service and ambience.

We had an amazing lunch here with friends last year and for the life of us- could not remember the name! We loved the food so much - that we were mad at each other for not writing a Yelp review! Well, we were back in NY and finally remembered that it was Albanian food, the stars aligned and we were able to snag a reservation. Everything was just as good as we remembered. The staff was friendly and attentive. We tried a tasty meat dumpling, suggested by our server, the roasted red pepper dip, a liver dish that blew our minds and the mixed grill platter. We actually ordered a salad too, but our server forgot to put it in, honestly it didn't even matter, it was a sufficient amount of food. We left with our bellies full! We will definitely return and try some other dishes. Highly recommend this restaurant.

First time trying Albanian food and it was tasty! The storefront is super cute and the inside is super cozy and very nicely decorated. We started off with the mantia which was probably my favorite. The sausage dip was alright - I liked the fresh puffy bread that came with it but I wished there was more sausage flavor bc it was overpowered by the cheesiness. Tava kosi was very rich, but I liked that the lamb was very tender and cooked well. Prices were typical for Manhattan. Only major complaint was the strong plastic smell inside the restaurant - maybe from new renovations or furniture?

Small restaurant tucked away on 31st st. Very well decorated interior with traditional Albanian antiques and super cozy. The tarator was a cucumber yogurt blend that was really refreshing paired well with complementary pita as well as the baked feta. I shared the skenderbeg and it was delicious. Must try the Albanian coffee! Super rich and strong.

This is a beautiful restaurant in Murray hill but the dishes could have been more varied! Food: for our starterF we ordered the pepper dip and fli! The fli was my favorite part of the meal, the pepper dip was more of a cheese dip. I liked the hot bread it was served with. For mains, there are many vegetarian options- I ordered this cheese dish, which was entirely just cheese with no bread or anything! I think I could have had half the amount of cheese with some bread or veggies! I don't recommend that dish! The mixed meat platter is all beef. Also think there should be more than just beef on the plate. Ambience: great ambience, really big and super cute restaurant Price: pretty pricey Service: good service

Wow what an amazing meal! Having this spot in my neighborhood, and finally got to try it after so long. Will definitely be returning more often and must say that it is worth the high reviews. We specifically ordered the Qebapa due to a recommendation from an Albanian, and it ended up being my favorite dish. I also loved the trilece cake, which is a tres leches cake with a special syrup. Service was great throughout our meal, as the waitress gave great recommendations and kept our water glasses filled. Especially considering how busy it was, they did a great job. Will be back soon and will be recommending this spot to others!

We were here for lunch when we were visiting New York for some work. It's a small cozy place with good cocktails. Food is pretty good. Prices are competitive for manhattan standards. I might return but I want to try some of similar cuisine restaurants to better understand the difference in taste.

The food was great. The ambiance was excellent. Very relaxed and cozy atmosphere. The service was also very relaxed, in a good way. They were attentive but there was no rush to get us out the door at all. The meal was done and we just hung out for maybe another 40 minutes and then we had to finally ask for the check. Great experience.

All the food was delicious! Great atmosphere and (seemingly) authentic Albanian food. I definitely recommend the baked feta, the fresh baked free bread goes perfectly with it.

Love this place! Çka Ka Qëllu serves Albanian and Kosovan cuisine in a homey, warm restaurant. Definitely one of the best spots in the neighborhood and one of my personal favorites. Their grilled meat (qofte, sausage, etc.), cornbread, red pepper dip, yogurt with cucumber and garlic, and bread are all delicious. I also recently booked their beautiful outdoor patio for a private event and the manager was extremely flexible, accommodating, and great to work with in the planning process. They allowed me to send in our order in advance as well to make the most use of the time day of. Definitely recommend stopping by to try some of their amazing food.

3.5 rounded down. We were meeting a few different groups of friends while we were visiting the city and decided to bring them together for a group dinner. We were excited to try a new cuisine, we were able to get reservations kind of last minute, and this place looked adorable! While it lived up to the pictures aesthetically, our experience was only so-so. The positives were that the service was friendly and helpful, the drinks were tasty, and some of the appetizers were amazing! Unfortunately everything was incredibly slow-- we were only a group of 7, and it took forever to get our drinks, and then another 40 min or so to get our appetizers. Then, another near an hour to get our mains! And honestly, the mains weren't great -- things were weirdly bland, especially compared to the appetizers. Overall I'm glad this place exists but I would only come back for appetizers. The baked feta was great!

I came here recently on a weekday for dinner with a friend. Service was friendly and fast, and the interior was fairly unique. Great ambiance. We started with the cheese pickled pepper. I personally wasn't expecting a bell pepper, but it made for a meatier dish. The pickle flavor is quite strong, but it's really well balanced with the cheese sauce (yes, it's more cheese sauce than actual melted cheese). The sauce flavor is quite mild, and is more there to provide a nice creaminess with the pickle. Overall goes great with the free bread they provide! For our mains, we got the mixed grill platter and the sarma to share. The mixed grill platter was a great intro to all the different meats. It was overall great, but one or two of the meats were a bit too dry/salty for my taste. The sarma was my favorite among all the meats! Super juicy because the wrapped sausage meat is in the broth, and overall extremely flavorful. Would definitely recommend to get a taste of Albanian food!

We stumbled upon this spot while searching for Mediterranean food nearby and had some time to explore the area. Everything else around was either counter-service casual or $$$+ upscale, so we were thrilled that Google Maps led us to this quaint and cozy restaurant. Albanian food is a rare find, even in NYC, and sometimes it's hard to believe it falls under the big tent of Mediterranean cuisine, as it's much heartier than Greek or MENA dishes. But it was the perfect winter fare. We started with the ajvar and pickled peppers, accompanied by fresh, fluffy pita bread. While the portions were on the small side, the flavors were excellent. We also shared the fasule soup, which the waitress recommended we try with sausage. The soup itself was delicious and comforting, though we'd skip the sausage next time--it made the dish a bit too oily. Lastly, we had the stuffed peppers, which were good but unremarkable--filled with mild pilaf rather than meat or bold spices. They paired well enough with the soup but didn't stand out on their own. What truly makes this place special is the atmosphere. It feels like stepping into a charming Balkan home--warm, inviting, and relaxing. I'd definitely return, not just for the cozy vibe but to explore more of the menu.

Beautiful homey atmosphere with extremely kind staff. Explained all of their favorites and pairings and we enjoyed everythinggggg. From the authentic PEJA beer, to the fresh and hot bread, to the different flavorful meats and sauces used for the entrees. Save room for dessert because their baklava is A MUST - soaked in honey and so sweet and nutty and a perfect end to a perfect meal.

My first time eating Albanian food. It was a pretty interesting experience. Didn't expect the dishes to be mostly comprised of veal. Didn't really know what was good, so we asked for some recommendations from the staff. Pepper dip tasted less pepper to me than cheese. It was super creamy and heavier than I thought it would be. The bread was really good though. I wasn't expecting that big of a portion for each person. Fli was more doughy than I was expecting. I wanted more filling between the layers. It was more mushy on the inside. Mantia was pretty good. There was ample veal inside but nothing else. Flavor was good. Tava Kosi was pretty good. Because the eggs were prepared with a roux, it was pretty starchy and filling. Mixed grill platter was okay. The preparation of the meats reminded me other Mediterranean meals. Every dish was pretty dense. Maybe I would order a vegetable dish next time. There was automatic gratuity added even though we were only a party of 4.

Great restaurant for small group meals in a rustic yet warm and intimate ambiance. Each dish I've tried here has been satisfying and flavorful, but my go-to's are probably the dips with the fluffy bread (eat while hot!) and the Mantia Tava (veal dumplings baked with creamy white sauce). The mixed grill platters are also great for group sharing. Will definitely be back with more friends!

Decent experience for most of it. The bread provided with the dips was great and reminiscent of a well hydrated thick crust pizza and had the Indian Tandoor effect. (5/5) The red pepper dip was good, but perhaps a little one dimensional. (3/5) The three of us shared the mantia entree. The filling inside the dumplings had great flavor but maybe the overall dumpling was too doughy at the base. The yogurt/sour cream sauce these dumplings were laid on was good but - maybe a little bland. (3.5/5). We also shared the mixed platter. This was a good assortment. It had something for everyone. Be warned - chicken liver is not everyone's cup of tea. But personally, that was my favorite! This, the steak of chicken, and oval shaped beef kebab were my top threes of the rest. Some meats were on the salty side but that's somewhat understandable as it is typically accompanied by bread, dips etc. (4/5) The spotlight however went to the Trilece dessert. The three of us ordered two of these. It's like a tres leches cake as you would suspect but with an X-factor. (5/5) The service from being served to being escorted out was mostly pleasant except at the beginning. Setting the right first impression is huge - rookie mistake CKQ. When we asked to have our table changed as it was at a very awkward position between the second and third/final section of the restaurant, and at an entry-way of sorts, we were dismissed. The table at this specific arrangement was very cramped and only having three chairs at a rectangular table designed for four, even though it was just the three of us, is kind of awkward for the third person, if you ask me. The general ambiance of the restaurant was great but this got me reconsidering. Even though over half the restaurant was still empty, they could not facilitate this request and asked us to shift outdoors if it bothered us that much. Even by the time we left, the third section of the restaurant didn't fill up and there was plenty of room had they decided to shift us around.... A little understanding and kindness on this end would have gone a long way and maybe I would think to revisit and give this place a more loving review.

Flavorful authentic Albanian food. Tried for the first time upon recommendation from Albanian friends. Lots of the fellow diners were Albanian so figured this is pretty authentic. Limited vegetarian options which many of the reviewers had already said. I tried the stuffed pepper in a clay pot and it was Flavorful. The pepper dip was yummy and yes very hot thick bread available. Staff was kind and courteous. Clean and cozy seating inside.

Cka Ka Qellue is one of the most unique restaurants I've been to in NYC! It's not easy to find Albanian food but it's well worth coming here to try it. Albanian cuisine, as you might imagine, reflects both its proximity to the Mediterranean and to Eastern Europe, with a variety of dips and grilled meats with many dishes including lamb, sausages, or cheese. The freshly baked bread that comes with the various appetizer dips is absolutely incredible. We asked for extra servings of it for everyone and and finished all of it. It's kind of hard to describe, but flavorwise it tastes like the best pizza crust you ever had, yet it's airy and puffy and fluffy. Recommended: ajavar or sausage dip with that BREAD, baked dumplings, baked lamb, mixed grill Prices are also incredibly reasonable by NYC standards.

Service was great and pretty prompt. Cozy ambience and a great selection of wines. If I had to recommend a white wine, it'd be the pinot grigio -- crisp and fruity. I went with my partner and his friend; we had the veal dumplings, Mediterranean salad, and Tradita mixed platter (I personally was not a fan of the liver as it was dry, bitter, and earthy). I've also never had Albanian food before, so I went in blindly but had a great experience overall.

Absolutely obsessed with Çka ka Qellu! This place totally nails the Albanian/Kosovo food scene and brings the culture, traditions, and history to life through their amazing dishes. The qebapa and mixed grill platter at Çka ka Qellu are next-level deliciousness. Those qebapa, perfectly seasoned and grilled to juicy perfection, are like bites of heaven. And the mixed grill platter? Sooo yummy and sure to satisfy all of your meat cravings! Oh, and we can't stop talking about their incredible fli! Fli is one of Albania's favorite dishes and can more accurately be described as a layered pancake made with simple ingredients, baked slowly over a few hours. It's a masterpiece of our cuisine and we highly recommend you trying it! Also don't even get us started on their fluffy bread which we serve with ajvar - it's like a match made in food heaven! And can we talk about the hospitality? These guys know how to make us feel at home. If you're up for some seriously delish Albanian trad food, give Çka ka Qellu a go! We promise you won't regret it.

Incredibly delicious Albanian food in a cozy environment. The Tava Kosi roux was rich and the lamb was sweet and perfectly cooked. We had to order a second round of the Mantia dumplings after enjoying them so much! Wish they had a slightly more expanded wine list. We had a pinot grigio from Kosovo that was simple, nice, and well priced. Service was very friendly and helpful, offering suggestions and checking in throughout the experience. A great winter spot!

Amazing! Cozy ambiance with red brick anterior. The sausage tava was AMAZING and the bread was delicious. 10/10

I have never had Albanian food before so I was very curious to check this place out. The food was overall tasty without any real misses. To start, my friends and I tried a bunch of small bites including the tarator, roasted pepper, cheese pickled pepper, shop salad, and mantia. They give you amazing complimentary fresh bread which is served warm. I would come back for the bread alone. The tarator is a yogurt based dip that to me is like a cross between tzatziki and tahini sauce. It was light and refreshing and complemented a lot of the dishes we ordered well. The shop salad reminded me of a standard shepherd salad with chopped cucumber, tomatoes, and feta cheese. Mantia are essentially baked veal dumplings with a flaky outer wrapper which I really enjoyed. I got the mixed grill platter for my main which came with two types of sausages and meatballs. I enjoyed it but did not think it was that memorable, although I really liked the slaw that came with it. Service was friendly and professional but a bit slow. The restaurant itself is warm and homey --- it reminded me of a comforting ski lodge. The reason why I am giving it four stars is that I think that everything is a bit too expensive given the relatively small portion sizes. Overall, I think this place is worth trying if you are curious about Albanian food!

This is our first time trying Albanian food and we really enjoyed it! The food was delicious and very unique. I notice their main protein consist of veal. We ordered: - sausage dip - ajvar (tomato based dip) - lecenik (spinach corn bread) - Sarma (meat, rice, and vegetable wrapped in cabbage) - skenderberg (stuffed smoked meat) Everything was delicious but I wasn't a big fan of the skenderberg. It feel like I was eating an overly dried chicken bake from Costco. That's not to discredit the food quality of this place but more so of my personal preference of this dish. My favorite item was the Sarma, I love the warm taste of the stewed cabbage wrap. The outdoor seating area is nice and they allow dogs. If you don't have a furry friend, definitely dine indoors as they decorated it to make you feel like you teleported to Eastern Europe. The ambiance is peaceful with dime lighting. The staffs are also super friendly and took their time explaining their menu and provided recommendations. Highly recommend!

Great place for Albanian food! Heard about this since I heard it was Dua Lipa's favorite restaurant and got curious. Got the qofte and shared the ajvar. Ajvar is delicious and the bread that comes with it is wonderful, almost like a pita. The qofte is delicious, loved the pairing with the pickled vegetables to break up the fattiness of the veal.

Nice authentic Albanian restaurant, super cool vibes as if you traveled there. I tried the mix grill platter, all kinds of meat were delicious. Sausage dip was nice, bread is so fresh! The Trilece is super soft and creamy, nothing beats this texture. Service is amazing, two servers are always around.

The good: Matia (veal dumplings) was as good as I'd remembered. The bread was still fresh out of the oven and fluffy as ever. The bad: The "stuffed pepper" entry was one piece of de-seeded pepper on top of a bed of overcooked and under-seasoned rice... Was it supposed to be stuffed...? Who knows. The ugly: The entries were way too small for the price. My Sausage Tava, while delicious, barely covered the bottom of the plate. Shrinkflation at its best. The cocktails were generic but brazenly overpriced. Wish I could say something nice about the service, but unfortunately it was slow and very chaotic. Not sure if I'd return any time soon.

Exploring roots. My first time here, entrance and decoration is very attentive. Wish backyard was open. We were kind a forced to sit outside, when we wanna go in, we kinda got faces. Listen, i seat where i feel comfortable!!! Ordered soujouk dip in yogurt sauce, was tasty, ok! Soujuk pieces should be bigger. Chopped salad was extremely fresh, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and shredded feta. Cannot miss the freshly baked bread!!! Yumm Now it comes to cevap, i know the origin and know how it should taste and make it. Presentation was great. When it comes to taste, should be bigger sizes, fluffier. Goulash, beef pieces was lost in the sauce. I wanna see bigger chunks. Taste was ok.

I wanted to really like this place because my husband picked it out for our date night but I was very underwhelmed. We took the server's suggestions and ordered the meat and cheese dip, I ordered the kebab type platter and he ordered something similar. The cheese dip came out cold, which was surprising to me because I thought it would be melted cheese, but maybe I shouldn't have been because the menu never specified if it would be hot or cold. The meat on the platter was juicy but had the taste of being exposed to gas heat for too long. When we walked in, no one really gave directions or greeted us so we stood awkwardly for about 10 minutes before a server came up and helped us. That was uncomfortable and an experience I would not like to repeat so I don't think we will be back again.

Lovely dinner here! The space looks small from the front but there's a good amount more seating as you walk further in. We started with the sausage dip (5/5), which most mostly cheese, but absolutely lovely. It warms you up on a cold day, and has all the depth that I didn't even know I was hoping for. The bread is crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. Amazing way to start the meal. We also tried the fli (3/5). The texture was interesting enough but it lacked flavor to me. In fact I had to dip it into my sausage dip. Lastly, we shared the tava kosi (4/5). The lamb is SO tender, so yummy. The only reason I didn't give it 5/5 is I didn't love the flavor of rice it came with, which was a significant portion of the dish. My friend liked it though, so to each their own. Great service and ambiance, would certainly come back!

Awesome Albanian food! I came here with two other people and we left stuffed! The complimentary bread in the beginning is so good, super soft and pillowy. We ordered two dips and enjoyed every bite of it! The mantias were also awesome. The meat platter was nothing special, good to sample a little bit but the lamb dish was good! The lamb was super tender and the rice underneath was silky and great. I'd come back to try more Albanian food!

Excellent food and a lovely and warm atmosphere. We ordered a number of appetizers to share including the baked cheese, mixed olives and Tarator which was my favorite because it was so light and fresh with the cucumber and garlic and yogurt. We also had some main dishes that were well prepared and quite tasty! The stand out main dish which we also shared was the Tasqebap. Finally our server was so attentive and checked in on us several times which was also appreciated because we ordered a couple cocktails throughout the meal. The lychee martini was a particular favorite. Definitely will come again!

Albanian food - big yum! Got the pickled pepper to start which was sour tangy and delightful. Also got the bread to start which is huge and a must for all the extra sauce. Entree was branzino and although it took a little longer than expected it was moist and flakey with a mild flavor accompanied by a tangy slaw! Loved it. Service was a little slow but our server was very pleasant!

We went here because we wanted to try Dua Lipas favorite restaurant and had never had Albanian food before!! It was quite good!!! Honestly the free bread was one of the best things we ate - it was soooo fluffy and fresh!!! Loved all the meats and the dip as well! Dua knew what she was doing by coming here!

Amazing experience if you want an Albanian / Kosovo / Balkan experience - 100000/10 My go to place to take my friends in America - try the Mantia en Tave also the Fli! Can't go wrong with the Tradita Mixed Platter as well as the Shop Salad!! Also - have to end it with the Albanian Trilece and coffee!!

Always feels like home when I walk in here. So grateful that I get to bring my friends into my world and sharing the food I grew up with. The staff is so attentive and caring, the food is phenomenal and fresh. Çka Ka Qëllu? Kurgje because we scrape the plates everytime!

We stumbled across this Albanian gem in the Bronx while in Little Italy. The ambiance takes you back to a cozy restaurant in Albania. The decoration and woodsy style is very homesweethome vibe! The service was very kind and helped us despite it being busy. They recommended the mixed grill platter and mante in yoghurt. It was very good and fulfilling. There was warm bread too and it went fantastic with the mante. I was not a fan of the sausage in the mixed grill platter but everything else was on point! I will come back here and try other things on the menu. I really like this place with authentic flavors and cozy setting A+

All in all a great experience that all must try. I ended up there twice within my 5 days trip.

the best part of this restaurant was the overall feeling of the place. the food was clearly authentic and traditional, without any pretension, but there was something about the dim wooden-paneled walls and the candlelit atmosphere that elevates it to quite a romantic spot. the menu itself was affordable which was surprising to me for the expensive feeling of the service. the dishes came out efficiently which was nice since we were a bit late for our next event. the food itself wasn't particularly memorable, however. i enjoyed the patties which were tender and juicy, but perhaps a bit monolithically salty. the signature dish was a nice hunk of meat which had a bed of grain which also wasn't particularly complicated. the bread, freshly puffed, was probably my favorite part of the meal. overall, the place was nice enough for a walk-in on a saturday night and due to convenience i would be open to returning. i would be interested in trying the other dishes on the menu as well as it is quite extensive.

I honestly don't know where to start. By far one of my favorite restaurants in Manhattan. This was the first time I have experienced an Armenian restaurant and I absolutely loved it. The moment you step in, the warm ambiance sets the stage for an unforgettable dining experience. The menu boasts an impressive array of authentic Armenian dishes, each a masterpiece of flavors. From the succulent kebabs to the heavenly dolma, every dish is a celebration of traditional Armenian culinary artistry. The freshness of ingredients and the perfect balance of spices truly make each bite memorable. What truly sets this place apart is the impeccable service. The staff goes above and beyond to ensure a memorable dining experience. They are knowledgeable, friendly, and genuinely passionate about the cuisine they serve. The recommendations were spot-on, and the attentiveness throughout the meal made us feel truly valued as customers. In addition to the outstanding food and service, the restaurant's cozy atmosphere adds an extra layer of charm. It's the perfect setting for a family dinner, a date night, or any special occasion. I highly recommend it to anyone with a taste for delicious food and exceptional service. Can't wait for my next visit!

I came here for a friend's birthday. The ambiance is excellent and very unassuming from the outside--perfect place for date night or a dinner with some friends. We ordered the Sausage Dip ($8.50), Mantia ($14.50), Fasul ($23), and Mixed Grill Platter ($24). My personal favorite was the Mantia, which are veal dumplings wrapped in puff pastry. The Fasul, a bean soup, surprised me with its flavor and was a stand-out dish. Their bread paired perfectly with the sausage dip, and I recommend getting a dip for the table. The service was excellent, besides them taking one thing away before finished or asking. Overall, would come back to try other dishes.

Strolling around Midtown on a warm Sunday after, I sought out Çka Ka Qëllu for an early dinner and got a table for 1 without a reservation at this cozy, wood + brick adorned spot. Having never had Albanian cuisine, several choices on the menu looked interesting (Tava Kosi: lamb and rice baked in a yogurt + egg roux, Tasqebap: veal, tomato, onion with a thin mashed potato base, Tava Mantia: veal dumplings in a yogurt sauce) but I went for a bit of variety with the Mixed Grill Platter. Fresh bread and ajavar (a zesty roasted red pepper dip) were complimentary: the ajavar was bold while the bread was revelatory: the best qualities of a fresh Italian loaf with the lightness of a pita. That mixed grill platter had three meats with a tangy cabbage, carrot, and cucumber salad. The meats were qebapa (small, garlicky ground meat sausages), qofte (a ground meat patty), and suxhuk (a dry sausage). There wasn't much variation in the spices between the meats and the suxhuk was tough, though the qebapa were fantastic

Great bread and coffee. Everything we ate seemed authentic. The vibe is also pretty rustic, a good date spot.

I'll be honest, I don't think I've ever eaten Albanian food before, but I absolutely loved everything I ate here. The waiters were so helpful in helping us navigate a new cuisine to us, and we were able to share everything so we all (table of 4) tried 9-10 different things. The atmosphere is really cozy and full of Albanian art and decor. Really hearty and heartwarming food.

Great food. First time having Albanian food but everything tasted fresh. The bread was amazing and warm and soft on the inside and toasted on the outside. I would return for the bread and Ajvar sauce alone. I got the meat grilled platter and that was honestly more than enough. It was an assortment of meats that were very tasty but also super filling. The restaurant itself felt like a world away from NY. The moment you step inside, from the decor to the waiters' uniforms, it felt like an attempt to recreate dining in what one would imagine is Albania. The service was also pleasant. The waitress was patient with explaining the menu and suggesting a few times. Would definitely recommend!

We would return for the charming interior, pleasant staff & delicious appetizers. We had Tarator- tzakziki type dip and Ajvar, a pureed red pepper spread served with freshly made pita. The mixed grill of hamburg patties & 2 different sausage was one note & overcooked for our taste..

This place is special. Small and cozy and the wait staff was quite cordial. I wanted something authentally Albanian so the cabbage salad and some sort of dumpling in a yogurt sauce. Both excellent. There's a real attention to detail here - the Albanian artifacts are very nice touch because they're not old and dusty. Everything is clean and maintained. Just the right light and music for a calm atmosphere. Really nice.