Kalinka

A rare rainy day in LA, perfect for Russian comfort food. Borscht was served hot with tender meat chunks vegetables and a touch of sour cream. Pelmeni and the stroganoff came together soon after. Friendliest Russian service I've ever had. Their Russian bear came in a tall glass, strong honey flavour yet light. Outstanding meal.

Great taste of Russian cuisine in Glendale. Sturgeon was delicious and blintzes with chicken were very good. I wish wine list was a bit bigger. But overall - if you are looking to try European dishes - good place to start. PS: blintzes cake is must try.

If you want real Russian cuisine in LA, Kalinka is the place to go. Every dish we had was flavorful and made with care. The portions are generous, the service is excellent, and the vibe is warm and authentic. I’ll definitely be coming back and bringing friends with me!

If you want to experience authentic Russian cuisine, this is definitely the place to go. The taste, presentation of the dishes, and atmosphere are all pleasantly surprising and truly delightful.

This place is amazing! The flavors of their meat is supervisor. Their salmon and potato dish is amazing, all their soups are the best my wife and I have tried. Highly highly recommend.

Borscht soup highlight with bread. Hen a little over cooked and dry. Tender beef. Recommend veal tongue. Very authentic. Should probably have tried schnitzel. Couldn’t have bad schnitzel.

Loved loved loved this place, best beef Stroganoff I've ever had, my boyfriend ordered it & it was amazing! I had Borsh, granted, I am Russian and I make my own... Their's was very salty, the beef in it was amazing! But, I felt like something was missing in it... For sure it needs more dill in it because I think there was none & definitely less sodium it took away from the real flavor of the Borsh, it needs to be cleaner on the pallet 🎨 We also had Pilmeni and Blinih, you can never go wrong with any of these, everyone will love those two. All the dishes I mentioned in this review are traditional Russian dishes.... Black Russian bread is a must try it comes with white bread and eggplant spread which was delish! It is extra i believe $3 to $4 per small basket, worth it! Pricey, servings can definitely be larger for what we paid... But, a real treat for very special occasions only due to price pt.

A hidden gem, the food was delicious, I had the lamb chops and my friends had the chicken blintzes with mushroom sauce, and the lunch combo special with chicken Lula, Bryndza cheese good too. Their fermented Kvas drink was great too, tastes a little like hard cider. Blintze cake was delicious . Didn't have gluten free bread for me.

- All we took: herring under a fur coat, mors, black bread with lard, vinaigrette, dumplings with potatoes. - I can say absolutely everything I liked. - The girls waiters are great. - I'll come again

Came here for lunch. Ordered their black bread with spread, the chicken blintzes, the fried beef pelmeni and an Armenian coffee. The food wasn't bad, it just wasn't very tasty or flavorful. The coffee wasn't strong either. I found this place through other yelp reviews. Sometime ago a friend hosted their birthday at a Russian restaurant in the WeHo area, I thought this place would be better but it wasn't. On the other hand, the place was well decorated, clean, and spacious. Good background music and the service not very warm or welcoming, it was just okay.

Have been expanding my palette so I wanted to try authentic Russian food, and I have no regrets. The service was standard, they were a bit cold and short, the setting is a bit odd but comfy, but the food makes it for it. I really enjoyed the borscht and multiple dumplings we tried

It's very tasty here. vinaigrette, herring salad under a fur coat, dumplings. Delicious fruit drink. Lots of tables. Polite friendly staff. If you are with children, the child will be given a coloring book. We are glad

Food was good but not memorable. It may be catering to Russians or East Europeans who are familiar with the food. Service was good and ambiance was decent.

This place is one of the better Russian restaurants in the area. Sometimes the service can be lacking, but the food is pretty good.

Food was amazing. I highly recommend if you're looking for a quiet and authentic restaurant. Only down side I'd say the prices.

This place is so delicious!!! Great if you're looking for authentic Russian dishes mainly catering to the meat and potatoes palate. I love their baked whole Seabass which is huge for the price. It's so juicy and tender that the fish falls off the bone. I believe the seasoning is primarily bay leaves and tomato which gives it a fragrant flavor that is to die for!!! The beef stroganoff is also meaty and flavorful. My friends husband is German and the herring with potatoes is his favorite. I also like the grandma style pan fried sausage dish which is pretty basic but still delicious and filling. The Chicken Kotleti is like a meatball with herb seasoning and it's also juicy and flavorful. The Cornish game hen is also flavorful and crunchy to the bite. As for dessert the Blintzes with Preserves is like a crepe and very sweet. I prefer the crepe cake or Blintzes cake because it's layered with sweet cream. Perfect ending to a meaty and salty meal. Highly recommend Kalinka for your Russian food cravings!!!

My mom and I used to come to Kalinka allll the time. Every Sunday, our traditional mommy/daughter brunch spot. Since my mom was born in the Soviet Union, I knew she missed her home food. I went Yelp looking for some good spots and we are so lucky we discovered this gem. I love Kalinka and their variety of Russian/Ukrainian dishes. I'm not sure whether the owners are Russian or Ukrainian but, it doesn't matter because the food is delicious no matter what and a reminder of 'Home' The first couple of times my mom and I have gone for the appetizer we get beef tongue and the Olivier salad. The salad is delicious, not too salty with a lot ogle ingredients. And I believe they use the traditional bologna. Tasted just like moms and the beef tongue is good but, a little dry and bland. For the main course, my moms gotten the lamb while I get the blitzes or stroganoff. The stroganoff is okay but, not worth the prices but the blintzes, are out of this world. The sauce that they make so creamy, buttery and smooth and it doesn't overpower the chicken or mushroom inside. So flavorful! I do admit this place is a little on the pricier side but, all Russian food is tbh Even though my mom is no longer here, I will continue to come here to honor her memory and a way to remember our dates

Beautiful food. Kind service especially to my 7 year old. Everyone enjoyed their meal. They were super understanding as we were having Russian food for the second time in our lives.

Wow. Huge flavors. Great lunch special where you get a compote drink, borscht, bread, and an entree. I had the Chicken Kotleti which is a wonderful ground chicken item with onions and spices and butter and stuff all formed into a ball and cooked until super tender. Served with mashed potatoes. Wow. Not light but a wonderful experience all around!

Very good. My favorite was the Solyanka soup! I've had the chicken blintzes and stroganoff before as well and they are both solid options but by far was most impressed with their soup, so flavorful! The fresh bread is also delicious! Great service as well.

Kalinka cuisine is a bit pricey. Came in for lunch for 2 and bill came out too 110$ with tip. No alcohol only sodas. Ordered cheese plate 4 pieces of cheese 3 olives sliced in the middle They bring out bread room temperature with side spread was okay, bread was on the dry side Ordered beef stroganoff - very small portion for 28$ which was 19$ 2 years ago. Food it self was really good gotta order 2 to get full. Borscht Soup - my friends order and he loved I doubt I would come back here

Surprising gem of a place. First-time here. Inviting red door facing Victory. White tablecloths...open seating plan...we chose a corner table under a balalkah and a cheery modern painting of Moscow...upscale feel ...and romantic..Also al fresco dining. As for the food, loved what we tried. .and oh the bread...amazing bread, dark and light, chewy hearty fabulous bread...get the borscht...it was delicious...and shareable...that amazing brrad, that yummy borscht equals happiness. Since my friend hadnt eaten this cuisine before, we ordered blinis.....and the lunch combo special (we chose the chicken schnitzel, mashed potatoes, and soyanka)...easily shareable... the schnitzel was perfection...mashed potatoes good, it wS a split decision on the solyanka.. a soup slightly spicy with chopped cold meats like sausage flavors... The blintzes iis a savory crepe/burrito.... impressive when it comes to the table... pureed chicken wrapped in a crepe topped in a mushroom gravy with herbs...beautiful to look at, but a bit mushy to us...ive been to Russia and I remembered having a sweet version...buckwheat pancakes with jam and honey inside...wish we had room to try dessert... The kampot was a pleasant fruit drink...the kvas made from fermented bread was very sweet so saith my companion...overall a lovely lunch.. and a lovely beautiful server with a bemused expression... she was helpful and we werecharmed by her.

The food tasted so similar to my great grandma's that I teared up a little. It wasn't over salted either, like a lot of restaurant food. The beef Lula was tender and flavorful. The bread was fresh and compote just the right amount of sweet. The star of our meal was definitely the borscht. I liked the vinaigrette salad but it was a bit oily. We also got potato pelmeni and beef vareniki which were not out of this world incredible or anything, but still perfect-tasted homemade, not too salty, and the dough had a great texture (not too thick). The service was attentive too. We'll definitely be back. I can't wait for my grandmother to try it.

1. Ordered russian borscht to go, the container was so tiny, the borscht was watered down, hardly any vegetables in it and the price was outrageous. 1 piece of the size of table spoon beef inside. 2. Beef stroganoff was my second order. Again, the portion size was basically 4 tablespoons, with a side of soggy fries and a saurkrat. The price for the 1/2 tiny container was $25. This wasn't even a meal for 1 person . I was very dissatisfied and disappointed. I thought the order would be enough for 2 people.

Quiet spot near the outskirts of burbank. Really great perogis!! Would love to explore the menu.

First time trying Russian food. The food was decent nothing really out of this world. Maybe, Russian is just not my thing. They had picked alcohol for a cheap price, and everyone said it was super strong so it does the job. My thing is, I wish I was able to communicate with the server better. Because her English was so limited it was hard to try more dishes.

Never knew this little restaurant was located just 5 min from my house. Interior was very nice and cozy. Atmosphere was a bit quiet, would've liked to hear some background music.. Also the room lighting was a bit too bright, felt like an office lighting, or retail store... Darker light could help the ambience. The service was fast and our server was friendly. Our dishes came out quick, the beef stroganoff and kotlety. Everything was fresh, and hot. Not bland, not too salty, just right! Also ordered the kompot drink, which had a great apricot flavor. Will definitely return soon for a quick casual lunch, or an informal dinner. Definitely recommended.

This is my second Russian restaurant in two weeks, and am getting better at understanding the types of food that taste best. I've found seafood is the tastiest for me, and have had the herring, sea bass, caviar and found their taste refreshing and pure, when compared to western style preparation. The Russian dumplings are also delicious, and reminds me of the Taiwanese type dumplings, but served with a sour cream dip, rather than sesame, vinegar and soy sauce. Lastly, the salads seem to have more of a creamy taste and are probably more like a potato or macaroni salad, but with root foods, such as beets added for more flavor. I would like to better understand this cuisine and will slowly make my way around the world cuisines...

First time trying Russian food and was very good with the expection of Pelmeni didn't like it, but my favorite was the Borscht so delicious definitively will come back to try other plates. Customer Service was the best the waitress was so communicate, answer all our questions and helps us choose the best plates to try for the first time... Is a small restaurant but with a nice decoration and nice vibe...

Great food, friendly service. Thank you so much! Def will come again and again. Great for lunch and dinner. Fri and Sat live nice music.

I called and made reservations for Veterans Day for 5 for 4 people, we drove all the way from San Clemente it was almost a two hour drive, but it was worth the distance, the food was amazing we had the veil tongue, cured pork fat , herring, Gregorian salad. The veil with cured pork fat on the Russian black bread amazing, We also ordered the chicken blintz's, Pelmeni, chicken kotleti and beef stroganoff. This was my first time eating Russian food and I absolutely loved it thank you to Kalinka the service and the chief for being a part of celebrating Veterans Day and a lasting memory with family.. I look forward and enjoying your Russian cuisine and your hospitality!

It's delicious, and service is very good, I remember the Russian food it's really great. Thank you Kalinlka

My family is Russian and I can say the food here is authentic and delicious. Favorites include the mushroom basket, blintz cake and all of their infused vodkas!!! My husband and I always come here to celebrate on special occasions and we had a delicious early Valentine's Day dinner last night.

Happy to find a Russian restaurant. The food here is definitely home cooked and is very fairly priced. I had the Beef Stroganoff, Chicken Kotleti, Pelmeni, Herring Salad and the Blintzes Cake. The beef stroganoff was tender and tasty, but it came with about 3 tablespoons of rice... which was a little disproportionate. The chicken kotleti was very comforting... like a home cooked meal from grandma. One of the items I was most looking forward to was the pelmeni. The first time I ever tried Pelmeni was in Chicago. I lived in Ukrainian village and there was a lot of Polish, Russian and Ukrainian food in the area. I was so excited to have some pork and veal dumplings. The filling of the Pelmeni was good, but the outside was pretty thick and not as delicate as I've had it from other places. So was a little disappointed. Still good, but didn't satisfy my craving. The herring salad was very good. My husband is a huge fan of herring and pickled fish and he was very happy with that dish. My favorite dish though was the blintzes. The preserves that came with it were homemade and added the perfect amount of sweetness. I'd definitely order those again.

Nice and quiet but lace, very good for lunch and dinner, authentic Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian and Armenian cuisine. Quick service, very friendly stuff and servers. Nice and clean bathrooms. Definitely coming back again.

Parking: there's a parking lot Atmosphere: very cozy and appropriately themed Service: terrific staff that are patient in explaining the menu for those unfamiliar with Russian cuisine Food: I tried the beef stroganoff, herring salad, and dumpling thing. All were delicious. Overall, I would definitely come back to try out new items on the menu.

Delicious Russian comfort food. Slices of Russian Black Bread accompany a complimentary thimble of eggplant caviar. It's unlike any bread I've had--crusty on outside, moist dense crumb on the inside. Tastes like molasses bread but much heartier. The server said they get the bread from the Czech Republic. Everything was tasty here. Chicken blintzes: tender savory crepes wrapped around chopped chicken, topped with a creamy gravy; fried pelmeni: beef & pork was lightly fried and paired well with sour cream. The perogies were cute bite sized crescents. The big surprise was the modestly named Grandma Style Chicken Kotleti. A super tender chicken meatball caramelized by the right amount of sear. Kompot juice was a mix of apple and berries served in a mug. Their Russian style ice cream is not homemade, a commercial brand from Lithuania per the wrapper. Still tasty nonetheless. Go with a few people to try everything family style.

Delicious food, nice servers and homey atmosphere . A true delight ! Try the herring salad and blintz cake.

I went to Kalinka on a double date a few weeks back. Immediately liked the interior design; it was quaint and pleasant. There was only a second group besides, and their demeanor alone told me the experience would be pleasant (we talked to them midway through the night). On the plus, the staff was very pleasant. I enjoy talking to the staff who serves me, but my waitress didn't seem to be the "personable" type. But that wasn't a detriment, and she served us well. We tried a slew of food: stroganoff, beef tongue...I'm not a fan of organs, but I gave it a shot, and it was flavorful; the mushrooms were superb in flavor and texture, as were the mashed potatoes. Those two in particular were almost like crack. I wouldn't say the food was anything groundbreaking, but I certainly wasn't disappointed. The strangest thing we experimented with was a horseradish liqueur called Nostoyka. It was far less horseradish and more of a cucumber note. If you're adventurous in your alcohol, I dare say to give Nostoyka a shot. "Minuses": This is my personal taste, but I'm always taken out of the experience if I don't hear (presumably) ethnic music with an ethnic restaurant: I would've liked to have heard Russian music at a Russian restaurant. What I heard was mostly house versions of songs. On the plus side, the music wasn't loud--in line with the calm tone of the restaurant--so it made talking easy. All-in-all, a worthwhile experience.

I really don't like giving low ratings to any businesses. Mistakes happen and everyone deserve a second chance. But this place left me no options. During the past week everything here was awful. A few days ago I ordered some food here and was promised it will be ready in 15 minutes. I arrived in 20 minutes and it wasn't prepared. Not a big deal. Waited 10 minutes more. Still nothing. Eventually I was waiting for an hour. Why? Because waitresses at the very beginning gave my order to the wrong person (before my arrival) and tried to hide that information by telling me "it will be prepared soon, please wait". Waitresses just waited for the driver to bring my cold food back. Instead of admitting a mistake and saying sorry they just kept silence like it's ok to make someone wait for an hour because they got confused. A few days after (today) I ordered a food once again and once again everything here wasn't right. At the register I gave the waitress my credit card and she charged me. Charged me a wrong amount. As soon as I got home I received a call from Kalinka restaurant and the waitress told me they messed up the orders and they charged me the wrong amount and I have to pay more. Highly, highly unprofessional. And a bit more details. I highly suggest you do not order chicken blintzes "to go" as this food and their container are not compatible. And don't expect they will put a bread with your soup, always remind the stuff to do so (I ordered 2 borsch and didn't find a piece of bread with it). Overall: food is ok, food is decent. No issues. Food is pricey here but I'm ok to spend the money because I don't know any other place with such menu. But service. Please, start training the staff. As I'm sure I'm not the only one who noticed unprofessional behaviour.

Im regular here and love the food.The staff is always friendly and nice ! They always bring complimentary bread . My favorite is chicken blintchek and compot. Very tasty , thank you for bringing that joy every time I visit !

This is a very cool russian cuisine restaurant in LA. It's my first time in russian restaurant in the USA, but I've tried a lot when I was in Moscow. And you know food tastes exactly like in Russia. My friends and I enjoyed our Borsh (soup) and Pelmeni (dumpling). Meals are not big so if you're very hungry one meal won't be enough. Our waiter was so nice, she took care of us. Menu has a lot of options and I'm pretty sure they all are super good, because we have had two meals and both were delicious. The restaurant is in the small plaza and you won't have problems with parking. They have a few tables for dining outside. Strongly recommend, go try some good russian food:)

The restaurant is clean, but the food is a bit overpriced because the portions are very small. The eggplant spread was good. I want to give the place a higher rating, but I feel ripped off since the portions are way too small for what they charge for the beef stroganoff and schnitzel. Three of us shared an eggplant spread, bread basket, beef stroganoff & schnitzel. Unfortunately, I do not plan to return to this place.

Gréât Russian food ! Thank you so much for good service as well ! Russian bortch, pelmeny !!! Yummy!

Very simple papa mama restaurant without any dinner environment deco. Food is good and valuable portion. Good for quick dinner. Not for guests treat.

Kalinka Russian Cuisine is a hidden gem, not in busy downtown Glendale. There's a free parking lot with plenty of spaces on a Sunday around lunchtime. We sat outdoors for Covid safety. The dining room looked inviting when I poked my head in. Their menu is great. A little of everything. The hot borscht was excellent. My friend who ordered the herring salad devoured the herring which comes with potatoes, beets, carrots, scalion, and mayo. The gracious waitstaff served us multiple orders of their free bread with a yummy eggplant spread. I could have made a meal just of that. LOL. The beef Stroganoff for $22.95 was delish. As was the half rack of lamb chops. Kalinka offers two combinations: A kebab combo for 5 and a fish combination for 4. Four of us ordered the kebab combo. It comes with lamb chops, beef, pork, chicken, lyula beef, and vegetables. Grilled eggplant, broiled tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers. Amazing! $110 but worth every penny. If you opt for their fish combination, it includes sturgeon (when was the last time you saw that on a menu?), salmon, and whole seabass. Plus rice, grilled potatoes, and tomatoes. All 8 of us were too stuffed to even consider dessert. Service was superb. We made sure to leave an appropriate tip. We all raved about the food and will return. Even my super picky friend.

In this Age of WAR IN UNKRAINE I have two choices - Go to the Best Russian restaurant and Smack everybody, or Go to the Best Russian restaurant and EAT EVERYTHING. I choose the later. And this is a really good place to express your politics by way of mouth. Its yummy here.

Food was not good and I'm a foodie. It was just not good. I didn't like it, that doesn't mean you won't

Don't think there is much choice for Russian food in LA but this place seems to be very authentic. We tried the borscht, beef stroganoff, and potato vareniki, and they were all very good. The service is attentive and decor is very nice.

Wow. As a self proclaimed foodie from Los Angeles, I encourage my fellow foodies to branch out from the standard "fusion" options and try Eastern European food. My mom ordered the beef skewers, and said it reminded her of her Russian Grandmother's recipe. We shared the cheese dumpling appetizer, and it was like a thicker ravioli with sheepherder cheese and a fruit sauce. The borscht was equally as good, but it is quite a huge portion. I also ordered the pork shnitzel, which was so juicy and tender inside the crispy batter. The mushroom gravy was good as well. I tried a Russian ice cream bar. Different...the chocolate had a similar taste and texture tova hostess Ho Ho with ice cream. A little pricy (I don't believe it right to charge $4.00 for a can of soda), but amazing customer service that was very engaging, and a lovely setting. Definitely recommend giving it a go.

Overall misses the mark relative to finer Russian restaurants in New York. I wanted to love this place but walked away disappointed. Decent selection of Russian menu. Drinks do not include Russian liquor nor beer (there is Georgian wine at the bar but not on the menu). - good: variety of hot mushrooms, complimentary black bread & eggplant spread - mediocre: pelmeni and vareniki Service: pleasant but would benefit from additional training. We asked for hot water but received a cold one. Food served at different times. Had to wait for mushrooms to the point of almost canceling the order. I had to stand up to get the receipt and then took awhile to get a second copy for my records. Ambiance: nice touch with artisanal decorations on the walls. Restroom is simple.

This place is very clean and cozy. The stuff is super nice. Good.. mmm, it's just something else, sooo yummy!!

This Russian Deli has a large variety of items from Russia, Poland and a very few items from the Czech Republic. It's a great place to browse and you'll find so many European goodies!

I live in Burbank and I've wanted to try this place for quite some time just based on the reviews I read here on Yelp. A sleepy Saturday night I decided to take myself out to dinner... I figured why not Russian cuisine? Let me just say in short that was a very smart decision on my part! Located in a strip mall at the corner of Western and Victory in Glendale California Kalinka is a hidden gem. Simply decorated but a very warm and welcoming atmosphere. I was there later in the evening closer to when they close so minus a couple of Russian gentlemen that were finishing their dinner I was the only other person there. Regina was my host and server, she was as welcoming and hospitable as she is beautiful. They make multiple types of infused vodkas in house, she let me sample most of them. ( Lemon, horse radish ,cranberry, mango and jalapeno i think ) Believe it or not the horse radish was my absolute favorite but I also had the jalapeno which was really tasty. Either would be spectacular in a Bloody Mary but really quite good on their own( sipped in a chilled shot glass) Up next was a traditional Russian beverage called Kompote( Almost like an iced tea infused with peaches, pears, and strawberries etc ) Not too sweet and absolutely refreshing on a hot summer night. Next came a fresh bread basket consisting of what was similar to French bread and a Brown bread that had some sort of nuts baked into it... accompanied by a eggplant spread, all of which was absolutely delicious. For my entree I went with one of the house specialties beef stroganoff, They have many other traditional Russian dishes but beef stroganoff is one of my favorites that I've tried from other parts of the world but had to see what the Russian take on it was. A creamy brown gravy that wasn't too heavy, the beef was cooked to perfection, add some mushrooms and just an absolutely delightful and flavourful balance. On the side some housemade mashed potatoes with dill and sour cream and a bit of sour krout. I really cannot say enough of how great this food was. My hats off to the chef as it was a fantastic meal. When the bill came it was $45... Yes read that again. If you're coming through this part of town and wanna try something different I highly recommend Kalinka. If you should meet Regina tell her Big John sent you.

Authentic Russian Ukrainian food Amazing cakes, always fresh, great service, highly recommend it Will be coming again very soon

Sooo yummy. The borscht was delicious and so was the cake they brought out for dessert

I should've taken the hint that the dining room was empty when I visited today but well... First I had the Borscht which I'd been craving all day and was... fine, but then made the mistake of continuing on in the menu. The pelimeni were great but there were like 8 in a $18 order, which didn't sit well at all. Then the stroganoff, which I had thought would be a gigantic meal but in fact was a small cup of stewed beef... for $30. All was edible, but everything was too high of price by about 150%. I understand that times are tough, but none of these materials were expensive, Russian food uses incredibly basic ingredients. I came away with a three figure bill, a barely satisfied stomach, and a headache at this underwhelming meal. The girls were very nice, as other reviewers have said.

I came in yesterday & assel & Sofia were the best. Honestly had the best experience with them I'm definitely coming back ! They made me laugh so much and recommend best specials and we ended up having the Pelmeni. 10/10 experience. The service was outstanding. Thanks again ladies.