Karakter

We tried to make an online reservation a few days in advance, but at first, the system didn’t accept a Turkish phone number. We decided not to think negatively. For three days, our reservation remained in a “pending” status. When we went to ask about it, they told us there had been an error. However, when we arrived, there were no available tables. They said we could wait at the bar until a table became free. We decided to wait, but since no tables opened up and it was still early in the day, we opted to eat our burgers at the bar. Even though some tables were free later on, the menu didn’t seem to offer many options. Meanwhile, the table next to us was vacated, but we weren’t seated there—probably because it was reserved. We didn’t mind. Since it was still early, we ordered homemade lemonade as a drink, but it turned out to be nothing more than mint and lemon floating in ice water—completely bland and tasteless. Then our burgers arrived. The fries were frozen. The burger patty wasn’t bad, nor was the bun. But they had stuffed it with whatever they could find: pickles, tomatoes, red cabbage, roasted red peppers, and red onions. It was more like a hamburger salad. At the very least, the onions could have been caramelized. I had imagined eating a more refined burger at a Michelin-starred restaurant. Don’t underestimate burgers—burgers are serious business (see: The Menu :))

The food was amazing! The duck breast with apple pie was a stand out dish for me, but the ostrich tartare was also realy pleasant in terms of the variety of accompaniments you can customize it with. Service was exceptional and attentive, with our server Ola giving recommendations on the accoutrements for the tartare.

Undoubtedly the best and the most interesting meal I’ve had in Krakow. The ingredients are unusual and they are also prepped in interesting ways. Everything we had was 10/10 (well maybe apart from the beetroot ice cream, this one is probably love or hate) but ostrich gizzard, pig head raviolo, pig ears tempura and goat milk cheesecake. I could eat it on repeat. Honestly too good

The food was beyond delicious and we really enjoyed each dish we ordered. There was also a wine expert who helped to pair it with wines and it was amazing. Small thing to improve: it seems that the staff were more focused on talking to each other than customers, it’s amazing they have great team spirit but at times it felt like we were interfering.

One of these few places in Kraków to almost never put a foot wrong. Their menus are invariably interesting and tasty, mixing the 'old hits' (e.g. their impeccable mussels in a variety of sauces) with mouth-watering new propositions, almost always employing raw ingredients considered 'offal' by others. The final result is a place that you keep coming back to, and keep wanting to come back to.

This restaurant was often mentioned, so we had to try it out. Service was good. Food ranges from good to interesting. The tartare was exceptional.

Absolute favourite Restaurant in Krakow. Dishes exceeded my expectations. Affordable dishes and so much more. Delicious food, friendly staff, beautiful interior and overall a dream restaurant for Foodies! Highly recommended.

A lovely, atmospheric place with great service – truly a top spot in many ways. However, the kitchen still has room for improvement. The trout had a distinct river aftertaste; it might benefit from marinating or being baked with herbs, and serving it with a complementary sauce could elevate the dish. Other meals were interesting, though nothing particularly memorable.

Amazing delicious food, wine and desserts! Visit this restaurant in Krakow. The service is wonderful and the ambiance is welcoming. You won't be disappointed.

Overall, Karakter offers excellent food, impeccable service, and a charming atmosphere, making it a must-visit. Highly recommended!

I would absolutely recommend for the lunch menu. The dinner menu is a little on the pricey side once you start to add everything up. The lunch menu is only 47 zloty and comes with three courses. I didn't know what to expect in terms of portion size but it was very generous and I was stuffed at the end. You can also swap out mussels for your main for a bit extra, but I stuck with the main menu. There's def a bit of shock value from the menu. Horse, tripe, ostrich, veal brain, etc. However, the ingredients were treated well and I never felt like I was eating anything JUST for the shock value. I started with the beef shank, served with chives and olive oil. I thought the fry was a bit on the oily side to be honest, but the beef was tender and overall it was a tasty dish. For my next dish, I got the horse sweetbread (!!!). I had only had sweetbread once before, and had never had horse, so I was nervous. It came on a potato pancake with tomato sauce. It almost masked the sweetbread altogether, but honestly that's what I needed to get through it. It was very tasty. If you had taken the sweetbread out it would almost taste like a vegetarian chicken parm. The tomato sauce was lovely. For dessert I got the rosemary ice cream with profiterole. This was a bit of a small portion but it was lovely. The rosemary flavour was prominent but not overpowering. There was a weird moment with the server. I had a water bottle with me and when he asked if I wanted a drink, I said I'd stick with water. He said he would bring some out and I said no need, I have this and gestured to my water. He then said "yeah but you can't drink your own drinks in restaurants..." as if I was an idiot. Like yeah I get that I can't whip out a bottle of wine but why do you care if I'm drinking my water or yours? Was just unnecessary in my opinion. All in all, cool place with a unique menu. Would recommend for lunch.

"My daughter is reaching that age where she likes ponies. So now I can bring her here. 'Here's your fucking pony, right here.'" -- Anthony Bourdain on the horse tartare at The Black Hoof in Toronto. I never forgot this quote and always wanted to experience similar emotions to Anthony's before tasting raw horse meat. Today even The Black Hoof doesn't exist anymore. Karakter serves all kinds of unusual meats and dishes with a focus on offal. It's really worth trying this place. Actually horse meat tartare is one of their signatures. The MICHELIN Plate: Good cooking. My 'Beef Tongue' was soaked in forest fruit sauce and served with creamy mashed potatoes with wasabi sauce on the top. The salad was made of pak-choy, jalapeno, white radish and onion. It was different from anything I tried before. The meat was tender and very tasty. One of our appetizers, 'Veal Brain Pate', was extremely creamy, buttery and delicate. The combination of hot chilli peppers on toast was simply too overpowering. A plain piece of bread would be much better to dip in green onion oil with tomatoes, garlic and basil. We all agreed that 'Beef Rib' baked for eight hours was the best dish on our table. The Guinness sauce had more than three dimensions. It was a real journey. No one was too excited about 'Salmon Marinated in Ponzu Sauce'. The waiting time was ridiculous. Twenty minutes for drinks, and it was mostly draft beer. Fifty minutes for appetizers. Ninety minutes for main dishes. Maybe it would be fine if it's the middle of the day, but our table was ready at 9PM. That's why a reservation in advance is highly recommended and the only option. I have to admit, the food was the best part of our experience. Every dish we ordered was unique and one of a kind. Unfortunately, the main reason I chose Karakter was because they serve horse meat, and at the time of our visit they didn't have any. We didn't ask why. Seems like everyone eats ponies these days. I didn't like the atmosphere. There were loud kids and music, one big barking dog. The lights were too bright. The bathroom wasn't the cleanest. Plus, the long waiting time on top of everything was the worst. Despite all this I would definitely come back for food next time I'm in Kraków. Hopefully there will be time for dessert. The 'burnt egg yolk with sugar and anise liqueur with sorrel ice cream' looked interesting.

I wish I could elaborate more, but all I really remember from going here is that the food was very unique/sophisticated/flavorful, but was also super cheap! We seriously could not believe how cheap it was. Service was great and the atmosphere was very sleek/pleasant. I rarely give 5 stars but this is an instance I just have to. For a fancy dinner without the fancy price, come to Karakter!

Karakter is a chef-driven restaurant in the heart of Kazimierz, offering a menu full of unusual meat dishes and globally-inspired flavors. For our starter, we ordered the raw horse meat (my first time ever trying horse), which was slightly chewy and lean, but not all that indistinguishable from beef! The horse meat was topped with a beautiful golden egg yolk and slices of smoked lard and black sesame, and the whole thing was served over grilled asparagus. The egg yolk and orange mayo combined to form an unctuous sauce, which was perfect for dipping with some bread. Our main dishes took quite a while to arrive, but the highlight of the meal was the beef tongue, which was served as one long slice and was soaked in a "forest fruit" sauce and served with a salad of chopped bok choy, jalapeño, white radish, and onion in a slightly creamy dressing. The dish also came with a potato puree topped with a green wasabi sauce, which had a spicy horseradish kick. This was such a creative dish with so many flavors going on--the sweet/acidic berry sauce paired with the tender, meaty beef tongue but was contrasted by the refreshing chopped salad and the spice of the wasabi. And finally, we ordered a plate of the mussels in a sauce of green curry with lime and roasted peppers. This dish came with a super generous portion of mussels, along with a salad of greens/radicchio in a creamy dressing and baguette slices on the side. The best part of this dish was definitely the green curry sauce, made with plenty of coconut milk and lemongrass, and it was perfect for soaking up with the bread! The menu here featured so many amazing flavors (I had barely scratched the surface), and every dish came at an incredible value too!

Simple yet complex "modern" cuisine. The menu is vaguely pan-european, with plates ranging from Italian classics like Trippa alla Parmigiana, to a modern Polish take on pork neck. It's all done remarkably well, with the classics tasting, well *classic*, and the modern stuff being surprisingly exciting. Add in a vibrant wine list, friendly staff, and a clean/airy interior, and this turns into one of those places that you keep coming back to!

Came here on a Thursday at noon, the place had just opened up and we had no idea what an amazing culinary extravaganza was waiting for us The food was out of this world delicious, even the dill ice cream. Had the 8 hour cooked brisket, the steak, parmesan mashed potatoes, the burnt salmon and everything was just incredible. Can't recall the last time we enjoyed food this much. Not sure how it is for the locals but being from the US, the prices were super affordable. The service was wounderful as well, Kosha took a great care of us, she is very sweet and helpful. Made reservations to come back tomorrow:) Make reservations ahead of time as the place gets busy quickly.

This place deserves all the Michelin stars possible. And then more ;) No matter where the dishes came from - the lunch menu, or the dinner menu, everything was full of flavors, surprising combinations, mouth-watering smells, and taste that made you wish for more. Can't wait to come back. Make reservations ahead of time as the place gets full on most days.

This restaurant has delicious dishes (even though I wish they would change them up from time to time as I have tried everything already) The sommelier is the nicest lady! I will always come back because of her!

We had lunch here. The server felt not so interested in us. The food was ok for lunch but nothing special. We had higher expectations since the restaurant was Michelin recommended.

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Krakow. I've been there four times! The menu is unique and has amazing seafood, meats, pasta and salads. It also has mussels in different styles that blew me away. The pastry chef is one of the best. So save room for dessert too!

During our four day visit to Kraków, this was the best dinner we had. Let the sommelier give you some wine recommendations, and don't be afraid to try some odd things from the menu! A lot of other places in Kraków serves really good hearty food, but lacks a bit in presentation and finesse. Karakter however, accomplishes both feats, and that makes for a truly delicious experience. The horse tartar I had was one of the best things I've eaten in a long time. Go there or be square!

Following the recommendation of the sommelier at another place in Krakow we made a reservation here for dinner. The place is close to several tourist sights so was wondering if it would more be a tourist trap but that was not at all the case. We received a really friendly welcome and were promptly seated. We browsed the wine list and right away we were convinced we came to the right place. The wine list here is very interesting for people who are interested in nature wines (there is a decent selection of "regular" wines as well). The expertise of the sommelier was also impressive. A lot of detailed knowledge but also the ability to switch from nerdy wine discussions with some at the table to just clear cut recommendations foe those not so interested in anything else than a good wine. The menu is sort of a mix of European and some Asian inspired dishes but what they have in common was that they were all delicious. The highlights were the beef ribs, the lasagna and the chicken leg with coriander and chili. Very flexible attitude when wanting to change some parts of dishes as well. To make things even better was that price level was very reasonable. A really great place and would visit again if anywhere close.

I came here as a recommedation from a local friend. Since we already had a dinner at my favourite place in Krakow (Zenit), I felt like at least we can visit for a dessert and some coffee. Since I didnt try food here, it will be unfair to compare it with Zenit. However based on the dessert I ate, chocolate cake with rabarber ice cream which was really good combined with the nice ambience, it made me think that next time I should try the whole dinner here.

To start, I liked the vibe of the restaurant. It was not very large and the wait staff was extremely knowledgeable about both the wines and the dinner menu. They were friendly and patience with the variety of questions from our table. We had the mussels and ravioli for starters. They both were very good but the mussels were phenomenal. I had the beef ribs and my table mates had the duck. They devoured the duck so quickly I didn't even get to taste it. They tried the dessert with mixed response. The loved the goat cheese and chocolate brownie but did not care for the beet ice cream. Despite the mixed review on desert, I would definitely go back again.

Nice place. Decoration made with taste. I felt very comfortable. As a Belgian, I ordered the mussels (which are Jumbo mussels from zeland but are frozen). The mussels were good but the soup was cold. The reason is that the dish is served into a soup plate not a pot (that would keep the warmth). Otherwise good wine selection as well!

My family was vacationing close to this restaurant and popped in for a late lunch. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. We tried several starters and enjoyed entrees as well. We loved the lemonade... amazing and refreshing. We had the coconut and traditional. I was avoiding American fare but wanted to try the burger. It was huge and very tasty. The beef cheek, mussels, and fish were all delightful.

I totally love it! Great wine recommendation. Fantastic cauliflower soup. Beef ribs! Goat cheese cheese cake and wine desert! Stunning! Highly recommended!

Totally underwhelming . Having eaten at some of the best restaurants in Krakow and the world as part of my job this was a shocker. We were greeted by an arrogant obviously inexperienced maître d' who put us at a table and 5 minutes later asked us to move as it was booked at 7pm . There was no greeting just a pretentious attitude that does not typify the service we have had in Krakow over the past 3 weeks. It is normal practice in any restaurant to fill a wineglass to the widest point of the glass. The white wine my wife ordered was well below this . The food was nouvelle cuisine with an emphasis on presentation rather than quality or quantity . The duck was chewy only two small slices with no accompanying salad or vegetables . No side dishes were offered by the waitress even although we were willing to pay we were told it did not come with any (normal practice) . At no point did the maître d' or the waitress check that all was well until after we had finished the meal. Throughout the dinner the three staff were gathered around the till laughing at something on the computer rather than attending to the needs of the customer (check your CCTV ). The effort to make the menu trendy flashy descriptions of bland dishes were the norm that went out over two years ago in the top restaurants in New York, London and Milan . So in short shop around, this is terrible. Not a rip off as food is so cheap in Poland . Inexperienced dinners would no doubt find it quirky as they probably have never eaten at a quality restaurant,