Koliba Restaurant

Wow. WOOW. Koliba is an excellent restaurant, and definitely the best Czech food I’ve had in NYC so far. Delicious, beyond filling, and best of all, affordable. The place feels like an Eastern European cottage: small, cozy, and warm, with a couple of stuffed animal heads on the wall. The service was attentive and personable, and the waitress put us in the very right direction for choosing our dishes for the night. Be aware that all these dishes come in HUGE portions, so come hungry or ready to bring home some leftovers.
We started with the langos — fried garlic bread with shredded cheese on top. Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, this was the most filling and best seasoned garlic bread I’ve had in ages. The pierogis were also top notch, lightly fried with nicely seasoned filling. Both dishes were so large that even with two people, we had to bring back plenty home for later.
The main dishes were just as amazing. The half (yes half) roast duck was beyond delicious — juicy with a crispy skin. It also comes with red cabbage that along with the complementary dumplings (which soak up the duck juices nicely) made for a very full package. The pork schnitzel was also super — a potato pancake crust that somehow did NOT dry out the pork. Again, both dishes were big enough to easily fill 3, so leftovers we took home.
Considering how top notch and large-​portioned the food at Koliba is, the prices here are super reasonable. Add in a nice selection of Czech beers, and you have a new favorite restaurant of mine in Astoria.

This place is excellent. Came here for dinner on a Friday night and there was plenty of room. It has a wonderful European décor and the food was delicious. I highly recommend their pierogis (they didn’t have the fried ones when we went, but the boiled were amazing). They come with bits of bacon and a big dollop of sour cream in the middle. Each bite was heaven. We also had the pancake batter schnitzel with french fries which was really good as well. This is heavy food, built for people who need to withstand harsh winters, but still works for Astoria. The portions are big as well.

Absolutely delicious! We came here for a birthday dinner and had a wonderful time. We started with the boiled pierogis with bacon and sour cream and they were lovely pillows of comforting goodness. The potato filling had just the right amount of garlic and seasoning and were supported well by the savory bacon (of which there were plenty) and the bright sour cream. I then had the duck with red cabbage and bread dumplings and it was really tasty. The duck skin was really crispy and the meat was juicy and it came in a truly yummy gravy. My date had the pork schnitzel in potato pancake batter with potato salad and he really enjoyed it. And then the night was topped off with a gooey delectable honey cake. This might be our new favorite cake.. . sooo gooooood. Plus, our waitperson was incredibly nice. She was attentive and helpful and made us feel very well taken care of. This restaurant is not near our home, but we’ll definitely be coming back soon and as often as we can.

Went here with a friend from Slovakia who was very impressed by the authenticity of the food — portions were huge and each plate was delicious. Will definitely be back here again!

Koliba is my go to restaurant for Eastern European food offerings. The décor is «kitchy,» reminiscent of a mountain cottage somewhere in Eastern Europe. With that aside, the food is authentic and brings comfort to anyone yearning for a home cook meal.
Koliba is a quaint Czech restaurant located on 23^rd Avenue and 31^st Street in Astoria at the last stop of the N/​Q line (Ditmars Blvd). I’m lucky enough to live in the area so I don’t have to travel to such great lengths to enjoy this food on a regular basis. It is worth the travel for anyone looking for excellent authentic Eastern European food. My favorite is the ½ roast duck with red cabbage. The duck is perfectly roasted where the skin is crispy and the meat is juicy. If you like duck, you’d love this dish. The acidity and sweetness of the red cabbage perfectly complements the fatty duck. If you decide to order the duck, be advised that the kitchen needs about 30 minutes to prepare it.
When I tire of the duck which is not often the case, I order the roast pork and dumpling. It’s a good example of a hearty comfort dish. There is also a combination roast pork and smoked pork combination which brings this dish over the top.
Although it’s identified as a Czech restaurant, Hungarian food lovers will enjoy standards such as goulash, chicken and pork schnitzel and of course, Hungarian salami and langos. Hungarian food is surprisingly far and few between in NYC. I’m fortunate to find it executed well close to home.
It’s a small venue with a small full bar. Czech beer favorites, Krušovice and Staropramen are on tap. The service is attentive and know the menu well. If you are unsure of what to get, ask them. The owner is also in the restaurant most of time and extremely helpful with explaining what is in the menu.
I wholeheartedly recommend Koliba for Czech and Hungarian dishes. It’s worth the trip to the last stop of the N/​Q line in Astoria, Queens.

5 stars for the soul-​satisfying food, generous portions, and attentive service. –1 star for the $ 25 card minimum and surprise cash-​only tip policy. The food is definitely worth the trek though, so we’ll be back soon with hungry bellies and cash in hand.
The two of us split the roast pork & smoked pork combination, a broiled kielbasa appetizer, a cold red beet side dish, and the apple strudel for dessert. Everything was perfectly prepared and seasoned, and came out at the ideal temperatures. IMO there’s almost no greater sin a restaurant can commit than serving lukewarm food, so that was big in my book. Both porks were delicious, but my boyfriend went crazy for the smoked pork, which was luxuriously tender and smoky. I also loved that we were able to get the entrée with with a 50 – 50 side of both the sweet, buttery red cabbage, and the sharp sauerkraut. The waitress even brought out an extra serving of gravy, which instantly made her my favorite person in the world at that moment. At the risk of sounding redundant in my praise, I’m gonna go ahead and say that the kielbasa was also to die for, especially paired with the killer mustard that they serve there. Honestly, they pretty much nailed every element of every dish we tried. The apple strudel was the only thing that fell short, with a pastry that was soft instead of fresh and crispy. I don’t regret eating it though. Looking forward to trying the rest of the menu!

We went there recently. It was our date night and we both like to try new cuisines so we used Unilocal to find places in our hood. I’ve never had Czech food or beer so I was quite curious. We had a combination of pork and beef with red cabbage, and the duck with sourkraut and I had a lighter Czech beer. All were delicious. For sure we are going back there!

I visited this restaurant on Sunday night with my friend and they were busy. Still we received great service. There were 2 waitresses both really nice and attentive. The food was very tasty and they give big portions. If you decide to give this place a try, forget about diet! We left stuffed! I would give one extra star for the langos (as I’m hungarian). It was just perfect! And I didn’t even mention the check beers… Prices are reasonable: 2 drinks, 2 appatizers and 2 main courses for $ 60 sounds like a good deal to me. Definitely we’ll be back!

The food was OUT IF THIS WORKD. If you are looking for some traditional food come here. The place was so cute! I’ve never been to Slovakia but this place was close enough!

Food is amazing and so is the service. Beef with cream sauce and the fluffy dumplings is my favorite with the klobasa a close second. Pilsner Urquell on tap finishes off a perfect meal. I love coming here.

Love this place. It is never too packed, has cute 90s central European rural décor, and the food is yummy. Portions are fairly large if you’re starving, like I usually am. The service is friendly without being overbearing. Prices are just about what you’d expect. Will be returning.

This place is fantastic! What a great little hidden gem. The most authentic tasting schnitzel I’ve had outside of Germany/​Austria! The kielbasa and pierogis are to die for. As authentic as it gets. Our waitress was very sweet and helpful. Well be back!

I’m from Europe and a little homesick for European type of food here in New York. I went to Koliba on a cold Saturday night and immediately felt at ease entering the restaurant. I had missed the kind of atmosphere this restaurant offers. It’s not like my country but I was excited nonetheless.
Ordered onion soup with melted cheese on top and pierogies. The soup was a little bland but I had flu so it could have been that. The cheese on top of it was great and I peeled all of it off the soup bowl, yum. I had no idea what pierogies would be and they turned out to be like ravioli stuffed with mashed potatoes tasting very bland as I ordered them without the bacon. They were disappointing and I really didn’t understand the dish.
I would really like to like this place and am planning to return. I need to try some meat next time. The service is great but I couldn’t help but be stunned to find out they have a 25 $ limit for credit cards. I wasn’t aware of this beforehand and only had 4 dollars of cash. Luckily they made an exception as they didn’t have ATM but come on, why keep the minimum limit that high? My meal with a starter and a half of the main cost 21 dollars with a drink.

Tried this place a few months back
Really good authentic Czech food!
Going back this week!
The décor is rustic not anything fancy and their food is really good!

This place is great. Very authentic Czechoslovakian dishes. I came here with five of my coworkers and the staff was very nice. They serve huge portions so come with an appetite or you can eat and bring some home with you. The atmosphere was very cozy. Lots of décor that gave us all a taste of the Czech culture. I highly recommend this place. I ordered:
1) Garlic soup (has egg and cheese inside)
2) Potato Spaetzle with sauerkraut and bacon
3) 1 pint of Pilsner Urquell beer
You won’t be disappointed! It’s an experience.

My boyfriend and I stumbled in while walking around 31^st street one evening around 9pm. Surprisingly most restaurants were closed already so we were happy to see they were open. I liked the rustic look of the place and it reminded me of some Swiss tavern or Octoberfest haunt. They have deer and boar heads on the wall along with classic Czech dress from centuries ago.
We didn’t see the hostess right away so we found one of the last open tables and sat ourselves. Shortly after, the waitress/​hostess Veronica came to us and apologized but the kitchen was now closed. She must’ve seen the disappointment in our faces (or the absolute hunger) and said she would convince the chef to make some quick and easy last minute dishes. She ordered us the beef goulash with dumplings and rizek (fried chicken). We took it upon ourselves to also order the local Czech beers which she brought out in the most awesome beer mugs!
When the food came out she tried to explain how to eat the dumplings with the goulash but we were already digging in (eating with our hands is primal, no?) IT WAS THE YUMMIEST STEW I’VE EVER HAD! So much flavor and with the dumplings we literally licked the plate clean. The chicken was also tasty and came with a potato salad.
We were so happy she was kind enough to let us stay and order especially because it’s not typical New York behavior. When you’re shit out if luck that’s it buddy. The other patrons had long since departed by the time our beers were finished and instead of rushing us out, Veronica invited us for another round. Although we politely declined she insisted we at least take the beer mugs as a souvenir. She was the epitome of hospitality and made this our new favorite date spot in the neighborhood.

You walk in and it looks like a country cottage with taxidermy adorning the walls. The people working there are Czech and put out really good homestyle food. I always start out with a Garlic Soup and is clearly one of my favorites on the menu. It’s simple, with gooey cheese and runny egg yolk on the bottom and chopped garlic throughout. It is served not very hot as to keep the consistency of the egg yolk.
The portions are very large and filling for the main dishes and come with a potato side and a salad of your choice. I often get the Pork Schnitzel in Potato Pancake batter but almost everything on the menu is good. I like to change it up. Pair it with a Czech beer and I’m a happy camper.
Every year, they also have Venison Fest which feature a wild game menu. I hope to be able to make reservations for that when it comes around in January.

Try another Czech restaurant if you can.
The restaurant was nearly empty an it took about an hour to get seated. The waiters ignored us and were just hanging out talking to their friends. All together it took 2 hours to get our food which was decent – not great. I think if you go with a Czech friend or speak Czech you might get better service.
Summary
3.0 stars for food
1.0 stars for service

Quaint place with amazing food. Honestly, what’s better than a pork schnitzel? Pork schnitzel covered in potato pancake batter! And just when you thought you knew shish-​kabobs and skewers, Koliba skewers chicken, bacon, and cheese, then batters and fries it! They have a nice little selection of Czech beers by the bottle or by draft, and the waitstaff is more than happy to share their opinion of their favorite dishes. Simple, hearty, and delicious food paired with good service = one happy customer.

This is one of my favorite restaurants!
The schnitzel here is pretty much as good as it gets.
Besides for that, the Czech beer is nice and cold and the service is great.
I’m already looking forward to going back again…