Starka

My girlfriend and I were practically laughed out of there on a Monday night for thinking we could get in without a reservation. So we made a reservation for the next evening, on the condition that we be done by 8PM for another party to have our table. But the next evening, the place was not even half-​full. And even then they were out of a few special items on the menu. Still, our meals were quite good. I am a little baffled by the raves about the wait staff in other reviews since it was fine, but not excellent.

The food was impressive but the service was spectacular. They were kind enough to accommodate us, a party of three that just showed up with no reservation. When I reminded the server that she had forgotten to bring a drink, the drink was on the house.
I had a larger-​than-​expected portion of beef cheek with green dumplings. The beef was very tender and the dumplings were dense and flavorful. Their house cherry vodka was also very good.

Arrived around 8:30 on a Thursday night without a reservation, and luckily there was only one table available for us.
Began with prunes wrapped in bacon. The bacon was good, but the prunes were like jam, and overall we weren’t that impressed with it.
The entrees were stuffed pork loin stuffed and lamb. The lamb came with balsamic cranberry sauce, potatoes roasted with onion and bacon and warm caramelized beets. The pork loin came stuffed with plum and wrapped with bacon, served in a cognac-​pepper sauce, along with sheep cheese andcranberries, baked potatoes and shredded celery salad with nuts and raisins. The pork was fantastic, the lamb dish not so much.
Ended with a complimentary plum vodka shot.

Cake to this place twice it was so good. The first time I came with a friend and got the duck. Second time the pork. Wait staff was amazing!

My favourite meal of our whole trip in Kraków. The food was excellent anyway but the staff really made it — so warm and attentive and even gave me a sunflower to take home :) the wine here is lovely too! I went for the boneless ribs which came with the typical mash and cabbage and it was by far the best I’d had of either. I was just upset we didn’t have time to go back again before we left!

What a treat! Delicious polish cuisine for rock bottom prices (perhaps expensive for krakow standards i admit). Try the house-​made vodka. I had the lard and pickle appetizer with it, and the pork as main. Large portions so no room for dessert, sadly.

Naja…
Schön deutlich besser gegessen. Und auch deutlich preiswerter. Die Nachspeise machte einiges wett.
Die Bedienung… im Rahmen ihrer Möglichkeiten ganz ok…
Wüsste nicht, warum ich bei den phantastischen Möglichkeiten in Krakau essen zu gehen, nochmal hier her sollte.

Great spot in Jewish Quarter of Krakow. A tasty starter, two excellent mains (stuffed chicken and pork roast), dessert, beers and vodka set us back less than £30. Even if you’re not a vodka person (I’m not), you should still try at least one, as they distill them in house. I tried the pear vodka, which was recommended by our waitress. Very tasty, with real pear flavor. It didn’t taste fake like a flavoured vodka does. I really can’t say enough about this place. A great place for a really nice meal.

Starka is a small tiny restaurant in Kazimierz. The restaurant is like a cozy little house with two rooms decorated with drawings and small paintings. Little lamps on the table give it a special atmosphere. Service was top, all attention for the guest, feeling for timing etc.
The food was prepared very well and had a delicious dinner there, lamb served on a hot pan with balsamic cranberry sauce that went with roasted patatoes and caramelized beets. Just delicious !
Starka one of my top 5 Krakow restaurants.

If you wanna try good, home made Polish food with a modern touch this is a good address. I really liked the beetroot soup with pierogi (stuffed dumplings).
We visited this place twice and the second time the waiter still remembered our names (which we hadn’t told him in the first place, LOL). Service is very kind and attentive.
They also serve the perfect bison grass vodka-​apple juice long drink!
The restaurant is in the old Jewish quarter, south of the old town.

On a recent visit to Krakow culminating in my birthday I wanted to book a decent restaurant for the occasion so after recommendations from friends and another website I plumped for here and we couldn’t have been happier. Quite simply everything was perfect — the location, food & drink quality, price and service.
We had a bottle of red wine to drink, complimentary bread with delicious garlic butter, the pork tenderloins stuffed with cheese (one with peppercorn sauce, the other with plum sauce) with roast potatoes and cabbage. It was simply divine! We then decided to sample the vodkas that Starka is famous for — I tried the cinnamon and my Mum the ginger one — whilst resting (!) before tackling dessert, we decided to be sensible and share one and had the Kasia’s special homemade cheesecake which was so delicious and I’m not usually a fan of cheesecake. When this was brought out, an even more special one was brought for me with a lit candle for my birthday! I was very touched! I also was presented with a special flaming Kahlua shot too, followed by two grapefruit ones for both of us! All of these were really tasty and enjoyable.
We were so shocked the bill came and it was the equivalent of around £30 — unbelievable!
I simply cannot recommend Starka enough to locals and visitors alike — I am so pleased I chose it especially for a special occasion and have already recommended it to friends who live there and are visiting there soon.
The staff were all so friendly, polite, quick and helpful and the location was ideal, in the heart of the Jewish Quarter which is very trendy and the place to be.
Starka makes me wish I lived in Krakow so I could visit and enjoy it regularly!