Don't let the location put you off, as for next to nothing, you'll get a slap-up and unpretentious meal that includes all of your local favourites, including an excellent ciorba de burta and some of the best sarmale we have tasted. The live music is entertaining if way too loud. [...]

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Now owned and operated by the City Grill team,  Caru' cu Bere is a century-old inn that has recently been restored to former glories after decades of state-run neglect. The murals on the walls and ceilings are stunning, the wooden paneling positively shiny and the infamous bad, d [...]

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One of the stock Romanian restaurants that has been packing in visitors for years, there is little gimmick here (beyond the rather wooden entrance) except good food at great prices. Indeed, if there is almost one thing you can be sure with when it comes to standard Romanian restaurants, it is that [...]

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Good, cheap, simple food for the masses. Staff fall over themselves to serve you (we were asked by three different people what we wanted to order on our last visit), and the covered terrace is perfect for those evenings when it isn't quite warm enough to sit outside. Inside it is a bit stuffier, but kids are welcome, there is good non-smoking/smoking separation, and at these prices the food is a bargain. Try the cârnati de pleşcoi: tangy mutton jerkies served with mustard, and a good alternative to mici. [...]

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Romanian food has always been good, but few restaurants in Bucharest have really ever done it justice. Culmea Veche is one of those places that pushes the boat out, however, even going as far as to boast that they will try and cook whatever recipe you bring along. We have yet to take them up on thi [...]

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This restaurant should stop being cruel to animals - literally - as when you walk in there's a few sad-looking deer and ducks trying to get to grips with crowds and concrete. Average food but a good folklore show on the massive stage, and a top selection of local wines. Not the b [...]

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Quietly good Romanian restaurant with a big terrace that makes the best use possible of the traffic-free streets of Old Town. Delicious ciorbas, huge stuffed pork steaks and tasty desserts all come at rock bottom prices. [...]

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It was pointed out to us the other day that we had not changed the review of La Mama for a year or so. Well, that's because there's no point. It is still the default choice for expats wanting to eat Romanian, and for Romanians with little imagination. It is popular, though that is in the fi [...]

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If you've been invited to a wedding or christening in Bucharest, there's a 50 per cent chance that this will be the venue. Its to-die-for location, on the lake in the heart of Cismigiu, makes it the default choice for set piece events all year round. So much so that you should not expect to eat here at the weekend: it is block booked. Come instead on a quiet weekday night and stare out at the starry sky as you chomp on fairly standard Romanian/international cuisine of no great note.
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The concept is great: very good Romanian food with a nod towards the vegetarian served off a menu that changes daily. You can check it online then decide if you fancy anything before setting off. Alas, the service leaves a lot to be desired. On our last visit we were given our menus, then ignored. We gave them five minutes, then ten, then 15... then we got up and left. It's hardly a big place, so I guess they just didn't feel like serving us. A shame because it could be very good.
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