Musafir — Restaurant in Kyiv

don't believe the hype, at best, this place is below average. everything is WATERY and tastes BOILED because they do not know about how maillard reactions intensify and seal in flavors. apparently they also don't know how salt does the same. unless "bland" is the flavor everyone is raving about, i don't know where all the 5 star reviews are coming from.

quite frankly, the staff is rude and unattentive. there is more i want to say about this but i don't want to make it too personal, i'm going to stay objective. they may be overwhelmed, but if basic drink and entre didn't take upwards of an hour for a single diner, the turnover would release some of the pressure. (that means after seating and etc etc, YOU dear customer, are going to be there for upwards of 2.5 hours for a simple meal ... imagine what this must be doing to the backlog.) to be fair, this place seems to be a magnet for belligerent and unruly clientele, so that may be taking its toll.

maybe if they had a bar area for the backlog to wait at ... maybe if they gave menus so people could be ready with their order as they got seated ... maybe if they didn't expect people to have reservations when they know that it's fruitless to try calling when you don't speak ukrainian (or maybe have a website reservation system instead) ... maybe if they had some fkng EMPATHY for their poor customers instead of being a raging @554013 to them, i might give this shty restaurant an extra star. but given that the cuisine itself, or the way they prepare it, doesn't substantively contrast with the bulk of everything else around, this place is just taking up the spot of a better, nicer, more competitive restaurant.

really, go anywhere else. you...

When you go to a restaurant, the whole point of going is to eat well-cooked, fresh, tasty cuisine. If said cuisine originates from the Crimean peninsula, erstwhile home of the Crimean Tatars, then that is another reason to check a place out.

So, off I went, on a cold Saturday night in January, and was told there was a ~20 minute wait by the waitress who spoke perfect English. Now, having seen the reviews on here, and seen that the average is 4.8, I had a feeling it would be worth the wait.

I was right. Beautifully cooked, warm, with fresh ingredients - I felt like I was in Bagche-Saray way back in the day at some Khan's banquet. I didn't have much of a clue what I was eating, even with an English menu I'll add, but it mattered not as I felt like those YouTube food vloggers who eat anything you put in front of them with gluttonous glee.

Ok, I will quit with this review whilst I am ahead. I will however finish off by adding the bill for two came to 469 hryvnia. FYI that's the cost of a single kebab dish in London, and here it got us 5 dishes.

So, in a nutshell, eat here. Wait if you have to. But, eat here.

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EDIT: revisited 2 years later and it felt like I was visiting 2 days later. Service is still outstanding, and I was given a seat in mere minutes. I was served by 'Seyran' who despite not speaking English, and me not speaking Russian/Ukrainian/Tatar, was able to serve me effectively and courteously. Food is still 10 out 10 and quite honestly Crimean Tatar cuisine is one of the best cuisines that you have never tried! London veteran speaking here 😉 If there is one place you have to eat in...

Musafir, it's an Arabic word, and it means the traveler مسافر Musafir, Crimean restaurant in the city center of Kiev, honestly it's a great & comfortable place to chill out & relax meanwhile you are busy having your delicious lunch or dinner either solo or with family or friends. I love the atmosphere here, it's super really The restaurant is well organized and spot with decent classical music 🎶 which helps you relax and enjoy your meal 😊 The staff is welcoming, smiling & so friendly... and that's very important for me & for everyone, isn't it? they say: if you can't smile don't open a restaurant. The service is top & quick The meal is great 👍 & tasty 😋 What about the prices? The question you may ask and be wondering about In a nutshell, I can say that the prices are so raisonable, not expensive at all Here, the poor can afford a great meal as easily as the rich... I'm not exaggerating writing that, it's the reality and if you are skeptical 🤔 about that you can pay a visit here, try the food..... check out yourself! Subsequently, I highly recommend it, the five stars ⭐ I gave the restaurant deserves them by excellence. Enjoy your meal & relax.... Bon appetit شهية طيبة في مطعم "مسافر" Just don't forget to say after finishing the meal: thank God for the meal الحمد لله Again, enjoy your...