Gurra Cafe

I frequent out-​of-​the-​way restaurants in «ethnic» neighborhoods all over the city and this was the first time I have ever been STARED DOWN by staff and patrons upon entering one. But, let’s give them the benefit of the doubt and chalk that up to them being surprised since it was a holiday and most other nearby restaurants were closed.
On to the food and service!
After escorting ourselves to a table (that we assumed was ok to do since no one spoke up otherwise), we ordered the grilled meat combination plate, a half order of goulash, and a half order of bean soup. The meats were greasy and flavorless (with the exception of the suxhuk), and the goulash and bean soup were bland. The olive oil/​vinegar/​salt/​pepper basket on some of the other tables might have helped, but our table didn’t have one nor were we offered it. The tangy cheese on the salad and the complimentary bread were probably the best part of the meal. Upon receiving the check we were told it was cash only and that there was an ATM across the street. Unfortunately, the ATM had a maximum $ 20/​transaction.
It’s sad that this was my first impression of Albanian food aside from bureks and it was so subpar. I’ll give it a try again someday, but definitely not here.

Isha né Gurra qe te ç’mallem me ushqim nga vendlindja. Ndjenja dhe mikpritja ishte e mire dhe te bente te ndjehej se je né ndonje qebaptore né Prishtine. Porosita nga menu-​ja Kombinim (qebapa, qyfte dhe suxhuk), né dukje dukeshin shume te shijshem, por pasi i provova nuk te jepshin ndjenjen e qebapit. Pastaj morra per desert nje bakllav dhe tollumb qe fatkeqsisht me zhgenjyen perseri. Bakllava dukej si burek me mish dhe nje shije qe skish te bej me bakllave, ndersa tollumbi poashtu njejte.
Né fund, ju sugjeroj te provoni vet dhe ta vlersoni vet! Mos pritni qebapa te Kosoves!

Food is delicious, owner and staff are super friendly. Was there for lunch yesterday with my family. Me, my wife and my 8 year old simply loved it.

LOVED THIS PLACE! From reading some prior Unilocal reviews, had some concerns about getting stared at and being treated like an outsider. NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH! We shared that it was our first time trying Albanian food and our server offered to bring a sampling of Kosovo and Albanian sausages, meatballs, Albanian ghoulash and feta salad. Everything was amazing — spiced just right and cooked to perfection. We chatted up the owner/​chef and he brought out his white bean specialty for us to try. He was so warm and welcoming, proud of his food and his restaurant, and we were thrilled with our experience.

This place leaves me great experience of Albanian cuisine. Some reviewers said they weren’t treat well here but I didn’t feel anything weird and we were four Asians there last time. Well, it is true that if you speak Albanian you will be better served since people here don’t speak good English. The food is delicious: sausages, hamburgers, veal, bean stew, and salads all worth try.

Not a fancy place, but the food is delicious, the portions are generous, the staff is nice — they really try hard to please you, and yes, it is a hang out place for older Albanian men, but there were 6 of us who went here for dinner (three couples) and we had a very good time. Keep an open mind people — when in Rome do as the Romans do, that’s the whole point!

Being of Albanian decent there are many places you can go to eat authentic food, but this place is really good. It is small but gives the feel of the cafes back home, small and crowded. As another Unilocaler suggested, ladies I suggest you go with a male companion, because these type of places are male dominated.

I like this place, probably for the same reason that the other people didn’t like it – it’s exotic and feels like you’re visiting Albania (I guess — never been there but been to lots of other 3^rd worldish places). Anyway they will stare at you but I (a guy) tend to look back and then smile and they smile. I’ve never felt that anyone is really unfriendly but it’s generally a male-​dominated place — my wife would prob not go there without me. I go there all the time actually. Also worth mentioning that it’s very cheap — esp in the context of the rising prices throughout the rest of this Little Italy. Also since I go all the time the owner now knows me — maybe he tells the other guys that I’m ok :)

I went here over a year ago… talk about cleaning the skeletons from your closet.
I first read about it in the Village Voice… and after coming, I don’t know how the reviewer was really able to come back out. I got the worst stare-​down of my life here! If looks could kill, they’d serve me up as a sausage.
The food was good though, if my memory recalls.

This place use to be very popular back in the days. Lots of traffic and good food use to be served but now they are in steep decline.
Not only you cant get good food but also all you get is people staring at you and trying to figure out where are you from or what the hell are you doing here.
There are many other good places in the area. 2 Star, ZYMI, and many many others around Arthur ave that wont disappoint you or make you feel like your not belonging.

My boyfriend is Albanian and I’ve always wanted to eat at an Albanian restaurant. We headed to Arthur Ave which is the traditional Little Italy in the Bronx. Over the years Arthur Avenue has established an Albanian presence, many owning Italian shops or setting up Albanian stores. So we drove there not knowing any specific restaurant rather stumbling along and asking locals on the street where a good Albanian restaurant was located.
So I do not look Albanian at all. When we walked into Gurra, there were a few older men there kinda staring me down. I’m kinda used to that especially since I’ve been to Albania and was stared at all the time. So although it was somewhat uncomfortable, it wasn’t unbearable. My bf started speaking to them in Albanian and they started to warm up. Their first question was, «where are you from, you know this is Albanian food?» We sat down and I didn’t really know where I should look since I know I was being stared at. There was a tv in the room but I wasn’t facing it. So I mostly stared at a wall. My bf ordered a few salads with chunks of feta and meat plates of cevapi (veal sausage) with bread. We were never offered a menu, rather the chef brought us to the display of meats and we pointed to what we wanted.
The food was good and hearty although it tasted exactly like my bf’s mom’s cooking. We were in and out within 20 min. Now when I recall the experience I feel like it’s a men’s club of people that made up the Kosovo Liberation Army. Not that I don’t support that but that’s how hardcore it was.
So looking over some posts on Chowhound, this café is pretty much members only as in only Albanians which might explain my experience there. They might have slightly loosened their members only policy but I would not go unless I was with an Albanian.