Bosna Express
“Lettuce, Tomato, A Red Pepper Sauce called Avjar, Red Chopped Onions with a Lamb and Beef Bosnian Meat Patty on a flaky pita bread.”
“Pretty popular here in Ridgewood, Queens and the cook is usually very friendly and eager to please.”
“I have to agree with most reviewers this is a real gem and whole in the wall place, a type of place you visit to experience taste of Balkans.”
Bosna Express
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Price range.
$ Price range Under $10
8 reviews
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It took quite some time to cross this place off the list, as my will to head down the M train to the penultimate stop is not very high. One Saturday, though, with the weather fair and the desire for any time of party low, I came over here.
There's no competition for the flat, spicy burgers of the Balkans in Brooklyn. The two other times I've had it were at an Albanian restaurant in the Bronx and then at a shack in Slovenia, where the meat inside was horse. Both of these wound up being better than Bosna Express, which I'm afraid using too many ordinary ingredients in the service of a sometimes ordinary dish.
My advice is to throw out the lettuce and tomato, an American addition that adds neither flavor nor texture. Then ensure that there's plenty of kajmak (a thick cream that's like a cheese) and ajvar sauce. Keep the raw, sliced onions – these add necessary crunch. Ensure the bread is well-toasted along with the meat. This will ensure plenty of room to soak up the flavors inside the patty.
Unless you are planning this to be the sole meal of the day, you can split the burger, which is called a pljeskavica on the menu and in the Balkans, with a friend. This is nice food, but if you have the patience to head to the Bronx, it can be better.
The boyfriend is Balkan so coming here for a pljeskavica is a must. The price has gone up a few dollars in the past years but it's totally worth it.
This joint is a small hole in the wall but is fantastic. Pljeskavica is a grilled burger made Bosnian style with lamb and beef served with sour cream, onions, lettuce, tomato and avjar (an eggplant based sauce). You can order the regular burger or the one that has cheese inside the meat. Pljeskavicas are not as good as the ones I've had in the former Yugoslavia but it will do for NYC. It's huge and filling and you will want to come back for this Balkan burger.
Don't expect a big place to sit and eat anything here. This place is tiny and mostly a take out joint but the food is all very fresh and delicious. I came here for the Pljekavica, a Bosnian Burger that had tons of great reviews everywhere. Its huge! Its the size of a hub cap (see the pictures). I asked for it with everything they usually put on it. It was great. Lettuce, Tomato, A Red Pepper Sauce called Avjar, Red Chopped Onions with a Lamb and Beef Bosnian Meat Patty on a flaky pita bread. I really did like it though it could have been spicier for my taste. It was good for 9 bucks and could have been shared for 2 people unless your like me then this is single serving.
Located right underneath the Forest Avenue M-Train stop, Bosna Express is a hidden gem. A hole in the wall, and that's being generous. Order the Pljeskavica, which is the Bosna burger with the works. It's enough for two people to share and will leave you feeling full and satisfied.
Good burger, not adorned with much spice, but still pretty good.
I love how flat and light it is.
As other people have mentioned, the dude working here is not Croatian/Serbian/Bosnian or any type of European, but he is pretty nice and put up with all of our questions about the cuisine to the best of his ability. If you live in the area, this is definitely a place to add to your checklist.
I must say the Pljeskavica is quite good here, there must been a good a good mix of some lamb in with the beef patty– the ajvar tasted like a tinned product, however didn't detract too much from the well cooked meat and toasted pita. I'd say $9 is a bit expensive for the neighborhood… and the guy at the counter gave me trouble trying to give him a $10 bill that had a tiny tear in the corner.
The verdict overall: Juicy, meaty and had fresh produce so I'm pretty happy
They say its Mediterranean,but it's really Bosnian food located near the L train in Ridgewood Queens. They were on one of the food shows. Known for their Bosnian burger Very Nice. Don't go with a large group of people because it only seats 4 people. But the Bosnian burger is oh so amazing. It's topped with their own sauce not ketchup. It's huge, they have to cut it into quarters. This place is hard to find and I recommend you go during daylight.
A tiny place that only has a couple of chairs. Of course we got the Pljekavica, or Bosnian Burger, with everything. Everything includes lettuce, tomato, red pepper sauce and chopped onion. The patty itself is the size of a dinner plate, but flattened out thin with a blend of lamb and beef . The pita that the burger is served in is light and delicious. The burger itself screams for some salt and pepper, it seemed a bit on the bland side. You definitely need all the toppings for some flavor.
All in all in was a good burger experience, maybe next time I'll smuggle in some salt and pepper.
Interesting little hole in the wall. The Bosnian burger is quite tasty, it was good– not good enough to trek from Sunnyside into Ridgewood but good enough to stop and have a bite if you're already here.