Two Brothers Cafe and Grill: Authentic Balkan Cuisine in Portland, OR

Very glad to find a casual Balkan restaurant, one thing I haven't seen a lot of in Portland. The menu is very simple with just a few quality ingredients, like almost all restaurants in Bosnia. The meats here are good quality. We went with the mixed grill pork plate, which was a perfect feast for 2. There was cevapi of course (didn't find a single restaurant in Bosnia/Serbia that didn't serve this). It is like a breakfast sausage but fluffier and meatier. You dip this in the sour cream or ayvar (red pepper paste). Also came with some other sausages that are more like American breakfast sausage links and some pork chops, salad & fries. All were good, but the cevapi was my fav. They have some Balkan beers and rakia (tastes like vodka). If you want to try some authentic no-frills Balkan cuisine just like they serve in Bosnia come here, and I would do it soon as I have heard they are looking to retire and sell the place. Hopefully I can make it back before then to try their pleskavica (juicy hamburger steak patty). I wouldn't come if your a vegetarian tho, the only thing you can eat is salad. Also, don't go anywhere in the Balkans, you will starve. Like actually.

I never see food quality that good, and recipes of the dishes they have are super amazing, family restaurant, worm welcome , affordable prices.great place for evening time.

Oh no - I just read that they will sell the restaurant due to retirement of the parents. That will be a big lost for portlands food scene. This is as authentic as it can get - I always hoped the kids will take over - cause well it is in the name already. But the two brother are no chefs and worked a very good service. Now it's up to us all to make sure they earn as much money as possible for Retirement so please visit them as long as they are still open. (Give them a call before you drive over but do it do. Or assume they are closed until they are!)

We finally made it in here for lunch and were not disappointed. The service was expedient and friendly, and the food was great. We ordered the grilled chicken plate, cornbread and Turkish coffee. The highlights included the chevapi, veal sausage and kebab. The bread was also good! I would definitely come back and order the chevapi as it's own dish in the future.

I came in on a Thursday, fucked up a platter, and left. 10/10 experience I will be back. The guy working was cool too

I had the Chevapi. My Date had the Chicken Kebob and Salad. The meal was pretty good. Nice neighborhood spot.

By the time we finally stopped in for dinner here, I'd driven by Two Brothers Rakia Bar and Grill an uncountable number of times, each time vowing that someday I'd stop in and see what it was all about. Prior to our first visit (which also happened to be on my birthday), I was only vaguely aware of what Balkan cuisine is like thanks to an episode or two of Anthony Bourdain, but honestly, I had no idea of what to expect. Now I do: Delicious, hearty, filling, heartwarming, unpretentious, down-to-earth dishes that flirt with aspects of Russian, Turkish, and Mediterranean flavors and ingredients. And that Rakia? Amazing! What is Rakia, you ask? Think of it as "fruit brandy", and you're pretty close. There are several types, each distilled from a particular fruit, the most common being apples, pears, apricots, grapes and quince. It's also quite strong, so you won't be knocking back more than a few, if you plan on driving home! We ordered a hummus and pita appetizer, and the Combo 2 to split between us, as I couldn't decide between the singular cevapi, sudzuka sausage, or goulash entrées above, and decided to knock out as many as I could with one blow. Two outta three ain't bad...but I *am* coming back for that goulash! Everything that was served hit the spot! The cevapi, listed as a "beef roll", are a sort of finger food meatball (no fork required! well, I didn't use one, anyway!) that pair wonderfully with the provided sour cream and ajvar, a red pepper and eggplant spread. Dip and dunk to your heart's content! And despite looking like glorified breakfast links, the sudzuka sausages pack a powerful flavor punch that was well received by us both. The flavor is strong, earthy, unique, and really just amazing. It made me want to start poking around international grocers and strip mall Russian to find them again! The interior was a little smaller than I expected, but it was clean, cozy, dimly yet warmly lit, with an ambient glow coming from behind the bar. A couple of TVs were playing sporting events. The bartender doubled, and tripled, as our server and the bus boy, and he did so with a friendly, welcoming demeanor. He appeared to be alone at first (where is his brother?!), until we spied a woman (who was probably his mother, judging from the interactions we observed) holding down the fort in the kitchen, and doing all the cooking. To her, I say "Gemrieli! Gmadlobt! Chven davbrundebit!" Upon leaving Two Brothers, my wife and I both walked away impressed, a little more cultured, a little tipsy, a little heavier, and a little happier! Not a bad way to celebrate my 44th orbit around the sun! And the next time I end up driving by Two Brothers, there's a strong likelihood that I'll be making a detour and ending up in the parking lot instead! Gaumarjos!