Marta’s Restaurant & Bar

I was very disappointed considering the good reviews. The décor was interesting with pictures of the Czech Republic. However, the restaurant seemed dingy and in need of cleaning. The meal started well. The chicken liver soup was excellent. It was great to have Pilsner Urquell on tap. We visited on a Wednesday. Though the restaurant wasn’t full, service was slow. One couple actually walked out due to slow service. Portions are large and include a soup or salad. My husband ordered pork schnitzel which was good. My mother in law, who chose Marta’s based on the reviews and type of food, ordered the pork loin. The meat was dry and the spaetzels were too dense. I ordered the pork with zucchini sauce which was a special. I believe the meat was a blade cut, which was fine, but the meat and the sauce were burnt. I just couldn’t eat it. I appreciate that we weren’t charged for my meal. Since I am of Slovak heritage, I wanted to love Marta’s. However, I know I could cook the same kind of food much better in my own kitchen.

First visit by myself, Marta, the owner and chef, greeted me when I came in and was very friendly with small talk. Chicken Paprikash with Spätzle and the Potato Pancakes were delicious. Chicken was tender and paprikash sauce was creamy and flavored perfectly. I am a Potato Pancake snob and these were really good and some of the best I have ever had. Went with others a second time on the weekend and was crowded but it is a small place. Potato pancakes did not disappoint again… excellent. Pork Schnitzel was large and seasoned and breaded perfectly. Beef Goulash was also flavorful. Fish Fry on Fridays is supposedly very popular.

This place has some of the best home made Czech food I have ever eaten. It cooked fresh and served in a timely fashion and you get a large amount of food.

The food is great. If you haven’ tried it your missing out!!! This is what Cleveland is all about. Comfort food at its best.

Stuffed cabbage soup– simply on point! Potato and cheese & cheese pierogi– light and fluffy potato/​cheese filling and a flaky crust. Cheese pierogi– either stale or over cooked, but, the cheese filling was nice. I ate the chicken paprikash with spaetzels– nice sauce, ok chicken, and great spaetzels.
The food was very enjoyable to eat. What made the dinner so nice was the exceptional service!

I visited the czech republic last year and enjoyed the traditional hardy Czech cuisine, which reminded me of meals growing up with my Czech mother. Prices were low by Western standards and the beer was cheaper than water!
A trip to Marta’s successfully recreated the experience. The food was authentic, plentiful and tasty. The menu features all the czech standards with choice of traditional czech dumplings or (more typically Austrian or Hungarian) spaetzle. Other eastern european favorites are also offered, including wiener schnitzel (austrian) and chicken paprikash (hungarian). Everything was delicious but my favorite of our meals was the hungarian chicken paprikash with spaetzle.
I plan to return often. Next time ill try the wiener schnitzel.

This comment is directed toward Barbe S. While everyone is entitled to their opinions I beg to wholeheartedly disagree with hers. I perused the link she gave to Frankie’s. hardly ANYTHING on the menu is authentically Czech. Obviously this reviewer has little to NO experience with REAL Czech cuisine. i.e. from Prague and NOT some posh overpriced Americanized LA dive. Marta learned these recipes from her mother and puts lots of heart and soul in her cooking. The half roast duck & potato pancakes are to die for. but so is everything she offers on her menu. This is REAL Czech food folks… you won’t find ‘Czech Poppers’ or hamburgers in traditional restaurants in the Czech Republic folks… Frankie’s Bohemian Café. what a Joke! LoL

I wanted to love this place, but didn’t. I chose this place based on the online reviews, it did not live up to them at all. Perhaps the food here use to be good, and the cook lost her passion –I don’t know, but I’ve had good Czech and Eastern European food and this was not it.
Having recently moved back to Ohio from San Francisco I was looking for a place like I use to go to in SF with my Czech Friend Martina called «Frankies Bohemian Café».
. The owner came from the same town as my friend so whenever we went, we got the hook up-​all kinds of wonderful Czech food not on the menu but made for «family». I’ve been missing it something fierce, now so looked online for something here in Cleveland.
I came across Marta’s and it had great reviews on a number of websites. I was looking forward to eating some really good/​stick to your ribs food. Unfortunately this place did not live up to any of the reviews.
The décor was totally vintage 60s and kind of charming. It had an European tavern feel with tables on one side and a long bar running the length of one side. The owner/​cook/​waitress was very pleasant but sadly that was the best part of the meal.
We got there at 6 on a Friday evening and the place was completely empty. Having been open since 4pm and completely empty on a Friday night at 6pm isn’t a good sign for any restaurant. We wanted pierogies for appetizer and were told they were out of the pierogies (potato/​cheese) we wanted. Strike 2-​another bad sign for a business that clearly wasn’t busy and running out of food. So we ordered the other filings and our entrees.
Anxiously awaiting our food, hubby got a Czech beer (on tap). Plus for having a good European beer! Then we got our food and it was mediocre at best-​a total letdown. The plate was piled high with food, covered in pale looking gravies-​not very appetizing. I got the Chicken paprikash and it was tasteless and bland. I don’t know what the other reviewers got who raved about it but there was nothing to rave about with mine. The sauce was very runny, pale and bland. The spaetzel was good though. Hubby got Pork Wienerschnitzel-​said it was tough, WAY too much breading and a greasy gravy. We couldn’t finish it and declined any dessert.
Not only was it so-​so, it was pricey. One appetizer, two entrees, one beer ($ 7.50 for tap beer!) and one Sprite came out to $ 42 before tip. YIKES! Not cheap and not worth the money.. If you want good Czech food, this is not the place to go. I will continue my search for GOOD Eastern European food.

KILLER pergoies and quality service!

One word: AMAZING! Marta’s pierogies are the best in the city. Great old style cooking.

Marta’s is awesome! The first time I came here she was just locking up, but she opened the place back up for us and I was glad she did. Great ethnic eastern European food and beer, great friendly service. Just ate here yesterday again and the food is still super good. Chicken paprikash is so good with spaetzel or dumplings… yum. Marta is a real doll she takes good care of you. Definitely need to try the pierogies next visit. The Czech beer she has on tap is amazing too. Like Stella only heavier. I highly recommend this place if you’re looking for something off the beaten path. I always try to stop here when I’m in the area.

If you are looking for good, homemade Czech food, this is the place for you! Great Czech beer on tap as well. Local, relaxed, neighborhood tavern and restaurant.
HINT: Call ahead and order the roast duck! It was terrific! Everyone in our party of 25 thought it was excellent.

What a wonderful experience! You’ll feel like you’re Europe! GREAT food!!!