Jovan's Place

I've been passing by Jovan's Place for years. I've been meaning to eat her for almost as long. I don't know why I waited. I met with my good friend Ethan for dinner on Friday night. For starters, Jovan's Place is a weird space. It's a corner bar with no windows, and when you walk in there's a large bar, a big screen TV, and then a small dining room, all sort of crammed into one. The place wasn't full, and we were seated right away. All of the food is meticulously made to order, so we grabbed the menus right away to get our orders in; we knew they would take a bit of time.

The menu has about ten different entrees to chose from. There were several enticing options. I went with a schnitzel rolled with ham and cheese. Ethan ordered a pork cutlet. While we were ordering we were given some great bread and homemade pesto dipping sauce. It was an excellent way to pass the time. Ethan and I were catching up and it didn't seem like an abnormal wait time for the food.

The beer selection is weak. Draft beers consist only of major domestics, but there is a small selection from PBC. It's too bad this isn't a BYO, that would take it up a notch.

The service here is unmatched. I think I love it because this restaurant is complete family affair; our man server/bartender was the owner. His wife and mother make all of the food. His young son was sitting at one of the tables playing Nintendo DS. His older son was having dinner with friends at another table. It was a great vibe. On top of that, everyone is incredibly nice and attentive. They were genuinely concerned with us enjoying our meals.

The schnitzel was nothing like I expected. It kind of looked like a corndog. But it tasted amazing. One of the cheeses was home made. It was like a fancy cordon-blue. All of the meats/cheeses were high quality products and complimented each other well. Ethan's dish was more what I expected mine to look like, and he enjoyed it. I did a comparison taste test, and it wasn't as good of a cut as I ordered. We both had a side of mashed potatoes, which were fine, and a lot of veggies. The vegetables were the low point of the meal, I think they were canned. Overall, the meal was excellent.

The owner insisted that we try his homemade cherry liqueur for dessert. They use homegrown cherries, and it tastes phenomenal. I highly recommend it as a perfect end to your meal here.

Bottom Line: Jovan's Place is a self proclaimed Yugoslavian restaurant. I love that. The food is excellent, the service is great, and it's a nice place to chill out. The prices are just a bit higher that comparable spots, but it's so worth it, you shouldn't give it a second thought. Try this place out.

Essentials:

2327 York St (York and Memphis)

(215) 634-3330

Avg Ent: 11-16

Cash only: Yes

Reservations: Not needed. They also do Take Out.