The staff at Kaia were so friendly and welcoming, as well as attentive. The food was so good - my date and I shared an appetizer (a lamb kebab with an amazing reduction), each of us got an entree, a bottle of wine and a dessert. The music and vibe of the place was really cool, and they were advertising an upcoming disco night. I don't know South African food and can't comment on authenticity. For a NYC restaurant though, it had an amazingly welcome freshness and diversity of taste. As an update, I've been coming here for over a year now, and the food and service is still fantastic. I can't recommend this place enough. I'd definitely recommend going there.

Surprisingly good food, great selection of South African wines, and plentiful outdoor seating! The grilled cheese sandwich with pickles onions and chutney was a standout, but our group also enjoyed the lamb skewers, rooibos ribs, and desserts. The mushroom mac & cheese was nothing special. Service was a bit odd, and our server wasn't very helpful in helping us select bottles of wine, but overall we had a great meal and look forward to returning!

Went for a quick snack and the happy hour, which is every day from 4-7pm. It was $8 for martinis and wines. There are a couple of items on the menu that are brought back by enthusiasts, which mean you can't get them regularly anywhere else. I haven't tried South African food before so it was fun to get introduced to a very extensive menu. From what I can tell, it's curries with a touch of what you'd expect from the Dutch - fries, mayo, a lot of bread. The portions were big and I gotta say, pretty decadently delicious. Service was lovely and attentive. The place gets loud inside once the crowd comes so come early and/or sit outside. But come! I know I'm going back sometime soon to try the rest of the menu.

Kaia Wine Bar is a truly unique spot in the UES. They're a South African wine bar serving up drinks, small bites, and unique entrees, with incredibly friendly service. Pro tip: their happy hour specials are not only out of this world, but incredibly affordable. Two drinks and a cheese board (with complimentary bread) was only $25!! Pretty unheard of, if you ask me, given that most cocktails nowadays are $18+. Although I've realized that dirty martinis and I will never get along, I was told that as dirty martinis go, this one was excellent. The olives were delicious. The cheese I ordered was overpriced for the portions ($8 for 3 slices) but delicious nonetheless.I recommend Snow Camp for anyone who wants a creamy cheese akin to brie. The jam had notes of cinnamon, and paired well with the rest of our meal. The highlight of Kaia is their complimentary (with food) bread with olive oil and spices. I don't know what kind of witchcraft is involved in the making of the spice blend that is brought out with the bread, but it is entirely worth it to order a small plate JUST to get the bread. Dip in olive oil then the spice mix, and you'll see what I mean. Heaven. If the owner ever decided to sell this top secret recipe, I'm sure she'd make millions. Such a fun spot, can't wait to go back!

Many wine bars have lots of wine selections and a smattering of small plates of unremarkable food. This wine bar is different. The dishes are varied, unique and tasty. Portions are not skimpy. We enjoyed several appetizers. First was the baked lemons with artichokes, cherry tomatoes, olives and goat cheese. Absolutely delicious and unlike any other dish we've tasted. We also had duck drumsticks and lamb skewers, which were very tender. Entrees included baby back ribs, assorted tacos, macaroni and cheese with wild mushrooms, and a delectable grilled cheese with a zucchini soup. Oh and of course we drained a bottle of red and a bottle of white. Service is friendly and there is seating outdoors, which can be necessary as there is no air conditioning inside.

I've walked by this restaurant and thought it looked so unique and inviting. I've never had South African food before and it did not disappoint. The blending of cultures is clear in South African cuisine and I really appreciated it. The food was really delicious and the vibes were amazing! The lamb burger was extremely tender and tasty. The Gatsby was also one for the books. The sandwich was amazing with the main ingredients of chicken flavored with garam masala. We also ordered 2 bottles of wine. The introduction was our favorite! We were given a free round of shots for our party as well which was much appreciated! The staff were very welcoming, we will be back!

We moved into the neighborhood a little over a year ago, and this place always has a crowd. Wether people are smiling and enjoying some wine outside, or packed into this cozy, dark, but beautifully decorated restaurant eating what looked like yummy food, something about this place caught our eye. We finally went, and were SO impressed. We went slightly before the dinner time rush and during happy hour and were sat within 10 minutes. I will admit that about 30 minutes in (after happy hour), there was a long wait. We let the waiter know it was our first time. Although it was busy, he took the time to go through every item on the menu, explained to us what made each thing unique, and even recommended some of his favorite. This was super helpful and nice! Here is what we ended up ordering: 1. Snuck in a glass or two of wine during happy hour for $8 each. - HH: 4pm - 7pm 2. Complimentary bread. - You dip the bread in oil and a mixture of their spices. Great combo! 3. Eend Vlerkies (Duck dremettes) - There's no cute way to eat this and that is okay. The duck was very juicy and the mango chutney sauce was great. 4. Kaia Farmers Market Slaai - Easily one of my favorite things on the menu. 5. Lam Burger - This was different... sour cherry compote, lamb, and a brioche bread, but it worked. The lamb was very thick and juicy. Worth the price. 6. Malva Poeding (Traditional South African sticky cake) - I'm a big dessert person, and this was such a highlight for me. There are days where I just want to order this to go and have at home. Everything above was shared by two people. Did we need to finish it all? No. Did we want to finish it all? Yes. Please note that their menu changes so what I have reviewed may no longer be an option.

They open at 4pm and go straight into happy hour so if you come a little later you might have to wait a little before being seated. They're a pretty straightforward spot with South African food and drinks. I went for Bunny Chow and unfortunately they didn't have it so ordered bobotie instead. I also wanted melk tert but they didn't have it so instead got a dark chocolate terrine. Overall, it's okay, it's not amazing and not bad, just okay. The service was nice and helpful. As with any bar, it can get quite loud so harder to hear if looking to focus on talking.

A staple South African food and wine bar in the Upper East Side! So happy I paid this place a visit after having walked past it a few times and see how lively it can be. The food is simply amazing - offering street to elevated South African food (such as their street style sandwich). The service is great - and they offer both inside and outdoor seating. Great place for a group or intimate conversation at the bar!