The Best Bars & Restaurants in Karlovac

There are some excellent bars and restaurants in Karlovac, Croatia. These tend to serve delicious Croatian cuisine, and many were fairly dog-friendly. We visited many bars, restaurants and cafes on our visits to Karlovac and found them very good value compared to the prices on the coast and in the capital, Zagreb.

Karlovac has options for dining out in the main city centre, the suburbs, and near the river. We had a variety of meals, including sharing meat platters, seafood and other local specialities. The bars and cafes of Karlovac also served good Croatian beers and coffee.

Tried and Tested Restaurants and Bars in Karlovac

Konoba Kostanjac

In the centre of town is Konoba Kostanjac, a Croatian restaurant that serves traditional food. They have an interesting venue with a dining room and a terrace at the rear. Konoba Kostanjac serves both Croatian beer and wines to accompany your meal.

As a starter at Konoba Kostanjac, I had an octopus salad that was enough for a main and tasted delicious. For the main course, I had a massive rump steak cooked on their grill. This was one of my favourite places for Croatian food in the city.

Ćevabdžinica Behar

One of the best restaurants that we visited a few times is Ćevabdžinica Behar. Ćevabdžinica Behar is a small establishment with indoor and outdoor seating. We opted for the outside seats, as the weather was fine, and we visited with Henry, our dog.

Their menu is Croatian grilled food, including ćevapi, grilled pork, chicken and more. Most dishes come with chutney, onions and flatbread. I found their grilled meats to be perfectly cooked and the bill good value.

Bistro King For Tasty Burgers

Another venue where we have dined out is Bistro King. They have a nice menu; however, after chatting to the server, his recommendation was for their burger. They are supposedly the best in the entire county.

I had their double house burger, which was absolutely delicious and very filling. They served it with fries and a Croatian barbecue sauce. For drinks to accompany the meal, I had PAN, a Croatian lager.

Caffe Bar König: For Craft Beer

Overlooking Promenada and Gradsko kazalište Zorin dom is Caffe Bar König. It’s good for Croatian craft beer, with a beautiful view of the city. I drank some wheat beer in their outdoor seating area.

They also have a dog bar for those who visit with pets. They provided table service, and the staff were knowledgeable about their craft beers.

Restoran Korana Srakovcic

Alongside the river towards the wooden bridge is Restoran Korana Srakovcic. Restoran Korana Srakovcic is a pleasant restaurant with a lovely terrace. We visited in an unorthodox manner, as they were hosting a car show. The car show had an outdoor stall selling barbecue street food.

The event was fun, and the food and drink were delicious. I had beef brisket from Black Angus Farm to complement my Karlovačko beers.

Star Bar

In Trg Matije Gupca, in the centre of Karlovac, is Star Bar, a cool place for beer or coffee. They serve only drinks, including coffee, juices, Croatian wine and beer. They have a lovely outside seating area with comfy seats and parasols.

Inside is a rather cool-looking bar area, and it’s handy if it’s stormy outside, as I found out. They provide at-the-table service for drinks both inside and outside.

Kvaka A Riverside Restaurant

While walking towards the castle along the path by the River Kupa, I spotted Kvaka. Kvaka is a riverside restaurant with a terrace overlooking the water. As well as food, it is ideal for a quiet outside drink. This includes some of the local beer options.

Ham Ham, a Fast-Food Restaurant

Not a culinary attraction, however, Ham Ham in the centre is a fast-food joint. They offer both takeaway and alfresco dining outside the establishment.

Their ćevapi and sandwiches are delicious, with a nice sauce and washed down with a bottle of cold beer. Thus, it’s an option for a cheap meal when backpacking.

Caffe Bar & Night bar River Side

If you like value beer and views, then Caffe Bar & Night Bar River Side might be the best bar for a drink for you. Their terrace faces the river, and it’s great to watch people enjoying it, including those on kayaks. They have table service and serve coffee and Croatian beer.

They also have live sports on and are open late if you like to party. Ideal for a morning drink before or after a swim, with splendid views.

Papa’s Bar

Another dog-friendly place in the city is Papa’s Bar. Papa’s Bar is in a great location at the end of Promenada. They have both indoor and outdoor seating with at-the-table service. Papa’s Bar is suitable for both morning coffee and an evening drink. It’s popular with locals for a night out and quite welcoming of visitors too.

Catalpa Lounge Bar

Near the city centre of Karlovac, at the edge of the fortress park, is Catalpa Lounge Bar. This was a cheap place, perfect for a coffee or beer in the mornings or while exploring the city. They served the local beer, Karlovacko, on their covered terrace. The locals were friendly too, and we found it to be sociable and suitable for drinks with the dog.

Pečenjara Sidro In The Countryside

Some of the best bars are found while walking in the countryside. I found Pečenjara Sidro while walking from the city to the war museum via the scenic route. It’s a pretty basic farm bar that serves cold beer, which was much needed after a long walk in the sun.

They were also the cheapest bar that I visited while on our stay in Karlovac.

Caffe bar Karlo

Overlooking Trg Josipa Jurja Strossmayera, the city’s main square, is Caffe Bar Karlo. Caffe Bar Karlo is a good place for summer drinks and handy for visiting the museums and churches in the area. They also served Karlovacko, and the clientele was mainly a local crowd with banter going on.

Cafe CROATA

Another bar at the edge of the park in the centre of Karlovac is Cafe CROATA. They have a covered terrace, which was handy in the heat. Cafe CROATA provides at-the-table service and does coffee and beer.

Klimatizirano Near The Market

Near the market in Karlovac, towards the railway station, is Klimatizirano. This is a cafe-bar that serves coffee and Croatian beer. They are an ideal place to chill and plan your shopping, and are quite good value, albeit a bit laid-back about refilling your glass.

Caffe bar Ziggy

Another establishment for cheap drinks in Karlovac is Caffe Bar Ziggy. Caffe Bar Ziggy is the nearest bar for a drink at the launderette in the city, thus an ideal place to wait for the laundry. I enjoyed some local beer on their terrace overlooking the nearby small park. It seemed popular with backpackers, and I heard many international voices here.

Srće

Srće, near the popular swimming spot with the diving board on the River Korana, is. They have a covered outdoor seating area in the middle of the park. I really enjoyed a few beers here. They provide at-the-table service and have a good selection of drinks. Note: This was cash only on my visits