Moose-AKa's - Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Rachel H.

Need to reserve ahead of time but this place worths it to the core! We got lucky since we just walked in at late hours, on a rainy night and they had some no-shows which rarely happened. The food was great, authentic Serbian food (certified authentic approval by my Eastern European husband lol). Maya the waitress and the chef were very friendly, helpful, and truly loved what they were doing. I could tell by the way how they treated every-single-customer with full attention and genuineness, even though it was at closing time. This place is Googlw top rated and Trip Advisor awarded for a reason. If we ever had a chance to be back at Denali, I would definitely come back to visit them again!

sunny S.

Visited this very well reviewed place sometime back on our way to Denali Park. They are owned by Michael and Maya. Here is the summary of my review and experience there.

1) Ambiance 5/5: The ambiance is not your typical one that you would see in any other restaurant. This place is very different and you could see the thought and culture on display. Even the restrooms are well though out. It has a very rustic vibe with Serbian themes.

2) Service 5/5: The people and the owners are super nice and they really make you feel special here. Everyone is super helpful and explains everything delightfully. They have some of the most incredible stories to tell you. It was so great that I would like to thank everyone by name - Gary was our server who was very helpful. Peter helped with drink. Polina hlped with some hiking suggestions. Elizabeth was at the back of the kitchen.

3) Food 3/5: This is where I was the most disappointed. Although everything else was great, the food was not the best. I feel the food was a let down to their amazing hospitality and decor. Here is the summary of what we had:

a) Pilici Pilav: It is chicken rice which tasted bland. It was like Indian Chicken Khichdi but with much less flavor. Not a fan and didnt not like the chicken in it.

b) Meze Platter: This was good. I am not a fan of Pork but this was good and crispy. The Rgussian salad was ood.

c) Grandmother's chocolate cake: The cake was meh with more oats than chocolate and it was peanut butter in it which I am not a fan of.

d) Vegan Dessert: We were confused about the cheesecake of this vegan dessert and asked the server. They insisted on this and said this is their best seller. It was such a let down. He said we wont know it was vegan and gluten free - Oh we knew it in every bite. We ate less than 25% of it, packd it and then ultimately had to throw it away. I so wish we had not listened to him and had the cheesecake.

4) Value for Money 2/5: The service and decor are great but the soul aka the food is kinda let down plus they are pricey. So not the best. Even though the place looks like a hole in the wall place, it is costly.

The good:

i) The decor
ii) Service
iii) People

Not so Good:

1) Food
2) Price
3) Vegan Dessert

Vonnie R.

What a delightful surprise! My husband is Romanian and I wanted to surprise him with food from his home. And boy, he was surprised!

We absolutely loved the atmosphere. Chef Michael welcomed and greeted us. He took the time to explain the menu and give recommendations. Everything we tried was absolutely delicious: schnitzel, sarma, the appetizers, and the desserts.

The waitresses, Nikki and Moja, were very attentive. They made sure we were comfortable and satisfied.

We highly recommend this treasure of a place!

AJ&MW F.

Dinner at Moose-Aka’s is not just a meal, it’s an experience.

First of all, you MUST have reservations. They do not accept walk ups at all. I noticed in their website that they said that reservations must be made 24-hours in advance by email. We were within the 24 hours, but I wrote them anyway. What did I have to lose?

As it happens, they had a cancellation and they offered us the open table, which we accepted.

The restaurant is Balkan, which is a bold choice for such a small tourist area. The interior is dark and cozy. There are only about twelve tables inside.

We were greeted by the cheerful hostess. We were made to feel at home. Once we were seated, the chef came by. He told us that he insists on explaining the menu to each table. A very personal touch. My wife and I are familiar with Eastern European food, so we took in the menu quickly.

We started with the meze platter, which included a sampling of four different appetizers. Everything was wonderful!

We ordered pitcher of sangria to drink. It was very tasty, full of fruit, and I might add, pretty strong!

For the main, my wife chose the Sarma, cabbage leaves stuffed with ground beef and seasonings. It was very good, but perhaps a touch bland. We would have liked a bit more flavor in the sauce.

I chose the Kardjordjeva Schnitzel it is essentially a pork version of a cordon bleu. It was magnificent!

We ordered two desserts, the Grandmother’s chocolate cake, and the cheesecake crepe. The chocolate cake was not to my liking, but the crepe was one of t the best desserts I’ve ever eaten.

Denali has no right to have such an amazing restaurant! The staff is incredibly attentive and friendly. The food was amazing! My wife talked about our experience all the way back to the hotel. Definitely the best dining experience available in Denali, if not all of Alaska!

Sarah K.

Amazing food and service! I got the cabbage rolls and my husband got the vegan pilaf. We started with the mezze platter and the chef split it between vegetarian and meat-based foods (my husband is strict veggie). Chef Michael was very accommodating to our dietary needs. We also got the cheese cake which was like a delicious custard. All the food was comforting and delicious! Chef Michael was very welcoming and explained everything before we started ordering. Maja was very kind. They let you enjoy your meal and you never feel rushed. Highly recommend! Service felt very personalized.

Sravani R.

First and foremost, dining here is an experience and not meant to be gobbled down!! Its reservations only, but would very highly recommend planning to go in. Michael and Maja are amazing hosts, the ambience, service, food, drinks everything is amazing. We got their chocolate martini and Turkish Irish coffee and I highly recommend the Turkish Irish Coffee!!! We tried the vegan bell pepper dish, rice pilav with chicken and fried bread-all tasty!
Dessert was a toss up between their cheesecake and fried crepes, both were different to what we are used to.

A T.

Michael is an absolutely phenomenal chef who deserves everything good coming his way. Hands down an experience I’ll never forget. Just do it. Make those reservations and do it. You will not be disappointed.

Sarah F.

My husband and I had the most delightful meal here! Maya and Chef Michael were so welcoming, explaining and presenting the dishes with such a high level of care. Food was great and atmosphere charming. Highly recommend!