Eat · Calea Victoriei & Revolution Square

Lacrimi și Sfinți

A modern Romanian bistro near Cișmigiu, reworking village dishes (polenta, offal, pickles) into a small-plates dinner menu: book ahead for dinner, a good change from the Old Town beer-hall style.

last order: unknownchairsMNot field-verified

Key facts

Price: RON 100–200 per person; M
Hours: unknown
Walk in: unknown
Seating: chairs; booking: true
28″ bags: Painful; Calea Victoriei & Revolution Square
Getting there: Near Cișmigiu Gardens, off Calea Victoriei; 5 min walk

Modern take on village dishes
Small-plates format
Near Cișmigiu
Order: Modern small plates on traditional ingredients
Table seating
Book ahead
Menu with prices on Voykit

Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.

Rules in force · 11Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…Mine-suspected land still exists in Bosnia and Herzegovin…The Palace of the Parliament is visited on a booked guide…Old Town streets are partly pedestrian and cobbled

Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
Balkans ↗Mine-suspected land still exists in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in pockets of Croatia's former front line: outside towns keep to tarmac and waymarked paths, and treat red triangle signs and taped-off fields as absolute.
Balkans ↗Serbia refuses onward entry to travellers who reached Kosovo from a third country and then try to cross straight into Serbia; route Kosovo–Serbia legs through North Macedonia or Montenegro, or start the loop in Serbia.
Balkans ↗Hire cars need written permission from the rental company and valid insurance for every country on the line; Kosovo sells its own border insurance and some contracts exclude Albania, Kosovo or Bosnia outright.
Romania ↗Romania is in the EU and the Schengen area; the EU Entry/Exit System applies to non-EU visitors. Check the official EU and Romanian sources for your passport.
Romania ↗Drivers need an electronic road vignette (rovinieta) on national roads; rental cars normally include it, but check.
Romania ↗Brown bears live in the Carpathians and sometimes enter towns and roadsides: never feed or approach them, and follow local warnings.
Bucharest ↗The Palace of the Parliament is visited on a booked guided tour only: bring your passport or ID card and book ahead on the official site.
Bucharest ↗Old Town streets are partly pedestrian and cobbled: large suitcases go from the car to the door, never on a walk.
Bucharest ↗Use a ride-hailing app or a taxi booked by phone; unbooked airport and station taxis overcharge.

Actions

Map & directions

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Directions

From where I am

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Plan

When you can walk in, what to order, how to pay

Walk-in windows

lunch: mediumdinner: low

A walk-in lunch is only planned as primary when your arrival lands outside the “impossible” window.

Menu and prices

2026 estimate

Polenta with cheese and sour cream—RON 25–35
Grilled offal and pickles small plate—RON 30–50
Seasonal vegetable small plates—RON 25–40
Slow-cooked pork main—RON 60–90

Graze budget: tap what you will eat

People

Polenta with cheese and sour cream0
Grilled offal and pickles small plate0
Seasonal vegetable small plates0
Slow-cooked pork main0

0 items × 1 person

Pick a dish

Uses the 2026 estimate range from the table; per-100 g items can run higher once weighed.

Paying and dietary fit

Need	Fit	What works here
Vegetarian	ask each time	Ask staff to confirm no meat stock or lard in the base.
Vegan	ask each time	Dairy and egg are common even in vegetarian dishes; ask about both.
Halal	ask each time	Not certified; ask about pork and alcohol in the specific dish.
Gluten-free	ask each time	Not confirmed; ask about wheat-based sauces, breading and noodles.

“Ask” means possible with care; Voykit has not tested cross-contact. Allergies: carry a written card in the local language.

Who it suits, booking, closures

goodWho it suits — Travellers who have already had one or two traditional Romanian meals and want a modern take on the same ingredients.

Dress code: Smart-casual.

On the ground

Facts

Reservations: true — Book ahead for dinner, especially weekends; lunch is more often walk-in.
Capabilities: food · seated_rest · toilet
Getting there: Near Cișmigiu Gardens, off Calea Victoriei · ~5 min walk

Cons

Small-plates format means the bill adds up faster than it looks.
Some dishes (offal, strong pickles) are an acquired taste for first-time visitors to Romanian food.

Ordering helpDish glossary · Price check · Dietary phrases3 parts

Dish glossary

On the menu	What it is	Order it how
Murături	Pickled vegetables, a standard starter or side.	Order a plate to share; expect cabbage, cucumber and peppers.
Mămăligă	Polenta, reworked here as a small plate with cheese.	A vegetarian-friendly order if plain.

Price check

2026 estimate

locals pay: A shared small-plates dinner for two with wine runs about RON 250–400 (2026 estimate).
tourist price: Menu prices are posted; no separate tourist pricing identified.
rule: Ask the server how many plates per person is typical before over-ordering.

Dietary: what to say

Need	Say or show	Reality here
Vegetarian	Sunt vegetarian/vegetariană.	Limited but workable: ask for the vegetable small plates and the polenta without meat stock.

Deep dive

Questions, nearby food and sources

Questions and answers

answered by Voykit editors · dated

Is this traditional Romanian food?

It is built on traditional ingredients and dishes, reworked into a modern small-plates menu rather than served as at a classic beer hall.

Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk

Should I book?

Yes for dinner, especially weekends; lunch has a better chance as a walk-in.

Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk

Is it good for a special dinner?

Yes, it is priced and styled as an evening-out restaurant rather than a quick lunch stop.

Answers come from Voykit editors, not from other travellers.

All places to eat in Bucharest, with filters →

Nearby

Straight-line distance; walk time adds 30% for streets.

Used as a seated rest node in Bucharest in 4 days.

Sources

officialRomania Tourism (official)