Machanents House Restaurant

“Machanents House restaurant in Etchmiadzin is not just a restaurant, but an entire cultural, tourist and social place with its art space. Traditional Armenian cuisine with modern serving and a soulful atmosphere is offered here. The dishes are good in some places, but mediocre in others, it's a matter of taste. Portions are generous, aromas bright. The staff are attentive and welcoming, making you feel like old friends. By the way, the very name Machanenz comes from the word kiss. A separate thing is master classes on making Armenian lavash: guests learn to sculpt and bake real lavash in a tandoor, it will be a vivid experience and interesting entertainment for the whole family. On the downside: at peak hours there are queues and delays in serving meals, parking nearby is limited. Without a navigator, it's hard to find this place for the average tourist, there are several different entrances from different streets. Overall - a great place for those who want to get acquainted not only with traditional Armenian cuisine, but also with culture, history and unique culinary experience.”

“Much to our regret, the Agape Cafe has closed. I had to go to Machanents. Ordered, no exotic dishes, practically no meat. But it took more than half an hour. The dishes brought were without a pronounced taste, unleavened. If you can ruin the lentil soup, the chef has tried hard. Nor was she impressed by the pazzo dolma. More or less normal were lentil meatballs and chicken pilaf. Come here if you're really hungry. You won't have to stay in the culinary pleasure.”

“If you’re in Echmiadzin, there are two places you can’t miss: the Mother Cathedral and Machanents House. I love this spot not only for the super tasty Armenian food (with fun, creative names!) and cozy artsy vibe, but also because it’s a social enterprise where people with disabilities work and serve with such warmth. What makes it extra special is the experience — you can visit the souvenir shop, enjoy the art, and even bake your own lavash (Armenian bread). The lady who helps with it writes a personal message on each lavash and explains the traditions behind it. For only 1000 AMD (about 2 Euros), you bake your lavash and are then served free cheese and fresh Armenian greens to enjoy it with — honestly, the tastiest bite I had! It’s a perfect place for families, kids, tourists, or anyone who values authentic experiences, good food, and a warm arty atmosphere. Highly recommended!”

“Great place to see. Best family restaurant we ever been to. Anyone will find some unique things to do. Good food , great atmosphere”

“Obviously a chauvinist establishment. I sat there for 15 minutes, the waiters ran by, no one came, not even the menu came. At the same time, locals were served menus for 30 seconds. Highly discouraged”

“We were with the kids on June 1. Brought half a loaf with a clutch + a bonus COCKROACH roast. The waiter saw, asked for forgiveness vaguely. The supposed manager (not COMPETENT at all) came smiling and said that they would not add the cockroach dish to the bill 😳. NOT RECOMMENDED UNSANITARY!!️‼️‼️”

“This unusual place should be visited by everyone who comes to Vagarshapat (Echmiadzin). Feels like I've come to eat and ended up in a museum. Everything around here is so interesting and exciting. You can take a lot of beautiful pictures. Interesting meal service. A soulful atmosphere. PS: They learned from their guide that the organization provides work at the establishment to people of age and disability. That's really great!”

“we have a good weekend with our friends and family. This house is very beautiful. there are more interesting places and they’ve armenian kitchen very tasty national food at menu”

“My wife and I came here as part of our trip and had the vegan option which was absolutely amazing! I had coffee after and she had tea, unfortunately we never got the name of the tea or how it’s made and have been trying to find out. I can’t recommend enough, the setting was perfect.”

“The staff was rude, arrogant, and didn’t have proper internal communication between them. We called at 6:10PM and asked if the activities that involve children are available, they said that we can make it if we arrive before 7:00PM. We ran with my 2 year old child and made it there within less than 10 minutes. We entered, asked where we should go for the activities, was immediately asked to go to the proper room, pay first, and proceed. I know that we have to pay, but why be so rude about it? We proceeded to the relevant room, asked about the activity, and I was told that there is no availability. Like, what? You just told us there is over the phone. After some words of criticism from our side for this incident, one of the staff members cut us off on the way out quite aggressively and started yelling at us to add insult to injury. In short, if you can’t have better staff with no attitude and aggressiveness, then you probably should just close shop and open a different business. This was my first and last visit. Very disappointed.”