Good Polish/American Restaurants in Chicago area

I think they gave it a fancy name???
they have a nice sized menu there.

I like trying new restaurants here, Polish food is addicting:)

Has anyone tried Barbakan Restaurant on Central in Chicago? A friend gave me a menu after eatung there. He said it was good, but the wait staff didn't seem too immpressed with their employer.

I haven't yet, but next time I make a trip down there I'll check it out and give you my opinion

I havent heard of that one??

Barbakan Rstaurant
3145 N. Central Avenue
773-202-8181

The menu is in Polish and English.

They have carry out service too.

A friend of mine found this place. He takes his wife up to Northwestern every week, and on their return, they check out the Polish neighborhoods looking for good places to eat.

3200 N is Belmont so it probably close to Diversey, I`ll have to go and investigate:)

I should become a food critic..lol

Yesterday I went to the Jolly Inn again for dinner, that place is great!

Irene’s
6873 N. Milwaukee Avenue
Niles, IL
847-647-8147

is rumored to serve czarnina.

There was also Zofia's or Zosia's in Arlington Heights where I ate it about 8 years ago, but I think it has been torn down and redeveloped into condos.

Smak Tak in the the Edision/JeffersonPark area is GREAT!

Is that on Elston ave????

I think I seen that place before

Polish Village Cafe in Hamtramck, Michigan is the best Pole restaurant in the country, hands down.

Smakosz....... 5619 W. Lawrence
I went there yesterday the food was very good the portions were large,
the spinach zupa..wow!
They have practically every Polish Piwo and the price is right:)

I give it 3***

Its a small little place with friendly staff

Everytime I am in Chicago I go to the White Eagle on Milwaukee in Niles and to the Starapolska at 3030 North Milwaukee. Oh man I get hungry thinking about these places. Jolly Inn is very good also. As far as czarnina goes someone told me that there is a restaurant on Lawrence about 3 blocks east of the Polish center near the freeway. It is NOT Polish -- some other type of European -- but supposed to serve czarnina. I have a tee shirt that reads "Got Czarnina".

Alexandea`s Pierogi factory made the newspaper pretty soon they will be world famous:)
They really are the best you can buy, even restaurants purchase them

Pierogi still popular after all these years - from prev.dailyherald.com/story/?id=235255

that's too weird. i was telling a buddy of mine about alexandras today. he'll be up for cubbies game this weekend and is supposed to stop by and pick me up some pierogi. any idea if they are open on sunday? seems i recall missing them on sunday.

Yeah they open up at 9 a.m. on Sunday
They even have a website now Alexandra Pierogi - alexandrapierogi.com/index.php?lang=us


Go Cubs!!! were gonna win today and clinch the central division hehehe

You guys must all like cheap food it seems, since you are all crazy after Jolly Inn & Smakosz. Real polish good food is not served in a buffet, but ala carte. Unfortunately, most American's aren't willing to shell out $30 for a Polish dinner, so those restaurants are few & far between. I say take a peak in the kitchen of the restaurants you eat at, if you like what you see, then have a seat to dine!

$30 is cheap, so where are these better places then???

$30 is expensive compared to Jolly that is like $10, and Smakosz same.

A La Carte Restaurant (Actually next to Jolly)
6501 W Irving Park Rd
Chicago, IL 60634

Szalas Restaurant
5214 S Archer Ave
Chicago, IL 60632
(773) 582-0300
www dot szalasrestaurant dot com

I`ll have to check it out then, I heard of Szalas before but havent made it down to
the southside in some time, the one on Irving is close to me..thanks

I went to that Staraploska on Milwaukee ave. a few weeks back, the food was
ok but the portions were small.

I had dinner at Szałas on Archer last fall. The atmosphere was like a Górale highlander cottage. We had hearty soups and dinner, and a small group of Highlander musicians went from table to table singing and playing. It was great fun, but I remember it took a while to get our check and we had a couple of kids with us who were getting tired. I don't remember the amount, but it didn't seem overpriced to me.

A group of us had gone to Chicago to see the Mazowsze folk dancers last November and made a "Polish immersion" weekend out of it. Mass at St. Hyacynth, lunch at Czerwone Jablonska (with a fabulous buffet) and shopping in the Polish stores nearby, then attended the Mazowsze performance, ate dinner at Szałas. What a fun weekend!

Is anybody familiar with Zhivago's in Skokie? Its website indicates a Russian/Ukranian/Polish place. My wife and I will be celebrating a friend's birthday there in a couple of weeks.

Thank you.

Zhivago's is not polish, its Russian.

The website offers certain menu features in Polish, as well as Ukranian.

Hi,
Yesterday I had dinner in polish restautant in WoodDale, next to Helen's Deli. It was awesome! This place is called U Gazdy (it's highlander style). Enjoy!

Eurola, Krysia and I went to Sami Sowi on Addison/Austin
The food was ok, nothing special to write home about.

Then we went to the pierogi factory, they are soo good!! Bardzo smaczna

Next I wnat to try this place on Elston called Smak Tak


Ive seen Helen`s, I`ll have to check it out someday:)

Has anyone mentioned Bobak's?

I would rather recommend Szalas Restaurant. (5214 s Archer Ave CHICAGO IL 60632). For further recommendations please visit our network website: polskinetwork.com

I would reccomend 'Barbakan' in Chicago. A great, cheap, and healthy polish restaurant. :-)
3143 N Central Ave
Chicago, IL 60634
(773) 202-8181

Although if you don't speak english, the staff will which is great, but even if the yspeak a limited amount, which is rare, their menu's translate from English to Polish, so it's really easy to order the food. And the restaurant is decorated very old fashioned, 50's 60's. Which is very inviting, but there is also a different setting which is more modern. The restaurant is rather small, but very cozy, so it's a great place for a family dinner. I would reccomend getting their at about 12-1. As from 2pm to 5pm is the dinner rush hour. :-)

"U Gazdy" restaurant Wood Dale, IL

At this restaurant we had baptism party. It was small party for 15 people. Food was very good, but after 2 hours boss asked me: Are you ready for a bill because he needs free tables for new costumers. When my wife did reservation for a party nobody told us how many hours we can sit at this restaurant. Boss told me: You have small party and better is when You finish this party. It was my last time when I went at this restaurant. If You want go to this restaurant better ask when You coming how many hours You can sit inside. Good luck everybody. Better find another restaurant.

It's 2009, and both Czerwone Jabłuszko locations are still open. I went to the one at 3121 N. Milwaukee Avenue, and it was ok for my first time eating Polish food. I however didn't like it that one of the buffet islands was in a hallway between the banquet room & the kitchen. After reading this board, I'll be looking at other buffets to see what they offer. After I get an idea what all there is in the way of Polish cuisine, I'll try a sit down Polish restaurant & order from the menu.

For those around Lynwood Illinois, there's Warsaw Inn (not owned by any other Warsaw Inn found in McHenry or Harwood Heights). I'll be looking into that one. That one is only open for dinner from 4-8:30pm tues - Thurs, Fri & Sat 4-9:30pm, & Sunday Noon - 8pm. Closed Monday. I hear from people who have eaten there that service is good, along with the food. They're located at 2180 GLENWOOD DYER ROAD LYNWOOD, IL. Phone#

708-474-1000. There's also a website angieswarsawinn.com .

Yeah its a weird setup for sure, The last time I was there a month or so ago I didnt like the quality of food that day.

The other resturant North of Devon seems to be alot better and I always see it very busy.

Alot of the Polish businesses are moving away from the Belmont/Mill area.
Its turning all Hispanic over there.

Wallys deli and Angelica`s restaurant recently closed down.


My friends Ma said she heard that on Polish radio???


Try the Jolly Inn on Irving park you cant go wrong there:)

Stay away from Old Warsaw on Harlem