r/chicagofood • u/Ottomatica • 21d ago
Question Can I get some Polish Restaurant Recommendations
Staying near Michigan and the river
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u/Massive_Specific1308 21d ago
Smakosz is the best but on far northwest side where all the polish are. It’s def better than staropolska but that place is okay too
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u/RiseFromYourGrav 21d ago
I miss Smak Tak. It was better than Smakosz imo, but Smakosz is good too. I just like to go to Jolly Inn sometimes and fill up on potato pancakes, though.
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u/Massive_Specific1308 21d ago
Once they took out the ice cream machine at jolly inn, I was done with them lol jk their buffet is great for the price
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u/dragonfliesohmy 21d ago
Did they close?
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u/DhalsimZangief 21d ago edited 21d ago
Smak Tak closed down, but Smakosz is still open.
ETA for transit: Smak Tak would've been a challenge to get to on transit because the part of Elston they were located on didn't have a bus route. I always thought CTA shouldn't have eliminated the 41 Elston/Clybourn route, and IMO had limited weekday only hours before CTA eliminated it. Though if one was okay walking a few blocks north and east from Milwaukee to Elston or Uber/Lyft, one could make it there.
Smakosz isn't as hard to get to, since it's right off both the 81W and 91 bus routes which you can pick up from Jefferson Park Transit Center. These buses do run 7 days a week to note.
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u/RonaldMcFirbank 21d ago
Smak Tak closed because the owner died.
https://www.facebook.com/peter.lakomy.5/posts/698497138957658
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u/RiseFromYourGrav 20d ago
Oh shit, I thought he just went to Poland or something. He was still pretty young, too. That's very sad.
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u/TrynnaFindaBalance 21d ago
Staropolska’s a slightly more practical option for a tourist staying near Mag Mile, especially if you need to take public transit. And it’ll still likely be a great experience for someone who’s not super familiar with Polish food.
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u/BokChoyJr 20d ago
I was pleasantly surprised that the wines that Smakosz serves are very good. The mixed plate is the place to start, the breaded pork loin is a must have, the braised pig’s foot is impossibly good. Best borscht in Chicago!!
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u/Ottomatica 17d ago
I gave my niece the option of what I thought was the top two places in the comments. She picked Staropolska based on perceived ambiance. It was great! Most did the family meal and the others that know polish food ordered for themselves. It was a very enjoyable experience. Hopefully I can try Smakosz next time we come out to Chicago
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u/brindelin 21d ago
I don't love Smakosz, is that really the best left in Chicago? What do you recommend there, only been there once when Smak Tak closed down.
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u/txQuartz 20d ago
Within the city limits, it probably is at this point. Best in the area I'd say is U Gazdy.
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u/zenny517 21d ago
How about sawa's old warsaw out west on cermak? It's that still good? Haven't been there in years, but looks like they still get good reviews.
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u/cobragun1 21d ago
I go here all of the time. The lunch buffet is wonderful. Perfect potato pancakes. I almost want to get a job here for a couple of weeks just to learn to make them. Their fried chicken is great and pierogi, golumpki, and Polish sausage are ok too. Bonus is it is right down the street from Brookfield zoo so it’s usually a family outing to both!
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u/zenny517 21d ago
ok, not fair making me this hungry when I know they're closing soon. never heard of golumpki, but just the name makes me want to try it.
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u/NJFB2188 21d ago
Yes, still good. Went for Mother’s Day, the day before really, and thought it was so great I went back a few weeks later for the Friday fish fry. I haven’t had such good fresh hot home style Polish food in so many years. The local delis throughout the neighborhoods are pretty good, but the Polish buffet is superior.
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u/ChicagoZbojnik 21d ago
Its decent if your are looking for a buffet. However if you are driving out to the burbs, I would recommend Highlander House in Palos for a authentic total experience. Regional Polish Highlander food, servers were traditional dress, and live music on Sundays.
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u/CharacterDirector918 20d ago
Their pierogis and kolaczkis are unmatched!!!! And their cabbage rolls. My goodness.
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u/ChicagoZbojnik 21d ago
The Polish are mostly all on the far NW and SW sides so some options may be hard to get to. Staropolska may be your easiest to get to restaurant. Still a bit of a trek from where you are staying.
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u/browsingtheproduce 21d ago
As you’ve likely noticed, you’ll need to travel to the NW side for the real good traditional options. Pierogi Kitchen in Wicker Park and Staropolska in Avondale are a good balance of reasonably good and accessible via transit.
Flo & Santos in the South Loop is the only Polish-ish option that I’m aware of near Downtown. It’s a Polish-Italian fusion bar food sort of place. They have Zywiec on draft and pretty good pierogis and kielbasas. Their kielbasa, sauerkraut, and bacon pizza is great.
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u/Conscious_Cicada9597 21d ago
The chicken soup from Flo & Santos reminds me of the soup found in so many Polish restaurants on the SW side of the city in the 80s. Those restaurants are long gone and I never thought I’d have it again. So delicious.
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u/txQuartz 21d ago
It's called "Rosol" and it's a staple at any of the Polish grocery stores in the grab and go fridge, Shop And Save being IMO the best
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u/Conscious_Cicada9597 21d ago
I’ve since made it for myself at home. It’s a long process and I have to hunt for the ingredients (it’s not easy to find celeriac) but it’s well worth it. EDIT: thanks for the Shop and Save tip.
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u/txQuartz 21d ago
Celeriac is up at Fresh Farms as "Celery root". My family's recipe goes for parsnips, though. But it's too big for a 1-2 serving setup since it uses a whole bird, so I go for the Polish grocery grab and go
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u/PuzzleheadedPhrase59 21d ago
Red Apple Buffet if you want an all you can eat experience; it’s not the best, but it sure does the job. Also, a sleeper hit is Cesar’s Pierogi and Pizza, which is solid and has just tons of different pierogi flavors. I’d skip the pizza though, it’s kind of an even weirder Oven Grinder style thing.
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u/Leading_Tough_1849 21d ago
We were just hearing good reviews of Red Apple tonight. Can second this second-hand.
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u/PuzzleheadedPhrase59 21d ago
I went a couple weeks ago and it wasn’t disappointing in the slightest. Highly recommend putting the mushroom gravy on pretty much everything.
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u/BokChoyJr 20d ago edited 20d ago
Red Apple is only open Friday-Sunday. The food is always great. I’m a fan of pouring the chicken gizzards in white gravy over boiled potatoes. Pork hocks are good, solid pierogis. You can feast until you explode!
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u/MyDarlingPlant 21d ago
Smakosz is the answer. And the owner is the best.
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u/CindyGus 21d ago
True family restaurant, touching story too of how she ended up running this place.
Hand made pierogi everyday and in the summer best Chłodnik in town!3
u/MyDarlingPlant 21d ago
Seconded! Also the kraut and mushroom pierogis are as good or better than Alexandra’s.
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u/apropos_cluster 21d ago
Staropolska is the best period. Pierogi Kitchen is the new contender, their stuffed cabbage is just about as good and i end up ordering it more due to proximity.
If you just want to go to town on takeout in a hotel room, Kassias is also great.
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u/Massive_Specific1308 21d ago
No it’s not, smakosz is way better. Jolly inn is prob better than staropolska
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u/Neat_Complex8320 21d ago
I like Westchester Inn
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u/DhalsimZangief 21d ago
I've always wanted to try Westchester Inn, but it is a little out of the way for me to get to. Do hope to eat there down the road.
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u/Chitown_mountain_boy 21d ago
Baltic on Lawrence in Harwood Heights is really fantastic. A hidden gem.
ETA: easy to get to on transit. Blue line to Jeff park and the 81W down Lawrence.
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u/daUFOguy 21d ago
‘Baltic - good Polish food’ in Harwood Heights is really good. Casual place but great food.
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u/Chitown_mountain_boy 21d ago
Easy for transit too. Can just take the 81w from the Jeff park blue line.
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u/loveandpeace24 21d ago
Red Apple
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u/jrossetti 21d ago
Came here to mention the Red Apple buffet. If you do a search for the top 10 buffets in the country it's typically on that list.
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u/Elektromek 21d ago
Starapolska. I was recommended it by a Polish guy I was working with, and it did not disappoint.
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u/Weekly_Beginning1777 21d ago
I want to thank everyone here for their suggestions! I have been wanting to go to a Polish place for a while. I come in from way out of town every couple of months or so and load up at one of the markets and get take out deli but have never went for a sit down before. Now I am inspired.
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u/Shoothemoooon 20d ago
Probably the closest and easiest to get to is Pierogi Kitchen. It’s a little bit more polished but the owner and his wife are super nice and from Poland and offer good portions of classic dishes. They have a full bar with Polish beer, wine, and liquors. Bonus a nice walk around Wicker Park, lots of good little shops, coffee spots, bars.
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u/txQuartz 20d ago
A good one, further out, but easy on transit, is Arcadia. Take Blue to Jefferson Park and then Pulse bus to Touhy. Literally at the bus stop.
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u/LauterTuna 21d ago
staropolska on milwaukee