St. Louis Seeks the Best Polish in Chicago

[goforegolf]

Can you steer us to 1.)best Polish fare hands down and/or 2.)best upscale Polish eatery in Chicago.

Thank you

[YourPalWill]

I really like the Old Warsaw Buffet on Harlem at Lawrence. The buffet is excellent there.

Some tout the Big Apple for buffet. But, IMO, Old Warsaw is clearly the better of the two.

[goforegolf]

thank you all! would still appreciate any high end establishments

[YourPalWill]

GoForeGolf, I have not eaten at this place, but the Slow Food Guide to Chicago, which is a very valuable resource of good bars, restaurants and markets in Chicago speaks highly of Hortex Restaurant which it notes is ambitious and bistro like, serving high quality "nouvelle" Polish food.

Some of the menu items include tender pork ribs cooked in a honey wine sauce, spinach pierogi, pierogi with more traditional fillings served in an excellent tender white dough. Other items on the menu include a peppery tripe soup, quail in cranberry glaze wrapped in bacon, and rabbit cooked in honey wine.

It sounds like what you are looking for rather than the more pedestrian buffets (which are very good in their own right). Perhaps someone here has some experience with Hortex that they can give you.

Hortex Restaurant
7419 West Irving Park Road
Norridge, IL
(Three Blocks West of Harlem)
773-625-1200

[tom]

thank you Will, that's what I've been seeking

[N Tocus]

There are fancier places but I prefer The Red Apple to the half-dozen other Polish restaurants I've tried. We have two Red Apples, one at 6474 N Milwaukee Ave a block above Devon (this is five minutes from O'Hare Airport) and the other at 3121 N Milwaukee Ave a block below Belmont (in old Polish commercial neighborhood). Generous buffet of freshly-cooked homestyle Polish food (at least a dozen meat entrees, potatoes with four kinds of gravy, pierogies, potato pancakes, beets-and-horseradish, sauerkraut, dozens more dishes) costs $6.99 weekdays and $8.49 weekends for all you can eat. Food is prepared in small batches; buffet is replentished constantly by nice kitchen ladies who bring it out steaming. Everybody is speaking Polish. Sun-Thurs 11-9 and Fri-Sat 11-9:30. Both have parking in rear. Red Apple has won many awards along the line of "best deal in Chicago".

However, if you find the South Side more convenient, Tatra Inn is also excellent and the buffet is even more elaborate. It's near Midway Airport, see phone book.

[CJ]

If you're game for traveling to Naperville, I think Bobak's buffet inside their new market on 75th Street is far and away best in the area. A wide variety of real Polish food (not just a few sausages and sauerkraut)and other dishes prepared very well. Not long ago they served an outstanding ox-tail stew. Multiple types of dumplings (finger dumplings included), and incredible potato pancakes that aren't soggy from hanging around on a steam table. Hunter stew, polich meatballs, etc. $12 per person AYCE.

[sand12]

RED APPLE
BOBAKS - to die for

[Scylla]

I've been to both Red Apple locations and in my opinion Jolly Inn, which is located on Irving Park near Austin, is far superior. The food is really good, lots of choices and the prices are insanely low. Another good Polish restaurant in the area is Lone Tree Manor, which is on Milwaukee Avenue in Niles. My Polish grandma LOVED that place especially because they have traditional Polish specialties like czarnina (a sweet soup made with prunes, raisins and duck blood)! Sounds ghastly, I know, but I loved it until I found out what it was made of!

As for gourmet Polish fare in a fine dining restaurant, Lutnia on Belmont near Central would be your best (and possibly only) bet.

[care2]

Unfortunately, Tatra Inn closed last year. It was the best...

[Southside Vinnie]

This one's easy! Szalas (pronounced 'Shavaz") on 5200 W. Archer Avenue on the city's southwest side. Authentic food, authentic decor, everything inside of the restaurant was imported from Poland, including the extensive wood and iron work. Polish 'country' fare, it's a cant-miss!

[Querencia]

Google "chicago menus" then go to Polish. Looks as if Lutnia is the most upscale. Tonight on TV they did a spot on Polish restaurants and focused on Smak-Tak and the one that starts with Bob---, but if you are looking for fancy, prices suggest that Lutnia might be what you want. Mostly in Chicago when we want Polish we want "all the pierogies you can eat", slobs that we are.