Staropolska has an absolutely beautiful, cozy, fun interior. Very clean but very traditional. This was my first experience at a polish restaurant and I thought it was very reasonably priced. The service as well, was quite good.
We started with the zucchini pancakes - they were ok, but started getting a little heavy and filling at the end.
I ordered two different kinds of beer and they were out of both, but recommended an alternative that turned out to be quite good.
I had the sautéed, breaded pork chop with mushrooms - it was pretty good - though I don't eat a lot of meat and the old world style of food harkened back to a by-gone era.
My girlfriend ordered the pork tenderloin, but they brought her something else - when we alerted them to the mistake, they took care of the problem right away, even giving her a free desert.
I found the restaurant to be acceptable - a little heavy from a food standpoint, but with good service and reasonable prices.
I've been there twice and I really was not impressed. One thing's for sure - the interior looks magnificent. Captures the Polish rural charm in its decor, not plebeian though, but tasteful. That's about where the good ends.
Service... Mehh. I've experienced better. One of the waitresses, an older Polish lady, blonde, wearing glasses... Really snotty, not to say b****y. Gotta work those attitude problems out, otherwise you won't be making good tips, at least not off of me. Oh, and Chardonnay is supposed to be served chilled in wine glasses, not champagne flutes... Just a tip. Another waitress, much younger, had barely any knowledge of the menu whatsoever. Could not answer a single question adequately, but at least she was friendly and polite.
Food... Really could do better. Much much better. I was looking forward to some traditional Polish home cooking. What I had received, however, was a plate full of "microwaveables". The pierogis were exactly the kind you can buy frozen in packs at a supermarket. How about serving some fresh homemade pierogis you can pride yourself in? Shouldn't have to resort to Alexandra's pierogis purchased in bulk... The fish had so many bones I choked on almost every bite and had to pull them out individually. Coffee was absolutely disgusting. Whoever runs the kitchen is resorting to cheap and effortless methods, where quantity plays the lead role, not quality, where nothing is made fresh, but frozen and microwaveable. And on top of it all - wayyy overpriced! I didn't really know what I was paying for!
If I'll ever feel like treating a friend to some Polish cuisine again, I think I'll resort to cooking a meal from scratch myself. Even though I'm no chef, I think I could do a much better job than whoever runs this place.
Rolled upon this place today when the temperature was hovering around -9 degrees fahrenheit(wind chill), and I am sure glad I did, because the food was great and the service was even better.
During this visit, of which there will be plenty more to come, we were inundated with huge portions of tasty food, all served up by a great waitress, in a very cozy and comfortable atmosphere. I probably should recommend the dishes we ate, but at a restaurant like this there are just so many options to choose from. Me personally, I basically like anything with fish, especially the herring appetizer since it was something that I ate growing up, even in a non Polish household. The other item that I would recommend was the Red Beetroot Soup. It really wasn't what I was expecting, as it was just a hot cup of beet juice, but it had some sort of celery and herb flavor infused into it, and it really warmed me up.
All in all, this place was great for me and my peeps. Sure none of us are Polish so that might be of some consideration when taking stock in my review, but good food is good food, and that is as simple as it can get. So, if you are ever in the mood for some really tasty food, served up in dinosaur sized portions, delivered by a truly genuine staff, then this place will easily meet that criteria.
By the way, we were the only non Polish speaking people in here, so that might be a good reference point when deciding if it's truly authentic or not...
Enjoy Suckas'!!!
Okay, here's how it goes: an American guy, Irish guy, and Polish guy all walk into a restaurant, and as long as that restaurant is Staropolska, then they each had a great meal at a ridiculously low price!
Being familiar with only the most common aspects of Polish cuisine, we split an order of Potato Pancakes and assorted Pirogi to start. Â She had the Devolay, I had the Polish Plate, and we both had well formed food babies by the time we were done. Oh, and by "done" I don't mean when there was no more food; I mean when we lost the will to consume more of the deliciousness.
Everything was fantastic, and for dessert we had a check that came out to $25 a person, WHICH INCLUDES A 22% TIP. I will be back, and next time, EVEN HUNGRIER.
I had a wonderful meal here. Â I am Polish and the food here reminds me of old memories. Â Now that my Polish grandparents have both passed away, it is nice to go somewhere and have a delicious homey meal while remembering good times. Â I had the chicken noodle soup, which was tasty. Â Barebones but delicious broth and fresh parsley was good. Â We shared the zucchini pancakes and these were really good. Â I think it was a mix of potato and zucchini, but hey there's a veggie in there. Â It is tasty with the goat cheese that comes with the pancakes. Â We also shared sauerkraut pierogis and meat and curt pierogis. Â These were great. Â The prices were decent, a little bit expensive for what it is, but I was happy with the meal. Â My only gripe was that it was hard to get the check at the end of the meal and the bathrooms downstairs did not smell very good. Â But overall, I was very happy with the meal, as you can see from the five stars above.
Review Source:i'm a huge fan of polish cuisine as i grew up with it my whole life, so i thought i knew what i was getting into. however...
we ordered quite a spread for delivery since we were all jonesing hard:
- shrimp/calamari = the shrimp was done properly but the calamari was just rubbery
- the soup = just okay?
- the beets and horseradish = bland
- the sauerkraut = watery and flavorless
- the polish sausage = way overcooked so unnecessarily hard to chew
- the potato dumplings = eh just okay?
- the beef stroganoff = flavorless, no depth to the sauce
- the potato pancake = not too bad. wish it came with applesauce/sour cream
- the pasztecik = the only thing we actually liked
- the stuffed cabbage roll = pretty okay
we tasted just a little bit of everything but our stomachs hurt while sampling. i can't tell if it's because most of the food seemed oily or what. at that point, but we were uninspired to even finish one plate so we ended up throwing everything out. what a sad waste of money and we're still waiting for good polish food to hit the spot.
i really didn't have any expectations. but i am terribly disappointed and i'm rather sure this will be my first (and only) time eating staropolska.
:(
One of the owners contacted me after reading my Yelp review. Â They were very apologetic and concerned that I had a bad experience. Â They explained their process for making the pierogies and assured me they are made in the cleanest environment. Â They offered to send another delivery of their pierogies free of charge. Â I was a little hesitant, but I'm so glad I gave them another try! Â The food was again, delicious! Â I got four different varieties of pierogies. Â They were all amazing, but I think the meat and the spinach are the best! Â I'm convinced now that what happened with my first experience was just a freak accident.
I really appreciate any restaurant that is concerned enough about their customers' satisfaction that they will reach out and try to make it right. Â I will definitely be adding this restaurant to my rotation for delivery!
Came for lunch. It was pretty good! I had the Beef Stroganoff, the high point of which was the potato dumplings in in gravy. I was also pretty impressed with teh picke plate, cucumber salad, beets with horseradish and a vinegar cole slaw. The Beef was tender the gravy was nice, but those dumplings were pretty incredible!
It's sort of dark, though as I was dining alone and it was sort of too dark to read, I was not really taken with that. Â What is it with Polish places not ever refilling Iced Tea and at $2.... come on!
This has got to be the best Polish restaurant in Avondale, for the following reasons:
Food: Â great quality and HUGE quantity. Â You can pretty much split any entree, though you won't want to because you want to try so much. Â Always include the mushroom soup before your meal. Â Those sausages will reheat just fine.
Ambiance: Â You feel like you are in a cozy hunting lodge in Europe. Â It can be a romantic spot (except you eat a ton) or a great group dinner. Â I'll lump the friendly service from the Polish gals in with this one. Â Great service!
Beer: Â Giant pilsners for $4. Â Nuff said.
This place is great! My entire family is Polish so I know traditional Polish food and this hits it right on target. We had the Polish Plate and Zucchini Pancake and both were delicious. Inside it is very cute. Only one girl was working as a waitress but she was very nice and efficient. If I'm ever in Chicago again I would for sure come back.
Review Source:We wanted to go somewhere different this Sunday with the family, so we all decided on Polish food. Yelp pointed us to this place...
Not bad, but not great. Â The atmosphere is nice for adults, but kinda looks like a haunted castle according to my 5 & 8 year old. Â After a few minutes, they adjusted just fine.
The pork cutlet platter was tasty. Make sure to get it with mashed potatoes.
This place is absolutely fantastic. I have never had authentic Polish food before. After my adventure to this place, it has me craving more. I wanted to order everything on the menu. I decided on some Perogies and the port cutlet. I stuffed myself to say the least. It was absolutely delicious. The perogies were absolutely perfect. I got dumplings with my cutlet and they were perfectly cooked. I had nothing like them before. I could go on and on about the cutlet as well, but I'll just say that it was everything I wanted and more.
I also really enjoyed the way the place was decorated. I enjoyed everything about it.
I would recommend this place to anyone, polish or not. The food was worth every penny. Oh and it is not  terribly expensive at all.
Surely the one that would hit my top-five in the city.. Great service, ambiance and delicious food and most importantly, quite inexpensive and worth for the price. Zucchini pancakes with chicken breast stuffing- highly recommended!! Some soup of the day made up of potato was also damn good.. Five stars totally!
Review Source:This place is a hit on all marks! Service, food and price. The polish plate is amazing! It compiles the basics of polish food yet each part is amazing. If you have grown up with polish food or want to voyage out of your realm I highly suggest a stop!
I also need to mention that the polish beer is only 3 dollars!
Insanely delicious Polish food delivery to Lincoln Square via GrubHub. Fast and prompt delivery too. I like all these things!
For $47 (tax, delivery, and tip included), we had ourselves a feast that included:
- Sauerkraut pierogies with bacon and sour cream. These are in my top 3 favorite pierogies.
- Zucchini pancakes. So delicious, that I initially only ate half of one, and then proceeded to eat 2.5 more an hour later. (Yes, I am very full).
- Pork cutlet with mushrooms in a creamy white wine sauce served with potato dumplings.
- Giant breaded pork cutlet topped with mushrooms served with whipped potatoes.
- Complimentary dill cucumber salad and a tangy cabbage salad - pretty decent serving sizes too!
There is only 1 little pork cutlet and a few potato dumplings left. That is truly a testament to how good the food here is - it's the type of food that even though you are physically in pain from your stomach expanding so much, you say to yourself "just one more bite".
I already know Staropolska delivery is going to be a winter delivery staple - a winning winter fueled by meat and potatoes. Can't wait to dine in at the restaurant!
came here twice both for dinner and family dinner. huge portions with lots of delicious leftovers!
potato pancakes - crispy and thin, great with sour cream and apple sauce
pierogie - nicely stuffed
stew - good, thick and yummy
salmon with spinach sauce - tender and flavorful
dumplings - OMG the best part ever! think the best gnocchi!
blintzes - ok
honest the most bang for your buck in chicago!
It's worth noting that after I wrote this review, the owner of the restaurant called me, apologized profusely, and offered to get my dinner if I came in. Â Evidently, the food delivery company they're using had someone new, and they were going to provide feedback.
I haven't had a chance to come in yet, but I'm bumping my review up to 3 stars for the responsibility. Â I'll adjust again (as appropriate) once I've gotten a chance to drop by!
---
So, the food for this restaurant was..okay. Â I had latkes, chicken soup with Lithuanian dumplings, and blintzes.
The latkes were a little thick, and not so crispy. Â The chicken soup was okay, and the blintzes didn't really seem worth the price I paid for them. Â But it was "Okay." Â I'd order again if I was sick at home from work - except for my experience with the delivery driver.
I had gotten a business call, and had stepped outside for a moment to take it. Â While on the call, the delivery driver calls, I apologize, and go back inside to let him in. Â Keep in mind that I was still on the phone with a colleague.
Once he got to my door, he said, "Did you not hear the buzzer?"
Well, I had been outside, I explained.
He then said, "Well, next time, Be Available."
Really?! Â *Really?!* Â I apologize that you had to wait an extra 30 seconds for me to walk back indoors. Â Please leave my food - and leave your attitude at home.
The food was so delicious i couldnt stop eating. Even then though i just had to have another bite and then maybe one after that as well.
My family had been tasting of all the food of chicago so we just stopped in for a pierogie or two but after talking to the extreemly friendly and kind waitress and checking out the awesome decor, we knew we needed more. How right we were!
Best Polish food any of us had ever had with a special call out to the best stuffed cabbage, mixed pierogies, and sausage anywhere. We also enjoyed taste testing the Polish beer. Plus it was quite innexpensive!
A MUST for Chicago dining! If you have tastebuds, come here.
Took some family visiting from out-of-town to Staropolska for a nice dinner. Â After much deliberation, we decided on the "Family style" dinner for about $16 per person.
Good lord. Â No normal group of 5 people could possibly consume the sheer overwhelming amount of food that began arriving at our table. Â Everything was delicious, from the stroganoff to the pierogies and potato pancakes, to the breaded chicken breasts stuffed with herbs and butter to the mushroom soup to the... well you get the idea. Â Incredible bargain for the price, with attentive service and a relaxing ambiance. Â Tyskie, Zywiec, and Okocim on tap. Â This place is the real deal! Â We saw lots of couples in there too, although I'm not sure I would ever take a date there because the only thing I'd be doing afterward would be sleeping off a food coma.
We'll be back!
Great Polish food at a reasonable price! I ordered the Polish Plate (3 pierogi's stuffed with mashed potato and/or sauerkraut or meat, sausage with sauerkraut, stuffed cabbage, and potato pancake) all for $10 bucks. My boyfriend ordered the pork swiss cutlet with mashed potato's for $9.
The exterior was welcoming and looked high end considering the surrounding stores were a little run down. I would say it is a diamond in the rough. The interior felt like I was in a Polish cabin in the wintertime...very warm/comfy atmosphere. The lights are dimmed to give it an even more relaxed ambiance.
The service was quick and the waitress was very friendly and attentive.
Would definitely go back to try more things on the menu. Especially the dessert menu looked good but I was so stuffed! I would like to try the chocolate cheesecake when I go back.
Lastly, parking was easy with lots of street parking available.
I ordered lunch delivery via Grubhub for Mom and I. We were most pleasantly surprised. The food we got was very flavorful with decent portions. We shared an order of chicken soup with Lithuanian style dumplings. It was very good. We also shared the lunch size portion of the stuffed cabbage. We each had a large roll and it came with a nice portion of good mashed taters and gravy. It felt and tasted like real home cooking. I also got an order of potato pancakes, which I haven't eaten yet, but I did try them and they are quite delicious.
I want to go to the actual restaurant one day soon for a sit down dinner. Till then I am very happy to have this delivery option available. Good food at good prices.
This place really knows how to produce tastiness from its kitchen! I have been meaning to take my polish hottie to an authentic dining experience for some time. This girl even had me try Borscht for the first time and it was surprisingly delicious!
I've had polish potato dumplings before and usually they are cubed dense morsels that you could only eat maybe only one or two of tops. These ones nearly melted in your mouth.
The place loses a star because they boil/steam their pierogies instead of pan frying which is my preference. Also they incorrectly gave us meat pierogies instead of our requested cheese and potato.
For the taste and value, I would definitely return!
Went here for a late lunch. It is located in the Polish Patch, what remains. We had the place to ourselves and were greeted cordially and guided to our table. This afternoon we had the bartender/waitress/bus person waiting on us. She was delightful. Started with the mushroom soup. Very good. I'd give this a 5* by itself. Our entrees were the Golombki (stuffed cabbage) and the veal cutlet. Accompanying this were individual dishes of salad- seasoned red cabbage and  sauer kraut. Both entrees were very well prepared and delicious. This is NOT a buffet. Thank goodness. I think this helps the kitchen prepare the individual dishes well rather than average volume production. The decor is beautiful. It reminds me of a lodge in Poland. You are siting in the kitchen awaiting dinner. The Murals are exquisite. A very soothing and comfortable atmosphere.
Johnny Chitown
This is a no-joke, delicious Polish restaurant. I believe that their mushroom soup should be classified as a controlled substance, as it the most delicious thing I have ever eaten and it is highly addictive. We nearly ordered a second bowl, until... the Polish plate showed up. Best one I've ever had. Their pierogis are pillowy and perfect, the kilebasa is awesome, the kapusta is great, and the potato pancakes are some of the better I've ever had. The standout, by far, were the galabki. The filling was amazingly flavorful and the gravy was amazing.
The country pork chops were also great. It's like an involtini of pork, stuffed with mushrooms and cheese and breaded. Not what I expected, but flavorful and awesome. It came with fried mushrooms, too, which was a fun little bonus. Also, the chicken soup with lithuanian dumplings was fantastic.
The ambience here is lovely, it's like a European country tavern, with big booths cast iron chandeliers. Also, a nice selection of Polish beer on tap. Great meal. Cannot wait to go back with a big group to sit in the VIP section and order one of the family menus.
Went here with a group, and everyone loved it. Â The atmosphere is warm friendly and decor is nice. Â A definite step up from most Polish restos.
We ordered a group meal. The traditional Polish foods were terrific -- cabbage rolls and pierogis stood out. The psuedo-Polish foods, like beef stroganoff and chicken kiev, were just OK and not worth ordering. Â I would stick to the basics.
Waitress was Polish-from-Poland, very sweet and helpful, although communication was a bit of an effort. Wine is available, white wine should have been colder.
All in all, a fun culinary adventure, and a welcoming spot for Poles and non-Poles alike. Â Better, IMO, than Smak Tak.
I just moved back to Chicago after being gone for nearly 7 years and just moved down the street from this restaurant so decided to give it a try.
The atmosphere is charming and warm. The food was very authentic and everything was incredible. We started with potato pancakes, then I had the stuffed country pork with sauerkraut and my husband had the beef stroganoff. Both dishes were generous portions and I couldn't save room for desert, although I will next time!
The service was great, overall it was just a wonderful experience and will definitely become one of my favorite restaurants!
I moved to Chicago just over a month ago and live right around the corner from this place. Â My first night here, a bar tender at a local bar recommended Staropolska. Â I checked it out for the first time the other night after reading these reviews and I must say, it's a great dining experience. Â
Authentic polish food, beer, and atmosphere... and the bar tender is super cute. Â Everyone there was speaking polish. Â The prices seemed to be fair and the portions are generous. Â If you want a great Chicago Polish experience, check this place out.
'Twas the day before Fat Tuesday and I had a day off of work and paczki on the mind.
"Hey, wanna go to lunch?"
"Sure! What're you feeling?"
"Polish food. Definitely Polish food."
Having already tried Red Apple and consulting Yelp, my dining companion and I ventured to Avondale to hit Staropolska and maybe acquire some of the lard, sugar, and egg laden delights that were haunting me all morning.
Parking on the street, we strode in for a late lunch hour and were surprised to find the place bustling. Regulars welcomed us from the bar, couples and families talked animatedly over midday beers, coffees, and warm plates of food, and the friendly hostess directed us to a large booth.
Glancing over the beer list-- stocked with Polish specialties-- we decided to save the drinking for, ya know, not two in the afternoon and ordered waters, coffees, soups, and a plate of potato pancakes to start. Within moments, dining pal and I had warm bowls of herby, malty zurek and red borscht in front of us. The latter, a steal at $1.99, was light and a palate-pleasingly mix of tangy and sweet.
After the soup, our plate of potato pancakes with sides of sour cream and applesauce arrived. My dining companion dove in, paused a moment, and looked up at me with reverence in his eyes.
"I could eat about a hundred more of these."
Crispy, salty, slightly oniony, and not-too-greasy, these pan-fried delights were perfectly complemented by a slathering of the tangy sour cream and smooth, sweet applesauce. In less than five minutes, the ample plate was clean.
We followed up this a shared Polish Plate, which may be the best introduction to Polish food ever. The sampler platter came with three meat-filled perogies topped with bacon and butter, a beautifully charred and sliced half link of kielbasa, a cabbage roll filled with spicy pork and rice, a flaky, buttery pastry filled with beef, and yet another outstanding potato pancake, all atop a heaping portion of warm, tangy sauerkraut.
"Would you like dessert?"
I looked at my dining companion with a dubious expression.
"C'mon, A. It's almost Fat Tuesday."
"Fine. We'll take the blintzes."
A perfect end to a damn great meal, the blintz was delicate and filled with a citrus and sugar spiked cheese mixture, all topped with confectioners sugar and, strangely enough, some sliced canned peaches. Even stranger? I somehow, after all that food, managed to walk out of an Eastern European restaurant without feeling like a brick had settled in my gut.
I cannot say enough great things about the food. As for the service? Phenomenal. My coffee cup was always filled, my dining companion and I were frequently checked on to ensure that we were enjoying our meal, and dishes were delivered promptly.
Needless to say, I cannot wait to go back. And I'm not going to wait until next Fat Tuesday, that's for sure.
I was here with 4 friends of mine, exclusively because of their high ratings on yelp. Â Everything was delicious!! I left feeling like I weighed twice as much as when I walked in. Â This feeling usually comes with a depressing hole in my wallet, but not this time. Â After having a beer, Â an array of salads, potato dumplings, and a giant entree....I was out 14 dollars.
Recommendations:
-Okocim beer
-Beet salad
-Polish sausage.
There was a lot of good stuff, but those were my 3 favorites of the night. Â Either way, I tried multiple foods, and all of it was excellent so you cannot go wrong, no matter what you order.
Came here with a group of 5 for dinner tonight. Everything was absolutely unbelievable.
Borscht with meat dumplings is a perfect mixture of sweet and sour, and the dumplings are succulent and filled with tender meat. All of the pierogis are divine, in particular the sauerkraut, and the potato pancakes are crispy on the outside and light as clouds on the inside. Beef stroganoff is rich without being too greasy, and the potato dumplings it comes with are a perfect accompaniment. The Polish platter, however, steals the show - it comes with juicy kielbasa, stuffed cabbage better than my grandma's, more amazing sauerkraut pierogi, potato pancakes, and some beef/puff pastry creation that is not listed on the menu. All are fantastic! To sweeten the deal, the entrees come with a trio of Polish salads (fresh sauerkraut, cole slaw, and beet salad with horseradish) that are addictively good and well worth the havoc they will wreak on the GI tract.
The food at Staropolska is undoubtedly exceptional. What sets this place apart, however, is the pricing. Five of us ate like kings (and queens) for $14 per person after tax and tip. I was shocked to see how low the bill was.
Service is European; by that I mean it's slow but not unpleasantly so - they leave you alone, and wait for you to ask them if you want anything. This might irritate some, but I honestly prefer it.
All in all, this is well worth the shlep out to Avondale. Since Chicago is apparently bereft of good Jew food, Polish food is the next best thing, and Staropolska delivers admirably. A must-try!
Polish people are the largest European American ethnic group in Chicago, comprising about 7% of the total city population and consisting of nearly 200,000 people in 2008. Â It was a huge oversight, on my part, that I knew nothing about Polish food. Â While Ethiopian, Indian, French, and Italian restaurants get all the attention for ethnic food, Polish food is something everyone in Chicago should be at least familiar with so that we know a little more about the locals.
Staropolska has a beautiful wood paneled interior and tasteful iron chandeliers that add to its the old-world charm. Our waitress was happy to explain the items on the menu and offer tips on what are traditional favorites. Â They also had a couple Polish beers that I've never seen elsewhere in Chicago, only $3 for a 12 ounce and $4 for a big glass! I liked the Okocim, and it tasted great with the meaty food.
The Polish sampler plate had a delicious collection of specially cooked and seasoned meats. Â You should try that out, as well as the breaded schnitzel with dumplings, which I also enjoyed a lot. Â This is really hearty, Germanic-like food and you'll probably need a nap afterward. Â
Our meal was huge, well made (appetizer, 2 dinners, 2 drinks) and only costed $32 for two people. Â Definitely a 5 star meal, all around excellent.
This place is awesome!! Was driving through the neighborhood and used my Yelp app to find a good local place to dine. This had $ and 4.5 stars so I knew I wanted to check it out. I was even MORE pleasantly surprised when I walked in and the restaurant was adorable!! It definitely didn't have the feel of a $ restaurant. Loved the cozy fireplace :)
our server was adorable, super helpful. Most of the entrees were under $10!
Pierogis - it's all about the skin. You can tell it's freshmade. These were delicious
Zucchini Pancake - A special recommended by the waitress. Zucchini pancake was delicious. The sauteed chicken/veggies were delicious but chicken was a little overcooked/dry
You can tell the food is authentic. It's an amazing atmosphere. I need to come back and try some kielbasa, stuffed cabbage, beef stroganoff....the list goes on. Anybody passing through this neighborhood needs to stop by!