Old Warsaw Buffet Bar & Banquets
4750 N Harlem Ave, Harwood Heights, IL, 60706
Old Warsaw Buffet Bar & Banquets Menu
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Address :
4750 N Harlem Ave
Harwood Heights, IL, 60706 - Phone (708) 867-4500
- Website https://www.old-warsaw-buffet.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Classy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Ela B.
I was just here a couple days ago to celebrate a birthday. We have been here a few times previously and I would say my review would be identical every time. The food here is very good. It's not exactly the way my Polish relatives cooked everything, but nonetheless it is quite tasty. The best thing about the weekend buffets is that they have Paczki (the best filled "donuts" ever!!!) My only complaints here are that drinks are not included in the price (and the price is a bit high for it not to be included) and that the service is ALWAYS horrible. There is never someone at the door to greet you, and they always look so angry and are never smiling. They barely even say hello and it is something that always gets brought up at the table, no matter who we go there with. It's very strange and uncomfortable because of it. I will probably come back here with family again, but we honestly would come here more often if the service was better and if the drinks were included in the price.
(4)Renata B.
My Mom's birthday falls on Mother's day and she will only eat polish food . As you all know all restaurants are packed , so l made a reservation @ Old Warsaw thinking it's gonna be quick and kids can make their choice based on visual appearance . There was a lot of large groups of people, so my assumption is reservations . Should be prepared with enough kitchen employees ! Not so !!! Buffet was almost empty most of the time ! They have a meat carving station, but no one carving and when there was a person to carve .........my grandson wanted a turkey leg ( don't like white meat ) was told he can't have it because it will loose it's appearance . Display only ??? So now after everyone's disappointment here comes the bill ! SPECIAL MOTHER'S DAY PRICING !!! Let me remind you l made reservations and no one mentioned at any time any price change . Almost DOUBLE regular price !!!! For what ??? Empty buffet !!!
(1)O.M. R.
NOP!!! Not coming back! Just for your information, I'm Romanian and i can cook everything that's being served here 100times better... Last time i've been here (2yrs ago) i wasn't a vegetarian... And the food still wasn't good. And now that i'm a vegetarian... It is horrible! All the veggies have the weirdest taste. And there are only about 4-5 things i can eat(warm food) and taste horrible. There are a lot of salads but they are all drenched in sauces... And the chicken soup, I tasted it from my husband, it tasted like it was made from the oldest hen one could find... And my 1yr old daughter was with me and i didn't have the courage to give her any food from here. Thank God i had a banana with me!
(1)David A.
I went here for a post-Thanksgiving lunch with my wife's extended family. As we arrived, I noted that the "windows" aren't really glass, but are instead mirrors. At that point I knew we were in for a treat. The atmosphere is dark, kitschy, and very Polish. We were seated at a long table next to the dance floor. I will say, this restaurant is a great place for large groups and families. All 15 of us easily were seated and other parties in the dining area were similar sizes. I ate pierogies, kielbasa sausages, and desert. I'll admit, there wasn't much in the buffet that appealed to me. I probably won't go back--but if my family wants to, hey, that's what family is all about.
(2)John H.
I was got excited when I saw this place, because I was looking forward to some good homestyle Polish food. But I got to the buffet the food was rather bland and pricey. The waitress asked if I wanted a refill on my drink then charged me for it so I paid almost 5 dollars for two large drinks. I would not come back here.
(1)Janie F.
Food was substandard, service was horrid. How can service be horrid at a buffet, you ask? Try being seated at a dirty table by someone who resembled a polish prostitute. When we asked for a clean table, said prostitute-look-a-like didn't speak to us. I said excuse me and she actually walked away from the table. The entire restaurant was almost empty, so there were other places they could have moved us. They were deliberately rude. The food was gross, either tasteless and or unpalatable depending in the dish. Don't waste your time or money on this place. The decor...I can't end this review without mentioning the eighties-mirror-ball-vomit decor. I wanted to gouge my own eyes out.
(1)Shay M.
The food was horrible and i felt very uncomfortable eating at this place. Please don't waste your time or money. I didn't want to give them one star..This place is so racist!
(1)Diana B.
First time in Chicago - and since I moved from NJ to Austin, TX ...my mom sometimes ships me pierogis! Haha but honestly..I've been really missing eating polish food every day. This was my first stop during my work trip and it was amazing. It was cheap and delicious. Service is pretty much the same as I would get in NJ so I'm not offended...they became a little nicer when I started speaking polish but that's normal with any language spoken outside the country of origin. I can't wait to go back!
(5)Emma L.
When it comes to the food, it's not bad but could've been better especially for the price that they are charging. Place looks clean and for the old style, it's not too bad however the service sucks. When you walk in, nobody is there to greet you or tell you where to go. We were looking around till one of the customers seating at the table told us to go to the bar and someone should tell us where to go. That seemed kind of weird to me. I also made a reservation for that day but they couldn't find it. Our waitress seemed a little out of it and didn't even bother to replenish our drinks or give us water. Not impressed with this place at all. We won't be coming back.
(3)Annette R.
Meh. Being raised in a Polish immigrant home, I will say the food does not have a home cooked style or taste. It's like Polish fast food.
(3)Dominika T.
This is by far the best Polish food on the northwest side of Chicago. I have been coming here with family and friends for over 25 years and the food is always delicious and fresh. The decor is stuck in the 70s, but don't let that scare you. PÄ…czki are absolutely the best in town, they are just as I remember growing up in Poland as a little girl. The variety of food is huge, from cold salads and traditional Polish appetizers to delicious homemade potato pancakes and pierogi to amazing desserts. Highly recommend it.
(5)Marek C.
We took our mom for Mother's Day here and let me tell you this was the best decision you could ever made ! Great food ,great service and great price with tax it was about $42 per person , they have huge selection of different food ! Everyone will find something for them , waitress are super nice ,super friendly and they smile ! Very unusual for Polish places ! Love it ,love it ! I suggest this place for any occasion !
(5)Marcin Z.
I have been to old warsaw couple of times. place has never let me down. Always good food. I am Polish so i know what i am talking about :) Only thing i dislike about old warsaw is interior. It is too old fashioned, looks like tike stopped there in 60s. I would recommend owners to rethink the design and slightly renovate the place. Apart from that nothing else. Solid place on my list.
(4)Ansheniu B.
I like the restaurant even though I think there little bit overprice for the food they serving. This place is not bad if one wants to make a party, there is no guest limit - you can do it even for 10 ppl. And there is always a music on Saturday. I was recently try to make a reservation for a larger amount of ppl on special occasion. I was shock when the lady started to suggest IT HAS TO BE PAID in cash. I was told I had to make a 100.00 deposit, which could me made by credit card, so I did assume they do take credit cards. I ask her what's the problem, is it that they want me to pay that extra 3% that the credit cards charge? The lady was very confused with the answer, she was going on, howa they prefer, must have, it's better to... have cash for such party. Aren't we all want to make cash??? I found it very wrong to expect in such hard times, when the economy is still bad to make a payment preferences and dictade to customer how they suppose to pay. I mean if your business takes cards so you must take cards, not to choose when. ps also it is really rip off when you offer alkohol by bottle and you want them buy drinks on the side separate. Anywhere I go I see when you are buying a bottle you have 2 sides of your choice (even soda or jucice) of your choice... come one. Specially that this restaurants make soda on their own and usually does not even taste right. I am giving them 1 star for being a cheapass and not doing business right. - - - Also there is another complain I have. When I was setting a party they ask what I want on the table. I went with wodka and soda and juice so guest could decided what they want. They ask me if I wanted to have wine and I sad no. When I showed up - unfortunatelly after some guest already were there I saw that on the table there is a lof of wine with the vodka. It was too late to ask them to take that out, I would not feel cormftable to do it in front of my guest. It comes out two bottles of wine were used. So that;s ok. I do not really know for how many bottles they charged becouse they do not give you any print out. At the end the lady comes and she is explaining whatever the cost are, but there is nothing you take home. Be awere of how much you paid up front, there seems to be a lot of confusion going around, like the stuff is not communicating. I gave them large deposit and whoever was charging me was not aware of it. Also, they should update their webside, it is from thirty years ago, no prices, no decent info, no email, etc.
(2)Jay B.
My Polish ersatz-family took me to Old Warsaw for lunch. As most reviewers have mentioned, the decor is straight from the last century and the bunker -feeling needs some getting used to. I think the price is fair, but it takes Hipster waitstaff to charge more i guess.The choice of food is immense; delicious cheese blintzes, fall-off-the-bone succulent ribs, yummy meat pierogis, juicy kotlety. The food was very fresh, and if you don't want to hang with the octogenarians, grab the Punchki to go. I am not a big pastry fan but the Puncki at Old Warsaw is so good I hate myself. And whats a good Sunday meal without some drama; I had to stare down a couple of aforementioned octogenarians . Yup, some black folks appreciate Polish delights, deal with it.
(4)Tommy L.
Went here today for my grandma's birthday. Here is how it went: FIRST LOOK: When you first walk in, you are greeted with a very dark narrow hallway. Yes, dark. If you don't like dark restaurants, prepare to not enjoy your experience. Very spacious as far as the tables go. DECOR: Absolutely beautiful! Authentic European color scheme and fancy lighting. I'm a big fan of it. FOOD: Very few options. Old Country Buffet has triple the amount of food. As far as taste goes, it's nothing special. Whatever they had, my mom can make it better. Most of it was bland. I felt like i was pouring salt over everything to add flavor. HOWEVER, amazing naleszniki. Also, the ponczki had very little filling and were no very sweet. If you think these are good ponczki, you are out of your damn mind. Intense diarrhea follows after eating. STAFF: Helpful. They all had not-so-happy expressions on their faces though. PRICE: HOLY CRAP! $96 FOR 5 PEOPLE??!!!! And that doesn't include tip! What am I paying extra for? The fact that it's Polish? Nuh-uh. VERDICT: If they slashed their price about $8-10, this would be a 4 star review. I would advise not going here, but if you do, it's not horrible.
(3)Xiaoxi L.
We spent a bit over $40 for 2 people to eat here. Some of the good Polish staples were here, but things were a bit bland. The best thing I had here was the breaded chicken. The brisket was not very juicy or flavorful. It's the kind of food you'd eat at a Polish wedding at a banquet hall, but not made with much love. Not worth it for the $20-something price. I'd rather have Golden Corral.
(2)Yvonne O.
Any time you head to a buffet, you are taking a chance. This place is pretty expensive for what is offered and the service is pretty lackluster. We waited in the entrance area for a good three minutes while the manager was drinking in the bar area and the waitress was MIA. Whenever you wanted a carved meat, it was impossible to find her to do it - and there were only two other tables in here at the time! Food was decent, with the expected tradiotnal fare and heavy on the salad bar fillers. Just not sure it is worth the trek or price.
(2)Anna S.
Old Warsaw has advertise they Paczki as the best in town, and it's true. But ... in the line in the morning were waiting 80 peoples. Maybe they would be served quickly, but there was no paczki! And only one person appeared behind the counter every few minutes - she packed paczki and took payment and picked up phone ringing constantly...with more orders . If a restaurant can hand out 200 paczki in one hour should not advertise and invite customers from 5 am. Desperate people were waiting about 2 hours. But most quit after a few minutes. Unorganized, not treating customers seriously!!! Do not waste your time - go buy a paczki from someone else!
(1)Jon H.
Delicious. funky old time atmosphere too.
(5)Sami D.
I have been there twice. I have no idea why I went the second time, considering I knew the food wasn't anything special but either way my second experience was even worst, def worth the 1 star. First the food is limited, compared to some of the other buffets I have been to. Nothing special either. The service, indeed one of the worst i have seen so far. Angry polish ladies, with very negative attitude. In the end when we left a dollar in change with the check, expressing the disappointment from the service, they ended up running outside cursing at us. I will tell you it was good enough for a telemundo show. Def wouldn't recommend it. It also isn't what you call cheap. The only good thing about this place is the way it looks from the outside. Stay away !!!
(1)Christian P.
If you're looking for traditional Polish cuisine and a Polish environment overall, I can't think of a better place to direct you to. The food selection is big with everything from salad, bread, and soup to meat and potatoes and everything in between that you would expect to find in a Polish restaurant. And they have plenty of desert with jello, cookies, torts and cake. They have a full bar if you're feeling like having a drink and on weekends if someone is having a party they have live Polish bands and dancing so you get they full Polish experience. If you want to get in the parking lot you have to be driving south on Harlem. I've eaten here countless times and I can tell you you will always leave feeling full.
(5)sarah j.
OH -MY -GOD How did they get these reviews? The are either all FAKE or (no offense) written by persons that have absolutely no taste buds. We have been eating at the other polish buffet (red apple) for a few years and Love it, but decided to try a new place. If you have dined at the RA, don't go here. We walked in mid day and the place was very dark and dingy upon arrival. I don't mind dark, but this dark was not in a cozy way it was more like we are trying to hide our flaws kind of way. We sat down received our drinks and made our way up to the buffet line, it was disgust at first sight :-( I was so disappointed. Looking at the salad bar portion of the buffet made me sick, looked like food had been left out for hours, did not look fresh and there were flies or nats (sp?) flying around the food. Food options were really, really poor. One of the worst meals of my entire life--no, not exaggerating. Sorry.
(1)Taylor M.
This was the first time I was disappointed in Yelpers reviews of a restaurant. The buffet was overpriced. Some of the food literally tasted like nothing. I went with my boyfriend who is Polish and told me about how awesome this place was when he was younger. He was also disappointed in what Old Warsaw had become. The food was extremely sub-par. I have had much better at my boyfriend's family gatherings. The pierogi's taste like the frozen variety you can buy at Sam's club. The pasta salads and potato salad were lacking any flavor. The chicken noodle soup was missing the main ingredient... chicken... it was just broth and noodles. The goulash was overcooked and dry. The dessert table looked pretty, but nothing tasted as good as it looked. Old Warsaw has a rule that if you do not eat all of your food they will charge you extra. I did not finish a lot of food because it was unpalitable, but I didn't see the check to know if we were charged extra. The service was terrible. If you wanted a refill on coffee you had to hunt down a waitress and then she would only fill the cup of the person who asked... even though they said can "WE" have more coffee. I also didn't like how the wait staff just didn't talk to me when they found out I didn't speak Polish... they just spoke through my boyfriend. Also, the restaurant was SO COLD that I had to keep my jacket on and was still shivering. When I went to the bathroom it was so cold that my pee steamed... no joke.. this really happened! I found the reviews of Old Warsaw being a classy place laughable. I don't understand how you can call a place with tissue paper thin napkins and plastic tablecloths classy. You also have to reuse your silverware... but they kept taking my fork :/ The interior is extremely tacky and indecisive when it comes to a theme. Also, I saw plenty of people in ripped jeans, so I don't think dressing up is an issue here. I also found it annoying how little kids were running around all over the place yelling and the parents did not even seem to notice. The presence of undisciplined children seems to be a continual issue since the restaurant even had signs about "not running and playing" and how parents should supervise their children... yeah that wasn't happening when I was there! The only reason I gave Old Warsaw 2 stars instead of 1 was because of the grilled chicken with cheese and veggies melted on top and the potato pancakes. Other than that the buffet is pretty blah... lacking any flavor. If you want a really good Polish restaurant go to Gruba Ryba near Addison and Harlem... only a couple minutes away and the food is amazing!
(2)Marta P.
This is only for the paczki.. I have been told people wait in line for these. Now I know why. I just had 2 for dinner. These are like no other paczki I've ever had before. These are amazing.
(5)Sean D.
Polish with a capital "P".
(3)Susan H.
This place is so cold in the Winter months. OMG, "jack" up the heat. It's not the Old Country anymore!
(2)Michelle D.
Came here for an engagement party and was delightfully surprised. I was kind of skeptical about this place because of the name/location; I just wasn't sure what to expect. However, the food was AMAZING!!!! Oh man, the buffet was SO good. So many choices - everything was fresh & hot and homemade. I definitely want to come back here again. My only con revolves around the decor...they're trying to be classy, but some of the decorations are just cheesy (100's of CD's hanging from the ceiling near the dance floor). Oh well, food still trumped everything.
(4)Ark K.
I went there on Thanksgiving, and the place was overcrowded and overpriced (over $41.00 per person. I wish they warned me about such high price before my meal. The service you get is lackluster. The waitresses are kind of rude and not very attentive. The young people who help the waitresses are vital, polite, and energetic, looking after you to take the dirty dishes. The place needs to be upgraded and service totally replaced.
(1)MJ E.
Best paczki I've ever had! Once upon a time, nearly all Polish restaurants offered a "smorgasbord". This one still does and it is probably the best. We re-discovered Old Warsaw this winter after having moved out of the area 20+ years ago. The buffet is huge and has many delicious, traditional offerings. But, there is something for everyone even if you aren't a fan of Polish food. The paczki are on the buffet and truly delightful!
(5)Katarzyna W.
I usually go to Jolly Inn to get my fill of Polish food. When in the suburbs, I sometimes stop by Helen's restaurant in Wood Dale. But this time around I just happened to be shopping in the area and figured we'd give it a try. The interior feels a bit cramped, but it's actually pretty nice. The staff were very friendly. The food was pretty good, especially the Pierogi, which was the only item I felt was better than at other places. Overall, not a bad experience.
(3)Phil W.
I love this place. Absolutely delicious food, and all you can eat to boot. I just wish it was closer to home!
(5)Anna B.
Delicious, traditional Polish food! :) Highly recommended.
(5)Michele C.
We went here for lunch on a sat. afternnon. It was crowded There were very few employees and the food did not seem very fresh. It was bland and seemed not very high quality. The best thing I had was the breaded chicken. My silverware wasn't even clean. At age 46 I was the youngest person there. The food quality was very very disappointing.
(1)Todd R.
old warsaw looks like a scene from scarface. with a ton of sausage. it's a shame the food isn't that good, otherwise it would be a pretty entertaining place to go. there's a little stage with a band, that combined with the lighting and all the polish children running around makes it feel like some sort of weird polish version of chuck-e-cheese pizza with a casino atmosphere. the food: #1 - no kaputsa pierogi. #2 - no kotlety (and i hate to be one of those polish people that gets on yelp and say 'oh it was good but it wasn't like babcia's', but man, any polish restaurant should have breaded pork) #3 - the golompki were too tightly wrapped in the cabbage leaf. and once opened to reveal the stuffing. they were just to tough - babcia's are more soft and go really well with the tomato sauce. the customer service was not satisfactory. the meat carver gave my boyfriend a weird look when he asked for a slice of the pork. i also just feel like a polish restaurant should have really good potato options. i didnt really have anything that gave it's due respect to the potato. babcia makes really good potatoes. the desert options look impressive, but none of them were that good.
(1)Jennifer B.
I love Polish food, all the meat, the hundreds of ways they use potatoes, the surprising places you find mayonnaise, the desserts, all of it. Old Warsaw does it as good as any place I've been outside of Poland. It's a buffet and for about $15 you can eat your heart-ski out (drinks are extra and they charge per pop). They have a huge selection which changes daily. I am particularly found of the packzis and potato pancakes. The decor is very Sopranos visiting Poland, but that's part of the charm.
(5)Lisa C.
Talk about delightfully tacky, yet unrefined! There were streamers and shimmer all over the joint, but it added to its charm. On a freezing winter night where my friend came to my neighborhood and we didn't feel like going too far, this popped into my head. Given that when we are told we need to pay cover someplace, we respond with, "Sorry, we're Polish" and walk away, this place seemed only appropriate for our eating needs. The food was good. Not amazing, but solid. AND YOU GET PLENTY OF IT. Skip the salad bar and desserts; it will be a waste of your time and taste buds. Stick to the Polish food, which they do quite well. It will run you about twelve bucks a pop, which is reasonable for a buffet (we did stick to water). I have fond memories of the Lone Tree Inn when I was a kid, and I don't think that this place was better, but it's a good option if we are ever in the neighborhood and looking to mix things up a bit.
(4)Andrew W.
I went to this restaurant via a suggestion from a good Polish friend of mine. I wanted to give authentic Polish friend a try and what better way to do it than a buffet. Walking into this restaurant I immediately felt like I was walking into a movie set. It felt almost Italian Mob meshes with Old Vegas, it was oldschool decor and even a "fancy" stage that would be used for performances. They try to be a little more upscale, but don't be intimidated or wear something special. The restaurant was 90% full of authentic polish people and most speaking polish as well. The was a tell-tale sign that this is how Polish food should taste! Our waitress greeted us in Polish and quickly switched to broken English. We made our way up to the buffet which had what seemed like endless options. We went on a Sunday and that is the day they have the most food options out. Sunday is $14.95 lunch for the buffet and every other day is $8.95 for lunch. The only option for us for the buffet. All the food I had tasted great and it was fun to try everything. They had what seemed to be 15+ different type of pastries for dessert as well. No doubt, we had to try all of them! Not only was the experience alone worth it along with the decor, but the food was tasty and unique. I recommend giving this place a try and it is something a little out of the ordinary that you won't forget anytime soon!
(4)J O.
My first time here, but not my first time to a Polish buffet. I had some negative ideas going into it. I was with a rather large group, which seemed to be the trend there. A friend in my group had to move because she said the floor near her looked like someone vomited or something. I didn't see this, but I said I'd take her word for it. I was not impressed with the food. The cheese blintzes were decent, but they only had meat perogi's. Desserts - blah. I am a huge dessert person, so when a buffet can't even have decent desserts - that's really bad in my book. Our waitress was not very attentive. When I came back from getting seconds, my dirty plate was still sitting at my spot. Some buffets are really good at taking away dirty plates. This one, not so much. I probably won't ever be back to this place and that disappoints me considering I am of Polish heritage. I also had really awful smelling gas and the squirts the next day. Sorry - I know that is TMI, but hey, you wanted to read a TRUE and ACCURATE review of this place, right? If you're thinking of going here - I would pass and just go the nearest China Buffet.
(1)Cecilia B.
Driving through Chicago, on the way to the salt cave, we stopped at this restaurant for Polish food. This was the lunch buffet on a Saturday for about $9. Other than a few Polish dishes my Filipino mom has made, this was the first time I have eaten a variety of authentic Polish food. The place itself is gaudy and a bit tacky, what I imagine restaurants to look like in Poland actually. There are booths and tables throughout and a small stage/dance area in one end of the room for evening entertainment I'm assuming. We hit the buffet tables, and pile my plate with small sample of stuffed cabbage, potato pancakes, sausages, goulash, peirogi, and ground steak. Then returned for blintzes and fruit. The food was pretty good, but very heavy. This may call for a nap after wards, or a desire to head to the gym. To me this place is pretty authentic. The food is traditional, the service from the Polish waitresses with their aloofness, and the customers are 80% Polish. And they were nice enough to hold onto my mom's credit card when she accidentally left it there after paying the bill. Thank you Old Warsaw!
(3)karen m.
This is the best Polish Buffet I have ever tasted! I live in the Beverly area and make the long trip to Old Warsaw on a frequent basis. My favorite dishes include the following; Polish Sausage, Dumplings, Sauerkraut, Blintzes and Macaroni Salad. I wish they would open a branch in the Southland.
(5)Andrew G.
Old Warsaw is unapologetically old school. As others have said, the decor is beyond tacky - I cannot imagine actually using their location for a banquet event - but honestly I feel like the tackinesssort of adds to the appeal. It is sort of like going to a B movie just for the novelty of it. The meal is not cheap, so if you're looking to get some bang for your buck I hope you love polish food. If you do, you may be in luck though. Many of their authentic items are actually really good. Their cheese blintzes, meat pierogi and potato pancakes are all as good as they should be. Other dishes, like their pickled pigs feet or kasha are not anything I have ever found too appealing, to say the least. Their desserts are definitely bland, but frankly I thinkthat is simply because they are authentic. In my (fairly extensive) experience with polish food, the desserts ALWAYS look about 20x better than they will ever taste, and this place is no exception. Overall it's fun to come here once in a while, particularly if you have old polish relatives, who will likely love it.
(4)Mark F.
This place is ok but it is overpriced. so I give it 3 stars
(3)Myron M.
What we are talking about here is Polish Food... and lots of it! Go for the buffet and you'll have Kapusta coming out of your ears. Authentic food served up in mass quantities. It's sort of like a banquet hall so you can pretend you're at some really bizzare wedding. Kinda like Twin Peaks with sausage.
(4)David H.
My polish grandma really likes this place, So I've been here a number of times. The key to eating well here is knowing what food items are excellent and which are forgettable. But this is polish country food for the most part, you're not going to find a lot of bold spices here. Soup (rotate daily on a schedule I haven't deciphered): The potato, barley, lentil, and sauerkraut soups are well balanced and the best of their offerings. The chicken is just chicken broth and noodles, so if you don't like that style of chicken soup, skip it. I always skip the tomato soup when they have it. Salads/cold bar: Ignore the iceberg lettuce. Instead fill your plate with vinegar coleslaw, pickled sliced beets (they have grated beets sometimes as well, but the sliced are better), and pickled red cabbage. Some times they have a broccoli salad and a red kidney bean salad that is pretty tasty. They always have a couple kinds of chicken pates, which are very good with the fresh sliced red onion. There are also slices pork in aspic which is good, but I like the idea of savory jello in general. On Sundays they have lox and both pickled and creamed herring. Their cream based potato and coleslaw salads are okay, but I don't really care for those styles in general. Hot bar: The apple fritters, pierogi (very thin dough wrappers), potato pancakes, and galumki are really good. The label denoting the filling of the pierogi doesn't always change, but they rotate sauerkraut, meat, and potato. Their blintzes, smoked sausage, chicken, chopsteak, and goulash are solid, but not excellent. The sauerkraut is cooked with a little tomato sauce and some bacon, which is not my preferred style of kraut but it is also solid. I always skip the sliced beef with mushrooms and the meatballs, as their sauce for them is disappointing. Deserts: They aren't loaded with sugar, so they aren't super sweet. They do make some really nice poppy seed based cakes (of which the roll is the best). The rum balls are solid. They have paczki every Sunday, and they are nicely executed. Notes: They don't usually have potato pancakes on Sunday (although they have brought them out if they aren't super busy when my grandma has asked). Warsaw brews its iced tea, so that is a solid non-alcoholic choice (they have many polish beers).
(4)Eric M.
This place is impressive. You're driving along a typical suburban strip-mall-laden road and decide to pull into an almost garishly decorated place on a random corner and walk into a wonderland of Polish food, disco balls, greek columns, colorful lights, and greenery. Just the decor alone is worth a trip. The food is 90% Polish, 5% random and 5% other ethnic. In general, the food is good in that down home, lets go to Grandma's favorite place sort of way. The service is good, too. Seriously, if you live in or near Chicago, you have to check this place out at least once.
(4)Martha Z.
Seemingly one of the more upscale polish buffets in the chicago land area. The food is a little bit less greasy then jolly inn. I like to hit up the polish grocery store across the street. That is if it's possible for me to waddle over there after stuffing myself useless with all those pirogi. P.s. Polish people love open toed shoes, especially if you can wear panty hose underneath them. It's a fact.
(4)Michele D.
Ugh, the food was not good. I love buffets and can almost always find plenty of things to eat on them, so you know it's bad if I'm writing a bad review on a buffet. The service was mostly nonexistent. The decor was tacky (but tacky decor isn't a big deal to me. Sometimes I even like it). Let's start with the food. The pasta salad and the potato salads were both quite bland. The lettuce was just whole leaves (like you might find in a sandwich) stacked in the bowl, which makes it hard to eat as a salad. I love pickled herring and even that tasted weird. They had some thin slices of breaded chicken that were soggy and tasteless. The vegetables were completely overdone. They had some fried fish that was ok, but there was no tartar sauce or lemon or anything for it. There was a carving station at the end of the buffet with a big sign that said please wait for someone to serve you, but nobody was there. Finally once when I was up at the buffet, somebody was there to cut me some ham. She cut me the smallest little piece of ham I have even seen. It was about the size of 1/2 of a dollar and barely any thicker than that as well. The ham actually tasted ok, but it was room temperature. I watched as other people went through the same thing at the carving station. Customers would come up there, look confused, stand around for a bit, and then the woman would grudgingly come out and slice off a tiny piece of ham or beef. The desserts looked good and there was a good selection, but the ones I tried were all stale. When we first walked into the restaurant, there was a sign that said, "please wait to be seated". So we waited....and waited....and after about 5 minutes someone came out and seated us. They were not busy, either. I would say there were people at maybe 5 tables or so. I would have probably given this place one star, but the cheese blintzes, apple fritters, and cabbage rolls were pretty good. And the service was just indifferent, not rude or anything. So, 2 stars it is.
(2)Kwoky L.
I was appalled at how nice some of the reviews were for this restaurant. But I am going to be very blunt. The food is generally bland and the decor: HATE IT. It does look like a corny banquet hall with weird stuffs hanging on the ceiling. The lighting was also a little reddish and dim. The crowd is mostly Polish and boy do they have big families. You don't need to dress up because it is not upscale as someone claimed it to be. They have many American style food like carved ham, fried chicken, assorted salad besides the usual Polish delicacies. Pierogis were overcooked, the braised duck and goulash were tasteless, and the stuffed cabbage was pretty average. However their pork chops and chopped steak patties were amazing, especially the patties. I highly doubt that their salads are home made and it didn't look very appetizing either. Many salad items and desserts are not labeled and I ended up trying a few things that I had no idea what they were. Turned out that I mistakenly took a piece of cake, which I thought looked like small pieces of meatloaf and smothered it with gravy. Bad times. The waitress was so slow in filling our glasses with water. Drinks are not included in the buffet price. So, don't keep ordering drinks thinking that they are free. Apparently she didn't know how to smile either. The price for the Sunday dinner buffet is $15. I saw that their father's day special is $25 or something because they have leg of lamb and some fancy stuff. But I wouldn't pay that much money for this place. Not even $15 to be honest. They could really use some improvement in their food and service, oh and the horrible decor as well.
(3)Sami D.
Let me start with this, I had to call the cops on these people! With the beginning some guy approach us, before we even have chosen a table and very arrogantly asks 3 times if we want water, he had to finish with yes or no. So we were ok no big deal, so we sit down to eat. As we have finished our plates a super rude girl comes to outserve the table and we thought ok, no service the whole time and very poor service when they actually came by the table, so we leave only the change of 5cents as a tip and we leave the buffet. The same rude chick starts running after the car and throws the tip at us saying fuck you. Obviously considering my European temper as well I jump out of the car demanding explanation to what happens, from there all we get is fuck you and some polish swearing. To that I decide to act as a civilized person and just called the cops so we can make a report, since no management came to resolve the issue. The cops did make the report and now I am filing a civil lawsuit, with my lawyer Frank Howard, I must say I really hope we make them pay something. And my personal opinion for the $10 the food was not that good, the choice was poor and the service was horrible. Might as well drive 1 mile down and go to the new china buffet. Way better than that S&%T.
(1)Bill M.
Old Warsaw is a somewhat upscale Polish buffet restaurant, and that is reflected in the higher pricing and classier decor. I guess that keeps the patrons from getting too drunk. The food is very good and filling here, and the Polish desserts are tastier than those at a standard Polish buffet. When I came here the last time, I was seated with two of my guy friends. Our waitress handed us a note that came from a nearby table where three young ladies were seated. The waitress then came back and said the note was not for us, but for another table with three guys. Well, at least the food was good.
(4)Richie D.
I would argue Old Warsaw as the Best Polish food in Chicago. First off, I was taken here on two separate occasions by full-blood Poles. Then, when you walk in, they greet and try to speak to you in Polish (unless I look Polish myself--which I could agree to a point). Lastly, it's always full of Poles having a grand old time (although often with a serious face). The decor is gaudy banquet style with records hanging from the ceiling, red lights, and mirrors everywhere (just think of a fun house but with food). When you add in the food, DELICIOUS! Their buffet is full of all your yummy favorites: meat pierogis, cabbage rolls, potato dumplings, Polish sausage, duck, goulash, and if you're lucky, not only cheese blitzes but also apple-filled ones. The waitresses can seem to be rude but they just get the job done and are nicer with the longer you sit and chat there. **Be aware that the Sunday brunch is more expensive than any other day & supposedly require reservations according to the website, even though there are always empty tables.
(4)Scott T.
Great Polish buffet. Went on a Suday were the buffet is only $14.95. This place is fantastically old school. Imagine your most over the top old school late 60's restaurant and then add a stage! Everyone in the place was speaking Polish which I can only assume is a good sign. Soup Salad Bar Fruits/Vegetables Cold Cuts Perogies Cheese Blintzes Kraut Red Cabbage Rices Potato Pancakes Sausages Breaded Pork Chops Chicken Breast Spare Ribs Chopsteak Sliced Ham off Bone Roast Beef Tons of deserts I am sure I am missing a lot more..but very authentic Polish foods. If you are a fan of Polish food, there is no reason for you not to go Everthing tasted really good. I didn't really no what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. I would go back.
(4)Amy G.
Even if you don't like pierogis, golabki, or kielbasa, you'll get a bang out of Old Warsaw's decor and ambiance. The lighting is dim and dramatic. Someone should interview the regulars of this place- they look like they've been in the neighborhood for most of the last century. Saw some of the best (meaning worst) toupees I've ever seen. Contrast the old-timers with hot Eastern European women, diverse families and yuppie couples to picture the clientele. I'm a vegetarian and I found lots to eat. Great barley soup, potato pancakes, potato and sourkraut pierogis, dumplings, salads, and intricate desserts all buffet-style for less than $10/person, at least for lunch. Oh, and lots of meat too. i would like to go back and hit up the bar which looked warm and kitshy, like a bohemian speakeasy.
(4)Chris T.
Weird.... Just plain weird and not good at all!
(1)Kornelia F.
Love this place! The food is wonderful and while the decor is questionable it takes me back to a wild 1980's party ( or what I imagine it would be).
(5)Anna P.
LOVE! Been here a bunch and recently celebrated a graduation party in a private banquet room. One of the only places my grandpa still likes to go. Food is refilled frequently so everything is always fresh. Delicious salads. Pierogis, stuffed cabbage, sauerkraut, polish sausage (kielbasa), blintzes, carved roasts, PIPING HOT POTATO PANCAKES. Exceptional Desserts. Open space with separate banquet rooms if needed. Full bar in back room near bathrooms and side entrance. *** NOTE: You will get reprimanded if you accidentally walk through the inadequately marked kitchen area to get to the other side of the buffet. *** NOTE: The Chicagoland area has the second highest Polish population outside of Warsaw.
(4)Bill C.
$9 for excellent lunch buffet. Excellent parking lot. Waitress smugly stated there is a $10 minimum to use a credit card. Too bad they do't state it along with the Visa accepted sign. I'll complain to Visa.
(2)Kasia R.
I disagree w/ JOHN F. - I've never had a problem w/ them about clothing style... why would anyone give you trouble about having open toe shoes? It is not your normal buffet, so yes you do have to dress a little nicer than wearing something you would going to Burger king. I think YOU HAVE "low education and experience" for making such rude remarks about people. Anyway.. on to the review Haven't been there in a couple of years, I think my 8th grade graduation was the last time I was there... hahah From what I remember the food was pretty good, but the prices were not so good. I think they have a lot of meat/veggies/side choices. When we first started going there, it was always filled w/people and the prices were pretty standard for buffet. But then when we went back a few years later, it was pretty empty for a sunday afternoon and the price went up. Don't know if they got a new owner or what. they used to have more seating room, but then they got a stage and a dance floor. Nowadays,when I pass by I always see the parking lot filled on saturdays and sundays. I would go there again.
(4)katsiaryna s.
I think their food is amazing, just like home-made food. It has the USSR background, which combines a lot of cultures. This place brings me back to where I was born)). Poland has a long and complicated history, and the decor reflects this history. It is not tacky, it is just different.
(5)Di Z.
I don't know what the previous negative reviewers were smoking, but on my visit this previous Sunday, everything was great. Hot foods hot, cold ones cold, salads tasty and refreshing, nice assortment of tasty meats. Too full to have tried many of the desserts, but they looked great. I didn't want to eat to the point of getting sick, which would be so easy to do. The place isn't tacky, geez. Going back for sure!!
(5)Sarah G.
good food and atmosphere and affordable
(5)B. L.
There certainly is a lot of Polish style food to choose from here. Everything is fresh and really high quality. I like the decor as well. I have shopped in this area for many years.
(4)Leang E.
I'm already kind of biased towards buffets, since I like my food right out from the kitchen as opposed to it sitting out for a bit. My friend was in the mood for Polish food and we had to be quick back in the office since it was our lunch hour. As most buffets, there were more older people who was in the restaurant. We were definitely the youngest. The place is very big for a buffet, and they have another separate dining area where it can accomodate parties of the sort. They have a huge selection of food here. There were plenty of different types of salads, fruits, and desserts here. Of course, there was the main food items, such as the Polish sausages, saurkraut,, some marinated chicken, some fish filet, a roast beef, perogies, and so much more. We had to ask the waitress a few times to come by with water. We were all full, and happy with only having to pay the $9 per person for our meal.
(3)Danny L.
My mom was invited to a party here by her Polish friend a few years ago, so I figured it had to be good. Key words are "a few years ago." Perhaps it used to be good, but I was disappointed during a recent visit. The lunchtime selection was not as big as I would have liked. Many of the items weren't distinctively Polish, but standard American such as fried chicken, fries, mashed potatoes, etc. The carving station's roast beef was tough and overcooked. I did enjoy the potato pancakes and chicken soup. The restaurant was clean and nice-looking. Overall, not a bad experience at all, but there are better Polish restaurants. BTW, don't let my Asian-ness discredit this review. Due to my bottomless pit of a stomach and even bigger curiosity for ethnic cuisine, I've probably eaten more Polish food than several Polski families!
(2)Bill C.
The meats (along with the rest of the buffet) at this place was delicious. I still can't believe how tender the meat was for a buffet. The only thing that concerned me was a sign placed on the buffet that said something like: Eat what you take, you will be charged for unfinished plates. I'm not sure how they really could charge you for an unfinished plate at an all you can eat buffet, but that sign sure did scare me, along with the decorations in the place.
(4)Chris S.
I definitely agree with other users that this place is kind of tacky but I can get past that (in fact, I think its kind of funny). The food here is way beyond what you would expect of a buffet. The food is really good. I am polish and have had a good deal of experience with the food and while it may not be as good as homemade, it certainly is less time consuming and really great. The wait staff is always friendly, they know my group of friends and I (though it might help that we do speak in polish with them). Definitely very authentic ( I see a lot of polish people here). Extremely convenient and the paczki is really good. They do use really good quality ingredients which is nice to see in a buffet. Definitely check this place out if you want something different.
(5)John F.
Tacky interior looks like Liberace came back from the dead and opened a restaurant. The food is more or less passable but selection is somewhat limited and some dishes are definitely unappetizing. Cake desserts are sometimes stale. If you wear decent casual clothes but happen to have open-toed shoes on they don't like it for some reason. I think its appeal is mostly to Polish people of low education and experience.
(2)Urszula H.
If you have a craving for old time Polish home cooking, then this is the place. But I must warn you, come hungry with loose pants. This is a buffet so you can stuff yourself silly. I am vegetarian and still had lots to choose from. What's great is the food tastes really fresh and is not greasy like some other places. Make sure to save room for dessert, trust me, you'll want that too.
(5)Robert B.
One of the worst polish food joints. Really not much polish food anymore, now is more like pol- american versions. They lost the polish cook or Managment is looking in wrong direction. Get real polish cook- get schabowy and mielone kotlety. Fix Red bets - the real one and also polish sweet table. Loose all this creepy American desert plate. Or keep it up and loose more customers
(1)Emily B.
I was in the neighborhood and stopped here yesterday for lunch. I loved it! The potato salad, mushroom barley soup and bread were excellent. The potatoes were cooked just right. The potato salad also included shredded carrots and hard boiled eggs. The mayonaise was just right. House made? The barley soup also included dill which I am going to use from now on in my mushroom barley soup. The bread was the right texture -- dense, chewy and not dry. House made? For entree, I had the stuffed cabbage, sauerkraut, potato pierogi and potato dumplings. The stuffed cabbage was good but included a little too much rice for my taste.The potato pierogi and potato dumplings were perfectly cooked. I didn't care for the sauerkraut which was cooked in a red sauce. For dessert, I had the cheese blintz, a butter cookie and pineapple. All were excellent. This buffet was the best of all of the Polish buffets I have tried so far. The service was excellent. My ice tea was refilled and plates were removed quickly. I loved the decor! Very European and Old World. A real value for $9. I will be recommending Old Warsaw to friends and family and returning.
(4)Lisa A.
This is my first time here and I am not a fan of polish cuisine, but it was my mother-in-law's birthday so we came for her. We were a family of 10 and there was plenty of food to choose from and I think the only thing missing were the Swedish meatballs my mother-in-law makes. The cheese blintzes were delightful. Cabbage rolls were really tasty. The goulash had perfect compliment of spices. The ribs fall off the bone if you like that style. The roasted chicken was better than the fried chicken so that surprised me. They serve a traditional salad bar, but I really enjoyed the beet salads. They served the best paczkis (poonch-skis) with just enough sweetness, fresh homemade jelly inside and texture that I can not describe. I only gave it 4 stars because I don't know the consistency time after time and like I said, the cuisine is not my favorite. I might give it a 5 star on my next return.
(4)Irena S.
I want to congratulate the cook(s). My complaint is with the customer sevice given. The manager Anna. I went to celebrate my Aunt's 95 birthday. It was just the two of us. At 95 my aunt does not eat alot and did not load her plate up at the buffet. My Aunt did not finish her meal and it was siting on he table. The manager came by and screamed through out the restaurant, how dare you take salmon and not eat all of it when we pay $18 for the salmon. She was rude, disrespectful and condecending. She clearly wanted to pick a fight over salmon. This meal cost us $39.00. The restaurant needs a new manager that knows how to talk to their customers and make them feel welcome.
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