Someone wrote: : Are there any good Polish dinner buffets available in the city these days? Bobak's (Archer between Cicero and Pulaski) Red Apple (Milwaukee south of Belmont)
Chicago, IL
From Germany to Poland
Dan H. wrote: > Are there any good Polish dinner buffets available in the city these days? Here are a few comments on 5 Polish buffets that I remember. I wouldn't call the food at any of them outstanding but each has its own charms and all of them are terrific bargains. All are all-you-can-eat and they really mean it (your waitress might ask what's wrong if you only go back twice). At some of these places you can have a beer, eat til you hurt, then have dessert and coffee, and leave a generous tip for well under $10. If you've never been to one of these places I would highly recommend a visit. About as real-Chicago as it gets. I've listed them roughly in order of price and "elegance". Red Apple (3123 N Milwaukee Av) Maybe the cheapest and best known but definitely not the best. Some of the salads are very nice and I like their bigos (sauerkraut stew). Some of their meats are not very good quality and the fried items can be awfully greasy. Often draws a very interesting mix of people. Their next door deli is gone but there are lots of others within a few blocks. Staropolska (5249 W Belmont Av) Similar in size and price to Red Apple but perhaps a little better. Probably the best potato pancakes of the 5 (still not all that great). Not far from Central Homemade Sausage, one of the best places for sausages in the city. Gene's Deli, almost across the street, is also worth a visit. Bobak's (5275 S Archer Av) I'm not that wild about the next-door Bobak's supermarket/deli so I was surprised at how much I liked the buffet. Well-maintained and a huge selection (tough to try even a little bit of everything). They even have little cards identifying each item. Might be a good one to try first. Tatra Inn (6040 S Pulaski Rd) Haven't been for a while but I used to be very fond of it. One of the better all-around Polish smorgasbords. Some of their soups are very good (they usually have czarnina). On weekends they have a more elaborate dinner, and higher prices. Here's an amusing story (and a word of warning). . . A few years ago I stopped at Tatra for a quick lunch. As I was eating plate #1, mostly salads and cold dishes, the waitress stopped by to let me know they would prepare special pierogi on request (only one variety was on the buffet). I thought maybe one of each of the 3 kinds would be nice. There was still no sign of my special pierogi as I was finishing plate #2. Assuming she had forgotten (understandable because they were extremely busy that day), I decided to go back for plate #3. I got seconds (or thirds) of my favorites, tried a few new dishes, and took a couple pierogi from the buffet. Probably 45 minutes after ordering, just as I was laboring to finish, the pierogi arrived--a full dozen big ones, swimming in melted butter. Rarely in my life have I been so unhappy to see a plate of food. Old Warsaw (4750 N Harlem Av) Perhaps the best of the 5 but kind of tacky in a pseudo-elegant way. I think they even have live music on weekends. Particularly nice selection of appetizers and desserts (even though some of them seem to taste alike). The most expensive of the bunch but still quite reasonable.
NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2000 08:52:45 PST Organization: EarthLink Network, Inc. X-ELN-Date: Mon Feb 14 08:52:45 2000 Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2000 16:52:45 GMT Xref: alexander.INS.CWRU.Edu chi.eats:6972 Jolly Inn, 6400 Irving Park Orbit Restaurant isn't a buffet, but they do have good Polish food. Dan H. wrote: > Are there any good Polish dinner buffets available in the city these days? > > Dan > > --