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Balaton Restaurant
- Hours:
Tue-Thu 11:30 am - 9 pm
Fri 11:30 am - 9:30 pm
Sat 1 pm - 9:30 pm
Sun 1 pm - 8 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
27 reviews for Balaton Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"Next, I always order the Wiener Schnitzel and dumplings." In 6 reviews -
"...favorite recipe to cook which was the stuffed cabbage." In 8 reviews -
"The Chicken Paprikash." In 3 reviews
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27 reviews in English
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Review from John D.
12/30/2011
Zomg! Perfection!
Can't count the number of times I've eaten here in my lifetime (50+) and have never had anything other than great food. Be warned: portions are ginormous! Szekely Goulash has no equal anywhere. I can't even make it this good, and that is saying something.
Walnut torte alone is worth a trip.
Seriously, go here. Eat here. Make it a ritual. -
Review from Young P.
It's places like Balaton that makes me rave about Cleveland dining. I've never tried Hungarian, Central European cuisine before. So one night, my girlfriend and I wanted to try a new place and after reading all the good reviews about Balaton, we decided to layer up and head out in the snow.
The restaurant is located in Shaker Square, where as you know is pretty developed and have a number of places to grab dinner and drinks. Balaton is located on the Northwest quadrant.
From recommendations on Yelp, we shared a cucumber salad and an order of the Wiener Schnitzel. I really really wanted to try the stuffed cabbage and the homemade potato pancakes, but I knew this place serve huge portions and the extra appetizers would have been too much.
The Cucumber salad was good. Somewhat sour and tangy, but has a good crunch and complemented our main dish really well. The Wiener Schnitzel was amazing. It really does have a feel of a home cooked meal. The dish is a generous veal-cutlet in traditional batter, then fried perfectly, and served with a side of applesauce, and speatzels. Even though we split the dish, it was still two full portions for each of us.
At the end, I had just enough room for the cafe expresso and Dobosh Torte. It's true what one reviewer said "it'll be stupid to come here and not order the Dobosh Torte" - eight layers of rich cake, with seven layers of smooth creamy chocolate, covered with hard-caramel. Holla !! -
Review from Olga S.
5/14/2012 1 photo
I know I am about to be heckled by all the fans of this restaurant but my chicken paprikash was a very average overpriced meal. I did like the atmosphere of the place and the wine. And the sight of the owner cleaning up the tables was simply breaking my heart. I plan to return and let the galore of the European dishes convince me otherwise. But so far dining there felt like going on a date with a guy who is good on paper but you just don't feel it for him. So here I said it - I wouldn't have married my paprikash. That's all. Sorry.
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Review from Dick S.
5/14/2011
This is where I go to eat when I want to go home. I can find stuffed cabbage at Polish or Slovenian eateries, but at Balaton I find what it should be. The same can be said for the beef gulyas or chicken paprikas.
Many reviews compare the cooking at Balaton to good ole granny's. Well, as far as I know people have not been paying to sit at your granny's table for fifty years. I also know although my Hungarian grandmother was an exceptional cook always one of us did not like some thing she made. Thus do not expect to like every dish or for it to taste like what you grew up with. I have a friend who is widely recognized as being the worst cook anyone knows. But her grown daughters remember the wonderful dinners good ole mom made. So much for home cooking memories.
Portions are large so well worth the prices. If I were Chinese I would find comfort in congee, if I were Southern I would find comfort in grits and butter. I am of Hungarian descent so my comfort food is Balaton's nokkedli with paprika gravy.
Surely the Wiener Schnitzel is the best you will find anywhere.
Rarely have I or my companions had room for dessert. When I can, I order the walnut torte. No cassatta cake or red velvet cupcake compares. -
Review from Brian T.
6/16/2011 3 photos
Balaton is one of the dining highlights in the greater Cleveland area, as well as one of its most enduring (they've been in business since 1964). The food is absolutely delicious, and I highly recommend finding your way to Shaker Square (a sleepy suburb just east of Cleveland) for their fantastic Hungarian food and charming Old World atmosphere.
The Fried Chicken Livers are perfectly fried, with a light breading, and not a drop of grease. Goulash Soup -- beef and potatoes in a rich paprikash broth -- is a meal in itself. (This is admittedly not "light" dining! Come hungry.)
Everything on the menu is terrific, I'm sure. But for your first visit, I would point to the Hungarian Platter, which supplies you with a Schnitzel, which is huge, a Stuffed Cabbage, and Goulash (different from the soup), which is chicken (or veal) and mushrooms in a paprikash sour cream sauce. All of this is served with a heap of the most delightful Spaetzle, as well as a fresh side salad. It's a great deal, and you don't have to choose between all of these specialties. -
Review from Rob S.
11/7/2010 ROTD 1/13/2011
Although my grandmother was off-the-boat Hungarian, I didn't appreciate her cooking when I was a kid. Toffee cake? No thanks, I'd rather have a Snickers. Veal paprikash? Schnitzel? What, we can't go to Taco Bell?
But when I come to Balaton I realize what I missed. This place has seriously some of the best Hungarian home cooking there is to be offered in the states. You know it's old-school ethnic when there's a guy sitting around the dining room sipping from a glass of wine, and it looks like his only job is to smile at people as they walk by.
As for the food, it's fantastic. The bread alone is worth it, but definitely order a cucumber salad with a veal, chicken or mushroom paprikash, and you will leave here a better person. They have two choices for most dishes: small and large. I ordered a small, and it still looked like they dumped the whole pot out on my plate. Daaaaamn good stuff. It almost makes me want to go to the east side more often. Almost. -
Review from Margaret A.
Chicago, IL
5/3/2010
I spent 10 days eating in Budapest, so I feel qualified to comment on the authenticity and excellence of this establishment. Balaton is great!
Potato pancakes ($7.95) are an excellent appetizer, crispy wonderful served with sour cream. Ask about cherry juice. It goes well with the food here.
Order the Wiener Schnitzel ($21.95 large/$16.95 small) or Veal Crepes a la Hortobagy ($17.95). I also love their Stuffed Cabbage rolls ($15.95).
The schnitzel is tender and thin inside, carefully breaded and crisp fried outside. The veal crepes Hortobagy are absolutely delicious - hot savory, pancakes filled with tender veal and smothered in creamy, rich paprikash sauce.
The homemade dumplings or Speatzels here are fantastic. Fresh, tender and beautifully complemented by the sauce and the meats. ($3.95 as a side)
Portions are large. If you cannot decide what to order, try smaller appetizer portions of the entrees or have a combination plate. This will help you save room for dessert, which you should because the Hungarian strudel is really quite lovely. ($3.50) -
Review from Melissa P.
Boston, MA
3/3/2008
Three generations of my Hungarian family dined at Balaton.
Though my family is from Hungary, I being American born and bred never tasted true traditional Hungarian food. I figured the tastes would be similar to German food, but with more paprika and sour cream. I was pleasantly surprised.
I had the mushroom paprikash with sliced portobello mushrooms, onions, buttery spatzel, all served together in a stew like consistency. My dish was light, delicious, and comforting.
The 2nd generation had veal schnitzel or weiner schnitzel. Tender veal
that cut elegantly with a knife. The dish came with spatzel and a small salad with a lightly sugared vinaigrette.
The 1st generation had her mother's favorite recipe to cook which was the stuffed cabbage. With every bite my grandma recited stories of her childhood in Hungary. Grandma even said that the violinist who used to play at the restaurant was an old friend of hers after she moved to Cleveland.
Overall Balaton was a beautiful introduction into Hungarian cuisine. My palate has opened to food of my heritage and I can't wait to try more delicious entrees.
entrees. -
Review from Ben A.
Stow, OH
3/4/2011
The portions are astounding, the quality is exceptional, and the staff are very exciting people.
If you are ever going to have a wild weekend in Cleveland this place should be on the list of places to go. -
Review from Hillary H.
Menlo Park, CA
2/23/2009
I took my boyfriend to Balaton for Valentine's Day. His family is Croatian, so he's a huge fan of the stick-to-your ribs, heavy Eastern European food. He also has a grandmother that cooks the best food I've ever tasted, so going into this our standards for ethnic cuisine were fairly high.
Luckily, our meals did not disappoint. I ordered the "small" plate of Chicken Paprikash with spatzel and he chose the "small" plate of Wienerschnitzel with spatzel. They were both fantastic, but as many others note "small" here does not actually mean small. The man next to me ordered a large potion, and let me just say -- it was obscene. Unless you want to be eating spatzel for days, stick with a small.
We took advantage of the dessert menu and order two things: dobosh torte and cheese strudel. The torte was good and schmancy-looking, but the hands down taste winner was the strudel. The pastry was light and flaky; I'm a sucker for cheese so I was happy.
The Balaton was great. I'd recommend it to anyone who craves hearty food. Be careful how you get there, though. It's located in a nice neighborhood but, no thanks to my Garmin, the route we took there was pretty rough. I'm no stranger to the city (i heart cleveland), but the the parts we drove through were down right scary. I recommend taking 480 and going through Beachwood if you're coming from the West side. It might take longer, but if you even slightly value your life -- it's worth it. -
Review from Anthony P.
Cleveland Heights, OH
2/4/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I went there on a tuesday at like 5 o'clock, so it was pretty much just my wife and I. So the service was fantastic and everything, but I dunno what it would be when it is more full. The decor was nice, I don't really know a lot about Hungary but it all seemed Hungarian enough.
The food though was mostly quite good. Both my wife and I had the wiener schnitzel and that was quite tasty. She had mashed potatoes with it but those were quite flavorless and sort of clay like. I had the spaetzels, and those were some of the best I've ever had. Wife had some potato pancakes that I thought were awful and needed at least two spoonfuls of apple sauce to get past my gag reflex. She loved em though, so I must just hate potato pancakes.
I would definitely like to go back and try something I am less familiar with and some desserts that I hear are pretty good too. -
Review from Maureen R.
Cleveland, OH
2/7/2010
A family favorite since they were located on Buckeye...I will always love the Balaton. Also, this is one local Hungarian restaurant my Grandmother did not get into an argument with the cook over authenticity. A story for another time...
As far as Hungarian meals go there really is no question that this is the best you will find in Cleveland. Portions are huge and easy to share or take home for tomorrow's leftovers!! I'm skipping right to the main dish. Sure the Potato Pancakes, Goulash Soup and the Cucumber salad are good, but you know you are going there-for one thing and one thing only. The main attraction. The Wiener Schnitzel is on the House Specialties list for a reason. It is battered and fried to perfection and the speatzels don't come in some wimpy portion size. Comes w/the perfect amount!! The Chicken Paprikash...tho isn't my grandma's...is pretty darn close and the dumplings are a must. My 3rd pick would be the Hungarian Goulash. Really you can't go wrong here!! WAIT! Did you save room for desert?? I think over time I have had almost everything on the dessert menu. Can't seem to remember a miss yet...
A family run establishment since the 1960's will soon win you over. Oh! Don't forget to say hello to the owner...who is usually seated in the back. -
Review from michelle w.
Newton, MA
6/19/2007
We come here EVERY time we're back in Cleveland with my family~its become tradition to come here to celebrate birthday's as well. It's an authentic Hungarian restauant set in quaint Shaker Square.
I always get the chicken shnitzel (or weiner shnitzel) with dumplings- yum! Always sub your salad for the cucumer salad. And of course you must dine with some Hungarian wine. For dessert, finish off with the chesnut puree, topped with whipped cream! You'll feel like your in Hungary here! -
Review from Dan S.
Denver, CO
10/31/2009
A little horseradish in your beet salad?
This is a great place that has hearty, satisfying, tasty food. If you aren't familiar with Hungarian (and I'm no expert) I would definitely try it. It is not what I would call challenging - most people will find things they like and it is different enough and excellently done.
On a couple different occasions I've tried several great dishes:
Beet Salad and Cucumber Salads are both fresh and great.
Their soups are amazing. It's tough to get one because their portions are so big, but they are well worth it - get one as part of a meal sharing plan!
Their Hungarian Lecso is a flavorful, hearty (this word will get used alot) and filling stew with sausage.
Their Schnitzel is famous for good reason, and I totally agree with the recommendations of squeezing lemon on top, generously.
Also have enjoyed their Stuffed Cabbages (not quite as good as grandma's, but good) and Paprikash (including Mushroom, which is vegetarian).
My wife asked for gluten-free options and was given several. The server was conscientious about suggesting things she could eat and even checked the ingredients on the dressing for the salads (luckily gluten-free).
I also enjoyed the Sour Cherry juice (not very sour) and tried a Hungarian white wine, which was nice.
I'll also echo the comments about portion size. The larges are easily shared and the smalls will not be finished by many.
I loved the food in Hungary on one trip, and this definitely reinforces the goodness. -
Review from Jeremy C.
New York, NY
8/31/2009
This is one of my favorite restaurants in Cleveland. I have been a loyal customer for over twenty years, although for the first ten years I had no choice in the matter since I was merely a young boy. My parents used to take us out here at least twice a year, and I try to make it out there at least a couple times a year--although this is proving to be a difficult feat at the moment considering the fact that I live near the Pacific coast!
So why is the Balaton so good? This is just simply the most delicious comfort food out there!
I like to start with the Cucumber Salad; it's absolutely delicious and they have a really tasty dressing they use for it. Then I proceed to get a cup of the Goulash Soup. Next, I always order the Wiener Schnitzel and dumplings. It's a simple dish (similar to Milanesa), but they always make it so well here. It's basically thinly breaded veal fried to the perfect golden, crunchy texture. Be sure to squeeze the lemon over the meat. Oh, and if you go with a date, just order the large portion. There will be more than enough to share, and perhaps take home for a friend. As another reviewer noted, the Boor's Blood wine is a nice tasty drink, and though I am not a wine connoisseur, I remember liking the way it interacted with the veal. Also, you may want to order extra dumplings because they are really addicting! They are unequivocally the best dumplings I've ever eaten.
Finally, I always like to order some dessert here, which, in my opinion, is absolutely phenomenal. I respectfully disagree with another Yelp reviewer who claimed the dessert here was mediocre. I actually think the crepes are delicious, and the seven layer cake is amazing. (My mom always orders the crepe and I order the chocolate cake). Each layer of the cake has a creamy chocolate filling followed by a crunchy layer of toffee or caramel --I can't remember which. -
Review from Amar K.
Campbell, CA
11/10/2008
I went here with a party of 4. I had the Lesco with smoked sausage, my wife ordered the vegetarian version of the same dish. The stew was a composite of tomatoes, red and green peppers with herbs and paprika. It served on a bed of crumbled dumplings. I rather enjoyed my dish even though it was a little too salty. The sausages had enough salt for the entire dish. I would definitely visit again and try the other dishes.
Please stay away from their unremarkable desserts. The crepe we ordered was dry and stiff, and the flambe refused to catch fire. The 7 layered chocolate cake put up quite a fight as if it had been refrigerated too long. It had a caramel layer on it that chipped and spun of the plate
The service is exceptional and the decor is part of the fun. -
Review from Bert W.
Cleveland, OH
7/1/2010
I had high hopes for Balaton after seeing such good reviews on Yelp. Sadly, tonight I left disappointed.
My first problem with Balaton is that the food just isn't that good. Yes, they have authentic Eastern European dishes on their menu, and yes they are probably are made using an old "grandma's recipe", however the results are not the same that grandma would have churned out.
For an entree I had the breaded pork chop, one of my favorite dishes growing up. I grew up in a very Polish community, so breaded pork chops was a meal I ate regularly. When my mother and my friends' mothers would make breaded pork chops, the middle would be juicy and the outside would be well seasoned. What I had at Balaton was a piece of pork in barely seasoned breadcrumbs, and it was cooked for so long that the inside was dry.
The spaetzle that came with it would have been good if it weren't for the extremely salty gravy that was poured all over it. I can't remember the last time I had so much salt in my food when I went out to eat. I was chugging down water for the rest of the evening (and even now as I write this review) and my mouth is still drying up. Yuck.
I tried my girlfriend's stuffed cabbage. Once again, it seemed like a mediocre presentation of what may seem like a more exotic dish that Americans may not be used to eating. While I agree that it's nice to see places like this offer their home country's native cuisine, offering doesn't cut it. It should actually taste good. Not only was the stuffed cabbage bland, it was also over salted.
Additionally, the food I had was way overpriced for what I got. Balaton charges the same amounts as Cleveland's great restaurants, yet it's quality is far below everyone else. The rustic decor and ambiance of the restaurant is certainly nice, but if I'm paying as much as I did for my meal, I want good food not just a nice atmosphere.
On a positive note, the bread served on the table was good. That's the only redeeming thing I can say about the food I had earlier tonight. If you decide to go, note that the portions are huge. You MIGHT be able to eat a "large" entree if you are very hungry and aren't ordering appetizers/desserts. Otherwise, go with the small. Or just don't go at all and save your money for some better tasting food. -
Review from Katherine H.
Vermilion, OH
7/19/2008
One of my favorite places in Cleveland!
Friendly, great service! And the food. It makes me sad there isn't a Hungarian presence in more communities so that this food was more common!
But if you want Hungarian food done well look no further than here.
Also I recommend a glass of "Bull's Blood" wine. One of my favorite types of wine ever.
Take a group so you can all order something else and share! -
Review from Jim H.
Cleveland, OH
7/16/2011
I had the Weiner schnitzel and my girlfriend had the Gypsy's cutlet. It was good, not great. I have to deduct points for inattentive servers and expensive fare ($43 for two people - just too much). Also they feel the need to remind you several times via their menu that it costs them money to accept credit cards - come on. They also automatically threw on a 15% gratuity. OK experience but I probably won't be returning.
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Review from Karen W.
Tempe, AZ
5/12/2009
The navy bean soup is amazing. Quite possibly some of the best soup I've had in some time. We shared the Hungarian platter, which was wonderful. The schnitzel was perfectly crispy, and the cabbage rolls were my favorite, very flavorful. The chicken paprikash could use some more flavor, but maybe it was the strong flavors of the other entrees on the plate that drowned out the more subtle taste of the paprikash. I wasn't too impressed with the dessert. I had the chestnut cake and it was dry and a small portion for the price and quality of it.
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Review from Arthur F.
Chesterfield, VA
4/3/2010
I grew up on Buckeye Rd, where the original Balaton's was located. My mom didn 't prepare most dishes at home, so after grandma died, Balaton's was the place we went weekly for home cooked Hungarian food. For me the tradition has carried forward in my post-Cleveland years. Each and every time I visit, this is one of two stops. I rotate between the weiner schnitzel, chicken paprikesh, and stuffed cabbage. In most instances the meal is complemented with spatzels (mini-dumplings). So while over the years they've moved to Shaker Square and their prices have increased, nothing has changed in terms of the quality of the food served here!
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Review from Kevin H.
Cleveland, OH
1/14/2010
Went with the family and an extra friend for dinner before seeing the Christmas lighting ceremony at Public Square. We ordered the Hungarian Platter and a side plate of cabbage rolls to try. The cabbage rolls were not my favorite, but everything else was delicious. We tried an assortment of tiny cheesecakes that were all great.
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Review from Samuel F.
11/26/2008
Great food and excellent service. Note that many entrees are offered in "regular" and "small", where "small" means substantial and "regular" means ginormous. I've always been impressed with the deserts there as well. Well worth a visit.
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Review from Erica S.
Cleveland, OH
4/8/2008
Huge portions, fair prices, and pleasant servers! I ordered the vegetarian Hungarian Lecso. A hearty, healthy meal consisting of stewed tomatoes, yellow peppers, banana peppers and onions served over dumplings. Loved the white bread that came with the meal!
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Review from Justin V.
6/16/2008 1 photo
This is a fun place, reasonably priced given the sheer massiveness of the amount of food you are served. My girlfriend and I went this weekend and made the mistake of ordering the Hungarian wood platter. We figured it'd be like an appetizer sampler, but unless we suddenly live in the land of giants, that was not what we received. Seriously huge portions -- three plate-size pieces of schnitzel (2 veal, 1 chicken), 2 good sized pan-fried pork chops (covered in a bed of seriously delicious thin n crispy fried onions), about a 1/2 pound of bacon, a bowl of spaetzle, two bowls of cabbage and paprika, two big bowls of pickled beets, about 1.5 pounds of sausage, and other stuff I can't remember. It was all delicious, and we gorged ourselves, yet didn't touch more than 30% of the platter, if even that much. All told, it cost $50, and could easily feed 5-6 people (more if you aren't big eaters), so the price was right.
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Review from Liz M.
Huntington, WV
3/24/2010
Delicious meal! I had the weiner schnitzel (small) and it was plenty big. Spouse had the Hungarian Platter with weiner schnitzel, veal paprikesh, and stuffed cabbage. It was great_ lots of food. The salad was the only non-great thing- it was awash in diluted wet dressing- obviously premade. It was fresh lettuce though. I had the 5 raisin dessert wine- so very sweet! The dobosch torte was homemade and fantastic! Our waitress was swift and professional. I would return on another visit.
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Review from Matt L.
Cleveland, OH
6/17/2010
One of my favorites. Best Hungarian food in Cleveland. Wiener Schnitzel is a must, the stuffed cabbage is excellent, and the Paprikash is also scrumptious. As far as I can tell, everything on the menu is excellent.
