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Balkan Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Mediterranean Restaurants Sandwiches Mediterranean, Sandwiches
2321 W Lawrence Ave(between Claremont Ave & Oakley Ave)
Chicago, IL 60625
Neighborhoods: Lincoln Square, Ravenswood
(773) 878-7764
- Nearest Transit:
-
Western-Brown (Brown Line)
Rockwell (Brown Line)
Damen-Brown (Brown Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 7 am - 8 pm
Sun 7 am - 5 pm
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
43 reviews for Balkan Restaurant
Review Highlights
"we also had the stuffed cabbage and it was awesome."
(in 5 reviews)
"Tried the sarma and tulumba, both were delicious."
(in 7 reviews)
"I was thinking a stuffed Greek pita bread."
(in 5 reviews)
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43 reviews in English
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Review from Jeanne L.
Chicago, IL
10/18/2011
This place is awesome!
The food is amazing, and it's all house made. The pita bread was fantastic. We tasted a lot of different things, and loved them all.
Everything was fresh and delicious. The cabbage rolls were so good, as was the cevapcic, crepes, and all the stuffed pastries.
AND the prices are very reasonable! You've got to try this place! -
Review from Bridget K.
Chicago, IL
2/3/2012
My friends and I wanted to try the Balkan Cafe because of the deal my friend bought on http://restaurant.com. We called ahead to order food. They were out of most of the things we wanted to try. We were excited because we had never had Balkan food before.
After we placed our order we found out that the restaurant is under new management and will not except any of the online coupons. Even though the Groupon and http://restaurant.com deals are still online. -
Review from Elijah A.
Chicago, IL
11/29/2011
One of the nicest store owners I have ever met, get down there and try it out!
Balkan food is similar to Russian/Serbian food but with slightly different variations to make it interesting. Stuffed cabbage (Sarma) is so good. The pinwheel version of spankopita (Zelyanica) rocks. But at the end of the day it all comes down to the meat and they do it right!! You cannot leave without trying to Chevapi. Also, I have yet to try the roast lamb since you have to call a day ahead to order it but I'm sure that it's phenomenal.
I cannot overstress how nice the owner/manager/server is, he seems to really take pride in sharing his families recipes with everyone and everything is handmade and delicious. My wife and I love this place and since it's BYOB it's one of the cheapest meals in Lincoln Square. Only complaint is the ambiance, it's in a strip mall and the interior isn't much better but outside of that it's great. -
Review from Barbara S.
Chicago, IL
11/11/2011
Terrible customer service. http://Restaurant.com coupon was not honored even though all conditions were met. Way too much large, chunky raw onions. Overpriced and cold.
Will not go back.
Terrible. -
Review from Becky S.
Chicago, IL
1/28/2012
I was originally going to give 4 stars because I'm stingy with my stars, but then I thought about it and couldn't come up with a single reason why I shouldn't give 5 stars. This place was exactly what my husband and I have been looking for. The food was amazing, the service (despite what other people have said) was great - they were extremely welcoming and I even brought in a kid. The prices were really reasonable. I even asked the guy if it was okay if I brought in a chocolate milk for my son from the 7-11 next door and he had no problems with it and made me feel very comfortable even though usually I cringe at the idea of bringing in something from outside a restaurant. He seemed to understand though, when the kid wants chocolate milk, you have two choices 1) get the kid chocolate milk, or 2) listen to him whine for an hour because he wants chocolate milk. If you haven't tried this place and like Mediterranean food, give it a shot, you won't be disappointed.
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Review from A R.
Cook, IL
12/21/2011
Fresh ingredients, home-made (check out the lady in the kitchen), the basic menu is authentic.
Parking is a nightmare. Watch out for tickets in the parking lot, especially because service can be slow. -
Review from Jill W.
Chicago, IL
10/13/2011
Delivery was quick and order was correct -- so yay!
Cevapcic was great and the pita bread that came with it was a lot better than I was anticipating. No seriously, it was awesome, and well it's pita -- who would expect that to be one of the better parts of the meal?
Cream of Chicken soup was good, would have been great if it was just a wee bit thicker.
Sirnica was ok. It's huge, and I think this is something I'd enjoy more in a 1/4 of the size. 4 days on and I still have leftovers.
The Bavarian Cake is like a vanilla eclair cake and perfect. If one could make out with cake, we'd all want to make out with this cake. -
Review from Jon G.
Chicago, IL
9/6/2011
The first time I order here I got the Cevapcic (little beef sausages without casing), and I have a hard time ordering anything else since. Fantastic flavor, and comes with a wonderful dipping sauce and incredible grilled bread.
Delivery is fast and the food arrives hot and fresh.
Also try the crepes, and the beef stew. Both are excellent.
Be sure to check the hours, they close earlier than most places, especially on Sunday. -
Review from David F.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 1/11/2012
after 3 more comebacks this place rules!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/23/2011
The reviews are on point, this place is fantastic, its cured and smoked meats are loaded with flavor… Read more »
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Review from Marc R.
7/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
I lived in Lincoln Square when the place was mostly populated by old Germans, Greeks, and folks who hung out at the many now defunct German bakeries, delis, and coffee shops. Many if not all of these gems are gone and I am sort of nostalgic for the old Lincoln Square when I go back here. It was a time before the Starbucks came, and before they tore down houses to build new houses every year or two and there was a nice mix of new and old.
So, I on a super hot summer afternoon I drove back to LS with a friend from Bulgaria because she really wanted some Balkan food. When an Eastern European wants some food from home, you better get them what they want; or perhaps more correctly, you have just found an excuse to have some great food. Enter Balkan!
Now, I remember that this space used to be some sort of a BBQ so there is still a giant grill in the middle of the dining room, but if you walk past that monster you will see a simple refrigerator with typical Balkan sausages, and deserts for sale. The menu includes crepes (which are very popular in Central and Eastern Europe for both "sweet" (fruits, and typically nutella) and "savory" (ie, meats, veggies, and stuff you might stuff in a sandwich or omelet) varieties), cevapcici, burek, and spinach pies.
The fellow who was working was very nice and was willing to explain the menu, but my Bulgarian friend had all this figured out. The Cevapcici was amazing and came with a creamy cheesy spread and onions on the side. I really like it when they also include some Ajvar (red pepper paste), but they did not do so here. The Spinach pie is rolled up just like a Bulgarian grandmother might make it. Honest, my friend said her grandmother makes these Spinach pie rolls as big as a wheel. How cool would that be?
We had a couple of espressos before we left to face the 90+ degree Chicago heat, but were happy as can be with this home style Balkan meal.
Great food, nice servers, and while we skipped them - super sweet deserts. There was also some Balkan folk-pop playing on the TV which was fun to watch. As others have said, the layout is a bit strange - thanks to the giant grill - but we were very happy to dine-in. -
Review from Jess P.
Chicago, IL
11/30/2011
Walking into an empty restaurant always makes me a little weary. Last time I walked into a restaurant where I was the only customer, I ended up eating undercooked chicken. Empty restaurants always make me think of a unkempt kitchen with a microwave and foreman grill in the back of places like this.
My boyfriend and I both had a long day at work and didn't feel like cooking so we decided to use the http://restaurant.com gift certificate that I had bought the week before. The bf loves cevapi and it's not easy to find so we decided we'd give this place a try.
So we walk into this empty restaurant and sit down. The owner comes over and asks us if we've ever had Balkan food. We admit that the occasional cevapi is the extent of our experience with Balkan food. He proceeds to walk us through the entire menu. So we took his suggestion and tried the meat pastry, Balkan Burger (this is cevapi meat made into burger shape), and the Sarma. Oh, and the pita and hummus and the tomato/cucumber/feta salad to start.
Ohhhh myyyyy godddd. Holy food overload. The pita was homemade, thick, light, fluffy. The meat pastry was huge and probably the best pastry dough I've ever had. The Balkan Burger was one of the best things I've ever had in my life. They make their own sausage and it was on one of their homemade pitas. The Sarma (beef stuff cabbage) was awesome. It was perfectly spiced and served with more pita! You could tell that every ingredient was handpicked and every dish was made with love. It isn't just a gimmick.
Samir (spelling?) frequently visited our table and made sure that every one of our needs was met. You can tell he truly loves his craft and cares about his food and the people that eat it. I told him "I feel like I'm eating in your home." He smiled at me and said that was such a compliment and that's how he wants to make everyone feel.
We left stuff and eager to come back. Samir literally walked us out of the restaurant and shook my boyfriends hand.
Good food and great customer service is hard to come by. I think I found my new favorite place to eat in chicago. -
Review from Ryan M.
8/22/2011
Delicious...
Went here for lunch the other day and can't wait to go back.
Walked in and the guy working was extremely nice and explained everything I wanted to know. Tried the sarma and tulumba, both were delicious!! -
Review from Eve Z.
Chicago, IL
10/11/2011
The waiter was talking BAD about me (in his own language) to his chick ( black hair and a lot of make up ) because I didn't liked his food.
The food was not good. Better go to Jimmy Johns if u want to spent your money. -
Review from Filjan o.
Chicago, IL
1/7/2012
food is really tasty, but they are playing a game of shrinking your portion to save money instead of raising prices. so, you may find yourself ordering more, and end up paying double. they need to find a balance between quantity and price. nice, polite, friendly owner. thew also have some of the best tulumbas in town.
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Review from Dustin G.
Phoenix, AZ
6/3/2011
I stopped in hoping they had sandwiches. I ordered the veggie and brought it home. It was HUGE and delicious. I had to give half to my boyfriend. The homemade bread really makes the sandwich. The veggies were all very fresh and were cut to the right size for sandwich. What I mean is I could actually bite it without dragging the sandwich inside out. I can't wait to go back and try some of their more interesting items.
I walked in and a little boy heralded my arrival exclaiming, "Our first customer is here today!" He then proceeded to explain the menu to me. This was great because everyone else was just sitting around and yelling across the restaurant to one another in balkanese. The inside is laid out weird. I really didn;t want to stay and eat but the food was very good and I will definitely go back for seconds! -
Review from angela h.
Chicago, IL
1/31/2011
I've been on a major Eastern European/Central Asian kick these days! And what do I find in my backyard? (Seriously, how long has this place been in my backyard?? I've been to that strip mall and never seen this place)
Anyway-- sarma. Let's talk about it. It haunts me. It teases me from my taste buds of yore. I've been w/o it for nearly a decade and BAM! I'm up to my elbows in stuffed cabbage leaves faster than you can say Xavier Roberts. I don't know what it is about this dish but it just scratches such a satisfying itch. And BR's version satisfies. I'm going back for more, and then some.Listed in: Lincoln Square's not for…
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Review from Jelena Z.
10/31/2010
I finally found it... cevapcici delivery!
Yes, Balkan Restaurant delivers via GrubHub (just make sure you search for Balkan Cafe on there). I've been waiting for this day for... well, a very long time! I was hungry and hungover and knew some homestyle cookin' would really hit the spot.
The menu is simple, but covers all of the Balkan basics and bests. I decided to go with an order of cevapcici, cheese pita and some Bavarian creme cake. Within 40 minutes, the food was at my door.
I did make an error of sorts when ordering the cevaps on GrubHub - I was asked if I wanted cheese with my cevaps for an additional $1. Cheese, on my cevapcici? Hmm. I figured they meant a side of kajmak (a buttery cheese spread) and went for the upgrade. What I wasn't expecting to see: my sausages covered in a light layer of melted cheese. While it was still tasty, I prefer my cevaps naked save for some mild spicing. I'll remember this for next time!
The cheese pita was perfectly done (flaky yet chewy crust, salty cheese filling) and the Bavarian creme cake? Still working on it. This is a lot of food for the price... and cevapcici, delivered? Who knew laziness could taste so good. -
Review from Alen M.
Chicago, IL
2/23/2011
Love the Cevapcici. Overall, very good and delicious menu. If you are a fan of Balkan food, this is one of the places you have to try in Chicago.
The Cevapi are probably ranked in the top 3 in Chicago. -
Review from Andrew H.
Lemont, IL
2/15/2011
We started by sharing one of the Selma Crepes as an appetizer. It was a large freshly made crepe filled with tasty smoked sausage and feta cheese and served with a onion sour cream on the side. This was plenty for a meal and worked great as an appetizer.
After that we each had to get the classic Chevapi since it was our first time experiencing not just this restaurant, but also this kind of food. The sausages were fantastic!! I wasn't ready for how beefy and nicely spiced they'd be and really moist without being greasy. The pita that they're served in was unbelievable!! First of all it was huge, but as thick as it was didn't take away from how light and fluffy it was too. This probably could've been a bit too much if I hadn't skipped breakfast ... but even so I scraped up every last morsel from the plate.
We finished with some of the Turkish coffee served with sugar cubes. The owner explained that a lot of people like to dip and eat the sugar cubes and sip the coffee rather than mixing them. We gave it a shot and really it was great. The coffee was very strong, but not acidic or gritty. It was smooth and dark and had deep flavor.
The best part of the experience was how helpful the owners were in explaining all the foods. They made the experience so much more enjoyable because they were not only making sure that we were enjoying the food but also welcoming about us trying the overall experience of a new cuisine.
Without question this will become a regular stop when I'm in the area!! -
Review from Carri C.
Chicago, IL
7/28/2011
Excellent food. Everything I have had at Balkan has been very tasty. Plus, the staff are friendly and try to make customers feel welcome. The portions are large and the prices are reasonable for the quality of the food. They have a parking lot so it's convenient.
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Review from Tica W.
Cook, IL
4/4/2010
My best buddy and I often try ethinic cusine on a regular basis. We decided to try Balkan Restaurant as we were both starving and wanted something different and delicious....and we hit the bling baby!
It is a small, bright clean establishment and when I walked in looking unsure, I was warmly greeted by the owner. He asked if it was my first time, yes it was. My buddy was waiting outside as he was concerned that the food they offered was not enough to feed his voracious appetite. You see, he is 6'2', eats three times the amount of a normal human and his ass his still skinny. I hate him. Anyway, the gentleman made several suggestions and we decided to sit and eat.
I had the Burek- a meat filled pastry. He had the Mixed Meat platter and the Sarma-stuffed cabbage. We generally split the bill and the food. Everything was delicious. The Burek was melt in your mouth savory. The meats offered on the meat platter was grilled to perfection....exploding with flavor. Each meat had its own flavor and seasoning. Usually with meat platter they all taste the same. The stuffed cabbage was flavor filled reminding me of my days spent with a family from Beiruit.
I will be returning. You know an ethnic restaurant is great when the patrons are mostly of the same ethnicity. -
Review from Miss L.
Alameda, CA
11/18/2007
My husband and I are totally convinced this store is just a mob front. Nine out of ten times we think about eating there (during normal lunch or dinner hours) they are closed. We did manage to get the timing right one day, though, and what a delicious day it was. Er, delicious meal...
Prices were okay, but service was lacking. It has the atmosphere of a cafeteria, and the servers/children were a little preoccupied with things besides bringing me water. I remember the food being so good, though, so I just can't give them a bad rating. -
Review from Riki L.
Ypsilanti, MI
10/14/2009
Best. Goulash. Ever.
Eating that goulash was like eating a bowl of crack-stew. My friend and I couldn't stop shoveling spoonfuls in our mouth even though we were groaning with pain from eating so much already. This was two weeks ago and I'm still thinking about this food.
We were on our way out of Chicago, so finding a place to eat that had ample parking was a bonus, thanks Yelp! Walking in we were greeted by a beautiful, very clean interior and an extremely nice server/owner? He checked on what menu options were gluten-free, for my friend, and answered any other questions. He also provided a lot of great conversation! It was really nice that the last place we were able to visit on our mini-vacation was so welcoming, fast, and delicious. Not to mention, cheap for the delicious quality of food.
I got the sausage sandwich, which actually came out more like a pita sandwich. The bread was incredible. If you could crawl into a pocket of bread and live, if only during a cold winter's day, I would choose this bread. The only thing that I didn't find satisfying was the side of chopped white onions for my sandwich, only because they were not minced and were too strong (for my tastes) to be cut otherwise.
Our waiter said that everything they serve is homemade, which is awesome, and you can definitely taste the quality. My friend started with a bowl of cream of chicken soup. I was scared because visions of Campbell's soup cans started dancing before my eyes, but when I took a spoonful, I melted into heaven. Seriously, I've never had cream of chicken soup like this before. All of the vegetables were minced very finely which we admired, because, well, cooked carrots are.... gross and I want them as hidden as possible in food.
I didn't have room for dessert, but I'm sure if I had, it would have been good. They had some bavarian creme cake on display that looked very rich... maybe next time, Balkan! :)
They have an assortment of crepes, too, which would be great for a light breakfast or shareable dessert after a meal. -
Review from Victoria W.
Chicago, IL
12/4/2008
It was a dark and snowy night...
Despite the unassuming strip mall locale and decor, we decided to try Balkan since we enjoyed this style of food before. There's not much to look at, but the young man behind the counter was very friendly and offered to explain the menu. For an appetizer we tried the hummus (which is similar to middle eastern hummus except garlicier and more like a spread) and their version of pita bread, which is very light and fluffy (and addictive for my friend).
I'm sorry that I don't remember the actual names of the entrees, but we tried the beef filled pastry (burek?), the spinach-cheese pastry, and the beef sausages (chevappi?) -- and all were delicious! And you can't beat the portion :: price ratio (very filling food).
We plan to return for lamb (which is apparently prepared in a large hut-like apparatus in the front of the dining room on Saturdays) and to try the crepes (which are also available at breakfast). -
Review from tony c.
Alameda, CA
9/18/2009
I have to admit, if I wasn't already in the plaza where this place is located, I would have never thought to try it out. Peering inside, I got a better feel of the vibe of this place. Decorated with cool, inviting colors and an awesome oven of some sort right in front, the intimate atmosphere of this place piqued my interest.
I'm so glad I went in. The owners are a very cute, very friendly young couple that try and get a feel for what you like and encourage you to try something different if you're a newbie. I was informed that all of the delicious breads are baked fresh and all of their amazingly seasoned sausages are hand mixed.
In their cold case, they also have a cool array of beverages I'd never seen or tried before, and if you have a sweet tooth you definitely wont be disappointed. I can't begin to say enough about cool little places. The little guy wins again! -
Review from Edward B.
San Francisco, CA
11/22/2010
Fantastic food. Hummus appetizer is a must and the chevapi (recommended by the waiter) was a great choice. The waiter was friendly and helpful, even taking the time to explain essentially the entire menu.
Don't let the bleak exterior dissuade you. If it was closer to my neighborhood I'd be there all the time. Prices are really reasonable to boot. If you're in the Lincoln Square area definitely check it out. -
Review from s r.
New York, NY
1/22/2011
One trick pony.
I had the Chevapi and I must say that I wonder what all the hoopla is about. You open the bread to find little sausages that resemble those Swift-Premium sausages found in your grocer's freezer. Then when you take a bite of them oddly they have that same springy, manufactured, foam-injected texture. They taste a little different but could just as well be a product that rolled off the same assembly line.
Let's move on to the cream of broccoli soup. Straight from a can. Yes, that's what it tasted like. Enough said.
The Goulash: It wasn't bad. Tender pieces of beef at least. But just bland with some reconstituted mashed potato flakes from a box. If you want a better goulash go to Austrian Bakery on Clark St. Their goulash has more flavor and comes with some good tasting buttered spaetzle, the only caveat being their beef isn't quite so tender. But it's a better tasting dish by far.
The hummus is fine. The paprika on top is a nice touch. But could have come from a jar or can just the same.
This brings me to the one thing this restaurant gets right without any doubt in my mind: The Bread. The bread is simply great. It has this Portuguese muffin like texture but is softer and larger. These would be great toasted with some butter. Which works well as their "butter", actually Kajmak, is also very good.
So basically if I were in the neighborhood and felt like stopping for some bread and butter I would go here. -
Review from reem t.
Chicago, IL
1/23/2011
I've been here maybe 8-9 times over the course of the last 3 months, and i keep coming back for more. The waiter is as warm and friendly as they get and the atmosphere is very inviting. The lighting is perfect and they have 2 flat screens on the wall, one playing sports or something of the sort (today it was the bears vs. packers game) and the other playing Serbian music channels. We order the cevapi every time we go, and it's wonderful. The bread is baked fresh when you order and the meat is divine. The price point is PERFECT for families and students alike, and we really love the quality and amount you get for it. I always leave the Balkan full and with a big smile on my face and a party in my tummy.
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Review from MarBear F.
Chicago, IL
3/28/2011
I have been on the hunt for Burek & the spinach filled version (Zelyanica) and finally found it. Best yet? This place delivers (and also delivers to my apt, yeah - haven't been inside, delivery only)! Also, loved the Cevapi - good stuff and big portions.
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Review from Mike T.
Bolingbrook, IL
1/18/2011
I thought the food was awesome.
We had the warm pita bread with hummus and it was probably the best pita bread I've ever had. It was fresh and I could have ate 5 plates of it.
Next, I had chevapi and I was not disappointed. It looked like and tasted a little bit too close to plain breakfast sausage, but it was still a good dish.
My only complaint is having to pay for parking in a strip mall. Crazy?
Great service from the staff and a nice little place to sit down to eat. -
Review from Alex D.
Chicago, IL
3/21/2011
Delicious homemade bread and everything else! Fantastic food!
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Review from Brad O.
Chicago, IL
7/15/2010
This place is fantastic. Prime example of the little guy doing things right. I used to live in Austria, where Balkan food is omnipresent due to the Balkan diaspora after the war in the 90's. I have a good Bosnian friend, who showed me what good Balkan food is years ago. Cevapcici is probaly the food most identifiable with the Balkan region. It's a dense pita (but better than a pita) stuffed with small beef/lamb sausages. The Cevapcici is some of the best I've ever had, the bread is outstanding, and the owner sat down and had a conversation with me because I was the only one in there at the time. Whatever you do, ask for a side of "Ajvar," a spicy eggplant spread unique to the Balkans. Its incredible. All around, couldn't recommend this place any more.
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Review from Jay S.
Chicago, IL
4/17/2011
This review is very focused. I went in one day a few weeks ago to try the breakfast sandwich. Simply put, it was the best new thing I have tried for breakfast in over a decade. I am going to come back and try the dinner menu. If it is 75% as good as the breakfast sandwich it will be fantastic.
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Review from Mrjustice I.
Chicago, IL
6/23/2007
Pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food. I tried the Beef Guja with mash potatoes, and the gravy was 'finger-lickin' good. My wife had the Spinach Pie which is different than 'greek style'. It was sort of rolled like a Danish, and was also very good. Dishes were incredibly cheap ($5 each), and quite filling. It's also BYOB, although the owner is a little paranoid and wants you to show her a receipt for any booze. Main criticisms: #1 No atmosphere to speak of (just a small storefront with a few tables) -- I guess a lot of folks take out. #2. Had a difficult time ordering - slight language barrier, AND only a few items on the menu were actually available. But again, what they did have was really tasty, and I will be back. It's a good weekday place when you don't feel like cooking yourself, but still want a 'home cooked meal' and don't want to spend much money.
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Review from Andrew H.
Washington, DC
2/17/2009
Very Authentic! I was surprised for it to be listed as a middle eastern restaurant on Yelp. It's Croatian, I've met the owner, he even speaks the language of the land. Great homemade-style food, and to top it off they also have home-made desserts! Awesome Place! I would list it as European, southern-slavic, Yugo-slavic, or just like it is: Croatian cuisine.
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Review from Javier B.
7/14/2009
I'm new in the neighborhood and decided to give this place a try. It is not much to look at from the outside and as simple as it gets on the inside. The guy who works the restaurant was super friendly and eager to explain the menu items. I have had Serbian (someone suggested that this is a Croatian restaurant, and perhaps it is, but the guy running the place is Serbian) food before, so was somewhat familiar with the menu. Ordered the goulash to start and it was a really huge serving (even when split for two) and very hearty. Also tried the cabbage stuffed with ground beef and the chevapi. It was all good and the price is definitely right. Their home made bread is great for getting every last drop of the sauces/soup they serve. I will be coming back here for the lamb on the weekend and for the friendly service. I would highly recommend this place for a cheap, authentic Balkan meal.
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Review from elibbybet r.
Chicago, IL
2/21/2010
I like this place, overall. The food is tremendously good and inexpensive. The decor is a bit bare-bones. The loud music really turned us off because we wanted to socialize but when we asked him, he turned it down. I think the waiter was also the chef, we were the only ones in the restaurant and he disappeared when we ordered only to reappear with food 15 minutes later! Overall, it's a good place, but maybe nicer for takeout.
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Review from Kate L.
Chicago, IL
5/6/2009
I come here regularly to have their delicious homemade bread. I have never had bread this texture before and it is just succulent. I soak it with their bean soup which has great flavor. I usually order the goulash and get a dessert at the end. The chevapi (sausages) and burger are yummy if you're in the mood for that.
They also serve all sorts of crepes and things.
It's a very friendly and easy-going place. They air soccor games when there are important games. You will not be disappointed with the food or service! -
Review from Nate G.
Chicago, IL
8/29/2010
Good, cheap food. Big portions and the service is quick. I would recommend this more for take out than a sit down meal. The inside is clean but doesn't add to the experience.
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Review from Jessica M.
Chicago, IL
6/4/2011
Went here with a couple of friends because we were in the neighborhood and the reviews on Yelp were great. This was most definitely a GREAT DECISION! The owners were very friendly and went through the menu with us explaining everything in detail. I had the Sarma, based on one of the owner's recommendations (he said it's his favorite). Hot diggity damn, it was DELICIOUS! I am dreaming about it now. My mouth is seriously watering as I'm typing this. The Sarma comes HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! My friends had the Veggie Sandiwich, which they both said were fantastic! Everything here is made from scratch and the bread is all freshly baked. They also bring out a complimentary bread basket to each table. I would have never thought that $10.00 could get me an unlimited supply of bread, a drink, and three juicy portions of Sarma (minced meat and rice wrapped in cabbage, with a dollop of sour cream). If you haven't checked this place out, you're truly missing out!
