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Old Lviv
Category: Restaurants Ukrainian Ukrainian [Edit]
2228 W Chicago Ave(between Leavitt St & Oakley Blvd)
Chicago, IL 60622
Neighborhood: Ukrainian Village
(773) 772-7250
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
39 reviews for Old Lviv
Review Highlights
"Don't forget to order the borscht, its really fantastic."
(in 19 reviews)
"Very friendly and accomodating staff with a large buffet."
(in 29 reviews)
"Very, very authentic and very, very tasty."
(in 5 reviews)
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39 reviews in English
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Review from Andy E.
San Francisco, CA
1/14/2012
Old Lviv borscht is the best and the buffet is consistently good; not a huge selection, but they do switch it up a bit and you're definitely not going to leave hungry. I usually come here for an early lunch, when everything is fresh and nobody else is around. Cash only.
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Review from John Y.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 10/8/2011
New owners they say! ...That's good news, nobody really cared for the previous blond owner lady from what I've heard. Good Luck!
There is an improved feeling here with the service. Excellent red borscht too! However when I think of a buffet, I envision a wide variety of foods both hot and cold and in substantial quantities.
If there are seven (7) people in the restaurant there should be more than seven (7) chicken legs on the buffet table available ! Get my point?
It's a feast not a famine !Listed in: Anything Remotely Ukrainian or…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/3/2007
The only thing this small Ukrainian Village buffet restaurant has going for it is its superb… Read more »
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Review from Jason W.
Chicago, IL
12/28/2011
Great food, but a bit under-stocked on the buffet. Still great atmosphere,and I appreciated the classic Ukrainian coldness of the service.
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Review from Angela C.
Evanston, IL
7/16/2011
It's Saturday night, and two friends and I walk into this small restaurant and find ourselves walking into a private event. I had called in advance to find out the closing time of the restaurant, and whoever had answered the phone failed to tell me they were actually closed that night for this private event. I brought this up to the waiter, and after talking to the manager, he apologized for their mistake and allowed us to stay. This action, as well as the attentive service and patient explanations of the food, made the service really stand out for me.
The food was served buffet style ($10 pp), and you could order cheese/potato, meat, or cherry-filled varenyky (Ukranian for pierogi). All the food, from the borscht to the varenyky to the vegetarian cabbage rolls, was very good, and given that the private party was full of Ukrainians (who ended up singing Ukrainian drinking songs later), I think it's safe to say that this place serves legit Ukrainian food.
CASH ONLY! -
Review from Eric V.
Chicago, IL
12/27/2011
This a buffet style place which serves authentic ukranian/russian food. The collection, although rather small, was very good and the soup options that accompanies the meal were remarkable. Even better is the collection of cheap ukrainian beers and vodkas maling the experience quite intoxicating. This place is rather small, seating only a handful of peopla at a time and closes somewhat early. My advice, get here early so you can spend your time enjoying the food instead of rushing it like i did.
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Review from c t.
Kansas City, MO
6/18/2011
Love this little place hidden in plain sight, right on Chicago Ave. Small dining area.
Great buffet selection of Ukraine food, plus you can order pierogies from the kitchen!
Borsch had a great flavor as did the chicken in cream sauce. Loved the blintzes.
Wish I had room for more! -
Review from Veda R.
2/11/2011
Five stars for an incredibly authentic restaurant that doesn't even have a menu!
I was nervous as hell coming into Old Lviv, but a nice young man helped me feel at ease. I disagree with previous posts saying that as a non-Ukrainian, service and acknowledgement was spotty. I experienced absolutely nothing of the sort.
My server patiently explained to me my options for that afternoon -- pierogies, lunch buffet, or soup options. I chose the lunch buffet which came with my choice of soup and bread, and an assortment of authentic Ukrainian items. I decided to be brave and for SOME REASON unbeknonwst to me, declined any sort of guidance through the buffet line. Bad decision. I loaded my plate with a ton of blood sausage and other questional meats. I ate everything because a) I hate wasting food b) there's no takeout in lunch buffets.
That borscht soup warmed my soul, though...it made me glad that I loaded up on borscht soup packets from the deli nearby!
Good to know: Cash only! -
Review from o l.
Hartford, CT
3/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is beyond excellent. The food is like my grandma used to make it, probably because there are 2 grandma's in the back making it.
I haven't had blood sausage in a long time and they had it excellent. This is true Ukrainian food like you would eat if you were in Ukraine. Some "selections" might be odd for non-expecting people, but if you're going here, you should expect that they'll have liver, beats, blood sausage, etc.
Great place to speak Ukrainian also.
The place is very small though, only about 4-5 tables, so plan accordingly.
I only wish there was a restaurant like that in CT. -
Review from Euripides X.
ASTORIA, NY
12/19/2010
The buffet is worth trying if you are in the neighborhood. Not familiar with Ukrainian food? Its similar to Polish. The place is small, but usually not crowded. The food is good, but the main attraction is the wide variety of dishes offered.
Don't forget to order the borscht, its really fantastic. -
Review from Kiki M.
10/3/2010
I disagree with the review below that this is a bad place to take a date. Old Lviv is actually the perfect place for a date because you will be able to HEAR your date. As a an extra bonus, you also won't have to worry about other people listening in on your conversation, because the place will probably be pretty empty. I think Old Lviv might be a perfect first-date spot, since you can test the culinary bravery and capacity of your date PLUS there will be no one to overhear your awkward, stilted first-date banter.
Incredible soundtrack, full bar, and babushka in the back cooking (and occasionally peering around the corner at the diners). The waiter was patient with me and was willing to explain what all the items on the buffet were so that I could avoid the meaty stuff. My kind of place, truly.
My borscht was incredible, and my meat-eating dining companion loved the sausage soup and bravely sampled the blood sausage (krovyanka). We arrived at around 7pm, and by that time a lot of the food had been sitting out a while. The apple pancake was a little world-weary, but I was happy for the hot vegetarian items on the buffet. There was definitely enough for me to eat that I fell into a food coma at home. Next time I will special order some piroshki!Listed in: Cuisine of the Ex-Soviet World
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Review from Jonathan T.
Chicago, IL
8/16/2010
This place puts the Ukrainian in Ukrainian Village.
Traditional Ukrainian buffet, all-inclusive with delicious soups, bread, hearty entrees, sides, and desserts for a paltry sum of $10. Hands down the best value on this strip of Chicago Avenue.
Amazing that a place this small has a full service bar.
Service is a bit aloof towards non-Ukrainians, but you have to understand that you're kind of invading their carefully guarded safe-space by being in here. Yeah, you totally broke their Old World reverie with your boisterous American guffaws and your proclamations of shock when you discovered that thing that looked like charbroiled steak tips is actually liver & onions.
Hours are a bit strange... beware the early closing times. -
Review from Luther C.
Chicago, IL
4/2/2011
This place is fantastic!
Some friends and I stumbled upon it after walking up and down Chicago for a good 30 minutes. It's super small inside ~5 tables, the largest of which seats 6, so be sure to come in a group of 4 or less during busy hours. The waiter was very helpful in explaining what all was available and what we were about to eat.
Having never had Ukrainian before, I can't compare it to any other restaurant, but man, this stuff was good! No idea what half of it was, but I ate it all. The Saturday night dinner buffet was $11.09 total, including tax. You can't beat that. The place is really small and cozy, which made it just a tad bit awkward at first, but my friends and I really enjoyed the atmosphere once we got situated.
Definitely a place to take people who have never had Ukrainian before. -
Review from Corey N.
Chicago, IL
8/20/2011
This place is an incredible hole in the wall. If you've never tried Borsch, this is the place to do it.
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Review from Shalin D.
12/7/2010
Even after having lived in the Ukrainian Village, I wasn't really curious about what the folks eat in Kiev. But, walking by Old Lviv changed all that...
A cozy little restaurant, Old Lviv is the best place to go on a cold winter's day. Warm borscht (both red and green!) will warm you to the core. So, too, will the cheese-filled crepes and the cabbage stuffing. Ukrainian food, the way Old Lviv does it, is delicious, hearty, and filling. And, at less than fifteen dollars, you can't really argue with an all-you-can-eat buffet. -
Review from Miguel C.
Cambridge, MA
5/24/2011
After walking around Ukrainian Village for a bit, we came to this buffet spot based on recommendations off Yelp. The food was delicious (we weren't sure what most things, though), and dinner for us was $11 each.
We were so full that we had to walk around for a bit afterwards before continuing on our way. -
Review from Lila G.
Chicago, IL
7/8/2011
What excellent food! I went to Poland last year and this food reminded me of the tasty things I ate there.
Be forewarned the sign says they open at 11 am, but I called and they said "11:30." The doors didn't actually open till 11:40.
The sorrel soup was incredible, slightly sour, very flavorful and perfectly garnished with boiled eggs, etc. Most Americans don't know what sorrel is - a wild herb with a unique flavor. Try it!
The meat cutlets and potato pancakes were amazing as was the fish. The fish was a revelation! Soft pieces of whitefish stewed in fruity olive oil, rich and acidic tomatoes and just enough salt. Amazing! The liver and onions were crisp, expertly fried and clearly fresh off the frying pan.
I'd highly recommend this place to ANYONE who wanted a good meal. A steal at $9. -
Review from DrGrace G.
Trumbull, CT
7/31/2011
This place is so small and cozy you will feel like you are in your living room :) They cook the food in the back and it's an authentic Ukrainian Cuisine. Polish people started to Americanize and alter their recipes to accommodate yuppies, so I go to this sweet little lady to have some REAL European Food. They have a small bar, the buffet is all you can eat and it's a very intimate experience. If you are craving good home cooking, potatoes with dill, golabkis, meatloaf , goulash, kopytka's, meatballs in dill sauce, red borszcz, breaded pork chops, meatloaf cutlets, all sorts of veggie salads, from soup to main course, to desert and a glass of wine, you will love it!!! I did when I still lived in Chicago and so did all my friends whom I have taken there...
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Review from Melanie M.
Newark, NJ
8/22/2010
This is probably the best place to get Ukrainian food. (There's not that many places for it too.) First of all, this place is tiny! But it feels very cozy! The prices are VERY reasonable - 10 dollar buffet over the weekend (9 on the weekdays). Cheap Ukrainian beer, not bad stuff, too. And the food...oh my...so much food. The borscht was wonderful - it really brought me back to my Ukrainian friend's house, with his mom's borscht. I could have stopped there, but no...I had to get the chicken, the bread, the cabbage stuffing, the cheese-filled crepes (which were rockin!), the pork....I basically pigged out. My friend and I left the place at least 5 pounds heavier each, but it was all worth the trip.
Heads up though - cash only -
Review from Slu S.
Chicago, IL
4/6/2008
Pink freakin' soup everyone. PINK SOUP.
I didn't do the the buffet and Ol' Lviv, but the did the borscht only. It was good. My borscht experiences are very limited, but I liked this one very much and if I didn't, the half loaf of delicious rye bread that came with the soup would have made the $2.50 that I paid for it, well worthwhile.
So everyone, if you are looking for pink soup, this is your place.Listed in: Out of the Way Treasures
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Review from Jason B.
Hartford, CT
11/11/2009
I was the only diner there for lunch who didn't greet everyone with a hearty "Dobry den" as I walked in - this place is AUTHENTIC Ukrainian, no doubt. The decor is very simple, but it was a spotless restaurant.
The buffet ($10 on weekends/holidays, $9 other times) is well worth the value - and is full of delicious potato, cabbage, and lots of meaty options to sate your palate.
They have Ukrainian beer (and a full bar) to wet your whistle, and the cabbage soup I had was delicious, served with mushrooms, cabbage, carrots, meat and fresh dill sprinkled on top.
The service was friendly - but seriously, just listening to all the Ukrainian being spoken around me made this place truly a gem. I'd go back and bring friends.
Also, good to know: CASH ONLY
Closest El is CHICAGO (Blue Line) and you can reach Ukrainian village by taking the 66 west for a couple minutes if you don't feel like walking 12 blocks. -
Review from Sarah B.
Philadelphia, PA
7/2/2009
I had to take a plane, three trains, two buses, and short walk to get to Old Lviv, and I'm glad I did.
The plain, tiny restaurant is comfortable, if not "cozy". I walked by the storefront once before realizing that the unassuming little awning had the name of the restaurant I was looking for. There is nothing fancy about Old Lviv, but you don't go there for the atmosphere. You go there for the food. I found the staff to be less friendly than some of the other reviewers did, but they were not UNfriendly, and they were attentive.
I could only make one trip to the buffet, and I tried almost everything on it. Perhaps I inherited some kind of Cabbage Appreciation Gene from my Ukrainian forefathers, but I never thought I could eat cabbage prepared so many different ways and like all of them. The radishes in sour cream were delicious, and I had heretofore assumed that that radishes were merely a decorative vegetable. I also had the borscht, topped with sour cream and dill and flanked by rye bread and butter. It is so cheap and so worth it; the borscht alone makes me want to move to Chicago. It's better than Mom's. Sorry, Mom.
If you're visiting Old Lviv, you might want to make a trip down the block to Ann's Bakery for entire LOAVES of cheap, delicious rye!Listed in: Good Restaurants
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Review from katsiaryna s.
Chicago, IL
3/21/2010
Food is AMAZING!!!!!!!! I LOVE THEIR HOT TEA SELECTION!!!
I get really offended when people say bad things about this restaurant. -
Review from Justin F.
Los Angeles, CA
6/16/2010
Sunday buffet:
Carrot salad with tons O' garlic.
Crepes with berries.
Hot orange and purple borscht soup. -
Review from Virginia F.
Chicago, IL
5/28/2011
Honestly I was disappointed. I was really looking forward to having dinner here with friends after reading the reviews on here.
The borscht was tasty for sure and a friend had the cabbage soup which he said was delicious. The buffet was certainly varied with some interesting looking dishes and while the lack of labels didn't bother me too much (because I'm a fairly adventurous eater) it sure would have been nice to know what some things were.
All around, however, I was fairly un-interested in most of the food that I tried. We were there on a Friday night at around 7 and the food looked like it could have been sitting out for a couple hours without being touched. The potatoes were dry (though the gravy was good) the potato pancakes were almost cold and were gummy. The blintzes were tasty, but weren't outstanding and really everything else elicited a "meh".
Maybe if i was there right when the food was being brought out to the buffet table piping hot I would have had a better experience, but like I said we were there at dinner-rush time on a Friday night. -
Review from Ron I.
Chicago, IL
2/27/2011
I'm not Ukrainian and the only Ukrainian food I've ever had is pirogies but my buddy's wife is Ukranian and I am thankful they introduced me to Old Lviv. The food is hearty and the restaurant itself is very quaint and quiet. Thee front of house is a mom and her son and in back are old Ukrainian women so you get the feeling that the food is very authentic. Food is served buffet style and it's like ~$10 bucks for all you can eat. There's usually potatoes, this amazing mushroom cream sauce, quite a few meat dishes, cabbage rolls, goulash, crepes with sweet cream cheese or meat, many salads, and dessert. You really can't go wrong with anything and just ask them if you don't know what a dish is. I love the atmosphere and the food and we've started going here on Saturday's for lunch after the gym.
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Review from Alex I.
Oak Park, IL
1/4/2008
This place is awesome for what it is. A crapload of food for not a lot of money, and the food isn't bad, either. Of the probably 15 different trays of food, the only thing that didn't have meat in it was the mashed potatoes. I regret that I was too hung over to eat more than a bowl of borscht and two plates of MEAT before reaching my grease limit and that it was my last day in town, but if I lived any closer, I'm sure I'd weigh a lot more than I do.
A grade-A place to stuff your face, and be sure you're in the mood to EAT A WHOLE TON OF MEAT. Brazilian steak houses got nothing on Old Lviv. -
Review from Kacie M.
5/25/2007
Old L'viv is super authentic.
This place is a place you go to for an experience, unless you really love Ukrainian food. I really enjoyed my meals here, I just can't give more stars because it's not a place I can keep coming back to.
I had to try borscht, it was my first try. I recieved a large bowl of nearly flourescent/deep pink soup. It was packed with flavor and I think I would have loved it except that beets aren't my favorite thing in the world.
The buffet is great and I was glad to have so many options so that I could find what I liked. It's mostly just FUN - go and experience the food that initially the made the neighborhood the Ukrianian Village! -
Review from Ivanka B.
9/15/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Best Ukrainian food hands down. I love coming here after church and piling those styrofoam containers high with buttery mashed potatoes, cutlets, mushroom sauce to die for, cabbage rolls and blintzes. It's a heart attack waiting to happen but when it tastes so good, makes it all worth it!
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Review from Nakamura B.
San Mateo, CA
8/2/2010
Great place to experience home-style Ukrainian food. This is exactly what you would get if you were visiting a loving grandmother in Odessa. Soul food. Very, very authentic and very, very tasty. Served by friendly trilingual people.
That being said, even a very loving grandmother is unlikely to have more than a few dinner options or to present them in a particularly fancy way, or to take credit cards. This is not a good place to impress your date (unless your date is very hungry, needs home comforts or is suffering from nostalgia). This is a casual comfort-food place.
When we visited the buffet had only five soups, five or so meat choices, four or so vegetarian side dishes (the cabbage was especially good), and one sweet (mmmmm... cherry blintzes). I particularly liked the frikadelki soup and the cutlets. My companion raved about the borscht, which was very good indeed but a bit too authentically Ukrainian for my taste, I prefer the Russian version. -
Review from Kat S.
Bridgeport, CT
2/3/2006 ROTD 2/7/2006
This place is so small and cozy you will feel like you are in your livingroom :) They cook the food in the back and it's a authentic Ukrainian Cuisine. Polish people started to Americanize and alter their recepies to accommodate yuppies, so I go to this sweet little lady to have some REAL European Food. They have a small bar, the buffet is all you can eat and it's a very intimate experience. If you are craving good home cooking, potatoes with dill, golabkis, meatloaf , goulash, kopytka's, meatballs in dill sauce, red borshch, breaded pork chops, meatloaf cutlets, all sorts of veggie salads, from soup to main corse, to desert and a glass of wine, you will love it!!! I do and so do all my friends whom I have taken there...
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Review from Roberto F.
Chicago, IL
5/1/2008
I'll right so this is my first time having this kind of food and I know I'm no expert but I thought it was pretty good and so did my Belorus friend. Go with the pink soup, also on know Borsch which is made with beets. And try the Dranik which was amazing. Relatively cheap at 9 bucks and a friendly hostess/waitress. I would definitely come back again.
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Review from Leigh J.
6/13/2006
One of those fabulous small Chicago diners. I felt like I was in my Grandma's kitchen, and my Grandmother isn't even Ukranian. The buffet was fantastic..I am almost positive it is the first time I have tasted liver since the age of twelve. This time, I actually enjoyed it..(don't tell anyone) And it is the first time I can remember joining in on pleasant conversation with other diners and the owner..truly, it was like hanging out with the cousins and in laws in grandma's kitchen.
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Review from Brandon B.
Chicago, IL
5/19/2007
Read about this place in Time Out as a recommended authentic ukranian food place---and it was a nice treat. Very "authentic" food (but what do I know about European cuisine) in a nice homey atmosphere that makes you think you really could be in another country. Very friendly and accomodating staff with a large buffet. Only points I would knock off is that a lot of the stuff didn't set well with my palate (lot of fried greasy mystery meat) but thats just a personal preference.
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Review from jen d.
7/24/2008
Very authentic food but I mostly just ordered the borscht on the few occasions that I ate here. Comes with some nice rye bread and is pretty cheap.
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Review from Cesar V.
Miami Beach, FL
11/9/2008
I love mom'n'pop establishments like this. Unfortunately the food was barely edible. I tried the borscht. Now to be honest, I don't really think that I would like any version based on how this tasted, so don't take my opinion too seriously if you're a fan. However, the buffet lacked anything that had any, I don't know, taste? The variety of items was small. The food was lukewarm, prepared in a very basic way not worthy of my money, and the killer was the liver and onions, the smell of which just makes me nauseous. The place wasn't particularly clean (I had to ask for a new glass). We went with friends who had read about it, they weren't impressed either. won't be back.
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Review from Todd A.
Reston, VA
4/28/2011
I come by my appreciation of russian/slavic food genetically, my grandparents came from Belarus at the beginning of the 20th century. Between family recipes made by my mother and my grandparents' Sunday dinner table, filled with food, tea, family, and friends, I have great sense memories. While the cuisine is similar over the region, each ethnicity does it differently, so I can't speak for the exacting Ukrainian-ness of the food here, but it is very authentic for that part of the world. While heavy by western standards (it's alot colder for greater part of the year there than here), lunch here during this cold and damp April warmed and soothed my frozen thin southern blood. While there are a few a la carte dishes on the minimalist menu on the wall, the value and fun here is the buffet for a whopping $10. The winter borscht here is a savory beef and beet broth filled with cabbage, carrots, celery, onions, beets and potatoes, with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill garnish that warms the heart. The buffet has so many of the other favorites - potato pancakes, fried to perfection with mushroom gravy, blintzes stuffed with farmer's cheese and cherries, ground veal patties, blood sausage, stuffed cabbages, etc. Not much english spoken here, but enough to recognize the soup choices, order drinks and eat until the chill is gone. Best to go on a weekday, this place is crowded with the natives/locals on the weekends. Even if you don't have any heritage in this part of the world, it's winter feast that will leave you smiling.
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Review from Leigh K.
Chicago, IL
7/13/2007
What the reviews have not mentioned is that it's an all you can eat buffet for ***** $8.50 *****. Included is a soup (borscht, chicken noodle, and another one were offered the day I went). Unlike Podhalanka, there is no juice included. Soda is $1.50 and they do have a small bar. I believe the young Polish guys next to us were imbibing some vodka with their meal.
I have to take a star off because nothing is labeled as to what it is and I felt awkward having to ask what nearly everything was so I wouldn't accidentally ingest liver or something non-poultry because it is very hard to tell. The stuffed chicken is so good and it's stuffed with mushrooms and cheese. They also have what seems to be a baked chicken/thigh leg that was tasty. The mashed potatoes were a wee bit dry but they had a mushroom gravy that I noticed Ginny put on hers. I was glad they had a lot of dark meat chicken options. Preferring dark meat, I am down with that. The chicken noodle soup was good too. I'd say you shouldn't eat here if you have big plans that night since the food is very heavy. I wanted to take a nap after eating! The sweet cheese filled crepe was great, but I think there was another one of these that was a meat option. To round out the meal, there is watermelon on the buffet. Watermelon. Mmhmm! -
Review from Olga M.
Chicago, IL
1/10/2010
Very affordable and very solid Ukranian/Polish food. Not too many choices on the buffet, but everything is very tasty. They also carry Ukranian beer at the bar which is good.
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Review from Robert O.
Chicago, IL
5/4/2010
Old Lviv really makes me miss my apartment on Oakley, just north of the St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral. While living there, in our nuptial abode, my wife and I used to go there regularly, sometimes weekly. Of old, the service was a bit gruff, but as an English-only speaker I still detected affection for us regulars deep down. The place has since changed hands, and the service has warmed up a bit, but conversation with the new owner is still a hit-or-miss affair. The food is not. After the new owner served us one batch of not-so-good vareniki (they are good enough to call them pierogi for us Irish and Swedes), the quality we were used to reasserted itself on our next visit, and has remained. The soups have remained unfailingly hearty and delicious. I love the white borscht, but their regular borscht, their chicken-noodle, their sauerkraut, their mushroom, and their tomato soups are all about the best that can be gotten. A bowl of soup apiece, a plate of twelve sour cherry vareniki, and about fourteen bucks feeds us and sends us on our way set for the night. Their savory vareniki are also good, especially the potato, floating in butter and sprinkled with bacon. Oh, and the buffet is pretty good, but the vareniki and soup are just so good we don't even bother.
