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Praga Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Modern European Modern European [Edit]
229 W St. Charles RdLombard, IL 60148
(630) 495-0470
- Hours:
Tue 4:30 pm - 9 pm
Wed-Sun 4:30 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Plenty F. said: "5 stars. This is our new pizza place. You can't beat the $7.95 14" special. The thin crust is wonderful. It reminds me of Pizza Hut's thin crust circa 1995. It has a great cracker-quality. The cheese tastes real and it's stringy…" read more »
55 reviews for Praga Restaurant
Review Highlights
"The stuffed pear salad was amazing."
(in 4 reviews)
"Great Wine List, great dinner selections."
(in 9 reviews)
"...loved the satisfying appetizer of Austrian goat cheese tart."
(in 3 reviews)
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55 reviews in English
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Review from Karen J.
Lombard, IL
9/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Praga isa littlegem in Lombard. Tonite's specials were mostly seafood (salmon, tuna, swordfish, scallops). We had the scallops as an appetizer but it was also a special main dish with risotto.Very well prepared. My husband had the tuna and I had the salmon. Both entrees were excellent and the portions generous. Praga has a broad wine list and their house wines are decent. The dessert menu is large and we enjoyed splitting a raspberry Grand Marnier creme brulee. mmm.
Praga has street front outdoor tables that are surrounded by flowering plants. On Saturday nights during the summer there are car shows on the street and it is rather noisy but tonite it was a relatively quiet early fall evening and we lingered over a wonderful dinner.
There is street parking in front and a large lot 2 storefronts away.
Servers were attentive. There is currently a special running. 10% off dinner if you show your Lombard library card. -
Review from Annie W.
Englewood, CO
2/1/2012
The place is easy to find. I swear, I survive on Yelp and googlemaps. I travel a lot for work and find myself in new cities, so finding good food is a must. There is plenty of parking in a lot close to the restaurant.
I was early, so the place was empty, and a little darker than I like. I took my time perusing the specials, wine list (book), dinner menu, and martini list. I went with the scallops special, but started with the stuffed pear salad. The salad was...meh. I was expecting it to be delicous. It *looked* delicious and pretty. But it needed salt. And there was no salt or pepper on the table. Another reviewer was correct, the oil for the bread service is bland/boring, and almost tasted a little rank. Skip it.
The scallop entree was really really really good. The scallops themselves were perfectly seared on the outside and had that lovely buttery flavor good scallops have. They were served over yukon gold mashed potatoes, with a corn/asparagus mascarpone sauce. I ate every morsel and wished for more. The portions are European (smaller), so it's totally doable.
I had the bread pudding for dessert...not great. The strawberry tasted as if it had been sliced with the same knife that sliced onions.
I wanted to try everythingon the menu, so I'm sure the majority is really good. I'd go back. I just wouldn't get the pear salad or the bread pudding. -
Review from Rob B.
Chicago, IL
1/21/2012
Praga really earned about 3.5 stars for our dinner, but I dropped that extra .5 due to the final bill.
So there we were driving out to Glen Ellyn after doing some holiday shopping, and we were very hungry. I was driving by all sorts of fast food on Roosevelt when I remembered seeing Praga and Bonton just up the road. I figured if we needed to hang for 10 minutes, no big deal. I love Culvers and Arbys and all the greasy speed eats too, but we needed food of substance.
They open at 4:30 (yay!) and we got our choice of the dining room, naturally. We sat down in the nicely decorated dining area and our server came right over to get us started with menus, water and bread with herb infused oil. The bread was good, but the oil was bland.
We ordered a crab cake appetizer and our entrees were Scallops and Veal Scallopine. As we were ordering, another table of 4 came in and were seated directly next to us. The staff knew them and exchanged greetings which made me more mad that they were a loud table. The staff should have known not to sit the noisy table next to a couple dining in an otherwise empty restaurant.
So after our bread course our waiter swings by to clear the plates and do "the crumb scrape" which took a hilarious 4 minutes due to the over abundance of tablecloth accent pieces. There was a centerpiece diamond that was too large, and it was upside down so the crumbs kept getting stuck in the seams. It was a real conversation buster.
The crab cakes came. 5 star, amazing. Great texture, great flavor, the corn was a nice touch in the cake as well. If I was getting sauced at Bonton next door, I'd have cakes to keep me company. If you're going to stop in, get the cakes.
The jovial folks next to us were just getting their food served as my wife and I were looking around to see if the waiter could give us an update. There was about an 30 minute gap between appetizer and entree even though we ordered everything at the same time. Just as we got his attention, the plates came shooting out of the kitchen.
So next up was our entrees which were also 4-5 star quality. The sauces were good and the scallops were cooked just right, not tough, but with a nice searing on the exterior. It truly was a nice show from the chef of the evening between the cakes and entrees, and it certainly beat the pants off of anything else we were considering in the area.
When our bill came, that's when I started taking the stars away. We spent well over $100 between the two of us. I really don't mind dropping the bills on a dinner but if you charge over $50 per person, you better get things right. For that bill, there should have been better management of the dining room, and more attentive service. I felt like it was a pretty poor value. It makes some of my favorite restaurants that much more of a treasure since they provide great food with amazing service for about half the price.
Praga could be a 4-5 star establishment with some more attention to what happens outside of the kitchen. -
Review from Justin L.
6/14/2011
Praga has pretty good food with a nice ambiance and location. Be careful to watch for the small strip mall, I missed the place and had to come back around.
The food here was pretty good. It's been about a year since I've gone, so sadly I can't remember the dishes I had; however, I remember the lobster bisque and the bar was convenient with a nice selection of wines and beers (nice when you arrive early and are waiting on others -- as I was).
Ambiance was a definite plus. The outdoor patio was very nice. I went in late spring so it had a bit of a chill (not the restaurants fault), but with the park nearby and the trees around, definitely a nice place to take someone. -
Review from Dave S.
Lombard, IL
6/2/2011
Last night, I had the best meal of my fine-dining life at Praga.
My wife and I each had some well-made martinis on the well-designed outdoor patio, but not before our appetizer of soup. Not a lot of soup, but some of the tastiest liquid one could ever slurp. Her asparagus-leek soup was quite good, but I've never had anything like the sherry-mushroom soup, which is a staple at Praga. The martinis were smooth and well-balanced.
Then the entrees came. A pleasant basmati-ginger rice lined both of our plates. My wife's tilapia was accompanied by a tasty sauce and seasoned corn mixture. But I ordered the seared tuna, flavored with sesame and brought together by a sauce of caramel-soy that left us wondering what exactly was in it and how could it taste as good as it did. I've never had tuna that didn't come out of a can; I'm now spoiled by this dish and happily so. It easily rivals any dish eaten at 302 West, an incredible restaurant that thrived in downtown Geneva before the owner passed away. (One employee of 302 West was Pavel, who went on to start Praga.)
Though we were happily full, we were able to indulge in dessert, and I'm not kidding, but I couldn't stop smiling while eating the malted-milk cheesecake. It was that good. If it had been a cooler night, we would likely have ordered 302 Coffees, a delicious drink that no one else seems to get.
I apologize for not being more creative with my descriptions of the meal. But is was astoundingly good, and i can't think of another meal I've enjoyed more.
I've read the negatives that people have given about Praga. They're service is not as instantaneous as some would like, and I get that. But I know for a fact that they're short-staffed, and that they haven't moved their prices in years. In this economy, something's gotta give, and we didn't mind waiting a little longer for our courses, especially one that achieves such a level of excellence, a work of art by a culinary master. (Can you tell how much I liked the tuna?)
Downtown Lombard is struggling. I don't think enough people know how great this place is, and it's likely because of the location. St. Charles Rd. is no state route. But it's in my town, I love that it's here, and we plan on frequenting it as much as we can. It's the type of place that you'd expect in Naperville and Elmhurst and possibly be ignored. It's a crown jewel of Lombard, but is it pearls before the porcine? Seriously, are Lombardians too short-sighted to recognize the value of the extra cost? And why do they choose Claim Jumper over and over again? Strange. -
Review from Nate J.
Oak Lawn, IL
8/7/2011
Excellent service (Tony was our server, nice guy), excellent staff, great atmosphere, nice setting.
Not often that I go somewhere and everything on the menu sounds amazing. I had the Pork Rack with spinach and onion rings....tasted excellent. My wife had duck with ravioli and cabbage, also good. Had the 'pinwheel' appetizer before this...also great.
This place did everything right in my opinion. Not badly priced. -
Review from Kate D.
12/20/2010 ROTD 6/28/2011
I have a new suburban go-to! Really, I can't wait to go back so I can try more items off the menu. First and foremost, I'll agree with another reviewer's husband who dubbed the food more American than "family style European." I have no idea where that description came from but it wasn't the portion size or the menu selection. Anyway, on to the good stuff.
We had a 7:30 p.m. reservation for two and arrived at 7:35. The Praga dining room was full so we were seated at a table along the back wall in Bonton, the adjoining wine bar. I preferred the quieter lounge atmosphere and space of Bonton so that was serendipitous. We were greeted promptly by our fabulous server, Pavel T. He was friendly and enthusiastic about the food in a way that wasn't annoying but rather, contagious.
The free bread was of 2-star quality. No flavor and cold. The olive oil was okay but rather plain. No shaved cheese, no anything.
Pavel brought our wine and calamari appetizer quickly. The wine list was, as everyone mentions, extensive. The calamari was a perfect portion for an appetizer for two. It came with a salsa-like dipping sauce we both enjoyed. Flavorful but not spicy.
Our entrees arrived just as we finished the calamari. I ordered chicken stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese in a Marsala sauce, which came with mashed potatoes. YUM. I practically licked my plate. The sauce was delicious and the chicken was cooked to perfection. My husband had the filet mignon in a mushroom sauce on fingerling potatoes with spinach. He liked his best, I liked mine best. Both were delicious.
We topped it all off with the bread pudding. I really hate bread pudding but liked Praga's enough to try several bites. It came with homemade whipped cream and fresh berries. My husband was in love.
For two glasses of wine, calamari, filet mignon, stuffed chicken, and dessert our bill totaled $80. Great price, great service, great meal. We'll be back.Listed in: Delish Dining in the Western…
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Review from Carol K.
11/9/2010
A nice restaurant out in the "burbs" that I had never heard of? Say it isn't so . . . I must be slipping. But it was true. And true to me, I had to rectify not having eaten at this place yet, with a visit on a recent Friday night.
We had an early reservation (made the old school way- ya gotta call). When we arrived, we had a choice of several tables, one by the window, one tucked away in a corner and one in the separate bar area. The corner table won out as it had a little more room and boy did we need it!
First up- a couple of their appetizer specials of the day. The raw oysters were fresh and served with the expected condiments, but the scallops were amazing! Seared lightly and served over a mushroom risotto, it was plate licking worthy.
Next up- I had the heirloom tomato caprese salad and my dining companion had the cream of mushroom soup. Equally as good.
And then the entrees. My cheese and mushroom stuffed veal chop was perfectly cooked, and falling off the bone. And the "Praga veal" (a more traditional approach with spatzle and sweet and sour red cabbage) was noteworthy as well.
The food came up fast, which was good as there was a misstep with service up front as the server thought she had already taken our order but she hadn't. No problem, though. She got us right back on track.
Parking is a breeze as there is a lot right next door and in the Summer months there is a nice patio out front which would be a great place to enjoy a dinner. Dinner for 2 with a couple glasses of wine ran about $130.
Praga is a find! Now I just wonder how it stayed off my radar for so long? -
Review from Maria P.
Glen Ellyn, IL
3/7/2011 8 Check-ins Here
We love the food here and the the drink list is fabulous. Then comes the service. They definitely need a manager coordinating who does what as there always seems to be confusion as to where to seat people.
I would highly recommend their escargot, the veal Praga, and their lobster bisque. -
Review from lindsay m.
Lombard, IL
8/13/2010
If you haven't read my review on Bonton Wine and Martini bar. DO IT NOW. Any place associated with the owner is not a place you will find me.
The food is decent but the service and manager skills ruins it for me. You will wait forever to get a waiter to your table and they will have a bad attitude. The food will take too long to get to the table. Although it will seem like pretty good food, you'll have to ask yourself, is this REALLY good? OR am I just really hungry from waiting for so long?
Don't bother ordering a drink because it will take 20 minutes to get it. And really don't waste your time going next door to Bonton for a night cap because it will just end up ruining your night.
1-Star for the food, the service, and ownership took away the other 4 stars. -
Review from Vicky C.
11/23/2010
Highly recommend to go this restaurant!
Family style European restaurant with a very high quality of food and service! Nice selection of menu and wine menu. Nice decor and feel warm and comfortable! I had scallops and they were turn out perfectly! Love the food, reasonable price, good for dating, must go! -
Review from Richard O.
Northbrook, IL
7/13/2010
Very impressive preparation of the entree.
Flavorful explosiveness in the veal sauce.
Scallops were lively.
Family style European restaurant with a flair for quality. Pleasant service compliments the delicious food.
Nice selection on the menu. Extensive beer and wine menu along with various desert selections.
I will visit here again great out of the way place in Lombard with outdoor seating and a spacious interior. -
Review from Ron T.
Woodridge, IL
11/19/2010
Couldn't have asked for a better night to celebrate our anniversary!
After many suggestions and lots of reviews read, I decided that Praga was the restaurant for my wife and I to celebrate......they didn't disappoint either!
First off, service was phenomenal! Megan was our server and she was delightful, personable and made the whole dining experience very relaxing! We started out each getting our own appetizers, seeing how my wife and I have different tastes on certain things but she's starting to like more of the items that I always order. She had the Stuffed Pear with Gorgonzola Salad, so good.....she let me try it! I went with the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake, one of the best I've ever had!
For our entrees....my wife had the House Cut "New York" Steak with Gorgonzola mashed potatoes, to die for. I enjoyed the New Zealand Lamb Rack Parmesan Crusted served with the most unbelievable potato gratin, this coming from a person who usually dislikes potatoes done that way, so good I was taken back. The portion sizes are very generous and every bite was better than the previous!
Dessert was a must, usually a skipped item at other establishments. My wife went with the Fresh Berry Creme Brulee, had no complaints. I went with the "New Orleans Style Bread Pudding", not what I expected looks wise but some of the best I've ever had! It looked more like a cake but was it really good, fresh berries to go with it and an unbelievable caramel pecan whipped cream on the side, again, to die for!
All in all, this has been one of the nicest and best restaurants that we have been to in awhile, so happy we decided to go. Service is top notch, food is wonderful and we will definitely be going back, also recommending them to all of our friends/family! -
Review from Mike P.
Glen Ellyn, IL
Updated - 10/18/2010 9 Check-ins Here
We LOVE the food here and the martinis are fabulous. It's all fabulous and consistently so.
The service is well, not bad just off a couple of beats. They really need a front room manager.Listed in: Top Restaurants, My Neighborhood
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/4/2010
This restaurant is bi-polar. The food was FANTASTIC but they need a real Manager in the dining area.… Read more »
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Review from Caitlin P.
Chicago, IL
5/9/2010
I have been to Praga numerous times since it has opened and in the beginning the servers were wonderfully kind and attentive, your reservations that you made in advance was always followed, the owner always came out to see how your meal was and the food was excellent.
Within the past year, Praga has steadily gone downhill. During this time, I have dined with them three different times. Out of these three times, I have made reservations a couple of days in advance and had them confirmed with the hostess. All three times, my party has arrived on time and they have told us that there are no more tables left and escorted us to wait in the gloomy bar area/dungeon. What's the point of a reservation?
This last time, today, my mother wanted to have their famous Mother's Day Brunch. So after making reservations weeks in advance, when we arrived right on time, we were told that all of the tables were taken and we were escorted to the gloomy bar area, Bonton, where we waited 15 minutes for someone to ask us if we wanted something to drink. We then waited another HALF AN HOUR to be seated. So a 45 minute wait in total for a party that made reservations far in advance. This was the third time that this exact situation has happened to me there. I didn't make the reservation to have my mom sit at a bar for close to an hour and not eat.
When the waiter came to our table to bring us to our seat, instead of apologizing for the extended delay and inconvenience, he simply said "Ready?"
I couldn't believe it. Nice Mother's Day for my mom.
The food is sometimes awful/overcooked and sometimes amazing; you never can tell what you are going to get. But the one thing you definitely can expect is plan on being inconvenienced over and over again at this place in some way, shape or form. -
Review from Candice G.
Naperville, IL
6/21/2009
What a great choice for a Father's Day dinner.
I took my Dad here to celebrate the big day of Dads, it was both of our first time eating here and not a disappointment at all. Ooh- and as an extra bonus, it was nice out so we ate on the storefront patio outside.
The service was great, all of the staff were so humble and friendly and made you feel welcome and appreciated without any coddling.
The food is labeled as Eastern European but with none of the heavy meats and cheeses that you'd expect. My Dad said that calling it American would give people a better idea of their menu beforehand. As a vegetarian, I made sure to check out the menu prior to my visit to make sure there'd be something there for me, and ooooOOOOooooh was it good. They have a specials list that varies on the day you go but it's really extensive... several appetizer options, soup and salad options, LOTS of fresh fish entrees, and dessert. The daily specials menu here is bigger than a lot of restaurants real menu.
My Dad and I got the Fromage appetizer ( goat cheese baked with caramelized onions, spinach, and red pepper wrapped in phyllo dough with a yummy pink tomato basil sauce) and the special salad that had spinach leaves, grapefruit slices, candied pistachios, grilled asparagus, and a really great vinaigrette dressing. Both items were mouth wateringly good... I'm defo going to try to steal the salad recipe to make on my own time, maybe call it Candice's Summer '09 Salad.
For dinner my Dadio got the chicken dish with mashed potatoes. It looked good and was stuffed with peppers, spinach and other yummy goodness. He finished every bite of it. I saw another table with some sort of braised beef tomahawk looking dish and it was really a sight to see. I had to keep turning around to check it out like there was a celebrity sitting behind me or something.
I got the vegetarian special which was seared polenta cakes on a bed of marinated spinach with a mixture of mushrooms, peas, asparagus, and some sort of dee-lish sauce. I, too, ate every bit of it.
For dessert I got the "Tony's" crepes. They are banana crepes covered in syrup with vanilla ice cream and dried banana chips... served WHILE ON FIRE and then the dessert chef pours a ladle of something... I want to say Gran Marnier on top it. Twas dreamy... though some of my bites tasted like pure alcohol, it's hard to complain about getting a buzz from dessert.
I'm so recommending this to friends. Even for vegetarians, though there's not a huge selection- they are superb. -
Review from T D.
Lombard, IL
7/19/2006
I enjoy this restaurant in the summer, when you can dine outside on their patio, with euro music playing in the background. A nice romantic feel about this place, dark inside and the service is great. I met one of the owners at the bar, she was very helpful with my questions about their menu. Praga is really drawing over into more than one type of cuisine, a real authentic, European influence is what I think their menu offers.
A bit pricey, but well worth it, the food is very good with unique choices. You won't be disappointed in the wines here, ask for suggestions. The wait staff knows their stuff, it is not a large restaurant, so make a reservation.
FYI, in the summer month's the town has a Cruiser Nights, where people view the cars and it runs right in front of this restaurant on Saturday nights, so may or may not want to avoid that night, dining outside here. Call ahead and ask first. -
Review from Kai Z.
Chicago, IL
1/4/2009
Praga is such an adorable, intimate gem in the burbs with all the amazing food and attentive service you could ask for.
My fiance and eating companion says that the way to his heart in a restaurant is a constant supply of bread, and the waitress kept us well stocked with carbs and drinks throughout the night. Even when the place became completely packed toward the end of our meal, service didn't slack one bit.
We split a lobster/phyllo appetizer, which was a flavor orgasm and had decent chunks of lobster for only $7! The sea-bass had a deliciously crispy sear on it, and my dessert - banana rum crepes - were equally palate-pleasing. It was definitely worth the drive and all the wrong turns we made trying to find it! -
Review from carrie w.
5/7/2010
So... Praga was recommended to me by a co worker of mine.. who also lives in Lombard. It was date night for me and my husband, which is quite rare on a Friday night. Without reservations we were sat immediately in a very cute and warm dining room and the service started immediately.. which was nice.
As soon as we got our menus and water was poured.. my husband quite the stickler when going out noticed that the silverware was quite spotty, ie water spots.. it didn't really bother me. The wine list that was given to us was quite expansive we ordered a nice cab from a Paul Hobbs winery in Argentina.. (which averaged $32) our server though brought to us a $100+ Paul Hobbs Cab and swore that that was the one we ordered.. I know wine and I know that that was not the one we ordered. After about 15 minutes he finally came back with the one I had asked for.. it was quite yummy!
We ordered the escargot app and it was quite good, but it was too rich.. too much cream, but the flavor profiles were great. We then ordered our dinners, my husband ordered the duck breast and I ordered the lamb shank... it was around 7ish when we ordered our entrees and the server thought they may have been out of my entree... it's a Friday night at 7pm, and it wasn't that busy.. come on....
We get our entrees and my husband's duck breast was over cooked and you could tell that my shank was the last one, the texture wasn't quite right.. and then we found out that the spatzel that was served with the lamb shank was not made there.. you could tell it was out of a bag... The caramelized root vegetable ragout though saved the dish, it was fantastic...
We ordered dessert Bananas Foster.. and again our server was like... it may be the last one... it was 7:45? Yikes... we did get it.. and it was fantastic! Yummy, yummy...
All and all, it was good.. but there were too many quirks.. oh did I mention the steak knives were from IKEA??? We will probably go back and give it another try.. they have an outdoor area which looks really quite nice... good for a great summer evening!
We do have to say, in old downtown Lombard there aren't really any fine dining places... this is the only one.. and we think it could only get better. -
Review from Chris W.
Darien, IL
2/11/2009
I've been a fan of "Praga" since they opened. I just wish that I could make it there more often. Summertime eating outside is a treat.
The staff has always been attentive and willing to go beyond expectations to help. The food never ceases to impress me. We eat out often and have tried many much more expensive places and yet the quality is never as good as "Praga".
Give yourself a treat in these trying time's go to "Praga" and enjoy yourselves. -
Review from Tom E.
Chicago, IL
9/19/2008
Went there last night for dinner and came away extremely impressed. My wife and I shared the butternut squash soup and crab cakes as a starter. Both were excellent. As a main course I ordered one of the specials which was pecan crusted halibut served over sauteed spinach and parsnips. My wife ordered the veal medallions served over mushroom risotto. Neither one of us could have been more happy with our dishes. The food presentation and atmosphere is also very nice at this restuarant.
If you are looking to get away from the chains in the suburbs and want a more intimate experience with top notch food, this is a great place. There is also a bar next door attached to the restaurant. We didn't go in but it looks like it would be a nice place for a before or after dinner drink. -
Review from alicia b.
Lombard, IL
1/18/2010
Oh yes!
I dined at Praga Friday night and it was a lovely experience.I've lived in Lombard for pretty much my whole life and we always drive past this place but for some reason have been scared to try it but not Friday night! We arrived at about 6ish and it was pretty empty which made me sad but quickly it filled up.So if your going I would recommend making a res. but if not there is a swanky lil bar attached called bonton you could have drinks at.
The meal:
Drinks---if you like beer go for the Czech beer Golden Pheasant or if you like wine their selection is out of hand!
Apps: My mom and I shared the Gorgonzola stuffed pear salad.OMG it was probably the best salad I have ever had!
Din Din: I had the only vegetarian option a delish spinach penne pomodoro pasta.So good
my carnivore mom and Bf had the stuffed chicken breast with mashed tatos and string beans.They both polished it off.
My daddy had the seared sesame crusted Tuna which he claimed was the best he'd ever had.
So the pros are the meal was delicious, the waiter was a really nice man, all the customers were really nicely dressed and good looking, the drinks were amazing, and the menu changes often.
The cons are that arent very veggie friendly, kinda pricey and........ hmmm thats all I got -
Review from e j.
Chicago, IL
6/9/2007
We just had a perfect dinner here last night. The Praga's salad of sweet peppers and feta servied in a martini glass was perfect. We loved the satisfying appetizer of Austrian goat cheese tart. Then the scallops sounded so good that we both ordered them and we thouroughly enjoyed every bite, the mushrooms, the sauce, the veggies all worked together beautifully. For dessert we shared the Marscapone/honey tart which was good, would try other desserts next time.
A gem we are lucky to have, especially in Lombard. -
Review from Roland W.
5/3/2008
Praga is the exact reason I'm glad I found yelp! this is a wonderful restaurant. We we're visiting Chicago to see friends and met them here for dinner on Friday night.
We arrived a little early and were seated immediately. The service was attentive but not at all rushed. If they have one flaw it's the busboy. He offered more bread, but never brought it. I can live with that since everything else was great!
We started with a goat cheese tart and crab cakes, both we're excellent. I was the only one to have a salad and chose the Gorgonzola cheese filled pear with greens. You have to try this if you eat here. We each had a different entree which were all prepared and presented to perfection. We capped off the evening with espresso and three desserts. The creme brulee was perfect as were the profiteroles.
If you're going to be anywhere near Lombard I recommend trying Praga. FYI, they were in the middle of remodeling or adding a bar area which looked really cool. The next time I'm in town I'll be back! -
Review from Osiris V.
5/27/2009
YUMMM, I forgot about the delicious calamari at Praga!! If you're into Mediterranean cuisines I would recommend this little hole in the wall restaurant.
We came in and sat in their little lounge area and ordered a few drinks. Few rounds I should say. The waitress was very attentive. Afterwards, she moved us to the restaurant part, very intimate. Four of us shared the calamari. We ordered 2! Afterwards I got the chicken since it was the only thing that didn't scare me on the menu ;). My bf got the porkchops and the other two in our group ordered the duck. No complaints afterwards! -
Review from Jason P.
8/4/2009
I can't believe it has taken me this long to write a review of this place. I went here with my wife and my in-laws, back during the first week of January while we were back in Chicago for the holidays. The first thing I loved about the place was the music they were playing. I have a fairly eclectic taste when it comes to music, preferring downtempo european electronica and chillout, and that was exactly what they had on the sound system that evening.
Music aside, the place was small, intimate, and dimly lit. I love restaurants with atmosphere, and this place had plenty of it. With the snow on the ground outside, watching the cars drive past outside of the huge windows at the front of the restaurant, it just made for a nice evening that made me feel more like I was in Lincoln Park than Lombard.
The food... oh my god the food. The BEST, absolute BEST scallops I have ever tasted in my life, followed by one of the best steaks I have ever had. Everyone else in my party enjoyed their food as much as I enjoyed mine. To top it all off, the service was top notch. This is my new favorite restaurant in the western suburbs. It is a little out of the way, but the drive is well worth it. -
Review from Sue T.
10/25/2009
A friend and I spent a delightful evening in this little storefront restaurant. The atmosphere was friendly and relaxed. Many diners appeared to be regulars. Praga had just switched over to their fall menu. I had terrific, juicy, tender duck breast over winter squash and red cabbage.
Service was friendly, provided by someone who truly knows and loves the food. The Bonton Wine Bar in the storefront next door (and connected at the back of the restaurant) ensures you have a good choice of wines for dinner. It looks like a great place to have a chat with a friend or take a date.
I found the storefront a bit difficult to find, approaching from the west on a busy street. The sign over the front was hidden by trees. My trusty car nav said I was "there" so I parked and walked and found it. My friend had the same issue. No problem -- I'll definitely be back. -
Review from Gayle G.
Chicago, IL
7/6/2008
I'll give it the fifth star if I go again and it's a repeat performance.
Wow. Just, wow! Everything was just lovely. I wasn't expecting much and was so happy with the service, ambiance and the food.
The prices are great. $20 for a scallop entree? That's a deal. And they were delicious with a pistachio pesto over a corn relish. The halibut was wonderful too! Desserts were a tad weak, but still tasty and appropriately priced at $5.50 each.
I'll definitely be back if I'm in the neighborhood. -
Review from T L.
Glen Ellyn, IL
12/12/2010
Food is top notch, great value, wonderful atmosphere.
As much as we like to go to other places we always end up here. -
Review from Doug W.
Lombard, IL
7/26/2007
Praga is a gem!
My wife and I felt like we were sitting in a quant eatery in Napa...
Great food with a nice wine list. Before we knew it 3 hours flew by and we wanted to stay for more. A wonderful staff that knows how to make you feel like a million bucks and a killer menu will keep us coming back... -
Review from Christine L.
Chicago, IL
11/17/2009
A couple's night out in the 'burbs brought us to the charming Praga for dinner and drinks. We arrived at 6:30 (I know, early for us younger folk) on a Saturday and were immediately seated at a lovely table near the window. Our server was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu and drinks. We decided to forgo appetizers and instead start with a round of martinis, quite good and a nice selection of specialty drinks. The wine list was huge (!) and most selections are available by the bottle or glass.
For entrees, we ordered the scallops, stuffed chicken breast, striped bass (on special that night) and blackened NY strip. Each was served with a unique side dish pairing. The scallops were served with a spinach risotto that was rich in color and taste and the striped bass I ordered came with polenta parmesan fries which I absolutely loved!! The ambiance was very intimate and cozy, the menu was small but filled with unique offerings, service was quick and personable -all in all, a recommended pleasurable Saturday evening. -
Review from Michelle H.
Tinley Park, IL
2/28/2010
My husband took me out to celebrate my birthday.
Great Wine List, great dinner selections.
The stuffed pear salad was amazing. On the large side, well dressed. Husband had the roasted squash bisque. It was phenomenal.
His entree, duck breast was better than mine. I had the Veal and Spaetzle it was very good, but the duck was phenomenal.
Only room for improvement is the front door opens to the dining room and a large coat rack. Standing there waiting to be seated is awkward. -
Review from Manfred K.
Stickney, IL
1/3/2011
this place is good. it's not amazing....especially for the prices....but it is good. the service is a little schizo, and the day we went in the summer the dining room was very warm.
it was a forgettable experience. but for lombard, yes, it's the french laundry. -
Review from Anna C.
Villa Park, IL
7/22/2010
I went to dinner here last Saturday night with 3 other guests. We sat inside initially because it was so hot outside. I had made reservations, but the table was not ready until 20 minutes after our promised reservation. I can understand a small delay (5-10 minutes) in a small restaurant, but 20 minutes was a little long.
We waited in the bar (Bonton) which I highly recommend! Bonton is open very late when it is hard to find late night spots in the burbs. The decor is very urban and sleek. The bartender was very attentive and helpful.
Once called to our table, our server was excellent!!!!!! We really liked her very much and showed our appreciation in a large tip. After dinner, we took coffee and dessert outside on the patio. The temperature cooled off slightly and it was a beautiful evening. I definitely suggest sitting outside on a nice evening.
Now I'll chat about the food. I had the stuffed pear salad (which was excellent) and the seafood pasta. The pasta had scallops, shrimp, and a large portion of lobster meat. Another guest had the same dish and we both enjoyed it very much. The other two guests had a beef dish that looked like marinated beef tips. One of the guests strongly disliked the meal, but the other thought it was OK. Everyone liked their salads. The bread pudding dessert was great, especially since it did not contain raisins which I dislike.
All in all, it was a fun night. My food was delicious but other guests would not agree. It is a great late night/outside dining choice. It is a little pricey. -
Review from Lauren S.
Wood Dale, IL
3/17/2010
This resturant was great! My boyfriend and I went on a tuesday night and the resturant section was all to ourselves. The waiter was great, the food was great. The duck with the butternut squash puree and cabbage was too die for, the oysters great and the escargot dish was pretty decent. I cant wait to go back!!
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Review from Tina T.
10/16/2006
A great hidden gem tucked away in Lombard! When one of my clients first told me of this restaurant and described it as Eastern European fusion, I thought to myself, "yuck - heavy meats and sausages and sauces - not for me!" But one night we decided to try it after hearing about it from several others. What a great surprise! The food is European fusion, and includes several wonderful fish dishes prepared deliciously! Prices aren't bad at all for the quality of the meal - you can find meals anywhere from $15 to $25; but the meal is definitely worth it! They have a great wine list, wonderful wait staff, romantic and intimate atmosphere. Not a very big place, although we've never had to wait too long. And the bar seats exactly 3 people with no room for standing! I like going in the fall/winter to avoid the car nights, but that's just me as I tend to pretty much hate those things!
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Review from Cecille A.
Chicago, IL
3/3/2010
I finally ate here with a couple of friends after reading the great reviews of this place. Definitely in agreement with everyone here that the food here is very good. And they have a huge drink selection as well. For appetizers, we had the goat cheese tart and the calamari. Both were delicious, although i thought that the tart had a lot more onion than cheese but it was still very good. Two of us decided on the scallops with risotto for our entree and my other friend chose a chicken dish. All of us had the stuffed pear salad which was excellent. Our waiter forgot to put in our orders for the salad, and we got our entrees first. He was very apologetic about it and although it wasn't a big deal to us cuz we got the salads anyway later, he was nice enough to throw in the dessert we ordered for free!
To sum things up, this place is definitely a place to check out if you're in the area. Has outdoor seating too, once the weather gets warmer! -
Review from Booda B.
Lombard, IL
10/6/2006 1 photo
Praga is a great place to go for a special dinner. The vaguely European dishes are wonderfully prepared and of the highest quality. Main courses are about $12-$25 (if I remember correctly), which is really a bargain for this caliber of food. The staff is friendly and accessible and doesn't mind answering stupid questions. Not the sort of food I'd eat every day, but it's a classy little restaurant and I recommend it to anyone looking for a fine dining experience.
Listed in: The Best Eating in Lombard
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Review from Jennifer W.
Carol Stream, IL
10/16/2007
This place is a definate gem. The wine list is specatular and the staff is very willing to give you a recommendation of a good bottle. It is a little pricey, but so worth the meal and ambiance.
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Review from Kris Z.
Downers Grove, IL
1/17/2006
This place is delicious - the food is original and presented beautifully and the staff just make you feel special. They are very busy and there is a reason for it. Well worth seeking this place out.
