- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Royal Warsaw Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants American (Traditional) Restaurants Polish American (Traditional), Polish [Edit]
871 River DrElmwood Park, NJ 07407
(201) 794-9277
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
23 reviews for Royal Warsaw Restaurant
Review Highlights
"I ordered Hungarian Goulash wrapped in potato pancake."
(in 3 reviews)
"The blueberry pierogies are a family favorite for dessert."
(in 5 reviews)
"...how to make potato pancakes, pierogies, and golabki."
(in 3 reviews)
Loading...
23 reviews in English
-
Review from Diana Z.
Manhattan, NY
9/6/2011
I cannot say enough good things about this place. My family comes here any chance they get and have even hosted several special events here. We're not even Polish. But since the family came from Russia, a lot of the dishes remind them of the old country, and apparently are prepared quite authentically. But what's great about this place (besides the fact that everything tastes fantastic) is the variety and choices you get. The menu is extensive and aside from the traditional Polish food, they also have regular chicken, beef, seafood, salad, and pasta dishes. I'm a big fan of the blueberry perogies (just fried dough filled with blueberry) which is a good dessert-as-dinner dish. I'm also a fan of the Asian salmon salad. See? VARIETY!
Love love love this place! -
Review from Todd M.
Fair Lawn, NJ
1/21/2012
This place has amazing food, but it is Polish food (menu is diverse but primarily Polish) so if that is not your thing beware. Homemade and authentic pierogies and potato pancakes among other delicious items. I went with a bunch of friends and we had a fantastic time. Great, casual setting and the service was fantastic. We'll be going back again but maybe eat a little less next time! Great spot!
-
Review from Annette P.
Clifton, NJ
7/18/2011
This is not an authentic Polish restaurant. I found most of the menu to be very American. I did however, find a very nice drink menu and great happy hour deals that are hard to beat.
We had my babcia's (grandma in Polish) 80th birthday dinner here and the service was great. We called a few days earlier to make reservations and they had our table waiting on a busy sunday afternoon. This is near Polish neighborhoods and if you just go a little further to Wallington you can get the real thing. -
Review from Diana M.
Belleville, NJ
8/11/2011
Royal Warsaw, in Elmwood Park, New Jersey, is an under stated restaurant that serves authentic Polish cuisine as well as serving as a serving as a hotspot for after work cocktails.
We first entered to a very quiet dining room and cocktail area, we had gotten there early enough to beat the dinner rush. Our waitress was very attentive and immediately took our drink orders. I was quite impressed by their drink menu as well as their wine list. They had an extensive list of various vintage wines as well as mixed drinks made in anyway possible. It certainly would have made for a great place to just have a few cocktails , if we had not gone there for dinner. The menu was extensive, not only hosting a great deal of original Polish cuisine, but Royal Warsaw's traditional in-house favorites as well. It was a pleasure to see a restaurant that thought outside of the box with their cuisine and added their own flare to their native dishes.
After great scrunity in making my decision, we chose a somewhat typical appetizer as our first course. We ordered kielbasa which came sliced and placed on Hunter's stew. The kielbasa was well-done to perfection, not overly spicy and cooked well to the tongue's delight. It was presented to us on a silver dish, where alcohol had been added to present the dish with a flambed stew. The added pyrotechnics added to the presentation of this well-done dish.
The stew that served as a bed for the Kielbasa was very good,with a combination of flavorful spices and aromas that made for a treat to the senses. We were surprised at how excellent this was prepared and sincerely is one of the better Kielbasa dishes I had in a long time (if ever).
As always, about 20 minutes later, I had finally chosen an entree. I decided to go with the pan-seared pierogi with bacon pieces. This was excellent. The pan-frying allowed for the dough to be perfectly crisp without giving the pierogi a heavy oily taste or strong fried flavor. I took my first bite and the fusion of textures was pleasant and made my mouth crave more. The portions are large with at least twelve pierogies making up my entree. The bacon added to the great taste of the pierogi.
I quite enjoyed our time here at Royal Warsaw. I would resoundingly suggest this restaurant to anyone who would like to try or revisit Polish cuisine. A few people questioned our decision to add Polish cuisine to our list, as sometimes, many have trouble with this cuisine. This restaurant scored as one of my top three thus far in our adventures. If you have dismissed Polish cuisine, or are afraid to try it, please visit this establishment -- your taste buds will thank you. -
Review from Natasha K.
Wallington, NJ
10/16/2011
I've been here once so far and liked it very much. The restaurant is fairly big. I went there on a weeknight, so the place was not too busy and we were seated immediately. The decor has a nice, comfy, simple kind of feel to it. You wouldn't want to go there in an evening gown but don't show up in jeans and sneakers either! Our service was great, the waiter was very friendly and helpful. All of the food we'd ordered for the table was great. I ordered the "Salmon-Berry" as my entree and it was awesome (especially the rice it comes with), totally recommended (especially if you're not feeling adventurous enough to try one of their more hard-core Polish dishes)! They also have a bar, and have live music on some nights as well. We'll definitely go back there again, I'm sure! Highly recommended, especially if you want to try something a little different and interesting! :-)
-
Review from She C.
Saddle Brook, NJ
9/3/2011
3.5 stars. Good food, interesting service.
I'm not what you would call a connoisseur of Polish or Russian food, but I was quite pleased with the food here. Lovely ambiance too with a nice bar area. It was a comfortable environment and we were not rushed, even when we had received our doggie bags. Strange bread basket started the meal, room temp store sliced bread (just "eh") with butter packets. Odd... not unpleasant but certainly a throw-away dish.
My friend and I ordered the salmon tartar for an appetizer. It was really good with a fresh and comfy flavor reminiscent of a bagel with lox and cream cheese, served with delicious, thickly sliced garlic bread. The portion was easily enough to be split by 3 or 4 people.
I got the Russian perogis, pan fried. The perogis themselves were good and were perfectly prepared. They were accompanied by slightly undercooked onions generously sprinkled over the top, which I did not care for. Thick sour cream in a tiny dish was also on the plate. My problem with the dish is that it was just perogis. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it was a large dish of potato-laden dumplings... there should have been some sort of veggie and less perogis in my opinion. However, I'm really looking forward to some great leftover perogis!
My friend got the plate from Warsaw (which was named a bit more eloquently on the menu). It was a fun assortment of mixed types of perogis, hunters stew, stuffed cabbage. She really enjoyed everything.
So why not a higher rating? Service was polite and accurate, but spotty. We waited probably 15 minutes after being seated before our waiter came to take our drink order, even though they weren't that busy. The couple at the table next to us, who had a different server, looked downright pissed at how long service took.
I'll be back at some point to try a bit more "adventurous" options. -
Review from Victor C.
Jersey City, NJ
12/24/2010 1 Check-in Here
While a little difficult to get to (the roads were under construction as of this writing), I was pleasantly surprised by the Royal Warsaw Restaurant.
After we lost our favorite perogi place next to Clifton station, I was in need of some solid perogis like no ones business. This restaurant, despite a somewhat gaudy and glitzy interior, had a really unique selection of polish foods that I hadn't seen anywhere else.
Oh. They also had perogies. Lots of perogies.
I never really knew how ridiculously satisfying it would be to have a polish beer and a plate of perogies one weekday evening. It was like eating warm just-baked chocolate cookies and milk on a warm summer day. Kind of makes you wonder... man.... do polish people get to do this every day? (No.) What a life...
I like perogies. -
Review from Steven D.
Bayonne, NJ
11/15/2010
Great food, awesome portions. The pierogi platter is fantastic
I had the Hungarian Goulash which was served in a potato pancake. It was served with cole slaw and a pickle salad. Very hearty. -
Review from Michelle R.
Bergen, NJ
5/22/2010 3 photos
Visited the Royal Warsaw for the first time last night. Food was delicious. We had a pierogie sampler appetizer - which next time I wouldn't do only because there were too many on there with cabbage and I didn't like that. The potato and meat ones were savory.
My boyfriend ordered the goulash which came in a mini cauldron with that hung over a tea light. Again, very tasty.
I ordered Hungarian Goulash wrapped in potato pancake. Very delicious. On the side was a pickle salad and cole slaw. Portion was very plentiful.
My boyfriend ordered a chicken dish where the cutlet was covered in cheese and a pineapple slice. His served with mashed potato and coleslaw.
Prices were okay - portions were plentiful. Service was good. Their website has all the details of each dish you can learn about each one before you go.
I only wish I had room for dessert as the raspberry pierogie sounded really good.
My only complaint would be there was a guy walking around the restaurant in his barefeet and I found that gross. He was a customer and not sure why they permitted that. -
Review from Arthur S.
Fair Lawn, NJ
11/4/2011
Try the salmon, I'll say no more,
-
Review from Christopher W.
Nutley, NJ
3/11/2010
All I can say to the negative reviewers is this: your mom must be the Polish equivalent of Gordon Ramsay, because the food here is incredibly good. I was expected a roadhouse atmosphere given the neon signage, but when you walk in you see lots of modern, sleek design. I really couldn't get over how elegantly styled they'd made the space, and I was impressed throughout the night.
I can tell you this, they know *exactly* how to make potato pancakes, pierogies, and golabki. If you're third-generation American like me then that's the extent of your Polish, but given that they execute the Americanized standards well, I'm game to try anything else from the menu. I went with Hungarian goulash stuffed potato pancakes, adjectives and nouns all over the place, and it was killer. Side of beets, side of coleslaw (which the Wife points out is not as good as the Corral, as she always does), and Tyskies. Always Tyskies, but they've got about two or three other Polish brews as well in case you're an Okocim fan.
Now, this was a five-star night, and if I could give a half-star I would, but the service was almost non-existent. They either understaff or focus entirely on certain tasks, but I was thirsty most of the night and only managed two Tyskies. Not that my drinking is a major source of their potential revenue, but at least check on us during the meal might've been nice.
So, in conclusion, food spectacular; lots of Polish beer; wait staff are adept at avoiding your table; interior is impressive; the saxophone player was performing Jazz Standards, not Broadway; your mother probably doesn't cook as well as this kitchen.
--# -
Review from Carla L.
4/25/2008
There aren't that many Polish restaurants around. This is the best Polish restaurant that I have been to. I've been there several times, usually when someone from my family is visiting me. They all seem to want to try it, or go back. My parents love the place, my grandmother loves the place, I think anyone who's Polish loves the place.
The Royal Warsaw is a Polish-American restaurant that serves homemade Polish specialties - pierogi, kielbasi, golabki, bigos, etc. They also host alot of parties. I've been there several times while a Christening or Engagement party was going on in the back portion of the restaurant.
I've never tasted anything here that was not good. The grilled kielbasi is excellent, the bigos is hearty and flavorful, the soups are delicious. They serve a variety of pierogies with different fillings. The blueberry pierogies are a family favorite for dessert. There is a nice menu selection. The decor is understated and classy. It's a great Polish dining experience.
If you've never had real Polish food, eat here! -
Review from Jay M.
New York, NY
Polish food with an American twist. Royal Warsaw attracts people of Polish ancestry and curious passers by. The large menu had everything from Bosch and pierogies to penne alla vodka and hamburgers.
The environment could be mistaken as formal when your hear the name "royal" and walk in to the saxophonist playing Broadway songs, but after sitting down it was clear that this is more of a family kind of place... sorta like a fancy diner (in a good way).
I started off with Bosch, which was peppery and had several mushroom pierogies. I also shared a sampler platter of potato pancakes, pierogies, kielbasa, etc. For dinner I had Schabowy & mushrooms, which is a fried breaded pork cutlet stuffed with mushrooms and cheese. It came with potatoes, cole slaw, and cucumber salad. I can't get into too much detail about the food because it all tasted very similar to me... All in all, the food was filling and flavorful but hard to finish for me because I am not used to such heavy preparations.
Service was OK. Waitress was nice but a little slow to respond to requests. She may have had too many tables. She also could have used the help of a bus boy to clear away the tables and refill our water.
Prices are inexpensive and you get a lot of food for the money.
All-in-all, this is a fun environment and worth a try if you're in the mood for Polish food. -
Review from Chelsea B.
Clifton, NJ
2/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
My absolute favorite restaurant in the area......I love Polish food. I'm PA Dutch, and it's similar to our food (but in my opinion MUCH better tasting) The service is great, and so is the food. I always get the "Plate a la Warsaw" which is a really nice sampler, for a reasonable price. The decor is very pretty, and it also has a bar, and a nice outdoor patio, but I would say the atmosphere is perfect for a date, OR a family. The clientele is mostly Polish, and curious Americans. My ONLY complaint, is that refills aren't free on sodas.
-
Review from shiv s.
Waldwick, NJ
9/11/2011
Ate here for the first time and it was a very pleasant experience. Had the polish sampler platter for appetizer, warsaw sampler for dinner, chicken balls special, stuffed pork cutlet and blueberry pierogie kids item. Everything was very good comfort food. The chicken balls was the only item I wouldn't order again, it wasn't as soft as I had hoped. The stuffed cabbage was yummy, polish sausages really good. The hunter's stew was also very smooth and delicious. Overall stick to your ribs comfort food. Inside of the restaurant has nice booths and tables, full bar, very comfortable seating. We saw families, young people and older folks so the restaurant appeals to people of all ages. There was outdoor seating as well. I would visit again.
-
Review from Sue C.
Wayne, NJ
1/29/2011
We really enjoyed our lunch today. Service and drinks were excellent - food was great and lots of it! I am of Polish descent and my mother really wasn't that enthusiastic about going to the restaurant because she makes this food all the time and even she was impressed and really enjoyed her meal. Soups were excellent (beet borsch and mushroom soups) as well as appetizers and entrees. The dessert crepe with sweet cheese brought me back to my childhood - it was much like something my grandmother used to make. Don't go here if you are on a diet - this was certainly a great place to eat on a cold, winter day.
-
Review from T B.
Pompton Lakes, NJ
8/20/2010
It's absurd how incredible this food is. Awesome sized portions, great service. I'd give 6 stars here if possible, it was that damn good. Can't wait to go back.
-
Review from David N.
Ridgewood, NJ
1/30/2011
We received a gift certificate from a friend and we had been delaying our visit to the Royal Warsaw until last night. We were a party of three and had drinks (2 rounds) and an unbelievable dinner for about $30 per person. The service was excellent. Our waiter really knew his stuff. He made recommendations and, when he could not describe the food appropriately, brought a small tasting to the table. We had the Warsaw Plate and the Warsaw Cutlet. Both dishes were prepare quickly and brought to the table piping hot. The beet salad was fresh and sauces were exquisite. Without hesitation I would recommend Royal Warsaw for a nice polish eating experience.
-
Review from Maggie A.
San Diego, CA
6/9/2008
I wouldn't call this authentic Polish food. I was born and raised in Poland and my mom cooks all the time, so I know what Polish food should taste like. If you're at this place, you might as well keep driving. Just down the street is Wallington, which is the capital of Poland in the US. There, you will find tons of authentic, Polish restaurants. If you just want food, go here. But if it's Polish food you're looking for, go elsewhere. This is too Americanized.
-
Review from Sandy s.
Butler, NJ
9/26/2008
We went here this passed weekend. My parents love this place! I can understand why, the ambiance was great! Finally a Polish Restaurant that is not a hole in a wall or deli style. Not to say the other places aren't great and decor isn't the only thing that counts! There is an outside area with umbrellas to dine too. And a large bar area if you just want to have drinks and watch the game. The food was good but I agree with Maggie K. that it's really Americanized Polish food, not my mother's pierogies. They have other foods on the menu in addition to Polish cuisine such as cheeseburgers, steak and chicken fingers. Yes they do have a children's menu. We had appetizers; the usual, mozzerella sticks, twice baked potatoes and stuffed mushrooms which were fine. We also had an assortment of pierogies (pan fried) which were good. For dinner, I had the pan fried pork, mashed potatoes, red cabbage, and cucumber salad which was good. However, my DH had a steak which was overdone on the outside and rare on the inside as was my son's cheeseburger.
I don't know if I would seek out this place again as it's a ride for me and there are plenty of great Polish delis right in my area, but for a sit down place it's good. Also I am not used to eating fatty foods, as most Polish foods are, and wasn't feeling my best afterwords. -
Review from Joseph C.
Nutley, NJ
4/17/2010
Good and not so good. The pierogi sampler was wonderful as was the pork entree. Not so much was the kielbasi. It was overcooked. The bass was tasteless. Service was a little slow and the music was too loud for a restaurant. The beer was very good. I thing I would try it again.
-
Review from Brian L.
Hawthorne, NJ
1/9/2011
Royal Warsaw provides authentic polish cuisine with an expanded French and Americana menu. I have had the plate a la Warsaw several times for take out and have been happy with the stick to your ribs fare. This time we sat down on Sunday afternoon? The place was packed but we were served quickly by the charming staff? I enjoyed the salmon tar tar and Zapiekanka ($7.95). My wife enjoyed the potato pan cakes and baked trout. The PPC were the food blender kind and not the "shredded" kind but still authentic. We shall return for the sit-down dinning and I will keep getting the "to go" whenever I want the Bigos.
-
Review from Holly S.
Gainesville, VA
11/17/2009
Have no idea why this place would get good reviews; fried pierogi's are tastless; potato pancakes seemed not only burnt, but seemed like re-heated leftovers; and the stuffed cabbage was mushy and overcooked (cabbage was practically melted, if that's possible) and let me tell you- I never knew what people meant by "heartburn"- but suffered the whole night following eating a potato pierogi and one of the 3 stuffed cabbages. There was a big bone in one of the pork dishes that my dog liked- otherwise- skip it.
