Barbakan Restaurant

Barbakan might not be for a person who enjoys dessert, since it barely has any options for that, but it is definitely for the person who loves a good Polish lunch or dinner. I love their potatoes and all their meats, and especially the blueberry pierogi. Also, I recommend the fruit compote as a delicious and refreshing drink. The tables are also set up by booths, which I really like. The staff was also always nice to me. Definitely a restaurant to try out.

I like borscht and I’ll go anywhere that has it on the menu. That includes Avondale, where Barbakan lists red beet borscht among the soups of the day once a week. And so Saturday brought me here to try barszez czerwony (Polish red borscht). I found a nice neighborhood restaurant with friendly service and comfortable booths in the front room. There was a large birthday party so there were toasts and singing all night.
However, I’m not sure I was served barszez czerwony. That soup should be clear, bright red in color, and tart from vinegar and lemon. What I was served was pink, heavy and creamy. My guess is this was a version of borscht made with kefir (fermented milk) and hard boiled eggs known as chlodnik litewski (Lithuanian soup). I was glad to taste this version, and I would put it in the «pretty good» category, but it’s not my favorite, so you might detect a note of disappointment.
The rest of the dinner – an assortment of salads and rye bread, boiled beef in horseradish sauce, and good French fries – was fine, and I will definitely be back when I am in the hood, and in the mood.

Rosa J. typically isn’t afraid of going anywhere that appears hole-​in-​the-​wall, but she hesitated this time with Barbakan Restaurant because of their extremely austere exterior. Hubby said it was a point of no return. Well, we sometimes really need to have faith in these Unilocal reviews and hope this is one of those dinners to remember.
Some Unilocalers have raved about their price points. I would have to agree with them because I haven’t found $ 1 kompot anywhere else but Barbakan. Oh by the way, their soup changes daily and is $ 2.25 per bowl (as of 10/​15/​2015). Polish tripe soup is available on Saturdays and Sundays, so BOLO for the little petite Rosa J. at Barbakan since she’s a new resident in Portage Pork.
We had these following dishes for $ 19…incredible deal in the city… second to none:
1) two (2) orders of kompot: it’s what many refer to as the Eastern European fruit punch, except it tastes way better than that sugar-​saturated Hawaiian Fruit punch at a grocery store. Give it a try!
2) Ukrainian borsch soup: it definitely didn’t skimp on beans. I was half-​way full upon fishing this.
3) bean soup: hubby goes bananas on anything containing beans. However, his name isn’t Jack.
4) chicken livers: OMG… I was speechless! They were crispy and flavorful. I could have another small order to-​go if I had two (2) stomaches.
5) potato pancakes: the small order came with four (4) pancakes. I’m SO not Polish, yet I should really be a honorary one because I can live with potato pancakes and a bowl of borsch soup every day of my life!
Hubby and I went with the small orders on our entrees. I couldn’t imagine if someone with an average appetite would be able to finish a large order on anything here, unless you scale up in order to meet the minimum $ 25 purchase when using a debit or credit card.
We didn’t have cash on hand and was informed with debit/​credit card minimum-​purchase policy. However, the lady in the house gave us courtesy this time. There was an ATM onsite, yet it was out of order.
I would like to express my gratitude to our fellow Polish Unilocalers for recommending Barbakan. It’s located on the southeast corner of Belmont and Central. Therefore, it’s accessible via #77 (Belmont) and #85 (Central) CTA buses.

Listen to me. This place has the best polish tomato soup in the city. End of story. (Pork cutlet is awesome too!)

I went here with my son and husband for dinner. I chose it based on the fact that Jess Café was closed because it was a Monday. When we walked up, it looked closed. I was tempted to keep going to Central Gyros, but because of the nice Unilocal reviews I tried the door and it was open. There was a woman mopping the floor with vinegar. I asked if they were open and she said «yes, come on». My son and I sat down at one of the booths and she brought us menus. We were waiting for my husband. She came over a few minutes after handing us the menu and asked if we were ready, i said we were waiting for my husband. She said ok and took our drink order. Five minutes later she was back and said «ready.» not a question, more of a command. I ordered cheese pirogi, meat pirogi, and stuffed cabbage. My son ordered polish sausage with onions. I order the Vienna schnitzel for my absent husband.
The food is not good. The potato & cheese pirogi was ok. The meat was terrible. they were soggy. The stuffed cabbage came out with a BROWN gravy. I have only ever seen it with a tomato gravy. It was the same mystery meat that was in the meat pirogi. Tasted almost chalky. My husbands Vienna schnitzel was strange, dry and difficult to eat. My son won with his polish sausage. Probably the only legitimate tasty thing, probably because it wasn’t made in house. No ice in the drinks.
I would head up to Milwaukee and go to Staropolska if you want good Polish food. This place isn’t a local treasure. It’s a local dump.

An average food for a cheap price. Nothing really spectacular. Good place for a fast food lunch.

Hole in the wall with some of the best Polish food in Chicago. My favorite is white borsch and sztuka miesa w sosie chrzanowym.

Neighborhood staple. This place has been here a long time and I admit I passed it up for a long time heading to Central gyros instead. I live near Café Prague and Ferajna but Barbakan is only about 8 min away and a better bargain. The food tastes like home made like you went to family’s for dinner. I am used to a red tomato based sauce for golobki but here it is served with a brown gravy which is very good. We also ordered potato pancakes and ruski pierogi, both of which were good. I do like applesauce with my pancakes which I kind of missed. The small order of pierogi and potato pancakes, a small golobki and a large golobki and a can of soda was only $ 35. My only complaint was the service. It was very slow (only 2 other tables with people at them) and the woman seemed more interested in her cell phone. I do not speak polish — I am able to get through ordering and that is about it. I do not know if it was a language barrier issue or if it was just bad service. Nothing that would make me decide not to go back — just plan for extra time!
It is not a fancy place — but that is fine with me. Good food, reasonable prices. Easy parking in the free lot across the street.

As a Polish girl, sometimes I LIKE to eat a bite of polish dish. When I do I go to BARBAKAN and I eat a soup and potato pancakes with sour cream.
Just try mushroom, chicken or tomato soup and don’t forget about pancakes.
BEST of THE BEST is the white borsch for sure.
Good quality of FOOD for a good price.
When I am there I feel like I am back in Poland in my collage years… and feels GOOD :)

the food here is great and so is the service. Only reason did not give it 5 stars is the inside could use a little make over and I think it would bring the place a lot more business. Great place though!

Great service! Great food. Loved the pierogi sampler & potato pancakes. Very filling. Also had the chicken cutlet with cheese to finish which was a mistake. It was great but we were too full to really enjoy it. Will definitely go again!

Being born in Poland I grew up eating home cooked polish dinners and each time I eat here I am not disappointed in anything, most of this food tastes so similar to the way my grandma made it. If you ever wanted good homemade polish food but didn’t know where to go then you have to come here.

I have to admit, the first time I set foot in here I was creeped out. The place was deserted, the atmosphere quiet, it almost seemed like the restaurant was a front for something… but then the food… oh the food.
This place is incredible — the owner (I assume) is a very sweet Polish woman who doesn’t speak much English (so you know it’s authentic). Her food was so delicious we stayed and asked for seconds. We love coming here and it’s a treat every time.
This place doesn’t advertise — it’s only word of mouth and people who know that come here. If the place is empty, it’s because the locals are keeping it a secret.
YUM!!!

This is pretty simple polish food, without the frills. It seems like the kinda place someone that grew up in Poland would go to. Stop reading this review and get yourself a cutlet with kompot!

I’m not an expert on Polish food or even Eastern European cuisine. But this place is great. We were looking for good quality, inexpensive pierogi and landed here without knowing much else. We were probably the only native English speakers in the place — which I think is a ringing endorsement of its authenticity. The food (pierogi and all) was delicious. It was fast, tasty, and a great introduction to polish cuisine. I’d come here again in a heartbeat.

My recommendation for the best, authentic polish food in town. Unfortunately, my group of friends met here for dinner at 730 and they close at eight. Unilocal is very misleading with the 10 pm close time on friday!

Dont ever go to that place. All their food is cooked on old used oil, they dont care about the quality of food, its nasty, far fat away from how polish food should look and taste like. They are cheap for a simple reason. You pay cheap you get cheap food. They mess up your orders and enployes raise their voice if you make a complain. PLACE IS A JOKE!!!

Love this place! Inexpensive, delicious traditional Polish food.
Basically anything you order to going to be delicious. I’ve gotten the devolay (chicken a’la devolay) and its amazing!
Great food, great service, great prices. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for delicious authentic Polish food :)

Barbakan is one of those places that turns out to be a gem once you get over the interior.
The prices are very reasonable and the portions are huge. The food is gooooooooood, hearty Polish food. Probably the best in town. The soups are amazing!
They also offer meal passes where you basically pre-​pay for a full week’s worth of homemade dinners.

The food here is really good and really authentic. Even if you aren’t that hungry, order the small plates and a soup and you will be stuffed!
For a small 5 dollar plate of pierogies, you still get like 10 of them.
Service was the only thing bad. Our waitress seemed to be the only one working. she had like 10 tables. She wasn’t a bad waitress, they just should have had someone else helping out.
I would definetely come back here for authentic really fabulous Polish Food.