Podhalanka

Had a fantastic time at this local gem. Let the server know it was my first dive into Polish food, and he took charge, no menu needed! Started with a killer cabbage soup, then dove into a mix of hearty veggie and meat pierogies, topped off with some perfectly seasoned kielbasa. Definitely recommend for a solid, authentic meal!

What an amazing, authentic experience with truly homemade food. Nothing fancy here, just a warm, inviting dinner. We got here early, around 10:00am. I couldn’t wait to eat some Polish or Ukrainian food. We were greeted by the owner and offered a fresh spread of soups, homemade Polish (nuts !)sausages and pirogies. As we sat at the bar, we noticed immaculately dressed Polish (at least we things she was) grandma making our food. What a jam !

[CASH ONLY] I came here to get a Polish Sausage Sandwich for takeout. I ordered inside the restaurant, and the server who took my order was nice and friendly, and the it took just ~10 minutes for my order to be finished. Maybe the sandwiches are more suited for sit down ordering though, as it came deconstructed and for some reason only contained one piece of sandwich bread (they might’ve forgotten the second?). However, the sausage itself was absolutely delicious and the highlight of the dish: juicy and springy in texture and intensely robust and savory in flavor. The vegetables were also fresh with a light, pleasant dressing on it. The whole place is cash only, and the sandwich was $10, which is pretty solid but it also wasn’t a lot of food. Overall, prices have risen a great deal over the years but remain fair and reasonable. The inside was pretty cool, a little eerie and intricately decorated with Polish decor and memorabilia. I hope to return to Podhalanka in the future for dine-in! — Price (relative to peers): 4.2/5 Food: 4.4/5 Ambience: N/A Service: 5/5 Overall Value: 4.3/5

Coming from a polish person, this is literally better than homemade! I had the pierogis with potato and cheese, just delicious! I also ordered potato pancakes which were super crispy and nice soft consistency inside. My mom had the pork chop, and she loved it as well!!! Place is very homey and it gave me great vibes! They do only take cash so come prepared. Owner is great too! Definitely coming again!

The food here was absolutely wonderful! We came for dinner and it was mostly empty, some more people showed up but reservations aren’t necessary I would say. Seemed like a small family run restaurant, nothing too fancy but the food was amazing! We ordered the potato and cheese dumplings, roast pork and beef stew and everything was so flavorful! The quantities were pretty good and it wasn’t too pricy either. Overall would definitely recommend! They do only take cash though.

Visiting from out of town with a strong Polish heritage. A trip.back in time to a mom and pop polish community eatery. Food was authentic! Pierogies, potato pancakes, kielbasa. Cabbage soup I could eat all day! Do not hesitate to walk in the door. Greeted immediately by the owner when we walked in the door. Explained the menu and the "must haves" of your not familiar with Polish food. I am so happy that we went. Parking is an issue, but welcome to the city. If and when I come back, I will make it a point to eat here again. Great way to end my stay in Chicago!

This restaurant only takes cash, so be prepared to bring some cash before you came. It's hard to justify how authentic or how good the foods are because I am not from Poland. But overall, the staff was friendly, the cuisines were all great except for the dumpling (probably just did not fit our taste). The sausage and the soup were amazing!!

Delicious, traditional, stick-to-your-ribs Polish food. It tastes just like grandma used to make, if you were lucky enough to have that sort of grandma. Everything is served with a basket of fresh, crusty bread and excellent service. We tried the beef stew, golabki, pierogi, and potato pancakes and everyone ate until they were stuffed (and still had leftovers to take home!). As other reviews have mentioned, they’re cash only, but there’s an ATM at the CVS across the street. I’ll be back ASAP to try the soup on a day that isn’t nearly 100 degrees