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    Balkanika Restaurant

    4.1 (77 reviews)
    Open 9:30 am - 2:00 AM (Next day)

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    BALKANIKA RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Balkanika Restaurant

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    Balkan Style Meats
    Vincent M.

    I was brought by a local and had a great experience! I ordered the meat combo and it was delicious and the atmosphere was great for lively evening.

    Pork shashlik
    Olga G.

    Great service, music is relaxing and good to my taste... Food is delicious and fresh .... Coming back soon..

    Balkan Style Meats
    Aaron C.

    Highlights: *Immersive Bulgarian ambiance with multiple decorated areas *Uniquely Bulgarian cuisine is worth a visit * Food may feel "heavy" to some Food: *Balkan style meats *Daily special: eggplant with feta cheese *Daily special: cheesy potato soup *Garash cake Having scoped out the menu in advance, I had my eyes on the Balkan Style Meats. What we were pleasantly surprised about was the eggplant! It was a daily special so we didn't know what it looked like (the regular menu has pictures) or how it was prepared. Anyway this is the best eggplant I have ever had. The tomato-based sauce was flavorful in a way that seemed more basil than salt. The eggplant was fried with light breading yet it was crunchy on the outside. The Balkan Style Meats is a great way to try the traditional sausages and Bulgarian meat. It is heavy because these are all pork, which is why eggplant seemed appealing to balance it out. The server recommended adding potatoes (if the eggplant isn't available, something else is needed). I think the kufte and kepabche were my favorites. The pork chop was a little bland by comparison. Garash cake was decadent and there was a nice texture with the soft chocolate and the crunchy nuts. Service: For reference we were there on a weekday lunchtime and were the only patrons for forty-five minutes before a party started in the outdoor dining area. Service was pretty good because there wasn't much competition for the server's attention. She seemed excited to share some background about Bulgarian cuisine and was patient in explaining details to us (I asked her what each item was on the Balkan Style Meats for the caption of this pic). Ambiance: There were multiple areas that were decorated, and each with their own distinct style and vibe. *Deli and grocery - just the fact there was a deli in this restaurant is cool *The bar and lobby - had some traditional Bulgarian stained-glass *Private party rooms - no windows and ideal for banquets *Sunroom and outdoor dining area - the sunroom has plants and skylights giving lots of natural light. Combined with the outdoor dining area, there was a definite beach vibe going

    Carm A.

    Super nice experience. We called our order ahead because we were on a time crunch and they had everything set for us the minute we got there. It was awesome. The atmosphere is amazing, so much detail, beautiful art work. Very friendly service. The food was super delicious. I want to come back and try more dishes, they have a large menu!

    Garash cake
    Jenny L.

    Had calamari and garash cake for dessert before a show in rosemont. Calamari was tender and paired well with the sauces. There was an event so a lot of the tables were reserved but the waiter still seated us in a private room for a good experience

    Emilia P.

    I was looking for classic grilled sea bream served in a restaurant for months. Even in the Greek restaurants is rare. I found it in Balkanika!!!! Simply prepared, extremely delicious, served with Chimichurri. The place is so good and European. The ambience is unique and different from anything I have experienced in Chicago. I took many American friends there during the years and they are all hooked up.

    I was out grocery shopping after work today and I passed by this place on my way back home, I'm completely new to this area so still learning all the good places around here. I decided to look up their menu and right off the start I was impressed, the food looked really good and the prices as well not to mention so many good reviews already. I was looking what I'd want and came across the pizza section and was really surprised by the type of dough they are using so I decided to try it out as it reminded me of a pizza style from Poland. So I went in and placed the order. First when you walk in you can tell it's a nice classic place, very welcoming staff and good vibes. They even got their own mini deli inside the place.. The smells coming from the kitchen were amazing. Ivan the bartender took really good care of me, helped me out with my order and answered all my questions . I ordered to go a well done Margherita pizza with ham and mushrooms, waited about 25 min. When Ivan came out with the pizza you could just smell the amazingness coming out of the box, opened it up and my jaw dropped how perfected the pizza was, I barley got into my car and I had to take a piece out and try it & let me tell you it was heaven on earth! The crunchiness, taste, the sauce , the cheese was perfection!!! It brought so many memories back from Poland! I loooove pizza but I am not a fan of thin crust, it's just not my thing. I've been living in the USA for 13 years now and I have finally found the best pizza spot I've ever had for the last 13 years ! Hands down thank you!!! Can not wait to come back and try the rest of the food. Prices are honestly great comparing to many other places.

    a plate of salad with tomatoes, cucumbers and parmesan cheese
    George O.

    Continuing to explore and discover Chicago's amazing culinary scene, I had my first Bulgarian dining experience! Yes I've had Banitsa but that doesn't count. The restaurant also had a small grocery area on the side! Also, there was a DJ playing amazing music and the bartenders were excellent! * * Must Trys: *Mixed Grill meats (Kabobs, Balkan Sausage, Balkan sujuk, and steak with feta fries *Shopska salad *And the spreads with bread

    Fries
    Mira K.

    My boyfriend and I differed on our opinion here, so we'll meet in the middle. We ordered a lot of food and everything tasted fresh. Our favorite dishes were the french fries with feta, shopska salad, and the meatball. For me, in the combo shashlik, the chicken was a little dry and the pork fatty. The garash cake was different--chocolate mouse and walnut meringue. Not overly sweet with a distinctive nutty taste. COVID-specifc review: Unfortunately, this is where I would take off another star. When walking through the large restaurant most of the staff did not have their masks on properly because they didn't cover their noses. When I came nearby or when they were interacting with patrons, they did move their masks to properly cover their face.

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    4 years ago

    Amazing food very nice staff!! I love the place and i always recommend it to my coworkers.

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    4 years ago

    Balkanika is the best Bulgarian restaurant if you are fan of the Mediterranean food that's definitely a place to check our!

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    7 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Food was good atmosphere was chill. Waitress was above average! Would go back again.

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

    This place offers a great selection of balkan cuisine, good service and great ambiance.

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    6 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Great food and service. Loved the patio out back, nice relaxing ambiance. Definitely worth a try and be back.

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    Social Inn

    Social Inn

    4.3(119 reviews)
    5.9 mi

    Social Inn has been on my to-try list for some time.  My husband and I finally had a chance to…read morecheck it out on a Monday evening recently.  I made a reservation via Tock that I already had an account for years, so that was simple. On a weekday evening, as expected, the restaurant was not busy.  We were promptly seated at a 4-top table (2 × 2-top) against the right wall, with some other 2-tops on both sides.  Like many reviewers had mentioned, the venue was beautiful, modern and chic. There were 7 tables occupied, including us.  The music that they had was not too loud, just that customers' conversations were amplified by the box shape open dining area.  If we focused enough, we could hear every conversation if we wanted to.  This was obvious when a table of about 6 women got seated at a table near the front door, some of them laughed and talked very loudly.  My husband and I just found it funny and didn't let that bother us.  However, when the restaurant is filled on busier days, it might be a different story. Our server, Patrick, was very nice and attentive.  Since they did not list drinks on their menu except those with alcohol, I asked him about non-alcoholic drinks.  After a brief "discussion", he asked me to leave it to him to make me a drink with mango.  He came up with a beautiful drink that was good and refreshing, with some mango flavor.  It was Virgin Paloma on our receipt for $8, which was reasonable.  He was very polite and checked in on us several times at appropriate times during our dinner.  The pace of the dinner was good, we spent a total of an hour and 15 minutes in the restaurant. Patrick might be the only waiter serving all the tables that evening, though. I also ordered Grilled Octopus ($22) which was very good, tender and flavorful, but was a little too salty to my taste.  The small pita bread wedges were warm and fluffy with some crispy edges, the beet hummus was creamy, and everything was delicious and tasted fresh.  I generously shared 2 little bites of octopus with my husband and I finished the entire plate, it was so good!  My husband really liked his Spiked White Fish ($29) and I shared a bite of that too.  He also had a House Salad for $6, that was a very good value.  He enjoyed a glass of Sauvignon Blanc Crossing ($12) too.  We also shared an order of Crème Brulee ($8), that was creamy and cooked perfectly.  We ordered a takeout order of Rigatoni with Sausage ($23), that was a good portion, and was still delicious and al dente the next day after being microwaved. I am so happy that we found Social Inn - a hidden gem in Plaza del Prado, it's not far from home, with comfortable and beautiful ambiance, excellent service (from Patrick), an attractive menu with enticing food (fresh ingredients and appealing plating), and reasonable prices, we will definitely be back!

    It's been a while since I went to Social Inn. They used to be open for lunch as well as dinner, and…read morethat was easier for me to get to. We were in the area late in the day and remembered Social Inn was open, so we went. We ordered a variety of items. I had the Social Burger (at least 1/2 pound), we also ordered their chicken dinner salad and the beet hummus. Everything was delicious. I did order my burger medium and it was delivered well done, but it was still good. They also have one of the best gluten-free buns I've ever had. I do wish they were open at lunch time still, but I understand they need to be open for their busiest hours. Social Inn is a great option when you are in the Glenview area.

    Photos
    Social Inn - Host counter

    Host counter

    Social Inn - Beet Mezze

    Beet Mezze

    Social Inn - Bar area

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    Bar area

    Alinea

    Alinea

    4.4(2.8k reviews)
    14.5 miLincoln Park
    $$$$

    Finally experienced Alinea and wow... this wasn't just dinner, it was a full-on show. Sitting at…read morethe kitchen's table felt like having front-row seats to pure culinary magic. Kiersi (hope I spelled that right!) was super fun and engaging, and even mentioned how much she enjoyed our company too, which made the whole night feel extra special. Hands down, hard to even find the right words for this experience. Had to make this my first Yelp review as an Elite member from an elite place.This felt like a full-circle moment. Truly unforgettable.

    Underwhelming food and experience for such an acclaimed restaurant…read more To start with the positives the space is gorgeous. Chicago itself is dotted with stunning brownstones and Alinea gives you the opportunity to be invited inside of one. The glassware and plates are equally aesthetic and premium. I found the waitstaff to be efficient and observant but a bit checked out and bored. My meal was just not so delicious and I do not think the gastronomy was impressive or interesting enough to make up for that. Most of the offerings were bite size in nature which made it so apparent how off the balance of flavors was. The skate wing was tough and glazed in sticky aggressive tamarind. I was disappointed with the execution on a few of the other dishes like the un rendered duck fat of the main protein and thick dough of the famous truffle explosion. On a positive note the classic wine pairing was well curated and the Sommelier's descriptions were spot on. Stepping into Alinea was very cool for me as a foodie so I am not upset I checked it out but I did think I would enjoy it much more.

    Photos
    Alinea - Paint & Balloon

    Paint & Balloon

    Alinea - Squab course

    Squab course

    Alinea - Salty explosion :(

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    Salty explosion :(

    Russian Tea Time - 6pcs Genuine Beef Pelmeni

    Russian Tea Time

    4.1(937 reviews)
    16.8 miThe Loop
    $$

    My friend and I have been wanting to try caviar so we decided to check out Russian Tea Time after…read moretaking a look at the menu. We started off with the caviar which came with blintzes on the side, egg salad, chopped onions, and sour cream. We ordered a bottle of champagne that was the perfect combination. We wanted to try a bunch of different items so we decided to split the Russian Tea Time platter for two as we were able to try some appetizers and then the entree plate included beef stroganoff, stuffed cabbage and chicken kebab. Everything was so tasty! My favorite food was the caviar, stuffed cabbage and for dessert we split the honey cake. The inside of the restaurant looked nicer in person than the photos I had seen online. The ambiance was sophisticated and serene. Our server was very attentive and they were quick to clear any dirty plates.

    Great service, atmosphere, clean... But, the food is not good. If you are familiar with real…read moreRussian or Ukrainian food, then you will be extremely disappointed like me. However, if you have never had R/U food before, then give it a try. Perashki had almost no potatoes in them, very small size, not tasty at all. Borsh was okay, not the taste I was hoping to get. Tabule had almost no greens (the traditional tabule is mostly the greens). This was nothing even close to the traditional tabule. 3 out of 10 I would not be back to this place for food.

    Photos
    Russian Tea Time - Beautiful tea service

    Beautiful tea service

    Russian Tea Time - Medovik- honey cake

    Medovik- honey cake

    Russian Tea Time - 403 BTL Saperavi, Veluri

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    403 BTL Saperavi, Veluri

    Balkanika Restaurant - modern_european - Updated May 2026

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