I've dined here on many occasions. Usually coming as soon as they open, but today I went at around 3:00 on a Saturday. I thought it wasn't going to be very busy since this seems like more of an off time, but to my surprise it was packed. I put my name down, and only had to wait around 15 minutes to be seated. Usually when coming here, I'd get the platter for 1 or 2, but this time I just came for a light bite and got the 10 pierogies (5 cottage cheese, 5 meat ones) and a chicken noodle soup to share. The dishes as always, tasted super fresh. The pierogies were very large, soft, and flavourful, no complaints whatsoever and the soup tasted something like my mother & grandmother would make. Service was also pretty quick! Definitely will be back to explore more of the menu :) read more

Café Polonez - Pierogi (10pcs) - Polish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

I stayed near a Polish community and there are so many delicious looking restaurants on this strip. My friends Ukrainian mother recommended this place. I got the mushroom cabbage roll. I loved the mushroom cream sauce that came with it. Plenty of mushrooms inside the roll as well. Also got two types of pierogies: cheddar and potato, and meat. Unfortunately they forgot to pack the sour cream so I couldn't experience the full experience. I dipped it into the cabbage roll mushroom sauce and it was still ok. The cheddar and potato was good but the meat one was dry. read more

Café Polonez - Polish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

This place confirms my Polish friend's sentiment of "Polish food is kind of like village comfort food." I got the platter for two (28$) which came with 4 perogies, 2 salads, 1 choice of chicken or pork schnitzel, hunter bigos stew, sour cream, and some kind of onion au jus. Also separately ordered two pork rice cabbage rolls and the warm barszcz borscht soup with wontons (chose the mushroom filling). My partner got the roast beef plate which had the option of subbing for perogies, so we were able to try four flavours between the two of us. The cabbage rolls were soft, tender, and comforting. Tasted like they were homemade with care, with the tomato sauce being the only thing that was processed. I could see how this may become bland for those looking for bursting flavour, but for me, having dined out so very frequently in the last few weeks, that was just what I needed as a relaxing meal. For the perogies, my filling preferences from best to worst are: minced pork, cottage cheese & potato, sauerkraut and mushrooms, cheddar & potato. Likely wouldn't order perogies again though because the mushy outer dough just reminds me of chinese dumplings and i kept getting confused after each bite revealed equally soggy fillings. The chicken schnitzel dipped into the onion au jus was just lovely. The fattiness of the jus complemented the lean chicken cutlet and gave it an earthy umami coat of flavour. Very nice. The occasional two bites of roast beef had me feeling like I was Violet at the Willy Wonka Factory. The more I chewed, the juicier it got. I pronounced out aloud in wonder of this sentiment actually, "mmm, that is definitely roast beef!". The borscht soup was...interesting. I think the dill was too overpowering and threw me off while trying to taste the delicate beet flavour that was supposed to be the main character. Mushroom wontons were too 'cremini concentrated' for me. Also got the kompot, which is just boiled fruit water with little to no sugar added. I had it cold, with two cubes of cooked pear floating about. It was a great fruity beverage to cleanse my palate of the dense carb-heavy meal. At my return visit, I will make a custom order for 1 cabbage roll, 1 chicken schnitzel, 1 side of coleslaw, 1 slice of roast beef, and 1 glass of kompot. read more

See all

Ordered PLATTER for 2($68) and the platter came with 2 cabbage rolls, 6 pierogi, 2 schnitzel, and braised sauerkraut, red cabbage, carrots and coleslaw. For pierogies we picked 3 each of cheddar & potato as well as sauerkraut & mushrooms. Was impressed by solid pierogies with amazing dough! Also loved all the veggies that came with this platter. This platter was big enough for three people! read more

See all

We visited Cafe Polonez with a big group (6 adults, 1 teen, 1 pre-teen) on a Friday evening and it was packed! The smallish restaurant was bustling and the ambience was cozy. Street parking was reasonably easy to find. We were seated way back in the restaurant and the seating was a little uncomfortable as our table was set up right next to the bar (but way too close to the bar, because our table was long) and other patrons had to constantly shimmy through a small gap between our table and the bar to get to the washrooms downstairs. Not great. We ordered a family style meals to share (combo for 2 and a combo for 4) and the amount of food that came out was probably enough to feed 10 very hungry adults. Definitely do not indulge on the bread basket that comes before the meal, because you will need to save room for the main event. The massive platters came loaded with pierogies, 2 different types of cabbage rolls (my favs!), schnitzels, and various condiments (?) of cooked beets, carrots, cabbages...etc. We were first served 1 different soups; white borscht and beet soup and both were tasty. The meat dumplings in the beet soup balanced out the sweetness of the broth and it worked well. I personally preferred the white borscht which was perfectly sour and a slightly over-powering sausage taste. The refreshing cucumber salad with dill in sour cream was a great accompaniment to somewhat heavy tasting meal. The hunters stew was a hearty bowl of tender morsels of meat, potato dumplings in a well balanced tomato based sauce. Although most of our food was great, we found the cabbage rolls (the traditional tomato version) and the schnitzels too dry. And along with the issue of having to deal with people constantly brushing by, I am taking away 2 stars. I may revisit Cafe Polonez if I'm back in the area, but not in a huge rush either. read more

See all

Had an amazing meal here. Everything was super aromatic with a lot of complex flavours. We tried: - Clear barszcz with mushroom dumplings: this was my first time trying borscht and this was thankfully unchallenging while still being interesting. Loved the dill. - Bigos: my friend ordered this. Was really flavourful but I did not see any mushrooms in contrast to the menu description. - Mushroom golabki: fell apart easily and was hard to eat with gravy but all the constituent parts were tasty. - Sauerkraut & mushroom pierogi: dominated by the (delicious) sauerkraut and incredibly buttery (butterily incredible?). - Side salad combo: enough for two to share. Beets and sauerkraut were astonishingly delicious and coleslaw was quite good too. Carrots were bland. - Excellent complimentary(?) bread. A note on portion sizes - as a small man with an average appetite I thought the soup + one cabbage roll + side (i.e. 4) pierogis + side salad was manageable and enjoyable, but I think I would have been defeated if I had tried to have the soup with a standard entree of two cabbage rolls. Service was a bit rushed and servers seemed in a bit of a hurry to clear dishes before we were done, and it was impossible to reach the restaurant on the phone to modify our reservation, but we did visit on a busy Saturday evening. read more

Café Polonez - Beetroot Soup with Dumplings - Polish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

We had a wonderful lunch. The food was exceptional and the staff were pleasant and accommodating. The decor is simple but elegant. If you're in the west end of Toronto don't miss the opportunity to dine at Café Polonez you won't regret it. read more

This is a great place to stop for Polish food in Roncesvalles. Big hearty portions of comfort food. I got the cheese schnitzel which came with potatoes and 3 side salads. Service was friendly and efficient. Recommend. read more

Café Polonez - Cheese schnitzel - Polish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I have been a patron of Polonez for almost 25 years. My mom and I would walk over from Copernicus Logde and always have a delighfull meal. The food is excellent and the staff is very friendly. I have great memories of family gatherings. I give it 5 stars. Yolande read more

Went in for lunch with family. We were able to grab a seat right away. We shared the platter for 2 and an extra entree. I love that you can choose your protein for the schnitzel and the cabbage rolls. I was excited to find out they had a mushroom option for the cabbage roll. You also get to choose the pierogi type and we tried the sauerkraut option. Very yummy! Everything was very tasty and enjoyable. The service was good and the food didn't take too long. read more

Café Polonez - Platter for 2 - Polish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

I never tried polish food, right when I came in this place was packed in and out. I got the chicken schnitzel sandwich and the roast beef sandwich for my wife. They said to wait 30 mins and it was ready in 30 minutes, my honest review about the schnitzel it was a bit more upscale than a Wendy's crispy chicken sandwich, it lacked flavour for me. It was a massive portion I tried it with the horseradish and mustard that elevated the flavour. I don't know if all polish food is bland but this places food was pretty bland. I wish they made the chicken spicy at least. If you want a bit upscale version of Wendy's this is the place to go but the food is extremely bland. I don't recommend this place. I think uno mustachio makes a ten times better sandwich than this place but hey it seems like they're doing good business because this place is packed. read more

See all

The Store was nice and clean. Staff are super kind and helpful with suggesting dishes. Goulash - super flavourful and the veggies were cooks just right Bigos (hunter stew)- soooo hardyyy. Loaded with cabbage and stewed meat and sauage Beet Soup with dumpling mushroom - Super comforting. The mushroom dumplings was cooked just right and the filling ate soo flavourful Pierogi - cheedar & potato - made in house you could taste the freshness and eaten with onions and sour cream perfect! read more

See all

One of the best I've been coming there since 25 years and never disappointed great food

Come here occasionally for girls nights out. Very cozy spot, service is always great. The food is authentic (per my Polish coworker), delicious, good price point, and large portions. read more

Café Polonez - Assorted Pierogi (fried and boiled), potato pancake, cabbage rolls, schnitzel, white borscht, potato dumpling (vegan), and vegan leczo. - Polish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

The pierogies are incredible. Just as my grandmother would make. the schnitzel was great along side. even though the restaurant experience is always appreciated I can always pick up pierogies to go. read more

My favourite European restaurant in the west end, it's often quite busy with party celebrants - but it's a great vibe and the food is just so fresh and tasty! read more

Café Polonez - Potato pancakes, pierogies and cabbage roll - Polish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

This place serves simple Polish food & prices are affordable. Not all the staff here speak English so that might slightly delay your experience. They get 3.5 stars. The Polish hamburger had a tasty fried meat patty but the bun was overly stuffed with toppings so it was hard to eat as a burger. It came with ketchup, mayo & mustard on the side for takeout. The Ukrainian borscht daily soup was tasty with dill, sweetness from the beets & lots of shedded beet & cabbage. There was added texture from beans too. It didn't come with sour cream (either that or the sour cream tasted like mayo), but had a few slices of bread. read more

Café Polonez is a staple family run, Polish restaurant that's been around since 1981. They're a few doors from Ed's Real Scoop. We dropped in on a Friday evening (with 7:00pm reservations). The inside was busy but didn't feel squished as tables are well spaced out. The sidewalk seating (shaded with umbrellas) was packed. Our server was friendly but we weren't checked on once it got lively. The menu is two pages but with a plethora of options; starters, salads, soups, sandwiches, Polish classics, Polonez signatures, schnitzels, combo plates and desserts. - Chlodnik ($8.95) - came with a side of potatoes; cold and bland. I had a taste and the cold borscht was fantastic. Our Polish friend said it reminded him of his grandma's cooking. - Flaczki ($7.95) - first time trying this and it was so satisfying. Tripe was incredibly tender and the broth was pure bliss. Came with a pile of rye bread. - Platter for 1 ($24.95) - the boiled pierogis were heavenly with a great bite. The bigos was super flavourful with sauerkraut, sausage, pork and mushrooms. Schnitzel was a generous portion topped with mushrooms. Nicely breaded and pounded thin. The beet and cabbage helped to balance things off. - Cabbage roll ($4.95) - we opted for the pork. Decent but standard fare. - Pulpety ($20.95) - the 6 chicken balls were massive, tender and the sauce really dilly. Plate came with potatoes, carrots, beets and cabbage. You can easily share this plate between a couple. I'd come back to CP in a heartbeat. Great portions and delicious Polish comfort food. 4.5 stars. read more

See all

Lovely restaurant! Very full house at around 5-6pm during the summer and everything was delicious! The portions are all very big, even though some may feel the portions look "decent"--it's actually too much for one person. We got the daily soup (cauliflower soup), the platter for 2, schnitzel platter, and the schnitzel sandwich. For a party of 5, we definitely over ordered. The single-items were still a bit too much for one person. The platter for 2 was massive, we split between 3 of us and still had leftovers. Cauliflower soup was a bit whatever, tasted like chicken noodle, but replace chicken with cauliflower. Still tasty though! A nice appetizer. The schnitzels were wonderful and not tough at all, super tender. My favorite is the cabbage rolls, the filling is to die for (they actually have the filling as a side "sauce" lol). The platter came with your choice/mix of potato + cheese or sauerkraut, both were good but not particularly stand-out items in the platter. All the salads, on the other hand, were perfection! Definitely recommend a visit for that homey feel! Staff are also lovely and make great recommendations! read more

See all

Roncy staple. Dependable food -- especially the Hungarian pancake. Skip the meat platter and go straight for the entrees. You know you'll be back here to try the menu anyways. Family run restaurant means the service feels personal but just watch out this place gets buuusyyy. Loud interiors but can you really complain when the food is great. read more

Café Polonez - Polish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Good food portions. Dining in the restaurant can be noisy. Staff was polite. Would go back to try some other dishes

An event was being held in Toronto where we explored architectural, historic and culturally significant buildings. After walking around so much, we became hungry. Our final site was in Roncy and in the same vicinity of the restaurant, so we dropped by for a meal. I had heard a lot about Cafe Polonez and it was on my list of places to go. Street parking was available outside the eatery for a minimal fee (metered parking). The restaurant was fairly packed when we arrived yet we were seated rather quickly. I ordered the potato pancake Hungarian style with beef goulash and my dining companion ordered the polish sausage. It was the first time for us both dining in. We recieved complimentary bread that satiated our hungry bellies until our dishes arrived. The food was really good. The potato gulash pancake was enormous and quite hearty. Meat was also tender and tasty. Same for the sausage. My buddy devoured it in minutes! I had some leftovers and took the rest home. Service was quick. read more

Café Polonez - So yummy! - Polish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

Soooo good! The platter for 2 provided a ton of food and the schnitzel, pierogies and cabbage rolls didn't disappoint. So flavorful and authentic! We weren't hungover but pretty sure this would have cured one! Just go and try it! read more

Café Polonez - The platter for 2 - Polish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Platter for 2 was "just like grandma made it"!!! Fantastic! Pierogi was exceptional and the schnitzel was both crispy and juicy! read more

Café Polonez - Cabbage rolls, pierogi (kraut and mushrooms /cottage cheese and potatoes), schnitzel with fried mushrooms, and 4 salads - Polish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

The only time I would have polish food would be during the holidays since my polish uncle is very particular about the polish food he would eat. So only homemade stuff. But this restaurant serves food the way he likes it and I like them too! I got myself the Hungarian style pancake, which is a humongous potato pancake with goulash. By default it comes eith pork goulash but for a dollar extra it can be replaced with beef paprika goulash, which I got. The pancake also came with sour cream, coleslaw, beets, and carrots. Such a well balanced meal! read more

Café Polonez - Hungarian style pancake - Polish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

More of a 4.5, but 4 given I felt like the prices should include some standard items without being charged as add-ons. We were here as a party of four following a nice hike with friends around Bloor West Village and High Park. This was late summer in 2019 before COVID spun the world upside down so, for what it's worth, I can at least say that I would definitely come back next time I'm down in the Roncy neighbourhood. I can see that prices have definitely increased, which wouldn't have been a surprise even without COVID and the resulting havoc it wreaked on staffing. My husband and I both ordered a pork schnitzel plate, with potatoes and salad. The schnitzels were very well cooked and not greasy. The potatoes and salad were fresh and well prepared. Another of our party had the roast chicken plate and reported she was very happy with the taste, texture and temperature of her chicken, as we were with the potatoes and salad as well. These dishes did not come with any extras the way some other specials do, so no gravy or sour cream unless you add it on at menu cost. Our other friend went for a vegetarian option and an order of potato pancakes (which in this case did include sour cream, but nothing else.) The restaurant has a wonderful, warm atmosphere with proper wooden tables and chairs, lovely, large front window for light, yet cozy with no glaring light inside. The setup is nice and not bunched up, so going to the bathrooms (which were clean and tidy) didn't require bumping around other diners along the way. The wait staff provided attentive service without being cloying. All those things beside the food which make the difference between being a forgotten meal, and a memory that brings you back. read more

It was better than I expected. A friend suggested to go for dinner. I was not sure what to expect. The food was very tasty. The ambiance was blah but that's what I expected. The service was timely and attentive. Not fancy but very tasty. I'd recommend read more

Came here with our cousin and were very excited to try this place as it has been on my to do list for a while! As an appetizer for the table, we got Polish Sausage which was topped with fried onions and served with fries, mustard and garnishes as well a side of a variety perogies. Ordered the Beef Goulash Soup (Zupa gulaszowa) which is a Hearty beef stew. OMGGGG, this soup is amazing and perfect for a cold winter! I had also ordered the Platter for 1 which includes 4 pierogi, bigos (Hunter's Stew), Polonez Schnitzel and salad bouquet. By the time I finished the soup, I barely had space for this meal. But still are some of it cause you just have to if you're coming here. This was one of the best schnitzel I have ever had! My husband ordered the Roast Chicken (Polowka kurczaka) which includes Half a chicken oven roasted served with potatoes and a bouquet of salads. This is definitely a simpler dish and we were not amazed as the chicken was very dry! I cannot emphasize how great this was for someone who doesn't often eat Polish food. The atmosphere was great and servers were very attentive which was nice considering we weren't sure as to what to order. Hope I get to go here again soon and try other yummy dishes! read more

See all

This place never disappoints well portion food that hits the spot with flavour and that homemade taste Can't get better for the price read more

This review is based on my takeout order at Cafe Polonez. Although I have been in the past, staple growing up! However, it has been some time since I have eaten here. This restaurant is a community legend as it's been around for a long time, I remember having to eat in during my high school days! What did I order: - Hungarian-Style Potato Pancake with Pork Goulash Stew and side of Beet Salad - Beef Tripe Soup - Chicken Noodle Soup The pancakes are a MUST! With a dollop of sour cream, it is heavenly. I am not a fan of sour cream but the combination is perfect in taste, texture and satisfaction! The goulash has ample amount of lean pork and very flavourful. I did not eat the beet salad, as I do not enjoy beets but my sister loved it! I have been craving chicken noodle soup and if you are polish it is a classic "babcai" chicken noodle soup--very content. $6.75 for a hearty homemade style soup, I was a happy camper. The beef tripe soup was a 'new' dish I decided to try and it was delicious! Plenty of tripe! Can't beat the price. Fare warning, it does have the 'offal' smell IYKYK. Overall, once we are in an endemic, I would highly highly recommend a trip to this restaurant and enjoy a meal here (make sure you go with lots of people and try their pierogies and other dishes!). Note: Street parking only. read more

Café Polonez - Delicious foods! - Polish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Walked in at around 2:30pm on a weekend afternoon and it was almost a full house! Mostly locals too, by the look of it. I think that should speak to the popularity of the place...it's pretty rare that a restaurant should be so crowded at an off-peak time. Unfortunately because of this busyness we were also ignored when coming in for quite a while with no waitress in sight, and when someone finally appeared we struggled to hear what she was telling us due to the extremely high volume of noise. The inside of the place is simple and unassuming, no pretensions at all. The emphasis is, clearly, on the food itself. There aren't a whole lot of Eastern European restaurants in Toronto (unless my research skills aren't as good as I thought), so we were eager to try some of their specialties. All in all, it was a bit mixed. The excellent: pierogis, cabbage rolls (that mushroom sauce - wow. I could drink it as soup lol). The so-so: schnitzel, salads (didn't particularly stand out and the taste was mostly one-dimensional). The terrible: complimentary rye bread. Yes, I get that it was free, but they shouldn't have offered. I thought I was chewing on a thick piece of paper. Prices (FYI - the ones on the website are not updated) are on the high side considering that the atmosphere or service were rather mediocre, although the portions are relatively large. Regardless, given the high reviews here, I felt pretty disappointed. Perhaps there is a need for competition from other Polish restaurants elsewhere. read more

See all

Pretty authentic (I guess) from a person who tries polish food for the first time. Like the potato pancake and pork loin schnitzel, cheddar potato dumpling is also pretty yum! The salad is a bit too sweet for me. The ambiance is nice, community based and many families coming here; service a bit slow probably too many customers. Overall nice experience. read more

See all

Cost: $$ Food: Simple ingredients, vibrant colours, excellent flavours. Portion sizes are also very generous. Service: Average, it was very busy on a dinner rush and we had a large party so I don't blame them. Ambiance: Nothing special, family style decor, bustling with activity and customers. Dishes: Would recommend to try the cold bortch soup (comes with potatoes, quite filling) I also enjoyed their cabbage wraps, but maybe if it's your first time get the Platter for one. It's got a great spread of all their specialties and a very large portion. For dessert I enjoyed their apple pie. Verdict: Would go back :D read more

Great food! Good portions. Been twice now and definitely recommend it too friends. Good vegetarian options as well :)

We have been visiting the Roncesvalles area for well over a decade - much before we ever lived in TO - and have noticed how the street has changed. Less Polish stores, less Polish food, etc. Oddly, while we have been bemoaning this trend, we have never eaten at Cafe Polonez!? It was a complete surprise and pleasure to discover what has been right in front of our faces all this time. This place is the real deal - and by the size and energy of the crowd here on a Sunday afternoon, other people in-the-know, know this. And everyone needs a good Polish restaurant in their lives. When we lived in Montreal we used to love the Mazurka on Prince Arthur - and went there for 20 years or so. But it sadly had a slow decline in quality and eventually closed. An institution gone. And when we lived briefly in NYC, we would travel from Jersey City all the way to Greenpoint in Brooklyn to get some solid old school Polish food. We look forward to making this our go-to spot for Polish classics. And from what we saw hitting the tables around us, they do much more than the usual. We are preparing ourselves to explore the menu this summer. PS: The potato pancake stuffed with goulash is great. read more

Café Polonez - Potato Pancake Hungarian Style (Placek po wegiersku, placek ziemniaczany z gulaszem ii surowka) It's stuffed with goulash! - Polish Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Whenever I'm craving some delicious perogies, I grab some friends and head over to Cafe Polonez. Not only for perogies but for all your Polish yum yums! Cafe Polonez is a pretty popular place with fair reason, as they serve really delicious and high quality food. The restaurant is a bit small with several tables in close proximity but it definitely gives a homey feel. I've always been treated really well by the staff here and everyone is really kind. For food, you will never go home more than stuffed to the brim. From perogies, to schnitzel and hunter's stew, this place has it all. It especially makes me happy when we get their platters so I can fulfill all my cravings in one shot. They give you a lot of food and you can easily get away with feeding 4 people off of their 2 person platter. Value and taste is exactly what you get here. In fact, after writing this review, I'm about to check if they do delivery this time of social distancing... read more

Straightforward Polish food served hot and with friendly service. Decor is nothing to scream about but it's comfortable. Reliable Polish food and their beet soup is just delicious! Definitely a favorite read more

Great food, rather affordable and excellent service. The vibe was great and the traditional polish artwork and wooden tables really added to things. 86/100 read more

Absolutely amazing authentic Polish food with great service. Everything on this menu reminds me of my moms home cooking. read more

See all

I'm a big fan of Cafe Polonez. They serve up Polish goods that are a welcome departure from my usual eats - typically Italian and Middle Eastern food. My favourites are the schnitzel (beautifully and lightly fried to perfection) and potato pancakes with goulash (guaranteed to be unlike any other pancake you've had!) The one thing that might turn some people off is that this food is really heavy and greasy. Opting for the fresher sides (e.g., their great Polish salads) is a good way to balance out the grease. read more