I've been here 2 times and each time was a great experience. I think the prices are a smidge high, but for this quality and quantity I can deal with that. The service is always excellent, and most days, early, you can feel like you own the place and just sit back and relax. Open and bright seating. The potato pancakes and dumplings/pierogi's are just amazing and authentic. The soups are also hearty and filling. I need to try some of these "best of Brooklyn" bacon wrapped items that they tout on their chalkboard. Overall, if you enjoy this type of food, or are looking to try something new this is a great spot in Bay Ridge. read more

Love this place. I've only ever done outdoor dining and takeout but the food is EXCELLENT. I like the stuffed chicken and the borscht. I love the little slaw type salads! read more

The waiter we had was an idiot. I asked him how the tripe was made and he said, "Polish way." When I asked him what spices and herbs were in there he said, "Polish spices and herbs." I am not joking. The man wasn't Polish so I asked him to tell me what are the Polish spices. He said, "The Polish ones." I explained that I hate cilantro and cayenne/jalapeños. I thought I was on Candid Camera. Anyway, I orders the tripe and it was gross. Smelled like feces. I've eaten tripe made in Italian and Jamaican restaurants and it's delicious. Between the service and the flavor I will never go back. My boyfriend had sausage and he said it was good. Never again. read more

New personal fave.... the mushroom soup is good enough to shove the person ahead of you off the line if they're getting the last serving of it! Hahahaaaa (or a box of tissues) read more

Polonica Restaurant - Mushroom soup. It's like every kind of soup combined into greatness. - Polish Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I love Polonica. It's the perfect place for a nice winter meal on a cold night. The restaurant is small and I've never seen it very crowded. They have a few wines by the glass and some beer. They have excellent pierogis. The last time I was there I had the vegetable soup and it was delicious. The portions here are very large and you really get a lot for your money. The food is relatively inexpensive. The entrees come with a salad. The salad consists of carrots, beets, cole slaw, red cabbage and some lettuce with dill. I've had the stuffed chicken breast, beef stroganoff, the hunter's stew and stuffed peppers. They are served with mashed potatoes. I enjoy all of the entrees they have. My boyfriend's favorite is the pork chop topped with mushrooms and melted mozzarella. If you have room for dessert, try the blintzes! read more

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Their food is so good. The service was fast, the food is clean, fresh, and light; is does not have a greasy feel or taste. Very yummy, and will order from here again. I recommend for sure. read more

Polonica Restaurant - Filet of Sole (Ryba Smazona), and a pierogi - Polish Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Along with the Family Store, this is the brightest gem Bay Ridge has to offer. The food is authentic, high-quality, and top-notch. Service is great, and the owner is a *very* good looking Polish woman). I have a fondness for eastern European food in general, and this restaurant definitely satisfies my cravings! A few small gripes: First, they should mix up the salads a bit because it gets monotonous to eat the same (excellent) 5 salads (beet salad, coleslaw, sauerkraut, red cabbage, carrot salad) each time. It's cool the first 2 or 3 times, but by your 5th visit here it's tiring. Maybe they should only give 2 salads and change up which ones you get. The 2nd gripe: while you're eating, they use Fantastic to clean the table next to yours with no regard about where the spray goes. It never fails -- I always get Fantastic up my nose and it ruins dinner for a few minutes. The last gripe is that they don't accept credit cards; but I suspect this is because they don't need to -- the food is so good that they can be cash-only and still turn a healthy profit. This a restaurant you *must* go to before you die. If you go only once, I recommend the Ukrainian Borscht and the Stuffed Kielbasa. Portion size is huge, but mostly because of the salads. Unless you're a pre-Subway Jarred, you won't finish your dinner. Entrees average about $10. Here's the low down on the food. Soups: --------- Sauerkraut: A- Surprisingly good (who would think sauerkraut would be good in soup?). Tomato: B Not really their fault; I'm not a big fan of tomato soup to begin with. I'm sure it's good. Vegetable: B- Easily the worst thing on the menu. Has a metallic taste to it. Cucumber: A+ Ukrainian Borscht: A+ Both soups are perfection. If you order one of these, you will fall in love with it. Chicken Soup: B- Disappointing. Watery and not very interesting. White Borscht: A You get an egg and mashed potatoes with caramelized onions with it. Red Borscht with Croquet: B+ It'd be good tasting but a tad boring without the croquet (which is a little like chicken kiev). Red Borscht with Dumplings: B It would be good tasting but a tad boring without the dumplings. Barley: B- Sounded good. Unfortunately, a bit bland and lackluster compared to the borschts. Bean: B+ Very nice flavor. Spicy, thick, and hearty. Good for winter. Appetizers -------------- Mushroom and Potato Pierogi boiled): A- Spinach and Potato (fried): A- Delicious. I would recommend getting the sampler. 6 homogeneous pierogi is too much; diversity is better here. Boiled and fried are equally good. PETER TIP: Ask the waiter for more caramelized onions...they are DELICIOUS and the pierogi are even better with more onions. Blintzes ----------- Cheese: A Strawberry: A Blueberry: A They are perfection in the guise of blintzes. The Polonica does not serve dessert, but these dishes would definitely fill that void (but good luck wanting dessert after eating so much!) Other -------- Potato Pancakes: A Potato Cutlet: A Again, both dishes are perfection. I think you get 3 or 4 pancakes which are familiar if you've ever had fried latkes for Chanukah. The Cutlet is like a Godzilla-sized pancake. Entres --------- Meatballs: A- Beef Goulash: A Both delicious and masterfully cooked. The meatballs are a little like salisbury steak. Pork Chop (Breaded): B A little plain. Exactly the "chef's pork chop" minus the cheese. Chef's Pork Chop: A- The Pork Chop with cheese; the cheese definitely enhances the dish. Brizol: B A bit dry. Boiled Pig Hocks: C- Not their fault. I'm just not a fan of boiled meat period. Plus, hocks look a little strange to my Western eyes. They're feet. Very fatty and not very flavorful. I'm sure hock-lovers would like it. Fried Fish: A It may be sole, but you will NOT be disappointed. I promise you. Stuffed Kielbasa: A+ A heart attack waiting to happen, but easily the best thing on the menu. Boiled Cabbage: A Another perfect meal. Tasty chopped meat and rice inside well cooked cabbage leaves with a very savory tomato sauce. read more

Ordered take out on a hot day. Inside was very stuffy, not enough AC to enjoy a meal on such hot day. Food leaves a lot to be desired. Kooytkq I had better ones frozen. Mushroom sauce tastes like those powders prepared ones. Cheese potato pierogis are just ok nothing I would come back for. Polish chicken meatballs have a artificial tasting binder and aren't good. Potato accompaniment is slightly watery in flavor. Accompanying salads taste like from those jars you can buy in Polish stores. Overall I don't recommend. The place needs a way better chef. read more

For a restaurant to be in the middle of their 20th anniversary you can't go wrong. Courteous service and home style cooked meals. The blintzes were my favorite part of the meal! I found this on Atif I's page. See his review. I don't feel I need to add anything to it! I don't want to mess with perfection http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=cD_hpkvErXCyQHBQzv8KYQ read more

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It was our first time eating Polish foods, and Polonica was a good experience. The service was a bit slow, and ironically enjoyable (did not felt rushed at all to leave as we were celebrating my father's birthday). There was only one waitress servicing every customer in the restaurant, who also was the cashier as well. The portion sizes of the food were abundant, and the food was very heavy. We ordered many foods to try, as it was our first time. The items we ordered to share included the polish platter, red borscht soup, pierogies, potato pancakes, beef stroganoff, and breaded porkchop. Red Borscht Soup - this red clear liquid soup was delicious, but it was a bit too sour Pierogies (w/ apple sauce & sour cream) - one of our favorites, and it was very delicious (the boiled one tasted better than the fried one). Ironically the pierogies tasted good with the apple sauce. Potato Pancakes - another of our favorites. It was full of taste! Beef Stroganoff - This was our least favorite. The beef was a bit dry and tasteless (did not like it) Breaded Porkchop - DELICIOUS! Another one of our favorites. It was nicely breaded, and the porkchop itself was so tender. Polish salads (that came with the platters) - Interesting, but delicious! Polish Platter - This was our second least favorite that we tried. The fried pierogies were not as tasty as the boiled ones. The stuffed cabbage tasted weird (had a gamey and sour taste), and the kielbasa also had a very gamey taste to it (that I am not use to). Other then that, I was very happy to have tried Polish food at Polonica. If I ever return to eat here again, I would just order boiled pierogies, the potato pancakes, eat the breaded porkchop w/ the salad, and try a blintz. P.S - Cash only. No Credit Card. read more

I went here with a friend a few weeks ago hearing upon good reviews of this place, though it was a little dark and quiet. The owners of the place were very nice and friendly, seats were quickly filled towards the late night. I ordered potato pancakes and strawberry blintzes. It's nice how they have sour cream dips and apple sauce as well. My friend ordered a dish with a salad and a sausage. We were easily stuffed and it was amazingly good. We would come here again definitely! Also, the crepes were very very sweet and large. --- Edit: * I'm happy to say that Polonica keeps up with their quality even with their prices that have risen. I still will come back and definitely get their kompot if they have. read more

Polonica Restaurant - Strawberry blintzes with sour cream - Polish Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Food was good, especially the dessert blintzes. The service is very poor and slow. The guy who run it also takes orders and maybe bc he's stressed he's very snappy with ppl and gave us attitude. I also saw him reprimand a delivery food worker for not pushing in his chair in front of the customers. Again good food, not great service--maybe just do take out and remember to push in your chair if you don't want to be yelled at in public. read more

They have relocated and great space with outdoor seating! Food is solid and although it is not BYO anymore the alcohol is affordable. I recommend getting a dish that comes with the assorted salad items. read more

Picking up stuffed cabbage and pierogis has become one of our go-to take out orders. Also love the generous pickled salad that comes with most dishes. read more

Yay!!! Finally got to try this place out. Delicious food, very tasty and flavorful. My friends and I shared the potato and cheese Pierogi. So tasty!! I also tried their stuffed cabbage, which was also delcious. Reasonable price and big portions! Overall I enjoyed it and will definitely be back. read more

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Nice Polish restaurant. Love it! They move a few years ago from 73rd Street and 3rd Ave, but dishes still delicious

This was one of the best meals I have ever enjoyed. My friend and I walked in on a whim after seeing their extensive pierogi selection. We split the mushroom & potato boiled pierogi which were incredible with a side of onions and sour cream. For mains I had the Hungarian pancakes with goulash and bell peppers. My friend had the kielbasa. Both were fantastic and represented the best of polish cuisine. The side salad was incredible, especially for a dish that is typically an afterthought. The service was absolutely perfect. Would highly recommend to anyone and everyone. read more

One of our favorite restaurants in the neighborhood with a wide variety of Polish dishes . They have never let us down ! It is downright fine Polish home cooking, with very generous portions, each entree comes with a choice of potato, and house salad which consists of individual little mounds of cole slaw, sauerkraut, shredded beets,red cabbage, and shredded carrots. The menu is quite extensive with a big variety of appetizers, soups , and entrees. The potato pancakes served with goulash, brown gravy and peppers, is probably one of the best things I've ever tasted. And.. they deliver ! read more

I remember going to the older space years ago. The new Polonica is larger and immaculate, and charmingly decorated- especially for the Holidays. And the menu was extensive. Everything looked and sounded delicious. Believe me, it was. I started with the rich barley soup, with a hearty purée of vegetables and pieces of bacon and potatoes. The owner, Elizabeth, asked if I wanted any bread, and that was tasty too. For my entree, I decided to have one of their combination platters, with delicate potato pierogi, kielbasa with robust mustard, and wonderful stuffed cabbage. Of course, that was more than enough food for one person, but the quality and quantity speak for themselves. Everything is flavorful and generously portioned- real comfort food! I took home what I couldn't finish, and had a refreshing kompot fruit punch to help me on my way. I remember one of my grandmothers making those years ago. The service is attentive and friendly. It was a wonderful way to enjoy a pre-New Year's meal. I'll certainly be back next year to enjoy some more! read more

DO get boiled pierogies and drench them in the sauce from the beef strogonoff. the pan fried ones are good, but the boiled ones are tastier and more juicy. love the side salad it comes with!! cabbage, red cabbage, carrot, beets? i dont even know what it all is but its fantastic with the meal. also had the kielbasa dinner combo which comes with stuffed cabbage (think a giant square meatball covered in a layer of cabbage), kielbasa (get it boiled) and 3 pierogies (get these boiled too). YUM YUM. only cons: BYOB, and cash only. but service was solid, and food was yum! read more

A little gem in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Great food, friendly staff, and great prices. Can you ask for anymore!? I would recommend this restaurant to anyone, and that's coming from a Brooklynite! :) read more

The food is absolutely delicious. I always get the cabbage rolls and pierogis. A neighborhood staple.

Ate here last night for the first time and it definitely will not be the last. I ordered pierogies and salad. My boyfriend had pierogies, salad, and one of the beef dishes. Everything we ate was delicious and we had a fun conversation with our waiter (Sorry, we did not get his name.) whose wife does the cooking. He is from Ecuador. Wonderful, fun, conversation and food. Definitely will be back. read more

Polish restaurants in New York City are often cavernous and rustic, their seating and food sized for families and friends, the more the merrier. So it goes in neighborhoods like Ridgewood and Greenpoint, but not so in Bay Ridge, where Polonica occupies a petite storefront from which to dispense very good Polish food. With several tables for two or four, a large group could commandeer the entire main dining room, a simply decorated and comfortable space. The menu is long enough to have plenty to choose from but their best dishes are the classics: silky skinned pierogies, tender and delicately flavored stuffed cabbage, addictive potato pancakes, tart and savory white borscht, and tasty kielbasa brimming with spices. There's a terrific medley of cabbage and beet salads that come with entrees, beautifully arranged to flaunt their colors, that contrast well with the richer foods. Hunters stew skewed salty, while a generously large fried pork chop is serviceable but not a dish to remember. Their homemade fruit punch is worth a mention: tart, fruity, and easy on sweet. The usual sodas and juices are among other beverage offerings. A lovely place for classic Polish foods in Bay Ridge. Friendly, sweet service makes it just right. read more

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Placed an order for pick up through delivery.com. When we got there, it was not ready yet. They said they did not pack it. So we waited a few minute and it was ready to go. When we got home and opened the boxes our first impression was that the portion was huge. Each entree we ordered had some sides of pickled stuff like sauerkraut, beets, coleslaw, and cabbage. We had hungarian pancakes and stuffed cabbage for entrees. The hungarian pancake was a little oily but the beef goulash was flavorful and tender. The stuffed cabbage was very meaty. Almost like a meatloaf. Don't really taste the cabbage because the layer was so thin but it was still a great dish. Overall, I would not dine in because of the ambiance and small space at the restaurant. The food was great so do take out instead. read more

Polonica Restaurant - Stuffed cabbage - Polish Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Delicious, authentic Polish food. my husband studied in Poznan, Poland and thought the food here was on point with authentic Polish cuisine. Expect a casual laid back atmosphere with excellent service. Our favorite was the chicken cutlet, seasoned and cooked to perfection! It was our son's birthday, and they gave him a nice celebration. We came all the way from LI to try this place and we'd come again! thank you! read more

We've ordered form Polonica many many times over the years. Tonights order was truly shocking. The main part of the meal was good as usually but they really skimped on the side salads. They usually have heaping loads of the sauerkraut, slaw, carrots, etc. Tonight, on all 3 meals ordered, we barely had a tablespoon of the salads. I don't know what changed but that, along with them now charging for a few slices of rye bread, is really disappointing. read more

Polonica Restaurant - Dismal side salads compared to past orders. Are they skimping now? - Polish Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Food is good but the service is horrendous the stocky manager/waiter has no manners just throws the food on the table told my son not to put his toy car on the table etc read more

Only had the pierogis and fruit punch. Both not bad. I will return if I am in the area. I just love pierogis too much to go anywhere else! read more

Polonica Restaurant - mixed pierogis - Polish Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Food was awesome. I came here with my girlfriend who is polish, and while naturally you are a bit critical about food made from your hometown, my friend was fair and agreed that the food was true to its authenticity. I ordered barley soup and the polish combo that included kielbasa, three pierogies (your choice), and stuffed cabbage. Everything was great! The stuffed cabbage was not my favorite, but I think that's a personal preference, so I don't think it's fair to comment on it. Otherwise, everything else was amazing!! read more

Polonica Restaurant - Polish Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Very tasty food. My family and I go there often, and every time we are greeted by the ANGRY!!!!! face of the waiter. it's horrible! I have never seen such a terrible service. the waiter is never satisfied, he never smiles. DISGUSTING!!! read more

Been there many years ago. Came back again tonight and it was so good. Loved the mushroom and potatoes pierogi and potatoes pancakes! The pyzy w mushroom is so good esp the mushroom stuffing!! Will be back... read more

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Oh mama. Missing mom's Polish cookin, but this place is pretty dam close. One of the best polish restaurants I've been too. Mmm the goulash....Pyszne! 5 stars read more

Polonica Restaurant - Polish Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Ordered potatoes pirogies and Ukrainian borsh. Felt like prices could have been a little lowered. But overall food was amazing. Pirogies were just like I remember them to be from childhood and borsh was a bit stuffy which included big beans ( which I I'm not used to). Excited to try other dishes from menu another day. read more

We enjoyed our meal at their new location. The food is truly home cooked and is delicious. The staff is friendly and there is something for everyone on the menu. We started with two different types of pierogis and then the breaded pork chop. We love hearing them work the Chop from the kitchen. It is nicely breaded and thin. Delicious. The salad is so fresh and has four different items on it. Red cabbage, beets, coleslaw, carrots and sauerkraut Tip: next time I will save some salad items to add to my pork chop because the Chop only comes with a side of mash. The salad items would be perfect with the chop. read more

Love that we have a Polish restaurant in the neighborhood. Food is excellent! Def the place to go if you want a nice, homey, fresh cooked meal. We've been here several time and food consistency has been on point. Dinner is served with a mix of Polish salads. My favorite is the mushroom stuffed chicken breast . One star is taken away due to the follow: no AC (it's hot, especially in the summer - put some AC or ceiling fans) and slow service. We were just recently there for the Bay Ridge stroll and they were packed with customers but only had 1 waitress - I don't mind waiting for the food but it shouldn't take 20 minutes to ask what we would like to drink and bring water to the table. read more

Polonica Restaurant - Polish Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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So I've thought long and hard about acceptable reasons for not giving Polonica 5 stars: One: You've got the Michelin Guide stuck way up your ass, and can't believe that there could be a worthy dining option they haven't rated. That's ok. Silver spoons and Michelin Guides go well together. Also, only a moron could've said, "The unexamined life isn't worth living". Two: You're a hopeless romantic. Emphasis on: "hopeless". Remember that romantic dinner in Krakow, with the full moon, and that lovely band many years ago? True. Nothing would compare to that meal. That might also explain why the movie was called "Forget Paris", and not "Forget Poland". Three: You're cheap, er, frugal. That's ok. After all, the price of a serving of Coca Cola did not change for 70 years after its introduction in 1886! Seriously, why should the price of a meal go up these days? Also, a sit-down meal where you leave with your clothes bursting at the seams IS still way more expensive than what you had in college, no matter that you spent less than $ 20 for it in NYC! Four: You've got standards. Good for you. It shouldn't matter that you're genetically challenged when it comes to menu selection. So what, if 30 other people love a restaurant, but when you selected one dish from the 85 available options, you didn't think it was perfect.... like in that place which shut down. Every dish must warrant 5 stars, otherwise why have it on the menu? Five: You're privately upset that it's politically incorrect to make fun of the Poles anymore. Damn, now even their economy is doing better than that of others in the European Dis-Union? Bugger. Ok, now that I've gotten that out of my system, let me sing the virtues of Polonica: You would be hard pressed to find a better meal in NYC, where both vegetarians and non-vegetarians leave happy! From the Ukrainian Borscht to the Potato and Mushroom Pierogies and Potato cutlets - there's a five star experience available to all vegetarians. You would also be hard pressed to find a better selection of soups, and not just the Borscht, I've also loved the cucumber and the Sauerkraut soups! The entrees, while simple and almost home-cooked, are extremely well executed, accompanied by a magnificent, colorful salad plate. The Hungarian Pancakes with Goulash brought home a different interpretation of an entrée popular through the ages. Their Kompot is the best I've had in the city, far superior to and fruitier than the many watered down Central Asian versions of the drink I've tried in the past few months. True, I wasn't bowled over by the Pyzy (potato dumplings stuffed with meat and served with fried onions), but then I'm no hater waiting for a "gotcha" moment. We all have unresolved issues from childhood, but yelp's no place to get over them ;) read more

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There is a pretty substantial Eastern European population in Bay Ridge, including my family, so its always nice to have restaurants like Polonica around. Its your no nonsense, strictly Polish home cooking type of place. Good-to-know tidbits... Its cash only and there is no alcohol on the menu. You can, however, bring your own booze, which is typical of restaurants like these on Brighton. The owner did specify its a bottle per person max, so that's something to keep in mind. I went two doors down to a Polish grocery store for some beer. If you want something authentic, I recommend getting a bottle of Lech or Zywiec. Food... I ordered cheese and potato pierogi (about $6). There are 7 pieces, your choice of fried or boiled, and they come with fried onions and sour cream. For the entree, I ordered stuffed chicken breast (about $10) with mushrooms and potatoes. The mushroom sauce was amazing but the chicken was sadly too dry. I do recommend their stuffed cabbage, though. That is really delicious. I also tried their Ukrainian borsht and was pleasantly surprised! Much closer to home cooked than my frightful experience at the Russian Tea Room a few months back. This place is really a gem, must try! read more

I've been going to Polonica in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn for over 5 years now. It's the best comfort food in the entire city of NY! And it's the best place to go to on a cold winter day. The portions are huge, authentic, and cheap. ... the owner, Elizabeth, is always working. She does it all there -- waits on tables, oversees all the cooking in the kitchen, and chats with the regulars. She's the hardest-working restaurant owner you'll ever meet. Now to the food: to start, I got the cucumber soup (which is actually pickle soup). Soooooo yummy. ... Then, for my meal, I got the stuffed cabbage, as I always do. And it was amazing. Too much for a 5'2", 108 lb woman to eat, but I tried! God, I tried. I can just eat one of the two stuffed cabbages on the plate. It's too much food! ... Oh, and each dish comes with a selection of polish sides (red cabbage kraut, carrot salad, a green salad, sauerkraut, cole slaw, and mashed potatoes). The only downside is that they don't have their liquor license, but it's no big deal b/c there's a liquor store across the street that sells wine and Polish beers. So, grab your coat and go get some of the best comfort food you could ever ask for on a cold winter day. read more

The food quality went above my expectations and the prices are reasonable. The service is a little weak as is common with small mom & pop restaurants, bottom line: they make up for it in their cooking. read more