I had a great experience at Restaurant Mehanata when I visited the restaurant for a dinner with my family. The interior decor was amazing, and our waiter was very friendly and offered nice recommendations. The dip platter, chicken hearts, and beef tongue with tripe were all nice appetizers. They were easy to share, and I enjoyed each of their flavor profiles. The beef tongue and tripe was very tender, and I enjoyed it while it was my first time trying it. Moreover, the chicken hearts were covered in aromatic spices and vegetables. The seasoning for this dish was nice. Lastly, the platter of dips was great since you can try 4 different things. Our main courses were also wonderful. The meats were cooked to perfection and seasoned well. The portions are very generous and well worth the price. The cake Mehanata and fig cake were also great desserts. They were light and sweet. Both of them were a great addition to the meal. My first time trying Mehanata was pleasant, and I plan on coming back again to try more of their dishes. read more

Restaurant Mehanata - Modern European Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

The food had so much flavor, amazing presentation!!! The atmosphere was so pretty and adorable! Seriously very inviting restaurant. Super friendly service. Parking is a bit weird, but worth it. I really want to come back and eat more food! Because it was too good!!! read more

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It was my first time trying Bulgarian food and I'm so glad we came. There were a lot of things on the menu so our waiter helped us pick and everything we got was delicious. What we got were the shopska salad, spicy goat cheese, pork combo grill, chicken and fig cake for dessert. My favorite part was trying food I had never had before and actually loving it. The atmosphere was pleasant and the staff were super nice and helpful the whole time. I love Bulgarian beer too! Will definitely stop by again read more

The inside of the restaurant felt cozy and it was not too bright at all and decorated kind of like a German pub, and the food was pretty good. They even had the FIFA World Cup on TV. The shopka salad was refreshing and the feta cheese and olives added a nice touch to the salad, and the server served me complimentary bread. I was originally going to get a clay pot dish but the server recommended me to get kebapche and kufte, so I got that instead and it was flavorful and juicy. The fries with feta is a must since the cheese added a nice creamy mouthfeel and the fries were crispy. I noticed that I heard people speak Bulgarian which means that the food is most likely legit and authentic. read more

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I finally came here after having this place on my list for awhile. First things first, the parking situation. To the left of the restaurant, you'll see a parking lot. Do not park in the first 3 rows because the liquor store is strict about it and will have your vehicle towed. The same goes for parking across the street in the empty parking lot. To be on the safe side, park in the 4th and 5th row after the liquor store parking spaces. The restaurant and the repair shop share the same spaces. You can try parking in that big parking lot in the plaza next door but I can't guarantee anything. You can eat inside or outside. We ordered beef tongue with tripe cooked in butter, garlic, and red pepper. We also had chicken roll up, tatar meatball, and the cake Mehanata. There is a 3% convenience fee which is only like $1.77. Prices are typical for this type of food because it's not very common. Service was excellent and very friendly. Portions are huge so you'll be taking home some leftovers. -beef tongue with tripe 5 - I loved this dish. Beef tongue and tripe were soft and tender to eat. Good seasoning. -chicken roll up 4 - I like the concept of the chicken stuffed with ham, pickles, peppers, and cheese inside. However, parts of the chicken were kind of tough and dry. -tatar meatball 5 - I had something similar to this at another Balkan restaurant. Meatball is flavorful with cheese inside and very tender. -cake Mehanata 5 - this is a fig cake with mascarpone. Only slightly sweet due to the chocolate chips, other than that it has a good balance. read more

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I ordered the mish mash and it was extremely good I had it for take out, it looked nice inside plenty of seating. read more

Restaurant Mehanata - Mish mash - Modern European Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

I was not so happy this time. It's been a few years since I visited Restaurant Mehanata, so I decided to pay it a visit. This time, things were different. The chicken on the skewer was nearly undercooked. We also got another chicken plate that was seasoned with wine sauce, it was way too salty. Also, a disappointment was that the oil at each table with the rest of the condiments wasn't real olive oil. It was something else, maybe canola or sunflower oil. That could have also been the case when I went a few years ago, but I don't remember. It made me wonder what kind of oil they are grilling the meat with. Because if it is in fact canola or sunflower oil, i would not eat here again since that is generally very bad for you to consume. Either way, i wont take any more chances and i dont think id come back here. read more

Restaurant Mehanata - Modern European Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

Well this was recommended by a Bulgarian coworker that I didn't know who was Bulgarian because his first name is Yuri. He suggested to other Bulgarian restaurants but he said this was the best one and the only Bulgarian restaurant. I've eaten in Mount prospect was Sophia Grill but it felt more fast food or less formal or less European Ambience. I decided to come here on a bucket list and splurge for a Friday night and I guess you could say I was quite impressed. It has that Eastern European tavern but is also a traditional authentic restaurant although the music they're playing is more American LOL instead of some Eastern Bulgarian music I expected but the people are the customers dining and are Bulgarian as well as the staff originally I was going to get the tripe soup but my server suggested the lambs which I really wanted online but it was supposedly served for Saturday and Sunday until I found out they serve it on Fridays which I was so happy and it was very delicious it was like a comfort food for lamb soup very Hardy flavorful although the soup itself wasn't like a thick bra it was very rich in taste. The next thing I ordered was the chicken liver and it did taste like liver usually I assume chicken liver and onions was not sold tasty like beef liver and onions there were two variations one had extra virgin olive but again my server suggested having just plain liver and onions cooked in butter instead of olive oil the other one had extra ingredients that made it more stewy he said. Just FYI most of the dishes here are quite pricey you're spending between 18.99 to $25 or more I tried to keep it within my means and since I went to Sophia grill they did have the Bulgarian link sausage or karache. Compared to Sophia grill the way they cooked it was much better in texture and taste. I wanted to get some side orders of mashed potatoes or steamed vegetables but my weight or suggested to get sauteed potato cuts it was just the meh okay I should have gotten the steam vegetables with which look delicious one thing I do give credit is that they do get very Hardy dishes for how much you pay for. Otherwise I would come back cuz I saw other dishes I've never had like chicken hearts that seems intriguing and when I have more money I probably might splurge on the tartar meatball which is a familiar dish or a seafood dish I shall see those days when I used to go out and my parents were living in Chicago I would have done this in a heartbeat but now that I pay rent and have to live the reality of other people paying a rent it's going to probably be a while otherwise do come here just very expensive for authentic Bulgarian. Also noted parking can be a little tricky if they have a busy night you could park across the other side of the street in the parking lot with a pet supplies Plus or another bar or plaza across the street read more

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Five of us dined at Mehanata. The waiter was helpful and friendly. Service was good. He suggested the Specialty Combo Grill for 4 and it was more than enough and very tasty, albeit meat heavy. It would have been less expensive to have simply ordered five different individual dishes. We also order a couple of appetizers, which were good, but entirely unnecessary. The only complaint I have is that the mojito was strange. It didn't taste like a mojito and there was little alcohol (if any). I didn't get even a hint of a buzz, so I didn't order another. Would I go back? Not sure. It's quite far from where I live. read more

Food was amazing, but the service was what put this experience over the top. Natali was our server and her patience as well as her knowledge of the food was nothing short of excellent. The value for our money spent was well worth it. read more

I was unfamiliar with Bulgarian cuisine and found Mehanata by chance and their menu looked great. I've been back at least 5 times since, and it is now my favorite restaurant. All the food my family and I have tried has been delicious. I am particularly fond of the pork sampler dinner and the cheese...pastry... thing whose name I cannot remember but is incredible, and while it's not the reason I come here, my picky kids are most pleased with the chicken tenders and fries. My wife has been more adventurous and has loved every dish she's tried. The staff have always been friendly, and were particularly helpful when we had questions about some of the dishes less familiar to us. The restaurant is also just a lovely place to be in, full of traditional decor, thick natural wood tables... cozy and charming. read more

Had a variety of "appetizers" like the potato croquettes, crispy cheese bites w/ blueberry jam, breaded mozzarella cheese, the combination platter (yogurt salad, katak spicy cheese and fish). Everything was amazing! We had the Specialty Combo for dinner (Chicken (thighs, kebab, kufte, kebapche) pork (chops, kebab, kufte,kebapche, karnache, sausage) since there were 6 of us and we couldn't finish it, even though we tried! The variety of meats were so good! We will definitely be back. Also, two thumbs up to our waiter who explained how the menu works and recommended all these dishes, he made our experience one of the best ones ever! read more

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Stopped by to try bulgarian food for the first time. Really liked the mixed combo platter, pork & chicken combo, and eggplant dip. Would recommend! read more

It was my first time trying Bulgarian food, the service was amazing and the ambiance was very decorative and festive. The food gave a very homey feel. read more

5 stars for Mehanata. This restaurant has authentic, Bulgarian food that was very tasty. I tried the Balkan special with chicken which was enough to take home for multiple meals. The portions are massive and the prices are pretty reasonable. The service is friendly, and the decor inside is themed to 18-19th century Bulgarian village. I'd highly recommend trying this restaurant out if you want Bulgarian food. read more

You can enjoy authentic Bulgarian cuisine. My Bulgarian husband was very happy. The portions are large for sharing.

My first Bulgarian restaurant! Pork and beef skewers with seasoned potatoes. So simple yet amazing. Great interior and has outdoor seating. Staff were very friendly and helpful in making good choices. read more

Restaurant Mehanata - Britos Beer. Very good light lager. - Modern European Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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Service and food was amazing. Love the decor Lamb, chicken hairs, chicken, and snapper read more

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Huge portions, amazing food. It's Bulgarian, so the menu is heavy on the meat and grilled vegetables, but there's also a nice assortment of fresh salads. If you don't know what to get, order the sirene po shopski (egg and cheese in a clay pot). It's the perfect comfort food that you can sop up with hunks of bread. read more

Very tasty dishes, respect to the chef! Nice atmosphere. But disgusting service. The waitress was unkind, treated me with disdain. Of course, I left a tip, because I am a good tiper, but the place clearly loses in service read more

Restaurant Mehanata - Cold soup Tarator, Grilled octopus and Beens Side salad - Modern European Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

Probably the BEST pork kabob I've ever had. Just great tho I wish I had gotten the full service to see if there are any free sides. There was a party in here so it was packed and service was just okay. I asked what their specialities were and he's like like "everything." But in reality, we all know that people and places usually only have a few things they are great at so I dislike when some place doesn't even know what they specialize in as most places do know. Still, great place and it was my FIRST time trying Bulgarian food, and like Arnold S said, "I'll be back." read more

I like this restaurant with good atmosphere. Service is always good and friendly. We never were disappointed with food... Coming back often, I recommend it to my friends. Good job so far read more

Restaurant Mehanata - New ! Grilled octopus and calamari. Soooo fresh,tasty. - Modern European Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

This location is cute on the inside but very crowded. The parking lot is quite small, so try to avoid the mealtime rush as much as you can. This location was way too crowded for comfort for me. Make a reservation if you plan to eat inside. I had the chicken combo plate, which included chicken cooked in different ways (including the shaslik). The chicken came with cucumbers, tomatoes, and fries. I had the breaded, feta-stuffed red pepper as an app. Overall, the foods were a little too greasy for me. Because they were super crowded, they did get backed up with orders and it was a bit of a wait. Our server was so kind to give us a delicious slice of cake on the house because of the delay. You do get a heaping portion of food in an order. The combo alone will easily feed more than 2 people. Expect leftovers! read more

One of my favorite restaurants in all of Chicago. They have all the Balkan greats here and tastes just like the stands/restaurants/bakeries in Central Europe. The servers and service makes this place even greater, as well as the decor and overall atmosphere. Outstanding! read more

Restaurant Mehanata - Mixed meat grill-all fantastic! - Modern European Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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Wow what a gem i unexpectedly found this place and not even knowing anything about Bulgarian food had a exceptional experience from the time my family entered everyone working there was so nice especially one gentleman I wish I got his name but he offered suggestions and explained the menu to us and came by several times to check on us even though we had a great lady server so hospitality was amazing and then the food was so good we wish we could have tried more menu items but were so full all the portions were amazing and we had leftovers to take home too so my family is already planning our next trip back as we live about 40 minutes away to try different menu items read more

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I was attending a conference with some co-workers in Rosemont from out of town. We wanted to try something different that we couldn't get at home. Never having tried Bulgarian food, we decided to give this a try. We were not disappointed - it was delicious. Our server was super friendly and helpful when we asked for recommendations. The decor was rustic and fun and we had a great time. The food is homemade and wholesome. I travel extensively and don't write many reviews, but this place was exceptional. read more

Amazing food, our server was so helpful, superb menu- Shared a tomato salad with yogurt feta spread, And main combo shishlik! read more

Restaurant Mehanata - Combo Shishlik - Modern European Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

Passing through Des Plaines on the way from O'Hare to Lake Geneva, one of the folks what to find some Polish food, so I search Yelp for a Polish Restaurant. Mehanata popped up and we decided to give it a shot. Turned out to be Bulgarian food, none of us had every had Bulgaria food so why not! There were 5 of us so we decided to order several appetizer plates, which allowed us to test several things so everyone was bound to find something they liked. We had Peppers "Burek", Feta Cheese Sticks, Combination Plate of Dry-cured meats, Karnache, a Caesar Salad, and few other thinks that I can't remember. It was all good and great experience. We had some authentic Romanian beers, Kamenica, which weren't much different from some of the pilsners we get from The place is a throw-back in time, or maybe just a current time place in Romania. Very authentic bar and dining room. All dark wood, wooden tables and stools with low lighting. Now for the down side. We we arrived around 2:00 PM there was only once table occupied in the dining room. But the service was horrible, our waitress was zoned out the entire meal. We had to chase her down to order, go find her went we wanted to add more appetizers, holler across the room to get her attention to get more beers. And final had to go to the bartender to find her and get our check. The service was the only thing that could use MUCH improvement. Maybe it was because we arrived after the lunch hour, and too early for dinner. read more

The service was too rate. I've never had Bulgarian food before and the water was very kind and helpful with suggestions. The food was very good. I suggest you also try the Bulgarian beer Britos Lager. It will not disappoint you. read more

Restaurant Mehanata - Britos Beer. Very nice European style Lager. - Modern European Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

The food was tasty, especially the shashlyk (meat). Fresh vegetables, good food options. I liked that their menu has a detailed description of the ingredients and a picture. The only downside was that there's was no water offered or served upon taking the food order. read more

Restaurant Mehanata - a plate of food on a table - Modern European Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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Nothing special. The food was average. The shashliks were fine, however will not write home about them. The Shopska salad was fresh, which was a plus. The mashed potatoes were from a box, most likely microwaved, and were disappointment. Ambiance -dingy, dusty, decorative objects piled together without much thought. No room to move between tables, crowded. Waiter was nice, until an issue was identified. Past this he showed attitude bordering with aggressive behavior. Bulgarian food is better than this. Ordinary, I don't comment on prices. Here, due to the level of our disappointment, I will say that the prices don't justify the quality and the dining experience. We were much excited to have a dinner there. Unfortunately, we are genuinely saddened that one of the Bulgarian restaurants in Chicago is so bad. Pity. read more

This is by far a five star restaurant!! They have the best fries I have ever eaten, as well as amazing meat that they cook and get fresh. It was seriously amazing meat and one of the nicest most delicious meals I've ever had. It was also so cultural and the server was so friendly and I could tell he loves his job! The service was also so fast and my family of seven couldn't have been waiting for more than 10 minutes total. Definitely check this place out- it was a great experience and the best meat i've ever eaten! read more

I have NEVER written a review on Yelp for food places but I had to for this one. I went there with my family and had the best experience and food that I ever have had. Starting with the service, our server was the most incredible and genuinely kind man that I have met to date. Also VERY attentive and observant, he put my coat over the chair and never let a glass reach half empty. This man deserves the best! And the food was sensational. Fresh, savory, meats, the freshest greens, and just a wonderful palette experience as a whole. I recommend this lovely establishment over anything and there's not a question in the world that I will be returning. Do yourself a favor and choose this place :) read more

Came again to celebrate my Dad's Birthday and it was delicious. I always get so full here because the food is really good. I love the shopska salad, the pot that has meat in it, the yougurt salad, and of course the feta cheese fries! (That's our family favorite:) ) read more

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I heard from my friend that Des Plaines, IL now has several good restaurants worth going for. So on our day off, we researched a little and decided on this place which serves Eastern European foods (Bulgarian). As a result, it became one of the best restaurants we tried out this year. Our order: Potato Croquettes Crispy cheese bites Balkanska salad Chicken and beef kebabs Potato Croquettes Crispy outside and soft inside. This is the only starch we ordered this time. It was MUCH lighter than I imagined before. Even after you eat until full, there was no "heavy" feeling. I think that's thanks to their preparation. The cheesy sauce it came with was a great change of flavors and it did match with other meat dishes as well. Crispy cheese bites The cheese was so smooth and creamy and blueberry sauce was simmered thick. It reminded me of Brie cheese we ate in France. Easy to cut small and eat together with meat. It just matches with everything on the table. So versatile and perfect appetizer. The blueberry sauce made up my wife's favorite "blueberry chicken kebab". Balkanska salad It is fresh tomato, roasted red pepper and garlic oil. But fresh and crispy tomato and smoky pepper made a great contrast of texture and garlic flavor was nice strong. After a bite, fresh herbs flavor started to explode. It's simple but addictive. Even your burp tastes yummy while you are driving back home. This was my first meal of the day! Chicken and beef. Both were cooked perfectly and still has a lot of juice inside. Flavor was smoky and seasoned well. I like they did not coat the meat with strong flavored sauce or something. It was a great natural meat flavor, which proves they are serving good quality ingredients. My wife loved the chicken, and I loved beef with other cheese, blueberry, and yogurt sauce. They offer big meat and fish entrees and some soup dishes also looked very attractive. The menu contains a lot of pictures so it was fun to flip each pages. Dessert page has mehanata cake and crepes, which we were eyeballing for later, but we could not eat more today, so had to give them up. Darn.... Toilet was clean, music was nice and gentle. People there were pretty friendly. And outside patio was spacious and comfortable. Any complaint? The noisy garbage truck outside. My total score is 5 stars without doubt. I don't know anything about Bulgarian dishes, but I loved all foods until the last bits. read more

A must! I cannot get over how authentic this place is! My husband and I dined here on a whim; it happened to be the only place open late in the area. Parking was a little difficult and located next to a liquor store but well lit and easy to manage. Menu is extensive but fear not, nearly every item is pictured. I got the potato croquettes and grilled calamari, both generous portions, and my husband ordered a more traditional dish. Service is helpful and quicker than we expected since it was a full house that evening. There was a birthday party which took up the entirety of the dining space and a DJ spinning foreign music; as immersive as you can get. read more

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We started with their Lamb Soup as it was reviewed highly. Lamb was not tender and could have used more spice. Cannot Recommend. The delicious Shopska Salad was very tasty and we had leftovers. Highly recommend. Our entrees were the Kasapski and Mehanata Sach clay dishes. The sausage was too overcooked in the Kasapski to eat but putting that aside the Kasapski was amazing. The Mehanata did not have the chewy sausage so excellent as is. Being the first time eating Bulgarian food, we were pleasantly surprised at the flavors. In fact, both craving those flavors days later. Would love to return and try some more dishes. Service was aloof but consistent. read more

Tasty food, great service and authentic atmosphere. Would definitely recommend to visit read more

Restaurant Mehanata - Modern European Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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It's a lovely place to have lunch, dinner, breakfast, celebrate an event or just have fun. The food is delicious and the interior is unique! Service is good and the management is always on top of everything. read more

The interior is really beautiful. The place is arranged in ethno style. Balkan cuisine. Personally, I didn't really like the dish I ordered (pork steak and mashed potatoes) but the portions are quite large and the prices are affordable. All in all, the place is very pleasant and reminds me on home. :-) read more

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