Restaurant Mehanata
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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.
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!!!
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.
I ordered the mish mash and it was extremely good I had it for take out, it looked nice inside plenty of seating.
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
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!
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
3 years ago
4 years ago
3 years ago
I came here for some of the only Bulgarian food in the country, and you know what? This is definitely Bulgarian food. I got a giant clay pot full of ingredients. One of these things easily feeds a family of four. I am not even exaggerating, I of iron stomach and food challenges. I could barely eat half of this dish. There is well over a pound of meat in here, at least that much in veggies. Flavoring is subtle - this is not drowning in sauce, but everything is well coated and the sauce is cooked down/into the food. I found that I had to quit from sheer food volume, not from the taste being too cloying. Wash it all down with an authentic Bulgarian beer! Verdict: 4.5 stars. Service was good enough, and some people got blankets as it started to get colder outside. I... I just overate. I can't. This is one of the only restaurants to defeat me, and they get praise for that. Go here. Come hungry, with friends. Do not attempt alone. read more
4 years ago
I'm always reluctant to give a restaurant 5 stars, but this place is very very good. The food and choices are excellent, the service was very good and the atmosphere is inviting. If you like we'll seasoned food, high quality meat, this is a carnivores dream spot. I'll be back for sure. It's also a.great place to bring friends! read more
7 years ago
Be really careful, every picture on the menu is just mouthwatering, but you won't finish more than one! Besides the food is yet amazing, the portions are insanely large. Speaking of kitchen, I would also mention the way they serve. Besides from the great decor of every single dish, whoever designed the menu and interior, also had some great attention to details, as lets say serving plates and boards match general colors of the theme. As an eastern european (not bulgarian) fan of Meditteranean cuisine, I found their kitchen as a perfect combination of those Greek notes with post-soviet traditional recipies. Something like someone added the dishes I love, to my own national cuisine and made it even better, if you know what I mean:) Mehanata is also great for parties, I love their outside patio. Although its right next to a busy road, you do feel separated from it by small decorative bushes and the fence, so at the end its not that loud as you may think. Servers are really great people here. My friends and I are coming to Mehanata few years straight, most of the personnel stays the same and they are super friendly and extremely fast. I feel like I will keep adding my thoughts further on, because I'll keep coming here every other week for sure. Thus, to be continued... read more
3 years ago
2 years ago
7 years ago
Let's say you're friends with a grizzly bear who just woke up from hibernation and you want to take him out for a good meal to celebrate. You go to this place and order the SMALL Kasapsky Sach and split it with him. Let's say he's got some bros who also just woke up and want to join. Still order the small. Then you look at the side dish menu and you see some hot peppers for $4 and you're like "Four dollars for some peppers?" Yes. Get them. They're so deliciously worth it. This meal is chicken, pork, bacon, sausage, mushrooms, pickles, peppers, onions and tomatoes. Yes, pickles are part of the stir fry. You get so many textures and flavors. Every bite is different. The sausage is salty and spicy. The bacon is chewy. The chicken is tender. The tomatoes add acid. Then you put some of that cold pickled hot pepper on your fork and top it with some meat and veg and it's like WOW. I barely made a dent in it. I have enough left for like 5 more meals. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
We totally enjoyed our meal. The food was of excellent quality and quantity! Wait staff and manager were great . We traveled to Bulgaria several years ago and this meal brought back wonderful memories. It was excellent all around! read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
8 years ago
I'm Bulgarian so I'm partial to the food. I loved the cleanliness and service. Food quality is great and definitely improved since couple of years ago. I've gone a few times since my last review in Oct 2017. Better service each time, good is plentiful and delicious. read more
I am absolutely, utterly in love with Mehanata. This restaurant boasts a variety of grilled meats, fish, appetizers, and salads. This is my first and only Bulgarian dining experience and I will continue to come back. They have an extensive menu, charming decor, and a full bar, too. My favorite items off the menu are their combo shishlik (two enormous sword-like skewers of grilled meat/veggies like a kabob, with onions and tomatoes), their pork wrap (super juicy meat, veggies, pickles, yogurt sauce, and fries [I like them on the side]), and their Cake Mehanata (biscuit cake layered with figs and mascarpone). I'm sure I could talk days about Mehanata and their delicious food. It is a must try. Service is great, they have great music (very Euro, dance, techno), and such affordable prices for their portion sizes. If you were thinking of trying it, stop thinking and just go now!!! read more
5 years ago
I'm so glad I tried this place! My server is delightful and has not steered me wrong on items to order. I live about 50 miles away and I will be making the drive back up north to bring my family of dedicated carnivores here. I got the grilled pork combo, and crepes. Just wonderful. read more
I was excited to try this place, it's my first time trying out some Bulgarian food. First things first: Parking - the situation here is a nightmare because this restaurant shares parking space with a liquor store and an auto repair shop. There are no clear signs other than "warnings" about being towed if you park in a spot the liquor store owns or the repair shop. There is one sign that highlights which spaces are for the restaurant (in red) but no clear indication if it's north/south east/west of the lot. Half of the space for the restaurant is actually within the auto repair place junkyard/middle of nowhere broken pieces of concrete etc space. I guess it does add to the atmosphere/experience? Restaurant - we went during lunchtime on a weekday which wasn't crowded but there were several patrons including day drinkers. The decor was pretty cool, makes you feel like you're in Europe. Place was very clean but a little dim. It would've been relaxing if it were not for the club music/ top 40 blaring in the restaurant. For once I actually longed for something more subtle, maybe Instrumental music? Club/top 40 just doesn't go wirbt he decor. Service - nice young lady who was very nice and soft spoken. My group had a ton of questions about the menu and she answered them all very well. Beverage - I'm just going to put this out there.... they don't serve coffee... what? Yes, again they don't serve coffee. They have expresso and cappuccino but not good ol coffee. I asked for tea and I was given a Lipton tea bag with a lemon wedge, some honey and a cup of hot water. After I had finished my cup and without asking, the server brought me back another cup of hot water (sans new teabag), I'm guessing they were expecting me to re-steep with my used tea bag which I thought was a bit awkward. Food - the menu was jammed packed with lots of things ranging from octopus to meats to soup dishes. I didnt sample the grilled pita bread my group ordered for Appetizer but from the looks of it they liked it a lot. I ordered the chicken combo which already looked humongous in the photo and was that much more gigantic served. It contained two huge grilled chicken breasts, a chicken skewer and a long block of chicken (not sure what to call it). The chicken was a bit salty and a bit dry but in all honesty I think these were meant to be eaten with a nice cold mug of beer. I liked that it came with freshly diced tomatoes, cucumbers and fries. I asked to substitute the fries with steamed veggies. I did not like the steamed veggies at all as they tasted like the frozen ones you microwave. There was so much food that I had left overs to go which usually doesn't happen with me. Overall, I think this place is great to take your drinking buddies to be merry and binge on food while listening to club music while day drinking. The staff are nice, the place is clean and the price is right. read more
4 years ago
4 years ago
7 years ago
4 years ago
5 years ago
Amazing restaurant! One of the best meals I have ever had. Unique and delicious Bulgarian food at surprisingly low prices. The spicy baked goat cheese was outstanding along with the mehanata cake. read more
3 years ago
5 years ago
The food was very good. The menu is extensive with a large variety of options. We didn't get desert, so we need to go back to try the cakes. read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
I came here on a quiet Tuesday night with 10 other Yelpers as part of our NW Suburban Dinner group. This little Bulgarian restaurant is really something to check out. It has a nice outdoor dining patio with a fence and potted shrubs all around. The interior takes you back with the feel of a place in some faraway village in the distant homeland. The brick and cracked plaster details on the walls are painted on but looks so realistic. Plates, embroidery, and figurines of people in folk costume are on display throughout. The inside is big, with lots of open space like for a dance floor. I did not imagine it being so huge when I saw it from the outside. The seating area with the booths has an overhead trellis with a pseudo-grape vine overhead. There's a video screen in the back playing Bulgarian pop music. After watching the videos for 2-1/2 hours, I reached two conclusions: 1. Bulgarian women wear lots of bikinis, tight jeans and revealing dresses, rival only to the Telemundo ladies. 2. And yes, the Bulgarian women are hot, except for this cross-dressing gypsy guy with piercings and makeup who appeared in a few of the videos. Now that I got that out of the way, I'll get to the food. They brought out baskets with rolls like the kind that would be suitable for Italian beef or sub sandwiches, but the bread was warm and soft. Mehanata has an extensive menu with multiple pages. Just the wine, beer and alcohol spans 2 pages. The items are in both English and Bulgarian. Meat dishes are subcategorized into Chicken, Lamb and Pork. The appetizers didn't seem very appetizing to me: every conceivable variety of ways to prepare chicken liver, and then there was octopus in some kind of sauce. Yikes! I decided to avoid them altogether. The menu had some bad misspellings that got us laughing too. "Mush potatoes," "spyces," "mashrooms" to think of a few. Other items were difficult to translate I presume, and came out sounding funny: "chicken pancakes" and "chicken Trakea" for example. But the one that really got us puzzled was "Chicken Rockford." Then after thinking about it, we concluded they meant to say "Roquefort," like the type of cheese - not the gritty town in northwest Illinois. Be warned, not all the menu items are available either. I asked about the "chicken pancakes" and found out it's not available. But what we did end up ordering was superb. I got "Chorbadjiyski Sach" - the small version. So did two other people. The waitress told us it was her favorite dish on the menu. It is a round platter loaded with chunks of roasted chicken, covered with mushrooms, onions, thin slices of pickle, bacon pieces and fries! And then there's cheese melted all over it. It's like Bulgarian-style cheese fries. As another Yelper across from me put it, "I can feel my arteries harden as I eat this." It didn't deter me from downing the entire meal. I can only imagine the larger serving of this would probably be enough to feed 3 people. The food came out 1 or 2 platters at a time, each serving crafted elegantly, on beautiful brown ceramic plates with folk-art style waves and circles of green, blue, orange and white. Todor K let me try a breaded red pepper, filled with feta cheese. Now I despise peppers in general, but this one was sweet, salty and cheesy all at the same time. It also came with a white dill yogurt sauce that would probably be a great complement to a gyros platter too! In the end, I was too full for dessert, but I did try a piece or Ericka's crepes with cream and honey inside. It was yet another fine choice. Overall, the food offerings are impressive and servings are huge. I think the outdoor dining area is great for the summer months and I can see myself returning here for dinner again sometime... and another look at the Bulgarian videos read more
4 years ago
4 years ago
17 years ago
Being the opinionated sorts we are, David R. and I often have spirited disagreements. See, he's classy and I'm pretty classless (well, I guess I have good manners, so that's something - i.e. thanks to Mike O. for organizing the NW Suburban Dinner). But there was one thing at Mehnata that united our thoughts: if there was any eggplant in his meal, the place was getting three stars! Not that he hates eggplant (that I know of) but I sort of like it, wanted to order it, and this restaurant claimed to be out of it (and David R.'s dish supposedly contained it). They claimed to be out of a lot of things. From soups to beers, the menu was more guesswork than a detective novel. I do have to give the server credit for remembering all the things that were on the menu but not in the kitchen. But not the restaurant - that's for sure. No eggplant mysteriously appeared, but the place still gets three stars. The reason? What else? The food. Bulgarian is, um, how do I put this, interesting. It bears a slight resemblance to Greek or Turkish. But the resemblance ends when considering that both of those sets of dishes are relatively healthy. Fatten those cuisines up, drown them in cheese or gravy or just bake them into a solid hunk of meat and you've got Bulgarian. I have nothing against decadence, mind. Pane (Bulgarian or Romanian fried cheese - similar to saganaki) is one of my favorite things on Earth. The problem is, if you're going to be decadent with the calories, don't skimp on the flavor. The pane I got here here barely had any taste. I did have a tasty cold yogurt soup with dill to start the meal (they were out of *all* of their vegetarian hot soups). And they did have orange Fanta (very authentic to the former Eastern Bloc) to wash the food down. They also have a huge brandy menu (brandy is pretty much the national alcohol of Bulgaria) - heck, they have a two page alcohol menu in general. But none of this made up for the lack of choices due to the mysteriously absent listed items. The menu's spelling errors, the cheesy Euro videos with their accompanying dance music, and the decorations (very twee and kitschy in a Bulgaria of old sort of way) make this an interesting restaurant. And I'd be willing to try it again on a better stocked night. And, hey, maybe the eggplant salad would even earn it a fourth star - but the world may never know because it may never be there. read more
This traditional Bulgarian restaurant will offer you long menu of delicious dishes. Anything you choose will surprise you with the quality, freshness and flavor. Pair your meal with Bulgarian wine and enjoy your stay. I was told that they have live entertainment on weekends, but I didn't have a chance to witness it myself. My favorite dish is yogurt-cucumber or yogurt-pepper salad, chicken shish kebab and salmon platter. The sautéed mushrooms were flavorful and great for appetizer. The restaurant is quite busy, but the service is never disappointing. Make sure you park on the back, there is a lot behind the gates. Otherwise the neighboring business will tow your car while you are enjoying your third order of panoramic kaskaval. read more
I'm up for trying anything new, and love exploring different flavors. When my boss suggested we try Bulgarian food, I said, "Why not?" And I'm so glad we did. Despite very slow service during a Sunday lunch, we had excellent food. My two dishes were wonderful: Shopska salad: kind of a variant on a Jerusalem salad, with huge hunks of tomato and cucumber, topped with feta cheese. Chicken in clay pot: Wow! Enormous portion of an incredible dish. Moist, juicy, flavorful chicken, plenty of veggies and just 100% tasty! My boss got a mixed grill platter, which looked excellent and we shared some of the fried feta cheese sticks. This is a place everyone should try! read more
7 years ago
3 years ago
Nutty location to get to, park and drive around, but that's not their fault. A friend and I attempted to eat the mixed grill (pork) and vreteno (pork - do you detect a theme?) and even though it was good, we couldn't finish. In endeavoring to be good (avoiding carbs) we also just had shepherd's salad and avoided fries. The waitress was very disappointed in the food we were leaving behind and tried to guilt us into taking it to go As bad as we felt, we had no way to take care of the food as we're from out of town. I did try a dessert, I can't pretend to spell what she said, but it was very similar to tiramisu. I'd say it was worth the calories. read more
4 years ago
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