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    Bacowka

    4.4 (481 reviews)
    ModeratePolish, Salad, Soup
    Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 2 weeks ago

    Order Bacowka Takeout or Delivery

    Bacowka Photos

    BACOWKA ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Bacowka

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    Jeannie Y.

    This was a very interesting dining experience. The restaurant is huge and feels like much more than just a restaurant, with a bar area, karaoke rooms, and colorful club-style lighting throughout the space. It definitely has a lively atmosphere, and I could hear Polish being spoken at many of the tables, which made the experience feel authentic. There were also plenty of non-Polish guests enjoying themselves as well. The service was excellent from start to finish. The staff were friendly, attentive, and kept everything running smoothly despite how large and busy the restaurant was. The restaurant was also very clean and well maintained. The food was fresh and satisfying. Portions were enormous, and many dishes are easily large enough to share between two people. The flavors were mild and balanced, which I appreciated since nothing was overly salty or heavy. The sauerkraut was good, although I personally would have preferred it to be a bit more sour. Overall, the food was enjoyable, the atmosphere was unique, and it's a fun place to experience Polish cuisine while enjoying a lively social setting.

    Bread!
    Mark N.

    You know, hubby and I have known about this restaurant since we moved to Schaumburg 2 1/2 years ago, but besides pierogies, we really had no idea what Polish food was all about. It was time to try. We expected a bit of a hole in the wall and that's not what we found - we found a very nicely decorated and maintained restaurant with a lot of dark wood overtones - we were seated immediately and given an extensive menu. I ordered a Polish beer, and we ordered a Polish plate - kind of a combination sampler plate if you will - and a ground pork cutlet dinner. Now before we could say anything? Some bread showed up with a lovely but lightly flavored hummus type spread- we enjoyed it because it also came with a nice big half sized pickle. When the Polish plate came? OMG we had sauerkraut - we had sausage - we had some pierogies, and when the pork cutlet came out? It literally covered the entire plate and was resting on a bed of freshly mashed potatoes. We shared the Polish plate and we shared the extremely large pork cutlet. Now to be fair? We loved the Polish plate immensely - while the cutlet was nicely breaded, and the mashed potatoes were great? I'm not certain I could say that about the pork cutlet. There was nothing wrong with it. I think the flavor was fine, but it was not something that I would order again. It just wasn't my taste that's all. So would we come again? Yes. Yes we would!

    Kadee D.

    This place was absolutely awesome!!!! The food was absolutely incredible. The service was super friendly. They had karaoke night so that was def entertaining! Had the sampler plate - just to get a taste of everything! Such a great variety, such a nice place to have in a strip mall. Can't wait to come back soon!

    Delicious mixology
    Alex K.

    We love polish food! Everything looked so good online and we're so surprised by the atmosphere here. We came on a Friday to live music and loved that they were open later than other places in the area. The staff were all so nice and welcoming. It feels great to be welcome with a smile! Natalia helped us with hard decisions across such a vast menu. All the options looked so good. After receiving our sampler plate and perogies, we knew we'd have to come back! Only problem is do we order the dish we know is so good or try something else that looks amazing. What a great evening! Thank you for fantastic food and vibes for our evening!

    Polish Plate
    Jessica S.

    Amazing! Beautiful restaurant down to every detail. The design of the restaurant - even the bathroom was one of the most beautiful bathrooms I've seen. I took some coworkers there as they've never had Polish food. But when in Illinois, I feel like it's a must! We found this place because it's one of the few places that opens late. Service was quick and our server was really friendly. Food was absolutely amazing! The four of us all got the Polish Plate. There was so much food that I had to take it back to my hotel. We got the house made fruit punch and it was very fresh - I liked that it wasn't too sweet! Thanks for a wonderful experience!

    Tradycyjny Schabowy - It was huge I could only eat a small portion and took the rest with me to go.
    Joley B.

    I thought long and hard about what Polish restaurant I was going to visit while recently in the Chicago area. I was very pleased with my choice. I came early and was seated in the front area near the door. The woman waiting on me - Agnieszka - was fantastic. She was attentive but not too much, and she was very friendly. The world is small and it turns out that I know someone she's related to - it turned into a fun conversation. I haven't been to Poland for a while, so I was looking for something traditional to bring me back to those days. I ordered Kwasnica (the sauerkraut soup) and it was delicious and served it a beautiful little hanging soup bowl. For my main I went with the Kotlet Schabowy, because what is more Polish than that? The surowki accompaniments were delicious, and I took my left overs with me. That was probably the biggest kotlet I've ever seen in my life, and it immediately reminded me of my downstairs neighbor when I lived in warsaw who would pound kotlets every sunday morning!!! My only regret is that I didn't try the oscypek! The restaurant is beautifully decorated, and I felt really comfortable here. Even with my poor Polish language skills I felt at home here.

    Donald M.

    A wonderful restaurant with unforgettable Polish cuisine and a very creative presentation of the dishes.

    Pork cutlet, dinner sample and the side salads. All flavorful and delicious!
    Debbie G.

    I like the old decor better. I understand the remodel is trendy but the old decor was neat. I felt like I was in the mountains of Europe. Plus the furniture was way more comfortable. The menus are black and you cannot read them without your phone flashlight. The food is always consistently delicious. Maybe add something new to the menu or specials other than soup? I went on a Tuesday night and the restaurant and bar were empty. The bar always had a constant crowd. I hope the restaurant is still successful. I'll be back because the food is so good, I just wish things hadn't changed. Maybe I am old...ha!

    Placek po wgiersku / Hungarian goulash w/pancake
    Neal H.

    Bacowka is a cool place. Well decorated and hosted by pleasant people. The food was pretty good; meat and potatoes. My wife ordered the Hungarian goulash with a potato pancake and I ordered sizzling pork shoulder with fries. Let me be clear, the food was delicious. We finished everything......eventually ;-) The portions are pretty big, especially the pork shoulder dish. I wish I had a shoulder (or shoulders?) as big as the pig that helped me with my nutrient intake. There were three-ish well seasoned pork steaks. The goulash dish was a reasonably/"regular" sized dish. We took some home, but that is normally expected. In the end, we're going to go back and I recommend that you check them out. Just understand that you will leave with a full belly and lunch for the next day. The only, subtle issue is that the pork shoulder was not sizzling when it arrived. Peace!

    Mark G.

    The atmosphere is great. The food is great. The service is not good. I was ignored for 20 minutes before my order was taken. Plus all of the "regulars" received bread where I was treated as a unworthy. The place is fine. The servers tend to ignore you unless you speak Polish Not fun

    They charge $12 for the regular potato pancakes in person
    Nick P.

    This was our first time coming here. I'm no stranger to Polish food, so I wanted to try this place out since they close a lot later than other places. We went this past Saturday, it was someone's party so it was pretty busy. I'm not sure if they're normally that busy on the weekends. We got seated right away. You can tell it's authentic since most of the customers plus the staff speak Polish. Pro tip: if there is a language barrier, pull out that smart phone you always have and look up Google translate. Should not take that long to pull up. It did take some time for us to receive our food because of the ongoing event, that's understandable. They're also severely understaffed, so they didn't expect a multitude of people coming in after 8 pm. For every table that left, it seemed like 5 groups of people would come. We ordered a variety of food to try. Food portions were very generous and huge. Prices were very fair for what you get, but what they charge in person is different from their website prices. Be aware of that. Service was lacking, we had to keep flagging down someone. However, it could be different if it was on another day. FYI, there is a 12% sales tax in addition to the 3% surcharge. Not sure why the sales tax is so high since I've eaten at other restaurants in that area. Unfortunately, I'll have to give them a 3 out of 5 due to the price disparities (in person from online), high sales tax, and mediocre service. -hot tea 3 - good tea and they offer you a nice selection of different flavors. However, $5 is so much for just hot water and a tea packet. -red borscht with dumplings 5 - traditional Polish soup. It's red beet soup with meat dumplings. Dumplings were very good. Meat wasn't dry. -potato pancakes 5 - crispy and moist. Good flavor. -pork hock 5 - ridiculously tender and juicy. Cuts off the bone easily. Star of the show. -pork shoulder 3.5 - it was sizzling when I received it but the meat seemed to be kind of tough. I usually like my meat tender but this one seemed a little overcooked. I just took some screen shots to show their official website prices are $2 cheaper than what they charge in person.

    Piotr S.

    The best Polish restaurant in the City! The food? Incredible. The pierogi were soft, flavorful, and clearly handmade--especially the potato and cheese ones, which melted in my mouth. The bigos (hunter's stew) was hearty and rich, with just the right balance of tang and spice. What really stood out, though, was the attention to detail. Every dish was beautifully presented, and you could tell the chefs take real pride in their craft. The portions were really BIG, and everything tasted fresh and well prepared. The staff were incredibly friendly, warm, and attentive--something that made the entire dining experience even more memorable. You can tell they truly care about their guests.

    Zapiekanka
    Kristena R.

    Really nice restaurant- the interior and decor is absolutely beautiful. Service was awesome! The food was really good and prices are very reasonable. We came on Wednesday and we had no idea until we got the check that they do crazy Wednesdays and it's $10 off the bill! I ordered pierogis and they were decent! Especially liked the potato and cheese ones. The Zapiekanka was delicious! We plan on returning!

    Pork cutlet with eggs, cheese, and mushrooms and potatoes.

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Very delicious food, great ambiance and service, the best polish food around - like how Babcia would make it!

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Amazing portions of freshly made, excellently flavored food. Our first Polish food experience. Definitely going back.

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Marcin he is the best man on restaurant Amazing food on service . Piękne wystroj restauracji jedzienie pyszne i atmosfera najlepsza

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    2 years ago

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    Sylwia P.

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    2 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Marcin was our server and he was personable. Food was great as always. I had the beef goulash and it was delicious.

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Authentic, delicious and great service! We got the sampler platter and the goulash with potato pancake both were so delicious!

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Great ambience and food. Staff was very courteous and explained the food options very well.

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Everything was TOP NOTCH. First time here and everything was excellent. A must try! We will be back to see Kasia. Thank you!!!

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    6 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Great food, warm atmosphere, and amazing service! Ilona was so sweet and made our experience even better. Highly recommend!

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    3 years ago

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    Page 3 of 13

    Bacowka Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Bacowka

    Do they take reservations?

    Hello Yes, we are taking reservations;)

    Do they offer catering?

    Yes

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    We started with two soups. The sour rye soup was tangy and savory, with small pieces of kielbasa,…read moretwo egg halves, and a sprig of dill on top. The red beet soup had a clear red broth with no pieces inside, and was accompanied by a meat croquette. This was my first time having a Polish croquette, and I would say that it tasted more like an egg roll than a Japanese croquette: less greasy, with a significant quantity of minced filling. Then came the main attraction: the special for two, a sampler of Poland's biggest hits. The potato pancakes and breaded chicken were golden brown and had a slightly crisp crust. The pierogies were shaped quite like some Chinese dumplings I've had, but the filling was unmistakably Polish. The stuffed cabbage had a generous amount of meat and came in a hearty tomato broth. The kielbasa had very good taste and texture. The bacon-wrapped plum was something I had never heard of before, but it was quite tasty.

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    U Gazdy - great polish beer

    U Gazdy

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    We were in town visiting friends. Everyone food was delicious. Beers where cold and tasty. Service…read morefantastic! The only complaint was the chairs and bench seats are horribly uncomfortable.

    The food is delicious! We ordered the potato cheese pierogis for our appetizer. You get 10 pierogis…read moreso it was plenty for us to share. They were perfect and better than other places I've tried. I ordered the white borsch soup and the stuffed cabbage with mushroom sauce and dumplings. This was my first time trying both of these dishes. The white borsch soup was so savory and I really enjoyed the combination of sausage and hard boiled eggs with the broth. The stuffed cabbage was better than I expected, and that mushroom sauce was so good! My friend ordered it with the tomato sauce and that was very good as well. The dumplings were amazing paired with the sauce. The atmosphere is super cozy! I loved it. It feels like you're in a log cabin. Great ambiance. Service was excellent. Our waitress was very sweet and friendly. Overall, I would highly recommend this polish restaurant! It's been located in the same spot in Wood Dale as long as I can remember, and I'm glad I finally gave it a try. It's also conveniently located right next door to Helen's Deli, a polish deli that sells polish sausages, breads, spreads, and other polish foods. Great experience!

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    14.9 mi

    Fantastic place. One of the best restaurants in the area and Glenview is very lucky to have it…read more It's very neat and classy inside. We ordered pierogi's on a Friday night and they were incredible. We ordered a plate of half potato and cheese and half spinach and mozzarella. They were simply just amazing. If I have to be super super picky, though, the potato and cheese pierogis tasted only a slightly bit doughy, but it was still great and I'm planning on paying Smetana multiple visits in the future.

    Service - 3/5. Can you not see that I'm dying on this date?! Why is service so slow when we're the…read moreonly ones here? Guy said chicken in stuff cabbage which was wrong (date doesn't eat other meats). Missed when we ordered chicken schwarma warp. Mistook 'hot coffee' and somehow brought out raspberry coulis alcoholic drink?! Give that kid a coffee or multivitamins! Food - 5/5 Pierogi plate - selection of different fillings, boiled or pan-fried Polish platter - sausage, perogis, stuffed cabbage roll, potato pancakes with sour cream and mustard, served with creamy tomato-based sauce or the other sauce. Chicken shwarma wrap - delicious. mostly filled with mozzerella cheese and crunchy vegetables, seared in panini press. I would not describe this as schwarma wrap whatsoever. Coffee came out with 3 sugar cubes on the side of the tea cup. The hygienic part of me is screaming. Doesn't it make more sense to use a sugar bowl?

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