Great food and service. Loved the patio out back, nice relaxing ambiance. Definitely worth a try and be back.

Portions here at this place are humongous and very old school. traditional Macedonian / Bulgarian food it does remind me of the old country . Love the kofte so homemade Kasha read more

I am giving this place 1 star because I cannot give 0. My friend and I went in there for a casual afternoon drink and some food. Despite the fact that the place wasn't too busy it took them 15 minutes to bring us menus. But the real issue was that after giving us menus, the server never showed up again. We tried to ask other servers to place an order but to no avail. 25 MINUTES later we left. On the way out we saw 4 servers standing by the bar chatting. Our server looked at us with relief without even considering to ask what is wrong. I have been in there before, their service is okay at best but this has never been this bad. I'll keep my distance and my business from this place and its mentality. read more

Very good place! Me and my friends go there very often - the food is always good and the service is nice. I love the patio summer time, can't wait to be open again this summer! read more

Excellent selection of eastern bloc foods. A bit of slow service on a quiet Sunday night, the the food was fantastic and Nadya was very nice. Will definitely return. read more

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

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Stopped here today for the first time . Ordered the pita bread to come out with our meal and a side of fries to go with the pleskavitza . They brought the bread out first and a few minutes later the fries . So basically I'm sitting here waiting to have cold fries with our main dish . Being from Serbia , I ordered the pleskavitza thinking authentic Balkan food right ? Wrong ! More like Tex mex hamburger . Didn't know Balkan seasonings included a heaping dose of chili powder and cumin . Please please please don't go here if you are looking for authentic Balkan food . Spent $100 on lunch for 2 that I will never get back and tossed 95% of the food we ordered . read more

Who would think you can find a Balkan restaurant in suburban Chicago. This place, though hidden a bit, is very good. We wanted a lighter meal and was able to find a grilled seafood salad and grilled octopus salad along with some garlic chicken as an appetizer. All the flavors are bold though one might find it a bit salty. That and a service that was a bit slow is the reason why I went with 4 instead of 5 stars. If near the airport and looking for food a bit more interesting, this place is quite good. read more

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Visited for the first time on October 18, 2021. Everything we ordered was delicious, generous, and very fairly priced. Service was pleasant (friendly but not at all pushy). The dining areas are spacious and attractive. The menu is extensive and all dishes looked even better when they arrived than on the menu. Not a place for a quick meal, but for an enjoyable one. read more

The food itself is really good, and plentiful for the money. The staff is polite and generally hospitable. That said, all of that seems to matter less when 45 minutes pass and your food hasn't arrived yet! Indeed, the one weak point of Balkanika's experience is waiting for your dinner. Lest one suggests that it's because of busy nights, I would have to point out that the restaurant won't even be at quarter capacity. Once, our table waited a little over an hour. Again, the food is good, and the seating environment is what brings us back. If the establishment can serve the food within a reasonable time frame, though, I'd be happy to improve the score. read more

Yesterday October 16 I was dinning at this restaurant, once my daughter asked to go use the restrooms what I witness no person should, the cook was in the bathroom same time as us once she was by the sink I looked at her why she didn't use any soap just to realize that she still had her gloves on, she splashed a little water on her hands with her gloves on and continued about her day. Once I got upfront there was no manager on duty I let the bartender know he said I think she is the dishwasher I turn around asking him and his point was. Than he realized and said I know it's messed up. I left my number with him to have the manger call me. Few hours later Daniela reached out to me saying that she was the manger and she can't excuse the employee telling me you can do what you want i am just reaching out to you to cover my bases. This whole experience was mind blowing I hope this review opens the eye to every costumer to not dine there specially during a pandemic with Covid-19 and there staff acting like that, simply disgusted by their action. read more

We came upon this place by chance because we were staying at a nearby hotel the night before a flight out of OHare. Great food, wonderful service and so much fun to be dining with a bunch of friendly Bulgarians! It felt like an evening in Europe. read more

Balkanika Restaurant - This was the small serving of Sach-a grill of pork, chicken, bacon, lots of veggies, potatoes and topped with cheese. - Modern European Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

This place is one of the BEST! The owners Danielle and Georgi are great along with their wonderful staff and fantastic atmosphere. Oh and the food is phenomenal!! Thank you for having such an awesome place!!! read more

Went here first time with my girlfriend and her family after church on a Sunday. By far the worst experience I've had at a restaurant. Although the service wasn't to bad but not the best and food was okay. Multiple children where on the loose, yelling,screaming and playing hide and seek. Group of parents didn't seem to care about the guests at the other tables who where being bothered by it. Also I requested to speak to a manager and was told he/she wouldn't be in till 3pm. Who leaves a restaurant unintended and does not have the proper staff to accommodate the guests needs?The parking lot is also littered with cigarette buds left by wanna be tough guys leaning on their broke down BMWs looking at you with a bitter face as you try and avoid the clouds of smoke as you're walking to the front door. Left the restaurant with a head ache. Never will go again even if you paid me. read more

Absolutely love this place, it's a mix of old world and modern atmosphere. I came here for the 1sr time for a birthday party and have been here multiple times ever since. The service is great, they have a large menu selection and everything I've tried so far is delicious. I've ordered the pork and chicken skewers many times and I love the presentation. read more

The food and service were excellent, however, Covid guidelines were not being enforced amongst customers. Customers coming and going did not have masks on and neither did the children running all over the restaurant. But employees did. My husband and I make sure we do what is necessary and required, but I feel like I need to get a Covid test ASAP. read more

A place where you wait 30min to clean the table,20min for a weiter to come ,30min so he can bring you the drinks,than sditional 20 mjnutes so he can bring you silverware so you can eat the meal you got before.And than we asked for water an waited exactly 28 so he can bring it and forgot half of our order.And i looked st the watch toncount the minutes.I am not kidding i hope they run out of buissiness. read more

great place, especially the outdoor seating area

Great place with a large menu, including many vegetarian options. The food is delicious, and we liked both the service and the ambiance. I would definitely recommend the pastries and cappuccino, as well as the shopska salad. read more

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I came here on a Friday late afternoon with my co-workers and we sat at the bar. The bartender was so helpful with the menu since a handful of my co-workers had never had Bulgarian food. We loved everything we ordered. The Balkan style meats, the stuffed mushrooms, and the fries with feta cheese were my favorites. The last time I visited, I tried the chicken hearts and grilled calamari, and I really liked those dishes as well. The bartender also made us various shots that were delicious. Balkanika is a great addition to Des Plaines. The food is unique and flavorful and the service is great. This restaurant has become one of my favorite local spots! read more

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I love this place. We order 15 things like feta cheese salad, sausage, shredded feta cheese fries, more salads, chicken hearts, ect. It is so authentic and delicious. Great for family and friends, and the DJ comes out around 10pm. It's very Eastern European but it's super fun and drinks are good. read more

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

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After 25min waiting for house chips which were on the menu on a Thursday afternoon at 4pm, chips still hadn't arrive...you tell me what kind of rating I should give...?? they also use cow milk for their feta instead of sheep or goat...not very Balkan-like for authenticity purposes read more

Not my first time here , but my current visit deserves a review. The owners of the place really updated the interior , now definitely looks well kept and modern . Food is good , cool music , not very crowded . A great place for a Saturday lunch , in otherwise very boring Des Plaines . Try the creamy cheese bites . Great starter read more

I've neved had any Bulgarian food before, so I cannot really say whether their food is actually good or bad. Although, I thought their food was decent, and they give big portions. HOWEVER, no one in this restaurant was taking Covid precautions. None of the employees are wearing masks. The servers are serving their customers with no masks at all. They even allow customers to come in without having a mask. And there are no social distancing between tables. read more

Great European place, my go to restaurant every time when I'm in chicago, food is great service is awesome too, the patio/bar in amazing during the summer months. Being from Bulgaria and living in Minneapolis, I really do miss Bulgarian food and this place helps out a lot with that. Try it out, you won't regret it..... read more

Great food quality with large menu. Attentive and friendly service. Great outdoor garden with spaced out seating. Strongly recommend this place! read more

Food was ok, but plentiful. Service was lackluster, but maybe this place is more welcoming for Bulgarians. read more

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Everything is delicious! Great service! Highly recommended! Portions are huge, well worth the price

The owner must not have been in last Sunday afternoon. When we pulled up there were rough looking people standing right outside the front door smoking and drinking. We walked through the restaurant passing in front of the bartender and another employee leaning against a table on his cell phone. There was 1 table occupied and the server there saw us but did not acknowledge we were there. There was a party out on the patio where more people were smoking. After 10 minutes without any service we left. This place was promising when it first opened and we did enjoy the food then. read more

This place represents the real bulgarian cuisine. They have a rich menu,awesome staff & great atmosphere! I absolutely love the stuffed mushrooms & the raw deserts they offer. If you go in the summer, you'll love their outdoor space which also has a bar. They hosted a party for me a couple of years ago & I couldn't have been happier with the food or the service. read more

I celebrated my birthday here and everything was delicious! We ordered the sauteed potatoes and it was a very generous portion, there were leftovers for the next day. I got the Seafood Mix dinner entree and it was honestly the best octopus I've ever had. Everything was cooked perfectly! We will be back. read more

Wonderful atmosphere, large menu, delicsious Bulgarian food, and some European twists. All reasonably priced. Great selection of Bulgarian brandys too. I wish they had Kamenitza beer but Zagorka is good too. read more

Great food! Best mici in chicago! I love that their menu has lots of pictures for dishes Im not familiar with. Lots of variety.

I loved this restaurant, everything was literally perfect. when going inside you can see that everything is very clean and organized, the environment and music was nice too. The staff was great, they came to check up and they were fast with orders and drinks too. The food was amazing, I give them 10/10 for the quality of the food and appearance. Everything was very delicious, I truly recommend it, you won't regret going there. read more

My friend and I sat at the bar a Sunday afternoon. The ambiance is nice and food is good. However, the service was poor. Not once were we asked if we needed anything even after our beer glass had been finished for over a half hour. read more

Decided to give it a try. The food is great no complaints except getting the order wrong. As far as service terrible. No we are not balgarian but still came as a well dressed European family and it was still horrible. So all the reviews that talk about race no it's like a lottery we picked a bad day. Made reservations a week in advance nothing was ready nothing set. Felt like it was a burden to ask the waitress for anything looked like she was in a bad mood. Not only did we get charged for an order we didn't receive we ordered a lamb and they brought pork for one of the family's meal. Although he didn't want it she made it impossible to say no saying if they had to fix it he's gonna have to wait a while. I insisted we can wait but she talked him into keeping it. She came up five times asking if it was ok and he didn't want to say anything even though he should have . When the bill came instead of comping the one meal they screwed up on and the other meal that they never even brought they charged double and said gratuity is in there. Thanks and I always tip on top I respect and worked in a restaurant atmosphere for a decade. This was a bad first experience as a group kinda sucks considering we where celebrating a triple birthday and would have spend three times as much money and even went to the bar afterward but everyone left unhappy only thing they said is great food terrible service. And might I add they where not busy one bit it was empty all around us. What a shame because their food really is good read more

Such a special place! Seriously delicious and authentic food; an interesting menu (so many new things to try!); great vegetarian and healthy options, in addition to fun, decadent fare; beautiful ambiance and quick service. I wish we lived here so we could go all the time! read more