Amazing food! Also probably the best server I have ever had. Full of information about Bulgaria and suggestions for ordering. Everything was fresh. The atmosphere was fun as well! Everyone is happy! Definitely going back and sent some of our friends. read more

Don't know how else to say it, here it is. Mediocre food, horrible service! They had the nerve to automatically add an 18% tip to the bill. read more

This is the most authentic Bulgarian cuisine you will find. They have everything Bulgarian you would need in the menu. We ate shopska salata, purzheni kartofi sus sirene, sirene po shopski and mlyako sus oriz and meat platter. It was all delicious and authentic. Whenever I'm in Chicago this is a must stop. Wish there was one of these in the Bay Area. read more

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The portions, the food, the restaurant vibe, the staff! All of it 5 starts! PS leave room for the mascarpone homemade cake and cappuccino and espresso! PHENOMENAL!!!! read more

You know when you walk into a place where you're the only one not speaking the native language of the place, its probably going to be good. This Bulgarian enclave didn't disappoint. Although there was a slight language barrier, they made me feel welcome - to the point of sharing a shot of Raki and talking about all the places I need to visit when I travel to Bulgaria. I don't know what I ordered, only that it had chicken and hard sausage, grilled onions and mushrooms and that it was amazing. I washed it down with an ice cold Zargorka. Great experience! read more

Randomly stumbled into this place as I never had Bulgarian food before. No idea what to expect. Been back a few times in last year. Good service, good and flavorful food, nice decor, generous portions at fair price, menu with pictures. Staff willing to help describe and suggest dishes. only con is confusing parking lot and always full. read more

Good food and large menu with a broad selection of meat and fish to choose from. First I want to say I've never had Bulgarian food so I'm glad their menu was really easy with English descriptions and pictures of each dish so I know exactly what I'm getting. Portions are large for a majority of the entrees, so if you aren't a big eater, I highly encourage sharing. Prices are good for the amount of food you get. Because of how large entrees are, might be best to share and do these meals family style. I had the grilled octopus which was delicious, I'll be back to have it again. I ate it with a house salad and a side of pita bread. I want to have the fish next time. Overall great selection of food, wish I had room for dessert, but I just couldn't. Parking situation can be tight and they have a one person bathroom. Service can be slow and not all good may come out together. Overall still a good experience. Will be back to try more dishes. read more

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My first time visit & such a nice surprise. Nice interior design , clean and cozy place. Ordered some lamb soup , szopska salad , beef and pork ( dont remember the name) and everything was very good . Reasonable prices and nice service. Highly recommended read more

So my friend preferred food and we all got our food but my friend Disney they said that they forgot to put the food in the grill.

If you've never had Bulgarian food, well, think of it as typically central European fare meets Turkish food. (I think that's quite an adequate description.) Yes, you'll find sausages that remind you of Germany, and onion/pepper combos that put you in mind of Hungary, but you'll also find yogurt sauces, pastries, and flavoring agents of all types that make you wonder if, in fact, you might not be eating food from Ankara, or even Athens. We had good service here, but it was spotty at times. Parking was a ROYAL BITCH. (They really need to expand their parking here.) Huge entrees -- very rich, very filling. read more

I can't believe this place. First of all it is not the cleanest place. Luckily it was nice weather so we could sit outside. Bathroom- you don't want to go there. There were four of us and we ordered lot of food. Only appetizers were really good. Other than that it was terrible. Even we placed order together, food was coming out in some weird order. We got French fries at the same time as we did our appetizers. Then every ten to fifteen minutes we were each getting our plates. Grilled calamaris were chewy and burnt, vegetables were not even edible, the rest of the food tested as microwaved leftovers. Couldn't wait to just get our check and leave. I gave 2 stars for appetizers, they were awesome (cheese bites with berry jam and potato croquets really good). Will not go back. read more

Parking: Park at the strip mall at the corner of Lee and Algonquin. The liquor store next door and strip mall across the street have pretty aggressive tow-away signs. The food was great and good service, too. The Cake Mehanata...best cake of any kind I've had in a long time! read more

I came back to Des Plaines for the first time in over a year. I was in the neighborhood and wanted to meet up with a friend for dinner. We tried to go to Euro Grill (out of business - dammit) and then Chef of Siam (also gone - double dammit), so I suggested we try Mehanata (fingers crossed) before giving up and going to one of the dozens of Mexican restaurants that dot Lee Street. So I think I've figured out the trick to this place. For me a number of the menu items are hit or miss, but once you know what the good stuff is then you don't have to worry about whether or not what you're served will make your taste buds dance. I highly recommend the shopska salad, fried feta cheese (called sirene orly, I think, but I learned it as sirene pane), lamb soup and the specialty roasted lamb. I think the pork and other items from the grill (skara) can be too dry sometimes, and I'm not a fan of the kufta, so if you steer clear of those you should be fine. The atmosphere is great. I happen to have a love-hate relationship with Chalga music (aka turbofolk), which they play slightly louder than they probably should and show the videos up on a large screen. If you love big fake boobies then you'll be in heaven. But if you can get past the wailing of half naked women and euro-stylin' men then I think you'll be able to take in the beauty of the actual restaurant. The entire bar is made of wood, they have large pillars that encase each booth and beautiful old fashioned tables with ethnic earthenware and tablecloths. Outside now showcases a glorious patio that is open when the weather permits. read more

Mehanata! No, not the famed 'Bulgarian Bar' on NYC's Lower East Side. I'm talking about the Bulgarian restaurant right here in Des Plaines. Like most Balkan restaurants, the menu is very meat-centric. Though, I wasn't expecting the menu to be so.... long! A bit difficult to navigate but I felt right at home once I landed on the mixed grill section. I ordered the combination mixed grill (chicken and pork) and settled in with a glass of their house red wine (a tad bit too sweet for me). The mixed grill was ridiculously huge (great if you're going straight home after-- you'll have another two meals) and so very good. Sausages, uncased meats similar to cevapi, a chicken breast, a hunk of meat resembling a hamburger... this had it all! The meat was well-seasoned as I was gulping water for hours afterward. But that's how I like it: salty! I also tried a bite of the red-pepper burek (super!). To round out any good Balkan meal, you should opt for the Turkish coffee and crepes to finish. I tried a bite of these 'pancakes' with honey and was met with a rush of exceptionally sweet honey. One bite was all I needed though my friend polished them off. Service is a bit hands-off as with most European restaurants, though our server was certainly accessible and friendly. She didn't get that I wanted to sub my fries for salad, but I guess you're not getting an entirely authentic experience unless you're met with a language barrier. Take note of the awesomely cheesy Euro pop videos-- they're like a train wreck, just can't take my eyes off the screen! Nice-sized patio, too. read more

Food is OK. Service is slow, which is normal for a Bulgarian restaurant in general. The worst thing about this place is that they think the place is a club on the weekends. So you get food and you try to talk to your friends, just like in a normal restaurant, but at 10:00pm some guy pretending to be a DJ starts blasting extremely loud 'bulgarian redneck' music. Nobody can hear nobody, so people just try to finish their food and leave quickly... read more

Im a little biased because Im Bulgarian but my boyfriend isnt and we both agree that the food was excellent and so was the atpmosphere (especially if you sit outside). Sure the protions were kind of big but they were served on auhentic handmade ceramic plates and bowls which in it of itself is a luxury since they have to import all of those from craftsmen in Bulgaria, and no two plates are the same. As a fellow country men i felt that their food selection was authentic for the most part and would feel proud to bring an American friend and introduce this as our culture! I recommend it to every one, the only thing I think you should do to enhance the experience is to just bring a Bulgarian with you just in case the translating gets hard! read more

The food and the atmosphere are amazing. The service is beyond excellent. It was our second time doing a girls dinner with my friends. We will continue to come back to this gem of a restaurant. read more

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

The prospect of an entirely unknown type of ethnic cuisine enticed me out to the NW Suburban Dinner at Mehanata last week. I greatly enjoy Turkish food, Greek food, and Hungarian food, and Bulgaria lies in between all of them (apologies to the Romanians and various Balkan peoples, whose cuisines I have not been privileged to try). New to me, but ancient in the context of modern European food, as Mike O. pointed out in his event posting, Bulgarian food seems entirely unique. The restaurant seemed rustic and homey, and the waitstaff had thick accents and English shortcomings, so I take this to be a good sign of authenticity. The menu is immense, but it also seemed as if they were out of several items (including fried eggplant and lentil soup). After about fifteen minutes hopelessly perusing the book, er, menu, I finally made my choices: cabbage salad and chicken vreteno. Out came the salad: a large bowl of finely shredded cabbage, some carrot shavings, and parsley. Bone dry. Huh? I was hoping for some kind of traditional salad. Hmm, well I kicked into problem-solving mode and examined the table. What's this? Red wine vinegar? And this--olive oil! Okay, drizzle drizzle drizzle, sprinkle some pepper, voila. I ate that whole bowl of cabbage the size of my head, and with that simple dressing, it tasted pretty good. The chicken vreteno was a very pleasant surprise. The menu didn't say anything but the ingredients: ham, pickles, mushrooms, red peppers, cheese, and eggplant. That sounded good to me, and when I placed my order, the waitress nodded and said "Is good," which I took to be a great sign. It's a chicken breast rolled up with all the ingredients inside, and presumably baked, then fried (there was a light crust of some kind). It was absolutely delicious. We were eager to see if there was eggplant since poor Michael G. got stonewalled on his fried eggplant order, but it wasn't there so it looks like they were playing us straight. Along with this meat-strosity was a big pile of...french fries and a mushroom gravy. Unexpected for sure, but I have to say that they were damn good fries; and being the fastidious eater that I am, I enjoyed pairing one gravy-soaked fry from the bottom of the pile with one pristine, crispy fry from the top of the pile to make one perfectly (texturally and gustatorily) balanced bite. Stuffed full of cabbage, meat, cheese, and potatoes, I wasn't about to pass up dessert. I got the Bulgarian "pancakes" which are really just like crepes, only soaked in honey, wrapped up with walnuts and honey, and topped with more honey. I'm lucky that I didn't die of the sugar shakes on the drive home. Delicious, but way too sweet to eat the whole plate, so I shared with my fellow Yelpers. A nice end to a wonderful evening of great food and great company. read more

I took a customer here on a dreary February day, they have many signs in front, with arrows pointing to which lot you should be towed from, parked in, beat up, etc. I opted to park in the middle of the lot adjacent to the restaurant and my customer did the same. The inside is rustic and quite nice. I like it, it seems like someone took a backyard or a garden of some Bulgarian dignitary and attached a restaurant to it. Long rectangular bar surrounds the area. There are a number of HUGE tables that could easily sit 6-10 people, and some oddly shaped rectangular tables where we opted to sit. All the food had easy to understand descriptions and pictures which I loved because I hate ordering stuff and not knowing what it is. "Oh yeah, the Krepkaskis sound great! What is in them" "Cheese, stew, pigeon, borscht, krakas and pikakis" Mmmm, that sounds good, I'll have that. I got some kind of chicken and fries with vegetables dish and my custy got the huge skewers of pork and chicken. Served in kind of an X shape with chopped tomatoes and lemon underneath. I admit I filled up on bread and a lukewarm lentil soup, I wish it was a bit warmer, not scalding, but, at least steaming. The food was good, nothing too crazy, but i noticed the abundance of fries on the menu, served various ways, with cheese on them and other things. Appetizers seemed to be a theme here as well, where you could essentially make your entire meal out of them. I think that is what I will do next time. Another interesting note, you can buy an entire bottle of booze like you were at a night club, here in this bar / restaurant. That was unique. read more

We went there few weeks ago for the first time. My first impression was that I liked the etno ambient although there was a house music instead of some traditional Bulgarian one. The food was so so, not seasoned very we'll, we added salt and pepper literally to everything we ordered: the soup, the salad, the meat. Anyway, the prices were affordable and the portions were big. At the end our server asked us if we could leave the table cause there is a reservation. Very rude. read more

Bulgarian cuisine is not something you find on every corner in Chicago, like Chinese, Italian or Mexican. I wish I had known what to order, but made the mistake of taking my young waiters suggestion and ordering the pork meatball stuffed with cheese. It was very salty and greasy. My dinner companion ordered fish, but ended up with a bone stuck in her throat and had to go to the ER to have it removed. We did enjoy the fried yoghurt. The side dish I got, with big chunks of tomato, cucumber and french fries with shredded feta, was excellent. If we come again I'll try the chicken in the clay pot. It was kind of cool that so many of the other diners were Bulgarian, and were there with their families. Also, the prices were very reasonable. read more

I definitely recommend checking this place out. The staff was friendly and the food was great, even for a vegetarian. I was able to try a lot of things since our table ordered a variety. But for myself I ordered the Shopska salad which was excellent! I also tried the fried zucchini, the Mish Mash (from the breakfast page), the french fries with cheese, and a Bulgarian beer. Everything was perfect! And if you're adventurous and eat meat there are a lot of interesting traditional Bulgarian things to try! read more

Lets start off by saying I was a little hesitant to come here based on the outside. Boy was I wrong. The parking is not ideal but it is definitely worth the walk. My friend and I had never eaten Bulgarian food before but we were highly satisfied with our meal!! The server was very polite and provided excellent service. The food was beyond delicious and I will be back again! read more

Restaurant Mehanata - Chicken and pork combination and the lamb meal!! - Modern European Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

Awesome authentic Bulgarian food. So many choices! The menu is huge and it is so hard to pick. We ended up doing mostly appetizers this time but will be back to try everything. The fries with shredded Bulgarian feta were magical. The fried cheese bites with jam were similarly awesome. Spread both in the grilled bread for a taste of heaven. The peppers Burek were good but you need to eat them as soon as they come out. The dill sauce that was served with them was oh so good. We had a yogurt dip that was great with the fresh grilled bread that was served. The sausage we had was grilled crispy. Yum. The cappuccino was perfect for dessert. We also for some cake to go which was tasty. Service was great. Will be back again to try more of their awesome menu. read more

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There is no Meh in Mehanata! Came here this week with my daughter for a leisurely lunch. Definately a different dining experience. I ordered this salad which was out of this world. My daughter had a chicen cesar wrap, which was in a tortilla! Good but different. The ohly thing is the drinks ARE Meh! read more

Food is delicious and atmosphere is charming and homey. It really feels like you're eating home cooked food at grandma's house in Eastern Europe. However, don't expect the same kind of service you would at a comparable American restaurant. The waiters really take their time and there are miscommunications with them often - for example when my cousin asked for a cup of soup and they brought her soup in a Sam Adams lager glass. Overall a good time, great food, but the service tests your patience. read more

Restaurant Mehanata - Asked for a cup of soup. Received soup in Sam Adams lager glass. Soup still tasted good. - Modern European Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

Bottom Line: -To optimize your experience at this place, go there with a Bulgarian. The menu is a little vague, the waitstaff speaks English...but not always fluently. A Bulgarian person will be able to explain things, and when they aren't sure, they can ask the detailed questions in Bulgarian that you would never be able to convey in English. -The food is good and authentic. I've been to Bulgaria, and find it to be like the foods served on Mama or Baba's (mom or grandma's) dinner table. Bulgarian cuisine uses flavors and foods that are uncommon in American cuisine...having that in mind and going to the restaurant with a desire to try new things will be a must. -I am not a girl who enjoys unconventional meats / parts to eat. But, I do respect that people love and enjoy these delicacies, and as long as they aren't forcing it down my throat, I should not mind them. If you are a person of adventure, you can find things like tripe (intestine) soup, fried cow tongue, Tsa Tsa (little tiny sardine-like fish that are fried up- heads, scales, bones and all), liver / kidney bits, etc. -This place is loud and lively. (EXTREMELY BUSY ON WEEKENDS FOR LUNCH AND DINNER). The decor reminds you of the rustic balkans and is very inviting. The projection TV that constantly plays Chalga (Bulgarian Pop Folk) music with women dancing in skimpy clothing can get on your nerves, but if you are eating with a group of great people, this won't matter. - Mehanata literally means Tavern, I have been told. :) If you are looking to try some Bulgarian Beer or Brandy....they certainly have this! read more

Went there on a Saturday afternoon. Service slowed to a crawl as the afternoon progressed, but there appeared to be one waitress, so what can you expect? I ordered a sach, a dish prepared in a clay pot with pork. Expected pork tenderloin, but instead the cuts in my serving appeared to have been snatched out of a pot of strips of pork that were well on there way to being rendered into chicharrones...tough, overcooked, chunks of fat in the mix. The dish also contained sausage, which honestly, I have bitten into beef jerky that was more tender. I could manage to eat only a quarter of the serving, took the rest home. I should have sent it back and not paid for it. It sits in my refrigerator and I'm trying to figure out how I might salvage this $40+ meal into something edible. read more

You need to find a new chef!!! Not a bad review, just a recommendation.... I've been there many times and some times its good some times its bad...... read more

Traditional balkanic food with great ambient. Enjoying labor day weekend here with good friends. Combination plate is a great way to sample a taste of Balkan, also try the rakija or zhuta Osa as well . Great times read more

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

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My first time Bulgarian food and it was amazing. The atmosphere is so authentic and the food was everything I'd hoped it would be. If you are looking for "local" but something off the norm this is the place. The dishes are authentic and all looked amazing. Can't wait to come back read more

Pointedly stopped at this restaurant while visiting Chicago and the 'burbs. My daughter was born in Bulgaria and wanted to reconnect. We were delighted with the experience. The food was very good. We split a shopska salad and bacon wrapped feta appetizer, followed that with a chicken and pork mixed grill and topped it off with baklava. This was way too much for the three of us and, since we were traveling, we had to begrudgingly leave a bit behind. All was delicious and the experience was great as well. The staff are all Bulgarian ex pats who chat in Bulgarian. The decor and food matched what we saw in Bulgaria 12 years ago. My daughter's only disappointment was the American pop music they were playing rather than Bulgarian. That, too, was just as it was in Bulgaria. read more

We wandered over a couple of nights ago to check out the patio. They've done a nice job with the outdoor space, but you can't help but notice you're still on Lee St. Restaurant Mehanata was quite the social scene on a Monday night -- everyone seemed to know each other, or at least be pleased to find each other there. We didn't know anyone and we only speak English, so we felt a little miscellaneous, but not uncomfortable or unwelcome. We ordered a roasted red pepper & parsley salad (lovely, definitely sized for two or more) and two dinners: chicken with a mushroom olive pickle sauce and mashed potatoes, and pork rolled with ham, cheese, peppers, pickles and a mushroom sauce with fries. Neither of us have been to Bulgaria so we can't really comment on authenticity. But it seemed like a typical neighborhood European restaurant: not terribly ambitious, but comforting and certainly competent. The people seemed nice. We stole a glance at the inside too, and it looked very cozy-- this could be a pleasant place to hang out in the plentiful colder months. Prices were quite reasonable. $35 before tip including a couple of Pilsners Urquell. read more

Pleasantly surprised to find this restaurant. It was late, like 10:30pm on a Monday night, right before they closed. Regardless of this, the smoked fish and vegetable clay pot were delicious. It was a relief to find good food (not just junk food like many late-night places) when we are just arriving from the airport in Chicago. Would highly recommend to fellow travelers and everyone passing through the area north of O'Hare, I'm confident you will find it a warm and proper welcome to Chicago. read more

Highly recommend ,the food quality is better then most of the restaurants in area! The service is always great, servers are friendly and welcoming every single time ,that me and my wife walk in. Prices are great as well ,it is hard to find such a good food for the prices they have! Thanks. read more

Wanted to try Bulgarian food and took my Mom. Tried the mozzarella sticks which ate lightly breaded and very tasty. For the main dish ordered the meweha ckapa which is a mixed grill plate of pork and chicken. The dish came with a cucumber and tomatoes. Was very pleases by the ambience, wait staff and quality of food. Will return in the future and try the mycaka. Next time will try dessert as well, cake Bulgaria was recommended. read more

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

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I love Mehanata - I eat there at least once a week!The food is delicious and always fresh! They have various daily lunch specials which include a soup, a freshly made entree and a decadent dessert, such as their signature cake. The staff is also always attentive and friendly. Try some authentic Bulgarian food - their grill meats are outstanding. For game-lovers, there are several TVs including a giant projector! read more

Restaurant Mehanata - Fries, beer and basketball. Yum! - Modern European Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

Yum. Tried a bunch of different thing on the menu, including dessert, and all were great. Eastern European that's worth a visit.

We started with yoghurt balls and the stuffed peppers. The stuffed peppers were better in my opinion. Youghurt balls had too much of youghurt for my taste, would have liked more bread and lesser filling. The stuffed pepper was good, but I think all of these items had a lot of cream/cheese. It could have been lesser, so as to not overpower the other things involved. We ordered a side of frech fries - these were really delicious and well-seasoned, fresh and crisp. Really some of the best fries I have had in a long time. We ordered country side chicken for entree - sauteed chicken and veggies, which was just ordinary. Lot of Oil. We finished with biscotti cake - which was decent. Overall - not worth the hype. Prices were very reasonable in my opinion and staff are friendly. But as mentioned service was slow and not that great. Bulgarian - for me is just one time affair :) But I liked that they had a projector and something was on screen. read more

Oh wow!!!! I've never had Bulgarian food. Gotta say, I loved it! My family and I tried a little bit of everything. Anything with the cheese is amazing! The cuisine is mostly meat based. I didn't have anything bad here. I would definitely come back and definitely love it all over again!!!! read more

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