DELICIOUS FOOD!!! My family and friends love eating here. The food is very authentic and delicious. Very clean and modern atmosphere. Out of all the Lithuanian places we eat at, this restaurant is our number 1 spot. Service is also always good for us, I think the people who leave negative reviews don't understand that Lithuanians have a different attitude when it comes to service, they don't tend to check up on your table every five minutes because they allow you to eat and enjoy your food. That's just our culture. But this place is fantastic. 10/10 stars!!! read more

Ruta Cafe and Restaurant - Chicken Breast with Mushrooms / Vištienos Kepsnys Su Grybais - Modern European Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

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The decor is a unique modern blend with very unusual (large) chairs. The food was excellent. It was just prior to closing time so waitress was slightly distracted, but very cordial. She was extremely helpful while we were making a "Raguolis" cake and other purchases from the bakery shop. Pricing tends to be slightly better than other Lithuanian offerings in the area. read more

Appalling experience. Never got the chance to order food, and ended up finding excellent Indian cuisine next door at Priya's Kitchen! Took a menu from Ruta, had a friendly conversation with who appeared to be a relative of the owner about looking through what they had to offer, came back to the counter from the restroom only to be harassed for using it as a paying customer by who appeared to be the owner. A nutcase. While waiting outside for my Indian food on the sidewalk, at the side of the building, far from her establishment, that same crazy woman from Ruta actually came out to harass me some more, telling me she would call the police for WAITING ON MY INDIAN FOOD NEXT DOOR BECAUSE OF HER OBVIOUS LACK OF GUEST SERVICE and her actual hostility. Ridiculous place. I would have expected these Russians to be much more logical and reasonable with guests/paying customers. I had been excited to order, but will never order from this place and have already told many of my friends about it. read more

Food was exceptional, the portions were ok, the main dish could be a little more. Great customer service. So worth a try!

This is just an "ok" place to eat. Three of us showed up for lunch on a Tuesday and were the only ones in the restaurant. Our waitress was only semi-attentive to her only guests, but maybe she was working with the carry out orders. They seemed to have a lot of those going out. The food was good, but not stellar. I had the tenderloin with cabbage and potatoes at a $10 price point. My friend had the "crepes with meat" and said "it's good, but I've had better'. Next time, maybe I'll try something different, but use the carry out service. read more

Ruta Cafe and Restaurant - Front door - Modern European Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

Went with my kid , ordered mini wieners , got deep fried pieces of bologna. Waitress said that it is the same thing! Got nuggets instead, which came with still frozen inside fries!!! Just awful!!! read more

Ruta Cafe and Restaurant - Mini " wiener " - Modern European Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

It's the best Lithuanian food around. You'd think it was made in your grandmas kitchen. Staff is friendly . They do run out so better call to reserve some food for a pick up because closer to the end of the day you won't be able to get it. Yummy , my whole family love it ! read more

It's a Lithuanian restaurant located off the highway that serves traditional European style food. The prices are fairly reasonable and I had ordered a stuffed potato and it was delicious. The setting is pretty cozy and cute inside . read more

Ruta Cafe and Restaurant - Cepelinas - Modern European Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

Are you German. ??? Such a cold and rough interaction .. trying to be upscale and chic for no apparent reason . Zeppelins a gooey mess . Best soup just ok .. no napkins no utensils for a take out .. thanks a lot! read more

Excellent food and good service. Waitress was very honest because I actually way over tipped her by accident and she brought the money back to me. Decor was a bit..over the top read more

My 1st time there!!! Absolutely delicious food cooked the way it should be just like my Grandmother...I ordered the hot beet soup and stuffed cabbage rolls that came with potatoes. The potatoes were amazing! Great customer service but you need to understand that the girl in the deli also is the waitress for the restaurant. She was friendly and courteous. Ruta cafe is a hidden gem and I'll definitely visit again! read more

Ruta Cafe and Restaurant - Stuffed cabbage rolls with potatoes and sour cream - Modern European Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

Wish I would have seen the reviews before we came. Service was horrible!!!! Never again!!! And I am sure they don't care because from the reviews they have not made any changes. Horrible horrible service save yourself the aggravation and don't go. Food is fair at best! read more

no sausage and nonsense that if you order one portion, you cannot split them on two plates. What a yeah place. Trying to squeeze a penny. absolutely not appreciating clients. read more

Terrible value. Got the chicken kabobs ($12.99) which supposedly comes on a bed of rice with several accompaniments. Check out the pic of the reality read more

Ruta Cafe and Restaurant - Chicken kabob "platter" - Modern European Near Me - Westmont, Illinois

Last review....I meant "welcome with OPEN arms". LOL. I have arms. Food still very good. Digging the huge wooden "thrones" (chairs).

While we were dining at Ruta yesterday I kept telling my wife we needed to check the kitchen because I thought my grandmother might be back there. She wouldn't check for me. She doesn't like to join me on my misadventures. But that's not the point. This place has the best kugelis I've eaten since my grandma died. Well, I've made a pretty decent batch myself once or twice, but this place still does it better, and more authentic I would imagine too. We tried koldunai, kugelis and cepelinai. The latter which I would not recommend unless you've had it before. I kind of hate them, but most Lithuanians do not feel the same way. I'm broken, I guess. I think they're gluey and tasteless. However, they're very authentic, because I never liked my grandma's either. So if you want the real deal, get your Lugan butt over to Ruta! read more

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The only reason this place gets even 1 star is because the food is decent. The service here is horrible. It has to be the worst I have ever experienced in any restaurant. Being our first time here I though it might be shorthanded but from other reviews below it appears to be the norm. They seem more interested in running a carry out businees and some sort of shipping operation. hmmmmm. There were numerous people coming in and out with large boxes and weighting them to send out. Very much the atmospere killer. not to mention the lame techno music playing that was not relateable to anyone not from most places in the world. There was 1 person up front working the entire place and she was rude and very stuck up. She told us to pick any seat but all of the tables were dirty. So we ended up sitting at a large table near the "shipping area". we ordered our drinks and food after 20 minutes of nobody coming to us. The drinks showed up 50 munites later and the food after an hour. When I asked if the food was coming she very defensively turned on her heels and asked"what's that? Are you seriuos? Never an acknowledgement of the entire situation or an appology nothing. To top it off this rude babe seemed insulted she only got a 10% tip. She is lucky she ever got anything! My parents were born in Lithuania and I was raised in that environment. We were not taught to treat people this way. This bullcrap cafe concept does not fly here under this approach nor does your attitude on customer service. Take a look around other Lithuanian restaurants in the Willowbrook and Lemont areas and take a lesson from them. I have also dined plenty in Vilnius and Kaunas over the years and many places all over the world and have never seen such a lousy approach to people. I hope you are not the example of the current and future generation of our people. You are a disgrace to say the least! First and last time we will ever be back. If not for the Groupon I had I would have walked out after 15 minutes. It was not worth it. The only reason we stayed was that it was fun visiting with friends and talking about what a joke your place is. Get a clue and learn some manners!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

Food was ok, my grandmother made kugelis and usually put the bacon in the kugelis not here, it is a big clump on top. I feel unless you are full-blooded Lithuanian and speak it, you don't get very good service. Very militant read more

Not sure how the food is - each time we went there they were closing for a private party! Rude and snotty! Got there at 2:30 and their sign said open till 5. Never asked if they could offer us a carry-out or anything from deli. Just said " if you want to eat, come back tomorrow"! From the reviews, I can see that I'm not the only one who feels this way. I'll never go back! read more

5 and well deserved. Ordered Kvas, Pork Cutlets, Pork Shashlik and kids Chix Cutlets. Hidden gem in the area. Classy interior and polite staff. Will be back for sure read more

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What can one say for the best Lithuanian restaurant in Westmont,IL? To start with, it has excellent hours - open to 9 most weekdays, easy parking, a central location on Cass Avenue, high food quality, and decent portions. The interior is clean and warm - sort of Ikea meets Pottery Barn. They take credit cards, though prices are reasonable - the average entree does not exceed $10.00. The actual menu is printed in both Lithuanian and English, with the English sometimes needing a bit of explanation - like which meat is used in a dish or which vegetables are included on the side - but the waitress is very friendly and willing to answer any and all questions. The culinary offerings are not vegetarian or vegan friendly by any stretch of the imagination. Like most Batlic/Eastern European restaurants, the cuisine is heavy on meat, potatoes, pickled veggies, butter, and the like. With the exceptions of the cold salads and the kebabs, be prepared for the sort of very hardy and filling meal that knocks you out for the afternoon. While my co-workers will demote Ruta to a three star experience, I find the service to almost be refreshing in a way. We've never been rushed out and there has always been plenty of time to chat while waiting. That said, part of the table talk is always dedicated to the question of why does it take so long for your order to be taken, why the wait seems painfully long for your order, and why it takes so long to be presented with your check at the end of the meal. I am assuming a lot of it has to do with things being freshly prepared and being lightly staffed. Oh well, it doesn't bug them enough to not return - and so we do, to again ponder the intricacies of the best Lithuanian place in town. read more

Imported European chocolates!! Chicken kabobs were moist flavorful and wonderfully seasoned.

First off I have NO CLUE why this place is listed under Barbeque Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Barbeque. Ok I was HAPPY to see a Lithuanian restaurant SO close to my house. My father is part Lithuanian so I am familiar with some of the foods. Yummo!! I thought they gave BIG portions for a great low price!! I don't think there was anything over $10.00. The waitress we had was nice. It is in a little strip mall off of Cass Avenue. Clean, simple interior. Small place but it was nice and quiet when I went for lunch. I like how their menu is in English and in Lithuanian. Pretty cool! :) I will def give them another go when I am not watching my carbs. read more

There is nothing not to like here. We started with mushroom soup and all rolled our eyes in ecstasy over the light cream base thick with mushrooms, diced potatoes, shredded carrot, onion, and herbs. Just pure gustatory delight. The children had chicken skewers and macaroni, which had an almost imperceptible cream w/carrot sauce, absolutely delicious. The five-yr-old proclaimed the chicken "a-MAZ-ing," with its delicate breading, and both orders were inhaled. Made the adults wish to sample the kids' menu! The adults' entrées were headline worthy. Juicy, flavorful sausage with out-of-this-world kraut loaded with carrot and bits of meat graced one plate. Two crispy, saucer-sized potato pancakes filled with succulent pork and topped with cubes of bacon came garnished with a side of sour cream. However, the loveliest presentation was a pork cutlet with broasted potato wedges and red cabbage, garnished with tangy vinegar Cole slaw and cucumber slices, artistry on a plate. Our only other purchase was a beautiful bowl of beet salad topped with cucumber slices, as colorful as a Christmas ornament and far more flavorful. If you have not tried this place, what are you waiting for? We are definitely going back as soon as we can turn a wheel and expect to put Ruta on our rotation of regular stops. FABULOUS food, sweet folks. read more

Again, why is this listed under BBQ? haha It is a nice little nook, I have come here on occasion after biking at Waterfall Glen in the summer or when I need a change of scenery while studying. It is a nice, quiet environment with a beautiful color scheme. The place is never very full so it is a nice, relaxing atmosphere. There is also a really nice outside sitting area for warmer weather. The service I have had has always been fantastic. I have always had the same tall, dark-haired. The coffee is good. Nothing breath-taking, in my opinion, but I would choose this over Starbucks any day of the week! I have only ever had the crepes, meat and fruit, when I have come here. I wasn't too impressed with the fruit ones, the fruit never seemed so fresh, but the plate was decorated so nicely. I like the meat ones though, but perhaps that is my German coming out! I am more used to the French-style of crepes, thinner and crispier than the crepes at Ruta, so it is an interesting texture and heartier. The only thing that could really be improved upon is the menu. Yes, I do like that is in English and Lithuanian; but it is not descriptive at all. For example, with the meat crepes I was taking a bit of a gamble. There was no description of what kind of meat, spices, flavor, etc. So luckily it turned out well! read more

Was here for lunch with a friend a couple of weeks ago. Our second visit. So now i am pretty sure i will be back for a third time. Food is very good. I, too, like several other reviewers, am eastern European. I grew up eating this food and I cook it to this day. Per my palate, the menu at Ruta is both tasty and authentic. And some dishes, such as the cold beet soup and the kedainiu style pancakes, are definitely better than my own. Irritating, yet true! Thankfully, my crepes with meat are way superior to theirs... The space is simple, stylish, clean and comfortable. But service, at least at lunch, is a big problem. The issue is their take out business. It clearly takes precedence over the in house diners. VERY irritating to have to practically beg to pay your bill. Having said that, the lone server was pleasant, helpful, and working very hard to serve both diners and pick up customers. I will be back... read more

As Lithuanian sisters, we were eager to celebrate a special anniversary by trying out Ruta, a Lithuanian cuisine eatery located in a tiny plaza in Westmont. We sat down at a nearby table as no-one was around to direct us. A waitress greeted us and immediately reminded us about the minimum we needed to spend with our Restaurant.com discount certificate. We ordered our food but did not receive any bread while we were waiting. We asked about it and were told "In a moment..." She finally brought 3 tiny slices of rye bread. No butter. My sister had to ask for butter. The waitress abruptly replied, " In a moment..."The menu was a la carte, so no soup or salad came with the meal. We were about 3 cents short of fulfilling the required amount to spend using our certificate. The waitress said we had to fulfill the 3 cents by ordering something (really?? For 3 cents??) so we ordered a donut, which they no longer had that day. We asked if we could take something home but that was not allowed. The 3 cents had to be spent in the restaurant and eaten in the restaurant. My sister purchased a cheesecake dessert($6.99), which came frozen as ice. When my sister asked about it, the waitress told her to pretend it was ice cream. Even ice cream isn't served hard as ice! Overall, very shoddy treatment by the waitress, who never asked even once if we wanted a refill or how our food was. We will not be returning. The food, by the way, was so-so. Greasiest kugelis ever made. read more

Service horrible, food - so so, interior poor, cold inside. Truly said- I'll never come again.

Waitress sweet, attentive and very helpful with menu selections. I had pork cutlet with mushrooms and husband had chicken with bread sticks. Both perfectly cooked and flavorful. Startled with spinach soup. Broth based with spinach, light dill, potato, some egg and garnished with sour cream. Very flavorful and hearty portion when you enjoyed the light rye bread and butter. Loved the entree plate which had beet salad, coleslaw, sliced tomatoes and cucumber curls as a side dish plus the broasted potatoes. Was pretty plus tasted really good. Even the husband loved the coleslaw and the beet salad! Finished with a ball of pastry that had farmer's cheese in it. She called it something like a patchkee? Bought two to go and ate them as soon as we got home because we couldn't help ourselves. Didn't know Lithuanian food was so good. Will definitely return. read more

Excellent Lithuanian food in a small location that does both dine-in and carry-out. Prompt & friendly service, and the dining room, front counter, and bathrooms are kept clean. The combo platter is a good choice for 2-4 people who are looking for the classics (kugelis, sausage, cepelinai, etc.). Went in a group of 4, and we all agree that this place beats Grand Dukes. We thought it was worth the trip and will definitely be coming back to this restaurant! :) read more