Restaurant Relax

The best food in NYC! Come here! All the waiters are super nice and the service is amazing. If you want a great healthy meal for not a lot of money, then come here.

ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!! amazing and was served so well. The food was so tasty. The service was quick and with kind attitudes. Easily one of the best meals I have had in a while. I recommend this for families and date nights for everyone. You would definitely enjoy this local polish restaurant!

Came here on a weekend for dinner right before 7PM, spot was pretty empty. Order at the counter and pay before eating, and they don't take tip! Good for them, that means they're probably paying their workers fairly. Wanted to order the Polish plate but was told no cabbage rolls. I wanted to eat pierogi, cabbage roll, and potato pancake so once I was told that, I no longer wanted the Polish plate. I also don't like ordering a plate of pierogi at restaurants because they're expensive and if they're not good (like most in the US), I still have to eat the entire plate - so a combo plate with a bit of everything is best. In any case, we ordered the potato pancakes with goulash (which presumably are Polish). Food came out and we were given the Hungarian pancakes with goulash. When I inquired about this, we were told that it's the same, but the Polish ones come in 5 pieces whereas the Hungarian ones are 1. They don't make the Polish ones apparently? Not sure, but if they don't make it, it shouldn't be on the menu. I wish we were told when we were ordered, not that it would've changed our mind but it would've been nice to know. The sauce was a bit too salty, and the potato pancake was a bit thick. I've eaten potato pancakes in Krakow, Poland, and those were not like the one we had. Huge portions, definitely share or get something else to eat. Neither of us eats sour cream so we didn't have a pallet cleanser, and I can't imagine eating the entire pancake myself. For $17, it's a pretty steep price but at least portions are big.

Great spot for Polish food fans! Lots of traditional favorites especially pierogis at an awesome price! Soups, entrees, sides, and brews. The interior is basic but neat and clean with plenty of options for solo and small group dinging. The service is always prompt and friendly here.

Super restauracja! A must try when in Greenpoint. The food is just like home cooked, we got the barszcz, schabowe, i ruskie pierogi. Everything was delicious. The service was incredible, the sweetest lady was working, so kind and accommodating. Wasn't too busy when we got there but quickly filled out. Excellent little restaurant for delicious polish dinner. Super cute inside.

Overall rating: 4.9 Cute, authentic, polish spot. I LOVE THEIR PIEROGIS. The service is a mom and pop shop and they are so cute. While this is in Greenpoint/ Williamsburg, it doesn't feel that way which I really like. Dare I say, it's better than the popular one in LES? YES. You order & pay, then they serve you which I really enjoy. It feels like a shop in Germany.

When the only language you hear is Polish, then you know you've encountered a local gem that must be protected at all costs! Move over, Karczma - Restaurant Relax is ten times better than you'll ever be; sorry, but this is the truth! I was really wanting to have some comfort food, and Polish food is a staple in this neighborhood. Taking my work mom, we dined in this afternoon for an unforgettable meal that really sent my taste buds for a joy ride! First off, you need to walk up to the counter to order. They have daily soup offerings, so don't have your heart set on any one kind of soup. I decided to go with chicken noodle soup ($5.25) since the mushroom soup wasn't available. We split an order of mushroom and sauerkraut pierogies($9.50), because I just can't say no. I opted for their chicken cutlet with sauteed mushrooms ($17.25), paired with potato dumplings on the side ($2 extra!) - get that mushroom gravy!- with beet and sauerkraut salads. Work mom got fried kielbasa with mashed potatoes ($13.25) - yum to the 100th degree! I haven't wholeheartedly enjoyed a lunch like this in LONG time. For a place that is woman owned and operated, you feel that motherly love. I need a hug today - and this place served it up with sour cream! Chicken cutlet was HUGE and fried to batter perfection - the kielbasa was flavorful and not fatty. The potato dumplings were gobbled up in one go, and the pierogies were stuffed perfectly. The chicken noodle soup had a nice yet not overpowering broth that warmed me to my bones. Perfect especially with all this rain we've been having! Perfect was just THE word to describe this lunch; I can't wait to eat through this menu! Oh, we happened to also get a free ice cream cone because we ordered plates - what's there not to like?! We were like two kids that hit the jackpot! Word is gonna spread real fast about this place in the office - a GEM!

Really great polish food in an accessible format. I enjoy several of the Polish restaurants in Greenpoint but relax might be my favorite. A long list of Polish classics prepared in a straight forward manor. Relax stands out as being well sort of modern and folksy at the same time with an easy to read menu for non-Polish folks venturing into this cuisine for the first time. They even clearly mark vegetarian and vegan options. Now the menus is still as meat heavy as any Polish spot so don't worry if you are a carnivore.

Great local spot! Gourmet & authentic and fast and tasty! I got the chicken cutlet entree and tried pickle soup which I think will be my new favorite soup.

I love the ambiance and the price point of this Polish diner. It's bright and warm, and they decorated really nicely for autumn. You order at the counter in the back and pick a seat at any of the tables. There's also a counter by the front window that lets you people watch. I thought the food was just ok, but I would come back because the portions are large and filling, and the price is reasonable. The meat on the chicken cutlet with sauteed mushrooms is tender, but the mushrooms were dry and unseasoned. I asked for a cup of mushroom gravy on the side and seasoned it with some salt and this helped. The french fries were standard, maybe frozen. The beet salad was good, I just thought the beets were shredded so thin they became mushy. The cucumber salad was also good, it just has a lot of excess liquid. I seasoned both with extra salt.

Best Polish Restaurant EVER !!! Beautiful interior and amazing super nice crew Most important thing, very delicious, large and low Cost portions Highly Recommend

Yey!!!! They RE-OPENED. This was the best place for Polish food in the opinion of many. For reason unknown to me the place closed 4 years ago. Well they are back in business and I couldn't be happier. The establishment received a beautiful face lift floor to ceiling, as well as new tables etc. It was so wonderful seeing the same faces the same staff, knowing the old cook is back. All the soups here are delicious but my kids love, love, love the tomato soup with rice and so do I. Main courses are full of flavor, generous portions. I so enjoyed the potato pancakes with goulash. The stuffed cabbage however was missing the punch that I remembered, perhaps it is something that will improve. The menu is composed of the popular go to dishes in Polish cuisine. Please note this is not a restaurant with waitresses service. You walk up to the front counter to order your food and when it's ready the person who took your order will call it out. Sometimes when not to busy she may bring the food to you. Very comfortable setting more of self serve. I highly recommend this place to all....

Back and reopened! EXCELLENT! Great fresh quality ingredients, well prepared balanced Polish food. I recommend the Pork or Chicken Cutlet with Mushrooms, potatoes w/gravy and side of beets, and cucumber salad. But everything else on menu is delicious especially the soups. Pierogis are well made , and good!

Great Polish food. No real waiter service. Go up and order, the food is brought to you. Cash only. Amazing food. Like my Polish mother's and grandmother's. Great food like Pyza but nicer room. Much nicer and spacier. Prices still very reasonable. Home cooked by a bunch of Polish ladies in the kitchen, like every other great Polish restaurant in the neighborhood.

Food is unique and delicious. Huge portions. Friendly and nice atmosphere. We had the pickle soup and it was amazing. Have been back and tried other dishes. All good. Fried PierogiesMushroom PierogiesPotato DumplingsSour Pickle SoupGoulash

This is it! This is why I love living in Greenpoint. Sure, we've got the pretentious rip-off places with confused service, reclaimed wood and Edison Bulbs, Fleet Foxes playing in the background, small portions and sky high prices but we also have fantastic, dirt cheap, old school places like Relax. All of your Polish comfort foods are here; delicious home made mushroom, borscht, vegetable and chicken noodle soups, fresh pierogis, kielbasas, stews, roasts, home made desserts, fruit/ cheese filled blintzes and a whole bunch of great vegetarian options. All of this is unbelievably inexpensive. You will spend less here for a full course meal with sides than you will for a single cocktail at some New Brooklyn lame azz gentrifier. Word to the wise and the truly hip: support these authentic local businesses. You will miss them when they are all gone.

It's been a LONG time since I've gone to Greenpoint for Polish food and this place did not disappoint. Relax was highly recommended by Tommy from Busy Bee. Delicious food and nice ambiance.

Relax exceeded my expectations. I've passed by it for a while and have always wanted to go and I am very glad I have! I will definitely be coming here more often. The restaurant it's self if the cleanest I've ever been in. The food is SO YUMMY! And the price is great. Don't overlook this staple!!!

Amazing food! Delicious pierogis, very nice service. 10/10 recommend. The interiors feature beautiful hand painted artwork of famous monuments in Poland.

Just ordered take out from Relax for the first time and I'll definitely be back. First off the service ordering and through pick up was great- friendly and welcoming. I ordered the polish plate which is an impressive amount of food and all excellent. It's a good mix of items that complement each other. Well prepared and each item is equally good. I'm not sure I could pick a favorite. Next time I'd love to dine inside as its a really cute atmosphere. Well done all around!

Best polish food. When I visited Poland I kept comparing the food there to what I've had from this restaurant. It's THAT good.

Excellent, fresh food. Vegetarian options. Excellent service and fair prices I will bring friends here.

Yes they re-opened but it seems that they want to charge the same as all the other places without having updated anything but their look. I bought a chicken cutlet to go and was given a half empty container that had 1/3 of half a breast in there, two spoons of mashed potatoes and two of those sampler transparent tiny containers with side salads. It is a joke. The whole meal weighted less than 1/2 Lbs. If they think that they can stay in business this way, I will be betting on the contrary. It is so sad as I used to frequent their restaurant years back before they closed. I understand that times are hard and prices have gone up but come on, this is a total scam.

So happy Relax has reopened after all this time. Every time we walk by in the neighborhood we would wonder whether we would see the doors open again. Not only are they open, but the food is DELICIOUS. Stopped in for take-out last week and couldn't be happier. We will be returning frequently!

Don't order from seamless they will cancel your order. Terrible service!!!

A true hole in the wall, poor ventilation, really hot, dark BUT decent food and good portions. I got the dill chicken - the dill sauce was VERY thick, it was like a cream cheese consistency. The sauce was overwhelming but the chicken was excellent. Boyfriend got the fried pork cutlet with mushrooms - a bit on the dry side because of the lack of sauce but the pork was nicely fried. I think next time we'll just request extra gravy :) Each entree came with two scoops of mashed potato and two salads (fyi, on the menu it actually says 3 salads.... not sure if the menu is just outdated)

Best perogi's ever!!! If you want authentic Polish food this is the place to go. The cucumber salad and Kielbasa are OUTSTANDING. This is a place we try to go to at least once a month... This small little homely place hits the spot.

The best Polish home cooked food in Greenpoint at great prices... and the fact that they had a variety of salads to choose from... when are they reopening ?!

Pierogi heaven! And, that is no regular sour cream... it taste like creamy butter. yum! My favorites are the cucumber salad that comes with the Kielbasa and the pierogies (of course). The place is unique. good food, great price. Easy to commute to!

Easily one of my favorite things about living in Greenpoint. Amazing food and an old-school, traditional vibe make this my favorite Polish restaurant in Greenpoint. It's no-frills and cash-only but they have great Polish food and reasonable prices. Highly recommend this place if you're in the neighborhood.

- Great Polish restaurant ! Quick home made style meal and reasonable prices. Both my boyfriend & I enjoy coming here when we stop by Greenpoint!

Actually a very hearty and sanitary place to eat basic food. I agree with the title of the place, it pretty much was very relaxing. Piece of advice though guys, don't come in here all like "Yo, I trade futures on Wall Street, my shoes cost more than your car does, I don't brush my teeth anymore I just get em bleached once a week..." Because that brash, arrogant, better than the rest attitude does not fly here. Have you ever been to Poland? I didn't think so. They aren't into that. Be humble. Count yourself lucky and enjoy pierogies. Great atmosphere, good people, good food.

I am not a fan of Polish food, but this place has the best cold cherry/blueberry soup ever. A Hungarian ex-boyfriend loved going here when he missed his mom's cooking (which was all the time), and their food is similar to what he grew up on. I would look at the big, tough Polish guys devouring huge slabs of meat and secretly wish that we were in some romantic little cafe where we could hold hands (this isn't the place), but the cold soup here is the best, and the setting grows on you! Get an extra serving of soup packed to take home for later. Oh yeah, the soup is served only in the summer months. I also love their cucumber-dill salad. Very nice.

Best kielbasa I've had so far in Greenpoint, and their soups are amazing; I always go for the chicken noodle and have never been disappointed. This is the ultimate in unpretentious Polish comfort food; it's simple, tastes homemade (and if you peek around the back, you can see that in fact, it is), and is surprisingly inexpensive. The service doesn't speak the best english, but they're always friendly. Note: they don't have much lighting in the front, so if you pass by in their open hours but they look closed from the street, don't be deterred.

I have a huge affinity for soup. It can be bloody hot outside and sticky and there is a distinct possibility that I'll still want soup. When it's cold and slushy and it seems like summer is never coming ever again, I most definitely want soup! Relax has delicious amazing borscht....I think I'm dreaming about it right now...I totally wanted an extra bowl after I had one and just as I went up to order, they scratched it off the menu because they had sold out. Sadness.

I live nearby in Greenpoint and I've had friends from out of town (Manhattan) claim this was the best Polish food ever. This may largely be due to all the overwhelmingly positive Yelp reviews! This place is good for down home Polish food. Their prices are awesome $4-10, can get you super full, and they serve a wide array of food from the classic pierogies, pork hocks, beef stew, baked chicken...I've tried a ton of their food. What I found is good Polish food, served quickly (doesn't usually take more than a few minutes for them to serve your food), at a reasonable price. The place is wood paneled, tile floored and with very little decor. I usually go when I don't want to spend a lot and want to grab a quick lunch for take out while I watch some TV.

Cute place, they sell canned food, but I forgive them.

Delicious Polish food, affordable, good potions. Customer service hit or miss. Can't wait for them to reopen. The decor was terrible so renovations were much needed.

A block east of McGuinness Boulevard, this small, garden-level Polish restaurant is similar to Kirmoran -- http://www.yelp.com/biz/no3P6RFUWi3lfPCihF26Bg?hrid=OFe8uK1Av_0qmUrVkSW3Aw. Simple Polish food, prepared simply, and presented simply. The menu board behind the small counter is in Polish and English, and the clientele is largely Polish. I tried the sauerkraut and mushroom pierogies and the beet salad. Both were excellent, although with seven pierogies, the serving was a little large, and I had to take three pierogies home with me. I'll reheat them for lunch tomorrow! Don't sit at the little table by the counter and bathroom entrance. When people are in line to order, they'll block your light, and it'll be hard to see your pierogies!

Humble neighborhood restaurant. Great Polish food, well priced. Enjoy a nice cold Zywiec with your pierogis. This is a no-frills workers style restaurant. Plastic plates and glasses, football on the 42' flat screen. But if you want a hearty meal and a beer for ten bucks you won't go better than Relax.

Omg amazing homestyle polish food . Omg there soups and stuffed cabbage is to die for . If you want a taste of home cooked polish food go to relax!!!!

No frills just really, really good Polish food is here. There's about 10 tables all set for approximately 4 per table with no table cloths. You go up to the counter and order as well as pay...then you wait for about 5-10 minutes for delicious (and I'm pretty sure authentic) Polish goodness. We were a party of 3 and had the goulash, breaded chicken cutlet and borscht. It was all very hearty for the puny price we paid. They also have some Polish beers and juice compote as well as canned sodas. While we were here on a Sunday (early evening), there were plenty of folks getting their Polish grub on and plenty of kids too. Cool spot and worthy of a repeat visit!

New I was gonna be in Greenpoint and had a hankerin' for polish food (convenient, huh?) so after checking yelp decided on RELAX. Yeah, not much for atmosphere, but who cares. The stuffed cabbage was the best I've ever had. Unfortunately, the rest of the meal was sub-par. I was disappointed with the pierogies - they were deep fried! I am not used to this - usually when you order fried pierogies they are fried in butter and onions. These were like little bombs. SO heavy. And tasted like fryerlater The mashed potatoes and red cabbage were lackluster too. I would go back again to try other things - the price sure is right. Just stay away from the pierogies - or get them steamed, I guess.

Hole in the wall, for sure. Filled with families--adults eating heaping portions of Polish staples and children eating chicken noodle soup and fries. Order the sub-ten dollar entrees at the counter and carry your tray to one of maybe ten tables lining the walls. Watch the news on the TV in the corner while sipping one of the bottled Polish beers they sell. Note that the fried pierogi are deep fried, not pan fried; the mushroom and sauerkraut are by far the most flavorful option. I can't knock the prices, but I must reluctantly admit that I didn't enjoy their deep fried version of a Polish classic. Will go back to sample more dishes and perhaps get takeout, but for now, Relax does not compare favorably to other options in the neighborhood.

I have never written a review before however I felt compelled after my experience today at this restaurant although the food was delicious the person working there was extremely Cold and unfriendly and not interested in pleasing the customers! although we spent $44 on a variety of food items we had to pay a quarter more to get a foam container to put our leftovers in at the end of the meal are you kidding me ??!!! also the first things we wanted to order they were supposedly out of ( baked chicken and stuffed cabbage )and it was only 4 o'clock in the afternoon that was very disappointing ! Needless to say my friend and I will not be returning to this restaurant!!!

Good food and the best polish servings in greenpoint. I have to take one star off because how they act and react to Americans trying their food is very unpleasant. Other star is being taken away for poor conditions.

Is this every Polish family in Greenpoint's go-to spot? Because it should. Great soups, perogies (sp?), and reasonable prices. It'll feel great supporting a local business in the neighborhood too!

The title of this restaurant, seen on the awning of this unassuming Polish storefront, is "restauracja-relax," which should tell you that what you're getting is some serious Polish food. And if the name alone didn't get the point across, perhaps the tables filled with lumberjack-type Polish men eating huge slabs of fried pork with sides of fries will prove it. No, one does not come to the restauracja to engage in light fare. The main draw is the pierogies, which are served in batches of 7. As the old joke goes, this portion is big enough for one Polish person or two yuppies/hipsters. I tried the meat and the cheese and potato, both of which were easily the best pierogies I've had in my life. So next time you find yourself in Greenpoint, drop by the unassuming storefront with the funny name, grab a beer and some pierogies, and enjoy!

Prices have gone up since Relax got some press, but it's still a very affordable place to get excellent, home-made food. It's a pretty simple, no-frills type of place, but you get what you came for: good food. Soups are particularly good and cheap, with prices ranging between $2-3. I recommend the cauliflower soup ("kalafiorowa") - yummy! Pierogis are pretty good, too, but no better and a bit more expensive than in some other places - my favorite pierogi destination remains Streecha, a small Ukrainian restaurant in East Village. The strongest side of Relax is not just their affordability, but above all a number of options on the menu (6 soups or so, a few types of pierogis, salads, holubtsi - stuffed cabbage, a number of meat dishes, and so on). You can also easily get the food to go, although you will be charged like a quarter extra for a plastic container (and rightly so, if you ask me. You're welcome to bring your own container, too :-) )

Never eaten at RELAX but have ordered take out several times! Hands down the BEST polish food in Greenpoint (not talking about homemade polish food because that's hands down the best polish food)! I love this place because they always have soup! I'm talking everything from tomato to chicken noodle! But besides the soup, they got tons of polish delicacies! Talking perogies, chicken cutlet, borscht! If you are craving Polish, this is your place!!