Sawa's Old Warsaw Restaurant

Just like I remember 40 years ago at Harlem and Lawrence, the original location.. They took the original sign, the restaurant decor and moved to Broadview, and did not miss a beat. The atmosphere brings you back to the 1980's for sure. The crowd is diverse for sure, and it is cool to see everyone enjoying themselves. The place is smaller than the older one, but it does not miss on the expected experience. The price is spot on, probably could raise them and would not miss a beat to be honest. The service is second to none for sure, like an old school European family vibe, they are very attentive, nice and accommodating. The polish food is spot on, just like I remember, potato pancakes, perogis, sausage, etc.. the chicken was a slight miss, but that's ok.. Pace yourself or you will need a nap. My childhood came back to me ten fold walking into this place and having a meal.. if you go, remember your going for the meal and experience, and you will feel like it's 1986 all over again...

four stars solely for the ambiance and interior of the building. the food is not very vegetarian / dietary restriction friendly but that was to be expected at a buffet. i kind of wish they had more food options though. I really enjoyed the apple blintzes, potato pierogis, mashed potatoes and gravy, AND the jello slices. would come back but not go out of my way if you know what i mean.

Came for a late lunch with some friends. We'd been seeing that it was one of the oldest smorgasbords around and it was in our own backyard, so we had to check it out. It's not huge by any means, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing; it gave us the opportunity to try a little bit of everything. It's dark and windowless I side and kind of gives off d casino vibes (it's pretty dim with the lighting. Our server was good (she clewred our dates quickly and refilled our waters and gave us a good spiel about the buffet. The food was reminescent of what you'dmaybe get at home... Was good but not necessarily outstanding. I really enjoyed the potato pancakes. The smoked polish was nice. My fave on a Tuesday was the meatballs in dill sauce (also good on the boiled potatoes. All in all, worth checking out. Not super expensive.

Just wow! Amazingly great food with warm ambiance and very friendly service. All at reasonable prices. Highly recommend as a classic food destination. Everything on the buffet is kept fresh and the choices are great. I’m in love with the potato pancakes…

We stopped in after dropping our son off at O'Hare for his trip to Poland. The food was excellent and plentiful. It was replenished with fresh food regularly. We got to enjoy foods I have not had since I was younger and my grandparents would be cooking away. It was very clean. Aga was very attentive and we had a nice conversation with her about the restaurant and her experiences between here and the old country as we say. It is funny, I had never been there but it felt familiar. Highly recommend you get in for some smoked sausage, pierogi, excellent fried chicken and the cabbage rolls like Grandma used to make. There was a cash discount. I always pay in cash at a mom and pop anyway. Chains can eat the fees.

This place is a time capsule that I hope is open for many years to come. Drove from WI with family to try the legendary dinner buffet. It did not disappoint. Will be back for more cabbage rolls, potato pancakes, sausage and pierogis!

This place has been here for as long as I can remember. Nor is this place really changed as long as I can remember. They’ve written off this restaurant so many times that I’ve lost count. And yet it stands, a testament to Polish buffets. The food is still solid especially about buffet standards.

I really wanted to give them 5 stars but the service lacked, the waitress barely spoke to us and we had to keep looking for her to just get basics like water and napkins..We did the buffet style dine in and I dont think I will return. It was a very off vibe. My sister was visiting from Texas mind you we were born and raised in Chitown Back of yards went to a polish catholic school so we know polish food this was not the place sorry. We were disappointed. We spent close to 100 just 3 people and in the evening.. One good thing was the fried chicken of the buffet, the pierogi's were missing flavor and the onion sauce with sour cream, the sausagewas just boiled and some dry from sitting to long, I did like the cabbage. My teacher Miss Rosemary would've told me to go to the deli that used to be on 47th Ashland but sadly they no longer exist!! 😢 I was better off going to Jewels and getting store bought pierogi's making my own onion sauce and sour cream!! I didn't even take pics...only before I entered.

Great Service. Friendly staff. Pleasant Atmosphere . Food was remarkable even the next day! Well woth the drive from Naperville! Thank you

Our first time here, and it was a nice visit. What's not to like about an old-fashioned polish buffet? This one has been here for years, but Broadview is a bit of a drive for us from the south side. Glad we finally made it here. The very large dining room is attached to a large bar area that also has tables. The diner can work the buffet from both sides, so things move along nicely. Staff from the kitchen is constantly refreshing and refilling the food, so it is as fresh as can be. The variety of offerings on the extensive buffet table is hard to describe, but if you are Polish or eastern European you'll find many things to delight you. For those less ethnic, the fried chicken was really nice, the sliced roast beef and ham-off-the-bone also were a hit. Pierogis and blintzes were excellent, the soups were also. But we thought the best item was the potato pancakes ... crisp on the outside and soft on the inside ... you can tell they have been making these pancakes for years and they got this down. General service is ok: someone sits you at the table and takes a drink order, if you want ... then they pretty much disappear until needed for a table cleanup or a drink refill; as such, service was ok but pretty much what you'd expect at a buffet ... i.e., you do most of the work. All in all a very nice visit and we will return.

Hadn't been to Sawa's for 30 years, so decided to try it today. I don't think anything has changed. The buffet obviously leans toward Polish dishes but there wasn't anything too exotic. Everything was pretty good for a buffet. Blintzes and Pierogies were good. Wife really liked the potato pancakes. Desserts were also good. Ambience was great if you like going to a place that looks like the 1950's. It's not a problem but you need to be aware they take cash only.

Holy Cow I loved this place! Stopped in at Lunch Time and the lunch buffet was totally amazing! To my taste buds every single item seemed homemade. The Potato Pancakes alone are worth the price of admission! The Pierogi were also a standout! The service and atmosphere was also exemplary. It is like stepping back in time! I highly recommend you try this absolute gem!

I always enjoy the food here, but the pork steaks are my favorite. We went recently on a Wednesday and it was full as usual. Waitresses know their jobs and buffet is promptly restocked. Has been repainted(same pink color) but walls are still adorned with traditional polish adornments.

The buffet is limited in comparison to Polish buffet competitors but many of the items are solid comfort food options. The pierogi were delightful and the chicken (while not prepared in a Polish way) was also delicious. Those were standout items in my opinion, as was the chicken soup (rosol). There aren't many places like this left, so it is nice to enjoy a good old. buffet with hearty comfort options.

Service was wonderful! Attended for a private party. What's not to love about a polish buffet! Perogis and potato pancakes were my favorite. Ham at carving station was also my favorite.

As always the foods that are on the buffet are just like homemade, really. I do think they do most of the cooking in house. We had some friends that were returning to town and they had never been here before and we needed to retifiy this. We went on a Tuesday and they have Polish tacos, the second Tuesday each summer months. Needless to say our friends, must go back again and on the second Tuesday in June, he added the date to his calendar. The combination of foods they have are all top notch.

Home cooking, polish comfort food! Everything was delicious. The potato pirohi were fluffy, buttery and incredible! Potato pancakes melt in your mouth. Sausage, fried chicken, halupki. Just like grandma made! Served buffet style with salads, sides, sauces, soups desserts. Stomach was only so big, darn! Old world look and feel in casual dining and welcoming staff!

It's been a long while since I've been here and let me tell you something I was very impressed by the service and the amazing Polish food . I ended up trying the lunch time buffet and it was really really good food I can't wait to try the dinner buffet. This is a must try Polish buffet

Yum! We stopped here for lunch on a Tuesday afternoon and we were pleasantly surprised. My mom is from a polish family and said the food tasted just like her mother's. The inside is very old, but that does not matter. It is a classic old diner vibe and the service is friendly. All the food is very authentic and reasonably priced. We will be back!

Polish style food, offering an amazing selection of items from broasted chicken, polish sausage, dumplings, apple blitzes and desserts. My tip is to go for lunch, less crowded. They also offer take out if you want to order items to go.

Delicious Polish buffet! Would go back in a heartbeat. Our server was attentive and very sweet, and the hostess was very friendly.

Awesome 7os decor. Excellent buffet food. Friendly and prompt service. Highly recommend if you want to try something a little different. Good ol' polish home cooking. And, they have. Soft serve ice cream machine.

Wonderful food, courteous servers and pricing is good. I've been going here for over ten years and have never been disappointed with the food. We had our wedding banquet here too. The atmosphere was fine. Everything went smoothly and the guests loved the smorgasbord.

A wonderful place with delicious food. Beautiful interior and not too noisy. The cuisine is outstanding. The staff isn't very friendly, but it doesn't really spoil the overall experience.

Great authentic Polish buffet. Service is good and atmosphere is like being in Poland. I would highly recommend this restaurant as I used to travel to Chicago for business and would frequent here often.

Great friendly atmosphere and good service. Food was excellent especially the bluntzes and potato pancakes! My only wish was that the sauerkraut was more sour all else was on point!!! Thank you

The primary drawback was halfway thru our Thursday late afternoon lunch noisy music blared behind the wall where we sat. That knocked the rating down a star. Were it not for that, this place would get 4 1/2 stars rounded up to 5. The food was pretty much off the charts with a few items needing a bit more seasoning. But the main dishes were tasty (particularly the potato pancakes) and ample and the salad bar area was plenteous in content and good. Yum! It would be helpful if some of the lesser known items had been labeled so we would have known what they were. However, there was little not to like so not by far the biggest issue but it's beneficial to know what you have on your plate. I had three glasses of iced tea altogether - one sweetened, one unsweetened and the third raspberry sweetened. All were fine but I would have liked our waitress (I guess server is the word nowadays) to have a better grasp of English so she would have known that I wanted the raspberry for all three glasses. But our server was very good in refilling our water glasses, something you seldom see these days (except at Greek Islands) as most eateries do not serve water except upon request. A bit on the pricy side but that's how it seems to be these days when dining out. That said, this place is a gem that has been in place over a half century, though my first time here, despite living not far away for decades. This was well worth the trip with my lady friend (who loved it as well) and we'll be back in the near future (hopefully without the distracting music).

Very good and traditional Polish food buffet. You cannot go wrong with the stuffed cabbage, fried chicken, pierogis, mashed potato's & steamed veggies. All very delicious & authentic. You serve yourself, so it goes as fast as you are! A ton of traditional art pieces on the walls that look like from Poland, as well. Good establishment with friendly people.

Today I had lunch there with a friend. It was delightful! Everything was scrumptious! (especially the potato pancakes) I was very pleased with the freshness of everything. It was MUCH BETTER than what I have come to expect from buffet style dining. I VERY highly recommend it!

Sawa's is genuine treat. Good food, always fresh and the pierogies and potato pancakes the best. The fruit crepes are also very good. They usually have a couple freshly made soups, shredded beef and fried chicken, stuffed cabbage and sausages. Have enjoyed coming the great Polish food for years.

The buffet on Fri and Sat is $24 per person and offers prime rib and ham on the bone. The potato pancakes and potato pierogis were exceptional. I'm not typically a fan of sauerkraut but there's was on the milder side and almost tasted like smothered cabbage. There's also a great salad bar, several fresh soups and a dessert station with kolacskis. Their diet soda is diet rite. I asked for Diet Coke and was surprised the distinction wasn't mentioned or disclosed. That said, it resulted in me consuming mostly water. The ambiance is dark, old school, casual flair, which is a nice way to plan to have a plate or two over good conversation.

I love Old Warsaw. It's like the food I grew up with. Is it fancy? Not up to date fancy. Decor is out of the 70's ( which I think is when it opened) but I don't care. The food is like the food my mother and all my family made. My husband and my sons, (only 1/2 Polish (darn) love it too. To me, nothing says LOVE, like this food. And, yes, if you go for lunch, it's less crowded. It's like going to your Babia's for dinner. Try it. I don't think you'll be disappointed

I can understand this place can appeal to those who have an iron stomach. What I found was everything there was incredibly oily which if you have a sensitive stomach is perhaps not the place to be. The service was fine. The inside feels like a bit of a fever dream, you're crowded, and if some customers have their chairs back too much it's challenging to get to the buffet. It's a great "bargain spot". For $17 for a lunch buffet and great drink prices...If you like to drink and you're into buffets you can't do much better. However if your stomach is sensitive to seed oils, perhaps tread with caution.

When we first walked in, there are video gambling machines and full bar. You have to walk to the other side of the room to be seated for the restaurant. When we first walked into the dining room there were pinkish red and blue lighting on the ceiling which would be nice for Valentine's Day but it was not the best lighting to see your food. I took pictures of our food using the flash... if not all you would see is pink food. Our waitress was very sweet, she gave us a pitcher of water and kept our table cleared from empty dishes which was surprising cause it seemed like she was the only one working the tables. They must be short staffed. There was another lady carving the meats and a guy putting out clean dishes and cups. They don't have any music playing, so you can easily hear people talking around you. It was not too bad though. The floors are carpeted and someone spilled a topping on the floor by the dessert buffet and it was a huge mess. The ice cream was being used so much it was more like a shake texture then ice cream. So eating a cone is pointless. As far as the food buffet, there were lots of great options and I loved trying every hot entree. I don't think you could even try all the cold ones cause there are tons of them! The chicken noodle soup was so yummy, thin noodles and lots of chicken. The salad bar was stocked full of fresh veggies and there were lots of cold salads (macaroni salad, and other toppings) The meats I tried seemed to all be flavored the same... ribs and fresh polish sausage tasted very similar. There were lots of great dining options so I am sure even the most pickiest people would find something they like! I think this restaurant is good to come to maybe once a year when your craving polish foods, I cannot see myself coming here regularly. They only had potato pierogi, it would be nice to have other pierogi flavor options. They were good but not the best I have ever had. If your in the area I would definitely recommend dining here at least once. You will not be disappointed!

Great place for a Polish Buffet. Great food and staff. I would recommend you stop by. Ambiance could have some additional Polish Decor but the food makes up for it. How about selling some t-shirts with the Sawa's logo and some Polish gifts? Thanks to everyone at Sawa's!

Originally I wasn't expecting anything extraordinary when I walked in; however, my expectations were shattered after my time here, simply put I was blown away by nearly every aspect of this restaurant. The atmosphere was incredible, everything was very clean with friendly service to complement. While I did not catch the name of the waitress she did an incredible job at welcoming my family and staying on top of refills. The food was top-notch and well-made, especially the sausage which was so flavorful. Overall, I enjoyed all aspects of the restaurant and I definitely will be coming back in the near future.

This may not have the largest selection in buffets but they are always turning over fresh food so the selection is always hit and fresh. The polish is better than most and the ham and beef were awesome. The broasted chicken was juicy and the sleeper was all the homemade desserts. The nice touch was also the owner manning the carving station and overseeing everything personally- this is a do not miss!!!

Incredible and for such a great price! Old school dining room that hasn't been updated in what looks like 50 years but that is ok, it gives an extra special vibe. So many options on the buffet. Everything I had was authentic and tasty! Best polish buffet in the area!

Been coming here for over 8 years, usually for lunch, but this time we went at 3:30--and they still charged us the dinner price? Shady move. To top it off, it felt like the managers or owners were watching us every time we went up to the buffet. Weird and uncomfortable. The food was good, sure, but charging my 11-year-old daughter the full $26.99 adult price? That's just plain greedy.

There's a learning curve to this place. They seat you and bring you the bill at the end. I think this suits heavy drinkers who want a bar plus buffet but its not particularly good polish food and the nightly specials are either out of stock or underwhelming. The salad bar is sad and tired, the fruit is unappetizing and flies buzz around the desserts. On the bright side they do have a soft serve station so my toddler loved it. Harvest 365 in forrest park is vastly superior buffet minus the full bar and soft serve.

I like their food a lot. I really want to give 5 - stars, but I can't due to the horrible customer service by an elderly woman working the desk. I placed an order to go earlier in the day for a 5:00pm pick up. I live far but willing to travel for good food. When I get there, this elderly woman barks at me that my order won't be ready for 30 minutes because they are busy. I was stunned, speechless. I explained that I was told it would be ready at 5:00pm, and that I lived far and couldn't wait that long. Every person who came to pick up to go orders was treated the same way. I sat, listened, and couldn't believe it. This establishment is in business because of their customers. To treat those customers like garbage, makes no sense to me. If this restaurant can't handle to go orders, they shouldn't take them - and they should not commit to times that they can't honor. Terrible to be treated this way.

I've been going to Sawa's old Warsaw restaurant for close to 15 years and I go at least a couple of times a week. It's like an old-fashioned smorgasbord, but the food is delicious everything from two different kinds of soup two different kinds of salads, sausage, sauerkraut, cabbage, wrapped around meat and rice Fried chicken vegetables and much more. If you've never experience this restaurant I suggest you should service is wonderful and the food is A+.

How have I not reviewed Sawa's! We have been going for years and even had my daughter's baby shower there. If you enjoy Polish food it helps, but even if you don't, the carved meats like ham and beef are excellent, the salad bad is pretty generous, good soups, and the broasted chicken is the best you will find. They have a good variety of sides and the meat options continue. The polish options like the stuffed cabbage rolls and pierogi are can't miss though. Desserts? Well they have some if you have room, but I pretty much guarantee you won't go home hungry. They do have buffet prices, but they are pretty cheap for a buffet. Just make sure you save room before you go!

The food is top quality and so is the service this restaurant I highly recommend I go myself at least twice a week and the prices are very reasonable. You will love their food.

Very good variety and decent quality. Great value for what you get and so happy To have a Polish buffet still around.

The food was absolutely delicious, just as it has been for decades. I had the lunch buffet which was reasonably priced for excellent, quality food. The stuffed cabbage and potato pancakes are tied for first place as my favorites.

Great little polish restaurant that does things in a traditional way from what I can tell. Very reasonable prices, great food, great service! The inside is old-school and I think that adds to the charm. I believe they offer polish immigrants the opportunity to work and rent small apartments above the restaurant when they move to the US so the food is made by them I'd bet. It's a place I can take my mom and grandma and everyone leaves stuffed and happy!

The BEST Polish food ever! The buffet has something for everyone and the food tastes just like what my Polish Grandma and Ukrainian/Polish mother made! We stop by every time we are in Chicago! The staff is very friendly and accommodating too!

Food was excellent so was the service you can't beat the price!!!!! Food display cllean and tidey

Wonderful old world (school?). Polish smorgasbord. Even that word takes me back to my youth. If you enter thru the bar you will find yourself in a **very** dark bar with some regular looking customers. I came here for a late work lunch and it did not disappoint. This place has been around along time apparently and the many of the servers appeared to be from Poland. There's potato pancakes,pierogi, Swiss steak, fried chicken , etc etc....they also had a regular salad bar and bar of potato, bean and macaroni salads; coleslaw, and puddings that reminded me of the old ponderosa buffet. They also had a soft serve ice cream machine but I couldn't find it.

I am so excited to have found this terrific place. I love that it's not changed since it opened 50 years ago. Don't even think about coming here and reviewing this place if you're going to nitpick like some of the negative reviews about the price or service !!! Please. These places are disappearing and are our culture here in Chicago. If you want some solid home cooking made with love then this is the place for you. I can't understand why anyone thinks the buffet isn't big enough. Insane. I tried to try everything and couldn't do it after 3 plates. You know nothing about food service and how small the margin is. It's very hard to charge just $15 and offer hundreds of items. This is a problem with Yelp. Allowing uneducated people to trash businesses they know nothing about. Here's what I thought was stellar: fried chicken, pork goulash, pickles, potato pancakes with apple sauce, pork cutlets, beets and pierogis. The fried chicken was some of the best I've had. What's good: both sausages, salad bar, sauerkraut. It's a buffet. It's buffet food. Rate it and compare it as such ok? I thought the service was great. Treat these nice ladies with respect and they will take care of you. I really liked them. I can't wait to return.

Food was great, service was top notch. Best buffet in town. Plenty of old school items. 5 stars from me. The Lounge was also great.

Love this place. I come here a few times a month. Service is always great, food is always fresh, and it's very clean. I like the old school pink walls

I admit to having a soft spot for restaurants that inspire a feeling of nostalgia in me, such as Sawa's does. I'm comforted and charmed by the decor that hasn't changed in decades, and grateful for a staff and ownership that's been doing what they do for years with such dedication and commitment. It's admirable, surviving so long in an industry that's so challenging. It says something about their food, which I thought was excellent. The buffet features many of the traditional standards of the cuisine; pierogis, stuffed cabbage, fried pork cutlets, potato pancakes and sausage. Daily specials and sides round out the hot buffet. I appreciate the generous salad bar, and thought their picked beets and potato salad were great. They had two soups available on the buffet, and the homey chicken noodle hit the spot. Everything I tried was delicious, and the fried chicken alone would bring me back. Seriously, if Sawa's was a restaurant that only served fried chicken, I'd go. Service was friendly and efficient. It was obvious that many of the customers were regulars and well known to the staff. I really like that vibe, and plan on being one of those regulars. What better goal for 2022 than to enjoy great food in such an atmosphere of hospitality and connection?

Classic spot. Lovely folks. Environment 11/10. Food 9/10. Old Warsaw keeps rocking.

Struggled giving 2 or 3 stars on this review. Went with 3 because service was okay. The main concern I have is the hot food items are not hot. They were all barely warm. The flavor of the chicken, meatballs, and sausage was decent, but someone is going to get sick. I ate a half of one plate due to this and just ate a few kolacki...these are delicious.

Have not been here since childhood, but great food never changes ! Food was just as good as I remember! Hot and plenty of it! Never got Polish food in Florida so very happy to be here. Go early as the place gets very crowded.