Located in the heart of the community at 5619 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL 60630, Smakosz Restaurant stands as a welcoming destination for those who appreciate the art of traditional cooking. Our establishment is built upon a foundation of hospitality, aiming to provide a comfortable environment where guests can enjoy a meaningful meal with friends, family, or colleagues. We believe that dining is more than just an act of nourishment; it is an opportunity to slow down, share stories, and experience the flavors that bring people together.
Our kitchen team approaches every dish with a focus on quality and consistency. By sourcing ingredients thoughtfully and adhering to time-honored preparation techniques, we strive to create a menu that resonates with both long-time residents of Chicago and visitors exploring the local culinary landscape. Whether you are stopping by for a casual lunch or settling in for a relaxed evening dinner, our goal is to ensure that every guest feels at home from the moment they walk through our doors.
Why Choose Smakosz Restaurant
Authentic Culinary Approach: We prioritize the integrity of our ingredients, focusing on classic preparation methods that highlight natural flavors and textures. Our kitchen team is dedicated to maintaining high standards of quality in every plate served.
Welcoming Atmosphere: Our dining space is designed to be inclusive and comfortable, making it an ideal setting for a wide variety of occasions. From quiet conversations to celebratory gatherings, we provide the backdrop for memorable experiences.
Commitment to Community: Being situated on Lawrence Avenue, we take pride in serving the local Chicago neighborhood. We value the relationships we build with our patrons and strive to be a reliable part of the local dining scene.
Consistent Service: Our staff is committed to providing attentive and friendly service. We understand that a great dining experience relies on both the quality of the food and the warmth of the hospitality provided throughout your visit.
The philosophy at Smakosz Restaurant is simple: we believe that food should be prepared with care and served with genuine kindness. We understand the importance of consistency in the restaurant industry, and we work diligently to ensure that our standards remain high for every guest who chooses to dine with us. Our location in Chicago allows us to be a convenient stop for those navigating the city, yet we maintain an atmosphere that feels like a retreat from the bustle of daily life.
We invite you to visit us at 5619 W Lawrence Ave to experience our approach to dining firsthand. Our team is always ready to welcome new faces and greet familiar ones, ensuring that your time spent with us is enjoyable and satisfying. We are constantly looking for ways to refine our craft and improve the experience for our guests, as we believe that a restaurant should grow and evolve alongside the community it serves. Thank you for considering Smakosz Restaurant for your next meal; we look forward to the opportunity to host you and share our passion for good food and hospitality.
Amenities and More
Accessibility
Wheelchair accessible entrance
Wheelchair accessible restroom
Wheelchair accessible seating
Service options
No-contact delivery
Delivery
Onsite services
Takeout
Dine-in
Highlights
Fast service
Great beer selection
Serves local specialty
Popular for
Lunch
Dinner
Solo dining
Offerings
Alcohol
Beer
Cocktails
Coffee
Comfort food
Hard liquor
Wine
Dining options
Lunch
Dinner
Catering
Dessert
Seating
Table service
Amenities
Bar onsite
Restroom
Atmosphere
Casual
Cozy
Quiet
Crowd
Groups
Tourists
Planning
Accepts reservations
Payments
Credit cards
Debit cards
NFC mobile payments
Credit cards
Children
Good for kids
High chairs
Kids' menu
Parking
Free street parking
Usually somewhat difficult to find a space
Menus
Appetizers
Popular
Soups
Popular
Salads
Popular
Sandwiches
Popular
Main Dishes
Popular
Pierogi
Popular
Side
Popular
Kids Menu
Popular
Desserts
Popular
Beverages
Popular
Photos
Reviews Smakosz Restaurant
Indira Cabrera
30-05-2026
I had the tasty chicken and onions and my boyfriend had the delicious Polish Sampler. I had Kompote and he had the beer on tap. The Polish style cheesecake was delightful! Can't wait to go back!
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Group size
Suitable for all group sizes
Kevin Barszcz
30-05-2026
The food here is delicious!! Poland has some of the best soups in the world and this place did not disappoint. We had the chicken noodle soup and it was great, also the zapiekanka was on fire (sorry I ate it before I took a photo). Try this restaurant, you won’t be disappointed! More
Leah D
30-05-2026
The food is very fresh and yummy here. Polish food is so comforting and homemade.
It’s nice and quiet here so you can come relax and chat. … More
Lauren Cox
30-05-2026
My first experience here and wow. It's like stepping into a family. The food is superb and subtle. The soups are all phenomenal as well as the desserts. We sampled a little of everything. I cannot wait to return More
Barb Chrom
30-05-2026
Sunday dinner at Smakosz, excellent Polish cuisine, pork chop with mushrooms and potatoes, Hungarian pancakes with goulash, red borscht with meat croquette, kopytka, everything delicious. Nice atmosphere, jazz music, friendly service. Free parking on Lawrence, there was no problem finding a place. I highly recommend Polish cuisine because it is very tasty!! 👌🏻
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Noise level
Quiet, easy to talk
Group size
3-4 people
Wait time
No wait
Parking space
Plenty of parking
Parking options
Free street parking
Jimmy Byrne
30-05-2026
Highly recommend the Lublin pork cutlet served on a potato pancake with a sunny egg and mushroom sauce. Delicious!
Service was a bit dry, but attentive. They're not unfriendly, but also not very warm or welcoming.
Cute decor. There's a beautiful mural on the wall, maybe it's the founder's hometown. Clean and tidy place in a charming building.
Meal type
Dinner
Food: 4
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 4
Noise level
Quiet, easy to talk
Aagosh
30-05-2026
Food is always good and hearty and clean tasting, though the portion size-price ratio isn't always the best. The sampler was always my favorite.
The atmosphere here before the remodelling was one of my favorites; extremely cozy, rustic, and warm. Since then, they've made it more "conventionally modern", which is a heartbreaking subjective choice at the end of the day, but in my opinion, it has lost its charming, unique identity by replacing the chocolaty brown wooden walls & carpeted floor with grey bricks and slick floors. It feels soulless and sterile now in its visual aesthetic, cookie cutter to other restaurants like it.
Nonetheless, a cornerstone of Jefferson Park's culture and identity.
Food: 5
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 4
John Chiczewski
30-05-2026
Restaurant in very clean and great atmosphere. Staff was friendly and helpful. Food was delicious we tried many dishes because they will be doing our catering for Christmas Day. The breaded, pork chop fantastic, delicious meatballs with dill sauce, and really great stuffed cabbage. All sides were delicious pierogies sausage, sauerkraut and beets. Sour soup is a do not miss.
Meal type
Dinner
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Pierogies, Sausage, Mashed Potatoes, Meatballs, Grilled Sausage & Pierogi with Sauteed Onion Kielbasa Z Grilla I Pierogi, Breaded Pork Chop
Wait time
No wait
Sara Kowalski
30-05-2026
We had such a delicious meal here-can’t think of a single thing I would have changed. The food was delicious-I especially loved the sauerkraut soup. We also had cheese&onion and meat pierogies. The onions atop of the pierogies are heavenly. Lastly, we had the polish sampler-what a great way to try a little of everything. I am so impressed by restaurants making everything fresh & in house. You can tell love and care is in every dish. The owner was so kind and attentive to us even in a packed restaurant. Make a reservation if you can!
Order type
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$30–50
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Pierogies, Polish Sampler Plate
Chris Zion
30-05-2026
An 80 mile drive one way to try a Sunday meal paid off. Very impressed all the way around from the aroma approaching the entrance, to the tastefully designed interior, warm and inviting service and the food, wow, the food! If you desire a meal reminiscent of your Polish family meals, we don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
B. H.
30-05-2026
Loved this place! Will be back. Great service and the cheese and cherry nalesniki were to die for. So lovely. The potato pancakes were almost like mom's. Pierogi were great, but we forgot to ask that they be pan fried. The stuffed cabbage great. Least favorite were the chicken meatballs. Will definitely be back!
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4
Krzysztof Padyasek
30-05-2026
Small mom and pop style shop. I watched their video on Instagram, which is why we came to try it. We had a breaded pork chop sandwich and a Hungarian pancake, diet coke and red currant compote- very typical in polish cuisine. Very much home … More
Sandrine Eifert
30-05-2026
We stopped by Smakosz Restaurant for lunch today, everything was well done especially the bake pork knuckle, crispy skin, juicy & soft meat. We also enjoyed the beef stroganoff, meat balls with mushroom sauce, potato pancakes & Hungarian … More
J Kinzig
30-05-2026
Stopped at Smakosz for Sunday lunch. Excited to try authentic Polish food. Greeted at the door by the owner. Love the old world decor/feel of the restaurant.
My grandparents were Hungarian immigrants and I have found over the years that eastern European cultures have overlapping foods. For me, I had to try the stuffed cabbage. It was spot-on delicious. (Of course my grandmother’s recipe will never be matched 😀😋). Really enjoyed our meals. Great service, cozy, and reasonable prices. Would definitely return.
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Group size
Suitable for all group sizes
Seating type
Indoor dining area, Booth seating
Parking space
Somewhat difficult to find parking
Parking options
Free street parking
Sheldon
30-05-2026
Nice indoor space, not a lot of people around early dinner time. Tenderloin (pictured) was huge and very good. If you aren’t starving this is something I would plan to share. Service was objectively good, but they did not seem happy to be there. Overall we would probably visit again to try something else, they had a nice event space in the back.
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 4
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 4
Recommended dishes
Hungarian Pancake
Noise level
Very quiet
Wait time
No wait
Adam W
30-05-2026
If you’re looking for authentic, high-quality Polish food in Chicago, Smakosz is an absolute gem.
Everything we ordered was outstanding. The ingredients tasted incredibly fresh, and you can tell right away that the food is made with care. Our server was fantastic attentive, warm, and genuinely proud of what they were serving. The owner even came by to talk with us and shared how everything is homemade, done by hand, and prepared with real love. She was so friendly and modest, and it made the whole experience feel personal.
The pierogis are hands down the best you will ever have. Perfectly cooked, flavorful, and clearly made from scratch. I also highly recommend the Polish assortment so you can try a little bit of everything. It’s the best way to experience the range and quality of what they offer.
We are so glad we found this place. We’ll definitely be back often.
Order type
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$30–40
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Noise level
Quiet, easy to talk
Antonio Vargas
30-05-2026
Cozy, local, polish restaurant from Jefferson Park. You won’t know about it unless you’re passing by. Everything I ordered was phenomenal and prepared deliciously perfect. I ordered carryout and all the food tasted to what I feel was standard and presented exceptionally. I’m definitely going to dine-in for our next turn around when we come back. Which we will definitely be back. We ate the polish food assortment and the Hungarian pancake. Best goulash I’ve ever had! Wow!
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Stephanie Polakowski
30-05-2026
Authentic, homemade Polish food. Reasonable prices, big portions, restaurant has a high scale feeling to it, smaller restaurant so tables fill up quickly, easy to have a conversation while eating since it’s not a very loud restaurant. The meatballs in mushroom sauce were excellent. Everyone loved their entrees! I read that this is a family owned placed, 2 sisters took over after their dad passed away and have kept the tradition alive. The Perogi and red Borsht (spelling🙊) soup also excellent! I will be back for sure.
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$30–50
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4
Group size
3-4 people
Seating type
Indoor dining area
Parking space
Somewhat difficult to find parking
Parking options
Free street parking
Wheelchair accessibility
1 level, no stairs
Amanda Tozer
30-05-2026
First time trying authentic Polish. Food was wonderful and made fresh. Quiet, clean, and simple atmosphere. Great service. Wonder how Polish people would rate it? But we loved everything...except maybe blah strudel.
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 4
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 3
Reservation
Varies by time / day
Wait time
No wait
Recommendation for vegetarians
Somewhat recommend
Vegetarian offerings
Not sure
Magnus Wu
30-05-2026
Came here on a recommendation from a friend. What a great place! Delicious pierogis. Potato pancakes were great too. Friends loved the beer. Service was great too. Our 1 year old loved it too!
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Noise level
Quiet, easy to talk
Parking space
Somewhat difficult to find parking
Parking options
Free street parking, Paid street parking
Kid-friendliness
High chairs available
Reviews Smakosz Restaurant