My girllfriend and I are both half Polish. The difference is I was a picky, bratty child who didn't care for many of the dishes my dad cooked for us growing up (I'm looking at YOU, golumpki...) So when she suggested this place for our anniversary I was not thrilled, but it was also her birthday so she got the overruling vote. And I figured I could always get kielbasa, which I have always liked. As many have pointed out, the atmosphere wasn't really what we were expecting, being in a nearly deserted strip mall, but the server was very friendly and seated us immediately, despite being 30 minutes early for our reservation (there were only two other parties there). (And while we're talking about the restaurant itself, we noticed no stale smoke odor, and we're both militant nonsmokers who are extremely sensitive to it. It most certainly would have ruined our experience if it was present) We ordered the platter for two because it offered the most variety for the price. We weren't sorry. My rosol (chicken noodle) soup wasn't phenomenal, but she was in heaven with her czerwony barszcz (borscht). (I am cheating heavily by looking at their online menu. We don't really speak Polish). We both liked the mizeria (cucumbers (that taste like pickles) and sour cream) as a light filler between dishes. And of course more beets for her, I was happy to give up my portion. The first course of the platter is the pierogies, a croquette (deep fried shredded chicken), and the golebkis (golumpkis, and my moment of truth). All of these were delicious, even the golebkis (color me extremely surprised how much I liked them). My favorite were the pierogies, which I had never had with pork filling and were very moist and flavor filled. Everything was delicious and very filling, we were stuffed by this point and still had the kielbasa to contend with. I forgot to mention the compote, which is a delightful fruity pineapple/pear drink with a pear wedge floating in it. Like a little dessert by itself. Next were the kielbasa, the zeberka (spare ribs) and mashed potatoes. The potatoes seemed really flaky, like reconstituted, but my girlfriend assured me they were real. But who had room for them with all that tasty meat on the plate? The kielbasa was more moist than I'd ever had, and the zeberka was literally falling off the bone, it was so tender. We don't go out to eat that often, so we forced ourselves to have dessert. We had the sweet pierogies and chrusciki (angel wings, or fried dough). The pierogies were excellent, just like how her grandmother used to make them. The chrusciki was a bit of a disappointment as I was expecting something like what you get at state fairs. This was more like filo dough, but that didn't stop us from eating all of it. Our experience was very pleasant and everything we could hope for for our 23rd anniversary. I think we'll definitely be coming back, once we have a chance to digest all the fantastic food we ate!
(4)
Gigalo L.
Great home style cooking for huge portions and low prices. The golabki had great flavors, but the tomato bisque-like (although really good) was less preferential to me than the broth-ier version. The kielbasa was delicious and paired very well with the spicy mustard. It came with mashed potatoes, amazing sauerkrauts, and a tasty dill pickle. We only had the mini pork pierogis but those were very good as well.
(4)
Jessica T.
Very impressed! Walking in, there is a smell of "old", almost mildew-y, and the decor seemed very dated so I was worried Yelp had steered me wrong, but just as quickly the awesome service and incredible menu left my worries behind. I admit to knowing very little about authentic Polish food, but I do know the menu was diverse and huge; and the food was delicious! We had started with the recommended Polish beer, name is escaping me but OK- something. It was smooth and a nice compliment to the meal. For dinner, my dad and I had the Pierogi plates (cheese/potato, mushroom/sauerkruat, pork filling), and my mom had the Placki (traditional pan friend potato and onion pancake, not to be confused with the German version). The entrees were huge and wonderful!! Flavors were solid, and everything seemed freshly prepared (we were told everything is made in-house, and you can tell!). I opted for the pickle soup with my entree, and is was so good! I really didn't know what to expect but it was the perfect hint of briny, pickle goodness in a slightly creamy base- seriously yummy. My dad had their chicken noodle and he said it was like ramen- ah you can't win them all. Mom's entree came with mizeria (cucumbers in sour cream with spices), which was interesting but a little heavy on the sour cream. They even have a kid's menu, which I was glad to see as we had dragged the six year old with us. He can usually be convinced to try just about anything, and ultimately I can always find something for him anywhere we go, but a kid's menu always makes life easier. I appreciate restaurants that don't mind compromising a little on authenticity to offer hot dogs, mac n cheese, and the like. Our server, whose name escapes me, was wonderful. He was attentive, offered good suggestions on beer and food, and just made for a great overall experience. An experience totally worth repeating, which I intend to do the next time I'm trekking around the Arvada area (which is only a few times a year). I'd love to try the kielbasa or other menu items next- a food adventure!
(4)
Melissa D.
Really my review is around 4.5 stars instead of 4 stars, just an fyi! My boyfriend and I had been meaning to try Cracovia for a long, long time, as we had lived just down the street for the past 10 months at the time and love German and Polish food. I had seen all the reviews, and I am in total agreement - Cracovia serves amazing food! We arrived in the afternoon, between the lunch and dinner crowd I presume since it was fairly empty. We were seated quickly and placed orders for the Kielbasa (Smoked Polish Sausage) and I had the Pierogi with Ground Pork with the Zurek soup to start. The food arrived a little slowly for how empty it was, but we not too bad on time - the waiter was still very attentive! Matt said the Kielbasa was simply delicious, and near the top of the list in terms of sausage that he's tried. My Zurek soup was so savory, and despite it being a warm day I was lapping it up! I would definitely eat that soup again. The Pork Pierogi I had was a tad greasy for my taste, but I still enjoyed it and ate almost all of it (and there was a LOT of it). I would try the Potato Pierogi or some of the Dessert Pierogi in the future. The drink selection was very nice, and we both enjoyed a beer with our dinner before heading to the bar next door. More people began to arrive while we were seated and eating, but it never became crowded. We will be coming back again very soon!
(4)
David T.
I get to Wadsworth and 94th about - humm - never in the 40 years I've lived in Denver but I have a good friend who moved way north (more house for the $$$) and he has been bugging me to meet him at this place for lunch. Finally succeeded in guilting me into going with the "but it's the holidays" ploy (and even offered to buy which was the deciding factor). It was OK. Some offerings were better than others - more on that in a bit but all in all not worth a 45 minute drive up Wadsworth - yikes. Lunch is a limited menu but a lot of food for $7.95. They bring you some bread (a little dry if you ask me) and a dollop of liver spread to get you started. You get a choice of a couple of meh salads or soup to start. Soups were pretty tasty. My friend had the beet with sour cream and potato (quite a shocking shade of pink) and I had the sauerkraut. Both were decent but not exceptional. The sauerkraut was mostly a very tart broth - not much in the way of actual kraut or the sausage that I was hoping for, just a couple of chunks of potato. Pretty nice selection of entree items. He had the potato pancakes with a side of goulash. He snarfed them down but the taste I had was extremely disappointing. Potato pancakes should be crisp and greaseless - these were neither. Glad I didn't order them and I'd been thinking of it. My cabbage rolls were much, much better. You get two - one with a tomato sauce (tasted a little more Italian than Polish but OK) and the other with a mushroom sauce that was the consistency of undiluted Campbell's cream of mushroom soup but actually wasn't terrible. So we're at about two and a half stars at this point but they redeemed themselves with the sweet dessert pierogies (strawberry and blueberry) served with a slightly tangy vanilla cream sauce (could have been Dannon yogurt but way better than the spray canned whipped cream on the side). Phenomenal little morsels and worth every calorie. Some other brief notes: Atmosphere (strip mall and a touch shabby), ventilation not up to the smoking platters of sausage that many were eating (I stink), wine list is a joke but they have a nice roster of infused vodkas and Polish beers, and our server was very personable although I did have to wave her down for water re-fills. If you're across the street shopping at American Furniture, or have some reason to be up there, Cracovia is A-OK - certainly a better option than most considering the sea of fast food chain places surrounding them.
(3)
Viviana P.
They have all mind of Food that German and Czech usually have. It's great to have a place were you even meet the owner.
(5)
Jeffrey Q.
Love the food and the people; known this place quite a while here in Denver, always full of positive energy and great sense of spirit, you can't go wrong, check it out.
(5)
Amanda S.
This place makes my mouth water! I am from Ohio and I was really missing home style polish food. I found Cracovia and it takes me back to my Great Grandma's traditional polish cooking. We usually get the sampler platter for two because we want to savor all the flavors of their traditional foods. We love the Zuric soup, kielbasa, perogies, and the stuffed cabbages beat my Mom's 100% (shh don't tell her). Cracovia knocks it out of the park with their food.
(5)
Christopher B.
#1000 review! I can't believe it's been that many! I also can't think of a better place to review right now than a Polish restaurant! As many of you know, I'm 100% Polish, I have been brought up with Polish food, and go back to Poland relatively often. With that said, I am pretty picky about the food at Polish restaurants. Of course, I am always seeking out something similar to what my mom or relatives make!! I find it funny in some of the reviews that people claim this to be the best Polish food in North America and so on. Granted, this place is really good but you do have Chicago to contend with (among other cities) so the claims are a little ludicrous. I will say this place has the best Polish food in the Denver area. It's a shame it is not downtown but it has to be really good to get me to drive to Westminster when I have other Polish places to choose from in downtown. I have had a number of dishes at Cracovia and I have found that all of them are authentic and delicious. Just like with any ethnic food, each place or person has their own variation of a dish so although these might not all be identical to my mom's, they are still excellent in their own way. What I love about Cracovia beyond the authenticity is the extensive menu. I am not sure if I have ever been to a Polish restaurant with such a wide array of options. One of my favorite soups is the zupa ogorkowa, which it hard to find in other restaurants, and not only is it on the menu but it's absolutely wonderful. I know the barszcz is very good but it just doesn't happen to be one of my favorite soups. For dinner, I opted to go with bigos, one of my favorite dishes. It's referred to as the hunter's stew, which is a mixture of sauerkraut, cabbage, pork meat, (Polish) mushrooms, and kielbasa and is to be eaten with bread. This is a quintessential Polish dish which incorporates so many of the key ingredients that are used in so many other dishes. It's a hearty dish but the way it is prepared here it would be hard not to polish it off. A friend had the golabki, which is probably my favorite Polish dish. They are prepared a bit differently than I have had in the past; nonetheless, the combination works and dish is very tasty. I could not forego dessert, or shall I say szarlotka?! This is absolutely the best Polish dessert and the only one I will order off a menu. With this particular dessert, there are a lot of variations to it (i.e. how the apples are cut up or mushed to the dough). This wasn't my favorite style of the dessert but you would not see me balk at it either! A saw a couple people mention vodkas. In my mind, there is only one option- Zubrowka. You order it on the rocks and it is the perfect complement to a Polish dinner. I have introduced several of my Denver friends to this vodka in recent months and they will all attest that this is the best vodka out there! Cracovia seems to have cuisine from Krakow, which is a bit different (not much) from what I'm used to (Warsaw), which explains a couple comments I made above. Regardless of the region, the food here is authentic and wonderful and if you have never had Polish food and/or are seeking excellent Polish cuisine then this is absolutely the place to dine!
(5)
Migle S.
Overall disappointing. Came in craving some eastern European food and to show my boyfriend how good the food is. We were greeted by a gentleman who looked like he just tolled our of bed and put on his uniform. Wrinkled clothes and sagging his pants. Overall he was polite. He seated us. While looking around I noticed there was food splatter on the walls and menus. I don't know how this place passed a health inspection. I ordered a cocktail the denver sunrise. Ofcourse the same guy who greeted us, was our waiter, and the bartender. Actually the only staff member we saw through out our whole visit. The cocktail was nice and strong. We ordered our food, we had a choice between salad or soup. I chose the red beet soup. It was good but whenever I used to have red beet soup it would contain actual red beets, this one had 3 pieces of potatoe. My boyfriend had a cesarean salad, couple pieces of lettuce with dressing and croutons oh and one small piece of tomato. Our main dishes came out I had the polish sausage with sour krout (was served in a glass measuring cup), two ice cream scoops of mashed potatoes, and a slice of pickle. Everything tasted fine. My boyfriend got the pierogis. 5 of them for 10.99$ with sour cream. We didn't stay for dessert. Decided to go out to eat to another restaurant after this. Overall the place is dirty, the service is mediocre, the portions seem like appetizer portions but the food is good.
(2)
Steven M.
Huge menu with many interesting traditional Polish specialties. I got the prix fixe rabbit which was amazing but my wife got the black sausage which was a bit mushy but still flavorful. Sides were good and the soups exceeded all expectations. I got the sauerkraut soup which was an easy favorite.
(5)
John S.
I had the lunch special ($8.99) which included sauerkraut soup and golabki. The only thing I didn't like was the spaghetti sauce on top. I'm accustomed to having golabki with tomato paste on the top. Good food, friendly service!
(4)
Alan R.
Phenomenal food, excellent service!!!! I'm not sure what the review below is talking about, we absolutely loved this place and will be back. The strip mall location can be a little deceiving, but once inside, the place is surprisingly warm and welcoming. My wife had the blueberry pierogies with sour cream, and OH MY GOODNESS was it hard to get her to give me a bite! I had the sizzling Kielbalsa with homemade mustard, and it was delicious. Thank you Cracovia and we can't wait to visit again!
(5)
Mikey R.
"cracovia", it's all in the name. You want authentic polish and bold , robust flavors that trickle across the pallet than my friend this is your go to spot! The dishes are incredible portions, and full of intensity. Even the salads, yes the salad, was superb. Put aside a top shelf , well laid up bar inside its elabrorant interior and dashing lighting. I would strongly without doubt recommend this venue for any occasion!
(5)
Taylor G.
I have never experienced Polish food before and on the advice of a friend ,we went here and gave it a try. I have to say, I was skeptical because it's in a strip mall . None the less I still went in and I was kinda shocked with how nice it looked when I walked in. Very nice linens on the tables and it appeared they have tea candles on the tables . ( I don't know if this is to add to the ambiance or to give off the impression this is a romantic stop for couples) Anyways, I sat somewhat close to the "dance floor" and things got weird after that. I couldn't help but smell cigarettes.. that musty old stink that you get from people who smoke in their homes/cars. I don't know if this restaurant used to be a smoking restaurant and then when laws changed they never really cleaned the place or what, but I absolutely smelled sour cigarette smoke. That was a turn off. I was given a plate of bread and some sort of pate or spread with it. The bread was slightly old ( at least it smelled old) and when I asked what the spread was I immediately told them I would pass. ( Apparently they give you a spread of basic animal parts with lard .. not really my style) . I lifted the bread to see if there was a better looking piece and the linen it was wrapped in was dirty--covered in grease, oil and basically looked like its been used over and over again. I was slightly panicking at this point because my friend was pretty stoked I came with him.But when he saw how dirty the bread plate was even he started to cringe a little bit. . Looking at the menu I have to say, the selection of food was pretty basic but from what I was told this is real authentic Polish food so everything is made from old country recipes. I ordered the pierogie and zurek soup. I was kinda scared to think my other dishes were going to be dirty but I still tried my food. I was impressed with how tasty these traditional dumplings were. They were very close to a ravioli but still very good. The zurek soup was unlike anything I've ever ate before, very flavorful with potato, sausage and a hard boiled egg. My friend ordered the miloney ( I have no idea if that's you spell it but that's how it sounded when the server said it) .I was very thirsty and I had to constantly ask for refills on my drinks.. and then when they refilled my water there was hardly any ice!. My friend and I just so happened to go in on a very very warm day this year, and its more than irritating to be given water at room temp. I basically asked for a cup of ice because he just wasn't getting it. I went to the bathroom and boy was I in for a rude awakening, the door for employees was ajar and I had a brief glimpse into the kitchen.. I saw someone actually preparing food on the floor .. I thought my eyes were deceiving me so I tried to look again without making it obvious and yep! They sure were!... I don't know exactly what they were doing but when I saw they had containers on the floor and they were filling them with steaming hot food I broke out in a cold sweat. I hurried in the restroom and as I was rushing back to my seat, I saw the server stick his fingers inside the drinks he was bringing to another table, as I came around the corner.. I pretty much was finished as I lost my appetite coming back from the restroom. We asked for the check, paid and left rather quickly. I would give a higher start rating but the odors, the service and the grimly sight I saw in the kitchen assured me I will not be returning.. and my friend said he was shocked because he always told me how outstanding the food was. . well good food can't possibly make up for sloppy service along with a long list of health code violations .
(1)
Michelle P.
Very nice place; great service;good food. Like the other reviewers you wouldn't guess that such a well decorated and polished restaurant is hidden in that little shopping center. This is definitely a place you could take someone from out of town for dinner. I do not know anything about Polish food so all I can't speak to it's authenticity although the owners are from Poland. Everything I had was good and everything I had was unique to me. I have had the Zurek soup which is light and brothy so it will not fill you up much before your entree. The kielbasa sausage was the best I have ever had. They make this from scratch and it is so good. The perogies are also good but they are not made the American way.......sauteed or fried; they are boiled and topped with drawn butter. The cabbage rolls are the best I have had as well and come with a choice of a mushroom sauce or tomato sauce. To my surprise I liked the tomato sauce better. I am usually more of a cream sauce lover. They also have a good selection of Polish vodkas and let me tell you, these are the best infused vodkas I have ever had. There was one that was made with Bison grass and vanilla infused. My favorite so far. They have a good Polish beer selection as well and I haven't had one yet I didn't like. Although IPA's are the only type of beer I really don't love. This is worth the trip up North. Check it out!
(4)
Samantha S.
I'm not polish, so I don't claim to know if things taste 'authentic' or not... but if I liked them, and if I had a good time, matters most to me :) I had some people in from out of town ( which happens often with my job), and they wanted to go somewhere I hadn't been before with other peeps from out of town, so we tried here. The location is unassuming as it is something you can easily pass just driving down Wads, and as one yelper said, they spotted it while at American Warehouse across the street. In driving by as well, you wonder, is this fast food style? or a true Restaurant... and you are kept guessing as you drive up, park, and approach the doorway. It doesn't look like there are any other shops in this little strip, so you start to second guess. Once inside you are greeted by a cute little dinning room. Whew, yes this is a "please wait to be seated" type of place ( my employees wouldn't have let me live it down if it was less that that..lol) .. we were seated by the greatest waitress ever. Super sweet and friendly, and pronounced everything (sometimes twice) for us, in an ever- so- cool accent. Well cool to us boring Clevelanders... :) Tried some beer I can't pronounce or remember the name of... but still pretty good for me.. Had some soup with a pickle flavor base, pretty interesting. Our table had : stuffed cabbage -My friend Mike, the grumpiest reviewer of life, actually LOVED it... It was two humongous stuffed cabbages and he ate almost all of it. Next, I had perogies... you can't go wrong with perogies, I love them. The only difference is that they boil them only, and I like to fry mine to crisp them up a bit. Polish sausage - i tried a bite of... SCORE... I would get that the next time. Lastly, friend 3 had a chicken dish (devilsomething) which reminded me of a chimicanga with shredded chicken and peppers in it... but not all the sauce. I normally comes with pickles instead of peppers, but I guess they were out... Still, I tried a bite of that and it was good. We were all too stuffed for dessert but I really want to try their fruit filled perogies... sounds incredibly fattening... so will most likely taste EXCELLENT. Next time.
(4)
Patrick M.
Great authentic Polish food. I've eaten here several times and loved it every time. Golabki, Pierogies, pickle,soup....all amazing. It's hidden in a small strip mall but don't be put off by appearances.
(5)
Tina B.
I walked in and thought I was going to a polish restaurant bar. I walked in to a pleasant setting, nice linens and a full beautiful bar. My only complaint was the time it took to get the delicious food. Other than that everything was awesome!
(5)
Beth W.
Went here for dinner for the first time. It was a Wednesday so maybe that's why there were only 4 people here. It was ok, huge portions. My husband and I shared cheese and potato filled pierogies with smoked kielbasa. I had never had pierogies filled with ricotta, at least that's what they tasted like, they were not good at all. The 2 stars are for the kielbasa. We won't return the prices are very HIGH and the food was not worth it.
(2)
Sara T.
Server was really nice, but the food was mediocre. Krokiety was very greasy and the soup that came with it was extremely salty. I think I may have just picked a bad dish, though, because someone who got the platter enjoyed the food.
(2)
M M.
This place gets better every time I go there! I just stopped in for lunch after buying flowers across the street. 10 star lunch for two people for $20!!!! At this rate, this will be the only place I eat. I am taking 4 clients here tomorrow, all of them from Eastern Europe. I am positive they will be thrilled!
(5)
jeff k.
I just discovered this joint up in Westminster and it has AMAZING food. I MUST try everything on the menu here and can't wait!
(5)
Robert W.
$7.95 lunch menu is awesome. beet root soup is outstanding, kielbasa is awesome...it's like fajitas sizzling on the way to your table. open faced sandwhich was really good, and the goulash was really good also. Really a great value for lunch.
(5)
Richard T.
I was in Denver for work and decided to meet up with my sisters for lunch. I like the food here. I won't say that I'm an expert on Eastern European cuisine, but I can say that I liked it. For appetizers, we all split a chowder, a beet soup and a cabbage soup. All were great, but the beet soup was my favorite. For entrees, we split a polish sausage, a white sausage and a plate of perogis (half cheese and half meat). Again, all were great, but the polish sausage was my favorite. They all came with a side, which all three of us decided to get the cabbage and potatoes. I don't know why, but the cabbage and potatoes reminds me of this Chinese soup that our mom makes. I would have liked to have hotter horseradish. It was good, but I like spicy. The waiter is funny and the service is fast and polite.
(4)
Karine Z.
Fantastic place. The food is delicious and I would recommend the platter so you can try a variety. Soups are fantastic too. And let's talk about the drinks... Wine is good but martinis are definitely above average. We will go back. Make sure you try this place. Oh yes and make sure you are hungry when you do, very hungry. Unless you want lunch for tomorrow
(4)
Bob H.
Our family went there for my fathers birthday. The food was great, as well as the service. Very good family restaurant. We also enjoyed the music.
(4)
Gregory P.
I was not expecting this. Everything we tried, and what we saw others eating, appears to be just incredibly good. Cracovia is at the corner of a strip center across Wadsworth from American Furniture Warehouse in Westminster. American and Polish flags fly above the front outside corner of the store. This simple storefront opens into a restaurant which, while plain, is nevertheless nicely appointed: Black tablecloths and napkins, black padded comfy chairs, a few booths, a dark wood bar. A few small oil paintings - for sale - are on the walls, but it's otherwise unadorned. We went early on a Friday evening, and were apparently lucky to get the last table for the two, because the place was chock full of reservations - including a 12-person church group next to us who all ordered just before we did. As a result, our service was, to put it mildly, slow; but I can't completely blame them for that; they were slammed. Our (very personable) waitress was extremely apologetic. We had a couple of glasses of the house wine, which was a very adequate CK Mondavi. Polish wines and beers were available, but we didn't go there only because we just didn't feel like it. The menu. Unless you are Polish (I assume), your first reaction will be that you recognize nothing on it. Heck, you probably can't pronounce most of the menu. Some things are recognizable if you sound them out. For example, "gulasz" turns out to be goulash. And "kielbasa" should be familiar. But barszcz? Say what? That turns out to be a Polish version of what Russians call borscht, beet soup (with a pork base). But mielony? Mizeria? No clue. Whatever, the menu has descriptions, usually, or you can just ask. If you get totally freaked out, the menu includes a cheeseburger and a couple of subs (on French bread). I ordered the gulasz (goulash), with a small bowl of czerwony barszcz - I had to just point to the menu - which is beet soup with dumplings. My wife ordered the mielony, which the menu semi-translated to "snytzel," and the waitress understood when she called it "schnitzel," which we were familiar with from German fare. My soup was very good, with a clear red broth and tender, flavorful, mushroom dumplings. (There is a choice of fillings.) I'm glad I ordered it, even though the church group next to us was positively swooning over their zupa ogorkowa - pickle soup. (?!) Next time. The goulash (gulasz) was wonderful. It was laden with chunks of tender pork, with a meaty and very slightly tomato-y sauce, very thick. I was eating it very, very happily when my wife offered me half of one of her schnitzels / snytzels / mielonies (mielonys?). I thought the mielony was simply fantastic. It was a thick (not flat) ovoids, lightly breaded, of ground pork mixed with some herbs and possibly mushrooms. So meaty, tasty, savory I couldn't stand it. I count it as an incredible find. (I've toned down the language here a lot from what I originally wrote, on general grounds of not appearing frenzied.) I enjoyed the mizeria side dish, which turned out to be a sour cream and cucumber concoction. My wife very much liked the "carrots and peas cooked in butter" that came with the mielony. Both were generous portions. I do have to say that the mashed potatoes that are a common side dish were very plain. They were real potatoes, but there was nothing more than that to recommend them. Since the other things we tried were so good, we decided, unusually, to try a dessert: Their version of apple pie. It was more like a rectangular two-inch thick brick of apple torte, about 2.5 inches square; plenty for two. It was quite good, but I had no reaction like I had to the mielonies. I should mention that for the dessert, out waitress "jumped the line" for us ahead of the church group; it arrived very quickly. (She was still being apologetic.) Other things to mention: While waiting for our main course, we were positively tortured by the sizzling sound and wonderful aroma of others being served their kielbasa. The church group was enthusing over the kielbasa and the pierogis, which are a plate full of dumplings - about ten of them - stuffed with your choice of a variety of things: cabbage, pork, cheese, etc. This first visit to Cracovia was more than a success overall, and I look forward to going there again.
(5)
Erica C.
Listen to me people. I am 75% Polish. I grew up in a family that took great pride in Polish food. Some of it, I still will never touch! LOL. Cracovia is OUTSTANDING!! The food is exceptional and the prices are totally fair. I am not a paid customer. The best thing on the menu is the pickle and potato soup and the stuffed cabbage with MUSHROOM sauce. (my grandparents always made with red sauce). I had to force my mom to have the mushroom. She wouldn't do it the first time. Then, she came around after she had a taste of mine. FABULOUS (sing in high pitched tone and prolong the word). Love, Erica P.s. good vodka choices too.
(5)
Stephanie C.
Beet root soup was amazing- great vodka choices. I'm not too desperate to get back again, but would certainly return in the future.
(4)
Lani P.
Yup Take out was just as Darn GOOD!!! lol I always crave this food now. So it's about 1040am and I am jonsing for some good hearty food, but nothing sounds good because I still got my mind fixated on this place. I orders the snitzel again, boiled sausage again but this time I tried 2 more things...They didn't opent till 11am but took my order so it was ready when I got there. I ordered all the dinner sizes because I love having left overs to snack on. The trout entree- Oh MAN!! I love trout and this was good. Cabbage roll- OH MY GOD!!! So Plum and Juicy and very meaty, it was HUGE!!!! Think I'm gonna go get some tomorrow again..hee.hee...this place is addictive!
(5)
Riza H. C.
Thank you Cracovia, Kathy and the rest of the crew that made our evening memorable yesterday evening, June 24th 2010. We went to Cracovia to have dinner. Prior to the event, I made the reservation. On the actual day, once I arrived at Cracovia, our table were ready for the group. The staffs are friendly, accommodating, informative, attentive and the service was prompt for our group. Since we were the 2nd largest group for that evening, to me all went well. Everyone has the chance to order what they want for the evening. If I could recall this was what the group ordered : * Czerwony Barszcz * Bigos * Flaki * Chicken Devolaide * Cracovia Mielony * Pierogi * Duck dish as part of the evening Specials * Platter For Two As for me, I order the Cracovia Trout. Personally, I like my dish, especially the rice. There is something with the flavor of the rice, in which I am trying to figure it out. I like the Trout too. My entree was nothing special but I just like it. Though I cant deny, I think the kitchen staff forgot to include sauerkraut salad with my main Entree. To me my Main Entree portion is HUGE. I was stuffed from my main entree, to which I so wish I could have space to stomach some desserts which I could not. I rate my main entree between 3 to 3.5 stars. At the end of our dinner, one of my friends order the kremowka, and some of them ordered the strawberry and blueberry pierogis. Most of the "dessert" pierogi came out warm. I guess that was how it should be. The group kept on comparing the pierogi to the chinese dumplings. From their observation and feedback, they feel that the pierogi is doughy and are more chewy. Another added bonus, our waitstaffs, allow our big group to have SEPARATE CHECKS. That's DEFINITELY a 2 thumbs up in my books. I am glad that my friends liked what they order for the evening, though I was slight hesitant to introduce this restaurant from the mixed reviews. With awesome company, good conversation and food that we can share, things went well for the evening.
(4)
arlene d.
Found this on yelp and got very excited. Hard to find polish restaurants. Came for a late lunch they offer lunch menu till 3 pm All entrees come with soup or salad and homemade bread $7.99 . I got cabbage roll and the beet soup. The cabbage was one huge one enough to feed two or more. The sauce on it tasted like a cheap can or jar sauce. Table also ordered potato pancakes which were very greasy soggy not crisp.
(2)
James K.
Excellent Polish cuisine!! I've eaten here numerous times, and always great!! If you're wanting to budget yourself... the Sampler Platter for 1 is more than enough for 2 people. You can always add an extra soup. I recommend the Sauerkraut soup...delicious! A platter for two will feed 3. The Stuffed Pepper is wonderful as well as the Kielbasa. Both of those entrees are generous portions.
(5)
Peter M.
I though that Cracovia was fantastic! Here's the deal: Go for lunch. It's a steal at $7.95, and it comes in two courses: First, pick either one of two salads, or one of five soups. I had some sort of egg, sausage, and potato bowl of deliciousness. Next, pick your entree. I chose the stuffed cabbage with the red sauce. It was Tasty with a capital T. Courtney, our waitress, offered up dessert, but we were stuffed. Perhaps next time. For lunch, this place is a winner! I will definitely be back!
(5)
R V.
I have been coming here regulary and can only say: YUM! I have had most everything on the menu. The food is better than excellent and the prices are very reasonable. Try the various types of borscht! The homemade Kielbasa is absolutely outstanding!!! Service is very good as well. As an aperitif I highly recommend the Debowa vodka-- you will be an addict in no time :-)
(5)
David R.
This place is a little known secret in Westminster and a hidden gem. The food is excellent. I definitely recommend the platter if you are wanting a taste of everything. They also have Groupons, et. al at times and their fixed menu is also very good. However, this is not a 2 $$ place, and probably should be rated at a 3 $$$ place. However, a recent change to the restaurant has caused me to rate it 4 stars instead of 5. They now have live music and it is played way too loud. When asked about this, we we told that it plays at one volume and unfortunately they could not do anything about it. Not exactly what you want at a cozy restaurant and can't hear the person across from you. Otherwise, their staff is very attentive, without being overbearing, and extremely friendly and courteous (and apologetic about the loud live music). If you are looking for something different or if you are familar with Polish food, this is the place to go.
(4)
Greg A.
I was shocked to find this place in Colorado. I would have expected it in the NYC area. This place is awesome if you have a yen for authentic Polish food. I had the sausage sampler. Some of the sausages were made in the restaurant. They were all yummy, if a bit oily: but hey, this is Polish food! If you'd like something different, like German-Russian but with more flair, try some Polish cuisine at this place. And it is indeed authentic Polish, not some Americanized mash-up. There's a dance floor in the back, should you be feeling extra festive, and when we visited, there was a lone musician playing old pop tunes, yes, Polish style using karaoke recordings and playing trumpet, sax, and flute (not all at once, of course).
(4)
Sara C.
What a pleasant surprise! I have never had Polish food before and to my surprise, I love Polish food! I'm ignorant when it comes to anything Eastern European and I started humming the tune to Tetris (I know Poland is not Russia) when we first sat down because the ambiance made me want to hum it... :P Speaking of ambiance, it's quite a large restaurant but still has a very intimate feel. Very warm and welcoming as well with the decor and wall colors. I don't know how to pronounce anything on the menu but the entree that I ordered which was Bitki. There was a lot of food and my bf and I shared a Sausage Sampler appetizer, a tripe soup and Bitki, which was very tender pork chops with garlic bread and mashed potato. Let's start with the Sausage sampler... It comes on a sizzling hot plate with caramelized onions and homemade mustard. The mustard was delicious with horseradish kick to it. Enough to clear your sinus like Wasabi if you have a little much. It's a perfect addition to the sausage and onions. We then had the tripe soup. I called it the Polish Menudo. It's a bit more creamier than Menudo that you get at Mexican places but you can definitely taste the tripe flavor in the soup. The tripe itself is not as chewy as I had anticipated but very soft and well-simmered. Bitki was great! I loved the mashed potato and the garlic bread too. The pork chops were very tender and in smaller pieces... it's more like the pork tenderloins that's been tenderized very well. Also had some Polish Beer that I can't pronounce... the waitress said it a few times and my Asian tongue just couldn't make out the words... I know it starts with the Z and it's in some pictures associated with this restaurant review. We tried to order other beers on the menu but when we went they had a shortage since their beer people haven't been delivering all of their selection. I have been telling my friends about this place... try it out if you're a sausage fan. YUM!
(5)
Ed E.
I had the Kielbasa, and it was excellent. You get three big sausages. I am not a sour kraut person at all, but the kraut I was served as part of the meal was amazing!!! I want to go back, if only for the kraut. I went late on a Monday and the place was pretty quiet, so I am can not judge the atmosphere. The place feels like a nicer restaurant with the dim lighting. The server was superb. I am not familiar with Polish cuisine, nor did I have the energy to read the menu (long day). He recommend a Polish beer. It was ice cold and really good. He also recommended the Kielbasa dinner (see paragraph one).
(5)
Lindsay K.
Love this little gem. We came here on a Sunday night a couple months ago, and we were the ONLY people in here. It appears as there are slim pickins' in Colorado for authentic Polish food, but we were pleased with Cracovia. I loved the golumki- although beware, the entree comes with two and they are MASSIVE! We were all impressed with their pickle soup- probably the best I've ever had. The grilled kielbasa was great, but the pierogi was good, not amazing. Will definitely be back to check out lunch!
(4)
Sturm B.
Hmmm.... well, 1. The people that I was with tell me that Cracovia serves some of the most authentic Polish food in North America. 2. I am about 1/4th Polish, so I was all-in when they invited me to tag along. 3. I have no reason to doubt the authenticity of Cracovia's food. 4. Assuming #1 is correct, I find Polish food truly disturbing, and I am ever so thankful that my forefathers came to the U.S. with all possible haste. Seriously, I will eat anything; I might be the least finicky biped on the third rock from the sun, and I love trying new things. I cannot wait to never eat Polish food again. The strange sausage-like entree that I had was not raw, but the texture would indicate otherwise. I tried everything at the table, and the only thing I liked was a plain ol' garden variety Polish sausage that we had as an appetizer. Oh, Polish beer is pretty good if you like European pilsners Everyone else loved it, so you might not want to take my review as gospel (thus the high rating that I gave them). I subtracted a star because our server was lame, and he was one of those people who doesn't respond when you say "thank you." This is a pet peeve of mine (and not just with servers). I don't require a formal "your welcome," but a "no problem," or even a "sure" is just plain obligatory. People with bad manners rank right up there with toenail fungus in my book. One other minor quibble: you've got to love those restaurants that keep the lights up high enough perform neurosurgery at the table. If live ever contrives to give me a choice between Polish food and McDonalds, I will need extra barbecue sauce with my McNuggets.
(4)
Ernie B.
We have come here in the past for lunch, had a Groupon for dinner. The stuffed cabbage was great and more than we could eat. Kielbasa was very good. Wine was good at a fair price. Love all the food had a great time.
(4)
Abby W.
Definitely worth trying again, but not that same as Papa's polish food. I had the pierogi (3 of each: cheese/potato, sauerkraut/mushrooms, pork/chicken) and they were pretty tasty. Boiled and served with a sweet onion glaze on top - yum! The meat ones were my least favorite and the waiter recommended the Zurek (White "barszcz" served with saugage, boiled eggs and potatoes) This is also a bit weird. BUT!! The best part - while my friends and I were chatting after we paid the bill, the owner came out and offered us free moonshine shots. It was so sweet! We'll be back! CLOSED TUESDAY! :-D
(4)
Patrick M.
I learned of this restaurant from another Yelper at one of the secret suppers and decided to give it a try since I live in the area. My girlfriend and I went there for dinner and we were the only ones in the restaurant at first. I wasn't sure if that was a bad sign but it turned out that we were just there a little earlier than when other folks eat dinner, but more customers showed up shortly after us. I was told that the Golabki (stuffed cabbage rolls) were amazing so I ordered that for dinner. But I also wanted to try some of the sausage that they had there so I ordered the sausage sampler appetizer plate. The sausage appetizer came with some of their white sausage and some kielbasa I think. They were both good but to me the kielbasa had more flavor and so was more enjoyable. The sausage came with a sweet mustard dipping sauce which, similar to eating too much wasabi, gives you a brief yet painful head rush that is sort of fun!! The dinner order of Golabki comes with two large cabbage rolls and a choice of a tomato sauce or cream of mushroom topping. I asked for both since I had not tried this dish before. Both sauces are good with this dish and at first I thought I liked the mushroom more but after just having eaten the leftovers for lunch the following day I think I now prefer the tomato sauce. And there will likely be leftovers! The Golabki was tender and juicy and actually kind of light for something that is stuffed with meat and rice! The cabbage, which I usually do not care for unless it is in the form of coleslaw, was nicely cooked and tasted great with the meat and rice stuffing without being overwhelmingly cabbagy! I made the decision to try to eat both rolls in addition to the sausage sampler platter and the salad I had already consumed. But half way through the second roll I was defeated. My girlfriend wasn't able to finish her first roll which was good for me as I ate it for lunch the following day!
(4)
Erin T.
We kept seeing this place driving down Wadsworth and finally swerved in last night instead of going to sushi. It has such a nice little romantic atmosphere with Polish music playing in the background. The host and server were so nice! My boyfriend got a light beer, I can't remember the name, the waitress recommended it to us and it was pretty good. A little sweet, which was surprising. I got something that came with 2 sausages, grilled, 2 little lumps of potato, sauerkrat and 2 pickles. The sausage was so delicious and the sauerkrat pretty good. My boyfriend got the stuffed bell peppers, which had beautiful presentation but I thought tasted meh but that's also because I don't really like bell peppers unless raw or on pizza. He really liked it though. Be careful if you get the dish I got grilled because the grease will spit off the pan onto you! We will definitely be coming back but probably splitting an entree because the food is very rich and heavy and oh so filling!
(4)
Dave B.
+ White pork sausage with mashed potatoes and a side of cooked sauerkraut. Yummy. + Delicious red borscht. + Polish beers (0.5 liters for $5). Very tasty. + Friendly and knowledgeable waitress. "Not Polish, Russian." - Crappy, cheap flatware. I am not goi
(3)
Mark T.
When shopping at the gigantic American Furniture Warehouse near 95th and Wadsworth, you may well wonder, "Hey, what's in that little strip mall across the street?". Well, ponder no more. For within its walls lies a cornucopia of Polish pleasantry called Cracovia. The interior blends an intimate family spot with a chi-chi place to see and be seen. The menu similarly features dishes that range from the homey to the wow-inducing. I like to start with the white soup called Zurek (or Zhurek, phonetically - there is an accent over the "Z"), where hardboiled eggs play nicely with potato and Polish white sausage. Their beet soup, Czerwony Barszcz, is also thick, rich and decadent. Then it's on to the main courses. If I'm looking for something (fairly) light I go for Lazanki (the first "L" in fact has a line through it and is thus pronounced more like the English "W"), which takes homemade noodles and fries them with bacon and cabbage. Zeberka (or again, Zheberka) is a tangy take on BBQ ribs that will please most palates. Meals are accompanied, by and large, by a cool refreshing salad starring beets or cucumbers. If you're really stuck, try one of the Taste of Cracovia platters and sample a variety of foods. For dessert (and I know you have room!) I recommend the Paczki (the "A" is said through the nose so the word comes out sounding more like Paawwnnnnchkee), which take a classic donut and fill it with sweet rosehip jam before frying. Yum! So what more needs to be said? C'mon up to Cracovia!
(4)
Courtney B.
This place is far off the beaten path, in a near abandoned strip mall off 92nd/wadsworth. The beet soup was decent, slightly cold. The potato perogi were very nice, traditional, doughy and a little underseasoned. The dessert perogi were very good. I enjoyed blueberry. Wewere served bread at the begining with a liver pate spread. It reminded me of the liverwurst my gramma used to eat when I was a kid. It was yummy. Service kind of lacked. They have a nice 16 yr old kid working there, but he doesn't explain the food well and needs a crash course on developing a personality.
(3)
Kerry G.
This place is in a somewhat empty shopping center, next to a dry cleaner. When you walk in, it tends to be a ghost house (at least the times we've been). It's a nice size restaurant, full bar and looks like a dance floor to be used for special occasions in the back. I've seen it fill up, but not until pretty late for dinner (past 8pm or so). We've usually been the only table or one of only a few. This usually equates to one server somewhat hovering over you, but all your needs are met. I've never had authentic Polish food, but this seems to be right on the money. Absolutely everything we've eaten has been delicious!! There is a decently large menu with several unique items (available on their website). I suggest you ask your server lots of questions to make sure you know what you're getting - even if you're the adventurous type. They also have basic sausage and potato items that I find perfect if you have someone in your party who isn't so adventurous. The prices are a little on the high side considering it is a lot of pork and potatoes, but I suppose you're paying for the authenticity of the food. We always have leftovers and are completely satisfied with our dishes. The Keilbasa, Pierogi, Pyry (my favorite), Golonka and Bitki have all been excellent. Great place for a solid meal to fill you up and make you sleepy and the best (only) traditional Polish food I've had in CO.
(4)
Evey M.
My bf grew up back east with a Polish and Russian family on both sides. His grandmother was first generation from Poland. So as you can imagine he has very particular taste and very high expectations with regards to his Polish food. I, on the other hand, being of non-Polish decent have expectations of deliciousness and not much else. I found Cracovia via yelp about a year ago when looking for a dinner location for my bf's birthday. He wanted something low key. I was, admittedly, a little sketched out about driving all the way to Westminster for dinner when we live in Denver. I was then pleasantly surprised when we walked in to Euro Polka/Techno and then more so when our food and alcoholic beverages arrived. We did a full table of different foods. My favorite still was the Barszcz. Yeah, it maybe soup but WOW! Just wow. We have traveled back to Cracovia a handful of times when we have our hearts set on Polish food. My one and only selfish wish: that Cracovia was in Denver so I could partake more frequently.
(4)
Christina M.
This place looks like nothing special on the outside, and it's not easy to see from the road but if you're a fan of Polish food you should seek this place out. Their food is excellent. A meal is not really cheap ($10-15 for an entree) but the food is clearly freshly made and is well worth it in my opinion. Great barszcz, pierogi and golabki. All the traditional Polish dishes are accounted for and they have a good selection of reasonably priced Polish beer as well. Free bread and yummy chicken liver spread upon arrival.
(4)
Michael A.
Went to Cracocia with 3 co-workers for dinner earlier today. None of us had been there before. Two of us are from Northeast Ohio on a business trip to a branch of our company. Two are from the Wesminster area. We arrived early and were only the 2nd table of diners. The interior was clean and neat, as opposed to the parking lot which wasn't very inviting. Our waitress was very pleasant and very accommodating, helping a couple of us to select certain beers. When we were provided with bread and a spread, I found the taste initially a bit off-putting. When we asked the waitress about the bread and spread but she really didn't provide any useful information about the bread but did describe the 'spread'. I personally didn't care for either. It did take an unusually long time to get our drink order. Not sure why. Two of us ordered bottle beer, one ordered vodka and tonic and one ordered a cocktail from the menu. I ordered the saukerkraut soup and the stuffed cabbage rolls (2) and was offered a choice of 2 sauces and elected to have both - a mushroom sauce and a tomato sauce. One person ordered the perogis, one ordered a chicken dish and one ordered the 'platter' for one. All I can really comment on was the sauerkraut soup and stuffed cabbage rolls. I really liked the soup. It was a large bowl. No skimping here. And the cabbage rolls were huge. They were well cooked and very tasty. However, they were not anything out of the ordinary. It was like a home cooked meal on steroids. Perhaps a bit too much. It might have been better to have made them smaller. But no complaints about the taste. Overall, it was a good meal for the price. If you want a home style meal in a homey environment, I would certainly recommend this place.
(3)
Dave A.
Love this place. I'd go here just to drink Warka. Best beer ever if you ask me. I don't even need a menu, I'll eat the shank every time. The pork melts in your mouth, the kraut is perfect. Oh yeah the funky weekend entertainment is pretty awesome too.
(5)
KT T.
What a pleasant surprise! After reading the reviews of other yelpers, some coworkers and I decided to stop in for lunch. I've driven by and been curious for quite some time and I'm happy to say I wish I would have tried this sooner! I'm learning that some of the best honest service and honest food is found in strip malls like the one this place is. Its not fancy or pretentious, but the food is simple and good. I had the lunch special, starting with the beetroot soup with sour cream and potatoes, which was a lovely shade of pink and comforting and delicious. Next I had the Kielbasa with mashed potatoes and sweet cabbage. Also very good and served still sizzling in a skillet. My coworkers had the pierogies and Hunter Stew, both of which were yummy too. I left satisfied and plan to return many more times for lunch and look forward to sitting down for din
(4)
Allen K.
Pierogies and Kalbasa! Mmmmm good! The waitress was having a fluent conversation in Polish with the guests in the booth behind me, a good sign of authenticity. I'll be back for sure.
(5)
Stan P.
Best Polish food in the Denver area. Truely wonderful. Strip mall decor, but the food and tasty Polish beers more than make up for it.
(4)
C P.
This restaurant is fantastic! My husband and I are so happy that we heard about this restaurant from a Westminster local. We had some Polish beer, and it was so great! The pierogi(I have no idea how to spell this) were amazing, and my husband had their sausage, which was divine. Oh, and I almost forgot about their soup! I don't remember the name, but it was the second soup listed in the menu, and it tasted as if it were homemade. Just amazing....and then, we finished off with their apple pie, which was really wonderful. We just moved to the Westminster area, and we will definitely be going to Cracovia again. We want to try everything on the menu:)
(5)
Jordan A.
Boy, I have no idea how to rate this restaurant. The food and decor are authentic (I would know), it's cozy and comfortable, and the service is friendly (though not exactly on top of things). The food tastes great, and the portions are huge. And I am usually very hard on Eastern European eateries. Not to take from the authenticity of the experience, our hand-written bill was barely itemized, and once looked at more carefully, had 12% tax tacked on to it. Nice! This could send my rating down to one star, but I just laughed at the entrepreneurial spirit of the comrades, and made sure my tip compensated for the little scam. I'll probably be back, but will definitely check the math every time.
(4)
Bryan S.
I'm Hungarian and Polish food until now has been a bit of a mystery. Some of the dishes are common to both cultures, but I had never tasted the Polish versions. I wanted to try these close cousins and compare... not to judge one better than the other (except for the poppyseed -- see below), but to marvel at the differences. I was a little worried from the photographs that we were underdressed for the occasion. We were only passing through Denver on a U2 roadtrip and had become a little grungy, a little bedraggled from so many miles in the car. I had stumbled upon Cracovia by yelping in a Barnes and Noble parking lot. (If I've learned one thing from this trip, it's to always find the best local food you can. Avoid the known -- seek the unknown. Let Yelp be your guide.) Upon arrival, we were assured by the uberfriendly waiter Brian that lunchtime was casual. He was more than happy to guide us through the menu and didn't seem at all annoyed that I questioned what I knew from my grandmother. The biggest shock is that stuffed cabbage is served with mushroom sauce. News to me! Blasphemy! Yet I had to try it. I'm telling you, they had me at the starter. OMG, the cabbage soup is to die for! I don't know if it's racial memory or what. They say that being Hungarian is a matter of blood, not upbringing. But from the taste of that soup, I need to recheck my history and see if part of me might be Polish. The first entre, kielbasa, emerged from the back still steaming on the plate. A horseraddish-kicked mustard came with it, causing me to sigh with delight. Yummy! I had asked if I might sample the Goulash and was told that it came as an add-on for a mere two bucks more. Done! I splashed that over some of my wife's neglected mashed potatoes -- utterly delicious. Then came the epic stuffed cabbage. Remember, I'm comparing this to my grandmother's... and I was just wowed. There's something about the mushrooms that I never expected. The pork stuffing was so tender and the cabbage so flavorful -- I could eat this stuff until you had to cart me away with a forklift. We ended the meal with poppyseed roll. If you don't know what this is, you've got to ask for it! My Nana used to make this every holiday. What a chore it was to stir that vat of simmering goo! I have to say that I like the full-on Hungarian style best, with filo dough crammed to the brim with sweet poppyseed. Some might consider that too much of a good thing. But I say, bring it on! Still, to have food this good, this brimming with flavor hiding in a suburban strip mall. Folks, you have to seek them out. Don't be like I was... don't go another day wondering what Polish food might taste like. You have no idea what splendors you're missing!
(5)
Jack K.
We ate here for the second time, bringing along another couple. We all found the food simply delicious. Everything tastes fresh. The prices seem reasonable. The home-made Polish sausage is excellent. There is nice selection of eastern European beers. The service was very good without being fawning. We loved the music performed by two guys, playing keyboard and sax. I hope this place survives.
(5)
Alex M.
Had to drive to Westminster to pick up a race packet with friends. Taking the role I normally do, I looked up a place to eat nearby. This place is tucked almost in a strip mall, I could see my friends' expectations lower visibly. That changed when we entered. To start, there was a man in the back playing Polish music. We thought it was a CD at first because it was so perfect. He played the accordion, sang, guitar (obviously not all at the same time). Really talented. Ordered the taste of Cracovia for four. Everything was amazing. Standouts? The BEET SOUP! It tastes really good, and it was pink. Order, be amused, and enjoy. The perogis were good, and the mushroom sauce was delectable. Could I pronounce anything on the menu? Not really... Did it matter? Not at all!
(5)
Alia Z.
Oh man, finding this place is tricky! I was wondering the whole time if my GPS was wrong altogether. But it is SO worth it. For dinner, I got their sampler menu for 2. They started us out with soup (can't remember the name of the one I had - it tasted smoky and had potatoes in it though). Then the first course - a selection of their pirogi (took me a second to figure out that they're dumplings with different stuffings, not pastries with different stuffings, which go by the same name in Russia). Also beets, cabbage, etc on the plate. We were pretty full by the time the next course came out - a plate of their sausages. Oh, and there's dessert after that - pretty much cooked fruit (just try it, it's good).
(4)
Karen M.
First of all, I wish I was paid to review these restaurants because sometimes I want to be able to order four or five different dishes at a time! I was so excited to go to Cracovia. My mom is first-generation Polish-American, so I grew up on periogi and potato pancakes. It's hard sometimes to find food that reminds me of home. This little place was buzzing when I got there on a Saturday night. It's a casual place. You won't feel out of place here. And the menu is filled with traditional Polish items and a few American classics. I absolutely couldn't decide on what to get. I started off with a cold Polish beer and the beetroot salad. It is a refreshing salad of finely shredded beets flavored lightly with horseradish to give it a little zing. Delish. Then, I was served a full platter of homemade potato pancakes. They were so good! They were light and crispy and I just kept eating and eating. Next on my list, the periogi. This is a family-owned restaurant and they are all very friendly and committed to serving good, fresh food. If you're in a hurry, this is not the place for you. The owners bring in live music on the weekends so you can enjoy a cocktail, relax and wait for your food to be prepared fresh for you! My first experience at Cracovia has left me wanting more.
(4)
Mike R.
Good. Different.
(3)
Natalie H.
I've got to say...the food here is amazing and there is a lot of it. My hubby and I got the dinner for two which included many different things. There was beet soup, (omg, this is amazing) kielbasi, 3 different types of pieroges, and other things I can't think of now. While we were there, they had a gentleman singing with a karaoke machine in Polish!
(4)
Marcia K.
I gave Cracovia 5 stars for its Golabki alone (stuffed cabbage rolls). I am Ukrainian, I make a version called "halupshi". I consider myself a really really good cook (and have been told this countless times) - and because of this restaurant, I am now going to re-vamp my recipe. The mushroom sauce with this is AMAZING - yummmmm! I loved the croquets - very good. I wasn't very impressed with the pirogi though. I didn't like the savory ones. The fillings aren't very good (the meat one is dry, the potato one bland) -, the dough is just "ok". I liked the desert ones better. I DO agree with the other reviewers on the beet soup. Its yummy - buttery, meaty with sweet beet. :) The staff is always very friendly - I find this attitude more with the family-owned businesses. The cook/owner came out once, and spoke Polish to me - I assumed he said "your food will be right out"? Always told I look more European than Irish, guess this proves it? lol. Go there for a great experience - try the sampler platter to find the foods YOU like! (btw, don't be put-off by the outside - its very nice inside)
(5)
Martin P.
We went to Cracovia to re-experience the food and drink we had in central Europe last summer. We had the pork shank, goulash, mushroom soup, and pickle soup along with a couple of Pilsner Urquells, and it was like a time machine had whisked us away. The food was simply outstanding, and the service was also terrific in a very unpretentious way. The atmosphere is more along the lines of diners, drive-ins, and dives - again unpretentious and down to earth (don't freak out when you pull up and see a restaurant in an old strip mall with poor signage). We'll definitely come back.
(5)
Andrew B.
Love it, good Polish comfort food. Excellent kielbasa, homemade sauerkraut is very tasty, the mustard is fantastic. Good menu selection, good prices, EXCELLENT service (unlike the German restaurant up Coal Creek Canyon). We live 6 blocks away from Cracovia and plan on being weekly visitors. *The polish beer is very good, a nice change from the microbrewery beers that I drink. Highly recommended, a good change from the local chain restaurants...
(4)
Christina V.
Being Ukrainian, I will probably be more disconcerting than most. I was so excited to see a Polish-American restaurant open in my area. It is mom and pop. Their potato perogies were quite delicious. They crossed the line with their mushroom perogies (I never heard of them). Although tasty, my mother makes the best potato/cheese at her Ukrainian Church. Cabbage as well. So then, I try the borscht, as I am so excited to see it on a menu. It resembled a puddle of pureed beets. Where was the cabbage, potato, etc? I will continue to make this one on my own. I will try them again since I have not tasted the rolled cabgge, or potato pancake.
Although this place is off the beaten path, it is well worth the drive. Polish fare is on point. Not the nicest decor and a bit run down, however this is what I come to expect when dining in an Eastern European joint. I recommend trying the platter for two. We're talking pierogis, croquette's, all the good stuff!
(4)
Phil Z.
Service is great, food was wonderful. A very nice atmosphere and a great way to experience new food. We had a "sampler" for two... the food kept coming! We'll be back!
(5)
Melissa H.
Overall this place is sorta fun. Frankly, I don't love Polish food-- so it can't get a 5 star from me. But the vibe is nice-- not so shabby for a strip mall. A real dude singing on a dance floor, table cloth, vodka drinks, a super waiter. A-Ok. The price is good for the massive amount of food you get and they were offering a free drink with any entree in honor of Valentine's day.It won't be part of the regular rotation-- but I would go back again. Oh-- and the pink beet root soup with potatoes is pretty darn good.
(3)
Jeff T.
What can I say but wow. I have heard a lot of people talk about this place but never actually been. Today, I went with a few co-workers and wow. I ordered from the Prefixed Lunch menu (7.95). I got the Ogorkowa (pickle soup with potatoes) and the Golabki ( stuffed cabbage roll). The soup was amazing and the golabki was really good and was a lot lighter then others I have had. We also shared the Kremowka (Vienna Napoleon) for dessert. Everything was fresh and service was great. I will definitely be going back. This is the type of place where you share meals.
(5)
John B.
We wanted to take my father-in-law to Cracovia because his family is Polish and it's hard to find a Polish restaurant in Denver. We went with some friends of his, making a party of 6. The food was great, when it finally arrived. When we walked in, we were immediately seated, but the host told us that they were out of menus and we'd have to wait until another party ordered until we could see a menu. The funny thing was that there weren't that many people at the restaurant, so how were they out of menus? Oh well. No problem. How about some drinks? When we finally got our menus, it took a bit of time to figure out what we wanted, but we felt a bit of pressure because now other people were waiting on us for the menus. Once we finally ordered, the menus went to other tables. We sat around and talked, ordered another round of drinks and then we started to realize that the food was taking a while. The large party that had ordered before us hadn't been served yet either. To make a long story short, it took about 90 minutes from the time we sat down until we were finally served. I'm sure people who came in after us had to wait at least 2 hours for their food. Like I said, the food was great, but the service was not acceptable. I might consider going back during non-peak hours, but even then I'd make sure I had plenty of time to spare (and maybe a backup meal just in case).
(3)
Patrick C.
The food is awesome and you get more then you can eat you have to get the pickle soup it is amazing sorry I dont know what it is called, I just know it is awesome I think this is one of the best resturants in colorado, but remember if you go it will be atleast an hour and a half to eat but it is worth it.....
(5)
Angelica H.
Although this was my first attempt at Polish food, I was pleasantly surprised. From the outside you would never know a comfortable and modern dining experience would be there. The dining room was spacious and very clean (big bonus for me) and felt pretty upscale for a strip mall. We were there on a weeknight, but next time I will try a weekend as there was an area in the back for live music with a dance floor that looked like fun. We started with some sort of beet salad and a soup that I could not pronounce or spell. I was pleasantly surprised that even my 10 & 4 yr old loved. The dinners we ordered (still not attempting to spell them) were delicious, but were not all that appealing to the eye. Really large portions! Next visit will be without the kids. The atmosphere is more appropriate for date night, not a family outing. Also, the service was SLOW and our check had some errors at the end like an extra soda and a math error or two.
(4)
Frank T.
Like many others have noted, Cracovia is stuck in a nondescript shopping center across from an American Furniture Warehouse. A friend from work and I tried it for lunch today, and I am duly impressed. I had the white sausage plate and it came out on a sizzling griddle along with some creamy scoops of mashed potatoes and a plate of the best sauerkraut I have ever tasted. It was a lot of food for the money and was more than satisfactory in taste and quality. I will go back ... maybe kielbasa will be my next choice.
(4)
Roger B.
Let me preface this review by saying: I am a champion for small businesses because they bring flavor, diversity and a neighborly feel to their respective areas. I want to see Cracovia succeed because they are different and that is refreshing. I have read most of the reviews and feel as if there is a bias among those familiar with or having grown up eating Polish food. I am offering my unbiased opinion. An unfortunate aspect to this restaurant is their location; easy to access, but equally easy to miss. My girlfriend and I decided to give them a whirl at lunch-time and were somewhat surprised to find ourselves the only clients the entire time we were there. The hostess was not exactly friendly or inviting, but hey, maybe she was having a bad day, who knows? Our server also had a somewhat stern demeanor, and while she too was not un-friendly, she did not exactly make us feel "welcome." We ordered, the food came out in a reasonable amount of time and I found it to be quite tasty. My GF would not agree on the quality, but I possess a more forgiving palate. My stuffed cabbage was heavy and filling, which is just fine and the beer I ordered was interesting without being weird. Now, I hate to say it, but shortly after our little excursion, I developed a bout of rumbly-tummy. Maybe it was the food, maybe it was the type of food, but the response was quick and deliberate. Despite this less-than -comfortable experience, I would like to give them another try during the dinner -hour , so look for my follow-up to this review in the near future because if anything changes, be it good or bad, I will share it with you fine connoisseurs.
(2)
Steffen A.
This isn't a review of the food at Cracovia (which was very good, btw). This is about the service. Abysmally slow, inept, and uncaring. On a night when the restaurant wasn't terribly crowded, it took nearly 90 minutes before our first course appeared. Actually, the other two people in our party got their soup while my partner and I waited for our first course. Which showed up at about the 110 minute mark. And included soup. Which begs the question why it didn't come when the other two people got their soup? At about the 2 hour 40 minute mark, our guests were finished with their dinners and our main course (which was shared) arrived at the table. We asked them to box it up. Like I said, the food was very hearty and good. But the service was a total train wreck.
(2)
Todd R.
I am very picky about Polish Cuisine because I have been to Poland 6 times and my wife is from Poland. We have been meaning to go to this little gem for some time but it is very far from where I live in Littleton. My wife and I went with a co-worker and tried a wonderful pork dish Bitka and my co-worker tried the Golabki. We were greeted at the door right away and the service was excellent. The restaurant has a vast choice of Polish beers and we tried Kopernik for the first time. We had a wonderful evening here and will return in the near future. You can also get airline mileage points here if you sign up for united/american airlines dining programs. Please give this excellent restaurant a try. I would much rather spend my money here than a faceless chain, which is the norm these days.
(5)
J S.
To begin with, I won't say that I know what authentic/fine Polish cuisine should taste like, cause I don't. However, I do feel that good food tastes good somewhat universally. I had been dying to go check this place out all because of an awesome experience I had at a little German restaurant in Cali years and years ago. Now you may be thinking, what the heck does German food have to do w/Polish food. Well, crap, maybe nothing, but there are very very few of these restaurants in the burbs whereas I can find a Mexican, Italian, or Chinese restaurant every couple blocks. But I digress.....so finally got the opportunity to try out Cracovia the other night and was crazy excited about it. So J, why are you only giving 2 stars then? Well, because the food just didn't taste very good, the service was intermittent, and our order and the bill both had problems. That is the short version. Keep reading if you want the details. Arrived at Cracovia, a bit early for dinner, we were the first ones there (it's a pretty good size dining room). While I was eagerly reading the menu, the waiter brought out what I guess was the Polish equivalent of chips and dip, but was actually two slices of bread, cut in half (hubby said they should've used a smaller basket to de-emphasize the tiny-ness of the bread) and a small butter ball shaped thing that we were told was a mix of sausage and onions. Didn't do much for either of us, oh well, moving on. Decided to order a cup of the Czerwony Barszcz, or beetroot soup w/sour cream and potatoes, and for dinner, the Bigos or Polish hunters stew (which is exactly as Melissa H describes it and really wished I had read that ahead of time!). Hubby orders the Pierogi, half meat, half potato and cheese filled. Now his was supposed to come with a soup or salad and he opted for a caesar. That may have been the lamest caesar salad either of us has ever eaten, bummer. But we are not going to judge a place solely on their caesar, so we wait. So my soup comes, and it was actually really really awesome. I mean, yumm w/a capital Y. I'm not sure that there were any actual beets in it, but it was pink and had an earthy flavor that I think came from the beets, anywho, score 1 Cracovia! Then our main dishes come out and hubby's peirog's were a little sad looking. 8 little white half moons w/a few tiny (I mean mcD's hamburger topping tiny) carmelized onions on top and a sneeze of really finely chopped parsley. Now, before anyone gets angry, the only peirogis we've had in the past were made by a friend and they were delicious and we've recreated them at home over the years, mmmmm. We make them by par-boiling, they pan frying the little guys till they have GBD (golden brown and delicious) spots and are not just soft and serve them with large sliced and sauteed onions so these were very diff than what we are used to. But besides being very soft, they were pretty darn bland as well. My main dish was nothing to write home about, probably wouldn't get it again. Also, it says on the menu, in house and online that the stew comes with Polish village bread, I got no bread. In addition, we were charged for the lame caesar salad that it says on the menu comes w/the pierogi. We brought this to the servers attention and she removed the extra charge but I was really disappointed overall. Cracovia gets one star for that awesome soup and one because I want to try it again, with none of what I ordered the first time (excepting soup of course) and hope for better results. I really want to find something else here that is awesome, fingers crossed.
(2)
Matt P.
I really wanna like this place but its hard because I grew up on eastern european eats and this is the name minus the style. Meaning, that butter is flavor, good polish food uses butter, this place is almost trying to make polish food fancy, which its not, its fatty and yummy. I ordered the weiner schnitzel 1st time around and it was cold, like they had made it the night before and not heated it up all the way, very disappointing, not t mention it was more of a mini meat loaf; dry, baked, ball of meat, rather than a schnitzel; pounded flat and pan fried. Second time, i got stuffed cabbage it was good, but again lacking flavor, very bland. I will give this place 1 more try, because I want it to be good.
(2)
Caryn P.
Cracovia is a hidden gem.. In a deserted strip mall, it offers authentic reasonably priced fare! Great selection of hard to find polish liquor and beers. Their lunch specials are a great deal.. $ 8 for 2 courses.. $1 extra for a soda. The Kielbasa is my favorite.. Served on a sizzling platter.. Friendly waitresses but often a little understaffed. Great place and value!
(4)
Fastfish S.
This place has great food, and you won't go away hungry! It was fun to try the different Polish dishes and I didn't taste anything that I didn't like. The cabbage rolls are HUGE; I doubt many people could eat more than one. Service was a little slow and lacking attention to detail, especially for a place that is a bit pricey. There was music with a live DJ, I think he was also singing part of the time but I wasn't facing him and couldn't really see that well, but it added to the fun ambiance.
(4)
Amber C.
My family and I have been to this restaurant several times and have never once left unhappy. The food is absolutely delicious and the waitresses we get are always very helpful and friendly. I highly recommend the pickle soup
(5)
Ramon G.
In the never ending battle to find places to eat lunch around where I work I was happy to see a new place going up off of Wads. I love trying different ethnic foods so I can finally cross off "Polish" from my list. I expected this place to be a small deli of sorts but was way off. It's a fairly swank little restaurant/bar. I get the vibe that the place is family owned and that there were Polish people in the restaurant that knew the owner. I was pretty baffled over what the dishes were but all seemed pretty interesting. The waitress was very helpful going over each dish. I tried a few different things. The only name I remember was the easy one, a pierogi. Which was pretty amazing and rivals my favorite pierogi place in Seattle. The name of the cabbage, mushroom sauce dish I had escapes me but was amazing as well. The food took a while to come out but I can tell lots of TLC was put into preparing the dish which is A-Ok for me and worth the wait any day. Not the best "lunch" place but I'll be back for dinner to try some of the other dishes and maybe check out dessert.
It was 8:00pm on a Friday night, and Kevin and I were starving. Tired of the same old restaurants and unable to decide on where to go, we decided to go to the first restaurant we found. Across from the AFW on Wadsworth sat this little place in a strip mall, with "Restaurant" in lights on the side. What waited inside was completely unexpected. American standard love songs being sung live in Polish (think Elvis, Sinatra and Dean Martin). Growing up in a mostly Polish neighborhood in South Chicago, I was very excited by the menu. Pierogis, Stuffed Cabbage, Kielbasa, Fresh Sauerkraut, everything looked so good! We started with the Zurek soup: Sausage, potato and hard-boiled eggs in a tangy, creamy broth. I had the Kielbasa, which came out on a sizzle platter with mashed potatoes, a side of sweet cabbage, homemade pickles and a house mustard. Kevin had the cabbage rolls. Two huge pork and rice rolls wrapped in cabbage and smothered in mushroom gravy. The servings were so large that we both took leftovers home. For dessert we had Blueberry Pierogis, which were served with a sweetened sour cream dip. Thr prices seem high on the menu, but when you consider the very large serving size and the fact that just about everything is made from scratch, it is well worth it. Everything here was amazing! I definitely recommend it, and can't wait to go back!
(4)
Melissa H.
Tried out Cracovia for lunch today. They have a 6.99 fixed lunch menu which is a pretty good deal. You have your choice of a garden or caesar salad or your pick of one of their soups. The choice of entrees has a good variety for lunch as well. Everything from their pierogi, cabbage rolls, kielbasa, to tilapia and sizzling pork. I chose the pickle soup which was a potato based soup with a light creamy broth. Small pieces of potato, onion, carrot, and a slight hint of pickle. It was really good. For the entree I ordered the polish stew which was cabbage, sauerkraut, pork, sausage, and potato. There wasn't much of a broth or anything. It had great flavor with the tang of the sauerkraut... but I was hoping for more sausage & potato. It really was just a big bowl of sauteed cabbage with a few pieces of pork. The pierogis were tasty like always and our service was friendly and prompt. I was happy to see several tables filled for lunchtime. I'll definitely be back for lunch! If you go... try to pay with cash... they are attempting to conserve costs by limiting fees associated with credit card transactions.
(4)
Ryan M.
After driving past Cracovia a half million times driving down Wadsworth I finally convinced Michelle to go. I was a little intimidated having never eaten at a polish restaurant yet with the help of our server we we're able to navigate their large menu with ease. (+1 Star) It being our first dip in the polish pool We chose traditional dishes, Kielbasa and Cabbage Rolls. Also to my surprise they also had a small selection of polish beers! (+1 Star) Michelle loved the Perla Polish Pilsner and now I can't find it anywhere around town :( The kielbasa tasted just made fresh (+1 Star) and Michelle enjoyed the cabbage rolls with mushroom sauce. after dinner we also sampled some of their dessert offerings I had the Pczki or traditional polish doughnuts very tasty (+1 Star) Overall the food was good there was a large selection and the price was ok I would definitely recommend this unique eastern european offering!
(4)
David G.
I tried the pierogi dinner with a mixed order of pierogi. All varieties were very tasty. A butter sauce covers the pierogi keeping them nice and moist. The dinner came with either a soup or salad. This place is worthy of a return visit to try some of the other dishes.
(4)
Sarah C.
Fantastic Polish food, and fun live music on certain nights! My favorite is the Pyzy, but their kielbasa is great too.
(5)
Steve W.
Excellent food!!!! I tried the pierogi and the spacek(?)...potato pancake. Also tried the E.B. Beer. All excellent!
(5)
Seth T.
As far as polish food goes, this is good and authentic, and as good as you will probably get in Denver. Don't expect fine dining from this retro little joint, but the prices are right and the ambiance is comfortable and it feels a little like a trip to Europe in the 80's--cheesy live music complete with disco shirts and chest hair. Especially take note of the kareoke guy in the back, singing in polish, playing assorted instruments... Eye-licious!!!!! I keep expecting to see a handled comb stickingc out of the back pocket of some 501s... For a cheap and surreal night out, this one can't be missed! Drinks are friggin CHEAP!
(5)
Renata N.
Finally got to try it out with my husband for lunch. I wasn't concerned by the empty stripmall because of prior reviews. Pleasant interior, not very busy (Tues. lunch). The 7.95 lunch special is a great way to get a taste of Polish cuisine if you're a newbie. We had soup, white barcsz and barcsz made with beets, both were absolutely excellent. My husband enjoyed a Polish beer. For the entree, we both had the Bigos (hunter's stew), a very tangy/flavorful melange of sauerkraut, mushrooms, kielbasa, pork. Rye bread was a welcome accompaniment. Service was excellent. The other diners were really enjoying their lunch as well. Can't wait to go back and try it for dinner, too. Jeszcze Polska nie zginela ! (Poland has not yet perished)
(4)
Jarl A.
I strongly recommend the beet-root soup w/pirogies - it wasn't what I expected, and I thought it was exceptional. I can also recommend the sizzling kielbasa and the potato pancakes. They also have a fine selection of vodka & Polish beer. This is a cozy restaurant, family-owned, and they have music on Saturday nights - usually a sax player. In a cityscape of chain restaurants, this is a gem.
(4)
James G.
Good food, although I had the pork & it was overcooked, I am guessing the lunch cook was probably not as skilled as the dinner one, and the pate wasn't salted enough? Everything else was authentic, the pickle soup was just like what I ate in Poznan, Crackow, or Znin, etc. We really enjoyed the Pierogies they tasted homemade and were our favorite thing there so far. The service was dicey, out of beers, and they took a couple of times to get order sorted. Worse yet, manager was on the phone all the time we were there, so the credit card machine couldn't work so the transaction took way too long.
(4)
Shawn R.
if youre adventurous and looking for something different this wont disappoint....similar to german food....lots of different flavors you havent had unless you grew up on this stuff.....just get the big sampler thing and enjoy
(4)
T K.
We got a coupon for this place & then ran into a Polish woman I know, which reinforced the idea to go. We got the sizzling sausage & some pasta that has blueberries inside it. We also got a the beet soup with potatoes in it & garlic bread that came with a tomato dip. Everything was so good. We had the bison grass apple cocktail & a polish beer. Loved it all. Great service. Music was a little scary, but overall the environment was fine. I've heard this is a little bland for polish food, but I am from the midwest, so I'm very used to bland! Give it a try: felt like I was on a mini trip out of Colorado for 90 minutes. Fun & tasty!
(4)
Michael B.
Wow. I ate at Cracovia for the first time last night. The food was just like Grandma (who was born in Poland) used to make. This restaurant will not appeal to all people. It's family run. It has an old fashion feel (but is clean and pleasant). The service is slow (although friendly). It's located in a strip mall. And, of course, the food tastes like Polish food. But, wow! The food tastes like Polish food!! I only wish Grandma was still alive, so I could take her there. I'll be back soon.
(5)
Anna R.
Great authentic Polish food. We felt very welcome, and thoroughly enjoyed fresh wholesome European cuisine. A great change to the overly processed fast food in the area. We highly recommend.
(5)
Bradley H.
Food - outstanding Atmosphere - kind of a dive Service - poor I'm from NE Pa where Polish food is abundant and delicious. This place reminded me of the food available there. The food was delicious - the real thing. We ate there on a Friday night. The place was packed and clearly struggling to keep up with all of the people. I think there was an giant private party by the way the other patrons seemed to know one another. Because we weren't part of the party, we were forgotten about. Our food took almost an hour (for perogies - really?) and drink refills non-existent. It even took over 20 minutes to pay the check. Sorry to see a local place suffer. My time is worth too much to try again even though the food was delicious.
(3)
Andrew L.
Had Signature handcrafted Kielbasa, smoked $15.99. Supposed to be handcrafted but it tasted like jumbo bratwurst from Kingsoopers. I can get it for $1 a piece. Also had Bigos, the pork was not tender and the bread was not fresh. The waiter did not even asked how was the food, maybe he knows better. We were very disappointed with the dining experience.
Thank you Yelp! You helped us find a gem. Don't be off put by the modest strip center that houses this restaurant. Wait, isn't that hair salon repurposing an old Hollywood Video sign? Awesome. Enter and you will find black table cloths and friendly service. Our waiter, Jeremy (I think), was a positive soul with a helpful attitude. Fantastic service. We all opted for the very affordable $8.99 lunch that includes a choice of soup and choice of entree. A great simple way to sample some polish cuisine. My Zurek soup was amazing and the assorted Pierogi were phenomenal. Paying an extra three dollars to have them fried was worth it, but not necessary. My only regret is that I do not live nearby so that I could join the many regulars and explore my inner Pole more thoroughly.
(5)
Richard P.
A friend highly recommended this place so I was excited to finally give it try. But, I have to say I was actually pretty disappointed. The two saving aspects of our visit was first the service was pretty good. Our waiter actually had a personality and he was prompt and courteous. The second was the beet soup I had that came with my entree. It was very good. The rest of the food Booooorrrrring! The portions for the price were tiny! I gave it 3 stars but it is very unlikely that we will ever return. I'm perfectly capable of cooking at home and it is less expensive. I enjoy eating out and trying new things but I want great food at a reasonable price and Cracovia doesn't fit that desire!
(3)
Gabriel L.
The Zurek soup was quite good as was the kielbasa plate. Polish beer was also excellent.
(4)
Michael T.
This is an outstanding place for a quiet dinner or family get together. The food is authentic Polish specialties you won't find anywhere else. Kielbasa, Pierogi, Golumbki, Czerwony Barszcz to die for, and so much more. If you were from Poland and you came in here, you would swear you had found good home cooking. More than that, you would find authentic Polish beers and vodkas, excellent service, people who know their business, their food and their drink. This is one of those place I visit whenever I am able, but never often enough. It is so friendly, so authentic, so real; it just boggles the imagination. I cannot recommend Cracovia highly enough. If you have not been there, you are robbing yourself of some of the best times you will ever have. Visit today, and often. You will be glad you did.
(5)
Norge F.
I don't review very often on Yelp, but in this case I had to take the time. Based on a family recommendation, and comments from Yelp, we decided to give Cracovia a try. Cracovia has to be one of the most overrated restaurants on Yelp, meaning that most of the positive reviews about Cracovia are rigged!! I had the "Platter for One" so I could taste most of their menu items. The food was barely warm, un-seasoned, and overall very bland. The garden salad came out of a bag, not fresh, but probably the best item of the meal. The "caramelized onions" on the kielbasa had absolutely no taste, I didn't think this was possible, how could onions have no flavor?? What I got for the $24.99 platter, was maybe 6-8 ounces of food total...so yes...it was a tasting platter, certainly not a meal. Honestly this meal was worth maybe $7.99 as a lunch (this was supposed to be a dinner). The two side dishes supplied were oversized and just as bland (trying to make up for the small platter of food I guess).... Another review on Yelp about Cracovia mentioned the smell of stale cigarette smoke, and yep, sure enough, I noticed this several times during the meal. How long has restaurant non-smoking policies been in effect? Over 10 years? That's right folks, I was smelling 10 year old stale smoke!! Clean your restaurant!! We splurged and tried dessert (pierogi stuffed with cherries)...OMG...these slimy little treats were like eating snails... So...$65 later, including tip, (my wife had a turkey club sandwich) we walked away from another "marginal at best" meal, grossly over priced. Is this a trend now days??!! I rated Cracovia a "1" because I did not get sick (yet)... This is really a shame, Cracovia could be a great place (maybe it was in the past)... their base menu is great. If they cleaned up the place, and served hot fresh seasoned food, they may have something to be proud of!! I have posted (1) photo of the platter...
(1)
Vanessa H.
This restaurant is great! This was our first time in, and I have zero complaints. The service was prompt and friendly and the food was delicious. The portions were perfect and we found everything to be reasonably priced. Check them out!
(5)
Jeff C.
Nice find this part of town. It's hard to compete against this $8.99 lunch special that includes a wonderful beet / potato soup and a polish sausage dish. Service was good too.
(4)
Murphy A.
Excellent service, and the food was fantastic! Don't pass up the amazing pickle soup-- where else can you even get that? Everything I had was delicious, and I cannot say enough about the considerate and pleasant staff. This is a true family business, and it shows through the food and the atmosphere. I would definitely recommend this to someone looking to take their family to a 100% authentic Polish restaurant.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Elaine A.
My girllfriend and I are both half Polish. The difference is I was a picky, bratty child who didn't care for many of the dishes my dad cooked for us growing up (I'm looking at YOU, golumpki...) So when she suggested this place for our anniversary I was not thrilled, but it was also her birthday so she got the overruling vote. And I figured I could always get kielbasa, which I have always liked. As many have pointed out, the atmosphere wasn't really what we were expecting, being in a nearly deserted strip mall, but the server was very friendly and seated us immediately, despite being 30 minutes early for our reservation (there were only two other parties there). (And while we're talking about the restaurant itself, we noticed no stale smoke odor, and we're both militant nonsmokers who are extremely sensitive to it. It most certainly would have ruined our experience if it was present) We ordered the platter for two because it offered the most variety for the price. We weren't sorry. My rosol (chicken noodle) soup wasn't phenomenal, but she was in heaven with her czerwony barszcz (borscht). (I am cheating heavily by looking at their online menu. We don't really speak Polish). We both liked the mizeria (cucumbers (that taste like pickles) and sour cream) as a light filler between dishes. And of course more beets for her, I was happy to give up my portion. The first course of the platter is the pierogies, a croquette (deep fried shredded chicken), and the golebkis (golumpkis, and my moment of truth). All of these were delicious, even the golebkis (color me extremely surprised how much I liked them). My favorite were the pierogies, which I had never had with pork filling and were very moist and flavor filled. Everything was delicious and very filling, we were stuffed by this point and still had the kielbasa to contend with. I forgot to mention the compote, which is a delightful fruity pineapple/pear drink with a pear wedge floating in it. Like a little dessert by itself. Next were the kielbasa, the zeberka (spare ribs) and mashed potatoes. The potatoes seemed really flaky, like reconstituted, but my girlfriend assured me they were real. But who had room for them with all that tasty meat on the plate? The kielbasa was more moist than I'd ever had, and the zeberka was literally falling off the bone, it was so tender. We don't go out to eat that often, so we forced ourselves to have dessert. We had the sweet pierogies and chrusciki (angel wings, or fried dough). The pierogies were excellent, just like how her grandmother used to make them. The chrusciki was a bit of a disappointment as I was expecting something like what you get at state fairs. This was more like filo dough, but that didn't stop us from eating all of it. Our experience was very pleasant and everything we could hope for for our 23rd anniversary. I think we'll definitely be coming back, once we have a chance to digest all the fantastic food we ate!
(4)Gigalo L.
Great home style cooking for huge portions and low prices. The golabki had great flavors, but the tomato bisque-like (although really good) was less preferential to me than the broth-ier version. The kielbasa was delicious and paired very well with the spicy mustard. It came with mashed potatoes, amazing sauerkrauts, and a tasty dill pickle. We only had the mini pork pierogis but those were very good as well.
(4)Jessica T.
Very impressed! Walking in, there is a smell of "old", almost mildew-y, and the decor seemed very dated so I was worried Yelp had steered me wrong, but just as quickly the awesome service and incredible menu left my worries behind. I admit to knowing very little about authentic Polish food, but I do know the menu was diverse and huge; and the food was delicious! We had started with the recommended Polish beer, name is escaping me but OK- something. It was smooth and a nice compliment to the meal. For dinner, my dad and I had the Pierogi plates (cheese/potato, mushroom/sauerkruat, pork filling), and my mom had the Placki (traditional pan friend potato and onion pancake, not to be confused with the German version). The entrees were huge and wonderful!! Flavors were solid, and everything seemed freshly prepared (we were told everything is made in-house, and you can tell!). I opted for the pickle soup with my entree, and is was so good! I really didn't know what to expect but it was the perfect hint of briny, pickle goodness in a slightly creamy base- seriously yummy. My dad had their chicken noodle and he said it was like ramen- ah you can't win them all. Mom's entree came with mizeria (cucumbers in sour cream with spices), which was interesting but a little heavy on the sour cream. They even have a kid's menu, which I was glad to see as we had dragged the six year old with us. He can usually be convinced to try just about anything, and ultimately I can always find something for him anywhere we go, but a kid's menu always makes life easier. I appreciate restaurants that don't mind compromising a little on authenticity to offer hot dogs, mac n cheese, and the like. Our server, whose name escapes me, was wonderful. He was attentive, offered good suggestions on beer and food, and just made for a great overall experience. An experience totally worth repeating, which I intend to do the next time I'm trekking around the Arvada area (which is only a few times a year). I'd love to try the kielbasa or other menu items next- a food adventure!
(4)Melissa D.
Really my review is around 4.5 stars instead of 4 stars, just an fyi! My boyfriend and I had been meaning to try Cracovia for a long, long time, as we had lived just down the street for the past 10 months at the time and love German and Polish food. I had seen all the reviews, and I am in total agreement - Cracovia serves amazing food! We arrived in the afternoon, between the lunch and dinner crowd I presume since it was fairly empty. We were seated quickly and placed orders for the Kielbasa (Smoked Polish Sausage) and I had the Pierogi with Ground Pork with the Zurek soup to start. The food arrived a little slowly for how empty it was, but we not too bad on time - the waiter was still very attentive! Matt said the Kielbasa was simply delicious, and near the top of the list in terms of sausage that he's tried. My Zurek soup was so savory, and despite it being a warm day I was lapping it up! I would definitely eat that soup again. The Pork Pierogi I had was a tad greasy for my taste, but I still enjoyed it and ate almost all of it (and there was a LOT of it). I would try the Potato Pierogi or some of the Dessert Pierogi in the future. The drink selection was very nice, and we both enjoyed a beer with our dinner before heading to the bar next door. More people began to arrive while we were seated and eating, but it never became crowded. We will be coming back again very soon!
(4)David T.
I get to Wadsworth and 94th about - humm - never in the 40 years I've lived in Denver but I have a good friend who moved way north (more house for the $$$) and he has been bugging me to meet him at this place for lunch. Finally succeeded in guilting me into going with the "but it's the holidays" ploy (and even offered to buy which was the deciding factor). It was OK. Some offerings were better than others - more on that in a bit but all in all not worth a 45 minute drive up Wadsworth - yikes. Lunch is a limited menu but a lot of food for $7.95. They bring you some bread (a little dry if you ask me) and a dollop of liver spread to get you started. You get a choice of a couple of meh salads or soup to start. Soups were pretty tasty. My friend had the beet with sour cream and potato (quite a shocking shade of pink) and I had the sauerkraut. Both were decent but not exceptional. The sauerkraut was mostly a very tart broth - not much in the way of actual kraut or the sausage that I was hoping for, just a couple of chunks of potato. Pretty nice selection of entree items. He had the potato pancakes with a side of goulash. He snarfed them down but the taste I had was extremely disappointing. Potato pancakes should be crisp and greaseless - these were neither. Glad I didn't order them and I'd been thinking of it. My cabbage rolls were much, much better. You get two - one with a tomato sauce (tasted a little more Italian than Polish but OK) and the other with a mushroom sauce that was the consistency of undiluted Campbell's cream of mushroom soup but actually wasn't terrible. So we're at about two and a half stars at this point but they redeemed themselves with the sweet dessert pierogies (strawberry and blueberry) served with a slightly tangy vanilla cream sauce (could have been Dannon yogurt but way better than the spray canned whipped cream on the side). Phenomenal little morsels and worth every calorie. Some other brief notes: Atmosphere (strip mall and a touch shabby), ventilation not up to the smoking platters of sausage that many were eating (I stink), wine list is a joke but they have a nice roster of infused vodkas and Polish beers, and our server was very personable although I did have to wave her down for water re-fills. If you're across the street shopping at American Furniture, or have some reason to be up there, Cracovia is A-OK - certainly a better option than most considering the sea of fast food chain places surrounding them.
(3)Viviana P.
They have all mind of Food that German and Czech usually have. It's great to have a place were you even meet the owner.
(5)Jeffrey Q.
Love the food and the people; known this place quite a while here in Denver, always full of positive energy and great sense of spirit, you can't go wrong, check it out.
(5)Amanda S.
This place makes my mouth water! I am from Ohio and I was really missing home style polish food. I found Cracovia and it takes me back to my Great Grandma's traditional polish cooking. We usually get the sampler platter for two because we want to savor all the flavors of their traditional foods. We love the Zuric soup, kielbasa, perogies, and the stuffed cabbages beat my Mom's 100% (shh don't tell her). Cracovia knocks it out of the park with their food.
(5)Christopher B.
#1000 review! I can't believe it's been that many! I also can't think of a better place to review right now than a Polish restaurant! As many of you know, I'm 100% Polish, I have been brought up with Polish food, and go back to Poland relatively often. With that said, I am pretty picky about the food at Polish restaurants. Of course, I am always seeking out something similar to what my mom or relatives make!! I find it funny in some of the reviews that people claim this to be the best Polish food in North America and so on. Granted, this place is really good but you do have Chicago to contend with (among other cities) so the claims are a little ludicrous. I will say this place has the best Polish food in the Denver area. It's a shame it is not downtown but it has to be really good to get me to drive to Westminster when I have other Polish places to choose from in downtown. I have had a number of dishes at Cracovia and I have found that all of them are authentic and delicious. Just like with any ethnic food, each place or person has their own variation of a dish so although these might not all be identical to my mom's, they are still excellent in their own way. What I love about Cracovia beyond the authenticity is the extensive menu. I am not sure if I have ever been to a Polish restaurant with such a wide array of options. One of my favorite soups is the zupa ogorkowa, which it hard to find in other restaurants, and not only is it on the menu but it's absolutely wonderful. I know the barszcz is very good but it just doesn't happen to be one of my favorite soups. For dinner, I opted to go with bigos, one of my favorite dishes. It's referred to as the hunter's stew, which is a mixture of sauerkraut, cabbage, pork meat, (Polish) mushrooms, and kielbasa and is to be eaten with bread. This is a quintessential Polish dish which incorporates so many of the key ingredients that are used in so many other dishes. It's a hearty dish but the way it is prepared here it would be hard not to polish it off. A friend had the golabki, which is probably my favorite Polish dish. They are prepared a bit differently than I have had in the past; nonetheless, the combination works and dish is very tasty. I could not forego dessert, or shall I say szarlotka?! This is absolutely the best Polish dessert and the only one I will order off a menu. With this particular dessert, there are a lot of variations to it (i.e. how the apples are cut up or mushed to the dough). This wasn't my favorite style of the dessert but you would not see me balk at it either! A saw a couple people mention vodkas. In my mind, there is only one option- Zubrowka. You order it on the rocks and it is the perfect complement to a Polish dinner. I have introduced several of my Denver friends to this vodka in recent months and they will all attest that this is the best vodka out there! Cracovia seems to have cuisine from Krakow, which is a bit different (not much) from what I'm used to (Warsaw), which explains a couple comments I made above. Regardless of the region, the food here is authentic and wonderful and if you have never had Polish food and/or are seeking excellent Polish cuisine then this is absolutely the place to dine!
(5)Migle S.
Overall disappointing. Came in craving some eastern European food and to show my boyfriend how good the food is. We were greeted by a gentleman who looked like he just tolled our of bed and put on his uniform. Wrinkled clothes and sagging his pants. Overall he was polite. He seated us. While looking around I noticed there was food splatter on the walls and menus. I don't know how this place passed a health inspection. I ordered a cocktail the denver sunrise. Ofcourse the same guy who greeted us, was our waiter, and the bartender. Actually the only staff member we saw through out our whole visit. The cocktail was nice and strong. We ordered our food, we had a choice between salad or soup. I chose the red beet soup. It was good but whenever I used to have red beet soup it would contain actual red beets, this one had 3 pieces of potatoe. My boyfriend had a cesarean salad, couple pieces of lettuce with dressing and croutons oh and one small piece of tomato. Our main dishes came out I had the polish sausage with sour krout (was served in a glass measuring cup), two ice cream scoops of mashed potatoes, and a slice of pickle. Everything tasted fine. My boyfriend got the pierogis. 5 of them for 10.99$ with sour cream. We didn't stay for dessert. Decided to go out to eat to another restaurant after this. Overall the place is dirty, the service is mediocre, the portions seem like appetizer portions but the food is good.
(2)Steven M.
Huge menu with many interesting traditional Polish specialties. I got the prix fixe rabbit which was amazing but my wife got the black sausage which was a bit mushy but still flavorful. Sides were good and the soups exceeded all expectations. I got the sauerkraut soup which was an easy favorite.
(5)John S.
I had the lunch special ($8.99) which included sauerkraut soup and golabki. The only thing I didn't like was the spaghetti sauce on top. I'm accustomed to having golabki with tomato paste on the top. Good food, friendly service!
(4)Alan R.
Phenomenal food, excellent service!!!! I'm not sure what the review below is talking about, we absolutely loved this place and will be back. The strip mall location can be a little deceiving, but once inside, the place is surprisingly warm and welcoming. My wife had the blueberry pierogies with sour cream, and OH MY GOODNESS was it hard to get her to give me a bite! I had the sizzling Kielbalsa with homemade mustard, and it was delicious. Thank you Cracovia and we can't wait to visit again!
(5)Mikey R.
"cracovia", it's all in the name. You want authentic polish and bold , robust flavors that trickle across the pallet than my friend this is your go to spot! The dishes are incredible portions, and full of intensity. Even the salads, yes the salad, was superb. Put aside a top shelf , well laid up bar inside its elabrorant interior and dashing lighting. I would strongly without doubt recommend this venue for any occasion!
(5)Taylor G.
I have never experienced Polish food before and on the advice of a friend ,we went here and gave it a try. I have to say, I was skeptical because it's in a strip mall . None the less I still went in and I was kinda shocked with how nice it looked when I walked in. Very nice linens on the tables and it appeared they have tea candles on the tables . ( I don't know if this is to add to the ambiance or to give off the impression this is a romantic stop for couples) Anyways, I sat somewhat close to the "dance floor" and things got weird after that. I couldn't help but smell cigarettes.. that musty old stink that you get from people who smoke in their homes/cars. I don't know if this restaurant used to be a smoking restaurant and then when laws changed they never really cleaned the place or what, but I absolutely smelled sour cigarette smoke. That was a turn off. I was given a plate of bread and some sort of pate or spread with it. The bread was slightly old ( at least it smelled old) and when I asked what the spread was I immediately told them I would pass. ( Apparently they give you a spread of basic animal parts with lard .. not really my style) . I lifted the bread to see if there was a better looking piece and the linen it was wrapped in was dirty--covered in grease, oil and basically looked like its been used over and over again. I was slightly panicking at this point because my friend was pretty stoked I came with him.But when he saw how dirty the bread plate was even he started to cringe a little bit. . Looking at the menu I have to say, the selection of food was pretty basic but from what I was told this is real authentic Polish food so everything is made from old country recipes. I ordered the pierogie and zurek soup. I was kinda scared to think my other dishes were going to be dirty but I still tried my food. I was impressed with how tasty these traditional dumplings were. They were very close to a ravioli but still very good. The zurek soup was unlike anything I've ever ate before, very flavorful with potato, sausage and a hard boiled egg. My friend ordered the miloney ( I have no idea if that's you spell it but that's how it sounded when the server said it) .I was very thirsty and I had to constantly ask for refills on my drinks.. and then when they refilled my water there was hardly any ice!. My friend and I just so happened to go in on a very very warm day this year, and its more than irritating to be given water at room temp. I basically asked for a cup of ice because he just wasn't getting it. I went to the bathroom and boy was I in for a rude awakening, the door for employees was ajar and I had a brief glimpse into the kitchen.. I saw someone actually preparing food on the floor .. I thought my eyes were deceiving me so I tried to look again without making it obvious and yep! They sure were!... I don't know exactly what they were doing but when I saw they had containers on the floor and they were filling them with steaming hot food I broke out in a cold sweat. I hurried in the restroom and as I was rushing back to my seat, I saw the server stick his fingers inside the drinks he was bringing to another table, as I came around the corner.. I pretty much was finished as I lost my appetite coming back from the restroom. We asked for the check, paid and left rather quickly. I would give a higher start rating but the odors, the service and the grimly sight I saw in the kitchen assured me I will not be returning.. and my friend said he was shocked because he always told me how outstanding the food was. . well good food can't possibly make up for sloppy service along with a long list of health code violations .
(1)Michelle P.
Very nice place; great service;good food. Like the other reviewers you wouldn't guess that such a well decorated and polished restaurant is hidden in that little shopping center. This is definitely a place you could take someone from out of town for dinner. I do not know anything about Polish food so all I can't speak to it's authenticity although the owners are from Poland. Everything I had was good and everything I had was unique to me. I have had the Zurek soup which is light and brothy so it will not fill you up much before your entree. The kielbasa sausage was the best I have ever had. They make this from scratch and it is so good. The perogies are also good but they are not made the American way.......sauteed or fried; they are boiled and topped with drawn butter. The cabbage rolls are the best I have had as well and come with a choice of a mushroom sauce or tomato sauce. To my surprise I liked the tomato sauce better. I am usually more of a cream sauce lover. They also have a good selection of Polish vodkas and let me tell you, these are the best infused vodkas I have ever had. There was one that was made with Bison grass and vanilla infused. My favorite so far. They have a good Polish beer selection as well and I haven't had one yet I didn't like. Although IPA's are the only type of beer I really don't love. This is worth the trip up North. Check it out!
(4)Samantha S.
I'm not polish, so I don't claim to know if things taste 'authentic' or not... but if I liked them, and if I had a good time, matters most to me :) I had some people in from out of town ( which happens often with my job), and they wanted to go somewhere I hadn't been before with other peeps from out of town, so we tried here. The location is unassuming as it is something you can easily pass just driving down Wads, and as one yelper said, they spotted it while at American Warehouse across the street. In driving by as well, you wonder, is this fast food style? or a true Restaurant... and you are kept guessing as you drive up, park, and approach the doorway. It doesn't look like there are any other shops in this little strip, so you start to second guess. Once inside you are greeted by a cute little dinning room. Whew, yes this is a "please wait to be seated" type of place ( my employees wouldn't have let me live it down if it was less that that..lol) .. we were seated by the greatest waitress ever. Super sweet and friendly, and pronounced everything (sometimes twice) for us, in an ever- so- cool accent. Well cool to us boring Clevelanders... :) Tried some beer I can't pronounce or remember the name of... but still pretty good for me.. Had some soup with a pickle flavor base, pretty interesting. Our table had : stuffed cabbage -My friend Mike, the grumpiest reviewer of life, actually LOVED it... It was two humongous stuffed cabbages and he ate almost all of it. Next, I had perogies... you can't go wrong with perogies, I love them. The only difference is that they boil them only, and I like to fry mine to crisp them up a bit. Polish sausage - i tried a bite of... SCORE... I would get that the next time. Lastly, friend 3 had a chicken dish (devilsomething) which reminded me of a chimicanga with shredded chicken and peppers in it... but not all the sauce. I normally comes with pickles instead of peppers, but I guess they were out... Still, I tried a bite of that and it was good. We were all too stuffed for dessert but I really want to try their fruit filled perogies... sounds incredibly fattening... so will most likely taste EXCELLENT. Next time.
(4)Patrick M.
Great authentic Polish food. I've eaten here several times and loved it every time. Golabki, Pierogies, pickle,soup....all amazing. It's hidden in a small strip mall but don't be put off by appearances.
(5)Tina B.
I walked in and thought I was going to a polish restaurant bar. I walked in to a pleasant setting, nice linens and a full beautiful bar. My only complaint was the time it took to get the delicious food. Other than that everything was awesome!
(5)Beth W.
Went here for dinner for the first time. It was a Wednesday so maybe that's why there were only 4 people here. It was ok, huge portions. My husband and I shared cheese and potato filled pierogies with smoked kielbasa. I had never had pierogies filled with ricotta, at least that's what they tasted like, they were not good at all. The 2 stars are for the kielbasa. We won't return the prices are very HIGH and the food was not worth it.
(2)Sara T.
Server was really nice, but the food was mediocre. Krokiety was very greasy and the soup that came with it was extremely salty. I think I may have just picked a bad dish, though, because someone who got the platter enjoyed the food.
(2)M M.
This place gets better every time I go there! I just stopped in for lunch after buying flowers across the street. 10 star lunch for two people for $20!!!! At this rate, this will be the only place I eat. I am taking 4 clients here tomorrow, all of them from Eastern Europe. I am positive they will be thrilled!
(5)jeff k.
I just discovered this joint up in Westminster and it has AMAZING food. I MUST try everything on the menu here and can't wait!
(5)Robert W.
$7.95 lunch menu is awesome. beet root soup is outstanding, kielbasa is awesome...it's like fajitas sizzling on the way to your table. open faced sandwhich was really good, and the goulash was really good also. Really a great value for lunch.
(5)Richard T.
I was in Denver for work and decided to meet up with my sisters for lunch. I like the food here. I won't say that I'm an expert on Eastern European cuisine, but I can say that I liked it. For appetizers, we all split a chowder, a beet soup and a cabbage soup. All were great, but the beet soup was my favorite. For entrees, we split a polish sausage, a white sausage and a plate of perogis (half cheese and half meat). Again, all were great, but the polish sausage was my favorite. They all came with a side, which all three of us decided to get the cabbage and potatoes. I don't know why, but the cabbage and potatoes reminds me of this Chinese soup that our mom makes. I would have liked to have hotter horseradish. It was good, but I like spicy. The waiter is funny and the service is fast and polite.
(4)Karine Z.
Fantastic place. The food is delicious and I would recommend the platter so you can try a variety. Soups are fantastic too. And let's talk about the drinks... Wine is good but martinis are definitely above average. We will go back. Make sure you try this place. Oh yes and make sure you are hungry when you do, very hungry. Unless you want lunch for tomorrow
(4)Bob H.
Our family went there for my fathers birthday. The food was great, as well as the service. Very good family restaurant. We also enjoyed the music.
(4)Gregory P.
I was not expecting this. Everything we tried, and what we saw others eating, appears to be just incredibly good. Cracovia is at the corner of a strip center across Wadsworth from American Furniture Warehouse in Westminster. American and Polish flags fly above the front outside corner of the store. This simple storefront opens into a restaurant which, while plain, is nevertheless nicely appointed: Black tablecloths and napkins, black padded comfy chairs, a few booths, a dark wood bar. A few small oil paintings - for sale - are on the walls, but it's otherwise unadorned. We went early on a Friday evening, and were apparently lucky to get the last table for the two, because the place was chock full of reservations - including a 12-person church group next to us who all ordered just before we did. As a result, our service was, to put it mildly, slow; but I can't completely blame them for that; they were slammed. Our (very personable) waitress was extremely apologetic. We had a couple of glasses of the house wine, which was a very adequate CK Mondavi. Polish wines and beers were available, but we didn't go there only because we just didn't feel like it. The menu. Unless you are Polish (I assume), your first reaction will be that you recognize nothing on it. Heck, you probably can't pronounce most of the menu. Some things are recognizable if you sound them out. For example, "gulasz" turns out to be goulash. And "kielbasa" should be familiar. But barszcz? Say what? That turns out to be a Polish version of what Russians call borscht, beet soup (with a pork base). But mielony? Mizeria? No clue. Whatever, the menu has descriptions, usually, or you can just ask. If you get totally freaked out, the menu includes a cheeseburger and a couple of subs (on French bread). I ordered the gulasz (goulash), with a small bowl of czerwony barszcz - I had to just point to the menu - which is beet soup with dumplings. My wife ordered the mielony, which the menu semi-translated to "snytzel," and the waitress understood when she called it "schnitzel," which we were familiar with from German fare. My soup was very good, with a clear red broth and tender, flavorful, mushroom dumplings. (There is a choice of fillings.) I'm glad I ordered it, even though the church group next to us was positively swooning over their zupa ogorkowa - pickle soup. (?!) Next time. The goulash (gulasz) was wonderful. It was laden with chunks of tender pork, with a meaty and very slightly tomato-y sauce, very thick. I was eating it very, very happily when my wife offered me half of one of her schnitzels / snytzels / mielonies (mielonys?). I thought the mielony was simply fantastic. It was a thick (not flat) ovoids, lightly breaded, of ground pork mixed with some herbs and possibly mushrooms. So meaty, tasty, savory I couldn't stand it. I count it as an incredible find. (I've toned down the language here a lot from what I originally wrote, on general grounds of not appearing frenzied.) I enjoyed the mizeria side dish, which turned out to be a sour cream and cucumber concoction. My wife very much liked the "carrots and peas cooked in butter" that came with the mielony. Both were generous portions. I do have to say that the mashed potatoes that are a common side dish were very plain. They were real potatoes, but there was nothing more than that to recommend them. Since the other things we tried were so good, we decided, unusually, to try a dessert: Their version of apple pie. It was more like a rectangular two-inch thick brick of apple torte, about 2.5 inches square; plenty for two. It was quite good, but I had no reaction like I had to the mielonies. I should mention that for the dessert, out waitress "jumped the line" for us ahead of the church group; it arrived very quickly. (She was still being apologetic.) Other things to mention: While waiting for our main course, we were positively tortured by the sizzling sound and wonderful aroma of others being served their kielbasa. The church group was enthusing over the kielbasa and the pierogis, which are a plate full of dumplings - about ten of them - stuffed with your choice of a variety of things: cabbage, pork, cheese, etc. This first visit to Cracovia was more than a success overall, and I look forward to going there again.
(5)Erica C.
Listen to me people. I am 75% Polish. I grew up in a family that took great pride in Polish food. Some of it, I still will never touch! LOL. Cracovia is OUTSTANDING!! The food is exceptional and the prices are totally fair. I am not a paid customer. The best thing on the menu is the pickle and potato soup and the stuffed cabbage with MUSHROOM sauce. (my grandparents always made with red sauce). I had to force my mom to have the mushroom. She wouldn't do it the first time. Then, she came around after she had a taste of mine. FABULOUS (sing in high pitched tone and prolong the word). Love, Erica P.s. good vodka choices too.
(5)Stephanie C.
Beet root soup was amazing- great vodka choices. I'm not too desperate to get back again, but would certainly return in the future.
(4)Lani P.
Yup Take out was just as Darn GOOD!!! lol I always crave this food now. So it's about 1040am and I am jonsing for some good hearty food, but nothing sounds good because I still got my mind fixated on this place. I orders the snitzel again, boiled sausage again but this time I tried 2 more things...They didn't opent till 11am but took my order so it was ready when I got there. I ordered all the dinner sizes because I love having left overs to snack on. The trout entree- Oh MAN!! I love trout and this was good. Cabbage roll- OH MY GOD!!! So Plum and Juicy and very meaty, it was HUGE!!!! Think I'm gonna go get some tomorrow again..hee.hee...this place is addictive!
(5)Riza H. C.
Thank you Cracovia, Kathy and the rest of the crew that made our evening memorable yesterday evening, June 24th 2010. We went to Cracovia to have dinner. Prior to the event, I made the reservation. On the actual day, once I arrived at Cracovia, our table were ready for the group. The staffs are friendly, accommodating, informative, attentive and the service was prompt for our group. Since we were the 2nd largest group for that evening, to me all went well. Everyone has the chance to order what they want for the evening. If I could recall this was what the group ordered : * Czerwony Barszcz * Bigos * Flaki * Chicken Devolaide * Cracovia Mielony * Pierogi * Duck dish as part of the evening Specials * Platter For Two As for me, I order the Cracovia Trout. Personally, I like my dish, especially the rice. There is something with the flavor of the rice, in which I am trying to figure it out. I like the Trout too. My entree was nothing special but I just like it. Though I cant deny, I think the kitchen staff forgot to include sauerkraut salad with my main Entree. To me my Main Entree portion is HUGE. I was stuffed from my main entree, to which I so wish I could have space to stomach some desserts which I could not. I rate my main entree between 3 to 3.5 stars. At the end of our dinner, one of my friends order the kremowka, and some of them ordered the strawberry and blueberry pierogis. Most of the "dessert" pierogi came out warm. I guess that was how it should be. The group kept on comparing the pierogi to the chinese dumplings. From their observation and feedback, they feel that the pierogi is doughy and are more chewy. Another added bonus, our waitstaffs, allow our big group to have SEPARATE CHECKS. That's DEFINITELY a 2 thumbs up in my books. I am glad that my friends liked what they order for the evening, though I was slight hesitant to introduce this restaurant from the mixed reviews. With awesome company, good conversation and food that we can share, things went well for the evening.
(4)arlene d.
Found this on yelp and got very excited. Hard to find polish restaurants. Came for a late lunch they offer lunch menu till 3 pm All entrees come with soup or salad and homemade bread $7.99 . I got cabbage roll and the beet soup. The cabbage was one huge one enough to feed two or more. The sauce on it tasted like a cheap can or jar sauce. Table also ordered potato pancakes which were very greasy soggy not crisp.
(2)James K.
Excellent Polish cuisine!! I've eaten here numerous times, and always great!! If you're wanting to budget yourself... the Sampler Platter for 1 is more than enough for 2 people. You can always add an extra soup. I recommend the Sauerkraut soup...delicious! A platter for two will feed 3. The Stuffed Pepper is wonderful as well as the Kielbasa. Both of those entrees are generous portions.
(5)Peter M.
I though that Cracovia was fantastic! Here's the deal: Go for lunch. It's a steal at $7.95, and it comes in two courses: First, pick either one of two salads, or one of five soups. I had some sort of egg, sausage, and potato bowl of deliciousness. Next, pick your entree. I chose the stuffed cabbage with the red sauce. It was Tasty with a capital T. Courtney, our waitress, offered up dessert, but we were stuffed. Perhaps next time. For lunch, this place is a winner! I will definitely be back!
(5)R V.
I have been coming here regulary and can only say: YUM! I have had most everything on the menu. The food is better than excellent and the prices are very reasonable. Try the various types of borscht! The homemade Kielbasa is absolutely outstanding!!! Service is very good as well. As an aperitif I highly recommend the Debowa vodka-- you will be an addict in no time :-)
(5)David R.
This place is a little known secret in Westminster and a hidden gem. The food is excellent. I definitely recommend the platter if you are wanting a taste of everything. They also have Groupons, et. al at times and their fixed menu is also very good. However, this is not a 2 $$ place, and probably should be rated at a 3 $$$ place. However, a recent change to the restaurant has caused me to rate it 4 stars instead of 5. They now have live music and it is played way too loud. When asked about this, we we told that it plays at one volume and unfortunately they could not do anything about it. Not exactly what you want at a cozy restaurant and can't hear the person across from you. Otherwise, their staff is very attentive, without being overbearing, and extremely friendly and courteous (and apologetic about the loud live music). If you are looking for something different or if you are familar with Polish food, this is the place to go.
(4)Greg A.
I was shocked to find this place in Colorado. I would have expected it in the NYC area. This place is awesome if you have a yen for authentic Polish food. I had the sausage sampler. Some of the sausages were made in the restaurant. They were all yummy, if a bit oily: but hey, this is Polish food! If you'd like something different, like German-Russian but with more flair, try some Polish cuisine at this place. And it is indeed authentic Polish, not some Americanized mash-up. There's a dance floor in the back, should you be feeling extra festive, and when we visited, there was a lone musician playing old pop tunes, yes, Polish style using karaoke recordings and playing trumpet, sax, and flute (not all at once, of course).
(4)Sara C.
What a pleasant surprise! I have never had Polish food before and to my surprise, I love Polish food! I'm ignorant when it comes to anything Eastern European and I started humming the tune to Tetris (I know Poland is not Russia) when we first sat down because the ambiance made me want to hum it... :P Speaking of ambiance, it's quite a large restaurant but still has a very intimate feel. Very warm and welcoming as well with the decor and wall colors. I don't know how to pronounce anything on the menu but the entree that I ordered which was Bitki. There was a lot of food and my bf and I shared a Sausage Sampler appetizer, a tripe soup and Bitki, which was very tender pork chops with garlic bread and mashed potato. Let's start with the Sausage sampler... It comes on a sizzling hot plate with caramelized onions and homemade mustard. The mustard was delicious with horseradish kick to it. Enough to clear your sinus like Wasabi if you have a little much. It's a perfect addition to the sausage and onions. We then had the tripe soup. I called it the Polish Menudo. It's a bit more creamier than Menudo that you get at Mexican places but you can definitely taste the tripe flavor in the soup. The tripe itself is not as chewy as I had anticipated but very soft and well-simmered. Bitki was great! I loved the mashed potato and the garlic bread too. The pork chops were very tender and in smaller pieces... it's more like the pork tenderloins that's been tenderized very well. Also had some Polish Beer that I can't pronounce... the waitress said it a few times and my Asian tongue just couldn't make out the words... I know it starts with the Z and it's in some pictures associated with this restaurant review. We tried to order other beers on the menu but when we went they had a shortage since their beer people haven't been delivering all of their selection. I have been telling my friends about this place... try it out if you're a sausage fan. YUM!
(5)Ed E.
I had the Kielbasa, and it was excellent. You get three big sausages. I am not a sour kraut person at all, but the kraut I was served as part of the meal was amazing!!! I want to go back, if only for the kraut. I went late on a Monday and the place was pretty quiet, so I am can not judge the atmosphere. The place feels like a nicer restaurant with the dim lighting. The server was superb. I am not familiar with Polish cuisine, nor did I have the energy to read the menu (long day). He recommend a Polish beer. It was ice cold and really good. He also recommended the Kielbasa dinner (see paragraph one).
(5)Lindsay K.
Love this little gem. We came here on a Sunday night a couple months ago, and we were the ONLY people in here. It appears as there are slim pickins' in Colorado for authentic Polish food, but we were pleased with Cracovia. I loved the golumki- although beware, the entree comes with two and they are MASSIVE! We were all impressed with their pickle soup- probably the best I've ever had. The grilled kielbasa was great, but the pierogi was good, not amazing. Will definitely be back to check out lunch!
(4)Sturm B.
Hmmm.... well, 1. The people that I was with tell me that Cracovia serves some of the most authentic Polish food in North America. 2. I am about 1/4th Polish, so I was all-in when they invited me to tag along. 3. I have no reason to doubt the authenticity of Cracovia's food. 4. Assuming #1 is correct, I find Polish food truly disturbing, and I am ever so thankful that my forefathers came to the U.S. with all possible haste. Seriously, I will eat anything; I might be the least finicky biped on the third rock from the sun, and I love trying new things. I cannot wait to never eat Polish food again. The strange sausage-like entree that I had was not raw, but the texture would indicate otherwise. I tried everything at the table, and the only thing I liked was a plain ol' garden variety Polish sausage that we had as an appetizer. Oh, Polish beer is pretty good if you like European pilsners Everyone else loved it, so you might not want to take my review as gospel (thus the high rating that I gave them). I subtracted a star because our server was lame, and he was one of those people who doesn't respond when you say "thank you." This is a pet peeve of mine (and not just with servers). I don't require a formal "your welcome," but a "no problem," or even a "sure" is just plain obligatory. People with bad manners rank right up there with toenail fungus in my book. One other minor quibble: you've got to love those restaurants that keep the lights up high enough perform neurosurgery at the table. If live ever contrives to give me a choice between Polish food and McDonalds, I will need extra barbecue sauce with my McNuggets.
(4)Ernie B.
We have come here in the past for lunch, had a Groupon for dinner. The stuffed cabbage was great and more than we could eat. Kielbasa was very good. Wine was good at a fair price. Love all the food had a great time.
(4)Abby W.
Definitely worth trying again, but not that same as Papa's polish food. I had the pierogi (3 of each: cheese/potato, sauerkraut/mushrooms, pork/chicken) and they were pretty tasty. Boiled and served with a sweet onion glaze on top - yum! The meat ones were my least favorite and the waiter recommended the Zurek (White "barszcz" served with saugage, boiled eggs and potatoes) This is also a bit weird. BUT!! The best part - while my friends and I were chatting after we paid the bill, the owner came out and offered us free moonshine shots. It was so sweet! We'll be back! CLOSED TUESDAY! :-D
(4)Patrick M.
I learned of this restaurant from another Yelper at one of the secret suppers and decided to give it a try since I live in the area. My girlfriend and I went there for dinner and we were the only ones in the restaurant at first. I wasn't sure if that was a bad sign but it turned out that we were just there a little earlier than when other folks eat dinner, but more customers showed up shortly after us. I was told that the Golabki (stuffed cabbage rolls) were amazing so I ordered that for dinner. But I also wanted to try some of the sausage that they had there so I ordered the sausage sampler appetizer plate. The sausage appetizer came with some of their white sausage and some kielbasa I think. They were both good but to me the kielbasa had more flavor and so was more enjoyable. The sausage came with a sweet mustard dipping sauce which, similar to eating too much wasabi, gives you a brief yet painful head rush that is sort of fun!! The dinner order of Golabki comes with two large cabbage rolls and a choice of a tomato sauce or cream of mushroom topping. I asked for both since I had not tried this dish before. Both sauces are good with this dish and at first I thought I liked the mushroom more but after just having eaten the leftovers for lunch the following day I think I now prefer the tomato sauce. And there will likely be leftovers! The Golabki was tender and juicy and actually kind of light for something that is stuffed with meat and rice! The cabbage, which I usually do not care for unless it is in the form of coleslaw, was nicely cooked and tasted great with the meat and rice stuffing without being overwhelmingly cabbagy! I made the decision to try to eat both rolls in addition to the sausage sampler platter and the salad I had already consumed. But half way through the second roll I was defeated. My girlfriend wasn't able to finish her first roll which was good for me as I ate it for lunch the following day!
(4)Erin T.
We kept seeing this place driving down Wadsworth and finally swerved in last night instead of going to sushi. It has such a nice little romantic atmosphere with Polish music playing in the background. The host and server were so nice! My boyfriend got a light beer, I can't remember the name, the waitress recommended it to us and it was pretty good. A little sweet, which was surprising. I got something that came with 2 sausages, grilled, 2 little lumps of potato, sauerkrat and 2 pickles. The sausage was so delicious and the sauerkrat pretty good. My boyfriend got the stuffed bell peppers, which had beautiful presentation but I thought tasted meh but that's also because I don't really like bell peppers unless raw or on pizza. He really liked it though. Be careful if you get the dish I got grilled because the grease will spit off the pan onto you! We will definitely be coming back but probably splitting an entree because the food is very rich and heavy and oh so filling!
(4)Dave B.
+ White pork sausage with mashed potatoes and a side of cooked sauerkraut. Yummy. + Delicious red borscht. + Polish beers (0.5 liters for $5). Very tasty. + Friendly and knowledgeable waitress. "Not Polish, Russian." - Crappy, cheap flatware. I am not goi
(3)Mark T.
When shopping at the gigantic American Furniture Warehouse near 95th and Wadsworth, you may well wonder, "Hey, what's in that little strip mall across the street?". Well, ponder no more. For within its walls lies a cornucopia of Polish pleasantry called Cracovia. The interior blends an intimate family spot with a chi-chi place to see and be seen. The menu similarly features dishes that range from the homey to the wow-inducing. I like to start with the white soup called Zurek (or Zhurek, phonetically - there is an accent over the "Z"), where hardboiled eggs play nicely with potato and Polish white sausage. Their beet soup, Czerwony Barszcz, is also thick, rich and decadent. Then it's on to the main courses. If I'm looking for something (fairly) light I go for Lazanki (the first "L" in fact has a line through it and is thus pronounced more like the English "W"), which takes homemade noodles and fries them with bacon and cabbage. Zeberka (or again, Zheberka) is a tangy take on BBQ ribs that will please most palates. Meals are accompanied, by and large, by a cool refreshing salad starring beets or cucumbers. If you're really stuck, try one of the Taste of Cracovia platters and sample a variety of foods. For dessert (and I know you have room!) I recommend the Paczki (the "A" is said through the nose so the word comes out sounding more like Paawwnnnnchkee), which take a classic donut and fill it with sweet rosehip jam before frying. Yum! So what more needs to be said? C'mon up to Cracovia!
(4)Courtney B.
This place is far off the beaten path, in a near abandoned strip mall off 92nd/wadsworth. The beet soup was decent, slightly cold. The potato perogi were very nice, traditional, doughy and a little underseasoned. The dessert perogi were very good. I enjoyed blueberry. Wewere served bread at the begining with a liver pate spread. It reminded me of the liverwurst my gramma used to eat when I was a kid. It was yummy. Service kind of lacked. They have a nice 16 yr old kid working there, but he doesn't explain the food well and needs a crash course on developing a personality.
(3)Kerry G.
This place is in a somewhat empty shopping center, next to a dry cleaner. When you walk in, it tends to be a ghost house (at least the times we've been). It's a nice size restaurant, full bar and looks like a dance floor to be used for special occasions in the back. I've seen it fill up, but not until pretty late for dinner (past 8pm or so). We've usually been the only table or one of only a few. This usually equates to one server somewhat hovering over you, but all your needs are met. I've never had authentic Polish food, but this seems to be right on the money. Absolutely everything we've eaten has been delicious!! There is a decently large menu with several unique items (available on their website). I suggest you ask your server lots of questions to make sure you know what you're getting - even if you're the adventurous type. They also have basic sausage and potato items that I find perfect if you have someone in your party who isn't so adventurous. The prices are a little on the high side considering it is a lot of pork and potatoes, but I suppose you're paying for the authenticity of the food. We always have leftovers and are completely satisfied with our dishes. The Keilbasa, Pierogi, Pyry (my favorite), Golonka and Bitki have all been excellent. Great place for a solid meal to fill you up and make you sleepy and the best (only) traditional Polish food I've had in CO.
(4)Evey M.
My bf grew up back east with a Polish and Russian family on both sides. His grandmother was first generation from Poland. So as you can imagine he has very particular taste and very high expectations with regards to his Polish food. I, on the other hand, being of non-Polish decent have expectations of deliciousness and not much else. I found Cracovia via yelp about a year ago when looking for a dinner location for my bf's birthday. He wanted something low key. I was, admittedly, a little sketched out about driving all the way to Westminster for dinner when we live in Denver. I was then pleasantly surprised when we walked in to Euro Polka/Techno and then more so when our food and alcoholic beverages arrived. We did a full table of different foods. My favorite still was the Barszcz. Yeah, it maybe soup but WOW! Just wow. We have traveled back to Cracovia a handful of times when we have our hearts set on Polish food. My one and only selfish wish: that Cracovia was in Denver so I could partake more frequently.
(4)Christina M.
This place looks like nothing special on the outside, and it's not easy to see from the road but if you're a fan of Polish food you should seek this place out. Their food is excellent. A meal is not really cheap ($10-15 for an entree) but the food is clearly freshly made and is well worth it in my opinion. Great barszcz, pierogi and golabki. All the traditional Polish dishes are accounted for and they have a good selection of reasonably priced Polish beer as well. Free bread and yummy chicken liver spread upon arrival.
(4)Michael A.
Went to Cracocia with 3 co-workers for dinner earlier today. None of us had been there before. Two of us are from Northeast Ohio on a business trip to a branch of our company. Two are from the Wesminster area. We arrived early and were only the 2nd table of diners. The interior was clean and neat, as opposed to the parking lot which wasn't very inviting. Our waitress was very pleasant and very accommodating, helping a couple of us to select certain beers. When we were provided with bread and a spread, I found the taste initially a bit off-putting. When we asked the waitress about the bread and spread but she really didn't provide any useful information about the bread but did describe the 'spread'. I personally didn't care for either. It did take an unusually long time to get our drink order. Not sure why. Two of us ordered bottle beer, one ordered vodka and tonic and one ordered a cocktail from the menu. I ordered the saukerkraut soup and the stuffed cabbage rolls (2) and was offered a choice of 2 sauces and elected to have both - a mushroom sauce and a tomato sauce. One person ordered the perogis, one ordered a chicken dish and one ordered the 'platter' for one. All I can really comment on was the sauerkraut soup and stuffed cabbage rolls. I really liked the soup. It was a large bowl. No skimping here. And the cabbage rolls were huge. They were well cooked and very tasty. However, they were not anything out of the ordinary. It was like a home cooked meal on steroids. Perhaps a bit too much. It might have been better to have made them smaller. But no complaints about the taste. Overall, it was a good meal for the price. If you want a home style meal in a homey environment, I would certainly recommend this place.
(3)Dave A.
Love this place. I'd go here just to drink Warka. Best beer ever if you ask me. I don't even need a menu, I'll eat the shank every time. The pork melts in your mouth, the kraut is perfect. Oh yeah the funky weekend entertainment is pretty awesome too.
(5)KT T.
What a pleasant surprise! After reading the reviews of other yelpers, some coworkers and I decided to stop in for lunch. I've driven by and been curious for quite some time and I'm happy to say I wish I would have tried this sooner! I'm learning that some of the best honest service and honest food is found in strip malls like the one this place is. Its not fancy or pretentious, but the food is simple and good. I had the lunch special, starting with the beetroot soup with sour cream and potatoes, which was a lovely shade of pink and comforting and delicious. Next I had the Kielbasa with mashed potatoes and sweet cabbage. Also very good and served still sizzling in a skillet. My coworkers had the pierogies and Hunter Stew, both of which were yummy too. I left satisfied and plan to return many more times for lunch and look forward to sitting down for din
(4)Allen K.
Pierogies and Kalbasa! Mmmmm good! The waitress was having a fluent conversation in Polish with the guests in the booth behind me, a good sign of authenticity. I'll be back for sure.
(5)Stan P.
Best Polish food in the Denver area. Truely wonderful. Strip mall decor, but the food and tasty Polish beers more than make up for it.
(4)C P.
This restaurant is fantastic! My husband and I are so happy that we heard about this restaurant from a Westminster local. We had some Polish beer, and it was so great! The pierogi(I have no idea how to spell this) were amazing, and my husband had their sausage, which was divine. Oh, and I almost forgot about their soup! I don't remember the name, but it was the second soup listed in the menu, and it tasted as if it were homemade. Just amazing....and then, we finished off with their apple pie, which was really wonderful. We just moved to the Westminster area, and we will definitely be going to Cracovia again. We want to try everything on the menu:)
(5)Jordan A.
Boy, I have no idea how to rate this restaurant. The food and decor are authentic (I would know), it's cozy and comfortable, and the service is friendly (though not exactly on top of things). The food tastes great, and the portions are huge. And I am usually very hard on Eastern European eateries. Not to take from the authenticity of the experience, our hand-written bill was barely itemized, and once looked at more carefully, had 12% tax tacked on to it. Nice! This could send my rating down to one star, but I just laughed at the entrepreneurial spirit of the comrades, and made sure my tip compensated for the little scam. I'll probably be back, but will definitely check the math every time.
(4)Bryan S.
I'm Hungarian and Polish food until now has been a bit of a mystery. Some of the dishes are common to both cultures, but I had never tasted the Polish versions. I wanted to try these close cousins and compare... not to judge one better than the other (except for the poppyseed -- see below), but to marvel at the differences. I was a little worried from the photographs that we were underdressed for the occasion. We were only passing through Denver on a U2 roadtrip and had become a little grungy, a little bedraggled from so many miles in the car. I had stumbled upon Cracovia by yelping in a Barnes and Noble parking lot. (If I've learned one thing from this trip, it's to always find the best local food you can. Avoid the known -- seek the unknown. Let Yelp be your guide.) Upon arrival, we were assured by the uberfriendly waiter Brian that lunchtime was casual. He was more than happy to guide us through the menu and didn't seem at all annoyed that I questioned what I knew from my grandmother. The biggest shock is that stuffed cabbage is served with mushroom sauce. News to me! Blasphemy! Yet I had to try it. I'm telling you, they had me at the starter. OMG, the cabbage soup is to die for! I don't know if it's racial memory or what. They say that being Hungarian is a matter of blood, not upbringing. But from the taste of that soup, I need to recheck my history and see if part of me might be Polish. The first entre, kielbasa, emerged from the back still steaming on the plate. A horseraddish-kicked mustard came with it, causing me to sigh with delight. Yummy! I had asked if I might sample the Goulash and was told that it came as an add-on for a mere two bucks more. Done! I splashed that over some of my wife's neglected mashed potatoes -- utterly delicious. Then came the epic stuffed cabbage. Remember, I'm comparing this to my grandmother's... and I was just wowed. There's something about the mushrooms that I never expected. The pork stuffing was so tender and the cabbage so flavorful -- I could eat this stuff until you had to cart me away with a forklift. We ended the meal with poppyseed roll. If you don't know what this is, you've got to ask for it! My Nana used to make this every holiday. What a chore it was to stir that vat of simmering goo! I have to say that I like the full-on Hungarian style best, with filo dough crammed to the brim with sweet poppyseed. Some might consider that too much of a good thing. But I say, bring it on! Still, to have food this good, this brimming with flavor hiding in a suburban strip mall. Folks, you have to seek them out. Don't be like I was... don't go another day wondering what Polish food might taste like. You have no idea what splendors you're missing!
(5)Jack K.
We ate here for the second time, bringing along another couple. We all found the food simply delicious. Everything tastes fresh. The prices seem reasonable. The home-made Polish sausage is excellent. There is nice selection of eastern European beers. The service was very good without being fawning. We loved the music performed by two guys, playing keyboard and sax. I hope this place survives.
(5)Alex M.
Had to drive to Westminster to pick up a race packet with friends. Taking the role I normally do, I looked up a place to eat nearby. This place is tucked almost in a strip mall, I could see my friends' expectations lower visibly. That changed when we entered. To start, there was a man in the back playing Polish music. We thought it was a CD at first because it was so perfect. He played the accordion, sang, guitar (obviously not all at the same time). Really talented. Ordered the taste of Cracovia for four. Everything was amazing. Standouts? The BEET SOUP! It tastes really good, and it was pink. Order, be amused, and enjoy. The perogis were good, and the mushroom sauce was delectable. Could I pronounce anything on the menu? Not really... Did it matter? Not at all!
(5)Alia Z.
Oh man, finding this place is tricky! I was wondering the whole time if my GPS was wrong altogether. But it is SO worth it. For dinner, I got their sampler menu for 2. They started us out with soup (can't remember the name of the one I had - it tasted smoky and had potatoes in it though). Then the first course - a selection of their pirogi (took me a second to figure out that they're dumplings with different stuffings, not pastries with different stuffings, which go by the same name in Russia). Also beets, cabbage, etc on the plate. We were pretty full by the time the next course came out - a plate of their sausages. Oh, and there's dessert after that - pretty much cooked fruit (just try it, it's good).
(4)Karen M.
First of all, I wish I was paid to review these restaurants because sometimes I want to be able to order four or five different dishes at a time! I was so excited to go to Cracovia. My mom is first-generation Polish-American, so I grew up on periogi and potato pancakes. It's hard sometimes to find food that reminds me of home. This little place was buzzing when I got there on a Saturday night. It's a casual place. You won't feel out of place here. And the menu is filled with traditional Polish items and a few American classics. I absolutely couldn't decide on what to get. I started off with a cold Polish beer and the beetroot salad. It is a refreshing salad of finely shredded beets flavored lightly with horseradish to give it a little zing. Delish. Then, I was served a full platter of homemade potato pancakes. They were so good! They were light and crispy and I just kept eating and eating. Next on my list, the periogi. This is a family-owned restaurant and they are all very friendly and committed to serving good, fresh food. If you're in a hurry, this is not the place for you. The owners bring in live music on the weekends so you can enjoy a cocktail, relax and wait for your food to be prepared fresh for you! My first experience at Cracovia has left me wanting more.
(4)Mike R.
Good. Different.
(3)Natalie H.
I've got to say...the food here is amazing and there is a lot of it. My hubby and I got the dinner for two which included many different things. There was beet soup, (omg, this is amazing) kielbasi, 3 different types of pieroges, and other things I can't think of now. While we were there, they had a gentleman singing with a karaoke machine in Polish!
(4)Marcia K.
I gave Cracovia 5 stars for its Golabki alone (stuffed cabbage rolls). I am Ukrainian, I make a version called "halupshi". I consider myself a really really good cook (and have been told this countless times) - and because of this restaurant, I am now going to re-vamp my recipe. The mushroom sauce with this is AMAZING - yummmmm! I loved the croquets - very good. I wasn't very impressed with the pirogi though. I didn't like the savory ones. The fillings aren't very good (the meat one is dry, the potato one bland) -, the dough is just "ok". I liked the desert ones better. I DO agree with the other reviewers on the beet soup. Its yummy - buttery, meaty with sweet beet. :) The staff is always very friendly - I find this attitude more with the family-owned businesses. The cook/owner came out once, and spoke Polish to me - I assumed he said "your food will be right out"? Always told I look more European than Irish, guess this proves it? lol. Go there for a great experience - try the sampler platter to find the foods YOU like! (btw, don't be put-off by the outside - its very nice inside)
(5)Martin P.
We went to Cracovia to re-experience the food and drink we had in central Europe last summer. We had the pork shank, goulash, mushroom soup, and pickle soup along with a couple of Pilsner Urquells, and it was like a time machine had whisked us away. The food was simply outstanding, and the service was also terrific in a very unpretentious way. The atmosphere is more along the lines of diners, drive-ins, and dives - again unpretentious and down to earth (don't freak out when you pull up and see a restaurant in an old strip mall with poor signage). We'll definitely come back.
(5)Andrew B.
Love it, good Polish comfort food. Excellent kielbasa, homemade sauerkraut is very tasty, the mustard is fantastic. Good menu selection, good prices, EXCELLENT service (unlike the German restaurant up Coal Creek Canyon). We live 6 blocks away from Cracovia and plan on being weekly visitors. *The polish beer is very good, a nice change from the microbrewery beers that I drink. Highly recommended, a good change from the local chain restaurants...
(4)Christina V.
Being Ukrainian, I will probably be more disconcerting than most. I was so excited to see a Polish-American restaurant open in my area. It is mom and pop. Their potato perogies were quite delicious. They crossed the line with their mushroom perogies (I never heard of them). Although tasty, my mother makes the best potato/cheese at her Ukrainian Church. Cabbage as well. So then, I try the borscht, as I am so excited to see it on a menu. It resembled a puddle of pureed beets. Where was the cabbage, potato, etc? I will continue to make this one on my own. I will try them again since I have not tasted the rolled cabgge, or potato pancake.
(2)arleigh b.
I drive past this restaurant 10 times a week. I finally decided to try it. I don't know anything about Polish food. Don't judge a book by its cover; the shoddy exterior belies the comforting red interior. It really is red. Very red. But I liked the way it looked. The live music (a guy with a karaoke machine) in the back was sort of schlocky but not unpleasant. Greg (I read his name on the flyer as we left) switched from singing to saxophone to flute within the time we ate. I went with my father, a well-traveled man who has been to Poland a number of times, my husband, who's very picky but loves his mother's German/Italian dishes, and my son, who always orders the Chicken Nuggets from the kiddy menu, which he did this time too. I ordered the croquettes. I don't recommend them. They are like paté burritos, fried. Very greasy. And a mug of hot beet soup, which was too salty. So I didn't like mine, but I know what I'm going to order next time--the hunter's stew, Bigos! That's what my dad ordered and it was just fantastic. Very filling, so we took the rest home. You could easily split this stew with someone else, plus a side of garlic bread. My picky husband ordered the Schabowy, which is a pounded-thin pork cutlet. He thought it was fantastic. The prices are all very good. The serving sizes are large. The wait staff is totally nice. Don't sit near the music because it's too loud to talk. My son says to make sure to look at the cartoons on the wall across from the bathrooms. So I recommend it. And they do have Cheeseburger on the menu, for the very picky.
(4)Ben B.
Although this place is off the beaten path, it is well worth the drive. Polish fare is on point. Not the nicest decor and a bit run down, however this is what I come to expect when dining in an Eastern European joint. I recommend trying the platter for two. We're talking pierogis, croquette's, all the good stuff!
(4)Phil Z.
Service is great, food was wonderful. A very nice atmosphere and a great way to experience new food. We had a "sampler" for two... the food kept coming! We'll be back!
(5)Melissa H.
Overall this place is sorta fun. Frankly, I don't love Polish food-- so it can't get a 5 star from me. But the vibe is nice-- not so shabby for a strip mall. A real dude singing on a dance floor, table cloth, vodka drinks, a super waiter. A-Ok. The price is good for the massive amount of food you get and they were offering a free drink with any entree in honor of Valentine's day.It won't be part of the regular rotation-- but I would go back again. Oh-- and the pink beet root soup with potatoes is pretty darn good.
(3)Jeff T.
What can I say but wow. I have heard a lot of people talk about this place but never actually been. Today, I went with a few co-workers and wow. I ordered from the Prefixed Lunch menu (7.95). I got the Ogorkowa (pickle soup with potatoes) and the Golabki ( stuffed cabbage roll). The soup was amazing and the golabki was really good and was a lot lighter then others I have had. We also shared the Kremowka (Vienna Napoleon) for dessert. Everything was fresh and service was great. I will definitely be going back. This is the type of place where you share meals.
(5)John B.
We wanted to take my father-in-law to Cracovia because his family is Polish and it's hard to find a Polish restaurant in Denver. We went with some friends of his, making a party of 6. The food was great, when it finally arrived. When we walked in, we were immediately seated, but the host told us that they were out of menus and we'd have to wait until another party ordered until we could see a menu. The funny thing was that there weren't that many people at the restaurant, so how were they out of menus? Oh well. No problem. How about some drinks? When we finally got our menus, it took a bit of time to figure out what we wanted, but we felt a bit of pressure because now other people were waiting on us for the menus. Once we finally ordered, the menus went to other tables. We sat around and talked, ordered another round of drinks and then we started to realize that the food was taking a while. The large party that had ordered before us hadn't been served yet either. To make a long story short, it took about 90 minutes from the time we sat down until we were finally served. I'm sure people who came in after us had to wait at least 2 hours for their food. Like I said, the food was great, but the service was not acceptable. I might consider going back during non-peak hours, but even then I'd make sure I had plenty of time to spare (and maybe a backup meal just in case).
(3)Patrick C.
The food is awesome and you get more then you can eat you have to get the pickle soup it is amazing sorry I dont know what it is called, I just know it is awesome I think this is one of the best resturants in colorado, but remember if you go it will be atleast an hour and a half to eat but it is worth it.....
(5)Angelica H.
Although this was my first attempt at Polish food, I was pleasantly surprised. From the outside you would never know a comfortable and modern dining experience would be there. The dining room was spacious and very clean (big bonus for me) and felt pretty upscale for a strip mall. We were there on a weeknight, but next time I will try a weekend as there was an area in the back for live music with a dance floor that looked like fun. We started with some sort of beet salad and a soup that I could not pronounce or spell. I was pleasantly surprised that even my 10 & 4 yr old loved. The dinners we ordered (still not attempting to spell them) were delicious, but were not all that appealing to the eye. Really large portions! Next visit will be without the kids. The atmosphere is more appropriate for date night, not a family outing. Also, the service was SLOW and our check had some errors at the end like an extra soda and a math error or two.
(4)Frank T.
Like many others have noted, Cracovia is stuck in a nondescript shopping center across from an American Furniture Warehouse. A friend from work and I tried it for lunch today, and I am duly impressed. I had the white sausage plate and it came out on a sizzling griddle along with some creamy scoops of mashed potatoes and a plate of the best sauerkraut I have ever tasted. It was a lot of food for the money and was more than satisfactory in taste and quality. I will go back ... maybe kielbasa will be my next choice.
(4)Roger B.
Let me preface this review by saying: I am a champion for small businesses because they bring flavor, diversity and a neighborly feel to their respective areas. I want to see Cracovia succeed because they are different and that is refreshing. I have read most of the reviews and feel as if there is a bias among those familiar with or having grown up eating Polish food. I am offering my unbiased opinion. An unfortunate aspect to this restaurant is their location; easy to access, but equally easy to miss. My girlfriend and I decided to give them a whirl at lunch-time and were somewhat surprised to find ourselves the only clients the entire time we were there. The hostess was not exactly friendly or inviting, but hey, maybe she was having a bad day, who knows? Our server also had a somewhat stern demeanor, and while she too was not un-friendly, she did not exactly make us feel "welcome." We ordered, the food came out in a reasonable amount of time and I found it to be quite tasty. My GF would not agree on the quality, but I possess a more forgiving palate. My stuffed cabbage was heavy and filling, which is just fine and the beer I ordered was interesting without being weird. Now, I hate to say it, but shortly after our little excursion, I developed a bout of rumbly-tummy. Maybe it was the food, maybe it was the type of food, but the response was quick and deliberate. Despite this less-than -comfortable experience, I would like to give them another try during the dinner -hour , so look for my follow-up to this review in the near future because if anything changes, be it good or bad, I will share it with you fine connoisseurs.
(2)Steffen A.
This isn't a review of the food at Cracovia (which was very good, btw). This is about the service. Abysmally slow, inept, and uncaring. On a night when the restaurant wasn't terribly crowded, it took nearly 90 minutes before our first course appeared. Actually, the other two people in our party got their soup while my partner and I waited for our first course. Which showed up at about the 110 minute mark. And included soup. Which begs the question why it didn't come when the other two people got their soup? At about the 2 hour 40 minute mark, our guests were finished with their dinners and our main course (which was shared) arrived at the table. We asked them to box it up. Like I said, the food was very hearty and good. But the service was a total train wreck.
(2)Todd R.
I am very picky about Polish Cuisine because I have been to Poland 6 times and my wife is from Poland. We have been meaning to go to this little gem for some time but it is very far from where I live in Littleton. My wife and I went with a co-worker and tried a wonderful pork dish Bitka and my co-worker tried the Golabki. We were greeted at the door right away and the service was excellent. The restaurant has a vast choice of Polish beers and we tried Kopernik for the first time. We had a wonderful evening here and will return in the near future. You can also get airline mileage points here if you sign up for united/american airlines dining programs. Please give this excellent restaurant a try. I would much rather spend my money here than a faceless chain, which is the norm these days.
(5)J S.
To begin with, I won't say that I know what authentic/fine Polish cuisine should taste like, cause I don't. However, I do feel that good food tastes good somewhat universally. I had been dying to go check this place out all because of an awesome experience I had at a little German restaurant in Cali years and years ago. Now you may be thinking, what the heck does German food have to do w/Polish food. Well, crap, maybe nothing, but there are very very few of these restaurants in the burbs whereas I can find a Mexican, Italian, or Chinese restaurant every couple blocks. But I digress.....so finally got the opportunity to try out Cracovia the other night and was crazy excited about it. So J, why are you only giving 2 stars then? Well, because the food just didn't taste very good, the service was intermittent, and our order and the bill both had problems. That is the short version. Keep reading if you want the details. Arrived at Cracovia, a bit early for dinner, we were the first ones there (it's a pretty good size dining room). While I was eagerly reading the menu, the waiter brought out what I guess was the Polish equivalent of chips and dip, but was actually two slices of bread, cut in half (hubby said they should've used a smaller basket to de-emphasize the tiny-ness of the bread) and a small butter ball shaped thing that we were told was a mix of sausage and onions. Didn't do much for either of us, oh well, moving on. Decided to order a cup of the Czerwony Barszcz, or beetroot soup w/sour cream and potatoes, and for dinner, the Bigos or Polish hunters stew (which is exactly as Melissa H describes it and really wished I had read that ahead of time!). Hubby orders the Pierogi, half meat, half potato and cheese filled. Now his was supposed to come with a soup or salad and he opted for a caesar. That may have been the lamest caesar salad either of us has ever eaten, bummer. But we are not going to judge a place solely on their caesar, so we wait. So my soup comes, and it was actually really really awesome. I mean, yumm w/a capital Y. I'm not sure that there were any actual beets in it, but it was pink and had an earthy flavor that I think came from the beets, anywho, score 1 Cracovia! Then our main dishes come out and hubby's peirog's were a little sad looking. 8 little white half moons w/a few tiny (I mean mcD's hamburger topping tiny) carmelized onions on top and a sneeze of really finely chopped parsley. Now, before anyone gets angry, the only peirogis we've had in the past were made by a friend and they were delicious and we've recreated them at home over the years, mmmmm. We make them by par-boiling, they pan frying the little guys till they have GBD (golden brown and delicious) spots and are not just soft and serve them with large sliced and sauteed onions so these were very diff than what we are used to. But besides being very soft, they were pretty darn bland as well. My main dish was nothing to write home about, probably wouldn't get it again. Also, it says on the menu, in house and online that the stew comes with Polish village bread, I got no bread. In addition, we were charged for the lame caesar salad that it says on the menu comes w/the pierogi. We brought this to the servers attention and she removed the extra charge but I was really disappointed overall. Cracovia gets one star for that awesome soup and one because I want to try it again, with none of what I ordered the first time (excepting soup of course) and hope for better results. I really want to find something else here that is awesome, fingers crossed.
(2)Matt P.
I really wanna like this place but its hard because I grew up on eastern european eats and this is the name minus the style. Meaning, that butter is flavor, good polish food uses butter, this place is almost trying to make polish food fancy, which its not, its fatty and yummy. I ordered the weiner schnitzel 1st time around and it was cold, like they had made it the night before and not heated it up all the way, very disappointing, not t mention it was more of a mini meat loaf; dry, baked, ball of meat, rather than a schnitzel; pounded flat and pan fried. Second time, i got stuffed cabbage it was good, but again lacking flavor, very bland. I will give this place 1 more try, because I want it to be good.
(2)Caryn P.
Cracovia is a hidden gem.. In a deserted strip mall, it offers authentic reasonably priced fare! Great selection of hard to find polish liquor and beers. Their lunch specials are a great deal.. $ 8 for 2 courses.. $1 extra for a soda. The Kielbasa is my favorite.. Served on a sizzling platter.. Friendly waitresses but often a little understaffed. Great place and value!
(4)Fastfish S.
This place has great food, and you won't go away hungry! It was fun to try the different Polish dishes and I didn't taste anything that I didn't like. The cabbage rolls are HUGE; I doubt many people could eat more than one. Service was a little slow and lacking attention to detail, especially for a place that is a bit pricey. There was music with a live DJ, I think he was also singing part of the time but I wasn't facing him and couldn't really see that well, but it added to the fun ambiance.
(4)Amber C.
My family and I have been to this restaurant several times and have never once left unhappy. The food is absolutely delicious and the waitresses we get are always very helpful and friendly. I highly recommend the pickle soup
(5)Ramon G.
In the never ending battle to find places to eat lunch around where I work I was happy to see a new place going up off of Wads. I love trying different ethnic foods so I can finally cross off "Polish" from my list. I expected this place to be a small deli of sorts but was way off. It's a fairly swank little restaurant/bar. I get the vibe that the place is family owned and that there were Polish people in the restaurant that knew the owner. I was pretty baffled over what the dishes were but all seemed pretty interesting. The waitress was very helpful going over each dish. I tried a few different things. The only name I remember was the easy one, a pierogi. Which was pretty amazing and rivals my favorite pierogi place in Seattle. The name of the cabbage, mushroom sauce dish I had escapes me but was amazing as well. The food took a while to come out but I can tell lots of TLC was put into preparing the dish which is A-Ok for me and worth the wait any day. Not the best "lunch" place but I'll be back for dinner to try some of the other dishes and maybe check out dessert.
(4)Yokes F.
Wow. Their food blew me away. It's so ironic that such an awesome restaurant is tucked away in a very easy to miss small mini mall. I started with their beet soup with mushroom filled pierogi (czerwony barszcz z uszkami). The pierogis were pretty good but the beet broth was delicious. It was sweet, slightly sour and spicy all at once. For the main dish, I had their homemade kielbasa sausage (kielbasa cracovia style). It came with mashed potatoes, grilled onions and a small plate of sauerkraut (you can also order it with sweet cabbage instead), a pickle and homemade mustard. These guys are not messing around. I managed to finish one of these big sausages (These are not puny sausages.) and loved every bite of it. It was so tasty and full of flavor. And for those of you who may not like sauerkraut, just give this one a try. Cracovia makes it very mild. It's not the crazy sour kind. It's actually on the sweeter side and slightly sour. My friend had the cabbage rolls (golabki) and had one in tomato sauce and the other in mushroom sauce. Although both were delicious, I loved the tomato one. The pork inside the cabbage roll was so tender and amazing. They put a lot of rice in it so you don't get too overwhelmed by the meat flavor. Let me warn you though, these cabbage rolls were almost as thick as my friend's arm. Two cabbage rolls might not sound like much but trust me on this, this is enough to share with one or two other people. I think my friend almost fainted when she saw her plate arrive. If you can believe it, this humungo plate comes with a choice of soup or salad. My friend ordered the zurek which was a creamy white soup with hardboiled egg, potatoes and slices of sausage in it. Although it was a small bowl, that soup had enough flavor and volume that when you got your main dish, you felt a little overwhelmed. My boyfriend had the Golanka which is a pork shank topped with a plate full of sauerkraut. This one made its own entrance after the two cabbage rolls took over our table. It's a pretty big chunk of meat. I think you can share it easily with three other people. My boyfriend has eaten that thing over two meals the day after and still has some left over. This dish comes with chopped beets and mashed potato. We thought that no one could top the dishes we chose, but someone at our table ordered this thing called Golanka Flambé. To put it simply, it's a big ass piece of pork as big as your head (a pork knuckle to be exact) slow roasted and basted with honey, beer and sweet pepper sauce for something like 12 hours, then set on fire before being served. So when this huuuuge hunk of meat came on a cart on fire and arrived at our table, we were all flabbergasted. We didn't even know how to respond to such a big piece of meat. I don't think the guy knew the magnitude of what he ordered. All he knew was that he had to order it a day in advance. I think the Golanka Flambé dethroned our cabbage rolls, sausages and pork shank. It took the prize for sure. It was the highlight of our night. I don't know how we convinced ourselves that we could eat dessert after AAAaaaallll of that but we did. We shared a plate of blueberry pierogis. They weren't the best thing I ate that night but still good. They tasted like they should. My boyfriend and my friend who had never eaten real pierogis were a little freaked out because they thought it tasted like Chinese dumplings but with blueberries in them. lol... I guess that description isn't that far off. I highly recommend this place. Great food, great service and they even have a singer singing Sinatra and Edith Piaf. If you're into that, you can even dance on the dance floor. They played polka once in a while and the people in the restaurant weren't shy about getting up there. It was a great family fun atmosphere. I think it's a great place to have fun and share colossal food with a big group.
(5)Myla P.
It was 8:00pm on a Friday night, and Kevin and I were starving. Tired of the same old restaurants and unable to decide on where to go, we decided to go to the first restaurant we found. Across from the AFW on Wadsworth sat this little place in a strip mall, with "Restaurant" in lights on the side. What waited inside was completely unexpected. American standard love songs being sung live in Polish (think Elvis, Sinatra and Dean Martin). Growing up in a mostly Polish neighborhood in South Chicago, I was very excited by the menu. Pierogis, Stuffed Cabbage, Kielbasa, Fresh Sauerkraut, everything looked so good! We started with the Zurek soup: Sausage, potato and hard-boiled eggs in a tangy, creamy broth. I had the Kielbasa, which came out on a sizzle platter with mashed potatoes, a side of sweet cabbage, homemade pickles and a house mustard. Kevin had the cabbage rolls. Two huge pork and rice rolls wrapped in cabbage and smothered in mushroom gravy. The servings were so large that we both took leftovers home. For dessert we had Blueberry Pierogis, which were served with a sweetened sour cream dip. Thr prices seem high on the menu, but when you consider the very large serving size and the fact that just about everything is made from scratch, it is well worth it. Everything here was amazing! I definitely recommend it, and can't wait to go back!
(4)Melissa H.
Tried out Cracovia for lunch today. They have a 6.99 fixed lunch menu which is a pretty good deal. You have your choice of a garden or caesar salad or your pick of one of their soups. The choice of entrees has a good variety for lunch as well. Everything from their pierogi, cabbage rolls, kielbasa, to tilapia and sizzling pork. I chose the pickle soup which was a potato based soup with a light creamy broth. Small pieces of potato, onion, carrot, and a slight hint of pickle. It was really good. For the entree I ordered the polish stew which was cabbage, sauerkraut, pork, sausage, and potato. There wasn't much of a broth or anything. It had great flavor with the tang of the sauerkraut... but I was hoping for more sausage & potato. It really was just a big bowl of sauteed cabbage with a few pieces of pork. The pierogis were tasty like always and our service was friendly and prompt. I was happy to see several tables filled for lunchtime. I'll definitely be back for lunch! If you go... try to pay with cash... they are attempting to conserve costs by limiting fees associated with credit card transactions.
(4)Ryan M.
After driving past Cracovia a half million times driving down Wadsworth I finally convinced Michelle to go. I was a little intimidated having never eaten at a polish restaurant yet with the help of our server we we're able to navigate their large menu with ease. (+1 Star) It being our first dip in the polish pool We chose traditional dishes, Kielbasa and Cabbage Rolls. Also to my surprise they also had a small selection of polish beers! (+1 Star) Michelle loved the Perla Polish Pilsner and now I can't find it anywhere around town :( The kielbasa tasted just made fresh (+1 Star) and Michelle enjoyed the cabbage rolls with mushroom sauce. after dinner we also sampled some of their dessert offerings I had the Pczki or traditional polish doughnuts very tasty (+1 Star) Overall the food was good there was a large selection and the price was ok I would definitely recommend this unique eastern european offering!
(4)David G.
I tried the pierogi dinner with a mixed order of pierogi. All varieties were very tasty. A butter sauce covers the pierogi keeping them nice and moist. The dinner came with either a soup or salad. This place is worthy of a return visit to try some of the other dishes.
(4)Sarah C.
Fantastic Polish food, and fun live music on certain nights! My favorite is the Pyzy, but their kielbasa is great too.
(5)Steve W.
Excellent food!!!! I tried the pierogi and the spacek(?)...potato pancake. Also tried the E.B. Beer. All excellent!
(5)Seth T.
As far as polish food goes, this is good and authentic, and as good as you will probably get in Denver. Don't expect fine dining from this retro little joint, but the prices are right and the ambiance is comfortable and it feels a little like a trip to Europe in the 80's--cheesy live music complete with disco shirts and chest hair. Especially take note of the kareoke guy in the back, singing in polish, playing assorted instruments... Eye-licious!!!!! I keep expecting to see a handled comb stickingc out of the back pocket of some 501s... For a cheap and surreal night out, this one can't be missed! Drinks are friggin CHEAP!
(5)Renata N.
Finally got to try it out with my husband for lunch. I wasn't concerned by the empty stripmall because of prior reviews. Pleasant interior, not very busy (Tues. lunch). The 7.95 lunch special is a great way to get a taste of Polish cuisine if you're a newbie. We had soup, white barcsz and barcsz made with beets, both were absolutely excellent. My husband enjoyed a Polish beer. For the entree, we both had the Bigos (hunter's stew), a very tangy/flavorful melange of sauerkraut, mushrooms, kielbasa, pork. Rye bread was a welcome accompaniment. Service was excellent. The other diners were really enjoying their lunch as well. Can't wait to go back and try it for dinner, too. Jeszcze Polska nie zginela ! (Poland has not yet perished)
(4)Jarl A.
I strongly recommend the beet-root soup w/pirogies - it wasn't what I expected, and I thought it was exceptional. I can also recommend the sizzling kielbasa and the potato pancakes. They also have a fine selection of vodka & Polish beer. This is a cozy restaurant, family-owned, and they have music on Saturday nights - usually a sax player. In a cityscape of chain restaurants, this is a gem.
(4)James G.
Good food, although I had the pork & it was overcooked, I am guessing the lunch cook was probably not as skilled as the dinner one, and the pate wasn't salted enough? Everything else was authentic, the pickle soup was just like what I ate in Poznan, Crackow, or Znin, etc. We really enjoyed the Pierogies they tasted homemade and were our favorite thing there so far. The service was dicey, out of beers, and they took a couple of times to get order sorted. Worse yet, manager was on the phone all the time we were there, so the credit card machine couldn't work so the transaction took way too long.
(4)Shawn R.
if youre adventurous and looking for something different this wont disappoint....similar to german food....lots of different flavors you havent had unless you grew up on this stuff.....just get the big sampler thing and enjoy
(4)T K.
We got a coupon for this place & then ran into a Polish woman I know, which reinforced the idea to go. We got the sizzling sausage & some pasta that has blueberries inside it. We also got a the beet soup with potatoes in it & garlic bread that came with a tomato dip. Everything was so good. We had the bison grass apple cocktail & a polish beer. Loved it all. Great service. Music was a little scary, but overall the environment was fine. I've heard this is a little bland for polish food, but I am from the midwest, so I'm very used to bland! Give it a try: felt like I was on a mini trip out of Colorado for 90 minutes. Fun & tasty!
(4)Michael B.
Wow. I ate at Cracovia for the first time last night. The food was just like Grandma (who was born in Poland) used to make. This restaurant will not appeal to all people. It's family run. It has an old fashion feel (but is clean and pleasant). The service is slow (although friendly). It's located in a strip mall. And, of course, the food tastes like Polish food. But, wow! The food tastes like Polish food!! I only wish Grandma was still alive, so I could take her there. I'll be back soon.
(5)Anna R.
Great authentic Polish food. We felt very welcome, and thoroughly enjoyed fresh wholesome European cuisine. A great change to the overly processed fast food in the area. We highly recommend.
(5)Bradley H.
Food - outstanding Atmosphere - kind of a dive Service - poor I'm from NE Pa where Polish food is abundant and delicious. This place reminded me of the food available there. The food was delicious - the real thing. We ate there on a Friday night. The place was packed and clearly struggling to keep up with all of the people. I think there was an giant private party by the way the other patrons seemed to know one another. Because we weren't part of the party, we were forgotten about. Our food took almost an hour (for perogies - really?) and drink refills non-existent. It even took over 20 minutes to pay the check. Sorry to see a local place suffer. My time is worth too much to try again even though the food was delicious.
(3)Andrew L.
Had Signature handcrafted Kielbasa, smoked $15.99. Supposed to be handcrafted but it tasted like jumbo bratwurst from Kingsoopers. I can get it for $1 a piece. Also had Bigos, the pork was not tender and the bread was not fresh. The waiter did not even asked how was the food, maybe he knows better. We were very disappointed with the dining experience.
(1)Margaret V.
We have been anxious to try this place for a while, and I kept chickening out, even though Cracovia has great reviews. Let me tell you, I am so glad that we tried it! The restaurant feels like a family affair; however, we took seats at the bar and we were well cared for. We ordered a few drinks and the martinis were room temperature. [cue: sadface] Salads were just okay. Then.... we had our entrees. We ordered the platter for one (cabbage roll, perogies, kielbasa, beets and various sauces) and a stuffed pepper entrée. Let's be clear...We are not experts on Polish cuisine (not even close), but enjoyed every bite! It was delightful, with flavor and spice in all the right places. The owner and staff were engaging and friendly, and provided a great experience. My napoleon desert to go was fabulous. P.S. They lit a chunk of pork on fire, how cool is that? (Signature Golonk Flambe')
(4)Art B.
Thank you Yelp! You helped us find a gem. Don't be off put by the modest strip center that houses this restaurant. Wait, isn't that hair salon repurposing an old Hollywood Video sign? Awesome. Enter and you will find black table cloths and friendly service. Our waiter, Jeremy (I think), was a positive soul with a helpful attitude. Fantastic service. We all opted for the very affordable $8.99 lunch that includes a choice of soup and choice of entree. A great simple way to sample some polish cuisine. My Zurek soup was amazing and the assorted Pierogi were phenomenal. Paying an extra three dollars to have them fried was worth it, but not necessary. My only regret is that I do not live nearby so that I could join the many regulars and explore my inner Pole more thoroughly.
(5)Richard P.
A friend highly recommended this place so I was excited to finally give it try. But, I have to say I was actually pretty disappointed. The two saving aspects of our visit was first the service was pretty good. Our waiter actually had a personality and he was prompt and courteous. The second was the beet soup I had that came with my entree. It was very good. The rest of the food Booooorrrrring! The portions for the price were tiny! I gave it 3 stars but it is very unlikely that we will ever return. I'm perfectly capable of cooking at home and it is less expensive. I enjoy eating out and trying new things but I want great food at a reasonable price and Cracovia doesn't fit that desire!
(3)Gabriel L.
The Zurek soup was quite good as was the kielbasa plate. Polish beer was also excellent.
(4)Michael T.
This is an outstanding place for a quiet dinner or family get together. The food is authentic Polish specialties you won't find anywhere else. Kielbasa, Pierogi, Golumbki, Czerwony Barszcz to die for, and so much more. If you were from Poland and you came in here, you would swear you had found good home cooking. More than that, you would find authentic Polish beers and vodkas, excellent service, people who know their business, their food and their drink. This is one of those place I visit whenever I am able, but never often enough. It is so friendly, so authentic, so real; it just boggles the imagination. I cannot recommend Cracovia highly enough. If you have not been there, you are robbing yourself of some of the best times you will ever have. Visit today, and often. You will be glad you did.
(5)Norge F.
I don't review very often on Yelp, but in this case I had to take the time. Based on a family recommendation, and comments from Yelp, we decided to give Cracovia a try. Cracovia has to be one of the most overrated restaurants on Yelp, meaning that most of the positive reviews about Cracovia are rigged!! I had the "Platter for One" so I could taste most of their menu items. The food was barely warm, un-seasoned, and overall very bland. The garden salad came out of a bag, not fresh, but probably the best item of the meal. The "caramelized onions" on the kielbasa had absolutely no taste, I didn't think this was possible, how could onions have no flavor?? What I got for the $24.99 platter, was maybe 6-8 ounces of food total...so yes...it was a tasting platter, certainly not a meal. Honestly this meal was worth maybe $7.99 as a lunch (this was supposed to be a dinner). The two side dishes supplied were oversized and just as bland (trying to make up for the small platter of food I guess).... Another review on Yelp about Cracovia mentioned the smell of stale cigarette smoke, and yep, sure enough, I noticed this several times during the meal. How long has restaurant non-smoking policies been in effect? Over 10 years? That's right folks, I was smelling 10 year old stale smoke!! Clean your restaurant!! We splurged and tried dessert (pierogi stuffed with cherries)...OMG...these slimy little treats were like eating snails... So...$65 later, including tip, (my wife had a turkey club sandwich) we walked away from another "marginal at best" meal, grossly over priced. Is this a trend now days??!! I rated Cracovia a "1" because I did not get sick (yet)... This is really a shame, Cracovia could be a great place (maybe it was in the past)... their base menu is great. If they cleaned up the place, and served hot fresh seasoned food, they may have something to be proud of!! I have posted (1) photo of the platter...
(1)Vanessa H.
This restaurant is great! This was our first time in, and I have zero complaints. The service was prompt and friendly and the food was delicious. The portions were perfect and we found everything to be reasonably priced. Check them out!
(5)Jeff C.
Nice find this part of town. It's hard to compete against this $8.99 lunch special that includes a wonderful beet / potato soup and a polish sausage dish. Service was good too.
(4)Murphy A.
Excellent service, and the food was fantastic! Don't pass up the amazing pickle soup-- where else can you even get that? Everything I had was delicious, and I cannot say enough about the considerate and pleasant staff. This is a true family business, and it shows through the food and the atmosphere. I would definitely recommend this to someone looking to take their family to a 100% authentic Polish restaurant.
(5)