Lutnia Restaurant

It was my first visit in this restaurant and I was just amazed. Food and service was just glamorous. I’ve ordered Cesar salad to start with and I was so surprised as I’ve go a wonderful appetizer with home made Cesar dressing which is not happening very often nowadays. For my entrée I had great venison, tender and juicy which was just melting in my mouth. Finally for an indulgence I got home made polish style apple cake. Just perfect. I can easily recommend that place for a nice dinner where you will experience a wonderful time and such an attentive and friendly service. You’ll feel very welcomed as a guest not a customer only…

Ok, so maybe it appears to be a place stuck in a time warp from the 80’s, but here’s the deal, I could care a less about décor — the food was amazing! It makes me sad to read such poor reviews before mine — I hate reading negative reviews but my experience was excellent — maybe they changed chefs since those reviews.
I had a MISERABLE sinus infection that day and all I wanted was hot soup — they gave me a HUGE bowl of Chicken Noodle soup and I ordered pork tenderloin (not fried) and it was fantastic! They tenderize the pork before cooking it by smashing it into small thin patties — similar to smashing chicken or veal. I think they cooked it with a little wine and butter because it had fantastic flavor.
Instead of all the bread and dumplings I asked for the veggies and the red cabbage. EXCELLENT!
If I lived in this neighborhood I would have to split up my time between Lutnia and Central Gyros and I would weigh 500 lbs!
I give Lutnia a high 4.5 star rating!
Plus the waitress was VERY nice!

We had lunch at this slightly run down yet charming Polish restaurant. The food was fantastic! The service was very good. The beet soup in particular was outstanding!!!

We visited from out of state… we greatly enjoyed Lutnia’s old fashioned (in a good way) romantic atmosphere and delicious Polish food. I had the duck which was meaty and delicious, my husband had the rich veal stew. My mushroom soup was excellent, as was my husband’s chicken soup. The two slaw type salads were colorful and tasty. Our waiter was excellent and the hostess gracious. We thought the price was very reasonable for the satisfying portions. We’d enjoy visiting again.

Yes, a little dated. Food was fantastic! The meat pierogi’s were a little more doughy than I like but loved everything else I had: sausage, stuffed cabbage, the pork cutlet! Servers were very helpful for a first timer to a Polish restaurant — thanks!

That’s it! I knew it would happen one of these days! Finally found THE WORST RESTAURANT ON THE PLANET!!! I will go into detail and explain to you our horrendous experience at Lutnia another time but, before the long rant, I think it best to summarize why I have come to this view of this terrible s-​hole of a place that dares call itself a restaurant: 1) The surliest, rudest, most condescending waiter I have ever had the misfortune to deal with; 2) Ambiance which included no less than a bug on the dinner table and water dripping from the ceiling; 3) Food prepared with less care than I am sure most prison cooks offer.
Just a few tips for the worst waiter on the planet:
1) When a purse is drenched by water dripping from the ceiling, you offer to clean the purse or at the very least get some paper towels for the lady, instead of saying there must be a problem with the plumbing and walking away.
2) When an 86 year old grandma tells you that the salmon is too salty to eat (after the rest of our party tried it and agreed), you offer to replace or comp it, instead of telling her you spoke to the cook and he said it’s fine and then getting into a loud argument with a grandma.
3) When you only have one table of diners in the restaurant, every dish has come out disgusting (after an hour to prep them), you don’t argue with the diners, you apologize!!!
4) Count yourself lucky that my fiancé doesn’t speak Polish and didn’t understand the insulting things you were saying to a grandma and two middle aged women, that my father isn’t thirty years younger and that I decided to go outside into the rain instead of punching you in the face!

If you like good and hearty Meats and Potato home cooking. You’ve found the right place. I grew up eating Polish Food, and this was just like Home Cooking. The reviewer that was making fun of the décor, I some what agree, but that’s what gives it so much character and charm… and ethnic twist. Don’t change the décor, you’ll be like every other restaurant with no character.
5 Stars all the way. And we had an amazing server/​service. We will definitely be back.
Thank You Lutnia,
Daniel

I have been to Lutnia on two occasions most recently for a larger private event. The evening started off great with Mushroom soup that was pretty tasty it was then followed by a salad with a sweet vinnagrette I couldn’t wait for the main course as being Polish I was looking forward to a delicious polish hearty meal. What a dissapointment! I was embarrassed for the hosts of our event as the food that I was served on my plate looked like it was reheated and the color of my chicken de volaille was very questionable. I took a few bites and decided I would stop as I did not want to reap the effects the next morning. Mid dinner one of the ladies at our table started screaming because she noticed a pretty big cockroach near her foot … that pretty much made everyone at our table lose their appetite and a majority of us did not finish our meals. Fast forward to dessert… there was a dessert table set up in the corner with a variety of sweet goodies, my boyfriend had something that resembled a crumbled applecake which was pretty tasty so no complaints on dessert. The only downside was that coffee was not served with the dessert and for whatever reason the guests had to keep asking the servers to bring coffee out which they brought out an hour after the dessert was served! Overall Lutnia was a HUGE dissapointment! I would NOT go back as the service was terrible and the food even worse! As I mentioned before being Polish I know that there are soo many more restaurants in the Chicagoland area where one can have a very pleasant experience and great food this is definatley not one of them. If I could I would not give them any stars!

This place is great, food is excellent I have been there a few times. They have a pianist on weekends, try the Duck, Veal stew with dumplings or stragonoff that is my favorite. Our server Bart was very nice.

I went to Lutnia with my family last year and it was the worst dining experience I ever had in Chicago! The food was worse than mediocre. We started with beef tartar and escargots. Tartar didn’t taste like beef at all, way too fat and bland. Escargots were sunken in oil, and for sure it wasn’t olive oil. For a dinner my mom ordered duck and could not swallow the first bite. She was still lucky that she was able to cut it off. My brother could not even do this with his roast boar. The meat was so tough that his steak knife was useless! I had the best plate, simple dumplings and everybody wanted to share with me: P. The restaurant was a little busy when we got there, so we were very patience and understandable for our server, who was never there… But when he had no more than 3 tables left, we started loosing our nerves. We were there for almost 3 hours not because we enjoyed the food nor service, but because we waited: first for our server to show up (20 min), then for our check (30 min!), then for our credit cards (20 min)… What the hell?! I used to work as a server and I never seen anything like this! My husband and brother said that the best thing they had there was… beer, Polish bottled beer. No way they could screw this up. lol. And of course every time they wanted next round, they had to walk to the bar and get it from there. Our server was missed in action…
Now we have a family joke. When we want to say that something sucks, we say it tastes like food in Lutnia…

From what I remmeber (I was there a few months ago), the staff was not too nice and not very accommodating. The food was average for the price. There was repetitive classical music playing in the background which was getting a little annoying and the set up inside was a little uncomfortable.

We both enjoyed the food at Lutnia but found the ambiance a little lacking. Inexpensive tables were lined with white tableclothes and plastic, red roses. The service was good but that may be because we were one of three couples on a Friday night. The food, however, was very good. We tried the stuffed shrimp to start and found they were delicious. The vension was quite good as well. But the best dish of the night was easily the veal schnitzel with egg.

2 ½ stars really. I’ve debated whether to review this restaurant since many Polish people I know who like it, and I don’t care for it. I’ve been there 4 – 5 times over 7 – 8 years. The last time we were one of two tables seated for lunch. I asked about the portion of fried calamari and the server said it was regular, medium size. BS! We were served about 10 little over cooked rings. Since my friend was paying I didn’t want to complain. They didn’t have a number of the items listed on the menu. I was quite disappointed that they didn’t have steak tartare! We ordered a few more items that wern’t avaliable, although the server wasn’t aware of basically anything. The prices are a little high for what you get. My friends salmon was maybe 5oz, if that. My escargot were very small. They have a shrimp ceasar salad, I asked for a starter portion without shrimp and the waiter said they couldn’t do that. I sent him in back to tell them to do it, there is simply no excuse not to accomodate that request! It was good. Prior visits have also been disappointing in term of taste and portions. There are many better restaurants, I won’t go there again even if I’m not paying.

Lutnia restaurant is certainly elegant. Right out of a ‘30s movie, with white tablecloths and gold bent-​wood type chairs, the room would be completed only by Fred Astaire in a black tux.
The food, however, left much to be desired.
While the menu listed 7 soups including four types of borcht, they had only chicken noodle and potato. The potato turned out to be tomato when it was brought to the table and it had an «off» taste.
My wife had the potato pancakes which, while portion was generous, were greasy and bland. I had the «polish plate’ of sausage, hunter’s stew and mashed potatos. The sausage was so overdone is was crispy and had lost all flavor. The hunter’s stew, a combination of sauerkraut, meat, mushrooms and shedded cabbage, was delcious.
For desert we had «Polish chese cake». My wife is a fan of East European cheese cake which is a light, baked cake. What was brought to us, however, was a very heavy and very sweet cheese cake which was unlike any we had evre had before. Most of it was left behind when we left the table.
While it, thankfully, is not a buffet … if you are looking for Polish food, I think you could do better.

This is cute place! Now I’m not a huge fan of the 80’s décor but the food is really good! I grew up in a Polish area in Chicago so I know good polish food. Its not buffet but a nice sit down restaurant. Its pretty far I have to admit but you’ll find it worth it. I had this great duck with orange sauce. You won’t regret having this meal. The desserts are really tasty as well. I’m going back. and you should try it.

So, what’s not to like?
1. Well, if you’re more or less normal, you won’t like the décor. It does have a charm that you can laugh at, at least.
2. Polish food.
3. Poland

Walking into Lutnia is a step back in time, when the Polish and Ukrainian immigrants of the area come to dine in their fancy Sunday best. The muzak was unintentionally hilarious and had my husband and me playing Name That Tune much of the night – «One Moment in Time!» «All I Ask of You!» The service took FOREVER, even though it was just us and one family of 6, so we’re guessing there was only one person in the kitchen. The food, however, was well worth the wait. The Hungarian Goulash was the best I’ve ever had (I will definitely be craving it again the next time I want comfort food) and my husband’s Venison in Hunter’s Gravy was melt-​in-​your-​mouth tender. The presentation was gorgeous as well — we even took a photo. Even though it took nearly 2 hours to dine, it was worth it because the food was so great. Stop at
and get a $ 25 gift certificate for $ 10 and treat yourself to some amazing European home cooking.