This 52-Year-Old Polish Buffet Near Chicago Is Renowned As The Oldest Of Its Kind
Polish food culture runs deep across the Midwest, from Pierogi Week in Cleveland to vegan celeriac schnitzel in Pittsburgh. For many locals in the Windy City and the surrounding area, Polish classics like haluski and kopytka define the culinary scene even more than hot dogs and deep dish pizza. Arguably the epicenter (or, at least, one of the longest-standing pillars) of this scene is Sawa's Old Warsaw — widely considered as the oldest Polish buffet in the Chicago area.
Located at 9200 W. Cermack Road in Broadview, IL — approximately 15 miles west of the Art Institute in downtown Chicago – Sawa's has been serving the Windy City suburb at the same location since 1973. The all-you-can-eat buffet centers around hearty Polish-American fare made from scratch daily. This Polish-American smorgasbord comes complete with a full salad bar. Dinner specializes in tender carved roast beef and ham off the bone, as well as daily specials like Friday fish fries and Saturday barbecue pork ribs.
Rounding out the buffet are homestyle Polish classics like potato pancakes, fresh and smoked Polish sausages, pierogies, sauerkraut, meatballs with dill sauce, and goulash. Folks with a sweet tooth can look forward to such offerings as apple blintzes and kolacky for dessert. Sawa's also serves American buffet staples like mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, and mac and cheese.
Sawa's Old Warsaw has been serving the local community since the 1970s
On a visit to Sawa's Old Warsaw, an Instagram gave the buffet high marks. Digging into a loaded plate, the foodie remarked, "It tastes like my fictional Polish grandma just whipped this up in the back," and "Whoever made this pierogi, give them a raise immediately." The poster found that the offerings at Sawa's are so hearty that they can leave visitors in a food coma by the end of the meal (in a good way). But, as much as stick-to-your-ribs Eastern European classics, Sawa's is also known for being affordable and family-friendly. The buffet is open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ($18 for adults). Dinner hours run from Tuesday through Saturday 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ($19 for adults on weekdays, or $27 on Fridays and Saturdays).
In addition to a dining room and buffet, Sawa's offers a banquet room for larger events, arcade games, and a bar. Call-in carryout is also available, a somewhat rare face for buffet-style eateries, as well as catering and delivery. But, dining in is where guests can really experience Sawa's in all its old-school glory. Vintage digs and retro super club vibes are the hallmarks of the buffet's charm. Highlights include heavy wooden doors, red velvet curtains, warm recessed magenta lighting, and checkerboard tile floors, and Sawa's original neon sign out front.
A pillar of Chicagoland's Polish-American culture for more than 50 years
Sawa's was founded in 1973 by Polish pork butcher and decorated war veteran Walter Sawa. Also a serviceman in the Polish army during World War II, he immigrated to the U.S. with his wife and son in 1948. Here, the future restaurateur found a thriving Polish community in Chicagoland. The area was and remains home to a large, dense Polish population and subsequently strong cultural influence, one of the world's largest Polish populations outside of Poland.
For context, in the mid-19th century, Polish natives were liberated under the annexation of Russia, Prussia, Austria-Hungary after a period of intense repression, spurring a wave of immigration to America. Industrial job opportunities attracted many folks to New York, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Cleveland. But, Chicago's specific industry boom of lumberyards, steel mills, foundries, and factories happened to coincide with the liberation of the Poles, leading the city's population to swell from 100,000 to over 2 million from 1860 to 1910. By 1920, Slavic peoples comprised the majority of Chicago. A second wave of Polish-American immigration occurred post-war in 1948, when diasporic folks reconnected with family members living in the city. Today, Chicago's Noble Square neighborhood is home to the Polish Museum of America, and local news outlet WTTW calls Chicago "a distinctly Polish American city." It's an enduring local fanbase of Sawa patrons. However, for folks living outside of Chicagoland, a meal at this traditional buffet is well worth the commute.