Nellys Saloon - Chicago

Secondly, don’t expect top-notch customer service; Romanians aren't renowned for it. You may experience longer wait times for service, occasional missing items... read more Secondly, don’t expect top-notch customer service; Romanians aren't renowned for it. You may experience longer wait times for service, occasional missing items from your order, and, if it’s busy, your presence might be overlooked entirely. To add to the atmosphere, you can watch Romanian TV and enjoy indoor smoking or the scent of cigarette smoke. Now, onto the food—it truly is delicious! I highly recommend starting with the eggplant salad/spread served with homemade bread; you won’t regret it, I promise! For the main course, try the mititei (skinless sausages), schnitzel (either chicken or pork), or mamaliga (polenta), which is a classic Romanian dish. For dessert, don't miss out on the clatite (crepes) filled with Nutella. Enjoy your meal!

We traveled all the way from the suburbs to visit this restaurant, only to find that it is closed! There was no sign outside indicating that it was closed, and... read more We traveled all the way from the suburbs to visit this restaurant, only to find that it is closed! There was no sign outside indicating that it was closed, and when we looked inside, the chairs were stacked on top of the tables.

The ghoulash is slammin, the little sausages are tasty and satisfying, the potatoes were uniquely tasty, had a sour cream or mayo taste to them, nice golden bak... read more The ghoulash is slammin, the little sausages are tasty and satisfying, the potatoes were uniquely tasty, had a sour cream or mayo taste to them, nice golden baked crust on the top. Had some kind of berry blintzes for dessert with fresh whipped cream. Hazelnut type cookies were awesome. Good selection of brandies and cordials. Coffee was consistently freshly made. Waitresses were very nice, took time to explain the different dishes and specials. I used to go to Little Bucharest back in the day, but Nelly's is superior. It's hard to find a decent, authentic Romanian restaurant. Next time I will try the stuffed cabbage rolls. A couple sitting to the side of us had that and it looked and smelled really good. Oh yeah, hot bakery bread is worth the trip, too. I didn't smell any tobacco smoke and it was the heart of Saturday night. They are not stingy here with the food or the menu. Even the pastry servings were passed around till they were all gone, and I even took some home. The service is as good as it gets when it's crowded. But be patient they'll get to you! Most authentic gypsy dishes I have sampled elsewhere, but the food here is substantial.

Portion size of the pork goulash was super small. There was about 4 or 5 bite size pieces of pork in the portion. The amount of fries was decent and the flavors... read more Portion size of the pork goulash was super small. There was about 4 or 5 bite size pieces of pork in the portion. The amount of fries was decent and the flavors were good but portion size for the price was extremely small. Also had the $12 cornmeal with cheese and sour cream, no complaints on size or taste but $12 for what I thought would be a $6 side dish is expensive. Overall restaurant was low key and super quiet but not as good as little Bucharest restaurant. Also, signs said no smoking but the place smelled a lot like smoke.

I visited this restaurant for the first time on September 22, 2018, at 4 PM, and I was pleasantly surprised by how quiet it was. I was extremely impressed with... read more I visited this restaurant for the first time on September 22, 2018, at 4 PM, and I was pleasantly surprised by how quiet it was. I was extremely impressed with several aspects: the FOOD was absolutely delicious! Every dish was bursting with flavor and served in generous portions. The SERVICE was outstanding—I felt right at home with a friendly and attentive waitress. The WINE was fantastic as well! I tried a glass of their sweet red wine, which was strong and incredibly tasty. I ended up taking home a ton of leftovers, including the bread, eggplant and garlic spread, tender pork, and mashed potatoes. I really can’t understand why the place wasn't busier. It felt like I had stumbled upon a hidden gem!