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  • Restaurant Sarajevo

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Restaurant Sarajevo
Restaurant Sarajevo

Restaurant Sarajevo Details

  • Dining Style: Casual Elegant
  • Website: http://www.restaurantsarajevo.com/
  • Phone: (773) 275-5310
  • Hours of Operation:

    Lunch: Daily: 12:00pm - 5:00pm

    Dinner: Monday - Thursday: 5:00pm - 9:00pm, Friday & Saturday: 5:00pm - 11:00pm, Sunday: 5:00pm - 8:00pm
  • Payment Options: AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
  • Cuisine: European, Seafood, Mediterranean
  • Executive Chef: Enes Hubjer
  • Dress Code: Casual Dress
  • Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
  • Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, BYO Liquor, Cafe, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Personal wines welcome, Personal wines welcome (corkage fee applies), Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access

Getting there

  • Cross Street: N Washtenaw Ave
  • Public Transit: Located on the corner of Lawrence & Washtenaw, near bus #81 stop. We are within walking distance to Rockwell, Brown Line train stop.
  • Parking: Street Parking
A word from Restaurant Sarajevo
Best kept secret near Lincoln Square, described as "Authentic ethnic experience" by WTTW's Check, Please! and "Soul-Warming Balkan food" in Chicago Tribune.

We offer Bosnian (Serbian, Croatian) cuisine, which is balanced between Western and Eastern European influences. Bosnian food is… closely related to Turkish, Greek, Italian and other Mediterranean cuisines. However, due to years of Austrian rule, also influenced by Central Europe. Typical meat dishes include beef and lamb, but we offer a wide selection of seafood, salads, as well as delicious deserts and coffee.

Some local specialties are cevapcici (are absolutely delicious), Kajmak, Bosnian Style Oven Roasted Veal, Bosnian Mix Plate, Wienerschnitzel, Pljeskavica and Crepes. We also bake delicious house bread, fresh, every day.

Owner and chef Enes Hubjer passionately cares about fresh ingredients and home cooked taste for over 30 years now.Continued
Foodspotting photos
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Diner Reviews
  • "Very disappointed in restaurant. Bathrooms are down a narrow staircase with only one hand rail. I could not cut or chew my dinner, they still charged me and did not offer to replace it. The bread was fresh and very tasty."
    Dined on 7/26/2014
  • "My first exposure to Bosnian food. We ordered the cold appetizer plate & a salad for the table. Both were zesty with a variety of tastes & textures. I had the chicken on croutons which came with rice & potatoes. Two people ordered the Cevapcici sandiches with creamed spinach (which was served at room temp - the only real criticism) and the 4th person ordered oven-roasted veal. The presentation of each dish was careful and the flavors were very good. Finally, we finished the meal with the apple roll & nutella crepes. All of the food was tasty. Our waiter was friendly & willing to tell us about his Bosnian-Chicago experiences & his opinions & thoughts about visiting Bosnia."
    Dined on 6/14/2014
  • "As many times as we have eaten there we are never disappointed. We started with a potato & onion pastry which was outstanding & they moved on to sharing a Mixed Bosnian Plate (which was a nice mix with great flavors) and Chicken Wiener Schnitzel (this dis is probably the BEST Chicken Dish we have ever had - the breading was seasoned perfectly, the chicken pounded thin, but juicy, flavorful and with a nice crisp, but not greasy outer coating - can't wait to go back to have it again!!!!! Overall, the food was great, the service very nice and because it is BYOB it is very affordable. "
    Dined on 6/6/2014
  • "Lovely little gem within Chicago that is great for expanding a person's taste buds. The staff is friendly and location is perfect. A must for those who love to branch out and try different cuisines.."
    Dined on 4/20/2014
  • "I was a bit disappointed. The food was not good at all. Service was just as bad. There was only one more couple eating and yet I had to wait a long time for everything. I was never asked how the food was tasting. Never got a refill on my drink. Just very very poor service. I would not recommend it to anyone else."
    Dined on 4/5/2014
  • "Took my beautiful wife here for her birthday (we couldn't get in for Valentine's Day). Our failure to get in previously peaked our interest. The food was great! I had the Bosnian sample plate. My wife had the Cevapcici(sic). The waiter was kind enough to gently explain to my wife that her dish was not traditionally eaten like a sandwich, but rather tearing off little bits and folding them on a toothpick. I thought it was very nice that he did that. Also, we learned how to pronounce "Cevapcici", though I've already forgotten. We left stuffed and because it was BYOB, not broke. Sadly, we were too full to have desert. I hear the crepes are a big reason to go there."
    Dined on 3/5/2014
  • "This restaurant is very small, has a capacity of 60 people at a time. I reserved a table and waited at least 30 minutes before I was sat after the reservation time, but to be fair there was a full house and only one server. The food was incredible, cooked to perfection. I loved it! The service was great, very friendly and polite. I would definitely recommend it, especially for a nice date night. It has a very romantic atmosphere."
    Dined on 2/14/2014
  • "This was the worst restaurant I have ever been. The waiter was beyond rude, it took him 45 min to even bring menus and water, 2 h before we even had appetizers... and no one even tried to apologize for the delay. I simply do not recommend this place. Do yourself a favor and do not go there. They ruined our evening."
    Dined on 2/14/2014
  • "I always order the fried calamari (so fresh and cooked perfectly) and the grilled brown trout (deliciously seasoned). The homemade bread with cream-cheese/butter and secret recipe olive oil is also divine. Be prepared to EAT when you come to Restaurant Sarajevo, or bring a lot of people so you can share! The atmosphere is perfect for a romantic dinner or a large group. The best part of the experience by far is interacting with the owner and chef--he's very charismatic! Restaurant Sarajevo is really a hidden gem. Reservations or calling in advance to make sure they are open is definitely a good idea, as sometimes the restaurant is closed for private parties, etc, but that said, there are usually tables available on non-weekend nights."
    Dined on 1/17/2014
  • "Our experience at Sarajevo was mixed. The cold appetizer platter was very good, two of the party that ordered the fish and calamari entrée really liked their dish. However, the other members of the party did not care for the Bosnian dishes. The dishes were well prepared, but we did not care for the "typical" dishes. I must say that the schnitzel on the mixed platter was outstanding."
    Dined on 11/30/2013
  • "Fresh food, interesting specials and engaging wait staff. Family owned and operated with true attention to detail."
    Dined on 11/16/2013
  • "We were first-timers at Restaurant Sarajevo and it was a great place to explore Bosnian food. The menu includes meats, fish, salads and sandwiches that feature Bosnian dishes, some in grazing-friendly combinations. Everything that we tried was enjoyable and encouraged a return trip to further explore the menu. Value was high. Service was delightful and very helpful. The setting is white-tablecloth in a lovely dining room. Street parking seems abundant. We shall return."
    Dined on 10/1/2013
  • "Restaurant Sarajevo offers some of the best modern spins of Bosnian cuisine in chicago. The service is a little on the slow side, but the comforting atmosphere definitely makes up for it."
    Dined on 8/17/2013
  • "Our dinner was delicious. We enjoyed the homemade bread and cheese and the Bosnian platter and our other two entrees were outstanding. Restaurant also has beautiful decor."
    Dined on 6/24/2013
  • "We went to Restaurant Sarajevo with my group of 6, which included a pescatarian, a vegetarian, and a few people who aren't very adventurous with food. The menu suited most everybody (a little hard for the vegetarian to feel as full as we did), and we enjoyed the whole experience. Having personally had been to Bosnia and Herzegovina before, the food was authentic and not overly stylized like some "ethnic" restaurants can be. The owner made us laugh quite a number of times, and was very present throughout our meal. Overall - we had a good time, and will definitely be returning with a bottle of wine."
    Dined on 6/16/2013
  • "My dinner group had been looking for a place to go for something Eastern European for a while now. An acquaintance suggested Restaurant Sarajevo. We started with the Bosnian Feta Cheese salad and a special potato and onion pie, both delicious. Our server, after learning that we were new to Bosnian cuisine, suggested that we let him create a family style dinner that would give us a sample of some of the more traditional dishes. We had the Bosnian mixed plate, Large Pljeskavica, Bosnian Style Oven Roasted Veal, creamed spinach, steamed veggies w/ rice, weekend special potatoes and fries with bosian feta. It was a perfect way to try a variety dishes and was reasonably prices. We had the apple pie/rolls for dessert. We'll definitely return!"
    Dined on 5/24/2013
  • "If you enjoy ethnic dishes and old world charm, you'll like this place. We did. The homemade bread is delicious, the infused olive oil and feta cheese very fresh, amongst the best I have had. The calamari was near perfect, lightly crispy, very tender and flavorful."
    Dined on 5/13/2013
  • "This place is BYOB, and there are a couple of liquor stores in the area if you forget. Everything is flavorful and perfectly rich. They were a bit understaffed because there were four tables that hadn't made reservations. Make reservations people! But it was fine; our waiter was quite capable. He made some excellent recommendations (the grilled calamari, the zucchini pie, and the crepes with wine chateaux were excellent - the dessert was prepared on a flame tableside). The feta and the cold cuts were wonderful, and my date said the Bosnian Grilled Veal Kabob was pretty standard."
    Dined on 4/26/2013
  • "A warm intimate gem hidden in the neighborhood. Interesting menu with a good variety of ethnic dishes. the service was friendly andattentive without being obtrusive. The food was excellent and captured the flavors of the culture. A rael find for those that enjoy sampling the cuisines of the world."
    Dined on 4/22/2013
  • "An odd high/low presentation on some of the items, but the food was overall good to great. Housemade items were especially notable, such as the bread and the soft cheese. The dining room is cozy and romantic with its wood paneling. The service was impeccable. I had a lovely evening out with a friend, where we stuffed ourselves silly and talked for hours."
    Dined on 4/13/2013
  • "Restaurant Sarajevo is a find, do not let the fact that the outside appearance is that of a small neighborhood restaurant fool you. The interior offers an intimate. timeless ambiance usually reserved for the classic restaurants found along Chestnut, Rush or Ontario Streets. The food is traditional Bosnian, fresh, delicious and portioned well. We had a relaxing lunch (4 hrs) and never felt rushed by the staff. Our waiter was excellent, and offered to make us a mixed platter that was not on the menu, giving each member of our party of 4 the opportunity to taste all of the meat offerings, as well as the fettucine. Capucino's, apple rolls and crepes were a delectable conclusion to a fantastic meal. BYOB retaurant, don't forget the kruskovac!"
    Dined on 4/11/2013
  • "Best food for the dollar. Food is always great. & you always get your monies worth. & more."
    Dined on 4/4/2013
  • "Arrived at 6pm and they were already out of the special soup and their famous bread!! 2nd time that happened. The place had only 2 other parties but our waiter was very slow and not eager to please. He took time for a cigarette break downstairs that we could smell in the restaurant and on him. Not going back. Food just average."
    Dined on 3/24/2013
  • "The food was both authentic and divine, the service warm and friendly and the environment inviting. We had an off-the-menu Mixed Grill for Two, recommended by our waiter, which included the daily special, lamb shank. Every item reminded me of being back in the "Motherland". Chicago ethnic food at its best. We'll be going back again soon to this lovely little spot on something of a "restaurant island" in Chicago. NOTE: This is a BYOB only establishment. There is a liquor store across the street and 1.5 blocks west, if needed."
    Dined on 3/24/2013
  • "Incredible restaurant. Great food - very fresh. It's BYOB which makes it even better. The waiter was wonderful and professional. He checked in on us to ensure we had everything we needed. Loved it. Will be back!"
    Dined on 3/5/2013
  • "Wonderful, warm dining experience. Enes runs the front of the house like it was his own home and makes you feel very welcome. His staff are friendly, accommodating and helpful. Authentic Bosnian dishes and BYOB make for a wonderful and affordable ethnic fine dining experience."
    Dined on 2/14/2013
  • "Service was great! Our server was very knowledgeable and accommodating. Food was good however some items were not served as hot (temp) as I would have liked it to be. The Chorba soup was not much to brag about.."
    Dined on 2/8/2013
  • "The food was good, although not for a vegetarian. They did accommodate my vegetarian son by preparing a special veggie meal for him that was good. Service for good. Noise level however was loud. We had a hard time talking to each other."
    Dined on 2/2/2013
  • "Having tried to eat here a number of times in the past (being turned away because of some event going on, or closing early) I had come close to giving up eating here. However we finally made it in and we were thrilled. Unfortunately the food was dry, bland, and was not as exotic as I was lead to believe. It felt much like German comfort food but there was something about its presentation that was off putting. Colorless and boring slop on a plate is not all that appetizing but I'm a huge fan of irish food and that's not much different. The owner hovered constantly and it was very off putting trying to enjoy a quiet meal with my wife. Hopes were high but we were sadly disappointed and while not bad it wasn't anywhere near what I hoped."
    Dined on 1/11/2013
  • "A great place to dine on homemade Bosnian/Eastern European food. Warm and hearty meals, homemade bread that goes delectably well with the Chorba soup or Soup of the Day. Great homemade spread for the bread. No corkage fee for the BYOB (with reservation) and expertly handled by the wait staff. You can take out food as well. Impeccably clean. Homemade desserts are yummy. My jowls are watering from just thinking about the food. The owner and his family are charming as well. A can't miss dining experience. Go to their website (www.restaurantsarajevo.com), it's a great visualization of the restaurant and food."
    Dined on 12/23/2012
  • "The food here is homemade and prepared with love and pride. The owner and staff were incredibly welcoming and friendly and helped us navigate the menu so we could enjoy a truly ethnic dining experience. Great neighborhood gem as evidenced by several group parties as well as twosomes and foursomes.Never felt neglected despite how busy the restaurant was by 7:30pm. We really felt like we'd been invited into someone's home for a festive dinner party. BYOB is helpful on the wallet. We will definitely be back soon with friends!"
    Dined on 12/8/2012
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