Restaurant Mehanata

Very tasty dishes, respect to the chef! Nice atmosphere. But disgusting service. The waitress was unkind, treated me with disdain. Of course, I left a tip, because I am a good tiper, but the place clearly loses in service

Transport yourself to Bulgaria at this charming European restaurant! From the moment you step inside, you'll be immersed in the authentic ambiance with wood paneling and traditional outfits adorning the walls, creating a genuine European vibe. The outdoor patio, where smoking is allowed (very European), provides a delightful setting to enjoy your dining experience. The exceptional service from the server and the friendly restaurant staff adds to the overall charm. We decided to try a little bit of everything, and it was a fantastic choice.Among the options, the Chicken Hearts from the hot appetizer section which were delicious. However, the true showstopper was the Combination Plate Appetizer from the cold appetizer section. Served with little pita bread and four delightful spreads - including lox, spicy cheese, cucumber salad, and plain yogurt - this dish left us craving for more.An added bonus was the menu featuring pictures of every item, making it visually appealing and helping you make the perfect choice. There are lots of options, so be prepared to be overwhelmed!If you're in the Des Plaines, Illinois area, this restaurant is an absolute "must-try." Prepare to be transported to Bulgaria with its authentic flavors, warm ambiance, and excellent service.

5 stars for Mehanata.This restaurant has authentic, Bulgarian food that was very tasty. I tried the Balkan special with chicken which was enough to take home for multiple meals. The portions are massive and the prices are pretty reasonable.The service is friendly, and the decor inside is themed to 18-19th century Bulgarian village. I'd highly recommend trying this restaurant out if you want Bulgarian food.

For a restaurant I've never been to before, Restaurant Mehanata felt all too familiar. It's probably the fact that my family is from Croatia, sharing the Balkan cuisine with Bulgaria. Still, I wasn't completely ready to witness just how authentic the food here was as far as Eastern European cuisine goes. My main meal, the Chicken Combo Grill, was fantastic. All pieces of chicken were excellently seasoned, then grilled over a high heat to create an amazing flavor and a juicy, tender texture. It's truly made fresh to order - the waves of steam coming off from your plate doesn't lie. Instead of having a side of French Fries, I requested a side of boiled potatoes (which isn't as bland as it sounds). I was actually relieved to make that change - they were perfectly coated with a thin layer of dressing and had a touch of glamour with sprinkled parsley and celery. We also had the Mish Mash brought to the table, which was genuinely unexplainable and something I'd order five times over.With all of the fresh, high-quality, unrefined ingredients evidently used in every menu item, each bite made me feel like I was back in Croatia. And, since I don't have any concrete plans on visiting the homeland anytime soon, I'll be back in this spot in Des Plaines for more.

Passing through Des Plaines on the way from O'Hare to Lake Geneva, one of the folks what to find some Polish food, so I search Yelp for a Polish Restaurant. Mehanata popped up and we decided to give it a shot. Turned out to be Bulgarian food, none of us had every had Bulgaria food so why not!There were 5 of us so we decided to order several appetizer plates, which allowed us to test several things so everyone was bound to find something they liked. We had Peppers "Burek", Feta Cheese Sticks, Combination Plate of Dry-cured meats, Karnache, a Caesar Salad, and few other thinks that I can't remember. It was all good and great experience.We had some authentic Romanian beers, Kamenica, which weren't much different from some of the pilsners we get fromThe place is a throw-back in time, or maybe just a current time place in Romania. Very authentic bar and dining room. All dark wood, wooden tables and stools with low lighting.Now for the down side. We we arrived around 2:00 PM there was only once table occupied in the dining room. But the service was horrible, our waitress was zoned out the entire meal. We had to chase her down to order, go find her went we wanted to add more appetizers, holler across the room to get her attention to get more beers. And final had to go to the bartender to find her and get our check. The service was the only thing that could use MUCH improvement. Maybe it was because we arrived after the lunch hour, and too early for dinner.

Service and food was amazing. Love the decor Lamb, chicken hairs, chicken, and snapper

My first Bulgarian restaurant! Pork and beef skewers with seasoned potatoes. So simple yet amazing. Great interior and has outdoor seating. Staff were very friendly and helpful in making good choices.

We started with their Lamb Soup as it was reviewed highly. Lamb was not tender and could have used more spice. Cannot Recommend. The delicious Shopska Salad was very tasty and we had leftovers. Highly recommend. Our entrees were the Kasapski and Mehanata Sach clay dishes. The sausage was too overcooked in the Kasapski to eat but putting that aside the Kasapski was amazing. The Mehanata did not have the chewy sausage so excellent as is.Being the first time eating Bulgarian food, we were pleasantly surprised at the flavors. In fact, both craving those flavors days later. Would love to return and try some more dishes.Service was aloof but consistent.

Didn't know what to expect with Bulgarian food before I looked at the menu. I'm glad I looked them up before I went and read the menu first. Once you look at the menu, which has good descriptions, it is not so "scary". I loved what I ordered (Kasapski Sach), and I plan to go back on a nicer day or night and eat al fresco in their nice outside area. Try it. It won't be as scary to eat Bulgarian food as you might imagine. It is kind of like Mediterranean with a sort of east European slant. Try it.

Great meat. Seasoned well. Good service . We went with a group of 6 and all chose different entrees as the menu is huge! We all enjoyed our plates. Portions are big.