Gruba Ryba

I am getting together for dinner with some friends next week. One of them picked Gruba Ryba. I did a search and didn’t find anything about it on LTH.

A web search wasn’t that much better. It seems to be a Polish fish restaurant.

Any comments?

Gruba Ryba
7117 W Addison St
Chicago, IL 60634
773-777-1000

HI,

The moment I saw "Ryba," which is the word for fish in several slavic languages, I knew it was a fish restaurant.

I know nothing of it, though I am intrigued. I wonder if they will have a few carp dishes. I wouldn't be surprised to see some cured or smoked salmon, pike and maybe sturgeon. I wonder if they do anything with salted fish, too. Or pates made from cod liver, which can be very good.

I did a google translation of "Gruba Ryba" as Course Fish. I am wondering if it may be "Fish Course." I cannot tell you how much this captures my interest.

I am so tempted to go asap. This could be really very good or not. I look forward to your report.

Regards,

Hi,

I just called a Polish friend who said the restaurant's name is translated to, "Fat Fish."

I did call the restaurant to find they don't have carp, though I'd check around Christmas. I could tell the gal was smiling when I was disappointed there was none. They serve cod, trout, red snapper and salmon.

When I asked if they served fish early in the conversation, she quickly added, "We serve meat, too."

Regards,

Right now the group (6 or 7) is scheduled to have dinner there next Tuesday. I should post a report sometime Wednesday.

D.

Seven of us went to Gruba Ryba last night. It is a small Polish restaurant that is family run per the waitress.

We started off with some grilled calamari and spinach/artichoke dip. Both were decent, although I would have preferred fried calamari. The dip came with very tasty chips.

Next a very good cabbage soup, everyone enjoyed this.

My friend who had recommended the place ordered the snapper. So I did too, along with one other. Other dishes were: pork cutlet, trout, grilled chicken, and a sirloin steak.

I thought my friend said the snapper was broiled, but it came out looking like it had been deep fried. It was a whole fish that I had to pick apart. It came with asparagus and a choice of potato. I got the potato dumplings. Both of these disappointed. The asparagus was over cooked and the dumplings were too doughy for me. The fish was quite tasty

The chicken was rated only ok, but the other entrees were rated good to very good.

All entrees came with a small cold plate of three salads: carrot, cucumber, and a type of slaw with celery chunks. These I thought were excellent.

I don’t see this place as one you should go out of your way to go to, but if you are in the area I would give it try. You might want to hurry as we were there from 5:50 last night to closing (9) and they had a total of 11 diners. We were 7 of that.

D.

Walked by today after church and the place is papered over. Looks like it is going to reopen as a Thai/ Japanese rest.