Sokolowski’s University Inn

I heard a lot of good things about Sokolowski’s so I had to come and try it out. Came here twice. First time I had the Chicken Paprikash with a side of Pierogi’s. I thought everything was amazing, despite the price being a little steep. Second time I ordered the stuffed cabbage while my friend ordered the meatloaf. Was not a fan of either. Thought the stuffed cabbage meat was a bit bland for my liking. Sampled my friend’s meatloaf and it was the same.
I’m not a huge fan of Polish food, but I did enjoy the Chicken Paprikash and Pierogi’s. Also I felt a bit claustrophobic in the house like restaurant. I’ll probably come back one more time to explore the menu.

Sokolowski’s was just ok for me. I do think that as a native Clevelander, you have to visit this place at least once in your life, which I’ve done. I was in the area on a Friday afternoon, and decided to stop here. As others have mentioned its more of a no-​nonsense, self service type of place. Didn’t quite know where to park or enter, but figured it out. Same thing once I entered the building… do I go left/​right etc. I found my way to the line for food and grabbed a tray, the silverware was somewhat hidden, so I missed it, the first time and had to pardon my way back thru the line to retrieve. Anyway, I bypassed the desserts, which are displayed first. I then proceeded to the soft drink station for an iced tea. Now to the actual food. I opted for the stuffed cabbage which was not visible on the steam table, I saw the person in front of me order it and the server produced it from behind the counter. On a side note, couldn’t find a menu nor pricing, so had no idea what was being offered and how much it cost. The server mentioned that I get 2 sides. I opted for corn and vegetable medley. I just couldn’t will myself to get mashed potatoes or pierogis with the massive cabbage roll. I was given a plate for the salad bar. Another side note… had no idea where the salad bar was located. Also grabbed a roll from the shelf above the steam table. I proceeded to check-​out and my total was $ 17+, which I thought was a little bit pricey, but oh well, too late. I lifted my tray and proceeded to find a seat. In looking for a seat, I did see the salad bar, not much too choose from, so I just got some mixed fruit, which was a combination of fresh and canned fruit. Once I was finally seated, I proceeded to taste the food. The cabbage roll was big, but wasn’t hot in the middle, of the roll. The veggies were ok. Overall, I’m glad that I finally had a chance to try this restaurant, but not sure that I would return anytime soon.

Even if you aren’t a huge fan of Polish food, go for the experience. You won’t find many places like this. Cafeteria style with any option of food to view and choose from, count me in. This is not only a yummy restaurant but a landmark for the City of Cleveland. If you are on a diet, maybe sit this one out but if you are hungry and love food get in line!

I don’t eat nearly enough Polish food but after dining at Sokolowski’s, I am definitely all about pierogis now.
The restaurant looks like a little house on the outside but inside seems like your typical cafeteria. You start at the end of the line with your tray and pick the foods you want. Everything is mouthwateringly tempting so good luck trying to keep it all on one tray.
I ordered an entrée of the salisbury steak with a side of the cabbage pasta and pierogis. The side of pierogis cost a bit extra but are SO worth it. The lady also threw in an extra pierogi for me. The salisbury steak was extremely flavorful as well. The cabbage pasta was a little bland but given the heaviness of the salisbury steak, they complemented each other very well.
There’s a reason this little hole in the wall has the approval of Jimmy Fallon, Bill Clinton, and Anthony Bourdain. It sits right on the outskirts of downtown in a cute neighborhood called Tremont but is well worth the short trip out there.

Do not come here unless you are seriously hungry and ready to chow down on heavy, buttery, delicious food from your grandma’s old country. The pierogis are swimming in clarified butter. The cabbage rolls are massive, and while no cabbage roll will ever be as good as my mom’s, the tanginess of the tomato sauce and perfect texture of the boiled cabbage were impressive. The staff was friendly and ready to make recommendations (like skip your second veggie option and just do double pierogis) that we found very helpful. Will visit again when next in Cleveland.

The absolute best!!! I have never had a bad meal here. The staff are the friendliest. The food is served cafeteria style. They have desserts and drinks on the line then you get to the good stuff. They always have a few of the staple foods (breaded pork chops, Salisbury steak, stuffed cabbage, chicken paprikash) but they also have food they make to order like lamb chops and steaks. There’s always pierogies (although they charge extra if you pick pierogies as one of your sides) and other sides. If you are here for dinner you also get the salad bar. There’s a piano player during dinner. There are always long lines here. They are only open for lunch Mon-​Fri and only for dinner Fri and Sat.

Truly a Cleveland landmark restaurant that must be experienced! Great food too.

This was high on our list of places to visit on our trip to Cleveland — I’m so glad we made the trip to check it out.
We had Saturday dinner but arrived very late so they were out of things. We still had a few choices so I picked the pork chops and my friend had the lasagna. Make sure you bring your appetite! Both those items came with sides and salad bar as well. We had a TON of food, some of which we took home.
Food quality was great and large portions — all the food tasted homemade. Service was excellent as well, they were very friendly despite being busy. They were also interested in our trip and very helpful with suggestions on visiting Cleveland.
Overall, I’m happy we got to experience this place. It’s a Cleveland institution — been operating for ages and very much worth a visit.

My wife had seen this restaurant showcased on Food Network and with a trip to Cleveland planned, we knew we had to try it. I’m so glad we did. I’ve heard of people talk about food that is prepared with love and that you can actually taste the difference. I thought I knew what that tasted like, but I was wrong until eating here. One bite of Sokolowski’s and I felt like I was eating real food from a chef who wasn’t preparing food for pretentious critics, but for their loved ones. I felt nurtured. I felt like someone was taking care of me. I felt like I was home and my mom (who has never cooked Polish food) had prepared this for me. I know it might be hard to believe, but you can actually taste the love in every bite.
Here’s what we had and why I now envy the people of Cleveland:
Pierogis. You won’t regret this. Eat them. Love them. Then take some home cause you will crave them two hours later.
Stuffed cabbage. Large portion and undeniably good. Go ahead, unbuckle your pants. It’s worth it.
Pork chops. I never eat pork chops. They are dry and often just not prepared right. These however were THE BEST I have ever eaten. Moist, delicious, and unbelievably good. It had me asking my wife if these really were pork chops, cause I’ve never tasted them prepared this amazing before.
Cleveland, you are some lucky, lucky people. If I were you I would easily be a regular here.

Starch+Potato+Cheese+BUTTER = the best Perogies
Sokolowski’s is not a place to eat if you are on a diet. But the perogies are just amazing.
Old school «cafeteria» style. Hearty food that no one will feel hungry just like what eating suppose to be?
Beer on tap or in bottles either Polish or from local breweries.
Anthony Bourdain would have agree with «No Reservations» that this is what me and Michael Symon consider as «Best Thing I Ever Ate»!

stopped for lunch at Sokolowski’s yesterday. it was my first time and i gotta say I liked it a lot. Danielle, not so much.
i got a cabbage roll, mashed potatoes and corn. D got the baked scrod, mashed potatoes and rice pudding. i think she liked the pudding but she’d never had scrod before and didn’t realize it’s prepared with a lot of butter. she didn’t care for the potatoes for some reason at all.
my lunch was great. all of it. i had no problem with the taters and my cabbage roll was delicious and huge.
i’d gladly go back again. the only issue i had was it was hard to understand the lady who was preparing our plates due to her accent but you’ll have that, i guess.

Went for early dinner last Saturday, which was probably a mistake with 2 year old twins as the line was longer than I have experienced in past visits. We noticed by 5:15 it had thinned down and so would suggest not getting there when it opens at 4PM.
This is old school cafeteria style. The desserts are first thing you view, but truthfully I don’t know how anyone could have room for dessert after eating the healthy portions of the comfort food entrees. The entrees are all accompanied by two sides and a salad bar. The pork chops are huge and you get two. Stuffed cabbage is the biggest I have seen. And you can never go wrong with the chicken paprikash. Sides are varied and include dumplings, sauerkraut, cabbage and noodles and fresh veggie of the day. I am not a fan of the sauerkraut (it has a weird creaminess to it) but any other side I have had is spot on.
This place is Cleveland so everyone who lives here needs to experience it and any out-​of-​towners that want to see what Cleveland is all about should stop here during their stay.

Fantastic hearty Polish eats with a great atmosphere to match.
On Friday and Saturday nights a surprising joyful line greats you as you enter an unapologetic celebration of Poland and Cleveland. The line mercifully snakes by a full bar where Polish beers Stawski and OK are on draft. The walls are filled with chotskies that chronical Cleveland history and celebrity. The reason for the celebration is the food; pefectly fried porogies with butter carmalized onions, homemade mac and cheese, crispy fried fresh fish, mothers meatloaf, chicken paprikash, kielbasa, sauerkraut, and more. Come hungry because the portions are meant for two.

My friends suggested that I try Sokolowski’s for delicious and hearty stick to your ribs meal. So far I have been here twice and will continue to be a patron of this nice family restaurant.
The food is served cafeteria style. You get in line and grab your tray and utensils. You will see a nice lineup of steam trays with yummy main courses and sides to choose from.
On this visit I had the stuffed cabbage, pierogi and green beans. The stuffed cabbage was the best I ever had. The red sauce marries perfect with it. The portion was generous and I somehow was able to finish it. The pierogis were wonderful as they are served in a butter and onion sauce. Yum! I had the side of green beans to make myself feel better.
Give Sokolowski’s a try. In addition to the stuffed cabbage I also recommend the Salisbury steak. I would suggest the arriving at 11:30 AM for lunch to avoid the long line and easier parking.

So before I start writing this, I would like the reader know my background. I am from Chicago and my parents are from Poland. The Chicago Metropolitan area, which has 9 million people living there, has over 1 million Polish Speaking people. On every block you will see a Polish Deli and many Polish restaurants in the city and the area. Meanwhile, Cleveland has over 3,000 Polish speaking people. This is important for tourists for which I will explain later. Sokolowski is not really an authentic Polish restaurant, but they try and I will give them so much respect for that.
When I first moved here from Chicago, I wanted that good Polish food with Polish people and Polish language. I went onto this beautiful website called Unilocal and I found out about this place. Just like me giving this place 5 starts, everyone else has as well. I really wanted to come here and I am so glad I did. The food was very good. The peirogies (take note… they do not roll their r like Polish Speaking people do. I have a little Polish accent still and they didn’t understand peirogies when you roll the r… the American lady didn’t know what I was asking) were very good. They had a great selection of food there as well. I had the pierogies, mash potatoes, green beans, and salad. All for 11 something dollars. Not a bad deal at all. It was very filling and again, the pierogies are awesome. There are many cool pics of Cleveland especially baseaball and football stuff (this is an americanized joint… so don’t expect Poland’s number one sport… soccer…to be on the walls).
Now with all that said, I would like to talk about my first paragraph. For ethnic Poles coming in from places from Chicago, New York, or even Poland itself. This is NOT a Polish ethnic restaurant. This is not Krystinas, U Gazdy, or EJ’s Pierogies in the Chicago area. This is an Americanized joint serving some really good Polish food. The bartender and people behind the counter are not Polish. Cleveland is not like Chicago and they don’t have a high Polish population and many have assimilated. HOWEVER… you need to check this place out. The sautéed Pierogies are amazing and and the food was awesome. They do serve kielbasa and guompki (they don’t know what that is so just call it stuffed cabbage). And it’s good. Sorry… no Zywiec here, but they do serve Okocim and one other Polish beer. I believe Stawski (?).
If u want to go watch Poland during the Euro Championships and hang with Polish fans then don’t come here. It’s Americanized so baseball and football is huge here.
One thing I was suprised about the Pierogies. They only had one flavor. So no meat Pierogies, farm cheese Pierogies, and stuff like that.
The history of the place is very cool though with the place growing when the bridge was being built and the workers wanted a place to eat.
Great view of the bridge and city!

Decided to try Polish food for the first time and really loved this place! I had my first pierogis here and it was DELISH! Also had the kielbasa which was great as well. I am used to sour sauerkraut so I wasn’t prepared for how bland this style was, but it was kind of nice considering everything else was packed with flavor.
We went in for lunch around 11:45 and it was pretty empty, but by the time we left there was a long line. Don’t be put off by the «cafeteria» aspect of this place — it was much nicer than a cafeteria! The seating and interior was much nicer than we expected and there was a guy playing piano music… I kind of felt a little fancy even? TBH completely out of the realm of what I expected out of this casual joint! It’s a super cute place with good cheap food and huge portions — how can I say no?

With Cleveland’s strong Polish immigrant heritage, I think this or another great Polish restaurant is the place to eat when visiting the city. The pierogies were some of the best I’ve had (I would say the best, but I ate some from a mind-​blowing food truck in Indy recently). Also had some potatoes and mac n cheese, which weren’t bad, but the pierogies are what you go to Sokolowski’s for. The portion sizes were huge, so I was stuffed to bursting by the end of the meal. My mom and I split a piece of cheesecake (also quite good), but if I’d realized how much food the rest of the meal would be, I probably would’ve just stuck with the pierogies!
I also love the old-​fashioned décor inside — the walls are covered in articles, sports memorabilia, and trinkets, which makes the restaurant feel very homey.

I have been here several times and im never disappointed. The serving sizes are huge (they leave the to go containers right next to the register) but to be honest it’s so good, it’s hard to take home anyway!
The stuffed cabbage is some of the best I’ve ever tried! Don’t miss this gem, as it’s usually not one of the dishes you can «see» but just about always available.
Also, do yourself a favor, get the pierogis. You can get the pierogis as a side and if you looking to carb out then pick that over the mashed potatoes. If anything the potatoes are the weakest thing on the menu.
It’s well worth the wait and the atmosphere is wonderful too! Hang out for a while and get that 2^nd helping of pierogis!

One of a kind! This curious intersection of American and Polish history is bound to confuse any first-​timer. At first glance, it looks like the parking lot is only adequate for about 10 cars, two of those being handicapped spaces. But around the back, there’s another large parking area. First obstacle — done.
The people eating quietly on the covered patio kept their mouths tightly shut and gave away no secrets as to what we were in store for as they chewed. Suddenly, a large circular T-​shirt cart enters your peripheral vision and you wonder if you’re in the right place. People squeeze by with trays of food and finally you notice the long cafeteria-​style counter. There are old sepia photos and knick-​knacks everywhere. Where am I? Can I get a map?
An employee notices you look lost and cheerily offers to help. Take out or eat in, one entrees and two sides (the standard order, at least). Literally EVERYTHING was new to me so it was a struggle to decide (obstacle #2), but the Chicken Paprikash had «tomato cream sauce, tender boneless chicken, spaetzle» with a wonderful mix of spices and I was sold. The side order of Pierogies is two pieces, and a not-​so-​little bowl of Sweet (Mashed) Potatoes came with some white crust on top that I later discovered to be roasted marshmallow. My dad followed up with the ENORMOUS Stuffed Cabbage, more Pierogies, and Mac n’ Cheese. Our total, including one pint glass of Polish beer, came out to be around $ 35. I do wish that the prices for entrees were delineated a little more clearly since we didn’t realize they all had different prices.
We grabbed some bread rolls, butter and sour cream, and after paying a waiter whisked away my tray to a table. This is where my second point of contention comes in, because the waiter seated us right next to the door to the women’s bathroom — my chair was barraged intermittently by people scurrying to the toilet. In a restaurant with so many seating options (in many, many rooms), is it really so hard to find a better spot for two people? (Note: we went relatively early on a Friday evening, with no wait and plenty of open seats left.)
I don’t know why they even bother with the salad bar since the portions are so large, but it’s a nice counter-​balance to the heaviness (do not come while attempting to diet) of the food, and hey, it’s free! The selection includes fruit, potato, and macaroni salads, as well as the traditional customizable options with an array of dressings.
We finished everything. Yes, everything — because it would be a crime not to. We tried to take our time, but it just wasn’t happening. Except for the Mac n’ Cheese, this food was winning. We were both hugely satisfied with our entrée choices, I loved the Pierogies (although my dad was confused as to why these dumpling-​cousins seemed hollow; they actually have a simple potato and cheese filling), and I forced down the Sweet Potato even when it became too sweet to bear (obstacle #3). We had reached our limit when my dad decided to take a bite of the roll just for the heck of it, exclaimed «It’s good!» in surprise, and the next thing I knew I was downing that crisp, onion-​y bread also. Probably the most evil, conniving roll in existence for looking so plain but tasting so good.
So of course I had to see what was so great about this place that women kept banging into my chair to reach. The offending door actually leads into another corridor with piles of stuff heaped around, then another door that contains the real prize. I was half afraid the woman shaking the door while I was using the toilet was going to break it open, but miraculously the flimsy lock held. My stomach wasn’t completely ready for the culture shock I put it through at Sokolowski’s, but I have no regrets and would relive the experience (minus the awkward table) over again.

What can I say about fall apart deliciousness of stuffed cabbage, macaroni & cheese and true old fashioned rice pudding… thank god I came with someone as I needed «help» trying to eat it all! Delish! Will definitely be back.
Cute décor, focus and attention on the food & Sprecher Root Beer — I can see why this is a Cleveland favorite.