The Blue Barbakan

“Myself and my partner visited on a date night today and it's one of the best experiences we've had. The atmosphere is top tier, the food was out of this world, and very reasonably priced for the large portion sizes. Great drink selection too! Our server, Daniel, was absolutely lovely, he was incredibly attentive and very knowledgeable of the menu. He was also able to give us menu recommendations when what we originally wanted had sold out. Overall lovely experience; even though we are moving out of York this summer, we know that we will be visiting our new favourite restaurant when we next visit!”

“Don’t be fooled by the photos, it’s not pretty looking but it’s outstanding food. Our starters scallop wrapped in pancetta with cider reduction - outstanding. And the Dumplings with crispy bacon and sour cream was very nice and classic. The mains Turkey Schnitzel in hazelnut and walnut crumbs, mash fried egg and Green beans - oh my god so damn good the schnitzel had such chunky nuts! Lastly the Sauerkraut side is highly recommend as not only is it delicious but compliments the mains so well being such a refreshing side We nearly didn’t come when we saw the photos online, it you’re thinking this please please go the food is deciduous especially as we found out the chefs have learned these family traditional recipes from childhood.”

“Man, this is the first time that I ever had polish food and it was so so good! Really delicious It made feel like I should be converted into a Polish like very long time ago. My family & I enjoyed it very much as well. Much thanks to the staff who were very warm in serving us delicious meals. It’s just fantastic! Would like to return again if I ever come back to the UK again.”

“We were on our way to another establishment when we walked passed and went straight in. The polish restaurant locally to where we live in Brum closed post Covid so this was a great find when we weren’t looking. Great friendly service. Good cider and beer selection and menu comes with drink recommendations. Wine is pricey and they have polish wine but we had beer and cider with our food. Traditional polish food. Is the best way to describe this. They have a polish head chef in residence and owner for 15 years. Their peirogi dumplings are made by a local polish lady who only makes this dish. Food is incredible. I cannot recommend this place enough. The portions are generous so we didn’t get dessert. We also didn’t feel pushed by the staff when we sat down after 8:30pm either. Four drinks two started and two mains was £80 too. Great value. The table runners and crockery had traditional patters too. Is just such a great place. (PS gender neutral seperate lockable toilets with free feminine hygiene products. Sets the tone for the kind of place it is. Run by kind people.)”

“We booked a table for two and were seated downstairs in a large, mostly empty dining area. For the first 40 minutes, we were the only couple there, which made the atmosphere feel quite dull. To make things worse, the room was uncomfortably cold—I even had to put my jacket back on. The food itself was decent but had room for improvement. The starters were the highlight; the fish cake with sauerkraut and the pierogi were both very tasty. For mains, the bigos stew was disappointing—the Polish sausage and beef were quite dry, and there wasn’t enough sausage, which made it feel like a bit of a letdown. In contrast, the turkey schnitzel with a fried egg was much better, well-cooked and enjoyable. Both dishes came with mashed potatoes and green beans in a nut dressing, which complemented them nicely. Dessert was a definite win—fresh cream cakes that were indulgent and filling, ending the meal on a high note. Service was excellent; the waiter was polite and friendly, with no issues there. However, the cold and lack of atmosphere made the overall experience less enjoyable. A bit more warmth—both in temperature and ambiance—would make a big difference.”