Blue Barbican York in York

It's nice to find places like this.

A place that takes care of its visitors.

Amazing food, friendly service and such a wonderful vibe. The buckwheat waffles are utterly delicious. Highly recommended!

Really friendly staff and tasty food!

Really shouldn’t be writing this review, because you’ll all rush down there ! Wow, is the only description needed, brilliant food and value for money in a lovely friendly atmosphere

Came across this place while wandering in York. The menu posted outside looked nice, so I decided to have lunch. Sooo glad that I did. Not only were the pierogi fresh and flavorful but the dill pickles were crunchy and delicious as well. I was about to get back to running amok, then the friendly waiter told me about the dessert case. Not that I needed it, but I will say that the Pistachio with raspberry was incredible. Great experience!

Very good food and drinks at reasonable prices. Staff is friendly and helpful

Such a amazing place , great vibe and very tasty food , staff so friendly , hope to be back soon

The food is delicious!!! We ordered Hungarian pancake and meatballs with tagliatelle - everything was amazing! Juice from freshly squeezed fruit is a huge plus! I will definitely visit again when in York! I recommend!!!

Blue barbican was a place that we kept walking past and never thought to go in. However, we decided one evening afternoon and what can I it was absolutely out of this world. Not what you expect at all!!!! The staff are unbelievably kind, chatty and make you feel comfortable if there is a problem. The places has the most beautiful polish interior and the food - OH MY DAYS the food was polish-ingly delicious - see what I did there ;). It was good enough for me to polish my plate. We forgot that pancetta is pork (my gf thought it was cheese and is Muslim), but they were so accommodating and swapped it out without hesitation. The polish wine was incredible and the vodka to die for. Our waiter had long curly hair and a nose piercing. We can’t remember his name but it was 10/10 service from him. P.s. if you want to feel tall, use the downstairs toilet 😂 Real gem of a place

The best restaurant in York, with professional service and a truly interesting menu. Highly recommend.

Amazing service and atmosphere! Even the food is stunningly good! We had potato pancakes and the bigos stew. The stew was good, but I would not recommend it for summer. The pancake with smoked salmon is out of the world. I would have ordered two of those if I visit again. Oh and their homemade sourdough is another highlight for the meal too. Make sure to order a portion of those if you have something to dip it with. Every well portioned, you will definitely be stuffed.

Great spot for breakfast. Nice food with good flavour and really friendly staff.

We turned up late and they were super friendly, accommodating, gave us great recommendatIons - and both the food and drinks were delicious. Very reasonably priced and very decent portions. Would really recommend!

¡Increíble! Una experiencia perfecta. La comida, el servicio y el ambiente era maravilloso. Los platos eran muy auténticos y la variedad que se ofrecía era brillante. Me encantaría volver y volveré cuando vuelva a York. .

The food was fantastic, especially the beef cheeks - so soft and delicate. Great combination of flavours : mashed potatoes with horseradish, cooked plum… just delicious. I would highly recommend 🥰

Very delicious and fresh food (Hungarian pancake), delicious cakes. Very nice and quick service, although when there were a lot of people you had to wait longer, but ok, it was worth it.

Vino aquí por primera vez en 7 años. Gran ubicación nueva y el chłodnik y pierogi que comí eran excelentes. Definitivamente parada en usted está en York

Otra gran noche en el Blue Barbakan. La comida era de primera categoría y el servicio era genial. Tuvimos una noche maravillosa. Recomendaría encarecidamente este restaurante innovador.

Wow! What an amazing place and people, the breakfast was out of this world, superb! and the service was brilliant. We can’t wait to visit York again just to come here for breakfast.

Came here for a late night snack and the food was great. Hoping to go back for mains soon

Delicious breakfast, good portions (too large for me, but i dont have a stomach, so most meals are too large for me!)

Good service. I had the wild mushroom soup followed by the fish with almonds, very nice. My partners perogi were nice as was her main of pancake and goulash. Had a good buzzy atmosphere. Reasonably priced.

Amazing breakfast, with probably the best tomato I have ever tasted. The dog got to come in and chill while we ate. I had to take some cheese cake back to Scotland to eat once we got home and they still tasted so good after the long car journey.

Had a wonderful experience at the Blue Barbakan, food was excellent

Apareció aquí después de ver que tenía buenas calificaciones en Google y nos quedamos muy impresionados. No teníamos una reserva, pero encontraron una mesa para nosotros en el acogedor comedor de abajo. La vajilla era hermosa. Me llamó la atención nada más sentarnos. Todas las piezas artesanales tradicionales de Polonia. El personal fue muy amable y ofreció sus consejos sobre bebidas y platos. Pedimos pierogi, golabki y placek, con algunas cervezas recomendadas. Todo estaba delicioso. Estábamos tan llenos al final, que desafortunadamente no teníamos espacio para ninguno de los postres increíbles. También hacen un desayuno, aunque todavía estamos demasiado llenos de la cena para considerarlo!

Selected this place based on Google reviews and very happy we visited. Highly recommend the smoked mackerel and waffles and the American style pancakes. The cakes looked VERY tempting but we were too full after breakfast. Would love to visit for an afternoon coffee and cake.

Visited York today with some friends, we had some breakfast here. I had the Shakshouka, it was so delicious. Our waitress was super nice and it filled up shortly after the doors opened, a really lovely place to have a meal. Thanks very much!

Ha pasado demasiado tiempo desde que tuvimos el brunch aquí (de hecho, era el sitio anterior) así que, en nuestra cita del día a York, decidimos comer aquí y no nos decepcionó. No estaba ocupado, pero el servicio era amable, servicial y atento. El desayuno inglés completo era muy sabroso, lleno y buena relación calidad-precio. Las tortitas de trigo sarraceno con fruta estaban igualmente deliciosas. Ambos acompañados de cafés calientes en tubería y el zumo de naranja más fresco y zumo de pomelo. Muy recomendable para cualquier residente de York o visitantes.

Incredible service from start to finish. Excellent range of menu. Well worth booking in advance lots of people getting turned away. Incredible Polish food as good as I tasted in my time in Poland. Biggest and best surprise for the desert menu!!! My gosh! Blown away. Will be back here 100% the next time I am in town. Go and enjoy everyone.

Very busy. Good service. Decent food

Hands down the best food I have ever had!! From starter to pudding it was absolutely perfect!!! Definitely going to make it a regular trip. Staff are really nice, attentive but didn’t bother us like so many other places. Lovely place!!

Great meal, relaxing atmosphere and the best cakes 🎂

Amazing food. I had no idea how delicious Polish food could be

we were there on mother's day and it was quite busy. The restaurant is nice, clean, the service and owner are nice. For dinner we ordered cabbage rolls, good portion for the price you pay, my husband ordered potato pancake with goulash which was delicious, for the children we ordered dumplings but the portion is very small, 3 dumplings for 6.50 is an exaggeration and the price is not adequate to the quantity. Next to us people ordered a kids dish for their child which included chicken breast with fries plus salad and it also cost 6.50 so I don't understand why another dish for a child like dumplings of which there are only 3 also costs 6.50? everything else was ok, apart from those small portions of dumplings for children...

Had a lovely evening meal here with friends. Great food, big portions, a good selection of vegetarian options, and friendly staff.

Great atmosphere and the food massively tasty. The service is top, very friendly professional and helpful.

The food was fresh and good however....we were made to feel quite rushed by the staff to order being asked twice in 5 minutes if we wanted to order after just receiving our drinks, I ordered the Vegan perogi which turned out to be a few little dumplings with "chimichurri" sauce which really wasn't and another sauce on the plate which we were charged over £18 for, we were sat in the lower section which has no air flow and is quite claustrophobic and looked quite shabby compared to the upper level...instead of a nice dinner out it felt like a rushed, over priced, fast food experience

Great food, coffee - professional and friendly staff in relaxing atmosphere

Lovely people and very good food, recommended.

Nice atmosphere, perhaps personally I don't like this type of cuisine very much but you have to try it, the desserts are beautiful and delicious

One of my favourite restaurants in York!

Went during restaurant week. The service was superb. Very polite, friendly and helpful staff from start to finish, they are a credit to the restaurant. The menu is clear and a good choice of foods. The food was well presented and delicious. We had a starter and main and everything was perfect in every way. Will definitely be back. 😋😁

Excellent full English and delicious cakes.

Good food and a nice selection of beers, the food is always good but if you're not early (which we never are) there's always something off the menu, but thay doesn't matter as all the dishes I've tried so far have been good.

Walk past all the hipster place-to-be-seen type spots, eschew their ridiculous queues out their doors (which are an immediate no go if you are a young family anyway) and head to the Blue Barbikan. We have only eaten here for brunch, so can’t comment on their lunch/evening offerings, but what a brunch! Portions are generous, quality is outstanding, and service is impeccable. Small Polish additions only enhance the traditional English options and their more traditional Polish brunches are hearty and moreish. Oh, and kids eat free! We make a point in heading there every time we stay in York. Exceptional!

Excellent excellent excellent. The Shoushuka was fantastic, the full English a delight. Washed down with great tea (leaves) and fresh squeezed orange juice. Bloody marvellous.

We came here for breakfast and it didn’t disappoint! Authentic food that tasted absolutely delicious! We ordered the Shakshuka & buckwheat Polish sausage waffles. Hubby also tried iced coffee with tonic which was surprisingly nice so definitely do try something different off the menu, you won’t regret it! Will definitely come back next time we’re in York!

Ate here twice and it's amazing! Would recommend to anyone for sure. BOOK IN ADVANCE. York fills up quickly and this place is always almost fully booked.

We ate here on Saturday evening and the place had a lovely atmosphere. I had the vegetarian pancake rolls and they were absolutely delicious. It’s so nice to eat somewhere where vegetarians aren’t an afterthought and the meat free meals are really tasty and enjoyable. The staff were so lovely and welcoming. My only complaint is that I was too full for dessert and the cakes looked amazing 😉!

Great place and nice people something different very good for gluten free food was very tasty and enjoyed by all prices were good nice location and worth a vist many thanks guys

I like places which tell a story & this is one of them! The bread was fresh, the fish cakes were luscious, with a side of fresh sauerkraut. The Potatoes Pancakes with smoked salmon and poached eggs was delightful. The decor was vibrant! The beer was alright.

Lovely breakfast with top quality ingredients. Full English came with toasted brioche, everything was cooked to perfection. French toast was light and fluffy with a gorgeous fruit compote, again with top quality fruits and lots of flavour. Staff more than happy to help and the kitchen team obviously show great attention to detail. Will definitely be back.

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.

Went as a group of 7 after a conference. Got there by accident, but that was the happiest we've been! The staff is very sweet and shared with us the history of the place! Didn't take photos of the food, but wish we did, because it was amazing! The most tender Lamb I have ever tasted! The food is truly worth the price!!! Highly recommend!

I would definitely encourage eating here, freshly cooked, hearty, tasty food. Traditional English breakfast was rated highly, I would also highly recommend the shakshouka. The colourful interesting decor, it feels charming and relaxing, there is added history of the building.

AMAZING!!! Honest review of this place. Food, Atmosphere, service, all of impeccable quality. Visited here with my Wife to be for breakfast and from start to finish, the staff looked after us. Food was amazing, and you could tell our happiness meant a lot to the staff. If you are looking for a place to eat, look no further.

Found this place passing through York. Really enjoyed it, never tried Polish food before but it was genuinely one of the best meals I've had for a while. Bigos is highly recommended, it's served with lovely fresh crispy bread.

Heaven on earth!! Amazing staff and service, not to mention the food

Great food and service - celebrated my moms 60th birthday there. Friendly atmosphere and traditional Polish cuisine. Highly recommended 💫

Decent food if a little basic. Staff were lovely and quite helpful.

While searching for a place to have breakfast, we stumbled upon The Blue Barbakan - and we knew right away we’d found a gem. From the moment we walked in, we were given the warmest welcome. The restaurant has a quirky, vibrant atmosphere and an impressive selection of food. We decided on the full English breakfast, and having tried many over the years, we can confidently say this was one of the best - if not the best. Every element was cooked to perfection, but the mushrooms and tomatoes were particularly outstanding. The portions were generous, offering incredible value for money. Highly recommended!

Plenty of food, but not very tasty.

Delish food, great service, and an absolutely lavish seat right next to a radiator. The pierogis were cheese and were so good. The weekdays meal deal from 5-7pm is great value, and we were allowed to pack up our cakes to take home... We didn't have any room left for them by the end of two courses! I had Bigos and my husband had the turkey schnitzel which were both very yummy. Our dog was very welcome here and was kindly given water!

Absolute fantastic ❤️ The best ever traditional Full English Breakfast I’ve ever had. Extremely knowledgeable, passionate, attentive staff with attention to detail. Unbelievable value for central York. Looking forward to returning when I can sample their main menu.

Superb restaurant. I ordered rabbit&cranberry dumplings for my main and Scottish mussels for starter. I will definitely come again. Try Polish wine. They have a big selection. Even an orange wine 😀 There is more space downstairs. The manager is called Miguel. Very helpful and friendly.

£14.50 for 5 pierogi was very expensive. The value of the raw materials on the plate was probably less than a pound. I don't expect to be still hungry after eating a main course at a Polish restaurant. It would have been nice to have some kind of bread or nibbles when reading the menu, which might have filled me up a bit. I know it's expensive to run a restaurant in York city centre, but the markup in value, of the cost of food on the plate relative to the price charged, was too extreme. However, if you have a lot of money and a small appetite, this is a perfectly good restaurant .

Awesome place no need to review, get on it!

Excellent food! Traditional polish cuisine. Whilst you are there pop over to the dessert counter and oogle the cakes. They look fantastic and taste just as nice.

Warm and welcoming atmosphere, lovely food and great service!

Nestled in the heart of York on Fossgate, The Blue Barbakan is a hidden gem offering exceptional Polish and European cuisine. From the moment you step inside, the warm and welcoming atmosphere sets the stage for a truly memorable dining experience. The food is outstanding—freshly prepared, served piping hot, and bursting with authentic flavours. The menu boasts a fantastic selection of traditional Polish dishes, alongside a well-curated range of European-inspired options. Complementing the superb food is an impressive drinks menu, featuring carefully selected wines, beers, and soft drinks to pair perfectly with your meal. The service is second to none—attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about the food they serve. The staff go above and beyond to ensure a seamless and enjoyable experience, making you feel like a valued guest from start to finish. If you’re looking for exceptional food, warm hospitality, and a fantastic selection of drinks, The Blue Barbakan is a must-visit in York. Whether you’re a lover of Polish cuisine or simply seeking a delicious and satisfying meal, this independent restaurant delivers on every level. Highly recommended!

Had a lovely time heretofay amaxing food and beautiful interiors

Food is very good, I'm vegan and they catered for me well.

came here on a sunday evening, nice and quiet (: service was fast and friendly, food was super tasty! we had the schnitzel and dumplings, and then the blueberry cake and the white chocolate and strawberry cake for dessert, as well as the vanilla sky cocktail! everything was perfect, great portion sizes too. will definitely be back! thank you (:

Went here yesterday for breakfast and what a great find. My husband had a full English i had the Polish eggs. Washed down with Earl Grey tea and a cappuccino. Food was excellent, staff were welcoming and friendly. Playlist was good too. Would recommend a visit, I think this is my new favourite eatery for breakfast in York

Staff went above and beyond today and provided outstanding service and care for a hangover! The most perfect breakfast and Bloody Mary you’ll find 🥰

Delicious comforting dishes with really kind and attentive staff.

Decided to go for Polish cuisine today. We are from Manchester, both with different Eastern European background (Hungarian, Ukrainian, from Toronto) and we loved it! The rabbit dumplings and Bigos, hunter’s stew were excellent. The mushroom soup of the day and tomato soup were amazing as well. Bread is warm and homemade style. Portions are just perfect size - the soup and the second dish will def be more than enough for each person. The spiced wine will warm you up ♥️ Servers were kind as well.

Very nice service and really good food.

Amazing restaurant. Outstanding food, service & atmosphere. Very authentic Polish restaurant with very large portions and very fair prices.

Being of Polish descent I came to the Barbakan to sample some Polish delights. Inside is lovely and cosy and the staff are very friendly and welcoming. I had the homemade mushroom soup which was delicious and piping hot. For main I had the stuffed cabbage leaves in tomato sauce with mash( Golabki) which again were very tasty. Washed down with a Tyskie beer and a shot of tummy vodka and I left a happy customer. Only down side is £18.50 for the cabbage leaves which in my opinion was somewhat excessive, but this was a one off. In Poland this would be half the price. Definitely recommended for a visit.

Nice place. Visited December on the way to a candlelit concert. My friend ordered belly pork and I a stew in a hollowed out bread boule. The belly pork looked a delight and the feedback was as such. The basket of bread and alioli was also delicious. There was a hint of dill to the bread which was most welcome. Unfortunately my stew was lacking sauce and the bread was therefore difficult to eat when dry. Good beer selection. Honey beer and cherry were both good. Nice ambience. Curious to try as recalled it being the Blue Bicycle many moons ago. Felt pressured into the service charge on paying, we would have left a tip anyway of course, but felt being reminded was a little pushy. Enjoyable evening.

Great ambiance, amazing food, staff happy to answer all our questions and share about the food. Recommend trying the lamb and beef cheek main courses, as well as the pink sling and polish wedding cocktails. Will definitly go back when in York!

Great Polish food! Both breakfast and dinner/lunch were wonderful.

Lovely staff, and a yummy breakfast.

Chose this place as we wanted to eat something we wouldn’t normally have and it was so good. Lovely variety of dishes to choose from and very helpful, friendly staff. I had the beef cheek with mash and my husband had the cod special. Both were generous in size and delicious. The side orders of gherkins, sauerkraut and beetroot were perfect accompaniments. Highly recommend

Couldn’t recommend this restaurant enough. The food was delicious (and great value), the staff were friendly and gave great service and the whole interior is so cosy and nice. Will definitely be returning when I next come to York.

Such a delicious hearty meal, thank you, and a dedicated gluten free menu which I always love. Benjamin our waiter was great - attentive, warm and funny. Great spot!

Amazing polish food. Very tasty, generous portions and friendly staff. I eat here every time i visit york

The Trip advisor summary is created by an algorithm so ignore that … we popped in for brunch today on spec and couldn’t be more welcoming, great menu and service, the pots of tea are huge and the freshly squeezed orange really hits the spot … Hope to return to check out the dinner menu soon !!

Great food and fantastic atmosphere. And if i could id give it a million stars or more. Excelent service for Nataniel!!!!

There food was absolutely delicious!! The buckwheat waffles and French toast couldn’t be better. They put so much love in there food and the service was amazing. Couldn’t recommend more

It is not a typical Polish place, but a substitute for Polishness. The food is delicious, although it is expensive! As for the food, only the dumplings were poor, the rabbit, bigos, borscht, croquettes and cheese were very good. 10 out of 10, dumplings 4 out of 10. Great service, Mr. Rafał was very nice and helpful and the waitress (a young blonde) was also very nice 😊

The buckwheat waffles and they were fantastic. Staff was very friendly and all the food was delicious. Will definitely come again.

Great staff, place, atmosphere! Delicious food, finally!!! This is such a rarity in England that it is a miracle in itself. Thank you for this wonderful evening. We'll come again)

I'd never had Polish food before so I wasn't sure what I'd think. The food was amazing - we're still talking about it this morning. So flavourful and really good portion sizes. We had 3 courses and Joanna was really attentive to us and we felt very looked after. Thank you!

Really liked the Eastern European food. A great part of the York food scene.

Great food and good service. Not the cheapest, but we'll worth experiencing.

Incredible food, the fishcakes and sauerkraut were amazing and our server was lovely. Will definitely be returning to try the rest of the menu!

Good food, decent prices, great service.