Blue Barbican York in York

Lovely as always at the Blue Barbican. The food and drinks are fantastic and our server Benjamin was friendly and sweet! We always get the perogi and they have a great selection of polish vodka and beers.

The best breakfast that I have ever had. The staff so attentive and pleasant. Can’t wait to eat at the restaurant on our next visit to York.

Booked this place based on the many good reviews but it failed to meet my expectations overall. Despite booking well in advance we were not sat in the main restaurant but instead downstairs where there was absolutely no atmosphere and only one other table of diners. Our mains were very nice but I felt expensive for the portion size. Dessert was very disappointing - my poppy seed cheesecake wasn't very nice at all. The chocolate top just peeled off it and the filling part just crumbled everywhere, making it impossible to eat. My partners hazelnut and applecake was much nicer. Service was good and friendly.

Excellent service from Joanna (she was so lovely and attentive). The food was tasty and filling. The downstairs area has a quirky story. Worth a visit.

Absolutely delicious food! I've been many times and the food is always amazing! Fabulous ambiance, friendly staff, and out-of-this world desserts.

We only had 1 night in York...and am I ever so happy my better half picked the Blue Barbakan for dinner!!! We had a very helpful and nice waiter (Daniel), who helped us choose drinks and dishes. My partner had pierogi and cabbage rolls, which were really good. I had the herring tartare, and goulash on potato pancake ( placek po wegiersku... Almost identical to goulash and rösti that my Oma would make when I was a kid) - fantastic. Top this with a really good Polish bock beer, and some cake - 100/100

I don't think I've ever commented on the service first but the service really stood out as exceptional. Food was delicious. Ambience was chilled. We'll be back

Just such good, hearty meals that were just very well done and complimented well with the appetizers and the drinks. Everything just seemed to be made with passion and it made our night! Great place for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and highly recommend :))

Super friendly staff and I love the ‘children eat free’ initiative, especially during tough times for all. Range of food options good too and nicely presented but I’ve marked it down slightly due to the metallic taste I had throughout my shakshuka - leaching perhaps? Either way, the serving crockery needs checking/updating. The brioche with the eggs was crumbly too.

Fantastic food - and the cake stand was very tempting!!! So much more to polish food than we knew!!! We had a fantastic time

My friends and I visited the Blue Barbakan yesterday for breakfast and had a lovely, leisurely time at the restaurant. There is a varied menu for breakfast, but we all ended up choosing the full English, which was delicious. The lady that served us was lovely, and she even brought me a piece of chocolate cake with a candle and played music to celebrate my birthday! So kind of her. When I'm visiting York again, I will definitely come back to the restaurant again for lunch or dinner.

Fantastic food and great staff. Breakfast was delicious. Will be back for lunch/evening meal!

Delicious food with a cozy environment. The staff are kind and welcoming. Thank you barbakan :)

Delicious food and finger-licking cakes, really great service. Thank you, first of all, to Maja and we highly recommend her

Delicious polish toast and English breakfast, highly recommend!

Absolutely brilliant breakfast experience. Freshly squeezed oj, lovely coffee & French toast with berries to die for. So surprisingly good. Will definitely be back.Something for all tastes on the menu.

The restaurant was really cute, food was delicious and staff was super friendly.

Authentic food full of flavours.

Six dumplings (pirogi) for the price of £17.50!? That's a complete rip-off for the staple food of Eastern Europe.

My first time trying Polish food, and really enjoyed it. The staff were really friendly and informative. The beer was good. I went for the stew in a loaf of bread (Can’t remember what it was called) and the Bigos. Great dinner.

This was my first time trying Polish food, and I have to say I was certainly impressed. I had the fishcake with sourkrout (pardon the spelling if incorrect) and it was absolutely amazing. At the end of night I was finished drinking alcohol so I asked for a hot chocolate, which was not on the drinks menu, and I was given what chocolate soup. That is not a complaint, it was the thickest, richest and most luxurious hot chocolate I have ever had. 10/10 would recommend and go again myself.

Superb location with welcoming staff, the food was not to our taste but it is our opinion.

My daughter and I called into the Blue Barbakan on the off chance we could have a table for two. They immediately welcomed us with an enthusiastic smile. The staff are just so lovely. Anything we asked for they went out of their way to help. The food is amazing! Very well presented with an authentic touch presented on polish tableware, which is beautiful. The atmosphere is very pleasant and it was busy. I can’t recommend this restaurant enough. I will definitely be going back. Thanks for a fantastic dining experience.

We popped into The Blue Bakalan for lunch yesterday just on spec. We hadn’t booked but always loved it when it was The Blue Bicycle so wanted to see what the new owners were up to. We were accommodated promptly despite not booking - the atmosphere was jovial and buzzing even though it was only 12.15pm. The staff serving are just lovely - courteous, quick to remove empty glasses and plates and just all round excellent service! We had deep fried anchovies to share and two traditional Polish dishes from the main menu, both of which were plentiful and delicious. The dessert counter looked tremendous but we were too full to try anything…..always a good reason to return though! All in all, this is a fantastic restaurant with lovely staff and exceptional food. It was good to know they are making a success of what was previously a well known and much enjoyed restaurant in York, and we will definitely return. You certainly won’t leave feeling blue!

Great cake, great free bread and great waitresses. PS. I hope that the books will be read by the end of the year, otherwise the rating will be lowered!

Came for an early evening meal.As usual excellent food and service. Staff more than happy to accommodate a late arrival who had mistakenly chose to dine elsewhere and had a less than satisfactory experience

This spot it great for a relaxed meal, calm atmosphere. Lovely food and fantastic portions. Friendly staff. Will be back again.

Came for breakfast, lots of choices in this area, but glad we chose to come here. Freshly prepared, good Full English (despite this place proudly Polish). Service with a smile

Excellent food and service would highly recommend a visit.

We had a nice dinner at the Blue Barbakan. Authentic Polish food meets a fun vibe and quality eastern European wine and beer. Would definitely recommend for a more unique dinner when in York.

Great food and a lovely atmosphere with lovely staff; friendly and knowledgeable waiting staff who even made me a cocktail that wasn't on the menu! Thank you so much; can't wait to be back

The Blue Barbakan offers a delightful breakfast experience. I enjoyed a breakfast sandwich with a friend, and we were both impressed by the flavorful ingredients and generous portions. The cozy ambiance added to the overall enjoyment of the meal. Highly recommended for a satisfying breakfast outing.

Absolutely incredible! I arrived early enough for the early dinner menu and enjoyed Spinach perogies as an appetizer, a tender goulash with delicious potato pancake and side salad, as well as an incredible cappuccino cake that reminded me of tiramisu! The raspberry beer was also very tasty! Portion sizes are generous and the staff incredibly friendly. All at very reasonable prices!

This morning, I had the pleasure of enjoying a delightful breakfast with a friend, which will surely stay with me for a long time. I ordered an omelet with ham and goat cheese, and it turned out to be the most delicious omelet I've ever had. The perfect combination of flavors and the exquisite texture made every bite a true pleasure for my taste buds. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for exquisite culinary delights!

I live in York and have passed many times. My friend booked it for my birthday and I was so pleased. The food was exceptional, so full of flavour. I had the Goulash and my friend had the Pierogi’s. Just delicious. The cheesecake was amazing too. I have already sent a message to my friends to say we have to go. If you love great flavours and amazing food come here.

Really lovely food, charming and informed staff and nice atmosphere. They were very sweet to the little 3 year old we had with us. It's a great place to visit and eat really well.

Excellent food, good beer options & decent kids options that were food quality as well. Must try the pierogi. Spinach and cheese options was our favourite

Incredibly friendly staff and amazing food, would absolutely recommend for anyone looking for something new to try We were served by Joanna and she was super helpful and friendly- we had a lovely time The pierogi and the honey beer are the best we’ve had

Best breakfast in York 🎉 I don't want people to catch on because it will get to full 🤣🙈

It was fab, lovely for a special birthday dinner…we got the Early Bird Special, and some delicious Polish wine 😋 Lovely service, lovely food, lovely atmosphere

Very enjoyable. Attentive and polite service, with authentic Polish food at a reasonable price. Nice also to eat from traditional tableware.

Great food and atmosphere, I give 4 stars for the lack of soy milk, I think every place selling coffee should offer it 😊

Had an amazing meal and drinks in this fantastic Polish restaurant. The hams and sausage starter was delicious, the surprising star of this dish was the pickled mushrooms. The Romanian Syrah red wine went amazingly with both the rabbit leg I had and the beef cheeks my friends had (may have stolen a few bites - extremely tender!). My wife really enjoyed the Pierogi and the rose wine on offer. Staff were very attentive and could not have done more for us. My favourite restaurant in York.

Fabulous food at a great price. We enjoyed brunch at the restaurant. The staff were very welcoming and keen to ensure your needs are met. The menu is well priced (value for money!) giving the the size of the portions. The standard was exceptional. I highly recommend this to anyone! The restaurant opens for dinner also. Pity we had only found this gem on our last full day. Thank you. We will visit again.

Fantastic food with excellent service and a great atmosphere. The flavours and presentation of all the dishes are so well done.

Excellent food, very friendly staff, great portions too, breakfast brilliant and to add something I haven’t seen in other reviews - coffee is amazing

Not been before, food was excellent, very generous portions, we made the mistake of ordering a starter as well as a main, which neither me or my wife could finish. Very friendly and attentive staff. Would definitely go back

Absolutely lovely place, surpassed mine & my friends expectations by a lot! Having dined in some of the most premium places in York, Blue Barbakan can easily compete as a AAA restaurant! The Rabbit Leg was our favourite, and Jola was amazing!

Absolutely lovely place, surpassed mine & my friends expectations by a lot! Having dined in some of the most premium places in York, Blue Barbakan can easily compete as a AAA restaurant! The Rabbit Leg was our favourite, and Jola was amazing!

Its a shame because the decor is good, the cakes on display look great, the food I've had is tasty (today fish cakes with sauerkraut and a few weeks ago came for brunch, where incidentally kids eat free before 12pm). However, the service is way...

We stumbled on the Blue Barbakan because it was close to our rental. What a great find. We particularly enjoyed the mulled wine, but all of the food and drinks were exceptional. We were here over the holidays and they had an early bird special...

Thoroughly enjoyed our meal here. The food was delicious, staff were friendly and even our little dog was welcomed. We can recommend pierogi as starters and szaszłyk & bigos as mains, the house wine went down well too ;-)

First visit did not disappoint. Enjoyed trying new tastes. Nicely presented food with good sized portions. A few service issues did not spoil our very enjoyable evening. Very attentive staff

We were lucky to get a table last minute at this lovely restaurant on a Saturday evening. Staff were welcoming and there was a wide selection of foodon the menu. I absolutely loved my main course, Placek po Wegiersku (Hungarian potato pancakes with goulash)! Fantastic taste, the portion was quite large, perhaps a bit generous for a woman with a not so big appetite.

As a group we went for brunch here and were not disappointed! All our meals were huge and the taste was amazing. The staff were also really friendly.

While looking for some 4* places to eat on Google maps the Blue Barbakan came up as an option. We called in without booking and had a lovely meal here while spending a week in York. The service was amazing … nothing was too much...

My friends and I have gone for what we thought would be a nice dinner experience. Service itself was okay, albeit we felt a little cramped with most people funnelled to the same part of the restaurant (despite it mostly being empty), but the quality...

Great if you fancy something a little different with a wide selection of European dishes. Loved the Goulash and potato pancake washed down with some Polish beer - fantastic. Great service and atmosphere too, highly recommend.

We had been before and really enjoyed the evening so we returned on Saturday,we were shown to our table with menus on the table and were served inside 5minutes and ordered the Bigos(the stew in the bread bowl),the taste was as good as last time,but...

My first time in a polish restaurant and I have to say that it didn’t disappoint me: flavoursome food and smiling service. I wished there were more dumpling units because they were delicious! Definitely coming again.

The Bigos (hunters stew) was amazing!

Great atmosphere and amazing food! The service was quick and really polite. The food was great - but I wish I wouldn’t choose the pork belly as it was a bit too much for me in sense of fattiness, but it was great nevertheless. The starters were amazing too. The atmosphere is really cozy. Definitely a place to visit when in York.

Finding such a gem on our little trip away was unexpected! Fab food, big portions and great staff! You doing a great job with Polish food- dzięki, prawie jak u babci!

After lots of travels around Eastern Europe, I'm delighted to find a great restaurant slightly closer to home. We had a wonderful meal in Blue Barbakan in a lovely atmosphere with excellent service for a great price. I'm a fiend for stuffed cabbage rolls, known elsewhere as sarmale or gołąbki here and these ones were excellent and a really generous portion. The same goes for shashlik (szaszłyk here) for my wife who similarly enjoyed her meal thoroughly. If ever in York again, we'll be back.

Guy from the states here. This place had prices, great service, and one of the most delicious meals I've had up north on my visit, hands down. If I lived in the area I'd eat here weekly.

This was quite the worse place I have eaten in a long while, very expensive, small portions and a lack of care and attention to traditional recipes. The service was terrible, our waitress had obviously not had any training as her mistake meant we all...

Lovely place lovely food. Would be a 5 all round if they could bring a dish without bacon. My wife doesn't eat meat, ordered the veggie shashuka. Which they now don't do. Then ordered poached eggs. It came with bacon, so we sent it back. They brought it back with the bacon still on and a side of salmon. Not quite what we was expecting for a solution.. 😅

Really good atmosphere, very tasty authentic Polish food. Would definitely visit again!

Nestled in the heart of the city, The Blue Barbakan offers a delightful culinary journey through the rich flavors and traditions of Polish cuisine. From the moment you step inside, you're greeted with warm hospitality and an inviting ambiance that sets the stage for an unforgettable dining experience. The menu is a testament to the diverse and hearty offerings of Polish gastronomy, featuring classic dishes like pierogi, golabki, and hearty soups like żurek. Each dish is crafted with care, using authentic recipes and the finest ingredients, ensuring an explosion of flavors with every bite. For starters, I highly recommend trying the platter of assorted pierogi, filled with a variety of savory fillings that showcase the versatility of this beloved Polish dish. The crispy golden-brown exterior gives way to a tender, flavorful filling that leaves you craving more. For the main course, the golabki steals the show with its tender cabbage leaves wrapped around a delicious mixture of seasoned meat and rice, topped with a tangy tomato sauce. It's comfort food at its finest, guaranteed to leave you feeling satisfied and content. Don't forget to save room for dessert, as the selection of traditional Polish sweets is not to be missed. Indulge in a slice of sernik, a creamy and decadent cheesecake that perfectly rounds off your dining experience. The attentive staff adds to the charm of the restaurant, providing prompt and friendly service that enhances the overall dining experience. Whether you're a seasoned connoisseur of Polish cuisine or a newcomer eager to explore new flavors, Taste of Poland is sure to delight your taste buds and leave you longing for more.

Food was so good we went back twice. My polish fiancée approves, so can't go wrong. Classy venue. Bigos highly recommended

Overall, wonderful experience. The food was absolutely superb. I tried Beef cheek for the first time and it blew me away! Meat was so tender. The staff were amazing with us. Super accommodating. Aline, our waitress especially, but likewise with the rest of the team. 100% coming back. Would recommend to anyone in reachable distance.

Sadly we didn’t have a good experience at Blue Barbikan after waiting a very long time to visit. I came with some Polish friends for lunch and we travelled to York especially for this. The atmosphere and ambience is gorgeous. Our server was really struggling...

Lovely food, great service and overall a lovely Valentines dinner! They even gave my partner a rose at the end of dinner too! Our waiter's name was Ben, top man! Would definitely come back.

Superb Balkan and Eastern European food. The waiting staff were lovely and very welcoming and attentive. I’d eat hear again in a heartbeat.

Saturday morning breakfast, poached eggs with crispy pulled pork, delicious. Service great and v polite. Interesting place, cakes look superb maybe next time.

Wow ! A must vist great food, went with a party of four and everyone was pleased.

Super restaurant, I love Polish cuisine and it was top notch. Had croquettes and borscht and potatoes pancake with stewed beef. Very nice. Definitely need to visit if you like Eastern European cuisine.

The best tomatoes I have ever had, exquisite presentation. Amazing food is an understatement. My socks have officially been knocked off. Table size was generous and staff were fabulous. I would recommend to anyone that wants to have the experience of their life.

Brilliant place for brunch...with a twist of Polish...

Staff service was excellent, they brought us a wrong dish and were very quick to sort it out. Food was incredible, 10/10

Great food. Great service. Highly recommend

As an Australian who loves to fish and eat both salt and freshwater, this cod is absolutely without a doubt the best I’ve ever eaten. Ever. Ever. Eat and drink here. Fantastic

Delicious food and friendly staff, made our visit in York absolutely great!! Thanks lovely people 😊

Friendly staff and delicious food made our evening! Compliments to the chefs, as every bit of our dinner tasted amazing! Thank you😊

Came her with my two friends whilst visiting York. The food was incredible, every dish we had was full of flavour and cooked to perfection and the service was brilliant. And as if this place couldn't get any better, due to allergies I haven't been...

Since our son started postgraduate studies at York St John University in September, we have eaten at The Blue Barbakan three times. We enjoy trying food from different cultures and hadn't had much in the way of Polish food before. Quite simply, the food is well-cooked and delicious and there are enough options for me as a vegetarian. My husband, son and I have varied our choices each lunch we've had and have not been disappointed with any of them. The lunchtime portions are not huge but room has to be left for a cake: the choice of cakes is huge! The service has always been friendly and efficient too.

Superb food, service and atmosphere. I booked a table for 7 friends I haven’t seen for years. As a result we were in there for ages and ended up drinking Polish vodka shots. The staff were brilliant and the food was as good as any that I had in Krakow last year.

Shout out to Tom; there were two vegans in our group and he made absolutely sure to check every detail to make sure that we were properly catered for. Thank you Tom. Main meals were all excellent. Review would have been five stars had there been any vegan pudding options among the fantastic array of 14 delicious-looking cakes, I would have loved a piece of cake. Something to consider maybe?

Having eaten at previous Barbakan we were looking forward to visit the Blue Barbakan. What a disappointment. Starters and drinks were fine but main course failed to arrive and when we asked what was happening there were embarrassed looks before meals appeared. They had obviously been sat around for a while as they were tepid. The fish of the day was not as described on the specials board and the rabbit leg came without the promised wrapping of pancetta and accompanying butternut squash. Apparently the specials board we were looking at had not been changed to the current one. We were not charged for the fish but the whole night by then had been ruined.

The breakfast was delicious. We had polish tost and pancakes with bacon. Amazing service and good value. We will back again🙂

Amazing breakfast, so tasty. We'll definitely be back again!!

Excellent Polish food. Perfect on a cold winters day.

Excellent service and excellent food, totally stuffed. Thank you.

Fantastic find! Went for something a little different and was not disappointed! Staff were amazing, atmosphere was cool and the food was delicious. The Turkey Schnitzel is recommended!

One of Yorks finest in my opinion. Always great food, service and atmosphere. It's a go-to for us when we want guaranteed quality.

Had a brunch here, the family we were with booked it due to the offer of kids eat free. We arrived and were soon seated and a lovely welcome. Menus were soon presented and we all ordered. Food arrived and was OK, but just that....

better than most and cheaper too, an excellent option.

Absolutely delicious food, really tasty and great portions- good value for money. The staff were very friendly, smiling and interacting with my 2 small children. A lovely atmosphere and overall experience. We will definitely be back!

Great food with a friendly relaxed atmosphere, very reasonable price for good food and service.

Really good beef pierogi’s and polish meats.