Restaurant Review: Tryzub Ukrainian Kitchen

If you’re looking to try traditional Eastern European food, Tryzub Ukrainian Kitchen is the place for you. This family-owned restaurant is located at 2201 W Chicago Ave in Ukrainian Village. From Tuesday to Thursday, they’re open from 10 am to 10 pm. They’re also open from 10 am to 11 pm on Friday and Saturday. My expectations were pretty high considering all the hype I’ve seen about it over social media, and it lived up to everything that I imagined it to be. 

I have tried Ukrainian cuisine in different restaurants across Ukrainian Village but this one stood out to me a lot. First, the atmosphere of the restaurant feels very cozy and authentic and features a lot of cultural artifacts which are reminiscent of Ukrainian cultural heritage. The ambiance in the hallway near the restroom was also nice, and it felt like a museum because of the historical information and decor. All of the tables and menus also have written bits of historical information to help familiarize yourself with Ukrainian culture. The earthy yet bright seating area has a very vintage European feel with lovely mosaic tile flooring, chandeliers and artwork. 

The prices are very reasonable since most of the dishes are under $20 and coincide with famous dates in Ukrainian history. There are also innovative spins on traditional meals such as pierogi that are made with natural juices and spices to turn the shells into bright shades of green and purple. If colorful pierogi isn’t something that interests you, the menu offers quite a selection of their other handmade pierogi, with fillings including pork, beef, potato, cheese, sour cherry and various other combinations. When ordering I decided to go for the most popular dishes which are the Borscht, Potato and Cheese Varenyky, Potato Pancakes and Cheburek.

If you’ve never heard of borscht, let me tell you it’s a must-try. This is the national dish of Ukraine, and it’s a traditional beet-root soup that is most often eaten with a sour cream garnish. The borscht had a modern flare to it as it was served in an upside-down goblet with cucumber and pepper and the contrasting sweet and sour flavors gave it a tangy, rich flavor. 

Next, we had the Potato and Cheese Pierogi which is a filled dumpling that can be made to be either sweet, savory, or spicy. Although pierogies are usually considered to be a heavy meal, the dough here was so light and airy and was perfectly coated in cottage cheese and other spices. They were simple and delicious, but also very filling. We also tried the potato pancakes, four large fried potato cakes served with a mushroom sauce and sour cream, which were very crispy without being overly greasy. Lastly, the Chebureki was just a fried dough pocket filled with seasoned beef which was very tender and flavorful. Although everything was delicious, the pierogies were definitely my favorite dish because each one was bursting with flavor. 

Now for the best part – dessert. We ended our meal with the apple strudel with walnuts and ice cream. It was warm and flaky without being overly sweet. 

Tryzub is a restaurant that I would recommend to everyone, including those who want to get acquainted with Ukrainian food. I would rate it a 5 out of 5 because I enjoyed the fresh ingredients as well as the visual appeal to the plates. They were beautifully presented with drizzled garnishes on various types of colorful plates. The portions are also very generous, so they are perfect for ordering a few dishes to share with you and your friends. I would definitely plan on going back again during the summertime to experience the restaurant’s cute outdoor patio area.