The Gessler Restaurant, Warsaw

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Once my Warsaw friends, whom I had helped a bit, in turn invited me to this restaurant for a diner. Well, they didn't allow me to pay for myself, luckily haha. The proper name of the restaurant is "Dom Restauracyjny Gessler - Krokodyl" that means Restaurant House Gessler - Crocodile. In fact there are two restaurants: an elegant, fancy restaurant on the ground floor we dined in and downstairs the Karczma Gessler, a traditional country inn, set up in amazing labyrinthine vaulted cellars, and serving mainly typical old-style Polish peasant food. Sometimes musicians (Gypsy or Polish) play there.

Look at the walls while you enter the restaurant gate. There are little pictures and cartoons with writings of some special guests (VIPs) there. Flowers, candelabras, antiques, old costumes and other decorations make the interiors similar to museum. I enjoyed the magical, warm atmosphere of the old good times, friendly service and the great selection of traditional Polish, old-Polish and European food in the menu. Add good list of wines and local, Polish beer.

Well, the only disadvantage of dining there is a fat bill, at least as for Poland. A soup costs some 30 - 50 zl!, main course about 60 - 120 zl (16 - 32 euros). If it's too much for you choose the less expensive restaurant and do enjoy but, anyway, go to see the wonderful restaurant interiors :-).

Favorite Dish: Our waiter welcomed us with some creamy goat cheese (free) which tasted great.

I remember that I had delicious broth with dumplings and the Polish speciality of this restaurant called "szyjki rakowe z kurkami" that were the necks of crayfish with wild forest chanterelle mushrooms. They tasted FANTASTIC! And surprisingly those crayfish are almost the least expensive main course in the menu now (59 zl = 15.5 euros).

My friends ordered duck with apples and some meat dish and they were very satisfied as well.

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I have to be honest with this one. A few people told me that I have to try this place while in Warsaw and so I did. It's location right in Old Town Square is enviable and there are two separate eating areas, a ground level dining room and a more intimate, but less formal, labyrinthine cellar below. I ate downstairs and while I appreciated the atmosphere and the great selection of traditional Polish food on the menu, the prices were a bit high in my opinion.

Favorite Dish: I ordered two appetizers. First an order of pierogi and then an order of some kind of blood sausage. Both were good, but not mind-blowingly good. I can't remember exactly how much I spent, but it was around $40 US. A little pricey for 2 appetizers and a beer.