Polish Club Bankstown — Restaurant in Sydney

One staff member at the Bankstown Polish Club watches video screens showing the carpark like a hawk. You can park for free, but only if you are visiting the club for dinner. When guests arrive—for the first hour we were the only ones—he rings a little bell in the bar and the two-person Polish kitchen team peer through the white curtains like meerkats to see who has arrived. You get the impression that guests might be few and far between.

The small and homely dining room sits at the front of the single-level community club with a window into the bar and the balloon-lined function space with its empty parquetry dancefloor. Our window table has a view of residential towers reminiscent of Soviet-era housing in Poland (wielka płyta), where all architectural flourishes were spared. But the welcome is warm, the drinks are cheap and Poland is known for producing some of the best vodka in the world, and the food is great!

The Polish martini ($18) teams Żubrówka Wódka, honey liqueur and apple juice into a gateway to liking martinis if you’re someone who doesn’t. The same vodka is teamed with Chambord, dry vermouth, and lemon juice in the Warsaw ($18), which was a shade medicinal for me. Vodka-lovers: skip the mixed drinks in favour of a shot of Potocki ($16)—a smooth, rye-based Polish vodka—with a glorious sour apple Cider Lubelski ($12/400ml) chaser (there’s also a good range of Polish beers).

Potato, pork and dumplings (pierogi) are all well-represented on the succinct menu. We start with crisp potato pancakes ($20/3) topped with melted smoked cheese and cranberry sauce. Krokiety z barszczykiem ($28) teams a hearty mug of savoury borscht with a crumbed croquette (a rolled thin pancake stuffed with onions and savoury mince). It goes very well with fried beets ($4), a hot vegetable side that eats like a relish. The sides, including a simple carrot and apple salad ($4), are so cheap, it’s worth ordering all of them to accompany the meal’s crowning glory: golonka zapiekana w kapuście kiszonej ($44). Having tackled a few pork knuckles through these European club adventures, this one was easily the best. Eating like moist baked ham, it was pickled and brined before baking to a crisp, crackled exterior. Smeared with Polish mustard on rye toast with a hat of sauerkraut, it was a taste sensation. We also took home a considerable portion of this...

Horribly treated by the staff. I am on a disability pension and I can't buy much at the club because I can't afford it. I was treated like a third rate citizen tonight. I was asked to pay $30 for the privilige of attending their Disco/Dance. I was also informrd that there was a private function which had nothing to do with me and I wasn't intruding on it. I am not interested in their disco music, nor am I interested in buying any drinks or eating at their restaurant. I thpught that the club is an equal oportunity partner club which doesn't discriminate betwwen rich and poor, able bodied and disabled. I visit the club rarely. The only reason I go sometimes is to brush up on my Polish. I feel like seeing a disability Solicitor because I was discriminated against for whatever reason. Some really mean and nasty staff that like too push their weight around which they probably get a huge kick out off. Signed Bogdan Andrzejewski 20/1/2024.

Replying to your review of my review.....

Your level of arrogance is incredible. I cannot name another club in NSW that has the same nasty attitude. Isn't the Polish club suppose to cater for the general public and Polish speaking people ? As outlined previously I shouldn't be made to pay for anything if I dont choose to pay for. I was sitting quietly in the foyer minding my own business, and not disturbing anyone or causing problems. Of course I got upset because I was given an ultimatum. Either pay $30 or you must leave.Most intelligent people would agree with me. I'm sorry for having a disability and having no money to enjoy the wonderful hospitality of your club. Pathetic....... P.S.. Its not " your " club. "Owner" ??? as far as I know. It is supposed to belong to its Polish speaking people and anyone else that has an...

I went to a speed dating event outta curiosity and met several men who are not serious with commitment and outta of my style of preference. The place was nice and pretty, but the music was a bit too old for my taste. The female host was so nice and after talking to her I kinda wished it was a LGBT speed dating event where I could meet a wife for marriage instead of a man to be my husband... 😅 The chips are highly priced and drinks are acceptable as I got a bit dizzy with the 1 small drink I had. 😂 It was difficult to find the entrance I did get lost while trying to find it as there's not enough road signs for directions to the...