Incredible experience and amazing meal. It has the feel of a small Italian family’s large dining room. The service was great, quick attentive service and if someone was busy another member of the staff would step in to remove plates or take leftovers to bag up.
Food did not disappoint. The vodka rigatoni was our favorite. Noodles are perfect and the vodka sauce is creamy but not heavy. The calamari and shrimp app is a must get, perfectly breaded and delicious. Chicken parm was good but the part I had was near the edge and it was a tad dry and chewy. Cesar salad is good but nothing too special. The croutons that come on it are large and were kind of warm with a slight crunch, I think they are what sets the Cesar salad above others. Otherwise it’s average for a good restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken Parmesan, Miso Fritos, Vodka Pasta
Tigran Atayan
That is a very strange place. to summarize it... it has a very good ambience, very average food, polite service but it has wrong training... or the way the serve food and react on a simple customer request is not right. Fritto misto is deep fried (it is not Italian style at all) - bad quality, no taste.. caesar Salad... was OK, nothing unusual... they served a good basket of tasty bread and salami to start. pasta is lower than average... it was not al dente at all.. sirloin steak was not good... (or I would say could be better). The most strange thing was the way they served food... they called it "Family style"... be ready that main and pasta are large portions.. and they will bring everything together... that's what they called a family style... I do not know if this is correct, but I know that if Menu says Secondi - it means that food will be served later (after primi). they brought us everything and it took us sometime to persuade them to hold our mains (Secondi)... So, I would not go here again... and by the way espresso is very bad... (was cold and simply biter). Whoever is chef there... need to work on lots of things... food quality, way of serving, passion etc.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
Pooja Patel
Elina’s in Chicago is a must-visit! From the moment we walked in, the service was outstanding—friendly, attentive, and made the whole experience so enjoyable. The restaurant is small and cozy, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere that makes you feel right at home.
Now onto the food—absolutely delicious! The vodka rigatoni was creamy, flavorful, and perfectly paired with Calabrian breadcrumbs that added the perfect crunch. The eggplant parm was a highlight, cheesy, rich, and baked with pesto that gave it a unique twist. And let’s not forget the mozzarella sandwich—imagine mozzarella sticks meets grilled cheese—it was incredible!
The Italian fries were good, though nothing mind-blowing, and the pistachio cannoli was decent, but the standout dishes truly were the pasta and eggplant parm.
Definitely make a reservation, as it’s a small spot, but absolutely worth the visit. Can’t wait to go back!
A cozy Italian place with delicious food! I wouldn’t order as many dishes as they suggest because they are a decent size. My friend and I had more than enough to eat and could have been fine with one less dish. I hate wasting food!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Noah Cohen
Really underwhelmed with a restaurant I’ve been dying to try for a long time.
Food (including “famous” vodka pasta) isn’t bad, but certainly nothing to write home about. Many other options in river north / west loop area which significantly better experience overall at lower price point.
Biggest issue had was that they made us feel like a burden instead of a customer. We admittedly showed up late to our reservation (I did call in advance to let them know), but they reminded us every 15 mins or so that we’d be kicked out at EXACTLY 1.5 hours after the reservation started, and sure enough, they did exactly that when that time rolled around. We were in the middle of eating and chatting. I understand that at a small, booked up restaurant like this you can’t have tables taken for 3-5+ hours during primetime, but to sit there and time your guests is a horrendous policy. We went early on a Tuesday night, not like it was 9pm on a weekend!
Espresso martini was borderline frozen, which I found quite odd. Not great to sip on.
Tables are absolutely SMUSHED together, like literally less than a foot apart, so whenever the wait staff comes by anyone near you it completely interrupts your meal.
Overall, I am incredibly disappointed. This restaurant was not remotely worth the price point, as not only was the food nothing impressive, but the entire vibe of being there was quite negative. As stated earlier, I would not return, and would instead go to another Italian spot in Chicago which has more innovative, truly tasty dishes, and who treats you like a first class customer rather than a chunk of change they want to get in and out as quickly as possible. This is a “trendy” restaurant, NOT a truly top tier one for which Chicago houses many.
P.S. This is one of many reviews in the last few weeks about how poorly the restaurant made the customers feel and how they were rude and then rushed the customers out. You’d think the restaurant would notice and try to do something about it.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 2
Britt Julious
Everything was dreamy and delicious. The vodka pasta was cooked perfectly and the sauce was not overwhelming. The fritto misto was different than what I’ve had in the past, yet still delicious. We didn’t have to wait long to get a seat at the bar during a busy night. Also, the music was PERFECT. Can’t wait to go back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Vodka Pasta, Fritto Misto
Tulsi Patel
Would have to return to order more/give additional assessment since rated so highly but if you can't even do vodka pasta correctly??? Bread service was delicious, flavorful with accompaniments and that's where the fun ended. Vodka pasta was so far past al dente my grandpa could eat it without his dentures in. Speaking of my grandpa the dish was undersalted so he could also eat it as part of his DASH diet. Appreciated the breadcrumbs.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Vodka Pasta
Tianna McFarlane
The food was not good. I normally love clams casino, but had to send my order back. The pasta was sloppy and noodles were overcooked. Wobbly tables... definetly regret having dinner here.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 2
Taylor
I heard of this place through social media and wanted to check it out during a short trip to Chicago. I was not disappointed! It definitely lives up to the hype. I highly recommend the baked clams and the angel hair pasta!
Maya Jiménez
Bread service was delicious, possibly the best rigatoni allá vodka I’ve ever had, and a delicious chicken parm. We also had the meatball special and it was so tender and flavorful. Amazing service to top it off! Can’t wait to come back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cannoli, Chicken Parmesan, Caesar Salad, Vodka Pasta
I really enjoy the vibe and the food, but unfortunately the service is where it’s lacking for me. This is the second time I’ve come in and made to feel like an imposition. We came in at 9:36 and could see the look on the waitress’s face before she even told us bluntly, “we’d have to order our food in the next 15 min.” (We are still standing) Posted time on google and on their respective page states 11pm. Quick food and drink order within 5 min, the salad comes up loaded with too much dressing. NBD, I quickly let our waitress know and said if it could just be diluted with more lettuce. I literally get told, ‘shell have to see, the chef is a little prickly and hell decide’. Left 20%, but will not be coming back & recommending as such. I used to work in hospitality for years, and the table was also all ex-industry. We all know too well what rude & unreasonable customers look like. We also know what, individuals who don’t have the temperament or willingness to do what working in hospitality entails, looks like. The same ends could have been met in so many different ways by the waitress, and this is from a table with a much higher threshold for the unexpected and inconvenient that invariably comes up in hospitality.
Service: 1
Jalen Chanthaboury
Arguably one of the best restaurants I’ve ever experienced. Food was spectacular and on top of that, our server Jack was incredible to us — he’s truly a gem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Stephanie
The food was incredible, highly recommend the shrimp scampi, steak limone and the broccoli. (Past visit I had their rigatoni alla vodka and it's worth the hype). However, our waitress seemed personally put out that one of our party had a gluten allergy and was actually quite rude about it, including her reaction to the table next to us that didn't have any allergies saying "even better". Was very disappointing and not the service I expect from Elina's.
Vince
I've been to Elina's over 7 times and every time has been great. The food always tastes amazing. The staff are always on top of everything. The drinks are always perfect. I recommend Elina's every chance I get.
Mariah
Our server was very knowledgeable and thorough even given the high noise level of the restaurant he kindly repeated as needed for us; food was delicious—outstanding ceasar, shrimp cocktail, and vodka sauce pasta; the calamari fritti was a little too doughy of a breading for my liking but all was still delicious! Fantastic ambience and playlist throughout the evening.
Incredible experience and amazing meal. It has the feel of a small Italian family’s large dining room. The service was great, quick attentive service and if someone was busy another member of the staff would step in to remove plates or take leftovers to bag up.
Food did not disappoint. The vodka rigatoni was our favorite. Noodles are perfect and the vodka sauce is creamy but not heavy. The calamari and shrimp app is a must get, perfectly breaded and delicious. Chicken parm was good but the part I had was near the edge and it was a tad dry and chewy. Cesar salad is good but nothing too special. The croutons that come on it are large and were kind of warm with a slight crunch, I think they are what sets the Cesar salad above others. Otherwise it’s average for a good restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken Parmesan, Miso Fritos, Vodka Pasta
That is a very strange place. to summarize it... it has a very good ambience, very average food, polite service but it has wrong training... or the way the serve food and react on a simple customer request is not right. Fritto misto is deep fried (it is not Italian style at all) - bad quality, no taste.. caesar Salad... was OK, nothing unusual... they served a good basket of tasty bread and salami to start. pasta is lower than average... it was not al dente at all.. sirloin steak was not good... (or I would say could be better). The most strange thing was the way they served food... they called it "Family style"... be ready that main and pasta are large portions.. and they will bring everything together... that's what they called a family style... I do not know if this is correct, but I know that if Menu says Secondi - it means that food will be served later (after primi). they brought us everything and it took us sometime to persuade them to hold our mains (Secondi)... So, I would not go here again... and by the way espresso is very bad... (was cold and simply biter). Whoever is chef there... need to work on lots of things... food quality, way of serving, passion etc.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
Elina’s in Chicago is a must-visit! From the moment we walked in, the service was outstanding—friendly, attentive, and made the whole experience so enjoyable. The restaurant is small and cozy, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere that makes you feel right at home.
Now onto the food—absolutely delicious! The vodka rigatoni was creamy, flavorful, and perfectly paired with Calabrian breadcrumbs that added the perfect crunch. The eggplant parm was a highlight, cheesy, rich, and baked with pesto that gave it a unique twist. And let’s not forget the mozzarella sandwich—imagine mozzarella sticks meets grilled cheese—it was incredible!
The Italian fries were good, though nothing mind-blowing, and the pistachio cannoli was decent, but the standout dishes truly were the pasta and eggplant parm.
Definitely make a reservation, as it’s a small spot, but absolutely worth the visit. Can’t wait to go back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Eggplant Parmesan, Vodka Pasta, Vodka Rigatoni
A cozy Italian place with delicious food! I wouldn’t order as many dishes as they suggest because they are a decent size. My friend and I had more than enough to eat and could have been fine with one less dish. I hate wasting food!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Really underwhelmed with a restaurant I’ve been dying to try for a long time.
Food (including “famous” vodka pasta) isn’t bad, but certainly nothing to write home about. Many other options in river north / west loop area which significantly better experience overall at lower price point.
Biggest issue had was that they made us feel like a burden instead of a customer. We admittedly showed up late to our reservation (I did call in advance to let them know), but they reminded us every 15 mins or so that we’d be kicked out at EXACTLY 1.5 hours after the reservation started, and sure enough, they did exactly that when that time rolled around. We were in the middle of eating and chatting. I understand that at a small, booked up restaurant like this you can’t have tables taken for 3-5+ hours during primetime, but to sit there and time your guests is a horrendous policy. We went early on a Tuesday night, not like it was 9pm on a weekend!
Espresso martini was borderline frozen, which I found quite odd. Not great to sip on.
Tables are absolutely SMUSHED together, like literally less than a foot apart, so whenever the wait staff comes by anyone near you it completely interrupts your meal.
Overall, I am incredibly disappointed. This restaurant was not remotely worth the price point, as not only was the food nothing impressive, but the entire vibe of being there was quite negative. As stated earlier, I would not return, and would instead go to another Italian spot in Chicago which has more innovative, truly tasty dishes, and who treats you like a first class customer rather than a chunk of change they want to get in and out as quickly as possible. This is a “trendy” restaurant, NOT a truly top tier one for which Chicago houses many.
P.S. This is one of many reviews in the last few weeks about how poorly the restaurant made the customers feel and how they were rude and then rushed the customers out. You’d think the restaurant would notice and try to do something about it.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 2
Everything was dreamy and delicious. The vodka pasta was cooked perfectly and the sauce was not overwhelming. The fritto misto was different than what I’ve had in the past, yet still delicious. We didn’t have to wait long to get a seat at the bar during a busy night. Also, the music was PERFECT. Can’t wait to go back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Vodka Pasta, Fritto Misto
Would have to return to order more/give additional assessment since rated so highly but if you can't even do vodka pasta correctly???
Bread service was delicious, flavorful with accompaniments and that's where the fun ended.
Vodka pasta was so far past al dente my grandpa could eat it without his dentures in. Speaking of my grandpa the dish was undersalted so he could also eat it as part of his DASH diet. Appreciated the breadcrumbs.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Vodka Pasta
The food was not good. I normally love clams casino, but had to send my order back. The pasta was sloppy and noodles were overcooked. Wobbly tables... definetly regret having dinner here.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 2
I heard of this place through social media and wanted to check it out during a short trip to Chicago. I was not disappointed! It definitely lives up to the hype. I highly recommend the baked clams and the angel hair pasta!
Bread service was delicious, possibly the best rigatoni allá vodka I’ve ever had, and a delicious chicken parm. We also had the meatball special and it was so tender and flavorful. Amazing service to top it off! Can’t wait to come back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cannoli, Chicken Parmesan, Caesar Salad, Vodka Pasta
Restaurantji Recommends
I really enjoy the vibe and the food, but unfortunately the service is where it’s lacking for me. This is the second time I’ve come in and made to feel like an imposition. We came in at 9:36 and could see the look on the waitress’s face before she even told us bluntly, “we’d have to order our food in the next 15 min.” (We are still standing) Posted time on google and on their respective page states 11pm. Quick food and drink order within 5 min, the salad comes up loaded with too much dressing. NBD, I quickly let our waitress know and said if it could just be diluted with more lettuce. I literally get told, ‘shell have to see, the chef is a little prickly and hell decide’. Left 20%, but will not be coming back & recommending as such. I used to work in hospitality for years, and the table was also all ex-industry. We all know too well what rude & unreasonable customers look like. We also know what, individuals who don’t have the temperament or willingness to do what working in hospitality entails, looks like. The same ends could have been met in so many different ways by the waitress, and this is from a table with a much higher threshold for the unexpected and inconvenient that invariably comes up in hospitality.
Service: 1
Arguably one of the best restaurants I’ve ever experienced. Food was spectacular and on top of that, our server Jack was incredible to us — he’s truly a gem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food was incredible, highly recommend the shrimp scampi, steak limone and the broccoli. (Past visit I had their rigatoni alla vodka and it's worth the hype). However, our waitress seemed personally put out that one of our party had a gluten allergy and was actually quite rude about it, including her reaction to the table next to us that didn't have any allergies saying "even better". Was very disappointing and not the service I expect from Elina's.
I've been to Elina's over 7 times and every time has been great. The food always tastes amazing. The staff are always on top of everything. The drinks are always perfect. I recommend Elina's every chance I get.
Our server was very knowledgeable and thorough even given the high noise level of the restaurant he kindly repeated as needed for us; food was delicious—outstanding ceasar, shrimp cocktail, and vodka sauce pasta; the calamari fritti was a little too doughy of a breading for my liking but all was still delicious! Fantastic ambience and playlist throughout the evening.
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