50 Best Italian Restaurants near Northbrook

“Food was excellent as always and our server Moses made it extra special. Always one of my favorites!“

“Excellent service, amazing food. Gelato is incredible! :) Very nice people there, too! Will definitely return!“

“amazing food and awesome staff!!“

“Francesco's Hole in the Wall is one of those restaurants that reminds you what dining out used to feel like. Every dish is made with care. Nothing is over-seasoned or trying too hard. Everything is balanced. The pasta tastes fresh and homemade, cooked perfectly every time. The tomatoes taste like tomatoes, the herbs are fresh, and every dish feels light instead of weighing you down.

The atmosphere isn't fancy, and that's exactly why it works. It feels like stepping back in time. They somehow fit what feels like 60 people into a space that's about 25 by 25 feet. The tables are small, everyone's close together, and somehow it all works. There isn't a menu at your table either. You walk over to a giant handwritten board, take a picture with your phone, and order from that. It's part of the experience.

The service is what really impressed me. It feels like everyone has worked there forever. The owner is there, watching everything, and the staff runs like a well-oiled machine. Plates disappear as soon as you're finished, silverware is replaced without asking, food comes out quickly, and they somehow keep all those small tables organized without making you feel rushed or cramped.

This is a great place for a birthday, anniversary, or just a really good Italian meal. They don't take reservations, so you have to decide if you're willing to wait. After eating here, the answer is easy. Absolutely. I'd wait every time.“

“Great food. Their supper club menu is wonderful. #iraeats“

“My daughter had her wedding at this venue on 8/4/25. From the point of discussing the space, to reviewing the contract, to discussing options, to answering ALL of our questions, to the tasting, to the day of, our event coordinator (not sure that's her specific title) Amanda was nothing short of stellar. She was patient, thorough, and accommodating ensuring that my daughter was comfortable in a very important time of her life. Our event captain (again not sure of her title) Kylie also was amazing -- handling each of our requests quickly and pleasantly. These two ladies are an asset to your company & should be commended for their fantastic work ethic. All the event staff from the bartenders, to servers, to bus boys were pleasant and efficient. The food was delicious as well. Our event was amazing & memorable largely due to the associates we interacted with.“

“Fantastic addition to Northbrook…dine in or carry out, food is consistently delicious!“

“3.99 pizza and soda lunch special is fire. For a reason their pizza tastes better than most locations.“

“We had two pizzas from the Northbrook location - large deep dish with sausage pieces and onions and a large thin crust with sausage. These were two of the best pizzas we’ve enjoyed- fresh and delicious! Appreciate the friendly service and excellent quality of the food.“

“We had a wonderful dinner here celebrating my wife’s birthday, it was truly a memorable evening. The restaurant was warm, comfortable, and inviting, the staff made us feel very welcome from the moment we arrived. We enjoyed the chicken piccata and the porterhouse steak, both were excellent. A special thank you to our waiter, Edion, who was friendly, attentive, and made our evening even more enjoyable. We were especially glad he recommended the arancini, they were delicious! Overall, it was a fantastic experience with great food, a welcoming atmosphere, and exceptional service. We will definitely be back!“

“Wonderful all around. Amazing food,amazing wait staff, 10/10 atmosphere as well.“

“Great food , charming atmosphere . Excellent service from Anna“

“Really good Italian food and ambiance!“

“Four of us went Carlos and Carlos to celebrate three August birthdays. The staff was very friendly, accommodating, and courteous. You need to be prepared to read an extensive menu with specials of Italian dishes including pasta, veal, fish and meat to meet range of tastes. Also, available were soups, salads, desserts and appetizers with a decent wine list. Definitely worth a return visit.“

“Omar gave great service! Good was very good (ravioli with tomato cream). Good for kids too!“

“Jose the server was exceptional. Attentive, courteous and friendly. The food was delicious. The atmosphere is lovely. Everything was an A+. Would definitely recommend. Homemade pastas and sauce. Chef even came to our table to see how we were enjoying the food“

“First time here... we celebrated my birthday & the server & food was great! We were there esrly enough for the Happy Hour which was a pleasant surprise. I had the Rigatoni ala Vodka for dinner. Portions were large, plenty to take home for the next day. They brought a delish cream puff with vanilla ice cream for my birthday celebration which we shared for dessert. Also love that you can park inside which was very nice on this rainy night. Looking forward to coming back.“

“It is always a pleasure dining here. Wonderful service is always provided. Great food with large portions. The cocktails are amazing! Let’s not forget the tasty appetizers and scrumptious desserts!!! GA must try!! You will not be disappointed!!“

“This neighborhood restaurant located in downtown Skokie, but with adequate parking options available, is superb. Their USDA Prime Rib Eye steak is on a par with any served with the abundance of high end steakhouses here in the Chicago area. My companion "raved" about her Lamb Chops as well. Should you choose to go, be sure to ask for a table with Eva; this gal is absolutely the epitome of servers you will find at any level of restaurants. Go and enjoy; we sure did!!!“

“Amazing and now I love the tacos 🥰“

“Great Food! Great Service! Always a Favorite❤️“

“Great, authentic Italian cuisine. Never disappoints.“

“we had a table reservation 10 people walked in what a pleasant surprise interior was nicely done our waiter was excellent ordered drinks excellent our dinner order was great food was amazing we all had different entrees very well done I can't say enough about the staff we will definitely be back“

“My palette’s lack of sophistication prevents me from doing justice reviewing the menu items I enjoyed, but my belly is satisfied , and there were no leftovers; however, no matter the exquisite culinary notes I, likely, missed that a more refined pallet might’ve identified, there’s no way there was anything on a plate in the Chicago land area this evening that matched the atmosphere, service, and proud history shared by the staff and current owner, a descendant of the original owners who established the restaurant 123 years ago. A truly delightful experience that I intend to repeat as often as I’m able!“

“We ordered food for our daughter’s graduation party and it was amazing and so good! All of our guests commented how good everything was. Sandwich tray, vodka pasta and Italian beef were outstanding!“

“My favorite Italian restaurant in the northern suburbs. Great food and awesome atmosphere 👍.“

“We went to Washington Garden’s last night with friends hoping to enjoy some good Italian food. The food was delicious! The portions were large and the waitress couldn’t have been nicer. We will be returning soon. 🥰👍👍⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“My sister and I both ordered the grilled salmon. She asked for her to be cooked through; I asked for mine to be prepred per chef's recommendation. Both of our dishes were prepared to our specifications. Mine was seared on the outside and tender moist on the inside. To add to that perfection, the sunchoke purée had an amazing mélange of flavors. I finished my meal with the Scorza Dolce--also packed with flavor.I have now had three meals that were so exquisitely flavorful that they will stick in my mind forever (previous two are from 1981 and 2005). My salmon at Mino's is now my #1 all-time favorite meals!“

“Came here for Mother’s Day! Great food we each had a different dish and shared Calamari for the table. Delicious. The sauce was just like Nonna makes!“

“Our reservation was for 5pm and we walked in at 502pm. The food for both my wife and I were absolutely the best Italian food we have ever had. The price was excellent for such great quality. We will try to come at least once per month. Thank you very much for our delicious meals. We will see you soon.“

“I’ve had three parties here. The Prices are affordable and the food is absolutely delicious. Shout out to the service! every thing was phenomenal as usual!“

“I came here on 09/21/26 to bring my lady out for her birthday. I definitely made the right choice! Coming into the restaurant your set with a beautiful fire place scenery on top of nice jazz music playing. Mikita would be my server, to which was SUPERA KIND & FRIENDLY! After getting us our water and providing us with some drink recommendations on our wine, I asked him to start us with the calamari. The calamari was ANAZING! Super fresh, tasteful and literally probably best calamari I’ve had! I also got the Blue Fire Ribeye Steak to which was cooked medium rare and came out exactly that! The food came out so hot and fresh, literally the steak melts in your mouth when biting into it. The steak carried so much FLAVOR!! The sauces added on the side, I kind of wish I would had shook the Chef hands before I left! Mikita then came out with a honey cake for dessert which my lady really ENJOYED! We were completely full but somehow managed to make some room for that cake. The atmosphere was amazing and the service was beyond amazing! If you are truly looking for a nice scenery for a date night, trust my me when I say don’t second guess yourself to come here! Thank you to the Red Bottle team and the chef in the back, you keep doing what your doing! Did not let me down!“

“Everything is fresh and delicious! They really have something for everyone including vegan! It’s fast food only in the sense that it is fast. It’s very affordable too and we love their points program! Love their cheese ravioli and meatballs! I also love the Rainbow cone which is a Chicago original! It may seem like a weird combination of flavors but it works! Great customer service!“

“Came for a celebratory dinner on Saturday evening with my family. CJ was patient and hospitable and took great care of us. The food was fresh, with hearty portion sizes and full of classic Italian flavors.

We look forward to dining here again! :)“

“Our entire experience was wonderful, from the valet parking, the excellent service, friendly faces, mouth watering entrees and delicious desserts! We are from southern Illinois and have always wanted to visit. So glad we did, as we had an excellent time, never felt rushed and will definitely visit again!“

“They had great food !! I liked their chicken with sauce on it !! Very tasty !!“

“Very tasty, good service. Great food. Much better than the Italian restaurant that used to be here.

We had grilled octopus, shrimp, calamari platter and it was awesome. The house salad is made with arugula and baby tomatoes and delicious.

Meatballs and pasta is also fantastic.“

“great food, great service, good times.“

“So glad I tried and continue to enjoy Maria’s Italian Bakery and Cafe! This authentic spot offers wonderful service and excellent quality menu items— highly recommend!“

“Todd and his daughter & staff are incredible . their wonderful service made my family dinner something so special. Everyone who works at this tiny gem is so welcoming. In a time when it seems every restaurant experience is rushed and rotten- Viaggo puts personal touch and love into every moment. Thank you so much Todd we will be back .“

“Modern Italian Restaurant with great service and food.“

“One of our favorites!!! Delicious Italian food. Great portions. Julianna and Marco are the best ever. So attentive and friendly!! Courtney,one of many great servers, is the best!! Thank you Pazzi for being the best Italian Restaurant in Park Ridge ❤️“

“Exceptional Italian food“

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What an incredible experience at Follia! From the moment we walked in, everything was absolutely wonderful. The restaurant is beautiful and elegant, with such a warm and inviting atmosphere. The food was outstanding, every single thing we had was delicious and beautifully prepared.

The service was exceptional, and the entire staff made us feel so welcome. Bruno, the owner, went above and beyond to make our evening special. His warmth, hospitality, and attention to detail truly set Follia apart. He even surprised me with a beautiful gift, which was such a thoughtful and unexpected gesture.

Follia is truly a gem. Amazing food, gorgeous atmosphere, wonderful people, and an experience we won’t forget. We absolutely loved it and can’t wait to come back!“

“My cousins were there yesterday at 4 and they brought me some pizza since I was at work. Thank you for the great Martino's Special and the Vegetarian Special! My family has been going here for almost 60 years! (since 1967)“

“Delightful owners, excellent customer service. The best lasagna we have ever tasted. It melts in your mouth. Beyond delicious!!!!“

“Ovvio provided the best dining experience I've had this year. The service was excellent. With its open air dining, weather permitting, the atmosphere is amazing. The food was outstanding. We had the muscles and chicken parmesan. I especially want to recognize Nate, the restaurant's manager, who went above and beyond to make our visit incredible. We will return very soon.“

“Thank you Paninos for fast turn around and great food for our group tonight. The food was a big hit.“

“We had family style dinner. Food was amazing!! Service was great. Everyone took such pride in their jobs.“