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    Basil Leaf Cafe

    3.9 (405 reviews)
    ModerateItalian
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

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    Business Info

    BASIL LEAF CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Basil Leaf Cafe

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    Dining room
    Sue L.

    Located on Clark Street is very spacious and the ambiance is great. The waitstaff is friendly and the Italian food was fair. I had the wild salmon with linguine and vegetables which were a bit overcooked. The wild rice and chicken soup was lighty creamy and perked up with freshly ground pepper. The lamb chops looked delicious and highly seasoned with salt and lemon.

    Khusbu S.

    I loved this little gem. The portions are huge, they gave us fresh warm bread and a delicious dipping oil when we were seated. The pasta itself was really good and portions were really big. The inside was cute and felt like a bistro vibe.

    Courtney K.

    You can't go wrong with wanting Italian food at Basil leaf cafe! The service is top notch and the waiter was very knowledgeable. She highly recommended their pasta carbonara which was delicious. The caprese salad was also very fresh! You get fresh bread brought to your table. The ambiance is between casual to sub-fancy but feels comfortable either way. Highly recommend if you're looking for comfort Italian food!

    Erika W.

    I know this review is super late, but I still wanted to submit it. We visited the Basil Leaf Café on April 27th for my sister's birthday. My parents previously visited for Restaurant Week and enjoyed the food, so they just knew my sister would love it, too, especially since Italian food is her favorite food. Our experience was not as great as my parents' Restaurant Week experience. We started with the Baked Goat Cheese as an appetizer. The bread we received with it was burnt, and the tomato sauce had a metallic aftertaste to it. We ended up asking for more of the complementary bread that we first received when we sat down in hopes that it would pair better with the goat cheese. For entrees, we had Linguine Carbonara, Rigatoni Sausage, Chicken Vesuvio, and Cheese Ravioli (vegetarian dish). The sauce on my Linguine Carbonara was entirely too thick, so it made everything clump together. Additionally, the onions were served in large chunks instead of diced and incorporated into the sauce. The Italian sausage in the Rigatoni Sausage was dry, and again, the tomato sauce had a metallic after-taste. The same goes for the Cheese Ravioli - bland (my dad actually said it was "pretty basic") and metallic-y. The best thing on the table was the Chicken Vesuvio, though it did need a sprinkle of sea salt. I do not recall the drinks we had, but the drinks were honestly what we enjoyed the most (after I swamped out 1 of them because it had a funky aftertaste). We opted not to have dessert because the meal was already a big letdown. Lastly, the service was nothing to write home about. We had to flag down our server several times, and it was not even crowded that day. Again, this review is from back in April. I hope others have had a better experience, especially since my folks raved about it beforehand. #ImNotAFoodie #ImJustAGirlWhoLovesFood #YelpEliteSquad

    Arugula & Beet Salad
    Ariel S.

    I wanted to try everything on the menu! So many appetizers, salads, and pasta entrees to choose from. We were a large group so it was perfect to split the Calamari, Mussels, and Arugula & Beet salad to start. I was happy with my Chicken Fettuccine with Sundried tomatoes and Creamy Pesto. Everyone left with leftovers!

    Gnocchi alla vodka
    Emily B.

    I love coming here for some good vodka sauce and gnocchi. I always order the same thing- gnocchi alla vodka and an espresso martini. They make the espresso martini with godiva chocolate so it's super creamy and yummy. The staff is always bringing bread and water refills, and are very kind and attentive! The vibe is kind of more of an older look to it, but it has white table cloths and always has space to accommodate walk ins.

    Tortellini Prosciutto
    Sydney N.

    We picked Basil Leaf as a quick Italian dinner after a day out, and I'm so glad we did! We had seen great reviews on Yelp, and heard from some acquaintances that it was a place to check out. I made a reservation online a few days in advance - it was super easy but you do have to wait for a confirmation from the restaurant that the time you requested is accepted. We had a last minute change, and when we called day-of they were super accommodating and moved our reservation back. The vibe of this place is definitely old-Italian without being too kitchy. It feels warm and inviting - with open windows on the beautiful summer night that we visited. We started with the complimentary bread and herbed olive oil. The bread is nothing special - it's a crusty, dense dinner roll - but the oil is fantastic! Definitely a bit of a unique spice blend. For an appetizer we had the Baked Feta. We devoured this so quickly I didn't even get a picture! It comes with four crusty, toasted slices of sourdough with the tangy dipping sauce. Only downside is we wish it came with more bread since there was so much dipping sauce - but we used our complimentary rolls. I indulged at dinner by ordering the Tortellini Prosciutto - a delicious cheese tortellini with peas, prosciutto and mushrooms in a Alfredo sauce. It was rich, creamy & salty without being overpowering. I was able to finish about half of it, but I wished I could stuff myself with more. I highly recommend! I also tasted my friend's Rigatoni in Vodka Sauce and it was delicious. Our service was timely for being a busy Saturday night - as well as we were consistently offered more bread and had our glasses always refilled with water. I'd definitely recommend this place for anyone looking for a nice Italian meal, and I would go back to try more on the menu!

    Penne Eggplant
    Kristal M.

    The food was awesome, the service was amazing, and everything was on point. It's cute place on the corner.

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    5 months ago

    Always great Italian food. Consistent. Friendly and patient staff. Great atmosphere. Reasonably priced.

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    2 years ago

    Linguine with marinara was just meh. Ordered online for pickup was ready in twenty minutes as promised.

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    Ask the Community - Basil Leaf Cafe

    Is parking difficult? Any parking lots/garages nearby?

    There is no private parking. You would have to find paid street parking. At times can be a challenge. Use spot hero and get pre paid in lots around there. It's worth it.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Peanut Park Trattoria

    (160 reviews)

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    Food was fantastic. The special burrata with the prosciutto and apple is a must order. The main…read morecourse of pastas was fantastic. Though fresh parmigiana and red pepper was offered my orrichetta (sp?) and my friends bolognese were both soot in Drinks- wine and mixed drinks were generous and delicious. As good as all that was--. It eas the service that stuck out. Maggie was fantastic. Attentive, pleasant, and consistent in her attention. An incredible dining experience. Ill be back.

    Although I am a new customer, I've been loyal to Peanut Park for the past six months and have…read morerecommended it to many friends and family. Up until tonight, my experiences had always been positive and the food was fantastic. Unfortunately, this visit was more than disappointing. I ordered a salad I've had at least a dozen times before, accept I added grilled chicken on top. I live for this salad and was just there maybe three weeks ago. Unaware that they have changed their menu, I ordered as usual. The name of the salad has not changed on the menu, but apparently the ingredients had been completely altered. When the dish arrived, to my surprise, it was drastically different and not something I enjoyed at all. I politely informed our server, who was kind and accommodating, and offered to replace the dish. However, it was now 6 p.m. we had tickets to see The Wiz at 7 p.m. and didn't have time to wait for another order, which I also informed her. I asked if the salad could be removed from the bill since it was essentially untouched. The server checked with the owner, who refused to remove the $30 salad or offer any kind of discount. When a restaurant changes a dish but keeps the same name, it creates a reasonable expectation for returning customers. When that expectation isn't met, basic customer service should step in. What makes this even more frustrating is that the restaurant was willing to prepare an entirely new dish, but not willing to remove the uneaten one from the bill. That simply isn't logical. If you're prepared to replace an item, it clearly acknowledges there was an issue, so refusing to comp or adjust the original charge is unreasonable. That decision was extremely disappointing. I, in-turn made the decision to eat only the additional grilled chicken on top, leaving the rest of the salad, paying the full bill and promptly getting out of there so we could be on time for our show. The only positive part of the experience was our server, who handled the situation with professionalism and kindness. Sadly, the new menu leaves much to be desired and this experience has cost Peanut Park my business and my referrals going forward.

    Ciccio Mio - Black Truffle Bucatini

    Ciccio Mio

    (632 reviews)

    $$$

    River North, Near North Side

    Truly one of the most enjoyable Italian food experiences in Chicago. It's worth the effort to plan…read moreahead and make a reservation. Reservations are released 21 days ahead of time, which I personally find impossible to make. Every time I've checked over the last several years there have been no availability. Yesterday I decided to pop on their website again and was delighted to find that they had released same day dinner reservations for patio only dining. The weather was perfect for outdoor dining so I went ahead and booked a table for Friday night. I felt like I won the dinner lottery. Service was wonderful and I didn't mind sitting outside at all next to the road with cars. I actually never stepped foot in the restaurant so cannot comment on what it's like inside. But do not give up that patio dining reservation if it's available. All of our dishes were delicious. I was really impressed by the meatball appetizers, chicken vesuvio (the potatoes are a must get as a side if you skip this dish), and branzino. The meats and sauces were wonderfully balanced and tender. Nothing tasted overly salted. Ironically, the pasta felt less of a star compared to the other dishes. And of course I had to get the gelato, which was so aesthetically presented and the taste just reminded me of an Italian summer vacation.

    Downgrading bc of the pickup service I had today. (Spoiler: Karen the host is aptly named). I…read moreconsistently order pickup (direct and DD) and it's usually quick and consistent - my order is always ready before the quoted time. Today, I came in and there was no host at the front for long enough that several people just walked straight back (maybe they were meeting someone but didn't seem like it) and several servers walked in and outside without greeting. By the time Karen shows up again, it's me and another person waiting. Instead of asking "who was here first?" She services the white man, why would you assume he's there first?, and I have to listen to him asking if he can sit at the bar, doesn't understand why he can't sit at the bar, needs recommendations nearby where he can drink and wait at, if they'll hold his bags, and his whole life story. She's about to walk away with his bags when I say that I was here first and I'm picking up. She tells me go to the side window outside which I've never been prompted to do. I say so and she asks for the name, if I'm the person it's for and the gets on her walkie to see if anyone can walk it up. No apology and didn't appreciate her tone throughout the exchange. I like the bucatini and spicy rigatoni but if I order next time, will avoid Karen who had terrible vibes.

    Basil Leaf Cafe - italian - Updated May 2026

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