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    Cafe Calamari

    3.7 (263 reviews)
    PriceyItalian, Wine Bars
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:30 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

    Cafe Calamari Photos

    CAFE CALAMARI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Intimate
    Romantic
    Classy

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    Recommended Reviews - Cafe Calamari

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    Espresso martini
    Clara S.

    We were lucky to grab a cute table inside on this popping Saturday. Our service was great and quick. The complementary bread is a nice bonus too. I loved the menus with the pictures. My signature margarita to start was delicious as well. We got the arancini for an appetizer, and this was tasty and flavorful and a good portion to share. We also shared the crab stuffed salmon special, and this was delicious. I also got a side salad with the ceasar dressing. My espresso martini was a tasty treat at the end of the meal. This was one of the better ones I've had as well! Overall this was a nice impromptu date night and looking forward to dining at the bar or patio next time!

    Karen F.

    Went here for a birthday celebration and it was fantastic! Service was phenomenal-everyone was so welcoming and friendly. Love the low lighting and overall vibe of this place! Lobster bisque soup was great and the entrees were fantastic-one had ribs, one had pasta with shrimp and scallops and one was pasta with peppers, Italian sausage and mushrooms. Everything was great and server even brought a delicious tiramisu for bday dessert! 10/10 recommend!

    Veal Picatta
    Julia Q.

    A wonderful place to stop in and enjoy a Saturday evening dinner. Its low light and villa decor are charming. We started with the calamari and arancini. Great appetizers the calamari was good not chewy or overcooked. The sauce for the arancini was very flavorful. We got Alfredo with scallops. The scallops were so buttery and soft. The veal was okay, but the side of mash potatoes was better. Our server Alisa was very attentive and helpful checked on us regularly. Would visit again if we're in the area.

    Espresso Martini
    Aurora A.

    WOW! We picked this place to celebrate our first anniversary because they had raw oysters. We started with two drinks which were very tasty. One of the best espresso martinis I've ever had (I've tried a lot). The bread was fresh hot and soft. The oysters were delicious but had a little grit in a few. Would've loved a shallot oil instead of the cocktail sauce but personal preference! Lobster bisque was to die for. Pomegranate salad was incredible with the feta. Moving on to the main entrees, they were cooked absolutely to perfection. So glad I got to try my first beef Wellington here. The pastry was not at all soggy and the beef was like butter. The scallops were not over cooked and the pasta was delicious. Our server was so amazing in helping make this a memorable celebration. Even gave us a tiramisu free to celebrate. We could only take a few bites we were so full! Fiancé said it was the best dessert he's ever had. He definitely made our experience better if the food wasn't enough! The restaurant is a cute cozy place with low lighting. Exactly what we were looking for. I bet in summer it's beautiful too! Can't wait to come back and try more dishes :)

    a bowl of soup and a cell phone
    Tracy L.

    We were visiting from Chicago for a wedding in nearby town. We found this restaurant seeing it had good reviews, so we came in for a walk-in dinner. The food was satisfactory. We shared the Caprese Salad, which was fresh and light. The Chicken & Shrimp Gamberetti and Mushroom Medley Diavolo tasted homemade. Both were flavorful and saucy without being overly wet/soggy. This was a good find for the area! The service was just okay, but the restaurant was busy, so we assumed the server just had too many tables.

    Chicken Parmesan- very little flavor
    David M.

    Mediocre food at best and way overpriced. Sad to say, but Olive has this place beat by a mile. Your paying for the location and view. Over $150 for a bottle of wine, 4 entrees and Fried Calamari, is ridiculous for this spot. Spaghetti and meatball costs over $20. Their Alfredo sauce is so think and bland, that you can't even taste the rest of the entree. The Fried Calamari was from a frozen bag, which is not what I'm expecting from a place called Cafe Calamari. I had the Chicken Parm, which was a big piece of chicken, but barely any breading and very flavorless. We came here thinking we were going to enjoy some high quality Italian food. We all ended up leaving very disappointed and unsatisfied. The service was also a struggle. As soon as we walked in we can tell the front desk was overwhelmed. That continued to the service and the table. I understand it's hard to get staffing right now, but it should have been way more organized. We were also surprised to see a lot of the staff that was caring the food outside and tending to the tables outside. All vaping and they were in the back between their duties of getting the table bread, water and going in and out of the kitchen. We were looking for a new spot for when we come up to the area. Unfortunately this was not it and we will not come back.

    Shrimp and scallops!

    Great service, food was delicious, great atmosphere!! Tony our server was phenomenal!! Definitely going back!

    Prime Rib Friday - Sicilian Encrusted Prime Rib
    Macy L.

    Best prime rib I have ever had. I would give them a 5 stars but their side options are not great. They should at least offer french fries.

    Chicken Picatta

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    11 months ago

    Had the chicken shish kebab. Rice was really good and the chicken was cooked to perfection

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    4 years ago

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    7 months ago

    Not worth the money. Arancini was cold, the calamari was rubber, and the pasta was well over cooked and lacked flavor.

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    2 years ago

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    9 months ago

    We enjoyed our outdoor dining experience here. Food and service was excellent and we will definitely be back!

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    2 years ago

    We have dinner here often and enjoy the comfortable atmosphere and big booths. The food is usually pretty good. The service is always great.

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    2 years ago

    The food and service is outstanding. Highly recommended! Great location with both indoor and outdoor seating.

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    3 years ago

    Local Summer dinner tonight and the food and service were great ! Veal Picatta was great.

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    Feather Glass Wine Bar & Eatery - Naan-Nini from our Handheld Entrees

    Feather Glass Wine Bar & Eatery

    4.8(91 reviews)
    38.3 mi

    This place is quite a hit. The food is the nicely curated American staple food with an Indian…read morecuisine twists. The wines are pretty cool too. The decor and ambience are phenomenal. Excellent and more importantly unique addition to the Vernon Hills restaurant scene.

    Feather Glass Wine Bar & Eatery - Vernon Hills, IL…read more Overall Rating: Highly Recommended Feather Glass is a fantastic spot that nails the wine bar experience with a beautiful, modern aesthetic and top-tier service. While the food is incredibly tasty, a few minor tweaks to the composition and seasoning of certain dishes would make the experience truly flawless. The Highlights: Drinks, Ambience, & Service * The Flights: We thoroughly enjoyed both the wine and mimosa flights. They are well-curated, beautifully presented, and a great way to sample their extensive selection. * Atmosphere: The ambience is excellent and sophisticated, making it one of the most visually appealing spots in Vernon Hills. * Service: The staff provides excellent service--attentive and professional throughout the entire meal. Food Feedback & Suggestions * Mediterranean Flatbread: Very flavorful, but the olives can make it quite salty. Adding a balsamic glaze would provide a sweet contrast to balance out the saltiness. * Beet Salad: Features fresh, high-quality ingredients. This dish would benefit from a touch more salt and a bit more acid (like a bright vinegar) in the dressing to really highlight the earthy beets. * Paneer Palak Bites: A delicious fusion idea, but the execution was slightly misleading and difficult to eat. The bread lacked the expected toasted crispiness, and because the paneer is served in a thin slice, it often slides off, leaving the sauce on the plate. * Suggestion: Try chopping the paneer into small cubes, bruschetta-style, and mixing them directly with the sauce. Layering that mixture onto a properly toasted baguette would create a much more stable and crunchy bite while keeping the great texture of the cheese. Final Verdict Despite these small suggestions, this is a great restaurant that you should definitely check out. The flavors are delicious and the overall experience is wonderful.

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    PIER 290

    PIER 290

    3.1(686 reviews)
    0.4 mi
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    We love this place. The food is always great and options…read moreare plentiful. The peach cobbler desert is amazing.

    Pier 290 has a genuinely strong atmosphere and interior character. The restaurant leans into Lake…read moreGeneva history in a way that's really well done--photos, cruise captains, and memorabilia throughout. I especially enjoyed the Lake Geneva Playboy Club items. That said, the overall experience didn't match the price point. We went today around 2:00 PM as a party of two, and service was slow despite only about five other occupied tables. The biggest issue: we were initially brought the wrong bill (another table's), and after about 15 minutes, we ended up having to find someone to correct it. Food was average for the cost. The fish tacos were fine but nothing special. The meatloaf was a single slice with less than a cup of potatoes--felt sparse on the plate and could have used another side or component to make it feel like a complete entrée. With one glass of wine, we were around $60, which would be easier to justify if the service and food execution were sharper. One note: while it's "on the lake," the views are fairly limited at lake level--you mostly see piers and the cruise boats--so for us the main draw was the ambiance inside. Unfortunately, the ambiance couldn't make up for average, overpriced food and a service miss. If you go, go for the atmosphere--just set expectations accordingly on value and service.

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    Hallway to the dining room

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    Peep hole

    Cafe Calamari - italian - Updated May 2026

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