My lovely wife and I were recently invited to a luncheon at Café Lucci in suburban Glenview. Our sizeable group occupied the main banquet space on the upper floor. The Italian meal included bread, salad, and soup to start things off. Dishes included sliced sausage with peppers (our favorite), penne pasta marinara, and chicken marsala. One vegetarian opted for the eggplant parmesan and it looked good too. Spumoni ice cream completed our meal. Service was spot on, as our glasses of water were filled throughout the meal. read more

What a gem of a place! From the moment we walk in, this family-owned restaurant isn't just about great food - it's about creating a welcoming experience. The owners are so friendly and hands-on, making sure every guest feels like part of the family. The atmosphere is cozy, warm, and perfect for and special casual meal with loved ones. The food? Absolutely delicious! Every dish is made with care and top-quality ingredients. We started with the homemade bread with garlic spread and calamari "Bobby style" a signature appetizer, which was perfectly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. For the main course, I had the Veal Pancetta, and as always it was one of the best I've ever had - rich, flavorful, and packed with layers of love (you can really taste the passion in the cooking). You can tell this restaurant is dedicated to keeping things local and supporting the community, which I truly appreciate. It's rare to find a place that combines amazing food with such a strong sense of family and connection. Highly recommend stopping by if you're in the area - you won't be disappointed! We'll definitely be back! read more

Fine dining atmosphere, polite service. There's valet parking, which is probably optional, but you'd really have to drive right by the guy if you wanted to park yourself. (It would be awkward.) The appetizers were my favorite part--I honestly filled up so much on them that I barely had room for the dinner. No regrets though, I would absolutely order the appetizers again! read more

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Finally tried Cafe Lucci in Glenview and wow... this place is such a gem. They even have a full vegetarian menu, which is so rare, and everything we ordered was really good. We had the burrata, beet salad, cacio e pepe, cavatelli vodka sauce, eggplant parm, spaghetti, plus sticky toffee pudding and tiramisu for dessert. The pasta and eggplant parm were standouts but honestly everything hit. Service was amazing and the whole vibe was super welcoming. Definitely one of my new favorite Italian spots in the suburbs, can't wait to go back. read more

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Started out as a lovely evening. The parking attendant was so kind and gracious. I went with 5 other women 2 were celebrating birthdays. We were nyhere not long ago for another birthday. Couldn't have been a better experience. Great waitress Food matched the service. Last night a different experience. I found a waiter to be rude and condescending. Food was good but the server put a bad spin on it on our evening. Doubt very much that we will return there it's too bad because it could have been Ben a terrific night read more

Did give Cafe Lucci another try. Price is still too expensive, $32(with tip) for an app and house salad, no drink. Yet, I found their Fried Calamari fresh and the best I've ever had. Would return just for this dish. My friend had their Cacio E Pepe and really liked the pasta dish. Staff was once again very friendly and welcoming. read more

Very good! Friendly and attentive service. Went with "the whole disaster" as my wife calls i. Everyone was happy with what they got. However, the stars were not the main courses but the salads. Beet salad and the arugula fennel were amazing. Portions were generous. Free valet parking and a good atmosphere. Give it a try. read more

The bread and garlic dip was amazing our waiter suggested adding pecorino Romano to it super yummy! The Caprese avocado was perfect! Hubby ordered the cavatelli I had the ravioli fortno with meat both were outstanding. Our waiter Pablo suggested the lemonchello to end and it was the right sweet kick to end with. We will definitely be back and hopefully Pablo will be working. read more

Such a great meal! My sisters in law and I had dinner here to celebrate my birthday. The food was delicious, the service attentive, and the dining room was cozy. The bread and roasted garlic to start was addictive! The arugula salad hit the spot and our shared entrees of Ravioli di Zucca and Risotto al Granchio were satisfying. The dessert - Sticky Toffee Pudding was out of this world!! I'd definitely recommend this restaurant and look forward to visiting again. read more

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This is a decent Italian restaurant in a reasonably accessible and obvious location. Food quality is acceptable, with everything I tried at worst just okay, but with some genuinely good offerings. Very good calamari and I did like the spread of condiments. Unfortunately, the wine was awfully overpriced. The restaurant has a somewhat claustrophobic feel, but the architects made optimal use of a small space. There is a worthwhile party room upstairs. I visited during a work function. read more

I went here recently, and though I had never been before, it definitely seemed like it had been there forever and was coasting on its long-term reputation. The parking situation is weirdly difficult, but the valet is free and the guy working there is super nice. Walking in, we had two young hostesses who were polite but didn't really know where to seat us for awhile, despite many tables being open. We sat down in a dimly lit, well appointed yet a bit dated dining room. The bathrooms are spacious but also quite dated, with lots of scuffed furniture. Of note here is that its booth seating (one seat is part of a booth, while the seat facing it is a regular chair) is super uncomfortable. The place where the edge of the booth cushion meets the back was worn out, to the point where the place where your tush goes basically rests on a worn down, hard part of the seemingly cushioned surface. I am guessing the cushion has migrated forward over time, but it is disappointing because it looks like comfy seating but is worn enough to be quite uncomfortable! One major highlight was how friendly and helpful our waiter was! We noticed another waiter who seemed to be having similarly positive interactions with other tables. Also, our Terlato pinot grigio was delicious (I saw it referenced on Top Chef and "followed the leader" in that regard). My husband started with the cheese plate. It looked ridiculous when we got it. A massive plate dwarfed tiny squares of cheese with a few other accompaniments. Somehow, this was $20. The plate was big enough to make anything seem minimal, but the cheese did not look like anything special. Aside from gorgonzola, everything else was in a small, sharp, uniform square, like a Lunchables tray. Hilariously, there was one green grape and one red grape, as well as some sort of spread. One green, one red, can't have more than that. You will have your ONE grape of each color and like it! The cavatelli was absolutely fine, but nothing stood out to me. With the tomato sauce being served with oil, the sauce kind of separated, which was not appetizing. They didn't skimp on the garlic, so there was that one flavor! But there wasn't as much flavor throughout the dish, sorry to say. I have had similar dishes, ingredient wise, that have provided more flavor. It wasn't bland, per se, but it should have had more flavor than it did, if that makes any sense. It wasn't special at all. I asked my husband after dinner if he'd go back; I was on the fence. He then told me that his Caesar salad was "slimy." I asked if that was true of the dressing or leaves themselves, and he wasn't sure, just knowing that when it was all mixed together, it was slimy, not something you want in a salad. We will look elsewhere for Italian food. read more

We enjoyed last time we came and we enjoyed it second time. From home made gnocchi to pork chop, we enjoyed every dish. Parking situation is good. There's complementary valet parking right by the entrance. We were seated outside in a tent. We thought it was going to be bit cold but it worked out better since it was just enough cool temperature. Service was good. Our waiter worked hard. Overall it was a good experience. read more

Cafe Lucci - A glass of wine and a mocktail - Italian Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

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This spot is a classic and famous restaurant! It was my first time here but I know it's always super busy. They even have complimentary valet! The interior is pretty basic and simple. It's good for all age ranges including kids! Our waiter and waitress was so nice and kind and checked up on us very often! The appetizers were yummy and I especially liked the crab cakes. We ordered two pasta dishes that were delicious as well. We also got a chicken dish that came with a side pasta. The icecream was pretty expensive though considering it's just icecream but they do give h a good amount so it's shareable. Other than that, I would come again to try out some of their seafood dishes! read more

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Amazing restaurant with great staff!! Staff gave us great recommendations and food was delicious and very filling. Caramel crunch banana dessert was something unique i've never had before and if you love banana it's the perfect desert. Our waiter even brought us over their house made limoncello to try which was delicious and so kind of them. read more

Cafe Lucci - CACIO E PEPE 2018 Sanford Pinot Noir To Go - Italian Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

Cafe Lucci has been around for a long time and we finally visited. The restaurant is cute and has a comfortable feel. There was an outdoor/enclosed dining area we could see but did not sit at. We were in the main indoor dining room. Service was very attentive and professional. We appreciated the attention to detail and frequent water refills. The food was very good, from the bread set on the table when we arrived, to the main courses, an appetizer, and a delicious dessert. We had calamari which was perfect, chicken vesuvio, and salmon, and everyone loved their food. The bill was appropriate for the quality of the food and service, but this is a 'Special Event' restaurant for us! read more

Awful parking. Awful hostess seating us. Waitress not knowledgeable. Food was subpar to what I expected. I would not waste my time going back. read more

ordered food for delivery. I ordered eggplant parm. It should have come with linguini. It came solo, no pasta. I was charged $20 for a tiny piece of eggplant, barely cheese and the marinara had no taste at all. My daughter got the vodka pasta. Again barely any flavor. Not very large and not even a salad for $16.00. Luckily I had my own marinara frozen. I spruced it up with that. Why order food when I have to remake it basically to be edible. The only thing that we loved was the bread and the garlic oil spread. Very disappointed. read more

Fabulous food and great service! We ate there last night and the meal was wonderful! I highly recommend this restaurant!

Had a delicious dinner at Cafe Lucci last night. While it may be on a busy road with difficult parking, they offered complimentary valet parking. Even though we were 15 mins early, they were able to seat us immediately. Our attentive server quickly took our cocktail orders and gave us the perfect amount of time to review the delicious specials and fantastic menu. I always love when I try a new restaurant and there are multiple dishes I want to try, both on the specials menu and the regular. Our decisions did not disappoint. We ordered the grilled calamari (yummy) and I ordered my favorite dish, Ciopino, (which is risky as they could disappoint me very easily here) and it was FANTASTIC. They even offer it with or without pasta. I went full on protein fix and it was wonderful. I added a side of sautéed spinach for some greens and that was the perfect meal for me. Friends tried many of the specials and everyone was thrilled. We didn't ordered dessert as it was late and we were tired, but many passed our table and they looked beautiful and worthy of trying. Next time!!! I will say the bread they brought to the table was stale, but the garlic spread which accompanied the bread made it edible. The only other less positive review I will give is on the ambiance. There really isn't any. It's loud and the dining area doesn't have much personality. The bar does look quaint, but overall not great. To add to our favorable review, we literally walked out to the valet and our car was already waiting for us!!! Impressive. He must have seen we were paying the bill and he brought our two cars around. Quite a nice touch. Bravo! I highly recommend Cafe Lucci. I can't wait to go back. read more

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I enjoyed the food. The bread and olive oil was very good. One of the very best my girlfriend and I have tried. The food came out pretty quick, and it was really good. I got the fettuccine, could never mess that up! My girlfriend enjoyed the ambiance and the complimentary bread. (She ordered more to go) Will definitely come back here to try other menu items! read more

Wow, what a great eating experience! We were in town to visit a friend at Lutheran General and stopped in here for dinner. Just driving brand noticed the place. Wow. What a meal! We started with the Shrimp Bisque and then dinner. What a great meal. We told our server this was our first time there and they made us right at home. Provided us a free dessert, great tiramisu! Then they offered Lemoncello. Wow, what a great after dinner drink! House made as the owner described it to us. We ordered a to-go bottle and will be back for more. Bad as this is to say, looking forward to visiting my friend in the hospital so we can have lunch/dinner here again. read more

The fish we wanted was sold out and they substituted another at a higher price without mentioning the upcharge when we ordered.

Bit of a hidden gem. Everything I've ordered has been amazing. One of the better Italian restaurants I've been to

Fantastic evening. Great food and service! We will be back. We are never disappointed Very attentive staff. read more

Food and service were both very good. Hadn't been here for several years and decided it was time to go back. An enjoyable meal for the four of us. I must say that I didn't remember the seating being so crowded. You are literally on top of other guests. Uncomfortable. read more

Beautiful and large restaurant to meet with friends or go on a date! You see all ages here. They have fresh seafood and delicious Italian dishes. The drinks are made wonderfully (if you're not a wine drinker like me). The carpaccio appetizer was served topped with arugula. Our dishes were exceptional and of large portions. My doggie bag was a god send. Dessert was also fantastic! Every morsel of food eaten here was bliss. The service was phenomenal. You can tell everyone (from busboy to host) is invested in this restaurant. We had many people make sure our party was going well. I suppose they were upper management or owners, but they treated us as we were regulars, even though it was our first time there. They also have complimentary valet and the gentleman who parked my car was very polite. Please don't forget to tip him, even though it's complimentary! read more

Always great food. They do carry out very well. They know how to pack a 2 go order.

We went with 2 boys. The food was good and service was good but portions were on the small side and didn't match the price.

Extremely kid friendly! The staff couldn't have been more accommodating to small children. read more

Cafe Lucci - Kid friendly! Staff is very accommodating to children. - Italian Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

I pass by Cafe Lucci all the time on the way to my parents' house and there are so many good reviews so it has been on my go-to list for awhile. We came here on a Sunday evening and were seated right away. I made a reservation beforehand but it wasn't too busy when we came in. We ordered the fettuccini vasca, rigatoni melanzane, and spaghettini aglio e olio. Everything was decent but I expected more after reading all the positive reviews. The spaghettini aglio e olio in particular seemed to be lacking in flavor and presentation. This review is mostly regarding the service from our server though, which was fairly disappointing from the start. The dialogue between our server and us is as follows: Server: Hi, I'll be serving you tonight. This is our wine menu; it has the different kinds of wines we have. I'll be back later to take your order. (Much later) Us: We're ready to order. Server: Are you sure? We have some specials tonight right over there. (He proceeds to point us to a chalkboard behind us that we didn't see and was not shown to us beforehand, then goes over each item. Hubby asked for his preference between two dishes he was already debating over and he went with his recommendation -- fettuccini vasca). Our server did not check up on us once while we were eating and we didn't really see him around much in general even though it still wasn't that busy. We had better service from the busboys to refill our water and pack up our leftovers when we were done. We had to flag him down to ask for the check and only then did he ask if we wanted any dessert (with another "are you sure?"). Hubby also asked him to exchange a $5 bill for five singles so he could tip the valet and he forgot to bring that the first time when he brought back the check and also forgot to give us a pen to sign the check. There was also another couple that came in and was seated next to us who the server apparently knew well because he gave them hugs and really started chatting them up while we were waiting to get our check and the five singles back. These were all seemingly little things but it gave us the overall impression that we were merely a second thought and not as important as the other diners. read more

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What happened to Cafe Lucci? Their menu used to be so extensive, with so many daily specials that they had to write it on a large chalkboard. We had not been back since last year but took a couple of guests there last weekend. We were very disappointed! We always loved the restaurant, the menu and the staff. It's all really different now and the food quality was average at best. We won't go back. It's too bad. read more

Good ole Italian spot. Large servings and all tastes delicious. Nice spot for special event gatherings too.

To The Owner: You absolutely suck at your job. And I'm pinning the bad service squarely on you, instead of your staff. Why? Instead of socializing with your guests, you should first and foremost ensure your staff is properly making their orders in an efficient and accurate manner. You didn't do that. This is a place of business as you know. If you want to chit-chat with all your friends you desperately invited to an ailing Cafe Lucci, there is a place called 'Meetup'. There you can cook and talk with people all the live long day. I didn't drop 80 dollars for you to be a shadow guest for various party of fours while I'm left with a lukewarm dish and various elements missing from my table. Was going to give a 2 star, but the owner's incompetency is 1-star deserving. I had fond memories from this place when I was very little. I believe I was taken here after a tennis match. I remember I really, really liked their fettuccini Alfredo. So long ago, right? So you can imagine my surprise when I come here during COVID-19 2020 and things have taken a dramatic turn for the worse. And the food was terrible. And even when giving them the benefit of the doubt in light of COVID-19, the owner (Bobby) was obnoxiously showboating and entertaining his guests while leaving me and my uncle with waiters who were rather inattentive and food that simply cannot make the cut at this level. First lets start off with the highlights: Their heated tent/patio is very conducive and accommodating towards the new era of COVID-19 dining. Each table is situated next to a heating lamp. Does it replicate indoor dining. Heck no. is it passable during the two front battles of the pandemic and winter. Sure. The bread and the garlic spread. The highlight of the meal. Yes, the complimentary bread and coveted garlic spread was the highlight. The bread came hot. The garlic spread was finger licking good, but could have used some crushed pepper and parmesan cheese. In fact me and my uncle had requested parmesan cheese and crushed pepper at least three times. All three instances were ignored during the meal. And when the bill is 80$ for two, you cannot be so thoughtless on this. The owner was too busy socializing to help staff dire need of direction. Why? He's off playing favorites with what I presume is the regular crowd and ignoring actually doing anything besides that. This was unprofessional and downright obnoxious. This time around, I ordered the Cavatelli Contadina. IT has housemaid Cavatelli noodles, garlic, olive oil, crumbled sausage, pancetta, prosciutto di parma, shiitake mushrooms and plump tomatoes and chili flakes. The dish was just lukewarm and probably a little undercooked. The shiitake mushrooms is such an odd choice for this dish. The sauce was way too watery, but the noodle itself was okay. Could have used a tuneup in the heat and sauce factor though. Unfortunately, wouldn't recommend this fan favorite. Instead probably order their cream dishes or a more simpler pasta dish. read more

Cafe Lucci - At least the bread and garlic spread was good. Our main Cavatelli Contadina has a watery sauce. Bad. - Italian Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

Continues to be spectacular... been a customer for past decade or so... food is unique and top notch... service is friendly and efficient... first time I have had a steak... it might be the best filet I have ever had... truly... the atmosphere is inviting, comfortable, but feels high end.. I was there with a group in the upstairs room.. probably 20 of us... service was fantastic for such a large group... food delivery was very timely... I would highly recommend Cafe Lucci to anyone for any occasion... kid friendly but not a place you would want to bring children as it can be a fabulous adult night out... don't forget dessert...desserts are to die for read more

Cafe Lucci - The most amazing filet with goat cheese and balsamic... on a bed of mashed potatoes - Italian Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

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I just tried Cafe Lucci for the first time - and I had to do takeout. While, everything is better eaten at a restaurant, I have to say this was delicious! Their pasta is so good and you can tell it's homemade. I split the eggplant parm and shrimp with vodka sauce. Both delicious! I'm looking forward to eating at the restaurant next time. read more

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Cafe Lucci is my family's go to restaurant in the Glenview area. We have been going to this restaurant for nearly 20 years! High-quality Italian food with the best wine list in the North Shore. The staff is absolutely wonderful and the ambience is amazing. Perfect for a nice dinner with the family or date night! read more

Cafe Lucci - Filet mignon cooked medium rare with a Parmesan garlic crust and mixed veggies - Italian Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

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Another Sat night of patio dining during the pandemic and this time my husband and I ventured out with 2 other couples for the first time in months. Obv with masks in tow... My friend made a reservation for their smaller back patio, which I didn't get a good look at, but was told there's only 6 or so tables back there. When it didn't appear there would be a table freeing up anytime soon ( we all had babysitters to get back to) we opted for a table in the much larger tent at the front of the restaurant. While there are a bunch of tables under the tent, they are spread at least 6 ft apart...and it appears the staff is taking all precautions to keep their customers safe. We had waited about 15 min for our table, which wasn't so bad with a vodka martini in hand. However, as soon as we sat our waiter brought out complimentary appetizers (calamari, bruschetta, etc) to apologize for the wait. Apology accepted. My original plan when looking at the menu earlier in the evening was to order the grilled calamari app and a salad. However, when I got a look at the specials I decided the sea bass was calling my name. And it was a very good choice because it was absolutely delicious and I ate up every last bite. The atmosphere, service, company and food was terrific and I almost forgot all the pandemic craziness we are in...until looking at all the waiters and customers wearing masks. The perfect night ended with a surprise bday dessert for me, even though my bday was gone....but I can always celebrate with chocolate cake. I couldn't blow out the candle (covid), but the waiter helped me out by removing it so that everyone could steal a bite of the delicious cake. This was my first Cafe Lucci experience, but certainly won't be my last. I look forward to enjoying their outdoors while the weather cooperates and then hopefully moving inside once I feel comfortable doing so. read more

This restaurant was amazing. I hosted my board members from all over the United States, and they absolutely love the beautiful service the excellent customer service from these amazing people. The wine selection was phenomenal the waiter. Absolutely no his quality inn me the best suggestion.! This location was family, friendly, small, but just the right size to hold a dinner party or a private date. They had a beautiful bar section though I will probably visit on my neck encounter. I just want to seeing the managers for being so hospitable, and for the delicious desserts that were so amazing that I could not remember to take a picture, highly recommend this amazing restaurant read more

Cafe Lucci - Italian Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

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This might be my favorite Italian restaurant in the northern suburbs. Every time I've gone the food has been outstanding. I love how they bring out roasted garlic with the bread to start. The roasted garlic gets a sweet caramelized flavor which is delicious with the bread. Their soups and salads are very good as well. I had the raviolo which was stuffed with shredded short rib. It was topped with fried shallots and garlic and parmesan cheese served in a savory sauce. Overall a very tasty dish. read more

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Thank you to George and all the kind staff for taking care of our luncheon today. We had excellent service and the food was delightful (and we are an Italian family). We will be back again and recommend them for any family type events! THANK YOU! read more