The worst food ever got food poisoning from here owner Bobby reached out to me and said for me to send them proof I had the halibut fish stay away from this place I got one of the worst strands of food poisoning from here service was horrible on top of it and owner handled it very very shady he wanted proof he didn't even refund my food I would never go back here or never recommend it to my worst enemy read more

A bit high priced but really I enjoyed my main course. I ordered the eggplant parm and it was nearly perfect. The salad was extra and nothing to write home about. The pasta that came on the side was rather ordinary too. But the eggplant was truly the star. Our server was friendly, professional, and knowledgeable. The bread that came with the meal was good and my water glass never made it below half empty even though I drank a lot of water. I liked that the wine menu had two sizes to choose from. I wouldn't hesitate to go back, skip the salad, and order the eggplant again. read more

We've been coming to Cafe Lucci for years. Exquisite Italian cuisine, knowledgeable and seasoned wait staff, all round friendly atmosphere. Cafe Lucci does everything right! read more

I have eaten here many times during the last 10 years and it was always excellent to outstanding. However, they TOTALLY dropped the ball on this visit. My chicken was so horribly over cooked it was inedible. The sauce broke so it was a puddle of grease instead of the silky deliciousness of past visits. The Italian sausage was flavorless. It was my husband's birthday and it took me 10 years to talk him into coming to Chicago with me so we could dine there. His dinner was horrible--a breaded and fried flavorless chicken breast under a pile of arugula that he strongly dislikes and asked not to have on the plate. It was like a high school cafeteria mystery meat cutlet under a salad. It totally sucked. He also said the red sauce on the pasta was terrible as well. Then they brought out a tiramisu that we DID NOT ORDER that we thought was a birthday thing but I hadn't told them it was his birthday AND THEY PUT IT ON THE CHECK!! Apparently they brought it to the wrong table but since he ate it thinking it was a birthday thing, they billed us for it. They were way way way off their game. I was embarrassed at how really totally TERRIBLE this long-anticipated meal was. If this had been my first visit, there would never have been a second one. Bobby, Augie--both of you need to take this review to heart. If this is your current standard of dining, then it's time to retire and lock your doors. read more

Good food, good service. Nice local place. It's almost a hidden gem. Decor can use some updating, but prices are so reasonable that it's not a big deal. Overall highly recommend. read more

Service was incredible. Had a birthday dinner here for my mom and the staff could not be more attentive. Food was great. Plenty of great choices for all. Kitchen was incredible with a member of the group with severe food allergies. They loved what they made her. read more

Have had dinner here with friend twice in the past month with same experience. Hostess was friendly and we were seated at our reservation time punctually. Wait and bus staff were professional providing excellent service. I order fish both visits and each preparation was outstanding. My wife ordered pasta each visit and was very pleased with her dishes. Deserts served were great. Friendly ***** Service ***** Food quality ***** read more

What a disappointment! We both had veal dishes and could not believe how skimpy our servings were. Each plate had two tiny pieces of tasteless veal....about a 1.5" x 2" rectangle, pounded very, very thin. Three bites max on each piece. A fast food burger offers more meat than was on our dinner plates. Not even garnished or well plated. The best part of the meal was the bread and garlic spread. Very pricey for what was served. We'll never go back. read more

I came here today because of the friend suggestion. I was the first customer, and ordered TWO coffees because she was 4 minutes away. After she came server brought one coffee. I was like, hmm ok. So we asked for the second one. Then her boyfriend joined us and ordered coffee and some appetizers. Well he got his coffee after 20 minutes. I was like, hmm ok. We ordered 2 main dishes so me and her shared and he got his own. Food was not the best I've got, pretty blunt in flavor but not the worst either. Server got 2 other tables and forgot about us. He gave complimentary bread to the other tables. I asked the bus boy for the check. He brought it. We put the card right away. But server never came back to charge us. After another 20 minutes of waiting for him to finally cash us out. We decided to put some cash and we left. Terrible service read more

EVER BEEN KICKED OUT OF A RESTAURANT? I have never been so offended as I was tonight. Decided to check this place out, because good restaurants seem to be sparse in the burbs. Food was ok-typical Italian cuisine, (but I love Italian) We ordered apps, entree, and desert. The restaurant was pretty busy, and we had been there for an hour and 10 minutes, when the waiter started to frantically clean our table. We were still finishing our wine, when now the host starts coming up to our table. "Do you need anything else?" We just wanted to finish our wine, which would take an extra 10 minutes. The host came again, then again, and boldly told us... " we need your table". With so many other tables to bully, I say, "are you kicking us out? Are you the owner?" - intending to let the owner know of the situation. The man said yes, he was the owner, and we need the table. BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE? You be the judge. I'm not coming back and intend to share this with others. How offensive. read more

$36? For that tiny thing!?!? We go here for special dinners and very much like the restaurant. Small room but very good food in an area otherwise lacking a solid Italian restaurant. Tonight we felt a bit cheated. The Chilean sea bass was prepared well as always but absolutely tiny. Maybe, maybe 3oz. And I don't think I've ever paid $36 there before. Not even downtown is it that much. And this is a common stretch of Milwaukee ave in Glenview. Ya, I get that it's seasonal. But this was way too little for way to much. read more

Food is always delicious and service is great. Fish specials are always fresh and tasty. Treat my children well too.

Nice server. But all three pasta dishes we ordered were not impressive. Noddles and company has better tasting pasta honestly, and for half the price. All three were also overly salted. Of course I didn't expect to taste authentic Italian in glenview, but I didn't expect to want to drink a gallon of water to drown the salt taste. read more

We are long standing fans of Cafe Lucci. Normally outstanding food and wine list, about 80% of the time. When it's great, it's great. When it's off, it is really off. Unfortunately tonight, it was off. The linguini and clams were fairly tasteless and the clams were fishy. They charged us for an extra piece of veal because we spilt a dish without telling us. They charged us for a dessert we didn't order (I think I put "anniversary" on the reservation) The burrata appetizer was perfect, so I guess there's that... read more

Went there for a friend's birthday dinner last night. We were wary to go because a girl in our group had a bad experience (wrong order, cold food followed by uncooked food and a rude server) but the place was so hyped up we thought maybe it was just an off night. Sad to say it happened again. We waited 30 minutes after the food was delivered for our server to stop by to let him know the food was uncooked, however he gave us the index "just 1 min" finger and then was not to found at which point we asked the water server for the manager. To make matters worse, when my friend said the pasta was uncooked (not al dente friends, I'm talking crunchy) the manager grabbed a clean fork and stuck it in my friend's dish to try for himself. YES, that actually happened. Then he went ahead and told us to not tip if the service was not satisfactory. No sincere apology came from the even the manager. The venue itself is quaint and charming and the wine is very reasonable, however I am big on service and food and I have to say they did not deliver. Did I mention it was restaurant week? read more

As an asian person i wanted to chime in agreeing with other fellow asians on the racial discrimination from the owner. Given that this place is an upscaled fine dining restaurant, he should be able to know that sometimes and some people might be coming to his restaurant to celebrate something nice, and over all to feel good, and to have a good time. But the owner made us feel like we were at the wrong place from the minute we walked in. We still had some wine and entrees and dessert just bcs we were celebrating. I had lobster linguine, it was OK, my husband liked his dish. But i just couldn't shake my mind off the way he greated us at the door, the look he gave us. So if you're an asian person it's probbably best to avoid this place. It's nice to feel nice on a day you should feel your best self. And you won't get that feeling here. read more

Came here for my parent's 30th wedding anniversary. Very happy with the food, space very crammed. ***You MUST order the SEA BASS [Had to put that in for all of those that won't get past the second line of my review ;-) ] ... More of a fine dinning experience with great Italian food, unlike other cheap, greasy italian places in the burbs. When I made a reservation I was promised a more secluded area for my family and I in the back room, instead we were seated at a round table that was blocking the entrance to the back room, was right by the waiters' stand, and right by the stairs from the bar. Doesn't sound secluded? Well it wasn't. Oh well, I am not too picky of a customer when it comes to these things. The service overall was great, everyone was very helpful and very knowledgeable when it came to answering questions about specific dishes. We also had the calamari, which was great. To start off, I had the minestrone soup, and it wasn't cooked how I was used to it. I am used it having more veggies and more flavor.... It was good, but it wasn't the best I've tried. I had the special veal of the day and I must say this was probably the saltiest meat I've ever had. I did try my grandma's veal, which was cooked different and it was pretty soft, flavorful, and did not taste like a bucket of salt was dumped on it. I tried my boyfriend's Sea Bass. I was ready to steal it! It was the softest, most tender, most delicious fish I have ever had in my life! I am usually not a fish person, but this was to die for!! Everyone at the table was very happy with their meal also. A couple of side notes. The bathrooms are not meant for changing babies, the counters are small and there is no hanging changing station. I know that this is a very nice restaurant probably not meant for babies, but it is located in the suburbs, they should expect babies to visit.... It was also very loud during dinner, it was hard to hear the person sitting next to you - bad acoustics here.. read more

I went to Cafe Lucci for Mother's Day. To say they were unprepared is a woeful understatement. They weren't ready for the reservation and we had to wait quite a while for a table. When we were finally seated, our party of 5 was put at a table clearly meant for 4. One of our party ended up sitting between two tables with her back nearly touching the next table. Their layout was crowded to begin with, and this made a bad situation worse. To top it all off, they were understaffed. We hardly saw our waiter. We only got drink refills after speaking to the owner. It wasn't even our waiter who came out at that time. They also have a strange parking situation where you have to valet your car. Its kind of sad since the food was really pretty good. I enjoyed mine as did my wife. Based on the food alone, I'd give me 4 stars. However the good food just can't make up for a pretty awful dining experience. read more

For starters, this place has free valet. After you're seated, they bring hot bread with fresh gardinera and a garlic spread. I was going to order a salad when my waiter kindly reminded me that all their pasta dishes (and maybe their other entrees) come with a salad or soup. So I opted for their house salad with balsamic vinaigrette which was really fresh. As a vegetarian, I found that cafe lucci was very accommodating when it came to modifying entrees for vegetarians. I always get gnocchi with arabiatta sauce. The arabiatta sauce is great. Slightly spicy and very flavorful! For dessert I got the cheesecake. The crustwas made from oreo cookies and the cheesecake was plain with chocolate layer on top. Not too sweet. Just perfect. Highly recommend this place for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. read more

We went there on a Saturday night and the place was alive with animated diners enjoying their meals. The decor is very nice, the service excellent and the food quite good. We ordered eggplant parmigiana and it was perfectly done and arrived at our table hot. My date and I split a flourless chocolate cake ($7.50) and it was scrumptious. I enjoy watching "Check Please" on Chicago Public Television and have been intrigued by some of the fabulous drinks I saw being prepared at other restaurant bars, so I thought I'd splurge and order their $12 Bobby's Hand Made Old Fashioned instead of my normal beer or wine. This was the one disappointment of the evening. I'm no expert at cocktails but I thought the drink, one of the easier ones to make, was bland and certainly not worth $12. It lacked the punch you would expect from a drink that is mostly bourbon whiskey - maybe it had been sitting in that large ice cube too long before it made it to my table. Anyway, If I'd paid $6 for it I would probably have written it off as a learning experience but I'm a stickler for value when I go out to eat and feel that I should get my money's worth. I'll be back in the future but will stick with beer or wine for dinner. read more

This was one of my least favorite dinning experiences is quite some time. The food ranged from mediocre to inedible, the prices were way too high, and the service......some of the worst I can remember. Stay away from this place!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

This is one of my Grandma's favorite restaurants. This isn't my favorite Italian restaurant, but it's really good. It would be 6 stars in the bay area, at least. But in the Chicago landscape, it's probably 4.5. Here is a list of why I like this place * Roasted garlic is served with your bread. Why don't more places do this, it's so good! * Solid food. It's all your typical fare, pretty much, but it's well done and delicious * Friendly service * Near my parents house. Well this isn't generally useful, but it's worth mentioning at least. In short, if you are in the North Suburbs you could do a LOT worse than Cafe Lucci. read more

This was my first visit to Cafe Lucci in Glenview and was pleasantly pleased with the quantity and quality of the meals. The noise level was high early on New Years eve. The bread was soft but not warm. We started with the Calamari Fritti which was fried crisp and tender and the portion enough for four. The Barbabietole salad was flavorful and enough to share. My Costolette di Maiale Ripieno was amazing- a generous portion full of flavor. A unique combination of flavors. The linguine con Vongole in a white wine sauce was an equally generous portion with an abundance of small but juicy clams. Two other pasta dishes including the pasta with shrimp were tasty and generous enough that our guests were unable to finish. The wine list was reasonable in quantity and quality at comparable prices. Overall this was a good experience and worth the noise level since the flavors were full and quantities generous. I will likely cone back again. read more

Cafe Lucci - Cafe Lucci in Glenview - Italian Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

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As a cafe, for lunch or casual dining, i think this place is pretty decent. My first thoughts were of a casual dining cafe trying really hard to be a fine dining establishment. The bathrooms are dirty and small. The valet was polite. The owner was polite. The waiter had an attitude but it fit our crowd and he was actually pleasant for us, though if someone took their girlfriend to a fine dining establishment and got him, i could see why they may not like it. Personally i'd gladly have him anytime i came there. The seating was horrible, right next to a side door, we all kept our jackets on and were freezing. The food was mediocre. Calamari not so great, the mussels were very large but dry and seemed airy rather than meaty for their size and the carpaccio was flavorful but may as well not have had meat in it because there was almost none there. The one thing all of the dishes had in common was that they were over priced. My lobster ravioli was good. My girlfriend did not like her vitello pancetta in comparison to others but i didn't think it was bad or anything. No one seemed overly impressed with their dish. They were nice enough to bring out a tiramisu for my GFs bday. It was pretty good, with chocolate pieces all over which was great. Then drizzled with a chocolate and a cherry syrup. In general, the food is nothing special but it's good. With everything in mind, this place would better serve as a casual dining spot if they scaled their prices back and raised the lighting to be slightly less intimate. I don't know that i would recommend it to anyone but i would let them know about it if they happen to be in the area and were feeling bold. read more

Good italian in the suburbs. For real. We've been there twice recently after a so-so experience a few years back. It's got a goofy parking situation, but if you get past that, the food is pretty tasty. They start you off with a loaf of bread and some yummy roasted garlic spread. Great way to start.The clear winner dish here is the parpadelle with duck ragu. The pasta is cooked very well and the ragu is delicious. Another winner for me is the rigatoni with dried ricotta. We've also had the gnocchi which was a bit salty and over cooked but not bad. We're typically too stuffed for dessert, but the banana rolls were pretty good. It's a nice alternative to the Maggiono's and crappier mom and pop places in the burbs. We like it and will be back. read more

Went with no reservation, they told us it was going to be a 40 minute wait and they sat us within 10 minutes. On a busy Saturday night. The waitress was super nice, food was amazing! ( Fried Calamari and Gnocci) read more

Okay, so my family & extended family love to eat and are foodies. So what do we do when we get together, We drink & eat! "Cafe Lucci" was our destination and we were so pleased that we went there. Everything was delicious. In addition to the fresh bread with garlic, we split the delicious crab cakes, oysters and caprese salad. Full bar & wine selections are well respected. We all had veal & various meat entries. Each was different and so flavorful. When in Glenview, go to Cafe Lucci! Mangia & Cheers! read more

Yep, I love this restaurant. There must be a zillion Italian eateries in this area alone, and Cafe Lucci is always the best. The Arifi brothers tag team of chef Augie and wine master Bobby truly have a handle on how to run a restaurant. Their staff is quick, friendly and knowledgeable about the food they serve. And of course Bobby will select the best wine for your meal. Just tell him what you are eating and poof! the perfect pairing. Over the years I've had a lot of items on the menu & off - my recommendation is to definitely go for the daily specials, which are always spectacular. I do like that the entrees come with choice of soup or salad so I usually don't need an appetizer. I could list all the things I've enjoyed, but it would be too long. The best thing is to go eat at CL and make your own list of delicious Italian memories. read more

Four of us went to dinner. The best two entrees were the chicken with sun dried tomatoes and the pasta with scallops. Pasta carbonara was bland. Lasagna was ok for those who don't like to try new foods. read more

This place is great for large of people with mixed tastes and foodie levels. I like the variety on the menu and the specials. It's a restaurant magic trick - put it in a different language and it suddenly becomes so much more appealing and unique. I want to give CL more stars but I had 3 issues. 1. I didn't have an option to not have my car valeted. It didn't have a cost but I like to park my car. I'm weird. 2. The food was bland. The waiter offered to change a recipe per our request but I shouldn't have to request more flavor or to add some spice. 3. Our waiter. I prefer my passive-aggressive service at Ed Debevic's, not at a nearly-pricey Italian restaurant. He just seemed so jaded to have to serve a work party of 10 people. Maybe he was upset 2 people bailed last minute. I don't care. Put on that happy face and play nice with us because we'll tell everyone how great/poor it all was. But Mark, did you say something? Nope. And here's why -- it was a treat from our work department so I kept it to myself. No need to make a scene. I just enjoyed my paid-for chicken and sausage and drank another glass of delicious Qupe wine. :) In other news, the wine list is surprisingly affordable. And the ambiance is a surprise, in a good way. I'll give this place another shot and hope for someone less grumpy and I might request an extra toss of salt and pepper. read more

My whole family ate here and we thoroughly enjoyed the food. The parking lot was jammed to overflowing, so it's a good thing we had a reservation on a Saturday night. But once we were seated and the friendly waiter came over to joke around and take our order, it was all smooth sailing. I had a mushroom soup that was out of this world, just as our waiter had promised it would be. I ordered the veal chop special, which was good, but not even as good as the standard menu items that a lot of my family members ordered and I sampled. The salmon was good, the filet mignon medallions with noodles and mushrooms (can't recall the entree name) was fantastic and the black pasta (blackened by squid ink apparently, but don't let that turn you off!) with shrimp was beyond compare. We also had a wonderful cheesecake for dessert that was covered in hardened chocolate and topped with strawberries. I was in such a deep and satisfied food coma that I didn't even mind the rather hefty bill that showed up at the end of the meal. Great place to celebrate a special occasion. read more

They served us mold!!!! The lighting is dimmed so we didnt notice till after eating it. I had to use my phone to see it. Sure enough.... MOLD! So sick and grossed out. read more

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Have eaten here twice in the last month, and have loved it! First, we had a death in the family and had the luncheon after the funeral here. The price was great and the menu was perfect, just the right amount of everything. Drinks are extra, but no one was getting drunk after the funeral so it didn't break the bank. Second, tonight, met up with friends for dinner. Both husbands got the halibut and it was fabulous!!!! I got the pollo provolone and it was lovely! The peppers were a perfect contrast to the white wine sauce on the chicken. The atmosphere was perfect, well lit and intimate, the service was exactly what one would hope to expect out of a beautiful little Italian restaurant. Absolutely no complaints from us and without question we will be back. read more

We had a reservation on open table at 5:30 Friday night.We were celebrating my birthday with friends.We had a wonderful waiter,Edmond N. He was so nice and very professional.At the end of our meal we were eating A piece of chocolate cake.The next thing we know,Benny the manager,Told us that we would have to leave our table in 10 minutes because it was reserved.The 4 of us,seated at the table had never heard of this happening before.There were 2 other empty tables for 4 in the dining room and a table for 2.We were all infuriated by the way we were treated.We will NEVER Go back to this restaurant.Do not go there.We will never allow ourselves to be treated so poorly! read more

Came here for dinner an the food is amazing if you'd like a taste of genuine Italian food. The service could have been a little better because getting anyones attention was a bit difficult. The staff here are nice and the food is good. The reason for the 3 stars? the valet; they treat your car like crap. They throw it into park before your car is even fully stopped, they tear off in the parking lot once you go in, they speed off around the block. My suggestion? Come for the food, but park your own car. read more

Extremely disappointed in the food on our visit here on our anniversary. Pros: - good ambience - clean - lots of parking (I also saw a sign for free valet, although no one was there to take our car when we got there) - attentive wait staff Cons: - the food wasn't good at all! Even the bread that they started us off with was extremely tough to break - the bruschetta was soggy and not flavorful - we got some vegetarian spaghetti that was very bland and simple. Looked and tasted simply like boiled spaghetti with some generic sauce thrown on it - the scallop dish was also not tasty. It cost 28 bucks, I had a few bites, and just left the rest of it. Overall, the food was absolutely not up to the mark. We love Italian food and had had a long day and were looking for something familiar and tasty to end our special anniversary, but this place was unfortunately a disappointment. And to think, we were very hungry going in. read more

We are long time diners at Cafe Lucci as well as Bobby's in Deerfield. I must say we had a terrible experience due to our waiter last night. He was pushy and rude and rushed us. When one of our guests asked for the Moscow mule to be modified, he said no, no, no and laughed at her. When my husband could not decide on an entree, he suggested a number of things in a hurry and I asked him to please slow down and give him a moment. He took his hand and tapped me hard on the shoulder and said, "I am the boss here". It was the first time our guests had been there and I am sure the last. They are very gracious people and did not say anything.This waiter is not an asset to your staff. read more

Rude service. Cafe Lucci emphasizes "take out" as an option, and has a downloadable take out menu on their website. So my wife and I were loooking forward to entertaining 3 other couples at our house for the first time in months since we have an infant. We printed out menus, and gave them to our guests, opened wine and cheese, and went to place the pick-up order. We were told very abruptly that they were too busy to do take out. Why advertise then??? The phone went click and we tried calling back again to explain the circumstance of the dinner party, and the when the hostess handed to phone to the same guy who just hung up on us. Completely unacceptable. What, ... just because we are not coming in to tip the staff and buy wine, we are lesser customers??? Cafe lucci is within a mile of my house, but I will not go back now. Try Gusto Italiano at Lake and Waukegan in Glenview in Carillon Square instead. I looked on the internet in a rush to find a replacement and the food was amazing. read more

I've been going to this place for years, i LOVE the filet with mushrooms (Filetto all griglia)... seriously, the BEST steak i've EVER had... and i've had steaks from all over downtown, etc... and it's not even USDA Prime either... Hands down, the best! (I think they inject this with straight butter cause it's so juicy and melts in your mouth.) The only reason i gave it 4 stars is because of the price. This filet used to be $20 for 13oz, and that was the best deal ever! Then for some unknown reason, within a few months the price started to skyrocket, went to $23, $32, $38, and now it's $42.. and the steak was reduced by 1oz too. wtf. now, i sort of resent going there, only for special occassions i might do it... but still resent it... (just because the steak is so damn good i have to). My girlfriend order the Chilean sea bass, she thought i was ok, but she rather have my filet tho... Her wine was pretty skimmpy too for the price. It is more fancy than you would think, but it's Glenview, so.... place is a bit tight, but cozy. decor is nice as well. what else.. Free valet, and you'll see nice cars in the lot too... i park myself :) The complimentary bread with kalmata olives and veggie mix in olive oil, and a side of fresh roasted garlic is also pretty damn good. I've also had the: POLLO PEPERONCINO, half chicken and Italian sausage roasted in a spicy olive oil, garlic and white wine sauce with sweet red peppers and spicy pepperoncini peppers -- very good as well. also had this: POLLO VESUVIO, half chicken roasted with garlic and olive oil, sautéed with white wine, served with peas and roasted potatoes -- pretty good, takes a long time. I also understand the Veal is pretty good there too. The calamari is good, gotta have that. I've also had the other version of the Filet there, marsala maybe, not sure, but it's NOT as good as the one with mushrooms.. .dont even bother. overall, it's a great place, good food, but it's just a bit on the pricey side. read more

Been going here for years, just can't recommend any longer. Ownership doesn't seem to appreciate long standing relationships. The staff attempts to fill the gap. Just bit what it used to be. read more