I love this place! The service is great and the food is amazing! For lunch I always get the Pollo Piccante Panini (spicy grilled chicken, red onion, giardiniera, herb aioli and mozzarella on focaccia bread). It's probably one of my favorite meals and it deserves 5 stars however they only serve it for lunch, even if you ask them to make it for dinner. Other items that are amazing: the bruschetta, crab cakes and all of their pastas are pretty great. My absolute favorite thing about this place is the $6 martinis they offer on Thursdays. Here's a list of all of there specials: Monday Free appetizer with bottle of wine purchase Tuesday & Wednesday Half off bottles of wine Thursday $6 Martinis Monday - Thursday 4pm-6pm Half off all appetizers read more

What a great place for a lazy rainy day lunch! Casual, rustic atmosphere sets the mood. Servers are attentive but not at all overbearing. Service neither slow nor rushed. Brushetta was great, farfalle pasta with chicken was a very large portion. Rigatoni with meatballs was also good and large-portioned. Next time I will try the calamari appetizer and the pizza. They looked good coming out of the kitchen! read more

I was going to be in the area on a Saturday afternoon so my friend and I decided to meet here for lunch. My first time here. She had been here a couple of times. I loved it. I had a chicken pannini sandwich with brie, basil pesto and honey drizzle. I chose the side of the day which was a cold broccoli salad. Both items were excellent. The pannini bread was crispy on the outside but nice and soft on the inside. Other reviewers were accurate when they said the ambiance is rustic Italian. The tables are a little close to each other so be prepared for that. I was impressed with their menu. Alot of different items that you don't see at a typical Italian restaurant. Service was fine. read more

Nice little local diner and within walking distance of our neighborhood. Friendly customer service and good portions. read more

Caffe De Luca - Yum! - Italian Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

Went to Caffe De Luca for a valentine's day dinner. Really cute/romantic ambiance. The staff was great. Originally was seated next to a lot of people, but asked if we could go upstairs to a different table. They were very accommodating. Food was delicious. Had a great time. Price was fair. read more

What a nice little find in Forest Park! This Italian restaurant served up this tasty plate of fettuccine. The Italian sausage was nicely spiced went very well with the tomatoes, basil, and white wine cream sauce. The noodles were perfectly al dente. Just a solid plate of pasta all around! read more

Caffe De Luca - Fettuccine // Italian sausage, fresh tomatoes, basil, white wine cream sauce - Italian Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

Went there a week ago for dinner. The roof patio was closed which my son mentioned should have been a good place to be. In general a nice typical Chicago, bricks exposed small restaurant. Decor was nice (not sure about couple frames with what looked like Xmas trees) and service on point. The food was not as expected. Order the Roman pizza which is really a version of margarita without the basil. It was just make to order. Crust thin and crisp, just lacking in flavor. The crust and the sauce needed salt, oregano, maybe garlic. Just not the intense tomato flavor you expect. Wasn't bad, but not that great. In a pizza this simple u need good sauce and this one was short. My son ordered the Chicken Parm with pasta (mostaccioli perhaps). It was good and the sauce better than the one for the pizza. We had a rose wine, 9 per glass. All was good, not just as good as other Italian restaurants in the area which I will prefer over this one. This place has potential. Expensive so I hope they improve read more

Nice, friendly restaurant. Didn't need a reservation for a Saturday night which was nice. The food was 4 out of 5, everything was good but, not spectacular. The shrimp and scallops were cooked perfectly, sauce was just enough flavor but, I wished there was a little more of a side that just some spinach and mushrooms. Also ordered the veal piccata which was just slightly over cooked but, loved the amount of capers. I really want to go back and try again! read more

Ordered their family meal, it was delicious, and a lot of food. My family of 4 ate dinner and had enough for left overs the following day. Was able to pay over the phone and they brought it out to the car all without contact. We will definitely continue to support them during this pandemic and beyond. read more

Great quality, fresh ingredients, good portions, wonderful preparation, will be coming back. Lovely setup, good for date night or after work. read more

It truly disappoints me to write this review. I've been coming to this restaurant for over two year sometimes twice a week. I'm there so often the waiters knows what I will order. Maybe 70% of the time I dine alone. Sunday was a friends birthday and I decided to treat him. He is a young African American who was dressed laid back but urban/trendy. Most customers that dine here are baby boomers or older white customers. I mention this because I feel that's why the manager discriminated against us. My waiter was delightful as usual. I arrived at 5:30 and maybe finished my meal around 6:20. My friend and I sat talking as I sipped my tea which was nearly done. Around 6:45 the bartender/manager came over and said that they were getting a little busy and could I give up my table. I ASKED ARE YOU KICKING ME OUT? He said OR you can sit at the bar. I didn't want to cause a scene so we left. I called and ask to speak with the owner Art Sundry. I was told he sporadically stops in and wasn't there. Two days later I stopped in the restaurant and spoke with manager who's name is Jacinto. Out of all the time I have come to this restaurant the manager has never stopped at my table to see how my experience was. I only thought he was the bartender. I asked the manager if I could have a word with him. He asks what's it pertaining. I told him Sunday I was dining there and he asked me to give up my seat. He first said it wasn't him he didn't work Sunday. I told him I was sure but he said maybe I'm mistaking him with someone else. I again said it was him. He then ask what time. I told him I was there between 5:30-6:45. He then remembered me and where I was sitting. He said sorry Sunday's are busy. I advised him there was no one waiting and there was two tables on my side of the room and 3 tables that sat 4 ppl by the door and 4 seats at the bar. So why was I asked to give up my seat. Again he stated they're busy on Sundays. I told him I patronize this restaurant a lot and I also tip 20% or higher each time I'm there. Even if it was busy if I'm paying why would you ask me to leave! He had a silly smirk on his face. He said again I'm sorry it's busy on Sundays. He then interrupted me and told me they're busy now so he has to tend to his customers. I feel this is unacceptable and the manager discriminated against myself and my friend because of being African American and not looking like his other guest. I will not patronize this restaurant again unless he is fired. Also the owner Art Sundry never contacted me regarding this issue. read more

My boyfriend and I stopped in thinking we were going to a coffee shop later in the evening on a Sunday night around 7oclock. We were pleasantly surprised by the romantic ambiance, great service, and delishus food! read more

While there are many yummy and delicious items on the menu I advise anyone with a dairy problem to not go. The waitress tried to be very helpful when I inquired as to non-dairy options in offering salad options. However, I went to an Italian restaurant for Italian dishes, not salad. But if you don't need to avoid dairy I recommend you give it a try. Excellent mixed drinks. The staff is friendly as are other customers. Friendly staff and customers. read more

There is no place I'd rather be on a Thursday than Caffee de Luca with my Martini's and the best server, Jacinto! They serve the best Martini's I've ever had and Happy Hour is to die for! Oh yeah, the food and atmosphere is pretty good too! Try this place once, I guarantee you'll be back...at least for Happy Hour! Cheers! read more

Dude, listen. I love this place. Atmosphere is very laidback, slightly classy, interesting decor and artwork on the walls. It has a very authentic feel to it. Food is wonderful every time, never been disappointed. The Farfalle is by far my favorite with the Carbonara a very close second. It's a great dish if you're very hungry, it's high-calorie but delicious. Salmon appetizer is incredible too, we ordered two for the group last time, couldn't get enough. Wine choices are good, plenty of cost options on the lower and higher spectrum. Service is always great and accommodating even when I called half an hour before our reservation to add a person. Crap move on my part but I loved them for being completely cool for adding them with no fuss on a Saturday night. Have been here multiple times and will come back again and again. read more

Cute and quaint! I don't understand why in 2019 they don't sell gift cards online. You have to purchase from their restaurant directly. Hard for me to do it I live in Florida and want one for my sister who lives in Forest Park. I called and made that suggestion and the man on the phone didn't care. So 3 stars for you!! read more

What a great surprise and appreciated...a Sunday breakfast / brunch spot that create's dishes with actual fresh jalapeños and Serrano peppers. Nice portions, cheeky menu and another Forest Park breakfast gem. I've had dinner here as well and it was nice. Service always top notch. J read more

Returned to this lovely place for brunch on Sunday morning. The Eggs Benedict and Eggs Sardou were perfectly cooked, and the service was extremely attentive. Come early (opens at 10 on Sunday) if you like it quiet, because this place draws a crowd, deservedly! read more

Caffe De Luca - Wonderful food, service, cocktails, and ambience. The photo shows my bar place setting, including a hand-shaken excellent Cosmopolitan. - Italian Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

Just had an excellent takeout meal. We've eaten here before but hadn't been back in awhile (for no particular reason). Super flavorful, seafood and meat were all perfectly cooked. They threw in a few extras in the bag as well. Really nice meal. read more

The food was amazing! My family and I loved this adorable restaurant. If we ever visit Chicago again we will definitely stop by again.

Brunch. One of my most favorite things, ever. Sure some people brush it off as "breakfast with alcohol', but to me it is so much more than that. It's an opportunity to take your time, savor your meal, imbibe a bit and enjoy your company and surroundings. Caffe De Luca is a solid place to do just that. Sunday mornings spent here are always pleasant. We never once had to make a reservation, but were always seated promptly. The service is always impeccable, and the fact that they have a mimosa special ($5.00, and they're DELISH) certainly doesn't hurt. The ambiance is quaint and cozy. I love the light fixtures, ceiling fans and especially Mary in her own niche, complete with flickering candles. An overall warm and welcoming feel. The food never fails to please. We are big fans of the grilled calamari; in fact, i think it is the best calamari for miles around. They prepare it with a lemon-herb vinaigrette on a bed of arugula and radicchio, and it is divine! I usually go for one of their egg dishes, like an omelet or a Benedict. My husband is in love with their Panini's. His current favorite is Pollo Piccante, or spicy chicken. He claims it has just the right amount of heat. Delicious food, a charming atmosphere and fantastic customer service will keep us coming back. The Sunday mimosa special is just an added bonus! The next time you want a great brunch experience and find yourself on the west side, stop in Caffe De Luca. You'll be glad you did. read more

Caffe De Luca - Italian Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

Much MUCH different than it's Wicker Park counterpart. They have fabulous coffee here, but this definitely is not a coffee house. Cafe de Luca is a rustic, romantic Italian eatery that I get absolutely thrilled to visit. (Minus one star for the fact that every time I have tried to sit on the upstairs deck there is a private party! Good for them for booking the business, but the sidewalk just isn't the same. I WILL see that deck one day!) Peroni on tap on a warm summer day? They've got it! Fresh seafood dishes and pasta plates that will appease the most discerning diner? They've got those too. Salads that are special enough to really actually serve as an entree? Si! The LARGEST brownie sundae ever made with pistachio ice cream (my favorite!)? Yep. An entire menu of espresso drinks with alcohol? Bingo. And a martini list that spans the entire area above the bar? I am loving Cafe de Luca. read more

Me & my wife's local go to place for good eating, in the heart of downtown Forest Park, we've celebrated Valentine's Day here before & also Birthdays & Anniversaries, very tasty food read more

Stopped by to pick up my usual salad this evening to find four tables full of people dining in in violation of current health orders. It's a real shame this business does not take public health measures seriously for its customers and staff. I will not be back. read more

My wife, daughter and I recently came to Caffe DeLuca for dinner. It was a Thursday night and the place was hopping, apparently it's Martini night. The crowd at the bar was friendly and happy but we went to a back table and proceeded to have an outstanding dinner. We have been to Italy over 10 times as a family and we found their food to be exceptionally reminiscent of many delectable meals we have had in the old country. One of our favorite cities is Venice and our favorite food when we are there is Cicchetti, this is the Italian version of Tapas which is so popular in Spain. The coolest thing about finding it on the menu was how awesome it was, I closed my eyes and was back in Venice. They rotate the selection on a daily basis, one of the few restaurants in the US to feature this totally authentic piece of Italy. For dinner we had an assortment of delicious entrees, I had the Linguine Fra Diavalo and it was great. One of our other dishes was a wonderful Swordfish done in a Sicilian Style, it was fresh and had awesome tasting notes. The wine list was reasonably priced and filled with outstanding choices, we had a wonderful Nero De Avola from Sicily. It was bold, fruit forward and friendly. We closed with espresso's, cappuccino's and the house mixed platter of desserts. The sampler platter was excellent and showed off the skills of their pastry chef. We will be going back, it was fantastic. read more

I hate baby showers. I hate synchronized cooing at tiny clothing. I hate playing games with diaper pins and bingo cards and melted chocolate fashioned into baby poo. It's nothing personal -- once the chubby, giggly babies arrive, I am immediately enamored, and ever so grateful to the moms who pop them out so I don't have to. I also appreciate a sparkling mimosa and a hearty meal while celebrating the impending arrival of the latest bundle of joy. Such was the case at Caffe de Lucca on Sunday. Upon arriving, we were escorted upstairs to a cozy private room, complete with our own bar, a roaring fireplace, and tables aplenty. Appetizers included crusty Italian bread, flatbread, hummus, and bruschetta. Lunch was a lovely green salad, penne pasta in red sauce, meatballs, and chicken breasts. The cannoli cake was a gorgeous centerpiece and was as tasty as it looked. Overall the food was plentiful and delicious. It was nothing extraordinary but when catering to the diverse tastes of a large group, sometimes that's the best case scenario. Our location and the staff definitely made the shower. A water glass never went unfilled, and plates were cleared instantly and discreetly. The staff even went so far as to round up a crew to carry the abundance of gifts out to a fleet of waiting vehicles. I highly recommend this space for group gatherings. Thanks, Caffe de Lucca, for making an enjoyable event even for this cynical shower-hater. I will definitely be back in the summer to take advantage of the outdoor patio. read more

We had a great lunch in this place. It is actually my first time but my friends have already been in here. They told me that food in here is really great as well as their drinks. The outdoor seating looks really nice and we decided to seat there instead inside. The staff is accommodating. I chose a random dish and it was good I really liked it as well as the cocktail. I just visited the place less than an hour and I can say that it is a great restaurant in the area. The food is good. The service is great. It was a fast lunch, we wanted to stay longer but we can't cause we have to run some errands but we will definitely be back. read more

Caffe De Luca is located in a lively section of Forest Park among a cluster of restaurants and bars. It consists of a large main dining room on the first floor with tables along one wall and a very long bar on the opposite wall. The tables are fairly comfortable but the atmosphere feels more like a barroom than a dining room. There is also outdoor seating in front on busy Madison Ave. and a second floor room used for private parties. The place is decorated in a faux-Italian style that comes off as being artificial. The menu provides a fair assortment of antipasti and pastas with limited meat and fish dishes. I consider one of the hallmarks of a good Italian restaurant to be the quality of the table bread. So dining there on a recent Saturday night as a first-time customer I looked forward to tasting the bread. Well, the bread was so bad that I had thought that somehow a mistake had been made. It was served sliced with a very soft texture akin to American commercial bread without any crust and was tasteless and somewhat stale. I told our waiter about the problem and asked for a replacement. Our waiter was accommodating and brought out a new portion, however, it was as lousy as the first. One of my favorite Italian dishes is braciola. The menu described this dish as "Tender flank steak stuffed with prosciutto, Parmesan, and arugula, Panko bread crumbs, topped with tomato mushroom sauce over creamy polenta." I ordered it expecting that the braciola would be a whole roll or two of meat that I would slice. However, the meat came sliced and placed on a bed of polenta covered in tomato sauce. After cutting the meat for a while the pieces became enmeshed in the polenta, resulting in a somewhat unappetizing, mushy mixture. The polenta tasted good but the braciola, although tender, was just fair. To the credit of this restaurant, the wait service was competent and accommodating. Café De Luca is not recommended because of its and bland food and marginal ambiance. read more

I had my son's Christening reception here and I absolutely loved there food and service! Everyone that attended just raved about the authentic italian food and the wonderful hospitality! read more

This place is great. The service was outstanding. The server was very knowledgeable about wine and totally hooked us up with something that complimented our meals. I suggest the calamari and the ravioli is surprisingly filling and tasty. One thing that I have always wanted to do is go upstairs after a meal and sit on the furniture whilst sipping a cup of cappuccino. The rooftop deck will impress for sure. read more

The first time I went to this location when they first opened I left because the attitude was more than I needed for a take out order. I have frequented the location on Damen multiple times and really enjoyed that. Last night was my first time back to the Forest Park location and I was somewhat impressed, EXCEPT FOR THE THE HUDDLING OF THE WAIT STAFF. The Ambiance is nice - and they know how to spell the word 'bathrooms' (Plural) in Italian which was a rare site in the US (Bagni) but their light fixtures are Moroccan haha - no big deal. I went for the food, not to critique their interior. The Food was about an 8.5 out of 10 The Mushroom Ristotto was very good, as was the Salad with Cheese, figs, walnuts and house dressing. The Bread with the ground up Chick peas was very tasty, and the service at the bar was pretty good and I would rate it about a 7.5. BUT, one of my biggest pet peeves in any establishment is when the staff commiserate with regular customers, ex employees, or employees on their night off and they all huddle in one area for everyone to see. It reminds my of a high school clique. There was one guy sitting towards the end of the bar closest to the kitchen who kept looking over at everyone who was sitting at the bar or walking in - he was joking back and forth with all the wait staff and looking at all the people. No, I am not paranoid, and nor do I have 2 heads, it's just annoying. Either include everyone in on the jokes or STFU. They would constantly be talking amongst themselves and looking at all the patrons coming in or those sitting at the bar. It really was an uncomfortable feeling whether he was an ex employee or just a regular. I used to be a bartender and I made sure to treat everyone with the same respect. hey, there's nothing wrong with laughing, I am not a Nazi, but don't form CLIQUES - it makes others feel uncomfortable because not everyone is a regular. If I owned a restaurant or bar, which I don't and probably never will, I would make sure the staff does not hang around or huddle anywhere where the customers can see. I would also make sure that employees don't treat the place as their hangout on their nites off. Find another hangout, go wash a fricking dish, or go outside and have a smoke, but don't HANG AROUND watching people as they eat or drink. We're not on display. read more

I went into Caffe de Luca several years back when it first opened, and I found it to be a pleasant Italian-style cafe. I recently returned and found it to be another victim of the "upscale" restaurant trend. No more pastires, but a bar for all your martini needs. The interior is still cool as ever, though. Giant patio, and both levels remind me of places I've been to in Rome. However, their menu was small and prices a bit on the high side. Most dishes were things that anoyne could make at home. In other words: not that special to require such a high price tag (entrees were averaging about $12-$15). The food was well done (I ordered a pizza with spinach), and one of my friends ordered the side of penne al pomodoro for $6, which was a meal in itself. This place is great as a spot to take a date to, enteraining well-heeled guests, or for the occasional gourmet splurge. Otherwise, you're better off going to nearby Salerno's or Mancini's for a satisfying Italian dinner at a price that makes you feel you haven't been robbed. This location of Caffe de Luca is conveniently off 290 and the Blue-Green lines. Parking isn't easy, as the pay lot across the street and street parking fill up fast on Madison st. read more

I have a really hard time getting used to any restaurant that forces you to sit in such close proximity to strangers that you are on top of everyone else's conversation. It makes it really hard to relax. They need to eliminate a table and spread it out a bit. As far as the food goes I had a baked rigatoni with meatballs, and my wife and at meatball panini. Both were alright, but not fabulous by any means. I think a little overpriced for the quality. read more

Me and my boyfriend were looking for Sunday brunch place. We decided to stop by Caffe De Luca because I loved their outdoor seating. Great atmosphere and very attentive staff. Food and my $5 Bloody Mary was great as well. Definitely would come back and bring our friends. read more

A tight squeeze for a group of eight, but we tried it out. We made reservations and our table was ready when we arrived...While there appears to be an upstairs, they didn't seem to want to use it for us, so we were crammed into two church pews with a large butcher table in between. The fit was tough, though manageable, considering several tall men and a pregnant woman had to shimmy into these little pews, incredibly close to the nearest tables. I asked our server, Fabio, if we could have the checks split. I know that most computer systems allow for this (and they can even add gratuity), but Fabio informed us that this was not possible. That makes it harder for us, but fine...no worries. The 20% gratuity-also fine no worries...but just because you're guaranteed a 20% tip from our table doesn't mean that service doesn't matter. Long delays between checking on our table, coming back to take our order and leaving after one couple orders an appetizer for themselves isn't always the best policy for higher end restaurant. So finally when we do decide to order, they are out of 4 or 5 different items...and our group had chosen 3 of them. Really? On a Friday night, you're out of main menu items by 8 pm? Epic-freaking-fail. Epic. Unnecessary. Uncalled for. Disappointment to the max. So we order the food and whatnot. Everything looks great. The food is pretty tasty. I had a spinach salad with goat cheese, pears, avocado, and candied pecans. (The pecans were actually burnt...and tasted burny). The rest of the salad was delicious, but its hard to mess it up. The bf had the chopped salad, which was pretty good too-not overly dressed, full of ingredients...We tried the Parmesan fries which were pretty stellar. It took Fabio forever to check back on us. Handling the bill was fine, but not once did he really smile or thank us for our business. Overall a disappointment at a place that had potential. read more

We stopped in after another place was too full and had this place on our radar. Initial impressions were that the decor is quite nice. It is among the nicer establishments on Madison St. Not too noisy, a good place for a date and some conversation. There is a full bar, but it does not dominate the restaurant like many other places. I had the Linguini Dorsoduro and my wife had the Tortellacci Carbonara. I'm no Italian and felt like a moron trying to read my order to the waitress. Whatever, it is what they are going for with the Italian theme. My dish (the linguini) had a LOT of chicken and shrimp. This is perhaps the first time in my life that I've ordered a pasta dish and have had to look for the pasta. Greatly appreciated, since most places try to screw you on a pasta dish by giving you tons of cheap pasta. I do feel that both the chicken and shrimp were a bit overcooked and underflavored, but they were still tasty. The sauce was the best part of this dish. The tortellacci was pretty good. Could have been cheesier for only being stuffed with cheese. Again the cream sauce was the best part. I feel that the prices were a bit high for what we got (~$23 a plate), but I would certainly come back. I appreciate a higher end restaurant on Madison. Three stars for high price/quality ratio. I find myself longing for Mancini's in OP... read more

I've tried this place several times hoping for a better experience, but the flavors are "one note" at a two dollar sign price. An Italian restaurant must, at a minimum, have a great basic marinara and al dente noodles to meet the basic standards. The service is great, which explains the 2 stars, but there are much better Italian places in FP/OP to spend your money, and more importantly, your time. read more

Went on a Tuesday nite for an impromptu anniversary dinner. (Sounds strange, but we're both working long hours and didn't want to make reservations and miss them.) The wife has wanted to try De Luca for a while so we went there. Hostess greets us, disappears, comes back and says they'll set up a table for us. Busboy carries four plates to table, and disappears. After about 10 minutes the hostess asks if we'd like to be seated or would we rather wait for the silverware to be placed. I asked her if she was serious. Shortly after being seated the busboy did indeed place the afore mentioned silverware. And that was the last service we received. No water. No server. No nothing. I, being rather impatient, decided that after being there for 25 minutes and yet to have a server, it was time to go... we felt like they didn't want us there. Yes it was after 8, but to my knowledge, they don't roll up the sidewalks in Forest Park at sundown. It was disappointing to say the least... thus the one star. We really had high hopes for that dinner. The ambiance was very nice (although I agree with those of you who mentioned the close quarters) and there were a number of items on the menu I wanted to try. But that experience was like a kick to the nuts... and who goes back for that? We ate the remainder of the time on the parking meter (the only thing we ate in FP), said screw the romantic dinner thing, and went to the Avenue Ale House. They never let us down and last nite was no exception. read more

Was here for a special occasion with family. Everyone had a lovely time and enjoyed their food... except me. I always get eggplant parmigiana at an Italian restaurants because my husband hates it and it's too much work to make for just me. The eggplant parm here was almost inedible. The eggplant was very thick and chewy, everything you don't want eggplant to be. It was such a shame because the sauce was fantastic. If I come back I will order something else. read more

My friend and I weren't sure where to have dinner, so we decided to walk down Madison and saw this place so we took a chance in trying it out. Happy we did, staff was great, the food amazing and the martini our waiter suggested we delicious! Definitely planning to come back. read more