This Italian restaurant made me and the bf super happy equipped with food coma. The restaurant is super cute! We did get lost because we were looking for a red sign, but they changed it to green. They vamped up the sign to green and their menu to reflect the change of season. I was very sad at first because I didn't get to experience tasting the short rib, but when all our food came out we were very satisfied. Everything was literally cooked to perfection. We ordered: Diver scallops Roasted beets with goat cheese Pork chop special The first pasta on the menu - with veal and sausage I highly recommend the diver scallops. I really enjoyed the roasted beets. Pork chop special was grilled and flavored to perfection. I'm not really a pasta lover, but this dish was just lovely. oh oh dun dun dun... d e s s e r t ! - we got the apple crisp with almonds and vanilla gelato ---- super fabulous! I didn't realize the difference a dessert dish would be by just adding toasted almonds!!!! The waitress recommended the bread pudding - we'll most probably be back for that. Dishes are a bit pricey here but I must say it is worth it. read more

Came here with my bf on a Sunday evening. We got the diver scallops, and then I got the short rib while he ordered the bacon wrapped pheasant breast. Their website says "simple ingredients. well prepared" and I completely agree with this. My short rib was a classic recipe (I've cooked something that tasted very similar) but it was pull-apart tender and the glaze was delicious, and the peasant was great too. The scallops were huge - I don't get scallops often so I've never seen them that size, and I thought they were delicious prepared in the way that they were. Overall great meal, and lovely atmosphere. I drank practically a liter of water and the waiter kept my glass full. Would like to try the pasta next time if we were to come back. read more

Campagnola - Short rib - Italian Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Amazing food, went here with my husband the day we got married and had a wonderful experience

Beautiful little Italian restaurant that uses fresh ingredients and seasonally changes menu.---very nice 'specials' as well. Campagnola has become one of our favorite cozy Italian restaurants. Great food! Great service! read more

My absolute favorite Italian food in Evanston! The family meal is the BOMB-- a generous and delicious solution for Friday night carry out dinner. read more

A great restaurant in Evanston. When the place puts as much effort into making a perfect Caesar salad and then continues to impress through dessert, and provides great service throughout the meal, the only thing you can conclude is that you need to go back. Just excellent. read more

The best date cake (sticky toffee pudding) I have ever had, and the pasta is so tasty. The owner is very generous and awesome to talk too. Go to place for every1. read more

All the food here was excellent! It's also got a very intimate feel to it, and most importantly, it was NOT loud! I absolutely HATE it when I notice the background music, or when people are trying to shout to be heard by their own table because it's so noisy. My husband and I went on February 25 at 6 pm as a belated Valentine's Day to avoid the crowds. We shared the bruschetta. For entrees, I had the duck with sour cherries and my husband had the lamb chops with olive tapenade. The real stunner was the sticky toffee date cake. I still think about it! The spongy sweetness was perfectly balanced by the accompanying whipped mascarpone and fruit. We would definitely come here again! read more

The food, service and ambiance at Campagnola hit all high marks. The special was New York strip steak and was cooked perfectly , cut into strips and presented well over a bed of cooked spinach and fingerling potatoes. Our waiter checked on us frequently, and the restaurant had a great vibe. I highly recommend this establishment. read more

High quality food at reasonable price. I enjoyed the pappadelle bolognese pasta, short rib, and octopus. Very fresh ingredients and delicious. Looking to try out more dishes. read more

Always delicious food n a cozy room with excellent service! I'm always tempted to have the pasta but their fish is so well prepared, I tend to enjoy their special with a beautiful salad. read more

Foods great, service is great, people are super friendly and there's a great patio! Did I mention the foods great?

Campagnola has been a wonderful restaurant in south Evanston for decades. The owner & staff are friendly and professional. The food is ALWAYS delicious! read more

The AMBIENCE I found it a tad bizarre there were two doors to walk in and no one to really greet you. We didn't have reservations and I never even heard of this place but the reviews seemed to be positive and we wanted to give it a chance. We were starving! We walked in and eventually someone asked if we wanted to sit by the window - where we kind of felt like an afterthought - the bar seemed empty - not the typical full of beautiful bottles of liquor. Also the crowd is skewed pretty darn on the mature side and I felt besides the waiters we were the youngest couple in this place. Overall it's fairly small and only a few tables and looked very promising. We were very excited! The tables on the side where we were seated were fairly small yet the tables in the main area were massive in comparison. The FOOD. DRINK We got a couple glasses of the Malbec and were ready to dig into our appetizers. EAT We got the following appetizer plates and wanted to just get this so that we could try everything. Bruschetta Diver Scallop Wood-fired Radicchio Ricotta Gnocchi Octopus We start off with the bruschetta and it's ok nothing grand but you can't really mess this up. It was yummy. We then moved onto the scallop - and here was a problem. I had grit in my mouth from the scallop which made it difficult to eat - very unappetizing! We moved on to the Radicchio and I was again not a fan and at this point I began to be a little worried. The ambience was good but what was happening with the food. At one point I actually spit out one of the appetizers because it was so awful. I didn't even know what to say. I am ok sometimes with mediocrity but when its not appetizing at all - that bothers me a lot! We taste a couple of the other appetizers and just really killed our mood for the evening. I felt bad because I took a really good friend here and we ended up walking fairly far to get here. Huge disappoint! We followed up with dessert and it was ok. The SERVICE Our waitress was really nice and service was prompt and very well done. We only had an issue where we had no room on the table for other appetizers and were forced to just let them go to waste - I think they should have waited till we finished or maybe a little better pacing. The LETDOWN I was really upset about the food here. Everything on the menu described sounds delicious and the plating was nice but what happened to flavor? It just didn't work for my palette. I would not come here again - also I spent over $130 in Evanston for 2 people - I think a little steep... read more

Campagnola - View at night - Italian Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Well prepared dishes with fresh, local ingredients. Well, I don't know how local the baramundi and diver scallops can possibly be... Anyway, diver scallops over leeks and parsley gremolata was heavenly. Grilled octopus was very tender. Personally, I found the beans that came with the octopus a bit dry. Every ingredient came perfectly together in the roasted beet salad with mandarin and goat cheese. Veal scallopini was crispy on the outside but tender in the inside with a flavorful yet not overpowering polenta. Couldn't ask for more in terms of the food. These are traditional dishes done right, not molecular gastronomy. Pretty large portions but then again, I'm in Chicago so I guess it's average size. Very loud restaurant and the tables are very close to each other. Large Italian wine selection by the bottle and by the glass. Most customers range are 30 - 50 years old. Dress smartly. read more

I sat at the chef's bar on a (busy!) Sunday night and had a really great experience. I tried both the spaghetti and cappalletti (basically tortellini). I preferred the spaghetti, which had a perfect amount of heat and acidity. Simple and savory. The squash cappalletti was sweet and earthy, also really well balanced. The fois gras with cherry (?) jelly (or geleé if we're being fancy) was something different than I'm used to, and surprised me in a good way. But needs real bread! The salted caramel budino was rich, and I probably could have gone for something a little lighter for dessert instead. But the meringue was really good. I'll have to try my hand at making that for sure. Thank you Stephen and Jeremy (and Chris and Eddie!), and the host who I didn't catch the name of oops, for the delicious food, fun conversation, and sharing insider secrets of a restaurant kitchen ;) Invite me to join when you dine at Manresa ok? read more

The good is great! And the service is just as good. I'd give a 6th star if that was possible. If you are considering dinner here...do it.

We absolutely Love Campagnola because they consistently provide a high quality experience!! Their service is wonderful, with Wayne being an absolute delight!! A couple years back we planned my mom's 60th birthday party with his help and one of the server's and it turned out spectacular! The private dining room upstairs is a lot of fun for a special celebration being attended by a larger group and the downstairs is a nice intimate dining room that can make any occasion feel special!! read more

We had just moved to the area and are so happy to live so close to this restaurant. We had spent the day going around to different bars and restaurants in Evenston and ended up coming here for dinner. We are made reservation or earlier that week with friends from out of town. We are so happy we did. We had everything from the octopus to different pastas and dishes. My favorite dessert was the lemon cheese cake! read more

Last week I decided to try this restaurant and so I was advised by the host to make reservations for myself which was a great idea because the place was packed by the time I arrived. I decided upon the homemade pasta with mushrooms and parmigiano and enjoyed it immensely along with the crusty and freshly warmed Italian bread. I did find it a bit odd that a hard slab of butter accompanies the bread and it's very hard to cut. I suggest this restaurant serve a room temperature herbed butter and olive oil with their crust bread considering Campagnola is a high end Italian restaurant with a higher price point. I found the atmosphere here to be very relaxing and every waitstaff member was extremely attentive, constantly coming back to refill your water and check in on you. I also picked an extremely delicious dessert called a strawberry crostata which was a fruit tart with homemade crust and a small serving of gelato to the side. I would definitely come back here for future meals and strongly advise advanced reservations si you are guaranteed a seat. This restaurant has excellent tasting good, a friendly vibe and an attentive group of people who take pride in giving you great service. read more

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I came to this restaurant for my birthday dinner on a Friday night. it was definitely pretty crowded. My family ordered scallops and a caesar salad for our appetizers. The scallop only had two pieces but apparently they were very good. For our main courses, we ordered the veal, tagliatelle, and papardelle bolognese. The tagliatelle was really good with a great flavor. The veal was very tender and not rough. It was also really good. The bolognese got good reviews. Our deserts were also really good such as the strawberry pie desert was really good as was the date cake. The bread pudding was apparently good too. The service was also excellent. The prices weren't unreasonable for such a fine dining restaurant. I recommend the place. read more

Family dinners are big a (dinner and lots of leftovers for family of four) and tasty. Haven't been back for an in-restaurant meal yet post-Covid, but will soon. It's a lovely neighborhood spot. read more

My husband and I had our date night there recently and really had a blast. The service is phenomenal. The food is divine experience for the senses. The bread basket was warm and fresh baked paired with a soft creamy butter. We shared a delicious beet salad that had a light puffy goat cheese topped with basil. Our entrees were a bolognese and shrimp linguine. The portions were a bit small for price but leaves room for dessert. We had the date cake and the bread pudding which were both good. The bread pudding wasn't too unique but the date cake was steeped in some type of syrup sauce that made it super flavorful! This was a favorite meal of ours! read more

For a restaurant that has been around for a long time and hasn't changed it's menu that much (besides seasonal changes), they have done an excellent job of maintaining the quality of their food and service. This is my favorite Evanston restaurant; every time I go I am happy with what I order and at the same time the prices have remained very reasonable. This will always be my first choice for a night out in Evanston. read more

I believe this to be one of the best restaurants in Chicagoland. The food and wine list are impeccable. Service is friendly and attentive. I love the use of seasonal foods. I come her with my 90 year old mother about once a month, and everyone is very accommodating, especially Wayne, who always helps us with getting in and out of the restaurant (thank you!) read more

Sophisticated intimate environment and flawless American and Italian cuisine. Lovely for special occasions, great garden seating in back.

We made reservations for five, it was our first time to visit this restaurant. Upon entering the restaurant we were greeted by a man behind the bar and he welcomed all us to the restaurant which was very nice. We are about 10 minutes early but they immediately took us to our table. Without a minute or two we were greeted by the wait staff her name was Cindy very pleasant. We ordered drinks and waited for the rest of our group to arrive. The drinks from the bar were great. When everyone arrived we ordered two appetizers, the bruschetta and the scallop appetizer. The bruschetta was fantastic the tomatoes were very fresh. The scallops we're good and tender but they could've had more flavor to them. When we finally decided what we were going to order two of us ordered the special of the day the halibut which we both enjoyed. We also ordered the Veal Scallopini, which was a little tough. The last two orders were the Tagliatelle with mushrooms, it was fantastic. The wait staff was great very attentive, dishes cleared quickly. We ended the meal with dessert. We ordered the bread pudding, and the date cake again very good. The one issue we had was the noise level which is is not good. This has been a problem with this restaurant for a while, they're tried to address it but they're not there yet. I'm in the hospitality business I understand it takes time. I might suggest lowering the lights and maybe that'll bring the noise level down but it's very difficult to have a conversation and you end up yelling across the table and everybody else does exactly the same thing, that was not pleasant. I would also suggest buying padded material for the tables then you put a cloth over them and that will help reduce the noise and give some padding to the tables "This is a very good restaurant" I would highly recommend it. But I do hope they will re-address the sound levels. You can see that they installed baffling on the ceilings and the walls but it's still not enough. David L. read more

This spot is a MUST EXPERIENCE place. Family atmosphere Family feel American style Would make Firenze proud One of my top 3 in the world read more

The halibut special yesterday was dry, overcooked, the vegetables were undercooked, and there was no sauce on the fish. And it was very noisy, making conversation difficult. Please put some sound-absorbing materials on the ceiling. read more

I had the pleasure of dining at Campagnola this past Thursday night for my dad's birthday. The food, ambiance, and service were all impeccable! A true triple threat. Everything we ordered was beautifully presented, fresh, and delicious. Every bite was so flavorful. For our entrees, the sea bass, duck, and short ribs were not just phenomenally delicious, but the other food that they came with was rich and mouthwatering as well. Every ingredient worked to create outstanding dishes. On very few occasions have I tasted food as exceptional as what I ate at Campagnola. This is one of the rare restaurants with so many delectable options on the menu that even if an entire family orders something different and shares, while everything ordered is exceptional, there are still options that you want to try! I cannot wait to return. read more

So many new restaurants in Evanston, IL but I can always count on Campagnola to make me go "mmmmmmm." The food is orgasmic and the service is amazing. They are also one of the few places that have blue cheese stuffed olives. What's a martini without blues cheese stuffed olives? Out bartender, Wayne created a beautiful and delicious cocktail for my niece. Server's Rachel and Dominic were professional, knowledgeable and had a wonderful sense of humor. This place is by far one of my favorites. Thank you Campagnola! read more

Campagnola - The food is orgasmic and the service is amazing. They are also one of the few places that have blue cheese stuffed olives! - Italian Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Excellent quality! Pastas are delicious. Highly recommend the beef tenderloin. Desserts are worthwhile too.

In good faith, I have to update my recent review of Compagnolo restaurant in Evanston. My recent review criticized the restaurant for not only being noisy, but also because it has an inadequate coat storage room for customer's winter coats. My wife's coat disappeared last night, which is not hard to understand because the restaurants closet for coats is not big enough. This morning, someone from Compagnolo showed up with my wife's coat, Either it had been returned or found, and they brought it to our residence on their day off. We were very appreciative of getting my wife's expensive winter coat back, particularly when it's cold outside! Compagnolo is still noisy, and it's hard to carry on a conversation in there. However, their food and service are excellent, and we plan to dine there again. Frederick C. read more

Intimate casual environment, delightful aromas, vivid and attractive plating... this really was a treat. A bit pricey to be called a good value, but the quality of composition of the dishes has me eager to try this place again. If the quality is consistent over time, I can easily see updating this review to 5 stars. read more

Both food and service are great. We took our daughter and her friends there to celebrate graduation. We love the food there and bread pudding is delicious. read more

This place is very delicious and great service. It's expensive but not too expensive for what you're getting. Pasta dishes have been great and perfectly cooked. Tender meat dishes and delicious starters. Great selections of wines. Truly a wonderful little spot. Make a reservation! read more

Great food. Dined there last night for my daughters 19th birthday. The food is amazing. Very unique recipes. My daughter had the salmon. I have never seen it prepared this way. I highly recommend it! read more

Campagnola - Italian Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I don't come to Campagnola often enough, and I don't know why. It's cozy, the food is always good, and it's easily accessible by public trans. But it doesn't stay in the top tier of my restaurant memory. A recent visit reminded me how much I like this place. The room is small, but pretty wide open, so while it's a nice date place, don't expect to be able to hide away. My friend and I had a salad and soup, respectively -- butter greens with apples and goat cheese for her, potato leek for me. Both very good. She had the Milanese pork chop --boneless, pounded, breaded -- which was good, but seemed to be missing something. The judges on Top Chef would probably have recommended some acid. My orechiette with sausage and peppers, on the other hand, was perfect. As in, "I know I should take some of this home, but I can't stop eating it." Top it off with a warm berry crumble, and we are done. There's a lot to love about Campagnola. The menu changes regularly, to reflect what's in season. They're dedicated to using local and organic products -- including locally raised meat -- so that's a plus. And the menu is compact. A handful of salads and appetizers, maybe a half dozen pastas, a couple of fish, chicken, and meat dishes. A long menu makes me indecisive. Offer me the best you have and let me choose from that. That's the style at Campagnola. It's a place worth remembering. read more

We've lived rolling distance away, but had only been here once before. Why? I don't know. We loved it the first time. This time my wife took me to celebrate my birthday. We got a sitter at the last minute, and, of course, couldn't score a reservation for the same (Saturday) night. The gentleman on the phone (I'm guessing the owner) told my wife to "c'mon in and hang out at the bar with me." We lucked out and arrived just as someone vacated a a Tall table in the bar area, which was actually a very comfortable spot to eat. Before I say anything else, I want to mention the bread. It was fantastic! I would categorize it as a Tuscan hearth-type bread, but the crust was just perfect-a little crunchy, but not overwhelmingly so. the inside was airy and gummy and warm. It was perfect. I had no problem at all with risking filling up on bread, as it was so amazing. I started with grilled octopus. I've had octopus prepared this well on a couple occasions before, in Greece and in Rio de Janeiro, but never in the Midwest. My wife had the scallops-also done perfectly. I had the roasted beet and goat cheese salad (fantastic) and my wife had a deconstructed Ceaser salad that was easy on the eyes. I didn't try it, but she had no complaints. For the main course, I had a bacon-wrapped pheasant. It was outstanding. My wife had the veal. Both were ample portions, presented expertly, and very, very tasty. We split a vanilla bean bread pudding with vanilla gelato. Hell, go in just for that. Seriously. Be prepared to drop $50 a person; more if you're drinky. I really liked sitting near the bar, and I also remember the table service as being excellent when we last visited years ago. To bring it back to the bread, as we were leaving, I remarked to (the man I assume was) the owner that I'm trying to learn how to bake bread, and that I had a new example to shoot for. He said "Oh, you liked it? Let me get you a loaf!" He ducked into the back and returned with a GIANT loaf, probably 3 times the size of a loaf I would bake, and casually handed it over, remarking that it made great french toast, and would survive freezing. So far, in two days we've made french toast, grilled "toasties" and just gobbled it up plain. I don't think freezing will be necessary. We'd be returning soon for the food and ambiance alone, but the generosity of the owner really reinforced the "fine dining, with a neighborhood feel" that will keep us coming back (and introducing it to friends). read more

O' Julie H - if you hadn't written about Campagnola, I probably would have forgotten it existed - and we live like a mile away... I just hate it when you want to love a place for all the right reasons and the food is consistently good, but not memorable enough for me to recall anything we've eaten there, which is like 5 or 6 times. (and while I pretty sure we're not as old as your grandparents are - I'm equally sure we are not as young as you are!) But to be fair - the food is good (if not memorable) and it's like, across the street from the Main Street "L" and Metro stops - so getting there sans a car is really easy. I'm not sure if it's still there, but come summer, and call to check this out, they have a delightful little outdoor dining patio -behind - so it really is charming and quite romantic... I just wish I could remember anything we ever ate there - and I have a really good memory when it comes to things like that... read more