Club Lucky has a phenomenal backyard and sidewalk patio for outdoor dining! The server was super nice, you walk inside to talk to the host and they'll get you set up at a table. We just had a snack of some calamari calabrese and miller high life's that come with a nice chilled glass. The calamari calabrese is cooked in a delicious white wine scallion sauce. The spice of the peppers definitely build up over time. I also enjoyed the complimentary table bread and butter with oil, the bread was fresh. I appreciated that they pack the leftovers for us in a cute box. The inside area has a classic diner feel to it. We came early around 5:50pm on a weeknight so we had no wait. By the time we had left the patio seemed pretty full though so I recommend making a reservation if you're going during peak hours or plan for a wait. read more

Club Lucky - Cute box for leftovers! - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Out of State Patron's Review: A 3 star rating under Yelp's grading system means something is good, adequate, even above-average. And it pains me a bit to rate Club Lucky as such. Because so much about this restaurant experience was 5-star outstanding: the service-waitstaff, the food, certain aspects of the ambience, history, the charming village (Bucktown) where the restaurant sits. All exemplary. The one nearly fatal flaw impossible to overcome here? It's the noisiest/loudest restaurant I've ever been to, bar none. Party of 7 dining here: 2 Chicago metro locals, 2 Californian's, 1 Floridian & 2 North Carolinan's. Commemorating a special 80th birthday for the newly relocated Floridian. Great guy & server Ross soon explained a bit about the restaurant's history during the meal: it's role as a speakeasy during prohibition. A sorta gangland hangout. Whereby at least one unfortunate soul was "eliminated" via gunshot whilst standing in the same bar area as present. And finally (and most critically for future fate as a restaurant as it were), the place used to be a Polish dancehall. With design and acoustical renderings intended to capture & trap music in the current dining area. 80 odd years later since inception, I'd say the intent of that goal was most fully realized, lol. I mean, if you subtract this critical flaw, you've got a total 5-star dining experience to emphasize an earlier thought. As it stands now regretably however, it's nearly impossible to carry on any conversation here without practically shouting at least a little bit. Not sure any mitigation efforts could do much about this, or if it's played up as a unique character trait of the place perhaps? But, even with this rather glaring imperfection, the place still rocks (both literally & figuratively as it is). Couldn't finish the review without further mention of the food. Think classic Italian comfort. 3 of the 7 of our party got the baked Salmon and loved it. One got the Chicken Francese, another getting Chicken Parm and myself a pasta-meatball combination. Might be leaving out a final dish? All great, with nary a complaint. Polished off with various drinks & cocktails including the house specialty martini's, a must try if you're into those. Classic touch of a complimentary, candle-lit slice of Tiramisu for the 80th birtday member at the end. Great night. And wouldn't have any qualms about a future visit, even with the noise issue. Amen. read more

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Nice outdoor seating in the summer. They have their own parking lot, half the block down. Also indoor seating available. Can be loud inside.. Fried calamari- calabrese style $19.95- actually surprisingly delightful. I like the grilled spicy peppers. Rigatoni with veal meatballs $25.95-meat ball is good. Good flavor cross between lamb and beef. The rigatoni was all dente, and marinara sauce wasn't too special. I would pass on this Homemade tortellini $24.50- pretty good. The vodka sauce was really good. I would get this again Flirtini cocktail- like a cosmo, actually sweet not too bitter Vesper lynd- gin cocktail- actually not too bitter. Very nice. read more

A restaurant that feels like home in the best way possible. Cozy and cute atmosphere, delightful food, and servers that make you feel like you've known them forever. Some menu highlights are their dirty martinis, spicy calamari, and tortellini. I will come back to Club Lucky time and time again. A neighborhood favorite! read more

Club Lucky - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We were seated right away for Sunday dinner. It was busy but they were able to fit us in. I started with the espresso martini and it was really good. It was a bit chocolatey which always adds to an espresso martini. Our waiter brought over bread once we got our drinks and the bread was fresh and warm with a serving dish of oil and balsamic. As an appetizer, we got a ceaser salad and it the croutons were garlicky and homemade which paired nicely with the fresh salad. For my entree, I got the homemade tortellini. They were filled with cheese and chicken and wrapped in homemade noodles. The sauce was extremely flavorful. At some point, towards the end of dinner a disco ball came down from the ceiling which added a fun vibe to dinner! Would love to come back read more

Club Lucky - Tortellini - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Back for another visit haven't been here in 3 years. Unfortunately the service this time had some serious issues with orders. One of the people in my party order the lasagna with vodka sauce and a side of asparagus. When the meals arrived 2 of us had the correct meal, the lasagna had meat sauce, and the asparagus didn't show up. The waitress replaced the mistake and gave us the asparagus that was order late and showed up after we were finished with our entrees. Due to the mistake and (we were celebrating 2 of the parties personal milestones) the waitress replaced comped us 2 desserts but only 1 person wanted one, so we asked to have it to go; then they plated it brought it to the table, and then we had to ask again to have boxed to go. It also took sometime for the food to come in the first place. Seems to be having some attention to detail issues at the moment. Lost a read more

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This was such a special place to come for our anniversary- every single employee who helped us mentioned it! We got a spot on the outdoor patio which felt intimate and perfect for a summer's evening. The Flirtini cocktail was tangy and strong. Our calamari appetizer was a bit large for the two of us. The chicken tortellini with peas was very good, and we especially enjoyed the vodka sauce. I was also excited that the lasagna was vegetarian (with the option/suggestion to top with bolognese)- I would've ordered differently if I ate red meat but was pleased with the variety of options I had. Portions were reasonably sized and priced. And I'm very glad we chose to end with the ginger spiced carrot cake! read more

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Great neighborhood spot with good Italian food. The restaurant was very busy and very loud. These service was good but because it was so loud hard to hear the server. The food came out very fast almost to the point feeling rushed. Seems like they are trying to move people out quickly. The food was solid Italian like your grandma would make. I had the eggplant Parmesan with was very good. I also enjoyed the calamari Cabrese. read more

Before anything is said about Club Lucky, let me shout out Kennedy. Treating two famished fellas to dinner is raw, John scored a real one with you. After wrapping up next door at Narwhal Studios, we walked over to fill the tummy void. Italian, dim lights, that's family darling. While the atmosphere welcomed mob themed conversation, the ensuing experience proved a narc was in our midst. Not the waitress who laughed alongside us. Not the floor tile with the baked in nostalgia. But the spread? Yankees cap and overly friendly stranger type of tells. Beyond the chicken parm which my phone fell into (not my fault), the grub left much to be desired. It was okay, okay? It's okay to be mid if that price is low, otherwise our motion per dollar suffers. Minimal motion at Club Lucky. Good vibes though! read more

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Club lucky was pretty good! My favorite thing about this place was the atmosphere inside. It was super fun and lively and upbeat. The perfect place for dinner with friends! Our server was very fun too and leaned into the chaos that was serving me + 6 of my friends. The food portions were huge! We ordered a bunch of stuff and split all of it. My favorite was the green bean salad. The pastas were good too, I don't think you can go wrong! read more

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Being, now, a 5 year Chicago resident, I've been to over 100 restaurants here in this fine city and 90% have been really good to excellent. I've heard so much about Club Lucky, this "Old School" Italian restaurant with the best vodka martini in the city. With my wife away on a girls trip and all of my sons and friends scattered from hill to dale, I ventured over to Club Lucky by myself. As I parked my car I noticed the tour buses in front of a Club Lucky. That should have been a warning sign for me to - bail-out and go home; but, I didn't! As I walked into this restaurant, I found this place buzzing and packed to the gills. I was ushered to a very central scenic table and I went over their menu. Of course I got their famous martini. And it was definitely worth the hype. Now comes the unfavorable part of this review: My Caesar salad could have fed four people but it was lacking any whiff of garlic and what should have been anchovies, were sardines? Go figure? Oops #1 My rigatoni with veal meatballs was a tad better than Chef Boyardee, but not by much. Oops #2 What I'm happy to say is, all of the staff working here were very well trained and performed perfectly. The old school environment of this Italian restaurant was comfortable and pleasant. The vibe of this packed house was also excellent. But my dinner / food, was far from excellent. I'm sure, Ida from Iowa on that tour bus loved her Italian dinner. Me, not so much! read more

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This is for the restaurant side, particularly late night reservations. We needed a late night reservation on a Friday night after a holiday concert and managed to get a reservation here through the waitlist. We were 10 min late but called and they told us that was fine but reminded us the kitchen closes at 11. Well it seems maybe they should not offer the late night reservation/seating. We got there and the hostess was super welcoming but then we were waiting for a waiter. He was friendly at first but then very scarcely seen after he told us we should order soon because the kitchen was closing. A bit ironic that he tells us this but doesn't come back for another 5-10 min. It turns out that saying the kitchen closes at 11 means all service ends despite having reservations up till 10:45. In the end the food was fine- my chicken Parm was very good, but the pasta with it was bland, and the tortellini was also very good, but my husband had asked for no peas and it was loaded with them and the waiter never checked in for us to say something. When he finally did come by he didn't ask us how ate meal was, just said briskly that he couldn't offer us dessert because the kitchen was closed. When I said I'd thought maybe it was premade he reluctantly said he'd check behind the counter. Why would he not start with that?? Then when I went to the bathroom he told my husband abruptly that he had to leave the dining room. He couldn't wait 2 min for me to come back to get my coat?? We're understand it was the timing but that is on them for allowing a reservation so late. The vibe definitely left ids disappointed. It will be a while before we try it again. read more

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Went here for dinner with friends after a few recommendations and it was amazing! The vibe inside was so cool and it truly felt like an authentic Italian kitchen. Every table was taken which goes to show how delicious this place was. Had two espresso martinis which were perfect and tasted rich and went down smooth. Shared the caesar, chicken parm, and ravioli with friends - but got the mozzarella sticks to start. The entrees were unreal, the chicken park was probably my fave. The cutlet was so crispy and the red sauce was amazing. The mozzarella sticks were so cheesy, crispy, and seasoned perfectly. Everything came out hot and our server checked up on us multiple times. Would love to go back and try more of the menu once I make another trip to Chicago. read more

Club Lucky - Caesar Salad, Chicken Parmigiana, Ravioli - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It's weeks later and I'm still thinking about the green bean salad. I've been thinking to myself how do I replicate this at home?--it was that good. The green beans were blanched to perfection where they were still crunchy. The pasta was also delicious but the real star was how many types of olives that had to choose from for dirty martinis. My friend and I did not have a reservation on a Friday night and got in immediately in the bar area at a high top. Note: there is a separate host for the bar area and the rest of the restaurant (so be sure to see the bar host if they are packed that night). Overall, Club Lucky is a great place for a more American take on Italian food!!! Plus, it is walking distance from the Metra Clybourn stop coming from the NW Suburbs of Chicago. read more

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Stopped in for dirty martinis and they did not disappoint. Bartender made them just how we like them! I'm sure we got lucky snagging a spot at the bar on a Saturday night. Overall great vibes to start our girls night out! read more

Club Lucky - dirty martini - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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One of my favorite neighbourhood restaurants. We always order the salmon and the spumoni and would highly recommend both of them (I definitely have a spumoni bias). Salmon is one of my favorite things here on the menu. The pasta always deliver, GF options are limited though which is a downside. Stars is wonderful and we always find them very helpful when looking for suggestions. Ambiance is retro at the bar and cozy in the hall! Highly recommend for a weekday dinner if you are in the area or a weekend adventure to Bucktown with lunch or dinner here topped up with Spumoni read more

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It was really bad. Food and service. They didn't know to bring the bill because our plates were full after deciding not to eat the bullshit they served. Also it's louder than a Roman amphitheater in here. EDIT: the owner reached out to my family to apologize for the bad experience and ultimately made it right. read more

Club Lucky - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ramon A was an amazing server really going above and beyond to make sure my dishes were vegan. Spoke to the chef to double check and let me know I could eat the bread before i even asked. Glad to get a server like that. Thank you!!! read more

First time here fighting through the Sunday scaries! Walked in and was able to sit at the bar! I wish I got his name but our curly haired brunette bartender was the nicest ever and truly made our experience great! He was so attentive, patient and kind and I would honestly come back to talk to him! Got the soup or the day and a couple drinks with my friend while watching the bears game and had a blast! Loved that this place had physical menus and the music was very old school Italian! The prices were not out of the ordinary for chicago and the house bread was great! Can't wait to go back ! Drinks ranged from $15-$18 bucks about! read more

Club Lucky - Sunday funday - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I was treated to a dinner here by my girlfriend's family after another restaurant couldn't seat our group (mom, dad, 3 of 4 daughters, and two of us boyfriends), and while the boisterous and bustling, I felt right at home. I expect it's charming year-round, but if you're visiting in the winter, the holiday decorations will knock you to the floor! On top of that, the free jukebox cranking out golden oldie after golden oldie made it easy to want to hang around until you close the place down. (That said, if you're not the type to have loud conversations, maybe stick your head in to gauge volume before dining here). Bread came out, hot, steaming, and plentiful. You can absolutely fill up on it if you want (and you know you kinda want). But there's better waiting! The calamari calabrese style was delicious- tender, with a kick. Bruschetta was textbook, not soggy one bit. All entrees were enjoyed family style, so here are my quick hits: Bolognese with homemade cavatelli; good sauce, pasta definitely has a chew. Arribiata is not too spicy, a liiiittle thin. Tortellini (my nominee for the table) was tops, peas were perfect, and I loved that it was served with a vodka sauce. Frutti di mar and chicken vesuvio were as expected (not dishes that I typically lose my shirt trying to get a taste). Service throughout was prompt and polite, and we did in fact just about close the restaurant side down. Oh, and the company, naturally, was divine. read more

I gotta admit... Club Lucky just didn't impress me. From the start, I was very overstimulated. Seated in their dining room, everything was SO LOUD, and I was really overwhelmed. There was so much going on around us it was hard to keep my focus on my group. It didn't start the dinner on the right note for me. The waters were refilled constantly, which was great. But the good kind of ends there... The food was really underwhelming and definitely more "American," if you will, rather than authentic Italian (I mean I could have told you that at "fried mozzarella"). I purposely chose the lasagna since it was one of the pasta dishes that claimed it was made with homemade pasta. Can confirm there's no way that pasta was homemade. It 100% resembled a squiggly and THICK boxed lasagna pasta, which was just disappointing when I was looking forward to thinner, soft, homemade pasta layers. And if anyone wants to tell me it was homemade, I will then say, if it is, it wasn't good. So what would you rather claim? Bad homemade pasta, or boxed pasta? (I'd go with the latter, personally). On top of that the service was mostly MIA. The server never made it to our table in a timely manner. Drinks were often empty before we were asked for refills, which required a lengthy wait time for refills/new drinks. Dishes were more than half eaten before she stopped by to check in. It's frustrating when you can't find your server or get their attention when you want it. She also offered 0 recommendations or conversation regarding the menu, just asked what we wanted when she stopped by. When I asked what kind of meat the bolognese was made with, she said "both." ...........both....of...what? read more

Best Italian restaurant in Bucktown. There's a reason this place has lasted for so long. Their service was amazing, and the food was huge portions and delicious! Big enough to share, even though you know you don't want to. Everything we have had there is amazing. I always recommend to anyone looking for great Italian food. read more

Club Lucky - Chicken Parmigiana - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Still the best martinis in town! Kelsie was a great bartender too. I got my usual dirty martini with blue cheese stuffed olives. Freshly stuffed as always. Yummy!! Tried the banana cocktail too. read more

Club Lucky - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Club Lucky was Donna's choice Saturday night. Kind of a classic Italian place with a loud, boisterous dining area and the bar full of the younger set trying what looks like a very interesting cocktail menu. (I had beer) My choice was the fusilli bolognese. Nicely al dente pasta with a rich, meaty red sauce. Layered flavors of veal, beef and mildly spiced gravy topped with creamy ricotta dolce. It was pretty damn good! Donna got a special- pasta in a rich cream sauce with tenderloin chunks. She succinctly pronounced it yummy. I want to try the lasagna next time. Only have a picture of the fusilli. read more

Club Lucky - Fusillii bolognese - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We ate outside last night. Very pleasant outdoor dining. To bad they list the recipe to eggplant parmesan. Its supposed to be covered in parmesan and mozzarella cheese. There was none. No cheese at all on eggplant PARMESAN. ALSO WAS SERVED ALMOST COLD. read more

Came here for a birthday and we sat outside on the patio it's really nice! Service was great our server was so nice. Pasta primavera was not my favorite, very mild flavoring but the salad was really good! read more

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Who doesn't love this place?!?! A great neighborhood restaurant - everything was delicious!! Highly recommend the Chianti Riserva - goes with everything. We vers were excellent - Made you feel at home. read more

I really love club lucky! It's a great neighborhood spot whether you're going for family night, drinks and apps in the bar area or sitting at the bar with a dirty martini. It's something for everhone with one of the best dirty martinis in the city and solid Italian food. I'd come back over and over for the amaretto cheesecake! Service is always solid too! read more

Club Lucky - Dirty martini - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

3.5/5, super cool retro environment with fun music and vibes. The service was great, he recommended some really good dishes and drinks! We got the cabrese as an app which was delicious and then got the shrimp scampi and bolognese. Both were pretty good and hit the spot, but nothing crazy. Would say it's quite pricey / overpriced for what the food is though read more

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Been a while since we came here with our family. This place is loud, and busy. You feel like you are at your Grandmas for the Holidays. The food is authentic, with their homemade pastas. My favorite dishes are the eggplant parmigiana and stuffed artichokes. Hubby ordered the lasagna. Hidden gem. read more

Club Lucky - Eggplant Parmigiana, Whole Stuffed Artichoke, Tortellini, Lasagna Marinara, Chicken Vesuvio, Caesar Salad. - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Got take out-- $65 for pasta and chicken caesar salad. Pasta was mediocre pasta, raw carrots, bland. Had to add salt, pepper and parm when I got home. Caesar salad w chicken was fine. Staff was Friendly and the inside is charming but yeah... value is just not there at all. read more

What a great spot! A group of us went for dinner during a business trip and love that we came here vs the typical, generic bar and grill type restaurant. The service was friendly, attentive and fun. The food was like Italian home cooking. Great wine and martini selections. Prices were reasonable. Highly recommend! read more

It's still a classic neighborhood staple. We would be lost without it, but I can't help but wonder if for instance, the classic Club Lucky salad isn't tasting a little watered down and flavorless these days. There are definitely more onions and less of the more expensive treats like peppers and I fear actual lettuce that made it such a cult classic. Club Lucky also used to have imaginative specials as well, but White Fish and Rosemary Steak aren't going to cut it if people are actually going out to spend their hard earned money. Not to mention, that while it has a dinner club, old school vibe, it is so loud you can't hear your dinner companions speak. Oh and for those of you who don't live in the hood, they've done away with valet parking for a "self serve" parking lot that is nowhere near the restaurant. This won't bode well for the restaurant this winter. read more

When you enter Club Lucky you are transported to a New York-1920s-Italian restaurant with the red leather seats, dimly lit ambiance and martinis on every table. The ambiance is so fun and the space is large inside. They bring out complimentary bread which was delicious. Service was great! I ordered the breaded veil and my fiancé ordered the chicken parm. Both fantastic choices. Will definitely come back! read more

Club Lucky - Chicken Parmigiana - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Service was great and friendly the ambiance is upscale 20-30 year olds which has a nice vibe to it food, was very good but not exceptional We will return and try some of their real Italian dishes. read more

I'm an espresso martini fan, and the ones at Club Lucky are in my top three in Chicago. The food is great, very authentic Italian. I go there about twice a month and we always get a seat at the bar. If it's just two of you, I'd recommend just showing up, since they're always fully booked with reservations. read more

Club Lucky - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

In town visiting our Sons, and hadn't been to Club Lucky in a long time. Great little Italian place, kinda hidden in a neighborhood. It's rather loud, but what good Italian place isn't. Ordered calamari for appetizer. Awesome, as always. I ordered their homemade lasagna for dinner. I've never tried it in past visits. It was delicious. Wife ordered stuffed artichoke. It too was amazing. In fact, we had 6 people in our group, all ordered different dishes. All were exceptional. Service was just as great as the food. I highly recommend this place. read more

Club Lucky - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place is so cute and the atmosphere is really great. The food however was not great. Had the chicken with linguine with tomatoes. The tomatoes must have been canned and were unetible. No flavor in the meal at all. My daughter had a salad that was supposed to have multiple pieces in it but mostly just had carrots. Honestly, I will not go here again. read more

One of the coolest spots in the City of Chicago, and Bucktown. Club Lucky. Serving delicious traditional Italian cuisine, in an upscale casual fun environment. They have a lot of outdoor seating as well to enjoy great weather in Chicago. I love their calamari.! A fabulous place to come with friends, neighbors and everyone. Very family friendly earlier in the evening. Juke Box plays for free, so check out some great hits. Love the ambiance, love the entire vibe and people. Very friendly people, in an incredible neighborhood. They serve drinks late and I forgot to ask when the kitchen closes, but get in for dinner if you can. One of your must try stops in Chicago. Next to the 606, private pedestrian walkway and in a very busy area. Bucktown market is up the street for any convenient store needs. He has lotto and atm. Many wonderful boutique shopping nearby on Damen and also Milwaukee. Great place to enjoy the patio as well on a nice day in Chicago. They have ivy dispensary nearby as well. Definitely recommend club lucky and this amazing neighborhood! Enjoy read more

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The ambiance gives old classic Italian dinner. The food was pretty decent. I got the scallop special and it was a little too fishy tasting. The service was OK. Once it got busy, it was difficult to get ahold of our server but would go again. Classic Italian food but nothing out of this world. The ambiance and vibes tho are cool so would go again read more

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