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    Elina's

    4.1 (235 reviews)
    PriceyItalian
    Closed 5:30 pm - 10:00 PM

    Elina's Photos

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    ELINA'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Intimate
    Romantic

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    Recommended Reviews - Elina's

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    Aditi S.

    Came here again to celebrate my sister's birthday. We had a really good time! Honestly the vodka pasta is incredible and great as is but the truffle pasta just wasn't good, it almost tasted like plastic? That being said, our waiter did everything to make sure we were satisfied from bringing over salt pepper spices and cheese to help the taste of the truffle pasta to giving us limoncello shots and a free dessert for the birthday girl. Service is always great here and the ambiance was perfect for the holidays.

    Bread service
    Jennifer D.

    The best dining experience I had in Chicago! Managed to book a spot at the bar for NYE dinner. The restaurant was beautifully decorated for the holiday. Amazing cocktail menu AND they have blue cheese olives for dirty martinis the complimentary bread service was a lovely treat-- both breads were tasty and my boyfriend and I devoured the salami. We split the rigatoni vodka and chicken parm. One of the best vodka sauces I've had in my life- loved the extra crunch with the breadcrumbs. The chicken parm was so tender and we adored the sauce. Service was impeccable! Everyone was so attentive. I hope to come back some day!

    Clams
    Pilar G.

    Amazing food and service. I think this is the most underrated restaurant in the city-- how is everyone not talking about it? Our server was wonderful and made the dining experience extremely memorable. We enjoyed the baked clams to start and then shared the vodka rigatoni and the angel hair scampi. The scampi was one of the best things I've ever tasted and I'd go back again and again for it. Also, our waiter brought out free cannolis at the end of the meal which was the cherry on top of an already amazing dining experience! The restaurant is small and getting a reservation requires planning but it isn't impossible! Definitely worth it.

    They are amazing! From their positive attitude, their friendly atmosphere, and kind accommodations! My friends and I were on a girls trip and they made it feel so welcoming to be in Chicago! We are so grateful for their kindness and superior service!! Would recommend to anyone going to the area!

    Uche N.

    I had an amazing time at Elina's. This is my friend's favorite restaurant so I was very excited to try it and it did not disappoint. The restaurant is fairly small so a reservation is a must (bar seating is reservations) nevertheless we were able to get a resy pretty quickly. The staff is incredibly friendly and food comes out very quickly which is a huge plus. My limencello drink was fine - I should have tried something from the wine menu, so I'll do that next time. The food was incredible. The vodka pasta was absolutely amazing and a must try. We also got the Caesar salad which was very very good. The clams were a bit of a miss so I would recommend skipping those. They bread crumbs on top were seeping in oil/very greasy. I'm excited to go back. We got 2 drinks, two appetizers and one entree and the the total was about $120

    Chicken parmigiana
    Annie N.

    Reserved a table for 2 but ended up getting seated at the bar (the restaurant is very intimate and cozy). The food was delicious, namely the rigatoni alla vodka which I would revisit solely for. Table bread and chicken parm were nice as well, but would skip on the caesar salad.

    Vodka rigatoni
    Anna T.

    Great spot! Very cute vibes, our waiter was very friendly and everything came out quickly! They recommend 3-4 dishes per two ppl, but the portion sizes are massive and I would not recommend that unless you want tons of leftovers. We definitely overspent and over ordered sadly. To start we got calamari, baked clams and a Caesar. The clams and calamari were wonderful. The clams are huge and came with 9. They had so much flavor! The Caesar was a miss for me. It was fine but something was a bit off with the Caesar dressing. For my main I got the vodka rigatoni. The portion size is huge. It was good, some pieces were over cooked and hard but overall it was good. Nothing crazy, standard vodka pasta. If you're in the mood for Italian and big portions this is a great spot!

    Cesar salad
    Parysa A.

    We saw lots of recommendations for this spot on TikTok and made reservations on a Tuesday at 4:30pm, right when they open. Upon arrival, there were already three parties waiting in front of us. Once open, they sat us quickly and brought out some appetizers. These included two different versions of bread, salami, and pickled eggplant. The server suggested 3-5 plates for a part of two so we ordered the Caesar salad & two pastas. The croutons in the salad were the perfect combination of crispy and fluffy and the powdery Parmesan on top ensured a perfect bite each time. The scampi had a strong crab flavor and the vodka pasta was irresistibly creamy. We reached a point of fullness but struggled to stop ourselves from taking more bites. We ended up with leftovers that were just as delicious the next day.

    Eggplant parmesan
    Zeel P.

    We had arrived to our reservation quite early and were sat in the backyard outdoors setting with summer sitting. while waiting for rest of the party to arrive we ordered drinks and Mozzarella En Carozza We ordered egg plant parmesan, and rigatoni with vodka for dinner and it was amazing. Parmesan was breaded very well, one of the best I have had.

    Rigatoni alla Vodka & truffle pasta
    Maansi S.

    This was a fantastic Italian restaurant. I loved how the inside looked and it was the perfect mood for a December evening. The food came out really fast for how busy it was! Before I talk about the food, I want to commend our waiter. He was very accommodating with our dietary restrictions as vegetarians and some nut allergies. He was very friendly overall, and I hope he sees this! It's a shame I can't remember his name. To start, the appetizers, the garlic and pizza bread and the chopped salad without salami, were soo delicious. As the main course, the rigatoni alla vodka was amazing. 10/10 recommend getting. My group also got the truffle based pasta that was on the menu for 12/24, but it was too truffle-y for us, so that same waiter added some Parmesan, salt, and pepper flakes to improve the taste for us! It made the dish much better. For dessert, we got some tiramisu and it was amazing! A bit boozy but still tasty. I'd recommend going family style so you can try as many items on the menu! I'd love to come back here again!

    Bread service
    Ali M.

    Great food and great service! I think this may be a bit overhyped but everything was really good. The rigatoni was really tasty but the bolognese lacked a bit of seasoning. Caesar was fantastic and bread service was as well (more restaurants should absolutely do this!). Our server was really fast and attentive. Tables are incredibly close together inside - we were basically eating on top of another couple. Would definitely recommend the patio instead.

    Rigatoni Alla Vodka
    Rachelle L.

    Really cozy little Italian spot in west town! It's hard to get a reservation but you should have luck walking in and grabbing a seat at the bar. Really loved the vodka rigatoni and the Caesar salad, but the clams casino were a bit salty and there were small bits of shell mixed in with the breading which made it scary to chew, so would maybe skip this one. The bread service with pickled eggplant and salami was also delightful! Will definitely be back to try more on the menu. Food: 4/5 Ambience: 4/5 Service: 4/5 Price: 4.5/5

    Vodka rigatoni and meatball
    Abbey P.

    This is hands down my fav Italian restaurant in the city. You can't go wrong with ordering anything on the menu but my favorite is the vodka rigatoni. The vibes are intimate and cozy perfect for a date night or a GNO. I highly recommend.

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    3 months ago

    Everything is amazing!! My wife and I love this place so much! When ever we have a celebration or even a night out this is our go to spot!

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    Ask the Community - Elina's

    Is the patio dog-friendly?

    No patio here

    View All 5 Questions

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    Peanut Park Trattoria - Sausage and Peppers

    Peanut Park Trattoria

    (160 reviews)

    University Village

    Food was fantastic. The special burrata with the prosciutto and apple is a must order. The main…read morecourse of pastas was fantastic. Though fresh parmigiana and red pepper was offered my orrichetta (sp?) and my friends bolognese were both soot in Drinks- wine and mixed drinks were generous and delicious. As good as all that was--. It eas the service that stuck out. Maggie was fantastic. Attentive, pleasant, and consistent in her attention. An incredible dining experience. Ill be back.

    Although I am a new customer, I've been loyal to Peanut Park for the past six months and have…read morerecommended it to many friends and family. Up until tonight, my experiences had always been positive and the food was fantastic. Unfortunately, this visit was more than disappointing. I ordered a salad I've had at least a dozen times before, accept I added grilled chicken on top. I live for this salad and was just there maybe three weeks ago. Unaware that they have changed their menu, I ordered as usual. The name of the salad has not changed on the menu, but apparently the ingredients had been completely altered. When the dish arrived, to my surprise, it was drastically different and not something I enjoyed at all. I politely informed our server, who was kind and accommodating, and offered to replace the dish. However, it was now 6 p.m. we had tickets to see The Wiz at 7 p.m. and didn't have time to wait for another order, which I also informed her. I asked if the salad could be removed from the bill since it was essentially untouched. The server checked with the owner, who refused to remove the $30 salad or offer any kind of discount. When a restaurant changes a dish but keeps the same name, it creates a reasonable expectation for returning customers. When that expectation isn't met, basic customer service should step in. What makes this even more frustrating is that the restaurant was willing to prepare an entirely new dish, but not willing to remove the uneaten one from the bill. That simply isn't logical. If you're prepared to replace an item, it clearly acknowledges there was an issue, so refusing to comp or adjust the original charge is unreasonable. That decision was extremely disappointing. I, in-turn made the decision to eat only the additional grilled chicken on top, leaving the rest of the salad, paying the full bill and promptly getting out of there so we could be on time for our show. The only positive part of the experience was our server, who handled the situation with professionalism and kindness. Sadly, the new menu leaves much to be desired and this experience has cost Peanut Park my business and my referrals going forward.

    Ciccio Mio - Black Truffle Bucatini

    Ciccio Mio

    (632 reviews)

    $$$

    River North, Near North Side

    Truly one of the most enjoyable Italian food experiences in Chicago. It's worth the effort to plan…read moreahead and make a reservation. Reservations are released 21 days ahead of time, which I personally find impossible to make. Every time I've checked over the last several years there have been no availability. Yesterday I decided to pop on their website again and was delighted to find that they had released same day dinner reservations for patio only dining. The weather was perfect for outdoor dining so I went ahead and booked a table for Friday night. I felt like I won the dinner lottery. Service was wonderful and I didn't mind sitting outside at all next to the road with cars. I actually never stepped foot in the restaurant so cannot comment on what it's like inside. But do not give up that patio dining reservation if it's available. All of our dishes were delicious. I was really impressed by the meatball appetizers, chicken vesuvio (the potatoes are a must get as a side if you skip this dish), and branzino. The meats and sauces were wonderfully balanced and tender. Nothing tasted overly salted. Ironically, the pasta felt less of a star compared to the other dishes. And of course I had to get the gelato, which was so aesthetically presented and the taste just reminded me of an Italian summer vacation.

    Downgrading bc of the pickup service I had today. (Spoiler: Karen the host is aptly named). I…read moreconsistently order pickup (direct and DD) and it's usually quick and consistent - my order is always ready before the quoted time. Today, I came in and there was no host at the front for long enough that several people just walked straight back (maybe they were meeting someone but didn't seem like it) and several servers walked in and outside without greeting. By the time Karen shows up again, it's me and another person waiting. Instead of asking "who was here first?" She services the white man, why would you assume he's there first?, and I have to listen to him asking if he can sit at the bar, doesn't understand why he can't sit at the bar, needs recommendations nearby where he can drink and wait at, if they'll hold his bags, and his whole life story. She's about to walk away with his bags when I say that I was here first and I'm picking up. She tells me go to the side window outside which I've never been prompted to do. I say so and she asks for the name, if I'm the person it's for and the gets on her walkie to see if anyone can walk it up. No apology and didn't appreciate her tone throughout the exchange. I like the bucatini and spicy rigatoni but if I order next time, will avoid Karen who had terrible vibes.

    Elina's - italian - Updated May 2026

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