I have been to many Italian restaurants and have never written a review, not because they were not good but it was what I expected. For a small restaurant in the south suburbs Isabella, is truly exceptional. I started with polenta torte and fried scallops. Wow! Outstanding! I then had the lamb shank with tasty sauce that melted in my mouth. I concluded with a coconut torte that was amazing and so delicious. On my next visit, I was greeted, again by Tami, a lovely hostess and waitress. I felt as if I was visiting a family member in their home. This time I had the calamari marinara and a sauce that gave such a flavorful taste, unbelievable. My entree was the roasted duck, tasty and not fatty. I ended with a brownie with sauce. Again, melted in my mouth. A truly hidden gem. read more

A Sunday dinner; very quiet. I opted for a glass of Prosecco and stuffed mushrooms with lemon caper cream sauce. They also brought fresh warm bread.Super delicious! I had the pasta special with shrimp, peppers and broccoli. Very filling. Even though I was sitting in the front; the waiters were very attentive. I also had the chocolate coconut torte for dessert. I was very satisfied with my meal. Cute Italian restaurant with great food and service. read more

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Late post Came here yesterday evening to celebrate our daughter's birthday. As other reviewers have mentioned, the space and parking are small. The ambiance is cozy and relaxing. It was a nice day so we sat outside. The staff is warm and welcoming. Tammy was our waitress and she was just as awesome! For starters, we ordered bruschetta and fried calamari. I had the linguine pescatore with olive oil and garlic versus marinara sauce. It was light and good. Our son ordered the spaghetti and meatballs, hubby ordered the spaghetti and meatballs too and added shrimp, and the birthday girl had the fettucini salmon. Everyone enjoyed their meals. For dessert, we had bread pudding and tiramisu which were also good. read more

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This is a must visit restaurant! Located in a charming old house, it's quite easy to miss but worth turning around for. This place came heavily recommended to me from a few other friends that visit here every time they are in town. After our visit, it will be a new staple dinner spot going forward! Everything our group got was absolutely delicious and so fresh. We got the bruschetta and they brought us fresh bread to start, both were to die for. Two in our group got the lobster bisque, which they really enjoyed. All of us had the coco loco cocktail- served in a real coconut! So sweet and very coconut-y! Could barely taste the alcohol but could definitely feel it; It was very well balanced and delicious! I had the pumpkin ravioli, which was the best ravioli I've had in my life. The man behind us described it as "pumpkin pie and fresh pasta had a beautiful child" and I really can't describe it more perfectly than that. We finished off with the tiramisu and a slice of raspberry cheesecake. 5 stars all around!! The price is definitely reasonable for the quality of food and service. Our server Paola was very kind and attentive. She made great recommendations for several in our group that all ended up being delicious! Can't wait to come back and try more of the menu next time we're in town! read more

Isabella Cafe - Pumpkin Ravioli - Italian Near Me - Tinley Park, Illinois

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Took my best girl here after a round of golf and it was the perfect way to end our day. We had the Grilled Vegetables appetizer, the pumpkin filled Ravioli, and the tri-color Tortellini. Everything was perfectly prepared and tasted great! And, the wine was wonderful as well. We had a bottle of the Pinot Griggio and one of the Moscato D'Asti. The service was also wonderful. They had a sense of when to come by the table and when to let us eat and have conversation. Try to sit in the "front porch" section of the restaurant if you can. It is awfully cozy. 5 Chef's kisses from me! read more

Been going to this restaurant for years. The food is always really good here, with everything being very fresh from the kitchen, and the waitstaff is always very friendly and attentive. They have a very good wine list as well. The only negatives I can think of, is that the place is small, so it's hard to get a table at times, so call ahead. And, they don't always know how to make good cocktails. I ordered an Old Fashioned, and what they brought to me was nothing near what an Old Fashioned is supposed to be, and whatever it was tasted pretty bad. read more

Wow. This place was a shocker! Drove by regularly and always said I'm going to stop one day. Today was the day. I went with two friends and both agreed it was very very good. Started with calamari fried. Marinara was delicious and fried well. One has Pasta #1 special which was a garlic seafood masterpiece. I had the Fettuccine Salmon with a lemon dill sauce. Amazing! Gluten free pasta for my other friend also salmon but with an alfredo. Loved it! It's a cute house on a busy street. There's outside tables when the weather is warm. We arrived right at opening so it was a bit warm but they opened the window for us and it was perfect. Quaint set up and nice staff. Not much parking behind but there is a linked lot off to the right and behind. read more

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Slow service, mediocre food at a higher price point. They could do so much with this place. Starting with quit putting random vegetables in dishes. Both our pasta dishes came with random green beans on the side. Not even good green beans. Cant help but notice theres asparagus in so many of the pasta dishes and it makes no sense at all. You'd think you can't go wrong with Chicken Parmesan, but turns out you can. The menu needs a revamp. Unfortunate because the location is wonderful, so much potential in this place. It is a heat wave right now and it felt like they turned the AC off halfway through our meal. We were sweating throughout the whole thing. Not pleasant. Waste of a date night. TLDR: Needs a menu and ambiance revamp. Not worth it for the price. read more

Cool little place in Tinley Park if you are in the area. The bread that they give you with the meal was delicious, nice and light. For my entree I ordered the stuffed eggplant it was very good and paired very well with the Orzo and Spinach. Overall we had a really good meal. This review would have been 4 stars but my only complaint was the wait time. There was only 10 people in the restaurant when we were there but it took an hour and fifteen minutes for us to get our food. We ordered our food about 10 minutes into being there so we felt as though it took way to long to get out food. I would definitely give the place another shot if I'm in the area I just hope the food doesn't take as long. read more

Isabella Cafe - Eggplant - Italian Near Me - Tinley Park, Illinois

Food was good. Portions were average. Server was not vey good at all. No suggestions and very little information given by him. Ordered a Diet and a regular Pepsi and it was brought out to me in a can. So basically I paid 3.25 for a can of pop. Not great presentation at all. He also made himself very scarce. Just not a good experience. read more

Nice little place. Seating both inside and outside. Service was okay. The staff isn't the most engaging. Food was good, not great. For an Italian restaurant, I found it strange that they didn't have Lasagna on the menu. Very disappointing. We did have a large party -14 people, so it really took a long time for the food to come out. read more

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Though the food was delicious it's very expensive and they do not have a lunch menu. You do not receive any soup or salad to go with your food. There's a group of us ladies who like to go to lunch. This is one of the places that we used to like to go to. I'm sorry to say but the price and not getting anything with your dinner is a problem for us. I doubt if we will be going back. It's too bad because we like the place. It's cozy and cute. read more

The food is just soo delicious When I called to have something done I was accommodated... and was treated very well . I have dined in and carry out many times ... The chef gets everything right !... even when you request something special. I love this restaurant..( whether you eat in or carry out )... it's outstanding northern Italian food ... I could recommend every thing but I especially like their stuffed chicken breast with brandy sauce . Everything is delicious and shall I say ... Top Notch ! read more

Great food Great service.. Appetizer very tasty. The entree was superb. All was Very good! Nice wine list too. Certainly a go-to place! Wait staff is fantastic. read more

The food was so good, it was cozy and pretty. The service was good but our food took a while when there was only 3 parties. I tried a little bit of everything and it was all yummy, definitely check it out if you're in town . read more

Isabella Cafe - Spaghetti Meatballs - Italian Near Me - Tinley Park, Illinois

Great service! Super quaint and cute. Good food. Some of the pastas are made in house.

Place was dope asf, definitely coming back, food ain't have no business being that damn good. read more

Isabella Cafe - Italian Near Me - Tinley Park, Illinois

One of those restaurants you have to discover it! Family business, no noise, Italian and old American music background, home made sauces, sour tasty chicken. Original wall paintings... read more

Isabella Cafe - Lamb chops, Chicken Limone, ribeye steak, Potato Gnocchi - Italian Near Me - Tinley Park, Illinois

Home made sauces, old Italian and American music. Not the fanciest place but simple and real. No host with fake Italian accent if that's what you're looking for! Haha That limone chicken was appropriately sour. read more

The food and drinks are divine! The entire staff is friendly and the atmosphere is inviting like going to visit family or friends. I ate there while on a trip two days in a row. The owner was so kind. Can't wait to visit again. read more

Pleasant little restaurant, inside what looks like a house. A short Italian wine list. Pretty sure the bus boy was actually Italian - he no a-speak-a-good-a-English. Silly Italian music - like an instrumental "That's Amore" playing on loop. Silly murals painted on walls. Yet - all pleasant. Tacky in a fitting way. I was satisfied with my meal. Seemed liked a decent value. I'd come back. read more

It's a charming place and the staff is very friendly. However, it's very expensive and the food is just okay. Our calamari appetizer was very chewy and not well-breaded and the mushroom ravioli was nothing to write home about. The entree doesn't come with soup or salad. If I'm going to spend $75 bucks (including a drink and the tip, my half of our bill,) I'd rather go somewhere else next time. read more

Great wine fantastic food great ambiance. Absolute gem in Tinley Park. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

Meal was good,ambiance was loud as there was a bridal party in the main dining room. They should have had them in the porch area away from other diners. Service was very good and friendly. read more

Wonderful experience and the food was delicious. Small space, almost feels like you are dining at a family home. We will definitely be back. read more

My boyfriend and I celebrated 1 year of living in tinley and decided to go to Isabella's in order to support small businesses. The wine was incredible as were the lobster raviolis in the lemon cream sauce. My boyfriend enjoyed his rigatoni with braised Italian sausage as well. Our entrees were hot and the service was great. We were served warm bread and butter before our entrees. We enjoyed the ambiance and we were able to be seated right away as we dined during St. Patrick's day weekend (Saturday). We highly recommend and will definitely be back! read more

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will return for takeout. food was great, service (not knowing basic available options for sides), facility & restroom cleanliness, attentiveness and attention to detail were poor. we had higher hopes for how cute this looks from the outside. read more

Amazing restaurant my husband and I we love this place delicious food the food delicious desserts everything good and super stars

Absolutely adorable place and the food is impeccable which is key for me! I love the servers and I've been there a few times and it's always been the same group. read more

We were supposed to go to a dance at the VFW but it got canceled...so my husband offered to take me out to dinner. I had a pistachio martini..soooo good! We had a bruschetta appetizer. It was just ok. We both had a bowl of minestrone soup. Very good. I had the real medallions with spinach and mushrooms and risotto. TO DIE FOR! Unfortunately, my husband's rigatoni with sausage was a huge disappointment. The sausage was not a good quality of meat! It was iced and put into his rigatoni... who does that?? It should have been served as a link, on a separate plate. The sauce was mediocre. We decided to share a slice of the chocolate coconut torte cake. PURE HAPPINESS! All desserts are $9.. Even the gelato or sorbets.. That's a lot for ice cream! read more

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Definitely a hidden gem! I recommend eating outside when the weather is nice, the atmosphere and all the flowers and greenery is lovely. The food and drinks were amazing. It's definitely on the pricier side, so I recommend it for a date night. Service was a little slow when we went, but they did seem to be short staffed. They also have gluten free options that include pasta dishes read more

I've been to Isabels two or three times the food and the service. Very good. The Italian dishes are unique and very tasty. It's a very quiet place a good place to watch the crowd. In the summertime by eating outdoors. The ambience it's a simple looking Italian restaurant try it I'm sure you'll like it. read more

I am very much in agreement with posts by Deb V. and Andre A. We dined at Isabella Cafe back in December 2020 with a group and sat in the front section and the service was very good but the food was still pretty bland. We visited again on 9/4/2021 and was seated in the back dining area. Needless to say we thought the decor needed some serious freshening up with the hideous curtains and tiny strings of lights. The vent on the wall was covered with dark dust and the ceiling lights had strings of dust and dirt. The hardwood floor was either dirty or or just worn out. Be careful on the outside rear stairs, they are very old and warped and the ramp isn't much better. Can't imaging what the kitchen looks like. What is considered "passing" by standards set by the Tinley Park Health Inspection. Trying to have a conversation almost required yelling just to hear what each other was saying. Service was slow for three servers and nobody busing the tables. I know it had been difficult getting or retaining staff with Help Wanted signs everywhere but its not that hard to have a cleaning schedule. Our Chicken Limone and Veal Piccata were overcooked and dry and tasteless. The wine was about the only thing that had any flavor. Quite a shame for a restaurant that has been a staple in Tinley Park for so many years. We have resided in Tinley for 31years and don't think we will patronize for quite a while. Many other better restaurant choices to choose from. read more

Isabella Cafe - Uncleaned Vents - Italian Near Me - Tinley Park, Illinois

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Beautiful location, delicious food, and friendly service! Thank you Isabella staff for a wonderful experience! read more

Isabella Cafe - Exterior - Italian Near Me - Tinley Park, Illinois

Quaint intimate atmosphere with good food. Staff was a bit overwhelmed the night we were there but courteous and professional.

Cozy spot in an old house. Food is good, Wine list is ok. Can be a little long on wait times for courses but for a decent dinner to relax or visit, not bad. read more

I love the food and wine pairing. I believe I had 4 pairings. I took home a free white wine. I would definitely go back.

I was so excited to try this place out after just moving to the area. So you could imagine how disappointed I was when my food was just, meh, ok. While service was excellent, our table was a bit dirty & I had to ask for another drinking glass due to some questionable markings. I really did hope to love this place as much as I love passing by and admiring the beautiful lights. We will probably give it another try and hope for a better experience next time. read more

First time here. Service was the slowest I've had in a long time, the food was pretty bland, the dining room was pretty noisy, and they didn't have the ingredients to make the drink my mother ordered from their menu. On top of all this, the prices seemed a little high for what they give you. Waitstaff were very nice but WAY too slow. I think the whole appeal of this place is that it looks like a house that was converted into a restaurant. That seemed to be the main reason my 70 year old mother wanted to try it. However, we both agreed that we would probably not return. It could have been an off night and we are used to eating spicy food but this just seemed very bland for Italian. read more

Needs new owners as they showed up to open the restaurant at 12 07 as the restaurant hours are listed from noon! Called from the parking lot and the owner wasn't sure what time they open. Joke. Food took forever to be served. Two bottles of wine later and still no food! The waiter was very attentive and polite. Food overall was somewhat okay. Didn't care much for the processed chicken. Martinis very delicious. If you are planing to go there for lunch at noon expect to sit and wait in your car till 12 30! read more

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