I don't know that I'd describe Lino's as legendary based of my experience, but historic is certainly viable. On my singular dining experience here, I gathered that this is a place everyone in Rockford has been to, and for the most part, a place that they've been going to since the beginning of time. They have an auxiliary parking area due to their popularity and the building is giant with a big 'ol fountain inside and an elevator leading to the basement with a loooong and winding hallway to various banquet areas. My dining experience consisted of the banquet service, not the standard menu, so take my review of what I believe to be a not-very-typical Lino's dining experience for what it's worth, as banquet food is (and correct me if I'm wrong) usually notoriously bad, or at least sub-par. For me, and the rest of my Lino's veteran-filled table, the dining experience fell right in line with sub-par... but I still gotta give mad respect for a place that's been doing what they do for as long as Lino's has. The banquet service wasn't very cordial and the servers seemed moderately to decently annoyed with most of the dining party, especially those who tried to make any changes to dishes, which as a former server, I totally understand. They were made to wear what looked like medieval French maid costumes (if you can even picture that) and the basement was about 5000 degrees with zero air circulation. The food was, er, uhm, well... I'm trying not to sound harsh but the only word that keeps coming to mind is 'regrettable'. Soup was good, salad was fine, garlic bread was decent-ish, pizza bread was kind of lame and very dry, plain pasta w/ marinara was fine, but defo something you could have whipped up at home and the sauce was the same, almost neon, bright red color as ketchup. Odd. Everyone at the table who ordered the eggplant parmigiana (myself and 3 others) converged and discussed, as we were all very skeptical as to whether there was actually any eggplant in the dish. Lots of sauce, tons of cheese, plenty of bread crumb bits, but no eggplant to be seen, felt or tasted. If there was any eggplant, it must have been sliced paper thin and caked in breading, then smothered and drowned in cheese and sauce. Digestion pains were imminent and almost immediate. I liked the spumoni ice cream scoop with the little pistachio bits in it, though mine was freckled with freezer burn (still tasted just fine) and not a huge deal but still worth noting is that it was a grey-ish-brown color, something I've never seen with spumoni before. I would go back to give the regular menu a fair try, but as it stands, I wasn't very impressed by my first impression of Lino's (banquet dining), or the following tummy ache. read more

I love Lino's. I remember being younger and hearing my grandparents just rave about it. This is where they went when they wanted something a little special, or were going out to celebrate something. Was back here this last weekend for a rehearsal dinner, so we had a multi-course meal here, and it did not disappoint. My friend and I split a decent Pinot Noir (I think it was about $29 for the bottle) to get us all warm and in the mood for visiting with old friends. We all started with the minestrone which was hot and chockful of beans and veggies. It was great. Then some garlic bread and some pizza bread...nothing too out-of-the ordinary, but very nice to accompany all of our italian faves. Of course, the salad that everyone raves about. Sliced sausage on the top, lightly tossed with some yummy italian dressing, it was fantastic. Then onto the pasta course. We had a gigantic plate of pasta put down in front of us with an assortment of cheese ravioli (my personal fave) and some tortellini and penne. The marinara sauce was sweet, garlicy, tomato-y and just plain delicious for such a simple sauce. I had the baked cod for my entree, which was OK, but nothing special. Honestly, I was full by the time the entrees came out. Most of my friends (bf-included) enjoyed the prime rib which was served as a HUGE slab of meat. I had a bite, and it wasn't bad, if you're a fan of prime rib. We had a room all to ourselves for the rehearsal dinner, which was perfect for catching up, and for my bf to meet all of my oldest friends and be completely overwhelmed (and surprised that I am actually the quiet one of the bunch!!). Highly recommended if you're in the mood for some serious Italian food. read more

We have been here numerous times in the past, figured it was time to do a review. We were greeted right away and seated on a Friday night, in one of the many nooks. One of the things we really like about Lino's is that there are so many different areas for dining, even little rooms for just a couple. Our whole dinner tonight was delicious- baked fish with special salad. The waitress was very attentive to our needs and very friendly! Both the pizza and lasagna are good any time! read more

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Made reservations and walked in with high hopes. My parents had the children so this mama got to eat a hot meal with two hands:) however the food was nasty! Truly I know I'm spoiled I live in Chicago with some of the best food in the world and my mother can throw down so my expectations can be high. I got a NY strip because it was the only thing not smothered in sauce, Alfredo(which is NOT italian) or butter. My side was fries who messes up fries?! Steak was fatty and flavorless in fact I was asked if I wanted A1 sauce( who uses that?, people that have not had a properly cooked steak) the quality of meat not good in fact my husband said remember the steak we got from Marinos? ( that's are local food mart) now that was an amazing steak. Now on to the fries, soggy, under seasoned and undercooked ketchup could not even save these fries:( Worst $70 spent read more

Love Lino's and Meghan the red head is very nice as are many of the wait staff. I think their lasagna is wonderful as is their ravioli. Haven't had a pizza yet but I hear good things about it. I highly recommend people try this place for the best Italian experience in the quad cities. read more

It's good. A little loud if you're looking for a date night dinner. Never had a bad meal here!

If you read the review by Erin M. just wash it from your mind! If you know taste this is the place my friends. Their food is simple and always done consistently, which is the greatest feature of Lino's. I've eaten there well over three dozen times and the flavor, taste and feeling is always the same which NO OTHER restaurant offers in the area. Their prices are unmatched for the food quality, their kitchen is nearly spotless and where Olive Garden consistently has failed me is that every noodle is always al dente. The sauce is simple and doesn't take away from the meal, their pizza is by far the best in town, their veal items are untouchable. Lino's claim to fame is their salad, which isn't just lettuce and sauce, but a tradition that brings me and everyone I know back week after week. Hand made dressing, eggs, hand made sausage, tomatoes and of course lettuce... simple yet delicious. If you're going to go here on a weekend you will NEED reservations. They are packed every single weekend all year long. The service is something that I'm extremely happy with as they have the nicest staff around and they don't miss a beat. read more

Lino's is definitely a staple in the Rockford area. I have been there many times throughout my life and they never disappoint. I love their special salad with the sausage and Italian dressing, it's probably one of the best parts about coming here. Their pizza is some of the best in the Rockford area (in my opinion anyway). I always order mine a little extra crispy and I think it takes it over the top for sure. I have had the eggplant parmesan which is decent, but I think they should make the slices of eggplant a little thicker and use a little less breading. Overall, I have been pretty satisfied with the food here. I love the ambiance of eating here though, which is why I keep going back. The last time I went (about a week ago) we were sat all the way back in this castle-looking circular booth, which was interesting and also very seclusive, which I liked. The noise level was a lot lower back there (compared to the front of the restaurant) and it made it a lot easier to talk to each other and hear one another. The waitresses are always super friendly and attentive, and know a ton about the menu. I will not hesitate to come back here again! read more

Ohh Lino's you make forget I don't like pasta very much and that I am suppose to watch my carbs .... This place is a Rockford tradition and staple. Everybody in town has eaten here or brings their visitors here. This place doesn't believe in letting people go hungry or even eating light. Yes, there is a "lite menu"...pfff! As mentioned in other reviews, most meals come with salad, bread and dessert. Their bread always comes out to the table piping hot and with lots of butter on the side. The salad that comes with the meals makes you forget what you ordered cause you end up ordering another bowl. Yes, it is that good! The dressing, the Italian sausage, Parmesan...too good! As for the main entrees, pretty much everything you will get here is great. I don't believe I ever had a bad meal here. Fridays they have baked cod or fried cod meal that is wonderful. Their lasagna is hearty, meaty and oh sooo filling. Word to the wise..portions are pretty darn big so plan on bringing back a doggie bag. read more

A Rockford institution! While I certainly wouldn't describe the food as "gourmet", it is very good, simple Italian fare served by friendly staff at reasonable prices. The decor is kinda old-school, but I really like the warm, "homey" feel of the place. Pizza is a 9/10. Unlike the big pizza chains you won't see some teenage goof carefully measuring the cheese trying to make sure they don't put too much on there. At Lino's you'll see the same cooks that have been there for years tossing heaping handfuls of cheese on your pie. This is another thing I appreciate about this place, they must treat their employees well since they are able to retain the same employees year after year. Lasagna is very good and has no meat which will satisfy vegetarians (if you want meat, ask for a meatball or a side of italian sausage). Their grilled chicken with a dollop of pesto is also very good (ask for extra pesto). Chicken/veal parmesan is solid as well. Most all meals come with salad or soup, bread (quite good), a side of pasta or potato, dessert (ice cream), and coffee. Great value and the food is always consistent. Oh yeah, their special salad is also very tasty, sausage, eggs, tomatoes, topped with italian dressing. Although this can be the one item on the menu that is not always consistent, depending on how much dressing they put on, it can be bland Service is always very good! Once I had a minor complaint about the cheese being a bit far from the crust (~2.5 inches) and the waitress told the manager who promptly came over with a new pizza and told us the entire meal (lasagna, chicken parm, pizza, salad, pop) was on the house and he even offered us dessert! Unheard of! This is my standby pizza place for carryout as well. Around back you can pick up your carryout order and get a look at the bustling kitchen. They are always busy here and for good reason! If you plan on dining in on a Friday or Saturday get there early or make a reservation or you can wait 30-60 minutes. read more

The experience with this restaurant,goes as follows: (1). The greeters or host were very nice But (2). The waitress carries a very bad attitude when asked to be served (3) The restaurant claims that they have live jazz music by a real band on Thursdays nights when in reality it was a lady on a keyboard controlling a music track box and 2 men standing there trying to play bass guitar and drums with the karaoke machine. (4) The food was watered down and no flavor but the company states that the food is authentic.....yeah right.....don't believe the hype. One would come out better opening up a Walmart can of spaghetti or Italian pasta then to think that this place has real Italian food. A person's taste buds never lies. I have been to hundreds of Italian restaurants and this one is DEFINITELY NOT IT! read more

Awesome food and service by Chloe! We couldn't decide on what dish to try so we sampled a couple different items. We began with toasted ravioli as a sampler, a must! We then ordered the Fried Cod and a pizza. Both were delicious! I'll be back when I'm visiting Rockford again. read more

Yum! Wonderful in all aspects! The owner came out to tell the kids about the secret ingredients... Love of the food. You could tell with every bit that these people really care about their customers! The place was clean, food came out quick, the waitress was very attentive, and we left more then satisfied. They deserve every star in this rating and I would give them more if I could. read more

Lino's - Tastes even better then it looks... Hands down AMAZING! - Pizza Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Lino's is a popular local spot that delivers good food, wonderful service, and a nice friendly ambiance. On the several occasions that I've dined there, I've walked away satisfied. Parking can be a problem due to its popularity, and on busy evenings the foyer can fill up with hungry customers waiting to be seated. But if you get there just as they're opening for the dinner crowd, you'll get a table right away. The house salad is big enough for 2.3 people, and the pasta is very filling. The waitresses are always cheerful, even when the place is packed. If you'd like to get the most out of their pizza, it's best to dine in. I'm not saying that they give you sub par pizza for carry out; it's just that the attentive waitresses and the fine atmosphere complements the whole experience. read more

Excellent fish fry tonight. The batter was perfect. Not so thick that you couldn't taste the fish. Not greasy. Portions size good. Service a little slow at first but then good. read more

Lino's - Fish fry - Pizza Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Review is for the carry-out pizza. The restaurant is good, but the pizza is the star. For Midwest-style, thin crust, cut in squares pizza, this is the reference standard. Order up a sausage, pepperoni and extra cheese pizza. Does is need extra cheese? No, but it's better that way. You want it that way. Piles of good Wisconsin mozz. Heaven. You may read reviews mentioning greasy pizza. That's because 1) they don't pre-cook their sausage and 2) they put a lot on the pizza. Not the little rabbit-turds of processed sausage some places use, this is massive chunks of fresh, homemade and spicy sausage. Because it cooks on the pizza, all that flavor spreads out every which way. Divine. So when you get the pizza home, take a couple of paper towels, lay them on top, and sop up a bit of the extra juice before you eat it. Trust me on this one. The crust is perfect--thin with a bit of crunch, but strong enough to stand up to all good stuff you piled on it. The sauce has just enough kick. This is the good stuff. Do not miss. read more

We just had my sons wedding rehearsal dinner at Lino's and it was amazing! Everyone loved the food (we had ribeyes cooked perfect and their was many who ordered ribeyes and said the same, salmon and chicken ala Lino). The signature salad with sausage was delicious, the baked potatoe and pastas were also delicious. The red sauce is worth the hour trip to have so we will be back! Kelly was so helpful in the planning and the servers were wonderful. If I were to find an area they could improve in it would be the bar. We had two hour open and the woman (I think her name was Jill) didn't know how to make certain drinks but she was nice so it wasn't bad enough to complain. Over all we had a fantastic experience. I wanted to give my niece Megan and her husband who were celebrating their anniversary upstairs, a bottle of wine and I was told they would make sure that would happen and it didn't but I was happy to hear that they had a nice dinner too. This is a must stop if you're staying in Rockford!ml read more

Officially 3.5 stars. We were in Rockford for the Rockman Triathlon and wanted to grab dinner at an Italian restaurant other than Olive Garden; Lino's didn't disappoint. The interior actually reminded me of Italian Village in Chicago; lots of nooks and crannies to sit in. Our waitress, Rachel, was very friendly (and honest with the recommendations -- thank you). My friend got the cheese lasagna and I had plain old spaghetti with mushrooms...both were good and a great value for the price. Salad, bread, and dessert were included in the dinner price. Stop in and give it a try if you're in the neighborhood... read more

I have been visiting Lino's since my birth! What an amazing environment and experience. A MUST do if new to town.

By far one of the best restaurants in Northern Illinois, big portions for the price, and I have never had better pizza anywhere. They truly care about the customers and treat them like family. read more

Delicious!!!!!! Accommodated a very large group. Wait staff is very friendly and prompt. I ordered the lasagna, one of the items they are known for, and it was divine. The taste was very authentic and you can tell everything was made "in house." I went around dinner time on a Friday and there was a bit of a wait but it is worth it for the quality and taste of the food. Will return soon! read more

They advertise Fried Cod on the menu. Actually what is plated is Pollack. They did offer me another menu item and I accepted. Waitress was wonderful, but to attempt to pass off Pollack as Cod is unscrupulous. The price was over $18.00! Sorry Lino's, you lost a customer. read more

A Rockford classic. Note that 'classic' doesn't necessarily guarantee 'quality' or 'authenticity' - however, if you grew up in or around Rockford, you're almost guaranteed to have celebrated at least one birthday or special occasion with a giant plate of pasta, salad, and bread at Lino's. It's the sort of place where your pasta comes with sauce best described as "red", the house salad is tossed with an oily vinaigrette, and the amount of cheese in any given dish might stop a healthy man's heart. That said, if you have a special place in your heart (ahem) for generic Italian, skip the chains and go straight to Lino's. It'll beat Olive Garden any day. read more

Truthfully, I was not at all impressed by this place at all. The coolest thing about the place is the ambiance which is not really Italian - but neat all the same. The food is spaghetti slopped on a plate with copious amounts of marinara to cover it. The salad was lettuce with some italian dressing but nothing more. The lasagna was decent. You can get better Italian at Olive Garden, if you know what I mean. read more

Love, love, love Lino's. I'm pretty sure I've eaten here enough to have paid for one of their restaurant additions. Seriously. The prices are great. You can dress up if you want, but it's really a casual place. It's great for dates; great for celebrations; great for families/kids. The food is wonderful! I've eaten at Lino's for many birthdays, homecomings, graduations, dates, my rehearsal dinner, family/friends rehearsal dinners and everything has always been amazing. Not to mention the hundreds of carry-out orders. The pizza is fabulous. The crust is perfect, the sauce is awesome and there is just something about the pizza (oregano, maybe?) that tastes like no other. Pair it with a salad--special if you want sausage, egg and Italian dressing on it--and it's a great, inexpensive meal. The lasagna has been my birthday request meal for years. It's meat free. So good. You can get a meatball on the side, if you want. If you want to bring home leftovers (you do!), get the large. If you are feeling indecisive, get half lasagna and half ravioli or tortellini. Their cod is good, too. It's the special on Friday's and comes with soup or salad, bread, choice of potato and a (tiny) bowl of ice cream for some ridiculously cheap price--$8, maybe? Sat night you can get a steak special. Great steak! Love their carryout. It's jam packed on the weekends. Pizza, pasta, fish, salads.....mmmm. I remember being oh-so happy when I was finally tall enough to see over the carryout counter! I loved watching the pizzas in the oven. I've never, ever had a bad meal at Lino's. They have great staff and the owners make sure that you are satisfied. It's so hard to find good service and Lino's has got to be the best. They have messed up before--it's never been a big deal--and they make it right. They accidentally added sausage on a pizza I ordered for carryout and gave me the mistake pizza as well as immediately throwing in a new pizza for me. Two pizzas for the price of one. On another occasion, my husband ordered his steak medium and it came a little bit overcooked. He was totally fine with it but mentioned it to the waitress, just as an FYI, when she asked how our food was. She offered several times to make him a new steak. He declined saying it was fine (really, it was). As we were finishing up, a hostess came over and apologized that it was over cooked and took it off our bill as well as offering us a drink. Totally unnecessary, but extremely nice! Go get some pizza! Lino's = love! read more

I'm from the South, so I understand the communication differences; however, customer service is customer service. The waitress ignored us when we sat down for about 10 minutes. She finally came around, and acted really annoyed that we were there. Um, okay?! She just asked us what we wanted to drink. Didn't bother to welcome us, ask us if it's our first time (which it was), tell us her name, or even share the dinner specials. She got annoyed when I asked her questions about the menu. I just ordered some random "special" since I felt rushed. She kept rolling her eyes. I wasn't in the mood to have my food ruined so I didn't say anything. My food was okay - not very flavorful. My friends food was cold, but she was too nervous to say anything to our waitress. I figured a manager would come around at some point to check in, so I'd just share my grievances there. Not a chance. Oh well, I was just visiting town, so I guess it doesn't matter to them. Name tags might be helpful. I did hear the other waitress greet her customers, and it sounded completely different. I'd rather go somewhere where I feel like my money is well spent. read more

Great place to go lasagna is awesome favorite place to dine at! They check see if meal was good and if wrong order they make it right no problems treat customers like they are important and they care ! read more

The first time I went here I wasn't impressed. I am a NYer and great Italian food exists on every street corner so it isn't surprising that I thought the food was meh. I had the eggplant parm and it was fine but the pasta was overcooked. The salad is pretty cool but there's only so much cold sausage and egg slices a person can consume. The great thing about this place is that it is CHEAP. Whoa. CHEEEEAP. So if you want to go out to dinner but don't want to break the bank, clearly you should consider Lino's. With that said, I went back again recently and we ordered pizzas which was definitely the better choice. I enjoyed the entire experience more. I enjoyed the salad and the pizza more because I ate them in combination to keep from chowing down on too much pizza. It was really delicious. So I will give this place four stars based on my two visits because the first visit was a 3 star and the second was a 4 star but 3.5 isn't an option. read more

Special salad, bread and butter, 16A pizza and pasta - need I say more! This place is the best. Love getting sitting in one of the private houses. Food and service is phenomenal. I live out of state and dream about this place. It is one of the places that is a "must" when I am in town. Family owned and operated. read more

Lasagna to die for! Homemade sausage was delicious. ......salad dressing like my grandma Mincielli! read more

Lino's - Te amo! Found this place and fell in love with them all! Jordan thank you for the amazing service! The owner Joe (pictured here) - Pizza Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

We decided we wanted a great pizza in the Rockford area. The only place we would ever go is to Lino's. We heard of Lino's new place on Riverside and decided to go there. We got there about 4pm and knew that they didn't open till 430pm. An employee was out in the parking lot moving cones and I asked her if we could place an order with her. She said we could, we ordered the pizza special. A lg sau/mushrooms comes with a salad with eggs, sausage, romaine lettuce and house dressing for 2 people and a 2 liter Pepsi product, all for $23.50 tax inc. The employee, Elaina who took our order was very polite to my wife and I, we are in our mid 70s and really appreciate the kindness that was shown by her. Back to the pizza, we received it about 430. The order # was 25. We accepted the order and we're going to drive home but we only made it as far as the Costco lot. There, we devoured the salad and started on the pizza, had 3 pieces each, then drove home. THIS IS OUTSTANDING PIZZA! and as good as the main restaurant. Bob4 read more

we love the place. wonderful Italian homemake food..... great family recipes.... wonderful welcome, waitstaff. Owners, Joe and Jimmy always come around to the tables to welcome and make sure all is perfect. Birthdays are great to celebrate here. great prices too. Carry-out menu offered. read more

Superior customer service to a fault. Pizza so good I travel from 3 states away to get it!

Owner Joe is probably the rudest person I've ever encountered. All of the employees would agree. Owner is very sweet though. Pizza is extremely greasy. Kitchen is DISGUSTING. I have seen photos. Salad ladies do not use gloves half the time and eat parts of salad while making it. Just not very sanitary. Food is decent but need at least a dozen napkins to dab the grease off pizza. It sealed through the box onto my seat read more

excellent. They have been here for 45 years , please keep doing everything the same! I love the decor , service, and the awesome quality of food and drinks! This is a total GEM. First Class. read more

I love Lino's. It's such a Rockford tradition & I've been dining here since I can remember. There's live music in the bar, which is always a nice touch while you're waiting because believe me - you'll be waiting w/o a reservation. You can grab a cocktail at the bar & enjoy the music until your name is called. The restaurant hasn't changed much since I can remember, but that's ok with me. They have great specials including the lasagna that many have written about prior to this review. They also have a chicken dinner special on Thursday. The chicken melts in your mouth & comes w/ a side of pasta, salad and ice cream. All for about 10 bucks too! Last night I opted out of the chicken & went with a small mostaccioli w/ meatballs. It was perfect! A little heavy on the sauce, but I just let some drip off before pairing with a bite of the delicious meatball. I ate half last night & half for lunch today. Again, I ordered a SMALL! Not bad if you ask me. read more

Get their Lasagna!! I've been here lots of times, and their food almost always very good! There were a few times were my food came out and my pasta was watery. I always mention something if my food isn't up to par, and whenever I do the manager comes rushing over apologizing profusely and gives us half our meal for free. I usually get the half lasagna and half pasta meal. My brother had his rehearsal dinner here in their banquet room. It was a great experience. The kids ran around while the adults indulged on the open bar and heaping piles of pasta! This place is great for the price!! You get a salad, entree, and dessert for a great value. AND the food tastes good? AND the atmosphere is fun and relaxed? Sounds like a plan to me! Go to Lino's! read more

Rockford, what is your obsession with this place? I just don't understand. Nostalgia is simply not enough of a reason to continue to patronize a place with food that is this bad. The pasta dishes taste like basic over-cooked noodles with a jar of Ragu spread on top. No seasoning, no garlic, no fresh basil.....no flavor. The bread is warm but without flavor. Not impressed with the 'special salad' (hint: it's a really basic garden salad with some sausage added). The decor is badly in need of updating and the service is mediocre at best. I've been dragged here a few tImes for various functions (I would never come again by my own choice) and each time my opinion grows stronger. Forget all the times your grandparents took you there to celebrate your graduation/birthday/anniversary and really focus on the food that is being served here. It's horribly overpriced, insultingly bland crap. read more

This is a Rockford "MUST DO." Not only do they have exceptional food, but the atmosphere is amazing.

Food was awesome!!!!! Loved the prices too! Services was good too! You get plenty for your buck $$! I do recommend this place!