Fortunato is a rare gem in the suburbs. For this Valentine's Day, I almost made a reservation in…read moreChicago, but I didn't want to take that ride again so I looked for something closer and Fortunato stood out with it's garish lit up red sign. I had to check this place out. We pooled up and the exterior with the sign is almost whimsical, with curves meeting odd angles and this sign screaming their name. Then upon entering you walk into this curated fine dining atmosphere that is instantly attractive and a little muted when compared to the outside. I found it the perfect balance in design. If you're going to be that bold with the building, the food better match and match it did. We always sit at the bar when it's just the two of us. We find the bartender is normally the most amazing of all the servers. We got Taylor, and that man blew us away. With his perfect drinks and menu knowledge paired with his nice and humble attitude. It was the perfect example of why the bar should always be your destination for all restaurants. I started with 4 Miyagi and 4 Blue Point Oysters. I may be wrong if the other 4 were Blue Point because the Miyagi stole the show for me. All the oysters were presented with cards to make it easy to tell the two apart and were shucked perfectly with only one little piece of shell in one oyster. The brine was retained and the flavor and mouth feel were fresh. My partner went with the Lobster Maki which includes a little show of them torching the butter/marrow mixture out of a bone onto the roll. It was exquisite. Dinner was a hard choice with all their amazing offerings. We went with the Tilefish and the Trout. The Trout was poached in Wagyu Tallow and was served Medium Rare. The tallow added a richness to each bite that paired well with the delicate trout. It was served with a cabbage wedge that will be burned into my memory as the best cabbage I've ever had. The Tilefish was the real star. We've never even heard of Tilefish before, and we will never forget it after. It was a more dense fish that had flavors of a firm whitefish mixed with lobster or crab. They took this amazing fish and they wrapped it in proscuitto de parma and cooked it to perfection. It was served on a the lightest mashed fennel potatoes and a light green salad with a sweet orange dressing. This had to be one of the best things I've ever experienced. Because of our exceptional experience and our 4pm reservation, we decided to get the Bolognaise and Ravioli to go to eat for dinner later that night. We made the right decision, each pasta was so delicious and hit every note we were hoping for. We also stopped in the cute deli in the back before we left and had to get the Two Cannolis to go also. They were the best Cannolis of my life and I need more now. I can't stop thinking about them. The drinks, oh my lord, the drinks! A curated menu that are plays on classic cocktails. You must try the Mediteraean, which is their play on a Gin & Tonic. The gin they use is not the pine tree flavor most cheap gins will give you. Instead you get this nuanced flavor that brings me back to the shores of Spain. It was that good that it teleported me to another place and time. I'm not going to list all of the ones we got in fear to sound like a lush but they were all worthy of their price tag. Finally the price. In today's day and age, Fortunato is keeping it fair and right. You can spend more at a chain sandwich shop then some of their meals cost and flavor wise, there is no comparison. I praise their owner for charging very fairly for everything. They have some very expensive meals, but the expensive meals use expensive ingredients. You have no right complaining about any of the pricing here. They, once, are perfect. As you can tell, I am over the moon with this place. I will be going back time and time again. I have found a Chicago Style restaurant in the heart of the suburbs. This is a destination restaurant. You must go. I will be bringing everyone I know back here. I can not wait to experience more of this amazing menu. Kudos all around!

Their food is fantastic my waitress Stephanie top notch. I would ask for her.. This place is really…read morecool. I love it. We'll be back. See you soon Steph.

First time here and it didn't disappoint. I went here with a group of friends and I love the…read moreatmosphere. The Fettuccine Alfredo is great, I loved the Caesar salad. I am going to check out the other location they have in Maple Park which is a winery. I'm so hyped for that. I will come back!!!

Upon arriving, the staff warmly welcomed me and quickly directed me to my family's table, as they…read morehad arrived first. Our waitress was friendly and happy to answer any questions or offer suggestions. We visited on Mother's Day, so the restaurant was offering a special menu. While it would've been nice to also view the regular menu, we understood it might be due to the fact that everything is homemade and made to order. The calamari was perfectly cooked--not overly breaded--and the bruschetta was delicious, especially since it's one of my favorite appetizers. The complimentary bread paired nicely with the olive oil. My personal favorite was the stuffed salmon, it was flavorful, and served with an orzo-style grain. The rest of the table enjoyed their meals as well, and everything we tried was thoughtfully prepared and tasty.

Came here for a date night with my husband, and it was our first time visiting. We absolutely loved…read moreit! Villa Verone has such a charming, hole-in-the-wall feel with multiple levels that make it cozy and unique. The restaurant was bustling with couples, families, and groups of friends, creating a warm and lively atmosphere. Our waiter was friendly, attentive, and incredibly helpful in walking us through the menu. We ordered the chicken Alfredo and the salmon, and both were absolutely delicious. Paired with a glass of wine, it made for the perfect evening. Everything from the food to the service exceeded our expectations. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience and will definitely be back!

Went here for a rehearsal dinner and had an absolutely amazing experience! Gorgeous space,…read moredelicious cocktails and fresh pastas, and wonderful staff. Shoutout to the tiramisu - it was the perfect treat to end the night!

Riganato played host to a wonderful 90th birthday luncheon for my Mother (from nearby St. Charles)…read morein their back room this past Sunday afternoon, with just enough capacity for 24 people. Food was excellent, as expected, from sandwiches and pizza to outstanding fish entrees, menu specials, and pastas. Service was very attentive and kind. No extra fees or surprises whatsoever. Highly recommended for your special events, and general family-friendly, high-quality dining at reasonable prices.

Instantly an absolute fav place. The staff was incredible and gracious. I went with the house…read morespecial and OMG would def get again. The pasta was cooked To perfection. I am an Italian restaurant snob because most of the time I can make it at home 1000% better. Not in this case! The layers of flavors and quality was totally next level. Being set in a home converted to a restaurant lends to the vibe of eating at my Italian Grandmas house. They are not open late and last seating is around 8:30. Our party of six had a reservation for 8pm. The place was full when we got there and would recommend reservations. Looking forward to my next visit.

Hubby and I had arrived in town to catch a show at the Comedy Vault across the street. Due to a…read morefestival, they'd suggested we arrive early for parking - turns out a brief rain shower opened up parking so THAT wasn't an issue :) Ok- once we got settled at our choice parking location, we decided we had time for a quick din-din. We looked at a couple of the places, and decided on Thorabella's. Once in the door, we were promptly greeted and shown to a table at the front of the house. I ordered a (canned) cocktail (not always my preference, but it worked here); hubby had a water. We quickly ordered the bruschetta as an app, and settled in. Boy. It did NOT take long to show at the table! It was four pieces only - and it had no tomatoes or parmesan cheese. It tasted like a flavored cream cheese with a piece of mint and a golden raisin on top. Turns out it was pretty yummy, though not very generous in portion size. It did, though, work for us! We both got create-your-own pasta dishes- I got the gnocchi with italian sausage and a bolonese sauce; hubby got linguini w/bolognese and meatballs. Wow. We both declared said pastas "yummy-worthy"! The service was pretty spot on, so no issues there at all! And - I think it was the owner- thanked us profusely as we left. Would we come again? Yup. It was THAT good. Not bad for a quick eat before a laugh-fest, right?

Less than zero stars. Tasteless food in portion sizes befitting a five-year-old…read more The writing was on the wall when we entered. The hostess was very rude and far too into herself. Seating people annoyed her as she did her best to make our group feel like they were overly burdensome by dining here. Our waiter wasn't much better. He never offered us bread or read any specials to us, and didn't refill drinks particularly well. He came to our table minutes after we sat down and asked, 'did we want something'. He said something odd the second time he came back too. At least he smiled, unlike the hostess who shows a clear disdain for people. Staff aside, believe it or not the real problem here is the food. Three of the four people at our table had the grilled mahi mahi. The cut itself was about 3x2 inches, and maybe 1/2 inch thick. If you cut it right, you got six little pieces out of it. The side was a 'salad'. This consisted of three folk full servings. And that was it. I've seen serving sizes three times this size for children under the age of 10. The dish might have been persuasive if the mahi had some flavor, but it didn't. It was cooked improperly (for all three people at our table) and seemingly without any seasoning. The fourth person at our table had a flatbread. The toppings on it could be fit into a 3x3 square and the portion size was utterly laughable. As we left, I gave thought to speaking to a manager, but a hostess that's as shallow and mean as theirs probably isn't being led by a thoughtful individual who cares for their patrons. My advice is to steer clear. If you want excellent Italian food, go elsewhere. If you want to be treated kindly, go elsewhere. If you want a serving size larger than something appropriate for a 5-year-old, go elsewhere. I can provide a dozen excellent suggestions within 20 miles. An embarrassment to Batavia, easily one the worst dining experience I've had in our area in 20 years.

If you're looking for an incredible meal in downtown Geneva, Gia Mia is the spot. From the…read moreatmosphere to the service, everything was top-notch, but the food is what will keep me coming back. * The Calamari: I don't say this lightly--this is some of the best calamari I have ever eaten in my life. It was perfectly crisp, tender, and seasoned to perfection. If you go, do not skip this. * The Pizza: Truly fantastic. You can tell they use high-quality ingredients and a proper oven. The crust had that perfect chew-to-char ratio that only a great wood-fired pizza gets. Geneva has a lot of dining options, but Gia Mia stands out as a clear winner. Whether you're a local or just visiting for the day, make sure this is on your list. I'll definitely be back!

We've been here a few times now and it's our new favorite and go to place in the area. Every time…read morewe've come, the food and service have been excellent. Everything from the appetizers, to the pizza to the pasta, all are very good. On Monday, it's also half price pizza!! Last night I also had an old fashioned and it was excellent too! The atmosphere both inside and outside are really nice. Such a great place for date night or with the family. HIGHLY recommend!!

We absolutely loved our date night at Livia! It's located in a prime spot in downtown Geneva and…read morehas a cozy atmosphere. The service was amazing- shout out to Jess! The food was delicious! My boyfriend ordered the four cheese tortellacci. The pieces were huge and served with Italian sausage and crispy prosciutto. I tried it and will be ordering that next time!! So good. I ordered the pasta Livia. The chicken and mushrooms tasted great with the parmesan cream sauce. We ordered the shrimp cocktail, tuna crudo, and lobster bisque for our appetizers. All were great, especially the tuna crudo! The pieces of blackened tuna are bigger compared to other restaurants with similar tuna appetizers and the sauce is incredible! We had their tiramisu for dessert. Yum!! It comes with some coffee cream smeared on the dish that pairs perfectly with it! Overall, the experience was great and we'll be back! This would be a cool place for a girls night too- they have a cute bar area for pre dinner or post dinner drinks!

My husband and I came here for a date night recently. We haven't been here in quite awhile. We were…read moreseated promptly and our waitress was great, I feel bad because I don't remember her name. We ordered some cocktails, I had the margarita which was really good and my husband had a whiskey based cocktail. I ordered a cauliflower crust flatbread, it was not good. It was undercooked and soggy. I didn't eat all of it and ended up just tossing the leftovers when we were home because it just didn't seem appealing. My husband had the lobster and shrimp pasta. It was great ( I had a few bites). We typically stick to our usual spots because who wants to drop $100 on dinner and not enjoy the food. Kind of bummed we chose this place over our usual spots.

Ella's is an elevated pub and offers numerous specials. Lunch specials Monday - Friday and also…read morehalf off pizzas on Sundays. They are located in downtown Geneva and have indoor and outdoor seating. Service throughout was great. Our server checked in on us a decent amount of times and food came out quickly. I stopped in on a weekday and got the $15 lunch special which comes with a side salad and an individual sized pizza. For the pizza I got Ella's pie which comes with different cheeses and slices of zucchini. IT IS SO GOOD. This pizza is unique to Ella's and I highly recommend it.

This was my first time dining here and I have to say it exceeded my expectations! The staff was…read morevery friendly and very efficient with fillings water, taking our order, and bringing out the food. We sat outside which is perfect for the warm summer weather but there was a lot of indoor seating available. We started off with some apps which I will say was honestly the tastiest for me! We had bacon wrapped dates but the fun surprise is that the dates are stuffed with sausage and then an amazing red sauce with some toast. We also had the feta cheese which we didn't realize was a salad but it was perfect! There was arugula, beets, tomato's, and a balsamic with their fresh foccasia! My favorite app of all would be the bruschetta which basically melted in your mouth! I just wish it came with more! But that's me being greedy. We also got the whipped ricotta with honey which I had no complaints about besides the honey being hard to take out of the side dish and add spreading it. My main dish was the vodka sausage pasta (I forgot the actual name of it) but it was great! Very large portions which I appreciate to be able to take home and have leftovers! 10/10 would come again!