This is an amazing Italian restaurant in the Gold Coast. The angel hair pasta was delightful. Calamari was one of the bests I've ever had. The wine prices are great too. Our server was very attentive and kind. Highly recommend read more

Mario's Table - Wine - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This restaurant is going against the Covid-19 regulations and is sitting people inside. It says window seating so I went in. I was seated maybe 5 feet away from another table with 2 women talking without masks. (Oh, the maitre d did open the window next to me about 2 inches and then put a plexiglass piece in the window to "make the air blow up". I didn't understand what the purpose of that was for. I think wind blowing straight in would be more effective, but I am not a physicist.) I was too tired and hungry to use my better judgment. I should have just asked if I could sit in the other room where there was no one. (By the way, there were 2 tables back to back with women talking at both. There was a piece of plexiglass between the 2 tables about 3 feet high, which does practically nothing. When I got my food, I took a bite and then put on my mask to chew. I did this the entire dinner, stupid me. I ate as fast as I could because the 2 women about 5 feet away from me were chatting away with no masks on. I don't know why I didn't have the presence of mind to move. Now I am worried that since the 2 women weren't wearing masks, I might have contracted their germs. Hopefully they were not Covid-19, but I won't know that for another week or so. I am really angry that this restaurant is going against the Covid-19 regulations by seating people inside and so close together. Even on Division street filled with younger adults, they are all outside. I would report them if I knew where to report them. I hope by reading this review you will stay away from this place. I am also mad at myself for not being more assertive, but that isn't their fault. read more

The food, and drinks were fantastic!!! I ordered the Daisy's Devil, and wow!! Amazing flavors and the kick was perfect! For dinner I order the bow tie pasta and it was packed with flavor, hit the spot. Will definitely go again and try new things. read more

Mario's Table - Drink and menu - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I love Italian and I've tried my fair share of Italian places by now. I had a dinner date with friends and I had been trying to make reservations at this other Italian place, but they have been completely booked every time. Then, I fell upon Mario's Table. It looks a little run down from the outside, but I'd say it just adds to the charm. It definitely gives authentic home made Italian. We ordered sausage and peppers for starters, lasagna, pesto cream gnocchi, and chicken giambotta for the entrees. The sausage and peppers were good, but nothing special (maybe not something I'd order again). I personally got the gnocchis and they were so delicious. My only critique was that it came in a pool of oil. This was not a huge issue for me because pesto is oil based, but can be a turn off for some. We ended the night with some tiramisu, which was also very tasty. I would've liked it to have more cream layers, but still very good. The restaurant was more on the louder side than I would like, but our server was very friendly. Overall, quality of the food was excellent and I would definitely come again. read more

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Love this place. I may not be from New York or be italian but this place is amazing. The service is wonderful and the manager is a sweet gem. As a women I feel safe there. The cocktails and food are amazing. Can't wait to go back. Don't pass this place up!!! read more

Food was delicious and the atmosphere was terrific. Nice little unexpected adventure. Will be back!

Great spot to grab dinner. Staff super friendly and personable. Highly recommend if you're in the mood for simple but good Italian food. Warm bread served and it seemed to be bottomless...I'm sure we found the bottom. Fried calamari some of the best I've had in the city and definitely try one of their pizzas. Homemade cannolis made me want to cry. P.S. Met Mario too so that was a plus. read more

Definitely a great late night spot...we ordered a bowl of minestrone, Gnocchi w/pesto sauce, and the eggplant Parmesan. Minestrone: 9/10 (this was the best thing we had. Definitely would recommend trying this!) Gnocchi: 8/10 (the Gnocchi was solid...a lot bigger than normal but definitely filling and appetizing. However, the pesto is pretty strong. Would be better in maybe an Alfredo type of sauce?) Eggplant Parmesan: 7/10 (just ok...not bad...Marinara was excellent but the eggplant wasn't anything worth writing home about) Overall, if we were to rated this as either "good, better, or best" we would give it a "GOOD" read more

I've walked by this place a bunch and was so excited to finally dine. The food was delicious - absolutely incredible and so so tasty. And the reviews don't lie - Mario stopped by our table and introduced himself. Loved the feeling of supporting a local small business. Giving this 3 stars because I was very upset that practically NO ONE ON THEIR STAFF WAS WEARING MASKS. This is a city / statewide mandate, yet few people on staff were wearing masks. This included Mario, the host (I assume his wife?), and many waiters. This was very disappointing for me, especially being in a very crowded indoor restaurant. To be honest, the food was great, but I value my own health and don't know if I will return to dine (at least inside) until the pandemic has ended. read more

I am Italian and have eaten Italian food everywhere, this is some of the worst food, much less Italian food, I have eaten. Additionally, the owner, with the broken arm, came running over to attack us for having a stroller in a restaurant that had no customers on a Monday night. An actual dump, highly would not recommend. No one in there as opposed to the Italian restaurants in the area. Highly do not recommend!! read more

The food was fresh and amazing! Great flavor, simple ingredients that stood out. Portion was just right, not too huge. The server was friendly and attentive but didn't hover. We walked in in jeans and t shirts and didn't feel uncomfortable but we also saw people dressed up more. We would definitely go again! read more

Fantastic Italian dining and a small, personal & friendly atmosphere. Mario takes great pride in serving his customers!

Medicore food. Warm, friendly. and engaging staff. Love them. It is a neighborhood restaurant where you can get a couple drinks and find a friendly face. The only exception is the owner. As a result of our interaction tonight. I will probably never return. The owner is a disrespectful A-hole. I live in the neighborhood and have been eating there 2 or 3 times a month. Tonight, I brought my grade school age grand kids. The first incident the kids had to go to the bathroom. They were standing in the aisle waiting for me to get up. He comes by and reprimands then for blocking the wait staff. They had probably been standing for 20 seconds. The second incident we were leaving and the 7 year old dropped his toy in front of the hostess station. He immediately walks over and starts yelling that they are blocking customers. The whole interaction took less than a minute. I love the staff. They are kind, generous, and always good for a conversation. It is really sad because it is a "Cheers" kind of place. I love them all but I will never support a place with a horrible owner. read more

Mario's means a lot to my family, it was my grandparent's favorite place for years. The staff couldn't be nicer or more caring. They remember you and care about your dining experience. It's a great location that is super convenient for me as I live a block away. Usually not too much of a wait but I recommend getting a reservation by calling or using Open Table. My fave dish is the tortellini jambalaya which is a crazy fun fusion dish. It's all very well done Italian food. You can't pick something bad here. Also it's fun because the real Mario walks around and makes sure that everyone is having a good time. Ask your server for their daily specials which are usually tasty! Bring family and have fun! read more

Deceptive Pricing - Mario's Table We went to Mario's Table, where we've been going for years, for dinner tonight. When we got the bill, it was substantially (like more than $20) different from the menu prices. I recognize that prices are going up, and expect to have that reflected in pricing, but it should be reflected in the menu. If we knew when ordering that every item would actually cost $2-3 more than the menu price, we would have skipped the salad and possibly have ordered different items. The manager agreed to reduce the ticket by the $20, but then the owner stormed over and said that his prices had gone up so it wasn't deceptive to charge something other than the menu price. Absolutely ridiculous. We will never go there again, and if you don't want to be taken advantage of, I would recommend avoiding. Hello Pizanos, instead of alternating restaurants we'll be exclusive to you. read more

This is more than terrible service, they genuinely make you feel unwelcome.  The short-story: We have been many times, and yet when we sat down in a somewhat empty restaurant, the server giving the free water and bread basically berated us, saying we were bad parents and we need to do a better job looking after our 14 month old. Gobsmacked to say the least. When we complained to management... nothing. And we expect absolutely nothing to happen because even the owner, Mario, has made passive aggressive comments more than once about having our son with us.  The long(er) story: Firstly, I should mention that we live near to Mario's Table and hoped to make it our regular spot. Especially through the Pandemic to help local restaurants. It was never bad, but there was always this underlying feeling that children are not welcome. I tried to give the benefit of the doubt that it is "family friendly" (as said specifically by them) and maybe when it's busy, they would just prefer no children. But this sealed the deal.  Secondly, we are aware a 14 month old in a high-chair can leave a mess. We absolutely do our best to clean it up. And yes, there may be remains but nothing a dustpan and brush can't solve in less than a minute (and that would be slow).  If you have children, don't go. If you enjoy great service, don't go (even though we have enjoyed some of our interaction with the staff). If you want to feel you're wanted by a restaurant, don't go. Otherwise, it's OK Italian. read more

We sat outside on their patio and service was very attentive! We had their eggplant and mussels with white, garlic sauce. They were both very good--the eggplant dish can easily be shared! It feels as though the entire family wants to make sure you're happy! I do feel the restaurant inside is quite dark and not as enticing, so if the weather isn't great and one needs to eat inside the ambience isn't there but the food and service is still great! read more

Amazing food and service! Portions are a little on the small side for the price but the taste outweighs this. Italian Bread is served warm! Luke was our server and took amazing care of us! Thank you for the amazing tiramisu Luke!!! read more

Authentic Italian food! The gnocchi was so delicious! Followed by the Tiramisu and a Espresso Martini, perfect ending to our meal. Portions are huge. The outdoor patio was so quaint and quiet. Service was friendly and prompt. Mario was friendly and a watchful Eye that all was running smoothly. read more

Reminds me of home- Just like my Italian mama would make! Ingredients sourced fresh from the Naperville Costco.

We have been going to Mario's Table often--sometimes on a weekly basis--since moving into the neighborhood a year ago. But, I have never written a YELP review until now. It is truly a wonderful restaurant and we are so lucky to have it in our neighborhood. The staff there is incredible. No matter who you have serve you whether at a table or the bar, they are the friendliest and most professional people. And, the manager and front desk staff are terrific. The best around. The dinners there are equally fantastic. Every item on the menu is perfectly done and presented. We have always enjoyed our meals and drinks and wine every time. Mario--thanks for being here. read more

I love this place. Back in the days of dining in, it was always a great place to dine. Sometimes Mario himself walks around and greets patrons. The customer service is always great. Beyond that, the food is amazing. Huge portions. My favorite is the bow tie pasta. I've had other dishes like the seafood diavolo, spaghetti and meatballs, and lasagna, all of which were great. But my favorite will always be the bow tie pasta. The sauce is so flavorful and creamy. Anyways, can't say enough nice things about this place. read more

Great local spot. Traditional pasta and proteins that make for perfect comfort food. The service is exemplary. If you get there around 6:30, you will meet the owner, Mario. He walks around to every table and introduces himself. He quickly gazes at what you ordered and gives a brief comment on his take of the dish. He graciously asks if you are enjoying it. Very charming...definitely old school and rare nowadays. read more

I am a man of patience. When a restaurant I jave an unspoken timeframe to acknowledge my existence once seated. Tonight it was busy, but it took 8 minutes for a server to come over and acknowledge me. That may just be a "be right with you" greeting. That did not happen. I flagged a runner down to have the server come by. When the server did arrive he was blah toward me. The food is ok, not terrific. For finer Italian at the $20 for spaghetti and meatballs price, the value did not match the quality and quantity of the food. Overall, I live nearby this establishment and would not recommend this place to the locals. Tourists may enjoy because they wont anything else around. read more

The staff is very friendly and attentive and aims to please. The restaurant it's self reminded me of a hotel bar. It didn't really have much personality. I started with the toasted cheese ravioli with a marinara dipping sauce. The ravioli was soft and creamy with just the slightest crunch. The main flavor of this dish was salty but the marinara cut into the saltiness nicely. The sauce itself was rather bland. For my main course I had the linguine with clams in a garlic sauce. Unfortunately this dish while generous in portion was incredibly bland. Literally no flavor. They remade it for me and it did taste better but not great. For dessert I had the tiramisu. While light and again generous in portion it had a strange artificial flavor to it. I think perhaps people with very sensitive stomachs who can't handle much seasoning would enjoy this place. Perhaps I just ordered the wrong things, but I wasn't really impressed. I will say the drinks are good and as I mentioned the service was great. Which is what the three stars are for. The food not so much. read more

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I am not so quick to give five stars and I generally like to go to a place several times before any establishment is worth five stars! But this restaurant is definitely that! I have not been there 15 times in the last three years and it has been consistently good! The service is always very professional and very friendly and very on target. The food is always up to standard, fresh and well prepared! What I love about this restaurant is that a standard was established at some point and the owners and managers of this restaurant, continually strive to maintain its standard and I thank Mario's table for having such great service and great food at a time in Chicago when I am finding most establishments very lackluster! read more

I've walked down this path a million times but yesterday, on a warm summer day something compelled me to tuck my head into Mario's Table. It is an innocuously located tavern like space in a condo building in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood. Inside I found a place bustling with gusto and with a neighborhood like vibe - with easy familiarity and cozy comfort. I felt instantly at home. At the bar I ordered a plum but stable Syrah, smooth and velvety. I found that the second glass was complimentary as it was buy one get one kind of deal (Tuesday night). Of course I had to follow it up with snow crabs. After all, they are going to be in season only for the next 30 days. The snow crab was done in two different styles - smacking of corn batter and another somewhat spicy one that I can't recall, under the Syrah's utter spell. Priced at $10 each. They served it with a side of heavenly spinach and garlicky mashed potato. Mario's table has been in the neighborhood for the last couple of decades. However, I will be sure to make up for the lost time now... read more

Mario's Table - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I got the angel hair marinara with meatballs and it was very good. Nicole opted for one of the many veggie options. Mario even strolled around for a while saying hi to people. Overall a really nice place. read more

Mario's Table - Veggie side, carnivores eat off the reverse. - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've been coming here for seven years now and have always really enjoyed myself. The service is always pretty good and the food is, too. My favorite is the tortellini jambalaya. They give you about ten pounds and I somehow manage to finish it every time because it is seriously addictive. Last week I was walking around LA and trying to figure out how I would get my Mario's fix. Anyway, give this place a shot as it's really good. It's nothing fancy or over the top, just a solid meal. read more

You'll find that most of the folks inside Mario's pronounce the street Gur-ta rather than Goethe. That's how hyper local they are. They've been around for 18 years and if you've ever been in it's pretty obvious why. The staff possesses that quintessential Chicago friendliness, the customers again are mostly regulars from around the block, and the food is very affordable considering how quality it is. The flatbreads are really good, but my top rec is any pasta with their vodka sauce. It's by far my favorite thing here, and I'd put it up there with the likes of a La Scarola or Volare. Totally try it with mixed seafood and if you like some kick they'll do it spicy upon request. They fly a bit under the radar not being nearly as busy as some of the other big names in town so if you don't want to deal with the rigamoroo of reservations or a 2 hour wait Mario's might just be super spot for you. read more

Mario's Table - Tiramisu - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is AMAZING!! Every dish we had was awesome!! Mario chatted with us as we came in and came to our table twice!! The head chef David came by 3 times too!! The restaurant feels so cozy like your at home. The service there impeccable!! Karen was so great and explained and/or recommended something to us!! I truly wished I could have tried more food because it was so good!! If you want am AMAZING meal every time...... Then MARIO's is your place!! Update as of 8/11/17!! Still amazing!! Come and try it!! read more

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At most restaurants, you get a salad before your meal. Not so at Mario's. The atmosphere is fairly cozy with lots of dark browns. A plasma TV rotates pictures of fine art. But the food was weak. I got some beef-stuffed ravioli (the "special") and it just tasted bland. Seriously, I've had better Chef Boyardee. The sauce had no flavor. Mushrooms were just dumped on top, not mixed with the sauce at all. And the portion was small, compared to what you'd get at most other Italian joints. The only reason they can charge those prices is the location, but you'll get more flavor and a better value courtesy of your can opener. Skip it. read more

Neighborhood gem. One of my parents favorite places. Took the trek just to get my parents a gift card for Christmas. Fresh pastas and amazing pastas. The antipasto salad is on point with great cheese. Had just about everything here and never been disappointed. Usually get a special. The chef always has something g good ready every night. read more

Mario's Table - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Order: Tortellini Jambalaya and a random wine. The waiter says this is Mario's signature self created dish. He knocked it right out of the park! Every inch of this dish brings love to my taste buds. I wish I lived here, I would be here monthly (so I won't over due it, lol. ;) ). The waiter was awesome! I would come and visit Chicago, just to have this dish again. Bravo Mario, Bravo! read more

Mario's Table - Bar - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I really enjoy going to Mario's every time. The staff is very friendly and always helpful. The restaurant is not overwhelming in decor and has a bar to go along with your eating experience, should you need a drink to go along with your meal. Granted my wallet is more inclined to eat on less, I do not mind shelling out for the dishes because they're really delightful and I'm a big fan of customizing my pasta dishes. The first time I ate there, I ordered their calamari dish (appetizer). It was really wonderful and the accompanying sauces were great! I appreciate the bread, butter, olive oil that they serve to everyone while they wait for their main dishes to come out. Baked cavatelli is really wonderful; trying subbing the shrimp for their sausages, it's outstanding. I also posted some photos of the food as well; definitely eye candy and tastes wonderful as well. read more

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Waitress was really nice and the wine was good. A little expensive for a house wine. Our food was meh. I had their daily white pizza which was prosciutto and arugula with balsamic. The pizza was good. My boyfriend had the linguini with clams in a white sauce. The clams were WAY over cooked (read: rubbery) and the "white sauce" had NO taste. T also didn't stick to the pasta so essentially he ate plain pasta with over cooked clams. Gross. read more

Wonderful casual neighborhood Italian restaurant. Service excellent, Drinks excellent and the food was terrific. I had the best spaghetti and meatballs since I was 10 years old traveling Italy with my parents. read more

Mario's Table - This is the place. - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Food and service were really good. If you are in a hurry, eat here. But they want you in and out fast. White haired female hostess was a beast. No manners and borderline rude upon entering and then said we had to leave after we were served quickly since she needed the table. Could have offered us to move to the bar area. No class. Will never return unless she is gone. Nasty and negative energy! Mario should find a more inviting employee who makes a good impression, especially as she is the first face you see. read more

This place is amazing! It is well of the beaten path though, so unless you live in one of the apartment complexes by it you'd never just walk past it. A causal atmosphere with a touch of elegance. The service was fantastic, I ordered a Manhattan but obviously had a glass of water too and I don't think my water glass was ever more than half empty. OK, so their food. I ordered linguine with clam sauce and holy cow was it the best thing I've eaten this past month. My date ordered the lasagna which he claimed "reminded him of home" We ordered dessert which I thought I wouldn't be able to eat because I was so full and I had already wrapped up half my meal, but I decided to try a bite if the apple pie. Omg order the apple pie when you go here. It's definitely worth it. Not too pricey, but a place that you would only go to when you wanted a nice night out. I could see it being a good girls night out place too. read more

Mario's Table - My manhattan. Very strong - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Nothing like messing up a reservation (reserving for six - with eight actually in our party) and having the restaurant not only accommodate but then wow us with service, food and drink. The group devoured the calamari and bruschetta as appetizers and the main courses from lasagna to incredibly fresh and excellently prepared walleye pike were excellent. The dessert - could not and did not go wrong with tiramisu. Toss in bottles of a great super Tuscan and a Barolo - all good. Oh and did I mention the service!?! Even though we are not from the neighborhood - great destination and an absolute neighborhood gem! Brian read more