What a gem. I had no idea Clarendon Hills had restaurants outside of the downtown area. This was really good Italian food. Authentic and flavorful, great ingredients and the service (thank you Jessica - amazing service) was incredible. The portions are not skimpy at all. Hearty portions and we thought the prices were reasonable. Also, they have a pretty big wine list and I thought the drinks were poured on the heavy (large) side. The standouts are the margarita pizza and shrimp and lobster pasta. The vodka rigatoni was also solid. The restaurant was PACKED on Saturday night. read more

Visited Zaza's for lunch and thoroughly enjoyed my experience! Located in a strip mall, the inside is very cute giving a classic Italian restaurant vibe. They have a decent sized main dining area, bar area, as well as a heated patio that can be enjoyed year round. My group enjoyed a starter salad as well as a main each. I appreciated their sandwich specials for lunch and loved my Meatball Sandwich! The fries were perfectly crispy, red sauce had good flavor, and meatballs were delicious. The pasta portions also looked to be a good portion size for a heavy meal or leftovers. Our server, Bob, was wonderful in taking care of us and making vegetarian suggestions (highly recommend the Rigatoni Alla Vodka with adding Spinach)! read more

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ZaZa's was a favorite of my mom, and now it's one of our favorites. You can't go wrong with the white fish or the pollo limone. If you love savory flavors, capers, and fresh spinach, both dishes are outstanding. The Rigatoni alla ZaZa is another favorite, and the sausage and peppers are a must-try--especially in the Chicago area! The ambiance is warm and inviting, the service is consistently excellent, and every meal feels like a special occasion. It's the kind of restaurant that keeps you coming back. I do have one friendly objection: the Italian bread they serve before the meal. The flavor is great, but the crust could double as a strength-training exercise. Since the loaf isn't sliced all the way through, breaking off a single piece becomes a table-wide engineering project. By the time you finally free a slice, you've earned your dinner! Fortunately, everything that follows is so delicious that the bread's stubborn personality is easy to forgive. ZaZa's has become a family tradition for us, and we always look forward to our next visit. read more

I'm a Florida resident but when I come back to Illinois to visit family I frequent Zazas and it never disappoints. This night we tried some new dishes that were excellent. The warm bread they serve is outstanding. Drinks and service also spot on read more

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Food was decent. Not great but not bad either. Would I pick it before sone other places no but wouldn't rule it out if others wanted to go. Service from what I remembered was good. No issues there. It's part of a bar so it was very noisy. read more

I met friends at Zaza's for a birthday dinner. I LOVED it! It was a Saturday evening and was super busy. The parking lot was full so I parked down the street. Once inside, the rooms were packed, and the energy was high. The hostess was so warm and friendly as I checked in. She brought me to my group who were already seated. Our server was on point and took great care of us. The busser Rick was so helpful and friendly. The food was really very tasty. This was my first visit, and I was pleasantly surprised by the whole experience. read more

Zaza's - Birthday celebration for a dear family friend! - Italian Near Me - Clarendon Hills, Illinois

We really enjoyed our dinner at Zaza's a few weeks ago. Several of our friends have recommended the restaurant and we finally tried it out. We started with the Mussels in a spicy tomato sauce - and it was excellent. They were large mussels and the tomato sauce had a nice kick to it. It paired well with our Meiomi and Brancott wines. For entrees - we got the Vitello Francese and Lobster Shrimp Diavlo special. Both dishes were wonderful - and the veal reheated very nicely the next day at home. They appear to have an outside seating area - potentially covered during the warmer months so we will definitely be back to try that out. read more

Went with our senior group. I was excited they had pork neck bones & they did not disappoint. They tasted just like my Mom's! Service was very attentive for our large group too. read more

Service has been great each time. Quick but not rushed. Attentive but not lingering. Ambiance - it's loud and chatty. Not a quite clinking of glasses. But full of life. Food. Amazing! Apps: Eggplant is really good and not mushy. Goat cheese is really good as well. The chicken Milanese is so good I went back twice in a two week span to order it again. The cannoli is fantastic! Hoollllyyyyy. Very good. Didn't even share it, had it all to myself. Gave it a 4 star over a 5, I was underwhelmed with the pasta. It was good, but not amazing like other dishes on the menu. read more

Someone gifted us with a gift certificate and we were finally able to use it. It has been years and the restaurant has expanded. Parking is dangerous and plan on yelling even when seated next to the person to whom you are directing your comments, at least in the bar area. Also, I recommend requesting a table on the patio area or the main dining room. The bar area is HIGHLY undesirable. (It is between the kitchen and the dining room ~ high traffic area in close quarters) The food was delicious and plentiful. I was surprised that what was left of my Caprese salad did not get boxed up but the spinach I had picked out of my entree came home with me. I guess I should have put it on the table rather than to the side of the dish, so it didn't get scraped and boxed. Live and learn. Leftovers provided 2 additional meals ~ now that's abbondanza. read more

Food is great! But WARNING there are TWO appetizer menus and the actual good one is in fine print. Yet the service made up for it! read more

Zaza's - Italian Near Me - Clarendon Hills, Illinois

Went here for a birthday lunch. I looked them up online and liked the reviews and photos but had never been here. The food was excellent (I had the Farfelle Con Pollo and it was fantastic) and the service was very good. I will be going back. read more

We brought a group of 8 here on a Friday night and the place was super busy!! I usually take that as a good sign the food is tasty. The place was beautifully decked out in Christmas decor. Not sure if it was because the holidays are creeping up, but would definitely make a reservation at peak hours. Our servers were super friendly and prompt. The crab cake appetizer was heavenly!! I also super highly recommend the chocolate soufflé for dessert. I was unimpressed with the pomegranate martini, but the salmon was pretty yummy luckily! Overall it was a good experience and I would definitely come back again. read more

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This use to be my favorite Italian restaurant in Chicago. Unfortunately, the quality has gone down. Rigatoni ala Za Za had been one of our favorites. We had it about a month ago and it was very ordinary. We had it last night, and it was bad. There were very few mushrooms or peppers, but worst of all, the meat, which use to be very tender, was tough as nails. The description on the menu says Veal and Tenderloin tips. In the past I believe the tenderloin tasted like filet. Last night they tasted like skirt steak. read more

This restaurant was disappointingly loud and it was hard to have a good conversation in the main dining room. The pasta was just okay. The service was great and it's the only positive about this place and the reason I will give it one more star. I don't need to return here. read more

Our server Michelle was awesome. Great staff. Amazing martinis. Wonderful wine list. Steak cooked to perfection. Chefs kiss approved by the 9 year old. read more

Always great food!! We stop in here every time we're in Chicago. The truffle ravioli special is my all time favorite.

If you want really great italian dishes this is the place. I had the Rigatoni Alla Vodka with an added of sausage and it was amazing. However, my party and I had a bad start since it was previously booked for a party of seven but we were cramped into a table for 5. Looking past that our server was great, refills without asking, and made a few good jokes. The restaurant itself feels like it should be, an italian restaurant with the music being Italian-American playing frank Sinatra (and I swear I heard game of thrones theme). read more

This was one of the Italian places I've visited in the Western suburbs that I really liked. I have been here maybe 3-4 times and the food has always been satisfying and the service has been consistently efficient. I made last minute reservations through Open Table for dinner here just this past Saturday. The indoor dining room has already been opened with limited capacity. I honestly liked it much better this way because before the pandemic, the tables were too close to each other. There was not enough space to maneuver in between tables, at least going to and from the restroom. The servers were almost bumping into each other and they get too close to the diners' seats. I can easily hear the conversations from the tables beside mine. This time, the tables were spread out according to the indoor dining guidelines for reopening at phase 4 in IL. The tented outdoor dining space was also nice but it was too hot so we decided to dine inside. I've tried the following dishes: MUSSELS IN SPICY TOMATO SAUCE (app)-fantastic FETTUCCINI CON SALMON- delicious BRACIOLLE- outstanding SALSICCIA DIABLO- dynamite FETTUCCINE DI PAZZO- the chicken was a tad dry BAKED OYSTERS (app)- terrific GROUPER ASPARAGINI- delightful Overall, I haven't had any dish here that I did not like. I like coming here for delicious Italian food and I'm glad that they made it through the tough pandemic months. I also have nothing bad to say about their service and I was happy to see the staff busy and happy to be back at work. Stay strong and keep it up. read more

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The atmosphere was fantastic and service felt very personal. The food was rich with flavor but not too rich.

OMG! When I tell you this food was amazing! We got the goat cheese app, the shrimp app and the oysters! That is in self was a full meal! My grandson had cheese ravioli with the sauce on the side and I decided to just get a salad bc is was so much food. Patrick, our server was more than attentive. Hands down 10/10 for me...Also, my daughter got a dirty martini...they have a heavy hand lol that drink was really good! read more

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Update. Went back in for the second time. Great scallops again, perfect sausage and peppers and a fantastic grouper. Man. We shared a bunch of things and it was all good. The grilled calamari needed a bit more of a char but other than that it was simply awesome. Love Nicole, too! Super friendly! read more

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The food and service is great as always. The atmosphere is good and servers are the best. read more

For a change...Excellent service. Food is always good, however a server can make or break an experience and Dana your new employee is off the chart fantastic. See you soon! Love the mussels. read more

Fantastic and very authentic Italian cuisine. Very good service and reasonable prices.

We had an early dinner on Friday with my mom at ZaZa's. Our server brought us warm bread and there was cheese and olive oil on the table to dip the bread in. We started with the grilled calamari. It was grilled perfectly and was tender. My husband had the braciolle for dinner. It was a generous size and delicious. I know because I snagged a taste. My mom had the rigatoni alla vodka, which she enjoyed. I had the dover sole Friday special. The dover was excellent, tender and fresh, but I was very disappointed with the sauce. The description read "extra virgin olive oil, capers, lemon & white wine" and I had an over abundance of a creamy sauce. The spinach was taking a bath in it. Ugh. I asked our server (she never introduced herself so don't know her name) if the sauce had cream, and she said that it did. I said the menus never mentioned that. She offered to replace my dish, but I already ate some fish, so I felt bad and said it was okay. It really wasn't! The restaurant should've clearly stated that cream was in the sauce. What if a customer was lactose intolerant? Overall, the food is good, atmosphere nice. read more

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I tried Zaza's for the first time a week ago and I'm definitely a fan! I'd say this place is comparable to the Fracesca's restaurants, though the menu here is more extensive and the food is even more delicious. This location has both indoor and outdoor dining, though it can get busy. Nonetheless, the food here really shines. I had a lovely Manhattan as well as a gorgeous entree of Farfalle Con Pollo. Everything tasted wonderful and the portions were huge. I honestly had food for the next two days! The chocolate souffle I had for dessert was also great and perfect to share. I'd highly recommend this location for a hearty, flavorful meal. read more

Zaza's - Italian Near Me - Clarendon Hills, Illinois

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I really like this place and have been here many times. The atmosphere is cozy, warm, and welcoming. I personally prefer going here for lunch because at night due to the small size it can get very loud and crowded. At that point it feels more like a bustling New York City restaurant. Which isn't bad, but it does make it hard to hear others at your table at times. At lunch it's more of a relaxed and laid back neighborhood cafe. So, it all depends on what you're looking for. But either way it's a great place. The staff is incredibly friendly, attentive, and helpful. In fact if you're a regular don't be surprised if upon sitting down you are immediately presented with your usual drink. They have some specialty cocktails that are really good such as the banana split martini. As well as standard ones like the French Martini. They also have a very nice wine list. The food is really good. Of the appetizers my favorite is the brushetta alla spinach, which is toasted bread with diced tomatoes, basil and parmesan, topped with fresh mozzarella, roasted spinach and olive oil. It's a bit of a meal in its self so it's definitely meant for sharing but it's delicious. A warm flavorful starter with a symphony of textures. I've had many different pasta dishes here and have always been happy with my order. Perfectly cooked pasta, fresh and flavorful ingredients. Yesterday I tried a dish I haven't had there before. The linguini frutti di mare, which is linguini with garlic, olive oil, scampi, sea scallops, calamari, mussels, and clams in a spicy marinara sauce. I was really impressed with this dish. A lot of times when I've had this dish at other places one ingredient overpowers the others. For example the plate comes and all you can see are shells and by the end of the meal you feel like you've only eaten mussels. But Zaza's gets it right. There is a far more even amount of each ingredient so each element gets to shine. The seafood is fresh and perfectly cooked as is the pasta. I do wish the sauce had more spice in it. However that's a personal preference and I'm sure they could make it spicier upon request. If you don't like spice all that much you'll be safe ordering it as is. It's also a very light and reasonably healthy dish. I'll order it again for sure. While I didn't have dessert yesterday I have in the past and honestly all of them are very good. The prices are reasonable too. I highly recommend this place. read more

Zaza's - French martini - Italian Near Me - Clarendon Hills, Illinois

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I got a Groupon and decided to use it tonight. It's a regular night so it's a perfect time for special foods. This is an experience. The restaurant is ticked off Ogden near a sushi bar. It's unassuming but once you walk in it's small and cozy and friendly. There's a bar as well as a dining room. The Groupon was for $40. We spent it tonight on lasagna and gnocchi with spinach as our main entrees. We each had a Cesar salad, split the two entrees, and then the tiramisu and a creme brûlée. We have leftovers of gnocchi and tiramisu. The dude really loved the brûlée and didn't want to share. I got a bite or two in and can report that it was creamy and delicious. The lasagna was cheesy and meaty. The gnocchi was creamy and rich. The spinach and Alfredo sauce was perfect with the gnocchi. It's another Groupon win for us! read more

Zaza's - Tiramisu yumminess. Come for the desserts as well as the delicious pasta. - Italian Near Me - Clarendon Hills, Illinois

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OMGGGGGG This restaurant is killer. Their food is very well cooked and they have great customer service. I was just here for my friend graduation party and everything was perfect when I came in. Their music is sooo good. I don't usually listen to old school classical music and now I really like it. You guys won't regret going. read more

Always delicious food. Best service and warm, welcoming atmosphere! I enjoy eating at ZaZa's every week

Good is tasty and the ambiance is lovely. The service is ok. They can be friendlier. Especially the gentleman working the bar.

Another excellent dinner on a very busy Saturday night at Zaza's. I think our server was a bit slammed by the 6 pm reservation crowd, but we were in no hurry. Our table had Corvina, chicken picc-ata, (to avoid auto correct) and chicken Milianese, and all were delicious. The roasted potatoes got a big thumbs up. Sadly, no dessert ordered this time, just cappuccino. Solid choice for dinner any time. read more

We went for our one year anniversary. Service was great, food exceeded our expectations and we had a nice comfortable evening

Updated review. Sadly- ZaZa's has gone down hill big time the last 3 times we dined. Sunday was the last straw. Lasagna... served cold. Meatballs, served cold. One of our 4-some received completely the wrong dish (pasta) when he ordered pork saltimbocca. Took 25 minutes to remedy- and what was brought out was over cooked to a point of shoe leather. Service was erratic and missing on all points. Have dined here for 15 years. We are done. Too many Italian options that surpass ZaZas for us to waste any more evening and $$$ here. read more

What a disappointment today. I have not been here for years. I finally go and I order my favorite, the white fish dish and all I got was half of the fish I used to get, and the spinach was not fully cooked and flavorless. Plus prices increased which I expected now and days but please serve the right portions. read more

Excellent service! Excellent pizza! Too much breadcrumb in the meatballs. Very dry. WE LOVE THE PIZZA!

I arrived early on a Thursday for dinner (they open at 5 and I was sitting down by 5:15) - service definitely slowed as the place got quite packed within an hour...that was more than fine by me as I was planning a trip and enjoying each bite and sip so was glad not to feel at all rushed. That said, I can see how people who want the typical American fast service complain it's slow. It *is* slow for the US, but that's one thing I loved about it - felt a much more true Italian pace. Wine by the glass selection was solid (bottle even more so but I was dining solo!) and the food was ace - I got the grilled calamari app, which was beautifully charred and so tender, and penne with a homemade sausage (such yummy fennel flavor) and pancetta ragú. Was too stuffed for dessert - I brought half my big portion of pasta home...and just polished it off as breakfast :) read more

A decent old-fashioned Italian place. One of my coworkers is from Italy and recommended this place to me. Very tasty dishes but slightly on the heavy side for me. The decor is classic and comfy. Three of us shared the Artichoke appetizer, Penne Abruzzesser, and Whitefish with Spinach. All of them were really good. Artichoke was presented in an interesting way. A whole Artichoke looked like a flower floating on a plate. It was a bit challenge to eat. We were told to pull the leaves one by one and eat the cheesy dressing, then eat up the heart in the middle. We loved it however a bit heavy for me. Whitefish was grilled nicely and the fish was flavored just right however the fish was a bit tough to my taste. The Spinach was also perfectly cooked and flavored. Light with the right portion. We used a to-go container for Penne but not other dishes. The penne was cooked nicely, a bit chewy just as the way I like how noodles should be cooked. The chopped-up sausage with tomato sauce was tasty but a little salty for us. We also ordered Chocolate souffle which was very delicious. Definitely worth trying again next time. This is a nice place to dine out with your friends. It would be a good idea to share the dishes among friends to reduce the expense and calories. Oh, print out the 10% online coupon and remember to use those which we forgot today. read more

I got wet pizza. Then I got wet pizza again. The waitress also wished us a happy Easter. It is November 21st.