Been a huge fan for 30 years! Like going back in time. Food is phenomenal. Prices are reasonable. Staff is delightful. Wish the place was closer. Well worth the drive! read more

Excited I found this place on reels and that video had me excited to try the "Best Lasagna in Chicago". Great marketing to get me in the door. I appreciate they had valet even though it's $10 since it's hard to find a space to park. I was surprised because I've lived in Chicago my whole life and never knew this area existed. By looking at reviews, I wish I had the opportunity to visit before COVID closed many of the store fronts. And to know this place has been open since 79'..wow. It's such a cute space walking in and being greeted by all the staff. Hubby said it was like a scene in A Christmas Story with all the lights and decor. Soo beautiful . We were immediately taken to our seats in the back. It's not a big place but very intimate. They have a young serving staff and our waitress talked like she was on Scandal, soo fast we couldn't keep up but she was friendly. We started with pizza bread and mussels diavolo. Both were very good and set our hopes up high for the main course. I have to say, those mussels in that sauce was the best I've ever had and was absolutely blown away. I kept talking about how good they were in each bite. Because of this I was excited about the lasagna I ordered that brought us in and hubby ordered the spaghetti without meat. We'll we were slightly disappointed in our main meals based off the flavor of our appetizers. Both tasted like they were missing something and my lasagna was a bit salty. They were not bad just missing something . We skipped dessert but I will try on my next visit. Because of my mussels, I'm excited to try other fish dishes and see how their chicken options are. I will definitely be back just not for pasta. read more

See all

Very cute date night spot. We were greeted when we came in by the bartender. Small bar area but reminds me of Cheers. Our waiter was Dante(I think). He was VERY nice and made great recommendations. The bruschetta was fresh and oh so delicious. My friend and I both got the lasagna. I will say we waited what seemed like forever for it but you can tell they make it to order. It was worth the wait! It came out hot and flavorful. I had been wanted lasagna and this did not disappoint. read more

See all

We visited Chicago the weekend of Jun 6th and made it a point to reserve a table with Bacchanalia. We had heard of their delicious traditional Italian food and warm atmosphere from our VRBO host and were so pleased. My brother in law and I each had the Lasagna and my sister and husband had the Gnocchi Gorgonzola. The food was incredible, the accompanying bread was super fresh and the ceasar salad we ordered was crisp and delicious. Our server was attentive and professional and every contact we made with the service team was pleasant. Thank you for a great 5-star experience! read more

Traditional Italian comfort food done to perfection. Love the homey ambience. Will definitely be back! read more

Bacchanalia Ristorante - Fried Calamari and pizza bread - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Stop the presses. The best bolangnase I've ever had. Ever. You can even share this opinion with my Italian mother in law. Such a cool spot, very old school - so the service was impeccable. Menu had so many options. I just cant say enough good things about this place. We will be back, I can promise you this. read more

Was recommend this spot by a friend who's been coming for years. Must say everything was a 10/10. The calamari was fresh The baked clams are phenomenal We ordered a few dishes to share, the lasagna was nothing short of amazing BUT the steak vesuvio was AMAZING. Get the tiramisu for desert you won't regret it. read more

See all

This is one of the best red sauce Italian restaurants I have ever been to. It was actually my second time there. Tonight's meal was crazy good. Started with baked clams. They were large, whole, and the breading was perfect. The garlic butter sauce perfect. My wife had the lasagna which was a sight to behold. The cheese inside was so creamy. I had spaghetti Bolognese with meatballs. The sauce was the best. Service was great. Well deserved 5 stars. read more

See all

We are never disappointed and always happy after dining at Bacchanalia's. Service, food and atmosphere are wonderful!

Excellent service! The lasagna , veal parmigiana and homemade sangria The environment was welcoming read more

I wanted to try this place because I had seen their special online. I went in on a Thursday and we were the only table there. We got baked clams as an appetizer and 2 glasses of wine. The baked clams were amazing, the star of the night. We had their split pea soup as well and it was good. For our entrees, we had the chicken francese and the veal scallopini. The veal scallopini was amazing! The chicken francese was just alright. The sauce was like a glaze or marmalade and was a little off putting. It was served over angel hair pasta which was amazing. All in all, it was too expensive for the quality of food. I would only return to drink at the bar and eat baked clams read more

Bacchanalia Ristorante - Chicken Francese - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My friend and I had high hopes for Bacchanalia. I have to say that we were pretty disappointed. The food didn't hit the mark. The fried calamari dipping sauce didn't seem to be very tasty compared to other places we have been to. The crispiness of the fried calamari was good though. We both were very disappointed in the baked clams as they all had a ton of sand in them. We have been to others places none of them had sand like Bacchanalia did. I did like the eggplant parmigiana. The service seemed to be very slow considering that we were the only customers in the restaurant. The overall atmosphere / ambiance was pretty good considering the holiday season. read more

See all

Food was delicious, atmosphere lovely and fun. The missing star was based on noise. I physically jumped a couple of times when people literally stood up and screamed. I'm all for having a good time but it was a bit much! I will be going back and taking friends read more

My spouse and I stopped in on a busy Sunday evening, and we were seated in the front of the restaurant adjacent to the bar. I liked the front space; it was a bit livelier than it appeared to be in the back, but not loud or obnoxious. The whole place is charming, though (and also has clean bathrooms). I ordered the lasagna, which in addition to being easily one the best I've ever had, was enough to feed two or three hungry people (and the leftovers made a fantastic lunch for two reheated the next day). The service is top notch, too. I would love to return to this place, but I doubt I could be a regular without gaining 50 pounds. read more

My friend and I tried to come here. Several times. We kept accidentally picking a day. It was closed. She told me it had the best lasagna. We finally came the other day and it did not disappoint. It was amazing and I'm very happy. I finally came with her. read more

Amazing food! We came for New Year's Eve. Fun fact: This place was where we spent our first NYE, so we were so happy to come back almost five years later. Our server was great. She listened to us, understood what we wanted, and thus responded us with great recommendations based on what we shared we liked. I had the NYE special (linguini with lobster) while my boyfriend ordered baked shells. The sauce that came with my dish was super delicious: I really wanted to come home with the sauce. The baked shells was really cheesy and the Chianti wine paired well with my dish. It was such a cute nice place. We enjoyed our time here and plan to come back for the summer! Not pictured: Caesar salad - Perfect pairing Italian Beer read more

See all

The food was outstanding (the fish melted in you mouth), the pasta dishes were the best I have ever had, the sides were fantastic, the dessert's were yummy, and the service was great. Don't fight the parking, just use the valet parking. I have been eating there since 1983. Never a disappointment. read more

Bacchanalia has the feel of a simple neighborhood restaurant, with great service and amazing food. We had the pizza bread, calamari, lasagna, and spinach gnocchi with vodka sauce. All of these dishes were great, but the stand out was the gnocchi. The gnocchi was stuffed with spinach! This was definitely a surprise. We've never had gnocchi like this before. It was great. Super light and fluffy, nice texture, not chewy. I would get this every time. The lasagna was also very good, but a tad salty for me. We ended the meal with the tiramisu, which we didn't love. It seemed like there was a chocolate sauce and some other substitute for the cocoa powder and mascarpone. Overall, it was a great meal. We'll definitely be back! read more

See all

Mediocre food. We had the calamari which was good, green beans - CANNED, lasagna sauces tasted days old, the veal we had was good. They served some items in disposable containers for dine in which was confusing. read more

Had a lovely dinner at Bacchanalia Ristorante. The food was fresh and flavorful, and the pasta dishes were a highlight. The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming, and the staff made us feel right at home. Definitely a great spot for a relaxed night out read more

Umm okay where do I start. After being kicked out of one restaurant that pissed my family off in Missouri that served, I kid you not ice cold steaks...we arrive here! This place is a flipp'in gem! It was a little bit of an uber drive from Little Italy but soooo worth it. After moving to Austin from the Chicago area this place was a welcome, warm, family run small restaurant. I can't begin to tell you how wonderful the service was and the prices were great. They have a a full bar and the place is cute as hell. Now on to the food......ummmmmmmm it so reminded me of the food my Grandmother would make (she was a fantastic Italian cook). I had the Lasagna ( if you like lasagna normally just don't think about it and order this!!!) My husband ordered Veal Scallopini (I don't eat Veal, but he does and his eyes rolled to the back of his head it was so good). We also had salads and yes the Italian dressing was yummy! To finish I had homemade tiramisu (pictured) OMG yes just like grandma's. This little gem is off the beaten path but it's worth it. If I could give this place 12 stars I would...so homey, it hugs your soul. Sorry ate all of my tiramisu, couldn't grab the camera fast enough.....it was that good! read more

Bacchanalia Ristorante - Lasagna!!!!! ORDER THIS! - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

We understand why this restaurant is always busy, because the food is excellent, and the service is outstanding. The location in a residential neighborhood makes it difficult to park, but it well worth the effort! read more

Cute hole in the wall Italian spot, near Pilsen. You'd need to make reservations - it's a small place.

We were there Valentine's Day weekend and the food was good! The service was also good! Ambiance was ok, very small restaurant!

There needs to be more restaurants like Bacchanalia in Chicago. A classic, family run, hidden gem! The food here is so delicious, and such generous portions. Great for sharing! My favorites are the baked clams, sausage and peppers, rigatoni vodka, and chicken vesuvio! read more

This place is great! My friends were visiting from out of town this past weekend and I remembered this place from years ago. It is a neighborhood gem in little Italy area that is worth visiting. I forgot about the large portions and how great the food is here! If I could give it 10 stars I would. The waitress (entire staff) was very friendly , attentive and made our visit enjoyable. Everyone ordered a different meal and every single bite was delicious! The house Chianti and Tiramisu was really good as well. Definitely will not stay away so long next time! read more

See all

ZERO STARS. Made a reservation for Labor Day Monday, after Cubs game. Reservation was ACCEPTED, via various sources, INCLUDING affirmative text from restaurant. Just 3 hours before seating time, restaurant cancelled, via TEXT ! What kind of place are they running ?? SKIP IT, no matter how good you think their food is. Better food right across the street. VERY UNPROFESSIONAL !!!!! read more

This place is great !! Was in Rome for a month in august and this restaurant took me back!! I'm gluten free and dairy free except in Rome I was able to eat it all !! Here in bacchanalia ristorante everything that's imported from Italy was safe for me to eat :)))) Jesus our waiter was amazing and patient to explain what's imported .. even the pistachio cheesecake was amazing .. will definitely be coming back . read more

Sat outside on Oakley ave on a lovely sunny afternoon. Love that they close off the street on Sunday for the restaurants. Excellent eggplant parm. Sliced thin and fried to perfection. read more

Atmosphere was amazing, the food was out of this world, and the server was on top of everything ( Dante)!! Thanks for all of the suggestions! Ant K. ***** read more

Food is always delicious and bountiful. The service is so welcoming and attentive. It's like visiting a relative for dinner.

Always a fabulous visit- Sunday when they 1st opened - welcomed with smiles Lisa was the best. Read the room/ meaning she could tell 3 girlfriends wanted to talk Everything was delicious and of course the lasagna my favorite! Lots to take home- we had baked clams- caprese salad , whitefish and ravioli - just the best if you want amazing food- the best staff and owners that are engaged! Thank you! read more

It has been quite some time since I have felt compelled to write a review for a restaurant, but Bacchanalia deserves this praise. My girlfriends and I went last night. It had a cozy, romantic and yet homey vibe to it. The place felt small but very comfortable. The staff was extremely accommodating, as we had multiple gift bags from a late Xmas gift exchange. We were lucky enough to have Ron as our waiter which amplified our experience. He was funny, courteous, attentive and gave us the most incredible and trustworthy recommendations. He truly made our experience so special. I felt as if I was having dinner at home while being catered to by my cool uncle. Ron was amazing to say the least. Please ask for him, he made our night. Alright, now to the food. Incredible! Out of this world. My top choices were the calamari (which is breaded after you order) the gnocchi (order half regular and half spinach) and the lasagna. These three things were my absolute favorite. Perfectly made, extremely delicious, great portions and a beautiful presentation. We also ordered the bruschetta caprese, chicken vesuvio, the chocolate cake and carrot cake. All extremely delicious but my stand out dishes were the ones noted. For drinks we ordered espresso martinis and fig old fashioned. They were well made and packed a punch. Overall, our experience was nothing short of amazing. I loved every bit of my time there and the food. I cannot wait to return. Please check this place out. You will not be disappointed and please ask for Ron as your server. That man is pure gold! A complete joy! read more

Came here on a Saturday afternoon right when they opened at 3:30 PM. We were the first ones there and got to pick where to sit. The space is small and intimate, perfect for a date night. Even though they had just opened, the staff was quick and ready to go! I wish I could remember our server's name because he really made it a delightful experience. We ordered the pizza bread and wine to start off. Both were out in 15 minutes. Then we ordered dinner, my partner got lasagna and I got the spinach gnocchi, along with another round of drinks. The drinks came out really quickly and the food about 15 minutes after that. THEN we got dessert, tiramisu, and cannoli. The cannoli was FANTASTIC. I wish I'd gotten two. I cannot stress enough how great the service was, which is why we kept ordering stuff lol. Everything came out at just the right time and tasted delicious. 10/10 - highly recommend. Definitely try the lasagna and cannoli. We found free street parking about 2 blocks away. We haven't had a problem street parking in this area. read more

See all

Delicious tomato salad and lasagna! Service was perfect, allowing us to chat and take our time. Beautiful holiday decorations made Bacchanalia extra cozy on a very cold evening. Looking forward to my next visit. read more

After 40 years of being a customer, it is still my favorite restaurant. The best vesuvio Dishes in the world. If you are looking for excellent food and friendly service, this is your place( not to mention reasonably priced). A wonderful family business. read more

This place is ~15min walk from Western CTA station. We came here on a Monday night for a friend's birthday. The restaurant is located in a residential area and the streets are quiet. There are fairy lights outside the restaurant so it shouldn't be hard to find. We got some Baked Clams and Fried Calamari as appetizers to start with. I got linguine al pesto and the portion was huge. I couldn't finish everything and had a lot to take home with me. We also got the Chicken Bacchanalia. I thought it was the best dish out of all the ones we ordered (~8 dishes) because it looked and smelled the most delicious. The dark meat came off the bone easily and the white meat was really dry but the sauce made up for that. It was very strong in garlic and I loved it. The bell pepper was soft and absorbed the sauce so it tasted really good. The dessert menu came as a photo album. It's super cute and helped so much because I didn't know what most of them were and would have to Google otherwise. I got the Amaretto Cheesecake; it looks plain but tastes fresh. The server brought out our desserts and with a candle on that of my birthday friend's. She even sang the birthday song with us and helped us take photos. The decoration inside was really photo-worthy. There are vines hanging on the walls and mini Italian flags on each table. We took a bunch of pictures there. The patio seemed closed but I imagine it would be so cute to be eating out there in the summer. The vibes of this restaurant is just so romantic. read more

See all

Went here for dinner on a spur of the moment decision on a Friday night. Service was good, but the food was, for the most part, pretty bad. The baked clams were mediocre. However, the sausage and pepper was ok, the sausage was good, but it was not prepared properly as the green bell peppers it came with were not fully cooked. One diner had the Pork Chop Vesuvio which was inedible. The chop was very overcooked and the garlic in the dish had been scorched. Similarly, the veal with eggplant was extremely tough and had an off taste. The lasagna was good and the diner who ordered that was pleased. The tiramisu and cannoli were both good. At any price, the food overall was awful and we all said that we would never return. read more

So, my family and I have been here quite a few times over the years because we love the food. BUT, 3 stars because of the rude, abrasive, borderline aggressive waitress with the dark brown Karen hair. She always has something smart to say to people, isn't welcoming at all, and if she's feeling too busy or in a bad mood, you're the first to know. When I get her name, I will edit this and post it. My family has had two bad experiences because of her. Too bad because we've had many celebrations here but will just go to Brunas from now on. 100% The lighting is dark in your place, so I could be off on the hair color but not on the service. Bar as you walk in, seating on the side of that and in the back. Trust me, it's your place read more

Pleasantly welcoming and privately comfortabley. Exceptional food and service. Good for family and friends as well as date night with the one you love. read more