Bad cobb salad - gritty lettuce. Expected better given prices and internet reviews.

The good: Great service. Didn't have to wait on a Saturday night during prime time and the waitress was attentive. Water, drinks, and bread were prompt. The atmosphere is good, but it's awkward walking in through a bar to get to the more intimate part of the restaurant. Huge portions and a ton of options. The bad: When it comes to Italian, this food is pretty bland. Didn't taste or feel authentic. Everything about this place is 4/5 stars, but the food was so bland I just couldn't justify a 4. Overall: Good portions, selections, and service. Average Italian taste. Atmosphere: 7.5/10 Service: 9/10 Food: 6.5/10 read more

We enjoyed the pub like atmosphere of the corner room, which affords a great view of the colorful neighborhood. Salads were fresh and excellent, and there are some nice wines on their list at good prices. Service was inexperienced but well intentioned. read more

Eek I did not love Basil Leaf Cafe. I've walked past here countless times, and after an appointment across the street, I felt like it was fate to finally check this restaurant out. In one word, it feels homey. It's not modern, and looking around the restaurant, it was mostly an older crowd. It was also pretty empty. But the staff were really friendly and down-to-earth, and I was excited that they offered gluten free pasta! The food, however, wasn't great. My alfredo pasta was really really runny, and the chicken on top was chewy in that frozen and reheated sort of way. The gluten free bread was a nice touch, but it was really dense and flavorless. I feel bad that I didn't love this place; the people really seemed like they're trying. But the aesthetic and the food just didn't cut it for 2018, when a city location like this offers so so much more for the money elsewhere. read more

My favorite part of the whole meal was the lovely hot bread that came at the beginning of our dining experience. I can see the appeal of this place. The decor is clean and modern. There are plenty of dish options (even gluten free). It's convenient if you live in the neighborhood, but boy oh boy was the pasta dish excruciatingly hard to eat. I honeslty couldn't wait to write about it. I was flabbergasted that it was served to me. Eighteen dollars for some pasta and sauce - you would expect the pasta to maybe be homemade, but no sir. Definitely not. The sauce (alla vodka), was just a regular tomato base. There wasn't even any cream in it! Appalling. It came with full strips of asparugus and PEAPODS. What do you think of peapods in a dish? I think of asian inspired cuisine, not Italian. If you want an upscale version of the Olive Garden, then you will love this place. read more

Dropped in with a friend in late afternoon on a Sunday. Had stiff margaritas and bruschetta, then another friend dropped in. Place was slow, as expected, which was nice for the 3 of us to catch-up. Definitely a great place to drop in for a pre-yoga dronk. read more

Basil Leaf Cafe - Margarita. A double! - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Cute neighborhood Italian restaurant. Service was excellent. Fresh bread rolls to start with, not too overpriced entrees, and satisfactory portion sizes for the win. Could use some renovation in house to spice things up but overall the food hit the spot. read more

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What a lovely, adorable little Italian place in LP! I was looking for a low-key, quiet place to get some good hearty Italian food on a rainy March Friday, and a friend recommended this place - I am so glad we tried it! The food was really delicious, the service was great, and best of all we didn't have to wait at all for a table at 7:30 on a Friday! I will definitely be going back. read more

Very cute place, a combination of comfortable and classy - not someplace you'd have to feel like you had to dress up for. I had Chicken Milano and it was fantastic. I started with Baby Spinach Poached Pear salad which was good but a little on the sweet side for what I prefer in a salad. The chicken was cooked nicely and was moist. The pasta was so yummy - mixed w/sundried tomatoes, asparagus and artichoke hearts. The sauce on the pasta was a very light, broth based sauce. It could have used a little more seasoning. The server offered fresh ground pepper and parmesan cheese - which would have enhanced it nicely. NICE beer and wine selections also. Service was very good. We will be back. read more

My mom and I ordered out because it was one of the only locations with gluten free gnocchi, which my mom was looking for. I had never tried this spot previously, but it was just a short walk from my apartment. We ordered the gnocchi with bolognese sauce and chicken pesto. HOLY WOW, it exceeded my expectations. The staff was really nice when I came in to pick it up too. Such a gem neighborhood joint! Only downfall was that it needs a little rebranding and interior facelift. read more

Basil Leaf Cafe - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We enjoyed a delightful meal at a socially distanced table with an attentive wait staff. The food was delicious and enough for a second meal the next day. Their bread is great. I recommend Basil Leaf! read more

Food was really delicious, decent wine list and great service. The calamari appetizer was spot on, the Alexander Valley cab ($54) was deep and delicious, the fettuccini with sun dried tomatoes and chicken was so creamy and rich and the service was excellent. Can't wait to go back! small dessert list but the two we tried were very good: coconut cake and chocolate flourless cake servers were attentive and friendly really great spot read more

The complimentary, warm bread was tremendous. The shrimp and scallop fettuccine was very tasty and very reasonably priced. They have great combination lunch specials as well. They have nice outdoor seating and a lot of space inside. read more

I haven't come here in a few years (and when I did it was usually in the summer to enjoy those open doors in the summer- just the most lovely breeze). This time I came in the dead of winter with a friend who had Celiac because of the positive reviews on the "Find Me Gluten Free" app. It was so nice for her to be able to order pasta. All of their dishes can be made gluten-free. I probably would never have known that but she loved it and they took her allergy really seriously. Considering the level of gluten an Italian place has, what a nice surprise! The great service and delicious food were just a bonus. read more

I really liked the Rigatoni with Chicken and Spinach in an Alfredo Tomato sauce. And the service from Madeline was terrific!

This is my new favourite spot. I have suddenly had to go gluten free and felt like I just had to accept never having pasta again UNTIL I found Basil Leaf. I was so used to terrible gluten free items but nope. Basil Leaf's menu is incredible. They take gluten allergies seriously and do not let lack of gluten mean lack of flavour. Our server was Agnieszka and she was an absolute treasure. Even if the food hadn't been absolutely delicious I would still be a repeat customer for Agnieszka. She was an amazing server, prompt, courteous, and absolutely charming. Basil Leaf is my favourite restaurant in Chicago. read more

Very nice Italian restaurant. First time there. Staff was very friendly. Hot bread delivered to your table was a nice touch. Chicken Marcella was. Very good. We also tried angel hair pasta with chicken and basil oil. Very good also. Price was reasonable and the atmosphere was great. A little too much onion on the bruschetta but I would get it again. We will be back. read more

My boyfriend use to work for Basil Leaf and from the time that I have been with him while he worked there, I've been able to try nearly half the menu and nothing has every disappointed me! Service, cleanliness, chefs, owners and environment is hands down 5 stars all around. A nice quiet dining expierence that will leave you a lasting memory for any occasion being celebrated or even just a night out of your own kitchen! It's a must go to if you are visiting Chicago or even if you live here and are looking for something new. Treat yourself and thank me later! Enjoy!!! read more

Basil Leaf Cafe - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I mostly write positive reviews in order to be supportive of establishments that provide above average services and experiences. Unfortunately, this evening we had an undesirable experience at this restaurant - a place that we have previously enjoyed. I like animals, but not while I'm dining indoors. I was aghast when a woman and her younger guests proceeded to come into the dining room with a tiny pet dog. I mentioned something to the manager, who told me that she was not allowed to inquire as to the nature of the animal. She brought me a stapled policy booklet (I think it was from the city) that had a few items circled. One of the highlighted items mentioned that restaurant staff are allowed to ask a patron two questions to qualify whether their pet is a certified service animal. The first question is whether or not the pet is a certified service animal and the second is what specific task the pet is certified for. My fiancé is a therapist and I work in the healthcare field. We are sensitive to the socio-emotional needs of others. While we were there, none of the people at the table seemed to need the assistance or support of a tiny little white dog that they unsuccessfully tried to keep contained under the table. Needless to say I felt fortunate that I had already eaten some soup, because I completely lost my appetite and had the rest of my meal wrapped to take with me. The manager, in her statement that there was "nothing she could do," could have at least kept the party isolated to the front bar area where there is high-top table seating and dinner service. Additionally, she could have also inquired as to the status of the animal's "service." When I asked the manager why she didn't inquire with the woman who brought the dog in, the manager replied that the woman could make up a story. True, but taking the initiative to ask would be supportive of health codes as well as patrons who aren't interested in dining with a dog. I was raised in Chicago and have lived in the city for a long time. This is the only indoor restaurant that I have ever seen a dog in. There won't be any more trips to Basil Leaf. I would rather visit a restaurant that respects health codes, cleanliness, people with disabilities and its other patrons. By not seeking to inquire as to the nature of the specific "service" the animal might perform, this restaurant's actions are disrespectful of people with disabilities and their bonafide use of service animals. It is quite unfortunate that this particular family seemed to blatantly abuse a policy meant to support people with disabilities. It is also unfortunate that Basil Leaf took NO initiative to stop this abuse and therefore was complicit. What's next, a support peacock in the restaurant? This is unhealthy and unsanitary. Gave two stars because in the past I enjoyed the food and our experience there. Certainly will not be returning. read more

Basil Leaf Cafe - We will not be returning. The night we were in Basil Leaf the manager allowed a pet, who was not contained, into the main dining area. - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We chose Basil Leaf Cafe for a healthy salad. What a surprise to find a wonderful staff and great menu. White wine by the glass with delicious Manhattan clam chowder and a Greek salad with grilled salmon was the perfect late lunch. Christina our server was gracious and made excellent recommendations. read more

Basil Leaf Cafe - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

UPDATE: since this is now comically fun and given the unprofessional response from the restaurant on this review, I'd figured I'd Write back in. Not sure if other viewers are able to see the comment but they are extremely ill-informed on what happened in my experience. The waitress did not ask "would you like to start" with soup. There wouldn't have been confusion if she had done that. And equating this soup fiasco to ordering liquor is not at all comparable. ORIGINAL: Very disappointed with the service at this place. I live around the corner and we have been here twice now. Both times there has been a mistake with our orders. This past time was most egregious. We had a dispute over the way the waitress offered soup & salad, leading us to believe that this was included in our meal. While it was a misunderstanding on both our parts, the very small and simple fix to our large bill that would have made our evening right again.The waitress did not clarify once that we were "adding" a soup or salad and even said her job is to up sell at the detriment to the customers experience. All in all, I was flabbergasted by their response and felt my meal was less than flavorful. If you're on Clark for a Italian meal, I recommend going across the street to The Pasta Bowl. Better food and fresher ingredients. I will NOT be returning. read more

Love Basil Leaf!! As a gluten free diner, this place is a God-send. I come here at least once a week to indulge in their GF pasta choices! My sister is vegetarian and there are plenty of options for her as well. The service is great, the wine selection is awesome, I've genuinely never had a bad experience. I always start with the romaine, avocado & sesame seed salad. Their soups are great. There are endless pasta options with even three choices of gluten free noodles, very rare for the gluten sensitive. They even had gluten free rolls to start. Keep doing what you do, Basil Leaf! read more

Never disappoints! Lovely family run Italian restaurant in Lincoln Park. The French doors all around the restaurant are wide open in good weather. Wonderful outdoor seating down the quiet side street. Warm rolls served to your table. Whole and half sized salads and delicious pasta dishes. The little lady greeting guests is delightful as is the staff. One of our neighborhood favorites! read more

So, Just sat down here for dinner. First time here. Was shown to my table by the most lackluster seater, apparently indifferent whether another customer comes in the door or not. Opposite is welcoming. Gonna order now, and see if things improve, but my 1-star will stay regardless, for the very poor start. read more

We tried Basil Leaf because of the gluten-free and allergy conscious reviews that other folks had left and that we'd read about, but unfortunately if you have more than one allergy there are only one or two options for you. The gluten free pasta was fine, a little thick and chewy, but tasted fresh and wasn't mushy. That said, we really wanted marinara on the pasta, but our server let us know that unfortunately that sauce (and all the others except for fresh tomatoes and basil oil) had gluten. Seems weird to have gluten-free pasta but no gluten-free sauces to go with it. Then, the gluten free meatballs had dairy, so no luck there either. What we ended up ordering wasn't exactly what we had a taste for but it was fine, and better the next day with some sauce from home and some of the oil cooked off. Our server was very friendly and helpful and we enjoyed our time. We were just expecting to be blown away by the allergy friendly options and were disappointed by the lack of choices. read more

Loved it here! My husband and I came here for date night and it was such a nice vibe. We got drinks, appetizers (goat cheese), salad (avocado), and entrees (frutti de mare and chicken with angel hair pasta). Everything was delicious. Our waitress gave us good recommendations for food options when we asked- she was very helpful and knowledgeable of the menu. We will definitely come back! read more

Delicious bread served hot and fresh (I always ask for seconds on the bread). Pasta dishes come in a wide variety and are very tasty with good portions. Prices are in line with most Italian restaurants in this neighborhood. One of me and my girlfriend's favorite spots! read more

Wednesday night 1/2 off bottles is pretty great. Service was excellent and the food was good and plentiful. Great neighborhood spot with an unexpected array of gluten-free options on the menu although my meal was gluten-full. read more

Basil Leaf Cafe - Linguine with shrimp and scallop - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wonderful atmosphere, great service, water with sliced fruit in the pitcher to give it a fresh taste, and lets talk about the bruschetta they hand out for free as a starter. YUM! But that's only the half of it.... the Butternut squash soup, so rich, decadent and smooth...the bowl was HUGE, but you wont want to stop slurrping it down!..... and field salad with blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and a WONDERFUL honey vinaigrette....and all this for under $10. AMAZING Some of the pastas are 'different' than you would find anywhere else, and they even say that on the menu... "all pastas, but not all Italian" I remember some with an Asian tang to it, others with thought out and wonderful flavors combined but no real region influence to think of. Speaking of different, the ICED TEA... it has this lovely minty taste. VERY refreshing. If you are ever in the area, stop in! The food is fast and delicious... and they even have carry out! read more

I had a serious Italian craving on Saturday night and made my way about 50 feet from my apartment to the Basil Leaf. I can't believe that after nearly a year of living in the neighborhood I had never eaten here before. The first thing I noticed about the restaurant was the temperature. Within a minute of sitting down my face felt all flush and I felt my armpits sweating. This caused us to go with a chilled Riesling for dinner as opposed to the usual red wine. Our waitress was awesome and acknowledged it was a little steamy inside and offered to pump up the AC. The menu was pretty standard.. nothing really jumped out at me. I generally stick with some sort of chicken or lasagna dish when I go for Italian, so I ended up choosing the linguine with chicken and lemon sauce, with the granny apple spinach salad to start. Both definitely hit the spot and I did not leave hungry (I am actually finishing the rest of the meal today for lunch). Our waitress was awesome, too. Awesome enough to leave $30 tip of a $70 total bill. I wish I would have taken her name down for future visits. This place is fairly easy to get a table at. Even though it is slightly small (though much bigger than the old location across the street) we only waited about 5 minutes for a table on a Saturday night. I would definitely recommend it for a quick good meal or a date night. read more

Look, one thing to know about my reviews is this: I've worked in the hospitality industry in one capacity or another my entire life. I know that appearances aren't always everything and I know that even though "the customer is always right," the customer isn't always right. This is why I almost always give businesses who left me with a not-so-hot impression another chance. Like Basil Leaf. I returned yesterday - again al fresco, this time sans canine companion. So how was it? I'll tell you exactly how it was. It was a complete turn around from the negative non-experience I'd had last week. This time I paid closer attention to the entire vibe of the place and here's what I saw: relaxed, casually dressed regulars. The manager (same guy, by the way) went from table to table chatting with guests, bringing water, making sure everyone was happy. Speaking of the water - Basil Leaf is actually responsible for my new water kick I started a month or so ago. I've detested water my entire life but at Basil Leaf, the water is infused with big, juicy berries and citrus. It tastes fantastic and I now infuse water with fruit to drink every day at home, too. My food? I tried the house salad with walnuts, gorgonzola and a basalmic vinaigrette to start. It was fresh and light - perfect for outdoor dining on a sunny day and I ate every bite. For my main course, I chose the angel hair pasta with tomatoes, basil and grilled chicken. Again, delicious. The dish was loaded with perfectly grilled chicken, juicy bites of tomato and fresh basil - another perfect choice for a sunny lunch outside. I can't close out this review without mentioning the mojito I had. One thing you must know about me: I am a mojito girl to the core. That said, the mojitos at Basil Leaf DELIVER. They're big, pretty (served with a giant sprig of mint) muddled perfectly, and just a touch on the sweet side. Basil Leaf deserved another chance and I'm VERY glad I gave them one. My meal was outstanding, the beverages were fantastic, and my server was wonderful if not slightly overly-enthusiastic (I later learned that she's new; taking that into consideration, she did a great job). Here's the long and short of it - there's a reason this place is a favourite among the neighborhood locals. In fact, don't be surprised if I become one of those aforementioned regulars, too! read more

You know you've become too stuck in your ways of living downtown when you consider going to Lincoln Park a road trip. However, a movie we wanted to see was only playing at Landmark so we decided to make a day of it. After the movie we decided to eat at Basil Leaf Cafe and I'm really glad we did. The little intro note inside the menu stating the original was a place called Pastas Cafe in Long Island, NY brought a smile to my face as I remembered going there as a kid! The menu itself had a lot of great choices. Amy had some delicious pasta with grilled chicken and I had the carbonara which was awesome. The Caesar salad we split was delish too and the wine was tasty. Our server was super friendly and genuinely seemed to enjoy her job which isn't often the case at places downtown. The other noticeable difference between downtown was price. So reasonable for the food and wine! After paying our bill we ended up at the bar for another cocktail. I don't know her name, but the bartender there on Saturday night with the brown hair should bottle whatever happy pill she takes in the morning (if in fact it's not already bottled) because I've never in my entire life had service by someone in such a wonderful mood! We'll definitely be back. read more

Well, after my 3rd experience with Basil Leaf, I thought it time to make an educated review. I can't stand how good their food is. And after reading some of the 2 or 3-star reviews, I feel sorry they didn't have one of my experiences. I love the duality of the seating area--either in the main dining room or the bar. Both offer full-service wait staff, so it just depends on how busy they are and what type of mood your'e in. I love their bolognese and tortellini w/ peas. I could eat either of those every day for dinner. Also, the gorgonzola mushroom appetizer is nummy! Usually I find gorgonzola to be a bit too pungent for my taste, but this was perfectly salty and earthy. Ooo...I forgot about their spring mix salad with cherries and brie. Seriously decadent. I've only had dinner there, and both times it definitely had some mood lighting going on. This place would be great for a nice date with good food. The wine selection is decent and the staff will help you choose a glass or bottle that matches the meal. Watch out for parking. Being on Clark, it's hard to find a spot. There is valet (I think), but just suck it up and take a cab. That way you can enjoy as much wine as you'd like!!! Mangia people. Mangia! read more

Great casual dining... Italian and Asian pasta dishes. I've been here three or four times, and I've had good food and great service each time. Nice place to take your parents or a date without being overly fancy. Prices are completely reasonable and portions are huge. I recommend getting one of the outdoor tables and people watching on Clark street. read more

Meh. How about a piece of hair from our waitress in the Greek salad? How about that. Blonde, short and curly!? Not mine! How about some blah chicken drenched in chunky pasta sauce? How about that. No thanks. read more

I was unfortunately disappointed by this place. I've lived in the area for years and just never got around to going there, and went tonight with 3 friends. The service was good and the atmosphere nice, but the food really wasn't that good. I got butternut squash ravioli with spinach and garlic and you could barely taste the pasta because it was doused with burnt garlic taste [and was $15 on top of it!] My friend got the penne vodka and said it wasn't that good either - honestly, how can you mess up something that simple? (However, the table bread service was good; yummy bread.) 3 stars is actually generous, but I am hopeful that the other menu options are better. I'll give it one more shot since it's a neighborhood spot... read more

Best. Gnocchi. Ever. Not generally a huge fan, but ordered it on a whim, mostly intrigued by the sun-dried tomato, pine nut and pesto sauce. I was blown away. Light and airy, soft but not at all gummy; each bite was better than the one before! I've been here a few times and tried other dishes, but they were pretty unremarkable. The same goes for my opinion of the place as a whole. It's good...but nothing to get excited about. read more

Basil Leaf has moved over to its new location across the street and what an improvement! Everything that was frustrating about the old location -- small size, poor service, long waits -- has been corrected and/or vastly improved. The new space is easily triple the size of the previous one, which made a huge difference since you can wait inside now instead of just standing around outside the building awkwardly. Also, they have quite a few more waiters now, which means they have more time to dedicate to their tables. The bathrooms are also larger so you don't spend 1/2 of your meal waiting outside for one. The food is still good. It was never amazing, but a solid choice that you rarely regretted. Upscale, simple, Italian food, freshly prepared would be how I described it. It doesn't quite live up to its price point however. Its sooo close though, that I have a hard time faulting it for that. Basically, it a solid restaurant choice for the occasional "nicer," but not quite nice, evening out. read more

This is the ultimate cute date spot. The atmosphere here is so fresh, yet intimate at the same time. And you'll get a great assortment of wines here too. To make things even better, the food is really yummy here and they have a great, extensive menu. read more

Basil Leaf Cafe - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I was on a several month long Italian food drought so my wife and I decided to head over for a late dinner on a Friday. It has a nice atmosphere, but bright and open isn't my ideal Italian restaurant setting. I would have rather had a cozy, candlelit table than this but it was nice and quiet so it worked. The bread was awesome, but we had to flag down someone to get more once our initial ration (2 small rolls each) was gone. Why can't they just walk around every 2 minutes and drop piles on your plate Fazoli's style? The food was just average. My wife ordered the half Lobster - it came with a full claw and the tail was "half" remove out. I say "half" because whoever got the Lobster before her definitely got the majority of the tail meat. That's the best part!! 75% of the time I get Italian food at a restaurant I feel like I could have made it at home just as well. This fell into that category and spending $30 for one of the cheaper bottles of wine just made it worse. read more