This is a restaurant my girlfriend frequents as she's a huge fan of their martini selection. I'm not a huge martini person myself, but their javatina - available in DECAF!!! - is phenomenal. Also, yes I realize it's weird to 'yell' Decaf since we should be calmer without caffeine - but it's great they offer that option! I ordered the Chicken De Luca which was good and cooked very well. It could've used a bit more seasoning though. We also got the fried polenta calamari which was great as well - the sauce with it definitely helped. We also got the Chopped Caprese and the Pizza Abruzzo which were both very good. Crust on the pizza was nice and crispy. The service was great and while I wasn't drinking, the smoked Old Fashioned looked delicious! read more

Had the pleasure of eating at caffe De Luca on Saturday evening and what a great experience it was! The drinks, the food, the service, the environment...were all spot on! I had the sausage & peppers, and I must say, they were the best I have ever had. Had the pleasure of having the General Manager Jacinto as my bartender and server! He was great, as was the entire caffe De Luca service team! If you're anywhere near Forest Park, this is a MUST TRY! Great Job caffe De Luca!!! read more

Caffe De Luca - Great Bar. Fun Atmosphere. Must try place! - Italian Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

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Always delicious food & cocktails. Amazing atmosphere, great service and huge bonus that most of their staff has been there since they opened which says way more about this gem, than my 5 star review. read more

The staff is very nice, gentle, and attentive. The food was fresh, and it was very tasty! The atmosphere is calm. I plan on returning to dine on the roof. read more

Caffe De Luca - Italian Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

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My brother invited me to lunch at Caffe De Luca. I live within walking distance from the restaurant. When I drive pass the outside patio is always packed with people sitting out enjoying drinks and food. So, I was excited to see what the hype was about this place. I read a few reviews and impressed with the reviews. It was a nice afternoon, so we sat outside to dine. The service was exceptional and our server was attentive and kind. I wasn't impress with the food here at Caffe De Luca. I love Italian Food but the food here wasn't what I expected. Just basic food with no season or reason. I was very disappointed. Great Service, welcoming atmosphere, the drinks were good but the food needs improving especially for the prices on the menu. read more

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An absolute jewel of a restaurant! Miguel and Jacinto makes the BEST martinis in town. The chefs make the most delicious and flavorful sauces I have ever tasted. The pizza is primo. I usually get their fish specials which are scrumptious every single time ! They aren't a breakfast place but their brunch is unmatched! Service is incredible. If I could give them a 20 rating I would without hesitation. Check them out. Disappointed, you will not be! read more

I have been there twice now and I just love this place. Great service, awesome food, amazing cocktails. Lovely ambiance both inside and outside dining. A must try! read more

What?! Where do I begin? The atmosphere is so welcoming and it feels like you're at a friend's home. We came on a late summer evening on a Friday night. Thankfully it was not too busy. We were able to sit up on the rooftop which was perfect! We ordered a couple drinks (I had prosecco and hubs had a lime gimlet with gin) and then the food came. We had mussels, grilled calamari, and the endalada de luca with grilled shrimp. Everything was AMAZING. Servers were really attentive and friendly, and the food was phenomenal. We even had a little dessert, we split a slice of pistachio cheesecake. Even ordered another Gillette which we decided to share and the server even split the drink into two glasses for us. Impeccable service!!! We would love to return, this place was incredible! read more

Came in for dinner on a Thursday to try a new place. We were quickly seated, and the food didn't take too long to arrive after we ordered. Interior has a rustic feel to it, and it fits the food pretty well. Other than the complimentary dip and bread, I got to try three dishes. My main dish was the chicken parmesan. The chicken was cooked well with a satisfying texture. It came with a side of broccoli and rigatoni in red sauce. I feel like the sauce for the chicken parm and rigatoni was a little on the weak side. It was very tomato forward, which isn't a bad thing. However, it just felt a tad lacking in overall flavor. The lamb dish also had a neutral flavor despite being covered in a glaze. The dish mostly relied on the flavor of the lamb, and that included the side of potatoes as well. The mushroom risotto was probably the best dish flavorwise. It had great texture and had the right amount of cheese flavor. The vegetables on each dish were all cooked very well, which was surprising for some reason. I will come back to try some of the other dishes. Perhaps I'll find a bit more of the wow factor I was hoping for in the other dishes. There was nothing that turned me off from this establishment, and I recommend giving it a try. read more

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I had Caffe de Luca bookmarked for the longest time and was excited to stop by on a weekday with friends. It wasn't too busy around 6pm and we were seated immediately. The restaurant has warm, rustic decorations. The service was a bit slow, but staff were friendly. They served complimentary bread with oil and beans, which was an interesting combination. For entrees, we ordered the lamb oso bucco, mushroom risotto, and chicken parmesan. The serving size for each entree was great; however, the flavors were mid. For the price of the entrees, I had higher expectations. We left full, but disappointed. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great or flavorful. I'm glad I had the chance to try Caffe de Luca, but don't see myself returning. read more

I can't believe I hadn't been here for anything but a party prior to my most recent visit! Years ago, I was here for a party in the party space. The food was excellent and service was perfect. Then, recently, I visited for brunch with a hard to please family member. And it was perfect! Great breakfast/brunch options for anyone - from basic eggs to fancier dishes. Service was friendly and quick - no waiting for coffee!! I though the food was fresh and delicious and rather simple - in a good way - it wasn't over the top in terms of flavor or anything. Just solid, delicious and nicely sized portions. The space is extremely homey and relaxing. Would be great for a family meal, date night or anything in between. Prices were reasonable. read more

I've been here twice and each time the martinis and bread and delicious white bean dip were amazing!!!! My husband tried the veal piccata and loved it! I tried the linguini fra diavolo- sauce flavor and mussels were on point! But the overcooked squid and shrimp and gritty bits and broken shells made it very hard to eat around and fully enjoy. We finished off with an incredible toffee cake that I would literally come back for! Staff is great and friendly and ambience is inviting, cozy, neighborhoody (in the best way) and welcoming all around! read more

Caffe De Luca - Diavolo - Italian Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

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Cute little place, the prosciutto wrapped asparagus was amazing. Fig salad fresh and delicious. Spaghetti with marinara was so fresh tasting. Very very good. read more

I bookmarked this place recently, and I've kept them in my mind closely for a while now. I was out alone and bored, so I stopped by for drinks and food and to soak up a little ambiance. I sat outside to enjoy the breeze and views of Forest Park. The staff were all very friendly. The restaurant was pretty busy, too. I ordered the ribeye med rare. I wanted mashed potatoes instead of the potatoes that come with it, but they charged me $6 to add it and kept the potatoe squares it comes with. It was fine, but I didn't eat those. The asparagus could've been softer, and the food could've had a little more seasoning. My steak was more medium than anything, too, but it wasn't bad in their gravy its served with. They only loss a star due to the lack of seasoning. My bellini was BOMB!!!! I will definitely be going back. read more

Caffe De Luca - 16oz ribeye steak $41 - Italian Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

Went there tonight for dinner had Caesar salad and added steak and the steak was like crappy taco meat very fatty

I'm not sure what all the great reviews on here because my ex husband and I decided to give this place a try. So we grabbed our dog to took a walk. We were immediately stopped in our tracks and told no pets allowed on the patio. This is 2025. People bring their pets and dine outside all over. How ridiculous!!! We orders their pizza and there was nothing special about it. Fake cheese that doesn't melt, undercooked crumbled sausage, and a tasteless sauce. The crust was crispy. We were disappointed in what was supposed to be pana cotta. I'm not certain what it was but it definitely wasn't pana cotta. Overly sweet and the wrong texture. All over this was a horrible dining experience as we had to sit across the street at these tables and chairs that were placed outside for people to sit. We were directly across the street from each restaurant. Unreal. Just let us sit under the umbrella and enjoy ourselves. I'm sorry but unfortunately I don't recommend this establishment. Food was disappointing and the way we were greeted then turned away left a bad impression. No no no!!!! Run like your the last two monkeys boarding Noah's Ark and it's starting to rain!!! You've been warned folks!!! Enter at your own risk !!! Danger ‼! Danger ‼! Danger ‼ !!! Food: 2/5 | Service: 1/5 | Atmosphere read more

Amazing atmosphere and food!!! The owner is extremely welcoming made me feel like i was at home!

Amazing food and service never changes. The ambiance is very chill if you want to just have drinks but can also be romantic for a nice date night. read more

We stopped in for lunch and were attended immediately. My husband had the minestrone and I asked for the soup of the day, which happened to be squash soup. I had never tried squash soup and it was delicious! I would go back just for the soup. My husband had the black bean burger and I had the Italian grilled cheese. Both sandwiches were tasty and both came with their homemade potato chips! The service was excellent, the ambiance was good and the food was delicious! Going back for sure!! read more

Caffe De Luca - Soup of the day- squash soup - Italian Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

Cafe De Luca is a very solid restaurant in Forest Park. I have been with family many times here and enjoy the breakfast burritos and omelets the most. The staff are friendly and the service is good. read more

It's our go-to to break up the week at a place we know we'll have a good meal. The bread and hummus are a nice treat before the assortment of martinis or wine to consider. Appetizers usually start out with their calamari and whatever else we fancy for the evening. Whether it's their house salad with chicken or one of their chicken or pasta dishes, we are never disappointed. We favor Omar and any other staff there to make the visit pleasant. Enjoy! read more

We went to Caffe de Luca with our small dog and wanted to sit outside. We were told by the workers that the restaurant does not allow dogs on their outdoor patio. We were astonished. What is so wrong about allowing a dog to sit at the foot of the table outside. We were determined to try their food so we ordered carry out. We had their Roma pizza and an order of panna cotta. The pizza was barely average in taste. It lacked flavor and was somewhat expensive ($19) for a pizza that barely fed two people. The panna cotta was overly sweet and didn't taste like panna cotta that I was expecting. We were disappointed with the food and we also didn't like the no dog policy for the patio. We can not recommend this restaurant read more

Simply put, the best experience in dining of had in a very long time. The food, exquisite. The red sauces were crafted beautifully. The tuna, the veal, the scallops and the braciolo, out of this world. The best service I've ever had in what appears to be a brautiful scene in a Venician restaurant. I make it here ever 2-3 years and just had to tell you. read more

I would give this restaurant 3 stars at best. It doesn't seem like the chef knows how to prepare Italian food. Our bread came with hummus, which definitely threw us off. The pasta sauce was filled with cream, very salty and the pasta itself was doughy. Sadly, we won't be returning. read more

Fabulous food, service and atmosphere. They never rush and the dip and bread as a starter is so delicious!

Delicious food! Great service and super friendly people. Ordered appetizers, main course and dessert. Highly recommend

The food was amazing. I had one of my favorite meals that, for me, is hard to find, Osso Bucco. It was perfect, tender and tasty. My husband had the rib eye wonderful. Would highly recommend. Oh, I almost forgot the service was great. read more

My son brought us to dinner at Caffe DeLuca. This was my 1st time eating here. My son lives in Forest Park and goes to this restaurant frequently. I enjoyed our dining experience very much. I started out with a delicious martini. They have good cocktails as well as wine list. We received a complimentary bean & olive oil spread with our bread service. So good...and nice! I had the pear & goat cheese salad and gnocchi with tomato cream sauce. The gnocchi were soft and delicious and the cream sauce not heavy. My husband had the braciola and was expecting the traditional rolled version. It was tasty, though. I enjoyed our dining experience and I'm sure we'll be back. read more

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Came here for a late lunch with my son and his girlfriend by accident. The place we planned to meet for lunch was closed. We just beat the rush and was able to get a table near the window. Portions were huge and the food was good. Staff was friendly. Pricing was comparable to Maggiano's. I would love to comeback in the summertime when the dining room's convertible windows are open read more

Caffe De Luca - Linguini Fra Diavolo - Italian Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

Frankly, I don't even know where to begin, but this is definitely one of the best meals I've had in a long time! Everything from start to finish, was absolutely delectable, well seasoned, and the perfect temperature! We all started out with the soup. Our options were either minestrone or chicken and I'm a soup girl but I don't really like either of those options. However, I decided to go with the chicken and I would have been sick if I didn't! It was so flavorful, as if the broth had been cooking overnight. There were huge chunks of chicken and soup, which is always a shocker, considering some places love to give you essence of chicken instead of actual chicken pieces. The vegetables were cooked just enough to melt in your mouth but you could still clearly see them in the soup. It was just one of the best soups I've ever had at a restaurant and if I could have, I would take the entire pot home. The goat cheese salad was a really great salad option and definitely a big enough size to enjoy for your meal along with an additional side. The main attraction for me, though was the ribeye. I usually never order steaks at restaurants because I'm not a big steak eater and because of the cost. However, I did not regret for one moment bowing into peer pressure and ordering this. I've had expensive steaks before and this taste better than many of them. At a price point of $38 for the meal it is definitely a great value. I usually get my steaks well done but no one at the table was having that and they ordered it medium well for me. It was absolutely fantastic! Although I am not a fan of any pink in my steak, I didn't even look at the steak long enough to realize it was pink because I basically inhaled it. It was so tender, juicy and flavorful. I got it Vesuvio style and that juice along with the potatoes and the perfectly cooked asparagus was *chefs kiss*. I tried a little bit of the baked rigatoni with meatballs, and I found myself slithering my fork until that bowl more times than I would have wanted to. It was a very tasty and not extremely acidic tomato sauce, and the flavor of the meatballs was really nice and they weren't dry. The garlic spinach was also very tasty and definitely a good alternative if you don't like asparagus. I'm usually too full After dinner to get dessert but we were on a roll tonight with the flavor of everything so I just had to try some thing. I tried the brownie in a bowl and even though I don't usually order brownies, I really enjoyed this brownie and the deep chocolate flavors. The star here for me, though was the tiramisu, I was deciding between that and the apple tart and my friends reminded me that I don't really like apple pie that much. Even with that being the case, based on how good the food was I fully expect to love the Apple Tart. I decided to go with the Tiramisu though because I really wanted to see if they would do it justice...and they did. It was so airy, all the flavors were well balanced and light and it the literal perfect way to end a great meal. The mango gelato was a great palate cleanser and tasted so fresh! Overall this was definitely a 10/10 meal. Everything was amazing. If you're interested in good drinks, the drinks here are also great and not watered down, so they would be the perfect compliment to your meal! The staff here is nice and extremely helpful. Our server Philly really helped me as the indecisive person I am, make decisions on what to order and he was super knowledgeable about the menu. During the summer there's outdoor seating but right now it's all indoor and it's still plenty of room. There's also a cute rooftop upstairs and indoor upstairs seating in case you want to host a private event! If you're in the area and you need a nice place to eat lunch or dinner, make sure you swing by Caffe de Luca! read more

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Elegant , friendly, good always such a great experience, new dishes seasonal perfect! Cocktails are always on point French 77 read more

Cute lil Italian place. They have a nice open rooftop for great summer weather. Servers are very attentive with a side of humor. Makes eating here a lovely experience. read more

I've been going to Caffe De Luca since I moved to Forest Park in 2017. Last fall I adopted a young dog, and have taken her with me several times this spring/summer to have a meal seated at their sidewalk tables. Last week, I was told I could not have my dog outside on the sidewalk area with me! Really??? The excuse the 'manager' gave was their insurance did not cover them for it. Really??? Outside??? Does their policy really say that? I decided to do my own poll of other restaurants on Madison nearby that had seating outside, and every one except for 2 said "sure you can!". The two that said no, had a roof/cover over their area and it was more enclosed so I get that. If you want to eat outside on Madison in this area, you can go to Piacere Mio Italian Restaurant, Fiore Pizzeria, Scratch Public House, Chirrion Mexican Grill, Jimmy's Place, Shanahan's, or Casa Humilde Cerveceria & Cocina. Or just walk to downdown Oak Park and there are tons more places to choose from including Amerikas and Rustico. I have eaten at both places outside with my dog and will be polling more places in Oak Park soon! read more

My brother and I hosted a luncheon in July 2024 for our parents' 40th anniversary at Caffe De Luca. We reserved the upstairs space, which includes access to the spacious patio, a big bar, and private bathrooms. The food and service (two bartenders were on hand the whole time) were excellent, the space is superb, and everyone had a wonderful time. And Jacinto was wonderful for answering all our questions and being a great communicator leading up to the party. We highly recommend Caffe De Luca for a party (upstairs can accommodate up to 50) or just for a dinner. read more

Love their food and the staff was wonderful! I will definitely be back. Try the dessert ;)

Nice Italian restaurant in Forest Park. Reasonable prices and good food. Definitely recommend it.

Really good costumer service, fresh food and beautiful people. Definitely recommend it. read more

Caffe De Luca - Martini espresso - Italian Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

Dependably consistent quality of food and service, in a charming space. The lasagne is terrific.

Covid June patio brunch is amazing here! Chicago places wouldn't be any better. Service and food as well as reasonable safety concerns all covered. The grilled calamari is very fresh and tender; it comes dressed with arugula and tomatoes and so serves as a delicious appetizer and salad, but they give us lots so we added it to ... The broccoli linguini which was lovely fresh with a perfect clam liquor base and tender fresh pasta. This ain't olive garden folks! The peroni on tap reminds me of rome. Pancakes for baby would have been fine for an adult actually! The pizza was fantastic napoli style but just a bit thicker dough than true italian style. Service was awesome! read more

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The best in Forest Park and Oak Park area. Great food, great service, and great atmosphere.