We were gifted a meal at Campagnola and, I have to say, were a bit anxious due to the recent string of one-star reviews here. Something must have changed in the past few months, however, because this place was outstanding. Octopus and diver scallop apps were prepared perfectly and very generously portioned. We split the pappardelle with a veal and beef ragu (the standout dish of the night) and the excellent sea bass special with artichokes and cipollini onions. One thing people griped about in past reviews was the service, but these guys were totally on their game: friendly but not intrusive, and very generous. After exhausting our carafe of chianti, our waiter topped off our glasses with a bottle they hadn't finished. And when we couldn't decide between the ricotta pound cake and the vanilla bean bread pudding, our waiter helped us settle on the latter but brought us a large sample of the pound cake just to satisfy our curiosity. (For the record, the bread pudding is one of the best desserts I've had in the city while the pound cake is fairly forgettable.) The service was really above and beyond. The noise level does get very high (what with all the brick walls and right angles), but the overall experience here was quite a pleasant surprise. Will definitely return. read more

My boyfriend and I went here for my birthday and loved it. Not only was Campagnola the food the best Italian I've ever tasted, but the cabernet franc we got with dinner was excellent as well. The atmosphere and lighting were the perfect for a romantic dinner date and the food was unfussy gourmet, delicious. The only downside was the loud drunk guy who started singing happy birthday to the table next to him. But the ziti with cream sauce was too good for me to care much. read more

I was looking for a special place to take my college student daughter to dinner while in town. The atmosphere was perfect, not too noisy. The service was excellent. In terms of the food, it was very good but I'd had better Italian recently so I wasn't bowled over. We started with the octopus appetizer, which was good. We split the kale salad...they divided it onto separate plates which was nice. For main dishes, my daughter had the Duck and I had the Tagliatelle with mushroom sauce. Both were good, although I did find the Tagliatelle a little heavier than I thought it should be. By the way, the menu in the restaurant is different than the one they show on their web site. Overall, I would go again, but probably not until I've tried other restaurants in the area. read more

I have been going here for years. Campagnola is consistently fantastic. Wonderful amuse-bouche appetizers; savory, satisfying pastas; and perfectly cooked, well-flavored meats (best porkchops and bistecca ever). A great wine and beer list, knowledgeable staff, and outstanding service. EDIT: I went here in late December when I was in town, and got the short ribs - they were one of my best Campagnola meals in living memory. So good that my vegetarian boyfriend not only tasted them, but asked for a second bite. And a third. Get these if they're still on the menu. read more

Loved this place. The waiter was very attentive and extremely informative. He suggested some superb appetizers that complimented one another perfectly. Upon ordering our entrees, he recommended a strong, balanced white wine to pair up with the meals and nailed it on the head. The atmosphere and ambience of this place is simple and elegant. The food was delicious. The staff is very courteous and helpful. There's a feeling of elegance, but at the same time you get the sense that the people are down-to-earth and care about your experience. read more

Campagnola is the best restaurant in Evanston I have been here three times and each time the service and food has been amazing. It's a really cute atmosphere too. I've gotten the bolognese twice and the short ribs once and they both were fantastic. My brother got the New York strip special and he loved his as well. My dad got the lamb chops they were very juicy and delicious. I always look forward to my next visit to campagnola. read more

Campagnola - New York strip special sooooo amazing! - Italian Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Every entree was exceptional. They even delivered to the car in the rain. Warm Italian bread. Can't wait to order again.

Great atmosphere, friendly staff, amazing food. Everything I've tried here has been delectable... Personal favorites: Orecchiette with tomato sauce, sausage, and escarole Skirt Steak with escarole, onion marmalade, and potato Caesar salad Minestrone (comes with a lovely little dollop of pesto) Apple and cranberry crisp read more

We visited on a Thursday night for dinner at 7 o'clock and were seated right away without a reservation. I had a cosmo to start which was sweet and just the right amount of tart/boozy. My friend drank white wine and liked it, though not sure which one he had. We split a caesar salad which was on the salty side (good thing in my book) and the scallops entree. The scallops were extremely fresh and flavorful, served on a bed of creamed leeks (and some type of grain) and in an amazing sauce. We also split the bolognese pasta which was amazing. Side note, they brought all the dishes pre-split on two separate plates which was appreciated as it prevented my date from stealing my portion. (kidding haha) Waitress was very "whatever" and not super friendly though very efficient. Was busy by the time we left. read more

Pick up is seamless at Campagnola. The service, even during this unusual time of stay at home, phase 3, is exceptional. We ordered a variety of dishes along with the weekly special. Not one bad dish in the bunch. Pasta done to perfection. Pork Chop was delectable. Roasted chicken so juicy and delicious. Wayne and Steve could not have been more accommodating. Can't wait to be back on a regular basis when it's safe. read more

Il ristorante italiano più incredibile in città! Now this is what I call Italian food, it is an impeccable place. Not to mention their great service. Definitely one of my favorite place in town. read more

Service was very good (though a bit slow as we were one of the last tables of the night, it seemed like some of the staff was focused on their end-of-night back of house duties). The food: we shared the carpaccio salad which was incredible my date had the bolognese and loved it I had the pheasant which totally blew my mind the drink prices were reasonable for an ok glass of wine, only one beer on tap I believe. Would definitely return! read more

I had the mushroom pasta and my partner had the penne. The pens tasted like a margarita pizza. Good but not special. My dish was better. Not a huge menu but that was ok. Dishes starting around 18$. Great bread. Butter served hard but still good. Limited beer options. I had red wine. 12-14$/glass. Got free street parking after 6p I believe. read more

Nice small Italian joint. Friendly staff. Food was nice. Not out of this world but nice. We had the tangiateli with mushrooms, veal and pork bolognese, and short rib. All were nice. Desert was really good. Panacota and sticky toffee. read more

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Whenever my mom wants to do a nice dinner, she wants to come here. The food and staff are great to us and it's best to make a reservation. Finding parking is not easy and can be a pain: to be honest read more

Do remember to reserve. The place gets really busy during weekend nights. Mushroom pasta is totally mind blowing. I believe they added hazelnut to green salads and top with vinegar. It's really tasty, even for my friend who is not really a fan for vegetables. Trout is pretty good as well, although nothing special. read more

Italian food simply doesn't get any better than Campagnola. I worked as a line cook here about 15 years ago. The food was amazing then and it still delivers 100%. As a recent culinary school grad I wanted to work somewhere where I could learn the secrets. So in comes Campagnola. The thing is there are no secrets. It's all ingredients! At the time pretty much everything that could be sourced organic and/or local was sourced as such. Anything that was a dry/shelf stable ingredient was from Italy. And EVERYTHING is made from scratch, except for some of the pastas. But their stuffed pastas (ravioli, agnolotti etc) are made in house. Their herbs were the best you can buy. Even something as simple as an apple was the tastiest apple you could find. The last time I was there I had a pappardelle pasta with wild boar ragú. Holy crap it was good. The sea scallop? Wow!! Their meat was always ordered from small farms too. Responsibly raised. So tasty! Their tomato sauces are so good because they only use real Italian San Marzano Style tomatoes. Garlic? Organic of course. Did it come peeled and did we chop it in a food processor? Nope. We peeled it and chopped it with a knife as God intended. All this to say that I've had extensive experience with this place over the last 15 years and it's always been amazing. Last but not least, I should say that the staff and management were always kind to me. The original chef/owner Michael Altenberg passed away a few years ago. He was a good guy, a good boss and an amazing chef. He was an early pioneer of farm to fork eating when almost no one was doing it. Many that knew him, knew he had a great sense of humor. He was never harsh with me. Always treated me fairly and taught me a lot. May he Rest In Peace. P.S. This review I know is not as much about the dining experience but about the place itself. I hope Yelps algorithms don't put it on the "not recommended" read more

Always great and consistent with small town atmosphere. We like it as it's low key and don't have too long of waits and they take reservations read more

We finally tried Campagnola for our anniversary this weekend and DANG. If you have not been here, you need this amazing food in your life! SO delicious, well presented (even for take-out), and absolutely worth it. We started with the diver scallops - huge, buttery texture, seared well, over a bed of cauliflower puree with pine nuts and golden raisins. For entrees, we ordered the Bolognese and the Roasted Duck. The bolognese sauce had LOVVVVVE in it (we licked the plate. No shame here.). I wanted to try the Halibut, but we heard so many rave reviews for the duck , so we had to try it! So moist and tender, with a beautifully crisp skin. The cherry sauce is stupid incredible, and the polenta was cooked so well. We rounded everything off with the vanilla bread pudding, and may I tell you that if you do not finish your meal here with this dessert, you are a doofus. I would literally order a few of these just for myself. Thank you, Campagnola, for providing us with an delicious luxury anniversary dinner and for taking this pandemic seriously. read more

The server seems to be completely careless about providing a good service, she had to be reminded about drink orders multiple times, no one checked on us if everything came out like we wanted to. Dirty plates and utensils stayed on the table throughout our meal- the restaurant wasn't busy too. Food was okay, but nothing special. Won't be coming back. read more

Campagnola continues to be our "go to" restaurant in Evanston, at least once a month. Regardless of whether you choose one of their pastas or the fish or meat entrees, the food is consistently delicious and reasonably priced. The bread is served warm and is the best you will ever have. The staff is friendly and helpful with wine and food recommendations. The wine list has a nice variety of choices without exorbitant price markups. read more

Pretty good. I had the veal scalopini, butter lettuce salad, and the chocolate panna cotta for dessert. Everything was satisfying, but the apps are a little small for the price= bruscetta was 9 dollars we got ike two pieces. Octopus was good, but it was about 3 bites. The waiter, on the other hand seemed like he hated his job, and he was doing us a favor by taking the table. I will probably be back to give it another shot. read more

Delicious martinis and pasta with great service! I just moved to the neighborhood and it's nice to have a place that you don't get sick of!

my family and I dined here, the server recommended a fantastic wine and helped each guest select an entree. I would definitely return.

This place exemplifies most of what I want in a nice dinner out: relatively quiet, pleasant surroundings - excellent, unobtrusive service - a bit fancier than average without being stuffy - and uniformly delicious food. My favorites on recent visits have been the ricotta gnocchi and the date cake (ALWAYS the date cake! mmm). My only wish is that they'd take reservations online.The price point is a bit higher than what I'd spend on an average dinner out, but if I want something that feels a bit special, then Campagnola is a go-to choice. I'm glad it's in my neighborhood! read more

The family meal deal during Covid times is delicious! Will definitely be ordering from here more often.

Service: Walk in with no reservations around 6:30-7PM, were able to get a table quite easily. Restaurant was fairly packed and busy. Overall the service was decent. Ambience: Feels like a fine dining place and bit a stuffy for my liking. Food: Roasted Beet Salad - 3/5 Pappardelle Bolognese - 3/5 Linguine - 3.5/5 Tagliatelle - 3/5 Portions were big but flavors did not wow me. I had the bolognese which came highly recommended and I was struggling to finish more than half of it. Verdict: 3 star restaurant, may go back to try the Meat and Fowl menu. read more

I've been here for dinner several times. It became a favorite place for me and my girlfriend. The place is quiet enough so that you can hear a conversation. The service varies a little. Some days are better and some were worse. Overall, it was okay. The reason we were both fans was the duck. We were both fans of the duck that came in a good portion , well cooked with an excellent sauce. It was wonderful. Unfortunately, I their menu changed and there was no more duck. I never went back to try anything else after that, but I still have good memories. read more

Excellent food & wine and a nice, cozy atmosphere. I have dined here twice - once in the main dining room and once with a private party upstairs. Both were very enjoyable and I would highly recommend this restaurant. 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the limited vegetarian options (italian restos are usually great for that). read more

The food is fantastic and the service is attentive and unobtrusive. Opened with the diver scallops, them the butter lettuce salad for my wife and the beet salad for myself. Both we're great, but I was admittedly a little jealous of my wife's choice. Then the short ribs for her, and the ribeye for myself. All prepared and presented with perfection. Biggest regret... I've been walking right past this place for two years! We're sure to be back soon. read more

Call me crazy, and I know some will, but when I shill out over $100.00 for dinner for two, I expect to be wooed, wowed, and ultimately not even remember the amount I had spent. In Campagnola, it didn't happen. Yes, pasta was decent, and Dover scallops delivered, as it's so hard for them not to, but the specialty fish was just ordinary, and even pasta made me remember the late Bourdain's story about him running LaSalles in New York and substituting a $30.00 hand made pasta with a store-bought one, because with a really good sauce no one would notice. Exactly! Mushroom sauce was bursting with a fresh mushroom aroma, and the pasta was really a non-factor. And most importantly, in an expensive restaurant, a waiter is a big figure, must be friendly without being familiar, expertly without being snooty, and actually BRING dishes to the table. That night, I wasn't even sure who our waiter was, for the dishes were brought by a silent busgirl. Not right! read more

It's been a week... and I am still thinking about the excellent meal I had at Campagnola! I have known about this spot for 7 years and have even sent friends there in the past, but I am kicking myself for not trying it until last week. We had a great scallop appetizer where each individual component was OK, but a bite of all 4 ingredients together was incredible. This repeated throughout the meal. 4-5 well cooked fresh ingredients that were OK, but really spectacular when eaten together. For me, this was exciting, and new and inspiring. I'll be trying to replicate these dishes at home, and stopping in again for further inspiration. read more

This update is sort of a waste of time. All I'm going to do is repeat the showering of praise I gave in my original review. But I owe it to the citizens of Evanston...or North Shore...or Chicagoland...or really, anywhere in the world...to tell them just how great this place is, every time. Over the past two years, the three most memorably good meals I have eaten have been the three times I've eaten at Campagnola. Nothing else really comes close. The atmosphere and service are perfect. The storefront is unassuming, While its cousin restaurant, Union Pizza, occupies a brilliant space with ten-foot-high windows a few blocks north, Campagnola looks like it could be a dry cleaners or an accountancy from the street. You walk in from the cold, shake off your shivers in the vestibule, and enter the intimate and homey dining room. The friendly host offers to hang up your coat for you. You immediately realize just how classy this place is. The bar is serviceable but purposefully small. You feel like you're in a parlor room, not a hotel lobby. Everyone is smiling. The servers are professional, always on time but never rushed, and they'll pay attention to the little things: we once ordered two entrees to split, and they asked if we'd like the lighter one first, since we were splitting. We said yes, and the food came out at just the right pace. The food is incredible. They bring you complementary warm Italian bread (another testament to the lack of pretense here, as free bread has become decidedly unhip). The carpaccio puts others to shame. The mushroom tagliatelle is so earthy and rich, it's a miracle it doesn't overwhelm. The lamb ragu on the gnocchi appetizer almost brought me to tears. The duck is great. The short rib with polenta is amazing. The pork chop shocked me in how perfectly cooked it was. Slightly charred outside, medium rare inside, I didn't think it was possible to make pork chops (never my favorite) taste so good. The desserts are great: last time, we indulged in vanilla bread pudding and toffee date cake. I didn't even care that both desserts came topped with the exact same caramel sauce; they were both delicious. Two people can leave here feeling very full (and have a glass of wine) for about $120 total, with tip. read more

Absolutely amazing. In my view the best restaurant for fine dining in Evanston area. Short ribs have amazing texture and great flavor for the pasta read more

The food and service are great. But, if you rent the room upstairs for a private party you will get ripped off. We were there last week and when I got the bill, I was SHOCKED! They said they would use the house wine, we assumed house wine would be $10-12 a bottle. Until, we found out at the end of the night we were being charged $50-55 a bottle for HOUSE WINE!? The liquor bill was outrageous. Food & liquor taxes were over $350 also. So, if you book a party- ask about the price of liquor ahead of time. read more

The food, drink and ambiance was great! I had the skirt steak and it was cooked to perfection. The bread pudding was one of the best I ever had. I can't wait to eat there again!! read more

Okay, so the hubby and I haven't been on a date-night in awhile. We were one of the first tables on a Friday night during the Easter holiday and easily seated. We knew we wanted a bottle of wine, but when I heard a martini shaker in the distance (they have an uber-micro-mini bar right when you walk in), I questioned our choice of spirits. Ultimately, the hubby got a Makers Mark as an apéritif (they did not have Bushmills or Jameson, his first choices), and I got a compromised version of a French Martini. (The bartender didn't have apple juice - though that's a new twist I'd never heard of!) After a rightful date-night toast, we proceeded with appetizers of crab cakes, Carpaccio, and wood-fired radicchio wrapped in bacon with goat cheese! I absolutely fell in love with the Carpaccio ... Ultra-thin strips of rare beef with HUGE shavings of parmigiano-reggiano (which I set aside for my thick-sliced crusty bread) and tangy arugula dressed in a light olive oil dressing! The added accompaniment of horseradish sauce made it feel like a Sunday prime rib dinner, and I couldn't have been more pleased. There was enough to share w/ my hubby easily. The crab cakes were very "crabby" in a very good way ... A thin, super-crispy outside with lots of meaty goodness on the inside, served with a tart apple slaw that I can't wait to try to replicate at home. The radicchio wasn't bad, just something a little outside of the box for us. If you're not into a "smoke" flavor, you won't like it much, but the goat cheese was fantastic and the bacon wasn't so overpowering that it tasted greasy like it sometimes can. It reminded me of an Italian spin on dolmades, and I'd probably try it again. Okay, entrees ... My hubby got the veal scallopini, and I got the striped sea bass - that evening's special. I'm not a big fan of bland food (salt-o-holic that I am), but there was something really refreshing about tasting our entrees in the context they were meant. There were a few times I wanted to ask for a saltshaker (not readily available on the tables, btw), but I recognized it would be sacrilege and abided by the chef's conviction to let the food take center stage. My hubby gave me a bite of his veal, and while I'm used to veal in a white cream or wine sauce with mountains of pasta, this was served simply with mashed fingerling potatoes and a savory juice-gravy that was something new to me. My husband really enjoyed it, proclaiming that it was filling yet very 'light and easy" at the same time. My bass was mild and sported a crispy, flavorful seared crust, also served with fingerling potatoes, peas, and some purple root vegetable I didn't get the name of, but was quite good. I may've preferred a pasta side to the potatoes, but it wasn't an option. Pastas were only offered as main courses - bummer! My husband did also order a side vegetable that was a sort of casserole of fire-roasted butternut squash, brussels sprouts and pancetta. (Yum!) Again, a side that wasn't seasoned much, but after a good fire roasting, you could really taste the rusticness of the food, which was very nice. During the main course, we thoroughly enjoyed a bottle of Soléna - a 2007 pinot noir from OR. I hated the idea of spending $45 on a bottle of wine that I could probably pick up for $15-$20, but damn if it wasn't so soft, velvety, and fruity! (To my amateur palate anyway; I'm no Alpana Singh!) For dessert, I got the chocolate torte (a flourless cake) with vanilla gelato. It was only subtlety sweet, and again, not too filling, the perfect finish to a delicious meal. The hubby got a grappa, which he seemed to enjoy, but smelled of Nyquil as far as I was concerned! He loves a good Port, which was an option on the menu, but I guess he was looking for something with a punch! It wasn't an end-all-be-all kind of place, but I would go again. The menu is limited however, so I'd probably be more interested in that evening's specials. Atmosphere ... The interior was dim and romantic. There were exposed brick walls and the dining room floor was a mix of tables and chairs (in the center) and banquettes with tables lining the perimeter. The artwork was simple - over-sized fabric covered canvases. The bar, VERY intimate and L-shaped, seemed like a quaint spot for regulars to catch up on the week's events. An elderly couple sat to our right, and a "younger-than-us" couple to our left. The ambience was serene and pleasant without being boring. I'd love to see a martini menu and more entrees to choose from in the future, as well as a quality olive oil on the tables for bread-dipping. For three appetizers, two apéritifs, a bottle of wine, two entrees, a side dish, dessert, and a digestif, it was around $210 including the tip. We left happy, full, tipsy, and with a doggie bag to boot! read more

Having dined here several times, the food and wine selection and quality is often quite nice. I do love the atmosphere - it is a great quiet-but-not-too-quiet, dim-but-not-too-dim dining spot. On my most recent visit, had a very unfortunate customer service experience. Basic questions about the food preparation were treated flippantly. The waitress volunteered to ask the chef (as she seemed to not know the answer but was also unwilling to say that), never did, then came back 45 minutes after the dish was served to whisk it away for additional cook time without waiting for confirmation that this was a desired response. Finally got the overcooked food an hour after it first appeared - not appealing, to say the least. Unsurprisingly, the waitress also disappeared, and we spent the last 30 minutes of our visit communicating through the busboy - requesting dessert, ordering dessert, requesting the check. Too bad, as I know many friends and colleagues who prefer Campagnola as their Evanston restaurant of choice. There are other good options, and I think I'll stick with those in the future. read more

We had terrific experience at Campagnola last night. From the moment we walked in, the service was excellent. At the front of the house, we were warmly welcomed and offered a seat at the bar while we waited for our table. The manager took great care of us, before and after our meal. Our server was friendly, knowledgeable, courteous, and helpful; and the pace of the meal was absolutely perfect. We never felt rushed, and we never wondered where our next course was. He was there within seconds when we had a question or needed a refill, but never hovered. Even the busboys did a great job. Truly, it was the best service we have had at any restaurant for a very long time. And the food was equally impressive. We shared a grilled octopus appetizer and an arugula salad with almonds, parmesan-reggiano, fennel, and apple. Both were absolutely delicious, and the portion sizes were spot on. For entrees, my wife had the salmon with lentils, greens and horseradish cream; and I had the skirt steak with escarole, roasted potatoes and onion. They were very tasty and we enjoyed them immensely. Finally, the decor and ambiance were terrific -- a nice layout in a small room, we never felt too crowded or that we couldn't hear each other. Altogether, it was as enjoyable a dining experience as we have had in quite some time. We're pretty hard graders, but we both gave Campagnola an A+. Our only disappointment is that we did not try it sooner. We will be back! read more

Excellent on every front. If you want to be seen, go to Found. If you want a beer, go to Farmhouse. If you want an excellent meal (food, wine, service), go to Campagnola! Diver scallops, skirt steak and bread pudding are all amazing. read more