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    Club Lago

    4.0 (414 reviews)
    ModerateItalian, Pubs, Wine Bars
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    CLUB LAGO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Happy hour specials
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Club Lago

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    Chicken Vesuvio
    Susan P.

    Had to wait 11 years for our second visit, but so worth it! My sister and I enjoyed an incredible evening. Club Lago checked all the boxes. Outstanding service, warm friendly old school vibes and absolutely delicious food! We will definitely not wait so long for the next visit.

    Exceptional Dive Bar
    Sidney Z.

    There is a saying in Chicago - The biggest act of love here, is dropping off or picking up someone at O'Hare airport! That being said, I took my wife to O'Hare tonight as she is spending one month in California. With that great gesture (on my part), I can now go to every restaurants she would NEVER set foot in. So, my first "Old School", classic, long established and traditional restaurant I chose to start off this treasured month is Club Lago here in the North Side section of Chicago. Everything about Club Lago worked for me. It had the feeling of a Bamontes (established in 1900) in Brooklyn, NY, a menu like Dan Tanas (established in 1967) in West Hollywood and the atmosphere of a Tommaso Ristorante Italiano (established in 1935) in San Francisco. All super "red sauce" places and all doing what they have been doing for decades. With Bar Flies in place at the bar and Tchotchkes everywhere on the walls and shelves, I ordered: * An Executive salad - that had ingredients that shouldn't have worked together? I mean anchovies and blue cheese? Really? Come on! But, this salad worked in every way possible. It was absolutely delicious. I would come back here just for this dish - I totally Loved this salad! * Veal Parmigiana - that rivaled Dan Tana's at a quarter of the price. I wolfed this beautiful dish down and really enjoyed it * This Veal came with a Pene Pasta that I devoured * A very good Stemmari Nero D'Avola from Sicily that had a plum flavor - delightful I'm on a one month pilgrimage here in Chicago trying to find these vintage establishments that attract and captivate me. I'm off to a good start!

    Bracioline All Agro Evening
    Halina P.

    This restaurant had one of the best sauces I've had yet to try. Both dishes were got had fantastic sauces! Would go back just to try them again. Each meat dish is served with a side of pasta and sauce of your choice. This comes on a separate plate than the meat dish (presumably so the sauces don't mix). However, I was underwhelmed with the meat sauce. It just didn't stand a chance against the amazing flavor of the sauce on the meat. If I went back I would probably order a plate of plain noodles and dip them in the sauce for the meat. The restaurant itself is quite eclectic. If you get end up sitting near the bar take time to par-ooze all the fun decorations. The waitstaff was also incredibly nice. They were a little slow to get to us after we'd sat, but after that our waitress was very energetic and could tell she had pride in the food they served.

    Linguine with Clam Sauce Evening, Italian Scampi Italiano Evening
    Kim L.

    How have I never come upon this cute old school Italian spot? Went for a casual dinner after yoga and it was a super casual crowd. Service was fast and friendly and she gave me my pasta recommendation, which I loved. If you only get one thing, get the Italian scampi. Our server said it was her fave dish and it did NOT disappoint! The shrimps are huge and breaded so lightly and the flavor was amazing. The sauce was also so good, I scooped it with a spoon. My friend got the linguine and clams was which was also delish. The lemon Italian ice was nice I was told and the espresso gelato was soft, creamy and decadent. It might have been the smallest and lightest touch espresso martini I've ever had. Will definitely be back for either pasta and to try others, taking off one star bc I thought the portions were pretty small and the espresso martinis were light and also small.

    Chicken Parmigiana Evening
    Jessica B.

    I went with friends on a Friday evening and was a bit nervous seeing how empty it was, but that quickly turned to surprise as soon as the food came out. We ordered fried calamari for the table and I got the chicken parm - both delicious! BUT. My friends both got the carbonara and were kind enough to let me try a bite and let me tell you we could rave about it enough. It's been weeks and we're still raving about it. I highly recommend!

    Linguine alla Carbonara
    Serlina K.

    Pasta was just ok. We got takeout but it was still hot! Fried Calamari came with shrimp cocktail sauce and fresh lemons!

    this was a pleasant experience. The inside looks like an old school Italian restaurant, food is good and reasonable, staff was very kind. If we lived closer, we would eat there very often. Highly recommend. I had chicken Parmesan and my daughter had Alfredo with broccoli

    Interior
    Amy D.

    You can tell this place has deep roots in Chicago! There must have been about 10 things on the menu I wanted to try. I ended up with the carbonara and boy was it DELICIOUS. The portion was huge and I got through about half before I had to tap out entirely. From decoration to service to menu items, this place feels classic in the best way possible. I highly recommend! - AT

    Interior

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    Went with a large party. Very happy with the experience. Great staff, great food and great service!

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    1 year ago

    Took my son there today. Been going there since 1977. Great food, vibe, service and fairly priced. Well done Club Lago. - Luke

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    Page 1 of 11

    Ask the Community - Club Lago

    Do you host wedding showers?

    We do. We'd love to have your party. Please call 312 951 2849

    Do you have parking?

    Hi John. There's ample street parking in the blocks around us, in particular to our west. There are also 2 pay lots to our south. We don't have proprietary parking, but you'll find one of the above choices convenient.

    Rate the chicken vesuvio at club lago?

    On a scale of 1 to 10, it’s a solid 11!

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Gilt Bar

    Gilt Bar

    4.3
    (2.4k reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$$

    Great service, food, and ambiance. The library bar is amazing! Definitely recommend the vodka…read morerigatoni.

    Gilt Bar has been a Chicago favorite since 2010, and after my first visit I understand why…read more The space is dark, energetic, and packed with personality. This is not the place for a quiet conversation. It may be one of the loudest restaurants I've visited in quite some time, and a nearby birthday celebration only added to the energy. That said, the atmosphere is part of the appeal. If you're looking for a fun, celebratory evening with friends or family, Gilt Bar delivers. I can't imagine choosing it for a business dinner. We started with the Tenderloin Steak Tartare and onion rings. Both were excellent. My daughter was craving the Bolognese, while I ordered the vodka rigatoni. The portions were generous, and both dishes were flavorful and satisfying. The truffle mafaldine appears to be the menu's most celebrated pasta and receives plenty of attention on Yelp, but we were very happy with our selections. Service was spot on throughout the evening. Food arrived with good pacing, drinks were refreshed promptly, and our server struck the right balance between attentive and intrusive. For dessert, we shared the gooey skillet cookie. Be warned: this thing arrives at the table with nuclear-level heat. The vanilla ice cream isn't just there for flavor, it's there for protection. One unusual observation: the floors seemed surprisingly slippery throughout the restaurant, something we noticed more than once. Our bill came to $159 before tip, which felt reasonable given the quality of the food, service, and overall experience. Between the lively atmosphere, strong food, excellent service, and vibrant bar scene, it's easy to understand why Gilt Bar has remained popular for more than 15 years

    Photos
    Photo Booth
    Photo Booth
    Honey Peppered King Salmon
    Honey Peppered King Salmon
    Stairs going down to bathrooms

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    Stairs going down to bathrooms
    GoodFunk

    GoodFunk

    3.8
    (40 reviews)
    0.7 mi

    We tried pre opera drinks and bites at Good Funk on Wacker and overall it was a blah experience…read more The wine selection was interesting, the food was average, at best. We didn't especially enjoy the atmosphere (sadly we were seated at the bar next to some douche dude bros) or the service. I doubt we will return.

    My friend rented this out a few weeks ago to celebrate her 45th. It was the perfect spot for about…read more30 women to mingle, drink cocktails and eat delicious food (compliments of Beaknik). I helped her choose the menu using both Yelp and some help from my bestie chatgpt and came up with the following: 7 Passed Apps: * Mini Truffle Beef Wellington (black truffle aioli) * Short Rib & Brie Slider (Aleppo BBQ, arugula, tomato jam) * Chicken Kebab (harissa-marinated chicken, tahini labneh) * Salmon Taco (avocado, mojo rojo, cilantro) * Mushroom Croquette (black truffle aioli) * Halloumi Skewer (tomato & quince jam, za'atar) * Mini Crab Cake (lemon aioli, herb salad) 1 Stationary Grazing Item: * Mezze Trio (tahini hummus, beet tahini w/ goat cheese, tzatziki, grilled pita & crudité) ---- It ended up being the perfect amount of food- heavy enough to fill us for dinner, but also light enough that we didn't get too full and could stay out late and dance (at the request of the bday gal). They passed the appetizers, but once they passed them around a few times they put them on the bar which became one big grazing station. The drinks were great as well and they even did a signature cocktail in honor of my friend, which was quite strong (hello tequila). The bartender and other staff were super friendly and knew many of us by name after a few hours. It was the perfect cozy spot for this amount of people and I'd love to look into using it again for a similar type of party...or just stopping in for a cocktail!

    Photos
    Behind the bar
    Behind the bar
    GoodFunk
    Great selection of wines

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    Great selection of wines
    Arbella

    Arbella

    4.4
    (697 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    We love Arbella!! Atmosphere inside was great, really large space! We sat at the bar, the…read morebartenders were super friendly and attentive easy to talk to and order from. LOVE the $6 cocktail of the day happy hour (M-F 4-6pm) . Our cocktail of the day was a watermelon lemon drop which was delicious!! Will be coming back next time in Chicago! My local friends new favorite staple bar.

    (Kari's Rating 8.75/10)…read more Came with a friend late on a Friday night after dinner time We were able to be seated almost immediately at a nice little private Cove table. We ordered a flight of whiskey sours, which contained whiskeys from Japan, Vietnam, and Wisconsin. I also was able to order an amaretto sour, which they made with freshly hand beaten egg whites, which was a nice cherry on the top. As far as the whiskey flights go, I think the best one was the Vietnam flight because it had a slightly lemongrass twang and was a little bit lighter than the other two. The heaviest one was the Wisconsin which came with a little bit of a bite at the end, but it still wasn't bad if you're trying to blackout on a $15 budget. I would definitely come back with a larger group this seems like a great place, but is a little bit loud- so if you be prepared to yell or wear earplugs. The bathroom took my a second to find, which should have been intuitive considering it was on the opposite end of where you come in. I blame the lighting as things are already pretty hard to find in the dark, but eventually I made it there-Pat myself on the back.

    Photos
    DJ Adam Pecho bringing down the house
    DJ Adam Pecho bringing down the house
    Crab rangoon
    Crab rangoon
    Vietnam Old Fashioned

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    Vietnam Old Fashioned
    Chicago Winery

    Chicago Winery

    4.3
    (65 reviews)
    0.3 mi

    I stopped by Chicago Winery on a Wednesday early evening solo and was able to sit at the bar…read morewithout reservation. I was blown away by the ambiance and decor. Chicago Winery prioritizes upscale and intimacy but their service is personable and friendly allowing you to feel right at home. On Wednesday they offer a Happy Hour special, $5 off a tasting and $10 wine by the glass. The server as extremely kind, and was able to offer me some suggestions based on my personal palate and wine interests. I landed on the Winemaker's Tasting, which included 4, one ounce pours, including Blancs de Blancs, Albarino, Barbera and Merlot. I paired the tasting with the a BYOB board. From their menu I picked the olives, Afterglow, and the Tempesta Guanciale. The server was educated on the wines was able to walk me through the tasting and pairings but gave me independence and autonomy to enjoy at my own leisure and pace. I highly enjoyed my visit and absolutely will be returning to dine in, as well as to get a winery tour!

    Was gifted the wine tasting and tour for my birthday which was a very fun experience. Great deal to…read morebuy wine after. I preferred the whites and was disappointed by the reds. We had the date package and ate at the restaurant after. I recommend the pork schnitzel and pierogis. We ordered four shareables but weren't blown away by the butternut squash fondue and gougeres. Loved our hostess for the wine tasting, but wish there was more guidance on tasting notes and wine terminology. I'd recommend though to any wine lovers, I still learned a lot!

    Photos
    LIVA Private Dining Room
    LIVA Private Dining Room
    Dinner Reception
    Dinner Reception
    Enjoy a seasonal American menu in our restaurant

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    Enjoy a seasonal American menu in our restaurant
    Obelix

    Obelix

    4.2
    (268 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$$$

    Took my wife here for her birthday and had an excellent experience. A great bistro style French…read morerestaurant tucked into River North. We started with the gem salad which was super fresh, full of flavor and a great dressing to match. Very shareable for 2 people. I went with the Corn Dog as my main and it was gimmick. The full flavor of the foie gras came through and mixed perfectly with the cherry compote. My wife had the duck breast that she absolutely loved. Service was excellent and our waiter made great recommendations. Loved the FPA beer he suggested with my dinner.

    One of the first things that struck me about Obélix was the location. It's tucked into a…read moresurprisingly quiet part of River North. Parking looked plentiful and the streets were calm. The restaurant itself is small and intimate, which creates a cozy atmosphere but also presents a few challenges. We arrived a little early for our reservation and quickly realized there was really nowhere to wait inside. That wouldn't have been a big deal except our table wasn't ready at our reservation time because the previous diners were lingering. We ended up waiting about 15 minutes outside. I understand that reservation timing is more art than science, but it would have been nice if someone had at least acknowledged the delay or offered some small gesture while we waited. Once seated, service was mostly quite good. Our server's start was a little uneven--he stopped by but didn't initially take our drink order--but after that both he and the rest of the staff were attentive throughout the meal. The space itself is interesting. The open kitchen is enormous relative to the dining room. I found myself wondering whether they could have squeezed in a few more tables, though obviously the food coming out of that kitchen is the reason people are here. And the food was a mix of hits, misses and one absolute knockout. We started with the pâté en croûte, which had a bánh mì-inspired preparation. And just so you don't end up disappointed like Nigel: Don't expect a smooth, spreadable pâté. Instead, you'll got a chunkier, terrine-style version. I thought it was an interesting take. The escargot didn't do much for me. It arrived swimming in herb oil and I found it lacked flavor, though others at the table enjoyed it more than I did. We also tried the corn dog, a very fancy and elevated version of the summer fair staple. It was tasty, but surprisingly small. The standout dish of the night was the 10-day duck breast. Absolutely delicious and easily the best savory item we ordered. The calamari was less successful. There simply wasn't much calamari in the dish, making it difficult to share among the table. It felt like there were nearly as many potatoes as pieces of squid. The halibut, on the other hand, was quite good. The fries were fine--nothing special--but aggressively salty. Then dessert arrived: a raspberry-coated chocolate mousse that was one of the best desserts I've had in a very long time, possibly ever. It was the perfect ending. Pricing was another pleasant surprise. We landed at about $100 per person, which was actually a little less than expected. Overall, Obélix delivered some memorable dishes, especially the duck and that phenomenal dessert, along with a few frustrations around timing and pacing.

    Photos
    Cg at the bar! april 2026.
    Cg at the bar! april 2026.
    Smoked trout tartine, lemon pepper crème fraiche, grilled wild onions, trout roe, quail egg, petite salad.
    Smoked trout tartine, lemon pepper crème fraiche, grilled wild onions, trout roe, quail egg, petite salad.
    Wonderful camille braun cremant de alsace rosé!

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    Wonderful camille braun cremant de alsace rosé!
    Il Porcellino

    Il Porcellino

    4.4
    (1.8k reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    Every time we make a trip to Chicago, Il Porcellino is a mandatory stop. We've eaten at a lot of…read moreItalian restaurants over the years, and this one keeps us coming back again and again. It's one of those places that you find yourself talking about long after the meal is over. The garlic bread alone is worth the visit. They pour what feels like a gallon of garlic butter over it, and somehow it's still never enough. It's rich, indulgent, and absolutely delicious. We order it every single time and would probably be disappointed if we didn't. The real star of the show, though, is the lasagna. Between the two of us, we've had lasagna at countless restaurants, and nothing has come close to this one. It's hands down the best lasagna we've ever had. Perfect layers, incredible flavor, and the kind of comfort food that makes you want to savor every bite. Their Grey Goose espresso martini is also unmatched. We've tried espresso martinis all over Chicago, and this one is still our favorite. It's smooth, perfectly balanced, and the ideal way to start or end the meal. The atmosphere is another reason we love coming here. The restaurant is gorgeous inside, with a dark, moody vibe that makes it feel special without being stuffy. It's the perfect date night spot whether you're celebrating something or just looking for a great night out together. If you're visiting Chicago and love Italian food, Il Porcellino is a must. Great food, amazing drinks, beautiful ambiance, and a meal you'll be thinking about long after you've left. We make a point to visit every time we're in town, and it never disappoints.

    First time visiting the Windy City, we came to the city for the great eats! I'll Porcellino…read morecertainly did not disappoint! For appetizers, we ordered the While Garlic Loaf Focaccia and the Stuffed mushrooms. I wished I took a video when the focaccia arrived. The waiter, holding a plate with a round and fluffy focaccia and proceeded to pour the garlic et al on top of the bread! Very freshly-made and fabulous! The stuffed mushrooms were also cute delicious! This is a rare time where the stuffing had spinach below the stuffing - excellent! I remember seeing (and enjoying) this while I visited Italy. Delightful! The main courses we ordered were the Gnocchi Bolognese, the Baked Burrata Lasagna and the Barolo Braised Short Rib. The Gnocchi meat sauce was the standout here, being very flavorful, but not as heavy as some other restaurants. The Gnocchi were dense - not fluffy as I had expected. But the sauce flavor was vivid. The Baked Burrata Lasagna was oh, so perfect! Many layers of al dente pasta separates with a tasty meat sauce. Many times I have had lasagna that was either over-baked, or had limp pasta. Here, the lasagna shined! So large of a serving that my wife could not finish it, much to her dismay . . . I had the Barolo Braised Short Rib - oh my living god! - so tender, so complete a dish, with the fork tender meat that melts in your mouth, complimented by a light polenta (I must emphasize the lightness here, as many restaurants serve polenta that is heavy and too rich. This did not compete with the short rib, rather it seamlessly became the foundation on which the richness of the meat was enhanced. I was blown away! But, the most amazing, and probably the most delectable part of the evening was finishing off with a luscious Chocolate Cake! OH, WOW!!! The cake was certainly moist and smooth. Yes, smooth! I could not tell there was cake at all, so smooth it was! And surprisingly (not surprising given the quality of this establishment) it wasn't too sweet, rather just enough to bring out the chocolatey goodness! I only wished that I ordered some hot coffee - the cake would have gone well with a great cup of coffee! Overall, I was very impressed with this restaurant! The old-town decor, the dim lights, the fantastic food (just like of the Italy of old!)- all contributing to a wonderful experience! Highly recommended!

    Photos
    Wall decor
    Wall decor
    Grilled Calamari
    Grilled Calamari
    Burrata Lasagna

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    Burrata Lasagna

    Club Lago - italian - Updated June 2026

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