YUM! Everything about Cucina Paradiso was delicious. Perfect dim lighting spot for date night, cocktails, or a celebration. They do have a semi-private back area for smaller celebrations. I'd say attire is a bit dressier than your casual wear given the vibes. Complimentary bread and oil with Parmesan cheese to start. The bread was warm and moist, not hard like most Italian bread I've had. APPS: I would definitely recommend the calamari and meatballs for appetizers. Calamari was perfectly breaded and tender, not chewy like most, and came with 3 dipping sauces. The meatballs were moist and covered in cheese and meat sauce. Entrees: the rigatoni bolognese was the fan favorite of the table! Also had the beet salad and pork tenderloin and all of them were 10/10. Dessert: Tiramisu, salted caramel gelato, and fried donuts. All of the them were great, especially the fried donuts that come complimentary for buying a dessert. I was somewhat surprised by how good they were with the gelato. Service was quick and great, no complaints. Looking forward to coming back in the summer and sitting on the patio. Think this will be my new favorite Italian spot in Oak Park! read more

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One cannot help but like what I can characterize as the essence of Cucina Paradiso! It's a beautiful space with splendid customer service and good Italian food. My dish, rigatoni arrabbiata, did not blow me away, but there's something that is inviting me back to this space to try other dishes and a cocktail, so I'll be back. read more

Tuesdays nights are definitely the night to come. Their price fix menu is limited but quality and only $36 for an appetizer, entree and dessert. Both the appetizers and entrees are big, so a couple can share one and still leave satisfied. We've tried the pork tenderloins as well as the chicken Parmesan (pictured), along with Caesar salads (questionable dressing given how white it is, which means no egg yolks and/or anchovies, but not bad), and Brussels sprouts. Two can leave for under $100 if you have some wine. read more

Cucina Paradiso - Chicken Parmesan - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Just have to update that I have frequently come back to this place over and over since moving to the area and it is just so good every single time. The flavor is always there, the service is always excellent, & it's just always a special meal. Came back this weekend to celebrate my own birthday and it was intimate, delicious, & everything I knew it would be. Always a good ambiance as well because they make you feel well taken care of. Certainly will be back soon. read more

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Service second to none, courtesy of Victor our server. One of the best complimentary Italian bread - and the olive oil dip with parmesan cheese and olives is worth a visit by itself. The pear pizza was not sweet, drizzled in a light balsamic vinaigrette it just brings out the flavor of the fruit with the cheese complimenting the whole ensemble. I know it's an overuse word but the fresh dates with fresh grilled bacon of the bacon and dates are amazing! I really wanted to give this place five stars but the rest of the menu was just fine - namely the linguine frutti de mare and the arriabata pasta. Both had generous portions of seafood and sausage respectively. Unfortunately, the calamari in all the dishes were overcooked. read more

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The food was so delicious and staff was so attentive and friendly. Love the chill vibe! read more

Cucina Paradiso - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

The service and food were excellent. Haven't been in years but still just as amazing as when I would go with dearly loved Aunt Jackie and Uncle Gene. read more

Food was delicious. The Rigatoni is THAT good. Service was very accommodating and made some buttered noodles, penne actually, for my young son. Calamari was fried just right. Service was great and FAST. Polite and courteous. Drink recommendation was spot on. I didn't want anything sweet, so the "Tart ..." something had a nice balance of smoky mezcal and citrus flavors. My wife had the prickly pear French 75, which was very good and balanced. Ambience was relaxed in the sense that I feel you hang with some friends for drinks, or dress up a little for a date night with the spouse. Although the freight train hitting the breaks on the neighboring tracks scared the heck out of me, it didn't ruin the meal. And I can appreciate the artistic ability of the graffiti. read more

We had delivery to our Airbnb and it was delicious. The shells with the ground sausage and peas was definitely my favorite. Would love to go back and dine in next time! read more

Wow! I could stop there. What an incredible meal. Our family gathering filled 4 tables with perhaps 40 people. They allowed us to schedule off hours as they were preparing for dinner, and although they were busy setting up, service was perfect. And the food. OMG. From bread to salad to pasta to salmon and to beef, everything was outstanding. I wish I lived closer. I'd definitely return over and over. read more

Mother's Day brunch was delightful. There were many choices of chicken, fish and steak varieties. The salads, fruit and cheese platters offered a variety of healthy sides. The wait staff was very quick with removing used plates and refilling the complimentary iced tea. The restaurant itself is a beautiful rustic building with exposed bricks and ceiling pipes. Great Mother's Day brunch! read more

Cucina Paradiso - Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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Late review... September 2023 Went with my sorority sisters. The food was awesome! It was a beautiful evening, so sat outside on the patio area. We had a 6PM reservation and we stayed until closing. read more

Cucina Paradiso - My food: crusted chicken with mashed cauliflower with asparagus - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

I hadn't been back to Cucina for a few years. Always liked it, but we moved a little further out of the area, so it was never top of mind. After recently celebrating my son's birthday there, it's worth the drive because their wait staff and service goes the extra mile. The food was great - couldn't beat the prix fixe menu value and quality. I had the chicken Calabrese and it was delicious - just the right spice! All 7 of us really enjoyed our meals, which is rare for our family to agree across the board. What really stood out though? Our waiter, Christopher. He couldn't have been more friendly, gracious and accommodating - especially dealing w/ 3 young boys ordering Shirley Temples at the speed of teens on e-bikes. We need more Christopher's in the world - friendly, helpful and keenly aware of others needs. Dude and food were on point! Can't wait to go back read more

The zucchini puffs were great! I dine here frequently and have never been let down. Service was great as well!

Shame on me for not being back for awhile but my grown daughter was back in town so we returned for Father's Day. She remembers many happy family dinners at Cucina. We had pork and beef and potatoes and asparagus and my old favorite rustic salad. I began with a martini and ended with a cappuccino. How is it that the food is even more delicious than I recall. I won't wait so long next time! read more

We had our rehearsal dinner for our wedding at cucina paradiso in the private room. The room was perfect for a private event- we were able to ask them to turn off music for speeches and have our own space. We loved the food-everyone complimented the salmon and tiramisu and chocolate lava cake desserts! The drinks were delightful, and the service was wonderful. We will be coming back to celebrate our future anniversaries there for sure! read more

Cucina Paradiso - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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Working with Cucina Paradiso and Twomaytoz Catering for our 50th wedding anniversary was an absolute joy. From clear pricing and quick responses to their professionalism and warm service, everything was handled with such care that we were able to relax and truly enjoy our special day. The staff were both attentive and easygoing, helping with set-up and managing every detail so the evening flowed beautifully. Cocktail hour and dinner were perfectly timed, and our guests are still raving about the hors d'oeuvres, the elegant presentation, and how delicious the food was. After 50 years together, this milestone celebration was unforgettable, thanks in large part to Cucina Paradiso and Twomaytoz Catering. We could not recommend them more highly. read more

Whenever I dine here it's through Uber Eats. I pay Uber an extra fee so my food is quickly delivered warm, and I look forward to the bread that accompanies my meal. The bread is wrapped so warm and fresh like it just came out of the oven and sooo good! Yum! I'm happy! Tonight, however, the one time (and last) that I pay for an extra order of this wonderful bread - I get three cold rolls that look and feel like they were pulled out of the bakery bin at Pete's. Maybe Aldi. I received an apology when I called and I appreciate that, but the lack of effort is disappointing and ruined my not-so-cheap carryout meal. Did the folks who dined in tonight get the Pepperidge Farm rolls too? Or just me because my order was from Uber Eats? read more

Cucina Paradiso - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

I ordered from Grubhub. I took a chance after reading the many reviews and comments. I ordered the lobster ravioli in a brandy cream sauce. Oh boy! The absolute worst! Ravioli sitting in gobs of oil, I bit into shells, mushy overcooked pasta with a strong fishy taste!! Grubhub refused to refund my money. I was so disappointed. I spent a small fortune. I ordered the bread pudding and that was nothing special. If you are considering dining here I have a bit of advice. Run like your the last two monkeys boarding Noah's Ark and it's starting to rain!!! No no no!!! That's a hard no from me folks! Enter at your own risk! You've been warned! I'm not sure what all the raves are about. I'm telling you it's bad! Yeah, it's that bad!!! Food read more

This is our GoTo place. The food is first rate. We usually carry out but sit down is also great

We recently dined at Cucina Paradiso in Oak Park, and it was a delightful experience. Hosting our large group of 8 was no problem for them. The staff went above and beyond to accommodate our requests. They offer plenty of vegetarian options and tasty handcrafted cocktails. Some of our favorite appetizers are the fried lasagna rolls and cucina puffs (cheesy zucchini fritters). Their menu has something for everyone, with generous serving sizes. The desserts are also a highlight--we usually get 3 or 4 to share at the table, and they never disappoint. They accept online reservations or you can call for parties of 8+. There is street, metered parking directly across the street and a covered parking garage a block east. read more

Perhaps our favorite pasta place in the area. Cucina has been around for a long time, and the menu continues to get better and better. Excellent bread, large interesting salads, and reliably good pasta dishes. Certainly worth a trip. read more

My boyfriend and I stopped in to eat here on Monday 7/28. Food and drinks were great, but our server ruined the experience for us. I'm 22 and my boyfriend is 23 and we ordered drinks and were carded, as expected. However, I got the impression that our server did not believe that we were of age and made us feel unwelcome in the establishment, not sure if she thought that because we're young we wouldn't tip or weren't worth her energy... I've been a server for 4 years and a bartender for 1 and my boyfriend also works in food service. We both felt that she was uninterested in serving us and was less than friendly. My family loves Cucina Paradiso and recommended we try it, but I would not go again after this experience. read more

What a great spot! On a whim, we drove into the area and after finding easy street parking, decided to give this place a try. We were a party of four and easily seated early (5:15 or so) on a Saturday. By the time we left at 6:45ish they were packed! Bread to start is just as people rave about, served with oil/cheese for dipping. We got the zucchini puffs to start and they were delicious - light and fluffy and even the kids wanted seconds. Kids split a pizza and husband got a short rib special. I went with the chicken calabrese as I have a really hard time with Italian food (no cream, tomatoes are often too acidic for me). Perfect choice - the batter was crisp and two huge chicken breasts with just the right kick from the peppers. Comes with roasted potatoes, but I was so full from the chicken I didn't get much of those. Husband thought the mash on his plate had some garlic or onion which he is opposed to, but ate all the rest (meat/asparagus). Kids ate all but two pieces of their pizza and still managed some flourless chocolate cake and vanilla gelato. All this and a few drinks and we were just north of $150 which is a steal! Run, don't walk and ask for Andres, who was a fantastic server! Can't wait to go back and try more! read more

Nice evening sitting outside. Great service. I love the oil and Parmesan cheese served with the warm bread. My wife had a gluten free margarita pizza which she enjoyed thoroughly. I kept my meal light with a Caesar salad. Good wines by the glass. The host comped us with some warm dessert buns. We saw numerous friends from the neighborhood who had the same idea. Nice evening overall. read more

Great little date night dinner with the fiancé! Got the Cucina Puffs, Rigatoni Arrabbiata, and Spaghetti Amatriciana. Waiter even recommended wine for both of us to try. So good! read more

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While staying in town at our son's house, we ordered carry out from here. It was ready on time and piping hot when we picked it up. The did a nice job packaging everything to keep it warm on our 8 minute drive home. The warm rolls with olive oil and cheese was a pleasant surprise when we unpacked our food. I ordered a small shells and hubby ordered the large baked rigatoni. The small was enough for me to get 2 meals out of it and the same for hubby's large order. I liked my dish - it was flavorful, but not spicy and they had plenty of sausage and peas in it. I would definitely order it again. Hubby enjoyed the baked rigatoni as well, but next time, would probably order something with meat in it. read more

Had never been to this place and the service was awesome. The ambiance is great and they make due with the real estate they're given. We sat in a side room with total seclusion, I like being in the mix, but it wasn't bad at all. The gnocchi was amazing would have again every night of the week and if I go back I'd probably get the same thing. read more

Cucina Paradiso - a person reading a book - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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PESTO TEMPESTO Not even severe storms can stop us from enjoying a nice meal at this restaurant in Oak Park. My first visit here with Nichole C on their outdoor terrace (8/30/18) was pretty dynamic. After an hour of tranquility, the skies turned green/black/purple and a deluge ensued with high winds, heavy rain, and considerable thunder. It was some serious sh*t! Props to the servers for keeping their composure during what felt like a scene from 'Twister'. We love sitting in the bar area where they feature 1/2 price appetizers from 5-7pm (Mon-Fri). Cucina Paradiso has some great weekly specials like half priced bottles of wine on Monday and 20% off carryout orders on Thursday. Tuesdays have 1/2 off appetizers all day, meaning we don't have to rush getting here before 7 o'clock, which is nice. Across 4 or 5 visits, we've enjoyed white peach sangrias, cocktails, several bottles of Merlot and a glass or seven of Cabernet. Instead of ordering big, heavy pasta entrees that are tricky to share, we usually order a series of small plates, like: + Bacon wrapped dates (6 for $8) stuffed with romano cheese and drizzled in a balsamic glaze. Delicious morsels. + Fried calamari ($10), a personal favorite of Nikki C. Theirs comes with a trio of marinara, cocktail sauce and pesto mayo. + Flash-fried brussel sprouts ($6) drizzled with lemon juice and a sprinkling of cheese. Cooper's Hawk does them better but they're A-OK here. + Shrimp risotto ($16), an ample serving of creamy risotto packed with sweet corn, peas, and lots of umami flavor (saffron, brown butter, white wine reduction). The caesar salad ($8) with romaine lettuce, croutons, sun-dried tomatoes and shaved parmesan is a big portion but fairly basic. Soup of the day ($7) has varied between a cream of vegetable, tomato basil, and Italian wedding soup, all have been very tasty. Spinach tortellacci ($18) are stuffed with ricotta cheese, tossed in a red vodka sauce with grilled asparagus and cherry tomatoes. Pretty good for a meatless dish! The chocolate lava cake ($9) isn't half bad, either. Bread = 4 Circuses = 4.5 I'm surprised that Cucina Paradiso doesn't offer lasagna or veal parmigiana on their normal menu, though the daily specials usually include some variation of pappardelle, chicken al limone, or fish. It seems like their kitchen focuses more on the small plates aspect, which is totally cool with us. Service has always been fine, whether outside in a torrential downpour or inside at the bar. On our most recent trip (6/4/19), we received two small zeppole dusted in powdered sugar as a delightful freebie, courtesy of the kitchen. Thanks for that little lagniappe :) * TL;DR * There's certainly no shortage of Italian places to eat in the area (Mancini's, La Bella Pasteria, Il Vicolo Trattoria, and La Notte are all within a mile). Cucina Paradiso features a lovely outdoor terrace..... though come to think of it, all those eateries mentioned have 'al fresco' dining, too. Being close to where we live and offering happy hour deals are two big reasons why we continue to come back. Lord Commander of Oak Park's stamp of approval: confirmed! read more

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Omg I'm so glad we stumbled upon this restaurant! First, I was so surprised we could even get delivery from Oak Park to Chicago! The food arrive still fresh and hot. The flavors were good and especially for the price. The roasted beets salad was so flavorful, and the Brussels sprouts were nicely charred. I'm obsessed with Brussels sprouts and will almost always order if it's on the menu! I did not try the bolognese, but I was told it was very good. I really enjoyed the alla cucina, so creamy and generous amounts of chicken, mushroom and spinach. I'm a huge fan of pasta dishes that already have vegetables included! They're also generous with the bread, but we didn't want to fill up on it. I'd love to dine in, but in the meantime, can't wait to order delivery again. read more

Cucina Paradiso - Roasted Beet Salad, Brussels Sprouts, Rigatoni Bolognese, Rigatoni alla Cucina - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

One of our go-to restaurants both for dine in and take out. On our last visit I had the San Gennaro pizza. What a treat! A nice mixture of sausage, grilled onions and peppers dotted with fresh ricotta. Definitely worth a try. read more

The food is all amazing!!!! Staff is always friendly bringing great service and the atmosphere has a very chill vibe that's great for dates or family gatherings ... read more

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Luckily this place was open on Christmas Eve. Mom didn't have enough Alfredo sauce so I asked for some when I picked up the pizza I ordered. The sauce was perfect and so was the pizza. read more

Excellent fresh food. Outstanding service great ambiance. Not overpriced for the quality. read more

Cucina Paradiso - Primavera special - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Still one of my favorite places in the entire Chicago area for great Italian food, or just grabbing a well-crafted cocktail with friends. Their Rigatoni Bolognese is the best version I've ever found. The friendly service and beautiful presentation is enough to make anyone feel special. read more

Cucina Paradiso - Rigatoni Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

I was lucky enough to come here for the 27th anniversary with a couple of great deals. Sat at the bar on a busy night with no problems ordering or getting our food. Had an aperol spritz which was 10/10 and the bread is great. They have tasty table bread and olive oil with Parmesan. The brussel sprout appetizer was definitely worth getting, it is topped with a very light amount of cheese. A great, healthy option. The rigatoni bolognese was very creamy and tasted great. Chocolate lace cake was fantastic also. Overall, a great environment and fantastic place to spend an evening. Especially on a Monday night when many places are closed. read more

Stopped in a few weeks ago right before it started getting cold. We were celebrating a few different family events so the five of us were enjoying various cocktails to start. I enjoyed the mojito - it was fresh and tasted great. We started with an order of the bacon wrapped dates. You must order these! There were only five in the dish so we each got one, but I could have had all of them to myself. We got a few different entrees for the table to split - two pizzas and two pastas. The portions were huge and we all had plenty of leftovers to take home. The sausage and mushroom pizza was delicious and perfect combination of flavors. The spaghetti and meatballs was just like your mom would make - huge portion, super comforting and delicious! Definitely will be back either for take out or dine in once that's available. read more

Oh boy what can I say, I tried their soup and pizza. I was not disappointed and it is one of my favorite places in Oak Park. Service was on point, ambiance was cool with good music. If I run out of places to eat this one is a always a keeper. read more

This is one of my husband and I's favorite places to go for date night. We tried it randomly one night and I honestly can't tell you how many times we've had it since. I always get the bolognese and it's always sooooo gooooood I always want to try something new when I go back, but the bolognese is just too good to pass up! Lol! The calamari is also great! Service is always wonderful. Jose took great care of us last time we went. As always, we'll be back! read more

Cucina Paradiso - Rigatoni Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Great meal delivered to my hotel by Door Dash tonight. I got the baked rigatoni (it's a huge serving - order a small) which was delicious - very cheesy and saucy. The caprese was good, the tomatoes weren't quite as flavorful as they could have been, but it isn't really tomato season right now either. I finished off my meal with the tiramisu which was incredibly light and creamy. Only real complaint is that it wasn't packaged very well. Balsamic spilled and leaked over everything. I also wish they had included plastic utensils. read more