This lovely little place was much better than I thought it was going to be. I went in by myself to get away from things, have a glass of wine and a few apps. I hade the bacon wrapped dates which were wonderful. The bacon was crisp and the dates were firm and sweet. And they were 5 bucks! Really nice. Also had the beet salad. Very fresh and light but flavorfull at the same time. I had some super tuscan wine and it was ok. Nothing bad or great about it. I did splurge and had the tirimisu and a glass of champagne(I know how to spoil myself!) The cake was WONDERFUL. Creamy and lovely. And the champagne went very well with it. I read a review about not letting kids in really. I say to that....YES!!!!! Some places need to be kid free. Such as this place. It's very quiet and adult. So to those with kids, don't bring them in unless they are well behaved. If you have kids, my I recomend the buzz cafe? That place is SWARMING with them(which is one of the reasons I won't go to buzz) ANYWAY, come out here to relax by yourself, or if your on a date. The prices are REALLY reasonable, the staff is knowledgeable and friendly, and the food is really quite good! The only thing I would say is that they could work on their wine menu a bit more. read more

The service is great but I've never had Italian food this terrible in my life. I've never written a review for anything before but the food was so bad I just couldn't help myself. I couldn't finish anything I tried so this is the first time I left a restaurant hungry. Don't get the meatballs. They taste like they came out of a Chef Boyardee can. They are weirdly soft and have no flavor just like the meatballs in a can of spaghettios. The rigatoni bolognese should be called rigatoni with crumbled Italian sausage. It was not at all what I was expecting. The great service from my waitress couldn't make up for the assault against my taste buds. read more

My family and I have been regular customers at Cucina Paradiso since the day their doors opened. We have on most occasions, not only enjoyed their delicious food, but friendly service. On Friday, May 9, 2014, I came in with my 2 sisters and my 84 year old mother. The restaurant was mostly empty, as it was 5:30 in the afternoon. We were interested in having the pizza special and asked the hostess if it might be possible to sit at a table since it was very difficult for my elderly mother to get onto the high chairs in the bar area. She said she would call a manager and ask if that would be possible, whereupon she picked up the phone and spoke to someone. When she hung up, we asked if it was OK. She and another waitress said it was fine and told us we could choose which table to sit at. We ordered 4 pizzas, finished our meal, and when we asked the waiter for the check, we confirmed with him that we were getting the special prices as the hostess had indicated. He responded irately, saying that's not possible, and indicated that she did not have the authority to approve our sitting at a table. We then explained that she had called someone for approval as our mother could not sit on such a high chair. He continued to argue with us, rather than speak to the hostess. He then literally ran to the back to get a manager, and no one returned to our table for almost 15 minutes as we were waiting for our check. Finally, a manager appeared and said "I think we have a miscommunication. It is not permissible to get the pizza special and sit at a table." We then told him the same thing about the hostess having called someone and telling us to choose a table to sit at. He said, verbatim: "I don't think that's true", and one of us said, "Are you calling us liars?" He called the hostess over and said, " They're saying that you said it was OK to sit here and have the pizza special, is that true?" She said, "No, I called for a manager, and no one ever came". He continued to escalate the situation rather than tell us that he had already given us the discount. He then said that he was discontinuing pizza specials, as if he were changing the restaurant policy to punish us. We were treated as if we were teenagers, scheming to get over on the restaurant in order to spend less money. Had we never been to Cucina Paradiso before, this outrageously rude behavior on the part of their staff would have been awful. However, the fact that they have known us all of these years and treated us so disrespectfully is beyond comprehension. We wrote both emails and snail mail to the owners describing what had happened to us, and we received no response. Shame on them. What a horrible way to treat long standing customers. I too run a food business, and if I ever received any complaint from paying customers, I would get back to them ASAP. That is unforgivable behavior. read more

* UPDATE * We dined here again a week or two ago and I ordered the special, grilled escolar. The watier wanted to make sure I knew it was an oily fish. I frequently eat escolar aka white tuna in my sushi so I thought I knew about the fish. Apparently I was wrong. When eaten in quantities over 6 ounces, many people have negative stomach and bowel reactions. I was one of those people and couldn't get off the toilet for hours. I called and spoke to an owner. The gist of his reply was, "The waiter told you it was oily. Now you know you can't eat it. [CLICK]." Because of his lack of concern, I dropped the review down a star. We went here for the first time last night after trying to walk in previously and being told there was going to be an hour wait. This time we walked right in (7:30 PM on a Friday night). Our fabulous waiter walked us through the menu and told us that it changes weekly but a few staples stay on the menu. We ordered calamari and it came with several tasty dipping sauces. For the entrees, we ordered chicken Marsala and chicken pistachio. They came out quickly and were solid, not great. The wait staff constantly refilled my lady's diet soda and that's a huge plus as she normally drinks several glasses a meal. In the negative column, the polenta served with the chicken pistachio was pretty tasteless and the bases on their tables were so wide that we couldn't pull our chairs in. The host informed us new bases have been ordered and that is only an issue with tables in the back room. We'll definitely go again, but make sure not to sit in the back room. read more

Incredible food as always. Current pickup system top notch. Thank you to the staff for keeping cooking.

Great Italian restaurant in Oak Park. I took my wife here for our first date, a blind date. I guess the food was so good, we got married and ten years later still going strong with 2 kids to boot. Seriously, this is a good place with a menu that has many good options to choose from. read more

Food looks better than it tastes. You can tell is not homemade, the bacon wrapped dates were definitely frozen pre-bought and so was the pizza crust. Great service, atmosphere, and drinks but food was mediocre. Might come back for just drinks and apps. read more

I have been there about a dozen times but had a Really bad experience last night. A table one over from my boyfriend and I picked up a FaceTime (speaker phone chat) with a toddler - and every person at their table had to talk to this screaming child. It lasted 8-12 minutes easily and the older woman at that 6 top was the worse offender - the one who should have known better, right? My boyfriend asked for the Manager; who then proceeded to stand across the restaurant from us watching us - we both made eye contact with him while waiting for him to come over but as soon as the call ended he walked over to another table then to another couple at the bar then stayed with a table outside - everyone but us! The Hostess assured us she told him. What Disgusting Behavior by someone who is supposed to set the tone of the restaurant - ignore your customers and hide from them until they pay their $100 and leave. His behavior ended up being so much worse than the 6 top! read more

All time favorite spot - especially on a Friday night after work (or any night). Rustic salad, bacon wrapped dates, rigatoni bolognese, shells, homemade gelato, bread/olives/olive oil, very thin pizza, LOTS to love. Great Italian wines and great service. We feel comfortable here and have brought many guests here from out of town who also love it. Sitting at the bar is even fun if it gets too crowded. Definitely a go-to place in our book! read more

We love the food and the service. This is and has been one of our favorite restaurants. I went to the web site to tell them about my problem but they did not have an option to "email us" instead only an option to post it on the internet. So here it is: A few months ago they had a promotion. It said "Buy this plastic card for $25 and every time you come in you earn "points". But the next time you come in we will credit you with the $25." Okay. So I will get some "points" in another club. Whenever I fly a new airline I join their "club". Whenever I stay at a new hotel, I join their "club". So I have a lot of useless "points". Today we had dinner at Cucina and I gave them my card. At first the guy at the desk said, "OK we can do this." Then, after he poked the computer a few times he said, "No it won't work. Next time you come in." I don't know if I will ever get my $25 back. But the food is good. The service is good. So we will go back to Cucina. But I would advise against buying a plastic card from them. read more

First time here, my partner and I sat at the bar, ordered a few delicious tapas, and enjoyed lovely service. Our favorites were the Calamari Abruzzi and Baked Goat Cheese! read more

We really like this place. The outdoor patio in the summer is awesome. Also, Order the shells. Great for dinner and the leftovers the next morning are also great. read more

This place never disappoints!! The food is always extremely flavorful & the serves is great! One of Oak Parks best!!

Probably more like 3.5 stars, but I'm feeling generous. My wife had a chicken dish that was very good, but my salmon was dry and lackluster. The service was pretty good in general, but the guy working the host station was weird for sure... no smile at all, I think he was an android. read more

Great atmosphere, modern and cozy at the same time, service and delightful italian food! Mmm had the caprese salad, rigatoni beef bolognese and wanted to try a desert but was stuffed! Their wine selection was nice and had a nice riesling to enjoy my meal. Great little area in oak park. Try it out when your in Oak Park, you won't regret it! read more

I don't know why this place has such high ratings. I thought the food was bland and overpriced. The service was good but everything we ordered was tasteless. There's far better options around the area. read more

Great restaurant and great catering at https://twomaytozcatering.com/ We have been dining at Cucina Paradiso and using the catering for years for our medical students. We have a class every few months. Students always rave about the food. The chefs help us design the menu that meets many different needs. They are generous, punctual, and helpful. Perfect, right? read more

My husband and I showed up for an early dinner on a Saturday. We arrive approx. 4:30pm. We are greeted, let me retract that....at the podium stands a young college aged girl staring into outer space. We walk up and say hello first and get a "hi" back with NO eye contact or smile. I said "2 for dinner please" she says they are booked up for the night and it would be about 3 hours wait. Please note, there was only 1-2 tables taken with people, the whole place was a ghost town. Much to our surprise we questioned her and said really?? She said yes, we are full. I said but there is no one here, she said those tables are for reservations. We had no choice but to leave. She gave NO apology nor did she offer any kind of accomodation. She let us turn around and leave. She did not even say sorry or goodbye! I as a restaurant owner, would not want that being the first person or impression a customer sees if they walked into my restaurant. A 28 yr veteran in the restaurant business, I can safely say this woman belongs elsewhere, not in the customer service industry! With that kind of start, I am scared to see what the rest of the help is like. Go where you and your money are welcomed and appreciated, certainly not here! read more

Great food, nice decor, service could have been a TOUCH more attentive (waters refilled, etc), and great atmosphere. I liked the added touch of olive oil, Parmesan, AND olives on the plate. I had the salmon. It wasn't the greatest quality salmon, but the orzo it came with was a solid side. I'd definitely go back if I'm in the area. read more

I always like their pasta creations. All the food I've tried has been good. Service is friendly, attentive but respectful of your space. One of my go to Italian spots in Oak Park. read more

I've been here a few times and have always enjoyed myself. I've never waited for a table, but there's always a decent crowd--enough that you don't feel like you're in the wrong place. The food is high quality but the atmosphere isn't pretentious. I like that I can feel comfortable in my jeans and eat a really good Italian meal. Is it the best restaurant in Oak Park? Maybe so . . . read more

I went there only once. The food just did'nt convince me to go back. There are better options in Oak Park such as Trattoria 225. I ordered a house salad which was very dry. It didn't have enough dressing on it and we shared a Wild Mushroom Pizza. I don't think the pizza was made from scratch. It just had an unnatural taste to it. And there was nothing "wild" about the mushrooms either. It was just button mushrooms. Oh and the bread was a little hard. I didn't like it. What I liked about the place was that they have outdoor seating which is nicely decorated with lights. All in all I won't go back...like I said before there are so many italian restaurants in the Chicago area and this one didn't stand out at all. read more

It's been a while since I ate here (ummm maybe 1998) but it was excellent, so I give it props now. Here is what I wrote at the time: Great meal: olive oil mixed with Parmesan cheese for the bread (must have been the freshly grated cheese that made it taste so good; I ate so much bread I nearly ruined my meal); stuffed calamari appetizer; ravioli stuffed with shrimp and covered with a blended red and white sauce, clams, and something with just a hint of spiciness - best ravioli I've ever had; tiramisu for dessert; and a waitress with an Ally McBeal smile. read more

Went for the Wednesday $6.00 Martinis special and got charged regular price. Their specials aren't really specials..more like disappointments. Should've stuck with original plans to go to Maya Del Sol which is a 5 Star place. When I called to inform the manager what had happened, he was very uninterested in receiving my feedback. Lots of too bad, so sad attitude going on. Waiters are not informative. read more

Everytime we walk-in the wait is 40min+ so we decided to RSVP for Valentines Day. I ordered from the Valentines Day's Special menu. I ordered the Skirt steak. It was covered in some type of salisbury sauce which was filled with big balls of ungrinded pepper!! I am hispanic and love spicey food, but this was rediculous! I felt like I drank pepper spray or something. I told the waiter, he got me a new steak without the sauce, then I cut it open and it was completly RAW!! I asked him to put it back on the grill and he seemed bothered by my request. This time there was no apology as if I was being unreasonable on the busiest day of the year for the fun of it!! I also agree with the previous review with the staff hanging out in the corner kind of creeps me out. Makes you feel like they are talking about you.... This place is always packed for no reason, OVERRATED!! read more

Every time I dine here I kick myself for not dining here more often. Food is great, space is intimate, the staff friendly and attentive.

Went this week, better than I expected. We caught half price wine (pours) also which was nice. I had the seafood linguine which was excellent along with the calamari (grilled) appetizer which was also good. My brohter and parents also enjoyed what the had - whitefish and bolognese pasta. I will be back. read more

Went here for a Valentine's Day date. It was not very romantic as the couple next to us was able to fairly easily eavesdrop on our conversation since the tables were so close together, but the food was good. I got the Bolognese and he got the Pork Marsala. Both were just good, nothing to freak about. We took dessert home, Tiramisu, which was very yummy. read more

Excellent food, nice wine list, good service - BUT: An issue - we were there on a summer night (July 17), seated outside. After we entered, a couple came in with a small dog, seated a table away from us. The dog sat in a chair (hopefully cleaned afterwards) and was also fed from the table. MOST INAPPROPRIATE AND UNAPPETIZING! This was clearly NOT a service animal. I don't know the village code on animals in restaurants. Even though we were outside it was still part of the restaurant. Dogs are not humans, although some people cannot seem to grasp this fact. Does the restaurant management grasp it? I do not plan to dine here until I hear from a manger/owner as to why they would allow a dog to sit at a table in a restaurant. Although I cannot imagine any rationale that is acceptable. Perhaps the staff needs to be better trained as to how to refuse seating to a customer with a dog. We shall see if management chooses to respond.. My wife said the polenta in her dish was actually stale. Not impressed. Doubt we will go back. Clear that management does not read reviews or does not care. Go to Il Vicolo instead! read more

I've been here a couple times in the past. I a big fan of their pear-Gorgonzola pizza. It's a sweet but savory pizza. It has no sauce and is topped with red onions and balsamic vinaigrette aside from the pear and Gorgonzola. But this past visit changed my mind. Every time I took a bite out of the pizza the pear slices fell off. The pear slices are very thin, but it wasn't sticking on like it should be. I ended up getting a balsamic vinegar stain on my shirt. read more

The bacon wrapped dates r 2 die 4! So is the pistachio crusted chicken, lake superior white fish, linguine artichoke & pasta w/bolognese.....let's just say everything is awesome! Except 4 the staff-could be less stuffy. ;0) read more

Nice place. The staff was okay they didn't talk much and my waitress seemed tired. The calamari was delicious hot and yummy. The bread was good but they should give warm olive oil and the customer adds the cheese....etc. My pasta was okay. I had the rigotini spanaci...it was ok but my pasta wasn't cooked long enough..it was starchy. I guess I need to go back when everyone is wide awake. read more

Over the past several years this has become somewhat of a regular place for us. It is reliably great for food and service. Just went this past week and could not have been happier. Service as a regular diner is always very good. I have brought family here from out of town and they also liked it very much. I highly recommend the calamari abruzzi, shells pasta, and the beef medallions special when they have it. Half price wine pours on Wednesday! Usually I park in the garage 1 block away because it is easy. read more

I've eaten here several times and the food is always great, try the rustic salad. the service varies. sometimes its great, other times they ignore you. the worst example was when our waiter wouldnt come back, but the bus boys hovered over our table to snatch up our plates when we put down our forks. irritating. still, the food is delicious and it has a romantic atmosphere. i love this place. read more

Walked by this hidden spot with my bf heading to Erik's Deli. Decided that we would try it out the next week after noticing the Michelin rated sign along with the nice patio outside. Well, in fact we did try it. We had bacon wrapped dates and pepperoni pizza- ahhhhmazing! Pizza was perfect, not to much cheese and you can taste the freshness. We also had beer and a cocktail that were both great as well. Out waitress wAs attentive & sweet. Nice place, close to home. read more

I really enjoyed our dinner here. We were lucky to get a table at the bar as we arrived at 7:30 on a Saturday and had no reservation. Service was great, and the food was really tasty. Would go back for sure. Loved the red wine in the risotto. Great change from the norm. read more

Cucina Paradiso is a great restaurant! I can't believe I have lived in Oak Park for over a year and haven't come in yet. Tonight I went with my boyfriend and we were seated right away at a table by the window. Our waiter (I forget his name, but he wears glasses) was excellent. Attentive and not overbearing at all. The water boys kept our drinks full without disrupting our conversation. I had the pear pizza and 14 Hands Chardonnay (so delicious!) and my boyfriend had Linguine Artichoke (equally delicious). After the dinner, we were waiting to order desert since we were celebrating an anniversary and our waiter came back with chocolate and white chocolate mouse on the house!!!!! It was delicious and so sweet of them. We will definitely be going back. Wednesday-$5 martinis Thursdays-20% off carryout read more

The pumpkin ravioli rocks. Shared an order with my partner, along with a yummy yellow beet & arugula salad and a lovely Italian wine. (We noticed, too, you can get half orders of several dishes.) Nice, crispy bread, too! Great atmosphere, great service. read more

Recently went back and had a great experience. Food was very good and our server was great. Definitely going back again. Hopefully my experience from early January is a blip on the radar. read more

Waiting staff was very good, place looked nice. Small and not much area to wait for the rest of your group to arrive. Food presentation was nice. Flavor just ok. read more