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

We went on a bit of a whim and were very happy. Atmosphere was super cozy on a cold, rainy night. Restaurant was full but we had made somewhat last minute reservations on Open Table, so were seated right away. Bread service was good. We had our 7 year old with us and they didn't have a kids menu but said they could make a pizza however plain we wanted or they could do a side of pasta. Caesar salad was good. My husband added salmon to his for a meal and really enjoyed it. Cheese pizza for our daughter was also good during the meal and as leftovers later. I had the encrusted filet medallions and was happy that I took their recommendation for medium rare (they seemed more medium+) - they were just right. The potatoes were super yummy. We'll definitely be back. read more

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I have been going here since they opened. My great aunts and I used to go there once a week. (we are Italian, and we look extremely Italian) When my aunts passed away 10 years ago. I stopped going there for a while because it reminded me of them. But a few years ago I started carrying out from there again. And I still go there a couple times a year to sit down and eat. I ordered take out from them a lot to help them survive during the pandemic. Last night I took one of my best friends to sit down and eat at Paradiso in oak park. I feel that I should tell you that I have a lot of tattoos on my arms and my friend has a lot of tattoos as well. When we showed up at 8 PM. I walked in and looked at the lady and said "Hello, two please. Can we sit at one of the tables by the window?" The lady looked at us and said in a very nasty tone of voice " You know we close at 9 o'clock, don't you?!" and I said that's fine. And then A few minutes into us sitting down. My friend overheard that same lady telling a couple of gentlemen. That she gave their table to us, and that we "didn't even have reservations". And sat them at a different table. The meal came and the sausage had bones in it. Yes, there were ground up bones in the sausage!!! The sauce tasted like somebody just used tomato paste and cream to make a sauce with. (I am a chef) It was extremely gross. It's bad enough that their menu changes all the time. And that they get don't have any traditional Italian food anymore. Italians like to eat seafood. Barely any seafood. And One fish if that. No mussels no clams. All the food they have on their menu looks like it's for white people that are not Italian. And now they are serving crappy food with bones in it. I was very polite to everyone and gave them an extra big tip. Because I plan on never ever going there again. And it wasn't the waitresses fault that the lady at the front was nasty. So out of respect for my aunts. And the memories we shared there. I was extra kind to them even though I was mistreated. It was very clear we were profiled when we walked in the door. Me being Italian and Native American and my friend being Filipino American. And both of us having tattoos. They treated us like we were trash. And they don't deserve to be open anymore. If you care about equality, then please don't support this business. It really broke my heart. The people of Oak Park deserve better. Equality for all!! And please. Never let somebody mistreat you. Have a nice life everyone!! read more

I haven't been able to go for awhile but I know the food is always wonderful and service as well. Great place!!! I highly recommend it and the ambience is wonderful as well. Great for friends, families or date nights read more

Cucina Paradiso - Heydee Salazar - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

We ordered dinner from Cucina Paradiso while we were staying with friends in Oak Park, and they really weren't kidding when they said they had great delivery options in their neighborhood. This was an excellent casual Italian meal that came from the internet. We got three pastas and one entree to share four ways, and our order came with several individually wrapped pieces of bread. This was a bountiful amount of food, yielding at least a lunch or two worth of leftovers. Everything we got was delicious. The shells were probably my favorite of the pastas, though all three were great. These were lovely little pasta shells mixed with mushrooms, crumbled Italian sausage, onions, sweet peas, marinara, fresh basil, Romano cheese, and a touch of cream. The sauce was splendid, and I loved the peas and the flavorful sausage. The rigatoni basilico was a nice, satisfying basic red sauce pasta, with homemade marina, basil, and shaved Parmesan cheese. I also enjoyed the orechiette, which I can't find on any Cucina Paradiso menus on the internet (no one has mentioned it on Yelp either; it's like a ghost pasta, but I swear I ate it). The little ears had a great firm, supple texture, and they came with sausage, broccoli, tomato, and garlic. I almost never get non-pasta entrees from Italian restaurants, but our hosts said the chicken pistachio was worth ordering, and they were absolutely right. This was a fantastic dish, tender chicken pan-fried with a pistachio breadcrumb crust, served with creamy polenta, grilled asparagus, and an addictive red pepper cream balsamic sauce. As a side note, I'm impressed that the chicken traveled so well. I order a ton of delivery, but I rarely get like a piece of meat that isn't chopped up and drowning in tikka masala or Thai curry. I guess I'm not sure why. I'd certainly order the pistachio chicken and all of the above again if I lived in Cucina Paradiso's delivery radius. I don't know anything about the brick and mortar, but even if every manager and server is a raging asshole, Oak Park folks are lucky to have this place around. read more

What a disappointment. Made a reservation for a Friday evening two weeks ahead, for four people, for a birthday. We arrived on time at 6:30 and the place was packed. We watched them seat three people before us (no reservation) at a roomy table for four, up front. The only table left for us was the one in the very back, in a corner, where we were crammed against a wall with zero elbow room. The table next to us was a foot away. Nowhere on the floor to put the presents we'd brought, and no elbow room to open them. I asked to be switched to the empty table for five near us, but was refused. (It was still empty when we left.) We normally start with cocktails but were so uncomfortable, we passed and ordered quickly. I had the Calamari Abruzzi appetizer. It was served in a broth with spinach, white beans and cherry tomatoes. The tomatoes were so spicy I couldn't eat them (and I like spicy). The broth was very good, but the calamari was rubbery. And the toast was greasy. Chose the Pappardelle with Pork Shoulder for my entrée. The flat egg noodles were cooked perfectly, but the tomato sauce was thick and poorly seasoned (salty). The consistency of a pork stew. I had to scrape the noddles in order to eat them. After a third of the way through, I gave up. (Other photos of this dish on Yelp show it in a thinner sauce.... mine was clearly overcooked.) My friends had better luck with their entrees, and I'll let them write their own reviews. The birthday girl got a complimentary desert, a yummy chocolate lava cake with vanilla gelato... the hit of the evening. Our server was perfect. She recommended a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc that was outstanding. Would have ordered a second bottle (and our own desserts), but we weren't in the mood to linger. It's unfortunate they don't have anyone up front who's been trained to better manage the reservations and seating. With so many restaurants in Oak Park that offer great food AND great customer service, there's no reason to come back. read more

Cucina Paradiso - Abruzzi: rubbery calamari and too spicy tomatoes. - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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Consistently delicious over 20+ years. Nice space, great service, convenient location.

This review is not about eating at the restaurant but about ordering delivery. I ordered from this Cucina about three times and the food has been excellent each time. I had several items off the menu and they were all quite scrumptious. Last time i ordered I had few guests over who were also impressed with the quality of the food. Basically, if you want Italian for delivery , this place is it. read more

Our first time dining-in since the pandemic and this place over exceeded our expectations. Our original reservation request was to dine outside but once we arrived we felt comfortable enough to dine inside and they were very accommodating to our request. We have been very cautious to dine in during the pandemic but our experience here made us feel very comfortable and safe while we dined in. We were seated inside, the lighting and the atmosphere was perfect. We were seated in our own space, within safe limits of those seated elsewhere, the waitress was phenomenal! Staff was masked and we observe them follow cleaning protocols after every guest that left. We were greeted with warm bread and a mixture of olive oil and parmesan while we waited for our food. Food was absolutely delicious, pasta was perfect and the pizza absolutely delicious! We enjoyed our lovely evening dining in, the music in the restaurant was perfect, (a combination of my favorite artist) Everything was absolutely perfect! Highly recommend you check this place out. We will definitely be going back! read more

Cucina Paradiso - Cheese Pizza/Pepperoni Pizza - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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This place is the sweet spot of good food, decent prices, good portions, and good drinks. Excellent food and drink for the price. Service is always excellent. read more

Cucina Paradiso catered our wedding reception at the 19th Century Club on May 12, 2012 in Oak Park. The appetizers, entrees and drinks were perfect! We have gotten so many compliments on the amazing food and the service. Anthony is great, very professional. We had a taste testing reservation at the restaurant so we could decide on the appetizers and the entrees. My husband was the one that noticed that Anthony and his staff were super busy making sure the food was ready and hot to serve to our guests. Anthony is an expert, he has worked with 19th Century many, many times so he knows what has to happen and he gets it done. The staff was amazing at serving almost 200 guest super quickly and the drink service was perfect! I felt that the guests got their fill of delicious food and the drinks of their choice. We came back last week and will be coming back to the restaurant more often because we are moving closer. My friend and I had brussel sprouts and bacon wrapped dates to start off. I had the rigatoni spinaci and I ordered penne arosto to go (for my husband ). The best drink (in my opinion) is the blood orange mint. I really wanted to get some dessert but we were stuffed when dinner was over. The server was very polite, friendly and attentive without being intrusive. There is plenty of parking on North Blvd. avenue. The restaurant opens for service at 5:00 pm every day. Make a reservation because the restaurant is incredibly busy! read more

Cucina Paradiso - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Best food in Oak Park. Great chicken, pasta, and fish dishes. The service is always great. Bob

I came here with my family for a celebratory dinner and I loved the atmosphere. The restaurant was beautifully decorated and I liked the ceiling above the bar which was draped white cloth with lights that changed colors. It is located right by the CTA and parking is a bit annoying. It is metered street parking which fills up quickly! We started off on martinis and they were all fantastic. I tried the Mango, Pomegranate and Blood Orange. The Pomegranate was a little bit strong for my taste. For appetizers, we had the Fried Calamari and the Pear Pizza. Both were fantastic. i could not get enough of them. I really liked the creamy dipping sauce that came with the Fried Calamari. The meal went a little bit downhill at dinner. My sister ordered the Mahi Mahi special and it tasted like rubber it was so chewy. I tasted the Mahi Mahi and there was no nice way to put it... it was terrible. We told the waiter and he was nice about it and brought her a different dish. He said it would be out in 5 minutes, but we had almost finished our meals by the time hers arrived. The waiter took the Mahi Mahi off the bill, but still charged her for the replacement dish. I ordered the Chicken Saltimbocca which was okay. I was honestly expecting more after all the rave reviews on Yelp. I was a little sad that it came with asparagus (which was undercooked) instead of the traditional spinach. read more

Cucina Paradiso - Marvelous Martinis! - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Solid Italian fare. Nice ambiance in the dining room, but the also do fantastic takeout. Ask above the family style takeout special.

We used Cucina for our daughters' (joint) graduation party and they were fabulous from beginning to end. Responsive to my first inquiry, super helpful in deciding on a menu, and delivered the food in two installments so that the hot items would stay hot and the cold items would be fresh. Their estimates for how much to order were exactly on target and the food was delicious! I've always been a fan of the restaurant, and was excited to find that the catering menu is even more varied. I would use them again in an instant! read more

we ordered (kind of out of desperation) their heat and serve thanksgiving feast. thanksgiving, from an italian restaurant? yes indeed, and they saved thanksgiving. everyone loved it, and we all felt it was a good value too. can't wait to actually go in and eat there. read more

My fiancé and I decided to treat ourselves with a nicer than our usual take-out dinner one night. Cucina has been one of my parents' favorite restaurants so I have grown up loving their food but it had been awhile. All of the food was delicious! The pastas were very tasty - needed a little salt but that's not hard to add on your own! The brussel sprouts were delicious and you can't go wrong with bacon wrapped dates...or bacon wrapped anything for that matter! We got a salted caramel gelato for dessert that was dangerously good! A great semi-fancy meal in the comforts of our home! read more

Cucina Paradiso - Brussels Sprouts, Bacon Wrapped Dates, Rigatoni alla Cucina, Linguine Artichoke - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

We caught them during their anniversary special. The prices were phenomenal, and the service was good. This is actually one of the only Italian restaurants I've tried in Oak Park. They did not disappoint. The wine was excellent, and the food itself was well prepared. My steak was well seasoned, and the sides were excellent (definitely grab an order of the bacon-wrapped dates as an app if you like dates). What most impressed me about Cucina Paradiso is the ambiance. It is a cozy and bustling place that manages to feel lively without being overstimulating. It's perfect for a romantic night out with your favorite person or even a meal with family or friends. read more

Oak Park is pretty mediocre when it comes to food, but this place is an exception and a value. I had eaten here a few years ago and wasn't particularly impressed, but the menu is now filled with tempting items in each category and every member of our group was pleased with their selection. The main opportunity for improvement is the cocktails. They have good coverage across the bases, but at least on the night we went, the end product was a bit off read more

Finally we can say we found a Italian restaurant that we really enjoyed ! First of all the place is super cute and cozy .. our waitress karina was awesome and very attentive .. and her recommendations were on point .. for drinks try the blueberry old fashion .. I'm not big on strong drinks but I manage to steal a few sips from my husbands drink and it was delicious .. I had the papardelle with shrimp and cherry tomatoes and zucchini and when you get that sense of happiness when you take your first few bites just make sure you just leave half of it so you can have the same feeling the next day . But I must say I think I'm starting a new trend .. you May not agree with it but please I'm telling you try it and let me know how it goes . Are you ready? So raise your hand if you ever ate so much that it seems that you can never seem to find room for dessert ? ‍ ok . Me too ,so have the dessert first as a starter and then have your food . Why have I never done this before ? Well I did it here . Their warm bread pudding with vanilla ice cream on top just brought tears to my eyes on how delicious it was , And then yes it's true I ordered the pasta dish .. yes i know what you are thinking who does that ? Well me from now on so I won't miss on a good dessert like that one . And even though that was my friends idea . It really motivated me to start doing that especially when a place is known for a specific dessert . Please do that next time you can always take half of your food home . But you can never bring warm bread pudding with ice cream home without melting .. read more

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Cute place in oak park. Really nice ambience and waiters were really friendly. Got the Brussels sprouts for free through yelp check in which we're good. I got the octopus which was good , very refreshing and with a lot of meat. The grilled shrimp were amazing . read more

One of our favorites in Oak Park. Always good service and delicious food. My only complaint is that I wish they changed up the specials more often. read more

I LOVE love love this place. Some of the BEST pasta I've ever had. I had the rigatoni Bolognese. YUM. They even had a check in offer so I was a happy camper. Not a big fan of the appetizer we ordered- dates rolled in bacon, but whatever. The pasta was worth coming for. read more

Cucina Paradiso - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

You can tell time and care went into creating the food at Cucina Paradiso. We had a Cesar salad and a pizza; the ingredients tasted fresh even for a Sunday night. The service was spectacular. Our server was very attentive and warm. They even gave us some extra pasta to take home with our leftovers, on the house. read more

Cucina Paradiso - Siciliana Pizza - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Outstanding service started with bacon wrapped dates, delicious bread and caprese salad. Our waitress was attentive, helpful with suggestions, and responsive throughout our meal. The steak medallions were excellent, as was the penne arrosto dish! Atmosphere was romantic and quiet enough to have an intimate conversation. One of our FAVORITE places in Oak Park. Highly Recommend!!! read more

Very nice and elegant place in Oak Park. They have a nice small bar. The food was very tasty. We order a few sides because I wanted to try a little of everything. We ordered calamari, bacon wrapped dates, goat cheese, and Brussel sprouts. Everything was so delicious! I loved my glass of wine. People were very nice and attentive. We didn't get wait that long for food. Loved the atmosphere. Beautiful place. Perfect for a romantic date. I will definitely come back to check out the deserts. read more

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

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Wow! This was a true delight. It all began with attentive, prompt, super polite service. It's the mark of a truly well run place, and the service was top notch. The bread was brought out warm and with delicious olive oil to dip in, just perfect. My entree included Salmon, Squash, and Brussel Sprouts. Who knew Brussel Sprouts could be so good! Season them right and I suppose they can be just wonderful! I'm very impressed, all the way around. Hope to come back someday. read more

Had dinner here on Monday night. Staff was very friendly and professional. We had the baked meatballs as an appetizer. They were well seasoned and very moist. My husband had the special, homemade pappardelle with braised beef tips and I had the chicken calabrese style. Both dishes were excellent. The chicken had a great kick to it and also came with two kinds of spicy pepperoncini. The tomato sauce with the braised beef was perfect, not sweet and not acidic at all. The portions were large. We both had lunch for the next day. We told the waiter we were too full for desert but they brought us two complimentary zeppole which were so light and melted in our mouth. They reminded me of the ones my mother used to make. Come to find out the owners are from Calabria which is where my parents are from. That's an added bonus and we'll definitely be returning and bring friends with us next time. Nice to have an authentic Italian restaurant near home read more

Freaking love love love this restaurant. My boyfriend and I order from here all the time and we always get the rigatoni ala cucina

I was in town to visit family, and we came here to celebrate a friend's birthday; it was pretty busy on a Sunday evening at 6PM so We were glad we had reservations! The patio outside was totally full so we took a table inside. It was a little warm in the restaurant, but not too bad. I could definitely see why eating outside was the preferred option though since it was a nice night. The salad choices include some interesting combinations; it was hard to choose! I had the red beet salad and was not disappointed. Beets, oranges and a mint dressing on fresh greens made for a tasty start to the meal! I the had the pear pizza which was excellent! It is quite rich and filling so could have easily served two. I took the other half home and had an easy dinner Monday night! Others had fish and pasta entrees they enjoyed a great deal as well. For dessert I had the bread pudding with house made gelato. This is a decadent caramel covered treat. It had no raisins, so anyone who is averse to this usual bread pudding ingredient can enjoy! I think this would definitely have been a shareable dessert, but somehow managed to finish almost of it myself. Service was good, except the water glasses and carafe were taken away before dessert; a little odd, but then we probably could have asked for them to leave these items if we were paying more attention, but we were distracted by conversation and only realized the water was cleared with the dinner plates after it was gone. Definitely wouldn't mind coming back next time I'm in town! read more

We ate here for dinner Sunday when they opened at 5pm. We do that to avoid crowds during COVID. The food was great as usual. My daughter had gluten free pizza & my wife & I had pasta dishes. We had to show proof of COVID vaccination - which is fine with me. They also have HEPA air filtration. So, I feel pretty safe eating here and will return. read more

I have mixed feelings about this place. It was raining, so instead of visiting the restaurant we ordered food to go. I paid $14 ($24 after tax/tip/delivery) for their LARGE Alfredo. Although it was certainly yummy, I felt pretty ripped off by the portion size. If this is the large, what would I have gotten if I had selected the small instead? This container is shallow, and you can see the bottom through the pasta (check out the upper right of the photo). Probably won't order again because of this portion issue, but the food quality was undeniably good. read more

Cucina Paradiso - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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Always incredible !! Whether orders to go, or recent dine in, great food, great service, always !! Joe G read more

Awesome food. Great new interior. Now if they can work on the hostess. Good lord.. this girl looks like she's going to jump off a bridge. Smile for crying out loud. If you own this place... i strongly recommend you remove her from being the first person you see at your establishment. Ouch read more

Bacon wrapped dates, just GET THEM! Been there just once and definitely plan to go back. Especially when the outdoor seating is setup. Very nice selection of menu items, and while it is billed as italian it's not the basic pasta and marinara kind of italian. Think more italian bistro. Great small plates, delicious salads, pastas, fish, and of course pizza. The thin crust (possibly wood fire oven) pizza was EXCELLENT. They had some basic pizza options but also had some lovely gourmet ones too. Did I mention the bacon wrapped dates? Good prices, not too expensive but not cheap. You COULD get out of there for under $20 a person but it would be hard given how many things you will want to try :) Well worth it. I was happy with the wine flight selection too. Just a few to choose from but all good ones and again very reasonably priced. Service was fast without being rushed. You could easily dress up to go here but we walked in with jeans and nicer tops and were fine. A bit loud, but I think once the place opens up for warmer weather it will be perfect. If you want 5 pages of menu items and a wide array of beer go to Chili's or Applebees, this place is NOT FOR YOU. I rather appreciate a place having fewer menu items that are well-prepared and carefully chosen to complimentart wines and cocktails available. More is NOT always better, some of the best restaurants have only a handful of items. read more

Cucina Paradiso - Caprese salad and a pear martini - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

I went to dinner with four other ladies and had a great experience. The service is a little slow but if that's the time that it takes to create a delicious Lake Trout, Pumkin Ravioli, and Rigatoni Bolognese.. I'll wait it out! Their Bacon wrapped dates were different from what I've had but still amazing and their sweet potato appetizer was an all around hit! The Bread Pudding was by far the BEST i have ever had (bold statement I know) and I would abdolutely recommend this to a friend. If you are in a hurry you may want to go elsewhere, but for a nice two hour dinner with conversation and time to relax, it's perfect! read more

First time here, and I gotta say - just delish! Our server, Dennis was attentive and friendly and made great recommendations on the food. We had the baked goat cheese starter GET THIS, rustic salad YUM and rigatoni arrabiata that was spicy with rich and creamy goat cheese YES. The drinks were superb, I had a specialty cocktail with mint and blood orange that was so.dang.good and the fella got "the best old fashioned I have ever had" so whomever is back there shaking things up is a pro. We will be back! I was sleeping on this hit. read more

This has been my go to place for Italian food for a long time. Whether we pick up or dine in, the food and service are always consistent.

Festive, warm and welcoming environment with an attentive staff and creative menu. We've consistently enjoyed excellent meals here for nearly a decade. read more

Delish. Had the pistachio crusted chicken with polenta. Large portion, so doggie-bag it is! Everyone in my party loved their meals including my nephew who rarely eats anything. Nice cocktails and great service too! read more