I was so sad to learn that Dave's Italian Kitchen closed, my husband and I used to go often, so when we learned about the new one opened we were very excited to try it. The place it's super small, very cute, but for us that we have kids, it's too small, no room to man over the stroller, no high chair, the staff its very friendly and the tried to accommodate us but still was not easy. The food was good but nothing like the food we were used to have at DIK. Still was good. Also the portions are not that big. read more

Many similarities to Dave's Italian Kitchen and good food. But did miss on a couple of fronts. The wine pours were less generous than they used to be. Also, while the Eggplant Extravaganza was delicious, the eggplant itself was undercooked and did not appear to have been grilled, as it was supposed to have been. read more

Was happy to find Dave's Kitchen last week Friday when in town. Still the same great food and atmosphere as when in downtown. Had pizza and salad and was happy to see that nothing had changed. Looking forward to the pasta when I return Welcome back to the neighborhood! read more

Dave's has been a favorite of mine for over a decade. Each time I visit I'm never disappointed. My favorite is either the eggplant parm or the carbonara. I must say Yelp has some of the whiniest users on the internet. There's a review below me complaining that the carbonara has cream and onions in it (it's supposed to). Ignore the pseudo "food critics". Dave's does not disappoint. read more

Response - 1.I thought the rude guy was Dave because he does resemble your photo , so I apologize for calling him Dave. 2. You weren't there so you cant really say we annoyed the other guests , I was there and I can tell you we did not annoy anyone .We just happened to be happy that it is our friends birthday and we were laughing and talking... we were just happy to be together and having a good time. It is BYOB and no where does it specify how many bottles or which type of bottles you are allowed to bring . I brought the bottle off wine because it is my preferred alcohol beverage . I was not drinking my friends alcohol. My glass of wine was snatched from the table by your staff so I couldn't even finish it. IF the alcohol was an issue , all you guys had to do was let us know and we could have put it away . Long story short , your staff told us to "get out " ,"leave" , pointed at the door and said "go" and when asked why , we were advised it is because they have another group waiting. We made a reservation so we had a right to be there as much as the next group did . So your staff either lied to us or lied to you. Your restaurant has cameras , please review the footage and maybe you'll have a better understanding before you accuse your paying guests. read more

My fiance and I really enjoyed our dinner here. The eggplant parm is delicious and they also had this pumpkin soup that was fantastic. I can't wait to go back. read more

We stopped by in between tours at Northwestern and were completely surprised at this cute neighborhood restaurant. The waiter was super nice and friendly. The food was awesome! All homemade, fresh and quick. We'll definitely be back. read more

Went there for a late lunch on a Friday, so it wasn't crowded at the time I went, but I could see how it could get very crowded. Food was great and the portions were fine. I had the carbonara pasta and the italian salad. I love their sweet vianigrette dressing. It's a shorter menu than the old restaurant (but sometimes that's a good thing). It's convenient to the Noyes purple line stop, a short block east. I think it's BYOB, which I guess some people like. Myself, I'd prefer to be able to order a glass of wine or a beer. Josh was the server and he was terrific. I hope they start a delivery service! read more

The first time we went to this restaurant it was pleasant and the food was wonderful. However, today's visit was extremely disappointing! The atmosphere was rushed and unpleasant. We ordered a side salad and pizza, 1/2 cheese-1/2 mushroom, onion, spinach. The waiter brought out a 1/2 mushroom, 1/2 spinach & onion pizza and said another pizza was being made. I wish I would have refused that one...they actually made a cheese pizza to replace the 1/2 cheese and left us with the pizza that was made wrong. Not only that but it took a long time so we had to eat separately. Oh sure, the waiter apologized and offered a free desert, but both desserts have liquor in them, no thank u! I asked for the manager and he basically stared blankly into my eyes, by then it was too late... so disappointing! I work in a restaurant full time and remake everything to the customers specifications and offer coupons or refunds when we do make mistakes. This was just handled in a very tacky way, not up to the standards that I believe Dave would expect. I'm very sad about this 'cause I really liked the food and thought I had found a new place that had that old fashioned customer service mentality. read more

This is my favorite restaurant in Evanston. It's still family-style as it was in its previous vacation, just with a smaller dining room and modified menu. My favorite order from the old menu, chicken marsuvio, isn't on the menu anymore, but they never hesitate to make it for me if I ask. All the food here is great, home-y, and the perfect place to get some comfort food any time of the year. read more

Terrific Italian food and great service. The shrimp pasta aglio and olio is to die for, the chicken Marsala is scrumptious, the salads and calzone are great. You just can't go wrong. Plus the wine is good and the chocolate mousse super tasty. And the marinara sauce is great, too. You don't have to be Italian to know everything is homemade. Delish! And well priced. read more

Dave's New Kitchen is the new staple of Evanston Italian cuisine. Their famous calzones are delicious and certainly affordable. The real treat for me was the spaghetti carbonara, which has a delicious sauce. Very pleasant experience and the service was quite attentive. The billing system is all electronic which makes the process much faster. Overall a great place to go for a home-cooked Italian meal. I will definitely be coming back soon! read more

Four of us had a delicious dinner, chicken Vesuvio and Marcella, lasagna and eggplant. Nice portions and prices under $15 each. Wine $5 a glass. service excellent. Small and cozy. Not designed for groups over six. Easy parking, in an old Evanston neighborhood near L. read more

A small, cozy restaurant with friendly, connectable staff. food is all 16 dollars or less, delicious, and in huge portions that provide later meals. Great site for dates or people on a budget! read more

Great takeout. Same high quality food at reasonable prices, which is what made it an institution in a town like value conscious Evanston. Not your "Lets go out and bust the budget/impress the new girlfriend" type of place, which is why Saturday night is no busier than other nights. Too bad the last landlord played a game of chicken. (Good luck trying to rent out a basement that is currentlly illegal for restaurant puposes.) Dave has been around for 44 years, and my guess is that he will make it to an even 60. A true Evanston Hall of Fame Restaurant that has served more Evanston restaurant meals than any other. read more

We are regulars at Dave's New Kitchen. All the food is fresh and delicious and the portions are ample. We always have leftovers that we eagerly snarf down the next day. The space is intimate and the service is friendly and consistently excellent. Can't wait to go back this Sunday evening! read more

Glad to see Dave is back and cooking, although there are a few small tweaks to the menu (the bread was different when last time I ordered). Dining space is limited, so I wouldn't take your graduation party there. Pizza is just as good as it was, and the spaghetti bolognese is great. read more

I loved Dave's Italian Kitchen, but this restaurant is better by far. The ambiance is warm with twinkling lights and attentive service (our waiter was quite funny) and the food is to die for! My lasagna con amore was, as the name suggests, made with love. Fresh spinach and pesto folded into layers of warm cheese and pasta, every bite made with care. Plus, generous servings meant I had leftovers to take home! I'll be back. read more

When friends whom I had volunteered with at an event yesterday suggested going to dinner at Dave's (New) Italian Kitchen, I was beyond thrilled! The thrills stopped when we arrived and after more than 40 minutes were still waiting for a table for three of us. It wasn't because tables had not become available. It was because the incompetent hostess with an attitude seated larger parties that arrived AFTER us. We weren't offered outside seating either or we would have accepted that option. When a friend questioned why we were still waiting and that we would be happy to sit outside if that's all that was available, miraculously we were given the next table inside! Hallelujah, we were going to be fed but our poor experience didn't end there! We waited for bread and water then immediately placed our orders (after all, we had been studying the menu for almost an hour) and I asked about the spinach pasta before ordering the angel hair pasta. We then waited for our salads. Meanwhile, the hostess stopped at the table next to us and said loud enough for us to hear that it was nice to see regulars. (That couple was seated after us, their orders placed and served before our salads arrived.). When our main courses finally arrived, my friends' pizzas were lukewarm and I was served the spinach pasta. Now I usually don't say anything but did this time and while the waiter apologized and offered to exchange my order, I just asked that the cost of the spinach pasta be removed from the check. Our food was already less than hot and our visit to Dave's New Italian Kitchen less than a happy memory. All in our party have worked in retail and/or the food industry as waitstaff and/or hostessing. We worked at high-end and "regular" restaurants while in school (who hasn't!) and the extremely unprofessional and rude attitude of the hostess would never, ever have been tolerated. The final action on her part was when we left and were waiting to cross the street: she asked a delivery driver who was sitting at an outside table to please move so she could seat a party and she said within earshot of us something to the effect that it was so nice to have happy people. After that nasty remark (meant for us, I am certain) I did decide to write my first ever dissing review! So, while I was looking forward to sharing the news that Dave's has another location with my family, sadly I'll tell them my experience and we won't be back. There are way too many restaurants in Evanston and the Chicagoland area who appreciate our business and treat their customers with respect and courteousness. Two stars for the nice guy trying his best to help with seating, phone orders and pick-up orders, the very nice waiter who will just improve with experience but who has customer service down to a tee, and the fresh bread and salads. read more

Ugh, such a heartbreaker. Went here for a back-to-school dinner at what used to be my grade-schooler's favorite restaurant when it was on Chicago Ave. The one and only positive of the entire experience was that the meat sauce still tastes the same. If you've got a gnawing nostalgia to order a 1/4lb meatball with that sweet-sweet sauce, you can still do so, and that, as far as I could see, was the only reason to come here. The new location is convenient enough in terms of getting there, parking, etc, and as a bonus there are no longer always panhandlers to dodge on the sidewalk outside the door. But as others have said they're clearly fighting a battle here between space and efficiency. It seemed friendly enough and we were seated immediately, which was reminiscent of the old days, but the old friendliness and a new cluelessness among the waitstaff was evident. The tables are indeed very small and if you're seated with more than one other person, you're going to be bumping elbows and wearing their entrees as you eat (not an exaggeration). My nine-year-old noticed the difference in the flavor of the pasta (spaghetti) immediately, and even though it looked fresh and possibly homemade, neither the meat sauce nor a dash of grated parm could rescue it. "It's not BAD, but it's not good, either," he commented, and I was forced to agree that it was indeed uncharacteristically bland and flavorless. Unfortunately, we ordered two plates of this. Double bummer. ALSO: and I see someone already pointed this out, I ordered a Caesar salad and was served what appeared to be a bag of dry romaine lettuce covered in red cabbage and maybe, MAYBE, 3/4 of a tablespoon of some extremely light non-dressing. At first, I too thought the waitstaff had brought me the wrong thing or a salad off the line that wasn't ready to be served yet, and I chose not to complain about it because I was already having a dismal time and just wanted to get out of there. But now that I see others have experienced the same thing, I have to ask: what delusional preparer of food imagines that ANYONE would ever want to eat this? It was exactly like eating a large plate of plain, dry romaine lettuce that had been walked through a room where the actual ingredients of a Caesar salad are kept. The old place had delicious, savory salads that never skimped on ingredients or dressing, and were always a tempting choice; this was so bad I was certain until I got home that it was a kitchen error. Shaved parm? Olives? Black pepper? Anything? Ugh. How do you screw up a caesar salad?!? And as others have said, the portion sizes of everything, on our plates and the plates of those around us, were noticeably smaller, despite the hefty eventual bill. I get that this place was recently launched, and that the management is dealing with some hard times of late, but no one wants to feel like they've gone out for a seldom-affordable family meal and wandered into a John Steinbeck novel. But they still have those awesome fresh, crusty Italian bread loaves right? You ask. No? Sigh... This place is KILLING me. Aside from the meatball and the sauce, I could have made this at home for myself with twice the flavor, a third of the expense, and none of the disappointment. Go if you must, and I'll understand if you do, but I won't be returning. read more

Had the spaghetti carbonara and it was really tasty and FILLING. I don't think they just use Italian bacon because it has a mild gamey taste to it. Whatever they use, gives it a lot of flavor. I also really enjoyed the garlic salad dressing because you can actually taste the garlic. Food is inexpensive and plentiful! read more

Carried out, and the food was as good as ever. Carbonara was great, chicken vesuvio was excellent but the chicken marsala was pure nirvana. Dining in looks like it will be a cozy affair, but it has a wonderful neighborhood feel in this space. read more

It was...okay. Certainly not the Dave's of bygone era -but decent italian fare at reasonable prices, and BYOB. Tiny place seats 40 and you can hear every conversation. read more

I started eating at Dave's Italian kitchen when I needed a booster seat to see over the table edge. Since then I've been a regular fan. I was happy to try the new location. Its a very cozy place with a small number of small tables. Most of my old favorites were still on the menu and there were some new interesting items. I don't think the bread was as good as it used to be, but my pasta was exactly what I was expecting, italian-american comfort food. read more

$15.00 for Chicken Marcella and I am still hungry. NOT DAVE'S ITALIAN KITCHEN quality. Off the shelf bread. Bye for good. Very disappointed. Rip off read more

This time concluded our meal with the new bread pudding dessert. It was absolutely fabulous!

Dave's new kitchen is my new favorite. Spinach pie is gorgeous, dessert for dinner. Followed with frothy mousse that has to be my all time favorite. This place makes me happy! Sure it's small, but perfect for nearest and dearest. I love this one way more than the old burlap ceilinged barn. read more