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    Isabella Cafe

    3.9 (241 reviews)
    ModerateItalian
    Open 12:00 pm - 11:00 PM
    Updated 3 weeks ago

    Order Isabella Cafe Takeout or Delivery

    Isabella Cafe Photos

    ISABELLA CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Intimate
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Isabella Cafe

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    Bruschetta, bread, fried calamari
    Maricel J.

    Late post Came here yesterday evening to celebrate our daughter's birthday. As other reviewers have mentioned, the space and parking are small. The ambiance is cozy and relaxing. It was a nice day so we sat outside. The staff is warm and welcoming. Tammy was our waitress and she was just as awesome! For starters, we ordered bruschetta and fried calamari. I had the linguine pescatore with olive oil and garlic versus marinara sauce. It was light and good. Our son ordered the spaghetti and meatballs, hubby ordered the spaghetti and meatballs too and added shrimp, and the birthday girl had the fettucini salmon. Everyone enjoyed their meals. For dessert, we had bread pudding and tiramisu which were also good.

    Pumpkin Ravioli
    Maddie S.

    This is a must visit restaurant! Located in a charming old house, it's quite easy to miss but worth turning around for. This place came heavily recommended to me from a few other friends that visit here every time they are in town. After our visit, it will be a new staple dinner spot going forward! Everything our group got was absolutely delicious and so fresh. We got the bruschetta and they brought us fresh bread to start, both were to die for. Two in our group got the lobster bisque, which they really enjoyed. All of us had the coco loco cocktail- served in a real coconut! So sweet and very coconut-y! Could barely taste the alcohol but could definitely feel it; It was very well balanced and delicious! I had the pumpkin ravioli, which was the best ravioli I've had in my life. The man behind us described it as "pumpkin pie and fresh pasta had a beautiful child" and I really can't describe it more perfectly than that. We finished off with the tiramisu and a slice of raspberry cheesecake. 5 stars all around!! The price is definitely reasonable for the quality of food and service. Our server Paola was very kind and attentive. She made great recommendations for several in our group that all ended up being delicious! Can't wait to come back and try more of the menu next time we're in town!

    Fettuccine Salmon
    Jennifer T.

    Wow. This place was a shocker! Drove by regularly and always said I'm going to stop one day. Today was the day. I went with two friends and both agreed it was very very good. Started with calamari fried. Marinara was delicious and fried well. One has Pasta #1 special which was a garlic seafood masterpiece. I had the Fettuccine Salmon with a lemon dill sauce. Amazing! Gluten free pasta for my other friend also salmon but with an alfredo. Loved it! It's a cute house on a busy street. There's outside tables when the weather is warm. We arrived right at opening so it was a bit warm but they opened the window for us and it was perfect. Quaint set up and nice staff. Not much parking behind but there is a linked lot off to the right and behind.

    Eggplant
    Joe C.

    Cool little place in Tinley Park if you are in the area. The bread that they give you with the meal was delicious, nice and light. For my entree I ordered the stuffed eggplant it was very good and paired very well with the Orzo and Spinach. Overall we had a really good meal. This review would have been 4 stars but my only complaint was the wait time. There was only 10 people in the restaurant when we were there but it took an hour and fifteen minutes for us to get our food. We ordered our food about 10 minutes into being there so we felt as though it took way to long to get out food. I would definitely give the place another shot if I'm in the area I just hope the food doesn't take as long.

    Jeff W.

    Nice little place. Seating both inside and outside. Service was okay. The staff isn't the most engaging. Food was good, not great. For an Italian restaurant, I found it strange that they didn't have Lasagna on the menu. Very disappointing. We did have a large party -14 people, so it really took a long time for the food to come out.

    Spaghetti Meatballs

    The food was so good, it was cozy and pretty. The service was good but our food took a while when there was only 3 parties. I tried a little bit of everything and it was all yummy, definitely check it out if you're in town .

    Lamb chops, Chicken Limone, ribeye steak, Potato Gnocchi

    One of those restaurants you have to discover it! Family business, no noise, Italian and old American music background, home made sauces, sour tasty chicken. Original wall paintings...

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    2 years ago

    Great service! Super quaint and cute. Good food. Some of the pastas are made in house.

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    2 years ago

    Great wine fantastic food great ambiance. Absolute gem in Tinley Park. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Amazing restaurant my husband and I we love this place delicious food the food delicious desserts everything good and super stars

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    3 years ago

    Quaint intimate atmosphere with good food. Staff was a bit overwhelmed the night we were there but courteous and professional.

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    Ask the Community - Isabella Cafe

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    Frankie's Since 1988

    Frankie's Since 1988

    4.5
    (123 reviews)
    3.4 mi
    $$
    Takes reservations
    35 years in business

    We are not local but our son and his family live nearby. Frankie's is his go-to pizza place and…read moreconsidering Frankie's is just down the strip mall from a 'famous" Chicago pizza place, you know they have to be GOOD! Couple of things to know. They open at 4:00 pm. Be there then. At 4:30 pm, the place is crowded! Their staff are wonderful - friendly, fast, make you feel like you belong there. They have a spectacular oven and they can turn out pizzas pretty fast - which is a good thing since I bet they make lots and lots of them every day. We sat at the door for a 'to-go' order and had beer and wine while we waited. What we observed around us is a place that truly cares about its customers. That said, they show that in their pizzas, which are among the best. Give Frankie's a shot. Whether it's pizza to go or a dine in experience, you won't be sorry.

    This is a hard 4.5 star rating on its way to the 5. My first…read morevisit I wanted to grant the 5 star rating, although, I had to hold back to be fair. I know it'll be there by my next visit, which will be soon. A seller for me is homemade pasta with an option for gluten free. If it was organic it's a hard 5. No judgement though. Frankie's is the spot where you park up by 3:45/3:50 and wait for the doors to open as their hours are short, hot and sweet. This is a tucked away spot packing tons of flavor on the small menu(major hit). Locals pack this spot asap at the bar so be there by 3:45. Haha. The restaurant has nice decor and attentive friendly service. As the server comes to the table with heavy greetings, they run down the special menu. Drinks are always good, nothing intricate but enough to elevate the experience and hit hard. The appetizers are good. I enjoyed the calamari and shrimp as well as the octopus. But now to the star of the show is their pastas. FRIENDLY REMINDER, all are homemade. The Pappardelle w/ Wide Ribbon Pasta, Black Truffle Cream Sauce and Mushrooms is amazing.. I added the gluten free meatballs and yummy. A savory bite. The rigatoni vodka sauce(added sausage) was a hit. Another star of the table was the Linguine w/ Shrimp,Broccoli, Evoo and Garlic. A fully loaded plate. The Gnocchi w/ Ricotta Cheese Filling, vodka sauce.. added meatballs was another hit. The star of the show was our pizza which resembles a meat lovers with pepperoni, Sopressata and Giardiniera (which is more like a relish and I love). I've had other dishes but after multiple countless visits this is what I love at this time. The pizza is cooked in a high heat oven which gives the perfect char, let it settle for a couple minutes as it sits on the table. Overall, when in this part of Illinois hands down the place to be. Hours are only 4-9pm and that says a lot. My only insight would be ask for the bread to be served warm. I'm sure a fresh loaf in the pizza oven for a couple of minutes will go a long way. ENJOY!

    Photos
    Frankie's Since 1988
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    Holiday decor at Frankie's in tinley park 2025
    Holiday decor 2025 at Frankie's

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    Vinny's Clam Bar

    Vinny's Clam Bar

    4.4
    (324 reviews)
    1.4 mi

    Still great! Gregory was our waiter this time around. Friendly and attentive. He gave us the low…read moredown on the specials which we all ordered. As always we started with the raw oysters. Love they always have a variety to choose from and fresh. I had the Mixto with shrimp, scallop and salmon blackened. Came with garlic mashed and broccolini which I subbed for green beans. They need to keep this on the menu! It worked for my appetite size as everything was a small portion and the flavor was so good! My other friends also had a special which was Halibut. They raved over that as well. Would like that as a regular menu item! If you go and these are on the menu, you will not be disappointed!

    A couple months ago I left a Yelp review raving about the food and service because everything was…read moreconsistently great. We used to be regulars, going a few times a week every single week. To be clear, the food is still great and the cooks continue to do an amazing job. The issue lately has been the service and overall experience, which unfortunately hasn't been the same over the last couple of months. The only consistency on the service side has been the Hispanic gentleman shucking the oysters ,he's always friendly, hardworking, and deserves recognition. I'm hoping things can get back to the way they used to be because this really was one of our favorite places.

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    Rubino's Italian Imports

    Rubino's Italian Imports

    4.6
    (313 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $

    Rubino's deli has some of the best quality Italian offerings. My family and I have come here for…read moreyears to get italian sausage, side salads, deli sandwiches, desserts, and more. We often get the macaroni, pasta, and kidney bean salads to enjoy for summer barbecues. Staff is always nice and extremely helpful. Pricing is very fair and there's always something new to find in the aisles. Other offerings include pasta, pasta sauces, wine, sweet treats, fresh desserts, seasonings, crackers, kitchen items, and more! Highly recommend stopping in and giving Rubino's items a try this summer; you won't be disappointed! Tip: Bring cash to avoid the 2.5% credit card surcharge. Pro Tip: If you are worried about crowds, call to order ahead and pick up items easily.

    Not good. Not good. Not good. Regrettably ordered two "made to order" sandwiches from their deli…read morecounter. Both sucked BIG TIME. First sandwich was a custom sub sandwich of turkey, Genoa salami, and rosemary ham with cheese, tomatoes, vinegar/oil, and Italian spices. How a sandwich could taste funny is beyond me, but it did. The meat tasted old and was flavorless. It was pre-cut, not freshly cut meat, so who knows how long it had been sitting out in the counter. The bread was stale, could have broke windows with it. They barely put any meat on it (not that I would have wanted more), the sandwich was all bread. No Italian herbs on sandwich. And the icing on the cake, instead of putting a nice, fresh vinegar and oil/sub oil on the sandwich, I was given a two ounce little package of some generic vinegar and oil that was pre-fabricated by some wholesale company, which also tasted really off. The second regrettable purchase was an Italian sausage sandwich. That too was horrendous. The sausage itself had a funny, off taste, not a nice blend of seasonings. And not that I would have wanted more, but the Italian sausage was old and shriveled, so it was like a child-size portion. I asked for some red sauce on the side, let's just say Ragu would have been better, and that's not saying much. To add further insult to injury, the bun was stale. Also got some Nutella butter cookies that they farm in from D'Amatos that is in the city. I have been in D'Amatos and I love their cookies. With that said, these D'Amato cookies were stale/also tasted off. The tip-off should have been the fact that they must have had fifty or more packaged D'Amatos cookies on their shelf. They are bumping $10.00 for around maybe 12 cookies, so they obviously don't sell all that quickly, turn stale, and there you have it. Also weird vibe in there. The employees (including the Rubino son who is always in the deli area) are not friendly at all. I might be a little bit more forgiving if the employees/owner were nice but they are just really indifferent and very unfriendly (especially the owner). Very unfortunate. Sandwiches from Subway would have been better.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Meatball sandwich!!
    Meatball sandwich!!
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    Lou Malnati's Pizzeria

    Lou Malnati's Pizzeria

    3.5
    (283 reviews)
    3.4 mi
    $$

    I needed a break from the highway grind while driving from Denver to Detroit and pulled off the…read moreroad into what feels like a very tidy upper-class medical community. This particular spot sits in a strip mall but do not let that fool you. Inside, it is honestly one of the best decorated locations I have ever walked into. They went with this raw industrial pump station theme that looks awesome. Even the bathroom tiles are set at crazy angles that make you question your own balance. Enough about the restrooms, though. We walked right in right at peak dinner rush, and they still seated us quickly. Our server, Sandy, got drinks going immediately. I always need a local pour when I am in the area, so I grabbed an Anti Hero IPA from Revolution Brewing on draft. The crisp piney bitterness and solid head on the pour was the exact reset I needed after hours behind the wheel. Next up came the signature Malnati Salad. It landed on the table fast and tasted incredibly fresh. That savory crunch from the premium salami bits paired up beautifully with the tangy gorgonzola. It was the perfect start. For the main event, we ordered the Chicago Classic deep dish on the famous buttercrust. It actually came out quicker than the usual deep-dish wait time. Truth be told, the pie felt a little skimpy on the toppings and cheese this time around. I know this pizza well, and this specific one was just a bit weak on the execution. The flavor was absolutely there because that buttery crust and bright vine ripened tomato sauce never miss but I wanted more weight to it. I noticed online they have been running a hot honey special lately, and I almost wish I had added that for a little extra kick. Even with a slightly thin pizza, the visit was great. Sandy was an absolute rock star. The table right next to us was being seriously unkind to her for no good reason, but she stayed totally professional and knocked our service completely out of the park. She got us fed and back on the road feeling good.

    We were on a road trip and decided to visit Lou Malnati's pizzeria to experience their Chicago deep…read moredish style pizza. Every Lou Malnati's pizza is handmade from scratch using the finest and freshest ingredients. Every year, the Malnati team hand selects California vine-ripened tomatoes for the perfect sweet and tangy taste. The fresh mozzarella cheese comes from the same small dairy that has supplied Lou Malnati's for over 40 years. And the family's secret recipe for flaky, buttery crust has been passed down from generation to generation. The restaurant has a very industrial and mechanical vibe like downtown Chicago. We were greeted promptly and seated in a booth in the dining area. The service was very attentive and friendly and engaged with us in light conversation. We ordered the Malnati Chicago Classic pizza made with Lou's lean sausage, some extra cheese and vine-ripened tomato sauce on Buttercrust in size medium that was perfect for 3 people. It takes a while for the pizza to be made and baked because it is fresh. The pizza was made fresh with fresh tomatoes for the red sauce and had generous toppings. It was served fresh from the oven and the waitress cut the pizza for us and served us at the table. The cheese was stretching when she was serving the pizza. Enjoyed our experience at this restaurant and a chance to try the Chicago deep dish pizza while on our trip.

    Photos
    Super dirty bar area!!
    Super dirty bar area!!
    Small - Deep Dish Pepperoni
    Small - Deep Dish Pepperoni
    Entrance

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    Entrance

    Isabella Cafe - italian - Updated July 2026

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