I'd be glad to and I'll start from the top: I walked in at 4:28 and 30 seconds. The door was open. I get told that Lino's opens at 4:30 and they make me wait outside in the cold for 2 minutes and I hear someone say lock that door. I come in less than 2 minutes later and I ask if I can sit at the bar? The girl says that I'm not ready and to go check in with the guy in the front. I ask the front door guy if I need a reservation for the bar and he states that I can walk straight back to the bar. I order dinner after asking what appetizers they recommend and the same girl brings out my food in a box and baggie. I tell her that I'm here for dinner and she says I thought you said take out. She doesn't even bother to bring out my food on a plate but simply opens the box. No one cleaned after me at the bar or even attempted to. I ordered a number 16a and I said hold the mushrooms and green pepperS. I get a bill with a charge for onions on it instead. I ask what is this and the same girl says that I thought you said onions. I mean seriously, first you kick me out, then you make me check in to sit at the bar, then you bring me dinner in a carry out box, then you don't even bother to clean my paper napkins and then you charge me for onions that I never ordered. This place is the most ghetto place that I have ever eaten in over 2 decades. Then I speak to the owner and he offers to cancel my bill. I proceed to tell him not to cancel my bill and that a friend recommended this restaurant and that I am astonished at my experience. I will never recommend this place to anyone that I'm trying to impress. I might send someone here that really enjoys biker bars. Oh shall i mention that no one even offered me Utensils or a napkin throughout the entire time. Unbelievable , one thing after another after another. My rating is Zero but they didn't have that as a choice. If you want to be treated with respect while having a great time, go to GREENFIRE in Rockford, Illinois. read more

While in town for a soccer event, we selected Lino's for dinner. Party of six. call ahead for a reservation as they were very busy on Saturday night. Very friendly staff, we were seated in original part of the restaurant in a quiet area with a table that felt like we were in a castle. Dinner entree comes with lots of choices (pasta, potato, salad, soup, dessert, coffee) bread served in beginning of meal was fresh, crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, house salad was wonderful and all of our meals were excellent. Baked lasagna, spaghetti, chicken Alfredo, ravioli, and chicken parmigiana were the selections and we all loved them. Owner stopped by after our meal to ask how it was. Excellent service, ambiance, and food. You won't be sorry you ate here and from what we could tell, the entire menu was full of good choices. Highly recommend and whenever we visit Rockford, this restaurant is on our list! read more

One of the better restaurants in Rockford Illinois. Enjoyed the pizza and bread!

Lino's is one of the only restaurants that continues to go above and beyond after all these years. Whenever I'm in Rockford I always have to get some Lino's pizza! read more

In my humble opinion, Lino's is the best Italian restaurant in Rockford. Whether you want to eat classic Italian or if you want to eat well done American food Lino's house at all.Their pizza's are excellent. Even your kid friendly spaghetti and meatballs. I love the lasagna and manicotti. The soups are made from scratch and you can taste it. All and all if you like Italian food I recommend Lino's for the whole family. The wait staff are very friendly and attentive. Give Lino's a try if you haven't and keep this business busy if you have read more

Stoped in there for my wife's birthday for dinner was nice and quiet and service was excellent .staff friendly as could be will be eating there again read more

A pretty large menu and was nice to see most meals come with salad or soup, a side (pasta, potatoes, veggies), and a scoop of ice cream. However, the portions are very small. The special salad was not crisp at all and appeared to be about a day old. Not good. The only soup they offer is minestrone, , so didn't want to try that. I had the large lasagna, with a meatball or sausage on the side. It was very bland. My friend had the pizza, and it was really greasy and gross looking to me- but I didn't even want to take a bite. All and all, I don't think I will be returning. read more

Best pizza in town! It's my go to place for formal and casual dining both! I like the atmosphere and the service...and did I mention the pizza? read more

i went as a party and Alexis was the best server there. she was so kind and fun. she was the absolute best. she deserves a raise!

This is arguably one of the best in our area. OK Linos ala chicken. You can only get it one night, it's on special. I'm not telling its already too dam busy. Seriously some of the best chicken I've ever had. Has a very fine grain, very moist, tender. It's baked, but seasoned just right. The skin is crispy. These people are knocking it out of the park. I just ordered to have something different. I'm glad I did that. I've had it twice so far. It's really good. This place is busy Mickayla is very happy person, she likes what she does and it shows. She has a very bright smile, and very kind, she knows the food. So if you have any Linos questions at all she'll be quick to answer. Other wise I've seen her move very fast to get drinks or to serve your order with a smile. Watch her work, she is a true professional. read more

I go to Rockford Illinois once a year and every time I make sure I go to Lino's. Awesome food and atmosphere

My husband has a coworker who recommended he try the Friday Fish fry. It came with a choice of salad and a side of spaghetti or mosttacholi. He had the special salad and a baked potato. He said the potato was too hard. I ordered the award winning pizza and it was good. I also had the special salad which was okay. He had a rootbeer, no refills. Waitress did not tell him that until he had finished it. I had a diet coke with refills so so shared with him. His fried cod cane with ice cream. He had the chocolate, and I had the spumoni. It was our first time. We may go again and try something else. We gave it 4 stars because we finished our salads before we received our sodas. read more

Lino's - Award winning pizza. It is very good! - Pizza Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

Love it great food will eat here again pizza and pasta I recommend ground beef and onions

Joe has always served GREAT food at fair prices. Friendly staff, great service, and wonderful atmosphere, AND the MidWest's Best Pizza~

My family has eaten here since I was a kid, and we're talking 25+ years ago. Always amazing, always delicious, BEST MANAGEMENT at any restaurant ever. They are present and want to make sure you are satisfied. Never had a problem with anything, but their willingness to go out of their way to make your experience is great floors me. They have been consistently awesome, and some people don't know how hard that is in the restaurant industry. Best lasagna ever, the chicken parm, fish fry and fettuccine Alfredo are among our top choices. One of the only places my dad will eat, and he generally hates everything, so that's saying a lot. We had our work party here, and I had my baby shower here too! Always awesome! Keep it up! read more

Best lemon veal . Always tender and succulent. Goes Well With special salad and gnocchi read more

If you're looking for the best pizza in the Rockford area, look no further. This pizza is amazing. The cheese is sooo good, sauce and crust is spot on. Special salad is unlike any other. The carry out special is a great deal- large pizza, special salad for 2 and a 2 liter for $15. The parking lot is insanely busy trying to pick up but worth it. Inside the decor is charming, starting with the working wishing well fountain like you are in Italy. My favorite table is the leaning tower of Pisa table - always a fun place to sit. My favorite entree is the chicken Marsala. It comes with special salad and bread, 2 chicken breasts - it's the best Marsala I've eaten. I've been frequenting this place my entire life. It's by far the best Italian place for a great family meal. I grew up in Rockford and lived in the suburbs - none of the restaurants out by Naperville even compare. read more

Best pizza in Rockford! Hands down! On Thursday's...try the Chicken a la Lino...half of a chicken cooked with just the right spices...it's an off menu favorite! The special salad is also a must have. Their current pickup/carry out set up is unbelievably easy. This is the first place my kids choose when they come home from college. read more

We were in town for a lacrosse tournament and decided to give Lino's a try. We were highly pleased with our choice. We got there at 6pm and the parking lot was full. We walked in and the host was on the phone taking reservations and telling people they couldn't seat them until 8pm. I didn't think we would get seated. To our relief, they seated us in the bar right away. The food and service were good. We would definitely go back the next time we are here. read more

We are from Chicago and when we heard that Lino's had excellent pizza we had to try it. We went for an early dinner on a Saturday - decent amount of people but not crowded in the dining room. We had a pizza and decided to try a side portion of the lasagna as well. For $6 the "side portion" was tiny and came out on a saucer. It was a cheese lasagna and while simple, was tasty. The pizza was OK, nothing special, but our standards are high coming from Chicago! We would have given Lino's 3 stars but for our server, Laurie. She set the tone for a disappointing evening; we felt like we were bothering her when we had to follow up on requests we made such as bread, a side of anchovies and a box for our leftovers. Either she was new and still learning the flow or she was just a poor server. She was snippy and not pleasant at all. read more

Love this place. Food is great. Wonderful decor. Reasonable prices. The chef came by several tables including ours to personally as how the food was. The was nice. read more

I grew up absolutely loving this place. Now, I wouldn't give them my business for anything. I was all excited when they opened up the take out locations on Riverside, but they haven't gotten a single order correct all 5 times I've been there. Most recently, I went back to use a credit from the last bonehead screwup only to see that they still had more in em. I was instructed to call instead of ordering online, which is the cause for the previous mistake, so they could apply the credit to my order. Unbeknownst to me, if the Riverside location fails to answer their phone in time, the call gets routed to the State Street location. So I arrive at the Riverside location only to be informed that my pizza is elsewhere. "They're sposed to tell you it's the State Street location when they answer, sorry." Is what I'm told. I've had it with their ignorant games and the declining quality of both food and service. read more

My partner and I were in town for one night and ultimately decided upon Lino's for an early 5 o'clock-ish dinner. I immediately was drawn to the place's atmosphere and Italy-inspired decor. The staff was especially memorable, because our server still happened to be a trainee, and yet I was impressed at how handled everything. I also appreciated the helpfulness and patience of the more experienced waitress who was providing the training for that day. I ordered the baked cod while my partner had one of the steak dishes; we were both stuffed and more than satisfied with how everything tasted. If we're ever in town again, I would definitely consider returning. read more

Lino's - Baked cod, side of mostaccioli - Pizza Near Me - Rockford, Illinois

I ordered carry out lasagna and salad on a cold, snowy night. Not only was the food wonderful (and extremely abundant), but the manager (owner?) insisted the bartender help carry out my order to the car! I also enjoyed seeing the golf cart driver taking people to and from their vehicles. That personal attention just adds to the specialness which is Lino's. read more

What can I say, this place is an iconic Rockford Italian family restaurant and as such is much more than simply a good meal at a good price, it is an experience, a brush with the past glory that was Rockford some 30-40+ years ago. It is like visiting your Grandma's house, even though she has bought some new items and painted the place, it still looks, smells and feels familiar. The service was quick, attentive and friendly, the food was hot and tasty and the memories were familiar and comforting. If you went to Lino's as a kid or young adult many, many years ago, you owe yourself the time machine experience of going again. While they've modernized to keep up with the times, they've retained just enough of their past so you can feel the familiar embrace of days gone by. read more

Their protocols during this pandemic is spot on. They clean immediately when people have left the table, waitresses there are AMAZING. They all made me want to come back over and over. They all wear masks. They're all so nice, I love being there and I love their food. Their pizzas are soooooooo good, I always want to try others but keep coming back to ordering their pizzas. read more

We took a couple friends to dinner on Sunday evening and recommended we all order the lasagna--truly one of the best I've ever had. We sat in the bar area since it was a fairly busy night. Plus the lighting is a bit darker in the bar, which we like. The main dining seating can be loud and crowded feeling so we were happy with our choice. The wine menu is short but very well selected and fairly priced. One of my friends and I ordered the Rodney Strong Cab and my other friend had a glass of Meiomi Pinot Noir. The lasagna dinner is served with "special" salad, bread, ice cream and coffee. The salad is excellent! House dressing is perfect and includes thinly sliced home-made sausage. The lasagna was exceptional. The service started out well but ended on a slow note. We had to prompt her for the coffee so be aware of that. Overall pleasant service, friendly and professional. She separated the check without us having to ask. The coffee really and seriously needs attention. It tasted almost like instant, which tells me it had been sitting on a burner for way too long. It was very disappointing to end such a great meal with lousy coffee. Overall, a great Traditional Italian restaurant that has killer lasagna. read more

Very overrated. The pizza feels very CPK or Olive Garden. Definitely not what it's cracked up to be from the reviews. Ravioli was competent, but not exceptional. Nice atmosphere woth live music makes it a good night out, but the food is overhyped. For pizza, try Giordano's down the street. read more

We do a lot of carry out from Linos ! They have it down to a science. Now with Shelter in Place...they take all the precautions. Everything is packaged so nicely and they never ever forget one thing ! Everything is always delicious. Pasta, salad, pizza ...you get the idea:) Love some Linos :) read more

Best pizza in town. I have always loved Linos. I have family that will travel back to Rockford just for Linos Pizza.

Love this place! There salads are the absolute best and they have delicious pizza with perfectly crispy crust.

I don't know that I'd describe Lino's as legendary based of my experience, but historic is certainly viable. On my singular dining experience here, I gathered that this is a place everyone in Rockford has been to, and for the most part, a place that they've been going to since the beginning of time. They have an auxiliary parking area due to their popularity and the building is giant with a big 'ol fountain inside and an elevator leading to the basement with a loooong and winding hallway to various banquet areas. My dining experience consisted of the banquet service, not the standard menu, so take my review of what I believe to be a not-very-typical Lino's dining experience for what it's worth, as banquet food is (and correct me if I'm wrong) usually notoriously bad, or at least sub-par. For me, and the rest of my Lino's veteran-filled table, the dining experience fell right in line with sub-par... but I still gotta give mad respect for a place that's been doing what they do for as long as Lino's has. The banquet service wasn't very cordial and the servers seemed moderately to decently annoyed with most of the dining party, especially those who tried to make any changes to dishes, which as a former server, I totally understand. They were made to wear what looked like medieval French maid costumes (if you can even picture that) and the basement was about 5000 degrees with zero air circulation. The food was, er, uhm, well... I'm trying not to sound harsh but the only word that keeps coming to mind is 'regrettable'. Soup was good, salad was fine, garlic bread was decent-ish, pizza bread was kind of lame and very dry, plain pasta w/ marinara was fine, but defo something you could have whipped up at home and the sauce was the same, almost neon, bright red color as ketchup. Odd. Everyone at the table who ordered the eggplant parmigiana (myself and 3 others) converged and discussed, as we were all very skeptical as to whether there was actually any eggplant in the dish. Lots of sauce, tons of cheese, plenty of bread crumb bits, but no eggplant to be seen, felt or tasted. If there was any eggplant, it must have been sliced paper thin and caked in breading, then smothered and drowned in cheese and sauce. Digestion pains were imminent and almost immediate. I liked the spumoni ice cream scoop with the little pistachio bits in it, though mine was freckled with freezer burn (still tasted just fine) and not a huge deal but still worth noting is that it was a grey-ish-brown color, something I've never seen with spumoni before. I would go back to give the regular menu a fair try, but as it stands, I wasn't very impressed by my first impression of Lino's (banquet dining), or the following tummy ache. read more

I love Lino's. I remember being younger and hearing my grandparents just rave about it. This is where they went when they wanted something a little special, or were going out to celebrate something. Was back here this last weekend for a rehearsal dinner, so we had a multi-course meal here, and it did not disappoint. My friend and I split a decent Pinot Noir (I think it was about $29 for the bottle) to get us all warm and in the mood for visiting with old friends. We all started with the minestrone which was hot and chockful of beans and veggies. It was great. Then some garlic bread and some pizza bread...nothing too out-of-the ordinary, but very nice to accompany all of our italian faves. Of course, the salad that everyone raves about. Sliced sausage on the top, lightly tossed with some yummy italian dressing, it was fantastic. Then onto the pasta course. We had a gigantic plate of pasta put down in front of us with an assortment of cheese ravioli (my personal fave) and some tortellini and penne. The marinara sauce was sweet, garlicy, tomato-y and just plain delicious for such a simple sauce. I had the baked cod for my entree, which was OK, but nothing special. Honestly, I was full by the time the entrees came out. Most of my friends (bf-included) enjoyed the prime rib which was served as a HUGE slab of meat. I had a bite, and it wasn't bad, if you're a fan of prime rib. We had a room all to ourselves for the rehearsal dinner, which was perfect for catching up, and for my bf to meet all of my oldest friends and be completely overwhelmed (and surprised that I am actually the quiet one of the bunch!!). Highly recommended if you're in the mood for some serious Italian food. read more

First of all, they have the best pizza in town, so I want to get that out of the way. But what I'm writing this review for is my dinner tonight. My family and a couple friends had dinner, and the service was excellent. Our server was attentive and patient with our embarrassingly unruly two year old (today is his birthday). The food was great, but there was an issue with my steak. These things happen, no big deal. But the staff went far beyond what they needed to do to make up for it. I know how difficult this time is for restaurants who have to adjust to everything that's going on, and they did not have to go to the point they did to make my order right. Everybody is trying their best, and it was a simple mistake, but the way they handled it says a lot about the establishment, and I just wanted everybody to know how great an establishment Lino's is. read more

Made reservations and walked in with high hopes. My parents had the children so this mama got to eat a hot meal with two hands:) however the food was nasty! Truly I know I'm spoiled I live in Chicago with some of the best food in the world and my mother can throw down so my expectations can be high. I got a NY strip because it was the only thing not smothered in sauce, Alfredo(which is NOT italian) or butter. My side was fries who messes up fries?! Steak was fatty and flavorless in fact I was asked if I wanted A1 sauce( who uses that?, people that have not had a properly cooked steak) the quality of meat not good in fact my husband said remember the steak we got from Marinos? ( that's are local food mart) now that was an amazing steak. Now on to the fries, soggy, under seasoned and undercooked ketchup could not even save these fries:( Worst $70 spent read more

Absolutely amazing !!! A must eat every time I'm in town !! Lasagna is perfect !!! Better make reservations, it gets crowded!

Love this place in Rockford! I really think it can rival most Chicago indie pizza places. The inside is made to look like you are sitting outside. Trust me, it works.... The pizza is great, whether you get deep dish or thin both are tasty. Do, yes do get their special salad with your pizza. It is awesome and I want to say if you pay extra it is unlimited. They also have a tasty fish fry. Nope, not Wisconsin but hey, it's Rockford so close enough and their fried cod is darn tasty. All their meals come with all the extras you would expect to pay extra for in Chicago but not here, you are in Rockford folks, enjoy and embrace this charming place! read more

If you read the review by Erin M. just wash it from your mind! If you know taste this is the place my friends. Their food is simple and always done consistently, which is the greatest feature of Lino's. I've eaten there well over three dozen times and the flavor, taste and feeling is always the same which NO OTHER restaurant offers in the area. Their prices are unmatched for the food quality, their kitchen is nearly spotless and where Olive Garden consistently has failed me is that every noodle is always al dente. The sauce is simple and doesn't take away from the meal, their pizza is by far the best in town, their veal items are untouchable. Lino's claim to fame is their salad, which isn't just lettuce and sauce, but a tradition that brings me and everyone I know back week after week. Hand made dressing, eggs, hand made sausage, tomatoes and of course lettuce... simple yet delicious. If you're going to go here on a weekend you will NEED reservations. They are packed every single weekend all year long. The service is something that I'm extremely happy with as they have the nicest staff around and they don't miss a beat. read more

Iike Lino's, I do. I think it's way overrated. I have had pizzas all over Rockford and this place gets so much press but there are better pizzas in Rockford. Joey C's, Giuseppe's, and Itzza Pizza just to name a few. The atmosphere inside is special, as is their salad. It's solid and a Rockford staple, but stop calling it the best pizza in town because it just isn't. read more

Decent Italian place, seated quickly even it was busy and vibe was humming. Loved the old world feel. Nicely decorated place with several large serving rooms. I was there with a friend. We felt underdressed as we had come from work and many were dressed up. But it was ok as some were in tee shirts and shorts. Hot day about 85deg for early Sept. Had the calamari app. Was pretty good, glad it wasn't rubbery & overcooked. Service was on point. Just there enough but not too much. Couldnt decide on what to order between the two of us so we settled on the pizza. Had the margarita pizza and enjoyed it. Crust was decent but thought it should be thinner and had an off puting taste but still good nonetheless. Id give the food 2 1/2-3 stars here. Atmosphere was a 4 1/2 stars. Service was 3 but the two things that pushed it to 4 - 4 1/2 stars were a visit from the owners son who personally came to see how we enjoyed our meal. Very kind and something you never ever see anymore. My friend had offhandedly mentioned to the waitress that he works nearby once or twice a year and hadn't been in there for a while, so the son came as its a family business and wished us well and spoke with us for a few minutes even though the restaurant was fairly busy. Impressive! The other thing I really liked was several times a week they have a small orchestra playing jazz and show tunes in there. Probably 4-5 piece band, so it was nice to hear some LIVE dinner music. Again the old world way, the Sinatra way. Enjoy! Ciao! read more