This is the best pizza in the city. Shocked this place doesn't have 5 stars. I can't vouch for the Italian food but but that's only because I can't bring myself to try anything other than pizza when I drive down here. read more

Came here with my wife two days ago. The service was horrendous. It took us an hour and a half to get our food. When the food came out it was cold and my wife also found multiple hairs in the food. All together horrible experience. Do not eat here. read more

I'm not Italian, but I love Italian food. This place is authentic, and reading a lot of the reviews it seems that people who enjoy authentic Italian food love this place. The pizza is always fresh and cooked well, and the pasta is delicious. They have a lot of seafood options. I've enjoyed the service, and the servers are often Italian. The space has a modern vibe, consistent with restaurants in larger cities in Italy. It can get loud, which is the way things are with this aesthetic. This isn't your old neighborhood Italian place, and that's ok. It's a light filled, vibrant place with locals, college kids, faculty and staff from the University, and even the occasional North sider will venture to our neighborhood for a great bite of gnocchi or risotto. read more

Eating here several time. Almost all food are surprisingly delicious being the location is in the university complex. Try the seafood pasta, as well as the pizza. The tiramisu also a must .. read more

Should be 5 stars because everything was wonderful. Best Neapolitan Italian food I've had since my grandma. THEN the bus person. She tried to take our leftover carry out while we were still there. Luck has it I walked out the door and then realized I didn't have it. GONE seriously I was standing in front of the restaurant. Well my bad but can't anyone be aware of anything but themselves anymore? It maybe was 2 minutes. You just toss 3 carry out containers away STAT Had dinner last night again. After I had to go find the waiter things were great. Personally we like the food. The service still leaves a lot to be desired. I have read through the reviews and something sticks out to me. Franco G. Who responds to some of these reviews has an attitude that screams out in hOs responses. No wonder the service sucks the management won't hear your complaint. Good luck with that. Eventually people will get tired of being told they need to try again like it was their fault in the first place. read more

Great place - saw it in check please and did not disappoint - large servings - definitely recommend!

Premetto that I never been in this restaurant in person but I fellow on the italian television the program Little Big Italy and in the episode of chicago one of the competitor was Nella Pizza and Pasta. I'm proudly born and raised in Napoli, italy but now living in Miami Beach, Fl. Nella your Pizza was the most napolitan pizza I ever saw in an italian program and thanks to not slap anybody when they said it was "soggy" because napolitan pizza MUST BE SOFT E DELICATE, like you said in the episode "Nu BABBA" and it really was! I hate how francesco is rude going in the restaurants in the world asking rude things as out of the menu item, in this particular occasion you really can't order a cotoletta alla milanese when you know that Nella is NAPOLITAN! He really should have asked some PURPTIELLI AFFUGATI (yeah you guys reading should try them) but let me tell you that you made the milanese like my grandmother in napoli would make it!! parmigiano farina e olio and I bet it was delicious and let me tell you, even if it was not real milanese style it was cotoletta milanese nonna napoletana style so still a huge victory!! Thanks to trasfer the real napolitan tradiction to chicago and I really look forward to come in person and try our napolitan specialty! ps: take out the tomato sauce from the scialatielli!! white whine, olive oil and cherry tomato is the way.. ;))) read more

Pizza - thin but soggy from the water from the toppings, over priced Pasta - there was a piece of plastic but the manager lied that it was a shell of a shrimp. 1. my pasta did not have shrimp but squid only. 2. The plastic piece had vertical creases, which shows it is not a shrimp shell. It tasted alright but the pasta was too thick for my preference. Arugula salad- arugula was way too bitter and there was too much cheese, definitely not worth ordering. Will I go back? No. Will I recommend this place to a friend? No. Unless they are specifically looking for an American Italian place in Hyde Park. read more

Good food!! The manager wasn't very nice at all and you can't do separate checks, be warned

Bright, airy, good food and drinks. A great spot for family or a catching up with friends.

This has to be my favorite pizza crust in Chicago. Their pastas are also great, especially their seafood dishes! The portion sizes are perfect and the service is friendly and quick! The crowd is mostly uchicago students and the overall ambiance and bright and welcoming. Definitely one of my favorite spots in Hyde park! read more

Went here for brunch and kinda disappointed. The salmone affumicato was good but small portion size and expensive. The pizza ortolana (Italian pizza) is an actual pizza with crust and cheese but then with scrambled eggs on top. The pizza burrito was way too greasy and the Nutella waffle was hard. Overall, below average food and definitely overpriced. read more

If I didn't already live in Hyde Park I would move because of this restaurant. Seriously - it's that good! Amazing pizza, perfect pastas. Go there now. read more

My family really enjoys this restaurant. Wonderful food, quality ingredients, friendly and attentive service, pleasant atmosphere. Favorites include prosciutto e rucola salad, rigatoni ragu and sarracino pasta dishes, and any of their pizzas. Our kids think it's cool to watch the pizza being made, and they love how they store ingredients on open shelves in the restaurant. read more

Fresh interior, friendly service, and delicious food. Can't wait to go back! We went for drinks and an appetizer and ended up staying for three fantastic pizza offerings. Of course, that followed with a scrumptious dessert to share. A memorable experience! read more

We went to this place last night for my MIL's birthday, and it was a truly mixed bag. The good: the portions are generous, the ingredients are fresh (including the seafood), the place is clean, and the wait staff is great at filling your water and checking in. The bad: the food quality ranges so much that, depending on your order, it's like you're ordering from two different places, one a very decent restaurant, the other one waiting to go out of business. We had a large party so there was a range, but anyone who ordered pasta or risotto was largely content (or even happy). I personally ordered the squid ink pasta that's on special and, because it was so delicious and the portion so large, ended up sharing it with the table. This saved my aunt's night, because her order was truly mediocre, but between my plate and someone else's risotto, she ended her meal happy. Even after sharing and eating, I had pasta to take home, which was great. The problem came in with anyone who ordered pizza or pizza adjacent food (like a calzone). Honestly, this was the worst pizza I've eaten in Chicago, possibly ever. My husband ordered the seafood pizza and when he received it the pie was swimming in liquid - literally so wet that the "crust" was a gummy mess upon arrival. My aunt's calzone was less of a lake and more of a swamp, just gushing red water out when she cut it open. My niece's pie also glistened (I didn't get to taste it) with a mixture of oil and water. The two pies I did try were bland, bordering on tasteless. I applaud the restaurant for using less salt, but when it came to the pies it was too little. Also, they needed a heavier hand with the herbs (while of course cutting back on the water in the sauce). I tried to get my husband to send the pizza back because it was so bad, but he's a native Chicagoan and too polite for his own good, so ate as much as he could... and then was up until 2am with serious indigestion. What a mess. I can only assume that whoever in the kitchen who was on pizza phoned it in, dangerously so. Hopefully their head chef will address the quality problem, because a restaurant that can make pasta as good as mine should know how to make a pizza. Bottom line: if you go here, avoid the pizza and, if your food is truly messed up like my partner's was, do the right thing and send it back. read more

Cool place (a big surprise for U of C!). Food tasty, but lacking in flavor...tasted 2 dimensional instead of "full".

Really delicious pastas. Better than a lot of hyped downtown Italian places. Will definitely come back.

We found this place purely by chance. We had just visited the Frank Lloyd Wright designed Robbie House and worked up an appetite. A quick search and we found this place. What a discovery and what an experience. The service, the food - love, love, love the PACCHERI ALLA BOSCAIOLA - and the entire experience was first rate. Will be coming back next time we're in town. read more

They've beaten Spacca. Best outdoor dining during COVID, best margherita pizza, beautiful place inside and out.

Inconsistent with takeout. Called in yesterday and ordered the capresella for pickup and it had no avocado when it's supposed to have avocado. Sometimes they'll post specials on their social media, so when they had one on pizza, I called and tried to order one. The woman who answered the phone had no idea what I was talking about and didn't want to honor the advertised deal. I've dined in at least five times with no issues. read more

the receptionist lady is not friendly and won't let us know there's still open seats at the high tables until we explicitly demanded those. mid food and disappointing service literally every time read more

Pizza: large selection with toppings from zucchini and artichokes to the standard choices. The crust was thin, crispy and delicious. We did get a veggie packed pizza so it did get a little soggy. The flavor made up for it. Salads: it was hard to choose one because they all looked appetizing. We went with the arugula with fresh Parmesan and a lemon dressing. It was stupid good and so simple. Booze: we had manhattans, limoncellos and Prosecco. All delicious! Ambiance: Its adorable, clean, nicely decorated. My only complaint is that it's too bright. They have a nice, quaint outdoor area too. I'm sure it's lovely when open. Service: The hostess was sweet and helpful. Our waiter was excellent. His thick Italian accent reminded me of my uncles! He was professional, courteous, made excellent recommendations and perfectly attentive. The bus boys were somewhat annoying because they really wanted to clear all our plates and we wanted to keep picking. Dessert: Holy Cannolis, Delicious! Light crispy shell and rich yummy filling. The other desserts I saw looked lovely as well. Then there's the pasta. I can only say it looked and smelled delicious. I'm definitely going back to try their pasta! read more

Absolutely lovely and delicious spot right on UChicago's campus. The space is warm and inviting, plus there is a lovely outdoor area for warmer outings. The food, everything we had was amazing: excellent fried calamari, fresh and really tasty bruschetta, arugula salad yum and of course the pizza / pasta choices were fantastic. Would (will) be back in a heartbeat! read more

Really hit or miss lately. The workers are working their asses off and you can tell. I hope that staffing levels get back to normal soon. Only other "complaint" is that I feel like their pizzas aren't the greatest value. Very expensive, but what isn't anymore... read more

Some of the best pizza in Chicago, hands down. The people making this food know what they are doing. The waiters are very attentive and friendly. Always a pleasure to eat here. Great for more relaxed business gatherings, nicer family gatherings, or even a first date. One of Hyde Park's finest offerings. read more

Being a Hyde park resident, this is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. The food is fresh and delicious. The cocktail menu is diverse and delicious. The service has been exceptional as far as I have experienced. I have been on numerous occasions and have found the same wonderful experience each time. I specifically enjoy the melanzane appetizer, the burrata appetizer, the amalfi pizza, the cavani pizza and the sausage and mushroom pizza. I also always enjoy the Bellini! The tiramisu and cannoli are a nice treat after a meal as well! read more

Overall i enjoyed the lunch experience. Had one of the pizza's. Crust was very good and the wood burning brick oven gave it a great taste, chewy and savory. Also had an appetizer, bruschetta with black truffle pate, The cheese and tomatoes were savory and fresh. read more

Pretty good pizza. Pasta was ok. Slightly overpriced. Service was decent. Overall good place just overpriced.

As a UChicago student, when I want a treat at the end of finals, or when my parents are visiting or something like that, this is where I go. The food here is incredible, and everything I've tried has been great. Personally, I really like all of the seafood dishes I've tried here, and anything that takes the form of seafood cooked in a sauce served with crostini is a must. The calamari affogati, which is sauteed squid served in a tomato sauce, stands out to me in particular; both times I've tried it, the squid had been perfectly cooked to tenderness (which is itself impressive considering how easy it is to both undercook and overcook squid) and the tomato sauce was the absolute platonic ideal of tomato sauce. Honestly, I didn't think it was really possible to improve that much on tomato sauce in general, but somehow their sauce is both incredibly rich in flavor, yet doesn't overpower the flavor of the squid, and it has the perfect consistency both for clinging onto the squid and for soaking up with bread. That said, everything else I've tried has been just as good, or nearly as good, and you can't go wrong with anything here. I could (and would) continue go on at length about how amazing Nella is, but I have midterms to study for and I shouldn't really be taking this much time to write reviews. Instead I'll just say that I think Nella really, truly exemplifies what makes Italian cooking so amazing: simple recipes, with just a few ingredients, done to perfection. read more

This place is a true gem. The decor is super cool. The food is great - especially the amazing genuine Italian wood oven fired fired pizzas!! And the staff are just amazingly attentive and quick. Unlike many places that market themselves as kid-friendly but have slow service and mediocre food, Nella staff are incredible and do everything possible to make kids happy and help everyone have a fun night. I really can't say enough good things about Nella's. Just go! read more

The food was okay, my son ordered a 30.00 pasta dish that he said was good. But my seafood pizza was gross. The crust was soggy and wet, and the seafood didn't taste fresh. This place is too expensive for the quality of food. read more

We were exploring the campus area over the long weekend, and stopped in here for a late lunch, and it was the absolute best, non-Sicilian pizza we've ever had. It was the Ciotta Ciotta pizza, and the rocket salad that preceded it was excellent, too. The service impressed me, too, for example, bringing my wife some hot water based on hers and my conversation without actually ordering it. Punctual, friendly, and everything was just right. Definitely willing to stop here again next time I'm in the area. read more

I heard great things about this place so I suggested this for an evening with my family and some friends. Boy was I disappointed. A waiter snapped at me when I asked a question so we decided to leave. I complained to the manager but she was only half listening to me. Her response was the waiter was having a bad day!! Didn't know that I have pay money to be the brunt of someone's bad day....... Poor customer service. Can't comment on the food though. read more

We discovered this restaurant while watching "Check please" on PBS. The wonderful looking dishes brought us in. We stopped in on a Saturday afternoon. We had no problems getting in and seated. All staff was very friendly. Our waiter was knowledgeable and recommend many foods. We orders the calamari, a margarita pizza, and a pasta dish with Italian sausausage and mushrooms. It was so amazing! I highly recommend it! We are looking forward to our next visit! read more

Great Neapolitan style pizza in Hyde Park! Beautiful atmosphere and friendly service will keep me coming here when I'm in the area. Do try if you're here! read more

We were there a couple weeks ago and had a bad experience when the fire alarm went off and couldn't be shut off. We had just placed our order. We took the food to go but were charged in full even though we couldn't take our drinks. read more

Nella is amazing - this is as authentic Southern Italian as it gets! We were sad when they left Lincoln Park, but happy to follow them to Hyde Park! read more

This is one of the best-value restaurants in Hyde Park. The food (even the seafood!) is carefully prepared and fresh-tasting. The space is bright and airy, and the service warm and attentive. I've eaten here twice. The first time I had a pasta dish which was great, something with clams and tomatoes, I think. The second time I wanted something lighter, so I ordered a seafood antipasti and enjoyed it with the bread that's always brought to the table. Both meals were under $15, which is what you'll spend on a sandwich and coffee at Plein Air! I'm just giving this four stars because I reserve five stars for mind-blowingly good food. This is just very good. read more

Honestly, used to love this place but the quality of food has decreased in the past 3 years in addition to a pretty substantial increase in prices. I love the paccheri alla boscaiola, but the last time I ordered (mid January), the sauce was really bland. Additionally, it was $20 when I ordered in mid January, and they've increased all of the pasta prices up by $5 (this dish is now $25). Paying an extra $5 for no added pasta + an even worse quality pasta than it used to be is absurd. Used to order here every 1-2 weeks in 2019 and 2020 but they've lost a loyal customer because of the price increase. A dollar or two increase I can do, but $5 is too much. read more