Beautiful restaurant and excellent food. I went here on their second night after opening. The employees were very attentive but could be a little more welcoming and warm. The interior of the place is amazing and very high design. The pizza I had was delicious and very authentic. We also had the calamari and it was perfect. Not rubbery at all. I highly recommend this place. It is truly a welcome addition to the neighborhood! read more

One of the best restaurants in Chicago. REAL Italian pizza. Also really friendly service, wonderful location and ambiance. AMAZING PLACE!

Really nice food and ambiance. Always busy which tells you something. Salads good pizza excellent

Best Italian food in Chicago by a mile, and that's really saying something because Spiaggia in Gold Coast and Bruna's in Little Italy are fantastic stalwarts. But the Neapolitan pizzas and pastas here are to die for; there's a simplicity to the dishes that makes the restaurant almost entirely unpretentious (it's also on the University of Chicago campus so there'll always be graduate students and/or faculty members dining there which can make for a fun environment or an overwhelming one depending on your temperament). What makes Nella so wonderful, in my opinion, is the hearty chatter as you come in from the cold, the wonderful cocktails (the Aperol Mojito is quite good), and of course, the food. I start usually with either the meatballs or the spicy sausage with rapini, but the shellfish antipasti are also wonderful. The Contadina risotto is just to die for; the flavors are so rich, you may find yourself trying to parse out the different notes as you chew, refusing to swallow lest they disappear. The calzones, pizzas, and pastas are wonderful (a particular favorite is the gnocchi di mare), but I tend to go for the Mezza Luna: a half calzone, half margherita that must be the Platonic ideal for such a pizza. It is wonderful. If you're not a native Hyde Parker, you may want to get cookies from Insomnia Cookies next door, and walk across the beautiful campus. You may want to pop in to the best bookstores in the city: 57th Street Books, the Seminary Co-op, and Powell's. Alternatively, you could visit A10 or Promontory on 53rd Street, or neighborhood darling Medici on 57th Street, for another cocktail. read more

Visiting a buddy at Chicago so she suggested this new place. Decor was nice, waiter attentive, refilling the glass after just a few sips were gone. I ordered the caprese panini because I am vegetarian. The menu was written in Italian so I did not recognize the fact that it had a slice of prosciutto (by another name) in it, which I removed. No big deal. What was a bigger deal was the fact that the roll was a cold ciabatta with burnt parts on the crust, while the rest of the crust was white, like they had passed a flame over it. The burnt taste overwhelmed the taste of the bun which was dry with the texture of day old. Inside was a cold piece of quality mozzarella, cold tomato and three or four leaves of fresh basil chopped. For seasoning there was just olive oil, no garlic, no parmesan, no balsamic vinegar. It was extremely bland. If I had not paid so much, I would not have eaten it. The fries were below average and similarly cold. Everyone who raves about Nella seems to have ordered pizza. Maybe that is good, but I would stay away from the paninis read more

I was pleasantly surprised! It's hard finding a good restaurant in the Hyde Park area. I went for the 1st time this past weekend with my husband and we both agreed that we would go back. I ordered the Salmon. It was a good-sized portion, seasoned well and the spinach was good. I could have done without the 4 little slices of potatoes, which were more like a garnish. We also ordered a Margherita Pizza, which was pretty good. A little "doughy" but good. My husband liked his sausage, but the Gnocchi was just okay. Our server was a cool guy and we found free parking right out front. All said, decent experience! read more

The pizzas are top-notch, the best Napolitan' in all of Chicago. But the stars are the pastas, which are excellent and you cannot find anywhere else in Chicago. The pacherri pasta dish is my favorite in all of Chicago. All of the others are great also. I could eat the entire menu up and down, over and over and over, and all the beers and wines too, and love it....but the issue is always the price of the tab. But this is all of Chicago nowadays. It's not cheap to eat out anywhere in our city anymore. Easily over $100. nonetheless, Nellas: 5 stars. Cinque stelle. read more

Hands down best Neapolitan pizza in Chicago in a nice neighborhood atmosphere with good service.

I can't give a zero stars so one star will do, first I called and asked if reservations are needed I was told no, later this evening I went with the intentions in having a great meal with family prior to attending the circus nearby. I arrived a few minutes early than the rest of my party as I approached the hostess desk I was greeted by a young lady (presumably the hostess) and older gentlemen (possibly the floor manager) I requested a table for 7, I was quickly asked do you have a reservation? I stated no, I'm sorry do you need a reservation? Looking confused...he stated no we are only sitting reservations (again confused look because I'm looking at over 4 tables that are cleared off with no markings of a reservation on the table or posted up for people to view at the door....this normally is in view at restaurants I know because I'm a former f&b manager)...again I ask so you don't need a reservation, and again told no. But I'm not one to force a business to take my money (or eat bland food as stated in many reviews), it's so sad to see an establishment in lovely Hyde Park fall so flat in providing great service. read more

I went as part of a small group for weekend brunch and enjoyed my food and mimosa enough, but the busser and server were not polite, and that was enough to leave a sour taste in my mouth. After we'd finished our meals and were sitting around digesting/chatting for maybe 10 minutes, the busser walked over, reached over us into the middle of our table--interrupting our conversation--and gathered up all of our water glasses with water still in them to take away. Really? Our check was over $100, but even if it hadn't been, it was rude. I have never had restaurant staff actually take away a water glass, unprompted, as a clear attempt to get me to leave. It wasn't even particularly busy and there were other open tables. This might not seem like that big of a deal but I worked at a restaurant for several years and this is something you should NEVER do. Needless to say, I did not feel welcome and won't be going back. Plus, I think it's a little ridiculous that they added an automatic 20% gratuity to the bill for a group of 5. Prices are already really high and the automatic gratuity was not mentioned anywhere on the menu. read more

Awesome place. A welcome addition to HP. A really pretty place with delicious Neapolitan pixza.

Had a wonderful dinner with a group of 9. Service was greay and the food was exceptional. Nella is a great asdition to Hude Park and we will go there often. Highly recommend ro food lovers. read more

Excellent food, lively atmosphere. We had the prosciutto & rucola salad and the tagliatelle with lamb ragú, both to share, both excellent. Nella is a great addition to Hyde Park. read more

We had been to the Northside location and looked forward to an outpost down here. Who knew it was going to be a full transfer? And now to the review. This is a serious Neapolitan pizza restaurant and sticks to tradition. The flavors: fantastic. The execution: great. Service: in-restaurant service was attentive but not pushy. I have done pickup once (yes, Neapolitan pizza doesn't necessarily travel well, but I live close by and it was fine) and the food was prepared on time in 15 minutes. Fried calamari: excellent flavors albeit a bit too salty. Negatives? The restaurant itself is noisy...sound carries given the high ceilings. This restaurant is a great addition to the neighborhood. read more

I went here 2 weeks ago with my wife. The food was delicious, we had the eggplant and shared a pizza and a salad. I am very pleased to see a real italian pizza place in Hyde Park. My only complaint is, there were a bunch of large student groups who were very loud and made my experience less enjoyable. They should discourage large groups from dining in order to unleash their full potential. read more

The pasta here is amazing! My favorites are the Scarraino and the Penne Arrabbiata. I've been twice and everything I've ordered has been great! It gets really crowded so I recommend a reservation. This is a great addition to the south side! read more

I have eaten here about 6 times, each time with 2-3 other people, and have not been disappointed once, nor have the family members or friends that accompanied me. The food is modern Italian, not the traditional rich, sauce-heavy Italian that one finds at most places. There are lots of vegetarian options. Everything has a freshness to it. I have tried many appetizers and several pastas, and all are excellent. The pizzas are fantastic. Remember, the pizzas here are not the traditional pizzas, with a hard crust and loaded with mounts of gooey cheese. They are Neapolitan style, so the slice will droop as you lift it up, and the dough is chewy. They are baked lightening-fast, so most pizzas are ready in less than 5 minutes. The ambiance is cool, with a yellow, white, and red color scheme that includes a yellow Lambretta scooter hanging from the ceiling in one part of the restaurant. The service is great and the food is served very quickly. Love this place. read more

Such delicious food. Succccch delicious food. Lots to choose from in terms of drinks. And after four visits - no matter their role, the staff is always charming. Just wish the lights were a bit lower for a cozier ambiance. read more

Beautiful place to go out on a date. Staff is great and the food is even better. Would defiantly try more of there menu next time.

Yeah! Real pizza in Hyde Park! We have eaten here at least half a dozen times since it opened and we love it. Great pizza, good service and a comfortable -- if a little bright -- space. Our favorites are the calamari and the margherita pizza. Maybe they could dim the lights after 7pm? read more

This is my fourth time here, and every time I leave happy. Great atmosphere, great service, and the pizzas are some of the best in town (and done the Italian way!!). The wine list is also wonderful, and the almost whimsical decor (including their iconic yellow moped suspended above the bar) just completes what is quick becoming my favorite place in the neighborhood. read more

amazing pizza and food... used to go to the location up in lincoln park.. glad i made it to this location... great place!

This is my go to place for pizza in Hyde Park. My only complaint is it can feel small and crammed, but the food makes up for it. All the pizza and toppings are delicious. read more

Er, not so much. 8.95 for the house salad which is literally a heavily salted plate of lettuce with two cherry tomatoes cut in half and a handful of olives. Okay, we're used to restaurants penalizing us for wanting to add some greens to a meal. The 4 cheese risotto, however, I had high hopes for it but it was pretty much inedible. Heavy, gloopy glop of cheese with the rice not completely cooked. Reheating it today for a snack I was hoping that the dish would be redeemed by extra cooking in the microwave. But the reheating revealed it to be sodden, I mean, dripping, with oil that immediately separated from the rest of the ingredients, pooling beneath it and revealingthe dish for what it was - an ill informed, inedible attempt at an Italian delicacy. Go have the 4 cheese risotto at Volare near Gleacher Center, people, and learn what it's all about. On the plus side, delightful interior and warm, friendly staff. Still, not enough for me to EVER order risotto there again. read more