It's very sad when places like this take advantage of young couples planning the most important event in their life. Our son and daughter in law had their wedding reception here. The food was excellent. They arranged the parking lot and paid 1700.00 in advance. The guests ended up paying for parking and manager of banquet did nothing to help them get their refund. They lost that money. The acoustics in the hall are terrible and manager did not advise them in advance to arrange special sound system with their dj. Many special announcements and speeches were missed and was a big disappointment. The manager may say that it is their responsibility, however if you as manager are aware of previous problems the couple should be informed in advance. I can only recommend them for the quality of food. Service was not that great. read more

I was a little hesitant about this place because I discovered it wasn't really a dinner place but this was after I bought my Groupon and I don't work in the Loop so I could only use it for dinner. We made the last reservation of the day, 6:30, and they called the day of to ask if we could come early because there were no other reservations and the kitchen staff was staying on just for us. Oh no... resentful employees...Christmas shopping crunch time....it couldn't be a good experience right? Wrong. Our server was so friendly and bubbly and the food came out artfully prepared. It was like the first meal of the meal of the day;decorated plate lip with paprika formed into a giant star, piping hot and very delish. I ordered risotto and it came with a chicken breast which was delightfully surprising. if I ever work in the loop I will certainly return for lunch or to try the sandwiches at the express window which I hear are excellent! read more

I've only eaten here twice, but decided to give them a review after the amazing customer service I recieved today. I've eaten here for work lunches, both of the times I ordered the farfale which is AMAZING. I hate having my food drowned in sauce, and I'll be honest, I prefer very little sauce on things, so when I asked for light sauce and got back the perfect amount, I was sold. So fast forward about three months to where I needed a receipt from my last meal here. I called up Pazzo's and spoke with Carmen who was super helpful. She offered to fax it over to me, but I went ahead and picked it up. When I got there I noticed the receipt didn't have any info indicating it was my account, I asked the hostess know and she tried to ask Carmen to print out a copy with my account information. They're not allowed to keep that info, but apologized multiple times to me. Not their problem at all, but they felt very badly about it. Thank you, Pazzo's for really caring about your customers! read more

I attended a recent wedding here and was amazed at the beauty of this place! The atrium where the wedding took place is unlike any other venue I've been to. The appetizers were delicious and the main meal was very tasty. What a unique place for a wedding! read more

Pazzo's - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I recently went to Pazzo's for lunch and while the terrace area is enjoyable (enough to warrant a third star), the food and service were mediocre. Our waiter was nice, but did not refill our drinks (which were empty by mid-meal). I had a salmon special--blackened salmon with poblano pepper sauce, spinach and potatoes. The salmon was extremely greasy--I don't know how they did it, but it was dripping in grease. Not sure what process they used to blacken it, but it was ick. The spinach was fine, and the potatoes were just run of the mill. I looked the menu again just now and there are probably better things on it, so I will definitely give Pazzo's another shot. But for this visit, I can only warrant 3 stars. read more

Well, this place is like my dog...if I had one. A tried and true, life-long friend. Always there when I need him, while never letting me down. I used to go to Pazzos like it was my job - every damn day. While the food is good, it was the ease of taking the elevator down thirty some floors (well actually up, then down, but you'd have to work at 311 South Wacker to understand that ridiculousness) and walking right into their restaurant without even stepping foot outside that kept me coming back so often. But, I did enjoy their food too. Specifically, and I know this comes as a shocker, their hummus plate. Holy Toledo! Their hummus ranks as one of the top 3 BEST I've ever had. I'm not sure why, it has just a little added, delightfully unexpected kick to it, that you can't find elsewhere. The generous helping of hummus is served with pita bread, tomatoes, cukes, and lettuce, and upon request (and additional $$) chicken. The price is still awesomely cheap - at around $5 total. Can't complain there. They also have salads and sandwiches - I've had their chicken salad, which was good, and I've heard positive feedback on the sandwiches, so it seems you really can't go wrong here. The service is always phenomenal and fast. If you're looking for high qual Mediterranean food, look no further. read more

This is such an amazing space. The food, not so much. I had the chicken parmigiana based on another Yelper review. It was pretty good but the service was slow and barely present. So, better than cafeteria food, but at $$ prices, and poor service = 3 stars. I wish the food and service had been as good as the ambiance. read more

Never eaten here, but as a happy hour location it is fun, and insanely simple if you already work in 311. The best part of Pazzo's is they have the tastiest bar snack mix, and they aren't stingy with refilling your basket. read more

I have been to Pazzo's @ 311 twice now and I wish both times weren't so bad. The decor is tacky wedding beautiful - small plastic chandelier lights on the table, silver high backed chairs, bright lighting....I think you get the idea. The food has the hopes of being good but just isn't. The first time I got a sandwich and it was decent but not worth the $11 for just a sandwich. The second time I wine for pasta (you can't screw up pasta right?!). Well they did. The pasta wasn't fully cooked, they forgot to add the oil and garlic and the veggies were over cooked. The bruschetta appetizer was broiled. I'm not sure why a standard Italian dish of bread with fresh tomatoes, garlic and oil and sprinkled with cheese should be broiled, but that's how it appeared. Overall if you are looking to spend $20-$50 for a lunch, there are a few other spots that are much better and in walking distance. read more

There is no better place in the loop to get FAST, QUALITY food. These guys get it done every day and for what the consumer could consider as a steal. I can't say enough about this place. The food is awesome - from Caesar Salads to Pasta to panini's. The fries are the best in the loop. Their menu is loaded with options. If you need a fast and inexpensive meal that will fill you up with leftovers, this is a great stop. Don't let the super classy building scare you - the food is not going to cost you an arm and a leg. A full meal through the express can go for $8.00 or so with a bottle of pop. read more

Love this place. Pazzos Express is quick and straight to the point. The line moves fast, the food is good, and the prices are decent for the amount they give you. When you're looking for something fast and tasty during your lunch break, head here and pick yourself up a chicken pesto panini. Good stuff. Do it. Do it all the time. Do it everywhere. Go. read more

This was my first time to the original Pazzo's 311, not the new location on Jackson. I had the salmon salad, which was pretty good. The salad was fresh and filling. Unfortunately, the salmon was not a fresh filet, but rather some sort of preserved salmon. It tasted fine but was a little surprising. I like Pazzo's but would not come here unless someone else suggested it. Good, but not great. read more

This place is a good place for a business lunch in downtown, but I'm not sure I'd go there to just eat there otherwise. I went there recently, and I ordered a salad that came with tuna on it. Usually places will cook tuna, slice it, and place it nicely on top of the salad, especially if it's at a nice place like this. Here, the tuna salad was thrown on top of the salad. Also, the fish didn't taste very fresh, as I have eaten many a tuna, and I know fresh from, I don't know, thawed frozen tuna. I've had other things here, and they were good, for the most part. But, this is a great place for a Friday evening happy hour, drinks, and appetizers. I'd say definitely avoid the lunch rush, and the tuna. read more

come her for a really good breakfast and a great salad and or one of the best burgers in town. its an express, the folks here I know most of them by 1st name and they really about how they deliver and prepare the food. I'm in total admiration of the effort and passion they put into delivering a great meal time after time. great job guys/gals you rock. read more

My fiancé and I were forced to cancel our wedding which was supposed to take place on Sunday, March 22, 2020 due to the Governor of Illinois's restaurant/bar closure order issued on Sunday, March 15th, 2020. Our wedding venue was a restaurant called Pazzos located at 311 S. Wacker Drive in Chicago. We decided to officially cancel our wedding on Sunday, March 15th, 2020 after the announcement and emailed Pazzos to communicate that the same day. We then received a call from Jaser, the general manager of Pazzos, on Monday March 16th at approximately 9:30am when he communicated to us that we could either reschedule our wedding to another date or receive an entire refund except for our initial deposit of $2,000. The previous Friday, March 13th, we had paid the remainder of the cost of the wedding, so the wedding was entirely paid for at that point. After the telephone conversation on March 16th, we emailed Pazzos to say that we would like to reschedule in a year and have a 1-year anniversary party in March of 2021. We received an email in response saying that they would go over a new menu in the next week or so and figure it out together. After that email from Pazzos, we never heard back from Pazzos about rescheduling our wedding. After many calls and several emails over the next week and a half, (Monday March 23rd and Wednesday March 25th) with no response from anyone at Pazzos, we finally received a call from Carmen at Pazzos on Wednesday March 25th who connected the call to the general manager, Jaser. During that phone conversation, both Carmen and Jaser attempted to backtrack on everything that they had said to us on Monday March 16th. They continuously stated that we had "misunderstood" their initial call and wanted to "clarify" that they would have to speak with ownership about any refunds. They were under the impression that we had agreed to reschedule to a new date next year even though they never stated that in an email and never sent any type of new contract or communication regarding rescheduling. At the end of this phone call, we asked for the contact information for the "ownership" that they continuously referred to and I received the email for Rocky Aiyash, the owner of Pazzos. The same day, on March 25th, my dad emailed Rocky Aiyash and explained the situation. Rocky Aiyash responded the same day, March 25th, and said that he would need "a couple days" to respond to us and assured us that he would respond. For 5 days, we did not hear anything. On Tuesday March 31st my dad emailed Rocky Aiyash again asking him to respond to us and to return our deposits. Rocky Aiyash responded and stated that he was still working on the disposition, was seeking state and federal aid to keep the doors open, and did not have a resolution yet. My father offered to structure a payment plan and stated that we wished to hear back from Rock Aiyash by Friday, April 3rd. Today is Friday, April 3rd, and we have not heard from Rocky Aiyash since Tuesday March 31st. After googling Rocky Aiyash, we found out that he has previous legal issues. It has now been almost 2 weeks since the date of our fully paid for, cancelled wedding, and Pazzos has not returned a dime nor offered to solidify a rescheduled date. read more

Enjoyed the fresh pasta with scallops, Good size portions and the food was high quality. The scallops were huge with a nice sear on both sides. Would have preferred a little more spice in the crust of the scallops. The place was virtually empty since it was around 6 pm and apparently the office district disappears from downtown Chicago after office hours. Since I was only passing through on the train I relied on YELP to locate a place to eat located near Union Station. The YELP reviews were favorable and very helpful. Pazzo's is just across the river from Union Station in the atrium of the large building to the right of the former SEARS Tower. It is worth the short walk and quality and value is worth the effort. read more

This is an amazing wedding location. My husband is from California and I am a Chicagoan. This combined the best of both locations - palm trees and the Chicago skyline! We had our wedding reception on November 3, 2012. You book the venue and you get a great wedding planner for free! Fay and her team take care of everything! She gives great suggestions about food choices and her calming manner makes the planning go so smoothly. She has a list of vendors who have worked in the space before. There are several packages you can choose from and the prices are reasonable for a Saturday night wedding downtown. Guests commented that it was the best wedding food they have ever had (hint go with the filet and salmon combo). There is a surface lot next to the building and you can prepay for your guests to park ($10). The only down side is the construction going on around Pazzo's but that is an issue with the City and not the restaurant. Thank you so much Fay! We had an amazing time! read more

We held our wedding at Pazzo's (both the ceremony and reception), and I would enthusiastically recommend it to anyone considering venues. The venue is absolutely stunning and grand with the tall, glass ceilings. Because Pazzo's looks so nice on its own, we hardly spent any money on flowers, decorations, etc. because we didn't need to. One of the most important aspects of the big day is the wedding coordinator. Working with Fay was such a great experience. We asked a LOT of questions on every visit, and not one time did she ever give the impression that we were bothering her. She was patient and helpful, always had a smile on her face, and overall was just a delight to work with. I don't care how nice the venue is, if you have a bad coordinator you will have a bad experience. Fay was outstanding. Numerous guests complimented the food. I don't think most people actually expect wedding food to be anything above average, so it was really nice to hear people complimenting the food at ours. When we did the tasting, everything tasted really, really good, and everything was just as great on the day of too. Also, many people mentioned that they were stuffed, which was nice, because I've been to a lot of weddings where the amount of food served leaves people hungry. We actually opted not to have a late night snack arrive (which seems to be the new trend), and I'm so glad we made that decision, or we would have had a lot of wasted food (and wasted $$). Having the ceremony and the reception there was no issue. We simply went upstairs during happy hour, and came back downstairs for dinner. They had everything changed over during happy hour. Also, they had a back room that one of our ushers had the key too, so he could put things in there that needed to be secure (for example, we had laptops on hand for our slideshow). There is literally only 1 thing that I would change about our wedding day, and that would be to put the guest book somewhere that people will have to walk past it and likely sign it. We put it on the opposite side of the hallway where the receiving line was, and in the end most people walked right past it while waiting in the receiving line. We should have put it in line with the receiving line, so when people were going through it they could have signed it while they were waiting. This has NOTHING to do with Pazzo's, as we requested the location of the guestbook. I'm just saying this so perhaps others won't make the same mistake. Pazzo's for your wedding - 2 thumbs way up. read more

During our search for wedding venues, we ended up stumbling across Pazzo's @ 311 on wedding wire. It was the last venue we looked at, because as soon as we arrived and met with Fay, we decided to book and move forward with Pazzo's. Best decision!! First of all, the venue is absolutely gorgeous, and the natural lighting that comes through from all of the windows in the atrium is wonderful, Fay is amazing, and coordinated everything, she was responsive, patient, and professional. Also, the whole team the day of the event was wonderful, and everything went seamlessly. We were so happy with how everything on our wedding day turned out. You won't regret booking your wedding day at Pazzo's! read more

I wanted a quiet place with great food and service and Pazzo's at 311 delivered. Located in the lower level of 311 S Wacker, Pazzo's is a great place to meet after work for dinner. I ordered the Tortelloni Buongustaio and my friend ordered the Gnocchi Salsa Rsa. Both dishes were excellent, and the server was very attentive. I will definitely dine here again. read more

I can see why someone would want to have their wedding here for the photos alone. I work nearby and didn't know about the place until someone else recommended it and I am glad they did. I got the pan seared tuna and it was cooked perfectly and tasted as good as it looked. They have a menu that is old Italian and the setting is white table cloths geared more towards business lunches. Our waitress was helpful our drinks were promptly refilled and the food all around the table looked great. It is a little difficult to find or it was for me at least as there is no outside signage or anything prominent to let you know there is a restaurant there but I recommend you visit for the food or if you have a wedding coming up it looks like an amazing and unique venue. read more

We were interested in having our wedding here. We met with their wedding planner and found her abrasive and inflexible to even our most basic requests. When we asked if special accommodations could be made for a brother with special needs her response was "we'll seat him at the back" and that was the end of it. When we asked if we could run a bar on consumption she scoffed at us. Needless to say, we didn't bother sticking around to try any food. read more

We had our wedding reception here in December of 2009, and we could not have been more pleased. It is such a unique, breath taking site, and we knew the moment that we walked in that we wanted our reception here. Faye and Carmen helped us with our day, and on the big day, Carmen was present and so attentive to our needs. Faye was excellent at getting back to me throughout the planning process. Carmen was even waiting on us at the head table and making sure we were happy and pleased. We were running late after photos, and she stayed calm and understanding. Also, we brought in our own centerpieces and a lot of decorations the day before, and they worked so hard to set up everything. I never had to worry! When I entered the room that day, I was AMAZED. (And I'm a perfectionist....) Everything looked GORGEOUS, and it was the wedding of our dreams. It was perfect around Christmas time with the decorations too. We have a fabulous photo of my husband spinning me in front of the Christmas tree that they had up. The food was phenomenal. We had the filet and chicken. And, our guests still talk about the dessert bar! Wonderful to work with! I strongly recommend a wedding here with these exceptional people. read more

Read that they have good calamari so I decided to check it out. I arrived 15 minutes after they opened and, as I usually do if I am alone at lunch, asked if I could grab a seat at the bar and was promptly seated. I had a meeting at noon so I didn't have a ton of time. Three employees were there just watching the news so I sat there for a few minutes. None of them could be taken away from their leisurely time so I started sort of looking around thinking maybe they were waiting for me to take the lead but again I was not acknowledged. They then started making very discriminatory comments that I found very inappropriate. Obviously the manager thought so ad well since he came over, said something and turned off the TV. If you cannot separate your time from a bar patron to an employee, you are probably in the wrong profession. And even with that distraction gone STILL no one glanced my way. I looked down and it had been exactly 10 minutes...awkward! I got up and walked out. The hostess apologized on the way out but no one else was coming in; I know you saw me sitting there without being waited on, as did the manager. If you don't want my business, happy to give it to those who do and who don't offend their guests. read more

We got married at Pazzo's in December of 2013. Our wedding was awesome and it was because Fay is amazing. Everything was so seamless and effortless, there was nothing for me to worry about. We looked any many venues downtown, but this was the prettiest and the most affordable. Everyone loved the food, they said it was the best wedding food they had ever had. Plus the atrium is just really lovely. We had our ceremony and reception there. I would recommend it to everyone, there was not one thing that wasn't perfect, as far as Fay and Pazzo's was concerned. They are very popular, so unless you want to get married in the winter, you need to book them WAAAY in advance. read more

We had my daughters wedding at Pazzo's last weekend. I can't say enough about this venue and the event coordinator Faye! First of all Pazzo's is a beautiful space for a wedding, we had about 140 guests and it was just perfect for us. We had many compliments on how beautiful the space was, the food and service of the staff. Faye went above and beyond in helping to make sure everything was perfect! It's also a very affordable option for a downtown wedding. I highly recommend checking out Pazzo's for a wedding reception. read more

Having my wedding in Pazzo's was a dream come true! It was magical and just beautiful! All my guests were awed and most of them commented that it was the best wedding they ever attended. It has everything I could ever hope for---unique, city-esque, an outdoor feel, elegant but not too stuffy. I am also thankful for Faye and Carmen. They were very helpful in planning our wedding and so accommodating to what we needed & wanted. I was so happy they said yes to having a 1/2 chicken and 1/2 prime rib duo instead of what they initially offered in their packages. My friends and family loved the open bar! The food's really good! The bacon and scallops are divine! So is the prime rib! My only regret is I didn't get to enjoy my wedding food as much as my guests. We were so busy mingling with everybody and being the center of attention. It would be awesome if I could be a guest in someone else's wedding lol! I highly recommend this place!!! read more

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We recently got married here on 09/17/16 and guests can not stop telling us how gorgeous and unique this venue is. And the price can not be beat in Chicago. Loved working with Faye, she's so kind and does her best to make what you're thinking possible. The food was good, venue was gorgeous and guests were taken care of. The only issue we had at all is that we had a lot of echoing but that was more our DJ than anything else (for future brides and grooms, make sure to reiterate that to your DJ, since it is a big space). Thanks Pazzo's for making our wedding dreams a reality! read more

We had our ceremony and reception last night and I would not change a single thing. The decor, food, and service were top notch. Fay Sweeney is an angel -- she was so helpful and went above and beyond to make sure everything went smoothly. It was a perfect day! read more

The food all around is good, the quality is right on. If you're in the general area and want have a taste for Mediterranean, this is the place to go to. If you want fake stuff by all means go to Olive Garden or Naf Naf. Authentic is definitely in Pazzo's dishes. read more

Go to the EXPRESS section...If you're really hungry and want something quick around lunch time this restaurant in the loop is great. Not only is the food great but the employees are very nice and treat you well. My favorite on the menu is the chicken pita, it's good for leftovers.. I usually get breakfast from them, they have breakfast burritos you pick the ingredients and they make it for you in no time. The atmosphere of the building is very tropical with palm trees and a fountain to gaze at. There is also a restaurant, for the people that have enough time for lunch. The bartendar Laura is fabulous. read more

Fay at Pazzo's is a great party planner/organizer. Being a bride, I was nervous about everything working out, but Fay could probably help with hosting an amazing wedding in her sleep! She was very knowledgeable and helped us through the whole process. Pazzo's was great to work with and provided wonderful food, based on the compliments from our guests both on the quality (that food was delicious!) and quantity (I've never left a wedding so full!) and was reasonably priced. She really helped to coordinate all of the various vendors and made sure everything was in order leading up to the wedding. I would highly recommend Fay and her team at Pazzo's for any special event needs. read more

This place is across the street from my office and every time I go, I remember exactly why I don't go here that often. The food is ok, but one of the guys behind the counter is a complete troll. He is always in a bad mood and can't be bothered to make any modifications from any of the standard menu items. Don't like pickles? You just ruined his day. Want "easy mayo"? You might as well kick his dog while you're at it. read more

Now I have no eaten here but I had to review on the venue....it's gorgeous and I would love to try this place out now. I was told they host weddings at this venue and I can see why it's perfect that, the service was excellent, the decor fab! I will update when I try their food. read more

I had my wedding here on may 22,2015 and i couldnt be more pleased with the amazing service, beautiful venue and fantastic food. not to mention Fay, the event coordinator is absolutely delightful. she made my dream come true. she and this restaurant deserve 7 stars! read more

Better than the other Pazzo's, but same ownership and cruddy service. Skip both of the Pazzo's, if you want a good meal. Even if you work in the building and it's winter and snowing....go out. read more

My husband and I got married at Pazzo's in November. Overall, it was perfect. Pre-wedding: Fay was very easy to work with. She is very kind and always responds very quickly to all emails. They let us drop everything off before the wedding. We brought a bunch of stuff after the rehearsal when there was no one there, except a guard. They had us place everything in a specific spot so it was on camera the whole night. Everything was there in the morning. It was nice to know that the building guard was watching it. Wedding: Acoustics- Apparently I missed the memo that the DJ needs to come early to set up before the ceremony so everyone could hear what the Reverend was saying. Whoops. That was my fault. Also, make sure the dj understands the venue. The mic cut out during the speeches, so no one could hear. I think that was the biggest downfall of the wedding. :( Food-The tasting was great. The one bite I took at the wedding was great. When we were walking around saying our thank yous, I noticed that everyones plates were empty. We had our cocktail hour upstairs while they transformed the wedding from the ceremony to the reception. The cocktail hour was great. (I recommend having it upstairs) Fay and her team are really pros at flipping this room. I was amazed. It turned out so beautiful. It's so stressful planning a wedding and you have this idea of how your day will turn out and what everything will look like. It took my breath away when I walked into the reception. I am so thankful. Fay was there whenever I needed anything. She is truly a master at what she does. All of our guests kept asking how we found this hidden gem. Overall, if you're thinking about having your wedding here, do it. Don't think twice, just book it. read more

90% of kitchen staff in the Pazzo express line recently changed. The previous kitchen staff were great. They knew the ingredients and everything I ordered was tasty. With the new staff I have ordered the veggie wrap several times and the veggies were crispy instead of sauteed. It was awful. After the 2nd time, it was undercooked I reported it via email to Pazzos. I received a response back with blanks in the sentence. I believe th ey were suppose to customize the email based on my complaint, but they couldn't be bothered! If they weren't so close to the office, I would not have have them so many chances. read more

The calamari here is fantastic. Crisp and seasoned to perfection, accompanied by a very tasty marinara. The setting is incredible -palm trees and waterfalls. The service is terrible. Let me explain. My gf and I sat down for lunch at noon on a Wednesday. Our server was a tall slender gentleman, perhaps late forties, early fifties with kind of a hook nose. Could have been Arabic or some kind of Hispanic, who knows. Anyways, he seemed OK at first, not friendly, but cordial enough. After receiving our food, he did not check on us once. Mind you, their lunch hour was not that busy. When we finished, he brought the check and I gave him my card. Now, I rarely keep more than a couple hundred in checking, as I'd rather just move over what I need from savings as it comes up. This is just a quirky precaution in case I happen to lose my card. I had made a purchase earlier that morning and my balance was lower than the bill total. So hooknose comes back, tosses the card on the table and says "this is no good". Knowing I had more than enough in my account (but forgetting my earlier transaction) my first reaction was to ask what the problem was, to which he responded by throwing up his hands and yelling "there's no money on this card!". Rude. Just plain rude. Psychological assessment: a sense of superiority from working at a semi-upscale restaurant, combined with a sense of inferiority from being a server at his age has adversely affected this gentleman's behavior. If the proprietor of this restaurant is reading this, I strongly recommend a reprimand. Final note: the Caesar salad, while plentiful, was mediocre. Try the Asian. read more

Had the Apple & Walnut Salad. All was good except the chicken was very bland. Would only order again if they would improve the flavor.