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Balagio
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
17501 Dixie Hwy(between Governors Hwy & 175th St)
Homewood, IL 60430
(708) 957-1650
- Hours:
Mon 11 am - 8 pm
Tue-Thu 11 am - 9 pm
Fri 11 am - 10 pm
Sat 4 pm - 10 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
13 reviews for Balagio
13 reviews in English
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Review from Marc F.
Glenwood, IL
10/11/2010
So, once again, my folks joined my wife and I for a night out. Deciding that our trend of visiting the now coupon-centric TGIFridays was getting tiresome, we ventured towards Balagio... to be different. We'd visited them maybe eight to ten months prior, and none of us could come up with reason not to go... so, wallah.
To begin: fearing a line on a Saturday night (in the south suburbs, NOT near Orland Park... I don't know why this was a fear at all...) we made a reservation. Walked right in to a semi-filled dining room. The decor as I'd remembered was still in tact. Dimly lit, elegant, with sports on a few flat screen TV's dotting close to the bar. We were seated and greeted promptly by our friendly waitress.
The menu itself is large enough that there's plenty to try. Everything is a la carte, but adding a cup of soup or side salad to an entree isn't more than a few dollars. So no real complaint there. Balagio brings a bottle of extra virgin olive oil and a cup of Parmesan cheese alongside freshly baked bread. My father really enjoyed the switch from his normal pre-packed butter pats. Drinks were brought out swiftly, and I must note the busboy/water pitcher attendant was a quick draw. I don't think my water glass ever saw less than the 1/2 full mark.
The entire table ordered soup. I must note that there was at least a 10-15 minute wait between our order being placed and the soup arriving to the table. I opted for a bowl instead of the cup... and while my table mates enjoyed piping hot soup, somehow my bowl ended up luke warm at best. Fearing another 10 minute wait, I kept my mouth shut, and enjoyed what I did have. The minestrone was full of fresh veggies and the pasta had a slight bite to it, which was surprising. Had the soup been hotter, I would have loved it.
My folks split a Caesar salad. It was certainly big enough to 2. Heck, if they were less hungry it could easy have made 4 small plates. It looked well dressed, and I heard no complaints. Should note though, again, it was easily 10-15 minutes after our soup was long gone that the salad arrived.
The salad plates were empty, the rolls were gone, and 10-15 minutes ticked off before the entrees arrived. I'm not in the army, and don't need food served the second one plate is clean, mind you, but I feel it needs to be mentioned since everyone at the table noticed how long it took between courses.
So, entress... yes. I myself had the Spaghetti Frutti Di Mare, a dish of well cooked spagetti noodles with a myriad of mussels, shrimp, clams, and calamari. When I say myriad though, I'm being nice. There were 3 perfectly cooked shrimp. 3 mussels, with only 2 still in their shell, a few clams, and a ton of overcooked calamari. The sauce was flavorful, and even had a small kick in the background... but the varying doneness of the included seafood only added to the "meh-ness" of my meal, personally speaking. My father enjoyed the "Country Style Rigatoni" with sausage. My mother's chicken parm was met with a "oh wow, I'm going to take 1/2 of this home", but due to the well timed delivery of the entree, she polished off the plate. My wife had the salmon, which came with a small pile of braised escarole, and 3-4 potatoes. She was well fed, but I personally thought the plate looked incredibly bare in comparison to the rest of the entrees delivered.
My wife and I, being the sugar-toothed gluttons that we were ordered dessert. My wife had the cannoli cheesecake (which when I stole a bite from the leftovers a day later) that didn't yell "cannoli" but was certainly good. I had the warm chocolate bread pudding, which I will say was easily the highlight of my meal. It was sweet, but not cloyingly so. If they had crisped it even a little bit in the oven I think I might have keeled over in delight.. but even in it's sogginess, it was really tasty.
So, all in all, if you've actually read this far, allow me to sum it up: Balagio: make sure you don't have to be anywhere afterwords. It's a step above Olive Garden, with a bigger menu than Carlos Lorenzetti's... A delightfully suburban eatery that won't have you racing back, but won't send you away hungry. -
Review from Doug H.
Homewood, IL
11/27/2011 2 Check-ins Here
We had written off Balagio as a place that stopped trying a couple of years ago but needed a place to go with some seniors who could order something familiar. It turned out to be a happy surprise that they're doing them well and working at being pleasant.
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Review from Deanna C.
Chicago, IL
5/21/2008
Your typical Italian restaurant that also comes with a bar. Basically, it's like Olive Garden without being a chain. The portions you get are generous (if you don't believe me, get the meat lasagna; it's a fricken mountain) and the prices aren't outrageous, but the food was nothing to write home about.
I would suggest coming here for lunch as opposed to dinner or if you do come for dinner, to sit at the bar instead of the dining area. At least that way you can catch the game as well. -
Review from Mopsie B.
Chicago, IL
12/22/2011
I remember the old location as having a more interesting, less standardized Italian. So, I was underwhelmed last night with the current menu. Sooooo boring. And of course, none of the meats are natural, grass fed, wild, or otherwise humanely raised or drug free. I grew up in the South Suburbs and I really don't understand why it's stuck in such a time warp. (I mean, why don't people riot at Walt's being the only grocery store? UGH!) Anyway, that said, the bar area is really pleasant and somewhat modern, if not very imaginative. I got the broiled calamari, which was the only somewhat inventive item on the menu and it was good. The bread was also good and I was able to find at least one palatable white wine on the menu. But that's another thing-- why do all South Suburban restaurants generally serve such swill for wine? Balagio's house wines are Mondavi-- white zin, chardonnay, etc. BORING! Not to mention gross. I got a New Zealand Savignon Blanc and it was very decent. I would not call this place Olive Garden but I do think the original Lorenzetti's is WAY better if you are in the mood for traditional American-Italian cooking. You still have to travel to get anything attempting sophistication in the South Suburbs. Isabella is best for authentic Italian. Tin Fish is best for seafood. I'm sorry I couldn't be more complimentary about Balagio but when your dessert choices are chocolate or vanilla gelato, that's about as boring as it gets.
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Review from Shaina K.
11/1/2009
Almost exactly like an Olive Garden just more expensive. The food was nothing special, and I could have made it at home. At least the bread was good and bottomless! Our server was great too, very attentive and polite.
My husband ordered the steak, and it came out charred on the outside, but almost rare on the inside. His "side" was the potato strips (basically like fries), and they only gave him three. The presentation was pretty, they put a whole bunch of steamed veggies on top of the steak that were not that bad.
I figured I would try something new, so I got a pasta dish that had both red and white sauces mixed together. The portion was huge, tons of bowtie pasta and chicken. The sauce was way too sweet though (maybe too much wine). And the breading on the chicken was really off for the dish.
I doubt we will go back. -
Review from Jef B.
Sacramento, CA
3/11/2008
How can I be the first person to review Balagio?
This is, quite simply, the best Italian restaurant in the Southlands, with the best ambience and staff. Like Bamboo Blue, a Homewood treasure.
The menu is classic Italian but the prices are not much more than a standard American fare restaurant. The wine selection is excellent.
I've always had the best experience here, though getting in on a Saturday night can be rough.
They have a large attached bar and lounge, and quite often have live piano. -
Review from Patrick J.
Chicago, IL
8/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
The calamari was ok. Chicken parmesan was ok. I've tasted better. Very nice decor. I think the chef needs to work on his/her recipes.
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Review from Leslie R.
Lansing, IL
2/25/2010
They are on their way back, thank goodness. The old place had AMAZING food, amazing service, beautiful ambience. I kept hearing and reading that they weren't doing so well once they moved. HOWEVER, they have a new chef and it's quite good. We missed the rough patch, thank goodness!
My husband took me out for a romantic dinner. The usual bread and oil came, the crowd was kind of loud, which was different but I was willing to give it a chance. We had 2 appetizers. The caprese was EXCELLENT, the shrimp cocktail was nasty, fishy, and gross. (And not all deveined, ew). THANK goodness that was the only bad part of the meal. Our entrees were great and the desserts are yummy and homemade (again?, evidently they weren't for a while). Hubs had peach sorbet served in a peach. It was just...mmmm.
The only complaints? The bad shrimp cocktail and the strange service from someone who definitely seemed like she wasn't interested in serving us. I'll chalk it up to being Valentine weekend, because once it emptied a bit and she relaxed she was fine.
For those who have been disappointed since the move? Give Balagio another try. Don't let it to the way of all the other Homewood restaurants that have closed!Listed in: Taste of Suburbia
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Review from carmen b.
Saint John, IN
5/7/2008
Sorry, food snobs been here and was very disappointed. The beans in the Pasta Fasool were crunchy. The Grilled Calimari was chewy and bland. Just another one of your rip off franchises that probably have teenagers cooking. The only good thing was JIM BULANDA singing the Frank Sinatra songs.
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Review from Alexis M.
Homewood, IL
11/18/2009
If this were at their old location (off Ridge road), I would have given them 4 stars. Their new location is in a kind of ruddy neighborhood and it's more like a sports bar now than a higher-end Italian restaurant. Their food is all right, nothing 5 star but tasty none-the-less but the portions are huge.
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Review from Gina C.
Downers Grove, IL
4/12/2010
I had a dinner here for 21 people and I was very disappointed. It was over $17 a person for watery pasta, sausage and peppers, roasted chicken and potatoes. It also included a salad. For $2 extra a person, they included pop and iced tea....um, ridiculous. Our server was inattentive and brought two bowls of each thing for 21 people to share. We had to keep asking for refills instead of her initiating it. The manager stood up against the wall with his arms crossed scowling and hawking our table. It made us very uncomfortable. I was very unimpressed and I would not have another event here.
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Review from Trent C.
Chicago, IL
8/18/2010
Good but not great Italian. I liked the old location better. Good place to go with the family for dinner. Service is a little slow. Food always tastes good. Pasta is decent but not great. Until something better shows up, this is the best Italian available in a sit down restaurant in the Homewood area.
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Review from Peter D.
Homewood, IL
6/1/2010
Loved the old location mostly for the bar. New location lacks ANY character. Sucks. Food has always been so-so, but the ambiance of the old location made it worth going. No more. YOU SHOULD HAVE NEVER MOVED.
