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Bella Bacino's
- Hours:
Tue-Thu, Sun 11:30 am - 9 pm
Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 10:30 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
23 reviews for Bella Bacino's
Review Highlights
"...asparagus eater--and the minestrone soup had plenty of..."
(in 3 reviews)
"Everyone gets great sun-dried tomato bread as a starter."
(in 3 reviews)
"Make sure you save room for dessert."
(in 3 reviews)
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23 reviews in English
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Review from Julie M.
12/27/2010
I have had a Christmas party here 2 years in a row and every year the food has been wonderful.
The first time the service was slower (30+ people) but this year we had the salads and desserts served family style to speed things up. Wine and water glasses were always filled. The entree orders came out within minutes of each other. The owners worked with out group this year to help make sure that the service was faster, and it made a lot of difference.
Caprese salad - excellent, I liked that they added balsamic reduction
Rustica salad - I love fruit, nuts and cheese in salad, so this was excellent mix of sweet and savory. The proscuitto also added a crispy crunch.
Ravioli trio - very tasty, 3 different large (could have been my meal) ravioli
Salmon - very light, no fishy taste.
The bartender was very nice and helped me to find a white wine to try. -
Review from Halah J.
La Grange, IL
11/6/2011
huge disappointment!
My first pizza was served with a burnt black crust. The waiter took it back and brought me a new one about 10 min later. The second pizza was not what I ordered. I told the waiter that it was the wrong pizza, and he said he would take it back again. The two people I was with had already finished eating their pizza, so in my frustration I asked to just get the check so we could leave. I was not even offered an apology from management or comped at least 1/2 of the pizza we were served. I was not offered anything to compensate for my wasted time and frustration from the establishment. I will never eat there again. -
Review from Steve C.
Oak Park, IL
9/8/2011
Dined here in Mid-July on a Thurs night, the place was pretty empty for the most part. Me and the wife came in, the hostess not very friendly, the menu was ok, but like with everybody else on yelp is saying,
THE SERVICE IS 100% HORRIBLE !
We had almost walked out intially, the waitress took about 15 mins before coming over, very inattentive, never around, keep in mind the place was empty. Very rarely do I not leave a tip, this was one of the few times, it was that awful.
The food was actually decent and enjoyable but I would not come back, too many other places and choices othere -
Review from Catherine X.
Chicago, IL
5/18/2010
Why is this place still in business? Darn you, Bella for enchanting me with your cute little veranda and cozy insides. The strewn Christmas lights hanging from the beams and light-up grapes behind the bar were downright a-dork-able. Too bad your food doesn't live up to it.
But alas, this is what I get for not yelping first. But I'm not the only one at fault, I blame downtown LaGrange for having so many closed-on-Sunday and/or shut-down restaurants.
So we strolled in on a Sunday evening famished with few food possibilities in town. The place looked hopping (if you can call it that with all AARP members and their grandkids), so we took a seat.
The gratuitous tomato bread would've just been good by itself. Maybe I'm old fashioned, but it was overpowering the olive oil and parmesan that came with it.
The server pressured us majorly into getting the brick-oven pizza. "It's the only one of its kind in Chicago". Hmm.. I had my doubts. The pizza was paper-thin as promised and mostly burnt on the bottom. When we took this up with the waitress, she said, "Well it's not burnt, it's just been cooked in the oven. That's how it's supposed to be."
Yes, thank you. I now know how things get burnt. You cook them. With fire. That doesn't mean that my pizza WASN'T completely black on the bottom though.
We also ordered the veal with spinach, capers, and artichokes. The lemon juice in addition to the artichokes was a bit excessive, and I found myself pursing my lips a lot. In addition, there were WAY too many capers that I felt my taste buds shriveling from the intake of sodium. Blech blech.
I've learned my lesson, yelp next time! -
Review from Sean B.
Westchester, IL
5/4/2011
Horrible service. Not enough servers, the one server on the Thursday night we were there was running around the whole time. Took way too long to order, eat and get the check. Could have made the salad at home myself and the pizza was just OK.
-
Review from Karen Anne B.
Riverside, IL
11/15/2010
Tasty food and service that started out great but quickly went to "meh."
We were here on Halloween. We got the last table and our drink orders were promptly taken. I was in the mood for something light so I got a bowl of minnestrone and a salad, the hubby got one of their pizzas. The soup was very good, hearty and chunky. The salad was good - not outstanding but not awful by any means. Hubby seemed to enjoy his pizza.
Our server was very attentive at first. Then, at some point she vanished. We wanted dessert. I kept seeing her in the kitchen, but she never came out. Finally another server picked up on the fact that I kept trying to stare her down, and took our order. Then it took a little bit for the check to come. Because of the warm and cozy atmosphere and the food, I decided not to take a star off... this time. Definitely worth a visit. -
Review from JoAnne H.
Chicago, IL
12/10/2008
I had lunch here today, and it was a great experience. I had never been here before, and was looking for a nice place to eat on a Wednesday. It was very empty inside--I think only two other tables had guests--and we were seated and greeted immediately.
The server brought this amazing soft, warm tomato bread (someone else mentioned the bread in a previous review) with olive oil. We all ordered the lunch special off the list of about 5-6 different panini sandwiches. There were plenty of pasta dishes and whatnot, but the panini combinations listed on the menu looked too good to pass up. The paninis each came with a small cup of soup and a small salad. It was delicious! My panini had cheese, zucchini, asparagus and red peppers inside--cooked and prepared perfectly for this picky asparagus eater--and the minestrone soup had plenty of black pepper, which was nice on a blustery cold Chicagoland day.
I will definitely head back to this place. I am sorry to read the other reviews about bad service...our server was very nice, and the people behind the bar greeted us as soon as we came in. I have to say that the best part was getting some very freshly baked, gooey and delicious chocolate chip cookies on the house! -
Review from Shain C.
Berwyn, IL
7/13/2010
Had a craving for some thin crust, neopolitan pizza the other day and my boss recommended Bella Bacino's and it hit the spot. (And I'm not just saying that to kiss up to my boss.)
The service was a bit on the flaky side, and I thought there was a dirty mop smell wafting through the restaurant from time to time, but it didn't detract from my ultimate goal of a good pizza and a Peroni. -
Review from Brett D.
12/7/2010
Lovely for Lunch.
We already know that downtown La Grange is quite the hot little hub in its own right when it comes to dining out, but did you also know that its Italian muse, Bella Bacino's, is not only pasta perfect but *the* spot for oenophiles? Just take one step inside and you'll determine pretty quickly that while Bella's means business when it comes to pizzas, paninis and pastas, it's just as downright dedicated to Cabernet, Chablis and Chardonnay.
One part wine club, one part restaurant and all parts adorable, really enjoyed my working lunch at the La Grange Bella's location. While the restaurant was unfortunately a bit of a ghost town on a Thursday for lunch (don't La Grangers eat out?), service was absolutely attentive and the food was lovely. Starters of a bright caprese salad and piping hot minestrone soup were positively yummy... my minestrone seemed to be lacking a bit of seasoning, but it was nothing a little salt and some fresh grated parm didn't quickly remedy. My DC and I could barely contain ourselves, however, when our main dishes arrived at the table. Eager as beavers we dug into our intoxicatingly aromatic entrées; a fabulously light and crisp Napoletana-style truffle and smoked mozzarella pizza and a gorgeous plate of fluffy ricotta-filled ravioli dripping in tangy red sauce and draped with curls of fresh basil. Oooooooh, Ahhhhhhh, Oh, YUM. So very comforting and scrumptiously hitting all the right spots for a necessary winter warm up.
A charming, rustic interior and an incredibly friendly owner who is wholeheartedly enthusiastic in sharing stories of his passions for all things wine round out a truly enjoyable experience at Bella Bacino's. My Italiano seal of approval certainly goes to that delectable marinara sauce while my peaked curiosity remains for the special vino events. Rioja + Ravioli? Sign me up! -
Review from Erin S.
Chicago, IL
1/21/2008
I've been to this restaurant and really enjoyed it... the food was good, service was fine.
But, I've had two separate experiences that will cause me to never go back.
The first time, we ordered carryout... two, small, pizzas. Nothing difficult. Straight off the menu. Went and picked it up (and had to wait a while for it to be ready), got them home, tried to dig in, and they were both burned on the bottom... and not just brown and crispy (which I like), but black. Not good, but didn't feel like driving back to complain.
The second time, we went in. We wanted some pizza, some chianti, a chance to grab a somewhat quick meal. Unfortunately, although all we ordered (for two of us) was one appetizer, two glasses of wine, and two individual pizzas, it took us almost 2 hours to get through dinner, and it's not because we're slow eaters... the service was just that bad. The waitress took our order, brought us our drinks, and then left after screaming at the chef and didn't come back. We eventually managed to flag down the manager, and she went and got our food... we were never offered anything else to drink to actually go with our meal. (Not even for us to pay for ourselves)... Never offered a free drink, never offered an apology, barely offered the food we ordered (and paid for). I've never left such a small tip before (I think we left about $2, and I'm usually a 20% tipper).
And, we weren't the only ones... there were about 5 or 6 other tables of people (2-4 people at each table), and no one was getting their food.
I will never go back to establishment. They don't know what they're doing. -
Review from Jen I.
La Grange Park, IL
6/10/2011
3 stars overall. Food and wine I've had puts it solidly as a 4. However, I've never had good enough service here - 2 stars for service.
Wine menu is great.
If you like calamari, I beg of you, order the calamari griglia. Appetizer or small plate. So good. I had it as an entree once :)
Caprese classico is perfect in August, otherwise (as with many places), the tomatoes may not be that great.
Love the Rigatoni con Mozzarella - House made tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil and Parmigiano Reggiano (meat can be added). Husband and I both love this. Nicely spiced sauce.
Have not tried anything else but will update if I do. We may end up sticking with takeout and drinking our own wine at home due to inattentive and apathetic servers. -
Review from bobbi n.
Brookfield, IL
8/24/2008
I really really really love the food here. Everyone gets great sun-dried tomato bread as a starter. They have a mushroom pasta dish that is great, a rotating selection of ravioli that is awesome, and a filet dish that is amazing. We never get alcohol here because the meal is expensive enough (we're poor) for us, although we consider the quality of food to make the price an excellent value.
But, their service does live a bit to be desired. Normally, it's been fine, but there's this one waitress, who for the life of me, I can't remember her name (blonde, foreign accent, not the Australian though) who is TERRIBLE. We've had her twice and she was awful both times. Last time we went, we said that if we got her again, we'd ask for a different waitress, but it's now been over a year and we haven't been back.
The atmosphere is very nice and I think that someone would feel comfortable there for both nice dinner out on a date or also with a group of friends dressed casually. In the summer they open the front windows so some tables are outdoors.
In any case, I would definitely recommend the food, but would plan for at least an extra hour of dining time because sometimes the service can be very slow. -
Review from Matthew S.
Bolingbrook, IL
4/22/2010 1 Check-in Here
I have eaten twice now at this restaurant for lunch. The lunch crowd is surprisingly slow for a restaurant in down town La Grange, especially so since this restaurant is located right on the main drag. The atmosphere is nice though and the restaurant is small. When there are only a few people it is a great place to sit down and chat, but I can imagine it can get loud if crowded.
My experience there has been pleasant both visits. The food was flat out excellent and in one case with the Chicken parmesan enough for two people itself.
The wait staff is also very good and in the case of my second visit they brought out extra potatoes to my colleague for him to take home after he commented how much he enjoyed them. An excellent but small gesture. -
Review from Nikkie H.
Chicago, IL
1/2/2008
I would've given this five stars, but the bartender was HORRENDOUS! We decided to sit at the bar instead of waiting 30 minutes for a table, and it was as if we weren't really there. The bartender was totally pleasant to us, but rude to the servers that came up for drinks. She would snap at them, roll her eyes, boss them around...too much.
The saving grace was the food and the owners. We ordered bruschetta, which wasn't very good, but the main dishes were outstanding. I had the Cavatapi con Pollo which was to die for and my boyfriend ordered a pizza done just right. In fact, while we waited for our food, the owners came up to us and gave us a pizza for free because they made the wrong one for somebody else. Heck yea!
I will definitely go back there again, but will probably avoid the bar area. -
Review from Kara H.
Chicago, IL
9/17/2008
my husband and I stumbled into this restaurant/wine bar while searching for a dinner spot. I'm so glad we did.
we took a seat at the bar and ordered a bottle of wine. the atmopshere is cozy and warm. I loved the exposed brick walls.
I decided to go with one of their pizzas. there were so many specialty pizzas to chose from so our waitress helped me pick by suggesting one of her favorites (prosciutto and carmelized onions) so good! very thin and crispy.
My husband had a rigatoni/mushroom dish - it was okay - I'd stick with the pizzas.
the owner was very friendly and told us about the many wine tasting events they have there.
service was a little slow, but very helpful and friendly. -
Review from Lars S.
San Francisco, CA
12/30/2010 1 Check-in Here
The roasted calamari was FANTASTIC. The pastas were almost really good. The tomato sauce was perfectly balanced. Excellent wine list.
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Review from amy t.
McCook, IL
4/12/2010 ROTD 7/21/2010
Oh, man, were we lucky ducks tonight! A friend and I decided to walk around downtown LaGrange to grab a bite to eat, and wandered into Bella Bacino's. Saw a sign for an "Open House - meet greet and eat" event, but requested to just sit for dinner. The waitress came by and we decided to go with the Open House special - $30/person - 2 glasses of wine and what ended up being a parade, a huge delightful parade of delicious wonders!
Definitely an oddball night to judge how things normally operate, as our server just brought out plates as we were ready for them, very attentive, nice, great all around.
BUT THE FOOD - gaaah - delish! Started with a self-serve-appetizer set up on the bar - couple of chicken dishes, some crostini-type things, calamari, roasted veggies, antipasti - YUM! Then we sat at our table and had small plate after small plate brought out to us. More than one reference to the movie "Big Night" - meatballs, a couple pasta dishes (rich sauces, but not heavy), a salad with tenderloin, paninis, chicken dishes, oh my lord. Just food! Good food! Almost too much food! BUT NOT REALLY because it was just so so so damn tasty.
For the two of us, with 2 glasses of wine each, and tip included (weird?) it was under $80. Didn't look at the prices of their regular menu, but if they offer this regularly - once a month or something? - I would totally recommend for an easily-split-bill kind of group outing. Mmmmm... -
Review from Leslie P.
Chicago, IL
5/17/2010
I've been here a couple of times. The first time was OK. The server was nice, and our pizza was decent although a little underdone.
The second time was terrible. We went here because we thought we could get in and out in a reasonable amount of time. We were wrong. It took two hours to get our meal. We ended up having to take everything to go because we didn't have time to eat it there.
If you can get served, the food isn't bad. Just make sure you plan to come here when you have plenty of time on your hands. -
Review from Grace G.
Cicero, IL
4/21/2006
I know I shouldn't even be reviewing this restaurant because it's not like I've ever been. But I was, I just never got past the maitre'd. The Hub and I walked into the restaurant on a Wednesday night about 8:30 p.m. The place was dead, but it was open...or so we thought. We were told that they weren't seating anyone any longer because they were closing. We asked why since it was way before closing time, and they didn't have a reason...just told us that they were closing. Needless to say, it was the last time the Hub and I ever stepped foot into the place. We figured with all the restaurants in LaGrange, this place is obviously not hurting that they can turn away patrons during their regular serving hours. C'est la vie!!
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Review from Olivia H.
Chicago, IL
7/18/2011
My husband and I dined here for the first time this weekend. I wish I would have checked Yelp first, and just avoided the place all together. The food was pretty good but the waitress brought me the wrong entree. She offered to correct the mistake, which was great, but she also put the wrong appetizer down at the same time. (We got our appetizer at the same time as our entree.) I tried to get her attention to correct our appetizer but she wouldn't come to our table. I finally got the host to come to our table and he said that he would ask the waitress but he came back saying it's what we ordered. (To clarify, we ordered marinated olives and they brought us a pot of melted cheese with prosciutto.) Now the appetizer was good but it just wasn't what we ordered and the waitress wouldn't come over and talk to us about the mistake. She finally brought me my correct entree, which was good, but when she brought us the bill she had charged me for the wrong entree and the wrong appetizer (both more expensive than my actual order). We pointed out to the waitress the mistake on the bill and she got the manager who then sort of challenged us with our concern, bringing over a menu and asking us to point out what we ordered. In the end, they comp'd us the appetizer but seriously, the service was a mess. No one was very friendly and our experience was sort of crap, considering we dropped like $80 on the meal (we ordered a bottle of chianti with dinner). I will never dine her again, ever. I have also told my friends to avoid this place. There's lots of restaurants in La Grange, no need to waste your time at this one.
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Review from Kristin L.
Chicago, IL
10/1/2005
Another one of my all time favorite places to eat! The overall experience is quite classy, but you won't feel out of place if you're dressed casually. The portions are usually large, the food is delicious, and the wine selection is impressive. Make sure you save room for dessert!
Listed in: Simply Yummy
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Review from John W.
Chicago, IL
4/26/2010
Im not a huge fan of the dining scene in La Grange to start with. But I did eat here and here is my review: Its an average Italian joint in the burbs, nothing to write home about but not bad either. Service was pretty good
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Review from Kate M.
La Grange, IL
4/3/2010
This place is very cute. The pasta was delish...6 of us went and we all loved the food. The servers were very friendly. I couldn't pick between two dishes, and without me even asking, the server brought out a large sample of the ravoli for me to try...for free! They talked with our kids a bunch of times. Kid friendly and good food. They also did a nice job of keeping dinner fast...which is important with kids. We will be back to try the brick oven pizza. Also...try the minestrone soup.
