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La Gondola Italian Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Pizza Restaurants Italian Pizza, Italian [Edit]
2914 N Ashland Ave(between George St & Oakdale Ave)
Chicago, IL 60657
Neighborhood: Lakeview
(773) 248-4433
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 4 pm - 11 pm
Sat 11 am - 11 pm
Sun 12 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Casual, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Sarah D. said: "super cheap. easy online ordering is really nice. delivery is not the fastest BUT HEY, i live like a mile away so i'm the lazy one." read more »
427 reviews for La Gondola Italian Restaurant
Review Highlights
"Stuffed Gnocchi (with ricotta cheese in pesto sauce."
(in 28 reviews)
"Every time I go I get the lobster ravioli."
(in 36 reviews)
"Very tasty thin crust - which we like best."
(in 41 reviews)
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427 reviews in English
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Review from Marlon M.
Oak Park, IL
1/20/2012
I truly miss my old west Lakeview / Wellington Park neighborhood - specifically because of this spot! In a deep-dish town, I'm truly a thin-crust pizza guy. And La Gondola is my favorite thin-crust pizza! I stumbled onto this place shortly after we moved into the area. Their extra-thin crust pizza has a great sauce, crunchy cracker crust and the sausage is awesome! Their shrimp pizza was also a favorite of mine as well. This was my go-to spot - and it's been hard to find a replacement in the west burbs. We weren't as fond of their deep-dish, because that crust was a bit dry and bland, but I'm not a deep-dish guy anyway. My wife really enjoyed their other dishes as well, like the Eggplant Parmesan.
I moved just before their Belmont location opened up - and plan to bring the family back for a good sit-down very soon. The staff is awesome and nothing has lived up to their thin-crust pizza where I live now. -
Review from Amy W.
West Chicago, IL
1/15/2012
I loved it!
One thing I need to emphasize is the size of the actual restaurant. It's like a small walk-in closet. If you're eating at the restaurant, make a reservation and expect a very cozy experience. There are only five tables and the room to move is extremely limited! I'm not complaining, but I guess I didn't fully understand how small the space was actually going to be.
The food was great! I'm not really sure what else to say. I had the carbonara and it was divine! The portion was humungous. It was probably three or four servings, but I managed to polish it off in just two. Our service was great and I really enjoyed my first La Gondola experience. I'll probably order take-out next time because it's just so much easier! The menu is vast and I know I should try something new the next time I go/order, but the carbonara is going to be hard to pass up. I'm looking very forward to my next meal from La Gondola.
Go! You'll be glad you did. -
Review from An P.
Chicago, IL
1/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
Mama mia!!!!!!
I was STARVING. Wandering around Roscoe Village before my dart match, I hadn't had lunch and hunger was getting the best of me. Dizzy, I fortunately found myself at La Gondola (who has not seem them at a Yelp event!). It was about six and I took up a table by the door. What you should know about La Gondola on Ashland is that 1) it is very small 2) MAKE reservations! Since I was very lucky I was the only one in the restaurant without a reservation.
I ordered veal parmesan and out came bread and olive oil. Yes, bread to break my fast and it was a mighty magical bread and I refrained from engulfing the entire loaf since the hunger was getting the better of me. After this some minestrone came out and I returned an empty bowl. Next came a giant stack of veal parmesan but I could not finish all of that food. It was delicious because it was crunchy and the cheese and the sauce all blended in to make me want to Pac Man everything.
I refrained, and for that I was rewarded with leftovers. 99.99% of the time I refuse to eat out by myself, but in the 00.01% chance that I am starving and willing to eat by myself, there could be no better place than LA GONDOLA! -
Review from Nulito C.
Chicago, IL
1/22/2012
Such a lovely place!
We had lunch and the small and cozy restaurant on Ashland Ave. Me and my daughter had Fettucini Alfredo and my husband had Grilled seafood plate. The fresh bread was so tasty, it reminded me of grandma's homemade bread! Loved the food and friendly staff! -
Review from Jenna M.
Chicago, IL
1/27/2012
Delicious pasta dishes. Good service. Nice intimate setting. Delicious egg drop and spinach Italian soup.
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Review from Felicia F.
Chicago, IL
1/4/2012
Excellent for comfort Italian food.
The portions are huge. There has never been a dish I've ordered that I haven't liked.
Delivery service is excellent! -
Review from Kelly C.
Chicago, IL
12/7/2011
I do not have one negative thing to say about this place or their delivery service. The first time I went there was with a friend because she had a groupon but I would gladly pay full price. In fact since my first visit I have ordered delivery from here.
I will admit I was a little thrown off because it is in a strip mall but inside it's very cozy and quaint. Our server, D, was good and made a few suggestions and then talked us into a fantastic Tiramisu (I mean really it didn't take much convincing!). Some people thought the service was slow but we were chatting and I didn't notice it being overly slow.
The gnocchi was amazing! I had the Gnocchi Piemontese and it was fabulous and there was so much of it I had it for 2 days after! I have also had the Gnocchi Caprese and it was excellent as well! I would highly recommend any of the Gnocchi dishes.
Very happy a friend introduced me to this gem...and that they deliver!Listed in: Tour of Gnocchi
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Review from ashley m.
Chicago, IL
1/25/2012
Yum! Gnocchi capris was soooooooo good! Sausage pizza was great too! I will def be ordering from here again and again
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Review from Christopher K.
Chicago, IL
12/19/2011
I have been getting carryout from here for awhile now and have loved the food. Over the weekend we went and ate at the tiny restaurant in a strip mall for the first time since we had a Groupon. Getting a table was easy since we had a reservation.
Food: The pasta here is repeatedly amazing! Serving size is a little large which makes for great leftovers at work. Of course after all the pastas I have tried here I always come back for their signature dish Rigatoni Boscaiola. I absolutely LOVE this dish. The pizza is wonderful too and I have yet to try any of their specialty dinners.
Drinks: Tiny drink selection but for the size of the place it's perfect. For me, as long as their is somewhat of a decent wine selection I'm good to go.
Service: Carryout service has always been fantastic but for our first sit down experience, couldn't ask for better service. She was friendly, fun and prompt. Kinda can't deliver bad service in such a tiny little place unless the kitchen messes up.
Overall: For great Italian food, this place is perfect. A little tiny and a lot of carryout traffic makes it not one of the more intimate Italian restaurants though it is cozy but the food is outstanding. I will continue to do carryout and will come back and eat at this little restaurant again. -
Review from Jeff S.
Chicago, IL
1/21/2012
I usually go here for their thin crust pizza. IMO, its the best on the north side. I don't really like their deep dish though.
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Review from Rachel S.
Rolling Meadows, IL
1/7/2012
I ate at La Gondola for the first time last night and it was AMAZING! The food was delicious, server Dee was friendly and the manager Dana even came by to ask how we were doing. Such a pleasant experience and I cannot wait to go again!
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Review from Tim S.
Tinley Park, IL
11/29/2011
So I'll just go right ahead and say the food is pretty good. Not amazing, but pretty good. Let's say it's a step above the Olive Garden.
But do not, by any means, go in at 5:00pm on a Saturday, for you shall bear witness to a most unholy gathering of souls.
Scoff, I dare you! But you do not know about the unholy mixture of children under the age of 6 and elderly women over the age of 70 who pile in to La Gondola together as one huge gaggle of pasta and sippy cup destroyers!
Woe to those who enter into the bowels of La Gondola from 4:30pm-6:00pm as they shall fall to their knees from the pain of ear piercing screams from children! Woe to those who trespass into this cavern of suffering, they shall scratch out their eyes as they view hordes of old women in fake fur pull their dentures out in order to better ingest their spaghetti with meat sauce add mushroom with a small side salad and a CUP, a CUP of soup!
But after that time period it's a pretty nice date place, I recommend it if you're going to Stage 773... -
Review from Meridith E.
Chicago, IL
10/17/2011
I.DIE.
When I got their lasagna, I about keeled over from excitement. There's a sweet and savory aspect to their sauce, and the cheese filling was herby and delicious.
I hate to say that I ate the entire thing myself, but I did. What can I say. I'm excited to go back but I'm vowing to try something different to broaden my horizons.
They are courteous and will help you with the menu if need be. -
Review from Miguel B.
Chicago, IL
11/10/2011
Last night I went to La Gondola and today, I had to join Yelp in order to write about it - because I believe it is a really worthwhile restaurant.
Now, I didn't go to crazy or too in-depth into the food itself, but, I did have their extra thin crust pizza. I thought it was going to be super thin, as it is in Italia, and thus, decided to order it. It wasn't super thin as in Italy, but that was not a disappointment because the pizza is one of the best that I have ever had - in Chicago or in the nation.
I ordered an extra thin sausage and giardinera pizza and I will be going back here...all the time!
If you're at least a pizza person, then I'd recommend for you to stop by and try their food/pizza!
Cheers,
MB
PS: I was really thrown off that it was in a strip mall - next to a Jewel, but really, don't let this stop you. -
Review from Dhruv P.
11/2/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Don't let the location scare you off like it did for me when I was introduced to this gem a few years ago.
Its in a strip mall :( but inside its the coziest place you'll be. Very intimate, great for a date, the food is exceptional, and servings are generous. Plus, if you go to the bathroom, you have to go through the kitchen and see the employees there.
You can also have the food for takeout, and sometimes its the only option when they are packed (they have like 5-6 tables). -
Review from Bryan H.
Chicago, IL
12/12/2011
La Gondola; Perfect for what it is and doesn't try to be something it's not.
This is an extremely cozy "strip mall" restaurant that will leave you quite surprised.
It's true that there are only 6 or 7 tables inside, so reservations are almost always required. They use Opentable, which likely causes some issues for "walk-ins" having to wait due to needing to respect the pending reservations. You can of course also call ahead before you leave home, and have a table ready when you arrive. I've never waited more than 10 minutes here; even on a weekend. Im surprised by the other reviewers who were angry that there was a wait, on a weekend, in a place with 7 tables.....
The Food: Incredible and affordable. This is really really good Italian food without trying to be too pretentious or "silly-fancy". You aren't ordering Primi, Secondo, Contorni, and Digestivi. This is American-Italian. You get your appetizer, wine, entrée, and if you have room desert. But the options are numerous and wonderful. I haven't had a dish I wasn't impressed by.
Most recently I had the Pesce Risotto, as I was craving seafood. This risotto was CHOCK full of huge mussels, clams, squid, baby grilled octopi, huge shrimp, and probably other yummy things I missed. Huge portion and wonderful. I couldn't believe how much seafood was in this risotto; simply abundant.
You will have a hard time ordering wrong here.
Service: It's true; we have "our' waiter: D. So I may be slightly biased, but that being said, how does an ordinary waiter end up becoming "your waiter"?
By being extraordinary. The second time we came here, D remembered us from our previous visit a few weeks back, and welcomed us as friends. I was astounded that he remembered our previous visit, and was quite impressed. Since then, D has learned our names and welcomes us back warmly each time we visit. Nice friendly chats at the table, coupled with wonderful menu suggestions and wine pairings; one of the best server's I have ever encountered.
Service is at a more leisurely pace in this restaurant. They aren't trying to turn tables and aren't trying to "get you in to get you out". Of course, in a restaurant of 7 tables, its easy to catch your server's eye if you need something. They let you take your time to enjoy your meal; the timing is wonderful. Things do sometimes get busy; but if you are in a rush and let your server know, they will accommodate you to ensure you get everything you need to get to that movie on time!
Take out: Again, very impressive. I just wish I lived closer! Food is wrapped up nicely, and you get lots of bread and everything you would enjoy as if you were dining in. I think the majority of their business is take-away; and they do it well.
Overall, I recommend La Gondola highly, and for a modest price you can enjoy a wonderful meal and evening out. -
Review from Dan P.
Chicago, IL
11/2/2011 16 Check-ins Here
You know whats better then Rigatoni Vodka after a night of drinking vodka? Heating it up the next morning.
La Gondola is a sweet little spot in an unsuspecting location. The interior is nice and dim, small and cozy.
The food yo! THE FOOD! Fuhget'afuckin'bout it.
The best Italian in the city?! It just might be.
I'm kinda a purist at heart, when it comes to ethnic cuisine, so I would never call pizza an Italian food. But a Chicken Vesuvio in that white wine sauce baked to skin crispy perfection?! For christ sake, its named after the mountain that buried Pompeii!!! But I digress. The pastas with tomato cream sauce can not be done better, then they are here. Rigatoni Vodka or Boscaiola are knock outs. Plus the portions are HUGE!!!
I admit, this review had been written while devouring a leftover Rigatoni Vodka, a morning after getting drunk. -
Review from Tera D.
10/22/2011
Well, after much ado trying to get into this place, we finally managed to make a reservation for one of their 6 tables. And in the end, it was worth the effort. The staff is friendly with a definitely mom and pop feel, which just feels so right when it comes to Italian food.
They start with the bread, which is surprisingly light and fluffy. For our appetizer we went with the mussels in spicy marinara sauce. OMG, the sauce. Hands down the highlight of the night. The mussels themselves are almost frighteningly huge and they are very soft and sort of melt in your mouth. And the sauce, oh the sauce. If you get them, make sure you save some bread for dipping in the sauce. We actually asked them to doggie bag every last drop of the sauce once the mussels were gone, and we used it the next day at home. Ahhhh, it is so good.
Ok, moving on to entrees. We had the stuffed gnocchi with meat sauce and the veal saltimbocca. Both were very good, fresh, and flavorful. We will definitely be returning to try a few more things on the menu and scarf some more of the spicy marinara sauce! -
Review from Christopher Z.
Chicago, IL
12/8/2011
Need to wine and dine your date?... go to La Gondola. Want some seriously good carry -out Italian food?.. go to La Gondola. Need a top notch pizza delivered to your door?.. Call La Gondola. Bottom line - Go to La Gondola!
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Review from Alexandra I.
Chicago, IL
12/6/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Amazing pasta and service)
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Review from Jessica B.
Chicago, IL
8/15/2011
This place is just amazing. You would never guess it since it's in a mini mall, but once you walk in, you totally forget that--it's super cozy and intimate and the service is FANTASTIC.
I ordered a glass of wine and the eggplant parm. My finace got some sort of chicken with mushrooms. Both were amazing. I had leftover eggplant parm for three days! I finished every bit of it.
**Call for reservations first, there are only 6 or so tables, so it's tough to get it--but WELL worth it!! -
Review from Jennifer P.
Chicago, IL
8/13/2011
One of our go to places. Their marinara is really yummy. Usually sauce isn't my thing but I take more than usual when we order from here.
We have yet to order something that we don't really like. As far as appetizers go, we've only ordered pizza bread and it's great. The crust is crunchy and the bread is soft. We really liked the baked mostaccioli but be forewarned there's a lot of cheese, not only on top but baked within it as well. The rigatoni primavera was really amazing. Great mixture of flavors. Their ravioli is huge and filling in the best of ways. My favorite was the cheese ravioli.
So glad we found this place...and that they deliver! -
Review from James V.
Chicago, IL
7/12/2011
After eating my leftovers from last night, I was inspired to write a review for this place.
I came here at about 10:20pm since they were one of the few options for Italian on Monday night after I got off of work at 10. I work for http://GrubHub.com and I know them from talking to them on the phone. They're always super sweet when I talk to them so I figured it's got to be a nice place.
I was surprised by how small it was, but I found it really charming and cute. I guess because it was so late, they had quite a few tables open.
As far as the food goes, I loved it all. From the bread to the lobster ravioli to the tiramisu, it was all perfect. The price was reasonable in my opinion, considering I had lunch and dessert for the next day for about about $30.
Thinking this is going to be a regular after work spot for me. :) -
Review from Pete V.
6/24/2011 8 Check-ins Here
Tucked away in a nonchalant strip mall mired in big box retailers and a Boston Market, La Gondola is the true hidden gem in Lakeview, just ask the locals who incessantly stroll in on a week night clamoring for their take out orders.
La Gondola has quickly become our favorite casual Italian restaurant. Great service, outstanding food (especially the pasta), very reasonable prices, and CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP bottles of wine. A superb value.
We went back last night and again had a wonderful meal. Our favorite server Dee was there. We started off with a bottle of wine, but couldn't remember which one we liked on our last visit. Dee said no problem, and not only described every bottle they had on the list, he brought over four bottles he thought we would like and poured us a tasting of each! The table next to us was so jealous they asked him to pour them a tasting too!
Our favorite was the Valpolicella and it was only $25...on top of that it wasn't even the cheapest bottle on the list!
The pasta here is soo delicious. I highly recommend the stuff gnocchi, lasagna, Rigatoni Boscaiola (fabulous creamy tomato sauce with Italian sausage and mushrooms), and my personal favorite is the Eggplant Monte Carlo...a huge mound of lightly breaded eggplant in a wonderful white wine sauce with mushrooms and topped with melted parmesan.
We were so stuffed at the end of our meal and still had tons leftover to take home.
If you haven't tried La Gondola and you like authentic Italian food, this is a must try it. Just be warned this place is TINY, so reservations are a must...just check OpenTable. The have exactly 7 tables (one is a 2 top and the others are 4 tops) and the place is usually jam packed Thurs - Sat. Plenty of parking and don't forget to bring along a http://Restaurant.com gift cert if you're planning to dine on a week night! -
Review from Fabian B.
Chicago, IL
6/22/2011
You want to love the place. But if you are into food, you wont. Welcome to a typical american "Italian" restaurant.
Atmosphere: Cosy, homey. Loveable.
Service is great, very, very friendly, they make you feel at home straight away. Impeccable.
BUT: 1. Their menu is way too big. I am guessing more than 75 different dishes. 2. Their portions are way too big, too. A starter that looks like it could feed 4 people ? Just wrong. After finishing that have them pack up your main straight away.
Then, the food: Unfortunately, even though presented very nicely, it's just bland. Ive had Rigatoni with meat sauce - but there was hardly any flavor.
Shame really as this could be great.
Thing is though - it looks like people love this place.
So, if you need food and are about to starve and do not really care too much about what it is: Go.
If you are a someone who loves Italian food for the flavor and texture etc: Avoid. -
Review from Joanne B.
7/6/2011
Have you ever passed a place 100 times and not realized it was there? This was one of those places. It is in a strip mall along with a Jewel. Reservations for a Saturday night can be tricky - we had to skip OpenTable and call the restaurant directly. There are only six tables.
Our server, D, was awesome. He had a great knowledge of the menu and made sure everything about our meal was going smoothly. When he said, "are you ready for a lot of food," I thought he was just schmoozing. He was right! The two of us ended up with at least a pound of pasta each!
The food itself was good. It is the typical italian-american fare. I had enough for 2 meals afterwards.
I would have given La Gondola five stars, but there was only one snag. We had to leave to get to a show and it took a while to get the bill. I understand that they are busy but my party felt ignored.
We'll be back! -
Review from Gina S.
6/16/2011 2 photos
Located in a strip mall, the restaurant itself holds no more than 6 tables. It's about a 20ft by 20ft box of a restaurant, the kitchen looked larger than the dining area. We had a party of 5 without a reservation and felt lucky they had an open table large enough to accommodate us; we fit snugly.
I wouldn't exactly call it an intimate or romantic restaurant either. The strip mall exterior killed that thought. I felt a little claustrophobic and a little like an eavesdropper too. There was NO privacy from the conversations at neighboring tables.
I was surprised that the wine list was as limited as it was for an Italian restaurant. My Dad and I read each others minds, we both asked if they had Lambrusco...which they didn't. The didn't even have Chianti. I just stuck with water, and I'm glad I did because my brother ordered a soda. It came in a can for $2.50. For that kind of money we could have walked over to the Jewel-Osco and bought a 12-pack. This kid drinks soda like water and the point of ordering soda for him is to be able to get free refills.
The menu prices are what they would be in a classy Italian restaurant, $15-20 per entree. But ambiance is not up to par with that kind of price tag.
After a week in Mexico indulging on buffets of food, my stomach could only handle soup and salad. There were two soup options, both vegetarian, minestrone and egg drop spinach. I went with egg drop because I've had minestrone before and thought it'd be nice to try something different. Huge disappointment, it was basically Chinese egg drop soup with cook spinach in it. It lacked any kind of flavor or spice. Even though I'm not a sausage person, I found myself wishing there had been some spicy Italian sausage in it to give it something more or even a spicy tomato broth could have been better. I had the La Gondola salad; romaine, Gorgonzola cheese, endive, tomatoes and kalamata olives, tossed in their house dressing. It was okay.
The rest of my crew ordered a mix of meat Tortellini, Mostaccioli w/meat sauce and Lasagna. The portions were big but the general consensus was mediocre at best. The tortellini received the comment, "It was okay, but I've had better frozen tortellini." The mostaccioli comments were, "The noodles were really skinny and the sauce was nothing special. For $12, I expected something more authentic." The lasagna, "It's good", which was accompanied with a shrug. I tried the lasagna and I didn't think anything much of it, pretty plain. No one finished their entrees.
Our server lacked the service attitude and had an even less engaging personality and I felt we were ignored most of the time we were there. She came only to take our order and give us our bill, the water server did most of the maintenance on our table.
When we were finished, we sat around for about 10 minutes before we were attended to for to-go containers. The bill took another 10 minutes to round up. In the meantime everyone did a round on the restroom facilities. I don't know which is the biggest turn off, that the bathrooms are located through the kitchen or that they are no bigger than a small closet. The guys said the men's bathroom was no bigger than the little table we sat at. You could wash your hands while seated on the toilet.
I would never go there knowing what I know now. -
Review from Julie H.
Chicago, IL
11/7/2011
Perfect-o! I have never dined in the actual restuarant and don't know that I would. It is really really small. However, every meal I have ever picked up from their to go counter or had delivered to my front door have been delicious. I usually get baked spaghetti or lasagna and the love of my life really likes the linguini in clam sauce. The bread is fresh and yummy. The sauteed spinach is made perfectly. The portions are HUGE! GINORMOUS! A meal from this place lasts almost all week as left overs. We always get soup, too which is fabulously good.
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Review from Ellie B.
Chicago, IL
3/20/2011 ROTD 10/26/2011
If heaven were a plate of delicious, melt-in-your-mouth Italian food, then heaven would be tucked away in a strip mall, nestled between chintzy shops. More precisely, heaven would be La Gondola.
While St. Peter himself may not be there to greet you, the always warm and friendly (and often hilarious) Dee is waiting with open arms - and if you've made your reservation, an open table. Assuming you're not one to hyperventilate in small spaces, the cozy, intimate dining room makes you feel like you're in a secret club of sorts.
They have a strong, if not minimal, wine selection - just enough to offer variety, without the wine list being overwhelming. Dee is very knowledgeable about vino and is always happy to make recommendations based on your taste. Once you've settled on the imbibements, prepare for the most arduous task of the experience - deciding which tasty morsels to indulge in that evening.
The grilled calamari is divine, undoubtedly my favorite starter. Things become a bit more complex when we start looking at entrées - the pastas, the eggplant, the chicken, the veal - all amazing! Since my good friend Gina introduced me to La Gondola almost ten years ago, I have never, NEVER, had a bad dish. That being said, very few thing are more comforting than a big ol' plate of chicken parmigiana. And when I say big, that may be an understatement. Perhaps whopping would be a better way to describe La Gondola's ample plates of lovin'.
Do something nice for yourself. Make a reservation at La Gondola. And pack your appetite. -
Review from Nick P.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 11/7/2011
My favorite little Italian place in Chicago. Check that, in America! I have nothing but incredible food at La Gondola. The bolognese is jaw dropping good. While traveling in Napa, my wife and I stopped at world famous Bottega and they couldn't touch La Gondola's bolognese.
Simply amazing, clean and simple Italian.1 Previous Review:
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11/23/2010
Amazing Italian. From soup to steak! So so good.
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Review from Jennifer Q.
Chicago, IL
6/18/2011
While I've sampled La Gondola's food at various Yelp events and may have ordered "take out" while at the bar around the corner, I have never dined in. Yesterday, I finally had my opportunity! My boyfriend and I came here around 5:30pm and although we didn't have a reservation, they were very accommodating and gave us a table. Thankfully, it wasn't too crowded at this time, with only one other table occupied. (However, it is a small place -with maybe 10 tables, tops, so reservations are strongly recommended!)
Our waiter, "D", was fabulous! He was friendly, humorous and made the experience all the more pleasurable. OH! -And then there's the food too! The food was really good! I ordered the minestrone soup and cheese lasagna and my boyfriend ordered a shrimp dish with an Italian same I can't remember! It was oil tossed noodles, with shrimp and a subtle Italian seasoning. We both really, really enjoyed our food!
I'm so happy we finally dined in! I will be sure to be back since "D" made the experience that much more special! -
Review from Kelcey K.
Chicago, IL
4/30/2011
Food wise, I think this place is not too bad. But attitude of the server is horrendous. In fact, it's the worst service that we've come across.
We were 2 couples. We ordered between us, a lobster ravioli, shrimp Diavolo Linguini, a coke with lemon and a La Gondola Special pizza. We also had a voucher that gives us a free appetizer. We showed our waiter via the phone and he asked suspiciously (in a British accent which we thought was inspired by the Royal Wedding held the day before; no offence to British yelpers, just felt this guy was being someone he wasn't), "Is that for la gondola?"
Hello! We're showing it to you right in your face! You're looking at it, can't you read???
Subsequently he said (very reluctantly), "well, I guess so then."
After a while, he came back with the appetizer of calamari. That was pretty good. The calamari was very well done. Tender and full of flavour. Oh, by the way, the starter bread was great too. Crispy on the outside and yet so soft and fluffy on the inside.
Thereafter, our pasta of lobster ravioli and shrimp diavolo linguini were served. Next up was the pizza. We haven't gotten that glass of coke!
So we asked him and he merely went, "oh is it? I'll get it for you."
The Lobster Ravioli was amazing. The meat filing was delicious. The cream was thick and yummy. The Shrimp Diavolo was equally heavenly. The spiciness of the sauce was just right - enough to give you the "kick" but not enough to kill you with each mouthful. The shrimp was cooked to perfection; crunchy, juicy and tender all at the same time.
It was a great idea that we got a cream pasta and a tomato base one else we might not have enjoyed it that well.
The pizza was ok; nothing special. We only managed to finish half of that 12" pizza.
After, we ordered a tiramisu that wasn't fantastic either. Normal.
Through it all, guess what? Our server did not bring us our soup!
So we asked him at the end and he merely replied, "oh really? I didn't... I can give it to you now if you want."
We said no because we were done our meal, the soup was supposed to have come at the start!
"I could let you pack it away..."
We didn't want to because we had a performance to catch thereafter.
"Well, then, if that's the case..."
And he spun on his heels and walked off.
We were stunned. We were hoping for some discount or something for your oversight and nothing? Actually, we wouldn't have minded not having a discount if he had apologized sincerely/was nice to us about the whole issue!
Ultimately, we gave only 10% as tip although we were tempted not to give at all because that guy really didn't deserve it.
You can come here for the pasta but don't expect even an acceptable level of service. I'd have given them 3 or 4 stars if not for our server.
EDIT:
Just to clarify, the pasta is really good. But I believe dining experience should encompass not only the quality of food but also at minimum, a friendly, sincere service. If server(s) treat me differently from the other customers in the restaurant and make me feel as if I'm being despised and not welcomed, then, as I mentioned to Glittershoe, even if food is of Michelin standard, I would not dine there.
Another thing to mention was that after we disagreed with him regarding the bill, he actually went off and sent someone else in his place to let us sign the check. I felt that was very rude.
2nd EDIT:
Glittershoe has told me that he is a British (thanks Glittershoe.), so my bad for picking on that. But that's not the main issue, the major thing was that he asked rhetorical questions ("Oh, is it?" "Oh, really?") in response to our questions for our missing food items without a single hint of apology. -
Review from alisha s.
Chicago, IL
5/10/2011
It's no secret about this secret little joint. Placed in the weirdest of locations .(not complaining because I can walk to it within 5 minutes) but next to a bagel place and a bank. Ever since moving to Chicago, I've walked, biked, jogged, bused and drove past this little place. Until I finally one night received a coupon for 2 to eat for 55$...My boyfriend surprised me last night and took me there. I don't think I have ever once before this wanted to eat everything on an entire menu....but it happened to me last night.
I had the hardest time deciding what to eat and what dessert I should get. Yes, I was picking my dessert out way before my meal! They start you off with the freshest of breads and the most delicious oil to dip in it. I really recommend putting a dash of the cheese in the oil, it's delicious.
After that I got my salad. Great side salad, I had it with the creamy garlic dressing. MMM. I also used a little of the cheese from the table on this as well. (Hey, I'm from WI, we like cheese...haha) After that came our main meals, I know what you are thinking...you just had salad and bread...I was thinking the same thing.
I went with the Agnelotti Mezzaluna (half moon shaped pasta stuffed with fresh spinach, ricotta cheese and percorino Romano with marinara and topped with fresh basil and sweet butter) Oh My GOOODNESS, so awesome. My boyfriend had the Filet Mignon (with sautéed mushrooms, roasted potatoes and broccoli.), I snuck a piece with the roasted potatoes to let you guys know that it's equally delicious if you are a meat eater!
Lastly, we ordered the dessert. We had the Tiramisu. NOM if you like coffee. :)
Capri, our waitress was the sweetest and nicest waitress ever. She won't let you down. She is very attentive and really is there to take care of you. Hard working and smiled the whole night! Loved it.
A must go to.
&
A must go back. -
Review from Daniel C.
Chicago, IL
5/24/2011
I was taken here by some good friends. At first I was a little nervous because of the location. I was wrong! Great italian food! I've been back a few times and its great cause there are only a few tables and it really intimate. I love pepperoni pizza and I must say its probably one of my favorites in the city. The grilled calamari is excellent.
Two things I don't get about this place. One is the bread. Its not good and usually hard. Two the delivery is awful. A lot of times its delivered cold or overcooked. Other than this its fantastic. My recommendation is to dine in. I hope this review helps you and them out. -
Review from Allen B.
Nazareth, PA
10/10/2011
The food here is awesome! My girlfriend and I used to come here all the time when we lived in Lakeview. The place is small, only 5 tables, so call in to make sure you can reserve a table or find out how long the wait is. I never did takeout but I'm sure it's good as well. Very authentic italian-american dishes. I love this place and can't wait to go back.
-
Review from Lala S.
Chicago, IL
10/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Dine-In Service: 2.5
Delivery Service: 4
Food: 4
Oy! Another place that I'd rather get delivery from rather than dining in. The place is really intimate (meaning there's like 5 tables in there) which is fine but my gripe with this place is the service when you dine in. The food on the other hand is a completely different ballgame and they boast some of the best thin crust pizza in Chicago.
I can't even count how many times I've ordered from this place. I bought a groupon because hell, it's one of my favorite places, but the one stipulation was that you had to dine in. We had dined in at their Belmont location but wanted to check out the original. And although, I don't really care for the service at the Belmont location, the Ashland location even lacks more in the service department.
So you ask: what was the problem? Let's start off with the server/hostess, she sat us down but failed to bring over menus so we had to wait 10-15 mins before we were even able to peruse the menu. In fact, we had to flag down the busgirl to bring us menus because our server kept disappearing. In addition, it took us quite some time to even get water. Don't get me wrong, the server was very nice, I just think she was a bit flustered during that night's service. There is one thing I can't stand and it's when my servers are flustered; the energy just kind of rubs off on you.
I know the place is small but maybe that's a good thing because I don't think they could handle the traffic. The expediting of our food was even worst. We ordered the Baked Spaghetti and a Pizza. My spaghetti came out a good 15 minutes before the Pizza so my poor BF was starving (sure he had some spaghetti, but he really wanted his pizza). I felt so bad for him, he pretty much lost his appetite waiting for his pizza while I was munching on my meal. At the same time, I was eating a super-snail speed because I didn't want him to have to eat by himself. I, literally, ate one noodle at a time so that I wouldn't get stuffed before he got his pizza. The server kept saying that the pizza was going to come out in 5 minutes. Expediting food was definitely a problem there because the party next to us had the same thing happen to them. The poor guy had to wait for his fish while his whole party had received their food.
For the most part their food is amazing if you stick to pasta and pizza. I don't care much for their other entrees (e.g., chicken dishes, appetizers). Although all their appetizers are homemade, I find many of them lacking, especially their fried zucchini which has a sandpaper-like breading. It was so dry I wanted to dip it in water to reconstitute the breading. The exception is their Octopus appetizer which is amazing and a great meal in itself. I had their mixed seafood entree the first time and found the same issue with the breading. So perhaps, avoid all breaded items here?
Their Stuffed Gnocchi with Pesto is a must have. It's light and fluffy--just pure decadence. They have it available as a side so if you're not willing to commit to the whole shebang, get a taste at the very least. Their baked spaghetti is awesome. Their meat sauce is delicious.
The biggest standout, however, is their Pizza! Try the Gondola Special or the BBQ chicken. Their pepperoni is also no fail! -
Review from Lauren B.
Chicago, IL
10/2/2011
Amazing pasta! I was not expecting too much from this place, but wow, blew me away. Heads up, the portions are big enough for two meals! Delicious food.
-
Review from Elle M.
9/21/2011
Really solid Italian food in a cozy little bundle. The fried calamari was the best I've had in a long time. And the breaded mushrooms were great. They had a great garlic flavor, were really crispy- everything a breaded mushroom should be. I had the lasagna for my main and it was delicious. Drowned in meat sauce (which is how I like it) and so big that even I couldn't finish my portion, which is saying something. I am a champion eater. Really friendly staff in a cute, tiny little space. I'd definitely go back for seconds.
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Review from Jean C.
2/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love how small and quaint this location is. There are only 6 tables which makes for a small, intimate social gathering the perfect location. I made a reservation and thankfully I did. People who walked in were turned away due to 6 tables.
We had a table next to the window and did not feel rushed the entire meal. There was a lot of catching up and our dinner turned into a three hour meal. It was fabulous!
We had the most marvelous server. It is a shame I didn't catch his name but he was charming and has the cutest accent. When we finally came around to ordering dinner, I ordered the linguine with mussels with arrabiata sauce. The entree came with a choice of soup or salad and I got the salad with vinaigrette dressing. The other entrees included baked mostaccoli, manicotti and veal parmigiana. Our soups and salads came out and there was a generous amount of time between that and entrees.
The linguine was cooked perfectly but the mussels were a little cold and the arrabiata sauce could definitely use a little more kick. The portions are big as I had over half for my lunch the next day.
There are many selections on the menu that look appetizing that I know I want to come back again. I know of their second location but I think I'll come back to this one. There is something appealing about enjoying a meal with only 5 other tables. -
Review from Michael L.
Lake Forest, IL
3/14/2011
Very Good!
I'd been wanting to try La Gondola for almost a year and finally got my chance. Melanie S. always raves about LG, and she was on-the-money! I tried stopping in a couple months ago, but I didn't realize it was so small, and they were booked until 9:30! It was worth the wait.
And you can't beat the deals that are offered to friends of LG on facebook! For instance, this weekend if you ordered before 6pm for take-out or delivery, the entree's were buy-one-get-one free! My deal was even better. LG had guess the score contests last year when the Hawks were in the playoffs, and I won 3 gift cards.
Our order:
Ceasar salad - Good, a little different in that it had tomatoes and cucumbers also.
Baked spaghetti w/meat sauce - very good. Melted cheese on top with a rich satisfying meat sauce. Day old spaghetti is even better and I can't wait to eat the leftovers!
Calmari stuffed with bread crumbs, garlic, and butter - This was so ggod! The calmari was not tough or rubbery, and the filling was rich and buttery. The filling reminded me of the topping on shrimp de jonghe.
A special thanks to LG. I was looking at an old menu that had this dish when I phoned in my order. They made it, no questions asked, even though it's not on the current menu! I just hope I can get it again! THANK YOU!
Chicken parmesan - very good. My wife loved it! Chicken was moist and it came on a bed of penne and marinara.
Mushroom risotto - I'll reserve judgement on this dish. Risotto can get gluey very easily, this was take-out, and it was the last dish we tried, so I don't think it would be unfair to judge based on the circumstances.
I can't wait to eat the leftovers, and I can't wait to go back to La Gondola! I'll wait until I eat-in to give the 5th star.
