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Elina's Chicago Reviews
We had arrived to our reservation quite early and were sat
We had arrived to our reservation quite early and were sat in the backyard outdoors setting with summer sitting. while waiting for rest of the party to arrive we ordered drinks and Mozzarella En Carozza We ordered egg plant parmesan, and rigatoni wit
The restaurant made me feel like i was in a small tucked
The restaurant made me feel like i was in a small tucked away spot in Europe. It was cozy and intimate but still cute for a dinner with the girls. Our server helped us decide between dishes and was attentive to our needs. For starters they bring
Honestly normally I'm an Italian cuisine hater but this was
Honestly normally I'm an Italian cuisine hater but this was good and would return! Pasta was so good and chicken parm!!
Great food and great service! I think this may be a bit
Great food and great service! I think this may be a bit overhyped but everything was really good. The rigatoni was really tasty but the bolognese lacked a bit of seasoning. Caesar was fantastic and bread service was as well (more restaurants should a
Old-school Italian, but small and candlelit--not your red
Old-school Italian, but small and candlelit--not your red sauce factory vibe. The rigatoni vodka? Best I've had in the city. Period. It's creamy, spicy, and somehow still light. The veal parm comes out looking unassuming but melts in your m
Great spot! Very cute vibes, our waiter was very friendly
Great spot! Very cute vibes, our waiter was very friendly and everything came out quickly! They recommend 3-4 dishes per two ppl, but the portion sizes are massive and I would not recommend that unless you want tons of leftovers. We definitely oversp
Usually love this place and have spent tons of money here.
My bf and I decided to get takeout and I asked him to get the focaccia bread that they usually serve when you sit inside, so he went to pickup our order and asked if he could order the bread as well and offered to pay for two orders of it beings as w
Such a vibey spot - even the branding is nice! The rigatoni
Such a vibey spot - even the branding is nice! The rigatoni alla vodka and fusilli alla norma were both good - definitely recommend. Even the croutons in the Caesar salad were on point. Inside is dark and intimate, but I honestly loved hanging out on
Amazing food and service.
I think this is the most underrated restaurant in the city-- how is everyone not talking about it? Our server was wonderful and made the dining experience extremely memorable. We enjoyed the baked clams to start and then shared the vodka rigatoni an
This is hands down my fav Italian restaurant in the city.
You can't go wrong with ordering anything on the menu but my favorite is the vodka rigatoni. The vibes are intimate and cozy perfect for a date night or a GNO. I highly recommend.
Decent Food, space is a concern
The food is decent and the service was not bad. The crowding of tables so close together made it feel like you were sharing a meal with the entire restaurant. I value a bit more space and intimacy when dining.
Good food but be prepared to feel rushed.
Good food BUT prepare to feel uncomfortably hurried. Our second time eating at Elina's and this experience mirrored our first, the food was good but you feel like they're trying to get you in and out at record speed. Great caesar salad (awe
Never again
If I could go back in time and choose another place to have dinner on 8.25.24 I would go to McDonalds instead of Elina’s. We are a party of 5 and had a reservation for 9pm and showed up and checked in with the hostess at 8:58pm who then informed us
Came here from a tiktok that said Elina's was created by
Came here from a tiktok that said Elina's was created by someone who had worked at Carbone, and it was simply mouthwatering.. I would come back for the free garlic bread alone. The spicy vodka rigatoni could use some more sauce, but was still to die
First time at Elina's, and I loved it!!!! The ambiance was
First time at Elina's, and I loved it!!!! The ambiance was cozy and intimate. I was initially worried about how close the two-tops were to each other, but it didn't seem to take away from the experience. The food portions are large - so plan to shar
Is this the Carbone of Chicago? No? Yes? Yes it is! Food
Is this the Carbone of Chicago? No? Yes? Yes it is! Food was immaculate and the spicy rig was miles better in my opinion than Carbone. Dishes were very reasonably priced for the quality. Spacing was limited in the restaurant but you get a tight inti
This is hands down one of my most favorite restaurants in
This is hands down one of my most favorite restaurants in Chicago but I came to ask one question and one question only of Elina's (if they read their reviews)... Why do the meatballs always sell out? I can understand this happening with certain piece
Great Italian food!
We arrived at 9:30pm straight from the airport and the staff could not have been more welcoming and accommodating! We have the Rigatoni Alla Vodka and Penne Bolognese that were wonderful. Small quaint spot off Grand Ave-felt like we were at a private
Cait was our server and was so lovely.
We loved the crab scampi best and it's a very cute ambiance.
This place is hellacious & I pray on my knees for its
This place is hellacious & I pray on my knees for its closure . Every. Single. Thing. was devastatingly bad. Where is the health dept ??? There is no word in the English language that could properly grasp the magnitude of the terribleness of th
Loved everything about this dining experience and it is a
Loved everything about this dining experience and it is a MUST try. I'm not sure what to write, that anyone has not already wrote before. Elina's is a cozy Italian restaurant, great for any reason to go. It is super cute, cozy, and romantic! They h
Top 5 Italian in Chicago , thought the vodka rigatoni would
Top 5 Italian in Chicago , thought the vodka rigatoni would be over hyped but it's everything they claim it is , also don't miss the Dover sole picate, absolutely amazing spot !
Honestly don't understand that hype about this place.
As soon as we walked in the chairs felt extremely cheap. The food was subpar at best. Reviews: Crab dip - absolutely terrible and tasted as if it were just bought at Jewel Osco 30 minutes prior. Definitely stay away. Too cheesy and pretty blend.
Go here.
Vodka rigatoni and chicken parm are the bomb. So is tiramisu. I was very impressed.
Deliciously authentic Italian food served up on grandmas
Deliciously authentic Italian food served up on grandmas china. Cozy atmosphere excellent service and plenty to eat
Great food & service.
Our server was super attentive and had great recommendations. We really enjoyed meeting the owner Eric!! The chicken parm was amazing, I can't wait to go back & try their other dishes!
The reason to go there is the food and food only.
Staff is very young and needs to be trained on the word HOSPITALITY especially the hostess.
Elina's is by far one of my favorite Italian spots! I would
Elina's is by far one of my favorite Italian spots! I would highly recommend getting a table outside when it's warm out but sitting inside is nice too! The waitresses were all very friendly and the service was fast. If you get one thing, let it be
This place was great for Italian food.
The rigatoni a la vodka as well as chicken Parmesan along with a few other menu items we ordered were all delicious. They give you complimentary bread too which is so good. Can't wait to go back again.
Food was ok, best dish to me was pepper ribs.
Food wasn't memorable. Service was great . Ambiance lively and busy. We sat at the bar. Ordered food immediately. Came mostly for the vodka pasta and was not impressed. Ribs needed to be evenly coated. Sweet sauce was all at the bottoms maybe just dr
Holy cow.
This place is worth it. Worth it all. I feel often times I walk away feeling underwhelmed. I literally cannot express how delicious this meal was. We started with the baked clams which I will say weren't the star but were great. You get all complimen
I came here to try the infamous Carbone rigatoni alla vodka.
However, I think the dish fell short. The pasta was overcooked for my liking (broken from being mushy) and there wasn't enough sauce. Skip this place if you're going for the rigatoni alla vodka. I also got the caesar salad & that was pretty good
Very pleased with a late dinner for four.
Interesting drinks, two appetizers and four entrees all shared. Two pasta, short ribs and scampi. All hits. Service was efficient and well timed.
Great place
Elina's is amazing, Great food, great service, affordable wine list. Try the dover sole and don't forget the tiramisu!
I came for the rigatoni pasta and loved every bite! We also
I came for the rigatoni pasta and loved every bite! We also ordered the Caesar salad, it is crispy and fresh with giant croutons. Soo good. Chicken parm for the table was perfect size to share, we were a party of 3. Had to get the parm fries as well.
Elina's is one of (if not the) best Italian restaurants in
Elina's is one of (if not the) best Italian restaurants in Chicago. A rare combination of immaculate food AND immaculate vibes. I've eaten here at least 10 times since it opened so this review is long overdue. It never misses! It's a tiny restaurant,
Best penne ala vodka Ive ever had
Waited a while to get a reservation in this place. I can see why..the food is amazing!! Not sure what these negative reviews are about..our meal was great. The best was the penne ala vodka..seriously the best Ive ever had, and thats saying a lot!! Th
Elevated red sauce joint on Grand
We had an outdoor reservation, and it ended up raining, but they offered us seats at the bar when we called, which was a nice gesture. Service was pleasant and friendly, though the servers didn’t show too much interest in the food, etc., compared
This is one the first reservations I made a month before
This is one the first reservations I made a month before visiting Chicago! I was excited to try Elina's and it definitely did not disappoint. My reservation was at 9pm and we were seated promptly. The restaurant is very small and the tables are close
We live in the West Loop and dine out often.
This is the best restaurant we've been to in a long time. I now understand why reservations are so tough to get. It's for a few reasons: #1 it's an intimate place, not many tables. They do accommodate walk-ins especially at the bar. #2 the food is ou
Food was fantastic, restaurant is small and cozy, and the
Food was fantastic, restaurant is small and cozy, and the staff is attentive. One of the best restaurants I've been to in Chicago. Get the rigatoni!
Great neighborhood Italian spot with simple, well executed
Great neighborhood Italian spot with simple, well executed classics and an intimate ambiance. Rigatoni alla vodka was as good as it looks, meatballs also excellent, and the huge croutons in the Caesar salad were very buttery but also delicious. Great
The table we were sat at was literally inches away from
The table we were sat at was literally inches away from tables on either side of us. The food was average at best. We ordered our meal 5 mins before the table next to us who ordered the exact same meals as us. They were served well before we were
Went to Elina's for a Valentine's Day dinner date and when
Went to Elina's for a Valentine's Day dinner date and when I tell this place lives to the hype! The Ambiance screams romance which was perfect. The service was good and quick. The food, man when I tell you it was good. We ordered the chopped salad wh
Great food, great service, and amazing vibes at Elina's.
We came from Michigan to celebrate my 40th birthday on the recommendation of several friends who live in the area. We were not disappointed! We will definitely be back again soon.
Finnnaaallllyyy got a reservation here at 5:45pm on a
Finnnaaallllyyy got a reservation here at 5:45pm on a Tuesday. I had wondered why it took me so long to get a spot here and realized why when I came in. The restaurant is small - there is no more than 12 tables in the place along with the bar. That b
We had high hopes coming here.
Considering the restaurant mimics Carbone. The food was no were near as good and was overly oily. BYOB spot, but they charge you $10 per person.
The food was exceptional.
The focaccia to start is SO good - it's on the house. For four people, we ordered one Caesar salad, one fritto misto, one Penne & Prosciutto, and two Rigatoni alla Vodkas. We tried to order meatballs but they only had 1 meatball left at 7:45 on a
my mum was in town over the holidays and we treated her to
my mum was in town over the holidays and we treated her to a goodbye dinner at Elina's, which had been on my list for a while now after coming across them somewhere. my mum both loves Italian food and is a notoriously difficult and finicky person to
Terrible Customer Service
I made a reservation through a Resy recommendation, for Christmas Eve at 1030pm. As the day got closer, the restaurant called and text me to have me move my reservation to an earlier time. Perhaps because they close at 10:00pm as per there web site.
Connect with users posting reservations for Elina's Chicago
AppointmentTrader is a community-driven platform where users can exchange their reservations or leverage their personal relationships with Elina's Chicago. Buyers can make informed decisions using automated seller ratings, which reflect past transactions and reliability.
Each posting on AppointmentTrader shows you which user submitted it and along with that provides a trackrecord of that user which indicates how much experience
the user has and how many percent of their transactions resulted in them issuing a refund.
If there is no user posting that fits your schedule, you can bid on your preferred time.
Let's say Peter has a great morning and decides to take his three friends to Elina's Chicago at 6 PM the same day.
He checks the restaurant's website and sees that no reservations are available. He then looks at the Elina's Chicago page on AppointmentTrader, but finds that there are no user postings either.
That's where the community-driven bid process comes in.
Peter can place a bid on AppointmentTrader, which serves as a reward for any community member who chooses to work on securing the reservation. AT then notifies experienced users who may be able to help.
Step-by-Step Process
1.) Setting a Reward (Bid)
* AppointmentTrader uses historical data to recommend a reasonable reward amount for securing a reservation - let's say $100.
* Peter really wants to go, so he increases the bid (or reward) to $200.
* At this stage, the reservation does not exist yet.
2.) A Community User Picks Up the Bid
* MaternalRecord73, an experienced AT user, has a strong track record of successfully securing reservations and low refund requests, they receive a notification about Peter's $200 bid.
* MaternalRecord73 picks up the bid, meaning they will now work on securing the reservation.
* Peter can now talk to MaternalRecord73 for any questions Peter may have as MaternalRecord73 user fills the bid.
3.) Finding the Reservation
* MaternalRecord73 now uses their connections at Elina's Chicago to secure the table.
* If they successfully get the 6 PM table for four, Peter receives a confirmation that the reservation has been secured.
* If MaternalRecord73 fails to secure the reservation, the bid is returned to the pool so another user can try.
4.) Payment & Protection
* Once the reservation is secured, MaternalRecord73 receives the $200 reward which is credited to MaternalRecord73's AT balance, where users manage their own funds and can withdraw via available payout options such as bank transfer, PayPal, or Zelle.
* Peter can now enjoy the dinner with his friends at Elina's Chicago!
* As with all transactions on AT, disputes and no-show fees are handled through the platform's community-driven resolution system. Users with a strong track record are incentivized to fulfill bids successfully, and community members can report issues to maintain trust in the marketplace.
