Bacchanalia image

Bacchanalia

Restaurant Bar Italian restaurant

Casual eatery serving large plates of Italian favorites from Tuscan family recipes since 1979. People often mention Italian, good, service, restaurant, lasagna, delicious, time, family, sauce, great,


Address

2413 S Oakley Ave, Chicago, IL 60608, United States

Website

www.bacchanaliainchicago.com

Contact

+1 773-254-6555

Price rating

$$ $$

Rating on Google Maps

4.70 (549 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Friday: 3:30 to 10 pm
  • Saturday: 3:30 to 10 pm
  • Sunday: 2:30 to 8:30 pm
  • Monday: 4 to 9 pm
  • Tuesday: Closed
  • Wednesday: 4 to 9 pm
  • Thursday: 4 to 9 pm

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: Italian (15) good (13) service (11) restaurant (10) lasagna (10) delicious (9) time (9) family (8) sauce (8) great (7)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 John J. 9 months ago on Google
    🇮🇹 Bacchanalia is a quaint and cozy Italian restaurant in Chicago's Little Italy neighborhood. I had a wonderful dining experience there with my family. The service was fast and friendly, the portions were generous and the prices were reasonable. The menu had a variety of dishes to choose from, but I decided to go with the lasagna, which was possibly the best lasagna I've ever had. It was rich, cheesy and flavorful, with layers of pasta, meat sauce and cheese. It was baked to perfection and served piping hot. I savored every bite of it. The restaurant also has a full bar and a nice wine selection. The atmosphere was lively and fun, with Italian music playing in the background. Bacchanalia is a great place to enjoy authentic Italian cuisine and experience the culture of Little Italy. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves Italian food and wants to have a memorable meal.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Kelin M. 1 year ago on Google
    Ugh I really wanted to like this place, but food wasn’t what I expected. My pasta was hard and dry. The server is very sweet and nice, place is welcoming. Just expected more for a $30 plate of pasta.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Donna M. 10 months ago on Google
    This restaurant is a old family favorite. We valet parked. We had a party of 14 on a busy Sat night. Atmosphere is cozy for a large party. We ordered antipasta platter, fried calamari, and baked clams, moscato asti, chicken vesuvio, chicken bacchanalia, lasagna, gnocchi, fettuccini, and chicken parm. Lasagna table favorite! Ambiance so quaint and pretty! Service friendly and fun! Thank you Donna Sierzega McNally
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Dan J. 2 years ago on Google
    There just isn't any way to replace an original. Go to the old neighborhood. Listen to your servers. Eat, and enjoy a piece of Chicago history that you won't find anywhere else.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Emily R. 2 years ago on Google
    This cozy & small Italian restaurant has a bar in the front and dining area towards the back. All of the staff was very nice but they could have been more attentive. I enjoyed the food, they have a delicious marinara sauce! For dessert I had the tiramisu for the first time and I did not enjoy it. For reference it had a very strong coffee flavor to a point where it tasted like black coffee. Also, their website states they take & accommodate special requests but when I asked for Angel hair instead of spaghetti I was denied.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 ju b. 2 years ago on Google
    This place is ~15min walk from Western CTA station. We came here on a Monday night for a friend’s birthday. The restaurant is located in a residential area and the streets are quiet. There are fairy lights outside the restaurant so it shouldn’t be hard to find. We got some Baked Clams and Fried Calamari as appetizers to start with. I got linguine al pesto and the portion was huge. I couldn’t finish everything and had a lot to take home with me. We also got the Chicken Bacchanalia. I thought it was the best dish out of all the ones we ordered (~8 dishes) because it looked and smelled the most delicious. The dark meat came off the bone easily and the white meat was really dry but the sauce made up for that. It was very strong in garlic and I loved it. The bell pepper was soft and absorbed the sauce so it tasted really good. The dessert menu came as a photo album. It’s super cute and helped so much because I didn’t know what most of them were and would have to Google otherwise. I got the Amaretto Cheesecake; it looks plain but tastes fresh. The server brought out our desserts and with a candle on that of my birthday friend’s. She even sang the birthday song with us and helped us take photos. The decoration inside was really photo-worthy. There are vines hanging on the walls and mini Italian flags on each table. We took a bunch of pictures there. The patio seemed closed but I imagine it would be so cute to be eating out there in the summer. The vibes of this restaurant is just so romantic.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 G G. 5 months ago on Google
    I've been enjoying Bacchanalia's dishes since 1979. For those who are vegan/vegetarian, they are very accommodating. I ordered angel hair pasta with artichoke hearts and marinara. It was so delicious. I had to go back a second time because it was THAT good. The stuffed artichoke hearts was my appetizer and that alone was a meal in itself. Photos of my entree': Day 1 Day 2
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Zen D. 1 year ago on Google
    I took my beautiful Italian mother here for her birthday. She loved it. The decor was perfect and the place was intimate enough for a good conversation with a loved one. The food was delicious and the service was perfect. Thank you!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Nick G. 5 months ago on Google
    My girlfriend and I had such a lovely time here. The calamari was the best we have ever had, and was also it was a huge portion. We had the gnocchi (half spinach, half gorgonzola) and the chicken parmigiana. Both were so incredible and we had the leftovers of each dish to take home. Finished with tiramisu, it was a huge portion and was so fresh and delicious. We'd both like to thank Ron, our waiter for his recommendations, kindness, and plethora of jokes. Hope to be able to come back soon!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Thomas M. 1 year ago on Google
    Friends went on New Years Day. They brought me back an order of mostacholli and meat balls. Of all the hype I’ve heard about this place the dinner was average at best. The main problem was the website lists it at $11.95 and $3.95 for the meat balls. The receipt in bag was for $24.15 and a 20% tip for $4.83. A tip to walk it from the kitchen to the table? I paid $28.98 total for mostacholli. You’ll never see me grace your door step

  • 5/5 Susan N. 1 year ago on Google
    Authentic quality and prepared food expirence done the best. No cutting corners in any way, love this place 100%

  • 5/5 M. B. (. 5 months ago on Google
    Bacchanalia is one of those spots that upon frequenting once, you know it will be a place to return to. The food and atmosphere will return you to the joys and intimacy of a loving family kitchen. As far as I am aware, nothing in Chicago comes close to comparing to their lasagna or their chicken bacchanalia. A truly wonderful place.

  • 5/5 4 of a Kind S. 5 months ago on Google
    This was my first time I enjoyed the music, the food and service. The older gentleman was our server and he was great had jokes and made my night. I will be back again the lasagna is to die for so good.

  • 5/5 Shelli M. 6 months ago on Google
    Excellent food and service. You have to start with sausage & peppers and calamari (lightly seasoned and breaded, some of the best I've ever had). Very very tasty lasagna made with a béchamel sauce! Also, the manicotti was top notch, made with crepe like manicotti noodles. Desserts were good as well. Carrot cake was moist with just the right amount of frosting. And you can't beat the prices!

  • 5/5 flamin hot c. 3 months ago on Google New
    What a beautiful gem. Went here with my fiance for our anniversary, and we left so satisfied and feeling like we just visited a family member's home for dinner. Felt so comfortable and taken care of. We even got a cannoli for our anniversary! Very flavorful and a perfect way to end the night. We were told that the lasagna was their grandmother's recipe and wow! It was to die for. So so good. Everything was fresh and made with love. Kristen (sorry if I mispelled) was a fantastic waitress. Never had such good service like this. She was so kind and the whole environment felt so welcoming. If you come here, you won't regret it!!

  • 4/5 Demond D. E. 3 months ago on Google New
    TikTok told me this was the best lasagna in the city. I may have to agree. It is EVERYTHING you would want in lasagna. With a great portion size and the right crisp on the cheese. Took a star off because they over cooked the garlic bread. Which was ordered fresh because it is not available via their website. I didn’t eat in so no comment on the atmosphere.

  • 4/5 J H. 4 months ago on Google
    What a surprise this place was! We went there based on reviews and it didn't disappoint. This is an old school Mom and Pop restaurant that probably hasn't changed in years--and hopefully won't! I made the reservation for my mothers 80th and had 12 in the party. With the diverse tastes and styles of the individuals, I was expecting complaints but could not have been more wrong! Everyone had a blast and not a single complaint about something too sweet, or too oily, or too spicy, or too bland! The food was excellent, the service was very friendly, and the atmosphere very comfortable. This is not some posh and over priced downtown spot that you go to be seen at the "it" place. Go here to enjoy great food, and embrace the joy of spending time with family and/or friends.

  • 4/5 Lidia O. 1 year ago on Google
    Had a great first time experience here even with short staff . The appetizers were all great. Service was quick and thorough. The pasta was fantastic and the garlic penne literally gave me chills in a good way. Gnocchi was definitely worth it and will come back again .

  • 4/5 Idris Garba M. 1 year ago on Google
    This cozy & small Italian restaurant has a bar in the front and dining area towards the back. All of the staff was very nice but they could have been more attentive. I enjoyed the food, they have a delicious marinara sauce! For dessert I had the tiramisu for the first time and I did not enjoy it. For reference it had a very strong coffee flavor to a point where it tasted like black coffee. Also, their website states they take & accommodate special requests but when I asked for Angel hair instead of spaghetti I was denied.

  • 2/5 Simone P. 2 years ago on Google
    Being generous because there were nice people and atmosphere. However… we only liked 1 dish out of 3. I am NOT picky and I basically threw away $70 worth of food(gave it away, did not waste). Including tiramisu which I usually LOVE. Maybe I came on the wrong night? Eggplant parmigiana was sooooo bad I could not eat it and I don’t like the red sauce… I’m sorry, I truly don’t know what happened based on all these reviews. It wasn’t my first time at an “authentic“ Italian place and I eat all types of food. But if this is “real” Italian as the reviews say, then I guess I don’t like Italian.

  • 5/5 Lisa A. 1 year ago on Google
    The food here is always delicious and service is top notch. The bar area is small but welcoming, so start with a cocktail...and end with one. Bartenders are friendly and knowledgeable. And don't forget to share a dessert! Enjoy!!!

  • 4/5 Blair R. 1 year ago on Google
    The chicken special I had was delicious! We also got the clams as an appetizer, which were good. The service was a little slow though, we were there for about 2 hours and didn't even have coffee or dessert after dinner.

  • 5/5 Gus 1 year ago on Google
    Wow! What a phenomenal experience dining in. Execptional service by staff, food is amazing and generous portions. Definitely coming back

  • 5/5 Anna 1 year ago on Google
    Delicious food, good prices for how big the portions are! Owner treated us like family, had a very fun time and felt very welcomed. 10/10 dining experience

  • 5/5 Scottie H. 4 years ago on Google
    Incredible, classic Italian dishes. A wide range of imported and domestic wines not to mention an absolutely amazing selection of fresh handmade desserts. Good for a weeknight out or a romantic dinner date! Support local family owned restaurants in the original Little Italy.

  • 5/5 Maricela R. 2 years ago on Google
    SPECTACULAR!!! Hidden Gem Food is EXCELLENT I highly recommend it..5 Stars ⭐🤩

  • 5/5 Marion S. 2 years ago on Google
    I'm a longtime resident of Pilsen area very familiar list of restaurants in Little Italy 23rd and Oakley and Taylor&Ashland and Loomis and 31st Street which is Bridgeport the food was very excellent flavors that was very delightful to my palate good homemade Italian food reminds me of my Italian mother Mrs. Spatafora back in the day she made her own homemade sauce, grew her tomatoes and spices and plums every year!

  • 5/5 Jessie T. 2 years ago on Google
    Great service and food! Highly recommend to sit at the bar or dine in.

  • 5/5 Rich P. 2 years ago on Google
    Great place for dinner. Service was outstanding and the food was just as good. The servings are huge and the food was amazing I recommend the baked clams and the fried calamari was absolutely delicious. Chicken perm was very good and the linguine and mussels were great. We had tiramisu for dessert it was the side of a slice of lasagna. We will definitely be going back.

  • 5/5 Joseph H. 2 years ago on Google
    Cannot understand any review under 4 stars. Bar none, the top Italian restaurant in the city. Considering the portion sizes, quality, selection, and superb service the prices are extremely fair. Such a comfortable place to take your family or take your date to.


Call +1 773-254-6555 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Coffee
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Spirits
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Comfort food
    • ✓️ Vegetarian options
  • Popular for
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Solo dining
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible toilet
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible seating
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Seating
    • ✓️ Catering
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✓️ Delivery
    • ✓️ Takeaway
    • ✓️ Kerbside pickup
    • ✓️ No-contact delivery

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