Cafe Lucci

OMG!
The food here is awesome and authentic. It took us 10 minutes to decide what to order becaue everything looked tempting and really good.
Our waiter, Conrad, was fantastic! He gave us great suggestions and was very informative down to the spices used for each dish. We had so much fun with him and loved his menue suggestions!
This is the sort of place that you might drive past and not notice that you did. It’s definitely worth checking out. I dare say that it might become your favorite place. It’s great for family as well as date night.

It’s a sad state of affair when I say that I eat at Café Lucci more times in any given month than I do at my mom’s. But, if you’ve ever been there, you’ll understand why. The restaurant is unassuming and as you drive by it, you don’t think much of it. But, don’t let that deter you from trying it.
I’ve been to Lucci’s at least 100 times and every time it’s exceptional. I’ve never had a bad meal there and the service is exceptional. They are accommodating with any reasonable requests. If there is something you want to eat that is not on the menu or prepared in a manner you don’t like, they will amend it for you. Because I’ve eaten there so many times, I don’t even look at the menu anymore and trust the waitstaff to recommend what I’ll eat or I’ll ask for a hybrid of something.
Also, if you’re an oenophile (wine lover), you will be highly impressed with Café Lucci’s wine list. Their staff is well versed in wine and can give you recommendations and they will honor the price point you want to stay in. Just as I’ve never had a bad meal at Lucci’s, I’ve never had bad wine, either.
If you go there and it’s your first time, here are some my favorites:
Cocktails — Bobby’s Old Fashioned & Margarita (sounds odd, but they have one of the best margarita’s I’ve ever had). Their wines by the glass list is also very good.
Appetizers — Salmon pastrami, sausage & peppers, or gnocchi.
Main — Veal with an arugula salad on top (shocking for me, because normally I don’t like veal), Bone-​In pork chop w/​pepperoncinis, sausage & peppers, almost any fish that is on the daily special, and gnocchi.
Dessert — Sticky toffee pudding cake… although, by this time, there’s usually no way I can eat another bite.
Overall, a great restaurant!

This is some pretty authentic Italian food, and I’ve had my share. My coworker and I came in on Monday and of course we were on our phones working away but the staff were super patient with us and waited until we got off but they were able to seat us prior, no problem! We both ordered Harry’s Fettuccine, it was amazing. The only thing I wish there was more Alfredo cream sauce! The prosciutto di Parma was a really nice touch. And the toasted Pecorino Romano was the perfect touch, I didn’t even have to add any grated Parmesan to it! Oh AND we were given warm bread prior to our meal! Can’t wait to come back and try the dessert!

I made a reservation in this restaurant for my daughter’s high school graduation. We were aware of «good food, good wine, and good people» motto, but were especially pleased with the service. Our waiter, Conrad, made this evening even more enjoyable. I recommend this place for high quality of food and old-​fashioned, respectful service.

The first thing i dont like this restaurant is because the entire menu is in Italian! Do they expect everyone knows Italian? Or should i study some Italian b4 i go? It’s just soooo much trouble to read the menu. Food was not impressive anyway.
Secondly, the place was super noisy with a baby crying the whole time i was there. And the parents didnt do anything about it. Who would like to eat at place like that?
Thirdly, that bald waiter was an idiot. He took my knife but left my fork without asking while i was eating a chicken breast. I had to grab a knife myself. I dont know what he was thinking.
Last but not the least, make sure dont use their velet parking! Park yourself! The guy took $ 4 for 1 car! And the parking spots are only a few steps away! That’s so ridiculous! Dont get ripped off people! Plus, the guy’s hands and pants were so dirty. He sit on the curbs while he was waiting for cars to park. I had to clean the car after he touched it. I wish i had a picture of it! Can you tolerate someone who brings dirt to your car and you still tip him? Im not an idiot, asked for the money back.
Anyway, the whole place is a big bummer!

My whole family ate here and we thoroughly enjoyed the food. The parking lot was jammed to overflowing, so it’s a good thing we had a reservation on a Saturday night. But once we were seated and the friendly waiter came over to joke around and take our order, it was all smooth sailing.
I had a mushroom soup that was out of this world, just as our waiter had promised it would be. I ordered the veal chop special, which was good, but not even as good as the standard menu items that a lot of my family members ordered and I sampled. The salmon was good, the filet mignon medallions with noodles and mushrooms (can’t recall the entrée name) was fantastic and the black pasta (blackened by squid ink apparently, but don’t let that turn you off!) with shrimp was beyond compare.
We also had a wonderful cheesecake for dessert that was covered in hardened chocolate and topped with strawberries. I was in such a deep and satisfied food coma that I didn’t even mind the rather hefty bill that showed up at the end of the meal. Great place to celebrate a special occasion.

We went on a Saturday evening at 6:30-and the restaurant was slammed until we left at 8:30, a great sign. Service was kind and helpful, including the hosts and wait staff. They have the BEST tiramisu I have ever eaten. It isn’t exactly traditional tiramisu, but has raspberry sauce on the plate and is to-​die-​for. They were also very accommodating to my husband’s gluten allergy-​he was able to order grilled calamari (off-​menu) and enjoyed a delicious seafood stew with polenta. I had a tasty eggplant pasta dish. I would 100% recommend this restaurant.

Very clean place, great food (not pricey) and excellent servers. I found this place online and we went there with friends. We will definitely go back.

The restaurant décor is pretty simple. I felt pretty comfortable dressing casual based on the atmosphere of the restaurant.
The menu is really confusing with the headings. The server was super nice and explained everything to us do we could make sure we were ordering from the correct section and would get the correct portion.
The portions were large and they have gluten free pasta options which was really nice. I got a vegetable dish with the gluten free pasta. The sauce was good and overall the food was seasoned well.
I would definitely recommend this over a Olive Garden or Carrabba’s.

I’ve been here before but don’t remember it as good as it is now. WOW, the oysters were fresh and fabulous (a little on the small side) the Shrimp scampi is one of the best I’ve ever had, even when i was in Italy! Outstanding spaghetti carbonara (traditional with prosciutto, onions and egg yolk, VERY good).My boyfriend had the chicken park and said it was good, not great. But they have so many other dishes to choose from, I don’t know that i’d go there for the chicken parm to begin with =0)
I had a cocktail and it was well poured. The desserts looked fabulous but we were too full to even attempt. Service is outstanding. Pricy but I didn’t feel ripped off. Quality is very good.

This is a very good restaurant on Milwaukee ave in Glenview. It has been in business for around 20 years so it must be doing something right. We went for two birthdays and were not disappointed. My wife and I shared a burrata appetizer and she had the eight finger cavatteli, and I had the skirt steak with a peppercorn sauce, (they have several steak preparations) and one of the other members of the party had the veal chop. A nice looking piece of meat. We had drinks and I brought a bottle of wine. All in all, a lovely meal and a very nice place to dine. Can get very busy and noisy on the weekends. Oh, our waiter was very good, so no complaints about service. Good for special occasions.

NOT BABY FRIENDLY! I want to start of by saying the staff and food is great. I went with my toddler and infant to celebrate their grandpas birthday as it is one of his favorite places. They have high chairs yet they do no have a kids menu. That is still doable since you can just order meatballs and pasta. The reason this gets one star is because there isn’t a changing table in the bathroom! My daughter had to be changed on a bench outside of the bathroom with no privacy. I think this day in age they should be more accommodating to those with infants.

Business lunch, we had the chef meat plate as well as the crab cakes for an appetizer, I had the speghett with shrimp snd broccoli and it was very fresh and good. Veal ravioli, and veal cutlet was cooked to perfection. Desserts key lime pie and coconut Gelato. Service was very good.

Café Lucci never disappoints. The welcoming atmosphere calls for a pre dinner cocktail, the lemon drop martini does the trick. The knowledgeable wait staff recommends perfect wines with the delicious home made pastas. Our waiter insisted on the calamari, and we were glad he did. Lightly fried with a bit of spice, it stands out as something I would come back for. The homemade creamy mushroom soup is truly to die for. The homemade pastas, veal and pork dishes are always unique & delicious. Café Lucci is like an Italian supper club, not to be missed!

Food: great portions, great taste, everything was prepared very well, and the staff was friendly and helpful
Had the torta banana (banana layer cake) for dessert, which was the surprise of the evening. It was delicious and the coconut frosting was perfect — very fluffy and not overly sweet.
Had a special on their menu — the chilean seabass; they didnt skimp on the fish and it was perfectly grilled with an awesome light, diced herb sauce on top
Wife had an eggplant penne pasta with a special requested ricotta. she loved it. the pasta was perfectly cooked.

If you want to eat the best, be treated like a king, have one of the best priced wine lists… may i go on? The place is a true legacy! Fine dinning with amazing service and food that will leave you speechless! I am a chef and have been a patron of Café Lucci for over 13 years! have never been let done and always amazed! Thank you for always being on top of your game!

Family owned, personal service and warm friendly atmosphere.
Good food and good portion sizes. Linger for a drink.

Really delicious, an amazing find in the suburbs! Staff is attentive and friendly. You can the owner really cares. Desserts are amazing.

The food was disgusting… how do you mess up calamari? The waiter was an idiot. He didn’t describe any meals, couldn’t answer simple questions, didn’t ask my husband for a refill on his scotch (never seen a waiter not do this because this obviously means more money for them), and took forever with our check (again, don’t you want our money?)
I was super disappointed… how is this so well rated?

Loved Café Lucci. Staff is customer first, and very attentive. Food and drink were great, and reasonably priced. Can’t wait to go back to try more dishes.

I had the pleasure of eating here on my birthday ¹²⁄₁. It is a very warm and inviting place; great atmosphere. The food was great!

Café Lucci was excellent! A true find in Glenview! The food, wine and service was all top notch. We each tried different dishes and all were excellent. Especially liked the fried calamari appetizer to start. The mushroom risotto and eggplant parm were amazing. Finished with the salted caramel gelato — delicious! The service was attentive, friendly and professional. I truly enjoyed Café Lucci and will be returning soon.

Really impressed with the food. Real Italian food complete with unique daily specials, flavorful sauces and outstanding service. Very nice atmosphere on a Saturday evening and very busy. Will be back.

Came here for my friend’s wedding shower last weekend for the first time and absolutely loved it. The inside is very modern and clean, would be a great place for a date night or dinner with family. Parking is tight when the place gets busy but I do believe they offer valet in the evenings or weekends. The food that we had included salad, Italian sausage, rigatoni vodka, pollo asparagi and dessert. I loved the chicken asparagus dish as well as the pasta and would order those again. Sausage was also great as well. Overall I enjoyed the food and service was very attentive. It only took me 20 + years living less than 10 min away to try this place but I am glad I finally made it and also have to say I will definitely be back!

We went there on a Saturday night and the place was alive with animated diners enjoying their meals. The décor is very nice, the service excellent and the food quite good. We ordered eggplant parmigiana and it was perfectly done and arrived at our table hot. My date and I split a flourless chocolate cake ($ 7.50) and it was scrumptious.
I enjoy watching «Check Please» on Chicago Public Television and have been intrigued by some of the fabulous drinks I saw being prepared at other restaurant bars, so I thought I’d splurge and order their $ 12 Bobby’s Hand Made Old Fashioned instead of my normal beer or wine. This was the one disappointment of the evening. I’m no expert at cocktails but I thought the drink, one of the easier ones to make, was bland and certainly not worth $ 12. It lacked the punch you would expect from a drink that is mostly bourbon whiskey — maybe it had been sitting in that large ice cube too long before it made it to my table. Anyway, If I’d paid $ 6 for it I would probably have written it off as a learning experience but I’m a stickler for value when I go out to eat and feel that I should get my money’s worth. I’ll be back in the future but will stick with beer or wine for dinner.

Came here few weeks ago and I was surprised, this place use to be way above average and for some reason they scaled-​down a litle bit. It used to have that old Italian restaurant feel with the 2 guys on a violinist that was an extra touch. Now it’s not even close. Food went down from 4.5 stars to 3.5 maybe. Service was great the owners brother was outlet waiter he was excellent.

The BEST! I love this place! Was fortunate to have someone bring me here a few years back when I was visiting from out of state … otherwise I may never have gone. It’s the kinda place you may drive by and not think to stop unless someone’s told you about it. The food is spectacular! They also have an outstanding wine selection … they even have Caymus by the glass if you’re so inclined.
The owner Bobby has been there every time I’ve been (3 and counting) and he’s as nice a guy as you’re gonna meet. A woman that was also sitting at the bar was back after a visit last week and ordered the dish … a skirt steak with marinara and some other stuff. She had it the previous week. She asked Bobby for the recipe and he walked thru what went into it.
Sat at the bar tonight and had a few glasses of wine and the veal parm (which isn’t on the actual menu) … simply amazing. Best veal parm I’ve had anywhere and I’ve lived in San Francisco, L.A. mans a bunch of other cities. If you’re feeling really special … get the 14 oz bone in veal chop. Out … Of … This … World!
I live in Minneapolis and will be coming to this area almost monthly … I’ll be making a monthly visit. Seriously one of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to!

This is the best Italian restaurant I have ever been to. When we arrived it was very busy, we waited a short time for our table while enjoying a drink in the bar. When seated we started with calamari and baked clams for appetizers which were wonderful. I had the sea bass special for dinner and my wife had the veal. Both were outstanding. The waiter was very knowledgable about wines and paired our food accordingly. We enjoyed our experience there and look forward to going back. I was also very impressed that owners Bobby and Chef Augie both came to our table to check on us and made sure we liked everything. It’s a pleasure to go to a family restaurant where there appreciate your business. Great job guys.

I don’t know why this place has such good reviews. it’s good but not great. I went here excited to try a new place in the area. I’m tired of The Glen and Jolane’s. When we first arrived, we waited over 5 minutes before anyone even came to the stand to seat us (I had a reservation).
One thing that really bothered me… Our server did not go though the specials even though she went over them with the table next to us. She was very nice however.
To start. I loved the bread… and then everything took a turn for the worst.
Appetizer/​Starters: We ordered the octopus as an appetizer — DO NOT ORDER THIS! Over charred with no flavor and very dry and rubbery… and super tiny pieces. I suppose I expected it to be more so how Greek restaurants serve it (very large). My boyfriend and I also ordered salads. I ordered a kale salad which didn’t come with kale LOL. Did you think I wouldn’t notice? I got arugula instead. My boyfriend ordered the tricolore salad which was boring. Note: if you’re going to list radicchio as the first ingredient in the description. this ingredient should be the main ingredient or star of the dish. Instead, there were only 3 pieces.
Main Dish: I ordered a veal dish. It was okay and somewhat small compared to other comparable Italian restaurants. When I was served, the waitress said your side of pasta will be out shortly… Well, that side never came. So I ate 3 paper thin pieces of veal the size of a post-​it note and ended hungry. My boyfriend brought it to her attention, and this was handle so unprofessionally. She looked at us puzzle and paused for a moment. She then said «ummm welllll we can wrap it up to take home?.. ummm yea…» An apology would have been nice.
My boyfriend ordered a pasta dish (can’t remember the name). I’ve had the same dishes elsewhere and much better. Also, the pasta served was not the pasta described on the menu… some people might not care whether they get penne or cavatelli. We do!
Dessert: I just wanted to get out of there so we skipped dessert.
I left very disappointed unfortunately. This was mainly due to the service more than anything. I probably would have been more satisfied eating at Jolane’s or even Pita Inn or Tous les Jour for that matter! I hear a new Greek restaurant is opening down the road (what used to be Periyali) with a very well renown chef. I’m looking very forward to that… this area needs good food! I’ve also heard good things about Fish n’ Fire.

Absolutely delightful — yes the Sea Bass was exceptional but my favorite was Harry’s Fettuccine with pancetta — atmosphere was cozy — dark but just enough lighting. Going back next — gotta get more fettuccine.

Absolutely delicious. You cannot go wrong at this place. I ordered the gnocchi macinato and it was the best gnocchi i’ve ever had.

This was my first visit to Café Lucci for my book club holiday party. I ordered the veal with artichokes and red peppers. It was fabulous! The salad was fresh and I liked the bonus olives & pickled veggies… The waiter was a bit aloof. I think he expected our group to be bigger (more tip) but only seven women came. He was NOT friendly or did he make us feel welcome. I plan to return with my family and see how it goes. I got dropped off but I think there is only valet parking. Fee?

I’ve been coming here for 10 years. Every single time I’ve had the opportunity, I’ve sat with Conrad, and enjoyed a remarkable meal based on his suggestions. I actually use my Lucci experiences as a benchmark standard, it’s tough to find places that emulate the same overall elation I feel, after dining with them.
From Chilean Sea Bass, Skirt Steak, salmon to scallops, pasta to calamari, to the bread they serve upon seating, quality is evident. Everything is fresh, the plates are always thoughtfully put together, flavors compliment each other, textures and color tie into the dish’s theme. It’s a cozy restaurant-​the owner often stops by to recommend a wine (they have an extensive collection) and share a joke with the table. I always feel welcome there.
Saturday 11/​1, ten of us sat at a long table, recessed into an alcove on the north side of the restaurant. Benny and Conrad took great care of us, as we ate, drank and laughed to celebrate a birthday. Our glasses were always full, the appetizers were robust and plentiful for the group, and all our dinners came out piping hot!
After we cleaned our plates, dessert came out. A giant slice of Coconut Cream Cake, tiramisu (a true favorite) and a massive slice of flourless chocolate cake, topped with a candle and delivered with a song.
Café Lucci knows how to bring people together– with incredible food, service and WINE!!!
Worth every cent, and more. This place cannot be beat!