Elina's

“Dark and cozy atmosphere, big portions, aldente home made pasta.”

Dark and cozy atmosphere, big portions, aldente home made pasta. The food was great, we tried signature Caesar salad, meatballs, whole sole and pasta bolognese. We aware of big portions and prepare to take left overs home. The atmosphere is nice although the place gets busy and they have to put a limit of time per table. Our waited for nice and take good care of us.

Sasha Y

Nov 2025

“The rigatoni alla vodka, mozzarella en carozza, and the frito misto are so good here.”

The rigatoni alla vodka, mozzarella en carozza, and the frito misto are so good here! Everything was really filling. The free bread appetizer is also really nice, it comes with salami and what I believe is pickled eggplant.

Amanda Jiang

Oct 2025

“Phenomenal low-key spot for great food and drinks.”

Phenomenal low-key spot for great food and drinks. The atmosphere is very pleasant and not overstimulating and it is a very clean restaurant. Will be back for sure.

Sophie

Aug 2025

“Always a great experience when dining at Elina’s.”

Always a great experience when dining at Elina’s. From the atmosphere to the food and service, exceptional every time. Highly recommend!

nereida beltran

Jul 2025

“Elina’s is perfect from service to food to atmosphere it is perfect this is everything you could...”

Elina’s is perfect from service to food to atmosphere it is perfect this is everything you could want in Italian cuisine and it comes with excellent quality service and great pricing we ordered chicken Parmesan pasta alla vodka and cherry pepper ribs everything was phenomenal and the portions were great you can definitely share. the price for everything including drinks and tip for 4 people was $200 I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to try it make sure you make reservations walk ins are welcome but hard to get a seat in here for good reason too it’s fantastic check it out!

Steve Stevens

Jun 2025

“Delicious! You gotta come here with at least 3-4 people. The plates are quite generous. My favorite...”

Delicious! You gotta come here with at least 3-4 people. The plates are quite generous. My favorite part of the experience were the ribs! The meat was falling off the bones and the ribs themselves were huge. The sauce all runs to the bottom of the pan they’re served in so make sure you get to pour some of that sauce back on your ribs to elevate the taste. The Caesar salad was also sublime. Their bread service is n/c and you’re given a generous amount and also given two different types of bread. Last but not least, the angel hair crab pasta. It needed a little more lemon for my liking, but I made sure I ordered some on the side. Our server / bar manager was such a vibe as well! Very patient, descriptive and friendly.

Jessica M

May 2025

“Finally got to try this gem.”

Finally got to try this gem! Decided last minute to grab lunch here. Walked in and there was bar space available. (HIGHLY recommend booking a reso if you’d like a table) Everything we ate was incredible. The Dover sole and carbonara were highlights. Along with the great playlist, awesome staff, and wax drip candles they had burning. Can’t wait to come back and have a Spritz on the patio

Ashanti Caprice

May 2025

“My new favorite restaurant in Chicago.”

My new favorite restaurant in Chicago! The vodka rigatoni was just as amazing as I expected, definitely the best I’ve had and I get this dish whenever a restaurant offers it. But everything here was also so yummy, especially the meatballs, mozzarella sandwich, and the eggplant side which was sweet. Only complaint is their limited bread basket, wish they gave more for larger parties.

Jordan

Feb 2025

“This was my 2nd time visiting here.”

This was my 2nd time visiting here. Great vibes and great food! We always get a few dishes and split and still have plenty of leftovers. Didn’t get the pictures of the rigatoni alla vodka pasta, cherry pepper ribs or angel hair scampi. Every time I visit Chicago I will visit here.

Prez 32

Feb 2025

“Came and sat at the bar last night.”

Came and sat at the bar last night. Second time here and have not had a bad dish. Portions are also great, which is always important for my husband. Love the bread and meats they bring out as complimentary. We ordered the Baked Clams Casino, Rigatoni Alla Vodka, Angel Hair Scampi ( a must to get! ) and the Pork Chop Pizzaiolo. Everything came out hot and great timing with bringing the food out. Staff is all very friendly, great service. Looking forward to coming back and trying more on their menu.

Abbey Semrau

Feb 2025

“Visited Elina’s last night for dinner and after waiting to get a reservation (as they go very...”

Visited Elina’s last night for dinner and after waiting to get a reservation (as they go very quickly online) it was certainly worth the wait to get into the place. The atmosphere gives you very much NYC small restaurant close table vibes, as there are only maybe 10 tables in the place total and about another 10 or so barstools at the bar. It now makes sense why getting a reservation for this hot spot is so difficult. The lights are dimly lit and the primary color green is popped in around the restaurant from the booths to decor etc. The tables are set with white table cloths and mix-matching plates and fancy silverware. The ambience I thought was great for a date night, as the restaurant was filled up with couples on a Friday night. Onto the food, we started with the Caesar salad which was out-of-this-world, probably one of the best Caesar salads I’ve ever had in my life. Every bite had an abundance of dressing and crunch and it comes with 4 larger than life croutons which are garlic coated and fluffy little pillows of pop and flavor. Next we moved onto the meatballs which were homemade and comprised of veal and beef, they came recommended by our server as well as they only make so many a day and he said if they are available they should be tried. The order is 3 meatballs in a red sauce and fresh basil leaves on top. I would say the meatballs are very good, but shockingly didn’t blow me away as much as I thought, which wasn’t a hit against the meatballs, the Caesar salad just had incredible flavor and texture when comparing the two. Lastly we had the house special vodka pasta & chicken parmesan for a split entree shareable feast. The vodka pasta is prolly one of THEE BEST vodka pasta dishes I have ever had. The noodles are a shell type noodle and the sauce is thinner than most vodka pastas and it comes with Calabrian breadcrumbs on top for a bit of a crunch. Truly every bite of this dish kept you wanting more. The Chicken Parmesan which was very good itself and was a huge portion, it comes thinly beaten and takes up the entire plate, no side pasta just the chicken itself, which is perfect for a standalone entree or a shareable entree for the table. I wish the Chicken parm had more fresh mozzarella as I feel like it was lacking a bit on overall coverage on such a large piece of chicken but still a very strong dish. Overall very pleased with the meal and enjoyed ourselves at such a unique and quaint spot in the city. Will definitely recommend to others going forward, as a tough reservation to get but a worth while meal altogether. Final Review: 4.7/5.0

Franco Imparo

Feb 2025

“Elina’s in Chicago is a must-visit.”

Elina’s in Chicago is a must-visit! From the moment we walked in, the service was outstanding—friendly, attentive, and made the whole experience so enjoyable. The restaurant is small and cozy, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere that makes you feel right at home. Now onto the food—absolutely delicious! The vodka rigatoni was creamy, flavorful, and perfectly paired with Calabrian breadcrumbs that added the perfect crunch. The eggplant parm was a highlight, cheesy, rich, and baked with pesto that gave it a unique twist. And let’s not forget the mozzarella sandwich—imagine mozzarella sticks meets grilled cheese—it was incredible! The Italian fries were good, though nothing mind-blowing, and the pistachio cannoli was decent, but the standout dishes truly were the pasta and eggplant parm. Definitely make a reservation, as it’s a small spot, but absolutely worth the visit. Can’t wait to go back!

Pooja Patel

Dec 2024