Maggiano's Little Italy
Micki Moore · 109 Google reviewsMaggiano's Little Italy — solid, no-fuss italian in River North. Old-school in the best sense, with zero pretense. There's real intention behind the cocktail list, and open late. Akinsoji Taiwo: "The pasta was fresh, perfectly cooked, and full of rich, authentic flavor" [$$]
What 3,688 diners keep saying
What 3,688 diners keep saying
verbatim, from Google
“Really flavorful dishes! LOVED the pasta. Been here about 3 times and 2 of those ordered the Rigattoni D Pasta dish because it really is delicious. The sauce is creamy, not too too salty and tastes amazing so recccomend it! The quality and quantity is well worth the price but I feel this is more of a special occasion/treating yourself type of place due to how pricey it can get with added drinks. Came here for my mom's birthday one of those times and the lady who had also previously served us gave us a free dessert! The lemon cookies in that dessert were soft, crumbly and of course lemoney 🍋 and I would 100% order them as dessert if I came again. Not sure what her name was but waitress was very accommodating and pleasant! We also ended up ordering an additional apple pie type of dessert which was just delicious, what more can I say! This restaurant is popular for a good reason. The reason being quality food, great service and good ambiance. 10/10 Best Italian place I've tried thus far :)”
“Beautiful traditional vibe with friendly service and generous portions. Lovely cocktail presentation. Photo: Penne allaVodka”
“Celebrated my birthday. Very nice restaurant. Ambiance was romantic. Great Service. Great food.”
“I love coming here.. it always give me a neighborhood feel.. very down to earth very warm and family friendly..I had the stuff mushrooms and Caesar salad with pasta..I usually get the egg plant parm or chicken parm but wanted to try something different I’m glad I did.. thanks for the hospitality and I’ll see you guys again soon”
“My family of five and I set up reservations a week ahead. They kept me posted with messages and emails. The food was amazing, along with the atmosphere. We spent $225 for four main dishes, two sides, meatballs and family share salad. Including top. A great experience for those who don't spend this amount of money often.”
“Maggiano’s impressed us with both the quality of the food and the incredible portions. When they say family-style, they really mean it—portions are huge. Prices are on the higher side (around $30-$60 per plate), but the quality mostly justifies it. The service was exceptional. Everyone was friendly, smiling, attentive, and genuinely seemed to care about our experience. The food was excellent. The lemon chicken was easily a 10/10, the appetizers were fantastic, the drinks were great, and the crème brûlée was delicious. The pasta was very good too, although I would have preferred it a little more al dente. A few things kept this from being a 5-star experience. Despite the restaurant being only half full, our group of seven was seated at a fairly small table. Also, staff started cleaning nearby tables and floors while guests were still eating. I understand wanting to prepare for closing, but it’s not pleasant to enjoy a meal while cleaning is happening around you. My biggest feedback is that the restaurant is missing a bit of the Italian atmosphere. Some soft Italian music, a little more Italian flair, and slightly brighter lighting would make a huge difference. The food feels Italian; the ambiance less so. Overall, I’d definitely recommend Maggiano’s for families and groups. Great food, huge portions, excellent service, and a place I’d happily visit again.”
“I’ll start with how wonderful the service was. Our waitress was so thoughtful and kind throughout our dinner and recommended us the best plates. We had fettuccine bolognese and their specialty rigatoni. Both were amazing, and actually complimented each other flavor wise being different. Keep in mind the restaurant is “family style” so there was a lot of food to go around. The only complaint would be both pastas were lacking in meat, and the bolognese could have had more bolognese (to pasta ratio).”
“Had some good food and drinks. The serving portions were extremely generous as well.”
“We arrived at approximately 6:30 p.m. for a private event, and I want to be fair in my review because not everyone contributed to our negative experience. The servers in the private dining area downstairs were absolutely magnificent. In particular, one of our female servers was incredibly welcoming, kind, and attentive. She made our group feel comfortable and provided excellent service throughout the evening. She deserves recognition for how professionally she treated us. Unfortunately, our experience with the front staff was the complete opposite. As we entered the restaurant, I noticed another group of guests of a different background being greeted with smiles and a warm welcome. When my group entered, however, we were not greeted at all. We were simply ignored. I said something to one of the male staff members at the front, and instead of acknowledging me or responding professionally, he frowned, turned his back toward me as if I was an annoyance, and walked away. It immediately made us feel unwelcome. As we walked downstairs to what appeared to be the private dining area in the basement, a Caucasian woman—who may have been a manager, although I’m not certain—watched our group in a way that made us feel very uncomfortable. Combined with the difference in how we were greeted compared to another group, it left me questioning whether race may have influenced the way we were treated. I cannot say for certain what was in anyone’s mind, but I can say that the difference in treatment was noticeable enough that it left my group feeling disrespected and unwelcome. No customer should leave a restaurant questioning whether they were treated differently because of how they look. I hope management reviews the front entrance cameras and speaks with the employees who were working around 6:30 p.m. The hospitality we received from the servers proves this restaurant has employees who genuinely care about customers. I only wish that same level of professionalism had been shown by the front staff who greeted guests as they arrived.”
“I’ve been coming to Maggiano‘s for such a long time and I love this restaurant… Today I decided to come here with my family, and I lost my appetite immediately after I saw this in between the seats of the booth… I don’t think I’ll be coming back to this restaurant anytime soon”
Sounds like your kind of place?
Star it — your hit list is where dinner decisions get made.
One email a month — new openings, hidden gems, and where locals are actually eating.
More Italian in Downtown & River North
See the ranking →
In the same lane · Italian, mid-range
If it's packed, walk to…
More good rooms in River North, minutes away.