La Gondola Italian Restaurant

Andy, the owner of 20 years, truly cares about his food and customers. There are only 8 tables in this tiny restaurant, so it feels like being served by family. They have a Stromboli like menu item called the Panzeroti, which is filled with a ton of mozzarella cheese and meat. They don’t skimp on ingredients. I’ve had the pizza there a couple times. Pretty good— my friends raved about it. The place is in a strip mall and doesn’t look like much from the outside.

"D" makes your experience very memorable. His personality is so warm and engaging on a playful side. We were referred here by friends and quickly saw why. Food was fantastic and when I was concerned about wasting the remaining deep dish pizza as was staying in hotel, D suggested donating it to those in need. My heart was so warmed by that. Yes. I will recommend a thousand times over. Pat and Sandy, Bellefonte PA

Looking for an Italian restaurant that absolutely slaps? You've found it! Ditch the mediocre chain restaurants in Chicago and order here instead. This place is incredible! Ever since visiting Europe this summer I've been seeking the best Carbonara in Chicago. Let me tell you, their Carbonara absolutely slaps! It's slightly more salty than I prefer but that's being petty tbh. I placed an order on doordash and there was a small, micro issue with my order which resulted in getting to try more food! It was dealt with in a very timely and effective manner. The girl working up front is sooooo nice and so is the owner (I presume he was the owner). We also got to try their spaghetti and meatballs, double cheese burger, fries, minestrone soup, and brownie bites. Every item was amazing! I do want to give a specific shout out to the double burger for $7 during lunch. It's the definition of grilled BBQ burger. It tasted like a BBQ with the grill marks on it and overall flavor. The cheese was so melty and delicious! It's the best value and quality burger in Chicago. Also worth noting that the free baguette you get with the pasta is actually good! I'm so picky about baguettes but theirs was actually worth eating. Thanks for making our experience amazing! I will be back so soon!