Club Lago Restaurant Inc

So I had always walked by this place walking home from work and during the summer there is seating outside. The aroma of the fried calamari made me curious and it just looked like a cute place. So last night a friend and I tried it. The food was excellent and the service was quite good as well! Our server was extremely knowlegable about the menu and I had a blast. The veal I had was excellent as was our fried calamari appetizer. I would highly recommend this place to anyone who lives around to try it. Great hospitality as well by the male host. I believe he was one of the owners. Great full bar too! more

Whenever we venture downtown, we always head to Club Lago. Why wouldn't we...when it's the best Italian food in Chicago AND it's always consistent, the staff is attentive, friendly and accomodating and the atmosphere is easy going, yet fun. Our standard order is fried zucchini appetizer, pizza bread and red wine. We always order a pasta dish (with meat sauce) to pass around the table to share and then we each order our own veal dishes. You may ask us, which veal dish would we recommend... and we will tell you it would be a great debate in our family as to which one is the best....is it the traditional veal parmesan, veal sassi, veal rusticana, veal piccante, veal limone or breaded veal cutlet? They are all amazing and I could easily say that each of those veal dishes is the best! You must try each one and decide for yourself! If we have room we always order cannoli. It is so good!! What makes Club Lago unique is that it the kind of place you can go dressed up before a concert or play, go casual for a dinner with friends, dress in jeans to eat before a game, pop in to grab a quick bite and drinks between a wedding and the reception, have a nice lunch or dinner when you're with the kids, or go for a special occasion with your sweetheart, simply because they treat you so well in this place! The Nardini brothers are the third generation owners and I know this because I have been going there since their grandfather and their father owned the place. I am proud to say I have been eating at Club Lago for more than 35 years!! It is the real deal folks. It is truly a gem of a restaurant. If you haven't been there, you are missing out. Go and experience Club Lago! Tell them the girl from Barrington sent you and enjoy one great Italian meal in a unique atmosphere! Bon Appetit! Pros: Real Italian food, Friendly Service, Good Prices more

Several months ago I was looking for a place to go for Italian cuisine. While shopping at my usual favorite smoke shop, Iwan Ries, a friend recommended Club Lago. I made reservations and headed to the restaurant. I felt like I came into your favorite bar/restaurant. You are immediately greeted like a regular. The customer service is superb. Pros: Fantastic Food, Superb Service, Like coming home for dinner! Cons: Probably parking, but I usually walk it or cab it if it is inclement weather. more

Atmosphere: Pros: good prices, great service, good (not great) food, 1 block from Chicago brown line stop Cons: not romantic/quite & more of a bar than restaurant more

Went there for lunch and it was like going back in time. Giancarlo is friendly and accomodating, it seems like he knows everybody and has a smile for us all. Pros: Have a good Meal Cons: Who cares if the parking is hard to find !! more

2nd time visiting this classic Chicago joint. The moment you walk in the door, it's like stepping back in time, not only for the style and general feel of the place, but also for the delicious food. It's what I think Chicago was like back in the 40's and 50's. Cozy booths, the manager seemed to know most everybody in the place, and I did hear the requisite Sinatra recordings playing. I had veal parmigiana on one visit, and spaghetti with meat sauce on the second go round. Both very good. Even had some delicious spumoni ice cream for dessert. Where do you even find spumoni anymore? A fun time and I will be heading back soon. more

Wow, Club Lago you are wonderful! From the outside looks of the building and signage, you expect some sort of restaurant group owned restaurant with all the frills. The frills stop at the door. Inside you find booths and tables with red checkered table clothes, an owner/manager that greets everyone by name/handshake, and waitresses that have seemingly been working here forever. The scene is weird - the best way to put it is that if I could imagine what a maf!a restaurant would be 40 years ago, this would be it. The food from the lunch menu was delicious - I had the chicken cordon bleu (Italian style) special and my guests had excellent dishes - one spaghetti with meat sauce and the other veal parmesan. I'll definitely be back for lunch and imagine the dinner scene with a packed restaurant of older Italian gentlemen is surreal. Pros: Great Ambience, Friendly Staff, Delicious Italian Food! more

Club Lago is a great place to go after work. It's a little cramped and smokey, but for those of you who like to go and get your power drink on before heading home or heading wherever, this is the place to be. The staff is very friendly and they remember you...and keep the drinks a'comin. Pros: Good service. Cons: Cramped/Smokey bar. more

Green noodles w/ their sauce and mushrooms - yum!!!! Great flavor and the price? Can't beat it! Pros: Price, Taste more

This place I stumbled upon when other restaurants in the area were too packed to fit a table of 10. Eventhough they said they didn't have room, they quickly accomodated us with a table. The food was the best italian since I moved here a year ago! The ""homey"" neighborhood feel you get while eating is great. I felt like I found a secret no one knows about. Even though I say it's not good for big groups; just make reservations and your set. Pros: great service, old-school, good food Cons: not a lot of room more

Club Lago presents excellent Italian fare without subjecting its customers to a faux, Italian-themed atmosphere. The generous portions are welcomed because once you start eating, you want there to be a lot of it. The veal marsala is tops -- once you eat it at Lago, you'll be disappointed anywhere else you try it. And a shout out to the meat sauce -- if it wouldn't seem weird, I'd order it as a stand alone meal with bread. Pros: Great food, True Chicago ambiance, Great bar service more

If you are from Chicago and haven't eaten here, shame on you! I've never had or heard any complaints about this old-school italian joint. Highly recommend the Braccioline All'agro. Great Service, and if you come in twice the owners know you by name. more