4. Restaurants

Basil Leaf Cafe

2465 N Clark St, Chicago, IL, 60614
  • (773) 348-7243
  • Store is closed

Basil Leaf Cafe Menu

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  • Classics
  • Signature
  • Premium

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  • Create Your Own
  • Classics
  • Signature
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  • Dee W.

    Cute little Italian cafe which is befitting for a first date or other dates, even. What I found to be super cute was their water and how it had fruit in it to add a refreshing flavor. Service was fantastic - our waitor had the best tips and suggestions for food. My boyfriend swears by their fettuccine jambalaya which was a waitor recommendation. And my squash ravioli was pretty fantastic, too.

    (4)

  • Chloe M.

    This is such a cute restaurant and I really think it is the ideal date place if you are looking for somewhere to eat in the Lincoln Park restaurant. i've only had pasta here and it was so good! It's also in a really good area so there are plenty of fun bars around to grab a drink after.

    (4)

  • Gina L.

    The service and ambiance here is excellent. I went there for lunch and I loved that they offered small salads (approx. $3) to pair with a pasta dish. They were a little pricey on their pasta dishes, but you got a ton of food for your money! I recommend splitting a pasta dish, it's more than enough for two.

    (4)

  • Sheila D.

    I've only been here once and it was absolutely adorable so I'm surprised I haven't made it back. I never noticed it before, but my friend and I were on a walk during a nice day in Chicago last summer and stopped in because we were hungry and the menu looked good. I ordered a pasta dish (can't remember what it was a year later) that was really good. We were also very impressed with our waitress who helped us choose our entrees...she was very friendly.

    (4)

  • Olivia P.

    I ordered the gorgonzola filled gnoche. (Which I can't seem to find on their online menu...maybe it was a special or they got rid of it). Anyway, it wasn't served warm enough and didn't have enough taste. The portions were quite large, but I felt my dish wasn't worth the money. However, the other two people I was eating with enjoyed their food. Maybe I will give it another try sometime...

    (3)

  • Sydney K.

    Don't let the name mislead you - this is not a Thai restaurant (as I first assumed when I went). It's a cute Italian restaurant that serves pasta dishes beyond spaghetti and meatballs. I was surprised to find such an inventive menu for a small neighborhood restaurant. The bread is crusty and chewy - a perfect way to stave off hunger pains as you wait for your entree. Basil Leaf Cafe doesn't take reservations, so be prepared to wait on the weekends.

    (4)

  • Mary W.

    "I love this cute little cafe! It has such a great atmosphere with the photos of Katherine Hepburn and Robert Deniro. They have some of the tastiest pasta dishes I have ever had! This cafe would be great for a first date or an anniversary!"

    (5)

  • Julia B.

    I really like the atmosphere of this place! They have great pasta dishes and tons of wine to accompany the meal! I think it's a great place to go on a date or have an intimate dinner with a friend who you have not seen in a while!

    (3)

  • Laura B.

    Came here for some really fresh food.... CAlifornia style and was not disappointed. Autumn butternut squash soup was superb and the spinach salad was really fresh and delightful. Great indoor/outdoor atmosphere with open doors by the street and a very friendly wait staff. Well worth the trip!

    (4)

  • Claire L.

    Definitely one of my favorite date places in the city. Super quiet and intimate atmosphere and everything is clean and well decorated. They start your meal with warm rolls and fruit infused water. The salads are big enough to share and the entree portions are enough for you to take home for seconds, or maybe even thirds. Nothing but great service each time I've come. I also stopped in the day before the Chicago marathon last year (with my race bag after I had picked everything up) and the waitress saw my bag and congratulated me on running, plus told me I would get a free double portion of pasta to help me carb load. Super appreciated and a sweet gesture! I brought my dad and stepmom here on a recent trip to Chicago and they also loved it. You can't go wrong with this place!

    (5)

  • Carolina N.

    Basil Leaf is a lovely Italian restaurant that has a cozy neighborhood vibe while still maintaining various upscale elements that you still want during your Italian dinner experience. I love that it can be both a fancy place for say a Saturday date night or a casual Monday night dinner place too. Wear a dress, wear your tennis shoes...you won't feel out of place here! The pasta dishes are fantastic! Big portions just how I like it. The only reason I am not giving them 5 stars is that a few months back a waitress, God bless her sweet soul, knocked an ENTIRE beer all over my boyfriends lap. Luckily, we lived nearby so he was able to run home and change. He was gone for about 10-15 minutes but I stayed at our table and I would say maybe twice the really embarrassed waitress came over to ask if I wanted to order my entree? I was like "Um no sweetheart, I'll wait for him to get back..." DUH GIRL, my boyfriend just got drenched in beer and I'm sure the last thing he needs is me ordering my food while he is at home changing. Another thing that ticked me off is that after she dumped that beer on him, she went back into the kitchen and we could hear the staff making fun of her and laughing hysterically. They all came out to watch my boyfriend attempt to dry his clothes and it wasn't very professional or considerate. The last thing that was bothersome was that although the manager gave us %50 off our paycheck, it was just off our food, and my boyfriend was still charged for that beer! C'mon you could of at least given my boyfriend a free beer after that embarrassing and total inconvenient ordeal. I forgive you Basil Leaf. You do have great pasta and I will be back...maybe with rubber pants :-)

    (3)

  • Sergei M.

    Just had lunch here, ordered polenta with Gorgonzola and NY strip steak appetizer and half salad with cranberry and goat cheese. Great, sophisticated, fresh! Polenta was superbly crispy on the outside and soft inside, salad had just perfect proportion of sweet and savory. Service great and quick, AC made it even better in this hot day. Great spot, great for meetings, spacious and has a lot of "leg room".

    (5)

  • Shannon K.

    This place only gets two stars for its warm bread and olive oil. Other than that, the pasta was overcooked and the sauce was not seasoned properly. The dessert was stale and off putting. I would not recommend, even if it's the closest place nearby. The service is great, however, but that's the only reason I would come again.

    (2)

  • Erik H.

    Basil Leaf is a mix between the cozy neighborhood Italian hangout and an upscale restaurant. This is probably not a place that an out-of-towner would find or choose if visiting Chicago. Our friends who lived nearby wanted to take us to their mice go-to restaurant on a Saturday night. Being from San Francisco I was also intrigued by Game 5 of the World Series. Half the restaurant is a bar and there were few people paying attention to the game. The restaurant side of the establishment was full with about 90% of the tables occupied. The menu is pretty traditional Italian fare and as I had already stuffed myself with pizza and brats the previous night, I decided to have a little lighter fare with a caesars salad which was quite large, along with a butternut squash aioli. The owner, Shawn (sp) was quite attentive and kept asking how we wee. The server, Sara, a petite red haired dancer fro Wisconsin was also personable and kept us updated on food progress. shawn also kept coming by to discretely give me score updates. In the end I guess my friends were normal regulars there as we were given a complimentary tiramisu which we all ate with tons of guilt. If you want to get away to where locals eat in Chicago, this is a great find and not far from Wrigleyville and other bars.

    (4)

  • Kyle D.

    The good: Great service. Didn't have to wait on a Saturday night during prime time and the waitress was attentive. Water, drinks, and bread were prompt. The atmosphere is good, but it's awkward walking in through a bar to get to the more intimate part of the restaurant. Huge portions and a ton of options. The bad: When it comes to Italian, this food is pretty bland. Didn't taste or feel authentic. Everything about this place is 4/5 stars, but the food was so bland I just couldn't justify a 4. Overall: Good portions, selections, and service. Average Italian taste. Atmosphere: 7.5/10 Service: 9/10 Food: 6.5/10

    (3)

  • Shaina K.

    I went here for lunch on a weekday. It was not very crowded, and the server was very attentive. They have a pretty decent menu for lunch. There are quite a few options, I ended up choosing soup and a salad. Both were really good, and the portions were perfect. This place is a great option for lunch, I'll be back there soon!

    (4)

  • Margot C.

    Last week was my first trip to Basil Leaf in 15 years and my first meal at its "new" location across the street. I remembered the pasta having excellent and simple sauces, and an authentic vibe. Although a lot has changed, its dedication to excellence is still the same. My 12 year old son and I sat down at a romantic two-seater table. We had enough room to sit side by side. We were each given a warm, aromatic wheat roll dusted with flour. Although I knew I was going to order pasta, I couldn't resist sopping the bread in the olive oil infused the night before with chunks of roasted garlic, basil, sun dried tomatoes, and oregano. The oil was so thick and rich I could easily call it a sauce. I ordered a glass of chianti classico and my son had a large bottle of lemonade. We were ready to eat! Basil Leaf boasts their menu can be made 98% gluten free, so I thought I would give one of these items a go. I ordered the gluten free gnocchi with a delicious creamy pine nut, sun dried tomato pesto sauce. Although gnocchi is made traditionally with potato flour, it usually has wheat flour in it, too. The gnocchi pillows were soft and airy, while still maintaining their traditional heft. The biggest difference between these melt-in your mouth delights and others' offerings is the weight you feel in your gullet is missing. Normally, gnocchi tastes good, but your tummy feels like you just deposited rocks. Not with these. My son helped me gobble them all up. They gave me enough sauce sauce for three meals, so I packaged the leftover pesto and took it home. At home, I pan-friend "zucchinetti" (zucchini shaved like spaghetti) with the pesto to get my son to eat veggies at home. My son had a half order of penne pasta with a side of marinara sauce and a side of meatballs (He likes to dip his noodles like a french fry in ketchup.) The marinara is a vegetarian version (without the clam sauce) with huge leaves of basil in a mildly chunky tomato sauce. The flavors here were very simple: tomatoes, oil, basil, a touch of salt. This is what I remember from the 90s. The meatballs were moist and very traditional. The sauce was clearly made at least the day before as it had the richness only time can imbue. As with the gnocchi, I was given enough sauce to make auxiliary meals at home. Surprisingly, we saved room for dessert. We had the key lime tart with a thick/high hazelnut crust to custard ratio with a shaving or two of white chocolate. The show stoppers, however, were the two congealed tubes of sweet cream. I have never had cream with such a delightful consistency: solid and sweet. Service from Sophie was impeccable. The owner's mother stopped by to say hello. I heard the owner Sean say to his staff, "give the customers what they want." It's a simple philosophy that goes a long way and reveals itself in the menu. Bravo, Basil Leaf Cafe!

    (5)

  • Daniel G.

    It was all about Kristyn. I immediately liked the warm ambience at this quaint long-standing Italian ristorante. Kristyn will tell you about the former Sage and Basil Leaf restaurants. I ordered the chicken piccata but complained to her about the dryness of the pollo. She ran off to the kitchen and brought back a second truly deliciously seasoned piece of the ave. The wine selection is vast. Then she performed a miracle by getting me an awesome decaf cappuccino. Molte grazie per un buon piatto di pollo. Ritorno subito.

    (4)

  • Diana H.

    Absolutely appalled by the level of harassment. My friend and I came here to talk and have a drink. She left her ID at home and the waitress had the manager come let us know that my friend would not be served alcohol when we asked for some leniency (we are from the area and my friend is in her 40's). We accepted their rules, respectfully. I (had my ID) finished my gin and was going to order a glass of wine. When I ordered, the same manager stormed up to our table to tell us that we wouldn't be served. She assumed my friend had tried to order again. When we told her the drink was for me, rather than accepting this, she HARASSED us and accused us of lying. Seriously? Not only do we work and live in the neighborhood but we were being polite and explanatory. She discriminated against us from the moment we walked in and would not leave our table. When I asked her to please leave us alone and told her would not order any drinks, she told me she was old enough to be my mother and I shouldn't speak to her. She should find a new job where she can handle customer service. I've never been so embarrassed and insulted before in my life.

    (1)

  • Brandon G.

    Don't come here if you're limited on time... After nearly an hour of waiting I got it boxed and went on my way. Staff were kind which was a bonus- but can't say I was too thrilled with sitting there that long.

    (2)

  • Dr. M. Z.

    I live in the neighborhood so we end up there with family at least once or twice a month. I have almost tried everything on the menu and ALWAYS been happy and satisfied! ! For the price, no comparison! ! 5 stars for sure.... :-)

    (5)

  • Gino W.

    I have lost count of the number of times I have gone to Basil Leaf Cafe. So I will not rattle of exact menu items that I have had. Suffice it to say, I have had everything on the menu except for menu items that had nuts in them. The only one with nuts in it that I had was the berry salad, and that was because I requested the salad without the walnuts. Starting with service, I'm in love. It may be that I usually go with one other friend or solo, so I don't end up with an exasperated server who has to figure out the whims of a large party. Everything comes to the table without incident on the server's part or complaint on my part. The quality of the food has never faltered, as far as I have experienced during my visits. I don't go to Basil Leaf Cafe often, but when I do, I'm always glad that I did. I don't leave frustrated and I am alway stuffed to the point of having to waddle out of the restaurant. So, if I had to sum up Basil Leaf Cafe in one word, it would be "Bravo!!!"

    (5)

  • Steve A.

    We enjoyed the pub like atmosphere of the corner room, which affords a great view of the colorful neighborhood. Salads were fresh and excellent, and there are some nice wines on their list at good prices. Service was inexperienced but well intentioned.

    (4)

  • Roya D.

    The only restaurant that everything is excellent .i drive from far to get to basil leaf .i enjoy the taste of Italian food . The best Italian food ,the excellent and kind staff . Recently I gave my son's birthday there. It was great and a lot of my guests are going there all the time .i suggest highly to go to basil leaf

    (5)

  • Teresa Z.

    Great food I really enjoy the salads always very fresh & when you add the grilled chicken or salmon it takes it to another level. Be warned if you are watching carb intake please don't try the warm bread they serve it is addictive

    (5)

  • Sherry Y.

    Came here for drinks with a friend just a week ago. The bartender who works there around 9pm on Saturdays is such a gem. She mixed me a drink with ginger beer, muddled mint leaves and lime that was so delicious...and named it after me! Such a sweetheart. My friend also didn't enjoy her first beer, so she let her pick something else. Awesome service, woudl definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a fun place to eat and imbibe.

    (5)

  • Miss Kari P.

    Sweet servers, prime location on the outside patio, and absolutely delicious sandwiches. That's definitely what I recommend when coming here. I was here yesterday on my birthday and was very pleased with the whole experience. I recommend this cafe for lunch for everyone.

    (5)

  • Mark A.

    Every time we come to the Basil Leaf, we wonder why we don't come here every night, because it's terrific. They have quite a few items on the menu, which means everyone leaves happy, and all of my favorites are there: rigatoni bolognese, fettuccini carbonara, chicken marsala.... And they always keep an interesting and challenging selection of beers at the bar. My wife would order the butternut squash ravioli every time because it was so good; only recently did she expand her horizons with the pesto gnocchi and it was delicious. We have never had a bad meal here. Furthermore, the service is wonderful. At our most recent visit, our server, Alex, had helpful wine suggestions, and wrote our entree names and the date on our to-go containers--really helpful when your fridge is full of restaurant leftovers. Good food, good wine and beer, and good service--what more can you ask for?

    (5)

  • Brandon M.

    This is a good place and it is definitely good for someone who is allergic to gluten! There is a ton of gluten free options. I had the chicken Parmesan and the rigatoni bolengese. Beware it is a lot of food I recommend splitting meals if possible. Both of entrees were good however they were not great the chicken parm was my favorite. I would definitely try this place again.

    (4)

  • Jillian W.

    Basil leaf is always a good choice when looking for a nicer but not super expensive restaurant. Came here with family. Only qualm: they recently changed their menu and if any item has GF in front of it, it means it's made gluten-free. Which means the pasta is super fresh. And takes a super long time. And kind of tastes like it's not cooked all the way if you live and love the gluten lifestyle, like me. I thought the GF items were gluten-free optional, not the only option. Could have been more clear on the menu or reiterated by our server, as this caused a bit of frustration (why is our food taking so long?) and even more frustration (my pasta tastes like it's not cooked!). Although the manager sent us a round of free drinks for our "troubles." Gotta love service recovery!

    (3)

  • Rebecca G.

    Fancy but with decent prices. Not the most unique or best Italian I have had in Chicago but still a great atmosphere. Underwhelmed by the food but still an enjoyable experience.

    (3)

  • Molly A.

    Ordered the Beet and arugula salad for carry out. Got home, not one beet on the entire salad. Very disappointing.

    (1)

  • Owl E.

    I want to thank Basil Leaf for its wonderful service. My fiancee and I were celebrating our anniversary last night. I bought her a nice floral arrangement on the way home from work. We decided to walk home and stopped at Basil Leaf for dinner. The manager or owner was wonderful bringing out a vase and water for the flowers. She then gave my fiancee a small bag with water for the bottom of the flowers for the way home. We didn't ask for any of it, the manager just came up and did it both times. We were very touched. We also enjoyed the food and thought it was very reasonably priced.

    (5)

  • Martin L.

    I know its an Italian but this place does one of the best Steak's I have ever eaten... I have dined here a few times and this restaurant is consistently clean, very well run with fantastic attentive service and outstanding food !! Owner Sean has been there every time and always takes a min to touch the table and have a word - five stars all day !!!

    (5)

  • Dina R.

    Great food and service. Adorable atmosphere! Came here on vacation while visiting the Lincoln Park Zoo and admiring Lake Michigan from the beach nearby.

    (4)

  • Kelly S.

    Very cute place, a combination of comfortable and classy - not someplace you'd have to feel like you had to dress up for. I had Chicken Milano and it was fantastic. I started with Baby Spinach Poached Pear salad which was good but a little on the sweet side for what I prefer in a salad. The chicken was cooked nicely and was moist. The pasta was so yummy - mixed w/sundried tomatoes, asparagus and artichoke hearts. The sauce on the pasta was a very light, broth based sauce. It could have used a little more seasoning. The server offered fresh ground pepper and parmesan cheese - which would have enhanced it nicely. NICE beer and wine selections also. Service was very good. We will be back.

    (4)

  • Misty B.

    I don't know why this place isn't more popular. To me, it's a hidden gem! Great food, adorable space and comfortable atmosphere. Online ordering is super easy & detailed where u can order half salads, customize, whatever. Plus take-out orders & pick up process is simple with the 15 min loading space in front. As far as food they have the best Butternut squash soup I have ever had. I got hooked after trying here and ordered at multiple restaurants since in Chicago & LA and nothing comes close! The salads are great too. Go

    (5)

  • Michele D.

    This is a very cute restuaraunt with okay food and horrible staff. The staff was not friendly at all and no one was smiling. When they came around and almost served me the wrong beverage I kindly corrected her and she rudely said oh and walked away and sent someone else over with the new beverage. I would not recomend this place to anyone if your looking for great Italian food in Chicago my recomendation would be Tuscany great food and an awesome staff.

    (1)

  • Annie N.

    Had dinner here with some friends. The wine tasting option was such a steal, and we all had plenty to drink. Calamari was good. Unfortunately, my vegetable risotto was bland, the rice was undercooked, and it was waaay too soggy. I know risotto isnt supposed to be dry, but this was just inedible. The place was empty since we were there on a weekday. They still had lots of staff. All of which just made it worse, considering it took forever for us to put our orders in and get our food! What were they doing? Got me!!!

    (2)

  • Leslie B.

    Had a very tasty dinner here with one of my girlfriends! We wanted to eat outside in the beautiful weather and found a table open for 2 outside at Basil Leaf. We shared the caprese salad and the grilled cajun calamari. The caprese was awesome, large portion. The calamari was interesting, I liked the spice that was added to it, but it was a very strong flavor that was hard to keep eating. The portion size was really large, we couldn't finish the entire dish. Additionally, we each had a half-salad. Hers had goat cheese with cranberries, mine had avacado, carrot, onion, and tomato. The salads were both delicious, fresh ingredients and a very nice portion for a half salad. Basil Leaf has a large salad selection on the menu, many of which sounded appetizing. Between the half-salads and the two starters, we both definitely had enough to eat. Our waitress was friendly and the staff was constantly giving us more warm bread throughout the meal. Refreshingly, it was very reasonably priced. Great choice for a lovely meal on Clark!

    (4)

  • Michael R.

    My family and I have recently went on vacation and all became sick. We returned home and my wife thought it nice to order me some soup from here. I was a little skeptical, nonetheless I ate it. She ordered me 3 kinds; tomato, butternut squash and minestrone. WOW the best soup I have ever had ! It is AMAZING this place has great bread and salad as well.. definitely recommend them and will definitely be ordering in the future

    (5)

  • Mat M.

    I've been to the Basil Leaf Cafe a few times now, and have had an array of experiences. The food has been consistently good, and the service has typically been really good too. Their chicken salad sandwich is incredible, and their butternut squash soup is delicious too. Additionally, the pasta has always been great too. It's not my top choice for Italian, but it's convenient to go in Lincoln Park.

    (4)

  • Jeffrey Z.

    I went here for the second time yesterday. It had been a while, as I didn't recall enjoying it the first time I went a couple of years ago. The warm bread and olive oil dip are absolutely delicious. The tomato basil soup was heavy on the basil for my liking but not bad. The skirt steak sandwich had great flavor, but the meat was way overdone. While they didn't ask how I wanted it cooked, I definitely didn't think it would be well done. The service was aright and the atmosphere is sort of meh, but it's not a bad place.

    (3)

  • Alissa S.

    I used to LOVE Basil Leaf Cafe... when I ordered online. I thought the food was delicious. On a whim, my boyfriend and I decided to stop in and treat ourselves to a nice dinner to celebrate. We felt immediately judged when we walked in the door. There was a middle aged lady who "greeted" us- and from the minute she saw us, it was as if she was looking at us like we shouldn't be coming in there. Neither of us were particularly dressed up, but it's not like we were wearing sweats either- we had just gotten done with a trip to the zoo so we were wearing casual comfortable clothes. The whole time we were eating the woman kept looking at my boyfriend, like she kept checking up on us and staring at him. We do not by any means look like a threat haha you should see us! We were celebrating our 100th performance of a children's show for god sake!! We both felt very unwanted, judged, and unwelcome the whole time. No matter how I feel about a restaurants food, if I am made to feel unwelcome or not good enough to be there even though I am a PAYING customer, they will no longer receive my business.

    (1)

  • Polly B.

    .

    (2)

  • Shari W.

    We LOVE Basil Leaf!!! It is our neighborhood "go to" where you absolutely can not go wrong! Go for lunch, go for dinner, go for Sunday brunch (try the Bloody Mary's - awesome), or just go hang at the bar for a glass of wine, cocktail, whatever. You can't go wrong! Sean (the owner) is highly involved (which is obvious) and happens to be great for the neighborhood. One of our favs, for sure!!!!

    (4)

  • John M.

    This is become one of my "goto" places for Italian food. The service, food, and ambiance are all very good. Even a picky eater like me can find comfort here. The butternut squash soup is superb, so good on a cold winter's night. Almost any of their entrees can be depended on for satisfying the palate. I last had the eggplant dish and it was just out of this world. They have these little buns that they bring by the table and they are fabulous - but addictive. All in all, a great restaurant and the pricing is reasonable. I recommend this as a really good Italian place.

    (5)

  • Chuck K.

    After the experience I had last week, this place should be downgraded to three starts, but one bad visit out of numerous needs to be considered. Horrible service and waited forever on the Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving. Sat in the bar area and were the only people at a table for most of the evening. Restaurant part was full. We waited forever to get our bottle of wine, we waited forever to get fried calamari and finally we waited forever for very disappointing meals. We witness tables leave after waiting too long for their food. Our server apologized for the horrible wait times and indicated it was the kitchen's fault. She did not offer to comp any part of our meal or any other thing to make up for the poor experience. Sad to say, that Basil Leaf is no longer my go-to place when company is in town.

    (4)

  • Stephanie F.

    I've lived in Lincoln Park for more than five years, yet I never knew about Basil Leaf Cafe. Thankfully, my boyfriend introduced me to this gem. It was a weeknight, so it was quiet. I ordered the Rigatoni Sausage, which was delicious. Also, the olive oil concoction that they brought out with the bread was tasty. Though Basil Leaf doesn't quite measure up to La Scarola, it's nice to have a good, solid Italian place nearby in my neighborhood.

    (4)

  • Erin K.

    I have never been in, so I can't review anything but the food... the food is good. I have tried quite a few things on the menu and the fettuccine alfredo is by far my favorite. The butternut squash soup is also delicious.

    (4)

  • Felicia G.

    I am always SO happy upon coming and going from this little gem. Always consistently good food, the fruit infused water is amazing (and I do it at home now too), staff is so friendly -- just love it here. I bring all my friends here or my out of town mom and we are all always so enthused about it.

    (5)

  • Hrudaya S.

    I went here with two of my friends and we had an awesome time. Their butternut squash ravioli is amazing! Service is excellent and so is the atmosphere:)

    (5)

  • Joe B.

    Excellent Italian food, a romantic interior, and a view of bustling Clark Street make this a great place to celebrate a special occasion.

    (5)

  • Sharon R.

    Went here on my birthday for dinner with my ma. Called a friend looking for an Italian place & this was the first one recommended. We went on a Tuesday night so it was SUPER slow, but all the more attention for us! Nice dining area and full menu. They brought out "fresh" ciabatta bread & oil, which wasn't very good at all, but it was free, so who cares? I ordered a chicken pasta dish & my ma got some crab pasta dish. Absolutely delicious & good sized portions. Our plates averaged around $16 I think. The chocolate desserts were awesome, especially the Chocolate Marjolaine. And my ma said the coffee was some of the best she ever had, although she was pissed at the price of $3.50 a cup. All in all, great place. The little chinese food containers they gave us for leftovers was kinda weird, but it worked, AND she labeled them, so I overlooked how odd I felt walking out of an Italian restaurant with chinese takeout boxes. Would definitely go here again.

    (4)

  • Kelz M.

    Look, one thing to know about my reviews is this: I've worked in the hospitality industry in one capacity or another my entire life. I know that appearances aren't always everything and I know that even though "the customer is always right," the customer isn't always right. This is why I almost always give businesses who left me with a not-so-hot impression another chance. Like Basil Leaf. I returned yesterday - again al fresco, this time sans canine companion. So how was it? I'll tell you exactly how it was. It was a complete turn around from the negative non-experience I'd had last week. This time I paid closer attention to the entire vibe of the place and here's what I saw: relaxed, casually dressed regulars. The manager (same guy, by the way) went from table to table chatting with guests, bringing water, making sure everyone was happy. Speaking of the water - Basil Leaf is actually responsible for my new water kick I started a month or so ago. I've detested water my entire life but at Basil Leaf, the water is infused with big, juicy berries and citrus. It tastes fantastic and I now infuse water with fruit to drink every day at home, too. My food? I tried the house salad with walnuts, gorgonzola and a basalmic vinaigrette to start. It was fresh and light - perfect for outdoor dining on a sunny day and I ate every bite. For my main course, I chose the angel hair pasta with tomatoes, basil and grilled chicken. Again, delicious. The dish was loaded with perfectly grilled chicken, juicy bites of tomato and fresh basil - another perfect choice for a sunny lunch outside. I can't close out this review without mentioning the mojito I had. One thing you must know about me: I am a mojito girl to the core. That said, the mojitos at Basil Leaf DELIVER. They're big, pretty (served with a giant sprig of mint) muddled perfectly, and just a touch on the sweet side. Basil Leaf deserved another chance and I'm VERY glad I gave them one. My meal was outstanding, the beverages were fantastic, and my server was wonderful if not slightly overly-enthusiastic (I later learned that she's new; taking that into consideration, she did a great job). Here's the long and short of it - there's a reason this place is a favourite among the neighborhood locals. In fact, don't be surprised if I become one of those aforementioned regulars, too!

    (4)

  • Lee P.

    As an update, once you get to know the menu, this place is better than average. We mostly order for take-out and they are very good at this. Generous pastas and really good fresh rolls. This is one of our standbys for weekend carry-out.

    (4)

  • Alicia M.

    I went in last night with a friend and the food was great. There wasn't much of a crowd which always makes me question the food quality, but the food was great. We ordered the dried cherries and fried brie salad which was phenomenal. I highly recommend it. For dinner, we saw that the entrees were really large. Since we didn't want to go into a food coma, we decided to split the pesto topped gnocchi. It was creamy and fresh. Overall a great little spot in Lincoln Park.

    (4)

  • Jonathan M.

    Can't give anything 5 stars, but this place is as close as you get. Had an amazing experience time Kristyn was an amazing server/bartender . The meal was also very well done prosciutto peas and mushroom ravioli was amazing .

    (5)

  • Brittni R.

    I've been here a couple times with friends. It's such a cozy little restaurant and truly a hidden treasure in Lincoln Park! I went to DePaul for 4 years and never discovered it! Both times I had the fettucine alfredo with chicken and broccoli. It is super good, probably the best alfredo I've found in this city. Their portions are pretty big and good for the price. They also have an exceptional wine menu, so we ended up buying a bottle. Also, they have a lady that comes to make tiramisu randomly every few weeks. This is probably the best tiramisu I have ever tried. It's in high demand too, because we got the very last piece and our waiter had to hide it for us so no other tables would get it. One of the times, I sat by the bar because I arrived before all my friends, and had a really nice conversation with one of the bartenders. The wait staff was so nice and friendly at this place. It's really difficult to find that in the fast paced restaurant business these days. She was very accomodating and educated me about a ton of wines before I picked one. Attention to detail like that is something I really pick up on and love in a business.

    (4)

  • Bill M.

    I have recently visited Basil Leaf Cafe twice with my dear friend. I can see why this place is one of her favorite restaurants in the city. I can honestly say that the sweet and creamy butternut squash soup was one of the best soups I have enjoyed in 2011 (I ordered it both times). The hearty prosciutto sandwich is thickly laden with slabs of mozzarella and tomato. My friend liked her appetizer of mussels in tomato broth, which was a massive bowl and enough for a meal. She also enjoyed the linguine, which was likewise a healthy portion. We also tried a couple of the desserts, including tiramisu. The staff is friendly here, and they walk around serving freshly baked rolls to customers throughout their meals.

    (4)

  • kevin g.

    This is the first time I ate at the larger restaurant prior to this I used to eat at the small one across street. I ordered the Penne with poached salmon. Unfortunately the pasta was over cooked which made the whole dish a bit slimy. The service was excellent. Be sure to look up to see how filthy the crystal chandeliers are. I prefered the small place which is no longer in existence . I can not recommend this restaurant.

    (3)

  • Adam K.

    Good Italian food, but I've had better. Ordered the gorgonzola gnocchi and the rigatoni sausage. The former was overpowered with gorgonzola, the gnocchi are literally stuffed with gorgonzola when I was expecting to bite into a well-balanced potato and gorgonzola flavors. These were almost like ravioli. You get a mouthful of cheese. The latter, on the other hand made me give this place the 3rd star, it was spicy and well-balanced and I love al dente!

    (3)

  • Carol K.

    As I pushed open the door to this little Italian cafe on Clark street, I wondered how I had never seen it before. After all- I have been on this stretch of Clark time and time again. But all of that confusion quickly faded as I entered the bar area, saw my friend already seated and waiting for me and was served up a beer by a friendly bartender who was laughing at the antics of my friend and me. The room was nice- casual and comforting with high top booths along the wall and a more casual feeling that the restaurant area in the next room that felt a little more formal with it's white linen topped tables. We had asked to be seated by the windows in the main room but since those were all 4 tops and we were only a party of two- we were seated "close" to the windows but more in the middle of the busy room. Oh well. Maybe if you go on a less busy night or bring a larger group- you can sit in the windows! Our server, Lucy, was the highlight of my evening (well, after my much sought after entree, anyway!). It was her first night- and had we not asked- we never would have known this as she was "on her game". She knew the menu, made some great suggestions and had that kind of pleasant personality that all servers should learn. We talked a bit throughout the night long enough to know a little about each other and she even asked us our names so she would know us the next time we came in. Loved it- she really made our night! How about the food? The food was great! They had one of my all time favorite foods as the special of the day -soft shell crab. Even more special since when I had been at Shaw's the night before- they were totally out of it. And being they are only in season for a couple of months- I try to get them as often as I can when they are in season. We started with an appetizer of the Cajun calamari (a suggestion by the table next to us). Delicious! Next up- a Caesar salad which, while predictable was quite tasty and then, of course, the entrees. The soft shell crab was clearly the winner (served with linguine and spinach ahhhh) as my friend's gnocchi was drowning in a marinara sauce that was only okay. Also know that the hot bread that they serve, is liable to ruin your dinner, it is that good! And it is replaced as soon as you eat it so know that you have been warned! Just say "no" or you will keep eating it as we did! Parking in this area is a bit of a challenge as most of the side streets are permit parking only. My suggestion? If you drive- there are spots at the grocery store up the street ($18 for the evening) or at the Children's Hospital lot after 7. A better idea? Take a cab. Dinner with drinks was about $100 for the two of us. Great service, good food and an ambiance an encourages you to sit and linger awhile. Check out the Basil Leaf Cafe. And bring a party of four so you can sit by those big open windows in the front!

    (4)

  • Jeremy W.

    Pretty good Italian good but I prefer Sappori Trattoria in the area because of their hand rolled pastas. Also I think BL might be a little more expensive than Sappori too. But I like this place for a change of pace every one in a while!

    (4)

  • Mona H.

    Let me preface by saying I really had no choice when I came to this restaurant. OK, well maybe I did. I could have walked out on my friends birthday celebration, but how lame would I look if i did. But let's be serious, I had no choice when I came here. What was the birthday girls main reason for choosing this restaurant you may ask? Because it was tried and true...and I think what she really meant was tried and truthfully blah. Normally I'd try the place twice to write an unbiased review,but sometimes the place allows for a first timer review. Here is a rundown: Service: Was OK, our table asked for more bread and we had someone give all but two of us bread, in a table of 5. They said they'd be back to serve the rest of us and instead just disappeared into the abyss. Moreover, I think i waited a good amount of time before they came back to refill my water. With the type of food they served I surely would have appreciated more and more water. Food: Where do I begin. The menu is as specialized as someone who is a clumsy jack of all trades. It's very expansive and therefore, led me to wonder what are they REALLY good at? Anything???? I asked the waitress what her opinion was on whether I should order the butternut squash ravioli or the gnocchi. She suggested the BNSR. I'm still scratching my head as to why I even listened to her. I've had AMAZING butternut squash ravioli...like mouthwatering. Let's see how many adjectives I can use to describe this dish: Bland, Heavy, Spinachy????, Flavorless, terrible...etc. etc. My question is who puts spinach in butternut squash ravioli? Ugh. I'd say those adjectives go for most of the food they serve. Ambiance: It's ok, it leaves something to be desired but it's not terrible. Prices: For what they serve and how they serve it the prices of the dishes were pretty terrible. I've had great Italian food at Sapori Trattoria in Lincoln Park for roughly the same cost in meal, maybe a little more; and it's far better than Basil Leaf! Pretty sure I wont be back, but I can never say never...

    (2)

  • Karen C.

    I'm torn on how I feel about the Basil Leaf Cafe... I really want to like it, but I'm not sure I do. I went on a Saturday night with a group of 4 other people... we did not have reservations, as I've read everywhere that they do not take them (including in other Yelp reviews). But, I was listening to others as they came in for tables, & some were mentioning they had reservations, so I'm confused on that one. The hostess made a stressed-out face when I requested a table for 5, she said they didn't have tables for 5, that we'd have to sit in the bar area... no problem for me. However, 5 minutes later, a party of 6 came in without reservations and they were seated in the dining room. As if I'm not excited enough being the only single girl at dinner, now I'm even more excited because, being sans-date, I'm probably the reason my group had to eat in the bar area due to the non-existence of a table for 5? Awesome. We order drinks (they have a good beer selection) from our very friendly waitress... receive a few rolls of tasty warm bread... order entree's... and wait. And then wait some more. And then watch the table next to us that ordered at least 20 minutes after us eat & finish their meals... and then, you guessed it, we waited some more. When we finally did receive our entree's, mine was really good (I had the white fish special)... everyone else seemed to like theirs as well (with the exception of one person, but I don't remember what she had), and the waitress was apologetic for the wait. The meal ended on a good note, but I still can't shake the feeling that I don't really want to go back.

    (3)

  • Erika C.

    yummms. my boyfriend and i decided to check this place out after reading so many good reviews on here. we were not disappointed! very cute atmosphere and good service. we started off with two minestrone soups. very fresh and delicious. the portions at this place are no joke. i got the cup which filled me up and my boyfriend got the bowl which was a meal in itself. the fresh bread served with dipping oil at the beginning of the meal was also very good. for dinner we ordered the gorgonzola gnocchi and butternut squash ravioli. pretty much died and went to heaven. very large portions and they were both VERY rich. also, this place makes a pretty mean drink. ordered the long island ice tea and it was served in an abnormally huge glass for a cocktail, no wonder why the bar was packed. ;) what it comes down to is this place has not only a great location, but also great food drinks, and service. will be back next time in town :)

    (4)

  • Loni B.

    The Basil Leaf exceeded my usual expectations of gluten free pasta. I got the gluten free spaghetti, and the marinara sauce was undoubtedly homemade and some of the best I've ever tasted. Excellent service and staff here too! The owner also came by our table to make sure everything was tasting okay! I was impressed.

    (4)

  • Jake T.

    Both the food and service were mediocre. Food was nothing special and actually quite bland. Service was slow and waitress paid little attention to us (yes it was busy). For an Italian place with pasta dominating the menu, none of the pasta tasted fresh. The highlights of the meal were the bread and the soup.

    (2)

  • Rita W.

    I always forget to Yelp about Basil Leaf just because it's so close to my apartment, it's just always my go to if I am in the mood for solid Italian food and do not want to walk far. The service here is always friendly and attentive and the atmosphere is relaxed, laid back, yet classy, all at the same time. A server comes by and drops a warm roll on your soon after you are seated and then you given this small dish of spicy herbed olive oil to dip your warm crusty bread into. That is only the beginning.... I usually opt for small side walnut and spinach salad and an order of butternut squash soup. Always a great combination and their butternut squash soup is warm, not too sweet, and pretty much perfect. On my last visit here, I decided to branch out and try one of their specials - the mussels with a red tomato wine broth. (I have been a big fan of mussels lately) It was delicious and the portions of mussels are pretty sizable. Not to worry I still took all of the mussels down and pretty much drank the rest of the warm tomato broth. I loved the chunks of tomatoes and the flavor of the broth. It was also perfect to dip my bread into as well. We ended the meal with tiramisu which came like a small round cake wrapped in a ribbon of white chocolate. The chocolate around the tiramisu tasted a little stale, but the cake was fluffy and moist. It wasn't the best tiramisu that I have had but it was still pretty tasty and a great way to end the meal.

    (4)

  • Meridith E.

    Well, after my 3rd experience with Basil Leaf, I thought it time to make an educated review. I can't stand how good their food is. And after reading some of the 2 or 3-star reviews, I feel sorry they didn't have one of my experiences. I love the duality of the seating area--either in the main dining room or the bar. Both offer full-service wait staff, so it just depends on how busy they are and what type of mood your'e in. I love their bolognese and tortellini w/ peas. I could eat either of those every day for dinner. Also, the gorgonzola mushroom appetizer is nummy! Usually I find gorgonzola to be a bit too pungent for my taste, but this was perfectly salty and earthy. Ooo...I forgot about their spring mix salad with cherries and brie. Seriously decadent. I've only had dinner there, and both times it definitely had some mood lighting going on. This place would be great for a nice date with good food. The wine selection is decent and the staff will help you choose a glass or bottle that matches the meal. Watch out for parking. Being on Clark, it's hard to find a spot. There is valet (I think), but just suck it up and take a cab. That way you can enjoy as much wine as you'd like!!! Mangia people. Mangia!

    (4)

  • Rachel U.

    For some reason, my family couldn't find a place to eat during our trip to Chicago without first walking for miles looking at every option, pushing me to the brink of hunger induced crankiness. By this night I'd started to catch on, and steered us to Basil Leaf, which had looked good during a previous night's sojourn, and the food did not disappoint! The ice water for the table had fruit in it, giving it a light refreshing but not overly sweet flavor. The bread was warm, doughy, and I could've made my meal right there. But we got soups and pastas, and couldn't keep our spoons and forks away from each others' plates. Between the six of us we had half the menu, and everything was delicious. The waitstaff was also friendly and helpful, and the dining areas are roomy and open so that even as the place filled up we didn't feel crowded and it didn't get too noisy.

    (4)

  • Z Z.

    Pretty good for a little late afternoon lunch. My salad was heavily dressed - which I normally always for on the side elsewhere so I will take partial blame since I didn't request on he side. Overall flavor of butternut squash soup was on point - but I love cinnamon & 'the taste of fall'. It was a thicker texture than I have had before, not necessarily a bad thing though. Bread dip (oil/herb) was deeeelish. I would like to try their pasta dishes as those looked amazing at another table. If only I didn't have a donut today from the awesometastic firecakes donuts...already racked up an additional 30 minutes of treadmill time for that calorie expenditure. So, next time when I need a carb reload I will for sure splurge on risotto or some ravioli!

    (4)

  • Ramya P.

    Cozy, intimate and romantic are the words that come to my mind when I think of the ambiance in Basil Leaf Cafe. BLC is our go-to place when we are in the mood for Italian in winter especially 'cuz not only is it very close to where we live but also the divine warm and cheesy food warms us up when we need it most. Most of the times we don't even look into their menu just ordering the specials that the waitress lists have so far never let us down.

    (4)

  • Liz K.

    The ambiance here is very warm and intimate! My friend and I stopped in for dinner because it looked cozy and delicious from outside. The service is phenomenal. Our waitress and servers never let our cups of water become empty and were always refilling our cups. Their "pre appetizer" of bread and olive oil was delicious too. The bread was fresh and warm. The spices they used in the olive oil were incredible! The main entrees are quite huge! We split the chicken and mushroom risotto, expecting each of us to get a little portion, but even the half portions were more than enough. The dishes here are a bit pricy. Most dinner entrees are about $15-20. Salads are about $7-10. This is definitely a cool spot for dinner if you're looking for a nice and classy place to eat.

    (4)

  • Sheri M.

    Basil Leaf is only a couple blocks away from our apartment so we find ourselves ending up here every once in awhile. We always sit in the bar area as opposed to the main dining area, which always seems to be too brightly lit. The food is always pretty decent, but never the best thing we've ever had. There are tons of options to choose from for an entree so it should be pretty easy for everyone to find something they'll like. The fresh, hot bread is wonderful. So, at the end of the day, it is good but compared to all of the other amazing Italian spots in the area, it winds up being pretty average in my opinion.

    (3)

  • Jackie C.

    I love this place. I'm a huge fan of their crab cake special (i think Thursdays). I love the atmosphere with the open windows in the summer. Their Cranberry Goat cheese salad is amazing!

    (4)

  • Lee J.

    In search of a late lunch spot on Saturday, my friend and I came across basil leaf. We came for a meal and wine, then stayed well into the dinner service. What I most appreciated was our server's kindness, that she encouraged us to take our time and enjoy ourselves. The food was pretty good. We both ordered basic dishes - no pasta, two salads, soup, and a sandwich. All were nice, especially the spinach salad with pears. The bread and olive oil was great compliment to our lunch, and they serve fruit infused water, which is a nice touch.

    (3)

  • Raphael S.

    I am going to make this review simple - the food is frickin' amazing. Cheese tortellini with fresh peas and prosciutto in alfredo sauce.....I thought I died and went to heaven. The service can be spotty depending on time of day. I am still giving it 5 stars due to the quality of the food.

    (5)

  • Christina G.

    I've been here 3 or 4 times now, today the most recently. Food the last couple of times, have to say has been somewhat bland. Not bad, but not great. I think if I did come back, would request garlic or something added to the dish. I had the angel hair with basil olive oil, chicken and veggies today, wanting something light. It was light, but the veggies seemed kind of overdone. My friend had the caprese salad which was actually really good, but I think that's kind of hard to mess up. Bread was warm and fresh and it was nice to sit outside in this weather. Overall an ok spot but not amazing. Maybe the heavier dishes with creamier sauces would be better? Oh well.

    (3)

  • Meredith B.

    When I went back here with a friend last week, I felt a re-awakening of my old affection for this place. We ate outside, which was perfect for people watching. We got the cheapest pinot noir on the list, yet it was juicy and flavorful. I always get a salad here, though this time I made the mistake of getting the romaine hearts with avocado, onions, tomatoes, carrots, and honey sunflower seeds. It wasn't a *bad* mistake, but when the other salads have ingredients like "poached pears" and "fried brie," I didn't make the most original choice. All the veggies were fresh - it just felt like a more mid-grade salad than I hoped for. What can I say, when I have a craving for avocado I just gotta have it! They did put cheese on it, no extra charge, which was a nice touch. I wanted a lighter entree, remembering how salty and heavy their sauces can be, so I went with the butternut squash ravioli with fresh spinach and roasted garlic in a basil oil. I thought it was delightful! I was actually able to finish the whole thing. You have to love garlic to love this dish, since it includes whole roasted cloves, but I thought they were marvelous. Each ravioli was filled with sweet, succulent squash, and I had a great time eating it. Didn't feel uncomfortably full afterward or anything. Okay Basil Leaf, I guess I'll come back and visit you again sometime...just when I think I'm bored with you, you throw some roasted garlic my way. Sigh. I'm such a sucker

    (4)

  • Laura C.

    This adorable Lincoln Park Italian restaurant is a perfect date spot. It's romantic interior and delicious food coupled with excellent service make for a great experience. The wild mushroom risotto was perfectly cooked and had a substantial portion of grilled chicken. The pre-dinner rolls were scrumptious, served piping hot with a nice crusty exterior. Our server was attentive and friendly without being overbearing. They also have a decent wine and beer list.

    (5)

  • J O.

    First time here this past weekend. Went with two of my girlfriends for one of their birthdays. Came around 7pm on a Friday and they had plenty of tables, so maybe it was the cold weather that kept people away? But it did get busier around 8pm. We had the butternut squash soup and it was awesome! The warm mini breads they give out to each customer, was a nice touch. I had the chicken parm which was good, but then I tried my friend's dinner, and I SO wanted what she had! She ordered the gorgonzola gnocchi and it was SO yummy. She would only let me have one bite though. She's a vegetarian. I can't say that I blame her for not letting me have more - it was really good. If I ever go back there again, that is what I am ordering without a doubt! We told the waitress that it was our friend's birthday to which she said, "Oh did you want to order a dessert?" We kind of though they'd come out with something, but then again, this is Chicago, not the suburbs, so maybe they don't do "feebie" birthday desserts in that area. BUT, we discovered Molly's cupcake shop just next door, so it all worked out in the end! =)

    (4)

  • Gary E.

    You know you've become too stuck in your ways of living downtown when you consider going to Lincoln Park a road trip. However, a movie we wanted to see was only playing at Landmark so we decided to make a day of it. After the movie we decided to eat at Basil Leaf Cafe and I'm really glad we did. The little intro note inside the menu stating the original was a place called Pastas Cafe in Long Island, NY brought a smile to my face as I remembered going there as a kid! The menu itself had a lot of great choices. Amy had some delicious pasta with grilled chicken and I had the carbonara which was awesome. The Caesar salad we split was delish too and the wine was tasty. Our server was super friendly and genuinely seemed to enjoy her job which isn't often the case at places downtown. The other noticeable difference between downtown was price. So reasonable for the food and wine! After paying our bill we ended up at the bar for another cocktail. I don't know her name, but the bartender there on Saturday night with the brown hair should bottle whatever happy pill she takes in the morning (if in fact it's not already bottled) because I've never in my entire life had service by someone in such a wonderful mood! We'll definitely be back.

    (4)

  • Sam L.

    The water & tea at Basil Leaf Cafe are absolutely amazing. Having different veggies & fruit soaking in them all day makes the world of a difference. I had my standard choice of soup & a sandwich, and the food was delicious. On a side (totally random) note, the floors were very slippery. I only visited Basil Leaf Cafe once while I lived in Chicago, but I truly enjoyed it when I was there.

    (4)

  • Jan E.

    Excellent seafood jambalaya and the cranberry/goat cheese salad. So yummy. Great ambiance.

    (4)

  • Peter g.

    Update- They were a solid 4 stars on my first few visits, then tonight I tried them again, and if you do not go there and try their poached pear salad, you will have never tried the single best salad plate in this city. The Salad alone earned this establishment star #5, but then I had dinner, met the owner, and had a very nice conversation (where I tried to get the Poached Pear Secret) -very nice people. After the salad, did i mention it was fabulous, i had the rigatoni Bolognese and it had so many flavors, subtle, but very tasteful and nothing missing and nothing missed. Quite possibly the best simple pasta dish I have had in a long time in a restaurant. Sometime a place can focus on 1 or several signature dishes while simply filling the menu with some neglected standbys that may not get as much attention as they deserve - Do not fear such dishes here. They care alot and the staff are quite friendly and the meals are divinely scrumptious. I just wish I could tell you what dessert tasted like, on 4 visits now, I have yet to have enough room to try even 1. While you may think that a great reason to return - for me it means I have to find a smaller supper item, or leave something behind to save room, quite possibly impossible.

    (5)

  • Joel M.

    I was on a several month long Italian food drought so my wife and I decided to head over for a late dinner on a Friday. It has a nice atmosphere, but bright and open isn't my ideal Italian restaurant setting. I would have rather had a cozy, candlelit table than this but it was nice and quiet so it worked. The bread was awesome, but we had to flag down someone to get more once our initial ration (2 small rolls each) was gone. Why can't they just walk around every 2 minutes and drop piles on your plate Fazoli's style? The food was just average. My wife ordered the half Lobster - it came with a full claw and the tail was "half" remove out. I say "half" because whoever got the Lobster before her definitely got the majority of the tail meat. That's the best part!! 75% of the time I get Italian food at a restaurant I feel like I could have made it at home just as well. This fell into that category and spending $30 for one of the cheaper bottles of wine just made it worse.

    (2)

  • Damian C.

    I had a serious Italian craving on Saturday night and made my way about 50 feet from my apartment to the Basil Leaf. I can't believe that after nearly a year of living in the neighborhood I had never eaten here before. The first thing I noticed about the restaurant was the temperature. Within a minute of sitting down my face felt all flush and I felt my armpits sweating. This caused us to go with a chilled Riesling for dinner as opposed to the usual red wine. Our waitress was awesome and acknowledged it was a little steamy inside and offered to pump up the AC. The menu was pretty standard.. nothing really jumped out at me. I generally stick with some sort of chicken or lasagna dish when I go for Italian, so I ended up choosing the linguine with chicken and lemon sauce, with the granny apple spinach salad to start. Both definitely hit the spot and I did not leave hungry (I am actually finishing the rest of the meal today for lunch). Our waitress was awesome, too. Awesome enough to leave $30 tip of a $70 total bill. I wish I would have taken her name down for future visits. This place is fairly easy to get a table at. Even though it is slightly small (though much bigger than the old location across the street) we only waited about 5 minutes for a table on a Saturday night. I would definitely recommend it for a quick good meal or a date night.

    (4)

  • Lisa D.

    I went here with my two sons after biking with them on a hot afternoon. This place was an oasis. We were hot and very hungry (my sons are 12 and 19 years old). The service was excellent. Our glasses were filled at all times with cold lightly flavored fresh water. We ordered sandwiches on crispy bread covered with greens that had to be growing the day before, tangy organic cheeses, generous amounts of meat. Loved this place.

    (5)

  • Anna P.

    What a lovely, adorable little Italian place in LP! I was looking for a low-key, quiet place to get some good hearty Italian food on a rainy March Friday, and a friend recommended this place - I am so glad we tried it! The food was really delicious, the service was great, and best of all we didn't have to wait at all for a table at 7:30 on a Friday! I will definitely be going back.

    (4)

  • cassie r.

    Italian restaurants are a dime a dozen in this city. Basil Leaf is a standout - cozy atmosphere, no overcrowding, and a range of delicous pasta offerings -- there's something to pique everyone's interest here. The waitress told me their pesto sauce was excellent, and she wasn't kidding. My order of gnocchi with sun-dried tomatos and pine nuts, tossed in aforementioned pesto sauce was to die for. I can't even find words to describe this culinary masterpiece - a bit dramatic, I know, but you'd feel dramatic after eating this dish too. The bread (free and neverending) was fresh out of the oven and addictive. Their wine list was decent (my group opted for the la bocce classico chianti) - at $30 a bottle, it was a cheap, but quality choice. Interestingly, this place had a list of about 10 or so craft beer offerings, most of which I had never heard of before. Though I didn't get a chance to try any, it's just one reason, among many, to return.

    (4)

  • Stu S.

    My wife and I went here last week with her family. We had been here previously, but the restaurant hadn't really made an impression. We had made a reservation and when we walked in, the hostess was actually fairly rude to us. I'd say the service was mediocre at best and the food (my wife and I got two different seafood pasta dishes) was bland and underseasoned. With so many great Italian restaurants in Chicago, we won't be coming back here.

    (2)

  • Mindy S.

    We went to Basil Leaf Cafe as one in our party had a hankering for Fettuccine Alfredo, and we wanted to dine in the area, and we had always wanted to try out BSC. We were not disappointed. We had just a short wait on a Saturday night @ 8:30pm. Our waitress was really amazing - she knew everything on the menu, was enthusiastic and friendly - really the epitome of fantastic customer service. We also has a person with dietary needs, and the waitress went above and beyond by recommending a few different dishes, and helped us create a customized dinner option to suit our dining partner's needs. The rolls are freshly baked, served to you one at a time throughout the entire meal, accompanied by olive oil & spices. The food was very flavorful and savory. Everybody had to stop themselves from eating too fast, we couldn't get enough. I highly recommend the butternut squash soup, any of the salads, the lobster ravioli, and the vegetarian gnocci. The experience was wonderful, the food tasted great, the atmosphere was warm and comforting, and I will definitely be back to try more on their extensive menu.

    (4)

  • Johnny G.

    Great Italian food you'd likely find downtown, not in LP. Gnocchi is where it's out. Try with a meat sauce!

    (4)

  • Jay D.

    I am an avid fan of "Basil Leaf Cafe!" Their menu is perfect for those who want choice, yet require perfection. The Brussels sprouts they serve are the best I've had - anywhere. I find the fish entrees as well as the meat entrees come out of the kitchen well-rounded, and robust in flavors. When one is looking for Chicago dining options many pass over the "Basil Leaf Cafe," I've never understood why - it's a real gem. The atmosphere is warm, friendly, and inviting no matter the occasion.

    (5)

  • Lisa T.

    Adorable Italian cafe; a place that would be perfect to take my parents back to for a casual dinner. My friend and I chose Basil Leaf on a whim for a Sunday evening supper and it really delivered a cozy, relaxing end to the weekend. We were seated right away without a reservation. We each enjoyed a cup of soup to start our meal, and the butternut squash soup was delicious - creamy without having a ton of heavy cream in it. The risotto I had as my entree was good; however, next time I will likely order a pasta dish. My friend's pasta with sausage was honestly excellent. The server was friendly and helpful, and our meal was only ~$30 (it had been a long weekend so we were staying away from alcohol...). Very acceptable prices for the level of service and quality of food. If you're not coming off a bender of a weekend, the wine list was medium-sized... assuming you're not a sommelier, I'm sure you'll find something delightful on it!

    (4)

  • Mel V.

    This was my second time here to celebrate a birthday for my son aNd let me start by saying, the service is HORRiBLE & non-existant. First off Our server never offered us an appetizer nor a drink, soup or salad! Hmm Going forward, I am italian and I was suspecting this is an italian restaurant looking at the menu but, when I asked the server for bolognese sauce on my pasta she rudely said "bolognese is not a sauce it is the meat in the noodles, do you understand me?" I was shocked at how she talked to me and I could not get her to understand what I wanted So I got upcharged $2.50 for a sauce I didn't want because the server didn't kno what bolognese was and gave me marinara which I do not like!! She also didn't kno if the Gnocchi was made homemade or not when I had to explain another item on the menu to her that she didn't kno again!! Uhh, yes if you are in an italian restaurant maybe you should kno your product or read the dictionary..... ""Bolognese sauce (Italian: ragù alla bolognese) is a meat-based sauce for pasta"" Now before you talk down to your guests, you should kno what you are talking about!!! Also we were given a childs menu for my child, then immediately taken away when we went to order and we were told by the server sorry but the menu is only available for lunch not dinner! Now since when....?? because they want a child to eat an adult size portion for more money!! Ridiculous and poor service!! As I looked around the tables seated by us, they were all offered an appe, soup or salad! We are very unhappy because the food is very good, when you can get what you want(meaning the server understanding the menu)but, it just seems like they love to upcharge! If you want a bigger bill maybe you should ask if we would like an appetizer or drinks, please don't make my child get a childs menu than take it away when she is ready to order aNd make her get an adult portion which is poor service and please don't treat me stupid because you don't understand the menu!! Needless to say, I had to rate this a 1!!! The food is good and the fruit infused water served by the buss boy is incredible when served cold! Well lady with the accent who doesn't kno the menu she is serving, ruined a quality day for us after celebrating my sons birthday in the city and topping it off with this kind of service!!!! I tried not to make a big deal because it was my sons birthday but, this is just unacceptable!!!!!!!

    (1)

  • Jessica C.

    Yes! Finally! I've lived 3 doors down from this place for the past year, and I finally made it over for dinner on a Saturday night. It was a beautiful Saturday evening... after being in a piss poor mood from moving that morning, I came to this place with my mama and boyfriend. We got a seat inside right by the window - it was perfect. Not too hot because we were inside, but you could also feel the breeze. If you come to Basil Leaf Cafe, get a seat by the window! The service was great as was the wine selection. I ordered a 1/2 Greek dinner salad with my main entree cheese ravioli. Great food! And just the right portions. I would most likely return to this restaurant to try out some of the other dishes on the menu. Even though I'm not a vegetarian, I was in a vegetarian mood that night. Check it out! Check restaurant to go with 1 or 2 people. Keep it intimate, you know.

    (4)

  • Nicki W.

    It's been almost a year since my first visit and Basil Leaf has become one of my favorite spots in my neighborhood. In the summertime I sit outside with my dog, read the paper have some coffee salad and soup. The staff is so friendly and I continue to see the same happy faces around which is always positive. I've tried most of the menu items at this point but you can never go wrong with the tomato basil soup (even on a hot day) as well as the salad with the mixed berries which was the first salad I ever tried there. I love their dressing choices and any fruit or vegetables added to the salads are super fresh. The hot roll they give you with the oil when you sit down can't be beat. Keep that bread basket away from me or else I'll eat the whole thing! They've also got some really yummy crafty desserts which get shipped in and the list changes all the time. I suggest if you have a sweet tooth, you should get on that! This is mostly my lunch spot, but I do take people here from time to time in the evening when I want a low-key spot.

    (5)

  • Katie R.

    I just asked my dining companion if he liked his lobster ravioli last night and his response was "I mean, I ate it". Maybe we ordered the wrong things, but we both didn't enjoy our meals. Lobster ravioli = meh. I had rigatoni with spinach/chicken in a creamy tomato sauce and it was more like...generic marinara with cheese sprinkled on with big chunks of chicken and spinach tossed in. It was not tasty. When compared to one of our staples, the much cheaper Pasta Bowl which is across the street, we both like Pasta Bowl ten times better. A disappointment.

    (2)

  • Morris D.

    Hi folks! I guess you can tell from my other reviews that i like the word folks! Well folks. Basil Leaf Cafe is a nice little place. My favorite thing about the place is that my real name means Sweet Basil, so we are connected forever. Speaking of Basil, the bad Jamaican Rasta guy in Marked for Death is named Basil Wallace. Anyway, BLC is a pretty cozy atmosphere. It's pretty quiet, so you can have a convo about Ping Pong, Marv Albert or the stories in the daily newspapers. The waiters/waitresses were very nice and attentive which was nice. I ordered the angel hair pasta and my partner ordered baked steak. Angel hair was good, but needed some salt and maybe a little sauce up in that piece. I'd come back and try something else if I happen to be nearby. Now would i jumprope my way there, no. And if it makes any difference, we went there on a Monday. That is the day before Tuesday.

    (3)

  • christie c.

    This is the best place! The food is always consistently great! The owner is very nice & most of all the place is soooo clean! I love the warm bread, salads & sandwiches are filling & the pasta is cooked perfectly! I also love the cappuccino... yum! And the fact that I can order on-line makes life easy... 5+ stars to Basil Leaf Cafe :)

    (5)

  • Mary P.

    Great neighborhood restaurant. I especially like to eat here in the summer as they have the big windows wide open. Very pleasant. The food is delicious and the wait staff excellent. Noce cozy dining room, fun open bar area in next room.

    (4)

  • Laura V.

    Dined here just once so far, but I do plan to return. They looked pretty busy, but we got seated right away. A bus boy came by to pour water, and then our server came right over to ask for our drink orders. We requested a couple things she wasn't familiar with (she's new) so she went to check with the bar. Turned out they don't have Grey Goose, which seemed a bit unusual as most chicago restaurants/bars carry it. So we ordered wine by the glass instead. Took about 10 minutes before she came back with it. She asked if we were ready to order; we ordered a couple of appetizers and she began to take our menus away. We told her we were going to order entrees, but we needed a few more minutes. We already knew what we wanted, but lots of restaurants will wind up bringing the appetizers and entrees out too close together (not enough time to finish one before the other arrives) if you order them at the same time. She apologized and left the menus. The same young man who was filling water glasses came over with a basket of hot rolls and placed them on our bread plates, a nice touch. They had already filled a small dish with seasoned olive oil for dipping... delish!! We had to wait quite a while before he came around with more rolls, though. The appetizers arrived about 15 minutes after ordering, and we placed our entree order at that time. Our server didn't know much about the menu and couldn't answer our questions, but she was very friendly and apologetic and quickly brought over another server who was very informative. The shrimp cocktail was great; huge, juicy shrimp without any fishy smell. The fried calamari was even better, and the homemade cocktail sauce was outstanding. Very fresh and flavorful. The only problem was that the appetizers were far larger than we expected and so we didn't have much appetite left for our main course! LOL! I had the rigatoni with grilled chicken & spinach in a tomato cream sauce and it was truly delicious. It even tasted great reheated a couple of days later. For dessert, we had a couple of their specialty martinis: I had the Chocolate Covered Banana and loved it. Next time, I will likely only order appetizers or split an entree with my dining partner. The portions are very large, and it is a LOT of food!

    (4)

  • Deena D.

    I dropped by here for lunch with a friend. I ordered one of the spring mix salads and had manhattan clam chowder (don't hate, I miss the northeast). Pretty good sizes and you can tell everything was made from scratch and fresh. Our waitress was very attentive and sweet. We probably sat and gabbed for over an hour and they were totally cool with it. They also have a gorgeous wooden bar when you first walk in which seems like a solid spot for a hot date.

    (5)

  • esther r.

    We decided to have dinner here, just because it was so inviting from the outside...very open, loved the feel of the beautiful open doors. It always makes it better when you have a good waitress and she was very knowledgeable about the menu. The grilled salmon was amazing, and loved the fresh bread.Everyone else loved their food too. It was really a great experience.!

    (5)

  • Summer P.

    Basil Leaf Cafe was always on the "the list" but I sort of forgot about it when I moved into Roscoe Village. My mom and I ended up going there on a whim while she was in town for a visit...so happy I finally got to try this place! Loved the atmosphere; lower lights, warm, nice separation of bar and dining area. We got there on the earlier side of a Friday night and were seated right away. Our server came over immediately and was super attentive throughout. As others have mentioned, the homemade bread is a great touch but you do sort of wish they would give you more than one roll to start; although, it does keep you from filling up too quickly. They have a huge salad list and I found it hard to choose between the different options. For an entree, I went with the Penne Broccoli with Roasted Garlic/Walnuts; nice blend of flavors and was a great lighter option. I didn't drink but the wine list looks pretty extensive. Now that I've finally tried Basil Leaf, I'm sure I'll come back.

    (4)

  • Jonathan H.

    It had been a long time but I went to the new (not really new anymore) location of the basil leaf. I was pleasantly surprised by the ambiance and service I got there. Also I'm always a sucker for Lobster Ravioli. It was good and my wife got the Chicken Parmesan, which she liked as well. Overall, I'd say it's a fun place to bring a date or your family. Also, if you want to "tie one on", start with a sensible dinner here before you go to the other side of the street.

    (4)

  • Stephanie W.

    Basil Leaf Cafe is really close to my apartment, so I decided to give it a try a couple weeks ago. There was no wait to be seated on a Saturday night. The ambience is airy and relaxed. Our server (and the rest of the staff, for that matter) was extremely nice, helpful, and patient with us newbies. As for the food, I ordered the fettuccine with pesto sauce. The noodles were drowning in the sauce, so it looked/tasted more like a soup than a pasta dish. However, my food was the only subpar part of our meal. I tried my friend's penne with meatballs dish and the meatballs were delicious! Not sure what they put in them, but they're a must-try. Everyone else at the table enjoyed their food (tortellini and veal.) Overall, this experience was a great one and I would definitely bring friends and family back again.

    (4)

  • W.V. B.

    I ordered the Cheese Ravioli. It was nice to see a good option for vegetarian dishes. The portion was extremely small and left me hungry. The server also left me waiting for 15 minutes after I finished my short meal. 5 stars for the taste, but the meager portion and poor wait staff dropped it down to 3. I'll certainly come back and give it another go.

    (3)

  • Shelly S.

    Good variety of salads, fish, poultry and pasta on menu. Something for everyone. I can vouch for great salads, bread and pasta. Service was attentive and friendly. Great value; large portions are definitely good for sharing. Restaurant is large enough that there is rarely a wait.

    (4)

  • Doris D.

    Meh. How about a piece of hair from our waitress in the Greek salad? How about that. Blonde, short and curly!? Not mine! How about some blah chicken drenched in chunky pasta sauce? How about that. No thanks.

    (3)

  • Genevieve K.

    I went here with friends and family last night - we picked this place because it was on a list of vegan-friendly restaurants, and my friend's vegan minestrone soup was the most flavorful dish of all! The food was BLAND. Among the 5 of us we had 2 pasta dishes, caprese salad, cranberry goat cheese salad, the trout with potatoes & spinach and the eggplant parmigiana. As my friend said, there are sayings in Italy about "people who don't salt their pasta water" to the effect of "haste makes waste" and this restaurant . . . . . doesn't salt their pasta water. . . . or anything else for that matter . . except the minestrone soup! The dining room was noisy, and the waitress forgot to take my order so my mom had to get up and ask her to come back to the table. This isn't a big deal - the waitress was otherwise really nice and attentive - and honestly if the food had been good I wouldn't care about a little service snafu. Overall, it just wasn't the great meal we were all hoping for. Luckily we didn't let it ruin our evening.

    (2)

  • Aaron A.

    Here's the deal. Its not that great, Since moving to this area, I've walked by this cafe filled with people, a number of times. I thought it must be good. The food has no taste. You get these dishes that look great but have no flavor at all. The only plus side: The bread, however, it's bitter sweet. I am guessing since it is made fresh you end up getting one little piece about every hour. We were constantly asking the server for more bread to go with our soup and pasta but the time it came we were already done eating. Won't be coming back to this place. You've just been yelped in.

    (2)

  • ForTheLoveofFood M.

    I took my good friend here for dinner for our Christmas dinner and it was delish! The restaurant is very cute and simple inside and although I was there around Christmas, the decor was amazing. They had white lights and Christmas trees in the dining room and bar, and everything had a faint glow to it; very intimate and very tasteful. The menu is classic italian with a variety of choices that are sure to please all. I ordered their Alfredo pasta with shrimp- it was just ok. It came out piping hot, which was great, but I was underwhelmed by the taste. It was kind of bland. My friend said his pasta was good, but nothing special as well. I want to go back to try some other things on the menu, but over all it wasn't too bad. I would recommend trying it because it's really cute inside and the staff is great. But my experience wasn't anything special- and maybe I came on an off night, but never the less, it's enjoyable, but I don't rave about it.

    (3)

  • Whitney R.

    Good wine, nice atmosphere, and fancier Italian. Calamari was yummy. Great location and the windows can open.

    (3)

  • Angela J.

    I first went to Basil Leaf because it was at the end of my block. Even after moving away from Lincoln Park, I still make the trek over there for the butternut squash soup, the fruit-water, the delicious rolls, and the amazing salads. The entrees are reasonably priced, especially for the neighborhood. Great portions, too! A relaxing place for a low-key dinner.

    (5)

  • Brian B.

    This is our first experience with Basil Leaf Cafe. We ordered from grubhub. The food was scheduled to arrive around 7:45p and it didn't show up until about 8:10p. When it did arrive, it arrived luke warm at best in the middle and cold on the edges. It's a Thursday and we live about a mile and a half away -- it really shouldn't have been that late. My wife ordered Linguine Garlic and Mushrooms and ended up not finishing. After having waited so long, she was quite hungry and would have eaten all of it. I ordered the Tortellini Prosciutto and by comparison, it was quite a bit better. However, in comparison to past meals, I'd give it average. I know I can make better but lately I've been too busy to cook food. The bread arrived...cold and hard. We generally don't eat much bread. I didn't even try this one. Portion sizes will fill a plate. You probably get more if you ordered chinese food and you included rice or noodles in the entree. I had expected quite a bit more from all of the recent positive reviews. Hype is one thing, reality is another, I guess. If you're looking for average fair for above average price with poor service, this place will do. I doubt we'll order from them / go there again.

    (2)

  • Rose F.

    I've been to Basil Leaf twice now and only wish I could find more time in life to go there more. I've been to various Italian Restaurants but, none could match great service, along with great fresh bread, delicious food and a nice wine selection. We've ordered the Hirschbach & Sohne Riesling as well as the Oggi Pinot Grigio. Entree wise I've had Lobster Ravioli and Linguine Carbonara. Both equally amazing dishes. If you haven't been to Basil Leaf Cafe I highly recommend you check this place out very soon. I feel quite lucky to have them mere blocks from my place.

    (4)

  • Loncy M.

    In short, over-priced Italian food.... $70 meal for 2 entrees and a bottle of wine, in my opinion not worth it. Quality of the food is equivalent to Olive Garden's and with so many good options for Italian food in the city I say skip this one.

    (2)

  • Scott P.

    So, I was extremely hung over when I stumbled in here one day, but they were really nice to me and I think that the food was good. I'd remember if it was bad, but apparently it was good enough to make me think that it was good enough to review. If that makes any kind of sense. How about this? I'll eat here again and give it a proper review, but until then I'll stand by my four stars. I remember that the sandwich was delicious, and the coffee perked me up enough to remember my times tables for writing out the tip.

    (4)

  • Mateo S.

    If "God is in the details," as the adage goes, this place is akin to church. Even the water (refilled constantly by an attentive busboy) is well thought out: the glass pitcher is filled with sprigs of mint, and slices of apples, lemons, limes and strawberries. No flavor overtakes the other, they just make the water taste, well, more like fresh water. Tiny homemade ciabatta rolls are delivered table side from a wicker basket, still warm to the touch... a incredible improvement over the staid bread basket. Olive oil, strewn with garlic, fresh herbs and rosemary leaves is already on the table for dipping. I had a very civilized lunch here this afternoon, and was thankful the entire time that I had passed on all the quickie noodle joints and pizzerias that otherwise line this stretch of Clark. The menu has plenty of options, and frankly, they seem under priced if you can imagine, especially considering the casual fine dining setting with white linens and flawless service. Sandwiches, for the most part were under $10, as were the salads (which could also be ordered in a half portion, which I did to flesh out my meal). It is the salads that truly shone, and they should; the chef is opening a restaurant across the street that will serve nothing else. Ask the waitress for the special salads of the day, so long as you don't mind playing guinea pig for the new place (the chef is testing out new ideas), because they were outstanding and perfectly dressed.

    (4)

  • Em S.

    We went here on a Friday, later in the evening after walking around on Clark looking for a place to eat. We we're seated immediately without a reservation. Our server was very nice and attentive. They had a medium sized wine list which we chose a bottle from. We weren't in the mood for large portions, so we ordered 2 apps & a large salad to split between the 2 of us. Even though there was a considerable number of people in the dining room, we did not have to wait long for the things we ordered. The food was plenty for us & we left full & satisfied. Also, on the way to the dining room, there was a bar area, which seemed very nice. It was candle lit and also was not packed. We'd go back to the Basil Leaf Cafe, all-in-all we had a great experience.

    (4)

  • Jean-Paul M.

    Butternut squash was the bee's knees.

    (4)

  • Liz G.

    After hearing about the Basil Leaf Cafe on 'Check Please' and figuring out it's very close proximity to my house, I decided to check it out while I have family visiting. The dining room was quite but warm and inviting. The decorations were elegant but not over done. The food was hearty, delicious, and served in enormous portions. At our table we tried the lobster ravioli, eggplant Parmesan and a chicken dish. All were fantastic. Some stand out points from our dining experience: -The water served here is infused with fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs that can been seen in the pitcher. Not only is this a beautiful presentation but also adds something extra, a bit of sweetness, to other wise plain table water. -The salad selection was very good as well, although many only differed in an ingredient or two. I would have been helpful if they were named as I felt like I was reading a grocery list when ordering my Spring mix with almonds, goat cheese and house balsamic. -The wait staff is attentive and friendly Overall I highly recommend the Basil Leaf Cafe for a hearty Italian meal.

    (4)

  • Beth B.

    Best. Gnocchi. Ever. Not generally a huge fan, but ordered it on a whim, mostly intrigued by the sun-dried tomato, pine nut and pesto sauce. I was blown away. Light and airy, soft but not at all gummy; each bite was better than the one before! I've been here a few times and tried other dishes, but they were pretty unremarkable. The same goes for my opinion of the place as a whole. It's good...but nothing to get excited about.

    (3)

  • Mark B.

    Super yummy pasta and salad. Semi classy reasonable prices. Good wine list

    (5)

  • Samantha L.

    I think this restaurant is extremely overrated. The pasta is OK, the chicken is almost always dry, the iced tea is not very good in my opinion, and the poor servers (though most are very nice) are constantly frantic because the owners yell at them a lot. I guess I can at least say that the crab cakes, the lobster ravioli, and the salad with cherries are all pretty good. However, since I usually like chicken dishes and their chicken is dry, I cannot like this place much. I would sooner recommend Filippo's if you want Italian food.

    (1)

  • Chris C.

    Tried them out again and the service was much improved compared to last time. However, I still am not a fan of their food. Throwing a lot of basil onto pasta does not create a good meal. I had the chicken picatta and it was okay but bland.

    (3)

  • MsAnthro P.

    Whoa. The new location has not improved anything. My parents and I decided to give it another shot a few months back. I ordered linguine or spaghetti with scallops. Every scallop I bit into still had part of its shell on it. I'm lucky I didn't break a tooth. I wanted to complain to the server at the beginning/during my meal, but she was nowhere to be found. I ate around the scallops and hoped for the best. At the end of the meal, I'd only eaten about 1/3 of the dish and the server was incredulous that I didn't want to take it home with me. I explained then that the scallops were not properly cleaned and pointed to the bits of shell I'd piled up on my bread plate. She apologized, but that's all. Maybe the restaurants where I've worked in the past were classier, but had I been the server, I would have asked the manager to comp the dish or (at the very least) offer a free drink or dessert or something. I can't believe this is the same place I used to love a few years ago. And, as if my prior experiences weren't enough to keep me at bay, a friend of mine worked there over the summer and told me story after story about how rude, demanding and downright inappropriate the owner/manager was. Never, never again will I give this place another shot.

    (1)

  • Kristine K.

    Went here over the weekend for a friend's birthday dinner. We sat at the bar first and had some cocktails, and the bartender (Nick I think?) was very friendly and helpful with drink selections. I loved the warm rolls they serve to each individual at the table and our server was great with food suggestions based on our preferences. I had the lobster ravioli and it was delicious. I thought the prices were fair for the selection, and the excellent service. Atmosphere was really cute and another star for an immaculate bathroom. Will definitely be back!

    (5)

  • Jenna H.

    I DON'T like Italian. To clarify, my mom's family is Italian and like all Italians, I think my family cooks THE BEST Italian food. Thus I'm an admittedly unfair snob when it comes to outside Italian food--particularly at restaurants(I try to review friends/extended family cooking with rose/chianti- colored glasses ;-) That said, Basil Leaf Cafe is my favorite Italian restaurant in Lincoln Park thus far. The 4-5 dishes I've tried have ranged from good to scrumptious. Their salads are particularly good, with lots of options, very atypical for Italian (spinach w/ apples raisins & walnuts; spring greens with fried brie, dried cherries & almonds, etc)--& at dinner you can get a half-portion for around $4-5. I also love the gnocchi with basil pesto, sundried tomatoes & pine nuts. Prices are on the reasonable side of typical for the 'hood, but lunch is REALLY good--their sandwiches are fantastic & all under $10!

    (3)

  • scott b.

    I know this place has pretty good reviews so I thought I would try it out. I've been by it literally 50 times, but never eaten there. The place is nice and very clean. To start, they bring you good, hot bread with olive oil/oregano to dip it in. They carry some craft/imported beers, but the prices were pretty steep, even for Chicago, so I passed. Being my first time, I decided to order something that I've had a lot of other places; the Lobster ravioli. This happens to be one of favorite dishes at Italian restaurants. It was prepared in the usual red cream sauce and asparagus, and then they added peas in the pod. The flavor seemed a bit "off." There was more of the bad "fishy" taste and peas, than lobster flavor or cream sauce. I may go back again to try another dish, but I wasn't excited when I left. The portion wasn't too big, which is good, but the price was still big. I'm all about smaller portions for smaller prices, but not for the same old price. I would definitely recommend Topo Gigio if you want better quality and more food.

    (2)

  • Gregg L.

    I was real impressed with the Basil Leaf Cafe. I got in on a Saturday night after 7 and didn't have to wait. I thought that was odd at first, but the food did come pretty quick after it was ordered. I had the Linguine Carbonara with Prosciutto, Bacon, and Scallions which had a smoky taste and was delicious. The bread roll and oil that came with the meal was good. We had the house Riesling and Pinot Grigio and both were good too. The waitress and help staff were friendly and quite attentive. No drink even made it empty before being refilled, and bread rolls kept coming one after the other for those that wanted them. A great meal experience. I'll be going back.

    (5)

  • Morgan B.

    This place is a hidden treasure on clark street. I highly recommend it. Great food for a good price. Their Tomato Basil Soup is really good!!!

    (4)

  • J D.

    Service was great. Got choice of bourbon. The soup was okay, a little heavy. I ordered the gnocchi, it was good, but wayy to heavy and too thick. Love the hot bread.

    (3)

  • Andrea R.

    I always forget about Basil Leaf Cafe and I think everyone else must as well because it's very easy to get in on a Friday or Saturday night. They don't take reservations and it's a pretty small restaurant, but they always seem to be able to fit us in. We had dinner here last night with 2 other couples and as always it was very good. I had the salmon, which was delicious and very filling. Everyone else at the table had pasta dishes, which is 75% of the Basil Leaf menu, and I enjoyed all the tastes I had as well. The atmosphere is adorable and they have a great outdoor patio for the summertime. It's a great atmosphere for a date, but also good for a group of people. The prices are also very reasonable. Last night's dinner included 2 bottles of wine and it came out to approximately $60/couple. I don't think Basil Leaf Cafe is as good as La Scarola, Rosebud, and some other favorite Italian restaurants in Chicago, but it's still very good.

    (4)

  • Happy Mama M.

    So the restaurant is clean and my salad was good. However, that is where the positive statements end. The wait staff seemed constantly confused, the food came out extremely slow, and worst of all, the food was terrible. I had the Chicken Milano and my bf had the Chicken Sicilian. They were both completely flavorless. If you feel the need to give the basil leaf cafe a try, please take my advice and skip these plates!!

    (1)

  • Kara B.

    Basil Leaf has moved over to its new location across the street and what an improvement! Everything that was frustrating about the old location -- small size, poor service, long waits -- has been corrected and/or vastly improved. The new space is easily triple the size of the previous one, which made a huge difference since you can wait inside now instead of just standing around outside the building awkwardly. Also, they have quite a few more waiters now, which means they have more time to dedicate to their tables. The bathrooms are also larger so you don't spend 1/2 of your meal waiting outside for one. The food is still good. It was never amazing, but a solid choice that you rarely regretted. Upscale, simple, Italian food, freshly prepared would be how I described it. It doesn't quite live up to its price point however. Its sooo close though, that I have a hard time faulting it for that. Basically, it a solid restaurant choice for the occasional "nicer," but not quite nice, evening out.

    (4)

  • Cameron C.

    Amazing dinner all around. Ordered grilled chicken with penne and pesto ... A+. Also split the gorgonzola gnocchi and it was unreal. So light and fluffy and the filling was a perfect balance with the sauce. Our server was great and from Dublin... He gave great beer reviews ha!!

    (5)

  • cindy w.

    The best Food, service was great! Parking was very hard to find on a Saturday night. On this yelp page it has they do not take reservations, but they do, there was room in bar so we were ok. I LOVE THIS FOOD!! prices are very fair, and I will be going back.

    (5)

  • Happiness L.

    This dining experience was this/close to being magnificent. However one of the most important things is to be ready for your customers. For me, not having dessert options is the same as not seeing the end of a movie. Something is just plain missing. Last night after enjoying charming ambiance, excellent team oriented service, and an amazing (one of my favorite all time) meals, I was very disappointed to find out that the only dessert option was NY Style Cheesecake. Really? This is an Italian restaurant with a very extensive menu and that is all you have to offer? The waitress said that no one was ordering this last of the last desserts. Customers are leaving unfulfilled and the restaurant is missing profits. How hard is it when your desserts are low to go out and purchase something that your customers can enjoy or contact your supplier to deliver earlier than planned? I will come back again, but would not have ordered glass of wine #2 if I had known my meal would be cut short. To the owners...please have dessert choices for your customers and congratulate your wait staff and cooks on a job well done.

    (4)

  • Erin S.

    Your typical Italian eatery. Not overly fancy, cute atmosphere, and really good food. That being said - it is nothing that will blow your mind. However, if you want to stop in for a quick moderately priced Italian meal - it is a great place for that. I had a traditional spaghetti and meatballs that was very good, and I had leftovers to take home that were even better the next day. Overall a nice place to go for dinner on Clark!

    (4)

  • Heather K.

    I hadn't been to Basil Leaf for lunch until yesterday, and I am definitely going to add this spot to my weekend rotation! Sandwiches were great - I went with turkey and fresh mozzarella and it was delicious. My favorite part of the meal, though, was the soup. It was probably the best butternut squash soup I'd ever tasted and I don't think I left a single drop in the bowl. Friendly service, freshly-baked bread, no waiting around for a table = no complaints!

    (4)

  • Karen L.

    I went to Basil Leaf Cafe for a light, casual dinner the other night and it was a nice little restaurant in the neighborhood. We opted to sit in the bar section for a more of a low-key night. Wasn't super hungry so my bf and I split a pasta (the dishes were huge!) and a half salad. It was a satisfying amount. First off, they brought over warm ciabatta rolls which were great! They give you this herb infused olive oil to dip them in that was out of this world! We both agreed that it was the best part of the meal! Then came our salad, which had poached pears on top of baby spinach. The spinach was fresh, but other than that the salad was lacking. It had gorgonzola on it, but you could barely taste it! It also had toasted sunflower seeds, but I think I had 3 of them! I also think that the pear was not done properly... maybe poached too much that it tasted like it was out of a can? Or maybe the chunks were too big and overpowered the salad. We were just not a fan. But the entree did make up for it. We ordered a pasta with dill cream sauce and crab. It had a nice flavor to it and was not too heavy, although it had a cream sauce. The ingredients were really fresh, too, and the portions were huge! I would go back and probably skip the salad. I would try another pasta dish because they had a lot of tasty options on the menu. I would also go just to have the olive oil and bread again!

    (3)

  • alicia f.

    I've wanted to try Basil Leaf ever since I saw if featured on Check Please a while back. My recent move to this part of LP has me walking by all the time. It was the first place I thought of when I needed to take my visiting mom. t was around 8:30 or so on quiet Monday evening when we got there. They were slow and we were seated away- next to an open window full of aromatic basil... never a bad thing. We both really enjoyed the experience-The server was lovely and patient with my mom who is always very slow to order. The service in general was nice and attentive but not smothering. I stuck with water which is very lightly flavored with fruits and veggies. They brought out perfect, fresh and hot focaccia rolls (i think) and herbed oil for dipping- yum! I also had a half salad (still a decent size) with poached pears, Gorgonzola and sunflower seeds. My only real complaint about the whole meal was that it was a tad overdressed with a too-sweet honey vinaigrette dressing. It really should have been more acidic to work with the sweetness of the pears. But the flavors there were delicious. I'd probably get it again with a different dressing. We both had massive pasta dishes- mine a rigatoni with Italian sausage and peppers, and hers a lemony chardonnay chicken pasta. Both were perfect, well priced, and allowed copious leftovers. The menu was pasta heavy in general which I usually don't go for since I can make some pretty great pasta at home. But it seemed the way to go that night. Next time I want to try their crusted pork chop or the appetizer with steak and polenta that sounds awesome. We didn't get to desert but the server described a luscious sounding item with chocolate mousse and Grand Marnier. There wasn't a desert menu so I'm sure they change often. Hopefully they'll still have that one the next time I go back!

    (4)

  • Ali W.

    I've been here a couple times. The food is just alright (I'm pretty sure I could make most of this stuff at home), but what I do like is the awesome fresh bread that gets passed around and the flights of wine for $12!

    (3)

  • Karyn K.

    The water is tasty, once you realize that it is supposed to taste that way. Warm bread... delicious! Huge portions and good salads (I had the cranberries, almond and goat cheese salad). It got pretty expensive, pretty quickly. I think they should offer a side or caesar salad included with your dinner. I had the Cheese Tortellini with Prosciutto, Peas & Mushrooms in an Alfredo Sauce. A pretty good meal, although not necessarily as full of flavor as I was anticipating. My friend had the Risotto, she felt that it was overly drenched in the sauce. They did let us come in in our walking clothes, which was nice!

    (3)

  • Ern E.

    This place is outstanding. Seriously, I have never in my life had such good butternut squash ravioli before. It's to die for! The olive oil & bread before dinner is equally delicious! If they sell that olive oil by the bottle, I will buy it!

    (5)

  • Erin C.

    The night started off well when we were sat next to the window on a beautiful june evening. The cheese plate was ok and while listed to serve 2, definitely served all 4 of us, but i've definitely had better recently. The pasta selection is different than any other place i've been to in chicago, but i wish the menu could venture to more places rather than 30 types of similar pasta. I had the linguinie with pancetta and proscuitto which was nicely salty and rich. My husband had the rigatoni with italian sausage which I did not like at all and he was just ok with. The waitress did not come back with more bread, even though we clearly ate up the first piece within seconds of her setting it down. There were also used glasses from sodas etc that remained on the table (which was very small to seat 4 in the first place) taking up valuable real estate. It was not that busy being a sunday night, so we felt a bit neglected. all in all, i guess i would come back here if a friend recommended it, but it wouldn't be a first choice by a long shot.

    (3)

  • Jim M.

    The food was soooo good I did not care my date did not invite me in for a nightcap, all is well, strolling home through Lincoln Park on a buzz only obtained through great food and wine. Veal Marsala to die for. The goat cheese salad with cranberries! The bread! The Rare Bird Pinot Noir. Damn it was so good. I will be back, maybe not with whats her name. Service excels.

    (4)

  • Mel G.

    Good service. Bad food.

    (3)

  • Maria C.

    Great service, nice location and if you're there during the summer, make sure you sit outside. The waitresses were beyond nice and I had the Chicken Fetuccine with Pesto which our waitress advised was great but rich. It was way too rich and that's the only thing that won't allow me to give it a full 5-star rating. Way too much garlic and cream which made it hard to digest. But the salads were great and we had a great overal experience.

    (3)

  • Rachel K.

    Wow I obviously haven't been in a few months since I didn't know that they relocated. I'll have to check it out again soon. But based on all the times I've been there before they moved I can say that The Basil Leaf is one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. I wouldn't actually call this an italian restaurant. I feel like its more like mock Italian or California Italian. So if I'm craving Italian food this is not where I go. I go here when I'm specifically craving Basil Leaf, which is actually more often than I can manage to get out there. I always enjoy my food thoroughly. They are experts at flavoring. Everyone I've brought to The Basil Leaf also really enjoyed their meals. The price isn't cheap, but for the quality of the food and service you get its definitely worth it. The servers are very attentive. You feel like you're in a fine dining establishment, but you don't have to pay the price for it. Although I do tend to order booze with my meals, which definitely knocks the price up a bit. But they have great wines and you can't beat their tiramisu martini. *update 8/19/08: I LOVE the new restaurant! They must have been doing well to go from such a teeny tiny spot to such an enormous place. The new place is beautifully decorated with great ambiance. My only complaint is that because it is so much bigger it doesn't have that nice cozy romantic feeling that it used to have. The food and tiramisu martini are just as good though!*

    (5)

  • Rebecca H.

    We had dinner here at 7pm on a Friday night. The host told us it would be about 10 minutes and invited us to sit at the bar. The bartender was delightful and made a little small talk with us, he was very polite and remembered some of the patrons that were there. We ordered some drinks and waited for our table. The 10 minutes was really 35, and that didn't bother me as much as the host just kind of acted like a jerk. While we were sitting at the bar waiting, NCIS came on TV and there were numerous scenes involving a bloody, beaten, dead girl and lots of guns. I didn't think that was really appropriate, especially with so many kids and families present. I liked how quaint the decor was, and I really like that in the spring, the windows may open. Our waitress was nice and kept our water glasses full. I ordered the special (white tuna) and my SO ordered veal. I asked for a wine recommendation to match the tuna - another star for the bartender as it was a very nice pairing. Before our meal, we each were given one roll (such a shame, too, because it was good, and I was tipsy/hungry from my drinks). We ordered the calamari and mussel appetizer. The mussels were good, but the squid was in general overcooked and chewy. It did take some time to come to our table, but it was very hot when it did. The tuna special was amazing, a side of haricot verts and wasabi mashed potatoes. I tried my SO's veal and we agreed that it was only OK. The tuna was the big winner for us last night. We also ordered a dessert to split, and it was very underwhelming and small. The waitress said it would come out oven warm, but it was definitely still cold in the middle. Overall, a strong showing, and I'd definitely go back an see if some of the issues I had were a fluke or normal as compared to the other reviews, perhaps we just caught an off night.

    (3)

  • Matt R.

    Amazingly delicious Italian fare for reasonable prices. The waitstaff are very friendly and the atmosphere of the restaurant is a nice compliment to the dining experience. Try the veggie risotto if you don't mind a lack of meat. You've probably walked or driven by this place on Clark many times, but have lost it in the frenzied commercial spaces that is Clark between Diversey and Fullerton. This is one of those restaurants with decent portions, good wine, and an attitude that lets you know sometimes the hype does not exceed the fare.

    (4)

  • Ashley M.

    Went here for Friday dinner with a couple of people. It's in my building so I figured I needed to try it out. No wait for a table and we got service right away. Having the option of getting a half-size salad with dinner was a plus. My companions gobbled up the ceasar and greek. The hot rolls kept coming and our water glasses were never empty. Order the linguini with chicken/spinach/lemon-chardonay sauce, but wasn't too impressed. I wanted something light rather than a heavy red or white sauce, but this was pretty plain. Tried the mushroom risotto which came with chicken and tomatoes and wasn't feeling it either. The chicken was an off addition to the dish. Although the service was great, the beer menu plentiful and the rolls hot, the main courses seemed to lack what I was craving from an Italian restaurant.

    (2)

  • Kirsten G.

    This restaurant has terrific food, service, and ambiance. The owner is friendly and warm.

    (5)

  • Sabrina S.

    I was pleasantly surprised at how great my experience was at this restaurant. I had looked over the menu prior to attending and saw that the prices were very low for many Italian restaurants, which lowered any expectations I may have had. I was blown away! This is a very inexpensive restaurant that adds just the right touches to make it a nice experience. They keep fruit in their water to give it a little taste. The ciabatta rolls they give you, they bring around and serve from a basket and are to die for...I had three! I am a pretty picky eater, and I could not make a decision on what I wanted to eat! I chose the broccoli penne which came with walnuts. A very interesting combination but it worked. I really enjoyed myself and by dish was only $11! It is more than worth the money and the service is just right. If you haven't been, I highly suggest going!

    (5)

  • Kori M.

    This place was alright. I really enjoyed the bread with oil and vinegar. For some reason it tasted more flavorful than at other Italian joints. The food was okay. Nothing to scream about. The service was excellent. Overall opinion: Eh Probably won't be returning.

    (3)

  • Kenneth C.

    First, the good: Basil Leaf Cafe's food was very, very good. The gorgonzola-filled gnocci I had was spectacularly flavorful, the portobello mushroom was delicious, and I had a truly difficult time choosing from the wonderful options on the menu. The food was delightful, and if a restaurant were solely about the food, this place would be getting five stars. Unfortunately, the service we received knocked three stars off my review. I made reservations for 7 at 8 o'clock; The person who took my review wrote it down as reservations for 8 at 7 o'clock. When we arrived at 8, we were told "no, the reservations were for 7." If you make a mistake, fine, try to rectify it, but don't call me a liar to my face, please, by saying that I made a reservation for when I did not. We were seated 45 minutes later, after being told 20 minutes in that our table was being bused. I can only imagine that we were told this to keep us there, and my dinner guests got progressively more annoyed as we waited. When we were finally seated, we were shown to the wrong seats and had to switch tables when the maitre'd noticed. The waitress we had was wonderful and very helpful even though the place was quite busy. However, the bread, which was quite good, was served to us a small roll at a time, with a very tiny amount of olive oil and spices to dip it in. Being metered out our cuisine like this felt too frugal for the prices we were paying ($40/person!). I'm disappointed in Basil Leaf for the pre-dinner service we received and will not be returning. I have the feeling that had we gone at non-peak hours, we would have had a much better experience, but frankly, a restaurant has to be fun to visit whenever you attend, not just when they're not busy.

    (2)

  • Jim W.

    Ate there last summer, forgot about it until updating my bookmarks. Vibe is very representative of the stretch of the 'hood it's in, typical Lincoln Park. The pasta I ordered was pretty blah, not really memorable in a good/bad way. Basically pretty ordinary...venue is obviously nicer than Pasta Bowl, but it really isn't that much of a step up.

    (3)

  • anna c.

    My boyfriend and I went to Basil Leaf on a Saturday night. We were pleasantly surprised that the wait was only 5-10 minutes. We sat at the bar and ordered a drink in the meantime. We were seated promptly within the quoted time. Our table was small but there was plenty of room between our table and others. The bread was delish! Warm, crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle, served with oil. My boyfriend ordered the linguine w/ marinara and meatballs and I ordered the rigatoni bolognese with mushrooms and sundried tomatoes. We both agreed that the rigatoni bolognese was better. It was a nice tomato cream sauce with only the sightest bit of cream, not too thick at all. The linguine was good, a little mild, but I don't think anyone is asking for something crazy when they essentially order spaghetti with meatballs. The meatballs were well seasoned and generous enough within the dish. The dessert was very tempting, but we were in a hurry to catch the (infuriating, expletive) Cubs game. We both agreed we would go back, but that it woudn't be our first choice.

    (3)

  • Linda. G.

    Cute and cozy. I love this place! It's perfect for date nights and the food definitely does not disappoint! The menu provides your basic Italian favorites and then some... The staff was super friendly. I love coming here. It's a nice change of pace from many of the other places in the area... My favorite thing to order: Linguine Carbonara with Prosciutto, Bacon, and Scallions. Try it!

    (5)

  • Katy O.

    I live around the corner from this place and come here every few months with a girlfriend that LOVES it. I would agree with other posters that some of the food is under salted- the three times I've come here I've ordered a pasta and found that I needed to add quite a bit of salt, which is not something I do very often. The food, after adding a bit of salt, is actually pretty good and the ingredients always taste very fresh. I have had, on every occasion, very helpful and attentive waitstaff. I love the fresh bread rolls and the salads are also very very good (and not lacking in seasoning). They have a big menu and I'll be back to try some of the other offerings here although I'm not sure I'd bother coming here if I didn't live in the hood.

    (3)

  • Donovan H.

    I came here for a lunch business meeting. The service was great and the food was wonderful. The butternut squash ravioli is my favorite so far. The salads are also amazing I plan to try a different one on every visit. The service was excellent and we stayed well over an hour without feeling rushed.

    (5)

  • Mischel G.

    I've been to basil leaf a few times now and really enjoy the atmosphere as well as the delicious food. The water is excellent and the bread and olive oil (that keeps getting refilled) is also a plus. The one complaint I have was that the last time I visited my pasta/"melted" cheese was straight up burnt. Buuuuut, I won't let one experience get me down. I always recommend this for visitors and will definitely be back.

    (4)

  • Kate P.

    A solid neighborhood place with a decent wine selection and decent prices. Excellent staff and service.

    (3)

  • Diane S.

    I live right around the corner and have wanted to try this place for sometime now. The decor is cute and the tables by the windows would be awesome on a nice summer day. The food was good. I personally had a hard time choosing between multiple delicious-sounded dishes. Portions were big and my BF and I both took home leftovers. The rolls of bread are freshly baked and served with a yummy dipping oil. The only thing that turned me off? Our server had no knowledge of the wine list. For an Italian restaurant that is just not acceptable. Once we did pick a bottle - no help from the waiter - it took 20 minutes for him to serve it. Apparently the bartender had to get it from their rack. We repeatedly asked and were halfway through our salads before our wine arrived. I've never experienced that before and it was pretty annoying. Hope it was just a fluke for us. Finally, you must get the little chocolate torte for dessert. It is heaven!!

    (4)

  • Laura H.

    Great casual dining... Italian and Asian pasta dishes. I've been here three or four times, and I've had good food and great service each time. Nice place to take your parents or a date without being overly fancy. Prices are completely reasonable and portions are huge. I recommend getting one of the outdoor tables and people watching on Clark street.

    (4)

  • Lisa S.

    The atmosphere is nice for this 15 table place. Overall the food had its ups and downs. The bruschetta left a little to be desired, but you can't expect much for a complimentary appetizer. Mixed green salad with fresh berries was amazing, as was the creamy tomato basil soup. This was the highlight of the meal. Entrees of sun dried tomato and creamy pesto was average, and the butternut squash ravioli with spinach and roasted garlic was also just ok. Couldn't exactly put my finger on it, but kept catching a burnt taste that was out of place for the flavors of the dish. We sampled 2 desserts, a german chocolate cake, and a mascarpone mousse. Both were rich, but again, nothing spectacular. Staff was attentive but had hope for a little more confidence in providing solid recommendations on the various courses. May or may not go back...

    (3)

  • Yuliya M.

    It' just alright... nothing special, although nice addition to the neighborhood. The food is ok. Bar inside is nice and it's good that they have outside seating. Service is fine. Prices are fair, about $15 per entree, some $20-22. I'd return.

    (3)

  • Janis W.

    The food is ok. It's the location, convenience, nice servers, and the plenty- to- choose- from menu that bring in the customers. If you are already in the neighborhood it's as good as anything else around there.

    (3)

  • Amy S.

    I was there on Saturday night. No wait which was good but small tables and cramped in there. Also, I order gorgonzola gnocchi and could barely taste the gorgonzola which you know is a strong cheese. The salad, my entree and the other entree I tasted were bland to me. The fettuccini of the other entree was not cooked well. Really just very average.

    (2)

  • Robin W.

    The food here really is delicious! I had a chicken fettuccine with pesto that was cooked perfectly al dente. The pesto was great. However, I waited over an hour for my food. The manager was horrible and didn't even offer us compensation for our very long wait. The actual wait staff was very nice and tried their best to please us even though it took forever for our food order to come out. My water was always filled, and fresh rolls were brought out one right after the other as we waited. It was obvious that the kitchen was just really backed up. I will probably go back here for dinner though. The food was great (despite the ridiculously long wait), the interior is cute (multiple wall fountains, good lighting etc) and, most importantly, it's walking distance from my house!

    (3)

  • Jill S.

    I liked Basil Leaf Cafe. Stopped in here for a late lunch. It's a big space which has me to believe that this place can get pretty crowded but still maintain a normal volume level. Our waitress was beyond patient and nice as my grandma, mom and I took forever to order between conversation. The water is delicious, they put an assortment of things in there - think I saw a strawberry, lemon, and cucumber - and it comes out very refreshing. I ordered a prosciutto, mozzarella and tomato sandwich, and let me tell you, it was awesome! I can definitely see myself craving that again. My mom got a salad with salmon, and even though she ordered the full size, it seemed a little on the small side to pass for a meal... maybe good for the lighter appetite. My grandmother went full force with the penne bolognese, and loved it. We ordered desserts to share, and I would highly recommend them both. The german chocolate cake, and the key lime pie (both are bite size, but perfect). Solid joint, and I just love the orange exterior!

    (4)

  • Kiki M.

    I must have known about this place for at least 6 or 7 years, and I'm not sure why it took me so long to eat there. Regardless, I was pleasantly surprised how delicious my meal was. I had gorgonzola gnocchi and it was fresh, tender, tasted homemade and all around yummy. My friends meals were also very good. I can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • D S.

    I've eaten here twice, and both times I've left quite happy. For me, the menu feels a bit pricey. But, given the quality of the seafood, and the promptness of the staff, I find it difficult to deduct a star based on cost. They don't take reservations, though, if there's a wait, the bar area is accommodating. My experiences at Basil Leaf were weekend dinners, and the atmosphere was rather classy.

    (5)

  • Jolene H.

    Convenient, good service, average food. Not something I'll remember, though.

    (3)

  • timothy W.

    Basil Leaf Cafe is one of those unsuspecting gems in the restaurant world. From the beautiful outdoor appearance on busy Clark street in the heart of Lincoln Park, to the sprawling bar, gracious hosts, the onwer's super sweet mother and large very cozy dining room, it has all the ambience you would want in a place to eat. However, this is only half the great part of this restaurant. The food and service is out of this world. The portions are large and the wine list is excllent all at very affordable prices. I have eaten at Basil Leaf many times and always get excited to come back. This is truly one of the most underrated restraunts in Chicago and I highly recommend you make it your next place to have lunch or dinner. You will not be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Jennifer B.

    Let me begin by saying the food was really really good, and the ciabatta rolls they give you were awesome. The service, however, was atrocious. We waited for 15 minutes before my friend finally got up, walked over to where all the waiters were congregating and asked some one to come take our drink orders. By the time we got our wine a table near us, who walked in after, was more than half way through their entrees. It took just as long to get our check when we were finished. I really did like the food, so I may give it another chance, but I will have to go on a night when I have no other plans.

    (2)

  • Jessica W.

    I visited the Basil Leaf Cafe last night with my family. The meal was good - not a culinary experience but definitely perfect for a family meal. What stood out, which is why I write the review, is that when my Aunt's meal came ten minutes after the rest of the food, the manager and owner came to our table to apologize and offer her dish for free. We did not have to ask for this kind gesture or insist that we were wronged because her dish was forgotten when we ordered. Instead, they stepped up the proverbial plate and took care of it for us. For that reason, I will return. Thank you for the considerate service - you made us feel that our business truly is important and valued.

    (4)

  • Eazy Going m.

    Now with Valet parking? This just gets better!

    (5)

  • Karen G.

    This place was very good and I loved the atmosphere of the restaurant. There is a ton of artwork for sale displayed on the walls, and the day I was there, they had all of the doors and windows opened which was nice. I got the linguini, grilled chicken, spinach with a lemon chardonnay sauce and I have to say it was delicious! The Grilled chicken was a little dry, but the sauce really helped moisten it up. We had the portabello mushrooms with gorgonzola as an appetizer, and they were also very good (especially with the balsamic vinaigrette drizzled on top). There is a full bar, however, they do not have any specialty drinks which I found disappointing as I was half expecting there to be some type of drink with basil incorporated. The water was flavored with basil, apples, strawberry, limes, and lemons so it was tasty as well as pretty to see the servers pour.

    (4)

  • Kat M.

    I have to say that I had a pretty solid experience here on Saturday night. The service left something to be desired but could have been much worse... and also was not the worst I've experienced in this city. I called ahead during the day on Saturday and was told that they don't take reservations, BUT the hostess on the phone told me that there would probably not going to be any wait, or if there was one it would be minimal. I was a little shocked when we arrived at 9 p.m. and the hostess told us it would be a 30 minute wait. Ummm... wow. We did point out a table right next to the door, which I assumed that no one wanted to sit at because of the draft on a cold night. That assumption was correct, but that was kind of my own fault and the fault of a stupid a-hole who stood there with BOTH inner and outer doors open while waiting for his significant other to hurry up. Thanks, I guess that chivalry is not dead, but still not nice to people other than your date. Not the restaurant's fault, though. Anyway, I thought the food was good, though not awesome awesome. My friend and I split everything and were happy with what we chose. To start: polenta with skirt stead and tomatoes - polenta was a little bland (I don't think it was even salted) and the skirt steak seemed a little old and/or tough. Obviously not the highlight of the meal, but it was edible. Salad: baby spinach with apples, sunflower seeds, and a honey balsamic vinaigrette - delightful! I loved the dressing on it. The apples were sweet and almost carmelized. Seriously yum. Main: wild mushroom risotto with chicken and sun-dried tomatoes - I'm really glad I like sun-dried tomatoes because there was a buttload in this dish. The chicken was so-so, but the risotto had a GREAT flavor and was the perfect stickiness. I really liked it and would order it again. The service, as mentioned above, as less than stellar but better than awful... our waitress took a long time to bring the food out and sort of did a disappearing act towards the end of our meal, but this was balanced with a great busboy who kept our water glasses full, table bussed, and gave us warm bread immediately after we sat down. When I go to Italian restaurants, I look for food that I couldn't or wouldn't cook at home, so the dishes that we chose were things that were a treat. That said, the price for this meal was really a treat... both my friend and I left happy and full. We split everything and each had two drinks, and ended up spending around $35, including tip.

    (3)

  • a w.

    This is the ultimate cute date spot. The atmosphere here is so fresh, yet intimate at the same time. And you'll get a great assortment of wines here too. To make things even better, the food is really yummy here and they have a great, extensive menu.

    (5)

  • James H.

    I returned here last night after attending the theater and had another very good meal. The special was Sea Bass with broccoli and potatoes and it was excellent. I shared this entree with my friend and also had the baby spinach with apple and walnuts salad. The service is always very friendly and helpful. I also like the wide selection of entrees and the spacious dining room that faces Clark street with its constant bustle. After several good meals I can heartily recommend this restaurant for its great value and good food.

    (4)

  • Sarah F.

    I have been a loyal patron of Basil Leaf since I moved to LP 3 years ago. It's one of my very favorite restaurants. They recently moved across the street and expanded. They have a nice bar area where you can sit and have a cocktail while waiting for your table. They have a great wine list and some yummy specialty cocktails as well. The food is amazing---fresh and delicious. Everything is homemade and the menu has something for everyone. My personal favorite is the salmon served over angel hair pasta with pea pods and a creamy dill sauce. I also love their penne with vodka sauce. This is a great spot for a date or to catch up with your friends. I have also gotten carry out for both lunch and dinner. They have great, fresh sandwiches. The grilled chicken with feta, mixed greens, tomato and basil pesto is a favorite. Try Basil Leaf, you won't be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Doug G.

    Excellent Italian dinners. Great ambiance. We would definitely go again. By the way, the bread that they serve you while waiting for your dinner to arrive is first rate, just don't get too filled up on it!

    (4)

  • danny p.

    one word. atrocious. i just left this venue and was completely disappointed in the service, as well as the food. i and my company waited for at least 15 minutes to sit at a table, although i counted at least 4 tables that were open for business. once seated, the waitress promptly filled our drink and food orders. however, we waited over 45 minutes prior to the food being set in front of us. the waitress avoided us the entire time and we had to ask another waitress for her. when she finally waited on us she asked "can i get something for you?" the reply was..."our food". she provided a non-genuine apology..."sorry about that. but EVERYBODY is waiting for their food." meanwhile, i see plates being brought out for plenty of other tables. once the food did arrive it was average at best. i could have made what i ordered at home and not been charged the $15 for the plate. i have worked in the food service industry and in cases that food comes out late, there are repeated apologies. i was offered a half-ass apology once and abandoned on an island of hunger without any updates as to why my stomach was eating itself from the inside-out. i will never set foot in this place again.

    (1)

  • Heather D.

    Took my family here for lunch last Saturday. Love the new space, it was much roomier than across the street. Service was good and everyone was pleased with their food. My only complaint would be to have more fresh pastas on the menu. I'm a pasta snob and love fresh pasta.

    (3)

  • Liz S.

    I originally meant to go to a sushi restaurant on Clark, but when I got there none of them were open for lunch. But, I'm sooooo happy that was the case cause I happen upon Basil Leaf Cafe. I had an amazing lunch. To begin with the water was flavored with fruit that had been left to site in it (it was a slight flavoring, but so refreshing). Lunch itself was yummy too. I had an amazing chicken sandwhich that came with a small side salad that really was just so fresh. Also, it was a beautiful day outside so sitting outside in the quaint neighborhood only added to the nice lunch.

    (5)

  • Christina S.

    Enormous portions. Friendly servers. Never a wait. Entrees $12 and up.

    (5)

  • Kristin C.

    Sitting in the outdoor patio at Basil Leaf Cafe was just like being back in Italy. Except for, well, the noise coming from Mickey's. But despite that, the ambiance was very romantic and intimate. This has now become one of my favorite al fresca dining places in the city! I had the lobster ravioli, which was great, and my boyfriend loved his butternut squash soup and baby clam pasta. Service was good, and prices were very reasonable, especially for the bottle of wine we got. They don't take reservations, but we went on a weeknight and didnt have any problems getting a quiet table in the back of the patio. We will definitely be going back!

    (4)

  • Mariana P.

    You can't go wrong with a place with great food with no wait on a weekend night. Very small, so pretty cozy, but I like that. It has an authentic Italian feel to it. Food was FANTASTIC. Good wine list too, if you're like me and can't have Italian food without wine. Not overpriced either, which is hard to find in Lincoln Park.

    (5)

  • michael t.

    I got the "old" menu and my date got the "new" one. The difference was one line so I was simply amused that there was a "old" menu still around to be handed out. Too many pasta dishes, they tended to blend together. The service was good. The food was a little tasteless and that's saying a lot from me, as I eat a lot of bland food. It was overall a fine experience, but I don't think I'll be returning.

    (3)

  • madra s.

    everything on the menu is good

    (4)

  • Ashley B.

    The food is nothing spectacular, and for the price they have nothing to brag about. The decor inside is a little cheesy and over done. I recommend Rose Angelis for much better Italian food, in a super romantic setting.

    (1)

  • Judicious Z.

    We enjoyed two entrees through GrubHub delivery and believe we have found the perfect "upscale" resource for those nights when you want to stay in, not cook, and want "real" food. We assume the restaurant is quite good based on our meals and will check out an in-house dining experience soon. Their Vegetable Risotto has perfect, elegantly (yes, elegant) sliced grilled vegetables. Their Rigatoni Bolognese was delicious with balanced spices and quality beef. I called the restaurant in advance to find out the veggies in the risotto and requested that some of their veggies be omitted (they include zucchini, eggplant, and squash - creepy, strange-texture veggies). I wondered if they would be irritated and it would come to me a bit second-rate. Nope, they were up to the challenge and bested any restaurant with thinly sliced grilled carrots, thin carmalized onions, perfect broccoli, etc. Thank You! Portions were generous and I'll be having the risotto for lunch!

    (4)

  • Stephanie D.

    Good food, nice location, great service. What more could I ask for? Went here on a double date awhile back and really enjoyed myself. Had a delicious meaty pasta dish with a bottle of wine. Our server was knowledgeable and very friendly. Service was quick and the atmosphere intimate. I agree with a poster below that its a great place to take parents when they come in to town. I gave it a four due to the menu selection being somewhat small. Overall, a good experience though! UPDATE: Try the marinara ravioli! You will NOT be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Scott S.

    Had a great lunch here last spring. The atmosphere is great, reminds me of trips I've taken to europe. We loved the salad and pasta, and we thought the water with fresh fruit in it was a great touch. We'll definitely go back!

    (4)

  • Matt M.

    I could go here every week and always try something new. Great date place.

    (5)

  • Jerry E.

    Went there for a small lunch. Wonderful Salads and my guest had pasta, which I sampled. All was very good. I would go back. We sat by the open windows to the street. It was a little noisy. All the tables had white table cloths.

    (4)

  • Ren H.

    Great place for pasta! The portions are really generous but not too big to leave you unable to walk. Their water has oranges and strawberries in it, such a refreshing compliment to your pasta! also its in a great location too so you can hit up some really good bars after eating!

    (4)

  • Kev N.

    A great little place. My girlfriend and I have been here at least ten times, and I think we've ordered the exact same thing every single one of them - Butternut Squash/Spaghetti Carbonara. Maybe if we got out there more often we would try to branch out, but it says a lot about a restaurant that keeps you coming back, time after time, because you crave the exact same thing.

    (5)

  • Angela P.

    This place has a great atmosphere, and it's relatively quiet. Yummy warm bread is constantly replenished, and I've liked the dishes I've tried. The menu items are a little "out there" for me--I prefer standard vegetarian dishes--but the ravioli is good. It's a good date spot.

    (4)

  • Brian S.

    Delicous Italian food, and only two blocks away from where I live! That makes me happy.

    (4)

  • Neeraj D.

    A small, fun Italian restaurant. It is easy to get a table at and the service is rather good. We loved the fruity-water and the menu had the usual Italian offerings. The taste and presentation met expectations. A great casual restaurant to go to when you are not sure what you want or where to go, but want something good.

    (4)

  • Mindy S.

    I walk by this place all the time but just had dinner here for the first time the other night. It's a small place and can get a bit loud, but otherwise a very cute atmosphere. Perfect date place. The food was good and prices reasonable. Mostly pastas on the menu with some good fish as well. They don't take reservations, but we didn't have to wait too long for a table on a Saturday night.

    (4)

  • Dee C.

    We sat outside,the server was a really nice Irish student, he did a great job as did the busser, we never ran out of water or bread. Pasta was very nice, chicken sandwich was good but could have been better if it was served hot, it tasted like it was not cooked that day.Bruschetta was good also

    (4)

  • Laura S.

    Great date place with very good food. I was worried we'd wait a long time on a Friday night, but it wasn't that bad at all. A friendlier waiter (I had to ask to hear the specials) would have definitely given this a 5th star!

    (4)

  • Briana J.

    Great food, great atmosphere. The wait staff was very friendly and helpful. The food was tasty and many offerings despite the small size. It is a cozy restaurant that would be great for a date. Many wine choices as well.

    (4)

  • Richard C.

    Basil leaf serves your typical Italian food. It's pretty good, but I wouldn' t go running there when you could eat at a place like Mia Francesca's again. The prices are ok- they aren't expensive, but it's not cheap either.

    (3)

  • Hannah B.

    I am sad that I don't live near the Basil Leaf Cafe any more because it always makes for an enjoyable evening. The food is delicious and the ambiance is very romantic. I love the fresh slices of fruit in their water pitchers. I took my mom here when she was visiting and ever since then she has been slicing up fruit to put in her water! Perfect for a date or a girl's night out, you can't go wrong with the Basil Leaf Cafe.

    (4)

  • Lindsay M.

    Cute, yummy, variety, reasonably priced. Sit outside.

    (3)

  • M M.

    Went for an early dinner and my friend and I weren't too hungry so we just had a salad with chicken. I didn't get to experience any of the other entrees- but the salad was good enough. I really can't right an accurate review as I don't think having salad can qualify as a full restaurant experience, but I can say that the place was not crowded- we went on a Thursday night, so that might say something about it.

    (2)

  • Stacey H.

    Their daily tomato basil soup is amazing. With the free bread, get a bowl and make a meal of it!

    (5)

  • Jasmin W.

    I feel like no one knows about this restaurant in Chicago, which shocks me because the food is delicious! It's absolutely adorable and the perfect date spot! I've been there at least 5 times and have tried a variety of their pasta dishes and everything is so good and the waiters are very nice as well.

    (4)

  • Jon M.

    The best italian food ive had in chicago. Better than Rose Angelis' because the dishes are more flavorful. Even though its small and doesnt take reservations, the wait to get a table (at least for 2) is rarely very long. Ive never had a bad meal there.

    (5)

  • Dana P.

    I was surprisingly impressed with this tiny restaurant. It had a nice, homey and personal feel which I liked. It is a really nice, intimate setting which is a good change from the rowdy loud places I usually go to. There was a great variety of pasta dishes on the menu, which all looked good. The bruschetta was tasty and I ordered the rigatoni with tomato alfredo sauce which was also quite delicious.

    (4)

  • Lisa T.

    I didn't know what I was in for, though this place is great! Small cozy place with a friendly staff. They give you room to relax and enjoy. The food is great, with numerous pasta dishes and salads, who could ask for more. It has a flare to the traditional Italian, keeps it interesting.

    (4)

  • Traci W.

    Good, no-nonsense comfort-Italian food. I've always had good service and excellent food. The Linguine Carbonara is my favorite, for those days when you are looking to completely throw your diet out the window.

    (4)

  • Caitlin T.

    I went here about two weeks ago on a Saturday night for dinner. The atmosphere is generic--not bad but nothing unique--and that is exactly how my boyfriend and I felt about our food. The food was pretty bland. I had the salmon with a creamy dill sauce, which the waitress told me was her favorite meal. It was virtually flavorless, despite it being slathered in cream sauce and capers. My boyfriend had some sort of white fish with potatoes (maybe flounder or trout, don't remember) and his food was equally boring. We had the fried brie salad, which was pretty good, but was dry and needed more of the balsamic glaze dressing. The server was nice and attentive. Overall, I would not recommend this place if you are looking for good flavor or any sort of unique dining experience. We walked away feeling like Olive Garden would have been more enjoyable and half the price.

    (2)

  • Dina S.

    Went here for lunch yesterday... yes i ate out a bit too much yesterday (first basil leaf then sushi pink later), but stop judging me! I did finally work out for the first time in months and it felt great so i rewarded myself! ANYWAY - i thought this place was really good. I ordered the tomato soup and greek salad... but we sat right, I mean right next to the dessert counter and everything looked really delicious... will have to try next time. I don't know how their pastas are... One bad thing - we were there for lunch and even though the place was not that crowded the service kinda dragged... we were there for almost two hours!!!!!

    (4)

  • Marley F.

    This adorable Italian Cafe is never crowded so we can always get a table. I'm not sure why it's never crowded because the food and service are fantastic.

    (4)

  • Shannon S.

    I was surprised to find this place not very busy on a Saturday night. It is a very cute, cozy Italian restaurant. They have a great outdoor seating area. Good food. Our service was pretty decent. We had a problem with our bill but it was corrected right away. A very good place to take a date or go for a girls night out.

    (4)

  • Roop d.

    The food here is good. The service is good. the portions are huge so you may want to share.

    (4)

  • Alicia F.

    My now-husband and I had our first date here, so it holds a special place in my heart. The food was good but the atmosphere is great- very cute and cozy! Great date place!

    (4)

  • Rachael W.

    I adore this place. It's cute, it's quaint, and the food is consistently yummy. Since I live pretty close by, it's definitely a staple when friends come over and we want to go to dinner.

    (5)

  • Kelly C.

    I went here for the first time during lunch on a week day. I went on a business meeting and I fell in love. I honestly can't wait to go back and try more things. I tend to not eat meat so I loved all the options on this menu. I had the butternut squash soup and it was to die for....so creamy and wonderful. I also had a salad that had tons of fresh berries on it with candied almonds and a sweet honey balsamic type vinaigrette. I already made plans with my sister to come back in a few week. I can't wait to try the tomato soup - apparently they are "known for it" I also can't wait to try some of the pasta dishes. I just had the perfect lunch there!! The server was great as well. Not too crazy about the atmosphere - I tend to like places that are a bit cozier.

    (4)

  • becki s.

    Wonderful atmosphere, great service, water with sliced fruit in the pitcher to give it a fresh taste, and lets talk about the bruschetta they hand out for free as a starter. YUM! But that's only the half of it.... the Butternut squash soup, so rich, decadent and smooth...the bowl was HUGE, but you wont want to stop slurrping it down!..... and field salad with blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and a WONDERFUL honey vinaigrette....and all this for under $10. AMAZING Some of the pastas are 'different' than you would find anywhere else, and they even say that on the menu... "all pastas, but not all Italian" I remember some with an Asian tang to it, others with thought out and wonderful flavors combined but no real region influence to think of. Speaking of different, the ICED TEA... it has this lovely minty taste. VERY refreshing. If you are ever in the area, stop in! The food is fast and delicious... and they even have carry out!

    (5)

  • James Michael S.

    Go there for the Butternut squah soup, get anything else on the menu, you'll be happy.

    (5)

  • Charlie G.

    This place has a nice atmosphere but the entrees are very bland and subpar. I tried every entree at the table and was not impressed. My butternut squash soup and the desserts were pretty good though. But there are so many good Italian restaurants in Chicago a mediocre one should not be tolerated!

    (2)

  • Mansi K.

    My friend and I just happened upon this place since we were visiting Molly's cupcakes nearby. We took a chance on it and were not disappointed. It is an adorable place with a great atmosphere and wonderful service. Everyone is extremely friendly and helpful. With both of us being vegetarians, we ordered the two different vegetarian gnocchi dishes, and both were wonderful. The pesto sauce in particular was outstanding. They had a great selection of dishes and it was fabulous to see a variety of vegetarian dishes. I would definitely go back.

    (4)

  • Amy S.

    2.5 stars First visit... This was over a year ago when it was across the street. My friend and I decided to come here before heading downtown to go to see the Color Purple. We were on somewhat of a time schedule, but technically we should have been able to get out of there in one hour from sitting to paying our bill and that would have given us plenty of time to get down to the theater. But no, it was not enough time because the waitress did not know how to do her job. When we sat down the first thing I said to our waitress was that we were on a time schedule and we had to be out of here in 1 hour and she said ok. We ordered our drinks and then 10 minutes later she finally came back with them and we were able to finally put our orders in. We orders salads with our entrees but because of time restraints we told her just to put the order in and if the entree comes out while we are finishing our salads that is fine. She obviously didn't listen because when we were finishing up our salads we were getting antsy and called her over to ask where our food was. She said "oh, you want me to put your order in now?" Basically we had to scarf down our entrees in about 5-7 minutes in order to pay our bill and get down to the theater on time. I did think the food was good, but I couldn't really judge based on how fast I was shoveling it into my mouth. I decided to put aside the fact that the service was horrible and try it again... This brings me to last night... Went here because we were hungry and didn't feel like cooking dinner in my hot apartment. The food was just ok. I got the lobster ravioli and I thought the tomato cream sauce overpowered the lobster flavor way too much. I barely could tell it was lobster...would have been better off just getting cheese ravioli. My bf got penne alla vodka with salmon and again, it was just ok. I think we could have cooked these meals just as good at home....but we would have been damn hot. However, we got annoyed because we ordered a bottle of wine and they kept refilling our glasses when it wasn't necessary. We felt like they wanted us to finish up and get out of there. We even told her at one point our wine was fine and we didnt need anymore and then 5 minutes later she proceeded to dump the rest into our glasses.... The atmosphere of this place is really cute and I wish the food could be better. The service is not that great in my opinion though. I'm not gonna say I won't ever come back though.

    (3)

  • Kari C.

    My husband and I love the Basil Leaf. No matter what time of day you go, the service is always impeccable, the food is tasty and the price is perfect. They have an extensive menu filled with wonderful food. I've ordered many different meals and have never been unsatisfied with the final result. Their tomato basil soup is out of this world - creamy, rich and hot - perfect for a meal when accompanied with their endless rolls. I would eat at the Basil Leaf all the time if I could!

    (5)

  • dianna C.

    I had the spicy seafood pasta.. It was very good. Not to hot more of spicy. Alot of red peppers. We was with a large group and only one other person liked the food. My friend got the special that was white fish and it was so blaaa it was like frozen and thawed with no spices. It was water logged. Nothing I tasted from others had any spices. You can tell the chef was not Italian. It was a cute place .. we went there before going to the greenwood theater that was in walking distance. We had reservations for 5:30 and didn't get there to 6:00 and plenty of room at 6;00 on a Friday. We was lucky to get parking on the street. Not alot of parking near by cheap.

    (2)

  • Rebecca T.

    I was unfortunately disappointed by this place. I've lived in the area for years and just never got around to going there, and went tonight with 3 friends. The service was good and the atmosphere nice, but the food really wasn't that good. I got butternut squash ravioli with spinach and garlic and you could barely taste the pasta because it was doused with burnt garlic taste [and was $15 on top of it!] My friend got the penne vodka and said it wasn't that good either - honestly, how can you mess up something that simple? (However, the table bread service was good; yummy bread.) 3 stars is actually generous, but I am hopeful that the other menu options are better. I'll give it one more shot since it's a neighborhood spot...

    (3)

  • luke h.

    Let me start off with the good stuff: The rolls are amazing. They have balsamic vinegarette on every table. The water guy keeps your glass full. Bad Stuff: Every time I go here I get so hot that I sweat through the whole meal. (TURN DOWN THE AIR CONDITIONER). Also, we waited 15 minutes before our waiter came to the table, only after we asked the roll/water guy to get him. He was rude, he never came back other than to bring food, and it was just a horrible service experience every time I have been. The food is good, not great, but definiately not worth the heat and bad service. Prices are fair, not amazing. If you want good italian food, spend $5 on a cab ride to Wrightwood & Racine, and eat at Rose Angelis, it's the most amazing Italian in the city, and very likely this side of the Atlantic. Their air conditioner is always on full blast, and the food is always great. (but the bread is better at Basil Leaf)

    (2)

  • Danimal F.

    I've never had a bad experience here. The food and the service is great.

    (4)

  • Puja D.

    If you are out by that area and want a nice Italian meal without going downtown or any where else - this is the great. The food is decent Italian food - they have a nice selection of wines to go with it too. Probably the best Italian I've had in that area - however no where close to the best in the city. One thing to note is that this place does not make authentic Italian - and they admit to that on their website too. The portions are huge and the service is good. Prices are reasonable too. A great vegetarian menu as well....Will I go there again? - probably.

    (3)

  • D J.

    Recommended one of my favorite diners in Lincoln park to someone last night, and figured sharing the review here was long overdue. Amongst the profusion of cute, cosy diners on the stretch of Clark, Basil Leaf manages to hold it's own. It's been a while since I went back here, so the specifics are rather blurry but what I do remember distinctly is that I've never been disappointed with the pasta or salads I typically try. Perfect for a no frills dinner in a casual yet intimate setting, this place captures the essence of the Lincoln Park vibe. Time to make a return trip here, I reckon.

    (4)

  • Luke S.

    I was very sad yesterday when I walked by and saw the windows boarded up with a for lease sign adorning the front. I've been here three times and had an excellent meal each time. The service was always great and the food was tasty and affordable. Does anyone know if they're relocating? This was definitely a neighborhood treat.

    (5)

  • Elizabeth C.

    I love when I read mixed reviews of a place on Yelp, but decide to ignore the bad reviews, try the place myself, and am rewarded with a delicious meal. The Rules of Karma clearly state that I should then immediately go on Yelp and add a positive review of my own. My Basil Leaf experience was great. There are a few bad reviews about service, but our waitress was great, as were the few other people who came by to deliver food and fill our water glasses with that lovely fruity water everyone raves about. The ciabatta rolls were great, as was the herb-y olive oil for dipping. I ordered Chicken Piccata, which was really yummy, and not too heavy, and my boyfriend ordered the wild-caught crab linguine in a cream sauce, also delicious, with lots of fresh dill flavor running through it. We even splurged on a tiramisu mini-tarte for dessert, which in my opinion was the perfect size dessert after a filling meal (we both took home leftovers). Was it the most authentic Italian food I've had in Chicago? No. Was it a great meal for the price, in a good location, with nice ambience? Yes. You can't ask for too much more than that.

    (4)

  • Heather B.

    This place is only the second Italian restaurant I've eaten at in Chicago. And obviously this was much better than Leona's! My friend and I got a fruit and cheese plate to start and I got the fettuccine with spinach and chicken in lemon sauce. Fruit/cheese plate was great but could've used less goat cheese. My entree was good but simple, I just didn't want to get too carb-loaded on a pasta dish. Interiors are very nice, however ONE bathroom (although I didn't have to wait). I would've preferred sitting away from the bar, however there were relatively large groups in the main dining area and I was at least able to sit by the window. I do think its cool that they have garage-style windows here and I believe a few outdoor tables on the side? Unfortunately it was chilly that night.... I do plan to come back here to try a non-pasta dish and some dessert. Oh--great rolls!

    (3)

  • Dean K.

    The salmon with creamy dill sauce over angel hair is unreal. It's the only thing I've ever had for an entree here but, any time I've ever gone, everyone has really liked their food. Also, they have the best tiramisu I have had in the city. I liked it better when it was across the street though.

    (4)

  • Sara G.

    I stopped in with the boyfriend's parents after we tried eating at Mamacitas and discovered they didn't have any air conditioning. The Basil Leaf was the perfect fix. (They had A/C...ahhhhh). They have a very cute and clean atmosphere. I'm sure it has some romance going for it at night. The parents ordered sandwiches which were big and chalked full of freshness like fresh slices of avocado. I wasn't feeling too good so I went kinda boring and just got soup and salad. Their tomato and basil soup was superb and once again, super fresh. Like others have said, I thought the pitcher of water with the fruit in it was so cool. I'm nerdy and love little touches like that. I'm glad we found this place.

    (4)

  • Sara G.

    I stopped in with the boyfriend's parents after we tried eating at Mamacitas and discovered they didn't have any air conditioning. The Basil Leaf was the perfect fix. (They had A/C...ahhhhh). They have a very cute and clean atmosphere. I'm sure it has some romance going for it at night. The parents ordered sandwiches which were big and chalked full of freshness like fresh slices of avocado. I wasn't feeling too good so I went kinda boring and just got soup and salad. Their tomato and basil soup was superb and once again, super fresh. Like others have said, I thought the pitcher of water with the fruit in it was so cool. I'm nerdy and love little touches like that. I'm glad we found this place.

    (4)

  • Sabrina S.

    I was pleasantly surprised at how great my experience was at this restaurant. I had looked over the menu prior to attending and saw that the prices were very low for many Italian restaurants, which lowered any expectations I may have had. I was blown away! This is a very inexpensive restaurant that adds just the right touches to make it a nice experience. They keep fruit in their water to give it a little taste. The ciabatta rolls they give you, they bring around and serve from a basket and are to die for...I had three! I am a pretty picky eater, and I could not make a decision on what I wanted to eat! I chose the broccoli penne which came with walnuts. A very interesting combination but it worked. I really enjoyed myself and by dish was only $11! It is more than worth the money and the service is just right. If you haven't been, I highly suggest going!

    (5)

  • Kori M.

    This place was alright. I really enjoyed the bread with oil and vinegar. For some reason it tasted more flavorful than at other Italian joints. The food was okay. Nothing to scream about. The service was excellent. Overall opinion: Eh Probably won't be returning.

    (3)

  • Linda. G.

    Cute and cozy. I love this place! It's perfect for date nights and the food definitely does not disappoint! The menu provides your basic Italian favorites and then some... The staff was super friendly. I love coming here. It's a nice change of pace from many of the other places in the area... My favorite thing to order: Linguine Carbonara with Prosciutto, Bacon, and Scallions. Try it!

    (5)

  • Katy O.

    I live around the corner from this place and come here every few months with a girlfriend that LOVES it. I would agree with other posters that some of the food is under salted- the three times I've come here I've ordered a pasta and found that I needed to add quite a bit of salt, which is not something I do very often. The food, after adding a bit of salt, is actually pretty good and the ingredients always taste very fresh. I have had, on every occasion, very helpful and attentive waitstaff. I love the fresh bread rolls and the salads are also very very good (and not lacking in seasoning). They have a big menu and I'll be back to try some of the other offerings here although I'm not sure I'd bother coming here if I didn't live in the hood.

    (3)

  • Donovan H.

    I came here for a lunch business meeting. The service was great and the food was wonderful. The butternut squash ravioli is my favorite so far. The salads are also amazing I plan to try a different one on every visit. The service was excellent and we stayed well over an hour without feeling rushed.

    (5)

  • Kenneth C.

    First, the good: Basil Leaf Cafe's food was very, very good. The gorgonzola-filled gnocci I had was spectacularly flavorful, the portobello mushroom was delicious, and I had a truly difficult time choosing from the wonderful options on the menu. The food was delightful, and if a restaurant were solely about the food, this place would be getting five stars. Unfortunately, the service we received knocked three stars off my review. I made reservations for 7 at 8 o'clock; The person who took my review wrote it down as reservations for 8 at 7 o'clock. When we arrived at 8, we were told "no, the reservations were for 7." If you make a mistake, fine, try to rectify it, but don't call me a liar to my face, please, by saying that I made a reservation for when I did not. We were seated 45 minutes later, after being told 20 minutes in that our table was being bused. I can only imagine that we were told this to keep us there, and my dinner guests got progressively more annoyed as we waited. When we were finally seated, we were shown to the wrong seats and had to switch tables when the maitre'd noticed. The waitress we had was wonderful and very helpful even though the place was quite busy. However, the bread, which was quite good, was served to us a small roll at a time, with a very tiny amount of olive oil and spices to dip it in. Being metered out our cuisine like this felt too frugal for the prices we were paying ($40/person!). I'm disappointed in Basil Leaf for the pre-dinner service we received and will not be returning. I have the feeling that had we gone at non-peak hours, we would have had a much better experience, but frankly, a restaurant has to be fun to visit whenever you attend, not just when they're not busy.

    (2)

  • Jim W.

    Ate there last summer, forgot about it until updating my bookmarks. Vibe is very representative of the stretch of the 'hood it's in, typical Lincoln Park. The pasta I ordered was pretty blah, not really memorable in a good/bad way. Basically pretty ordinary...venue is obviously nicer than Pasta Bowl, but it really isn't that much of a step up.

    (3)

  • Ern E.

    This place is outstanding. Seriously, I have never in my life had such good butternut squash ravioli before. It's to die for! The olive oil & bread before dinner is equally delicious! If they sell that olive oil by the bottle, I will buy it!

    (5)

  • anna c.

    My boyfriend and I went to Basil Leaf on a Saturday night. We were pleasantly surprised that the wait was only 5-10 minutes. We sat at the bar and ordered a drink in the meantime. We were seated promptly within the quoted time. Our table was small but there was plenty of room between our table and others. The bread was delish! Warm, crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle, served with oil. My boyfriend ordered the linguine w/ marinara and meatballs and I ordered the rigatoni bolognese with mushrooms and sundried tomatoes. We both agreed that the rigatoni bolognese was better. It was a nice tomato cream sauce with only the sightest bit of cream, not too thick at all. The linguine was good, a little mild, but I don't think anyone is asking for something crazy when they essentially order spaghetti with meatballs. The meatballs were well seasoned and generous enough within the dish. The dessert was very tempting, but we were in a hurry to catch the (infuriating, expletive) Cubs game. We both agreed we would go back, but that it woudn't be our first choice.

    (3)

  • Mischel G.

    I've been to basil leaf a few times now and really enjoy the atmosphere as well as the delicious food. The water is excellent and the bread and olive oil (that keeps getting refilled) is also a plus. The one complaint I have was that the last time I visited my pasta/"melted" cheese was straight up burnt. Buuuuut, I won't let one experience get me down. I always recommend this for visitors and will definitely be back.

    (4)

  • Kate P.

    A solid neighborhood place with a decent wine selection and decent prices. Excellent staff and service.

    (3)

  • Diane S.

    I live right around the corner and have wanted to try this place for sometime now. The decor is cute and the tables by the windows would be awesome on a nice summer day. The food was good. I personally had a hard time choosing between multiple delicious-sounded dishes. Portions were big and my BF and I both took home leftovers. The rolls of bread are freshly baked and served with a yummy dipping oil. The only thing that turned me off? Our server had no knowledge of the wine list. For an Italian restaurant that is just not acceptable. Once we did pick a bottle - no help from the waiter - it took 20 minutes for him to serve it. Apparently the bartender had to get it from their rack. We repeatedly asked and were halfway through our salads before our wine arrived. I've never experienced that before and it was pretty annoying. Hope it was just a fluke for us. Finally, you must get the little chocolate torte for dessert. It is heaven!!

    (4)

  • Laura H.

    Great casual dining... Italian and Asian pasta dishes. I've been here three or four times, and I've had good food and great service each time. Nice place to take your parents or a date without being overly fancy. Prices are completely reasonable and portions are huge. I recommend getting one of the outdoor tables and people watching on Clark street.

    (4)

  • Lisa S.

    The atmosphere is nice for this 15 table place. Overall the food had its ups and downs. The bruschetta left a little to be desired, but you can't expect much for a complimentary appetizer. Mixed green salad with fresh berries was amazing, as was the creamy tomato basil soup. This was the highlight of the meal. Entrees of sun dried tomato and creamy pesto was average, and the butternut squash ravioli with spinach and roasted garlic was also just ok. Couldn't exactly put my finger on it, but kept catching a burnt taste that was out of place for the flavors of the dish. We sampled 2 desserts, a german chocolate cake, and a mascarpone mousse. Both were rich, but again, nothing spectacular. Staff was attentive but had hope for a little more confidence in providing solid recommendations on the various courses. May or may not go back...

    (3)

  • Yuliya M.

    It' just alright... nothing special, although nice addition to the neighborhood. The food is ok. Bar inside is nice and it's good that they have outside seating. Service is fine. Prices are fair, about $15 per entree, some $20-22. I'd return.

    (3)

  • Janis W.

    The food is ok. It's the location, convenience, nice servers, and the plenty- to- choose- from menu that bring in the customers. If you are already in the neighborhood it's as good as anything else around there.

    (3)

  • Amy S.

    I was there on Saturday night. No wait which was good but small tables and cramped in there. Also, I order gorgonzola gnocchi and could barely taste the gorgonzola which you know is a strong cheese. The salad, my entree and the other entree I tasted were bland to me. The fettuccini of the other entree was not cooked well. Really just very average.

    (2)

  • Robin W.

    The food here really is delicious! I had a chicken fettuccine with pesto that was cooked perfectly al dente. The pesto was great. However, I waited over an hour for my food. The manager was horrible and didn't even offer us compensation for our very long wait. The actual wait staff was very nice and tried their best to please us even though it took forever for our food order to come out. My water was always filled, and fresh rolls were brought out one right after the other as we waited. It was obvious that the kitchen was just really backed up. I will probably go back here for dinner though. The food was great (despite the ridiculously long wait), the interior is cute (multiple wall fountains, good lighting etc) and, most importantly, it's walking distance from my house!

    (3)

  • Jill S.

    I liked Basil Leaf Cafe. Stopped in here for a late lunch. It's a big space which has me to believe that this place can get pretty crowded but still maintain a normal volume level. Our waitress was beyond patient and nice as my grandma, mom and I took forever to order between conversation. The water is delicious, they put an assortment of things in there - think I saw a strawberry, lemon, and cucumber - and it comes out very refreshing. I ordered a prosciutto, mozzarella and tomato sandwich, and let me tell you, it was awesome! I can definitely see myself craving that again. My mom got a salad with salmon, and even though she ordered the full size, it seemed a little on the small side to pass for a meal... maybe good for the lighter appetite. My grandmother went full force with the penne bolognese, and loved it. We ordered desserts to share, and I would highly recommend them both. The german chocolate cake, and the key lime pie (both are bite size, but perfect). Solid joint, and I just love the orange exterior!

    (4)

  • Kiki M.

    I must have known about this place for at least 6 or 7 years, and I'm not sure why it took me so long to eat there. Regardless, I was pleasantly surprised how delicious my meal was. I had gorgonzola gnocchi and it was fresh, tender, tasted homemade and all around yummy. My friends meals were also very good. I can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • D S.

    I've eaten here twice, and both times I've left quite happy. For me, the menu feels a bit pricey. But, given the quality of the seafood, and the promptness of the staff, I find it difficult to deduct a star based on cost. They don't take reservations, though, if there's a wait, the bar area is accommodating. My experiences at Basil Leaf were weekend dinners, and the atmosphere was rather classy.

    (5)

  • Jolene H.

    Convenient, good service, average food. Not something I'll remember, though.

    (3)

  • timothy W.

    Basil Leaf Cafe is one of those unsuspecting gems in the restaurant world. From the beautiful outdoor appearance on busy Clark street in the heart of Lincoln Park, to the sprawling bar, gracious hosts, the onwer's super sweet mother and large very cozy dining room, it has all the ambience you would want in a place to eat. However, this is only half the great part of this restaurant. The food and service is out of this world. The portions are large and the wine list is excllent all at very affordable prices. I have eaten at Basil Leaf many times and always get excited to come back. This is truly one of the most underrated restraunts in Chicago and I highly recommend you make it your next place to have lunch or dinner. You will not be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Jennifer B.

    Let me begin by saying the food was really really good, and the ciabatta rolls they give you were awesome. The service, however, was atrocious. We waited for 15 minutes before my friend finally got up, walked over to where all the waiters were congregating and asked some one to come take our drink orders. By the time we got our wine a table near us, who walked in after, was more than half way through their entrees. It took just as long to get our check when we were finished. I really did like the food, so I may give it another chance, but I will have to go on a night when I have no other plans.

    (2)

  • Jessica W.

    I visited the Basil Leaf Cafe last night with my family. The meal was good - not a culinary experience but definitely perfect for a family meal. What stood out, which is why I write the review, is that when my Aunt's meal came ten minutes after the rest of the food, the manager and owner came to our table to apologize and offer her dish for free. We did not have to ask for this kind gesture or insist that we were wronged because her dish was forgotten when we ordered. Instead, they stepped up the proverbial plate and took care of it for us. For that reason, I will return. Thank you for the considerate service - you made us feel that our business truly is important and valued.

    (4)

  • Eazy Going m.

    Now with Valet parking? This just gets better!

    (5)

  • Karen G.

    This place was very good and I loved the atmosphere of the restaurant. There is a ton of artwork for sale displayed on the walls, and the day I was there, they had all of the doors and windows opened which was nice. I got the linguini, grilled chicken, spinach with a lemon chardonnay sauce and I have to say it was delicious! The Grilled chicken was a little dry, but the sauce really helped moisten it up. We had the portabello mushrooms with gorgonzola as an appetizer, and they were also very good (especially with the balsamic vinaigrette drizzled on top). There is a full bar, however, they do not have any specialty drinks which I found disappointing as I was half expecting there to be some type of drink with basil incorporated. The water was flavored with basil, apples, strawberry, limes, and lemons so it was tasty as well as pretty to see the servers pour.

    (4)

  • Kat M.

    I have to say that I had a pretty solid experience here on Saturday night. The service left something to be desired but could have been much worse... and also was not the worst I've experienced in this city. I called ahead during the day on Saturday and was told that they don't take reservations, BUT the hostess on the phone told me that there would probably not going to be any wait, or if there was one it would be minimal. I was a little shocked when we arrived at 9 p.m. and the hostess told us it would be a 30 minute wait. Ummm... wow. We did point out a table right next to the door, which I assumed that no one wanted to sit at because of the draft on a cold night. That assumption was correct, but that was kind of my own fault and the fault of a stupid a-hole who stood there with BOTH inner and outer doors open while waiting for his significant other to hurry up. Thanks, I guess that chivalry is not dead, but still not nice to people other than your date. Not the restaurant's fault, though. Anyway, I thought the food was good, though not awesome awesome. My friend and I split everything and were happy with what we chose. To start: polenta with skirt stead and tomatoes - polenta was a little bland (I don't think it was even salted) and the skirt steak seemed a little old and/or tough. Obviously not the highlight of the meal, but it was edible. Salad: baby spinach with apples, sunflower seeds, and a honey balsamic vinaigrette - delightful! I loved the dressing on it. The apples were sweet and almost carmelized. Seriously yum. Main: wild mushroom risotto with chicken and sun-dried tomatoes - I'm really glad I like sun-dried tomatoes because there was a buttload in this dish. The chicken was so-so, but the risotto had a GREAT flavor and was the perfect stickiness. I really liked it and would order it again. The service, as mentioned above, as less than stellar but better than awful... our waitress took a long time to bring the food out and sort of did a disappearing act towards the end of our meal, but this was balanced with a great busboy who kept our water glasses full, table bussed, and gave us warm bread immediately after we sat down. When I go to Italian restaurants, I look for food that I couldn't or wouldn't cook at home, so the dishes that we chose were things that were a treat. That said, the price for this meal was really a treat... both my friend and I left happy and full. We split everything and each had two drinks, and ended up spending around $35, including tip.

    (3)

  • a w.

    This is the ultimate cute date spot. The atmosphere here is so fresh, yet intimate at the same time. And you'll get a great assortment of wines here too. To make things even better, the food is really yummy here and they have a great, extensive menu.

    (5)

  • James H.

    I returned here last night after attending the theater and had another very good meal. The special was Sea Bass with broccoli and potatoes and it was excellent. I shared this entree with my friend and also had the baby spinach with apple and walnuts salad. The service is always very friendly and helpful. I also like the wide selection of entrees and the spacious dining room that faces Clark street with its constant bustle. After several good meals I can heartily recommend this restaurant for its great value and good food.

    (4)

  • Sarah F.

    I have been a loyal patron of Basil Leaf since I moved to LP 3 years ago. It's one of my very favorite restaurants. They recently moved across the street and expanded. They have a nice bar area where you can sit and have a cocktail while waiting for your table. They have a great wine list and some yummy specialty cocktails as well. The food is amazing---fresh and delicious. Everything is homemade and the menu has something for everyone. My personal favorite is the salmon served over angel hair pasta with pea pods and a creamy dill sauce. I also love their penne with vodka sauce. This is a great spot for a date or to catch up with your friends. I have also gotten carry out for both lunch and dinner. They have great, fresh sandwiches. The grilled chicken with feta, mixed greens, tomato and basil pesto is a favorite. Try Basil Leaf, you won't be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Doug G.

    Excellent Italian dinners. Great ambiance. We would definitely go again. By the way, the bread that they serve you while waiting for your dinner to arrive is first rate, just don't get too filled up on it!

    (4)

  • danny p.

    one word. atrocious. i just left this venue and was completely disappointed in the service, as well as the food. i and my company waited for at least 15 minutes to sit at a table, although i counted at least 4 tables that were open for business. once seated, the waitress promptly filled our drink and food orders. however, we waited over 45 minutes prior to the food being set in front of us. the waitress avoided us the entire time and we had to ask another waitress for her. when she finally waited on us she asked "can i get something for you?" the reply was..."our food". she provided a non-genuine apology..."sorry about that. but EVERYBODY is waiting for their food." meanwhile, i see plates being brought out for plenty of other tables. once the food did arrive it was average at best. i could have made what i ordered at home and not been charged the $15 for the plate. i have worked in the food service industry and in cases that food comes out late, there are repeated apologies. i was offered a half-ass apology once and abandoned on an island of hunger without any updates as to why my stomach was eating itself from the inside-out. i will never set foot in this place again.

    (1)

  • Heather D.

    Took my family here for lunch last Saturday. Love the new space, it was much roomier than across the street. Service was good and everyone was pleased with their food. My only complaint would be to have more fresh pastas on the menu. I'm a pasta snob and love fresh pasta.

    (3)

  • Summer P.

    Basil Leaf Cafe was always on the "the list" but I sort of forgot about it when I moved into Roscoe Village. My mom and I ended up going there on a whim while she was in town for a visit...so happy I finally got to try this place! Loved the atmosphere; lower lights, warm, nice separation of bar and dining area. We got there on the earlier side of a Friday night and were seated right away. Our server came over immediately and was super attentive throughout. As others have mentioned, the homemade bread is a great touch but you do sort of wish they would give you more than one roll to start; although, it does keep you from filling up too quickly. They have a huge salad list and I found it hard to choose between the different options. For an entree, I went with the Penne Broccoli with Roasted Garlic/Walnuts; nice blend of flavors and was a great lighter option. I didn't drink but the wine list looks pretty extensive. Now that I've finally tried Basil Leaf, I'm sure I'll come back.

    (4)

  • Jonathan H.

    It had been a long time but I went to the new (not really new anymore) location of the basil leaf. I was pleasantly surprised by the ambiance and service I got there. Also I'm always a sucker for Lobster Ravioli. It was good and my wife got the Chicken Parmesan, which she liked as well. Overall, I'd say it's a fun place to bring a date or your family. Also, if you want to "tie one on", start with a sensible dinner here before you go to the other side of the street.

    (4)

  • Stephanie W.

    Basil Leaf Cafe is really close to my apartment, so I decided to give it a try a couple weeks ago. There was no wait to be seated on a Saturday night. The ambience is airy and relaxed. Our server (and the rest of the staff, for that matter) was extremely nice, helpful, and patient with us newbies. As for the food, I ordered the fettuccine with pesto sauce. The noodles were drowning in the sauce, so it looked/tasted more like a soup than a pasta dish. However, my food was the only subpar part of our meal. I tried my friend's penne with meatballs dish and the meatballs were delicious! Not sure what they put in them, but they're a must-try. Everyone else at the table enjoyed their food (tortellini and veal.) Overall, this experience was a great one and I would definitely bring friends and family back again.

    (4)

  • W.V. B.

    I ordered the Cheese Ravioli. It was nice to see a good option for vegetarian dishes. The portion was extremely small and left me hungry. The server also left me waiting for 15 minutes after I finished my short meal. 5 stars for the taste, but the meager portion and poor wait staff dropped it down to 3. I'll certainly come back and give it another go.

    (3)

  • Shelly S.

    Good variety of salads, fish, poultry and pasta on menu. Something for everyone. I can vouch for great salads, bread and pasta. Service was attentive and friendly. Great value; large portions are definitely good for sharing. Restaurant is large enough that there is rarely a wait.

    (4)

  • Doris D.

    Meh. How about a piece of hair from our waitress in the Greek salad? How about that. Blonde, short and curly!? Not mine! How about some blah chicken drenched in chunky pasta sauce? How about that. No thanks.

    (3)

  • Genevieve K.

    I went here with friends and family last night - we picked this place because it was on a list of vegan-friendly restaurants, and my friend's vegan minestrone soup was the most flavorful dish of all! The food was BLAND. Among the 5 of us we had 2 pasta dishes, caprese salad, cranberry goat cheese salad, the trout with potatoes & spinach and the eggplant parmigiana. As my friend said, there are sayings in Italy about "people who don't salt their pasta water" to the effect of "haste makes waste" and this restaurant . . . . . doesn't salt their pasta water. . . . or anything else for that matter . . except the minestrone soup! The dining room was noisy, and the waitress forgot to take my order so my mom had to get up and ask her to come back to the table. This isn't a big deal - the waitress was otherwise really nice and attentive - and honestly if the food had been good I wouldn't care about a little service snafu. Overall, it just wasn't the great meal we were all hoping for. Luckily we didn't let it ruin our evening.

    (2)

  • Aaron A.

    Here's the deal. Its not that great, Since moving to this area, I've walked by this cafe filled with people, a number of times. I thought it must be good. The food has no taste. You get these dishes that look great but have no flavor at all. The only plus side: The bread, however, it's bitter sweet. I am guessing since it is made fresh you end up getting one little piece about every hour. We were constantly asking the server for more bread to go with our soup and pasta but the time it came we were already done eating. Won't be coming back to this place. You've just been yelped in.

    (2)

  • ForTheLoveofFood M.

    I took my good friend here for dinner for our Christmas dinner and it was delish! The restaurant is very cute and simple inside and although I was there around Christmas, the decor was amazing. They had white lights and Christmas trees in the dining room and bar, and everything had a faint glow to it; very intimate and very tasteful. The menu is classic italian with a variety of choices that are sure to please all. I ordered their Alfredo pasta with shrimp- it was just ok. It came out piping hot, which was great, but I was underwhelmed by the taste. It was kind of bland. My friend said his pasta was good, but nothing special as well. I want to go back to try some other things on the menu, but over all it wasn't too bad. I would recommend trying it because it's really cute inside and the staff is great. But my experience wasn't anything special- and maybe I came on an off night, but never the less, it's enjoyable, but I don't rave about it.

    (3)

  • Whitney R.

    Good wine, nice atmosphere, and fancier Italian. Calamari was yummy. Great location and the windows can open.

    (3)

  • Angela J.

    I first went to Basil Leaf because it was at the end of my block. Even after moving away from Lincoln Park, I still make the trek over there for the butternut squash soup, the fruit-water, the delicious rolls, and the amazing salads. The entrees are reasonably priced, especially for the neighborhood. Great portions, too! A relaxing place for a low-key dinner.

    (5)

  • Brian B.

    This is our first experience with Basil Leaf Cafe. We ordered from grubhub. The food was scheduled to arrive around 7:45p and it didn't show up until about 8:10p. When it did arrive, it arrived luke warm at best in the middle and cold on the edges. It's a Thursday and we live about a mile and a half away -- it really shouldn't have been that late. My wife ordered Linguine Garlic and Mushrooms and ended up not finishing. After having waited so long, she was quite hungry and would have eaten all of it. I ordered the Tortellini Prosciutto and by comparison, it was quite a bit better. However, in comparison to past meals, I'd give it average. I know I can make better but lately I've been too busy to cook food. The bread arrived...cold and hard. We generally don't eat much bread. I didn't even try this one. Portion sizes will fill a plate. You probably get more if you ordered chinese food and you included rice or noodles in the entree. I had expected quite a bit more from all of the recent positive reviews. Hype is one thing, reality is another, I guess. If you're looking for average fair for above average price with poor service, this place will do. I doubt we'll order from them / go there again.

    (2)

  • Rose F.

    I've been to Basil Leaf twice now and only wish I could find more time in life to go there more. I've been to various Italian Restaurants but, none could match great service, along with great fresh bread, delicious food and a nice wine selection. We've ordered the Hirschbach & Sohne Riesling as well as the Oggi Pinot Grigio. Entree wise I've had Lobster Ravioli and Linguine Carbonara. Both equally amazing dishes. If you haven't been to Basil Leaf Cafe I highly recommend you check this place out very soon. I feel quite lucky to have them mere blocks from my place.

    (4)

  • Loncy M.

    In short, over-priced Italian food.... $70 meal for 2 entrees and a bottle of wine, in my opinion not worth it. Quality of the food is equivalent to Olive Garden's and with so many good options for Italian food in the city I say skip this one.

    (2)

  • Mateo S.

    If "God is in the details," as the adage goes, this place is akin to church. Even the water (refilled constantly by an attentive busboy) is well thought out: the glass pitcher is filled with sprigs of mint, and slices of apples, lemons, limes and strawberries. No flavor overtakes the other, they just make the water taste, well, more like fresh water. Tiny homemade ciabatta rolls are delivered table side from a wicker basket, still warm to the touch... a incredible improvement over the staid bread basket. Olive oil, strewn with garlic, fresh herbs and rosemary leaves is already on the table for dipping. I had a very civilized lunch here this afternoon, and was thankful the entire time that I had passed on all the quickie noodle joints and pizzerias that otherwise line this stretch of Clark. The menu has plenty of options, and frankly, they seem under priced if you can imagine, especially considering the casual fine dining setting with white linens and flawless service. Sandwiches, for the most part were under $10, as were the salads (which could also be ordered in a half portion, which I did to flesh out my meal). It is the salads that truly shone, and they should; the chef is opening a restaurant across the street that will serve nothing else. Ask the waitress for the special salads of the day, so long as you don't mind playing guinea pig for the new place (the chef is testing out new ideas), because they were outstanding and perfectly dressed.

    (4)

  • Em S.

    We went here on a Friday, later in the evening after walking around on Clark looking for a place to eat. We we're seated immediately without a reservation. Our server was very nice and attentive. They had a medium sized wine list which we chose a bottle from. We weren't in the mood for large portions, so we ordered 2 apps & a large salad to split between the 2 of us. Even though there was a considerable number of people in the dining room, we did not have to wait long for the things we ordered. The food was plenty for us & we left full & satisfied. Also, on the way to the dining room, there was a bar area, which seemed very nice. It was candle lit and also was not packed. We'd go back to the Basil Leaf Cafe, all-in-all we had a great experience.

    (4)

  • Jean-Paul M.

    Butternut squash was the bee's knees.

    (4)

  • Liz G.

    After hearing about the Basil Leaf Cafe on 'Check Please' and figuring out it's very close proximity to my house, I decided to check it out while I have family visiting. The dining room was quite but warm and inviting. The decorations were elegant but not over done. The food was hearty, delicious, and served in enormous portions. At our table we tried the lobster ravioli, eggplant Parmesan and a chicken dish. All were fantastic. Some stand out points from our dining experience: -The water served here is infused with fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs that can been seen in the pitcher. Not only is this a beautiful presentation but also adds something extra, a bit of sweetness, to other wise plain table water. -The salad selection was very good as well, although many only differed in an ingredient or two. I would have been helpful if they were named as I felt like I was reading a grocery list when ordering my Spring mix with almonds, goat cheese and house balsamic. -The wait staff is attentive and friendly Overall I highly recommend the Basil Leaf Cafe for a hearty Italian meal.

    (4)

  • Scott P.

    So, I was extremely hung over when I stumbled in here one day, but they were really nice to me and I think that the food was good. I'd remember if it was bad, but apparently it was good enough to make me think that it was good enough to review. If that makes any kind of sense. How about this? I'll eat here again and give it a proper review, but until then I'll stand by my four stars. I remember that the sandwich was delicious, and the coffee perked me up enough to remember my times tables for writing out the tip.

    (4)

  • Beth B.

    Best. Gnocchi. Ever. Not generally a huge fan, but ordered it on a whim, mostly intrigued by the sun-dried tomato, pine nut and pesto sauce. I was blown away. Light and airy, soft but not at all gummy; each bite was better than the one before! I've been here a few times and tried other dishes, but they were pretty unremarkable. The same goes for my opinion of the place as a whole. It's good...but nothing to get excited about.

    (3)

  • Mark B.

    Super yummy pasta and salad. Semi classy reasonable prices. Good wine list

    (5)

  • Chris C.

    Tried them out again and the service was much improved compared to last time. However, I still am not a fan of their food. Throwing a lot of basil onto pasta does not create a good meal. I had the chicken picatta and it was okay but bland.

    (3)

  • MsAnthro P.

    Whoa. The new location has not improved anything. My parents and I decided to give it another shot a few months back. I ordered linguine or spaghetti with scallops. Every scallop I bit into still had part of its shell on it. I'm lucky I didn't break a tooth. I wanted to complain to the server at the beginning/during my meal, but she was nowhere to be found. I ate around the scallops and hoped for the best. At the end of the meal, I'd only eaten about 1/3 of the dish and the server was incredulous that I didn't want to take it home with me. I explained then that the scallops were not properly cleaned and pointed to the bits of shell I'd piled up on my bread plate. She apologized, but that's all. Maybe the restaurants where I've worked in the past were classier, but had I been the server, I would have asked the manager to comp the dish or (at the very least) offer a free drink or dessert or something. I can't believe this is the same place I used to love a few years ago. And, as if my prior experiences weren't enough to keep me at bay, a friend of mine worked there over the summer and told me story after story about how rude, demanding and downright inappropriate the owner/manager was. Never, never again will I give this place another shot.

    (1)

  • Jenna H.

    I DON'T like Italian. To clarify, my mom's family is Italian and like all Italians, I think my family cooks THE BEST Italian food. Thus I'm an admittedly unfair snob when it comes to outside Italian food--particularly at restaurants(I try to review friends/extended family cooking with rose/chianti- colored glasses ;-) That said, Basil Leaf Cafe is my favorite Italian restaurant in Lincoln Park thus far. The 4-5 dishes I've tried have ranged from good to scrumptious. Their salads are particularly good, with lots of options, very atypical for Italian (spinach w/ apples raisins & walnuts; spring greens with fried brie, dried cherries & almonds, etc)--& at dinner you can get a half-portion for around $4-5. I also love the gnocchi with basil pesto, sundried tomatoes & pine nuts. Prices are on the reasonable side of typical for the 'hood, but lunch is REALLY good--their sandwiches are fantastic & all under $10!

    (3)

  • scott b.

    I know this place has pretty good reviews so I thought I would try it out. I've been by it literally 50 times, but never eaten there. The place is nice and very clean. To start, they bring you good, hot bread with olive oil/oregano to dip it in. They carry some craft/imported beers, but the prices were pretty steep, even for Chicago, so I passed. Being my first time, I decided to order something that I've had a lot of other places; the Lobster ravioli. This happens to be one of favorite dishes at Italian restaurants. It was prepared in the usual red cream sauce and asparagus, and then they added peas in the pod. The flavor seemed a bit "off." There was more of the bad "fishy" taste and peas, than lobster flavor or cream sauce. I may go back again to try another dish, but I wasn't excited when I left. The portion wasn't too big, which is good, but the price was still big. I'm all about smaller portions for smaller prices, but not for the same old price. I would definitely recommend Topo Gigio if you want better quality and more food.

    (2)

  • Gregg L.

    I was real impressed with the Basil Leaf Cafe. I got in on a Saturday night after 7 and didn't have to wait. I thought that was odd at first, but the food did come pretty quick after it was ordered. I had the Linguine Carbonara with Prosciutto, Bacon, and Scallions which had a smoky taste and was delicious. The bread roll and oil that came with the meal was good. We had the house Riesling and Pinot Grigio and both were good too. The waitress and help staff were friendly and quite attentive. No drink even made it empty before being refilled, and bread rolls kept coming one after the other for those that wanted them. A great meal experience. I'll be going back.

    (5)

  • Andrea R.

    I always forget about Basil Leaf Cafe and I think everyone else must as well because it's very easy to get in on a Friday or Saturday night. They don't take reservations and it's a pretty small restaurant, but they always seem to be able to fit us in. We had dinner here last night with 2 other couples and as always it was very good. I had the salmon, which was delicious and very filling. Everyone else at the table had pasta dishes, which is 75% of the Basil Leaf menu, and I enjoyed all the tastes I had as well. The atmosphere is adorable and they have a great outdoor patio for the summertime. It's a great atmosphere for a date, but also good for a group of people. The prices are also very reasonable. Last night's dinner included 2 bottles of wine and it came out to approximately $60/couple. I don't think Basil Leaf Cafe is as good as La Scarola, Rosebud, and some other favorite Italian restaurants in Chicago, but it's still very good.

    (4)

  • Happy Mama M.

    So the restaurant is clean and my salad was good. However, that is where the positive statements end. The wait staff seemed constantly confused, the food came out extremely slow, and worst of all, the food was terrible. I had the Chicken Milano and my bf had the Chicken Sicilian. They were both completely flavorless. If you feel the need to give the basil leaf cafe a try, please take my advice and skip these plates!!

    (1)

  • Kara B.

    Basil Leaf has moved over to its new location across the street and what an improvement! Everything that was frustrating about the old location -- small size, poor service, long waits -- has been corrected and/or vastly improved. The new space is easily triple the size of the previous one, which made a huge difference since you can wait inside now instead of just standing around outside the building awkwardly. Also, they have quite a few more waiters now, which means they have more time to dedicate to their tables. The bathrooms are also larger so you don't spend 1/2 of your meal waiting outside for one. The food is still good. It was never amazing, but a solid choice that you rarely regretted. Upscale, simple, Italian food, freshly prepared would be how I described it. It doesn't quite live up to its price point however. Its sooo close though, that I have a hard time faulting it for that. Basically, it a solid restaurant choice for the occasional "nicer," but not quite nice, evening out.

    (4)

  • Cameron C.

    Amazing dinner all around. Ordered grilled chicken with penne and pesto ... A+. Also split the gorgonzola gnocchi and it was unreal. So light and fluffy and the filling was a perfect balance with the sauce. Our server was great and from Dublin... He gave great beer reviews ha!!

    (5)

  • cindy w.

    The best Food, service was great! Parking was very hard to find on a Saturday night. On this yelp page it has they do not take reservations, but they do, there was room in bar so we were ok. I LOVE THIS FOOD!! prices are very fair, and I will be going back.

    (5)

  • Happiness L.

    This dining experience was this/close to being magnificent. However one of the most important things is to be ready for your customers. For me, not having dessert options is the same as not seeing the end of a movie. Something is just plain missing. Last night after enjoying charming ambiance, excellent team oriented service, and an amazing (one of my favorite all time) meals, I was very disappointed to find out that the only dessert option was NY Style Cheesecake. Really? This is an Italian restaurant with a very extensive menu and that is all you have to offer? The waitress said that no one was ordering this last of the last desserts. Customers are leaving unfulfilled and the restaurant is missing profits. How hard is it when your desserts are low to go out and purchase something that your customers can enjoy or contact your supplier to deliver earlier than planned? I will come back again, but would not have ordered glass of wine #2 if I had known my meal would be cut short. To the owners...please have dessert choices for your customers and congratulate your wait staff and cooks on a job well done.

    (4)

  • Erin S.

    Your typical Italian eatery. Not overly fancy, cute atmosphere, and really good food. That being said - it is nothing that will blow your mind. However, if you want to stop in for a quick moderately priced Italian meal - it is a great place for that. I had a traditional spaghetti and meatballs that was very good, and I had leftovers to take home that were even better the next day. Overall a nice place to go for dinner on Clark!

    (4)

  • Heather K.

    I hadn't been to Basil Leaf for lunch until yesterday, and I am definitely going to add this spot to my weekend rotation! Sandwiches were great - I went with turkey and fresh mozzarella and it was delicious. My favorite part of the meal, though, was the soup. It was probably the best butternut squash soup I'd ever tasted and I don't think I left a single drop in the bowl. Friendly service, freshly-baked bread, no waiting around for a table = no complaints!

    (4)

  • Karyn K.

    The water is tasty, once you realize that it is supposed to taste that way. Warm bread... delicious! Huge portions and good salads (I had the cranberries, almond and goat cheese salad). It got pretty expensive, pretty quickly. I think they should offer a side or caesar salad included with your dinner. I had the Cheese Tortellini with Prosciutto, Peas & Mushrooms in an Alfredo Sauce. A pretty good meal, although not necessarily as full of flavor as I was anticipating. My friend had the Risotto, she felt that it was overly drenched in the sauce. They did let us come in in our walking clothes, which was nice!

    (3)

  • Karen L.

    I went to Basil Leaf Cafe for a light, casual dinner the other night and it was a nice little restaurant in the neighborhood. We opted to sit in the bar section for a more of a low-key night. Wasn't super hungry so my bf and I split a pasta (the dishes were huge!) and a half salad. It was a satisfying amount. First off, they brought over warm ciabatta rolls which were great! They give you this herb infused olive oil to dip them in that was out of this world! We both agreed that it was the best part of the meal! Then came our salad, which had poached pears on top of baby spinach. The spinach was fresh, but other than that the salad was lacking. It had gorgonzola on it, but you could barely taste it! It also had toasted sunflower seeds, but I think I had 3 of them! I also think that the pear was not done properly... maybe poached too much that it tasted like it was out of a can? Or maybe the chunks were too big and overpowered the salad. We were just not a fan. But the entree did make up for it. We ordered a pasta with dill cream sauce and crab. It had a nice flavor to it and was not too heavy, although it had a cream sauce. The ingredients were really fresh, too, and the portions were huge! I would go back and probably skip the salad. I would try another pasta dish because they had a lot of tasty options on the menu. I would also go just to have the olive oil and bread again!

    (3)

  • alicia f.

    I've wanted to try Basil Leaf ever since I saw if featured on Check Please a while back. My recent move to this part of LP has me walking by all the time. It was the first place I thought of when I needed to take my visiting mom. t was around 8:30 or so on quiet Monday evening when we got there. They were slow and we were seated away- next to an open window full of aromatic basil... never a bad thing. We both really enjoyed the experience-The server was lovely and patient with my mom who is always very slow to order. The service in general was nice and attentive but not smothering. I stuck with water which is very lightly flavored with fruits and veggies. They brought out perfect, fresh and hot focaccia rolls (i think) and herbed oil for dipping- yum! I also had a half salad (still a decent size) with poached pears, Gorgonzola and sunflower seeds. My only real complaint about the whole meal was that it was a tad overdressed with a too-sweet honey vinaigrette dressing. It really should have been more acidic to work with the sweetness of the pears. But the flavors there were delicious. I'd probably get it again with a different dressing. We both had massive pasta dishes- mine a rigatoni with Italian sausage and peppers, and hers a lemony chardonnay chicken pasta. Both were perfect, well priced, and allowed copious leftovers. The menu was pasta heavy in general which I usually don't go for since I can make some pretty great pasta at home. But it seemed the way to go that night. Next time I want to try their crusted pork chop or the appetizer with steak and polenta that sounds awesome. We didn't get to desert but the server described a luscious sounding item with chocolate mousse and Grand Marnier. There wasn't a desert menu so I'm sure they change often. Hopefully they'll still have that one the next time I go back!

    (4)

  • Ali W.

    I've been here a couple times. The food is just alright (I'm pretty sure I could make most of this stuff at home), but what I do like is the awesome fresh bread that gets passed around and the flights of wine for $12!

    (3)

  • Erin C.

    The night started off well when we were sat next to the window on a beautiful june evening. The cheese plate was ok and while listed to serve 2, definitely served all 4 of us, but i've definitely had better recently. The pasta selection is different than any other place i've been to in chicago, but i wish the menu could venture to more places rather than 30 types of similar pasta. I had the linguinie with pancetta and proscuitto which was nicely salty and rich. My husband had the rigatoni with italian sausage which I did not like at all and he was just ok with. The waitress did not come back with more bread, even though we clearly ate up the first piece within seconds of her setting it down. There were also used glasses from sodas etc that remained on the table (which was very small to seat 4 in the first place) taking up valuable real estate. It was not that busy being a sunday night, so we felt a bit neglected. all in all, i guess i would come back here if a friend recommended it, but it wouldn't be a first choice by a long shot.

    (3)

  • Jim M.

    The food was soooo good I did not care my date did not invite me in for a nightcap, all is well, strolling home through Lincoln Park on a buzz only obtained through great food and wine. Veal Marsala to die for. The goat cheese salad with cranberries! The bread! The Rare Bird Pinot Noir. Damn it was so good. I will be back, maybe not with whats her name. Service excels.

    (4)

  • Mel G.

    Good service. Bad food.

    (3)

  • Maria C.

    Great service, nice location and if you're there during the summer, make sure you sit outside. The waitresses were beyond nice and I had the Chicken Fetuccine with Pesto which our waitress advised was great but rich. It was way too rich and that's the only thing that won't allow me to give it a full 5-star rating. Way too much garlic and cream which made it hard to digest. But the salads were great and we had a great overal experience.

    (3)

  • Rachel K.

    Wow I obviously haven't been in a few months since I didn't know that they relocated. I'll have to check it out again soon. But based on all the times I've been there before they moved I can say that The Basil Leaf is one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. I wouldn't actually call this an italian restaurant. I feel like its more like mock Italian or California Italian. So if I'm craving Italian food this is not where I go. I go here when I'm specifically craving Basil Leaf, which is actually more often than I can manage to get out there. I always enjoy my food thoroughly. They are experts at flavoring. Everyone I've brought to The Basil Leaf also really enjoyed their meals. The price isn't cheap, but for the quality of the food and service you get its definitely worth it. The servers are very attentive. You feel like you're in a fine dining establishment, but you don't have to pay the price for it. Although I do tend to order booze with my meals, which definitely knocks the price up a bit. But they have great wines and you can't beat their tiramisu martini. *update 8/19/08: I LOVE the new restaurant! They must have been doing well to go from such a teeny tiny spot to such an enormous place. The new place is beautifully decorated with great ambiance. My only complaint is that because it is so much bigger it doesn't have that nice cozy romantic feeling that it used to have. The food and tiramisu martini are just as good though!*

    (5)

  • Rebecca H.

    We had dinner here at 7pm on a Friday night. The host told us it would be about 10 minutes and invited us to sit at the bar. The bartender was delightful and made a little small talk with us, he was very polite and remembered some of the patrons that were there. We ordered some drinks and waited for our table. The 10 minutes was really 35, and that didn't bother me as much as the host just kind of acted like a jerk. While we were sitting at the bar waiting, NCIS came on TV and there were numerous scenes involving a bloody, beaten, dead girl and lots of guns. I didn't think that was really appropriate, especially with so many kids and families present. I liked how quaint the decor was, and I really like that in the spring, the windows may open. Our waitress was nice and kept our water glasses full. I ordered the special (white tuna) and my SO ordered veal. I asked for a wine recommendation to match the tuna - another star for the bartender as it was a very nice pairing. Before our meal, we each were given one roll (such a shame, too, because it was good, and I was tipsy/hungry from my drinks). We ordered the calamari and mussel appetizer. The mussels were good, but the squid was in general overcooked and chewy. It did take some time to come to our table, but it was very hot when it did. The tuna special was amazing, a side of haricot verts and wasabi mashed potatoes. I tried my SO's veal and we agreed that it was only OK. The tuna was the big winner for us last night. We also ordered a dessert to split, and it was very underwhelming and small. The waitress said it would come out oven warm, but it was definitely still cold in the middle. Overall, a strong showing, and I'd definitely go back an see if some of the issues I had were a fluke or normal as compared to the other reviews, perhaps we just caught an off night.

    (3)

  • Matt R.

    Amazingly delicious Italian fare for reasonable prices. The waitstaff are very friendly and the atmosphere of the restaurant is a nice compliment to the dining experience. Try the veggie risotto if you don't mind a lack of meat. You've probably walked or driven by this place on Clark many times, but have lost it in the frenzied commercial spaces that is Clark between Diversey and Fullerton. This is one of those restaurants with decent portions, good wine, and an attitude that lets you know sometimes the hype does not exceed the fare.

    (4)

  • Ashley M.

    Went here for Friday dinner with a couple of people. It's in my building so I figured I needed to try it out. No wait for a table and we got service right away. Having the option of getting a half-size salad with dinner was a plus. My companions gobbled up the ceasar and greek. The hot rolls kept coming and our water glasses were never empty. Order the linguini with chicken/spinach/lemon-chardonay sauce, but wasn't too impressed. I wanted something light rather than a heavy red or white sauce, but this was pretty plain. Tried the mushroom risotto which came with chicken and tomatoes and wasn't feeling it either. The chicken was an off addition to the dish. Although the service was great, the beer menu plentiful and the rolls hot, the main courses seemed to lack what I was craving from an Italian restaurant.

    (2)

  • Kirsten G.

    This restaurant has terrific food, service, and ambiance. The owner is friendly and warm.

    (5)

  • Kelly C.

    I went here for the first time during lunch on a week day. I went on a business meeting and I fell in love. I honestly can't wait to go back and try more things. I tend to not eat meat so I loved all the options on this menu. I had the butternut squash soup and it was to die for....so creamy and wonderful. I also had a salad that had tons of fresh berries on it with candied almonds and a sweet honey balsamic type vinaigrette. I already made plans with my sister to come back in a few week. I can't wait to try the tomato soup - apparently they are "known for it" I also can't wait to try some of the pasta dishes. I just had the perfect lunch there!! The server was great as well. Not too crazy about the atmosphere - I tend to like places that are a bit cozier.

    (4)

  • becki s.

    Wonderful atmosphere, great service, water with sliced fruit in the pitcher to give it a fresh taste, and lets talk about the bruschetta they hand out for free as a starter. YUM! But that's only the half of it.... the Butternut squash soup, so rich, decadent and smooth...the bowl was HUGE, but you wont want to stop slurrping it down!..... and field salad with blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and a WONDERFUL honey vinaigrette....and all this for under $10. AMAZING Some of the pastas are 'different' than you would find anywhere else, and they even say that on the menu... "all pastas, but not all Italian" I remember some with an Asian tang to it, others with thought out and wonderful flavors combined but no real region influence to think of. Speaking of different, the ICED TEA... it has this lovely minty taste. VERY refreshing. If you are ever in the area, stop in! The food is fast and delicious... and they even have carry out!

    (5)

  • James Michael S.

    Go there for the Butternut squah soup, get anything else on the menu, you'll be happy.

    (5)

  • Charlie G.

    This place has a nice atmosphere but the entrees are very bland and subpar. I tried every entree at the table and was not impressed. My butternut squash soup and the desserts were pretty good though. But there are so many good Italian restaurants in Chicago a mediocre one should not be tolerated!

    (2)

  • Mansi K.

    My friend and I just happened upon this place since we were visiting Molly's cupcakes nearby. We took a chance on it and were not disappointed. It is an adorable place with a great atmosphere and wonderful service. Everyone is extremely friendly and helpful. With both of us being vegetarians, we ordered the two different vegetarian gnocchi dishes, and both were wonderful. The pesto sauce in particular was outstanding. They had a great selection of dishes and it was fabulous to see a variety of vegetarian dishes. I would definitely go back.

    (4)

  • Amy S.

    2.5 stars First visit... This was over a year ago when it was across the street. My friend and I decided to come here before heading downtown to go to see the Color Purple. We were on somewhat of a time schedule, but technically we should have been able to get out of there in one hour from sitting to paying our bill and that would have given us plenty of time to get down to the theater. But no, it was not enough time because the waitress did not know how to do her job. When we sat down the first thing I said to our waitress was that we were on a time schedule and we had to be out of here in 1 hour and she said ok. We ordered our drinks and then 10 minutes later she finally came back with them and we were able to finally put our orders in. We orders salads with our entrees but because of time restraints we told her just to put the order in and if the entree comes out while we are finishing our salads that is fine. She obviously didn't listen because when we were finishing up our salads we were getting antsy and called her over to ask where our food was. She said "oh, you want me to put your order in now?" Basically we had to scarf down our entrees in about 5-7 minutes in order to pay our bill and get down to the theater on time. I did think the food was good, but I couldn't really judge based on how fast I was shoveling it into my mouth. I decided to put aside the fact that the service was horrible and try it again... This brings me to last night... Went here because we were hungry and didn't feel like cooking dinner in my hot apartment. The food was just ok. I got the lobster ravioli and I thought the tomato cream sauce overpowered the lobster flavor way too much. I barely could tell it was lobster...would have been better off just getting cheese ravioli. My bf got penne alla vodka with salmon and again, it was just ok. I think we could have cooked these meals just as good at home....but we would have been damn hot. However, we got annoyed because we ordered a bottle of wine and they kept refilling our glasses when it wasn't necessary. We felt like they wanted us to finish up and get out of there. We even told her at one point our wine was fine and we didnt need anymore and then 5 minutes later she proceeded to dump the rest into our glasses.... The atmosphere of this place is really cute and I wish the food could be better. The service is not that great in my opinion though. I'm not gonna say I won't ever come back though.

    (3)

  • Kari C.

    My husband and I love the Basil Leaf. No matter what time of day you go, the service is always impeccable, the food is tasty and the price is perfect. They have an extensive menu filled with wonderful food. I've ordered many different meals and have never been unsatisfied with the final result. Their tomato basil soup is out of this world - creamy, rich and hot - perfect for a meal when accompanied with their endless rolls. I would eat at the Basil Leaf all the time if I could!

    (5)

  • dianna C.

    I had the spicy seafood pasta.. It was very good. Not to hot more of spicy. Alot of red peppers. We was with a large group and only one other person liked the food. My friend got the special that was white fish and it was so blaaa it was like frozen and thawed with no spices. It was water logged. Nothing I tasted from others had any spices. You can tell the chef was not Italian. It was a cute place .. we went there before going to the greenwood theater that was in walking distance. We had reservations for 5:30 and didn't get there to 6:00 and plenty of room at 6;00 on a Friday. We was lucky to get parking on the street. Not alot of parking near by cheap.

    (2)

  • Miss Kari P.

    Sweet servers, prime location on the outside patio, and absolutely delicious sandwiches. That's definitely what I recommend when coming here. I was here yesterday on my birthday and was very pleased with the whole experience. I recommend this cafe for lunch for everyone.

    (5)

  • Claire L.

    Definitely one of my favorite date places in the city. Super quiet and intimate atmosphere and everything is clean and well decorated. They start your meal with warm rolls and fruit infused water. The salads are big enough to share and the entree portions are enough for you to take home for seconds, or maybe even thirds. Nothing but great service each time I've come. I also stopped in the day before the Chicago marathon last year (with my race bag after I had picked everything up) and the waitress saw my bag and congratulated me on running, plus told me I would get a free double portion of pasta to help me carb load. Super appreciated and a sweet gesture! I brought my dad and stepmom here on a recent trip to Chicago and they also loved it. You can't go wrong with this place!

    (5)

  • Carolina N.

    Basil Leaf is a lovely Italian restaurant that has a cozy neighborhood vibe while still maintaining various upscale elements that you still want during your Italian dinner experience. I love that it can be both a fancy place for say a Saturday date night or a casual Monday night dinner place too. Wear a dress, wear your tennis shoes...you won't feel out of place here! The pasta dishes are fantastic! Big portions just how I like it. The only reason I am not giving them 5 stars is that a few months back a waitress, God bless her sweet soul, knocked an ENTIRE beer all over my boyfriends lap. Luckily, we lived nearby so he was able to run home and change. He was gone for about 10-15 minutes but I stayed at our table and I would say maybe twice the really embarrassed waitress came over to ask if I wanted to order my entree? I was like "Um no sweetheart, I'll wait for him to get back..." DUH GIRL, my boyfriend just got drenched in beer and I'm sure the last thing he needs is me ordering my food while he is at home changing. Another thing that ticked me off is that after she dumped that beer on him, she went back into the kitchen and we could hear the staff making fun of her and laughing hysterically. They all came out to watch my boyfriend attempt to dry his clothes and it wasn't very professional or considerate. The last thing that was bothersome was that although the manager gave us %50 off our paycheck, it was just off our food, and my boyfriend was still charged for that beer! C'mon you could of at least given my boyfriend a free beer after that embarrassing and total inconvenient ordeal. I forgive you Basil Leaf. You do have great pasta and I will be back...maybe with rubber pants :-)

    (3)

  • Laura B.

    Came here for some really fresh food.... CAlifornia style and was not disappointed. Autumn butternut squash soup was superb and the spinach salad was really fresh and delightful. Great indoor/outdoor atmosphere with open doors by the street and a very friendly wait staff. Well worth the trip!

    (4)

  • Sergei M.

    Just had lunch here, ordered polenta with Gorgonzola and NY strip steak appetizer and half salad with cranberry and goat cheese. Great, sophisticated, fresh! Polenta was superbly crispy on the outside and soft inside, salad had just perfect proportion of sweet and savory. Service great and quick, AC made it even better in this hot day. Great spot, great for meetings, spacious and has a lot of "leg room".

    (5)

  • Shannon K.

    This place only gets two stars for its warm bread and olive oil. Other than that, the pasta was overcooked and the sauce was not seasoned properly. The dessert was stale and off putting. I would not recommend, even if it's the closest place nearby. The service is great, however, but that's the only reason I would come again.

    (2)

  • Erik H.

    Basil Leaf is a mix between the cozy neighborhood Italian hangout and an upscale restaurant. This is probably not a place that an out-of-towner would find or choose if visiting Chicago. Our friends who lived nearby wanted to take us to their mice go-to restaurant on a Saturday night. Being from San Francisco I was also intrigued by Game 5 of the World Series. Half the restaurant is a bar and there were few people paying attention to the game. The restaurant side of the establishment was full with about 90% of the tables occupied. The menu is pretty traditional Italian fare and as I had already stuffed myself with pizza and brats the previous night, I decided to have a little lighter fare with a caesars salad which was quite large, along with a butternut squash aioli. The owner, Shawn (sp) was quite attentive and kept asking how we wee. The server, Sara, a petite red haired dancer fro Wisconsin was also personable and kept us updated on food progress. shawn also kept coming by to discretely give me score updates. In the end I guess my friends were normal regulars there as we were given a complimentary tiramisu which we all ate with tons of guilt. If you want to get away to where locals eat in Chicago, this is a great find and not far from Wrigleyville and other bars.

    (4)

  • Diana H.

    Absolutely appalled by the level of harassment. My friend and I came here to talk and have a drink. She left her ID at home and the waitress had the manager come let us know that my friend would not be served alcohol when we asked for some leniency (we are from the area and my friend is in her 40's). We accepted their rules, respectfully. I (had my ID) finished my gin and was going to order a glass of wine. When I ordered, the same manager stormed up to our table to tell us that we wouldn't be served. She assumed my friend had tried to order again. When we told her the drink was for me, rather than accepting this, she HARASSED us and accused us of lying. Seriously? Not only do we work and live in the neighborhood but we were being polite and explanatory. She discriminated against us from the moment we walked in and would not leave our table. When I asked her to please leave us alone and told her would not order any drinks, she told me she was old enough to be my mother and I shouldn't speak to her. She should find a new job where she can handle customer service. I've never been so embarrassed and insulted before in my life.

    (1)

  • Brandon G.

    Don't come here if you're limited on time... After nearly an hour of waiting I got it boxed and went on my way. Staff were kind which was a bonus- but can't say I was too thrilled with sitting there that long.

    (2)

  • Dr. M. Z.

    I live in the neighborhood so we end up there with family at least once or twice a month. I have almost tried everything on the menu and ALWAYS been happy and satisfied! ! For the price, no comparison! ! 5 stars for sure.... :-)

    (5)

  • Margot C.

    Last week was my first trip to Basil Leaf in 15 years and my first meal at its "new" location across the street. I remembered the pasta having excellent and simple sauces, and an authentic vibe. Although a lot has changed, its dedication to excellence is still the same. My 12 year old son and I sat down at a romantic two-seater table. We had enough room to sit side by side. We were each given a warm, aromatic wheat roll dusted with flour. Although I knew I was going to order pasta, I couldn't resist sopping the bread in the olive oil infused the night before with chunks of roasted garlic, basil, sun dried tomatoes, and oregano. The oil was so thick and rich I could easily call it a sauce. I ordered a glass of chianti classico and my son had a large bottle of lemonade. We were ready to eat! Basil Leaf boasts their menu can be made 98% gluten free, so I thought I would give one of these items a go. I ordered the gluten free gnocchi with a delicious creamy pine nut, sun dried tomato pesto sauce. Although gnocchi is made traditionally with potato flour, it usually has wheat flour in it, too. The gnocchi pillows were soft and airy, while still maintaining their traditional heft. The biggest difference between these melt-in your mouth delights and others' offerings is the weight you feel in your gullet is missing. Normally, gnocchi tastes good, but your tummy feels like you just deposited rocks. Not with these. My son helped me gobble them all up. They gave me enough sauce sauce for three meals, so I packaged the leftover pesto and took it home. At home, I pan-friend "zucchinetti" (zucchini shaved like spaghetti) with the pesto to get my son to eat veggies at home. My son had a half order of penne pasta with a side of marinara sauce and a side of meatballs (He likes to dip his noodles like a french fry in ketchup.) The marinara is a vegetarian version (without the clam sauce) with huge leaves of basil in a mildly chunky tomato sauce. The flavors here were very simple: tomatoes, oil, basil, a touch of salt. This is what I remember from the 90s. The meatballs were moist and very traditional. The sauce was clearly made at least the day before as it had the richness only time can imbue. As with the gnocchi, I was given enough sauce to make auxiliary meals at home. Surprisingly, we saved room for dessert. We had the key lime tart with a thick/high hazelnut crust to custard ratio with a shaving or two of white chocolate. The show stoppers, however, were the two congealed tubes of sweet cream. I have never had cream with such a delightful consistency: solid and sweet. Service from Sophie was impeccable. The owner's mother stopped by to say hello. I heard the owner Sean say to his staff, "give the customers what they want." It's a simple philosophy that goes a long way and reveals itself in the menu. Bravo, Basil Leaf Cafe!

    (5)

  • Teresa Z.

    Great food I really enjoy the salads always very fresh & when you add the grilled chicken or salmon it takes it to another level. Be warned if you are watching carb intake please don't try the warm bread they serve it is addictive

    (5)

  • Sherry Y.

    Came here for drinks with a friend just a week ago. The bartender who works there around 9pm on Saturdays is such a gem. She mixed me a drink with ginger beer, muddled mint leaves and lime that was so delicious...and named it after me! Such a sweetheart. My friend also didn't enjoy her first beer, so she let her pick something else. Awesome service, woudl definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a fun place to eat and imbibe.

    (5)

  • Gino W.

    I have lost count of the number of times I have gone to Basil Leaf Cafe. So I will not rattle of exact menu items that I have had. Suffice it to say, I have had everything on the menu except for menu items that had nuts in them. The only one with nuts in it that I had was the berry salad, and that was because I requested the salad without the walnuts. Starting with service, I'm in love. It may be that I usually go with one other friend or solo, so I don't end up with an exasperated server who has to figure out the whims of a large party. Everything comes to the table without incident on the server's part or complaint on my part. The quality of the food has never faltered, as far as I have experienced during my visits. I don't go to Basil Leaf Cafe often, but when I do, I'm always glad that I did. I don't leave frustrated and I am alway stuffed to the point of having to waddle out of the restaurant. So, if I had to sum up Basil Leaf Cafe in one word, it would be "Bravo!!!"

    (5)

  • Steve A.

    We enjoyed the pub like atmosphere of the corner room, which affords a great view of the colorful neighborhood. Salads were fresh and excellent, and there are some nice wines on their list at good prices. Service was inexperienced but well intentioned.

    (4)

  • Daniel G.

    It was all about Kristyn. I immediately liked the warm ambience at this quaint long-standing Italian ristorante. Kristyn will tell you about the former Sage and Basil Leaf restaurants. I ordered the chicken piccata but complained to her about the dryness of the pollo. She ran off to the kitchen and brought back a second truly deliciously seasoned piece of the ave. The wine selection is vast. Then she performed a miracle by getting me an awesome decaf cappuccino. Molte grazie per un buon piatto di pollo. Ritorno subito.

    (4)

  • Kyle D.

    The good: Great service. Didn't have to wait on a Saturday night during prime time and the waitress was attentive. Water, drinks, and bread were prompt. The atmosphere is good, but it's awkward walking in through a bar to get to the more intimate part of the restaurant. Huge portions and a ton of options. The bad: When it comes to Italian, this food is pretty bland. Didn't taste or feel authentic. Everything about this place is 4/5 stars, but the food was so bland I just couldn't justify a 4. Overall: Good portions, selections, and service. Average Italian taste. Atmosphere: 7.5/10 Service: 9/10 Food: 6.5/10

    (3)

  • Shaina K.

    I went here for lunch on a weekday. It was not very crowded, and the server was very attentive. They have a pretty decent menu for lunch. There are quite a few options, I ended up choosing soup and a salad. Both were really good, and the portions were perfect. This place is a great option for lunch, I'll be back there soon!

    (4)

  • Roya D.

    The only restaurant that everything is excellent .i drive from far to get to basil leaf .i enjoy the taste of Italian food . The best Italian food ,the excellent and kind staff . Recently I gave my son's birthday there. It was great and a lot of my guests are going there all the time .i suggest highly to go to basil leaf

    (5)

  • Mark A.

    Every time we come to the Basil Leaf, we wonder why we don't come here every night, because it's terrific. They have quite a few items on the menu, which means everyone leaves happy, and all of my favorites are there: rigatoni bolognese, fettuccini carbonara, chicken marsala.... And they always keep an interesting and challenging selection of beers at the bar. My wife would order the butternut squash ravioli every time because it was so good; only recently did she expand her horizons with the pesto gnocchi and it was delicious. We have never had a bad meal here. Furthermore, the service is wonderful. At our most recent visit, our server, Alex, had helpful wine suggestions, and wrote our entree names and the date on our to-go containers--really helpful when your fridge is full of restaurant leftovers. Good food, good wine and beer, and good service--what more can you ask for?

    (5)

  • Brandon M.

    This is a good place and it is definitely good for someone who is allergic to gluten! There is a ton of gluten free options. I had the chicken Parmesan and the rigatoni bolengese. Beware it is a lot of food I recommend splitting meals if possible. Both of entrees were good however they were not great the chicken parm was my favorite. I would definitely try this place again.

    (4)

  • Jillian W.

    Basil leaf is always a good choice when looking for a nicer but not super expensive restaurant. Came here with family. Only qualm: they recently changed their menu and if any item has GF in front of it, it means it's made gluten-free. Which means the pasta is super fresh. And takes a super long time. And kind of tastes like it's not cooked all the way if you live and love the gluten lifestyle, like me. I thought the GF items were gluten-free optional, not the only option. Could have been more clear on the menu or reiterated by our server, as this caused a bit of frustration (why is our food taking so long?) and even more frustration (my pasta tastes like it's not cooked!). Although the manager sent us a round of free drinks for our "troubles." Gotta love service recovery!

    (3)

  • Rebecca G.

    Fancy but with decent prices. Not the most unique or best Italian I have had in Chicago but still a great atmosphere. Underwhelmed by the food but still an enjoyable experience.

    (3)

  • Molly A.

    Ordered the Beet and arugula salad for carry out. Got home, not one beet on the entire salad. Very disappointing.

    (1)

  • Owl E.

    I want to thank Basil Leaf for its wonderful service. My fiancee and I were celebrating our anniversary last night. I bought her a nice floral arrangement on the way home from work. We decided to walk home and stopped at Basil Leaf for dinner. The manager or owner was wonderful bringing out a vase and water for the flowers. She then gave my fiancee a small bag with water for the bottom of the flowers for the way home. We didn't ask for any of it, the manager just came up and did it both times. We were very touched. We also enjoyed the food and thought it was very reasonably priced.

    (5)

  • Martin L.

    I know its an Italian but this place does one of the best Steak's I have ever eaten... I have dined here a few times and this restaurant is consistently clean, very well run with fantastic attentive service and outstanding food !! Owner Sean has been there every time and always takes a min to touch the table and have a word - five stars all day !!!

    (5)

  • Dina R.

    Great food and service. Adorable atmosphere! Came here on vacation while visiting the Lincoln Park Zoo and admiring Lake Michigan from the beach nearby.

    (4)

  • Kelly S.

    Very cute place, a combination of comfortable and classy - not someplace you'd have to feel like you had to dress up for. I had Chicken Milano and it was fantastic. I started with Baby Spinach Poached Pear salad which was good but a little on the sweet side for what I prefer in a salad. The chicken was cooked nicely and was moist. The pasta was so yummy - mixed w/sundried tomatoes, asparagus and artichoke hearts. The sauce on the pasta was a very light, broth based sauce. It could have used a little more seasoning. The server offered fresh ground pepper and parmesan cheese - which would have enhanced it nicely. NICE beer and wine selections also. Service was very good. We will be back.

    (4)

  • Misty B.

    I don't know why this place isn't more popular. To me, it's a hidden gem! Great food, adorable space and comfortable atmosphere. Online ordering is super easy & detailed where u can order half salads, customize, whatever. Plus take-out orders & pick up process is simple with the 15 min loading space in front. As far as food they have the best Butternut squash soup I have ever had. I got hooked after trying here and ordered at multiple restaurants since in Chicago & LA and nothing comes close! The salads are great too. Go

    (5)

  • Michele D.

    This is a very cute restuaraunt with okay food and horrible staff. The staff was not friendly at all and no one was smiling. When they came around and almost served me the wrong beverage I kindly corrected her and she rudely said oh and walked away and sent someone else over with the new beverage. I would not recomend this place to anyone if your looking for great Italian food in Chicago my recomendation would be Tuscany great food and an awesome staff.

    (1)

  • Annie N.

    Had dinner here with some friends. The wine tasting option was such a steal, and we all had plenty to drink. Calamari was good. Unfortunately, my vegetable risotto was bland, the rice was undercooked, and it was waaay too soggy. I know risotto isnt supposed to be dry, but this was just inedible. The place was empty since we were there on a weekday. They still had lots of staff. All of which just made it worse, considering it took forever for us to put our orders in and get our food! What were they doing? Got me!!!

    (2)

  • Leslie B.

    Had a very tasty dinner here with one of my girlfriends! We wanted to eat outside in the beautiful weather and found a table open for 2 outside at Basil Leaf. We shared the caprese salad and the grilled cajun calamari. The caprese was awesome, large portion. The calamari was interesting, I liked the spice that was added to it, but it was a very strong flavor that was hard to keep eating. The portion size was really large, we couldn't finish the entire dish. Additionally, we each had a half-salad. Hers had goat cheese with cranberries, mine had avacado, carrot, onion, and tomato. The salads were both delicious, fresh ingredients and a very nice portion for a half salad. Basil Leaf has a large salad selection on the menu, many of which sounded appetizing. Between the half-salads and the two starters, we both definitely had enough to eat. Our waitress was friendly and the staff was constantly giving us more warm bread throughout the meal. Refreshingly, it was very reasonably priced. Great choice for a lovely meal on Clark!

    (4)

  • Michael R.

    My family and I have recently went on vacation and all became sick. We returned home and my wife thought it nice to order me some soup from here. I was a little skeptical, nonetheless I ate it. She ordered me 3 kinds; tomato, butternut squash and minestrone. WOW the best soup I have ever had ! It is AMAZING this place has great bread and salad as well.. definitely recommend them and will definitely be ordering in the future

    (5)

  • Mat M.

    I've been to the Basil Leaf Cafe a few times now, and have had an array of experiences. The food has been consistently good, and the service has typically been really good too. Their chicken salad sandwich is incredible, and their butternut squash soup is delicious too. Additionally, the pasta has always been great too. It's not my top choice for Italian, but it's convenient to go in Lincoln Park.

    (4)

  • Jeffrey Z.

    I went here for the second time yesterday. It had been a while, as I didn't recall enjoying it the first time I went a couple of years ago. The warm bread and olive oil dip are absolutely delicious. The tomato basil soup was heavy on the basil for my liking but not bad. The skirt steak sandwich had great flavor, but the meat was way overdone. While they didn't ask how I wanted it cooked, I definitely didn't think it would be well done. The service was aright and the atmosphere is sort of meh, but it's not a bad place.

    (3)

  • Alissa S.

    I used to LOVE Basil Leaf Cafe... when I ordered online. I thought the food was delicious. On a whim, my boyfriend and I decided to stop in and treat ourselves to a nice dinner to celebrate. We felt immediately judged when we walked in the door. There was a middle aged lady who "greeted" us- and from the minute she saw us, it was as if she was looking at us like we shouldn't be coming in there. Neither of us were particularly dressed up, but it's not like we were wearing sweats either- we had just gotten done with a trip to the zoo so we were wearing casual comfortable clothes. The whole time we were eating the woman kept looking at my boyfriend, like she kept checking up on us and staring at him. We do not by any means look like a threat haha you should see us! We were celebrating our 100th performance of a children's show for god sake!! We both felt very unwanted, judged, and unwelcome the whole time. No matter how I feel about a restaurants food, if I am made to feel unwelcome or not good enough to be there even though I am a PAYING customer, they will no longer receive my business.

    (1)

  • Polly B.

    .

    (2)

  • Shari W.

    We LOVE Basil Leaf!!! It is our neighborhood "go to" where you absolutely can not go wrong! Go for lunch, go for dinner, go for Sunday brunch (try the Bloody Mary's - awesome), or just go hang at the bar for a glass of wine, cocktail, whatever. You can't go wrong! Sean (the owner) is highly involved (which is obvious) and happens to be great for the neighborhood. One of our favs, for sure!!!!

    (4)

  • John M.

    This is become one of my "goto" places for Italian food. The service, food, and ambiance are all very good. Even a picky eater like me can find comfort here. The butternut squash soup is superb, so good on a cold winter's night. Almost any of their entrees can be depended on for satisfying the palate. I last had the eggplant dish and it was just out of this world. They have these little buns that they bring by the table and they are fabulous - but addictive. All in all, a great restaurant and the pricing is reasonable. I recommend this as a really good Italian place.

    (5)

  • Chuck K.

    After the experience I had last week, this place should be downgraded to three starts, but one bad visit out of numerous needs to be considered. Horrible service and waited forever on the Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving. Sat in the bar area and were the only people at a table for most of the evening. Restaurant part was full. We waited forever to get our bottle of wine, we waited forever to get fried calamari and finally we waited forever for very disappointing meals. We witness tables leave after waiting too long for their food. Our server apologized for the horrible wait times and indicated it was the kitchen's fault. She did not offer to comp any part of our meal or any other thing to make up for the poor experience. Sad to say, that Basil Leaf is no longer my go-to place when company is in town.

    (4)

  • Stephanie F.

    I've lived in Lincoln Park for more than five years, yet I never knew about Basil Leaf Cafe. Thankfully, my boyfriend introduced me to this gem. It was a weeknight, so it was quiet. I ordered the Rigatoni Sausage, which was delicious. Also, the olive oil concoction that they brought out with the bread was tasty. Though Basil Leaf doesn't quite measure up to La Scarola, it's nice to have a good, solid Italian place nearby in my neighborhood.

    (4)

  • Erin K.

    I have never been in, so I can't review anything but the food... the food is good. I have tried quite a few things on the menu and the fettuccine alfredo is by far my favorite. The butternut squash soup is also delicious.

    (4)

  • Felicia G.

    I am always SO happy upon coming and going from this little gem. Always consistently good food, the fruit infused water is amazing (and I do it at home now too), staff is so friendly -- just love it here. I bring all my friends here or my out of town mom and we are all always so enthused about it.

    (5)

  • Hrudaya S.

    I went here with two of my friends and we had an awesome time. Their butternut squash ravioli is amazing! Service is excellent and so is the atmosphere:)

    (5)

  • Jeremy W.

    Pretty good Italian good but I prefer Sappori Trattoria in the area because of their hand rolled pastas. Also I think BL might be a little more expensive than Sappori too. But I like this place for a change of pace every one in a while!

    (4)

  • Kelz M.

    Look, one thing to know about my reviews is this: I've worked in the hospitality industry in one capacity or another my entire life. I know that appearances aren't always everything and I know that even though "the customer is always right," the customer isn't always right. This is why I almost always give businesses who left me with a not-so-hot impression another chance. Like Basil Leaf. I returned yesterday - again al fresco, this time sans canine companion. So how was it? I'll tell you exactly how it was. It was a complete turn around from the negative non-experience I'd had last week. This time I paid closer attention to the entire vibe of the place and here's what I saw: relaxed, casually dressed regulars. The manager (same guy, by the way) went from table to table chatting with guests, bringing water, making sure everyone was happy. Speaking of the water - Basil Leaf is actually responsible for my new water kick I started a month or so ago. I've detested water my entire life but at Basil Leaf, the water is infused with big, juicy berries and citrus. It tastes fantastic and I now infuse water with fruit to drink every day at home, too. My food? I tried the house salad with walnuts, gorgonzola and a basalmic vinaigrette to start. It was fresh and light - perfect for outdoor dining on a sunny day and I ate every bite. For my main course, I chose the angel hair pasta with tomatoes, basil and grilled chicken. Again, delicious. The dish was loaded with perfectly grilled chicken, juicy bites of tomato and fresh basil - another perfect choice for a sunny lunch outside. I can't close out this review without mentioning the mojito I had. One thing you must know about me: I am a mojito girl to the core. That said, the mojitos at Basil Leaf DELIVER. They're big, pretty (served with a giant sprig of mint) muddled perfectly, and just a touch on the sweet side. Basil Leaf deserved another chance and I'm VERY glad I gave them one. My meal was outstanding, the beverages were fantastic, and my server was wonderful if not slightly overly-enthusiastic (I later learned that she's new; taking that into consideration, she did a great job). Here's the long and short of it - there's a reason this place is a favourite among the neighborhood locals. In fact, don't be surprised if I become one of those aforementioned regulars, too!

    (4)

  • Lee P.

    As an update, once you get to know the menu, this place is better than average. We mostly order for take-out and they are very good at this. Generous pastas and really good fresh rolls. This is one of our standbys for weekend carry-out.

    (4)

  • Adam K.

    Good Italian food, but I've had better. Ordered the gorgonzola gnocchi and the rigatoni sausage. The former was overpowered with gorgonzola, the gnocchi are literally stuffed with gorgonzola when I was expecting to bite into a well-balanced potato and gorgonzola flavors. These were almost like ravioli. You get a mouthful of cheese. The latter, on the other hand made me give this place the 3rd star, it was spicy and well-balanced and I love al dente!

    (3)

  • Brittni R.

    I've been here a couple times with friends. It's such a cozy little restaurant and truly a hidden treasure in Lincoln Park! I went to DePaul for 4 years and never discovered it! Both times I had the fettucine alfredo with chicken and broccoli. It is super good, probably the best alfredo I've found in this city. Their portions are pretty big and good for the price. They also have an exceptional wine menu, so we ended up buying a bottle. Also, they have a lady that comes to make tiramisu randomly every few weeks. This is probably the best tiramisu I have ever tried. It's in high demand too, because we got the very last piece and our waiter had to hide it for us so no other tables would get it. One of the times, I sat by the bar because I arrived before all my friends, and had a really nice conversation with one of the bartenders. The wait staff was so nice and friendly at this place. It's really difficult to find that in the fast paced restaurant business these days. She was very accomodating and educated me about a ton of wines before I picked one. Attention to detail like that is something I really pick up on and love in a business.

    (4)

  • Alicia M.

    I went in last night with a friend and the food was great. There wasn't much of a crowd which always makes me question the food quality, but the food was great. We ordered the dried cherries and fried brie salad which was phenomenal. I highly recommend it. For dinner, we saw that the entrees were really large. Since we didn't want to go into a food coma, we decided to split the pesto topped gnocchi. It was creamy and fresh. Overall a great little spot in Lincoln Park.

    (4)

  • Jonathan M.

    Can't give anything 5 stars, but this place is as close as you get. Had an amazing experience time Kristyn was an amazing server/bartender . The meal was also very well done prosciutto peas and mushroom ravioli was amazing .

    (5)

  • Bill M.

    I have recently visited Basil Leaf Cafe twice with my dear friend. I can see why this place is one of her favorite restaurants in the city. I can honestly say that the sweet and creamy butternut squash soup was one of the best soups I have enjoyed in 2011 (I ordered it both times). The hearty prosciutto sandwich is thickly laden with slabs of mozzarella and tomato. My friend liked her appetizer of mussels in tomato broth, which was a massive bowl and enough for a meal. She also enjoyed the linguine, which was likewise a healthy portion. We also tried a couple of the desserts, including tiramisu. The staff is friendly here, and they walk around serving freshly baked rolls to customers throughout their meals.

    (4)

  • kevin g.

    This is the first time I ate at the larger restaurant prior to this I used to eat at the small one across street. I ordered the Penne with poached salmon. Unfortunately the pasta was over cooked which made the whole dish a bit slimy. The service was excellent. Be sure to look up to see how filthy the crystal chandeliers are. I prefered the small place which is no longer in existence . I can not recommend this restaurant.

    (3)

  • Carol K.

    As I pushed open the door to this little Italian cafe on Clark street, I wondered how I had never seen it before. After all- I have been on this stretch of Clark time and time again. But all of that confusion quickly faded as I entered the bar area, saw my friend already seated and waiting for me and was served up a beer by a friendly bartender who was laughing at the antics of my friend and me. The room was nice- casual and comforting with high top booths along the wall and a more casual feeling that the restaurant area in the next room that felt a little more formal with it's white linen topped tables. We had asked to be seated by the windows in the main room but since those were all 4 tops and we were only a party of two- we were seated "close" to the windows but more in the middle of the busy room. Oh well. Maybe if you go on a less busy night or bring a larger group- you can sit in the windows! Our server, Lucy, was the highlight of my evening (well, after my much sought after entree, anyway!). It was her first night- and had we not asked- we never would have known this as she was "on her game". She knew the menu, made some great suggestions and had that kind of pleasant personality that all servers should learn. We talked a bit throughout the night long enough to know a little about each other and she even asked us our names so she would know us the next time we came in. Loved it- she really made our night! How about the food? The food was great! They had one of my all time favorite foods as the special of the day -soft shell crab. Even more special since when I had been at Shaw's the night before- they were totally out of it. And being they are only in season for a couple of months- I try to get them as often as I can when they are in season. We started with an appetizer of the Cajun calamari (a suggestion by the table next to us). Delicious! Next up- a Caesar salad which, while predictable was quite tasty and then, of course, the entrees. The soft shell crab was clearly the winner (served with linguine and spinach ahhhh) as my friend's gnocchi was drowning in a marinara sauce that was only okay. Also know that the hot bread that they serve, is liable to ruin your dinner, it is that good! And it is replaced as soon as you eat it so know that you have been warned! Just say "no" or you will keep eating it as we did! Parking in this area is a bit of a challenge as most of the side streets are permit parking only. My suggestion? If you drive- there are spots at the grocery store up the street ($18 for the evening) or at the Children's Hospital lot after 7. A better idea? Take a cab. Dinner with drinks was about $100 for the two of us. Great service, good food and an ambiance an encourages you to sit and linger awhile. Check out the Basil Leaf Cafe. And bring a party of four so you can sit by those big open windows in the front!

    (4)

  • Mona H.

    Let me preface by saying I really had no choice when I came to this restaurant. OK, well maybe I did. I could have walked out on my friends birthday celebration, but how lame would I look if i did. But let's be serious, I had no choice when I came here. What was the birthday girls main reason for choosing this restaurant you may ask? Because it was tried and true...and I think what she really meant was tried and truthfully blah. Normally I'd try the place twice to write an unbiased review,but sometimes the place allows for a first timer review. Here is a rundown: Service: Was OK, our table asked for more bread and we had someone give all but two of us bread, in a table of 5. They said they'd be back to serve the rest of us and instead just disappeared into the abyss. Moreover, I think i waited a good amount of time before they came back to refill my water. With the type of food they served I surely would have appreciated more and more water. Food: Where do I begin. The menu is as specialized as someone who is a clumsy jack of all trades. It's very expansive and therefore, led me to wonder what are they REALLY good at? Anything???? I asked the waitress what her opinion was on whether I should order the butternut squash ravioli or the gnocchi. She suggested the BNSR. I'm still scratching my head as to why I even listened to her. I've had AMAZING butternut squash ravioli...like mouthwatering. Let's see how many adjectives I can use to describe this dish: Bland, Heavy, Spinachy????, Flavorless, terrible...etc. etc. My question is who puts spinach in butternut squash ravioli? Ugh. I'd say those adjectives go for most of the food they serve. Ambiance: It's ok, it leaves something to be desired but it's not terrible. Prices: For what they serve and how they serve it the prices of the dishes were pretty terrible. I've had great Italian food at Sapori Trattoria in Lincoln Park for roughly the same cost in meal, maybe a little more; and it's far better than Basil Leaf! Pretty sure I wont be back, but I can never say never...

    (2)

  • Karen C.

    I'm torn on how I feel about the Basil Leaf Cafe... I really want to like it, but I'm not sure I do. I went on a Saturday night with a group of 4 other people... we did not have reservations, as I've read everywhere that they do not take them (including in other Yelp reviews). But, I was listening to others as they came in for tables, & some were mentioning they had reservations, so I'm confused on that one. The hostess made a stressed-out face when I requested a table for 5, she said they didn't have tables for 5, that we'd have to sit in the bar area... no problem for me. However, 5 minutes later, a party of 6 came in without reservations and they were seated in the dining room. As if I'm not excited enough being the only single girl at dinner, now I'm even more excited because, being sans-date, I'm probably the reason my group had to eat in the bar area due to the non-existence of a table for 5? Awesome. We order drinks (they have a good beer selection) from our very friendly waitress... receive a few rolls of tasty warm bread... order entree's... and wait. And then wait some more. And then watch the table next to us that ordered at least 20 minutes after us eat & finish their meals... and then, you guessed it, we waited some more. When we finally did receive our entree's, mine was really good (I had the white fish special)... everyone else seemed to like theirs as well (with the exception of one person, but I don't remember what she had), and the waitress was apologetic for the wait. The meal ended on a good note, but I still can't shake the feeling that I don't really want to go back.

    (3)

  • Erika C.

    yummms. my boyfriend and i decided to check this place out after reading so many good reviews on here. we were not disappointed! very cute atmosphere and good service. we started off with two minestrone soups. very fresh and delicious. the portions at this place are no joke. i got the cup which filled me up and my boyfriend got the bowl which was a meal in itself. the fresh bread served with dipping oil at the beginning of the meal was also very good. for dinner we ordered the gorgonzola gnocchi and butternut squash ravioli. pretty much died and went to heaven. very large portions and they were both VERY rich. also, this place makes a pretty mean drink. ordered the long island ice tea and it was served in an abnormally huge glass for a cocktail, no wonder why the bar was packed. ;) what it comes down to is this place has not only a great location, but also great food drinks, and service. will be back next time in town :)

    (4)

  • Loni B.

    The Basil Leaf exceeded my usual expectations of gluten free pasta. I got the gluten free spaghetti, and the marinara sauce was undoubtedly homemade and some of the best I've ever tasted. Excellent service and staff here too! The owner also came by our table to make sure everything was tasting okay! I was impressed.

    (4)

  • Jake T.

    Both the food and service were mediocre. Food was nothing special and actually quite bland. Service was slow and waitress paid little attention to us (yes it was busy). For an Italian place with pasta dominating the menu, none of the pasta tasted fresh. The highlights of the meal were the bread and the soup.

    (2)

  • Rita W.

    I always forget to Yelp about Basil Leaf just because it's so close to my apartment, it's just always my go to if I am in the mood for solid Italian food and do not want to walk far. The service here is always friendly and attentive and the atmosphere is relaxed, laid back, yet classy, all at the same time. A server comes by and drops a warm roll on your soon after you are seated and then you given this small dish of spicy herbed olive oil to dip your warm crusty bread into. That is only the beginning.... I usually opt for small side walnut and spinach salad and an order of butternut squash soup. Always a great combination and their butternut squash soup is warm, not too sweet, and pretty much perfect. On my last visit here, I decided to branch out and try one of their specials - the mussels with a red tomato wine broth. (I have been a big fan of mussels lately) It was delicious and the portions of mussels are pretty sizable. Not to worry I still took all of the mussels down and pretty much drank the rest of the warm tomato broth. I loved the chunks of tomatoes and the flavor of the broth. It was also perfect to dip my bread into as well. We ended the meal with tiramisu which came like a small round cake wrapped in a ribbon of white chocolate. The chocolate around the tiramisu tasted a little stale, but the cake was fluffy and moist. It wasn't the best tiramisu that I have had but it was still pretty tasty and a great way to end the meal.

    (4)

  • Meridith E.

    Well, after my 3rd experience with Basil Leaf, I thought it time to make an educated review. I can't stand how good their food is. And after reading some of the 2 or 3-star reviews, I feel sorry they didn't have one of my experiences. I love the duality of the seating area--either in the main dining room or the bar. Both offer full-service wait staff, so it just depends on how busy they are and what type of mood your'e in. I love their bolognese and tortellini w/ peas. I could eat either of those every day for dinner. Also, the gorgonzola mushroom appetizer is nummy! Usually I find gorgonzola to be a bit too pungent for my taste, but this was perfectly salty and earthy. Ooo...I forgot about their spring mix salad with cherries and brie. Seriously decadent. I've only had dinner there, and both times it definitely had some mood lighting going on. This place would be great for a nice date with good food. The wine selection is decent and the staff will help you choose a glass or bottle that matches the meal. Watch out for parking. Being on Clark, it's hard to find a spot. There is valet (I think), but just suck it up and take a cab. That way you can enjoy as much wine as you'd like!!! Mangia people. Mangia!

    (4)

  • Rachel U.

    For some reason, my family couldn't find a place to eat during our trip to Chicago without first walking for miles looking at every option, pushing me to the brink of hunger induced crankiness. By this night I'd started to catch on, and steered us to Basil Leaf, which had looked good during a previous night's sojourn, and the food did not disappoint! The ice water for the table had fruit in it, giving it a light refreshing but not overly sweet flavor. The bread was warm, doughy, and I could've made my meal right there. But we got soups and pastas, and couldn't keep our spoons and forks away from each others' plates. Between the six of us we had half the menu, and everything was delicious. The waitstaff was also friendly and helpful, and the dining areas are roomy and open so that even as the place filled up we didn't feel crowded and it didn't get too noisy.

    (4)

  • Z Z.

    Pretty good for a little late afternoon lunch. My salad was heavily dressed - which I normally always for on the side elsewhere so I will take partial blame since I didn't request on he side. Overall flavor of butternut squash soup was on point - but I love cinnamon & 'the taste of fall'. It was a thicker texture than I have had before, not necessarily a bad thing though. Bread dip (oil/herb) was deeeelish. I would like to try their pasta dishes as those looked amazing at another table. If only I didn't have a donut today from the awesometastic firecakes donuts...already racked up an additional 30 minutes of treadmill time for that calorie expenditure. So, next time when I need a carb reload I will for sure splurge on risotto or some ravioli!

    (4)

  • Ramya P.

    Cozy, intimate and romantic are the words that come to my mind when I think of the ambiance in Basil Leaf Cafe. BLC is our go-to place when we are in the mood for Italian in winter especially 'cuz not only is it very close to where we live but also the divine warm and cheesy food warms us up when we need it most. Most of the times we don't even look into their menu just ordering the specials that the waitress lists have so far never let us down.

    (4)

  • Liz K.

    The ambiance here is very warm and intimate! My friend and I stopped in for dinner because it looked cozy and delicious from outside. The service is phenomenal. Our waitress and servers never let our cups of water become empty and were always refilling our cups. Their "pre appetizer" of bread and olive oil was delicious too. The bread was fresh and warm. The spices they used in the olive oil were incredible! The main entrees are quite huge! We split the chicken and mushroom risotto, expecting each of us to get a little portion, but even the half portions were more than enough. The dishes here are a bit pricy. Most dinner entrees are about $15-20. Salads are about $7-10. This is definitely a cool spot for dinner if you're looking for a nice and classy place to eat.

    (4)

  • Sheri M.

    Basil Leaf is only a couple blocks away from our apartment so we find ourselves ending up here every once in awhile. We always sit in the bar area as opposed to the main dining area, which always seems to be too brightly lit. The food is always pretty decent, but never the best thing we've ever had. There are tons of options to choose from for an entree so it should be pretty easy for everyone to find something they'll like. The fresh, hot bread is wonderful. So, at the end of the day, it is good but compared to all of the other amazing Italian spots in the area, it winds up being pretty average in my opinion.

    (3)

  • Jackie C.

    I love this place. I'm a huge fan of their crab cake special (i think Thursdays). I love the atmosphere with the open windows in the summer. Their Cranberry Goat cheese salad is amazing!

    (4)

  • Lee J.

    In search of a late lunch spot on Saturday, my friend and I came across basil leaf. We came for a meal and wine, then stayed well into the dinner service. What I most appreciated was our server's kindness, that she encouraged us to take our time and enjoy ourselves. The food was pretty good. We both ordered basic dishes - no pasta, two salads, soup, and a sandwich. All were nice, especially the spinach salad with pears. The bread and olive oil was great compliment to our lunch, and they serve fruit infused water, which is a nice touch.

    (3)

  • Raphael S.

    I am going to make this review simple - the food is frickin' amazing. Cheese tortellini with fresh peas and prosciutto in alfredo sauce.....I thought I died and went to heaven. The service can be spotty depending on time of day. I am still giving it 5 stars due to the quality of the food.

    (5)

  • Christina G.

    I've been here 3 or 4 times now, today the most recently. Food the last couple of times, have to say has been somewhat bland. Not bad, but not great. I think if I did come back, would request garlic or something added to the dish. I had the angel hair with basil olive oil, chicken and veggies today, wanting something light. It was light, but the veggies seemed kind of overdone. My friend had the caprese salad which was actually really good, but I think that's kind of hard to mess up. Bread was warm and fresh and it was nice to sit outside in this weather. Overall an ok spot but not amazing. Maybe the heavier dishes with creamier sauces would be better? Oh well.

    (3)

  • Meredith B.

    When I went back here with a friend last week, I felt a re-awakening of my old affection for this place. We ate outside, which was perfect for people watching. We got the cheapest pinot noir on the list, yet it was juicy and flavorful. I always get a salad here, though this time I made the mistake of getting the romaine hearts with avocado, onions, tomatoes, carrots, and honey sunflower seeds. It wasn't a *bad* mistake, but when the other salads have ingredients like "poached pears" and "fried brie," I didn't make the most original choice. All the veggies were fresh - it just felt like a more mid-grade salad than I hoped for. What can I say, when I have a craving for avocado I just gotta have it! They did put cheese on it, no extra charge, which was a nice touch. I wanted a lighter entree, remembering how salty and heavy their sauces can be, so I went with the butternut squash ravioli with fresh spinach and roasted garlic in a basil oil. I thought it was delightful! I was actually able to finish the whole thing. You have to love garlic to love this dish, since it includes whole roasted cloves, but I thought they were marvelous. Each ravioli was filled with sweet, succulent squash, and I had a great time eating it. Didn't feel uncomfortably full afterward or anything. Okay Basil Leaf, I guess I'll come back and visit you again sometime...just when I think I'm bored with you, you throw some roasted garlic my way. Sigh. I'm such a sucker

    (4)

  • Laura C.

    This adorable Lincoln Park Italian restaurant is a perfect date spot. It's romantic interior and delicious food coupled with excellent service make for a great experience. The wild mushroom risotto was perfectly cooked and had a substantial portion of grilled chicken. The pre-dinner rolls were scrumptious, served piping hot with a nice crusty exterior. Our server was attentive and friendly without being overbearing. They also have a decent wine and beer list.

    (5)

  • J O.

    First time here this past weekend. Went with two of my girlfriends for one of their birthdays. Came around 7pm on a Friday and they had plenty of tables, so maybe it was the cold weather that kept people away? But it did get busier around 8pm. We had the butternut squash soup and it was awesome! The warm mini breads they give out to each customer, was a nice touch. I had the chicken parm which was good, but then I tried my friend's dinner, and I SO wanted what she had! She ordered the gorgonzola gnocchi and it was SO yummy. She would only let me have one bite though. She's a vegetarian. I can't say that I blame her for not letting me have more - it was really good. If I ever go back there again, that is what I am ordering without a doubt! We told the waitress that it was our friend's birthday to which she said, "Oh did you want to order a dessert?" We kind of though they'd come out with something, but then again, this is Chicago, not the suburbs, so maybe they don't do "feebie" birthday desserts in that area. BUT, we discovered Molly's cupcake shop just next door, so it all worked out in the end! =)

    (4)

  • Anna P.

    What a lovely, adorable little Italian place in LP! I was looking for a low-key, quiet place to get some good hearty Italian food on a rainy March Friday, and a friend recommended this place - I am so glad we tried it! The food was really delicious, the service was great, and best of all we didn't have to wait at all for a table at 7:30 on a Friday! I will definitely be going back.

    (4)

  • cassie r.

    Italian restaurants are a dime a dozen in this city. Basil Leaf is a standout - cozy atmosphere, no overcrowding, and a range of delicous pasta offerings -- there's something to pique everyone's interest here. The waitress told me their pesto sauce was excellent, and she wasn't kidding. My order of gnocchi with sun-dried tomatos and pine nuts, tossed in aforementioned pesto sauce was to die for. I can't even find words to describe this culinary masterpiece - a bit dramatic, I know, but you'd feel dramatic after eating this dish too. The bread (free and neverending) was fresh out of the oven and addictive. Their wine list was decent (my group opted for the la bocce classico chianti) - at $30 a bottle, it was a cheap, but quality choice. Interestingly, this place had a list of about 10 or so craft beer offerings, most of which I had never heard of before. Though I didn't get a chance to try any, it's just one reason, among many, to return.

    (4)

  • Stu S.

    My wife and I went here last week with her family. We had been here previously, but the restaurant hadn't really made an impression. We had made a reservation and when we walked in, the hostess was actually fairly rude to us. I'd say the service was mediocre at best and the food (my wife and I got two different seafood pasta dishes) was bland and underseasoned. With so many great Italian restaurants in Chicago, we won't be coming back here.

    (2)

  • Mindy S.

    We went to Basil Leaf Cafe as one in our party had a hankering for Fettuccine Alfredo, and we wanted to dine in the area, and we had always wanted to try out BSC. We were not disappointed. We had just a short wait on a Saturday night @ 8:30pm. Our waitress was really amazing - she knew everything on the menu, was enthusiastic and friendly - really the epitome of fantastic customer service. We also has a person with dietary needs, and the waitress went above and beyond by recommending a few different dishes, and helped us create a customized dinner option to suit our dining partner's needs. The rolls are freshly baked, served to you one at a time throughout the entire meal, accompanied by olive oil & spices. The food was very flavorful and savory. Everybody had to stop themselves from eating too fast, we couldn't get enough. I highly recommend the butternut squash soup, any of the salads, the lobster ravioli, and the vegetarian gnocci. The experience was wonderful, the food tasted great, the atmosphere was warm and comforting, and I will definitely be back to try more on their extensive menu.

    (4)

  • Johnny G.

    Great Italian food you'd likely find downtown, not in LP. Gnocchi is where it's out. Try with a meat sauce!

    (4)

  • Lisa T.

    Adorable Italian cafe; a place that would be perfect to take my parents back to for a casual dinner. My friend and I chose Basil Leaf on a whim for a Sunday evening supper and it really delivered a cozy, relaxing end to the weekend. We were seated right away without a reservation. We each enjoyed a cup of soup to start our meal, and the butternut squash soup was delicious - creamy without having a ton of heavy cream in it. The risotto I had as my entree was good; however, next time I will likely order a pasta dish. My friend's pasta with sausage was honestly excellent. The server was friendly and helpful, and our meal was only ~$30 (it had been a long weekend so we were staying away from alcohol...). Very acceptable prices for the level of service and quality of food. If you're not coming off a bender of a weekend, the wine list was medium-sized... assuming you're not a sommelier, I'm sure you'll find something delightful on it!

    (4)

  • Mel V.

    This was my second time here to celebrate a birthday for my son aNd let me start by saying, the service is HORRiBLE & non-existant. First off Our server never offered us an appetizer nor a drink, soup or salad! Hmm Going forward, I am italian and I was suspecting this is an italian restaurant looking at the menu but, when I asked the server for bolognese sauce on my pasta she rudely said "bolognese is not a sauce it is the meat in the noodles, do you understand me?" I was shocked at how she talked to me and I could not get her to understand what I wanted So I got upcharged $2.50 for a sauce I didn't want because the server didn't kno what bolognese was and gave me marinara which I do not like!! She also didn't kno if the Gnocchi was made homemade or not when I had to explain another item on the menu to her that she didn't kno again!! Uhh, yes if you are in an italian restaurant maybe you should kno your product or read the dictionary..... ""Bolognese sauce (Italian: ragù alla bolognese) is a meat-based sauce for pasta"" Now before you talk down to your guests, you should kno what you are talking about!!! Also we were given a childs menu for my child, then immediately taken away when we went to order and we were told by the server sorry but the menu is only available for lunch not dinner! Now since when....?? because they want a child to eat an adult size portion for more money!! Ridiculous and poor service!! As I looked around the tables seated by us, they were all offered an appe, soup or salad! We are very unhappy because the food is very good, when you can get what you want(meaning the server understanding the menu)but, it just seems like they love to upcharge! If you want a bigger bill maybe you should ask if we would like an appetizer or drinks, please don't make my child get a childs menu than take it away when she is ready to order aNd make her get an adult portion which is poor service and please don't treat me stupid because you don't understand the menu!! Needless to say, I had to rate this a 1!!! The food is good and the fruit infused water served by the buss boy is incredible when served cold! Well lady with the accent who doesn't kno the menu she is serving, ruined a quality day for us after celebrating my sons birthday in the city and topping it off with this kind of service!!!! I tried not to make a big deal because it was my sons birthday but, this is just unacceptable!!!!!!!

    (1)

  • Jay D.

    I am an avid fan of "Basil Leaf Cafe!" Their menu is perfect for those who want choice, yet require perfection. The Brussels sprouts they serve are the best I've had - anywhere. I find the fish entrees as well as the meat entrees come out of the kitchen well-rounded, and robust in flavors. When one is looking for Chicago dining options many pass over the "Basil Leaf Cafe," I've never understood why - it's a real gem. The atmosphere is warm, friendly, and inviting no matter the occasion.

    (5)

  • Jessica C.

    Yes! Finally! I've lived 3 doors down from this place for the past year, and I finally made it over for dinner on a Saturday night. It was a beautiful Saturday evening... after being in a piss poor mood from moving that morning, I came to this place with my mama and boyfriend. We got a seat inside right by the window - it was perfect. Not too hot because we were inside, but you could also feel the breeze. If you come to Basil Leaf Cafe, get a seat by the window! The service was great as was the wine selection. I ordered a 1/2 Greek dinner salad with my main entree cheese ravioli. Great food! And just the right portions. I would most likely return to this restaurant to try out some of the other dishes on the menu. Even though I'm not a vegetarian, I was in a vegetarian mood that night. Check it out! Check restaurant to go with 1 or 2 people. Keep it intimate, you know.

    (4)

  • Nicki W.

    It's been almost a year since my first visit and Basil Leaf has become one of my favorite spots in my neighborhood. In the summertime I sit outside with my dog, read the paper have some coffee salad and soup. The staff is so friendly and I continue to see the same happy faces around which is always positive. I've tried most of the menu items at this point but you can never go wrong with the tomato basil soup (even on a hot day) as well as the salad with the mixed berries which was the first salad I ever tried there. I love their dressing choices and any fruit or vegetables added to the salads are super fresh. The hot roll they give you with the oil when you sit down can't be beat. Keep that bread basket away from me or else I'll eat the whole thing! They've also got some really yummy crafty desserts which get shipped in and the list changes all the time. I suggest if you have a sweet tooth, you should get on that! This is mostly my lunch spot, but I do take people here from time to time in the evening when I want a low-key spot.

    (5)

  • Katie R.

    I just asked my dining companion if he liked his lobster ravioli last night and his response was "I mean, I ate it". Maybe we ordered the wrong things, but we both didn't enjoy our meals. Lobster ravioli = meh. I had rigatoni with spinach/chicken in a creamy tomato sauce and it was more like...generic marinara with cheese sprinkled on with big chunks of chicken and spinach tossed in. It was not tasty. When compared to one of our staples, the much cheaper Pasta Bowl which is across the street, we both like Pasta Bowl ten times better. A disappointment.

    (2)

  • Morris D.

    Hi folks! I guess you can tell from my other reviews that i like the word folks! Well folks. Basil Leaf Cafe is a nice little place. My favorite thing about the place is that my real name means Sweet Basil, so we are connected forever. Speaking of Basil, the bad Jamaican Rasta guy in Marked for Death is named Basil Wallace. Anyway, BLC is a pretty cozy atmosphere. It's pretty quiet, so you can have a convo about Ping Pong, Marv Albert or the stories in the daily newspapers. The waiters/waitresses were very nice and attentive which was nice. I ordered the angel hair pasta and my partner ordered baked steak. Angel hair was good, but needed some salt and maybe a little sauce up in that piece. I'd come back and try something else if I happen to be nearby. Now would i jumprope my way there, no. And if it makes any difference, we went there on a Monday. That is the day before Tuesday.

    (3)

  • Joe B.

    Excellent Italian food, a romantic interior, and a view of bustling Clark Street make this a great place to celebrate a special occasion.

    (5)

  • Sharon R.

    Went here on my birthday for dinner with my ma. Called a friend looking for an Italian place & this was the first one recommended. We went on a Tuesday night so it was SUPER slow, but all the more attention for us! Nice dining area and full menu. They brought out "fresh" ciabatta bread & oil, which wasn't very good at all, but it was free, so who cares? I ordered a chicken pasta dish & my ma got some crab pasta dish. Absolutely delicious & good sized portions. Our plates averaged around $16 I think. The chocolate desserts were awesome, especially the Chocolate Marjolaine. And my ma said the coffee was some of the best she ever had, although she was pissed at the price of $3.50 a cup. All in all, great place. The little chinese food containers they gave us for leftovers was kinda weird, but it worked, AND she labeled them, so I overlooked how odd I felt walking out of an Italian restaurant with chinese takeout boxes. Would definitely go here again.

    (4)

  • christie c.

    This is the best place! The food is always consistently great! The owner is very nice & most of all the place is soooo clean! I love the warm bread, salads & sandwiches are filling & the pasta is cooked perfectly! I also love the cappuccino... yum! And the fact that I can order on-line makes life easy... 5+ stars to Basil Leaf Cafe :)

    (5)

  • Mary P.

    Great neighborhood restaurant. I especially like to eat here in the summer as they have the big windows wide open. Very pleasant. The food is delicious and the wait staff excellent. Noce cozy dining room, fun open bar area in next room.

    (4)

  • Samantha L.

    I think this restaurant is extremely overrated. The pasta is OK, the chicken is almost always dry, the iced tea is not very good in my opinion, and the poor servers (though most are very nice) are constantly frantic because the owners yell at them a lot. I guess I can at least say that the crab cakes, the lobster ravioli, and the salad with cherries are all pretty good. However, since I usually like chicken dishes and their chicken is dry, I cannot like this place much. I would sooner recommend Filippo's if you want Italian food.

    (1)

  • Laura V.

    Dined here just once so far, but I do plan to return. They looked pretty busy, but we got seated right away. A bus boy came by to pour water, and then our server came right over to ask for our drink orders. We requested a couple things she wasn't familiar with (she's new) so she went to check with the bar. Turned out they don't have Grey Goose, which seemed a bit unusual as most chicago restaurants/bars carry it. So we ordered wine by the glass instead. Took about 10 minutes before she came back with it. She asked if we were ready to order; we ordered a couple of appetizers and she began to take our menus away. We told her we were going to order entrees, but we needed a few more minutes. We already knew what we wanted, but lots of restaurants will wind up bringing the appetizers and entrees out too close together (not enough time to finish one before the other arrives) if you order them at the same time. She apologized and left the menus. The same young man who was filling water glasses came over with a basket of hot rolls and placed them on our bread plates, a nice touch. They had already filled a small dish with seasoned olive oil for dipping... delish!! We had to wait quite a while before he came around with more rolls, though. The appetizers arrived about 15 minutes after ordering, and we placed our entree order at that time. Our server didn't know much about the menu and couldn't answer our questions, but she was very friendly and apologetic and quickly brought over another server who was very informative. The shrimp cocktail was great; huge, juicy shrimp without any fishy smell. The fried calamari was even better, and the homemade cocktail sauce was outstanding. Very fresh and flavorful. The only problem was that the appetizers were far larger than we expected and so we didn't have much appetite left for our main course! LOL! I had the rigatoni with grilled chicken & spinach in a tomato cream sauce and it was truly delicious. It even tasted great reheated a couple of days later. For dessert, we had a couple of their specialty martinis: I had the Chocolate Covered Banana and loved it. Next time, I will likely only order appetizers or split an entree with my dining partner. The portions are very large, and it is a LOT of food!

    (4)

  • Deena D.

    I dropped by here for lunch with a friend. I ordered one of the spring mix salads and had manhattan clam chowder (don't hate, I miss the northeast). Pretty good sizes and you can tell everything was made from scratch and fresh. Our waitress was very attentive and sweet. We probably sat and gabbed for over an hour and they were totally cool with it. They also have a gorgeous wooden bar when you first walk in which seems like a solid spot for a hot date.

    (5)

  • esther r.

    We decided to have dinner here, just because it was so inviting from the outside...very open, loved the feel of the beautiful open doors. It always makes it better when you have a good waitress and she was very knowledgeable about the menu. The grilled salmon was amazing, and loved the fresh bread.Everyone else loved their food too. It was really a great experience.!

    (5)

  • Liz S.

    I originally meant to go to a sushi restaurant on Clark, but when I got there none of them were open for lunch. But, I'm sooooo happy that was the case cause I happen upon Basil Leaf Cafe. I had an amazing lunch. To begin with the water was flavored with fruit that had been left to site in it (it was a slight flavoring, but so refreshing). Lunch itself was yummy too. I had an amazing chicken sandwhich that came with a small side salad that really was just so fresh. Also, it was a beautiful day outside so sitting outside in the quaint neighborhood only added to the nice lunch.

    (5)

  • Christina S.

    Enormous portions. Friendly servers. Never a wait. Entrees $12 and up.

    (5)

  • Morgan B.

    This place is a hidden treasure on clark street. I highly recommend it. Great food for a good price. Their Tomato Basil Soup is really good!!!

    (4)

  • J D.

    Service was great. Got choice of bourbon. The soup was okay, a little heavy. I ordered the gnocchi, it was good, but wayy to heavy and too thick. Love the hot bread.

    (3)

  • Kristin C.

    Sitting in the outdoor patio at Basil Leaf Cafe was just like being back in Italy. Except for, well, the noise coming from Mickey's. But despite that, the ambiance was very romantic and intimate. This has now become one of my favorite al fresca dining places in the city! I had the lobster ravioli, which was great, and my boyfriend loved his butternut squash soup and baby clam pasta. Service was good, and prices were very reasonable, especially for the bottle of wine we got. They don't take reservations, but we went on a weeknight and didnt have any problems getting a quiet table in the back of the patio. We will definitely be going back!

    (4)

  • Mariana P.

    You can't go wrong with a place with great food with no wait on a weekend night. Very small, so pretty cozy, but I like that. It has an authentic Italian feel to it. Food was FANTASTIC. Good wine list too, if you're like me and can't have Italian food without wine. Not overpriced either, which is hard to find in Lincoln Park.

    (5)

  • michael t.

    I got the "old" menu and my date got the "new" one. The difference was one line so I was simply amused that there was a "old" menu still around to be handed out. Too many pasta dishes, they tended to blend together. The service was good. The food was a little tasteless and that's saying a lot from me, as I eat a lot of bland food. It was overall a fine experience, but I don't think I'll be returning.

    (3)

  • madra s.

    everything on the menu is good

    (4)

  • Ashley B.

    The food is nothing spectacular, and for the price they have nothing to brag about. The decor inside is a little cheesy and over done. I recommend Rose Angelis for much better Italian food, in a super romantic setting.

    (1)

  • Judicious Z.

    We enjoyed two entrees through GrubHub delivery and believe we have found the perfect "upscale" resource for those nights when you want to stay in, not cook, and want "real" food. We assume the restaurant is quite good based on our meals and will check out an in-house dining experience soon. Their Vegetable Risotto has perfect, elegantly (yes, elegant) sliced grilled vegetables. Their Rigatoni Bolognese was delicious with balanced spices and quality beef. I called the restaurant in advance to find out the veggies in the risotto and requested that some of their veggies be omitted (they include zucchini, eggplant, and squash - creepy, strange-texture veggies). I wondered if they would be irritated and it would come to me a bit second-rate. Nope, they were up to the challenge and bested any restaurant with thinly sliced grilled carrots, thin carmalized onions, perfect broccoli, etc. Thank You! Portions were generous and I'll be having the risotto for lunch!

    (4)

  • Stephanie D.

    Good food, nice location, great service. What more could I ask for? Went here on a double date awhile back and really enjoyed myself. Had a delicious meaty pasta dish with a bottle of wine. Our server was knowledgeable and very friendly. Service was quick and the atmosphere intimate. I agree with a poster below that its a great place to take parents when they come in to town. I gave it a four due to the menu selection being somewhat small. Overall, a good experience though! UPDATE: Try the marinara ravioli! You will NOT be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Scott S.

    Had a great lunch here last spring. The atmosphere is great, reminds me of trips I've taken to europe. We loved the salad and pasta, and we thought the water with fresh fruit in it was a great touch. We'll definitely go back!

    (4)

  • Matt M.

    I could go here every week and always try something new. Great date place.

    (5)

  • Jerry E.

    Went there for a small lunch. Wonderful Salads and my guest had pasta, which I sampled. All was very good. I would go back. We sat by the open windows to the street. It was a little noisy. All the tables had white table cloths.

    (4)

  • Ren H.

    Great place for pasta! The portions are really generous but not too big to leave you unable to walk. Their water has oranges and strawberries in it, such a refreshing compliment to your pasta! also its in a great location too so you can hit up some really good bars after eating!

    (4)

  • Kev N.

    A great little place. My girlfriend and I have been here at least ten times, and I think we've ordered the exact same thing every single one of them - Butternut Squash/Spaghetti Carbonara. Maybe if we got out there more often we would try to branch out, but it says a lot about a restaurant that keeps you coming back, time after time, because you crave the exact same thing.

    (5)

  • Angela P.

    This place has a great atmosphere, and it's relatively quiet. Yummy warm bread is constantly replenished, and I've liked the dishes I've tried. The menu items are a little "out there" for me--I prefer standard vegetarian dishes--but the ravioli is good. It's a good date spot.

    (4)

  • Brian S.

    Delicous Italian food, and only two blocks away from where I live! That makes me happy.

    (4)

  • Neeraj D.

    A small, fun Italian restaurant. It is easy to get a table at and the service is rather good. We loved the fruity-water and the menu had the usual Italian offerings. The taste and presentation met expectations. A great casual restaurant to go to when you are not sure what you want or where to go, but want something good.

    (4)

  • Mindy S.

    I walk by this place all the time but just had dinner here for the first time the other night. It's a small place and can get a bit loud, but otherwise a very cute atmosphere. Perfect date place. The food was good and prices reasonable. Mostly pastas on the menu with some good fish as well. They don't take reservations, but we didn't have to wait too long for a table on a Saturday night.

    (4)

  • Dee C.

    We sat outside,the server was a really nice Irish student, he did a great job as did the busser, we never ran out of water or bread. Pasta was very nice, chicken sandwich was good but could have been better if it was served hot, it tasted like it was not cooked that day.Bruschetta was good also

    (4)

  • Laura S.

    Great date place with very good food. I was worried we'd wait a long time on a Friday night, but it wasn't that bad at all. A friendlier waiter (I had to ask to hear the specials) would have definitely given this a 5th star!

    (4)

  • Briana J.

    Great food, great atmosphere. The wait staff was very friendly and helpful. The food was tasty and many offerings despite the small size. It is a cozy restaurant that would be great for a date. Many wine choices as well.

    (4)

  • Richard C.

    Basil leaf serves your typical Italian food. It's pretty good, but I wouldn' t go running there when you could eat at a place like Mia Francesca's again. The prices are ok- they aren't expensive, but it's not cheap either.

    (3)

  • Hannah B.

    I am sad that I don't live near the Basil Leaf Cafe any more because it always makes for an enjoyable evening. The food is delicious and the ambiance is very romantic. I love the fresh slices of fruit in their water pitchers. I took my mom here when she was visiting and ever since then she has been slicing up fruit to put in her water! Perfect for a date or a girl's night out, you can't go wrong with the Basil Leaf Cafe.

    (4)

  • Lindsay M.

    Cute, yummy, variety, reasonably priced. Sit outside.

    (3)

  • M M.

    Went for an early dinner and my friend and I weren't too hungry so we just had a salad with chicken. I didn't get to experience any of the other entrees- but the salad was good enough. I really can't right an accurate review as I don't think having salad can qualify as a full restaurant experience, but I can say that the place was not crowded- we went on a Thursday night, so that might say something about it.

    (2)

  • Stacey H.

    Their daily tomato basil soup is amazing. With the free bread, get a bowl and make a meal of it!

    (5)

  • Jasmin W.

    I feel like no one knows about this restaurant in Chicago, which shocks me because the food is delicious! It's absolutely adorable and the perfect date spot! I've been there at least 5 times and have tried a variety of their pasta dishes and everything is so good and the waiters are very nice as well.

    (4)

  • Jon M.

    The best italian food ive had in chicago. Better than Rose Angelis' because the dishes are more flavorful. Even though its small and doesnt take reservations, the wait to get a table (at least for 2) is rarely very long. Ive never had a bad meal there.

    (5)

  • Dana P.

    I was surprisingly impressed with this tiny restaurant. It had a nice, homey and personal feel which I liked. It is a really nice, intimate setting which is a good change from the rowdy loud places I usually go to. There was a great variety of pasta dishes on the menu, which all looked good. The bruschetta was tasty and I ordered the rigatoni with tomato alfredo sauce which was also quite delicious.

    (4)

  • Lisa T.

    I didn't know what I was in for, though this place is great! Small cozy place with a friendly staff. They give you room to relax and enjoy. The food is great, with numerous pasta dishes and salads, who could ask for more. It has a flare to the traditional Italian, keeps it interesting.

    (4)

  • Traci W.

    Good, no-nonsense comfort-Italian food. I've always had good service and excellent food. The Linguine Carbonara is my favorite, for those days when you are looking to completely throw your diet out the window.

    (4)

  • Caitlin T.

    I went here about two weeks ago on a Saturday night for dinner. The atmosphere is generic--not bad but nothing unique--and that is exactly how my boyfriend and I felt about our food. The food was pretty bland. I had the salmon with a creamy dill sauce, which the waitress told me was her favorite meal. It was virtually flavorless, despite it being slathered in cream sauce and capers. My boyfriend had some sort of white fish with potatoes (maybe flounder or trout, don't remember) and his food was equally boring. We had the fried brie salad, which was pretty good, but was dry and needed more of the balsamic glaze dressing. The server was nice and attentive. Overall, I would not recommend this place if you are looking for good flavor or any sort of unique dining experience. We walked away feeling like Olive Garden would have been more enjoyable and half the price.

    (2)

  • Dina S.

    Went here for lunch yesterday... yes i ate out a bit too much yesterday (first basil leaf then sushi pink later), but stop judging me! I did finally work out for the first time in months and it felt great so i rewarded myself! ANYWAY - i thought this place was really good. I ordered the tomato soup and greek salad... but we sat right, I mean right next to the dessert counter and everything looked really delicious... will have to try next time. I don't know how their pastas are... One bad thing - we were there for lunch and even though the place was not that crowded the service kinda dragged... we were there for almost two hours!!!!!

    (4)

  • Marley F.

    This adorable Italian Cafe is never crowded so we can always get a table. I'm not sure why it's never crowded because the food and service are fantastic.

    (4)

  • Shannon S.

    I was surprised to find this place not very busy on a Saturday night. It is a very cute, cozy Italian restaurant. They have a great outdoor seating area. Good food. Our service was pretty decent. We had a problem with our bill but it was corrected right away. A very good place to take a date or go for a girls night out.

    (4)

  • Roop d.

    The food here is good. The service is good. the portions are huge so you may want to share.

    (4)

  • Alicia F.

    My now-husband and I had our first date here, so it holds a special place in my heart. The food was good but the atmosphere is great- very cute and cozy! Great date place!

    (4)

  • Rachael W.

    I adore this place. It's cute, it's quaint, and the food is consistently yummy. Since I live pretty close by, it's definitely a staple when friends come over and we want to go to dinner.

    (5)

  • Dee W.

    Cute little Italian cafe which is befitting for a first date or other dates, even. What I found to be super cute was their water and how it had fruit in it to add a refreshing flavor. Service was fantastic - our waitor had the best tips and suggestions for food. My boyfriend swears by their fettuccine jambalaya which was a waitor recommendation. And my squash ravioli was pretty fantastic, too.

    (4)

  • Chloe M.

    This is such a cute restaurant and I really think it is the ideal date place if you are looking for somewhere to eat in the Lincoln Park restaurant. i've only had pasta here and it was so good! It's also in a really good area so there are plenty of fun bars around to grab a drink after.

    (4)

  • Gina L.

    The service and ambiance here is excellent. I went there for lunch and I loved that they offered small salads (approx. $3) to pair with a pasta dish. They were a little pricey on their pasta dishes, but you got a ton of food for your money! I recommend splitting a pasta dish, it's more than enough for two.

    (4)

  • Sheila D.

    I've only been here once and it was absolutely adorable so I'm surprised I haven't made it back. I never noticed it before, but my friend and I were on a walk during a nice day in Chicago last summer and stopped in because we were hungry and the menu looked good. I ordered a pasta dish (can't remember what it was a year later) that was really good. We were also very impressed with our waitress who helped us choose our entrees...she was very friendly.

    (4)

  • Olivia P.

    I ordered the gorgonzola filled gnoche. (Which I can't seem to find on their online menu...maybe it was a special or they got rid of it). Anyway, it wasn't served warm enough and didn't have enough taste. The portions were quite large, but I felt my dish wasn't worth the money. However, the other two people I was eating with enjoyed their food. Maybe I will give it another try sometime...

    (3)

  • Sydney K.

    Don't let the name mislead you - this is not a Thai restaurant (as I first assumed when I went). It's a cute Italian restaurant that serves pasta dishes beyond spaghetti and meatballs. I was surprised to find such an inventive menu for a small neighborhood restaurant. The bread is crusty and chewy - a perfect way to stave off hunger pains as you wait for your entree. Basil Leaf Cafe doesn't take reservations, so be prepared to wait on the weekends.

    (4)

  • Mary W.

    "I love this cute little cafe! It has such a great atmosphere with the photos of Katherine Hepburn and Robert Deniro. They have some of the tastiest pasta dishes I have ever had! This cafe would be great for a first date or an anniversary!"

    (5)

  • Julia B.

    I really like the atmosphere of this place! They have great pasta dishes and tons of wine to accompany the meal! I think it's a great place to go on a date or have an intimate dinner with a friend who you have not seen in a while!

    (3)

  • Gary E.

    You know you've become too stuck in your ways of living downtown when you consider going to Lincoln Park a road trip. However, a movie we wanted to see was only playing at Landmark so we decided to make a day of it. After the movie we decided to eat at Basil Leaf Cafe and I'm really glad we did. The little intro note inside the menu stating the original was a place called Pastas Cafe in Long Island, NY brought a smile to my face as I remembered going there as a kid! The menu itself had a lot of great choices. Amy had some delicious pasta with grilled chicken and I had the carbonara which was awesome. The Caesar salad we split was delish too and the wine was tasty. Our server was super friendly and genuinely seemed to enjoy her job which isn't often the case at places downtown. The other noticeable difference between downtown was price. So reasonable for the food and wine! After paying our bill we ended up at the bar for another cocktail. I don't know her name, but the bartender there on Saturday night with the brown hair should bottle whatever happy pill she takes in the morning (if in fact it's not already bottled) because I've never in my entire life had service by someone in such a wonderful mood! We'll definitely be back.

    (4)

  • Sam L.

    The water & tea at Basil Leaf Cafe are absolutely amazing. Having different veggies & fruit soaking in them all day makes the world of a difference. I had my standard choice of soup & a sandwich, and the food was delicious. On a side (totally random) note, the floors were very slippery. I only visited Basil Leaf Cafe once while I lived in Chicago, but I truly enjoyed it when I was there.

    (4)

  • Jan E.

    Excellent seafood jambalaya and the cranberry/goat cheese salad. So yummy. Great ambiance.

    (4)

  • Peter g.

    Update- They were a solid 4 stars on my first few visits, then tonight I tried them again, and if you do not go there and try their poached pear salad, you will have never tried the single best salad plate in this city. The Salad alone earned this establishment star #5, but then I had dinner, met the owner, and had a very nice conversation (where I tried to get the Poached Pear Secret) -very nice people. After the salad, did i mention it was fabulous, i had the rigatoni Bolognese and it had so many flavors, subtle, but very tasteful and nothing missing and nothing missed. Quite possibly the best simple pasta dish I have had in a long time in a restaurant. Sometime a place can focus on 1 or several signature dishes while simply filling the menu with some neglected standbys that may not get as much attention as they deserve - Do not fear such dishes here. They care alot and the staff are quite friendly and the meals are divinely scrumptious. I just wish I could tell you what dessert tasted like, on 4 visits now, I have yet to have enough room to try even 1. While you may think that a great reason to return - for me it means I have to find a smaller supper item, or leave something behind to save room, quite possibly impossible.

    (5)

  • Joel M.

    I was on a several month long Italian food drought so my wife and I decided to head over for a late dinner on a Friday. It has a nice atmosphere, but bright and open isn't my ideal Italian restaurant setting. I would have rather had a cozy, candlelit table than this but it was nice and quiet so it worked. The bread was awesome, but we had to flag down someone to get more once our initial ration (2 small rolls each) was gone. Why can't they just walk around every 2 minutes and drop piles on your plate Fazoli's style? The food was just average. My wife ordered the half Lobster - it came with a full claw and the tail was "half" remove out. I say "half" because whoever got the Lobster before her definitely got the majority of the tail meat. That's the best part!! 75% of the time I get Italian food at a restaurant I feel like I could have made it at home just as well. This fell into that category and spending $30 for one of the cheaper bottles of wine just made it worse.

    (2)

  • Damian C.

    I had a serious Italian craving on Saturday night and made my way about 50 feet from my apartment to the Basil Leaf. I can't believe that after nearly a year of living in the neighborhood I had never eaten here before. The first thing I noticed about the restaurant was the temperature. Within a minute of sitting down my face felt all flush and I felt my armpits sweating. This caused us to go with a chilled Riesling for dinner as opposed to the usual red wine. Our waitress was awesome and acknowledged it was a little steamy inside and offered to pump up the AC. The menu was pretty standard.. nothing really jumped out at me. I generally stick with some sort of chicken or lasagna dish when I go for Italian, so I ended up choosing the linguine with chicken and lemon sauce, with the granny apple spinach salad to start. Both definitely hit the spot and I did not leave hungry (I am actually finishing the rest of the meal today for lunch). Our waitress was awesome, too. Awesome enough to leave $30 tip of a $70 total bill. I wish I would have taken her name down for future visits. This place is fairly easy to get a table at. Even though it is slightly small (though much bigger than the old location across the street) we only waited about 5 minutes for a table on a Saturday night. I would definitely recommend it for a quick good meal or a date night.

    (4)

  • Lisa D.

    I went here with my two sons after biking with them on a hot afternoon. This place was an oasis. We were hot and very hungry (my sons are 12 and 19 years old). The service was excellent. Our glasses were filled at all times with cold lightly flavored fresh water. We ordered sandwiches on crispy bread covered with greens that had to be growing the day before, tangy organic cheeses, generous amounts of meat. Loved this place.

    (5)

  • D J.

    Recommended one of my favorite diners in Lincoln park to someone last night, and figured sharing the review here was long overdue. Amongst the profusion of cute, cosy diners on the stretch of Clark, Basil Leaf manages to hold it's own. It's been a while since I went back here, so the specifics are rather blurry but what I do remember distinctly is that I've never been disappointed with the pasta or salads I typically try. Perfect for a no frills dinner in a casual yet intimate setting, this place captures the essence of the Lincoln Park vibe. Time to make a return trip here, I reckon.

    (4)

  • Luke S.

    I was very sad yesterday when I walked by and saw the windows boarded up with a for lease sign adorning the front. I've been here three times and had an excellent meal each time. The service was always great and the food was tasty and affordable. Does anyone know if they're relocating? This was definitely a neighborhood treat.

    (5)

  • Rebecca T.

    I was unfortunately disappointed by this place. I've lived in the area for years and just never got around to going there, and went tonight with 3 friends. The service was good and the atmosphere nice, but the food really wasn't that good. I got butternut squash ravioli with spinach and garlic and you could barely taste the pasta because it was doused with burnt garlic taste [and was $15 on top of it!] My friend got the penne vodka and said it wasn't that good either - honestly, how can you mess up something that simple? (However, the table bread service was good; yummy bread.) 3 stars is actually generous, but I am hopeful that the other menu options are better. I'll give it one more shot since it's a neighborhood spot...

    (3)

  • luke h.

    Let me start off with the good stuff: The rolls are amazing. They have balsamic vinegarette on every table. The water guy keeps your glass full. Bad Stuff: Every time I go here I get so hot that I sweat through the whole meal. (TURN DOWN THE AIR CONDITIONER). Also, we waited 15 minutes before our waiter came to the table, only after we asked the roll/water guy to get him. He was rude, he never came back other than to bring food, and it was just a horrible service experience every time I have been. The food is good, not great, but definiately not worth the heat and bad service. Prices are fair, not amazing. If you want good italian food, spend $5 on a cab ride to Wrightwood & Racine, and eat at Rose Angelis, it's the most amazing Italian in the city, and very likely this side of the Atlantic. Their air conditioner is always on full blast, and the food is always great. (but the bread is better at Basil Leaf)

    (2)

  • Danimal F.

    I've never had a bad experience here. The food and the service is great.

    (4)

  • Puja D.

    If you are out by that area and want a nice Italian meal without going downtown or any where else - this is the great. The food is decent Italian food - they have a nice selection of wines to go with it too. Probably the best Italian I've had in that area - however no where close to the best in the city. One thing to note is that this place does not make authentic Italian - and they admit to that on their website too. The portions are huge and the service is good. Prices are reasonable too. A great vegetarian menu as well....Will I go there again? - probably.

    (3)

  • Kristine K.

    Went here over the weekend for a friend's birthday dinner. We sat at the bar first and had some cocktails, and the bartender (Nick I think?) was very friendly and helpful with drink selections. I loved the warm rolls they serve to each individual at the table and our server was great with food suggestions based on our preferences. I had the lobster ravioli and it was delicious. I thought the prices were fair for the selection, and the excellent service. Atmosphere was really cute and another star for an immaculate bathroom. Will definitely be back!

    (5)

  • Elizabeth C.

    I love when I read mixed reviews of a place on Yelp, but decide to ignore the bad reviews, try the place myself, and am rewarded with a delicious meal. The Rules of Karma clearly state that I should then immediately go on Yelp and add a positive review of my own. My Basil Leaf experience was great. There are a few bad reviews about service, but our waitress was great, as were the few other people who came by to deliver food and fill our water glasses with that lovely fruity water everyone raves about. The ciabatta rolls were great, as was the herb-y olive oil for dipping. I ordered Chicken Piccata, which was really yummy, and not too heavy, and my boyfriend ordered the wild-caught crab linguine in a cream sauce, also delicious, with lots of fresh dill flavor running through it. We even splurged on a tiramisu mini-tarte for dessert, which in my opinion was the perfect size dessert after a filling meal (we both took home leftovers). Was it the most authentic Italian food I've had in Chicago? No. Was it a great meal for the price, in a good location, with nice ambience? Yes. You can't ask for too much more than that.

    (4)

  • Heather B.

    This place is only the second Italian restaurant I've eaten at in Chicago. And obviously this was much better than Leona's! My friend and I got a fruit and cheese plate to start and I got the fettuccine with spinach and chicken in lemon sauce. Fruit/cheese plate was great but could've used less goat cheese. My entree was good but simple, I just didn't want to get too carb-loaded on a pasta dish. Interiors are very nice, however ONE bathroom (although I didn't have to wait). I would've preferred sitting away from the bar, however there were relatively large groups in the main dining area and I was at least able to sit by the window. I do think its cool that they have garage-style windows here and I believe a few outdoor tables on the side? Unfortunately it was chilly that night.... I do plan to come back here to try a non-pasta dish and some dessert. Oh--great rolls!

    (3)

  • Dean K.

    The salmon with creamy dill sauce over angel hair is unreal. It's the only thing I've ever had for an entree here but, any time I've ever gone, everyone has really liked their food. Also, they have the best tiramisu I have had in the city. I liked it better when it was across the street though.

    (4)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:00 am - 10

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : Yes
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : No
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

Categories

Italian Cuisine

The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.

Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.

If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.

Basil Leaf Cafe

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