Osteria La Madia
59 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL, 60654
Osteria La Madia Menu
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Address :
59 W Grand Ave
Chicago, IL, 60654 - Phone (312) 329-0400
- Website https://www.osterialamadia.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Valet, Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
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.
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Norm J.
La Madia is a must try if you like good pizza and you are open to exploring toppings you may have never thought of pairing. I've been to La Madia numerous times over the year and I keep coming back because of the excellent customer service and the delicious pizzas. If you want a non-deep dish pizza place that will have your taste buds doing the cha cha in your mouth hit up La Madia. La Madia is also a great date place. Some must tries are: *Taleggio & 3 Hour Roasted Grapes Pizza - *Housemade Fennel Sausage & Sweet Onions Pizza - *Triple Pepperoni Pizza - *Laura Chenel Goat Cheese Pizza
(4)Adam C.
We really like coming here with the kids. It's a place we can enjoy great food and wine specials while the kids can enjoy a fun environment and make their own pizzas. The must appetizer is the pizza fondue. It's fun for everyone, but it disappears way too quickly. You really can't go wrong here. The pastas are excellent, the pizzas are amazing. We will definitely come back to this restaurant again and again, and recommend it to all our friends. I have only 1 serious "watch out" and it's not the restaurant, but the valet company outside. BOTH times I have used the valet outside of La Madea, they went through my glovebox and my center console. How do I know? The first time, I realized a couple of days after my visit that they had stolen a small swiss army knife I had recently placed in the bottom of my glove box. The second time, I purposely locked everything up tight before I pulled-up and handed them the keys. When I got the car home, nothing was missing, but I could not help but notice they had unlocked the glove box and the center console. I mean, that's just stupidity. At least take the time to lock it back up after you're done helping yourself to my belongings. This way, there is some element of doubt instead of irrefutable proof.
(4)Liz M.
Not sure if I just hit this place on a bad night or what. I had a gluten free pepperoni pizza, which was very tasty. My friend had a pasta dish, that was more expensive than the pizza and was absolutely not a fair portion size for the price. She said it was tasty, but we both were surprised at how small it was for $21. The worst part of the experience was the large family dining near us. I watched carefully, and as far as I can tell, not one employee reprimanded them throughout their visit for the multiple children that were running around, wrestling, and going up to other tables and talking to the guests seated there. I asked our waitress about it, and she didn't say anything because they were about to leave by that point. It's so disrespectful of families to have out of control children in this kind of setting, and it's the responsibility of the restaurant staff to stand up for other patrons. This family was loud, and the kids were way too old to behave this way. There is a big difference between a crying baby, which is very hard to deal with, and a seven year old knocking his 3 year old cousin or brother to the ground repeatedly in between tables of guests. I feel totally neutral about whether or not I'd go back to give this place another shot.
(2)Milos L.
I loved how this place looked from the outside so we decided to stop by and get some dinner. It was probably the best thin crust pizza we ever had.
(5)AV G.
SURPRISES this place has over 600 yelp reviews it is somewhat busy most reviews are positive,four star PRO nice wine list and either 4 or 7 oz pour nice place with decent service CON food really is not good--i am thinking it kinda sucks (undercooked chicken) ,very weak appetizers--roasted avacado? pizza is nothing special==i mean really nothing special at all River North prices for small portions Crazy loud CONCLUSION should really be one star, but the place is nice and we had a good time because of the company. Many other options within inches of this place
(2)Jeka M.
LM's got the trendy intimate-woods-brick-low lights look working for it and some good gluten-free options, including a good gf crust. :) The staff was nice and pretty helpful~ we had a group dinner that went well. They can divide the receipt into 8 easily, and after complaining, into more with a few minutes effort. The carrots were good and the white pork belly with kale pizza was also very good. The cocktail (Sugar Cane? Ginger something?) was not great, and for a $50 individual bill, I didn't feel like I got my money's worth. I only got one drink, an entree, and a side. It was exactly what 3 stars says: A-OK.
(3)Bread Man S.
This is one heck of a place. Will be on my chicago best places list fast. Pizzas are awesome and the pizza bar is a great spot. Ordered ravioli's and was amazing. Great Service and happy and happening place. They do a nice job. You should try it.
(5)Justin M.
Party of three for dinner on a Wednesday. Good feel to it as the ambiance was mainly provided by candle light. Packed house with good energy. Pepperoni pizza was wonderful. Meatballs didn't taste fresh as the sauce was super concentrated and boring. Smoked pork belly and kale pizza was lovely. Ham and Gruyere pizza was nice. Solid cocktails and service. The meat balls dragged the score
(3)Amber P.
Make a reservation. We landed in Chicago hungry and turned to help for Italian in the price range we were looking to spend. We arrived around 6 pm and were told we would have to wait until 9pm for a table, but were able to snag 2 seats at the bar. We ordered the grape bruschetta and the pork belly pizza from the wood fired oven. The bruschetta was made with a type of cheese I've never had before, it was like a fluffy mozzarella with a hint of sweet. So good! The pizza tastes just as a wood fire oven pizza should... With fluffy dough dancing beneath the mesquite flavored of pork belly and cheese ! Drink prices were a bit steep costing more than a pizza so 1star lost for taking advantage of the thirsty.
(4)Starlet F.
Wonderful fresh pasta! Nice atmosphere. Great waiter. What more can I say. Loved the TAGLIATELLE ALL' AMATRICIANA and the PAPPARDELLI, Wild Boar Bolognese! Must have if in Chicago! I will go back!
(5)Niti B.
I can't get enough of this place...love the pizza and the wine. I've been here on a date and with friends and needless to say the date didn't go well but the food was great! The first time I went we had the classic margarita and wild mushroom mozzerella pizzas and both were delicious. The second time I went back with a groupon and we had the seasonal wild mushroom again and the Mozzarella di Bufala Campana, Tomato Sauce & Torn Basil. The second pizza wasn't too different from the classic margarita but still pretty good. The last time we went I had the Burrata, Nichols Farm Summer Squash, Market Tomatoes & Torn Basil and the Shaved Artichoke, Reggiano Parmesan & Garlic. The only complaint I had was the artichoke was too dried out and became hard to eat. The ingredients were so fresh and the crust was cooked to perfection each time. I don't think I would ever pass the opportunity to go back.
(4)John L.
Very unique and tasty pizzas. This place has very unique toppings that pair well with the base ingredients of pizza. 1) Price is reasonable- around $15-$20 per pizza 2) Taste is delicious. Very interesting toppings- 3 hour aged grape pizza is the best thing on the menu. The sweet with the cheese is a very unique flavor combination. Also, the truffle oil pepperoni is supreme....get it? no?...won't happen again. 3) Atmosphere is alright- sometimes a little noisy, but its not that loud 4) Staff is good- they are welcoming and kind Go get the grape pizza
(4)Blair R.
La Madia is a perfect spot downtown for just about any occasion. It's great for a casual weekday dinner, a Saturday night with the girls or a celebration. I returned last Saturday with a group of three girls and we all agreed that everything from the food to the decor and service was fantastic. Here is a snapshot of what we sampled on this particular visit: Roasted Artichoke -- Yum! This is definitely different than the steamed artichoke with melted butter my mom used to serve! It is one of the best artichoke dishes I have had to date. It is served with two sauces, but it is so flavorful I didn't even feel like I needed them. I need/want the recipe! Organic Arugula Salad -- Another awesome dish. My favorite kinds of salads mix salty and sweet and this does just that with ample slices of parmesan and sweet roasted grapes. More please! Margherita Pizza: Classic and addicting The crust is chewy and the cheese is just enough. Who doesn't love a Marghertia pizza? If you don't I'm not sure I want to be friends with you.... Shaved Artichoke Pizza: Not to sound like a broken record, but I also really liked this dish. There's nothing more to say besides if you like artichokes and you like white pizza, try it. In the past I've also had the mushroom pizza and mushroom brushette. I definitely recommend both...especially if you like mushrooms as much as me. La Madia knows how to extract all the fllavor from the mushroom to make some delish recipes.
(4)Ross H.
I had the pleasure of shooting at la Madia for a tv show, and subsequently ate way too much pizza here. The ingredients are incredibly fresh and the cooking facilities are very clean. They prep the dough every morning and make the pizzas in a well seasoned wood fire oven. I recommend trying the sausage pizza, they make it fresh in house. The same goes for the calzones. It's a great location for a date or a group, just make sure you make reservations as they book up nightly. It should also be noted that they have an incredible selection of wine.
(5)Mary T.
Four score and seven years...Yeah, that's about how long it seemed like my meal at La Madia took. I first visited La Madia last year during Yelp Eats week* and wasn't blown away by the food. After reading so many other Yelper's reviews, I was ready to give this place another shot and this time try the pizza because that seemed to be where it's at. My friend and I met for dinner around 7 and were promptly seated and offered drinks. I ordered the mixed green salad to start and we got the Classic Margherita to split. My salad came out fairly quick, but after that things went downhill. At first we didn't notice how long our food was taking, we had a lot of catching up to do. But after a while I noticed him giving every plate of food that passed us the side eye, he pointed out that every time food passed us my voice trailed off mid-sentence. Approximately 1 hour after we ordered, our food finally arrived and we promptly began to devour it. Shortly after we began eating the manager (Jason) approached our table, he apologized for the delay in our food, explaining there was some sort of mix up in the orders and said he was comping the pizza. We had never complained about the delay so we were both pleased and impressed with the proactive approach he had taken, at the same time we were a little surprised our server never bothered to explain or even acknowledge the delay (at least until we paid the check). So why no 3 stars? After the apology for the delay we expected things to improve, but to our surprise service actually got worse! The people refilling water were spot on, but our waiter barely ever gave us a passing glance; any beers we ordered took a long time to arrive too. After our plates had been cleared our waiter all, but disappeared; he never even offered us a dessert menu, after an inordinately long period of time I had to flag him down and ask for one. The tables around us had long finished their meals and skedaddled; by the time we exited the restaurant we were more than caught up and had been there for nearly 3 hours! If it weren't for the food it's likely that I would've given this place 2 stars. My salad was fine, nothing special really just a simple mixed greens salad; I would've liked a little more vinegar on it to give it more flavor. The pizza was fantastic and it wasn't because I was ready to gnaw my hand off either. It was perfectly cooked, not overly greasy and had the perfect cheese to sauce ratio. My dessert, the bittersweet chocolate tortino, was amazing; chocolatey, gooey and decadent it was the perfect way to cap off the longest meal ever. I really don't know what to make of this place; the first time the food was ok and the service stellar, this time the food was excellent and the service abysmal. yelp.com/biz/yelp-eats-2…
(3)Kris L.
I love interesting pizzas and honestly this place was unfortunately just ok. They have a unique pizza menu but their basics are sub-par (crust and sauce). The Margherita was dry, plain, and tasteless. We ventured and tried the pizza w/ cracked organic egg which was just a bad, messy, runny idea. The pepperoni was flavorful but still dry. I did enjoy the Taleggio and 3-hour roasted grapes - it was well balanced in flavors and unique. Ambience is great, service was good, wine menu extensive. Will not be returning here for pizza in the future.
(3)Michael W.
Heather knocked it out of the park for us. The manager Peter was great also. We are coming back soon enough. Everything was delicious and the staff was very attentive. Love the pizza and beet salad. The mushroom bruscetta was also very good. Can't say enough about how great the experience was. I can't remember the last time my wife laughed so much from having a blast and not worrying about service. Get in this place...
(5)Lizzy C.
Great brick oven pizza!
(4)Rhonda G.
Abalone Mushrooms and Smoked Mozzarella pizza Finished with White Truffle Oil is where it's at! $5 wine of the week! (also where it's at) Pizza fondue was pretty good but it's not what I expected and like many have mentioned, it really is just sauce and crust. Service can be a bit slow because it seems as though they are covering multiple tables but other than that, no complaints from me.
(4)Katherine P.
Amazing pizza, fantastic deserts with gelato, and amazing wine selection. You can't go wrong here if you like wood oven pizza. One of the best pizza places in chicago for sure!
(5)Justin B.
If your looking for more upscale pizza, then La Madia is probably a good place for you. Like many of the "higher-end" places in the River North area, every time I've been here it's been solid. I wouldn't say anything will blow you away, but you'll get very good food and a trendier atmosphere.
(4)Heather H.
Forget the deep-dish grease and go for savory flavors of truffle oils. After roaming Chicago for a few days and eating sub-par food, I spotted the stellar reviews of this place on Yelp and knew! Surely enough it exceeded; my fresh oven baked margherita tempted my boyfriend to get the pepperoni basil with truffle oil, which he snapped up like catnip. It was heavenly! Bit heavy on the grease though. We also ordered a side of roasted artichoke with a oil n' chive dip that was just as succulent. Between the two pizzas, and side we were left with the full experience of savory tastes and cozy atmosphere of La Madia.
(5)Joanne K.
I really like this place! A friend and I split the arugula salad (decent) and ordered a pizza each to be taken home. Pizza was phenomenal! I had the goat cheese, leek and pancetta pizza and I really enjoyed it--so did my husband when I got home. I especially like the hours of operation and enjoy that it is not at all a stuffy atmosphere despite its location. If you are driving, you can valet it for $12. I recommend this place and would definitely head back.
(5)Tony G.
Probably my favorite place for sit-down pizza in the city. My two favorites have to be the seasoned wild mushroom with smoked mozzarella and the triple pepperoni. But I have yet to have any I haven't loved right down to the roasted grapes. Great wines and salads to make your meal complete!
(4)Michael S.
I've eaten pizza all over Italy and found La Madia to be a very authentic Italian pizza. The crust was a little too wet but the flavors are all there. Good high quality ingredients, great service and fair prices.
(4)Elaine G.
Good food, good service, and a great atmosphere - I haven't found thin crust pizza as creative as La Madia's anywhere in Chicago. For starters, we had the Spinach & Taleggio Fondue with White Truffle Oil. The bread and the fondue were absolutely amazing! We devoured the whole thing in minutes and asked for extra bread for the rest of the sauce (which also works for dipping your pizza). For pizza, we ordered the Clam & Fresno Chilies | Pecorino, Garlic & Fresh Thyme, Cracked Organic Egg | Prosciutto & Black Pepper, and Margherita | Mozzarella di Bufala Campana, Tomato Sauce & Torn Basil. The portions were generous and the five of us were stuffed by the end of the meal. My favorite was the Clam & Chilies one, but all were really good.
(5)Eliza C.
Food - 4. Mushroom bruschetta is the way to go. Wine - 4. Thoroughly enjoyed this week's red wine of the week. Service - 2. I have never had anyone roll their eyes at me before. And continue the attitude throughout the night. Holy crap. 3 guys were covering our table but #1 was slow as molasses and #2 acted as if we were doing him a favor. I've got a high tolerance when it comes to "service" at a restaurant but I'd be totally remiss to not call out this "off" night. Been here several times before and never had a bad night until tonight. Maybe the bar boys were having a bad night but we got there early enough to not catch flack from a bad table. Ugh.
(3)Natalie N.
I'm convinced that I will never find pizza that I like more than Spacca Napoli in Ravenswood. However, this is sitting somewhere near the top. We started off with the seasonal mushroom and whipped ricotta bruschetta. It was de-vine, I would definitely order that again. I like my bread a little crispier, but that is just me being picky. My fiance ordered the lamb sausage pizza and I the carbonara, based off of the servers recommendations. The carbonara pizza had over easy eggs,mozz, guanciale and pecorino. It had really good flavor and the crust is very thin and crispy. My only gripe was I like my guanciale to be a bit crispier. The fat needed to be rendered just a little more. My fiance raved about the spicy lamb sausage and talked about it for the rest of the evening. Servers were very nice and helpful with their suggestions. Overall we will definitely return!
(4)Adri M.
I've been to La Madia several times but for some reason never got around to writing a review. Well, here it is! Last night La Madia was a life saver. After leaving the symphony at 10, my friend and I were wandering around south Michigan looking for food. The Gage, Mercat a la Planxa, Rhapsody -- all kitchens closed at 10. Called around in Wicker Park, where he lives, to the Southern, Bangers and Lace, Piece -- all the typical late night joints. Nada. I called La Madia and in the most pleasant voice ever, the host said "Oh yeah come on it until 11:15, we'd be glad to have you!" We show up at 10:30 and the restaurant is literally empty. The host, the bartender/waiter, and a couple cooks are hanging out. I totally expected them to be cranky, annoyed at our presence, etc. (which is how I would have been) but instead they treated us like it was our own little private party! We had wine, mussels, a beet salad, and a piping hot mushroom and smoked mozzarella pizza. Everyone was good natured, sweet, checked in on us -- it was literally as if we had reserved the restaurant on purpose. We sat in the window, next to the fireplace, and had a nice view of the hawks game. I was talking about something unfortunate that had happened at work, and I know the waiter overheard, so at the end of our meal he brought us out "a little something sweet" -- a molten chocolate polenta cake and maple pecan ice cream! OMG. La Madia had already won my taste buds but now they won my heart. Jonathan Fox and company, I salute you for easily the most unexpectedly wonderful customer experience. Ever.
(5)Tammy L.
I really like La Madia and haven't had a bad meal there out of the few times I've been there. I really like their pizzas, particularly the taleggio and roasted grape one, as well as anything with burrata. Yum. The salads are always well-made and generous and their wine list is fun--they have different sizes of pours so you can just order a taste if you don't feel like a huge amount. The Wisconsin electric cookies are really good, especially with candied lemon peel. My favorite place to sit is at the bar, where you can watch the pizzas come out of the oven. This is one of my favorite places to relax in River North.
(4)William P.
Good, just not great. Knew it was thin crust coming in, and while its worth checking out, I'd prefer Chicago style.
(3)Thanh T.
I booked a large reservation for about 10 people on a Saturday night and worked with the events manager, Julie to put everything together. Julie & I communicated via email to work out the details of the event and she was very helpful & responsive. She provided us with a pre fixe & drink menu as an option for our upcoming reservation. We chose to go with the pre fixe menu and everything turned out great! I actually had to change the number of guests attending about 3 times and they were completely courteous and accommodating. The food & service was absolutely amazing and this place deserves 5 stars!!
(5)Tina S.
I threw my friend's bachelorette dinner party here on a Saturday night and cannot say enough good things about the whole experience! Julie made the whole process so easy and was very accommodating to my many emails. Their prix fixe menu options are a savior for large groups (party of 15.) When our group arrived, we simply walked to the table which had personalized menus on each plate, and began to eat and drink! The service was OUTSTANDING. The food and drinks kept coming smoothly without having to ask. The pizza is delicious, especially the fennel lamb sausage. The truffle oil pepperoni is also a hit, and we all loved the mushroom ricotta bruschetta. HIghly recommend this place, especially if you're hosting a special event!
(5)Nancy H.
Somewhere between a 3 and a 4, but I'm giving it a 4 because I would like to come back in the near future. Definitely a lot more variety than Pizzeria via Stato. La Madia gets high marks from me for the wonderful pizza combinations. Their pizzas are brick oven style and can feed 1-2 people per pizza. All 3 pizzas we ordered tasted fantastic - sausage/fennel, goat cheese/pancetta/leeks, cracked egg/prosciutto. However, minus points for the uneven distribution of toppings, cookness level (some parts of the crusts were badly burnt), and the way the pizzas were sliced. Four of us shared just 3 pizzas for lunch and had leftovers still. Reasonable prices too (average price: $15/pizza).
(4)Mandy P.
The good (in my humble opinon): the huge wine list, ambiance, the prices, and the service. The so-so: the pizza. It was the only food item on the menu I tried; the artichoke option from the white and the sausage from the red. Neither had much flavor, though they smelled really good. That's what I get for straying from Sono.
(3)Heather F.
I love La Madia, and I say this despite the fact that I hate River North. Admittedly, there is sometimes a River North-y vibe here--loud groups of twenty-something white women dressed to the nines, people who are there to be seen--these people are serious about Italian-style pizza. I recommend sitting at the pizza bar, where you can see the cooks work--and you get a free glass of prosecco to boot. For two people, we usually order a salad to share and two pizzas, which gives us at least a meal's worth of leftovers to take home. The Italian lettuces and arugula salads are both very well thought out and have a pleasing mix of flavors. Pizza wise, I recommend the simple tomato sauce-fresh mozz-basil pizza, as well as Tallegio and grape and also the heirloom tomato pizza. My partner, who's not vegetarian, has sampled widely from the menu and hasn't found anything he doesn't like. In my opinion, one of the best things about these pizzas is that the flavors are so well balanced. A lot of times, that means that the toppings are less plentiful than at an American-style pizza place. Less really is more. In any event, get something with 3-hour roasted grapes. You won't regret it. Other pros of this place: they take reservations via Open Table, and the valet parking is reasonably priced. And I shouldn't forget to mention that they have Belgian beer, fancy cocktails, and also wine of the week for $6/glass.
(5)Regina P.
Admittedly I've always had La Madia pizza for take out, so I can't rate the restaurant atmosphere and service. BUT, I can rate the food: the pizza is one of the best thin crust I had in Chicago. They really taste like Italian pizza! Especially the "red" tomato-sauce based pizzas: their tomato sauce is perfect. The menu has classic Italian dishes as well as more creative ones (I loved the heirloom tomatoes and aragula-pesto pizza), and they also have lots of veg choices for the vegetarians in our group! Another thing that's great is that each time I ordered at La Madia my food was ready to be picked up in 15-20min. I'll probably add a 5th star if I'm still happy with La Madia the day I go eat there instead of ordering pick-up!
(4)Lisa F.
A great lunch option in River North/Golf Coast! It's a full service lunch option that won't break the bank. I split a salad and a white flatbread pizza, both of which were really good. The atmosphere is relaxing, despite the fact that this place gets pretty crowded. Our service was good, although you need to make sure you can have time for about 45 minutes in the restaurant. My only compliant was that the waitress told us we had fresh cookies included in our meal, so we waited about 10 minutes for them, only for them to be about the dinkiest things you have ever seen. Not worth waiting if you are in a hurry. Overall I'll definitely be back when I have time for a long lunch.
(4)Josh R.
Huge serving of salad, easily shared between 2-4 people. And delicious thin crust margherita pizza. As a native new yorker, I gotta say that pizza was damn good.
(5)Tejas B.
The mushroom pizza and salad were delicious. Was hoping for more options on the menu. We will definitely go back to try a different pizza.
(4)Ke M.
Unique thin crust pizza options. Great for sharing or splitting with a salad or appetizer as well. The bread that comes with the spinach and taleggio fondue is so fresh and light! The two pizzas I've tried there were tasty and I don't think you can really go wrong. They also have reasonable wine specials and a decent beer selection. We got to eat near the front in the open-air lounge part on a nice night so it was really a nice little meal!
(4)M M.
Love the appetizer Pizza Fondue here, both the marinara sauce and spinach sauce were awesome. It is a must try! I would go back to this restaurant just for this appetizer alone! The thin crust pizza was pretty good too. Decent service. I will definitely go back to this resaurant for the pizza fondue.
(4)Frankie F.
Pizza's amazing, Frisee salad even better. Nice atmosphere too. We are there about 3-4 times a month for dinner.
(5)Karen N.
Jealously motivated us to try this place. We walked by countless times and saw everyone sitting in the bar area, large windows opened wide with the sun bathing the whole bar, plus those outside tables. We wanted some of that too! Now we're hooked by the food. We ordered pizza with burrata and proscuitto, mushroom brushchetta, roasted beet salad. Personally though, the best part were the cocktails... very inventive, well made. The bar scene got a little more busy starting 8 p.m. Go and have your happy hour there and catch some sun!
(3)Angela P.
Ever since I saw La Madia featured on "Check, Please!" it's been stored away in my bookmarks. I had dinner here with family, and La Madia provides an environment in which one can relax, socialize, and enjoy their dining experience. The noise level is manageable. We sat at a round table, and I did not have trouble hearing or talking to anyone. Our waiter was a bit soft spoken, but the echoes of clanging in the kitchen did not distract us. Music played somewhat softly in the background, the club beats drowning out neighboring diners' voices. The food at La Madia is phenomenal. I may never forgot how delicious their pizzas are. Dominic P. and I shared the Triple Pepperoni (with white truffle oil) and the Taleggio & Roast Grapes. Both were delicious, and the aroma of truffle was appetizing. The crust is thin, but not soggy, and the edges were chewy and slightly charred in spots but not at all burnt. Pizzas serve 1-2 people, depending how hungry you are. Most of us ordered pizzas, and only one finished their whole pizza. We had four slices left (of two pizzas), which made for a nice light lunch the next day. We also ordered the Italian Lettuces salad, but I wasn't a fan. The salad needed more salad dressing and cheese. Most of the lettuce was dry, and I had to wash it down with big gulps of water. Skip the salads and go for the pizza! The wine list is the perfect size, and I chose to have their "Pour of the Week," which is offered in both a red and white wine. The Pinot Grigio for $6 was a great deal and a tasty wine which complimented the pizzas well. I love La Madia, and I would definitely go out of my way for their food. For two of us (shared a salad, two pizzas, and two drinks), we spent just over $50 before tax & tip. That may seem a bit high for pizza, but this is quality pizza and not your local carryout joint.
(5)Gstr 4.
Ambience, food, service every thing was good.. i wish i can rate this 4.5
(4)Hillary P.
I decided on Osteria La Madia for my dad's birthday. I stopped in the restaurant on Friday to make my reservation for Sunday. The hostess was helpful and she called downstairs the Event Coordinator, Candice, to discuss accommodations even though it was just a group of seven. Candice was so sweet and went out of her way to explore options. She promised me a cozy corner in the restaurant with a large round table for my family. I asked if I could bring in dessert and she simply asked for me to call ahead to allow for fridge space (no outside dessert fee). I left all my information with the hostess and was set for Sunday. Come Sunday, I brought in a birthday pie early in the day for them to store until our dinner reservation. When I gave my name and reservation, the hostess could not find me in the system and claimed I did not have a reservation. Bummer. I put my information in again and let them know this was a birthday dinner. At the time of our reservation, my family and I were all seated right away at the promised table. Food was tasty - great margherita and fennel sausage pizza, burrata bruschetta, and everyone was super pleased with their homemade pasta dishes. The half-size orders are an awesome feature as well. When it came to dessert, our waiter was totally unaware that this was a birthday and that I had a pie with candles to be brought out. I had to let him know in front of everyone as he was passing out dessert menus to each of us. Sheeeesh. Besides the less-than-seamless progression of making the reservation to the time of bringing out the birthday dessert, I would still come back here. Mistakes happen and the food is worth coming back for. Maybe next time, I'll stick to having a pizza and a drink in the bar area.
(3)Erica L.
My friend was raving about the Short Rib Vegetable Risotto which brought me here one Wednesday night after work. We were able to be seated early while waiting the last member of our party to join us. The hostess was very friendly, but our server was very icy and a little short with us. Our friend barely had a chance to sit down and a get settled when she was already asking if we were ready to order. I don't see what the rush was when it was 6pm on a Wednesday and the place was not even half full. Despite that, the food come in a timely manner. We started with the Pizza Fondue. It was delicious. We split a Triple Pepperoni Pizza, but I thought it was pretty greasy (yes it has truffle oil, but overall it was still greasy). The Chicken, Spinach, & Ricotta Ravioli was okay. I liked the brightness of the dish. The Short Rib Vegetable Risotto was good, but nothing to rave about. We split the Chocolate Semifreddo and it was okay. We were all pretty full with the amount we ordered.
(3)Silvio R.
Stopped by on a weeknight and wife and I got the Margarita and the fig pizza. Both were delicious. Service was great and the atmosphere was very nice and casual. Would definitely go again
(5)Kara D.
La Madia has a small-ish menu featuring a few apps, several different pizzas, some salads, and a few entrees. We shared a pizza dip app, the Parma pizza, a delicious salad (I don't remember the name), and some of the best chocolate cake. The food was all delicious. The restaurant itself was WAY too loud, though. In addition, the wait time to receive our pizza was ridiculously long. Overall, good food, just prepare to wait and for lots of noise. I would also recommend a reservation, although they do have a counter area that seats around 10, overlooking the kitchen, that is first come, first served.
(4)Dalia M.
3 boys, 2 girls. All big appetites. A group of us came here and shared everything. We had the artichoke appetizer, a couple salads and split two (or was it three?) pizzas. Everything was devoured and good. It's a good spot for groups. Not much for ambiance, and one friend described it as cold. I would say it's more sterile, especially in the front room. Service was good although I felt our waiter was a bit annoyed with us. But I guess we can be a loud and joke around so he may not love that. I'd go back!
(3)David S.
Really strong on the food here. It was good to get a superb thin crust pizza in a deep dish haven. We had the salumi and proscuitoo plate superb again. A good selection and appetizer for 3 of us. The triple pepperoni was awesome per prior reviews. The mushroom pizza again very good. The only thing I would mark down for and this is key at an Italian Rest-the papardelle with Bolognese was good but the pasta was just warm-not hot. The wild boar flavor was good but I would have liked a bit more pronounced flavor of the boar. But most importantly pasta should be brought to the table hot, and it wasn't. Again it was luke warm at best. Server was good. I would go back again. i'll give 3.5 stars if I could figure out how to do it.
(3)Jeff S.
I ordered delivery from this place and was not impressed. The $17 pizza was extremely small (the size of a personal pizza) and the beet salad was just ok. The experience wasn't worth the $40. Maybe the food is better dining in.
(2)Duane P.
Excellent, excellent, excellent....keep it simple with a three cheese thin crust and a few full pours of bin 710 red. it will set you back a little over $30 with tip and be a great Chicago experience. I will definitely stop here again on my next trip.
(5)Sara T.
Farro Risotto with Creamed Leeks, Asparagus & Chanterelle Mushrooms ($21) - ooey gooey creamy goodness. Our table also ordered the Spinach & Taleggio Fondue with White Truffle Oil ($11) as a starter and it was TO DIE FOR. Since we had a large group and made reservations in advance, we were given a private room. I enjoyed the ambiance. Next visit will be to try the pizzas!
(5)Shan D.
La Madia has great thin crust pizzas (top 3 in Chicago for sure). The place is casual, but nice enough for any occasion. I'm usually here once a month. Try to make a reservation as it gets pretty crowded on weekends. But you can always sit in their bar/lounge area and order if you're starving. I've tried most of their pizzas, but my favorite is always the La Quercia Coppa Piccante (without the pork). Has a great kick to it; you won't even need to add crushed red pepper. The servers usually recommend the pizza with roasted grapes, but I find it ok for only a couple of bites. It's a little too sweet if you have it as your own main pizza. For appetizers, the pizza fondue is always great and filling, but I usually order the roasted artichokes so that I still have room for multiple pizzas. The pastas are just average. Don't come here if you have a pasta craving. Stick with the pizza. You won't regret it.
(5)Stefanie V.
Polenta mushroom appetizer was wonderful. However, sat at the bar and drinks were subpar and bartender wasn't friendly or engaging as one would hope for a more enjoyable experience. Based on the food, I'd try it again.
(3)Jay S.
I LOVE this place. I visited once with friends, and another time with my boyfriend. The lights were a little dim which set a romantic setting. The restaurant itself is very contemporary, which I like. Our waiter was super friendly, and answered our questions about the menu very well. The "triple pepperoni pizza with truffle oil" is a must! It tasted very fresh unlike many other pizzas I have had. If you are a "thin-crust-pepperoni-lover" like I am, this place is the place to go! Definitely coming back!
(5)Mike G.
All in all, the food was good. I thought the service was decent but I could not get over the pricing. I have eaten at many Italian restaurants in Chicago and this one was middle of the road. It is very much family style, therefore needing to buy more to eat more. I don't think we will go back.
(3)Steve Y.
Went here with a group of 6. Food was pretty good, atmosphere was ok except for the AC dripping on the table. Service was a little slow.....but the biggest reason I will never come back was the gender discrimination against men. just FYI guys....there is no men's restroom.
(1)Damir A.
Could not believe how rude our host (Chris--dark hair, short beard) was. He acted disgusted and started talking down to us for asking to switch tables. (The one he seated us at was a few feet from the front door and the cold wind from outside kept gusting in as people opened the door every 5 mins. It was pretty uncomfortable to sit next to for an hour.) When we offered to wait for a different table to open up, Chris got exasperated and told us that we'd have to wait two and a half hours if we wanted to switch because "he already assigned every empty table to future parties". I honestly have no idea what that means. I guess I could understand his demeanor if the place was full and there were no tables, but we showed up five minutes before a six thirty reservation and the place was almost empty! The pizza was good, rest of the food was okay (average quality, tiny portions). There are several better options in the surrounding area at the same price point. Our waiter (Alex) was very kind and helpful. TLDR; ok food, douchey host
(1)Elizabeth C.
The ambiance and general vibe of this place is great. Modern but comfortable, a little bit of rustic thrown in there. Our table was right by the window and also by a fireplace, so I felt like we got the best of both worlds. Pros: The food and drinks were AMAZING! We split lamb meatballs and burrata for appetizers...definitely recommend. For dinner, we split a triple pepperoni pizza. My boyfriend got a Brooklyn lager that he was thrilled about, and I got the Thai Tea cocktail that comes in a small bottle that I got 3 servings out of. Everything was great. Cons: The bathrooms are single-style, down a crowded hallway. If someone is in there you are stuck pressing against the wall while people come through. Although, the service took away the one star. The hostesses were great and our waiter was knowledgeable. The restaurant was completely filled, and the location of our table was kind of hidden. So, we felt like the waiter wasn't as attentive as could have been... our table was probably looked over. Thankfully they have separate staff running the food, so it didn't delay the appetizers or main course... more the drink refills, water refills, and bill. Overall my boyfriend and I loved this place! The food is familiar but still has a twist to it. Highly recommend for a date night or a night out with friends!
(4)Shradha A.
Places I only return once in 5 years are self evidently not ones I'm much of a fan of. Everything here is mediocre - food, service, ambiance. We had the risotto, pizza, pasta, naan bread dip - they're all okay.
(3)Jessica P.
Very delicious boar bolognese and chocolate polenta cake with vanilla sorbet. Yum! Artichoke appetizer was amazing too!
(4)Jami C.
Wild mushroom pizza is the most delicious pizza I've ever had in my life. The crust is so soft and flavorful. Only reason it's not 5 stars is our waiter seemed he didn't want to be here and was vague about recommendations when we asked.
(4)Tiffany S.
Sadly, our experience was pretty underwhelming and basically blasé. We got the Christmas Crab pasta and Clam Pizza. I usually love wood fired pizza for that awesome crispy yet tender texture and wood fired flavor. However, the pizza crust had zero crispness or flavor. It was very plain. The clam pizza also had sliced peppers on it, and while I love spicy, the peppers completely overwhelmed the clams - which were scarce to begin with. I was somewhat surprised since peppers weren't on the menu, but since that was the only real flavor component I guess I was more thankful than anything. The Christmas Crab pasta had well prepared noodles but the dish was pretty bland otherwise. Our server also seemed pretty bored and unfriendly. Our questions about the menu were meet with relatively nondescript answers. Nothing was explicitly bad, just all pretty blasé.
(2)Jennifer L.
The "Luncheon for Two", which includes a share salad, pizza and Wisconsin Electric cookies is steal for $19. You will have to add $2 if you choose anything starred on the lunch menu. Nevertheless, this definitely is a great deal given the area of the city you're in. Dining out in the River North area can get quite pricey. In fact, my fiance and I spent more money on our drinks with lunch than we did on our little luncheon (and we paid the additional $2 for it too). *shrugs* Priorities, I guess. Plus, he wanted wine and I wasn't about to leave him drinking alone! For lunch, we shared the organic mixed greens salad, cracked organic egg pizza with prosciutto and black pepper. The salad came with cucumber, crimini, tomato and herb vinaigrette. The salad was just OK and definitely not something to write home about. It had an overall bitter taste to it since it had frisee on it. Also, I guess I'm just used to eating salads with more on them so this felt a little too plain for me. I wish my fiance and I would have sprung for a more adventurous salad choice. The pizza was fantastic! Sometimes, it's good to change it up from the deep, cheesy deep dish that's part of Chicago's claim to fame. I really liked that it was a white pizza. Let's be real here. You eat pizza for its cheesy yummy goodness not that sauce. The addition of the salty prosciutto worked really well with the egg. My only gripe was that you'd essentially pull off the entire strip of prosciutto when you took a bit of it. The way it was arranged didn't give you enough meat for every bite. Nonetheless, delicious pizza and I'd definitely eat it again. The Wisconsin Electric cookies were the perfect end to the meal. They are butter cookies topped with candied lemon rinds and powdered sugar. They were also served warm. My only gripe was that I wish they were either larger or that they served you more of them. I could have downed handfuls and wanted more. As for the beverages, they do a great job selecting a wine to go along with your pizza if you are into wine. My fiance tried the one that paired with our pizza (a pinot noir) and he enjoyed it. As for me, I tried the Crimson Crush cocktail (Citros Vodka, Pomegranate Juice, Fresh Lemon Sour, Muddled Mint Leaves, Gomme Syrup, Soda Water). It was very delicious and is perfect for a hot, summer day. It was a tad too strong for me, but I am such a lightweight. Our server was polite and friendly though she didn't check up on us that often. We were given a carafe for water so there was no need for her to come back with refills. The ambiance is modern and chic yet warm and inviting with dark wood tables and green and white accents. I'd definitely come back for lunch. The price is right. They even offer an $8 valet so you don't get gauged parking your car in a garage. And, it was pretty dead on Saturday afternoon around 12:30. Everyone must have been dining at more brunch type places. That was a win for me since I was actually able to converse with my fiance. Bottom line: go!
(4)Phil C.
The Good: the pizza really is some of the best in town. Extremely good. The lamb sausage pizza was incredible. It was a little spicy, but you can power through the spice because the pizza is that good. The Bad- over priced for what it is. Beer selection is poor. It felt like we were paying more for the ambiance than the actual food. Worst- I have a nut allergy and the menu gave no warning of nuts on anything. Menu lacks all detail. We got the bruschetta only to find out u couldn't eat it because it has nuts on top. My fault for not asking, but menu's fault for not telling me. 3/5 stars only because the pizza was so good.
(3)Kate M.
La Madia is a great near North restaurant nestled among a lot of other really good ones, so I think sometimes it's overlooked. But among my friends, it is regarded as being a really good spot for girls' nights, business meals, and dates alike. I really love coming here with girlfriends for vino and pizza that is a little fancier than Malnati's or other Chicago favorites, but delicious nonetheless. The wine list is really great - I actually haven't tried any on there that I didn't love. The appetizers are really good - especially love the Pizza Fondue that I tried for the first time last night - a bubble of pizza dough to dip in cheesy red sauce. Usually when I go with friends, we split a salad and a couple of pizzas. One that they are known for, the Tallegio and Three Hour Roasted Grape Pizza, may sound odd but it's such a delicious marriage of salty and sweet that you will understand why it's one of their signature items. Also can't go wrong with the standard margherita but I have tried and loved the Spinach and goat cheese, the kale and pork belly, and a number of the other awesome pizzas. Bottomline, they have really delicious and creative ingredients that they put atop their chewy amazing crust and I don't think any of the pizzas could turn out bad. They also have some semi-private rooms incase you are interested in planning an event here, which I'm sure party guests would go crazy for! I definitely keep it in mind for parties and such. But even if you just want a fun night out with friends, this place is really fun (and usually not too hard to get in- but recommend a reservation anyway)
(4)Anthony M.
The people who work here act like they are so special. Their pizza is not life changing. There are a million other places in Chicago that are more accommodating and make better pizza. Italians should be welcoming. They acted like they were doing us a favor. The pizza was good, but with the poor service, it's not worth it.
(2)Adam S.
Wine list good Great innovative menu Friendly staff Buzzy Alive No stuffy old school pretension Sit at pizza bar and get free glass if proseco
(4)Kate S.
We LOVED La Madia! The bruschetta appetizer was fantastic and unforgettable. We ordered the Triple Pepperoni pizza with white truffle oil and it was so delicious. Tons of flavor, perfectly crisped crust and surprisingly large! We've been recreating it at home ever since. Only negatives: the place was packed, so it was quite noisy. The building is small, so it did feel like the tables were pretty close together and waiters were squeezing past, but that might have just been a hazard of the particular table we were seated at. We didn't really enjoy the roasted artichoke appetizer we were served, but only because it was undercooked and tough--flavor was good though. We just didn't feel it was worth it to send it back. There are so many great restaurants to try in Chicago that we haven't (unfortunately) been back since, but I would eat here again without hesitation.
(4)Yousuf K.
Solid place. Nothing special. Ambiance was nice. Had lunch here. Decent place for a business meeting. Had the cheese fondue appetizer which was pretty good, but the chicken ravioli entrée was pretty bad in my opinion. The service was normal, nothing spectacular or despicable. Like I said, decent place, probably wouldn't come here again because I really didn't like the ravioli. I'm sure they have other options I would have liked, however.
(3)Am P.
La Madia 2.0 Have been a regular customer at this place for more than 1 year and the food and service were always perfect. This was my first trip after the menu was updated and was for the first time disappointed. Seating seemed more cramped than our previous visits and while the service was efficient it wasn't quite as friendly. The pizza was "good" but it used to be "great." Plus they got rid of the two that I enjoyed the most and added more pastas which looked like nothing more than a small bowl of noodles drenched in sauce. Seems like they also updated the crust (original crust was better) and made a smaller pizza yet kept the same price. This place had a good thing going and I don't quite understand the changes but probably will not go back anymore.
(3)Erica H.
I really loved the pizza. great wine selection!
(5)Meredith B.
I came here with three friends on a Sunday night and it was a great place to go and share some delicious food and wine! We made a reservation, hard to tell if it was necessary though. There was a healthy crowd but didn't see anybody waiting. The restaurant is casual and stylish, and it's nice to see an affordable but trendy place in the area. It's a relief from the expensive River North scene! We started with a bottle of wine - they have a pretty big list and denote which ones are organic/sustainable. Lots of Italian wines. Several under $40 but don't think I saw any under $30. Then we shared the beet salad, which was very beautiful with both red and golden beets. It was delicious and fresh, with nice dabs of goat cheese amongst the dark greens. Definitely share a salad before you move on to pizzas! Pizzas are 12 inches and divided into 8 small slices each. We got 2, the Triple Pepperoni and the Lamb Sausage with mint pesto. The former was a red pizza, the latter was a white pizza, and the menu is divided to specify which is which. The pepperoni pizza was great although a bit greasy. Lots of meat which was crispy around the edges. You could smell the truffle oil as soon as they put it down. The lamb sausage was also delicious and creative, the mint pesto added a really nice touch. Pizzas are served with red pepper flakes and parmesan alongside. The crust was appealingly crisp. So nice to have a thin crust pizza in a deep-dish town! This was the perfect amount of food for four girls and we really enjoyed everything. Came down to $22 per person before tip which is really not bad at all for a bottle of wine, two pizzas, and a salad. I think we got our money's worth and La Madia may have earned some repeat customers!
(4)Carl f.
We have been to La Madia dozens of times. Their pizzas are great and they have a good beer and wine selection. Sit at the back barstools facing the kitchen and watch them cook the pizzas in the wood burning oven lots of entertainment plus a free glass of prosecco!
(5)Julie G.
The lazy luncheon is an amazing deal. A salad, pizza, and two glasses of wine for $31. Can't beat it. (Only $22 if you don't want the wine!) I'm obsessed with the butter lettuce salad, but have been forced by my fellow diners to try the arugula and beet salads as well. I didn't love the beet salad, but the arugula was delicious and I would definitely order it again. With the pizzas you can't really go wrong. The cracked egg, mushroom, and margherita are personal favorites. Four star rating for atmosphere and service. It's never as crowded as I want it to be and the wait staff have an awkward energy. Not bad enough to keep from coming back again and again.
(4)Jacqueline M.
I really like this place, the pizza is really really good. I had a salad which was pretty good as well, but I'm a bit of a picky eater so I wasn't in love with it. It's kind of pricey as well, but I can see why for the most part.
(4)Shardool P.
I've dined here a half dozen times and La Madia is always a great choice. The environment is a classy casual blend making it versatile enough to be a fitting destination for many different occasions, from a dinner with the guys, to a relaxed weekend dinner with the family, or even a low key romantic setting with a significant other. If you work in the area, it also serves as a nice, usually fairly quiet, and peaceful retreat from your busy workday -- if you need some solace you'll find it here. The pricing is very reasonable, if not fairly cheap for the quality of food and the area it's in, so it's always a great value! I particularly like their lunch special, for less than $20 you and a friend select a pretty solid salad to share, one of their great pizzas to share, and then you each get a lemon cookie ... a refreshing little something sweet. The portion is just perfect for lunch and the meal isn't overly heavy or anything so that's nice. Get a coke or 2 and you've got a tasty and quality multi-part sit-down meal for under 30 bucks between 2 people ... you can't beat that! I love that they have a big menu of 'white' pizzas (without sauce) and all of the pizzas I've had are some of the better thin crust in the city for sure. I don't come often enough to stray from my favorite so I usually get the Clam & Fresno Chilies pizza which is topped with pecorino, garlic & thyme. It's a white pizza too which I love and it's a little meaty but still light and the crust is thin but not stiff or overly chewy, it's perfect :D Hats off the staff here as well, I've never had bad service here, so keep up the great work guys! I look forward to eating here again soon.
(5)Michael W.
Tourist Trap Terrible. If you want good wood oven pizza do coal fire. If you want good pasta do cocello. The pasta was so overdone. The staff was very inattentive. The pizza was mediocre at best. Avoid unless maybe you are from out of town.
(1)Michael C.
Excellent food for fair prices. The Goats Cheese Ravioli with arrabbiata was delish as was the Quattro Formaggio Pizza that my wife had. Staff happy and informative. Good beer on tap.
(4)Madhuri G.
We just had wild mushroom pizza and gnudi pasta here. Both tasted great. When we came in we wanted to have vegetarian dishes. The server was very helpful in describing the dishes as menu is a bit tacit. He was professional. Only one negative was he was serving three tables and we had to wait for check and other needs to be addressed. Rest good. I recommend to give it a try.
(4)William F.
I would have given this place three stars, if it weren't for how incongruously expensive our bill was compared to the mediocre quality of the meal. I cannot make an exception for the fact that it was New Year's Eve. For a $75 per person Prix Fixe Menu, a restaurant should have it right. The beginning was relatively innocuous with a bottle of Nebiolo d'Alba Ochetti and duck confit arrincinis, which were actually quite good. The restaurant had another saving grace in its service, as our waiter and his supports staff were very polite and diligent. However, next came a shared beet salad that was okay and only filled a meager bread plate. Then the shared pizza, which I assume was meant to be a Neapolitan-style, thin crust pizza. It tasted like Digiorno's or Amy's frozen pizza, which I wouldn't mind if I was scrounging for something to eat at home and didn't feel like cooking. The crust had that thick, doughy texture, instead of that Neapolitan floury, crispy but still soft texture. And, anyone who knows pizza can tell you that the crust is a huge part of what makes any great pizza. But, the entrees and the "dessert" were the most insulting. My girlfriend ordered the scallops and I ordered the wild boar bolognese. Bolognese of any kind is one of my favorite Italian dishes of all time. I have eaten it in several amazing places and have made it, as well. And, I especially am fond of wild boar bolognese. Therefore, I regret to inform those reading this review that the wild boar bolognese was an ABOMINATION. The meat was ground, overcooked to dryness, and tasted like it came from Taco Bell. The bolognese was watery, tangy, and generally foul tasting as if it were made in a high school cafeteria or out of a bottle. Admittedly, scallops are difficult to cook. If over-cooked for even a minute, they will become balls of rubber. However, these tasted undercooked and bizarre as if they had been previously over frozen and tasted gooey in the middle. My girlfriend later felt nauseous right after dinner. I returned the bolognese of which the waiter seemed to be very understanding. I opted for the steak dish instead, which was recommended medium-rare. It came to me medium to medium-well. Kind of tasted like Salisbury steak, but it was edible. However, the final slap in the face came from the "desert" and the manager's attempt to save face with a free glass of very awful Cabernet. First, the dessert was just a bite size cube of chocolate. Nothing says, "thanks for your patronage, now go die" like being told desert was included in a $75 Prixe Fixe menu and then getting a meager bite-sized morsel. As far as the free glass of wine was concerned, the manager offered Casillero de Diablo which I used to buy in college for $8 a bottle before I knew anything about what good wine tastes like. It tastes like fruity, death by head ache in a bottle. All thing considered, the service is great, but the food is very mediocre and over-priced. We definitely will not go back, and I highly recommend avoiding this place.
(2)Marie B.
Pizza was great! Calamari is spicy. Spinach salad with figs and goat cheese was fantastic. Wine is a little pricy. Cool atmosphere.
(4)Elizabeth H.
Hands down the best "non-Chicago style" thin-crust pizza in Chicago that I have checked out so far. Ambiance and service is excellent. Great local beer list- something that is really important to me, at least! Pizza is truly fantastic. Try the eggplant and burrata cheese. If you're an appetizer person, I recommend the artichokes. But really, you can't go wrong. Check it out and enjoy!
(5)Rits M.
came here on the day of the first snow. We promptly ordered wine and the server was happy to give recommendations- they were good ones. We had the spinach fondue- comes with truffle oil and a big big bread which we loved. We also got the gnocchi with teardrop tomatoes and homemade sausages- a good solid option, but not the greatest gnocchi Ive had. We tried the specialty pizza with heirloom tomatoes and pesto, that was good too, and Im a big fan of Neapolitan pizza. I wouldnt come here for a date, but its a nice place for a group to meet. The place looks like an upscale diner, though I did see some smaller tables for drinks/apps
(4)Noah E.
We chose Osteria La Madia for our rehearsal dinner and we couldn't have made a better choice. We were able to work out a deal to use the private wine room without having to use an event menu, ordering off the regular menu instead. After a quick mix up in rooms that they fixed very quickly, we were seated and the service was great. Our server was very knowledgeable about the beer, wine, and the menu. We all ordered a round of apps which came out quickly, followed by entrees. I highly recommend Osteria. The food is delicious. Thank you for having us and providing a wonderful experience!
(5)Jessica M.
A splendid Friday night dinner for three! The steamed Pei mussels came in a pot full of baby mussels drowned in a white wine sauce. The sauce was rich and perfect for dipping the toasted bread. The triple pepperoni pizza with truffle oil has all the raves. Did it disappoint? NOT AT ALL. It was thin but it had the perfect amount of tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and white truffle oil. Perfect for two! The gnocchi with house-made sausage was paired with spinach and tomatoes in a white sauce. The gnocchi was crafted in-house. They were small, soft, and chewy. The chocolate polenta cake with vanilla bean gelato was freshly baked. The cake was rich and warm. It was moist with a pleasantly crumbly and grainy texture. The gelato had a complimenting and polarizing effect. La Madia has the perfect atmosphere for date night, birthday dinners, and girls' night out. Street parking can be difficult but we were fortunate enough to spot one right around the corner after circling the area for 10 minutes.
(4)Caroline L.
Perfectly located downtown this restaurant had the most amazing looking menu - I wanted to try everything! Some of it shines and some of it was just okay. Firstly, the ambiance and decor is great, as was the service. We were lucky enough to be seated in the small back room with only 3 tables so it was much quieter than the noisy main dining room. We each tried a local craft beer and liked them both. And we built our own cheese plate which was the star of the meal. We tied the farm cheese and the taleggio. Both were great but the farm cheese blew us away - so creamy and yummy! And it was served with the most amazing bread- made to order. It was more like a calzone with no stuffing. So good! For entrees hubby ordered the pappardelle with wild boar ragu which he said was good but not great- he wouldn't order it again. Our server told him the he should order the larger size since the alley was really more of a tapas size. The larger size was a good medium sized portion. Based on this I decided to order several appetizers and sides. Weirdly the portion sizes on these were MUCH larger than his pasta which felt very out of proportion but also meant I ordered WAY to much food! I got the following: - tomato and cheese fondue - this is not fondue. It was a yummy tomato bisque with a tiny amount of cheese grated on top and served with a GIANT calzone- bread. Yummy but not what I was expecting. - grilled artichokes - these were great but it was four quarters of a huge artichoke which meant a very large portion. Cooked well and served with a dipping aioli that was good but didn't add much - I ate the artichokes plain and was happy - side of heirloom carrots with honey - this looked very pretty with multicolored heirloom carrots, and the honey sauce was good but the arrows were not evenly cooked - some were perfect some too crunchy. I ate a few and left the rest. So now, the next day, I am still stuffed. I ate about half of the food I ordered and even that was way to much. Overall, good experience, decent food, good concept.
(3)Ricardo B.
This was great choice last night. The food was awesome. And it came to the table really quick. The service we received was what was so impressive. Everyone we interacted with from the hostesses to our server and also the expediters that came to check on out table were so courteous. I will definitely be back for the service alone and the food was great!
(5)Meredith K.
Love coming here for fresh and tasty oven brick pizza! There are so many pizza options: red and white sauce. I have honestly never had a bad pizza. I also like their wine pairings with the pizza, makes me have to think even less what I want to drink :) I don't think you need reservations for a week night dinner but would recommend for the weekend. Also, prices are pretty reasonable considering the River North area but if you are splitting pizza/wine with a friend I think it is definitely manageable!
(4)Angie M.
My boss: "Hey Ang. You like to go out a lot and know about restaurants in Chicago. Would you plan the company holiday party?" Me: "I think I can handle that." After an exhaustive search of pretty much every restaurant in the downtown area that I thought could possibly handle a party for 30 people that gave us a private or semi-private space, a sit-down dinner and some kind of bar package, I came up with the extremely competitively priced La Madia. It had everything I was looking for: style, sophistication, great food and they were willing to work with me on my fairly restrictive budget. I spoke with Megan Kirkpatrick, their private events planner, to get the ball rolling. I couldn't have asked for someone more helpful and lovely. She was super-responsive, providing me with menu options and ideas and she also made my corporate budget work. Cheers, Megan. You're absolutely fantastic! Our bar package was La Madia's Premium Bar Package including pretty much every hard liquor you can imagine (except super high-end whiskeys and ports), beer and wine. Priced at $29 per person for the first two hours and $6 each additional hour, it's a steal, especially for my hard-drinking work crowd. For food, I went with the Grande package, which gave me 2 appetizers, 2 salads, 3 pizzas, 2 pastas and 2 dessert choices. All of this for the extremely affordable price of $28 per person. While all of the food was delicious, there were definitely some winners. 1. Seasonal Mushroom Bruschetta - Perfectly seasoned mushrooms atop a creamy cheese and served on toasted baguette. Lovely. 2. Romaine Salad with Crispy Pancettta, Market Tomatoes and Creamy Mustard Dressing - So simple, but so well done. The mustard dressing is arguably the best salad dressing I've ever had. 3. Triple Pepperoni Pizza finished with White Truffle Oil - ZOMG. Fan-freaking-tastic. It was hands-down my favorite dish of the night. I loved that it was slightly crispy. 4. Ricotta Gnocci with House-Made Fennel Sausage and Spinach - I believe I tried this dish at Yelp Eats and wasn't blown away, but this was on point this time around. How about that service? Seriously, it was top notch. We had no less than 3 servers who were maintaining our party all night and they really worked hard to keep us happy. It's no easy task keeping our cocktail glasses full, and everyone was well-lubricated and satisfied. The kitchen team even brought out a special, well-done cheese pizza for my Regional Vice President, gratis of course, when he requested it. Megan also checked in a few times to make sure the food was great and everyone was enjoying their party. When we didn't meet our food and liquor minimum due to a few no-shows, the server asked me if we'd like to purchase a nice bottle of wine to take home since they always want to make sure their customers are getting something for the money they spend, so we ended up with a lovely cabernet. I felt incredibly well-taken care of by the staff at La Madia. My boss actually came into my office today and told me again how much he loved the party and wants to have it there again next year. Done and done, in my opinion! Thank you again, La Madia. It was a wonderful night!
(5)Van L.
la madia, you're good at what you do. pizza, wine, group dining. it's a fun, affordable (for the area), spot if you're feeling a girl's night, double date, or something of the sort. pizzas: my favorites are the cracked egg (with prosciutto! mmm) and lamb sausage. salads: just do chopped italian, pretty awesome. wines: wine of the week - cheap and delish. i'd stay on the pizza side of the menu, haven't heard or tasted good things besides the pizza. the staff has some room for improvement, but i usually drink enough not to care.
(4)Katrina S.
Joined a friend here for dinner at 6:30 on a Friday. She arrived a bit before me and had already secured a very good table in the lounge area with a nice bottle of red. The atmosphere is modern yet warm and I enjoyed sitting toward the front near the window for some great people watching both on the street and the after work crowd enjoying some cocktails at the bar. A good looking crowd of young professionals and some who looked like this was their first stop before a night out. We decided to let the wine open up and ordered a glass of prosecco. Which I really enjoyed. I think all sparkling whites should be served very cold and it was - perfect. We enjoyed the Oven-Roasted, Prosciutto-Wrapped Medjool Dates Filled with Gorgonzola Dolce along with it - excellent combo. Sweet, salty and savory. My companion had dined here early in the week and had requested a special pasta. Fettucini pasta little garlic, olive oil, scallops, arugula and grape tomatoes. We shared this and it was great - perfectly cooked pasta and scallops were nicely caramelized. I thought it was very cool that they were willing to go off the menu without a pause. We also shared the Parma Classic pizza: Mozzarella Cheese, finished with Arugula & Prosciutto di Parma - the crust is both crunchy & chewy. I would have liked it a bit longer in the oven but the pie as a whole was very fresh and tasty with just the right amount of toppings. My companion recommended folding 2 pieces over each other and eating as a sandwich because the loose toppings make it difficult otherwise. This was an excellent and delicious idea! We sipped a little Italian grappa as a finale. This was a very enjoyable three hour meal and it was sweet not to be rushed on a Friday in the lounge area - well paced and all in all a great experience. Service was a bit slow a couple times but I'm gonna cut him a break. It was a busy Friday & he seemed like a nice guy. P.S. I liked the music too - very diverse and played at the right volume. One minute Buddah Bar and the next Soundgarden. I liked it. I will be back for sure.
(4)Stella W.
I love their pizza, esp the one that has the fried egg on top. hope they keep that on their menu. Love their $5 wine selection during the week as well. The only downside is that they are getting busier and busier so it's harder to get a table...i guess it's a good sign...just can't do walk-in anymore during rush hours :)
(5)Melisa P.
Delicious pizzas and salads! Went with my family and we decided to share a bunch of everything...started with the organic greens and an arugula salad--both were delicious! Ordered a red pizza (sausage) and a white pizza (burrata)--we finished both. Decided to try the gnocchi and sausage as well, and I'm pretty sure I licked the bowl clean. Everything was tasty, service was great, and i'll definitely be returning!
(4)Dallas F.
Sadly, I have to deduct a star. I used to dine at La Madia frequently and loved their pizzas and pastas. It was definitely in my top three for thin crust pizza in Chicago. However, last night when I went with a good friend, we were severely disappointed with our meal. The friend who I dined with used to literally eat at La Madia three times a week. Reason being, not only is he that lazy and doesn't know how to boil water, but because it was really good! So what led to the downgrade? First, the menu has changed. I understand seasonal menus and switching things up but they removed some of my favorite things including the Elderberry Serum cocktail and the prosciutto wrapped dates. I was a bit let down as I had planned on consuming a few of those tasty cocktails but their other drinks are pretty good as well. Since the prosciutto wrapped dates were no longer on the menu, we opted to skip appetizers and order entrees to share. We had the fennel sausage pizza and the chicken, spinach & ricotta ravioli. The ravioli arrived first and while tasty, was a bit salty. I only ate one and a half and decided I'd just eat the pizza. When the pizza arrived, I felt as if La Madia had struck out. A quick look at the pizza and I knew it was slightly overcooked but not enough to send it back and the toppings were skimpy. Upon taking a bite from my slice, my initial thoughts were confirmed. It definitely stayed in the oven a few minutes too long. It didn't taste like the La Madia I had frequented so often in the past. I'm hoping that last night was just an off night and not the new norm. Perhaps my La Madia excitement lead to my eventual disappointment, but I still like La Madia and will definitely be back. Hopefully the place I know and love will be back too.
(3)Miranda B.
The service and food were both excellent on Friday night. We didn't want to sit in the small, cramped table at the front window that our Open Table reservation snagged for us, so with a brief wait we got a better bigger space further back. There are plenty of wines to choose from, with a range of old and new world selections. The heirloom tomato salad with mozzarella de bufala was enough to share, along with the proscuitto and melon appetizer. The melon was shaved super thin and topped with a decent proscuitto. Good sweet/salty contrast. I couldn't taste the truffle oil on the triple pepperoni, but the pizza was very balanced: plenty of large pepperoni slices, a thin layer of sauce, and enough cheese to tie it all together. Thin crust with enough heft to handle the toppings and a bit of char on the bottom. I often leave crust behind, but not this time! The bittersweet chocolate tortino featured a few layers of cake between gooey chocolate filling with a sprinkling of toasted almonds on top. I'm a "chocoholic" but a scoop of vanilla ice cream would have added just the right counterpoint for this dessert, which was a little too sweet. Our waitress was friendly and attentive, pacing on the meal was just fine. It's a little loud but you can still have a conversation without shouting. They take reservations, so if you plan ahead you won't have much of a wait. Tables were full on Friday night. Good place, and reasonable prices.
(4)ak a.
Poor customer service and management. I will never go back. Especially since pizza is not a rare item in Chicago. I stopped in on a Saturday around 5p after a visit to the Merchandise Mart. I didn't have a reservation and the restaurant was empty. The host told us if we didn't have a reservation we could sit at the pizza bar or in the bar. As we walked back to the pizza bar we passed many empty tables and in the back all the tables were empty. Our party of two decided to leave.
(2)Nick M.
So what do you do when you have a day off during the week... You have lunch with the magnificent Melanie, that's what!! Why? Because it seems all of the cool kids are doing it! She decided on La Madia. Although a little hesitant, I had a feeling this place was better then it was first letting on my first time around. True, my first experience was lacking but I chalked that up to them being slammed with "restaurant week" plus a Groupon deal out there. They really did redeem themselves. The service was good along with the food. What's nice is that they have special lunch deal $18 pizza and salad for two. Melanie and I shared a margarita pizza and a regular salad. The pizza was cooked perfectly up to par with an easy margarita pizza. Now just add some great conversation and you get the perfect lunch. Not sure if was just Melanie's smile but I can see myself going back again.
(4)Allison M.
The pizza was delish from here as well as the chopped salad. We got the pizza with an egg cracked on top of it (only know of one place in NYC that does that trick) and it was good our first time, 2nd time undercooked..... We split the pepperoni pie, which was delicious both visits. Pizzas are $17-20 per pie ( & the size of a dinner plate) which seems pricey for a pizza, however this place is in River North. You get what you pay for, as its super fresh and you will be full from it, so worth it in my opinion. I love pizza and would say La Madias quality/taste is good so far in Chicago.
(3)Ben B.
Girls will love this place. La Madia is an upscale lounge that offers pizza adorned with unusual toppings. (Fresh cumin sprinkles and eye of newt! How cute!) I did not order pizza, so I can't judge, but there's a bit of an air of "you're trying too hard" to the menu. Maybe it tastes awesome. I will have to try it sometime. During my visit, I attacked the pizza fondue, which, simply put, is awesome. Super doughy bread designed to rip and dip in a pizza sauce. I wanted more immediately. I wanted it available on demand in my apartment. The sooner we establish "Star Trek" food replicator technology, the sooner this will happen. For atmosphere, think low lights and stylish furniture. It's the "after" on a restaurant makeover show. It will make you feel as though your home decor is tacky. Because it is. Seriously, ditch that couch your grandma gave you. Make your apartment look like La Madia. I'll be back to try a pizza. The witch hazel, truffle oil, wheatgrass and glitter confetti pizza may be an affront to my manhood, but at least I can return to a mouthful of pizza fondue. And I will be happy.
(4)Mahsa T.
Take advantage of the wine of the week--$5 a glass on weekdays is a great deal. Great wine selection, they take their wines seriously. Beautiful interior and great ambiance, great service too. Can't beat their prices, you can drink and try a few things and still end up with a reasonable bill. If you like eggplant, you'll love the eggplant pizza, it's delicious all over including the crust. I feel a little silly raving about a salad, but the organic mixed greens is one of the most simple yet divine salads I have ever had in my entire life--really, I'm still trying to figure out how I inhaled that salad and how they made it taste so good, was it the fresh ingredients, was it the radishes? (I've always hated radishes but these were no ordinary radishes)----no, it must have been the herb vinaigrette, there must be a secret ingredient in there. Anyhoo, enough about the salad. The risotto and margherita pizza were also great. Both times I've been, it hasn't been that crowded, but this place deserves much more recognition for it's food and service.
(4)Lauren H.
This is the second time I've been to La Madia. Once for a concierge event in the winter and today for a business lunch. I really enjoy the food here. The $6 specials are awesome for October. The spinach fondue is insane and I could eat that as a meal. I had a mushroom pizza today that was delicious. However, my experience has quite the negative tone today because of our server Ralph. Upon coming to the table, we ordered Ice Tea. It's a working lunch. He asked if we wanted vodka in that. Obviously, I'm sure he was joking but his tone was kind of rude. After we said no to the vodka, he told us we were boring. Again, joking, right? He disappeared for about 10 minutes. When he came back we ordered the spinach fondue which took about 20 minutes to get to the table. At this point we still hadn't ordered the rest of our meal. We had to flag Ralph down to ask if we could order. Once our pizza's were finally ordered it took about 25 minutes. When he was bringing the food to the table he explained that it took longer than usual because when you order the $6 pizzas they cook the more expensive pizzas first. Rude again! From that point on, Ralph disappeared. Didn't check to see how things were, didn't refill drinks, poof gone. I had to ask another server and the hostess for our check and boxes for the pizza. Of course, Ralph reappeared when it came time for us to pay. I typically tip 20% no matter what. Not this time. Our 1 hours business lunch took nearly 2 hours. This is no good. Please ask Ralph to do better.
(2)Rick L.
Concierge at the Hilton recommended La Madia for the thin crust pizza. What a find. Yelp reviews convinced me to try it. Took several out of towners. Arrived at 8:30 and was eating by 9 and never felt rushed. Good service. Great pizza - highly recommend the red sauce pepperoni with basil. The sweet sausage and fennel was a close second. Will definitely go back when in Chicago.
(4)Kathy M.
I've been to La Madia three times on trips to Chicago. It never disappoints. When I am traveling, I like to watch my calories and make sure I have a good salad....so the twenty pound Chicago pizzas just don't do it for me. La Madia is a friendly restaurant, with a great wine list, good beers on tap, AND a wonderful list of pastas and pizzas, along with beautifully crafted salads. There are, of course, fancier entrees on the menu, but I don't think anything could be better than their pizzas! Friendly and casual, it is the kind of place you can go to dressed up or dressed down. The staff will always make you feel welcome, sharing is encouraged, with plenty of plates and the service is good. I love La Madia, it's always a high point of my trips to the wonderful city of Chicago!
(5)Tim H.
I don't think I would come here without a coupon of some sort. The pizza's are decent and the place is pretty upscale which you would expect from the location. Pizza's are large enough where most people will only be able to eat 1/2 to 2/3. You have to be a pretty big eater to finish one off by yourself. I had 3 pizzas ordered for 4 people and we almost had 1 whole pizza left over. It was obnoxious for the server to answer that we should order 1 pizza/person if we were not doing appetizers. I love pizza in general and their pizza is good enough that I do enjoy it. It is just not good enough that I will make a special trip here given all the other stellar pizza places in Chicago. La Madia's pizza is a thin crust that is thin, but NOT crispy. If I am going thin, I like crispy with a thin layer of cheese. That is probably just personal preference. Their thin crust is a crust with some body to it, but ends up slightly crispy, slightly soggy. All three pizzas I tried were good: -House-Made Fennel Sausage & Sweet Onions -Coach Farm Goat Cheese, Melted Leeks, Garlic, & Pancetta -Cracked Organic Egg, San Daniele Prosciutto, Caciocavallo Cheese & Black Pepper Everyone in my group like the sausage one best. Valet for lunch is a reasonable $8. For dinner, it costs a bit more, $12.
(3)Daniel G.
Overall, the huge appeal of this place is the fact that it delivers through DiningIn. It's almost impossible to get thin crust/Neapolitan style pizza delivered in Chicago. When visiting the actual location, though, I'm continuously underwhelmed. It is always way too warm in there, no matter where you sit. Not sure if the owner is trying to save money with his A/C, but it can get stuffy. Though I like the pizzas, they are pretty greasy - especially the Triple Pepperoni, which is the one they are famous for. When delivering, I've found that over 70% of the time my pizza will fly around in the box and I'll get a big mess at home. Investing in some cheap plastic bits to hold your pizza in place should be a priority guys. It's your product and your customers are seeing poorly packaged pizza and get upset with something that's not 100% in your control.
(4)Dhruv P.
Eh. I've had pizza much better. Pizza that didn't make my tummy twinge afterwards. Spacca Napoli, Great Lake and Coalfire are places to get great pizzas and in neighborhoods where it feels as if you are living there, not if you just left work and needed a drink. The good thing is that we got to get seated right away, at the lounge area as the dining section was packed. I was excited, one of the pizzas had Burrata, which I though was seasonal, and earlier wondered how Green Zebra had it in February. Well, it seems La Madia is able to get it all year round too. Unfortuately, Burrata should be savored individually as it was lost in the pizza. There was also something off-putting about the crust, and which I didn't care for in the end. The other pizza was farm fresh tomatoes with pesto. This pesto was a bit more mint-y (read: none) than we expected. It was also un-enjoyable as none of the flavors went too well. Both our waiter and the chef were nice and talkative. Our wine was good and we had no problems with anything else. Even the ambiance on a weekday was a nice experience. It was just the pizzas weren't the best I've had, and which Chicago seems to keep coming up with better versions.
(2)Jessica M.
Let me first start by saying that the food was delicious, and overall was inexpensive. However, there were many snags to our evening unfortunately. We had a group of 6 girls for ladies night out, and reservations set for 8:30pm. This already being a little late, we were pretty hungry upon arrival. We didn't get seated until 9:15pm! Yikes - really? A 45min wait on a reservation is not okay! One of the girls mentioned that it was excessive and the manager said he would take care of us. At this point we were feeling cranky-pants, but trying to be patient. Our waitress took her time to come over with water or drink orders which didn't help. The manager then brought over free appetizers to tame our ravenous hunger - phew! 2 orders of balloon-like bread with cheesy/tomato dipping sauce and 2 different kinds of bruschetta. YUM and THANK YOU! Once our watitress did come over, she was very pleasant and did a good job. Since it was now around 9:30, we could take part in their late night fixe menu, which was another advantage to us actually because it was less expensive. The late night menu consists of a salad, pizza and cookies for 2 people for $20, or $30 to add 2 glasses of wine. $10-$15 bucks a person is what we ended up with (before tip) which was what we needed at this point! We ordered 3 diff. salads and 3 diff. pizzas and shared them all. Salads - heirloom tomato motz rocked! Pizzas, pepperoni rocked! But that is where the last strike came in for me. Since someone else was ordering the pepperoni truffle pizza (which really is the best!) we decided to try the banana pepper onion pizza. I love spicy and I love banana peppers. Sigh. The pizza came out... and it was plain old green bell peppers, of which I am not a fan. I picked them off. At this point, I didn't want to "be that table" that complains about everything (and since they already hooked us up with free apps) so I didn't say anything. Well, until this yelp of course. :) I guess the last stab at trying to please us cranky girls, was upgrading our wine size. The fixed menu comes with a 5oz glass, but the bartender "accidentally" gave us all the 7oz portion. Thanks again. Kudos to the manager for trying to make it up to us, always smiling, and to the waitress for smiling too. However, leaving the restaurant at 11pm on a weeknight - ugh. Good food and atmosphere, but to me the wait wasn't worth it, and I don't know if I need to go back with so many other great places in Chicago.
(3)Alexandra C.
Dined at La Madia last night for my birthday. It was our first visit there. We had a fantastic experience and will definitely return! Food: We started with the Spinach & Taleggio Fondue appetizer. I was not expecting what we received, but it was totally unique and completely delicious. You are given an entire pizza crust which is nicely charred and puffy alongside a "green sauce" of spinach, cheese and truffle oil. Next, we split a pizza with half heirloom tomato and pesto and half artichoke and cheese. Pizza was tasty, but honestly not the best I've had (that honor goes to Quartino). The next course was the Chicken, Ricotta and Spinach Ravioli served in Brown Butter Sauce. This dish was crazy. Probably one of the best ravioli dishes I've tasted. The spinach was cooked perfectly and the raviolis were very hearty and earthy tasting. Delicious. For dessert, we shared blood orange sorbet with prosecco. This was delicious and a very unique dish as well. Service: Our server was excellent and made us feel comfortable and not rushed at all. I hate being rushed through a meal and prefer a slow, course by course meal, which is what we received. The host was also very accommodating and offered us great service. Vibe: The restaurant is a very modern, sexy space. I can see myself coming back for drinks at the bar for sure. Tables are nicely spaced so you do not feel crammed. The atmosphere is a bit loud, but if you're able to snag a booth or table by the window, you will have no problem hearing. Very good experience!
(4)Kennen M.
A great date place! Went here on a Saturday night and the only available seating was at the "pizza bar". Originally we were not fans of sitting at a bar but it turned out to be really fun as you get to watch each and every pizza be assembled and cooked in the wood burning oven. As a gesture of kindness for the lack of table space, La Madia gives complimentary Prosecco to the pizza bar eaters. We had the Toasted Bruschetta with Mushrooms & Marsala Glaze. This was so delicious I could eat it everyday! As for the pizzas, we ordered the Sausage & Sweet Onions & the Goat Cheese, Leeks, Garlic, & Pancetta ones. Both were awesome!!! I walked out of there with a full belly and a partial buzz. This place is a solid 4 stars but since I didn't pay, I am giving it 5 stars!!
(5)Jen R.
My friend and I stopped in here after the awesomeness known as the Chicago Film Tour. And yes, I have a college degree and just used the word awesomeness - cuz I'm classy like that. PSA: My mom says I have class minus the cl...get it, get it? End PSA So... we decided to get the La Madia Luncheon deal cuz for only $15 you get to select any beginning and any pizza, and they'll throw some cookies in at the end. We went w/ the awesomeness (there's that word again - I'm all class I tell you) known as the Pizza Fondue - and the dipping sauce is to die for. They also rocked our pizza half margherita and half pepperoni which was cool. And...since it was three in the afternoon, and what better time is there to start with the alcoholic consumption, I decided to get some liquid candy - which is my name for any fruity drink that will knock my ass out while not being overly strong tasting cuz my weak ass really doesn't like the actual taste of alcohol. Whew - try to get all that out in one breath. So I asked the waiter what their best fruity drink was, and he directed me to their Forget-Me-Not - a mix of amazing and egg white. Wtf? So I questioned the egg white presence and was told it helps mask the taste of alcohol - well, sign me the hell up then. And you know what - it totally did - although now I'm tempted to rock some mad scientist cocktail egg experimentation at home which will end up in nothing but an epic fail. Anyways, between the tasty food and liquid candy this place def made me a happy camper.
(4)Sandeep P.
I was impressed with grape pizza and the fondue! Service was great and will return to try their pastas and other wine selections.
(5)Bree M.
So glad I stumbled upon this place after deciding that the line was too long at XOCO. Went here on Valentine's Day around 3pm for a little shopping late lunch/snack break. The boyfriend and I got water and split a pizza - the fennel sausage one. I am a huge fan of the cracker thin wood fired pizza, so this was a great find for me. The fennel sausage was crumbly and delicious, and the pizza also had shaved onions on it - yum. They brought it to the table with little bowls of Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes. We finished the pizza quickly (because it was so yummy) and then we tried their gelato of the day, which was vanilla with bits of chocolate cake. It wasn't the best gelato I've ever tasted, but it certainly hit the spot. The pizza is definitely the star here - and apparently the pasta from what I've heard (it's freshly made here). The restaurant is bigger than it looks from the outside, there is a fireplace in the lounge up front, and apparently they have a patio in warmer weather. They also have a private room that looks perfect for small gatherings like intimate birthday dinners. AND they offer monthly chef's table dinners and cooking classes, which fill up quickly (I was disappointed that the March class - handmade pasta - was full by mid February!). This is on my list for a return visit - I have to try a full meal here - perhaps a bruschetta and pasta dish. Mmmmm...and a few yummy cocktails :) Check out my blog post about La Madia here: breeeatschicago.wordpres…
(4)Erin K.
I'd like to give a 4 cuz the food was pretty good and the decor was pretty nice in there. However, the service left something (everything) to be desired. It was over 10 min before anyone came up to us and it was some other server just coming to let us know our server would eventually be coming. Maybe. She did show and gave no apology or acknowledgement. On top of that, she was no help on the menu. Whenever asked how something was, all we would hear was "good" or "really good". So informative. Oh and it was lunch and we were one of 6 tables between 2 servers. Go figure. The food is pretty good tho. The grape pizza was different but good. The mozzarella di bufalo compana was delicious! I really liked one of the salads but I forgot which - it had pancetta. Very fresh and flavorful. Desserts were good too. We got choc cake, espresso ice cream, and lemon cookies. The lemon cookies were the only actual suggestion the server made and we didn't like them. Ha! The espresso ice cream was just perfect tho!!! FYI it is a bit expensive so be prepared to shell out some major dough for pizza- which is something I tend to have trouble doing usually. The food was good tho. Maybe one day I'll get back there and get decent service and can revisit this review.
(3)Margo D.
La Madia is a neighborhood gem in River North. According to my boyfriend's father, you feel like you're in New York in this space and with the food. The salads are great, and really light and with just the right amount of dressing. The 3-hour roasted grapes in the Organic Arugula Salad are unique and unexpectedly delicious. The star of the evening though just might have been the Risotto Carnaroli with Fire-Roasted Kabacha Squash & Ricotta. It's so delicious that I paid more attention to the risotto than to any of the other tasty items on the table. La Madia seems to always have a table available too, and the noise level is perfect for date night or a night out with the boyfriend's parents, making this one of our neighborhood favorites.
(4)Jim W.
Great date place, I've been several times and highly recommend it. Very reasonably priced, great atmosphere, great wine selection. Whatever you do, GET the mushroom bruschetta. It is out of this world!
(5)Wes T.
This was a really great meal, served in a nice setting. First, the food. They have a nice selection, but pizza is the specialty. I recommend you go for the pizza, you'll have many options to choose from. They also have a pairing menu, which is cool. They have a lot of nice drinks here, and a good beer list. Go for it.
(4)Susan V.
I came here for my 21st birthday and I loved it. This place is located in a great neighborhood so there is a lot to see. The pizza is delicious and they have a lot of different options. My personal favorite is the 'pizza fondue' which makes for a great appetizer. My only complaint is that the portions are kind of small so you never really get full unless you order a lot food, but that would just be too expensive. However, I still really enjoy this place and would most definitely recommended to anyone who is in the neighborhood.
(5)Reuben H.
La Madia offers an amazing lunch special during the week. For $15.00 you can get any "Beginner" (think very large salad), any pizza on their menu (decent sized- probably 14", Neapolitan style of course), and a couple of cookies split for two people. Plenty of food to share. Go up to $25.00 to have two large glass pours of any wine pairing on the menu to accompany the above mentioned meal. The pizza we had today was very good (house made fennel sausage), and the salad was well-balanced and very nice (beats with micro greens, sweet Gorgonzola, and slivered almonds). Coupled that with a nice Sud wine (suggested pairing with our pizza) and we had an affordable, nice lunch! Only complaint- second time we have been there where we weren't greeted at the door. In fact this time we waited for close to three or four minutes before anyone showed up to even say hello. Small complaint though considering how delicious everything was and for such a great price.
(4)Dana G.
La Madia was the last stop on our extremely successful Independence Day Eve edition of girls night. Rooftop cocktails followed by Pops champagne and then time to eat. Buzzed and starving we slid in right on time for our reservation. The waitress greeted us with a big smile and took our appetizer/drink order. Everything was perfect with the 3 specialty cocktails we ordered. Sip, sip, pass. They were all dangerously good. The appetizer disappeared as fast as it came. A crispy and fresh cremini mushroom bruschetta. Yum! La Madia can definitely do pizza. Thin crust perfection. I ate too much. We also ordered the Sea Scallops over Polenta. It was very tasty and I actually manned up and tried my first Brussels sprout. If they all taste like that, I have no idea why they get such a bad rap. Poor little green bud is just misunderstood. The pizza is not to miss. Definitely in the top of my list and I love a good pie. The desert was a nice finish to a great meal. Blood orange iced cream and a vanilla pastry thing. By this time the alcohol and amazing flavor induced feeding frenzy had my brain in a caveman-like state. All I know is they were good, and if you mixed them together they were glorious. For the price, excellent service, upscale yet inviting atmosphere, and a great twist on a classic food group (hey this is my review I can make my own pyramid) La Madia is the place to be..
(5)Lily S.
Came here for my cousin and my dual birthday celebration, per recommendations from some friends. However, the pizzas were good, they just didn't blow me away. OVERALL I can't help but compare this place to places like Pizzetta221 in SF or Pizza Antica in San Jose. Definitely not as good as those two places, which was a disappointment. Nevertheless, for thin crust artisan pizza in Chicago, this is probably one of the better places. The FOOD 1. The steamed PEI Mussels with melted leeks, fresh fennel, and garlic were an amazingly delicious and good size appetizer for two. Very worth the $13. Each Pizza can feed two people. But we decided to try one white sauce and one red sauce pizza to get to taste more of a variety. 2. For the red pizza, we ordered the Parma Classic with mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, topped with prosciutto and arugula. It was flavorful but a little flat and one dimensional. $16 3. For the white pizza, we ordered the Cracked Organic Egg with prosciutto and black pepper. Again, I've had better cracked egg pizzas. I wish there was a little bit of green in this pizza to give it more depth. $16 Overall, La Madia had a very classy and "girls night out" type of ambiance, and there is creativity in the topping choices, but each pizza seemed a little one dimensional to me. I think La Madia can spend some time looking into new flavor combinations and changing their menu up a little. But until Chicago has more options for authentic thin crust artisan pizza, I would continue to come back whenever I find myself craving pizza that's not deep dish!
(4)Bethany B.
So glad I found this place! Everything was just what I was looking for tonight - good food, good wine, fun atmosphere (but not too noisy). I came here with a friend and we shared: mushroom bruschetta, arugula salad, and the three cheese pizza. Just enough food to fill us up without being uncomfortably full (which can happen to me sometimes...if the food is good, and there, I'm going to eat it). Only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is for the fact that we originally ordered the margherita pizza...and were later told that it sold out and we had to pick something else. Sold OUT? Sold out of buffalo mozzarella. How does that happen at a pizza place? I also love buffalo mozzarella with all my heart, and the fact that it was out caused my heart to break just a bit. But, I will definitely be back!
(4)Ryan B.
Was walking nearby with my girlfriend when I came to Chicago to visit her and used my yelp app to find a good restaurant nearby. The ratings here were fairly high so we stopped by. We absolutely loved it. We got one white pizza and one triple pepperoni, as well as a pizza fondue to start. Food was great, atmosphere was great. My only issue with this place is the waiter couldn't recommend anything to us. We were hoping to get advice on what was a popular item or what most people may come for, but got no such advice. However, that is not enough to lower this from 5 stars to 4. We'll come back here I'm sure.
(5)Joanne W.
Every November we celebrate our committee's hard work by having our meeting at a downtown hotel the week before Thanksgiving and taking them out for a nice dinner out. We are usually a group of 25 (or so) and our past venues have included Sullivan's, Amano, Prosecco, Quartino's and now La Madia. I will start by saying the service I received was wonderful. Emily the private dining coordinator was pleasant to work with and made everything a breeze for our party of 28. My only criticism was the lack of follow-up after our event as I did have a few comments I would have liked to have passed along but I suppose that is what Yelp is for, no? The restaurant is rather loud. While we did request a private space the only space available for our rather large group was the "stage area". It still in the main dining area so if you are considering this space, keep it mind that it will still be loud making it difficult for your guests to converse. The service was a little spotty. It seemed like it took a little longer than usual to get and receive our drink orders. At the end of the year, we sometimes really like to toss a few back and CELEBRATE but the drinks were not rolling in fast enough to achieve this....a shame since we purchased a bar package. The food was pretty solid. We enjoyed the variety that was brought to our table. The dining & bar packages they have are extremely affordable. Bread and oil is brought out to every table and they will bring you more if you ask. We we're brought out some apps of carpacio, warm nicoise olives and bruschetta. Warm olives? A revelation! A couple of salads followed the appetizers - an arugula and a beet salad. I love beets so it's usually always a win/win for me. Starter courses were followed by three types of pizza. Two reds - fennel sausage & onion and margarhita and one white - shaved artichoke. They were all quite tasty. Entrees were up next - tagliatelle americano a chicken milanese. Both of these dishes were tasty enough but nothing you'd go "ZOMG" over. Of course we finished up with dessert - a chocolate bomb sort of thing and crostino w/vanilla ice cream. Both satisfied. The total for the food and 2 hour bar package was around $65 per person. See what I mean about being affordable? La Madia is totally doable on a budget. I just wish this place had not been so loud and that the dining service had been a little more attentive. I do not think that the food was totally comparable to the other venues we had tried in the past but I definitely would not hesitate to come back on my own for a slice (or five) of their homemade 'za, some warm olives and a couple glasses of vino if in the area. All in all an A-OK experience.
(3)Ashley P.
I came here with a big group and was impressed with the service to a group our size, wine selection and general atmosphere of the place. I asked them to add sausage to my argula pizza - and it came out without. I'm not one to cause a scene so I just ignored it and dug in. A couple minutes later the server came out, noticed the error, apologized and sent a replacement. I'd already eaten part of mine by this point, so the extra pizza became leftovers to take home. Epic win. I also heard they have great lunch specials ($5 pizza?!?) so I'll have to go back and try it sometime.
(4)Anne S.
I had a very nice lunch here today! We sat inside near the windows, so we could feel the air and the sun, even if all the outdoor tables were filled. The chairs and the table were really cute! Two of us split the $15 lunch special, and it was great. We had the mixed green salad, and I was pleasantly surprised by how big it was, and it was quite tasty! Then we had the sausage pizza. I think that may be the best sausage I have ever had on a pizza! I still prefer thicker pizzas to thin ones, but this was a good pizza! I was no so impressed by those cookies. After all the great reviews about them, I was expecting them to be...well great. They were perfectly fine but quite small. Granted, I didn't really need a big desert anyway. One thing I thought was very cool was how the pizza was served. When the waiter brought it out, I wondered how we would have room for it on our little table. But the server set a little stand next to the table to set the pizza on. I thought this was brilliant! A table near us ordered fruity looking drinks, and I was very envious. Maybe if it were a Friday lunch I would have considered that. But it's only Wednesday and I had to return to work. I definitely plan to return for lunch again! It was a great break for the day! Everything came out quickly, our server was always around when we needed him, and it is a great atmosphere. Oh and at 1:30 it wasn't too crowded at all!
(5)Kara O.
Solid River North spot that has great food and is reasonably priced (for the area). I've always gotten a salad and pizza and they've never disappointed! It's usually crowded so make sure to make a reservation to be safe and avoid a wait.
(4)Andrew R.
Went here last Saturday night and was able to get a reservation for 4 that morning. The restaurant was crowded but our table was available immediately. We had to sit closest to the door (probably due to same day reservation) so it was a little cold at times because it was freezing in Chicago. Not there fault. Interior had a good feel, waiter was very nice, and had good recommendations. Went with a couple of the more talked about Yelp reviewed items, which were also waiter picks. Started with the mushroom bruschetta and it was awesome. It had a creamy type of cheese lightly melted under the mushrooms which was a perfect balance. We ordered 2 pizzas and the Shrimp Risotto. I really like the Triple Pepperoni and Shrimp Risotto. The pizza is thin crust which I like being from STL. Great flavor, and and it was bigger than I thought it would be. We also got the Lamb Sausage pizza and I found that to be a little on the too spicy side. Very good but the heat lingered a little too much for my liking. They had a nice wine menu. We didn't really like the $40 bottle that much (not their fault) so we ordered a $60 bottle that was much better for bottle number 2. I recommend the Terra Valentine (sic). I really enjoyed that cab and had never had it before. I think they are one of the main sponsors of Top Chef. Overall it was a good time, good restaurant and pretty affordable for where it was located in River North.
(4)Stephanie W.
I have to agree with Johnny T. - it seems like La Madia has definitely forgotten to concentrate on the food. I asked for a glass of Pinot Noir. I was given a glass of something that tasted like Manishevitz. The arugula salad was delicious, as were the artichokes, but our pizza was chewy, as if they had forgotten to bake it all the way through. The heirloom tomatoes were divine, but mozzarella in the caprese was the consistency of old rubber. I'm pretty sure our server was on summer break and would have rather been on the beach, even though it was raining, for all the attention she paid us. With so many other great options for pizza and Italian food around Chicago, I don't think I'll be rushing back to La Madia.
(3)Tammy M.
What a nice little place to go for dinner and have salad, pizza and wine! 3 of shared 2 pizzas, a salad and a bottle of wine and everything was wonderful. It was a nice relaxing weeknight dinner and everything was prepared to perfection and the service was lovely too.
(4)Michael D.
Been there a few times now and I've been happy with everything I've tried. Recently had the arugula topped pizza.. it was really good and fresh. I have a thing for fresh greens on a pizza.. they have to stay pretty fresh and not wilt.. and these were bombtasic. Quality beer and wine list.
(4)Erica K.
I've apparently been avoiding this review for like, a long time. And I think it's because I feel just a little meh about La Madia because...they maybe have an identity problem? Or it feels like they're trying too hard to be trendy? I've gone a few times since they opened and every time there was something a little uncomfortable about the situation. First it was INCREDIBLY slow service. We're talking 2-hour-lunch-break slow, which is a little unacceptable, even if you're in a group (it's PIZZA and we had a reservation to boot!) The other times the music was too loud and the playlist really obviously wanting to be hip and another time we sat at the counter and felt hopelessly rushed. The pizza is ok, but not anything to fawn over. Maybe this is exactly what you want from your pizza place, but for it was expensive for what it is and the atmosphere isn't right.
(2)Luis E.
Small Rest. Excellent Food!
(4)Stephen F.
I had a solid lunch experience at La Madia. My pizza -- local mushrooms with smoked mozzarella -- arrived fast and was hot and delicious. My friend's salad hit the spot, so he said. I could see this place as even better for a date, a light dinner pre-girls night, or a family treat for grade-school age kids. Ma Madia exudes an upscale but approachable attitude in every way. It's a good spot for this neighborhood. I will be back to try a different pizza. Right now, the leftover slices are calling me...
(4)Sujay K.
Have eaten here a few times. Food is good, on par with some of the better pizza napoletana's in the Chi. The peperoni red pie is fantastic, and I get gravid cravings for their mushroom/ricotta bruschetta. Dining in is usually a fun experience, and can get pretty damn busy in the evenings. For whatever reason, this place attracts groups of 30-something urbanettes like pedophiles to Bieber concert. So gentlemen ... there's that. Carryout, I tried for the first time this week, and is the reason for my NEGATIVE review. Normally, I can count a single bad service experience against an overall worthy culinary establishment, but there has been a systematic pattern of shitty service. Not from everyone, and on the whole, people seem nice. But it's there, and it's noticeable. (Also, the pizza came out about 25 minutes after the salad and bruschetta were prepared. Not good. I was told 20 minutes for pickup. By the time we left, it had been 50 minutes after I initially called) It's as if some staff are trying to act "New York", when in reality no one in New York actually act that way (Caveat: unless you yourself are acting like a raging asshole). In particular, a taller brunette (with ponytail) server, who was unbelievable rude to my girlfriend as she picked up our dinner. On a slow evening. Without going into details, she was a bitch. When I went in to talk to someone, the very sweet hostesses explained to me that she was in fact, a bitch, and that others have complained about her in the past. She is"sassy", apparently. When I asked why she was still around, it was reported that she was a good server. Go figure. Anywho, I can't respect an owner who knowingly allows a server to be selectively rude to people, only because she's very good at getting drunk gentleman to spend lots of money. And maybe she has great tits and a sweet ass, but alas, all good things fade in time. At least the server can still have a career at a suburban strip club, where her unique talents can continue to serve her; the owner, however, will only be left with a reputation for rude service
(2)Thao Vu A.
The thin crust triple pepperoni truffle pizza was to DIE for. Too bad we live all the way in California and can't have our monthly dose of this. Great value for the lunch special at $18--choice of salad (nice size) and pizza for 2 plus 2 cookies to top it all off. Perfect serving for 2. Nice, casual, clean environment. Friendly, attentive staff.
(4)Rob M.
This is the highest review I have ever given to a restaurant with such bad appetizers. As such, the four-star review is really a testament to how good the pizza is. Thin-crust is my favorite type, and it's done very well at La Madia. Regarding the starters, the Pizza Fondue was a let down. In fact, all seven of us at the table agreed that there's nothing about it that even resembles fondue: there's no skewers, no pot, and no flame. But other than that, it was just like fondue. The other lackluster appetizer is the Oven-Roasted Globe Artichokes. Unlike the fondue, it's not false advertising. Like the fondue, it's nothing special. Most importantly, all four of the pizzas we ordered were excellent. In the end, that's the number one and deciding factor. Order the Triple Pepperoni, Housemade Lamb Sausage, Parma Classic (Prosciutto), and Four Cheese...in that order.
(4)Nicky J.
Not sure I've ever given a restaurant 5 stars but had a great experience here. We came for lunch and ordered the $31 Lazy Luncheon special which comes with two glasses of wine, a shared salad, and a pizza. We thought it might be a cheap house wine but were surprised to be served a quality Chianti. The chopped Italian lettuce salad was delicious and came in a nice light dressing with candied walnuts. Our server recommended the Triple Pepperoni pizza which was drizzled with a generous portion of white truffle oil and tasted amazing. The servers were attentive and knowledgeable about wine pairing options. The prices are very reasonable considering the quality of the food and top notch service we received. My boyfriend is not normally picky about where we eat but he can't stop raving about this place. Definitely a foodie destination.
(5)Jessica L.
I couldn't be happier with my meal here for July 2011 gurrrl's night! It is elegant but not overly so, the service was attentive but not in your face, the food was simple but so delicious. Here is what we ordered to share between the three of us: Starter: Mushroom Bruschetta (fresh, seasonal mushrooms, toasty bread, so much better than traditional tomato bruschetta) Pizza: White, Local Shaved Asparagus, Italia Burrata, Garlic (The crust is perfectly crisp and chewy, the cheese perfectly melted, the asparagus present but not over-powering) Main: Seared Sea Scallops, Creamy Polenta, Brussels Sprout Leaves & Brown Butter - Truffle Vinaigrette (This was a party in my mouth! Important to note: I typically HATE scallops but try them any chance I get because so many people I know and love enjoy these babies. Well, this was my night to discover the joy of a perfectly cooked scallop paired with a declious, creamy polenta - all my previous scallop experiences have been erased - they were a case of poor preparation. La Madia does it proper!) Desserts: Seasonal Crostata & Vanilla Gelato (warm, flaky pastry, cool ice cream, hard to go wrong) Blood Orange Ice in Prosecco (cool, refreshing, interesting flavor combo with the prosecco - perfect on a hot summer night) We also tried 3 of their specialty cocktails but I am unable to remember them in great detail. My 2 favorites were a cucumber based cocktail and a St. Germaine based cocktail. The cucumber was light, refreshing with a hint of ginger. The St. Germaine was a little on the sweet side, but a nice combo of fruit and sweet flavors. This place would be great for a date or a large group of people. The pricing for the quality is unbeatable and the location is prime. If you haven't stopped in here yet, put it on your list now!
(5)Brandon T.
Walked by after a movie last weekend. Stopped in to grab a quick bite and cocktails. Had on eof the pizza's and a couple of nice drinks. Had no reservations and sat right away. I don't know how the other dinners are, but the pizza and drinks I can let you know are good.
(4)Geoffrey D.
Outstanding food, reasonable prices and a beautifully finished space. Service can be so-so at times, but, it's typically made up for by the quality of the meal. The house-made sausage pizza is a can't-miss, and the same can be said for the triple pepperoni and truffle oil!
(4)Jenn G.
I know a three-star rating doesn't sound like a rave review, but it's a really solid compliment. La Madia has a really nice atmosphere and is great for a casual date night. The brick oven pizzas are crispy and very yummy, but nothing overwhelmingly unique in the grand scale of Chicago dining. What IS noteworthy however, is the pizza fondue. OMG, if I could bathe in that cheesey deliciousness I would. Too much information? Not if you're a real cheese lover. I would pretty much dip anything in that cheesey goodness. And frankly, you could probably make a meal just out of the fondue - you get like a whole pizza size portion of "pizza bread" to dip in it. I'm not sure what pizza bread is exactly - it's somewhere between a pita and actual pizza dough - soft and yummy whatever it is. Now I can't even remember what else I was saying. Just go eat the pizza fondue!
(3)Jackie C.
Spinach and cheese fondue and artichoke appetizers were great!! Margarita pizza was delish too!! I would def go back again!
(4)Kristin S.
Great pizzas and fantastic wine specials (5oz for $5 of a certain red or white). I work nearby and have been a few times with friends. Service is always really nice and very efficient. Ambiance is super clean and modern. I also came here with Chicago pizza tours and got to try 4 different pizzas, all of which were amazingly delicious. They have a great mix of standard and "strange" pizzas with all of them using superior quality ingredients. The pizza fondue appetizer is also pretty great, but I'll have a hard time not getting a pizza or two every time I stop in.
(4)Dan D.
The short and sweet: Great food, Hip/classy atmosphere, HUGE wine-list, but on the pricey side of life. The long and bitter: You better make a reservation here if its a Friday night because this place get's "poppin." We came here after 9pm on Friday because a friend told us how they have "late-night" specials after 9pm until close. Unfortunately, that is everyday EXCEPT Friday... bummer for us. Nonetheless, I had the #616 Chonos wine (delightful), Three Cheese Pizza ($10 - super thin crust, came a bit cold to the table to where the cheese started to harden...), and the Mushroom Risotto ($18 - definitely the best plate of the night). Overall, a nice meal in a great looking place. The prices are a bit outta range for the food. But that's downtown for ya. hehe. Cheers, my fellow Yelpers!
(3)Ariel L.
My wife said she wanted pizza and she suggested this place. While I'm always down for pizza, i get very disappointed when pizza is bad (and there is such a thing as bad pizza). As i rarely eat pizza, i was a little nervous about trying a new place and ending up with a bad pie, which meant i would have felt guilty and unfulfilled. La Madia cam through though. While I wasn't blown away, the pizza was tasty enough that if i wanted a thin crust pizza i would come back. One pizza could be finished by a large person but in our case the four of us shared three and we still had leftovers. The staff was very friendly and the service was good. They had a nice wine selection and we got a really tasty malbec/shiraz blend (although it was marked up about 300%). We had two appetizers as well. One was the bruschetta with mushrooms which was very tasty (order 1 for every 2 people in your party). The other was the artichoke. While it wasn't like mom used to make it, it was really tasty and came with two different dipping sauces. We also made reservations on a Friday night on open-table at for 7pm at 6:30. I was worried that that was a bad sign, but when we got there the place was bumping. Try and get a booth if you can. They are comfortable and will keep you from getting bumped (the place is tight).
(4)P C.
Late night dinner special for two = any pizza and any salad. with six guys and little ol' me, we ordered 4 different pizzas and 3 salads. The salads were fresh, unique and tasty. My favorite was the fingerling potato, egg and frisee salad. I have had cravings for it ever since! The thin crust pizzas were fired in a wood burning oven, and three would have been plenty for seven people, but for my son who always needs more bulk! Hence the fourth 'back-up' pizza. I would definitely have been back to La Madia already if I lived in Chicago. The 20$ pizza-salad meal is a delicious deal!
(4)Cindy L.
I usually start with the beet salad and move on to the main event...either the Parma Classic or Lamb Sausage Pizzas. The Parma Classic used to come as a white pizza but for some reason they changed it to red. It's always annoying, but if you ask nicely they'll make it as a white. The pizza comes topped with an arugula salad, so it's almost like you're eating healthy. I don't really know how to describe the Lamb Sausage, except that it's pretty ridiculous. The perfect combination of meat/cheese/flavor/crunch with a touch of heat. I've had some other starters, pastas, and entrees, but my suggestion is to stick with the salads and pizzas. Musts: Heirloom Beet Salad Parma Classic (as white) Lamb Sausage Also good: Romaine Salad (great dressing, but not enough pancetta if you ask me) Cracked Egg Triple Pepperoni (would go in the 'Musts' but too greasy for me) Sausage and Sweet Onion Wild Mushroom and Mozz
(4)L M.
This place doesn't really need another review, but I can't help myself. I love this place and have been coming for years. I love the pizza itself and I enjoy their combinations. I think they use great quality ingredients too. for the longest time I only ever got the pepperoni pizza. I branch out a bit now. Last night I had the goat cheese, leek, garlic and pancetta pizza. So. Good. I don't often get anything other than pizza, but their salads are ok. I usually share. Try the Wisconsin cookies. Yum. I love that every weekday there is a red and a white wine on special for $5 for the 5 ounce pour. I always get whatever the special read happens to be. Get on their email list for coupons. Make a reservation, this place gets crowded. And loud.
(5)Dianna R.
I called this place about a week a head of time to see if they could accommodate a group of 10 (+baby) on a Friday night. I assumed they would just give us a large table in the main restaurant, but instead they offered us the more private Wine Room :) Score! We showed up to our reservation and were seated in our room promptly (more bonus points). We immediately ordered away! I am a big wine fan and their ample selection did not disappoint. My fiance, however, is more of a beer type, and they were accommodating to his tastes as well. For appetizer, the toasted brushetta w/ tomatoes, herbs, and Parmesan was a solid choice, BUT the pizza fondue is what really caused food euphoria! Delicious pizza bread dipped in tomatoey, cheesy, gralicy sauce...BRILLANT! As for the salad course, I went with the organic arugula which was good (and probably large enough for a meal for some). For the main course, the shaved artichoke, homemade fennel sausage & sweet onion, and margherita pizzas were my three favorites out of the multiple types we ordered. Overall I am a pretty big fan of pizza and have tried MANY different types, but La Madia really stuck out in my mind as having truly unique and original pizza. To top it all off, the service was very good. One member in our crew had a dairy allergy, and just overhearing this through conversation, our waiter brought out an extra nondairy pizza sauce for the pizza fondue. That is right...we didn't even ask! THAT is great service. Overall a great place to check out...if anything for that mesmerizing pizza fondue!
(5)Gayatri D.
Italian cuisine is my biggest weakness. And because I eat so much of it, I am very rarely '5 star' impressed! Well La Madia has consistently impressed me. The first time I went there, I was a little annoyed because the menu had no vegetarian entrees. And I wasn't in the mood for pizza. So they made me a delicious veggie pasta. Since then, I just ask them to surprise me with a vegetarian entree. And I've never left disappointed. La Madia also has a great wine selection and wonderful staff. I can't imagine not going here regularly!
(5)Maryann M.
I cannot count the number of times I have eaten here, I love it that much. I recommend this restaurant to anyone who is looking for a fun place downtown and does not want to spend ridiculous amounts of money. Here are the things that I get again and again: Seasonal Wild Mushroom Bruschetta (by far my favorite thing!) Fingerling Potato Salad Laura Chenel Goat Cheese Pizza (my new favorite!) Seasonal Wild Mushroom Pizza I have also had several of their past dishes that were specials, and they were delicious as well. (Chicken Ravioli - AMAZING!)
(5)Vineet S.
Went for dinner on a Friday night, 6 of us. Tried the fondue app, mozzarella and mushroom bruschetta, and beet salad as appetizers. The fondue was just ok, the mushroom bruschetta amazing! The marsala sauce was such a nice touch. The beet salad very fresh. Shared 3 pizzas, the pepperoni, wild mushroom and spinach/goat cheese. I am a vegetarian so I only tried the later 2. They were both very good, the spinach was excellent. My friends loved the pepperoni pizza and it went ast. The service was very good. Also, the ac was broken and it was 95+ outdoors. We complained to the manager and she comped all our apps. If I lived in Chicago, I would definitely go back!
(4)John H.
Was here for the first time after seeing it on check please a long time ago. The food service and ambiance is perfect for a delicious casual meal. Pete the manger is over the top in the way he cares for his customers! Try it, you will love it!
(5)Laura M.
History: I am from Miami and lived in Manhattan so when it comes to pizza...I am a pizza snob. August will be three years that I have been living in Chicago and I have yet to find a really good thin crust pizza. Madia is it. They FINALLY got it right. I went for Mother's day lunch and it wasn't too crowded...yet. The ambiance is modern and edgy but comfortable (nice fireplace by the bar area), the service was very attentive (my son spilled milk and they still smiled), and the pizza was perfect. I ordered the pizza with the fresh mozzarella and it was just superb. Thin crust, not to thick, not a cracker slice, but thin like it is suppose to be. And when I bit on it, it was crunchy especially when I got to the ends (you can hear me crunching away). I had a nice Australian red wine that my server brought me the name of it on a business card made for those type of questions (nice touch). Yes, I am coming back. Even though it is a drive for me, but I don't care. It is so worth it!!
(5)H M.
This is a good choice for date-night, as it's a bit more urban & sophisticated in decor than many of the other pizza places. I've eaten here five times and what we love: 1. They honor their reservation times. I am always seated within 5-10 minutes (if not immediately) of my reserved time. 2. They have a really cool bar/lounge area with low leather couches & small tables if you want to have a drink while you're waiting. 3., They have a really large, unique and varied wine list. Many by-the-glass options and you can choose either a 4- or 7-oz pour. I've been able to create a few of my own "wine flights" this way. (They also make some creative cocktails) 4. The pizza is the thing (skip the pasta offerings, not as good). My absolute favorite pie is the prosciutto, cracked egg & black pepper. It's got oozy egg yolk on it which (combined with the prosciutto) is really divine! Their pepperoni w/truffle oil is super-popular, and we always get a Margherita pie, too. 5. Salads are good and shareable
(4)Jen B.
La Madia is a nice alternative to the usual River North business lunch spots, with one glaring exception which I'll mention in a bit. The menu is basically salads, sandwiches, and pizza. The entree salads are enormous mounds of greens piled with toppings. I tried the spinach salad without the shrimp. It was fine but I wish I would have gotten the dressing on the side - it was a bit drenched. The argula salad that my companions selected looked much, much better. Candied pecans, blue cheese, dried cherries = yum. We shared a regular sized pie with half pepperoni and half mushrooms (for me). The crust is thin but not crispy, and held the toppings well. I wish we would have skipped the truffle oil. I always think this is going to be good and I just don't like it. It overpowered the other flavors and made the slices runny. Otherwise, the pizza was phenom. I talked everyone into dessert - come on, it's on the company, right? We split the strawberry rhubarb compote with vanilla ice cream. Delish. A must order. Which brings me to the aforementioned downside. A four person lunch of salad, pizza, and dessert took TWO HOURS. Our server was extremely slow to take our food orders and didn't put our pizza order until after we got our salads. And by the way, the salads and pizza took about 25 minutes each to come out once ordered. Hello, it's salad. And pizza. These things do not take long to prepare. The dessert also took 20 minutes. The place was not remotely busy, at least for the first half of the meal. It's like they intentionally stretched out the meal to take forever. Like, we're here for lunch, not a ten course meal. I'm not saying you should jam us through but come on - we have to go back to work. I'd love to go back but next time I would specify with the server up front that we are on a tight schedule. Otherwise, expect to be there a while.
(3)Jen M.
Maybe I loved this place so much because I was sharing a bottle of wine on a Tuesday afternoon with my best friend. However, I think this is still a great spot! My friend and I shared a bottle of wine for starters. I like sweet whites and she likes dry reds, so we asked our server for assistance in finding a compromise. She was very willing and very intelligible about the wine menu. We went with a dryer white at the recommendation of our server and we were both satisfied! I was only going to order a pizza, but the server mentioned lobster bisque and I couldn't resist. It was not too thick or chunky like some, but very light. However, it was not light on the flavor! Instead, it was very rich and tasty. The pizza I ordered had leeks, goat cheese, and pancetta. Pancetta and goat cheese were great, I could have had more leeks, however. In the end, $35 each for a great lunch and a bottle of wine was very reasonable! I will definitely be returning.
(4)Templeton M.
The food is great, the service is great as well as the table maintenance, and the prices are appropriate for the quantity and quality of food. I've been to La Madia 6+ times and I've never had a bad meal or a bad time. The grape and Tellagio pizza is fantastic!
(5)steve a.
Met some friends, and the local suggested eating at La Madia. I'm always game for pizza, and the Chicago deep-dish just sounded like a bit much that night. We sat at the "kitchen bar" as we overlooked all of the food being prepared that night. It provided some entertainment as we waited for our food to arrive. Their pizza selection is amazing, but the Lamb Sausage, Fresno Chile, Caciocavallo Cheese & Mint Salsa Verde instantly caught my eye. It was the perfect combination of quality ingredients, wood-fire oven, and size. Chances are, you'll have some leftovers if everyone orders their own... but I don't see that as a bad thing! Overall, the food was great, $5.00 glasses of wine is tough to beat, and I like the atmosphere of the restaurant. The only reason it wasn't a 5 star is because service was not that great. We were sitting next to the kitchen, but the time it took to place our drink order (15-20 min.) seemed excessive. We had to stop our waiter a couple of times (more vino please) and seemed like we were an afterthought. I'd definitely like to stop back the next time I'm in Chicago! So if you're craving finely crafted pizza that isn't 3" thick... this is the place to go!
(4)Sonia C.
Great pizza, down-to-earth service, large portions, and decent prices. We split the beet salad and the pepperoni and grape pizzas. The beet and watercress salad was really tasty - fine slivers of pink and red beets, crisp and slightly bitter watercress, and salty sliced almonds in a tart olive oil dressing. This was a very refreshing dish on a hot night. The pizzas that followed were very fresh with a crispy crust. I especially enjoyed the triple pepperoni pizza with truffle oil. It was a little on the oily side, but what do you expect with TRIPLE pepperoni? At the same time, the thin crust was crispy with just enough chewiness to create a great mouth feel. The pizza with grapes was more interesting but less tasty - the roasted grapes were really sweet and tasted more like raisins. However, the combo was cool enough that I was glad that I tried it. Hostess was really nice and made some beer recommendations for us. They have a very large and decently priced wine list and if I hadn't been so tired of drinking from the weekend, I probably would have tried a couple of them. As it was, I was content to have their cane sugar root beer. I love the root beer and pizza combination - reminds me of childhood!
(5)Brad C.
I didn't really know much about La Madia going in and was expecting something a bit fancier with higher prices. So it was nice to see that it was really just an upscale pizza joint. The menu is limited to mainly pizzas with a few salads and one or two sandwiches. There were three of us and we ordered three different pizzas, I think you could get away with one pizza for two people. We were pretty hungry so we didn't have a problem putting away all three. The pizzas were good, nothing amazing but good. Very friendly staff and the waitress was very helpful. If you have an hour for lunch check it out, I'll be back again at some point to try some of the other interesting pizza combos.
(3)Misty D.
This place is great, and I will definitely be returning with others! La Madia is a new take on pizza. This is not the standard sausage and pepperoni place. The ingredients are high end and some a bit unusual but soooo tastey. Crust is thin and the pizzas are prepared in front of everyone at a nice bar area, and then cooked in a brick oven. It is awesome to watch!! Pizza is not the only thing that is good here. The desserts are amazing. It is worth going for the pizza fondue alone!! La Madia is good for moderate sized lunches. A coworker organized a trip there for a lunch party. We were provided: salad, pizza fondue, pizza, and dessert. The food kept coming as long as it was getting eaten. All that food, and it was only $10 per person!!! I highly recommend trying this place out!
(4)Nicolas H.
Very impressed with this spot. We started with the pizza fondue which is basically cooked pizza dough with a side of delicious sauce that contains, Surprise, cheese! I also had the sausage pizza which was cooked perfectly and extremly tasty. Definitely will be back...
(4)Tyler A.
Hotness. This place is hot. Really Hot decor. Looks nicer than most of the lounges in this city, with different sitting areas, couches, trendy dim lighting. Hot people. If you are not hot, (thinking you're hot is enough) then don't eat here. Hot prices. VERY reasonable Hot oven. Wood burning brick oven. And Hot Food of course... I Got to sample a lot from a group during restaurant week. Everything was superb and well proportioned. A 14 inch pizza for one is tremendous. Its a great place for sharing. I am absolutely abhorred (yeah, I used aborrhed) by pizza crust and I could not stop eating the crust here. Its light, chewy, tender and airy. Delicious. It's actually the first neopolitan style pizza place I've been to in the city, as far as my palate can tell the combinations are all excellent. Of note they have late night prix fixe from 9-close sun-thurs. Definately going back for that. Don't forget to get the Affogato for dessert. I'm convinced you can enhance anything by just pouring espresso over it. I'm gonna pour espresso over my crappy computer right now... -Tyler (I just think I'm hot) A.
(5)Jessica B.
I heard very good things about this place from friends and they did not disappoint! The food was gourmet and delish without being heavy and greasy. We got the pizza fondue, which is pizza dough fresh from the oven and marinara sauce, which tastes a lot like a vodka marinara sauce from the store. don't get me wrong though, it's good. The bruschetta appetizer selections, especially the one with mushrooms and whipped ricotta sounded amazing. For pizza, it was REALLY difficult to narrow it down because everything looked delish. We settled on the pork belly, kale and caramelized onion pizza and it was really tasty. The crust was thin and crispy but not overdone and the kale, onion, pork belly combo was delish. I wish the toppings were a little more evenly distributed to blend the flavors together but it was not a deal breaker. Depending how hungry you are, you can definitely split a pizza or get your own and have PLENTY of leftovers. I also loved the interior, which was modern with lots of wood and bright color, specifically lime green. I definitely plan to go back!
(4)Larry S.
La Madia was an accidental pleasure. We planned to take a recommendation to try one of Rick Bayliss' restaurants, but they were all closed last night [Sunday]. We walked by La Madia's and the old Blackberry said it was top-drawer. Yelp was right! The seven of us shared 4 salads, 4 wood-fired oven pizzas, and pasta special. The service was friendly and attentive. Though everything was excellent, I still have to give magna cum laude to the heirloom beet salad and the housemade fennel sausage pizza. And a summa cum laude for the triple pepperoni pizza with white truffle oil! Unlike the cheap and hot but otherwise flavorless red 'product' that most places serve up as pepperoni, La Madia's was a sensory explosion of thin-sliced dining pleasure!
(4)Melissa V.
Everything was perfect! The triple pepperoni pizza and the romaine lettuce salad were so delicious! Service was excellent too, I highly recommend this place!
(5)laure t.
Really good modern style pizzas. Had the special of the day pizza and was very pleased I did.
(4)C W.
This place is always solid. Last time we had the triple peperoni pizza, and some other white pizza. Both we're great. Service was solid. We also had the bruschetta, which was pretty good too. The gnocchi and sausage, however, was stellar. You must try this.
(4)Fabrizio C.
Diappointing. I walked by, I thought it looked interesting. I checked Yelp on my phone and decided to walk in. I have to say I really liked the decor and the location, and the service was good. But the pizza has the One Vice that I encounter with thin crust pizza made in the US (not everywhere, but often enough that it gets its own label). Too. Much. Cheese. I ordered the Mozzarella di Bufala and Prosciutto, and you just are not supposed to cover your pizza with cheese as if it was a blanket. It tastes too salty, and you are forced to choose sub-par cheese (which my mozzarella definitely was). The wine was OK, but on balance, Via Stato which is a couple of blocks away and a lot less hip, makes much better pizza.
(2)Zach T.
I'm going with Yelp on this one. 4 stars. The only thing holding back this place is the price. Not unusual for the area, but still a little steep. A coworker and I split 2 pizzas, the housemade fennel sausage, and the Goat Cheese/Leek/Pancetta. They were both just excellent from the tasty crust through the quality, flavorful ingredients. Space is sterile and trendy and the service is excellent. I'll be back (...the next time there's a groupon)
(4)Robin S.
Ate at La madia twice a few weeks ago on the trip to Chicago. The triple pepperoni pizza is to die for. Make a reservation it gets really busy. Super food.
(4)Brett F.
A beautiful bottle of Tempranillo wine from La Madia's deep wine selection... +1 star Pear, Arugula and Spicy Walnut salad... +1 star Pepperoni, Truffle and Basil pizza... soooo good... (BONUS) +2 stars A bare-bones review with no 'fluff and stuff' as an homage to my anonymous dining partner... Priceless
(4)Tim Y.
Three and a half. Not really four, not really three. Benefit of the doubt because 'tis the season. I really enjoyed the pizza with lamb sausage. It was spicy without being overly hot and still quite flavorful. Surprisingly, I also really got into the artichoke pizza. Their pepperoni offering was underwhelming. Though I appreciate truffle oil, it's lost on this particular pizza and slips entirely under the radar. Anyone not paying attention to the menu would dismiss it as simply being a pepperoni pie with bonus sea o' grease. The chopped italian salad was quite tasty, and many others in my party agreed. Getting plenty of "meh, I've experienced better when going hungry" votes from the group was the greens-only salad that I can't even identify from looking at the menu online; it was a bowl of green stuff and maybe a shaved apple or something. It had no flavor. Imagine eating a bowl of oregano and parsley with some endive? I don't know how else to describe it. A lonely frisée salad? A salad mirage where each bite brought visions of flavor only to crush your soul with anything but? Okay, so other than sharply contrasting salads, the food was pleasant and worth a return trip. The wine list is extensive and has something for everyone. Service was fair -- one server was enthusiastic and attentive, the other counting seconds until being cut, or wanting to physically cut those he was serving. I'm not sure, but he wasn't a happy camper. I'd also skip the "Wisconsin Electric" butter cookies. They're about as good as Wisconsin's other primary export, the Packers: dry, bland, hated by many, loved by one. Tastes like Brett Favre!
(4)Kim R.
I think about eating this pizza a lot, when I am not there. This is my favorite thin crust pizza place!
(5)Dee Y.
This place was incredible... =) I came here with my coworkers. Don't you just love it when you go with a group of people who don't mind to try anything new? I love my coworkers.... =) Each of us pick one appetizer, one pizza, and one ice cream flavor. For appetizer, we had the toasted bruschetta with mushroom and basil on top (my pick), bruschetta with asparagus, prochiutto with cheese, and bacon wrapped date. I LOVE both bruschetta, especially the one with mushroom. The other ones were good too. For pizza, we shared the tripple pepperoni (my pick), prosciutto with organic egg pizza, lamb sausage with chili pizza, and funnel sausage pizza. All were good too. I love pepperoni, and I really love the triple pepperoni pizza. It kinda taste like the spicy italian at CPK, but better. For the dessert, we shared vanilla gelato, strawberry gelato, chocolate cake gelato, and blood orange sherbet (my pick). I thought I was going to like the blood orange sherbet, but I found it a bit too sour. The chocolate cake gelato was to die for. It was sooo good. At the end, we were so happy. Our server, Kevin, was great and very helpful.... =) YES YES YES... I will definitely come here again.
(5)Danielle D.
I was introduced to La Madia by Groupon, and decided to make a special occasion out of it - an exciting roommates' night out! The interior was chic and fresh, yet the atmosphere was quite bizarre. The music changed from current Top 40 singles to bubblegum pop to bad 90s jams and random rock. The light would dim at odd times (perhaps in an effort to create a more romantic mood?). Our waitress was Stepford-ish and robotic, where she was too eager to serve. Like I said, chic but bizarre. The food itself was solid and tasty. We started off with the bruschetta with asparagus, whipped ricotta, lemon oil, & shaved parmesan. Tasted exactly like it sounds like - delicious! For our main meal, we shared two pizzas: burrata with wood-roasted summer squash, market tomatoes & torn basil and pecorino with seasonal wild mushrooms. The burrata with squash, tomato, and basil combination really impressed me. It's tangy, savory, and juicy - simply delicious, unique, and highly recommended. The pecorino with seasonal wild mushrooms was also good, but not great. Overall, La Madia's thin-crusted pizzas are a refreshing change from the dominating deep dish pizza. Last, we finished the evening with a selection of desserts. We shared the warm lemon-raspberry zabaglione, strawberry-rhubarb crostata, and bittersweet chocolate tortino. The desserts were disappointing. My main issues with La Madia isn't the quality of food, which is pretty solid, nor the atmosphere, which was quite bizarre. Rather, it's the value for the type of food you get. The bruschetta was good, but for $7, I expect more than four bite-sized pieces. Two of the desserts, priced at $7.50 each, tasted barely better than store-packaged sweets. I expect more. All in all, the pizza really made this a pleasant dining experience but it's not memorable enough to make me crave more La Madia. The value's just not there. That being said, I know they have a late night fixe menu Sun-Thu from 9pm-close for $20, which could be worth it - but I'd probably only go if I'm in the neighborhood.
(3)Tobey G.
I took my boyfriend here for his birthday. I figured on Friday evening at 6pm I wouldn't need a reservation, but I was wrong. The place was booked. We sat at the bar, and I was upset because I envisioned a private romantic dinner for us. After five short minutes the hostess informed us they had a cancellation and seated us at a nice table in the back where we could watch the pizzas go in and out of the fire wood oven. Perfect. Our server, Nicole, was sweet, informative, and attentive. The wine list was extensive and we were very pleased with our bottle. We had a coupon from Groupon granting us two pizzas. Typically when I have a coupon, I get worse service. Not at La Madia. Nicole treated us like royalty. And so did the co-owner, Tony, who came to our table, made a joke and informed us that the organic eggs for our Cracked Egg and Prosciutto pizza hadn't arrived yet. He was apologetic and sent us our Goat Cheese and Melted Leeks pizza first. We wouldn't have even noticed the timing had Tony not informed us, but we appreciated the personal attention from the management and the extra touch. I was a server for eight years and I have high standards for service. I hate that I don't often receive the level of service I expect in Chicago, a restaurant driven, foodie lover's city. La Madia, however, blew me away. And so did the food. Our pizza was absolutely delicious, with original combinations, and gourmet Italian cheeses not found anywhere else in the city. For dessert we had a chocolate tortino cake with chocolate ganache and of course a birthday candle. Tony popped by again and gave us two glasses of port to go with our dessert - on the house as an apology for our "wait". We loved everything we ate and we loved every bit of our service. It was apparent that La Madia's staff was on the same page - a cohesive unit all working together to give their guests a positive dining experience. They succeeded. Our experience was amazing and I can't wait to go back. That is saying a lot considering I normally don't like to go to the same place twice because there are so many restaurants to taste in Chicago. La Madia is now hands down my #1 favorite restaurant.
(5)Katie H.
I went to La Madia with a party of 8 on a Saturday night, so this review may be tainted by that a bit - but I thought the food was decent (not out of this world great though) and the service just so-so. Started by ordering a couple bottles of wine for the table, and wanted a little help from our server, but he didn't know much about the admittedly extensive wine list. Still, I appreciated that he didn't just try to sell the priciest bottles. Food-wise, several people ordered pasta and a few of us ordered 2 salads and 2 pizzas to share. Also the pizza fondue (skip this standard marinara dip and just get a pizza to share if you're looking for a pizza-like appetizer). The salad was good, and the pizzas were decent - I liked the white pizza with artichokes a lot, but it got cold really quickly. The margarita pizza was fine but nothing to write home about (but then again, it was the plainest pizza on the menu, so what did I expect). I didn't try any pasta, but a couple of the girls who had it said the portions were too small even for a girly appetite. It also took a really long time to be served - and this is coming from a girl who likes to take her time between courses and not be hurried along. But again, it was a busy Saturday night and a large table, so... take it with a grain of salt. In general, I think I'd do La Madia again if I happened to find myself in the area during the week and looking for something reliable. But I don't think I'd make it a Saturday night destination.
(3)Johnny T.
"Too late! You missed it!" I think I missed the boat on La Madia. What was once, I divine, a great spot to get some Italian-style pizza and relax with friends is now a trend spot that has forgotten to concentrate on the food. I was a bit let down. The good: The triple pepperoni pizza with white truffle oil was every bit as good as I had hoped. The pepperoni dominated the pizza. I was able to chomp down on copious amounts of 'roni in every bite. The white truffle oil finished the pizza nicely so as to give an earthy zing to such a familiar dish. We devoured this. Everything else: was a mess. The menus still said Summer 2009. A trifling matter, but a jarring one nevertheless. We didn't get water for quite some time. Rather than have it brought to us, we had to ask our waitress and the manager for water - which came after we'd ordered, directly before our food came and after our wine. Our wine. Wow. I expect a place like La Madia, with an open and highlighted wine cellar to focus on pairing wine with the dishes. I expect the waitrons to know enough about the vino to help me make the selection that best fits my tastes. Since we were ordering multiple dishes, we disregarded the suggested wine pairing (for individual dishes) in favor of a wine that would suit our collective tastes, palettes and dishes. We asked the waitress, of a certain type of wine, which was best suited to give us x, y & z. "Blank stare....blink...blink...I don't know." That's not an acceptable answer. We wound up ordering an adequate bottle but I was unsatisfied with it. That dissatisfaction lasted throughout the meal. The other dishes: we ordered the special/seasonal risotto and the arugula & prosciutto pizza. The risotto was prepared nicely but it didn't taste like much. I know there were squash elements, but nothing about the dish tasted like "Fall" or squash. It just tasted like a nicely prepared risotto. The arugula pizza was a slight mess. It was an olive oiled crust with with leaves, cheese and a smattering of meat thrown on the top. And it tasted exactly as described. It was lazy, uninspired and disappointing. Perhaps had we just had the risotto and leaf pizza, we might have been satisfied. But knowing that La Madia was capable of that triple pepperoni pizza made me think that something was off. One of these things was not like the other. The meal was off balance and the service was just off. I missed it. Too bad. But for _this_ La Madia, I won't be rushing back.
(3)Angie K.
I love this place!! The pizza is delicious! Staff is very friendly and cute decor. We always get the goat cheese, leeks and pancetta pizza.
(5)Jenn R.
2.5 stars. We stopped in after restaurant week b/c I'd read good things. We ate at the bar b/c they were Crowded, yes, with a capital C. The staff was really friendly thus the extra half point, but the food was just not doing it for me, and the bottle of wine we ordered was not worth the raves the bartender gave it, nor the price. Beet salad was bland and boring, pizza was eh, ok, not really a-ok. We got the Goat Cheese/Leek/Pancetta and none of the flavors were really great - the goat cheese didn't have that lovely goat cheese taste, the pancetta was overpowering, and the leeks were on the oniony side... I definitely would not order this again.
(2)Alysha P.
I'm wavering here.....between 2 and 3 stars I had been craving some good 'za....so bf and I decided to use our groupon the other night....we came in late....and honestly, the pizza was just okay and I thought it was really spendy for what we got even with the groupon. The only reason I'm giving it 3 stars is because our server was so incredibly nice and helpful. We got: Romaine Salad with tomatoes, pancetta and creamy mustard dressing: This was good....dressy was slightly overwhelming....and I wish the pancetta pieces were larger because in the end they ended up tasting like Baco's....but nice, fresh and crunchy. Triple Pepperoni Pizza w/ Truffle Oil: I really liked the flavors here....but it really needed some more sauce....crust was thin but not paricularily crispy or all that delicious. I took 1/2 of this pizza home and because of all of the truffle oil and grease from the pepperoni....it was swimming it a little pool of orange fat....unedible :( Fennel Sausage and Sweet Onion: This was really terrible.....it was like it had no sauce on it at all...dry as a bone....and flavor-wise....it could have been a sausage pizza from anywhere....nothing special....don't bother. We did not sit in the lounge area and opted for a table.....they were playing club music and not like loungy trance club....like dance club....which I'm not totally against....but really, on a Monday night?? Decor was not happenin' in my opinion....the colors and patterns they had going on made me feel like I was in hotel restaurant...you know what I'm talkin' about.....and the seats weren't that comfy.....overall....not a warm or cozy vibe....my immediate thought was....Ikea. Like I said our server was super nice....let me try all 3 of the wines I was considering....helpful, sweet and attentive and this place gets an extra star just for that. Our groupon was $12 for 2 pizzas....which is a great deal considering pizzas are almost all over 12 dollars individually. I did order a pricy glass of wine ($17)....but our total, even with the groupon was $40....for a glass of wine, a beer and a salad....I'm just sayin'.....there's a lot better pizza options out there....for a lot less.
(3)Daniel B.
We went to La Madia on a friend's recommendation while we were visiting from out of state. We arrived around 7:30PM with no reservation and, though they were busy (it was the week after Christmas), they found a very cozy booth for us. We started with a mushroom bruschetta at the server's recommendation and we were not disappointed. The wine list was fabulous. We had a Barbera with our pizza that was fantastic. The pizza was traditional Italian (no deep dish here!). We when with pepperoni. The pizza was great. We had a great conversation with Jason, the Manager, and he treated us to some chocolate truffles for desert. This topped off a great dining experience that was a highlight of our short trip to Chicago for NYE.
(5)Ryan S.
I can safely say I'm a regular at this place! My girlfriend and I make a point to go at least once every week or two. It's the perfect casual weeknight date/dinner spot in River North. The pizza is great. We generally go with the white pizza with the wild mushroom. It's easily my favorite pizza in the city (deep dish excluded). We also share a salad as well, usually the one with the organic arugula and the grapes. They also have a great wine menu if you want that as well. But for a week night it's the perfect spot to split a salad and a small pizza with your significant other or a date and not get drained in the wallet. It can be done for under $35 with tip and you leave feeling full and satisfied. I would and have sent many people here and they all love it!!!
(5)Carol K.
On my last trip to Italy, I found a small, neighborhood place that served simple dishes prepared with fresh ingredients that you shared with friends over a glass of good wine. La Madia in River North is just like that place only it's right here in Chicago. I stopped in here the other night to share a glass of wine with a friend to catch up. We ordered simply- bruschetta to start, followed by a Margherita pizza with homemade mozzarella cheese and one made with spinach, speck and pine nuts. By the way- if you are a speck neophyte like me- it's kind of like a real fatty smoked bacon from Italy. Learned something new! Never mind what it is- it tastes delicious! The best thing about the place? They must have at least 50 glasses of wine available by the glass starting at about $7 a pour! So much fun to try out a few different ones and to compare notes. You can create your own pizza with options like Sonoma goat cheese or homemade sausage, order one of their signature pies, or enjoy a panini or salad. The open kitchen is also a nice touch as you get to watch them cook the wood fired pizzas. All in all - its a bit of Italy with an American accent. Buon Appetito!
(4)Tabitha G.
This place was so good that we had to go back the weekend after our first visit. I'm NOT a Chicago style pizza girl - which is probably why La Madia is my favorite pizza place in the city so far. Honestly, who could resist Pepperoni Pizza with Truffle Oil? We went there for the first time during Restaurant Week and had a fantastic experience. The food was absolutely delicious and the service was great. The place was nice enough to comp us a pizza fondue - which was delicious and everything else we had that night was just as good as the pizza. I definitely recommend the sausage pizza and the peperoni.. YUM.
(5)Nick B.
This is probably overused, but I mean every word of it: this is my favorite restaurant in Chicago. I've been coming here for over a year now and have never been disappointed. I love the decor of this contemporary pizza lounge. Modern, chic, and slick. They also play the best music to really amp up the mood. Despite living in a city known for it's excessive pan pizza, La Madia truly gets the taste down with their uber-thing pizzas. I usually get the same thing every time I come in. I always bring friends with who've never tried it before. The pizza fondue is their best appetizer. No words can describe it! Since I'm a vegetarian, I usually go with the classic margherita pizza. It's a simple pizza topped with tasty cheese, basil, and flawless sauce. I try to come in a few times a month. I heard they have outstanding lunch specials which I have to look into. I wonder if the staff has ever considered vegan cheese? Keep up the great work!
(5)Kelly S.
Another perfect evening at La Madia. And when I say evening I mean it... this experience started at 9:15pm and ended just shortly after midnight. This foodie almost turned into pumpkin puree! 8 family members. Reservation for 9:15. Seated promptly. Wine was flowing. Comment from one member... 'We don't have pizza places this THIS in Omaha.' (No, you don't. Just another reason why I ADORE this city I live in.) 1 salad and a few pizzas. More wine. Coffee all around and 1 cappuccino. I rode the green line home after 12 completely blissed out... and that says a LOT.
(5)Laura K.
I'm smitten with a pizza. It was meant for me---it's literally got my name on it. The Laura Chenel Goat Cheese, Melted Leeks, Garlic & Pancetta Lardons is a slice of heaven. I went most recently to use up a Groupon, but I want to go back NOW for that pizza. I've been here multiple times and always enjoyed it. The pizzas have always been good and very reasonably priced. One pizza is more than enough for two people. The wine selection is amazing and I love the wine shelf/rack/whatever. It just looks cool. The desserts are good too. On my recent visit, I had the lemon-raspberry zabaglione and it was really good. I tried a bite of my friend's chocolate cake dessert and it was really really rich and chocolatey. (Almost a little too rich.) I'd consider this a great date spot as well as an evening with friends. It's a nice place, but not expensive and the food is delicious. Big thumbs up!
(4)Aaron L.
3* Pizza fondue 2.5* Triple Pepperoni 2.5* Laura Chenel Goat Cheese
(3)Nat M.
proof that Chicago can do thin-crust pizza. both the margherita and pepperoni are very good. also, their arugula/apple/grape salad is damn good
(5)Danielle C.
We went here last weekend for my bf's birthday. We arrived about 30 min before our reservation and had a cocktail and glass of wine up at the bar. We had the pizza fondue and chopped italian salad for appetizers..and the gnocchi and pumpkin ravioli w/ brown butter/sage sauce for entrees. Both the appetizers and main courses were excellent. The server brought a plate of lemon cookies out (with a bday candle) for my bf's birthday, which I thought was really nice and we also had an apple crostata w/ gelato for dessert. The bill came out about $80 which isn't bad for the amount of food/drinks we had. Also wanted to note that the service was friendly and the atomosphere was lively.
(4)Christine T.
We had a celebratory luncheon for our daughter here and it was a fantastic experience. From the planning stages to the actual day, the staff was very responsive and helpful (includes event planner, servers and manager). Then, on the actual day, we got tons of compliments on the food. I personally loved our salads, and my mom said that thought the olives (app) was phenomenal, even though she wasn't typically an olives person. One couple said that they were definitely coming back to try the restaurant on their own. Their children were also given their own dough to work, which was eventually turned into their own mini pizzas! Overall, it was a great experience and I wouldn't hesitate to have an event here again.
(5)Paige W.
First, a little PSA: Do not take muscle relaxants at any point during the day and expect to be totally functional when you drink a little afterward. It's not going to end well for you. Well, it might END well, but the middle parts probably won't be so good. But this review is NOT about my sweet new 'scrip. It's about La Madia. After a bottle of Veuve and some crazy people-watching atop a nearby hotel rooftop, my group of gal pals and I were craving some pizza and wine. We surveyed the crowds at Quartino and just kept on trompin' down State. We found ourselves on Grand at "the next best thing," which is actually far more fashionable, intimate and delicious than its tourist-trap cousin on Ontario. Practically no wait at 8 p.m. for the nicest seats in the house, a football-shaped table perfect for conversation among five friends. The restaurant was buzzing but not blitzkrieged, and our server, Philip, was at our side instantly. He was patient as we mulled over our wine choices, eventually settling on a LOVELY bottle of Doña Paula Malbec, served in just the right glasses. We must have looked famished when we sat down, because Philip suggested we order "a couple of salads, two or three pizzas and a couple of pastas" for dinner. We would have needed little red wagons to roll us out of there if we'd gotten all that --the one salad (romaine lettuce, market tomatoes, crispy pancetta and mustard dressing: Caesar on steroids!), two pizzas on perfectly chewycrispybubbly crust (Burrata, grilled zucchini and cherry tomatoes; Prosciutto di Parma and fresh arugula) and gnocchi dish (with homemade sausage, onions and peppers) we ended up ordering were MORE than enough to satisfy us. Suffice it to say I ate myself even stupider than I was when I walked in. By the time we left, the restaurant had all but emptied out, but our wallets hadn't: All that wine and food for less than $25 a person. WOW. The $20 cab ride back to get my overrelaxed, overstuffed self back to my neighborhood from downtown is another story, but that's my problem.
(4)Unity O.
Here is a recipe for success: Take 7 beautiful ladies (that's right we are beautiful!!). Mix with a Tbsp of celebrating one birthday girl extraordinaire (Moi!). Add a dash of hunger (just a dash, you do not want too much hunger) Plus a pinch a sass (or to taste). Add 2 salads (not too big, you need room in the bowl for the pizza) A mix of 4 pizzas (use a variety, as they say it is the spice of life) Blend together in a bowl with dollop of Hip & sleek. Let set for about an hour or 90 minutes & VIOLA SUCCESS! What a wonderful way to spend a birthday evening! La Madia exceeded my expectations and also did not break the bank (major plus). If you are looking for a nice evening out with some great eats and a bit of a romantic setting, then look no further this is the place. It has a very relax environment which is great if you are looking for something intimate or just a place where you do not have to shout to be heard. Our party ordered 2 salads & 4 pizzas to be split between 7 people and that was more than enough food for all of us with some left over. The salads run a little on the small side which I found weird, but the pizzas are generous in size. They offer a wide variety of brick oven baked flat pizza's, we tried 4 different kinds, my favorite being: Shaved Artichoke, Reggiano Parmesan & Garlic. So light & delicious!! This place also will not break the bank which is another added bonus for 7 people (one of whom was not paying), the bill came out to $18 a person. That my friends is a sweet deal (mind you we are not heavy drinkers), so if you want to imbibe probably will cost you more. Still totally worth it!
(4)Sara O.
I love this place! It's different from your average downtown restaurant. Is anyone sick of overpriced steakhouse chains? Because I am! Show me a go-green pizza place that uses farm fresh ingredients with good wine and I am totally down. Why I have not been here before, I have no idea. But thank you Adam for pointing me in the right direction! This place is great for groups as well as an intimate date. It's fancy pizza with a unique twist (though you can still get your pizza basics). Pricey? Not a chance! We had three pizzas, three appetizers, and 4 bottles of wine between the 6 of us and the final bill required each of us to pay only 30 dollars for dinner. Could you find a better deal? I think not. Not for the cute and cozy ambiance, the great tasting pies (this pizza place is definitely in my top 5), and such a great variety of wines with staff who really know their stuff and can pair them well.
(5)#NAME?
I've had this place bookmarked for awhile, finally decided to try it Saturday night-I at first thought about sitting outside, I mean I get tired of being in A/C and freezing, and it's only warm here for 3 months, but the outdoor seating is not nice here, you are on the corner of a busy area, busses going by, cabbies honking etc...So we ate inside- Waiter was fantastic (Philip) on giving us info on what is good, how the food is prepared-Started off with a Bruschetta with mushrooms, very good-We ordered the least "good for you pizza" on the menu, triple pepperoni, but it was so good-I might try and use DininingIn.com and have one delivered to me-The crust is airy and the cheese they use really makes the pizza- Had the Orange Alchemist drink, as I am not a big drinker I thought it was stiff but good-Loved the perfect sugared rim- Now if you are a guy, trying to feel out a girl this might be the place to take her-There were so many girls in this place, I could not figure out why-I mean tables and tables of ladies only-My husband than said "pizza and wine...what group of guys would ever come here for that?" It's not a big place, very open but I felt relaxed here and will be coming back for sure-
(4)Emily C.
If you're looking for an adequately priced, thin crust pizza that will fill you up (I recommend the fennel sausage pizza), then this is a great place to go and it's also got a great atmosphere. I can't say it's the best thin crust pizza I've had, but it's pretty good. The pastas were also just "pretty good"- filling and tasty, but not an "oh my gosh yum" type of thing. Let's just say, it wasn't memorable
(3)Matt B.
What a great place for a night when you want a nice restaurant and pizza. The pizza's are all unique and all the ingredients seemed really fresh. Went with a relatively large group but we made a reservation and had no problem being seated on time. Great wine/drink window. Need to hit up the "late night fix" sometime when I am out in the area.
(4)Jeff W.
Straight up-this place is my new fav restaurant in the city(especially when I am buying) Awesome 'vibe'...was here with 15 out of towners and service was a tad slow at first but picked up-the private party menu is the way to go and the gnocchi seriously changed my life with lamb...W O W..perfection in a little dumpling-do not miss! We went for the salads, pizzas and pastas for $28/pp...cannot go wrong-they were out of a few of my fav beers, Gumball Head and Matilda :( Overall I am looking forward to going back again...and again...and again...
(5)Justin M.
Service was great, woodfired pizzas were great, all-around great place. I plan to come back sometime. Gotta check out the Parma classic or the clam Fresno chili pizza. Yummy!
(4)Aurore L.
Lunch specials: great deal. For two people: $15 = one appetizer of your choice, a pizza of your choice, and their infamous Wisconsin electric cookies. $25 = the same, plus two glasses of wine. I went a couple of times for lunch now and it's never hustling and bustling, which is hard to understand....in my books $7.50 for lunch downtown is pretty hard to come by. Still 4 stars though. Might be a detail but every single time I came here there was nobody to greet me and I had to wait, look around with pleading eyes and feel uncomfortable. You guys need a host that sticks around and does his/her job!
(4)Sarah P.
Why haven't I been here before?! Big thanks to Groupon for introducing me to La Madia. La Madia is a nice alternative to the typical Chicago style pizza. The thin crust dough is topped with the freshest ingredients. We enjoyed a mushroom and smoked mozzarella pizza and a sausage and basil pizza. Both were awesome. I would recommend going early on the weekends because this place gets busy.
(4)Nicole C.
Like many others, I'm also disappointed with the experience I had at La Madia. It's such a cute, cozy spot that would be great for date night -- if only the food were better! The soup - cream of leek - was tasty, but not at all creamy. Is was watery. The simple salad with organic greens, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, radishes, and mushrooms with vinagarette was good, but hard to screw up. I was a big fan of the pizza with taleggio cheese and 3-year aged grapes, but a mini version of this pizza would make a better dessert than main dinner course. The cheese was very sweet (think Brie) and the aged grapes tasted very much like grape jelly. The pizza with mozzarella di bufala, tomato sauce, and torn basil was really, really greasy. There is a wood-burning oven, so I'm not sure how it got so oily. Oil in the tomato sauce? The cheese? No idea, but definitely disappointing. I was tempted to try to soak it up with my napkin. As we were wallking out, I saw a table with a pepperoni pizza and the grease was even worse! Ick. Since we just had pizza, I may consider going back to try pasta. The atomosphere and serivce was great. Oh, and I had a world of trouble getting a reservation here over the past couple of weeks. For example, they weren't accepting 7pm reservations last night (I even called after trying Open Table) and they absolutely would not let the two of us in. As it turned out, we were running late. At 7pm there were SEVERAL empty tables. You'd think they'd want to fill the place. ???? If you can't get in here, I'd recommend grabbing better pizza elsewhere.
(3)John H.
FAIR WARNING: This review is based on a single slice of buffalo mozzarella pizza, a single bite of calzone and one Three Floyds Gumball Head. We went to La Madia with my family after the marathon and I wasn't quite ready to eat at that point so I mostly sat around while everyone else indulged. La Madia has a very modern look to it, and the wood-burning ovens are visible from most parts of the restaurant. The one thing that was missing was that nice wood-burning oven smell that many places have, but it may just be that we were there when it wasn't so crowded and early enough that the smell hadn't developed for the day yet... Our table of six ordered three pizzas and a calzone, which seemed to be the perfect amount of food. Everybody enjoyed what they had, and our server was helpful and attentive (even if the service was a touch slow). The calzone was outstanding--the bread shell was tasty and crispy and gooey all at the same time, the filling was cheesy and meaty and perfect, and the tomato sauce (on the side) was tasty. The buffalo mozzarella pizza was quite good too--a firm but not crispy crust topped with what was clearly high quality ingredients. The mozzarella was melted nicely, but did wind up making the pizza (or rather, the top of the pizza) a little greasy.
(4)Ramandeep S.
the triple pepperoni with truffle oil is the bomb!!!! our group liked it so much that we were back for lunch the next day! hmmmm - i need to get there soon again! its tough to get tables in the weekend, so make reservations..
(5)Sonali K.
Oh, La Madia - what happened to you?! I used to eat here or order out from here at least once a week when I first discovered it last spring. It has been on a steady decline ever since. Don't get me wrong, the ambience is still great, Chef Fox is always fun to talk to, and the service and good wine is never lacking. The food, however, is a different story. Not only do they no longer serve the asparagus pizza anymore (which was my favorite), the freshness of ingredients is lacking in their other pizzas as well. One of the main reasons I used to love La Madia was for their thin, crispy crust, but even that has been burnt more recently and that's all you can taste. I just can't justify paying the prices when the quality isn't there anymore. There are definitely better pizza places in the city that are far more affordable. It is unfortunate that La Madia took such a turn for the worse in regards to their food quality :(
(2)Tiffany A.
La Madia is a great place for wood fired pizza and wine. The pizza itself was amazing, and the service and atmosphere were great. Highly recommend!!
(4)Boones K.
I was here of couple of weeks ago with for my girlfriends birthday and had a great time. The service was terrific and the staff was great to work with helping me arrange bottles of wine to be ready for when we arrived. They did an excellent job of serving a bigger group and make sure that everyone was taken care of. The food was fantastic. We had several appetizers, but my favorite was the bruschetta with wild mushrooms. I was almost sad that I had to share it. Several people ordered pizzas, which were very good. I went with the braised short ribs and it was outstanding. The beef was so incredibly tender and flavorful and the risotto was a perfect accompaniment. I will definitely be back.
(4)nikki s.
Finally, pizza that moves me to writing about it--in a good way! A friend and I did lunch at La Madia on a Saturday and although I wasn't in a tizzy to go to another pizza place, I was pleasantly surprised. We went for the pizzas, but I can't wait to go back and try their flatbread sandwiches. The specialty? A good sized list of gourmet pizzas. No, no, not your typical barbecue chicken. Intriguing variations such as triple pepperoni w/truffle oil or lamb sausage w/peppers and mint salsa verde. Superb! I have to mention the spinach salad with shrimp and gorgonzola and tomatoes. Can I just say it was HUGE and enough for 2-3 people to share? You know I noticed the welcoming customer service from the hosts at the door to our waitress. I was pleased we didn't have to fight a crowd and I never felt rushed. The atmosphere was relaxed and not uptighty with an ecclectic crowd of diners. You had girlfriends meeting up, couples, large groups and even a birthday party for--get this, an infant? As a mom, I don't blame them. Heck, that's my kind of pizza party! The kid doesn't have a clue, so I say avoid going to Chuckie Cheese as long as you can. Three extra stars from me for being family friendly.
(5)Don J.
La Madia is my go to Italian place when I want to have good reasonably priced food near my apartment. Their salads are fresh and simple, my favourite is the herbed Chicken with apples and walnuts. The triple pepperoni pizza is one of the best pizzas I have ever had and cooked fresh before your eyes at the pizza counter. I ate there in the last week and had an amazing pasta dish with chicken and walnut oil cream. Service is friendly and a nice cozy restaurant especially in the depth of the winter.
(4)Reid G.
The Triple Pepperoni is everything you imagined a pepperoni pizza could be. I have no experience with their "special plates" or appetizers, but I will say that the Chocolate Polenta Cake is on point. Love the atmosphere up front; warm and cozy as many have mentioned. The setting is less spectacular on the slightly raised second level, so ask for a seat up front if it's available. Reasonable prices (for the neighborhood) and consistent quality earn this joint a solid 4 stars
(4)Jedd J.
My fav pizza place in Chicago. Yet I'm off the pizza, because the pasta is even better. Try the lamb bolognese. Great wines. Excellent salads.
(5)A W.
Very good. I was there after lunch hours and pretty empty. That said, service was great by the bartender. The pizza was very thin and very crispy, just like expected from a wood fire pit. Makes you certainly want to eat all the crust. I had the Triple Pepperoni...wouldn't recommend it daily because it will kill you but man did it taste good once. If you are looking for regular Chicago pizza, this is not the place. In fact, I would only order two of the 10 pizzas...Not a fluffy food kind of guy. Overall good food
(4)Lis F.
Nice decor. Had the organic arugula salad and the soup. Food was delicious - especially the salad, but pricing did not match the portion sizes - especially the soup.
(3)Josh G.
Fantastico! Squisito! La Madia has a great in town location that's surprisingly spacious and well decorated. Clean lines, simple decor, neutral colors; loved it. Excellent atmosphere for a few drinks and eating with a group of friends (make a reservation). Two words: Pizza Fondue. Another word: awesome. We started with that and the Shaved Belgium Endive & Radicchio Salad, Grana Padena & Lemon Vinaigrette. Both were delicious. Then moving on, although I was very tempted by many of their entrees we all settled on pizzas which did not disappoint. Very thin, soft crust with fresh ingredients and some of the best and unique cheeses I've ever experienced on a pizza. My favorite, Barrata (cheese) and Zucchini. Huge slices of baked zucchini dabbed with the barrata cheese just melted over the crust. This is definitely a spot to check out if you're not into the traditional Chicago style pizza and prefer a thin crust. They've also got some great wines and every dish on the menu suggests a pairing which is helpful. Make a reservation and check out the menu online before you go. You'll be drooling in no time.
(4)Michael C.
Always an amazing experience. I have had some great pizza's here but there menu is not to be overshadowed by their pizza, they have a sizable range of tastes for all people. The $5 daily wine special is a great find as well. Also, don't forget to stop in for a pre-drink from one of their wonderful Bin's and sit near the fireplace, especially in the Chicago winters! Total gem for locals or tourists alike.
(3)Rob J.
This a go-to place for us. Good food, good prices. And a quick funny story- my mother-in-law got drunk here. Good times.
(4)Kim V.
The bartender is really rude and the host is a little snobbish, but it all goes away when you taste the pizza -- specifically the Laura Chenel Goat Cheese, Melted Leeks, Garlic & Pancetta Lardons. it's AMAZING. So heavenly I almost forgot that the jerk bartender ignored us and then got my drink wrong (is a gin and tonic that hard really?!) and the seating hostess refused to seat us because we were 15 minutes early for 9:15pm (on a wednesday) reservation. And when she was ready to seat us she impatiently looked at me like it was my fault I was STILL waiting for my gin and tonic and then seated us at the table right by the door that was empty when we walked in. wow. thanks.
(4)Jordan E.
This place is amazing! Just as impressed with the salads as I was with the pizza!
(5)emily h.
I had to update my review to say that on my most recent visit for lunch with my husband we had a delightful experience. My husband was extremely impressed by the wine selection and I loved my pepperoni pizza with Truffle oil. Unlike last time, this time we had a really sweet waitress and got great service! I will keep coming back here for both lunch or dinner!
(5)Mickey A.
If you're looking for a quiet simple lunch in the area, La Madia is a pretty good choice. During the week, it's surprisingly quiet with not a lot of action compared to the dinner scene (at least, from what I've read on the reviews). The $15 per person lunch special sounds like a good deal: choice of appetizer, pizza, and cookies for dessert. A co-worker and I opted to getting our own pizzas instead of the special. I had a slice of her house-made fennel sausage pizza was delicious, and my own triple pepperoni with white truffle oil was very tasty. There was so much pizza leftover that we each had enough to take home. We had prompt and very attentive service. We were in and out of there in less than an hour. I hope to update this review when I go back to try the wine pairings with the pizzas.
(4)Katie C.
Ladies and gentlemen, it's short but sweet: Saturday night. Best friend, her boyfriend, me. Open windows/walls at La Madia. Gorgeous interior. Beautiful breeze. Fantastic wine list. Great conversation. Good food (so they say, look forward to finding out). Fun people watching. Savvy service. I'll be back.
(4)Jenni Q.
Came here with a $25 groupon with no expectations really. Was kind of surprised to see that it was a more upscale pizza joint but the staff was super friendly and the waitress made awesome recommendations. Started out with the nicoise olives and the bruschetta. Im not usually a fan of olives so can't really comment on how good they were. But the bruschetta (which came topped with wild mushrooms) were one of the best I've tried anywhere. We then ordered the Triple Pepperoni pizza with truffle oil and couldnt decide on the second pizza so the waitress recommended the goat cheese pizza topped with melted leeks, garlic and pancetta. OMMMMMG. I think I almost ate the entire goat cheese pizza by myself. I wasn't a fan of goat cheese before but after trying this pizza I have totally converted. Everything went so well together, the thinly sliced pancetta, the leeks... everything I tell you! The triple pepperoni pizza was also good but nothing special....pepperoni is pepperoni anywhere you go so we kind of messed up by ordering that instead of one of their more unique, original pizzas. Supposedly there was truffle oil in the pizza as well but if there was, we couldn't taste it. We also go the chicken, spinach and ricotta ravioli which was scrumptious although I wish the serving had been a little bigger. I wouldnt come here everyday for my pizza fix because the prices are a little high but if you are looking for something different this is the place to go! Definitely try the goat cheese pizza and the wild mushroom bruschetta!
(4)Nima P.
I went here with a friend the other day, since I bought an awesome groupon for it! The service was really polite and patient. The pizzas were very unique and each one on the menu looked soooo yummy. We ordered both the goat cheese and the mushroom pizzas and we were VERY pleased. It was a LITTLE greaser than I like, but what can I say.. I still ate it! The large pizzas are about $12-$18 a piece and very tasty! We ordered two for two of us and had about 6 slices left over =)
(4)Carly S.
I've been going to La Madia since shortly after it opened. When I was living in Chicago, my friends always joked this was the only place I wanted to go. Now that I have moved, I always go to La Madia when I come back to visit. They have great food and wine, what more can you ask for. The Pizza Fondue is a MUST! You won't be disappointed and then you can keep the amazing sauce to dip your pizza crust into for the main meal. The Artichoke pizza is my favorite and I've also had most of the other pizzas- I've never had a bad one! They have a great wine list that complements the food very well. The one thing I always tell them is that they need better desserts. Not only do my friends tease me about my love of La Madia, they also know I almost always order dessert everywhere I go- but I don't here anymore. The dessert is just okay. I'd give them 5 stars if they fixed this part of the menu.
(4)Jennifer C.
We had a groupon here so we decided to take a chance. Despite some of the negative reviews we walked out pretty happy. We came in on a Friday night around 6:45PM without reservations. We were told that if we wanted to wait for a seat it would be an hour to an hour and half, YIKES you guys are serving thin pizza, this isn't Pizzaria Uno....In any event, the hostess offered us a spot at the bar overlooking the kitchen. I wasn't a huge fan about it at first but I was starving and I would have passed out by the time we got seated at a table. So we agreed to the bar style eating. My husband and I are foodies who LOVE watching food shows so we actually found ourselves being pleasantly entertained by watching the action going on in the kitchen. Not to mention sitting in the bar has it's perks, you get a complimentary glass of prosecco and a yummy mini espresso mousse. Now I thought that was a super deal. Our server was very nice and attentive. I give it to her as we had our backs to her I am sure it can be pretty difficult waiting on people having to sneak up on them. But she did a great job, glasses were always full, etc. We ordered the Organic Mixed Greens Salad. It was fresh and tasty. It is served in a pretty big bowl so definitely something worth sharing. We also ordered the Triple Pepperoni pizza and the Margherita pizza. Both very yummy too. I only wished the bottom of the crust for the pizza were a little bit more crispier. And for some reason I thought the Margherita pizza includes chopped tomatoes on top, however, it was pretty much a cheese pizza - no tomatoes. The atmosphere was nice and modern. Had a cool and hip feel to it. This is definitely a place to go when you want pizza but don't want to walk out feeling 15lbs heavier from the scarfing down a deep dish. On a quirky sidenote...I am a super germaphobe and I was happy to see the area being bussed down and wiped with a cleaning wipe and not some wet rag, woo hoo! I thought that was fantastic, I HATE when restaurants use the same rag to wipe down everything, it stays wet all day and they think they cleaned your table down but come on, I am a mother of two who's kids will drop things on the table and eat off of it so cleanliness is important to me :) At the end of the meal the manager came and greeted us and asked us to sign up for the wine and dine club and because we used our groupon we got a nice little deal where we received a $10 certificate to come back. And not to mention the kind manager was a fellow filipino :) Bonus points. We will definitely be back soon! And we walked out full with leftovers!
(4)Erin P.
So I don't love "regular" pizza; I could take or leave the Chicago or New York styles (please don't deport me from Chicago) but I am quite the sucker for gourmet or trendy thin crust with interesting ingredients and flavors. La Madia was right up my alley! We dined mid afternoon on a lazy Sunday, which worked out perfectly because the restaurant was empty. With a group of four we set out to try as much of the menu as possible and share everything. Between 4 people we consumed: - 4 pizzas (shared) - 2 entrée salads (shared) - 8 (alcoholic) beverages (two each) - 4 coffees - 2 desserts (shared) Total damage: $50 each My favorites: - Salad: Romaine Lettuce & Market Tomatoes, Crispy Pancetta, Creamy Mustard Dressing - Pizza: Burrata and Grilled Zucchini (the tallegio with grapes was a close second) - Dessert: Chanti soaked strawberries in almond crostata - Wine: Dona Paulo Shiraz/Malbec I cant wait to come back with a similar prerogative; sharing good food and drinking wine with friends on a summer afternoon
(5)Helena D.
On a warm Chicago day, you should head over to this little Italian restobar located in the heart of River North. Situated a few blocks off the beaten tourist path, LaMadia is a newer addition to the neighborhood that is popular with the locals living in the gleaming high-end high-rises and business travelers with in-the-know friends. Each night, they offer different wine specials and feature a menu filled with rustic pizza baked in a traditional wood burning brick oven. Thin crust and elegant enough to eat with a knife-and-fork or with your fingers, the pizza will take you back to Italy with the freshness of ingredients and simple approach. For less than $20 you can have a great pizza and a carafe of wine with the most attentive table service and a view. The restaurant features roll-back windows (similar to a garage) so that you can have a view and feel like you're dining el fresco. Their small patio is a popular option as well and if you should have young children, you should feel comfortable knowing that their staff is most accommodating and the patio is a great option to get the family seated and served before 7 pm. Inside, they have comfy armless lounge chairs similar to what you might find in a hotel lobby, along with regular bistro chairs. As well, their small circular bar offers a great way to meet other patrons and converse with the bartenders, should you be alone and traveling on business. LaMadia tends to attract sophisticated people in their late 20s and above with a discerning pallet. Service is friendly and fast and you can do no wrong with any of their menu selections. Go here for a special occasion, happy hour, or dinner and wine with a friend during the regular work week. You'll love it.
(4)Michelle E.
Had my first dinner at La Madia last night, and definitely plan to return! This place is about a week old, and the best way to win repeat customers is to give them free stuff! Before we had even eaten anything, the chef sent over some blood orange ice, which is basically like sorbet. Yummy! Fresh and citrusy, and sweeter than I thought it would be. This is when I started to realize how good my dinner was going to be... I am not a wine expert, but the wine list seemed to be pretty diverse, with some unique selections--Lebanese Cabernet, anyone? They offer 4oz and 7oz pours of their wines by the glass, which I like. They also have a variety of cocktails, specially designed by their bartender who has been called The Best Bartender in America, and is apparently a very recognizable name in the field. Her name escapes me now, but her credentials are still impressive! My date and I started with the mushroom and ricotta bruschetta. WOW, those mushrooms are to DIE for, and the ricotta was whipped, making it creamy and smooth and heavenly. Mmm! After much debate over which pizza to order, we decided on the salami with basil and truffle oil. Now, we are both pizza freaks. I actually have to strictly limit my pizza intake, I love it that much. I love both NY and Chicago style, fancy frou-frou, cheap $1 slices, everything. I never thought I would ever describe pizza as light, but that is exactly what this is--light and airy. Feathery, even! The salami was literally translucent, it was sliced so paper-thin. Luckily, they pile alot of it on there! This is not gooey pizza. It is definitely cheesy, there was a nice layer of Parmesan on top of the super-thin crust. I like this pizza because it is tasty and satisfying, without being unbuckle-your-belt filling like alot of other pizzas out there. The other pizza selections sound quite tasty as well, like the sausage, peppers and onions or the parmesan, arugula and prosciutto. The gorgonzola and grapes also sounds interesting. Next we ordered the ricotta gnocchi with homemade sausage. Also very delicious. I am usually a sauce girl when it comes to pastas. This gnocchi comes in more of a broth, but it is so flavorful! The sausage is also great, and the gnocchi had that perfect bite to it. The portion was not giant, which was nice. Looking forward to trying the straw & hay pasta next time. They also offer a variety of panini, which I didn't get a chance to try during this visit. Dessert. Our waiter highly recommended the chianti gelato, saying it was the best dessert he's EVER had. How could we say no to that? At first I was thinking, wine flavored ice cream, that doesn't sound good at all! Then he told us it has more of a chocolaty, berry flavor. I was expecting a big blood red ball of ice cream. What came out was more greyish, pinkish, with a very unique flavor. I definitely got more of a strawberry flavor than anything else, but you can certainly pick up a tannin essence as well. It was very good, surely not like any other gelato I've tried before. The chefs (owners?) were making the rounds, stopping by to check on everyone, and even refilling waters! I like chefs who come out and talk to their patrons, it really makes me feel like they care about the people they are cooking for, and helps to make people feel welcomed. A very personal touch. Now for complaints: This place is barely a week old, so of course there are still service kinks to be worked out. We had to wait in the bar for a table, and we sat there for about 15 minutes before the bartender had a chance to take our order, which is exactly when we got seated. Our server was quite knowledgeable about the menu and wine list, and was very personable, unfortunately he was also a bit forgetful. I was also served a completely cold cappuccino, however he very quickly and apologetically replaced it for me. The menu says they offer cheese plates, but when we wanted one, they said they don't actually HAVE their cheeses yet. Hopefully next time!
(4)Sarah B.
One of the best pizzas I have ever eaten. I was in the city to celebrate my birthday with a friend and she picked this place for dinner. She has excellent taste. I had the seasonal mushroom and pecorino pizza and the crust was probably my favorite part . Soft and doughy without being too thick. Our server was fantastic, the food was out quickly and the drinks were great. Really, what more could you ask for?
(5)Amy H.
Went to La Madia early on Friday after arriving in Chicago for the weekend. We were seated immediately in the trendy dining room with a view of both the bar and the wood burning brick oven. Some Belgian beer, the olives and the roasted artichoke got us started. The olives were great - warm, garlicy and with a hint of rosemary. The artichokes were interesting, a bit challenging to eat (well, really not much to eat until you get into the middle) but worth trying for something different. We had the frisée / endive / radicchio / currants / pine nuts & balasamic dressing and it was excellent. The currants really stand out and add sweetness against the balsamic. Our pizza was the fennel sausage and onion - very solid! The crust was thin and the toppings were in good proportion to one another but not heavy. This is definitely not deep dish or anything close to it but the upside is that were able to walk out feeling full but not like we had an anchor in our tummies. Service was great - place filled up fast and is obviously an after-work hot spot. I would definitely go here again.
(4)Alexzandra A.
This review is for the lunch I just had there. The owners invited some of the concierge in the city for lunch today, and I am pretty stuffed right now. This place is 4.5 stars in my opinion. I am ranking it against what else is out there in this area of downtown as well as my favorite thin crust pizza's around the world. What they served up... Arugula Salad- 4 stars, the grapes in this salad were phenomenal, but I thought the dressing needed a little more work. Was more tart then spicy. Oven Roasted Artichoke- 4 stars, The sauces accompanied this dish well. I love artichoke, but wasn't thrilled with the preparation of it. Pizza Fondue-5 stars, Super cheesy(literally), but in a good way. Simple dish, but fun to eat Sausage Gnochi- I did not try this dish, but everyone was oohing and awwing over it. Pepperoni Pizza-5 stars, Wow, there choices of pepperoni were well thought out and the addition of truffle oil made this amazing..even for a non-pepperoni eater Mushroom Pizza- 5 stars, anything will mushrooms has me at hello. Very nice pizza. My favorite of them all Mozzarella Pizza- 3 stars, the Mozzarella was amazing in quality, but the pizza had me wanting more...much more Wisconsin Cookies-4 stars, So simple, fattening and good. I wouldn't order these as my dessert, but I think if they included these as an end of meal complimentary dessert they would go over very well. Pear Pastry w/ Chianti Gelato- 5 stars, OMG, holy shit amazing. I love pears, and Chianti flavored Gelato is fucking genius. Our service was superb, especially for such a large party(16). I eat pizza with a knife and fork, and this pizza is really tough to do that with. Also, the room is very modern California. Not exactly the coziest place, but I kind of like it that way. They do have a pizza bar, which I think is super fun. I also have to give them 5 stars for their wine list. There are some great choices on there. Best part of the meal was sitting between the two owners and hearing their vision and passion for thier establishment. :)
(4)Mike F.
Very friendly bar-keeps. Didn't try the food, but the friendliness of the staff will make me go back.
(3)stuart R.
Girls might like this place, but a man wouldn't be caught dead eating this pizza with another man. Trader Joe's frozen pizza is better.
(1)Susanne A.
I came here on a very cold Sat. night. It was packed with people so I thought this place must be really good. Sat down with friends next to the chic fire place waiting for an open table. By the way the place is great to go to on a cold Chicago night where you can have a glass of wine and sit on there cozy sofa. It was hard to get a drink and the service was not so great and I am not one to be picky about that. Finally got a sit where you can watch the chefs make the pizzas from there own wood stone oven. Did end up ordering the hawaiian type of pizza. Also it took a little bit longer because our waitress forgot or lost our oder. Good point was that we did get a free glass of wine and I think thats what they do with any order but not sure. The pizza was good with fresh ingredients straight from the oven. A little to greasy for my taste but didn't leave you overly stuffed. Over all really chic place where you can get wide variety of wines and pretty good pizza.
(3)Ryan P.
Yum. The bf and I came here before a movie and had a delicious meal. The pizza was really tasty and so were the salads. And the service was friendly and fast - we will definitely return.
(4)Melissa S.
Oh no. Really wanted to like this place, but had a horrible experience here last Sunday with my husband and his parents. For starters, it was a Sunday night and half the time we were there they were blasting what sounded like death metal. Even after my father in law said something funny about the music (which was obviously a very odd choice for a restaurant) to our server, and she admitted it was very strange and annoying, yet nothing was done to change/lower the music. (And from the comment she gave us it looked like we weren't the only ones who said something about the bizarro headache inducing music.) But strange music really doesn't bother me, I'm assuming it was maybe the choice of the chef/manager/owner/somebody's 'concept' 'and I could've let that slide. What really really bothered me was that our server was strange, unhelpful, and rude. She decided she HAD to clear my plate and my mother in law's plate (we were seated on the inside farther side of the booth), while my husband and father in law were still eating! If it had been insanely busy and/or they were running out of plates and/or it wasn't a slightly more upscale pizza place, MAYBE it would've been okay. But it was none of those things. I specifically did not hand her my plate and she made a point to stop, ask me if she could have my plate, and reached over my husband's plate for my own while my husband was still eating. He hardly ever comments about service or gets confrontational, but I swear he almost said "WTF are you doing???" Not one to cause a scene, I handed my plate over with a look of incredulousity and a case of hard core stink eye. I will still go back because of proximity to work, but maybe just for a more casual post-work snack in the lounge or on the patio....definitely not for a full meal.
(2)Manja C.
I've eaten at the usual suspects when it comes to wood-fired pizza restaurants and I'd have to say that La Madia bats an average. Im definitely "a fan" of La Madia because of their wine list and artichoke parm pizza. The prices are very reasonable and they offer some great drink/food deals. During the summer they open the doors to the patio on Grand Ave. which offers some great people watching in a bistro-type setting.
(3)D J.
Stepping into La Madia for the first time, I was quite impressed with the sparse yet elegant & trendy decor, and the extensive wine menu coupled with an impressive display of it as well. Initially I attributed the lack of activity on a Sunday afternoon to the atrocious weather outside, but it may very well have had to do with the slim pickings available for lunch. And the fact perhaps that the dishes look better on the menu than when they turn up on your table.Still racking my brain on why their bruschettas are served up with mushrooms instead of tomatoes, and while the spinach and speck pizza with pine nuts sounded appetizing, sans the speck it turned out to be just a regular thin crust with an abundance of raw spinach leaves and a sprinkling of nuts. La Madia, given the subtitle it proclaims is disappointing if you seek the art of pizza, the love of wine may be better realized - think I may pass up on a return trip here until they've figured out a way to live up to their potential.
(2)Norman C.
I'll give it 2.5 stars as the service was great, the wine list is huge and the decor is really cool. As for the food, one of the three pizzas our table shared tasted pretty good ( mozzarella and mushroom I think) but the pepperoni pizza we had was so salty is was barely palatable. Also, our starters looked great on the menu but when they arrived they didn't look or taste as appetizing. We had the grilled asparagus with prosciutto which was luke warm and soggy as well as the ricotta gnocchi with sausage (the sausage was actually quite good but the gnocchi was terrible and had no taste - it almost looked like spaetzel). I'm glad I tried I tried it but wouldn't go back.
(2)Erin A.
Good for a work lunch. Good for dinner with friends. Lots of options. Nice wine list. If you go with the sharing route (ex. 4 people: 2 pizzas, 1 salad, 1-2 appetizer) the price can be very reasonable.
(4)Happiness L.
Contemporary coolness combined with "watch the kitchen" seating make this an interesting stop. I had the housemade Lamb Sausage, Fresno Peppers, Caciocavallo Cheese & Mint Salsa Verde pizza...very yummy but for me I needed a little more. Completely wonderful once I started dipping it into a self-prepared vodka parmesan sauce...their sauce and I added the cheese. Dessert was Strawberry/Rhubarb Crostada accompanied by Vanilla Bean Gelato...recommend this one! Excellent coffee. Excellent orange cocktail. The service was pretty good, but the aloof hostess although accommodating was not as customer service focused as one would expect at a high end cool vibe place. Wait staff was good and friendly.
(4)Galit G.
Great pizza!!! I love the thin crust (no effence to the Chicago Pizza) The atmosphere is very chill and cool- perfect for summer evenings. I had the beet salad which was very good and the Buffalo mozzarella pizza. Not too pricy and very pleasant!
(4)J. C. G.
Granted, the place is new, but we had two fantastic pizzas and a great bottle of wine. That right there is 5 stars, people.
(5)Suburban R.
nice clean mod space of a restaurant that serves great sandwiches. we ended up here after trying to get into the zoo that is of Rick Bayless empire of restaurants nearby [Xoco, ......, ....] long wait....
(4)Wendy H.
I've been to La Madia twice now and love it. I'm surprised by the mixed reviews here. Food, service, drinks, decor all wonderful. The "crimson crush" (similar to a pomegranate mojito) is the tastiest cocktail I've ever had (OK, it's not that strong, but maybe that's good since it tastes so good it goes down fast!). The head (bar) "mixer" just won third place in a french competition for cocktailologists. The maitre d' made a point of taking our coats for the complimentary coat check (the reviewer who complained there is no "coat rack" must be a suburbanite, no city person would leave a good coat hanging on an unattended "coat rack"). The pizza's I've ordered (Margarita and the one with the grapes) were fabulous. friends ordered the mushroom pizza and the salami pizza and liked it very much as well. the pizza fondue appetizer is great. What's not to like?
(5)Monica D.
Great place for a lunch meeting or to meet friends for a bite during the week. Service is friendly and quick, reasonably priced wine menu, modern but not overdone interiors. It does get busy (aka noisy) but come on - its downtown. I recommend this spot to anyone: great for pizza, salads, paninis and soups.
(4)Sara S.
It's similar to spacca napoli but doesn't quite have the authentic edge. the pizza didn't wow me, but it's a great spot in a great location. don't forgo the wisconsin butter cookies, they are fantastic. despite the fact i'm from wisconsin and have never had a butter cookie that good, i'll take the homage.
(3)Kim A.
Our neighborhood fave, whether it's a group dinner for a birthday, a last-minute casual spot for a Sunday evening, or an after work spot. LOVE IT. My fave is the mushroom bruscetta (I order it every time without fail). For the salads, I love the chicken/walnut/goat cheese salad, and the chopped italian lettuces. For pizzas, my boyfriend always requests the pepperoni with truffle oil (and I don't protest), but I've also had some of the other delicious pizzas like mushroom, margharita, etc. I've been there about 8 times and it never disappoints.
(5)Allison B.
No complaints but no huge compliments here either. Service was fair. I was split on the appetizers-- I thought the bruschetta was good, the pizza fondue was disappointing. We ordered 3 different pizzas-- 2/3 were very good (I'd especially recommend the Spinach/Speck) and 1 was okay. The wine selection was pretty extensive. Our waiter did try to upsell us on the wine, but he certainly wasn't super pushy, so that was okay. Servers are salespeople, when it comes down to it. All in all, I'd return if I was in the area and hungry for pizza, but it's not somewhere that I *MUST* go back to.
(3)Philip P.
Modern atmosphere but no unique character, and hostesses have always given me attitude. Pizza fondue appetizer is tasty and pizza hits the spot but very thin. A variety if unique pizzas and even larger drink menu.
(3)Gretchen V.
Since my last review, I've gone back for just pizza and wine, and I think that's where La Madia excels. The bartender was our server and he was great. Super funny and attentive (but not annoying). Don't come here for a fancy dinner - come for a couple glasses of wine and some pizza, and you won't be disappointed.
(3)Jacqueline G.
I went to La Madia for the first time this week. Unfortunately, I don't think I will be going back ... The wine bar/ pizza concept is cute, but the atmosphere feels like a mix between IKEA and a bad chain restaurant. The wine list is extensive, but the pizza ... boring.
(2)Scott C.
Went for a friends birthday. Our party was ridiculously huge. The service was ok. Understandable for a group that big. My problem was with the food. The buffalo mozzarella pizza was way too salty and oily. The risotto was way too salty too. Things that were actually good: mushroom bruschetta fresh bread with marinara dip
(2)Dana H.
A new contemporary pizza place w/wood burning oven was enticing enough to get us out on a cold, snowy January night. Yes, it is modern, but the atmosphere is not that of your chicest city restaurant...the focus is still pizza, but don't expect too see a bunch of kids, either. We started at the bar which fine, but just a bar...on the upside, their wine list is extensive. Then, we sat at the pizza bar to eat which was also fine but nothing special. We started w/a special beet salad...which did not seem so special...I would guess that they were not using the freshest ingredients, but it was edible. The pizza (sausage, peppers and vidalia) was GREAT! All-in-all, it was a mediocre night, but the pizza was great and locale convenient for me, so I would consider coming back w/friends for a casual night.
(3)Diz L.
I was very disappointed with my dining experience at La Madia. The pizza was mediocre. What disturbed me, however, was the service. Marty G. was my server. At first he was helpful. However, I believe my friend and I were victims of a "bait and switch" menu experience. You see, we ordered two glasses of wine. When we received the bill, the wine was much pricier then listed on the menu. When I asked for verification, Marty showed me a menu that had the higher prices. Not OK! Both glasses were supposed to be $12. However the total came out to $16 for one glass and $18 for the second. I know this is not a huge difference, but I don't appreciate being scammed. Buyer beware!!! Has this happened to anyone else?
(1)M G.
I wish there was a 3.5 start option. I think it was better than A-Ok, but going so far as to say I'm a fan is a little strong. Our server was great ensuring that water and wine glasses were always full. The pizza was good with a nice flavor. Still, the place lacked character. It was a forgettable sort of place. I'd go again if a friend really wanted to go but I never would go out of my way to return.
(3)Marissa D.
i love la madia! i came here expecting a hole in the wall italian pizza place and found something completely different - which ended up being a good thing! la madia has a very metropolitan feel to it...it's a perfect city restaurant, complete with modern decor that still manages to make you feel welcome. we had phenomenal service, a great bottle of wine, two of their salads (the spinach and the beet) which were delicious, and 2 pizzas. we got the arugula pizza and the mozzarella di bufalo pizza. i loved the pizza, and 2 was the perfect number to get for our party of 3. la madia is a great place to go when you want to have a nice meal in a great atmosphere at a reasonable price. i can't wait to go back!
(4)Jessica P.
I loved it here! Great for foodies. I tried the prosciutto & organic cracked egg pizza paired with the riesling. The best part is the wine pairing suggestions given on the menu.
(5)Kate D.
Great ambiance, very competent and friendly service, and delicious food! We tried a couple different pizzas -one pepperoni and one with just olive oil, arugula and prosciutto -and both were fantastic. I recommend requesting a side of balsamic vinegar with the prosciutto pizza; it needed a little something extra. The crust is thin & crispy and very flavorful.
(5)Patrick M.
If you are going there as a couple, get one pizza. Don't let them fool you into thinking that they are personal pizzas. Lots of wine choices and food was good. Good atmosphere and good service. I would recommend this place.
(4)Stefanie H.
Second dinner at la madia and pizza was wonderful! Staff was very accommodating to our party of 11and put us in a separate room. Goat cheese pizza and cracked egg with procutto were the faves. Would recommend this place for anyone who enjoys modern pizza and apps. Small stuff can get pricey though...I'll return.
(4)Melissa K.
Had dinner on a Saturday night with a small group of adults and my 3-year old son in tow. I was a little concerned about the kid friendliness of the place upon arriving, but we were put at ease almost immediately. Our waiter was great - he even brought our son his own pizza dough to play with while we waited. The pizza is fantastic here as well - highly recommend the pepperoni pizza with truffle oil. Will definitely be coming back soon!
(5)Nicole M.
Pepperoni and white truffle oil pizza was delicious. I highly recommend it. Definitely get the pizzas if you go here, it is a staple here. The price was pretty reasonable. I went on a Monday night and the atmosphere was pretty low key and not snotty at all. The portions were good, and I had leftovers. The waitstaff was very helpful.
(4)Katie V.
I just love La Madia. My fiance and I tend to go here on Friday nights without a reservation and usually end up sitting at the pizza bar since we don't want to wait. The pizza bar comes with a free glass of prosecco and watching the cooks work is facinating - but the service is a bit to be desired at the pizza bar. Probably why you get some free wine when you sit there! My recent favorites are the pumpkin pizza and the gnocci. The food is always wonderful when I go - never have been dissapointed.
(4)wendy p.
this was the ideal place for a snowy january night, providing both comfort, at the end of a long workday, and fuel, before dancing my heart out to the beats of flosstradamus, at the underground just around the corner. i got to the restaurant early (due to a last minute call from my friend who'd gotten slammed at work, so dinner would be delayed until 9) and waited in the lounge area by the bar. in the mood for beer, i took the bartender's recommendation of something pale and smooth from australia, the name i've forgotten by now. the atmosphere was mellow and chill enough that i didn't feel weird at all reading a book, while sipping my drink. i appreciated the sleek and creative decor, but it was a bit loud in there, given the relative lack of a crowd. when my friend arrived we moved ourselves to a booth and started off with an arugula salad (minus the chicken). it was a bit disappointing - the vinegrette lacked zing, the apple slices were powdery, and the oversized walnut pieces seemed stale. however, the black truffle pizza was delicious. i'm not sure if i'd ever eaten a truffle until that night, but it could have been just the novelty of tasting that rich, buttery, flavor pistol of a topping for the first time that made it so good... i would probably go back for the pizza, although not out of my way for it - it was a bit pricey for two -$26, and it was a "special" for that night - but then again, a truffle pizza is no everyday thing.
(3)elizabeth n.
First of all, I love the decorating of La Madia- it is so cozy and I love the booths, chairs and light fixtures that make it very inviting. We went at an off time - 3:00 on a Saturday afternoon for a late lunch, and we were one of about 3 tables so we were seated immediately. Then we waited, and waited, and waited for our waiter who didn't come for a while to get our drink order. We had to laugh about it because they were 4 waiters hanging around the bar with the bartender not waiting on us. But once they came to get our drink order it was fine. We ordered the pizza fondue appetizer which is a huge piece of bread with this cheesy pizza sauce for dipping. I took one look at it when it came and thought that we ordered too much food since we had a Margherita pizza on the way as well. But who am I kidding- we did manage to eat everything we ordered because it was pretty good! The cheesy pizza dipping sauce was so good that I ended up using it as dipping sauce for my pizza as well (healthy I know) but the pizza was tasty without it. I think this new spot is a keeper and it is a great location!
(4)N W.
I have been to La Madia several times, once for the chef tasting which is a great deal. The pairings were great the selection of food was wonderful and the staff was very friendly. I have also recently been there for brunch. We were the only 2 people in there and that was sad because once again the atmosphere and food was great. This place has great food and a wonderful price. I will be returning to La Madia often.
(4)Howard K.
Good and different variety of pizzas. The gnocchi is the best dish on the menu by far. The decor is very inviting and the wait staff was great. Accomadted our party of 20 with ease.
(4)Laura T.
Oh La Madia, how I love thee let me count the ways ... As if the delicious artichokes weren't already perfectly roasted and coated with salty and garlicky goodness, La Madia takes it a step further by offering a mustard dipping sauce which I must admit I am addicted to. While I won't touch them because I don't care for olives, my boyfriend always orders the roasted olives and just can't seem to get enough of them. Working and living in River North leaves no shortage of restaurants, but La Madia is something special. Yes, Gino's East, Lou Malnati's and Giordano's are all the Chicago standbys, but each of those leave a void filled by La Madia for my thin-crust loving heart. Some of my favorite pizzas here are the asparagus, parma classic, and shaved artichoke. The margherita (both choices) is a traditional and delicious choice. La Madia tends to be crowded, but they are on Open Table. La Madia is the ole standby and it really is a great little spot.
(5)Keith S.
Went here for a light dinner on a Sunday night and thought it was great. My partner and I shared a large salad with a very simple dressing that was just fine. We each ordered a pizza -- a classic margherita with some extra basil and shaved artichoke with garlic. I thought both were great: nice thin crusts, not too much cheese, and a tasty sauce on the margherita. A very welcome addition to the River North neighborhood that I will return to many times.
(4)Bob V.
In town from DC for a business meeting so we had a large group with La Madia items already preselected by our host. The Caesar Salad was very good with traditional good anchovy based dressing with a surprise crunchy item: ?bacon bits? The crunch played off nicely against the romaine lettuce. The second salad, a baby arugala with cherries and walnuts and a nice vinagrette. Yummy! The bruschetta and baby steamed artichokes were good, just not something to write home about. Now onto the pizzas: definitely great asparagus pizza on thin crust was light, and just enough cheese to bring out the vegetable. The sausage and green pepper pizza was similar: light and not too much meat. The last pizza was pepperoni with white truffle oil. The concept is great but the chef can lighten up on the amount of pepperoni and truffle oil. This pizza was greasy. However, if you're looking for an "in your face" pizza, this is it! Finally, the lemon cookies and apple turnover thingy looked wonderful, alas, I'm on a diet and skipped. Colleagues said they were very good. Service was very attentive and friendly.
(3)Becky A.
I tried this place with some friends and really liked it. The pizza options are fantasic -unique and fresh and not your ordinary pizza. The wild mushroom and the artichoke pizza were my favorites. Every one I was with really enjoyed the food. The pizza fondue was a huge hit. Wine selection was incredible. Prices are also extremely reasonable for the amount of food we had.
(4)Jen W.
Really clean and neat looking space for dining and grabbing a glass of wine. Had lunch there this week and really enjoyed the fava bean bruschetta that was compliments of the chef before our meal. The margarita pizza was yummy (and a good size) and the tomato and mozzarella sandwich was perfect. Will defintely go back for lunch again!
(4)J. S.
great pizza, the best in the city
(4)Becca B.
Please do not support this restaurant!!! I attended one of their weekend cooking "classes", which I do not recommend at all unless you are more interested in a cooking demonstration. The "class" involved letting one of about dozen people in attendance to stir a pot of melted cheese and two others putting butter on french bread. The manager promised that they would be sending us the recipes for the 3-4 appetizers we prepared (did not learn anything about preparing any of their pizzas or main dishes) on the following Monday. It has been over a month since the "class" and none of the recipes have arrived. I have emailed numerous times with the manager, who passed me along to another employee, Molly. Molly eventually sent me A recipe, though not for something we prepared during the class. She said she would get the rest of them to me in a few days...well, it's been over a week since then and nothing. The manager, Jonathan Fox, did not even respond to my emails. I have had other friends who have had problems with the management at La Madia (double charging a credit card for a reservation for a large group and then refusing to reverse the over-charge). The food is decent, but I'd rather not support a restaurant that treats any of its customers this way. There are dozens of other establishments close-by much more deserving of your time and money.
(1)cindy g.
Small but pleasant menu with good pizzas- not expensive. Unfortunately we had the worst waiter ever which does affect your experience- other staff members were helpful almost in response to this individuals behavior. How long will this place last?? Owners need to attend to its flaws- they were out of their only fish dish at 7pm on a weekeday night- why? Send someone to Whole Foods and buy fish.... they are not thinking.....
(3)Amanda Z.
went here for lunch today and i'm a big fan. will def add La Madia to the normal lunch rotation. a friend and i went for the first time after hearing good reviews, and we ordered the La Madia Luncheon for 2 which includes one app, one pizza and "Wisconsin Electric Cookies." we went with the Pizza Fondue for the app (OMG AMAZING!!!) and the Triple Pepperoni w/White Truffle Oil pizza. can i just tell you how happy i was just seeing the fondue being brought out to our table??? it is a HUGE puff that looks like a big calzone, but it's hollow and you break it apart to get a mini-facial with all the steam coming out, then dip it into the savory goodness they denote as merely "cheesy tomato sauce" but i would call "a Mary Poppins bowl of tomatoey goodness" because it seemed to never empty! i swear they give you so much, we ended up dipping our pizza in it too! and i would eat this sauce like a soup, it was that tasty. Pizza Fondue = must have...i liked it even better than the pizza! don't get me wrong, our pizza was super delish, i love a good thin crust and the pepperonis on this thing were like triple in circumference. all this lovely food for $15 total...we were delirious with joy! then the waitress (who was fab by the way) brought out our cookies, which was the only disappointing part...they were like silver dollar-sized almond cookies...the fancy kind at parties that are always left over because nobody likes them. it was blah but it didn't matter at this point cuz we were stuffed anyways. i'm rather glad they didn't bring me out a face-sized chocolate chip cookie cuz that woulda just been too much. we left La Madia in a state of food coma/sheer bliss...i can't wait to go back and try their salads and other pizzas!
(4)M.J. W.
went with my boyfriend after work this week after reading good things about this place. our server was friendly and attentive, and the food was pretty good. their bruschetta was yummy, a bit salty but im a sodium junkie so i really cant complain. i enjoyed their pizza but have certainly had better. my MAJOR issue lies with their suggested wine list. for each pizza, they suggest a wine by recommending a bin number. naturally, my boyfriend and i both ordered the suggested wines which turned out to be a pricey decision in the end. when the bill came, we learned that his glass was $19 (yep, for just ONE glass) and mine was $12. both our drinks were more expensive than our entrees. now, at certain establishments, i expect the drinks to be ridiculously overpriced, but for this contemporary pizza place where the entrees range from a modest $10-24, i was just shocked. they completely get you by recommending a bin number on the dinner menu and then listing these recos on a separate, LENGTHY wine list. usually, i have no problem dropping 31 dollars on alcohol, but at that rate, i expect to get at least four cocktails and a good, solid buzz. needless to say, we both left broke and sober. my word of advice: AVOID THE SUGGESTED WINES!
(2)Charlotte Y.
I had been pining for a return to an authentic pizza bar after my last visit to Italy (well, okay, so maybe it's actually Italy I miss)... In any event, I really had my hopes up. The modern decor was certainly enticing and I really do love the layout of the front lounge (think semicircular wine/pizza bar and small seating area surrounding a fireplace. However, on each of my visits (4 and counting at this point), the food always slightly misses the mark. The pizzas are fine and enjoyable enough (although the salami pizza and margherita are rather oily), the appetizers are not noteworthy (as I am a fan of artichokes, however, I did find their roasted version to be tasty), the pastas are just blah and unexciting and the salads passable. Funny thing though... I can't say I disliked my experience, as it is a place where you can go with someone, enjoy a bottle of wine (very good wine selection I must say), share a pizza or two and just kick back. I guess I will be returning... that is, until the next pizza joint springs up.
(3)andrea l.
I went here last night with three others. Very cute place. They honored our reservation even though one person in our party was going to be late. The staff was very attentive (but not annoying) and gave honest recommendations - love that. We started with the artichoke appetizer - it was delicious. I could tell the very high quality of the artichokes as well, trust me my family makes stuffed artichokes for every occasion. We tried the risotto - omg soo savory - but its not the one on the menu on their website. It had chanterelle mushrooms and squash. I wasn't that excited for it but it might have been my favorite part. We also had the buffalo mozzarella, tomato sauce, and basil pizza. Very good. Love being able to watch them make the pizza! I had the sausage, sweet onion, cheese pizza. It was very good as well. Something is up with their website though b/c the menu we had last night is not the one up there. But go and find out its so good!
(4)N U.
this place was ok...nothing spectacular and if it was up to me, i probably would not go back again. i ordered the spinach and speck pizza. i expected it to be somewhat salty due to the speck but i think they also added salt to the spinach b/c i found myself drinking lots of water to counteract the excessive salt. the spinach also was in big clumps which did not make it very easy to portion the toppings for the whole slice. i gave it three stars because 1. the crust was great thin crust that was crispy but not burned. 2. my friend ordered the risotto and was very pleased with it. 3. the house wine for the night was a pinot grigio/chardonnay blend that was pretty fantastic and only a little overpriced
(3)noel c.
So when here for my birthday. The night started off great with great service from our server and there mangers when it can to drinks and big bottles of wine. The pizza was good didnt wow me.we had a party of 8 so we decide to order a bunch of pizzas which we all agreed it was good but its more about the wines.
(3)Zae S.
There are not many places in downtown Chicago that you can get a pizza to feed two for under $16, but you can here:) We sat outside on the VERY small patio, but we wanted to people watch because it was the Fourth of July and it was comfortable. We got the triple pepperoni pizza and it was really good. Thin crust isn't usually too filling, but this was more than enough for us, especially given the giant pepperonis that adorned the pizza. The crust was quite good, too. Not crackery like most thin crust pizzas that I've had. The dough had a flavor on its own. I tried a martini that was nearly as expensive as the pizza. I can't remember what it was called, but it was basically like a raspberry mojito with a little egg white in it. It was the best-tasting martini I have ever had!! I was completely satisified with one and it was very refreshing and made the holiday feel a little special. One time I don't regret spending $12 on a single drink. TRY IT!! The decor is contemporary, but not stuffy. The windows open to the sidewalk and there is a cozy fireplace that wasn't on due to the heat. I would definitely go back and recommend it to friends.
(4)Damian C.
Four words: Spinach and taleggio fondue. OMFGod. Nothing better has ever made it into my mouth. Well, almost ;)
(5)Lauren O.
The pizzas were great but the anti pasti stole the show. We has chicken liver w/ truffle bruschetta and tuna crudo bruschetta to start. Both were divine--full of the perfect flavors and richness. The house made fennel sausage and Gorgonzola pizza was perfectly cooked w/ zesty marinara. Lamb with mint pesto pizza was also tasty, but my least favorite of our dishes. I would love to try more on the menu...plan to return on my next trip to Chicago.
(5)J W.
I have gone twice and service was really bad both times. Seated us 45 minutes after our reservation and never apologized or kept us updated. The food is prettygood, but you can get great Italian food at many places with much better service. The best, unique item is their appetizer bread dipped in a truffle, fontina, spinach fondue sauce. With your check they give you free mini nutella truffles too which is a nice touch.
(3)Sarah C.
Soooo delicious!!! I love la madia's pizzas! I feel like this is how pizza would taste like in Italy haha. My favorite is their simple margherita pizza- fresh mozzarella with basil pieces. Crust is not too thick or thin. Also tried the prosciutto with cracked egg- every piece is covered with a light white sauce, egg, and prosciutto. Favorite appetizer I go back for is the spinach and telaggio fondue/truffle oil given with a naan-like bread. Soooo yummy! Service and ambiance is very nice. It was a great way to spend a Friday night having good pizza and bottle of red wine with friends!!
(5)Marc A.
Initially disappointed in the bar service, no need to have crabby servers while waiting for a table...but then sat down and the entire experience changed for the better. Service was fantastic, nice wine selection and the suckling pig is beyond words. Great food and servers are attentive and enjoyable.
(4)Priya B.
One of the best margharita pizzas ever! So simple and delicious!! Wish I could say something good about the service. I know they were busy but our server completely forgot about us and made a cocktail so bad we had to return it! I'd get take out food but I probably won't be making a reservation any time soon!
(4)A P.
First experience: early June, Sunday evening. Pizzas were at least 14 inches, pastas were generously plated on large serving dishes. We spent about $23 each (with tip and all) for a party of 8 and had 3 bottles of wine, several apps, several pizzas and pastas, and desserts. And it was delicious and we were stuffed. Second experience: WHAT HAPPENED?? I took 2 friends there last night, a Saturday. Margherita pizza was 10 inches, sparsely topped (each slice was 2 bites, the rest was crust) for $18. We literally were served 9 pieces of gnocchi for $12 (that's $1.33 per bite, ya'll). Worse, the food wasn't as tasty as I remember. I complained (about the size), and to the credit of the manager, she agreed that the pasta looked too small and sent out a second dish. She said they have a new chef and the pizzas are being cooked "thicker" so they don't come out as wide - but honestly, our pizza was so thin it could not hold the sauce and mozz (the crust alone was SUPER thick). The manager was great (and the reason I'm giving them any stars) and also sent out a bruschetta. That lady needs 5 stars and a raise. However, this isn't a sustainable practice, and for the fact that they had such high variability, I'll stay away and go to one of the other places where I know what I'm paying for. BTW, my beer was also overcharged ($10 instead of $5) and I had to point that out, I felt like such a bitch, but I just think they need to rethink their practices. The waiter was also curt when I initially complained - he did get the manager promptly, but he made some comment afterwards about "getting our little tummies full." Which is pretty rude - I'm not complaining b/c i'm hungry and too cheap to order more, I'm complaining because your food isn't worth the money, regardless of how hungry I am. If they get the quality and service back that I experienced in early June, I'd be happy to go back and hopefully can write a rave review then.
(2)Natasha C.
Take your date her for Pizza. It was date night with the husband and we landed here (check off my list of places to try). We had the lamb meatballs (THEY BROUGHT ME TO LIFE) just in time because they were about to run out. Yep, that good. Seasoned so well. I have a new respect for polenta. (PS: if you have a nut allergy, please do not order). Husband had the salmon ( very "juicy" and tasty). I had the aged grape and cheese pizza and the burrata bruschetta. EXCELLENT. Bread was the right amount of soft and crusty. Although our waiter was sweeter than pie, he did not ask us if we cared to see the dessert menu. (Do they have one?) so we ended our night at Eataly sampling gelato. I tried the white wine of the week. Fantastic! Wish I had gotten the name. Ask about it!
(4)Robert G.
Another lunch hour in the city, another new restaurant to try. This week I gave La Madia a spin with a couple coworkers. To keep things simple, I ordered the Seasonal Wild Mushrooms & Smoked Mozzarella pizza; I'm not entirely a fan of tomato sauce on my pizza, and I'll never pass up the opportunity to have a mushroom or two as one of my toppings. La Madia served up a pretty good thin-crust pizza, with chewy dough. I think there were also scallions on the pizza, for some green color, but otherwise it was a well-executed three-ingredient pizza. I liked the texture of the mozzarella, though I wish it added a bit more smoky flavor to the pizza than it did. This is a very minor complaint. The mushrooms were large and awesome. Even better, it reheats really well in the toaster oven at work!
(4)Ebs B.
1 star lost.... Reservation 6:45. Came in at 6:45. Seated at 7:15. No apologies, no reason. 1/2 star lost... The Moscow mule filled only half the glass (not a tin mug), and on top of it had the largest ice cube in it. I basically paid for a $12 shot. If this is a specialty drink that is listed on the menu with only three other drinks, make sure it's perfectly made and in the right type of cup. Or, take it off the menu. 1/2 star lost... The eggplant pizza was bland, chewy, and almost inedible. 1/2 star gained... The pepperoni pizza with truffle oil was delicious, and I don't even like pepperoni pizza. 1 star lost... The wait for the eggplant pizza was way too long, and we had already explained how we were on a timeline. To give them credit, they did say that the first eggplant pizza they were cooking burst in the middle, so they had to recook it. This meant, however that we had the pepperoni pizza at the table, and our vegetarian friend was just watching us eat until the eggplant one finally came out. There was no major apology, just a statement that we would be getting the eggplant one out soon, and that's it. 1/2 star lost... The entire experience was just meh. I'd rather spend my money at other places in the area that have the same type of pizza, but with more flavor, better drinks, and an overall better atmosphere.
(2)K W.
I am in Chicago for a family wedding. A group of nine of us were looking for a place to go for dinner and my cousin mentioned walking past this restaurant on her way into the hotel. She called and asked the host if the restaurant could accommodate our group of nine. He said yes and we walked around the corner from our hotel. We were seated immediately at a fabulous table. Our server, Ruth, was fantastic and patient with our boisterous group. We had a great meal and a great visit with each other.
(5)Justin S.
Worst pizza ordering experience ever. After reading the reviews we were sold on ordering from here. We used the Yelp ap to order...which didn't give us an estimated delivery time. After an hour and 15 minutes we called the delivery.com number and received little help. They stated they are using a 'new delivery partner' and have had some issues with delivery times. She was completely unhelpful and had no idea who I should call to provide feedback...I mean wouldn't anyone want to know if their customer received such poor service? AND paid a $7 delivery fee on top of the tip... Then the pizzas arrived...cold greasy and just not good. I'm assuming of we had been in the restaurant it would have been better...but the 1.5 hr delivery time killed it. Grease was the prominent taste... We will never order from here again, especially as long as they use their current delivery service.
(1)Michal F.
Bang for your buck: 5 Service: 4 Food: 4 I went here for restaurant week with my wife and another couple. We all got the restaurant week deal for $33 that included an appetizer, salad, entrée and dessert. The reason I say this whole meal is a good bang for the buck is the big portions that left us with a whole pizza to take home and delectable truffle oil used on almost every dish. I got the pizza fondue. The tallegio cheese was so smooth it was only perceptible as a cream and the flavor for the fondue came from a pesto like mixture. The pizza bread coming with it was immense. I loved every bite and felt I was full enough to leave after just the appetizer. I'm not a salad man but liked my chopped Italian lettuce. It had arugula, walnuts and delicious roasted grapes. These grapes made the salad; I've never had anything like them. Warm, sweet and tender. Pizza are the specialty and highlight here as a group we got every pizza offered. The pork belly ended up being the most flavorful. Both the dough and meat tasted smoked and came with cheese still boiling when served. Recommended.
(4)TimmAnnie I.
With thousands of good restaurants in Chicago, and hundreds of great ones, why would we go to this place on two consecutive nights? Because it Is. That. Good. The first time we chose this place was for the pizza, but it is the mussels in saffron broth that keep us coming back. Thus far, we have resisted the temptation to pick up the tureen and just drink the remaining broth, but I make no guarantees for future visits. The homemade lamb sausage pizza with Fresno peppers was new to us this time and did not disappoint. We always sit in the bar, where the service is attentive. The bartender, who is very knowledgeable about the scope of this interesting menu, clearly appreciates the complexities of the ingredients (3-hour grapes, anyone???) and was very helpful with wine pairings.
(5)Lu Y.
I honestly cannot believe I didn't find out about La Madia until recently. They make some amazing Italian dishes without the flow of grease that you often get in Italian dishes at non-top-notch locales. Ambience: Classy but casual - you can sit at the pizza counter or the dining room. Service: Our server was so attentive until after he served our dishes. Then he kind of disappeared, and we had to wait and wait... and wait... and wait....... to get a box and the check. Food: What a lovely surprise of fresh and tasty Italian food! The pizzas are a must have, and you should definitely try one of their pastas!
(4)Gregory S.
Great pizza, really good service, nice ambience, we always come here when we are downtown and in the mood for pizza!
(4)Agnes L.
I look forward to Chicago Restaurant Week almost as much as I look forward to summer vacation when teaching. It's the one period of time during the year when all bets are off and I can indulge without much guilt - with consideration to the prix-fixe menu prices. And as a suburbanite who only ventures to the city on the weekends, I select my spots carefully to get the most bang for my buck. La Madia's $33/person four-course dinner was well worth it for me and I would certainly return without that special. My husband and I met up with two married friends from out of town last night who had just happened to experience Ann Arbor, Mich.'s Restaurant Week last weekend. As self-proclaimed foodies these people were looking to be impressed, so I had hoped I made the right decision with going to La Madia. Right from the get-go when ordering a bottle of wine to share, my gal pal in the couple was happy to see a huge selection with some affordable bottles in her preferred year of 2008. As for the food, I'm going to have to do a quick-hit list of highlights because of how much we tasted from each other's choices in our two-and-half-hour long feast: Starters- *Spinach and Taleggio Fondue with Truffle Oil and Pizza Bread: When this came out, it looked like a ginormous calzone next to a pot of creamy pesto. To our surprise, when we ripped open the bread, it was crisp on the outside and light, fluffy and empty on the inside, with steam emitting as if it was just baked. It was like dipping pita bread or naan into the pot of melted herby cheese. *Seasonal Wild Mushrooms Bruschette with Whipped Ricotta and Marsala Glaze: This was more of a small bite portion. It was the perfect match of sweet and savory. Salad- All of these seemed to be decent size portions with bright veggies. *I LOVED my Heirloom Beets Salad. The beets were ultra fresh and juicy, pairing well with crunchy almonds and smooth, creamy goat cheese. Entree- The stars of the show are obviously the pizzas we had. Among the Triple Pepperoni, Smoked Porkbelly and the Summer Squash, I absolutely adored the Triple P. *The thin crust was super light with flavorful tomato sauce and just the right amount of cheese (I hate when there's too much cheese). But the rich and spicy thin-sliced meat on top with a drizzle of (more!) truffle oil is really the combo of ingredients that set this pizza apart from the others. Desserts- *Bittersweet Chocolate Tortino- Very dark chocolate cake (a bit dry but still packed a punch of rich flavor) with slivers of almonds on top and a creamy ganache center paired well with the other dessert choice I liked... *Gelato of the Moment- This happened to be Chianti (perfect for our wine-loving friends). Not as rich as I thought it would be - more like fruity ice cream, but still refreshing on the palate so I'm glad I got it. Overall, I would definitely return to try other items on the menu. This spot is a hip, modern pizzeria with solid, consistent service despite how crazy busy it got through the night. (I'm talking every table occupied with about 15 people waiting around in the bar and hostess stand area.) So definitely make an Open Table reservation when going during the weekend. I'm sure it's busy regardless of Restaurant Week!
(5)Regina S.
This was a fun, lively and super casual place. We had reservations and our party of four was immediately seated at a curved settee and two chairs. The table was perfect as we were tucked away a bit from all the action which meant it was easier to keep the conversation going. I know this place is a "pizzeria" but between Quartino's the night before and Malnati's for lunch, we said uncle on the pies. We did however, order the pizza fondue which had received raves from previous diners. The puffed dough came out piping hot from the oven and looked like a super fun treat. After it cooled a bit though, the flavors seemed a bit one note and the enthusiasm to rip apart another piece dwindled. Pasta was the choice of the evening -one was a special with crab, another was the chicken/spinach ravioli in a brown butter sauce, and lastly pappardelle with tomato and chicken ragu. Everyone enjoyed their entrees, but no wows or crazy good emerged from the lips of the diners. It was a solid meal. Glad we checked this one off our list, but chances are there will not be a repeat as there are just too many other restaurants to explore.
(3)Jon F.
Quite disappointing. Came here because of the good reviews online but was not very impressed...I was visiting Chicago and utilize online reviews quite a bit to plan where we will dine. First off, this place is extremely loud! Very difficult to hear the person you are dining with because it's so loud! I thought the food was average at best. I didn't have pizza but I think it's what this place is known for. I ordered chicken ravioli which was very bland and unremarkable. I honestly think I could buy the prepared ravioli in the grocery store with a prepared sauce and it would be better! I did think the arugula salad was good and the wine list was impressive (which is why I'm giving two stars) My partner also wanted one of their specialty cocktails, and they were out of one of their ingredients. Seems like a lack of preparation for a Saturday evening. The most ridiculous aspect is the restroom situation. There are two single restrooms - one general restroom and one women's room, which means the women seem to cut in line and does not make for an equitable situation for all customers! Not sure why there wouldn't be a dedicated men's/women's room and why there aren't larger facilities for a fairly large, modern restaurant. I asked for the manager as I wanted to express my concerns and was greeted by one of the chefs, I believe. He was quite dismissive about my concerns. I know I look young but have traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and worldwide, for both business and pleasure, having numerous dining experiences. Unfortunately, this will not be a place that I found to be memorable.
(2)Brian C.
We went to La Madia last night and it was great! Service was very good considering we didn't have reservations. Host got us a table quickly and our server was awesome. Food was very good, wine was just as good. Would definitely go back if we were staying in Chicago longer but want to explore more restaurants.
(5)Sonny P.
I have been here twice in past 3 weeks. I was last here past saturday and was able to secure a reservation for 7 pm at 9 pm. The menu is divided into red and white pizzas. I would also consider trying the Pizza Fondue. Its definitely worth having! For the red pizzas, it is worth trying the banana pepper one. The pizza is a little spicy. I would suggest the Eggplant white pizza. Didn't try any dessert but maybe next time.
(4)Neema P.
We came here last night for Mother's Day. Our waiter was super friendly, we had 9 people in our party and he was very patient with us as we were very indecisive in what we wanted. We got the tomato bruschetta which probably was my least favorite dish, pizza fondue(most favorite dish on the table), organic arugula salad, beet salad, and 4 pizzas. We got 1 white and 3 reds. The eggplant borrata(sp?), which was super tasty, very delicious and I'm not even an eggplant fan. We got 2 of the banana pepper opinion and added spinach on it and it was very tasty as well and then the margarita pizza. The food is very delicious and tasty, the prices are little steep for their portions. I hope to come back to try their other wines and more of the white pizzas. Must try this place!
(4)Dev S.
Was my first time going to this restaurant and boy i was happy listen to my cuz and went along. We ordered the fondue with tomato cheese and arugula salad. Both were fantastic. Ended the night with the most crispy thin spicy pesto pizza ever. Worth it worth it.
(5)Jake S.
Had a great time, Roy took care of us and was the most hospitable bartender I've had in a while. Made my drinks on point and suggested the best food ever. I hope I can have service like that anywhere I go. Definitely come here if you want grade "A" Italian and service.
(5)Andrew T.
Extremely loud and very obnoxious clientele. I had the mussels; sauce was delicious but they didn't have the right silverware so I ended up launching a mussel at guests two tables away. Oh and speaking of tables, the place was recently renovated and the tables still smell of varnish. Between that and the loudness of the people that dine there, this place gave me one huge headache! Oh and the restroom situation, a complete joke!!
(2)Manish S.
Been here couple of times. Good service and really friendly staff. Nice cocktails and pizza. My favorite was Gnocchi and Nudi. I will definitely suggest my friends to try this place.
(5)Joyce C.
I wanna say 3.5 on this one. I liked what I got, which was the sausage and cheese pizza. The sausage was tasty and it was neither sparse nor overly distributed throughout the pizza. It was substantial enough to feed 1.5 people, I guess maybe 1.5 people who are my sized. It tasted good, and the crust was thin and had a good chew to it. My lunch partner did not think it was worth the price for such a "little" pizza (he polished off his whole pizza and drink and it cost over $23 w/o tip) and made me stop into another pizza place that sold the hugest, greasiest pizza slice I'd ever seen for $4.95 a slice on the way back to work... Bottom line, I would come back to this place. Decor was clean and modern, it's dead-ish on a regular work day for lunch, and I did like what I got. The knocks on this place is that it is a little overpriced I think for lunch (not egregiously, maybe by a couple of bucks), and service was kinda slow for it being dead.
(4)Kris G.
Coming out of the restaurant, I felt like this was more of a three star experience. It might be because I TOTALLY built up La Madia in my head more than I probably should have. I left the experience without much to say about it, though. I DO want to try it again...because I love the idea of La Madia so much. The ambiance here is really nice. The waitstaff is welcoming and very happy to make suggestions. My boyfriend and I took the suggestion and got one red pizza and one white (even though when I eat Italian style pizza, I think you should go white all the way). We ordered the triple pepperoni and the taleggio and grape pizzas as well as some wine to slurp it all down with. We really enjoyed the wine and (odd as it is to note) we liked the wine glasses it was served in (we got both red and white). When the pizza came out, I was a bit underwhelmed. The taleggio and grape was tasty, but after a couple bites in, the cheese started to feel kind of hard and not as fresh as I had hoped. We really enjoyed the triple pepperoni pizza, but there was a quality to the crust that made it taste more like a delivery pizza than others I've had at similarly styled restaurants. We were kind of bummed. Overall, for the price range of the restaurant, I thought the ambiance and service were just right. The food, however, just wasn't that good. I want to try it again, to see if maybe this was a fluke. I might not get the wine next time, though, because the bathrooms are single stall. I think that's a poor choice for a restaurant that serves alcohol, but it is what it is. Be prepared to wait for the bathroom if you need to go.
(3)Marci L.
The food was amazing. We went during restaurant week and not only was the value phenomenal, but the food, ambiance, and service were as well. Jordan was our waiter, and he did a fabulous job. I will definitely be back!
(5)Ariana N.
My Italian coworker told me this is the only Italian restaurant in Chicago she considered to be worthwhile - hard to pass it up after a review like that! Was not disappointed - the food is tasty and unique without falling into the now common Chicago trap of excessive seasoning (i.e. mashing too many ingredients together so all the flavors are muddled). You can dress up or down for dinner here and dine with family, friends or a no-frills first date. The interior is dimly lit so it's romantic for a date but still has enough energy and noise where it's not awkward for a family dinner. I had the basic plain tomato/mozzarella pizza because I'm a simple girl and it was just ok....but I'm also an adventurous eater - so ordered the grape pizza and it was scrumdiddlyumptious!
(4)MoeGirl K.
The fondue was to die for!! Service was good. Definitely going back.
(4)David C.
The food was good but the service left a bad taste in our mouth. Granted, we arrived early and waited around for our friend to arrive, but that does not give the waitress the right to drop off our food and disappear the rest of the time after she got there. We ordered the pizza fondue to start...it was just pizza bread and tomato sauce...nothing special here. We then ordered the short ribs which were actually very good and the triple pepperoni pizza which was good. We ended the meal with the chocolate tortino which was OK...kinda like a mouse desert in a coffee cup. Again, the food was decent and the mixed drinks were ok, but not worth what we paid for ($100+) for three people and with attitude. I would rather go to a more casual establishment for better food.
(3)Alex D.
* In 10 Worlds or Less... Delicious pizza and the right amount of fancy * Atmosphere This was not my first time at La Madia and it won't certainly be my last. I recently came here for dinner on a Sunday night with a friend. We have a reservation and we were seated immediately. I love the decor and vibe at La Madia--not too loud but not too quiet either. I really like the wine bottles that are up on the wall--gives it a wine bar feel (which reminds me that that they have a great selection of wine and reasonably priced) -When to go? Whenever you are feeling up for pizza! I've been here with my family, a bunch of my friends, and for date night--would be ideal for a birthday. -What to wear? In between casual and dressy--I wouldn't wear my bathing suit and shorts, but I wouldn't wear a little black dress either. * Service: Our server was nice, however, he wasn't the most attentive. It also took us about 20 minutes to get the check back from him. Since this wasn't my first time here, it didn't alter my experience. -Did the service "Help, Hurt or Neutral"? Neutral * Food -Organic Arugula salad with grapes, apples, spicy walnuts, shaved parmesan and a walnut vinaigrette. I love everything about this salad. Light, crisp, refreshing--I've been on an arugula kick these days and the apples and walnuts in there add a nice crunch. I give it 4/5 NOM NOMS -Shaved artichoke pizza (amazing) and the buratta and fire-roasted eggplant pizza (also very delicious). I've been to La Madia numerous times and I have to say these are my two favorite pizzas there (the pepperoni with truffle comes in third). I love that their pizzas are really thin so I always leave feeling not too full (doesn't stop me from eating 4-5 slices though!) I give both of them 4.5/5 NOM NOMS Overall Grade: A-. It's a spot I know I will always come back to again and again.
(5)Stephanie L.
I have finally made it here. After three years of wanting to come, but always passing it up, I MADE IT! I love OpenTable for reservations. I dont know why, but I just love clicking a button online and poof, its done. The food was pretty good. Mozzarella brushetta and the spinach fondue was amazing! I loved the spinach fondue. OMG, the dipping sauce was amazing. I could have ate all of it and more. Plus, it was HUGE! TON O CARBS. Sorry Atkins...just cant do it! We also did the three cheese pizza, which I found to be ok. It really didnt have much flavor, but overall A-OK. The carbonara pizza, which again was good, but I was expecting more. The chicken ravioli was delish. I would definitely go back for some more homemade pasta and apps. The pizza just didnt live up to the hype for me. Our server was awesome though. Very personable and informative. Unpretentious.
(4)Christina M.
Great bib lettuce salad (request a different dressing if you're vegan, it has egg in it). OK pizzas. They were very nice and made a cheese-less pizza for me, but the sauce wasn't super tasty and there wasn't much on the pizza. Meat eating counterpart thought his food was average too. I'd go back for the salad and drinks.
(3)Fi G.
I have mixed feelings about this place. It was quite a rough start. My friend's reservation was for 7:00pm and our table wasn't even ready yet. When they did seat us, they tried to seat us at the bar. Why the hell would we make a group reservation just to be seated at a bar?! So we expressed that we would prefer a regular sit down table so we can actually talk to each other versus screaming across the bar. There was an open table available but they said that was reserved. What the hell? Our reservation apparently didn't matter. So they said there would be a few minutes wait. Almost an hour after our reservation time, we were seated...after being told that they were bumping us UP on the list because we've been waiting a while. Really? So we were further down? We were the only ones standing and waiting at the front of the restaurant. What an awful way to begin my friend's birthday dinner! Luckily, she loved the food and the waiter was friendly, otherwise this place would receive one star from me.
(2)N. T.
The ambiance during dinnertime is lively, attracting a younger crowd and decorated with an industrial feel. The menu features various bruschetta, pastas, and pizzas. I tasted a bit of the truffle bruschetta (mediocre at best -- barely any truffle or really any sort of taste at all), the Moroccan sausage pizza (pretty good; interesting taste), a pasta dish that I've forgotten because it was also unremarkable, and a beef dish (very good). The dishes are on the pricier side considering the quality of the restaurant, at about $25-$30 per entree. The service is alright here. Our waitress was energetic and helpful. The hostesses seemed bored and unfriendly when they greeted us. Verdict: Too expensive for a totally average restaurant.
(2)Philip S.
An excellent dinner her last week. Staff were very helpful and the food was excellent. I like that it is possible to have a light meal or a heavy one as your preference might be.
(4)Heidi R.
AMAZING pizza!! My favorite is the Taleggio & 3-Hour Roasted Grapes. We also had some mussels and artichoke to start. This place has some really awesome thin crust, rustic, delicious pizza. My boyfriend loved the Cracked Organic Egg | Prosciutto & Black Pepper. I even loved it after i removed the proscuitto! Such an awesome place, will def be back!
(5)Kelly M.
Wow, we came here last year and loved it - this year, not so much. Our waiter was rude and acted like he could care less about trying to serve us. We are not high maintenance at all either! He maybe could have been turned off by the fact that we weren't drinking, I don't know. We had soup, salad, and pizza and still left hungry to practically eat another dinner. The salad was lackluster and we chose the parm pizza which I wouldn't really recommend. I'm not sure if they changed or we did, but I will not be going back.
(2)Brett G.
I LOVE La Madia. It's one of my favorite places for pizza, as well as one of my favorite restaurants in the city. I came here once with a groupon, and have been bringing people here to try it ever since. At first the concept was new and confusing... a nice restaurant.. that primarily serves pizza. The pizza is amazing. I love the pizza fondue as well. This place is simply amazing. Hell, I don't even like venturing into the heart of downtown/near north side... but La Madia is worth it..
(5)Nicha K.
We enjoyed this pizza place. We had: Oven-Roasted Globe Artichokes with Mignonette & Mustard Sauces Triple Pepperoni Pizza with Tomato Sauce & Mozzarella Cheese, finished with White Truffle Oil Slagel Farm Wood Smoked Porkbelly Pizza with Tuscan Kale, Garlic, Carmalized Onion, Caciocavallo Cheese Gnocchi with Housemade Sausage, Spinach & Teardrop Tomatoes The pizzas were really good. The gnocchi they make themselves, but was just ok. Wine list was incredibly extensive and they had a massive wine wall. Ambience was great.
(4)Cait And Dan S.
Went here with a group of nine. The group ordered two reasonably priced bottles of wine which were fantastic and six different pizzas to share. The pizza is awesome, particularly interesting unique and tasty is their carbonara pizza. This was a great place to feed a big group a nice meal and not have a shockingly enormous bill at the end. Five stars.
(5)Anya C.
Good egg pizza and spinach foundoo
(4)Lori W.
Unfortunately, the air conditioning was not working! My group and I were not notified of the extent of this problem upon our arrival. I alerted those at the host stand and they told me there was someone working on it (implying that the AC might turn on at anytime). The food was good, but the temperature made it very uncomfortable. In retrospect I wish I would have gone somewhere else. I set a menu, but we never received our salads. I have requested to be refunded based on the lack of salads (it was printed on the special menus placed on the table, my guests were bringing this up to me at the end of the dinner). I'm embarrassed for hosting a dinner that made my guests so uncomfortable. I requested a refund for the salads that my group did not receive. I requested compensation for following through on my written agreement to patronize this restaurant even under very uncomfortable conditions. I will be hearing about this from my guests for quite some time.
(1)Joe S.
Good pasta on a snowy evening, with a great selection of craft beers and wines. Traveling with a vegetarian can be tricky, but La Madia was up to the task with a decent set of options for such a diner. All in all, very pleased with the meal.
(4)Autumn V.
After months of having to stomach deep dish pizza I have finally found Neapolitan/Napoli style pizza! Yes, I know this means I am not a real Chicagoan. Haha. But I don't care! I got delivery from here of the sausage + onions pizza. Oh, so good........... droooooool. Ate half of it by myself, which probably wasn't a good idea since I am supposed to be on a diet. I still plan to try out a few other napoli/coal pizza joints but this is a solid place for my neapolitan pizza cravings! I am definitely a fan.
(4)Basil D.
I am teetering on whether to give them 4 or 5 stars, so if this were a 10 star system, I'd give them a solid 9. This is my first time there despite my intentions to get there months ago. I'm sorry I waited so long. So far, this is literally some of the very finest pizza I've ever had. I qualify it because I've only had one pizza, and I think I should try a few more before giving it an absolute rating. I had the Triple Pepperoni Pizza. I honestly had no idea what to order since all the pizzas looked so so good. So to decide I simply asked what the server what was the most popular and he said it was this one without hesitation. It did not disappoint. The pizza had pepperoni on every inch of the pizza without overpowering the other flavors of the pizza, including the truffle oil. I was skeptical about putting truffle oil on a pepperoni pizza because of this. The chef-owner shows his European training by knowing how to combine flavors subtly and proportionately. The result is that I tasted great pepperoni which combined with the incredible flavor of truffle oil. So good! The crust was perfect. A fire oven makes a crust that complements and doesn't take over the pizza. Because my date wasn't drinking I felt it inappropriate to drink in her presence so I had some very refreshing, fresh Lemon-Pommegranite Lemonade. It was served beautifully and tasted wonderful, not too sweet. It complemented the pizza. My one complaint, $5 for an 8oz juice? Really guys? REALLY????? Seriously? It was a rip off of the highest calibre. The ambience is fantastic. It is hip, cosmopolitan, fun, serious without being formal. It's a fantastic place to enjoy a pizza. Now, if you wonder why I don't complain about the price of the pizzas, they may or may not be overpriced, I don't know. Nothing pisses me off more than people who THINK they know what something should cost and when it doesn't they complain it is overpriced. Ugh! Morons! I know these guys use fresh ingredients, truffle oil is EXPENSIVE, fresh basil is EXPENSIVE, good meats, pepperoni, prosciutto are expensive! So to pay $17 for the pizza I had may have been reasonable. The service was barely adequate, but nothing to be too worried about. Patronize this place. There's a definite difference between chef-owned restaurants and the rest. The passion for food shows.
(4)Lee L.
Thin crust place, not the typical for this city. Like a much better CPK size/type of place with the Naples style. I bought the pepperoni/truffle oil pie. Delicious, well executed, and memorable. It had very good pepperoni and lots of it, good crust, subtle truffle oil flavor and fresh basil. Great alternative pie for a date night.
(4)Mark L.
We went there for lunch and all had pizzas. The crust was perfect: thin, crisp center, chewey around the edges while maintaining a bite. Toppings were flavorful. Whould be 5 stars if they increased the topping to chese ratio.
(4)Josh S.
So many excellent choices! I have to thank our server, Lyndsay for taking great care of us. She helped me choose a pizza by giving me her honest opinion. I had the organic cracked egg pizza and it was really good! The decor is nice and they have a good wine/beer list. I'll come back every time I'm in Chicago.
(4)C B.
Stop if you're a tourist looking for deep dish pizza. The thin crust Neapolitan pizza is its polar opposite. But if you're looking for accommodating host or waitress and good, decently priced food, then this is the place. Plus, it doesn't seem to be that frequented by tourists, so if you want to go where the locals go, this seems to be such a place. We had been seated and given menus. When our waitress saw our somewhat crestfallen faces, and I explained that we had hoped to try some authentic Chicago deep dish pizza, she was more interested in our happiness then us eating something there and not being happy - and so made recommendations on where to go have some. But having walked about a mile in the sauna-like weather, we decided to go with her appetizer recommendation and have a salad. Then, if we felt energetic enough, we'd go for the deep dish. But then the spinach and taleggio fondue (with a drizzle of truffle oil) came with its big (assumedly housemade) puffy bread accompaniment. Wow! Delicioso! And the HUGE butter lettuce salad (palm heart, radish, almonds, and lemon chili dressing) we shared also won a big thumbs up from hubby. (He pronounced it not salad-y.) I thought it was a bit on the bland side and that it could have used a teensy bit more dressing, but liked the flavor combinations (and was scheming to figure out to make it at home). Well, after this, we felt, "hey, we can still say we had Chicago pizza," so we went ahead and ordered the goat cheese, a white pizza with leeks, garlic, and pancetta. Quite tasty; the combination seemed pretty perfect, with the pancetta adding a bit of color. Plus, we got to use up the rest of the fondue as we dipped our crusts (and sometimes whole pieces of pizza). Since we didn't have a fridge at the hotel, we ate the whole thing. Which, fortunately or unfortunately, killed our ability to enjoy dessert, which looked also inviting. The ambiance was relaxed and was honestly anything one wanted it to be. Close to where we were in the booth were two couples and an extremely well-behaved and charming toddler. A few couples. Two friends. The noise level was actually not the general roar that we had encountered at other near-packed establishments. And the decor was modern with lime green accents; quite pleasing to the eye. So while we'll be sure to come back to Chicago and try some famous deep dish pizza, we'll also be back to try some other pizzas - and some of the interesting-looking pasta.
(4)Derek B.
Nice for dining with a group and sharing some dishes (found the available half portions for the pasta fine for that) definitely including the pizza and the chocolate tamale. Fresh pasta cooked to perfection. Foie gras meatballs underwhelming.
(4)Stephen S.
I've reviewed La Madia before and sang praises about their salads as well as the pizza bread appetizer. Well, I stopped back in to try one of their pizzas this time and left disappointed. It's solid, don't get me wrong, but the crust comes out a little too thin, the sauce lacks enough flavor and the pizza just really didn't do it for me. The salads are still fantastic, but the pizza just ain't getting it done.
(3)Marta K.
Lamb meatballs... delicious!!! The carrots.. pretty but flavorless with a too sweet sauce! Loved the pizza and want to come back and try more dishes!
(4)Meredith E.
I went as a party of nine last weekend. We had a great large, round table in the back, so it felt like we had our own area and it was easy for us to converse with each other, which isn't usually the case for a larger party. The food was all delicious--we had the mushroom bruschetta, two pastas (I think the pappardelle and gnocchi), and a few pizzas--pepperoni, artichoke, carbonara, and margherita. It was plenty of food for nine people and we had close to a pizza and a half leftover. The only downside to our experience is that our waitress was inexplicably rude. She tried to get us to increase our orders multiple times (to pad the bill, evidently.) The bottles of wine she recommended were too expensive, and when asked what we could order that would be similar and within our price range, she said "I don't know" without offering to ask the manager (or a sommelier, if they had one). Lastly, when I tried to order a mocha after dinner, she said, "no" without an explanation. Evidently they don't serve them, but there are more appropriate ways to respond to a request that can't be fulfilled. The other people in my party especially thought her behavior was strange because everyone else we interacted with (the two people who refilled wine, water, and cleared plates) were polite and friendly. Regardless, I would absolutely go back--but I would make a complaint about the server if I had her again.
(4)Abby T.
This place is pretty good. My best girlfriend and I started w/ the bruschetta and mussels. We were pretty full after these 2 items. Carb-watchers beware: the bread was so delicious that you won't be able to stop at just one piece. We also ordered the triple pepperoni pizza. It is heartburn just waiting to happen but totally worth it. :) The wine list was pretty impressive -- which included pinot noirs from OR, can't find that everywhere. Hopefully this casual italian spot can stand the test of Chicago Restaurant Time.
(4)Jennifer M.
Overall, we would go back. The dinner didn't start off great as there were open tables yet we still had to wait past our reservation time. However once we sat, the food was very good and the service was solid.
(3)Yvonne B.
M had a craving for pizza by the slice after we had dinner at another restaurant. That's M for ya. Anyway, La Madia was nearby so we called (while still at the other restaurant) to place an order for pick up. They told us 20 minutes. We ordered the artichoke pizza again, the grape pizza, and made sure to mention that we were due some free warm olives. They had to talk to managers and stuff to hook us up with those olives but it happened. We arrived on foot before the 20 minutes were up and decided to sit at the bar and order some drinks. M got some wine and I got their version of an Old Fashioned. As soon as we ordered our boxed pizzas and warmed olives were brought to us. We stayed a few minutes longer to get and drink our libations. M adored my Old Fashioned and ended up drinking both of our drinks. We noted that the restaurant was not as crazy busy as the first time we tried La Madia. It was still very noisy. We walked the pizzas and warm olives home. All of the food was scrumptious delimptious again. M especially adored the grape pizza. She explained that it wasn't the grapes on the pizza that made it but the pairings with the cheese.
(5)Brian I.
La Madia is one of the most consistent and best pizza places in the city. We've been going since it opened, and have never had a bad experience. It is a standby for visitors, and has never let us down. The dough has the unique quality of being simultaneously tender and chewy. I've never been to Naples to have pizza, but until I go, La Madia can be my stand-in measure of top-notch pizza crust. The flavor combinations in both the red and white pizzas are great - some particular stand outs are the taleggio and roasted grape, fresno chile and clams, and the margarita. In addition to the pizzas, the salads are well constructed and a great addition to share. Sit at the kitchen bar, where you can watch pizzas going into the wood burning oven. The top star rating is based on the pizzas as well as the consistency of service and quality.
(5)Austin V.
The food here was great. For sure an exquisite take on such a simple concept as pizza. The marsala mushroom bruschetta was amazing and the four cheer pizza was great. Service was good, but not great. Otherwise a great place to eat. I would strongly recommend reservations, but bar was good if you choose to walk in. Atmosphere was quiet and enjoyable. Will come back to for another meal.
(4)Despina T.
Excellent service! Delicious food & extensive wine list. They were also able to accommodate my special request for a side of asparagus, I had to have some. The atmosphere was romantic (dim lights) I had pizza fondue & chicken/spinach/ricotta ravioli, everything was delicious!
(4)Monica Z.
One of my favorite date night for group get together dinner spots. Very cool ambiance, modern and hip. Has a great wine selection, friendly staff and very tasty food. We usually try a different pizza every time we go there as well as their steamed pei muscles, pizza fondue, organic arugala salad and the bruschette! In am getting hungry just thinking of it. If you are looking for a hip place to grab wine and dinner with your significant other or a group of friends then check this place out. It's worth it. Very decent prices and reservations can me made on opentable.com !
(5)Stefanie A.
Absolutely LOVE La Madia! We always do a bottle of wine with the arugula salad and either the cracked egg & prosciutto pizza or the the margherita pizza. Don't forget dessert...go for the bittersweet chocolate tortino!
(5)Jacob A.
We came here for a late lunch and it was a good crowd inside. They offer a lunch special for two. $19 gets you a salad, pizza and small dessert. I am not a salad type of guy but this was a great salad. The balsamic vinaigrette was on point. We ordered a Margherita pizza which was delicious! You can taste the fresh ingredients in their pizza. I'm giving this place 4 stars not 5 because the service was slow and it seemed our server just didn't care to be there. Normally I'd rate this a 3 because of how bad the service was BUT I'm thinking she might have been the one rotten apple in the bunch as the hostess and other server that gave us water and our silverware were nice and friendly.
(4)Matt S.
I ate there on 12/6/2014. La Madia has been one of my favorite Chicago restaurants for some time now, and remains so. I am a huge fan of thin crust pizza cooked in a wood burning oven. If you are too, La Madia is unlikely to disappoint. We had the triple pepperoni (my favorite there) and a mushroom pizza. The mushroom is a white pizza. Both were simply excellent. Unlike some restaurants with wood-burning ovens, La Madia manages to keep their crusts consistent from pizza to pizza. They have a nice, consistent, and light to medium char on the bottom, as well as on the edges. The pizzas are brought to you immediately after they are removed from the oven. We also had the arugula salad. It has apple slices and walnuts too with a light vinaigrette dressing. It is simple and delicious. We both made an exception and had dessert. We tried the lemon cheesecake, which was perhaps the best cheesecake either of us had ever had. Our server said they make it themselves. We also tried their homemade gelato- cinnamon was the flavor that day. It was very enjoyable. La Madia has an excellent and quite sizable wine list, with many available by the glass. It would be difficult to imagine not finding a wine you enjoy here. Our one criticism was the service. I have dined there several times, and I have previously only experienced great service. Tonight, it took several minutes after we were seated for someone to come to our table. We did arrive a bit early, so perhaps that was a factor. They did explain that our waitress had been working at the bar, and was transitioning to the dining room. Once it fills up, the atmosphere is good. It is fairly dark inside, but not overly so. There is a small bar at the front of the restaurant, but most come there to dine. While we had pizza, La Madia has other dishes as well, and friends have told me they are as good as the pizza. But I have yet to try anything but the pizza for the main course; it is just too good. If you are fan of this type of pizza and are in Chicago, La Madia is absolutely worth trying.
(4)Emily Myles H.
La Madia was fantastic. I was there this past weekend for a private bridal shower. They put out several courses and everything was wonderful. Some highlights were the pizza bread/ artichoke dip appi (not sure what it's actually called), the bruschetta and the marg pizza. Staff was courteous and helpful and the owner was great. I would definitely recommend it for a private party.
(5)Melissa K.
Amazing! Highly recommend the pepperoni pizza and artichoke appetizer! You won't break the bank but you'll feel like you should have.
(5)Colleen N.
The coffee was great but the Kitchen is a disaster! We went for lunch and waited 30 minutes for our soup and bruschetta starters. then we got our entree salad and it didn't come with the chicken which is clearly stated on the menu to be included. my fellow diner ordered the arugula entree salad and hers didn't come with chicken either. When i pointed this out to the manager she said she had to specify that she wanted chicken because there was the same salad listed under starters without chicken. The waiter never informed us of that nor did he ask if she wanted the starter version or the entree version.
(1)Meredith K.
We came back with a group and again had a fabulous time! The food here is so good! Our night started a little clunky but then quickly turned around. The service is super nice and accommodating. This time we shared a bottle of their cheapest sangiovese and it was so nice. I think its telling when their cheapest is still very delicious. We started with the mushroom bruchette. A new rule should be that you order more of this than you think you're going to need because you will want it. Its so good!!! But you get two pieces of bread with each order. 1/2 a piece of bread was just not enough! But then we got the spinach fondue and it was so good too. You get this huge puff of bread that's crisp on the outside and steamy on the inside. The cheese fondue with spinach and truffle is wonderful. We kept the extra to put on our pizza which is a smart move. We got the triple pepperoni, mushroom with smoked mozzarella and margherita. The margherita tastes like summer. The basil is so lovely. But the winner this time was the mushroom. The smoked cheese made it the star of the night. I didn't have the meat pizza but there was none left so you know its good. Then we had the 2 chocolate desserts and the polenta cake was the best. It was like a lava cake but in a good way. Like eating hot brownie batter with ice cream. The layer cake wasn't bad but I think we liked the frosting more than the cake. It just didn't shine when that polenta cake was around. We'd come back in a heartbeat. This place is great!
(5)Adrianne C.
We came here for my bachelorette party, and they were amazing at accommodating a large party. We had a preset menu, and they even had something special for a gluten free friend. Every bite was incredible, and I would go back here over and over again! They have a cool atmosphere.
(4)Derrick T.
Came back, had great service at lunch, even when the four of us chose to sit at the pizza bar! We enjoyed our prosecco, great conversation about pizza, and tried four pies. Margherita - You already know this is good. Housemade sausage, onions - Again, please read my previous review. Taleggio and 3 hour roasted grapes - Wow... I would've never thought to put grapes on a pie. The sweetness of the grapes balances out the bite of the tallegio making this a delicious pie to enjoy. Very nice combination, unlikely as it would be. Carbonara - I was very curious to see how they would make this one. Seeing that I've been making a lot of pies lately, learning how to crack an egg onto the pizza to create such a lush, velvety feeling of egg yolk combined with the chew and crisp of guanicale... I knew this could turn out terrible or wonderful. I"m glad it was the latter. If you're like me and like mixing your egg yolk into different dishes (over easy eggs on sandwiches, in rice, in pasta, etc.) this is right up your alley. Two over easy eggs on top cracked on midway through the cook, and finished from the heat of the pizza, then carefully cut so that the yolk covers a bit of every slice... man, this was soo good. Verdict: While the dough doesn't have the rise I"d expect of Neapolitan (which to be fair they don't necessarily claim they are, but closely imitate), their traditional pies are enjoyable. It's their perfect execution of some of the more innovative flavor profiles that make them stand out and gain the extra star since my last visit, paired with our superb service at lunch. I'll be back again... to hopefully try this triple pepperoni people keep raving about?
(4)Christine S.
This was my third visit to La Madia, and I really like the food here. The tallegio and spinach fondue is to DIE; I just can't stop eating it. I've had various pizzas over my several visits, and although I think the triple pepperoni pizza is too greasy, I otherwise have no complaints. My last visit this past Saturday night, I brought my friend who was visiting from London and jonseing for some hometown pizza. And while La Madia's pizza isn't exactly what we would consider classic thin crust Chicago pizza, I took her here because it is close to my apartment and I've had good experiences in the past. Undoubtedly because of our arrival time (11:30p), we received a fairly cold reception from the guy who "greeted" (for lack of a better word) us at the door and who also became our server. Never smiled, no interaction, and frankly behaved as if we ruined his whole evening by showing up. He maintained this attitude throughout our visit. (Maybe early 20s, dark hair in kind of a faux hawk style, in case management actually reads these reviews). Not cool, dude. I'm sure you still had plenty of time to meet your friends for drinks after work.
(3)Victoria C.
I enjoyed my experience at La Madia. It had a nice atmosphere and is great for a group. I could hear everyone from across the table so it was easy to have a conversation. I wouldn't say the pizza was the best I have ever had but they were really good. We had the spinach with goat cheese and the parma. I would recommend both of these. They were delicious. A couple of my friends got the ravioli and they really enjoyed it. The reason I gave the place four stars is because I did not think the service was up to par. The waitress took a long time to come to our table and when she finally arrived, she asked, "ok what do you want?" She didn't offer out any suggestions or explain how many people per pizza. We had to ask her. After she brought us our food she rarely came back to check on us. At the end, she wouldn't do separate checks to accommodate our group which is always confusing. The pizza and environment was great but the service could have been better.
(4)Liang H.
I came here for a friend's birthday and it was a lot of fun! our table got a ton of drinks and three pizzas, two appetizers, and someone got the pasta dish. two of our pizzas were the organic cracked egg and prisciutto pizza with freshly ground black pepper. this is a delicious pizza, i just wish the prosciutto was sliced into small pieces instead of them being in long strips. the egg yolks really added a nice creamy flavor for a sauceless (white) pizza. our other pizza was the shaved artichoke with parmesan pizza, it was delicious. i was surprised how much i liked it because im not a fan of artichoke. however, this doesnt use the artichoke hearts, only the outer edges. i liked the chewiness of it. i can't speak to the pasta dish, but the drinks were good and a huge selection.
(3)Daniel S.
This might be my favorite woodfire pizza place, we got half carbonara and half fennel sausage, didnt have to wait long for the food, tho it was early evening, and reasonable priced considering the area, good sauce and toppings
(5)Daniel D.
Ice cream sandwich donuts are to die for. Really nice owner. Well worth the walk to get to.
(5)Magen R.
Four of us tried out La Madia for restaurant week. I had been wanting to try it out for sometime and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. We got a great deal for our $33. An appetizer, salad, pizza and dessert. Our table opted for two of each of the fondues for the appetizer portion of the meal. They were both delicious. The pizza fondue had an almost vodka sauce like component to it, it was definitely not your average pizza sauce! The spinach and cheese fondue was literally out of this world, it was so yummy I wanted to drink it. Additionally the portion sizes were enormous. Something I definitely hope to go back for. For the salads we all opted for the romaine salad with creamy mustard dressing. A bit boring but no one could say no to creamy mustard dressing and crispy pancetta with shaved Parmesan. Our lack of creativity in ordering this course paid off because we all loved the salads and couldn't get enough. For our pizzas we ordered the cheese, sausage, pork belly and artichoke. I tried all but the cheese and they were delicious. Unfortunately by the time the pizzas came we were all quite full and couldn't eat much. I was a big fan of the pork belly pizza but really enjoyed all of them. Helpful hint: if you order the fondue as an appetizer keep whatever is left over for dipping your pizza in! When it came time for dessert three of us ordered the crostada and one orders the gelato. All were good but lots was left over because we were so stuffed! While the food is outstanding I also cannot go without mentioning the ambiance and service. The place has a trendy but intimate vibe to it. I think it would be a great place to go on a date for dinner or drinks. The bar is also very nice. With that said it is also a good place for a girls night out, especially because of the large portion sizes and ability to share. The service was fine but not exceptional. We were slightly peeved when a server took my dining companions boxed up leftovers and threw them out when we were not looking. We asked about them and were given a fresh pizza but had to wait an additional ten minutes for it, fine but still a bit annoying. I also didn't love our server. The food and ambiance at La Madia definitely make it worth the trip. I also think that the food is worth the price after examining their regular menu. Try it out!
(4)Addie R.
We had dinner for my bachelorette party at La Madia. We had a preset menu which was delicious. The pizzas were very good as were the artichokes that my friend had as part of her gluten free menu. They were go great to accommodate her at the last minute! They have a small room which fits about 20 people, and it was the perfect place to dine. All the staff was very friendly and it was easy to get everything set up ahead of time.
(4)Jaime S.
This place is great! I have been several times with friends and I am always happy with the service and everything we order. It's usually easy to get a table or reservation which is nice given the area it's in. Definitely get the grilled artichoke!
(4)Molly C.
This place really has mastered thin crust pizza in a deep dish town. I came here on a Saturday night. The atmosphere is pretty casual but upbeat. There were four of us. We started off with the beet salad and the chopped Italian salad. I really liked the beet salad. I'm usually not a huge fan of beets but La Madia has it down. The Italian chopped salad is great too. We then ordered Spinach & Taleggio Fondue with white truffle oil. The green color of the dipping sauce made me a little apprehensive at first.... but it was fantastic. Our waitress advised us to save the left over sauce we had for our pizza. Great advice. Everyone was a fan of the spinach and telegio sauce. So good. We ordered the triple pepperoni pizza with white truffle oil and a margarita pizza. I personally liked the margarita pizza better than the triple peperoni. I felt as though the crust of the pepperoni pizza got soggy because all of the grease. That's understandable though. I also felt like the only thing I tasted was the peperoni. If you are a huge fun of peperoni this is most likely the pizza you should choose. Also they have a wine pairing with each of their pizzas which is pretty interesting as well. Drinks are very reasonable price and so is the food. I will be returning and I'm a huge fan.
(4)Paolo M.
Quite good fare, served in a casual setting that's great for groups. Very thoughtful on the gluten free side of things. Good service.
(4)Stephanie H.
My co-workers took me to this restaurant for my birthday. We were seated and greeted promptly. To start, we ordered some bruschetta with Mozzarella di Bufala Campana, Heirloom Tomatoes, Balsamic vinegar. This was DELICIOUS--probably the freshest/best bruschetta I've ever had. For pizzas, the four of us split three pizzas. We ordered the Shaved Artichoke, Taleggio & 3-Hour Roasted Grapes and Sopresatta & Fire-Roasted Fennel. They were all amazing. The shaved artichoke and sopressatta & fire-roasted fennel were my favorite, but the 3-hour roasted grapes was also interesting and very tasty. Service was good, no complaints there. I'll definitely be back!
(5)Kristen R.
What a great restaurant! Nice, modern ambiance and not noisy or loud. The salads and pizzas were wonderful! Triple Pepperoni pizza with Truffle Oil and the sausage and sweet onion pizzas were mouth watering. Enjoy great beer or wines paired with the pizza ... You won't be sorry!
(4)Rob H.
Good pizza. Good beers. What I've come to expect from an Italian place.
(3)Rob N.
This is a great restaurant. We went there the other night for dinner. Had the triple pepperoni pizza and organic egg and prosciutto pizza. Both were outstanding. Also had a pasta dish which was excellent. Plenty of food and leftovers to take home. Service was very attentive and spot on. I would highly recommend this restaurant ... One of the best in the area.
(5)Cait C.
This place is pretty standard. Not bad but nothing special. They are not thin crust by any means and the crust was soggy. Good flavor though and a decent artisan pizza. Salads was okay too. Again they do the trick but not exciting.
(3)Lauren K.
This place is a really nice spot, great location and delicious food. We tried a creamy mushroom soup, pasta bolognese, honeyed carrots side, and the chicken spinach & ricotta ravioli in brown butter sauce. All were outstanding. Only our waiter told us that the soup of the day was tomato; when mushroom came out it was a surprise, but delicious so we ate it anyhow. Also - the pastas come in two sizes. We wanted the smaller size, but the waiter didn't ask and gave us the larger more expensive size by default. Oh well, again it was good so we ate it anyhow. Other than our issues with the waiter, this place was great. Definitely would return for the food.
(4)Kara B.
La Madia is a great mix between fancy Italian and a trendy lounge scene. We walked in on a Friday night without a reservation, and the host was SO nice. He explained it would probably be 30 minutes (not bad for 800 on a Friday) but he would keep us posted. As tables opened up he let us know how long we could expect, and when it was close to the 30 minutes told us we were next. We ordered a sausage & onion pizza, bruschetta, and wine. All was great! Pizza was a little small for the price ($16) but for once we decided to let our stomachs digest the food before we ordered another pizza and it ended up being enough. Atmosphere is great...and I have heard it is a great "office lunch" type of place. Will definitely be back.
(4)Maria L.
Did not have super high expectations from La Madia before going but was delightfully surprised by the tasty food! Called for table of 4 around 6 on a Saturday and were told it was a 40 min wait or we could sit at the "pizza bar" with complimentary glasses of prosecco. Sign me up! Upon arrival, the pizza bar was literally just 10 tables bar-style in front of the kitchen. For the future, I would only do this type of seating for 2 or 3 people because bar seating is awkward for 4 people trying to have a convo. As for the FOOD, smallish menu but packed with all sorts of delicious pizzas, small assortment of entrees, pastas, apps. We got mixed greens salad (very fresh), a red pizza with a spicy pepperoni sausage banana peppers and onions, a white pizza with pork belly kale and carmelized onions, and a italian sausage gnocchi. All the flavors of everything were really great and fresh. The gnocchi surprisingly came with a super tasty pork broth so it was deeeelish. Service was great too, bill came out to be like $70 after tip, not too shabby. If you're in the area, check out La Madia for great modern italian!
(4)Eunice J.
I went with a group of 9 and we had 5 pizzas 2 salads and 2 appetizers - perfect amount and everything was on point! Great variety and interesting flavors. Faves of the evening were the artichoke pizza, the pesto special, pepperoni, and carbonara. I strongly recommend getting the arugula salad and spinach appetizer dip with truffle oil - INCREDIBLE. Definitely worth the extra bucks.
(5)Julien M.
Recently went up to Chicago and wanted to get some pizza. Yes I could have done Chicago style deep dish. But wanted something light plus my friend probably would only have had 2 slices meaning leaving me to kill the rest. So we decided to get a Margherita pizza. Thanks Yelp as always, we found La Madia which was a quick 15 min walk from our hotel. Place is super nice and trendy for a pizza joint. we ordered a salad which was awesomely good! and their Margherita. For my friend it was her first and she loved it! i loved it as well, it was perfect for us, super light, the crust was super thin too. It was very easy to finish. Would go back again :)
(4)Tim S.
We lucked into two seats at the chef's counter where you see the kitchen in action. There was plenty of food for two to share a chopped salad and a pizza. They have an impressive pizza fondue appetizer that features dough baked in the oven that looks like a beautiful football. Quite eye catching to see them come out of the oven and readied to plate. Clearly people saw this as the first one rolled out there were many more "we'll have that" orders from others who saw it arrive at a nearby table. Awesome recommendations from our server Ralph C.
(5)Suzanne H.
I'm baaaaccckkkk....and love it again. Went for lunch. Great service, great pizza, great salad. The $19 shared lunch menu is so cool. Glad we are friends again.
(4)Saba A.
Last night for NYE was my third visit but this is my first time reviewing. This is a classy restaurant in the River North area and I love their thin crust pizza with new and creative ingredients. This is affordable compared to most of the restaurants in the area, and it had different types of crowd to "romantic night out", "first date", "girl's night" to "dinner with the family". Everyone here seems to be enjoying themselves and the service is pretty good too. The Food: Starters: Pizza Fondue | Cheesy Tomato Sauce & Pizza Bread for 8 dollars. It sounds simple, but it's sooo good and fills you up a little (so be careful). Bruschette: Seasonal Wild Mushrooms, Marsala Glaze & Whipped Ricotta. 9 dollars. It's yummy but you only get 2 on a plate. It's a quick eat but I don't think it's worth 9 dollars. My Favorite Pizza: Housemade Lamb Sausage - Fresno Peppers, Caciocavallo Cheese & Mint Salsa Verde for 15 dollars. I could only share it with one person. Link to menu: dinelamadia.com/menu.php My friend got the pasta and it was (ok) this is not a pasta place. I know they have lunch and late night specials as well as a cooking class! Make reservations and enjoy the pizza! I can't wait to go back!
(5)Jacob D.
I'm not going to waste time writing about this place. Just go for it. It's that good.
(5)Mark C.
The menu at La Madia in River North has a great selection of starters and salads, pastas and mains, but the highlight here are the pizzas (with the caveat that I actually haven't had the pasta or entrees here, but should plan on making a trek just for those). As you walk in, you can instantly smell the aroma given off by the wood-fired oven in back, and walking by tables, one can spot dishes that focus on extremely fresh ingredients. The pizzas are split into "red" pizzas topped with tomato sauce, and "white" pizzas that focus on the ingredients only. My date opted for one of the reds, the housemade fennel sausage with sweet onions and mozzarella. The pizzas at La Madia keep the dough simple and thin, cooked with a perfect wood-fired char on the crust but a nice doughy consistency on the inside. The sausage was flavorful and the remainder of the ingredients balanced out the pie nicely. The sausage itself lacked a bit of spice, but that was easily corrected by adding a bit of crushed red pepper. To contrast, I went with one of the whites - the cracked organic egg, prosciutto, and black pepper pizza. Thankfully, mine was cooked with a bit more char on the crust (I prefer mine with a nice crisp - Sara enjoys a bit more chewiness). Surprisingly the egg emparted a deep flavor to the dish to replace the usual presence of cheese, and it offset the saltiness of the prosciutto nicely. Sprinkled with some black pepper to add just the right amount of kick, this may be one of my go-to pies in a pinch. My only complaint was the full size pieces of prosciutto made it difficult to avoid grabbing the whole piece of prosciutto in your first bite of a slice - I would definitely suggest to cut the meat into slightly smaller pieces to disperse it a bit. Overall, La Madia focuses on traditional, fresh Italian ingredients and is up to par with the top thin-crust, wood fired pizza joints in the city (Piece and Coalfire immediately come to mind). With the Honey Butter Fried Chicken pizza on the menu at Piece, we'll probably be making a trek up to Bucktown in the near future to compare, but you can't go wrong if you're looking for pie in the River North area. pics up at my blog: eatinginchicago2014.word…
(4)Thor T.
Had a lengthy lunch here with friends and found everything - from the attentive, easy-going service to the array of various dishes - absolutely delightful. First to a standout: the Shrimp Risotto Carnaroli with Butternut Squash. Was there a nonna in the kitchen stirring this perfectly cooked risotto? No, risotto seems to be one of the many talents of La Madia's chef. Absolutely recommended, from the great consistency and taste of the rice to the sweet freshness of the expertly cooked shrimp. We liked our pizzas very much, from the tasty dough to the fine toppings. The gnocchi dish was a hit with my friends, I found the gnocchi a bit gummy (the only criticism I have). Wonderful the desserts, especially the pear crostata and the refreshing blood orange sorbet with prosecco. I also liked the well-chosen beer list.
(5)Teammatel L.
This is by far one of the best stone-oven thin pizza places I have ever had the pleasure of eating at. The wild mushroom pizza was out of this world. I had it fresh at the restaurant and I had it cold from leftovers and it is absolutely amazing. Ask them to put truffle oil on the wild mushroom or any pizza of your choice and you will not be disappointed!
(5)Greg G.
"The Cupboard" - Google Translate, on Italian setting We wanted to try something new (to us) in the River North area and found La Madia. Gourmet pizza sounded appealing at the time so why not? La Madia is very cozy and cute - their seats are Paul Smith (check out their website!) We decided to go for an appetizer, a salad, a red sauce and a white sauce pizza, and a shared dessert. - Our appetizer was the Pizza Fondue, which was steaming hot bread with tomato sauce on the side. It was good - though it was hard to taste the cheese in the advertised "cheesy sauce." - The Nichols Farm Heirloom Beets salad was excellent; I didn't knew about different, lighter beets (I thought they were tomatoes). Portion is reasonable, and the beets are sweet and delicious. Add the almonds and the goat cheese, and it's a great all-around salad. - Red sauce pizza: the Housemade Fennel Sausage & Sweet Onions was pretty good, somewhat normal-tasting pizza because of the standard tomato sauce + cheese + sausage combination. We got what we ordered, and it was a nice contrast to the white sauce pizza. - White sauce pizza: the Taleggio and 3-Hour Roasted Grapes basically was taleggio cheese on a thin crust with raisins. I prefer red sauce, but this was nice to try. Plus, how easy it is to talk about the background of 3-hour grapes. - Dessert: the Caramel Apple & Sweet Cream Crostata, Caramel Gelato was a last minute decision which was basically a crispy incarnation of apple pie topped with ice cream. It was pretty good but nothing extraordinary. A nice touch to the end of a meal. We had a great time at La Madia's - I later heard that their mussels are amazing in case seafood is up your alley. Hope to return soon! Pictures: yelp.com/biz_photos/s2Fe…
(4)Raju L.
If I could give 10 stars I would. Short version: if you are looking for an inexpensive contemporary pizzeria, look no further. From the impeccable service, attention to detail and flavors; this place rocks!!!!! The long version: I wanted to give my wife a surprise bday party with family and a few close friends. A close friend of mine suggested this place. Took a while to figure out the final head count but with a notice of 9 days, Peter was able to get me a confirmation and we were all set. I wanted to pre order the food so I called 2 hours before the reservation and Ana took great care of me and also suggested a few tweaks to accommodate the guests appropriately. It was during this conversation 2 HOURS BECORE THE RESERVATION that I conveyed that the meal was a surprise bday party for my wife. I realize I had made no mention of that before. When I arrived with my wife, I noticed they had pdinted out our custom menu with my wife's name at the top that also mentioned her bday. I was so impressed. During the course of the meal, Peter, who had originally made our reservations swung by with some deserts on the house and wanted to introduce himself. Again, I was completely impressed. You see, when you go to a restaurant, you kind of know what to expect; a restaurant I think that surprises you by going beyond above and beyond are a rare gem to find. I am glad I found this restaurant. They just won a regular. Thanks so much Ana and Peter. You guys ROCK!!!!!
(5)Shruta S.
Really nice place with food and wine pairing.
(5)Don J.
We had a great meal at La Madia. It was a weekend night and the place was packed - make sure to call ahead for a reservation. The bar has a nice selection of wine and beer that you can enjoy while you're waiting for your table. We started out with the chopped Italian lettuce salad, which had a balsamic pear flavor. Excellent way to get your dose of veggies. I highly recommend the mussels as an appetizer - the garlickey, buttery broth at the bottom of the bowl will have you dunking your mussels twice. I also loved the gourmet pizza, especially the pork belly and garlic white pizza. Service was prompt and efficient. Great place to go with a small group of friends for a night on the town.
(5)Frances A.
I was only supposed to eat 1/3... I killed the whole thing. We went for the first time with my uncle for his birthday. The service was kinda slow, but when the staff was there - they were there. Even for cousins kids. They provided dough for the kids so they could make their own pizza - super cute. Now for the dinner... I had the - Slagel Farm Wood Smoked Porkbelly | Tuscan Kale, Garlic, Carmalized Onion, Caciocavallo Cheese -huge porkbelly chucks -cheese dripping off the pizza -nicely thin (slightly sweet dough) didn't collapse upon holding -tasted divine, like you were biting into something farm more special than just pizza -carmelized onions balanced the meatiness of the porkbelly, adding to the sweetness -then there was the cheese. w/o being greasy, it made sense, enough to make you warm inside, w/o feeling like an absolute glutton
(4)Suja S.
La Madia is one of the few restaurants, in Chicago, that I have been to on several occasions. The service is always impeccable but the food, the food is what I go for. They're pizza is so flavorful, the crust it crispy and chewy and I have never had anything on the menu I didn't like. My favorites are the lamb sausage pizza and their mussels.
(4)Andrew H.
Made a weekend trip to Chicago, and this was the winner of the trip. It's not the traditional Chicago deep dish pizza you may be looking for, but it is really really good. Staff was very attentive and offered great suggestions on every item. Very thorough wine selection, and they do their best to help you pair it with your dinner. Here's what I had. For each item I was choosing between a few other items, but the staff recommended each of these. All were delicious, especially the pizza. Very interesting variety of flavor! Chopped italian lettuces Gorgonzola, Spicy Walnuts, Shaved Pear & Balsamic Vinaigrette Pizza: Housemade Lamb Sausage, Fresno Peppers, Caciocavallo Cheese & Mint Pesto Chocolate Polenta Cake, Vanilla Bean Gelato Also, if you sit at any of the counter seats, they serve complimentary prosecco.
(4)Mike H.
Pizza crust was limp but I like crispier... I suppose some like it that way. It was very tasty and fresh. Salad for two was great
(4)Angela N.
For our last night in Chicago, we decided to try La Madia and could not have been happier. It's a little on the expensive side but not so nice that we felt our 10 month old daughter was unwelcome at 7pm on a Thursday night. The service was excellent. We were well taken care of and timing was near perfect. They did something magical to the warm olives. Not only were they extremely warm - definitely the hottest olives I've ever had, they were a little spicy and extra delicious. For your $6, you get quite a lot. Also, the olive oil served with the bread is out of this world. We tried a couple pizzas, one with red sauce, no cheese, banana peppers, and Fresno peppers. We hadn't heard of Fresno peppers but won't soon forget. Amazing. I branched and got the Taggalio (?) and 3-hour roasted grape pizza. Whoa. The best pizza I've ever had. I ate the entire thing. By myself. In one sitting. I don't even regret it, except that now I won't be able to enjoy it again tomorrow as leftovers. My glass of wine was unremarkable but good. There are some 75 available by the glass, either 4 or 7 oz. If I had unlimited budget and stomach space, there isn't much on the menu I wouldn't love to try and subsequently salivate over. Lots of really delicious, well-put-together sounding dishes for each course. I'll be back for you La Madia.
(5)Larry P.
Great pizza and lots of fun. Lively atmosphere, and interesting pizzas. We hD the fennel sausage and sweet onion pizza - very tasty. Also, the pizza fondue is amazing - pizza crust with dipping sauce. The ItLian chopped salad with pear, walnut and blue cheese was also terrific. Some tasty beer and wine also. Great place for a casual meal.
(5)Laura R.
Great food, lively atmosphere. We brought my 21 year old cousin here for her birthday and I think it was a good, trendy choice for her. Not too huge and not too small. Great prices as well.
(4)MarkandJulie S.
We had a Friday night reservation at 6:30. Our table was waiting for us, and we were seated promptly. The atmosphere is fun, with sort of an upscale casual feel to it. Service was spot on, with the waiter making several good suggestions. Make sure to ask about any off menu items they have. Our pizza was off menu, and absolutely fabulous with thin strips of pineapple and prosciutto. The butter lettuce salad was a great starter as well as the bruschetta with mushrooms. Prices are quite reasonable for this part of Chicago, and we will definitely be back.
(5)Colleen C.
La Madiaaaaaaa! Hmmm. AOK. One of the most affordable "nice" dinners downtown (truly)...you can feel all fancy, drink some pretty nice wine, be downtown near all the expensive action, and not break the bank. With multiple glasses of wine and full bellies: $40/pp. (including tip!) It's been almost 2 years since I've visited La Madia for Yelp Eats Week 2009 where I first experienced "pizza fondue," but it's always been top of mind for casual dinner downtown. When we needed a table for 7 on a Friday night in the area, bingo! Let's do it. That pizza fondue, though simple, is pretty attractive and it remained solid in my memory. Unfortunately on this trip, I didn't stick with the tried and true. I ventured out into a $24 plate of scallops and polenta, and for all intents and purposes....was lackluster at best. Overdone scallops drowning in polenta that was tepid. Not impressive. I ate it, but I did not enjoy it. Had I been eating pizza that night, my life would've been better. Surely the wine and salads were great (despite them bringing only one instead of two salads, and us having to adjust to get another one to the table). The service was fine. It wasn't overly masterful, but it works and it can be expected at this price point. La Madia is a great place to share, so coming with a group is fun. They also accommodate large groups very well! She let us split on credit cards (I know, I know, a pain) and was sweet about the million wine glasses floating around. For pizza and wine and salad? Great. For special entrees? Not so much. I'd stick with your gut and go with the basics here. You'll still get a great value... *Great for out of towners staying downtown, large groups, first dates and girls dinners. And, I hear the lunch special prix fixe is great!
(3)Alaa A.
We came here at 4 pm on Wednesday so it was almost empty.. We ordered a 3 cheese pizza and chicken,spinach and ricotta ravioli, honestly both dishes lacked flavor and especially the ravioli which was overpriced for the portion in my opinion. the place look nice and the staff was friendly. I would not recommend this restaurant if you are looking for a great pizza (try coalfire or spacca Napoli) maybe other items on the menu taste good but I will never know.
(3)Cossette J.
One of my favorite restaurants in all of Chicago! Hands down best thin crust around, with delicious soups, pastas, salads. Not to mention wonderful wine list! Great ambiance and environment- always try to make it out for dinner at La Madia!
(5)Jo L.
We had a very nice experience on our first visit on a recent Saturday night. We had a reservation (call several weeks in advance!) and only had to wait a moment for our table. Service was excellent throughout our visit. We tried the traditional bruschette - delicious - and two pizzas cooked in their wood-fired oven. They make the pizzas in a display kitchen and from our table we could watch the cooks at work. I wanted to try something I wouldn't normally find, so I ordered the Taleggio and 3-hour Roasted Grape pizza and it was outstanding (think brie and warm fruit). We also were able to try several of their well-chosen wines - they have a great selection and offer pairings right on the menu.
(4)John Y.
I've eaten at La Madia for years - more times than I can count because it is close to home and I've been going since it opened. I've seen it at it's best and worst. amazing how much a difference good service staff makes but in general, the food is consistently good. In general, the pizza overshadows all the other entrees and I mostly consider La Madia a pizza place. And as far as pizza goes, I think it is some of the best Neapolitan pizza in the city. In addition, it has a wonderfully extensive wine list with many by the glass and weekly specials. The desserts are very nice as well. This is a great date place, a nice place for friends to gather and even a good place for larger groups if you make reservations in advance. I've brought groups for work dinners as large as 15. In the summer, when the front windows are opened, eating in the bar area is wonderful. This is one of my favorite spots to share a simple meal and wine with friends.
(4)Jordan P.
I love la Madia! Their pizzas are delicious. They're not Chicago style pizzas, so it's nice to go here if you're looking for something different. The pizzas are thin crust and made in a wood oven with delicious, super fresh ingredients. But beware, at peak times if you order a pizza you'll be in for a wait because the kitchen often gets backed up on the pizza orders. I also have been very impressed with their pasta dishes. Hands down my favorite thing to eat at la Madia is their short ribs over vegetable risotto. Yum! Make a reservation if you're going on Friday or Saturday because it can get really crowded.
(4)David K.
Good pizza, good service. Not exceptional but a casual solid go-to where you can count on getting in, getting food and drink and getting out. Great wine selection and friendly staff.
(4)Emily D.
I thought this place was good, but certainly not my favorite pizza in Chicago. Im a brick oven pizza fan, so certainly this place fits my tastes. For an appetizer we had the globe artichokes, which I wouldn't get again. There was basically no meat on the artichoke, so essentially paid for nothing. We had the margherita pizza and the wild mushroom pizza. I preferred the margherita pizza the most of the two, although both were decent. I still have 2 pizza joints that I like better, so I'll be sticking to those.
(3)Diana C.
Delicious food. Bad service. Waitress was unhappy to be serving our table from the second we sat down. Very surly and impolite. We were in the middle of a conversation when she came over and mumbled to us something along the lines of asking if we needed more drinks. When no one heard her except for a couple of us she said, annoyed, "ugh okay nevermind" and walked away. Definitely subpar service for a restaurant located in the river north area.
(3)Melissa D.
This is a tough call. I went to the restaurant about a year ago, and only vaguely remember it, it did not make a huge impression good or bad. This time, I had it delivered. I live only three blocks away, but the pizza was all cold by the time we got it. I'm sure they would have been great at the restaurant, but they should not allow for delivery as an option if it is going to ruin the pizza. We ordered four pizzas and two salads, which weren't great either, and paid 122. Extremely underwhelmed, and for that amount I would expect a little more.
(2)Jeff R.
Literally my last meal out before I drove out east was at a long time staple of the River North scene that for some reason had always evaded me. Perhaps that's my fault for always seeking out the new without spending as much time on the staples. Either way I was thrilled to try it out before leaving and having friends Kate and Jon show me the way with one of their neighborhood favs. The other awesome aspect of going with friends that know the place is that I could sit back and relax while they did the ordering. And they chose well. We started with a grilled artichoke, that had some delicious seasonings and dipping sauces. Artichokes have always been a standard feature of any summer dinner growing up. My mother loves to make them simply steamed so any comparison to childhood memories are hard to make but La Madia does a nice job - a good way to wet the palette. The main course was pizza. All kinds of pizza that I didn't choose, but ate too much of. I don't remember the specifics or which one I like most because they were all delicious. I think one was a pepperoni and truffle oil, one had goat cheese and bacon and I know the last one was tasty with hot peppers. They come out fresh and hot, super thin cust authentic style and ready to go. Even though they have a solid take-out business, these are not pizza's I can see doing too well away from the over and transport over long distances. Even by the end of our meal I noticed that they cool off fast, and the thin crust can lose its firmness with the tasty oils and cheese doing their work. So just eat good and fast! We finished off the night, after over eating pizza, with a surprisingly amazing little dish of chocolate polenta cake. Never would have thought of that but it tastes great. Must try. Aside from having a very good pizza oven and a nice wine selection - I think the most understated aspect of La Madia that makes it successful is the ability to truly make it an every night, neighborhood restaurant. It's family friendly, inviting, broad options of other Italian items on the menu, and affordable - easily a place you could call home, or come by yourself, etc. Not sure how I made it living in Chicago without ever trying La Madia, but better late than never, and now I know where to go for good thin crust pizza when I visit!
(4)Adam K.
Came here for a non profit meeting about lighting, which is even dryer than it sounds, but the people are cool so I cant hate. They picked this place and I was not that impressed, I like that they have a late night pre fixe menu so I may come back for that. The wine selection is great. Pizza was ok, nothing great. Egg one was my fav, but forgettable. Salad was 5 huge uncut leaves of lettuce with a weak dressing. The gelato seemed like it was just ice cream. The blood orange sorbet tasted like perfume.
(3)Marissa J.
My husband and I had tickets for a concert at the Chicago Theater last night (Friday). I thought we should try somewhere new for dinner downtown so we made reservations at La Madia. It came highly recommended from a reliable friend and pizza and wine sounded like a great start to our night. Sadly, due to traffic, we arrived about 10 minutes late. The hostess could not locate our reservation, but quickly sat us nonetheless. We were seated at a 4 top near the bar and next to a party of 7. Our server quickly greeted us, and I ordered a glass of bubbly and my husband ordered the old fashioned. My drink arrived in a timely manner, but my husband's drink did not. I'm not sure where our server went, but we watched as his drink sat the bar just waiting to be brought to him. A good deal of time later, and partway through my beverage, she resurfaced and brought his drink. We ordered our food and awaited our appetizer. To make a long story short, our server disappeared off and on for the duration of our meal. We definitely felt like she was not doing a great job, and most noticeably because both our drinks went empty for a quite a bit while the 7-top next to us had her constant attention. We still had food left and were looking forward to a glass of wine with our meal. Despite the disappointing service, we thought the food (artichoke appetizer, romaine salad, and coppa picante pizza) was quite good. We may go back, but not for a while, and to add insult to injury, the hostess not checking us in led to Open Table thinking we were a no-show.
(3)Tim Z.
I had only one night in Chicago being in town for the marathon and La Madia was highly recommended for their pizza but I was having deep dish at Malnati's after the marathon the next day so I couldn't go there unfortunately. So I chose the gnocchi and it rocked. I had to ask for some bread to soak up the amazing broth. La Madia isn't just for amazing pizza!
(5)Beth R.
Did I enjoy the soup of the day (vegetarian, cream-free squash) and the ceci bean crostini I had for lunch? Yes, very much. Were they overpriced for the portion? Yes, very much. Did I enjoy the Mrs. Meyers hand soap in the ladies' room? Yes, very much. Is it weird that the two bathrooms are ladies' and unisex? Yes, a little. 3.5 stars
(3)David R.
It's a shame that it took me so long to return to La Madia, since they have two of my favorite things on their menu: a beet salad and a calzone. Two calzones, actually. I eschewed the house-made fennel sausage variety in favor of a slightly healthier chicken and spinach. Big thumbs up. They don't put any sauce in their calzone, but they do serve it with a generous side-cup of their cheesy, aromatic marinara, which matches up very well. The proportion of crust to fillings is so important in a calzone, and La Madia nails it. The crust comes out puffed up high on the top for an interesting presentation, but the consistency is light, thin, and chewy, and the totality of the crust is in perfect balance with the rest of the calzone. Overall this calzone scores very high on my list despite its departure from traditional ingredients and construction. The beet salad was pretty standard, which is to say enjoyable even if not interesting. I also ordered a Not So Old Fashioned cocktail, which turned out to be not so interesting. Shrug. I will definitely keep this place in mind for weekend lunches downtown--or whenever I get a calzone craving.
(4)Jamie M.
There were four of us ladies heading to a different spot this evening which ended up being closed for a private event. We wandered to LaMadia and got a table right away. The place has trendy light fixtures and booths but also gives an Italian family diner vibe. We were talked into a bottle of wine (which wasn't hard) and enjoyed it. We had the special pizza of the day and the triple pepperoni pizza and both were fabulous. The best part about the night - our waiter... I really wish I would have grabbed his name! He paid attention to the fact that we haven't seen each other in ages and he checked in enough (but not too much) which I've experienced at other places. He even overheard that it was my birthday and brought a dessert - and my friends hadn't even told him! What a great gesture. I'll be back again. It's a solid bet for families, couples and close friends as its not too loud and there's a nice wine list. They also dimmed the lights periodically as the night went on which set a nice tone. It also helps that the staff seemed like they liked being there which you don't always see nowadays!
(4)Scott S.
Great place. Fantastic pizza and even better service. Will definitely be going back next time we're in Chicago!
(5)Meri T.
I agree with all the great reviews on the pizza. It was really yummy. We also had a delicious desert. It was a little stuffed pie with strawberry and rhubarb filling. Out was excellent. Our server was very nice and so was the atmosphere.
(4)Mark M.
Good Napolitano pizza and salad options. Have a very good lunch specials.
(4)Comensal A.
We were pleasantly surprised on this first visit to La Madia. Both the food was very good, service was friendly & helpful, and the wine list featured a broad selection of good choices at all price points. The ambiance is OK, though a little noisier than I prefer (the place was full). We started with an arugula/apple/walnut salad that was tasty and nicely put together (although the arugula was not at its peak of freshness). There's an appealing array of pizzas, both red and white. Our server characterized the Roman pizza crust as thin, but not crisp; in our view, it was quite similar to Neopolitan pizza we've had at Spacca Napoli recently. Whatever -- it was very good, both in texture and flavor. We chose a lamb sausage white pizza, lightly dosed with fresno peppers -- delicious, not too salty, pleasant mild heat from the peppers. For dessert, affogato was light and tasty. We tried La Madia this time because we happened to be in the neighborhood -- I'm sure we'll be back!
(4)Daniel S.
I went with a group of people and all of the wines and pizza were enjoyable. The food was brought out nicely so we were able to share and all eat enough as well. Everything was good. I'd re commended going herewith a group.
(4)Jon B.
Best pizza I've had in Chicago. Lava cake is fantastic as well. The staff could be nicer but everyone has rough days, so we'll let that slide.
(5)Amanda Z.
So, a recent dining experience at La Madia really made me reconsider my previous five-star review. For lunch, I have been mostly pleased as punch. I'd say half the time, we have fantastic service, and half the time we don't. The deal they have, however, is good enough to put up with the not-good service at times. For dinner? Not so much. My parents were in town and I was entrusted with making the dinner reservation for us to celebrate their anniversary. Honestly? It was not good. Despite having a reservation, they tried to seat us at the first table when you walk in the door. You know, that table that is left open for people that don't make reservations? The one that gets the cold air from the front door and the people bumping into them? I'm not a diva, but I wasn't going to let that fly. They were able to accommodate with another table (with minimal grumbling), so I thought we were fine. Not so much. Our server was absent for much of our meal. We had probably six different people attending to our table that did not return if we requested something. We requested ice for our sparkling water (never received it), parmesan/red peppers for our pizza (never received it). When my husband and mother wanted another glass of wine, they had to physically flag down our server. It was kind of embarrassing for me, as I had made the reservation thinking my parents would really enjoy it. The triple pepperoni pizza (the best, in our opinion) was good, but tasted as if it had been sitting there for a bit. It wasn't fresh. The pork belly pizza, on the other hand, was not very good. I liked the cheese on it, but that was about it. The crust was soggy, and the entire pizza tasted entirely of carmelized onions. Just....no. Not good. While this entire experience for dinner was really disappointing, I suppose I would come back for lunch. And they do have fantastic wines by the glass (I've never been wrong with their Wine of the Week). I just likely won't be back for dinner.
(3)Jill and Ying J.
Great pizzas. Great wine list. Great ambiance. Mushroom bruschette and short rib risotto are among the best I've ever had in their class. A favorite in the River North area (gives Quartino a run for its money...gasp!)
(5)Ron M.
Dined here on a Tuesday night for my girlfriend's birthday so it wasn't very crowded. We had amazing customer service from our Romanian waiter who was extremely helpful with the wine list and all of the food options (arguably the best service I've had in Chicago). We had the mozzarella bruschette to start and it was phenomenal. And we shared the Triple Pepperoni pizza & the Pork Belly pizza -- which I would recommend both. I am 100% sure that I will be back this summer, if not once, multiple times. We had the Chocolate/Hazelnut gelato for dessert which was a great way to finish the meal. They have a nice sized back room for medium-sized groups as well.
(5)Pam D.
Went for a work lunch. We were there for two hours; apparently the pizza oven can cook only six pizzas at a time. The place was relatively empty besides our large group and another one equal size that was seated a few minutes before us. We ordered appetizers, salads, pizza and dessert. After we finished the salads and plates were cleared, I went to the restroom, and as I was coming back I saw that they were just starting to make our pizzas. The appetizers were ok, the salads seemed to have to oil on them and relied on you having some of every ingredient for flavor and the pizzas were very meh. Pick up a slice and it drooped to your plate, not much sauce or toppings. I wouldn't go back.
(1)Gino W.
Giordano's, you have some competition for my love. When I first moved to Chicago from Brooklyn, I was flabbergasted that anyone would try to say that their pizza was better than Brooklyn pizza. Then I had Giordano's and my world was never the same and I then understood the meaning of an addiction. Recently, a friend's suggestion to meet for dinner at La Madia upset that dynamic again. La Madia is on like a light! We, four of us, started with a pizza bread fondue that was worthy of an encored. The marinara sauce was perfect for sopping and the bread reminded me of Indian bhatura bread but without having been fried. Just all about love. We had a pizza with grapes on it. Being pescatarian, I am open to anything that panders to my vegetarian palate, but a grape pizza sounded a bit too exotic. After we had polished every slice, it was clear that I could wrap my mind around such a pizza and my finger around slices accordingly. The pepperoni pizza with truffle sauce, but minus the pepperoni, was next and I was again reminded of Brooklyn pizza. Granted truffle sauce is not common on Brooklyn pizza, I folded the slices that I had and smiled as I gnashed away on the slices that I had. Complete satisfaction. Can't say that I will chance going to any other specialty pizza cafes because I don't want to fall out of love with pizzas. La Madia raised the bar for pizza in Chicago. Anything that gives Giordano's a run for its money is stiff competition. Take it from a Brooklynite who appreciates pizza.
(5)Lucy N.
I had a friend of a friend in from out of town and figured I would take them out for Chicago's famous deep dish pizza at one of the tourist places downtown. THANK GOD I did not do this (truly not a fan of deep dish). I got on Yelp checked out some of the reviews of La Madia and decided to hit up this place. Glad I did! Definitely the best pizza I have had in this city! I love thin crust pizza (east coaster) and this place definitely delivered! I had the triple pepperoni pizza and the porkbelly white pizza (both gone in 10min between 3 people). Perfect amount of sauces, cheese and toppings. Waiter was great! Fast service-pizza out within 15 minutes of ordering.
(4)Gus W.
I was expecting a lot more from the food. It really was just pizza. Not as adventures as I was expecting. The service was excellent. I had a reservation for 8 and 11 people ended up showing up. They accomidated us quite nicely.
(4)Sara B.
La madia is a Chicago gem. They have a lovely selection of appetizers, pizzas, and entrees. The triple pepperoni pizza is hands down the best pizza I have ever had and their short ribs with risotto is absolutely delicious. Will definitely be back again.
(5)Ed L.
Stopped in here on a Thursday night several weeks ago. Early so no reservation needed. We both had a salad and some pasta dishes. Both were very good. Waiter was nice. Good vibe. I'd definitely go back
(4)Susan G.
Excellent food and service. Try the prosciutto and egg pizza. GREAT selection of wine.
(5)Sam K.
Great wine selection. Had a seasonal Belgian farmhouse ale. Was a bit bland, so would try something else next time. Had the red pizza special: homemade sausage, Gorgonzola, onions, and mozzarella. Was the right amount of greasy and taste. Would come again and try other pizzas.
(4)Carol H.
This place is pretty bomb diggety and would totally be my go-to spot for pizza and wine if it weren't so far away. Service: we had a reservation for a Friday night, but there was definitely a wait for those who didn't. It seems like a popular place with plenty of people hanging out at the bar, and the host was very friendly while our table was set up, keeping us updated on the situation. Our waiter was great, letting us know that we could do a half-half pizza when we realized how large they were, and warning us about the acidity of some wines when we displayed a clear lack of knowledge. Ambience: This place is both 1) bigger and 2) louder than I expected. There's a whole other room off to the side of the initial one, and it's definitely a good kind of loud, not the "screaming to your friends and give up talking" kind of loud. I didn't feel bad laughing out loud, for example, unlike some restaurants *shoots looks across town* Food/Wine: Oh man. The fennel sausage was AMAZING. Perfect blend of flavors, cheese, sauce, and thin crust. Our eggplant was also good and would have stood on its own, but the eggplant was pretty thinly sliced and didn't always cover a piece evenly. (I'm glad we tried it, but I probably wouldn't get it again.) I've always loved thin crust pizza but hate when it gets too dry or flaky; La Madia avoided both of these and gave me the best thin crust I've ever had. Wine: You know it's a crazy wine list when you have to refer to them by 3-digit numbers. I was happy with the Syrah blend that we got, even if I can't remember what it was, and the prices for it are fantastic, at least to my big city senses. Overall, this was an awesome dinner, and even though we still don't know how to pronounce Llama-Day's name, I would come back here in an instant.
(5)R.J. S.
Great place for a group work dinner. We were seated in a near private room that accommodated our group of 8 perfectly. We ordered a bunch of different pizzas and appetizers and I, thankfully, was able to take a few things home to eat later. :)
(5)Pete B.
Not any better than the pizzas at Three Aces. The waiter tried to up sell wine, which is not an uncommon practice, but I wanted to know what's a good wine to drink, not what's the most expensive wine on the menu. Don't get me wrong, the food was good, but I can't find a reason to come back here when there are places that are as good or even better.
(3)Julie R.
This place is okay... Service was not the best but just so, so... which is just being nice. Besides the service, the food is good. Romaine Lettuce - Good Housemade Fennel Sausage & Sweet Onions - alright, I will definitely try the Margherita next time Chocolate Polenta Cake - Awesome! Chicken, Spinach & Ricotta Ravioli - My husband gave me a taste of his dish and it was dry and my sister had the same dish and she said her's was salty. The pizza is over priced. I've tasted better and at a more reasonable price and better service. Think I would go back just for a couple of drinks and the dessert and sit at the bar. Table service is not the best.
(2)Samira H.
After two years of abstaining from pizza, I tried La Madia's for the first time two nights ago and was pleasantly surprised. Being lactose intolerant, I'm not a huge fan of pizza...but how can you go to Chicago and NOT try a slice or two? A couple of friends and I decided against going to UNO for deep-dish and opted for La Madia's thin-crust. For starters, we ordered the capresse bruschetta and the mushroom bruschetta. The latter was AMAZEBALLS. And after much deliberation over which pizzas to get, we went with the artichoke with parmesan, the kale and fennel sausage, and another with mozzarella and other toppings that I can't seem to remember...clearly the least impressive of the bunch. The artichoke and parmesan was amazing- the flavors weren't overwhelmingly rich and the pizza was light but satiating, a difficult task to accomplish. Everyone else seemed to agree- the artichoke pizza quickly disappeared while the remaining slices of the other two pizzas were taken home as leftovers. Pricy if you're on a students' budget, but well-worth the experience.
(4)Bob S.
I do like this place (see last two reviews). The food is good. My gnocci and sausage was wonderful, the pizzas and salads were excellent. But this is crazy! We met friends who were in from the West Coast at La Madia. They brought a special bottle of wine and we ordered a second after we finished it. I have mentioned the good (if over-priced) wine list, but this is ridiculous!! $19 for a corkage fee??? Many places I've eaten will waive a corkage fee if you buy another bottle. AND, this is in a town where there are hundreds of BYOB's?? I don't mind a 100% markup from retail (they buy wholesale!) but they're charging 3X retail! Come on La Madia! It's the only flaw in a really good place.
(3)Keith R.
My wife and I went to La Madia while visiting Chicago this past weekend. Our initial experience wasn't great because they were running 15 minutes behind on their seating. I didn't think much of it, but later I realized it seemed the wait staff was overwhelmed due to what I assume was the additional business brought on by marathon runners like myself who were in town that weekend, so I gave them a break. While I see some folks really like the pizza, I must say our experience wasn't the same. My wife ordered the margerhita pizza, which had not been fully cooked, causing the sauce to drench a still doughy crust. However, the pappardelle with Toma and chicken ragu I ordered was absolutely delicious. It was the best I've ever had. I did have a strange encounter with a rude male employee, while I was visiting the restroom. Unlike the patrons, who patiently waited for their turn outside the restrooms, one of the wait staff banged on the restroom door just before I exited the restroom. I can understand if this was a neighborhood dive, but it was too upscale for such behavior.
(3)Neil R.
Love this place - the food, ambiance, service. Its all good. And its a great date place. If you want to have a nice night out with some thin crust pizza and/or have a first date coming up, this is the place.
(5)Laila C.
Great pizzas+good inexpensive wines= great place to hit up for a weeknight dinner after work 4 of us split 3 pizzas and we were stuffed. The triple pepperoni and truffle oil is a must, the leek and goat cheese is milder but probably my favorite and the lamb sausage is slightly spicy but very delicious. Nothing to complain about and the service was great!
(4)Andrew T.
I can't believe I haven't reviewed one of the best spots in the city. I don't always give 5 star, but when I do it is for a reason. La Madia is well run and they take care of you. I always order the Fingerling Potato frisee salad and some sort of pizza. I have tried several but usually go for either the fennel ssusage, mushroom or margherita. I have tried some apps, including bruschetta and truffle cheese dip, both delicious. The frisee salad is seasonal and on my birthday last year, i knew they wouldn't have it on the menu. I decided to email the restaurant to see what they could do, not really expecting much, but knowing I would be there for me birthday, about making the salad special order. Without fail, they hooked it up!
(5)Cara L.
3.5 stars for me, but I'll round it up since the dinner was one of the only non-wallet busting meals I enjoyed in Chicago. My bestie and I had planned on visiting the very popular Purple Pig this particular Monday evening, but alas no reservations equals no seating for 2.5 hours. Yes, you heard me right--it was a Monday. I'll have to save the Purple Pig for another time, but La Madia was another option within quick walking distance. We were starving, so you could imagine my happiness to walk in and be seated immediately. Yes! No chaos, no over-hyping, just great pizzas, salads, apps and vibe. To start we both ordered Prosecco and the roasted artichokes. I was surprised to see two, big 'chokes come out! Typically in big cities you pay big buck for teeny portions, but not here! I got right down to ripping, dipping and scrapping the tender leaves with my teeth. They served these treats with a oil-based dip, a creamy aioli-like dip and wedges of lemon. Perfection. After much deliberation, we decided to share a salad and a pizza--a great choice. The salad was a three romaine chop-like mix with walnuts, gorgonzola and a mustard dressing. It was just OK. I couldn't really taste the dressing (at all), but the salad was wet like it was covered in something--I'm assuming it was oil. The pizza was very good! Chewy, thin crust, just how I like it and covered with a marinara, prosciutto, arugula and big parmesan shavings. I've add similar, better pies in Cleveland, but it was still delish. All said, I would certainly come back to dine here when I'm in town. The pizza reminds me of Bar Cento in CLE, which brings me some familiarity while not breaking the bank. Plus, no fighting the crowds!
(4)Sloan H.
The Mozzarella di bufalo Bruchetta is a great start: crispy bread, flavorful heirloom tomatoes. As a side note, you can only call something heirloom if the varietal has been around for 100+ years! We also ordered the chicken parpadella pasta (yum, the chicken is slow roasted ahead of time) and the parma pizza. The pizza is t, and they got the crust right: not doughy, not tough.
(4)Kyle P.
i still love how people rate places on things that have no relevance to what the place is trying to do.......I went to a sushi place and hated the steak......no shit really....i went to dive because it is touted as a dive and didn't like the atmosphere....people are stupid. this place is fantastic. Great pizza, great ravioli, great waitstaff and great feel...give it try.
(5)Melanie V.
Hmmmm, La Madia. Maybe I need to give you another try? Because...I really want you to be the restaurant that I want to go back to over and over again. But...you're not there yet. Sorry. The Restaurant Week offerings were pretty plentiful. We had a hard time deciding what to order...pizza or pasta..hmm. I finally settled on the prosciutto pizza with the cracked egg and the beet salad. While the beet salad was tasty (as far as beets go) and a pretty large portion, I probably should've ordered something with cheese as I tend to gravitate towards cheese items. The mushroom bruschetta and the pizza bread fondue were all pretty good, too. Now, I love the type of pizza they serve - true to Italian style. Yum. And the prosciutto & egg combo was pretty delish, I have to say. Sadly, I could only finish two pieces...*sigh* The other pizza combos on the menu looked fab - especially that triple pepperoni with truffle oil. Yum. Minus points for being out of scallops and for being slow as hell. The restaurant was NOT that crowded as it was a Monday night. Let's get it together, people. Our waitress and the hostess were nice and friendly, though. So, yes, I want to adore you. Maybe I'll come back to take advantage of your late night deal - One pizza and one salad for $20. If you add wine pairings, it's $30. Pretty good deal...and maybe you'll wow me the next time around....
(3)Sarah M.
I came here with my sister after seeing it on Check Please! and was not disappointed. The pizza was delicious! We shared the House made Fennel Sausage & Sweet Onion pizza and the Parma Classic , both were the bomb. We had plenty leftover for lunch the next day that were just as delicious. Great decor, amazing service, and good price point. Will be back soon!
(5)Roxy A.
LATE NIGHT PRIX FIXE. Salad, Pizza, Dessert & Wine for 2 for $30 can't beat that!!!! Went here for a late night dinner w/ the bf last night we ordered the Fingerling Potato Frisse salad & it was delicious..it had crispy pancetta, croutons topped with a poached egg & dressed with a sherry vinagrette. The poached egg added a nice touch to the salad. The bf really liked the salad too & he said that was saying a lot coming from a dude that doesn't eat salad. We ordered a "red" pizza, the Parma Classic: had mozzarella cheese, prosciutto di parma & fresh arugula. The prosciutto was really savory & the arugula added a nice bite to the pizza. Since we decided to go with the late nite fixe w/ the wine of the week (you can also order the late night fixe after 9 w/o wine for $20) we both went with the white wine which was a really nice Pinot Grigio from Italy. It was very light and smooth and went perfect with our dinner. Since I'm allergic to nuts our server gave us a scoop of gelato instead of the pine nut cookies that come w/ the late night prix fixe. I've dined at La Madia other times before so if you plan on dining before 9 the prices are still pretty decent. Another one of my favorite pizzas here is the White Tallegio pizza that's topped w/ roasted grapes.
(5)Steve A.
Had a salad from here today and the leaves were still dirty--clearly they had not been washed AT ALL. Completely unacceptable--spit it out and stopped eating. Management, if you're reading this, tell your cooks to get it together.
(1)Jackie S.
My friend and I decided to try out La Madia last night and I'm definitely glad we did! We decided to split the organic arugula salad and the spinach and goat cheese pizza. The salad was awesome! All of the ingredients went really well together. The pizza was also very good. I would love to come back and try the triple pepperoni pizza.
(4)Kristin M.
Came here with a big group and tried about 3/4 of the menu. Delicious. I had no idea this place existed, now I'm a big fan! The chef came out and talked about each course. I was impressed with the care he puts into the details. The pizza dough is kneaded in a two step process, pasta is made in-house and the menu changes seasonally to make the most of local ingredients. Oh, and he's a big wino, he said there are 300 types of wine, and many available by the glass! There's a rotating wine of the month (red and white)that are $6/glass. It's impossible to rate everything in order of yumminess, I have to break it down by course. All are great unless otherwise noted: -Bruschette - 1. Wild Mushrooms, Marsala and Ricotta (one of my fave dishes of the night), 2. Creamed Ceci Bean (like the best hummus you've ever had), 3. Mozzarella di Bufala, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Balsamic (good, but blown away the the two above) -Fondue - 1. Spinach & Taleggia with While Truffle Oil (OMG, the "green sauce", as we called it, blew the Pizza Fondue (#2) out of the water). 2. Pizza Fondue tasted like tomato sauce, nothing special. -Salad - both the Arugla and Beet Salads were good, but standard. -Pizza - 1. Tripple Pepperoni with White Truffle Oil (normally I don't go with pepperoni because it's pretty boring, but the white truffle oil elevated this to an amazing dish!) 2. Housemade Lamb Sausage with Mint Salsa Verde (this was a very close second, the lamb was delicious and the mint was refreshing) 3. Heirloom Tomato with Arugula and Ricotta (this was very good, but the other two were so good, I didn't go back for seconds on this) -Pasta - we had the Chicken Spinach & Ricotta with Brown Butter Sauce - good but not super hot. We were so stuffed by this point, though, we let half the ravioli go to waste :( -Dessert - Bittersweet Chocolate Tortino - I would usually rather have an extra app than dessert, but this was amazing chocolate cake. Rich but not too heavy. Yum! Glad I know about this place now, I will be back!
(5)Allie P.
One of my favorite restaurants in Chicago! I've been here dozens of times and have always had a wonderful experience, from the service to the food and wine. For starters, the wine list is absolutely incredible, and whenever I've needed a recommendation, the server or bartender has been wonderfully knowledgeable and helpful. The menu is seasonal and rotates, which I always find exciting, though I think the pizzas generally stay the same. All of the ingredients, including the pasta, are extremely fresh. A few of my favorites over the years have been the short ribs, the pasta amatriciana, and the pizza with proscuitto and cracked egg. I went once with my mom, and although I'm not a huge fan of lamb, she had pasta with a lamb bolognese sauce, which I totally LOVED. The atmosphere is phenomenal as well, particularly in the winter months when one of my favorite things to do is sit by the fireplace and people-watch.
(5)Laura S.
Excellent thin crust pizza for those of us who don't love deep dish. I came here with friends to celebrate my birthday and we had a great time. I wasn't crazy about the "pizza fondue" appetizer that many people commented on... it's just breadsticks with pizza sauce to dip in (it was delicious, just not as exciting as the name implies). It's not that they in any way hide it, they tell you exactly what to expect in the item description, I was just blinded by all the glowing Yelp reviews and ended up being a tad disappointed. BUT! Every pizza we got was fantastic, and we probably ended up ordering most of them because we were such a large party. Because the crust is very thin (like paper thin), some of the guys had trouble filling up on just pizza, so in retrospect we should have ordered some other things as well. I definitely want to come back on a date night. There is also pretty private area for parties around 14 ppl (it was booked already when we made our reservations, but for those who can plan ahead, this would be a great table for a birthday dinner).
(4)Phantom D.
I saw this place on an episode of "Check Please." I would like to say to the person on the show who recommended La Madia, "Please" do not go on to anymore shows with your food choices. I had a peperoni pizza and a lemonade. The total bill was $23.21. The pizza was decent but not extraordinary. To be honest, the pizza at Whole Foods is actually better. La Madia could improve by brushing a flavor on the crust just as the pie is pulled from the oven. It simply has no character. Honestly, this place is over hyped and overpriced.
(2)B H.
Make reservations early. We barely got in 9 pm on Sat. We had outstanding prosciutto & cracked egg pizza, pepperoni pizza, gnocchi, pastas (most are homemade on site). Great martini and wine but sister in law had a flavorless Cosmo. Family from Naples stated this pizza good as any there, We brought two teenagers and a pre-teen with no problem. They loved the food as well.
(4)Laura D.
Delicious authentic and light Italian food. Everything is well made and decadent but you don't leave feeling awful about yourself. Their thin crust pizza is so lovely and easy to share. Getting a few pizzas and a couple salads to share family style is a fun way to try their innovative combinations of flavors. Their wine is reasonably priced and of good quality. Their desserts are done well and worth springing for. One of my favorite places to go in Chicago for a nice dinner (later in the evening or for an early one). It's wonderful for families and even better for a date night. The atmosphere is modern with clean lines and great lighting.
(5)Jennifer T.
I love La Madia so very much. The food is terrific. I'm not a big fan of Chicago-style pizza. I love La Madia's thin, traditional pizza substantially more. It is one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. My husband have enjoyed a lot of great food here over several trips. Everything we've eaten has been terrific. It's not cheap, but that simply reflects a very typical dining experience in River North. I give it five stars primarily based on the quality of the food, but the servers I've had here have always been well informed and attentive. Warm olive appetizer: so simple yet terrific. Assorted olives delicately tossed with a few delicious spices. You'll never want to eat cold olives again. Artichoke appetizer: good, but messy and a lot of work. But that's a function of the labor-intensive nature of artichokes, I suppose. The pizza fondue is the one thing I've eaten here that I wouldn't recommend. It's just a huge hunk of bread with tomato dipping sauce. Completely superfluous if you intend to order pizza. The salads we've eaten here are tremendous. The chefs clearly pay close attention to detail. The chopped italian lettuces salad is my favorite: a nice combination of bitter and non-bitter lettuce, complemented by some pears and gorgonzola. I've tried to reproduce this at home, but remain unsuccessful. The arugula salad is likewise delicious (a great combination of roasted grapes, arugula, nuts, and cheese). On days I've been more virtuous, I've added chicken to one of these salads to enjoy as my main course. My favorite pizzas are two white pizzas: the burrata and the wild mushroom. I always ask for a side of marinara sauce, though, in which to dip pieces of the pizza. The wild mushroom pizza does have a rather smoky flavor, which might not be for everyone. One small suggestion: if you have leftover pizza, your server will pack it up in a small box that requires him/her to stack the pizza slices on top of one another. On occasion, I've had servers who've packed the (still somewhat warm) slices so that the cheese on one slice is directly pressing against the cheese on another slice. This makes leftovers far less appealing, since you have to disentangle one slice from another. Now, I always try to remember to ask the servers to use some wax paper in between each slice. I hope that's now common practice here. To my knowledge, there's also only one women's and one men's restroom. I've frequently observed a small line outside each. The food makes this small inconvenience all worth it, though.
(5)Ellen C.
The food was very good and our waiter Daniel was knowledgeable, friendly and fast. We really enjoyed this place! Will definitely return!
(5)Jeanie P.
WOOHOO amazing pizza!!! My favorite was the carbonara with the runny egg (def the most popular pizza amongst our group---no leftover slices). Def order this! I also loved the proscuitto/arugula. Pepperoni was really too salty for me! Fennel sausage was also pretty good but not mind blowing. In terms of appetizers, spinach and taleggio fondue was SO addictive!! Cheesy with truffle flavors!
(4)Rowena M.
My husband and I took our 5-year old daughter here on a Saturday evening as we refused to succumb to the touristy restaurants around Navy Pier after an architectural cruise. We were pleased to discover that it was kid friendly even if it didn't seem so at first glance. Our server was friendly without being too peppy, prompt, efficient and knowledgeable about the menu. She even brought some pizza dough for our daughter to knead which they later cooked and served as her dinner- no charge! We had the beet salad - fresh and perfect for a hot summer day. We ordered one red (Parma) and one white (a special with Morelli mushroom). We were very content with our meal and would definitely be back!
(5)Steve H.
The atmosphere was very cozy, warmly lit with the wood-fire stove flickering in the kitchen. Quiet and classy, very nice. I tasted the arugula salad, fennel sausage & onion pizza, and the artichoke/parmisean/garlic pizza, and it was all delicious. The wine list is pretty good IMHO (I'm no wine afficianato). I'd certainly go back. The only reason it gets 4 stars instead of 5: something there gave me indigestion. Not their fault, no one else in the group felt sick. But there was some magic combination of what I ate and my wine that did not agree with me for an hour or two after I Ieft.
(4)Kori E.
I LOVE this place! You cant beat the selection of freshly made pizza's and pastas! The assortment of salads is great too, we tried the Beet Salad last night with goat cheese and sliced almonds and it was so fresh and so tasty! I think they put crack into their pizza fondue app sauce, once you start you cant stop eating it! Their $5/$7 wine specials each night is a steal!! I've seriously never had a bad meal here and I will keep coming back :)
(5)Paola C.
Hmmm what can I say. Not crazy about it, not too bad. Pizza was ok. I had the Carbonara one, not really sure about eggs and pork combined with leeks. I was not very familiar with this mix. Pizza with prosciutto was waaay better but still not my favorite.
(3)Thamer B.
me and my wife were craving for napolitan pizza, and the nearest with the highest rating was la madia, it was late afternoon so the place was kinda quite. we ordered the pizza fundou which was the best, the tomato dip is amazing. the pizza which was margherita was just fine, not so delicious, i would rate 3 out of 5. i would think of coming back if i was craving for italian pizza and was in the area.
(3)Eric S.
For my money, this is one of the top four pizza places in the city! It's not Chicago Style, but old world wood fired pizza oven style. Their triple pepperoni with truffle oil pizza is beyond incredible! Nice wine selection and great atmosphere. A must try!
(5)Kevin C.
Legit legit legit. Lunch special for 15 bucks gets you a starter and a pizza which feeds two to the point of your pants fitting uncomfortably. A co-worker and I ordered up the pizza fondue: cheesy tomato sauce and pizza bread along with the seasonal wild mushrooms and smoked mozzarella pizza. Both were hot out of the oven and very tasty. There's something about this place. Indoor dining was quiet and roomy in the booth. Honestly a good place to get away from the office for a few minutes. Felt very at home I would say. And the service was almost too good. The total would have been around 21 for both so a savings of 6 bucks for the lunch special was worth the short walk. Split the bill in town and you get gourmet food for the price of subway. Bam. That just happened.
(4)Meg H.
A friend and I were looking for a late night dinner on a Thursday. Many places we had tried had closed and we noticed this location was still open. It was probably close to 10:45 when we approached the front. We asked the valet if they were still open, he said yes, they were open until 1am so we gladly went in. It is a very nice looking space and we were quickly seated. The waitress came up immediately and asked if we would like anything to drink. She had an annoyed tone to her voice but we asked for a few more minutes to look at the wine list. She brought us water and asked if we had decided. With only 2 minutes, we had barely had time to look over the extensive list. We asked if she could come back. She then went over to another waiter and must have said something to him about us because we did not get a very nice stare from him. We placed our order for wine and pasta. Both were delicious. As we were finishing the meal, she brought the check and placed it on the table. We had planned to order dessert but that was obviously out of the question. She mentioned that they were closed. We were confused since the valet had mentioned that they were open until 1. We asked what time they closed, and she said 11. We asked what time it was and she said 11:45. It finally made sense why she had been behaving so rude the whole time. I typically wouldn't have left a review because I thought it was a miscommunication issue that was more our fault, however, my frustration came after looking at their window AND website which said they offer "After Hours Late Night Dining" Wednesday-Saturday from 10pm-1am. While the food is great, I can't see myself ever going back if they have a staff which is unable to be cordial. A little professional development might go a long way. I personally don't think we would have had the same type of service if we had gotten there at 7, but coming from someone who has worked in the industry, there is no excuse for that kind of behavior. While you are on shift, you are expected to uphold a standard which I felt we did not receive.
(3)Anne B.
The tomato and mozzarella bruschetta is amazing. I'm coming back (from CA) just for that! Soo incredibly flavorful! We also got a couple of pizzas too- both very good (but no bruschetta!), thin crust with the perfect combination of crisp and flop. Nice modern atmosphere and modern inventive ingredients. I won't try to describe here- just take a look at the menu.
(5)James M.
Won a couple of gift cards to this place via auction, and the Missus and I went to try them out a few days ago. Had a res, but we were late. We got there, and they seated us about 15 minutes later. Even though we were the ones who were initially late, they still gave us an appetizer on the house, which was very groovystyley of them. We ordered a nice Pinot Gris, a salad and a pizza--the carbonara, I think. Service: attentive, respectful distance. Food and drink--amazing. That kind of brick oven pizza sometimes gets a little overly burnt at the edges or, to the other extreme, floppy in the middle. This pie was perfect. Literally looked for problems with it and couldn't find one--we straight killed that pizza. Salad was dang good too. Both were sizable enough for two to share and not need anything else. Want to go back soon to see if this place was a mirage. It was very, very good.
(5)John D.
My experience at La Madia was a rather disappointing one and it left me having mixed feelings about the overall dining experience. The food was fine, even great, I have to admit. It is a solid 4 star establishment and it deserves them. However, the service forces me to give it a 3 star review. * Asked the server for a recommendation but what I got in return was a dull and uninformative recitation of the menu which I had right in front of me.. A little more enthusiasm would've been nice but, not the end of the world. * Ordered the crostata because the server actually gave me a more in-depth explanation of it voluntarily, which turned out to be a good choice because as he brought it out to the table, the smell of it alone screamed delicious. But for some reason, the server simply put the dessert down on the table and walked away without so much as "here's your dessert" or "enjoy." Not a single word. Perhaps he was a bit overwhelmed at the moment, not a big deal. * 15 min or so later, we were half way done with our dessert and there was clearly half of it left on the plate. My partner and I were trying to take our time, enjoy the dessert and we intended on actually finishing the dessert that we ordered, and the server came by and asked if we were done, and before we could say no, his hands were already reaching for the plate.. There was a short moment of silence/awkwardness, and the server proceeded to brazenly ask us if we were also ready for the check. At which point, we both felt very unwelcome at the very last minute of our meal, and wanted to leave. That last part really did it for me and my partner. If we were the last table in his section and we were keeping him there around closing time, I would've understood, but it was around 9pm and he clearly had other tables at the time. It was just confusing and uncalled for, and left us wondering why from a restaurant of that caliber. Such a shame when it could've been a lovely dinner for us if it wasn't for the very last incident... Needless to say, we won't be asking for him when we visit next time.
(3)Grace N.
I had my bridal shower here and recently returned for their "late night fixe," which includes a salad, pizza of your choice, and cookies for two. Their pizzas are wood oven baked thin crust with an assortment of fresh ingredients. I wish the pizzas had a bit more sauce but if you're a fan of drier pizzas, it's right up your alley. We ordered the organic arugula salad and their Parma Classic pizza, which were good. I preferred the more flavorful triple pepperoni from my shower. Nice modern ambiance, reasonable prices, and great wine list. The place has a nice side room which is great for intimate events, and they have great specials so keep your EYE on the PIES.
(4)Jackie D.
Late night prix fixe for 2: $21 - pizza (about 8 options) - an antipasti (pizza bread or one other option) AWESOME. Love the concept of a late night prix fixe at an upscale establishment. Great way to keep patrons coming in during slower hours. Despite coming in 30 minutes before closing, we received wonderful service, despite a minor miscommunication on my wine order. Highly recommend the pesto truffle sauce and pizza bread. Yes, the pizza bread is dough that's doused in EVOO and topped with sea salt, that you then proceed to dip into a fantastically rich sauce. and yes you will probably be eating pizza here, but if you're on a diet, you probably shouldn't be eating pizza anyways ;)! Go all out with it, and if you can't finish, box up those leftovers and munch on it for breakfast the next morning.
(4)Lia V.
You would think this place would have great food... but sadly it only has great pizza, but when I say great I mean GREAT pizza. Definitely worth it to enjoy the atmosphere, have some vino and a pizza, and have a casual conversation with a friend. I think they definitely need to re-evaluate the menu though. Still a cool spot that I enjoy though!
(3)Frank L.
The triple pepperoni is the best pizza on the menu. Always can get a reservation within reason. Staff is very friendly, and the Wine list is great! Love La Madia!
(5)Jenn C.
After reading several reviews about La Madia and having a craving for pizza, I decided to come check this place out. I had the beet salad which was light and refreshing. However I think if I came earlier in the evening or even during the day, I think the beet salad would have been fresher. The watercress was just a tad bit soggy from what I gather was being pre made and was leftover. Otherwise it was quite tasty. I also ordered the Margherita pizza from recommendation of the bartender (since I sat in the bar area). The pizza was quite tasty, but I have had much better Margherita style pizza before. I think if I ordered a different combination it may have been more enjoyable. However, the actual pizza dough was very good. My overall rating would be a 3.5 star but will keep it at 4 stars. I will come again and try the white pizzas!
(4)Will K.
MMMMMMMM I'm getting a craving just thinking about the pizza at this place! I've been a few times and have enjoyed myself each time. The first visit was simply drinks and pizza... The Triple Pep and the 3 Cheese are amazing as was the summer themed beverages. On a recent visit I tried a few other menu items with a group and enjoyed those as well. With some Veg's in the group we picked a basic salad that looked pretty good (I saved room for pizza) next we had a Apple, Parsnip, Walnut Baguette that was delish and forced me out of my comfort zone in a great way! The environment is a nice mix of classy/relaxed so you can dress it up or down and not feel out of place either way. Staff is always very nice!
(4)A. M.
There are some things I really really liked about this place and others that I really really disliked. It was either awesome or terrible. We were seated within a reasonable time of our 9pm reservation, which was surprising because the place was pretty hopping. Our waitress greeted us, took our drink order, and then snatched away the drink list. We found this odd because we were planning on ordering more drinks throughout the night....and would've liked to have viewed the list to try new drinks...I mean come on what's the harm in leaving the list at the table...you can't tell me there is only ONE drink list. Pff. Once she brought back our drinks, she asked if we were ready to order. We weren't because we were taking our time and enjoying ourselves. She didn't really seem to like this. We ended up placing an app order anyway just to appease her. "Ok, have you decided on anything else?" was the response to our app order. Lady if we did we would've told you! Once she brought the app to our table, she asked again (not trying to hide her annoyance of us that hard) if we decided on anything else. Still wanting to take our time but seeing she wasn't having it, we begrudgingly told her we wanted a salad. As for the app, we ordered the spinach and tallegio fondue. It was AMAZING. The bread was delicious and even though the fondue was a little runny for my taste, the flavors were ridiculously wonderful together. For the salad, we ordered the one with fingerling potatoes, pancetta,egg, and other stuff I can't recall. This was also a home run. Hands down phenomenal. For our main dish we ordered the pizza with red sauce, prosciutto, arugula. The presentation of the pizza was nice minus the fact that half of the pizza was burnt on the crust (like BLACK) and the other half wasn't. We've had wood fire roasted pizza before and understand that sometimes it might get a little dark on one side vs the other, etc., but this was just black. We dug in anyway. Similar to the bread from the app, the crust was delicious. Soft and yummy. The prosciutto however was disappointing. Low quality and just not worth it. I ended up eating around it. Once we were finished with our pizza, the waitress came and asked if we wanted dessert. We did and ended up ordering some chocolate polenta cake. Before the dessert even arrived, our waitress came up and left our bill - already closed out - on our table. This is unacceptable. You wait until everything is served and then ASK if there is anything else you can get your customers. What if we wanted more dessert? More wine? More anything? It was clear that she wanted to close up all her tables and get out of there. As for the dessert, it was uneventful. Apparently it was cooked in the oven in some sort of a clay dish. How do I know this you ask? Well I burned my hand on it after trying to move the dish. Thanks for the heads up, waitress. You could've told me the dish was hot as all get out. Ugh. Let it be noted at no point during our dinner did she ever ask how anything was, if we enjoyed our meal, etc. It was the really poor service that did it for me. That and the wine, while good, was a little pricey. I don't think I'll be rushing back. If you're in the neighborhood I guess it is an ok spot in comparison to what else River North has to offer. But I wouldn't recommend anyone go running here.
(2)KB C.
Very enjoyable dining experience- the menu has a variety of options for many palates, including vegetarian and gluten free options. If you are a fan of thin, chewy crust- coal oven fired pizza- this I'd the right & swanky spot. Wine pairings with the food is a great idea too- especially if hey know what they are doing.....and it seems that they do.
(4)Val G.
My friend, sister and I were first time diners at La Madia on Friday, February 8 and took the opportunity because of Restaurant Week and after seeing the segment on Check Please, we were excited for the experience. We arrived a few minutes early for our 8:30pm reservation and were told to wait for 15 minutes. We actually waited a bit longer, but the host staff were polite by checking in with us giving a status and choices of where we wanted to sit. We finally got seated and our server came up, rushed, with no introduction of herself. The table next to us were wrapping up and were getting their checks by the same server and she carelessly threw down the checks and the comment card on their table with a "whatever" attitude. I could tell by the looks on their faces, they weren't pleased. They asked us what her name was so they could fill out the comment card and I suggested checking the receipt. Whitney was their server and now ours. With that first impression, it was going to be an interesting night. With a bottle of white wine on the way, two of us ordered the restaurant week menu, while the other ordered the well known Carbonara pizza. Each course was delicious, there is no complaint on the food, rather on the service and the ridiculously long wait for our pizzas. I observed the table next to us, which was a new group of 3 who didn't appear to get the restaurant week menu, but did get an appetizer right away as they were seated and got their pizzas way before us. I flagged our server to come question the pizza and my friend asked why the long wait. Whitney quickly snapped backed with several excuses saying we had several courses ahead of the pizza, it being restaurant week and being televised on Check Please!,but then I quickly jumped in and said that I noticed a table of 6 who got seated well after us already had their pizzas. In total, it took about almost 45 minutes after our 2nd course salads were finished that our pizzas finally came. At this time, it was already well past 10pm. We were dining almost 3 hours, which we did not intend on doing. Overall, the food is was delicious and would probably be the only thing worth coming back for, but to have a wonderful experience from start to end, service is key. This is where it failed. The host staff were pleasant in providing us status updates of our seating time, food was great, but Whitney could have done better with a more pleasant attitude. She attempted to rebound and make our meal experience better by having our desserts come out right away and take our valet ticket so we wouldn't have to pay more than the standard 3 hours, but too little too late. Regardless of what situation or environment you're in, I expect to be treated they way I want to be treated, it's a simple request.
(3)Liz H.
I went with a large party so the menu was already set for us. They were awesome at catering to my gluten intolerance, the only gluten free person out of 11, and the food was great! The rest of the party raved over the pizza! Will definitely be heading back!
(5)April W.
Nothing really stood out from this place for me. Every thing was very fresh but pretty much flavorless. The service was so so as well. It was right by my work so we stopped here for a quick lunch, but I probably wont be back. Maybe I would try the pizza one more time. La Madia, please try to change your salad dressing, icky!
(2)Adam M.
When faced with the task of dining at a venue that I didn't personally choose, I get quite anxious. Fortunately, for the friend's birthday dinner that I attended at La Madia last night, I was somewhat pleasantly surprised that the choice of locales wasn't too uninformed or touristy. Things started out a bit rough. Half of our party had arrived for the reservation on time, and the other half was about 5 minutes late. The hostess would not let any of us sit at the table until the WHOLE party was present. We were told to stand in the crowded bar area until the rest of our group arrived. This sort of policy may be appropriate at Sunday morning breakfast joints that don't take reservations; here, it made no sense. Apparently the management prefers the look of a completely empty table versus the half-full variety. Onto the first course ... we had the baked artichoke appetizer, which was quite tasty. The cooked niçoise olives were also edible, albeit non-interesting. Next, the pizza... The waitress informed us that the pizzas were appropriate in size for a single serving. I think that she must have this place confused with her previous job at the Pizza Hut lunch buffet - where the clientele usually consume more food than the daily rations for a starving country. I'll say this: if you're hungry and don't order appetizers, you could probably down a whole pizza by yourself, but with the pre-entree snacks we enjoyed, I ended up taking half my pizza home. I ordered the home-made sausage, cheese, tomato pizza. Boring, I know, but I wanted a back-to-the-basics pizza, and as much meat as possible. The pizza was average; not great, not bad. They had more interesting choices on the menu than mine; I tasted my date's spinach / speck / pinenut pizza, and found it to also be average, and a bit heavy on the spinach. I'll give 3.5 stars for the food. Ok, that's all I have to say about the food - but I do have one more thing to say about this place. Like I mentioned earlier, this was a birthday dinner. As a result of all the birthday talk, the waitress brought a little plate of small cookies out with a candle for the birthday girl. I love it when restaurants do that kind of stuff - what a nice gesture! ... ... ... until that plate of cookies showed up on our fucking bill. I don't give a shit how much it was ($4), but that is just tacky as shit to charge for something that, A) we didn't order, and B) is 'understood' in the biz as a complimentary, kind, customer-winning gesture. (This roughly equivocates to my subtraction of 0.5 to 1 star on my rating, as well as the chances of me return to this venue to be slim to none. Homie don't play that shit.) So, La Madia, you started out on the wrong foot, but regained your balance with a nice set of appetizers and some mediocre pizza, and above average table service ... yet at goodbye, all I was left with to say was "go f*** yourself."
(3)i.am.a A.
Great place for a group of friends, for a casual dinner downtown or even to bring your parents. I like this place a lot! A great value for your money and completely unpretentious; almost refreshing. This is also a great place to have a few drinks on a Thursday or Friday mid-afternoon and blow the rest of the day during winter or fall....
(4)Steve T.
I didn't think la madia could get any better... but it did. Went here again last night, had an amazing time with me and 5 of my coworkers. After dinner, the main chef/owner came over and was talking with us about our wine selections and brought us out some incredible cheeses and some of his Spanish almonds. They were delicious, the girls just couldn't keep their hands off his nuts, and at one point almost fought over them. We also found out that twice a month they have a chef's tasting which we are going to be attending next month. You sign up and it's fixed-fee for dinner and wine. I'd definitely recommend it, it looked like a fun time from what we observed last night.
(5)Caity F.
My boyfriend used to work close to La Madia and whenever I would meet him after work for dinner often I thought - La Madia. I'm not a big Italian/pasta girl, but I love a tasty, interesting, thin crust pizza. Being from the land of NYC style, I appreciate what they do here. Have had quite a few pizzas here, but my favorites are the cracked egg with prosciutto and the margherita. My favorite place to sit is at the bar in the back so you can see into the oven/prep area and watch your pizza come right out of the oven.
(4)Sarah F.
I was recommended to La Madia by the Concierge at Hotel Sax and it was a wonderful suggestion. My friend and I had reservations and it was nice to walk right in and be seated, the staff was also very attentive when we walked in the door even during their busy time. Our waitress was very nice, attentive and provided good insight to the menu. The atmosphere was modern, unique and it was fun to see the hustle and bustle of the kitchen as there was a bar/counter right there where you can sit and eat while watching the chefs create each dish. They also had an amazing wine selection. The food was excellent and we tried some interesting things that turned out to be delicious. We had the Fava Bean Bruschetta which was nice and light as a starter and then we split the Spinach and Speck Pizza (interesting but I don't know I would order again) and the Chianti Braised Short Ribs with Risotto. The braised short ribs were my favorite, made you feel like you were eating right at home! Overall, the experience was great and I would definitely go again the next time I'm in Chicago. The Manager even stopped by to say hello and chat a bit, which was another extra way that this restaurant stands out in service. Job well done and thank you for making two hungry travelers happy and full!
(4)Sank G.
Went yesterday night and at first was a little annoyed that even though we had a reservation, they said there was a 20 min wait. We were hungry and the waiting "lounge" was full. One of the bartenders was very helpful when I asked him to put on the NFL network. After waiting 25 minutes, the chef owner Jonathan came and very graciously led us to seats right at the pizza bar and sent over some free bubbly for our trouble. He even took our order while we were waiting by the door and made sure that our pizzas came pretty quick.
(4)E D.
For the money it simply doesn't have the food quality but I kept coming here due to convenience. If they looked closely at the biz, they could easily jump up to 4 stars.
(3)Mary Jo M.
Finally got to try La Madia after passing by it on multiple occasions. We took advantage of the restaurant week special- they added a glass of wine for $33/person since the every day price doesn't add up to the $33 tab. Seating was prompt, service was fine. They served me a chard in lieu of the ordered Sauvignon Black, when I noted the buttery flavor she mentioned she hadn't tried that particular wine but it was from CA so perhaps that is why. Not exactly what I wanted to hear from a server, but she came back about 5 min later (obviosuly they realized the mistake) and asked me to try another wine which was the SB. We ordered the Pizza Fondue and and Chopped Salad for a starter and had the Triple Pepperoni and Mushroom and Smoked Moz pizzas for dinner. Dessert we tried the Apple Crostata. All in all a nice dinner. Nothing "wowed me", but the portions were fair as well as the prices. If there weren't so many fabulous choices to eat in Chicago I'd come back.
(4)Lauren D.
My boyfriend and I went here two nights ago on a double date with some friends and had a great time. We got there a little early and grabbed a seat at the bar. The bartener was SUPER friendly and really knowledgeable about wine. The ambiance of the place is great. It is definitely what we were looking for. Someplace nice and modern but without having to pay $30-40 for an entree. We had the mushroom bruchetta as an appetizer. I HATE, HATE, HATE mushrooms, but I agreed to try it and thought it was amazing. I barely knew I was eating mushrooms at all. For pizza we got one for each of us (4) and had plenty of leftovers. I ordered the triple pepperoni, which was tastey, but SUPER greasy. The grease was so bad, I probably won't order that again. My boyfriend got the egg and prosciutto pizza, which was pretty good, but we didn't love it as much as some of the other yelpers have. My friend got the artichoke pizza, and while I don't normally love artichokes I adored her pizza. Her boyfriend got the sausage and fennel, and it was amazing as well. All in all, I have to say I really liked this place. I would have given it 5 stars if it weren't for the insane amount of grease on my pepperoni pizza. We will definitely be coming back here though. I want to try every pizza on the menu!
(4)Melissa H.
Far and away, my favorite restaurant in the city right now...if only for one single thing - the mushroom and ricotta bruschetta. Seriously. The first time I had it I wanted to lick the plate clean. I have never said that before about anything, and had I not been in a fancy dress - I probably would have. The atmosphere is great, and I appreciate how they've managed to create several different seating areas...so depending on your mood you can lounge by the front windows on the couches and people watch, or sit up close and personal at the bar by the kitchen. There is a small room with glass walls off to one side that is great for parties, and makes you feel slightly VIP if you just happen to be sat there on a Friday night. I recommend this place to all my friends, take out of town guests there, and pretty much try and find a reason to get there whenever I can. But like I said - it's always going to be because of the mushroom-ricotta bruschetta.
(5)KM I.
There are few foods I love more than Italian...initially mistaking La Madia for mexican was a mistake. I have been missing out on it for over 2 years now. I finally went tonight with my brother and the food was amazing. We began with the Breasola appetizer. Thin curly sliced salami with a wonderful salad of rockit, sliced red peppers, olive oil, lemon, and parmesan slivers was nicely piled into the middle. The culmination of all of the flavors created one of my favorite appetizers I have had in a long time. This was followed by the fingerling potato salad. I am a huge fan of the bacon and frisee salad at Mon Ami Gabi, and this is a verrrry very close rival. Delicious light frisee, poached egg, pancetta, warm fingerling potatoes, and croutons made for my new favorite salad. Finally the tagliatelle l'amatriciana was fresh, bacony, and just the right amount. Splitting everything was a perfect late lunch. I will happily return here ASAP to try a pizza and have another frisee salad.
(5)Cindy D.
Wow, I haven't written a review since May 26th!! I must be uber busy!!! Anyways, went here in June for my bachlorette party dinner and it was tons of fun. We had a private wine room, where we could get a crazy and loud as we wanted. My MOH (twin sister), set the entire thing up with set food and wine so it was a per person price. LOVED IT!!! I wanted to have my rehearsal dinner there, but the lack of parking and HIGH taxes is the only thing that is stopping us :( BOO to having a budget!
(4)Sara D.
Yum Yum Yum!! Have been here twice....once during the week for drinks, and a second time on an early Saturday evening for pizza. Yeah, the space is really open and breezy, a wide selection of drinks, and a friendly staff. But more importantly, the pizza is a thin-crust masterpiece. I have eaten my way through the best pizza offerings that Chicago has, and I think this might be my favorite thin crust. So go, have drinks, order a pizza, and relax, because you're in for a great night!
(5)Adam S.
Cool, quaint space to enjoy excellent pizza. Was tempted to try an entree but who can resist a 900 degree oven. Unlike other "gourmet" pizza establishments where you pay $12 for a doesn't quite fill me up plate size 'za, these pizzas are 12" and easily shareable. Of course that didn't stop my friend and I from pigging out and ordering two entree salads and two pizzas. Also our sample size was only 2 pizzas, but they use a hell of a lot of cheese. When I order buffalo mozzarella I usually expect a "dab" on each slice. No - this was full on 100% coverage. Good, but artery clogging so be forewarned. Service was over the top - our waiter talked our ear off for a sum of 20 minutes during our 90 minute stay - literally I started timing him after we told him we'd never been to the restaurant and he did his first introduction of the crust, pizza, ingredients, philosophy, the chef's dog, etc. Admittedly this level of attention was a tad annoying but I do think the guy is just proud of what they serve there. They also comp'd one of the pizzas that came out far after another - most places would have just apologized and left it at that, so kudos on being cool with the bill. We passed on dessert but they sounded quite good. Great wine list, great salads, great pizza with an excellent crust as billed. I will definitely be going back.
(4)Kathryn K.
It is the best pizza in the city (if you like thin crust). We have only eaten in one time but have ordered take out probably 15 times in the past four years. Although they have raised their prices, they are still reasonable for the area. Our favorites include the beet salad and the lamb sausage pizza.
(5)Gregory L.
La Madia is up there with the best of them. Jonathan Fox is a skilled Chef with an extensive background, who knows his pizza and his food. La Madia is his new pride and joy. La Madia make a quality pie, with fresh ingredients. Many of them from the green city market, and some are imported as well. The pepperoni with truffle oil is full of something special. The pepperoni is a little sharp and spicy, and the truffle oil mellows out the flavor on the end note. The consistency of the dough has a nice chewiness, but is still a little al dente. Just right. The salads were okay. I like how they do not go overboard on the dressing. I usually order my dressing on the side, or even without dressing most of the time. I forgot to this time, and was not disappointed. Every week, Chef Fox carefully selects 2 bottles of wine in which he orders a bunch of cases of. No matter what La Madia pays for them, they will always be amazing, and they will always be 25$ The staff is friendly when they need to be, and professional at all times.
(4)James R.
Solid triple in the casual $$ category
(4)Tony P.
I've been to two group parties here, and I cannot say enough good things about the service and the food. Not only good for a romantic dinner, but also a birthday party!
(5)Jim R.
Seven of us descended on La Madia for the first time. Bottom line...I hope it will not be the last time. We started with Foil-Roasted Crackling Niçoise Olives which were warm and tasty, the Pizza Fondue: Cheesy Tomato Sauce & Pizza Bread which was enjoyed by all. We tried a couple of salads, I particularly enjoyed the Romaine Lettuce & Market Tomatoes Salad with Crispy Pancetta and Creamy Mustard Dressing...just a hint of mustard. The other was a radicchio / endive salad which was tasty but my irrational dislike of pine nuts disqualifies me from reviewing. We had a few different pizzas and all were well prepared and very good. We had the Classic Margherita: Tomato Sauce with Mozzarella Cheese, the Parma Classic: Mozzarella Cheese, finished with Arugula & Prosciutto di Parma and the Mozzarella di Bufala Campana, Tomato Sauce & Torn Basil. Yum. I also ordered the Ricotta Gnocchi, House-Made Sausage & Spinach. I enjoyed this dish a little more with every bite to the point that when I had made the dish vanish I was looking for more. Very light Gnocchi in a delicious sauce. I will eat this again! We had a someone private room and found the atmosphere very nice. A great night in a fine restaurant.
(4)Amy D.
Ok, the food is not stellar but it is solid. The pizza is nothing to write home about. We went with a big group so I was able to try everything on the menu. The pizza was either salty or either bland. The best one was the grape one, surprisingly right? The entrees is what makes the place. The specials, the steak, the gnocchi. All deliciousness in my tummy. The place is affordable. It was $40 a person including paying for the birthday girl, drinks and food. REALLY good after tax and tip. Can't complain at all.
(4)Scott B.
We live right down the street from this place and end up there often. They have great food at very reasonable prices. The menue is seasonal and the pizzas are great. We really like the rotating bruscettas that are always amazing. The wine list is very good and they have great pairings. There are plenty of places for double or triple the price in the area that are not as good.
(4)Diana T.
I might be pizza-biased since I recently went on a trip to the UK and Europe and was blown away by the pizza there. But this place has its good moments. When we walked in, we noticed that the window right in front opened up completely so that wannabe parisians can sit and people watch. There were only a couple of tables that could fit in this spot, but it's definitely nicer than the dark restaurant. They also have a few tables for outdoor seating on the side. Our host for the night left something to be desired, she didn't say a word as she brought us to the table. I watched her do that to a couple of other tables. Maybe she wasn't having a great day... We ordered the fava bean bruschetta which was interesting, light, and tasty. There was this great spread on the bread. For pizza, we went with the triple pepperoni, tomato sauce & mozzarella cheese with white truffle oil. It was good after a couple of slices. But then I felt like the pepperoni was getting too salty for my tastes. But then I'm not a huge fan of pepperoni. The waitress suggested that we order 2 pizzas because they felt like each pizza was enough for one. However, I thought it was enough for two! We had to take 2 slices home. We also ordered the pasta with lamb bolognese. Very good, but nothing special? I enjoyed the food and I think everything tasted great, but I still felt like I was missing the fresh ingredients that I savored from Europe...
(4)Summer P.
I visited La Madia without any expectations; I hadn't really heard much prior. My co-worker and I met some clients for lunch and everyone left satisfied. We started with pizza fondue...I LOVED it; had we ordered another, I would've taken out the whole thing myself...so good! We all decided to share two pizzas, the Classic Margherita and Triple Pepperoni, Tomato Sauce & Mozzarella Cheese, finished with White Truffle Oil. I'm a bit of a pescatarian so I stuck to the Margherita; it was pretty good. In a moment of weakness, I peeled the meat off of the other selection...I couldn't resist the truffle oil. My one regret is that I wasn't able to have a glass of wine; they have recommended wine pairings and I felt like I was missing out. I do have one caveat to this review; my La Madia lunch was the day after I spent the night celebrating Obama's victory in Grant Park...everything was better that day!
(4)Elizabeth H.
I went there last night with a few friends to check out the food. The pizza I had was really good and probably the best option ordered by my group - Buffalo mozzarella with tomato sauce and fresh basil. If you go, you should definitely get some pizzas and share them. The group also ordered a vegetable entree to share (asparagus risotto). When it arrived, we all dug in. I thought it was ok, but I wasn't a fan. I really enjoy a good asparagus risotto and Quartino's used to make the best in the city. Then we discovered that La Madia's dish was made with chicken broth, so beware if you are a vegetarian like me!
(3)Jeff W.
Yep, it's good. Very comfortable atmosphere for a $10-15 pizza. Service friendly and attentive. Creative pizza offerings. The biggest surprise was a huge and unique wine list. Fewer beer offerings, but very high quality. Won't disappoint.
(4)Jason Z.
My co workers and I often come here for lunch. We're big fans of the lazy luncheon (LL). The LL is a lunch for 2 for $25. It is a starter, a pizza, and 2 glasses of wine. That's right, all that for $25. Great deal. The triple pepperoni pizza sprinkled with white truffle oil, is amazing. We've tried most of the pizzas on the menu, and have yet to find a disappointing one. All are excellent.
(4)Marina K.
ok pizza! too salty!
(3)Kyung P.
Excellent! We went for the Chef's tasting earlier this month. La Madia offers a tasting menu with wine pairing on the first Wednesday of every month - an absolute steal for $35 (excluding tax & tip) for the amount, quality, and variety of food! The pizza (our third course) was definitely excellent - we had chanterelle mushroom and lobster mushroom pizza. I could have eaten the whole pie! Our fifth course was pork, and it was a bit dry. The Frogola that was served with the pork was quite tasty and unique though. The menu stated that we'd be getting a cranberry crostata for dessert, but the chocolate cake that the people around us were chowing down on looked so good...so I mentioned to the chef (also a nice touch that the chef was doing some of the serving and explanation of the courses) that the chocolate cake is what I wanted for dessert, and he said that he'd take care of us. So everyone at our table got the cranberry crostata (which was absolutely excellent), plus we got a chocolate cake for the table! Now that's service! We were all pretty happy after 5 half portions of wine and beer that was paired with our dessert. I would definitely recommend the chef's tasting - so don't be surprised if you see me in here on the first Wednesday of every month!
(5)Henry S.
I have gotten La Madia's pizza for delivery numerous times, but never ate at the restaurant. That has all changed now. The room is done up in sort of an industrial chic look. It reminded me of a more casual version of the now defunct Follia. Also reminded me of any number of modern Italian places I've been to in Rome and Florence. The wine list is massive, and has interesting categorizations of old vs new world varietals. Hats off too for having Franciacorta on the list. It is very rare seeing this Champagne-method sparkling on any wine list in Chicago. It was also great that the pizzas have suggested wine pairings. Although. we went against the suggested pairing. To start, Foil Roasted Crackling Nicoise Olives. Olives with the requisite oil & herb dressing, wrapped in foil, and quickly heated up in the oven. Still the same as eating regular olives, with the added warmth from the wood burning forno. Now, why didn't I think of that? Next up, Bresaola, Shaved Fennel, Sweet Red Peppers, and Parmesan. The plate arrived looking like carpaccio, except the beef here is cured, instead of raw. The salty bresaola played beautifully against the fennel and sweet peppers. For mains, 2 white pizzas. We had the Wild Mushroom and Mozzarella, and the Laura Chenel Goat Cheese, Melted Leeks, and Pancetta Lardons. The mushroom pizza is one of my favorites, and it never disappoints. One thing I noticed this evening, since we were eating at the restaurant, was that there was an extra pungent garlic aroma to the pizza. Very nice. Pizzas here are thin crust, but not cracker thin. The crust was nicely bubbled, and the bottom had a little chewy bite to it. The Goat Cheese pizza was a variation on classic Alsatian tarte flambé. The cheese was so mild and tender, enhanced further by the leeks, and the pancetta brought a nice salty punch. Laura Chenel is the doyenne of American goat cheese. It doesn't get any better than this. For dessert, the small Affogato with Chocolate Sambuca Gelato was a nice cap to the meal. Traditionally, when drinking Sambuca, coffee beans are added to the liquer. This affogato, with the dark punch of Illy espresso and sugary anise in the Sambuca, was a nice play on this digestive. Why 3 stars? A great no-frills place for excellent pizza. For being a mid-range restaurant, they pay attention to artisanal ingredients. Great for a fun night, or have it delivered when the craving hits.
(3)Bev h.
It may be blasphemy, but I am not a big fan of the Chicago deep dish. The thin, neopolitan pizza they serve at La Madia is right up my alley. They have a variety of different pizzas with some interesting cheeses. I went there with a group, and we ordered 5 pizzas for 6 people with some appetizers and drinks. there was plenty of pizza plus a few slices leftover. the special pizza was the best- zucchini slices, cherry tomatoes, and some cheese our waitress described as coming "from the first milking of a cow?" whatever it was, those veal squirts were the ticket! great atmosphere- just right for a group of 6ish, but cozy enough for just 2. the service was excellent. great manhattans as well. seriously one of the best restaurant experiences i've had recently.
(5)Sarah B.
***02-02-09*** Just need to add: the grape pizza is delish! Yes, I know the idea of it is a bit weird, but give it a try. Cheesy, a bit sweet, juicy...add a glass of wine and call it a night! **************** Sunday night dinner with the girls at uncrowded La Madia was laidback and quiet (not church quiet, nice restaurant with good acoustics quiet). The pizza fondue puts a new spin on the old theme of "breaking bread." The bread comes out super-hot and puffed up, tasting and looking almost like naan. The creamy pizza dipping sauce was delicious, although I'd like to see a little variety here. Perhaps a trio of dipping sauces? Tried the shaved artichoke pizza and the house-made fennel sausage with peppers and onions pizza. both were good, but the sausage was especially delicious--not at all overpowered by the fennel. Took home the sausage and tomato sauce pizza--good, but I think I like the other better. Don't expect tomato sauce on all the pizzas--this is not the traditional American pizza parlor. The organic green salad was also fresh and crispy--perfect for a summer evening. And, of course, I had a dessert--the blood orange ice with prosecco--could I have ended my weekend any better? Doubtful. Loved that there was a woman's bathroom, and woman/man bathroom. No line, no waiting. Attentive service overall, however, there were a few blips. Our waiter disappeared for about 10-15 minutes and another server took our drink order, which didn't arrive until our first waiter came back with it. Also, took a couple requests to get water--we weren't served water when we first sat down. And the last negative: the hostess was attitudinally rude. She intended to seat the four of us in front of the revolving door entrance--the table I would assume is reserved for those without a reservation and only if the restaurant were busy. Or maybe it was part of a server's section where they needed customers. Regardless, when we (the customers) don't want to sit in a high traffic area AND there are tables open AND we had a reservation, you should gladly seat us where we prefer, rather than frown and huff and flounce about as if we've ruined YOUR evening. That hostess almost made this a 3-star review. Thank goodness La Madia has a well-proportioned wine list with both 4 and 7 oz glasses at fairly normal prices.
(4)Deb M.
I know, when in Chicago you're supposed to indulge on super thick deep dish pizza. But I just wasn't feeling up something that heavy. I was so happy with our selection of La Madia. I am a big fan of bruschetta.... and really, what's not to love...bread, garlic, fresh and crispy goodness. We started with the Toasted Bruschetta, Seasonal Wild Mushrooms, Marsala Glaze & Whipped Ricotta. One word: whipped ricotta....ok, that's two words. Two words I will never forgot. So good. We also had a salad....which was good, a little skimpy on the ingredients. We split a pizza as we didn't want leftovers, otherwise we would have both gotten something different. In the end, we both agreed on the Housemade Fennel Sausage & Sweet Onions, Tomato Sauce with Mozzarella Cheese. The crust was perfect and there was a good amount of ingredients. There was a large party (I mean like 15-20 people) who had taken over the bar area when we first arrived. It was so loud we couldn't hear ourselves think. I'm so glad we stuck it out (and waited well beyond our 9:00 reservation). Overall: 4.5/5
(4)Mel G.
This place is GOOD. Actually, it may have been one of the best pepperoni slices of pizza I've ever had, and I do prefer the thin slice compared to the deep dish (I know I'm talking about Chicago). We also ordered the bruschetta (delicious), sun dried tomatoes with mozzarella, and everything was just awesome. Loved it.
(4)Shweta N.
Love La Madia. From the decor and atmosphere to the service, food, and wine selection, this place is consistently great. You can really never go wrong with any of their gourmet pizzas, but my favorite is the housemade fennel sausage with sweet onion pizza. The lamb sausage pizza, pork belly & kale pizza, and prosciutto & egg pizza are also quite tasty. A good idea is to come here for their late night fix: from Sun to Thursday after 9PM, you can split a salad and pizza for 2, for just $20. Throw in a wine pairing for just $10 more!
(4)Anna P.
Just wanted to update and make sure I give this restaurant its due props - have now been here about 10 times and every time is a wonderful experience. Will keep going back!
(5)Adam S.
Great value. Nice wine list. Ok service. Busy and loud. Darn good pizza and risotto.
(3)ryan w. v.
The harem were not a fan of this place! I think we went here in May and here's my review from what I can remember. La Madia seems to have a large wine list, but every time Mon, Car, or Nic tried to order another or different glass of wine, they would be out. "Oh, I'm sorry, we just poured the last glass," could only be said twice before our waitress had to change her tune and tell us, "Well, we're actually going through our inventory and some of the wines featured on the menu are not available." Blah, blah. Luckily, I didn't have that problem because I was drinking prosecco. We each ordered something different on the menu and I'm sure I ordered some hott meat. I tend to like hott meat. Anyway, we have had much better pizzas and we did not enjoy the food. We will not be back and had a fun time laughing about it too.
(2)Perry G.
This place is amazing, great food, reasonable prices and fantastic wine list. The restaurant's ambiance just takes the whole experience up another level.
(5)Ray R.
I visited for the first time last night. I am a big fan now. Although, I feel their wine is a little over priced (but who's isnt? its only a 200 - 300 % markup everywhere) I started off with their Pizza Fondue. Thin Pizza bread crust served with a great cheesy sauce. Second my pizza was the Three Pepperoni with white truffle oil. Fantastic. I highly recommend this place to anyone who loves Pizza and Wine.
(4)Natasha D.
This is one of only 2 places (out of say 15-ish) that I went to with a Groupon that I would return to. The atmosphere was casual yet chic, we had great service and fantastic pizza. We had the one with Burrata - which you should only get if you love cheese, and the Triple Pepperoni, which was great but fairly greasy for a thin crust. The crust is fantastic. I'm already looking forward to our next visit - thanks Groupon and thanks La Madia!
(4)Rob C.
the lunch special is the way to go $15 for one pizza, one appetizer, and some cookies. i asked which one -- sausage fennel or triple pepperoni, and she said the pepperoni was the most popular because of the white truffle oil, and so we went with it. i have to agree, the truffle oil is not using sparingly. it's in your face. so while the triple pepperoni makes for an oily thin crust pizza, it's still great with that truffle flavor. crust neapolitan style for salad we had the chopped Italian Lettuces, Currants, Pine Nuts & Balsamic Vinaigrette, good combo. cookies an afterthought (little dry)
(4)Kate M.
First tried La Madia this summer and came back on a pretty consistent basis. They have a pretty big wine list with a wide variety of prices. My boyfriend and I always order a bottle and have never been disappointed with our selection. For starters, the Toasted Bruschetta is very delicious. Also, the Heirloom Tomatoes (tomatoes and mozzarella) is very fresh. And I would highly recommend this. The pizzas are what we come here for. We've noticed some of their pizzas are seasonal and bummed when we no longer see them on the menu. Although, it forces us to pick something different..and we always end up happy! We usually only order the bruschetta or heirloom tomatoes and one pizza. We find that one of those items along with a pizza is enough for two. We've had almost all their red pizzas and I would suggest them all. I have yet to try the white pizzas..that will be on my next visit. Everything is great and comes out quick. My one kind of negative comment...one if the times we came here my waitress accidently knocked my newly opened beer all over the table and my lap. Not a big deal..accidents happen. But, I was a little surprised when she didn't offer to get me a new one (since more than half of my beer was wasted). We thought that maybe once the bill came, the beer would be comped. It wasn't. Again,not a big deal,but, not the best customer service.
(4)Anne C.
I've been here a number of times and the food never disappoints. They have an excellent wine list and I love that they include their wine pairing suggestions right on the menu-- amazing! The white pizzas are a personal favorite of mine-- especially the one with pesto and heirloom tomatoes. Even though they are a pizza restaurant, my favorite menu item is the salad with crispy pancetta and mustard dressing-- I order it everytime and it is always just as good. It is also huge and great for sharing. I have brought quite a few out of town guests here and it is always a crowd pleaser with great food and fair pricing. Just be sure to make a reservation as the restaurant is small and books up fast!
(4)Tu'ens N.
I'd like to give this place 3 1/2 stars but since its slightly overrated and I can't give halves, I am giving 3. I just think this place is sort of hit-or-miss. Some of their pizzas and salads are really good and others are not. The eggplant pizza in particular was pretty lame, with very boring-tasting undercooked (*spongy) eggplants in circular slices near the crust. Actually since there was just cheese and sauce over most of the pizza it exposed the basics of the pizzas to be not very good (dough, sauce, cheese). However if you get a bufala or the triple pepperoni, the toppings are very good and do cover for the sub-par basics. The service is pretty quick and friendly. I have been a few times but if I didn't live nearby one time probably would have sufficed.
(3)Kelly W.
I've been to La Madia 3 times in the past 2 months and it has yet to disappoint. I have tried probably 6 or 7 of the pizzas on the menu and have really enjoyed all of them. You're asking me to pick a favorite? Hm, the goat cheese and pancetta is divine and of course you need to try the triple pepperoni. Also, don't skip the pizza fondu-- you can use the extra sauce to dip your crusts :-)
(4)Valerie R.
Like any wine bar, if you go here at night and drink more than a couple glasses you are going to have a high tab. If you aren't worried about money (or it's on the company, as it was for me when I went at night), this is a fantastic evening spot, which a good wine selection. That all being said, La Madia is a wonderful place to go for lunch. Their lunch special ($15 for 2 people, appetizer, main course, and cookies and $25 is if you add wine) is an amazing deal for the area. The mushroom pizza will make you drool and their salads are large and delicious.
(5)andrea r.
This is a cute restaurant, it's casual with a slightly sophisticated feel. Their food and wine are good and are reasonably priced.
(4)Ria A.
Being new in town, some new friends took us out to La Madia. My husband and I really enjoyed the pizza here. I personally prefer thin crust pizza so I know I'll have a thing to learn if I don't want to stay as the new kid on the block. The restaurant has a trendy, modern feel and has a great patio area which seems great for people watching. We ordered the Parma Classic pizza which was a thin crust pizza topped with arugula, mozzarella cheese, and Parma proscuitto. The pizzas are great for two people to share. The pizza was light yet filling and extremely savory. They were also reasonably priced at about $14 on average. I definitely loved the atmosphere. It's a great place to meet friends for dinner and drinks. I just read an article in the Chicago Tribune that La Madia has $5 wine specials so I'll be coming back soon. We didn't have room for dessert but the selections sounded delicious. One that caught my eye was a Sambuco gelato - how creative, I can't wait to try it.
(4)Jonathan B.
Family style for the group or individual entrées. The pizza is tasty, but the Chianti Braised short ribs are excellent.
(4)Carlos V.
Big fan, great food, fresh ingredients, friendly staff, good beer and wines, GREAT!
(4)Brent M.
Outstanding thin crust pizza. The scallops and polenta were delicious, perfectly cooked. Really good service and great wine selection.
(5)Larisa P.
I have always liked La Madia - great wine list, great pizza and salads. Excellent service at the bar and in the dining room. Last night we had an opportunity to taste three new items from its updated menu - steak, fish and pasta. Nice addition to the menu. Highly recommend La Madia!!
(5)Restaurant G.
I get the same experience every time I go. Usually a 15 min wait for a table with a reservation, and a delicious glass of wine at the bar. The Pepperoni Pizza with truffle oil is a standard order for me, although a little greasy it is certainly worth the mess. The ambiance is modern, with an open pizza station and brick fire burning oven. The focal point of the restaurant is their glass wine cellar, with wine by the bottle or by the glass. Good for a night out in downtown Chicago.
(4)Dan R.
This place is a nice tweener - dinner isn't too expensive, the atmosphere is very modern and young and the food is pretty good. Its not the best pizza out there, but its a nice very lite type of pizza. Andrea W's brother and I went there last Saturday night and we split a salad with mozzarella, a mushroom pizza and I had a glass of wine. We were seated on the counter facing the kitchen, which originally I wasn't a big fan of, but it was fascinating to watch a very busy kitchen on a Saturday night! It reminded me of Ratatouille. Anyway, the service was pretty good, the server kept mixing up the orders with the two girls next to us, but that was OK because we were on the receiving end of most of the good screwups (we actually ate a different salad than we ordered because of the screw up). Overall very nice place to take a date - not too fancy, but respectable.
(4)Alyssa S.
The second time I went to La Madia, I went with Sarah B. and shared everything except dessert with her (not that she didn't offer), so I must simply say "ditto" to her excellent review. The first time I went, I was with my cousin who is a winemaker and an Actual French Person, and he told me it was one of the best wine lists he had ever seen. It's nice that they offer the half-glasses - makes it easy to try a couple that you're interested in.
(4)Emily R.
Dear La Madia, How do you make a pizza with shaved artichokes taste so delicious? I'm hooked.
(4)Olena V.
I've been to La Madia many times since the place opened, and brought all friends who visited from out of town. La Madia is the place to showcase good Chicago pizza. La Madia is also a place for folks who love gourmet food and wish for a slice of pizza. You can not go wrong with any single dish on the menu. All the pizza are delicious. Although triple pepperoni and parma lead the chart, Wild Mushrooms with Smoked Mozzarella, Shaved Artichoke, White Clam, Laura Chenel Goat Cheese are all amazing. One note, eating triple pepperoni together with any other pizza on the menu is similar to drinking cabernet with riesling - if you do the former, you can not appreciate the latter. Market Risotto, Chicken Spinach & Ricotta Ravioli, Chianti-braised Short Ribs are favorites from Specialty section. Wine selection is vast and would please any level of sophistication. There are a lot of inexpensive young wines, as well as really good more expensive wines, though mostly by bottle. I enjoy this place and hope more people discover, come more often and appreciate it even more.
(5)Eli S.
Totally digging this place! Came here when my parents were in town visiting, brought the boyf along. Immediately saw all sorts of things on the menu to like and had a salad with spicy walnuts, crisp apples, grapes, and switched out the chicken for gorgonzola. Delish! Also had: spinach and speck pizza, as speck is my mother's favorite cured meat these days. Soooo good! I'm a sucker for those roasted pine-nuts. All around were impressed with the execution of the spinach: fresh, wilted, but not watery. Well done, well done! The boyf seemed to dig his ravioli mighty might, with homemade ricotta, spinach, and chicken in a brown butter sauce. A dollar form every order of ravioli goes to help Muscular Dystrophy. How nice! We had two bottles of wine but I avoid drinking, however, from the mmm's I have heard, they were fantastic. Our waitress (goddamn me for forgetting her name!) was so polite and helpful and personable. She had great recommendations and was really knowledgeable when it came to wine. For dessert we had the affogato over sambuca and chocolate cake gelato. That sambuca doesn't hit you until about twenty seconds after you have a bite and taste the delicious bunches of chocolate cake! The espresso they poured over it was lovely too. I love this place for its little touches! Tiny shot glasses of crisp sparkling water to cleanse one's palate post-espresso! So nice!
(5)Angie W.
W O W. Best brick-oven pizza on this side of the ocean... it's so delicious, and so European... I can't get enough. Beautiful presentation... service in the restaurant is great, and the decor is really cool - very modern-chic! Love the food, love the place, love everything. Highly recommend the pizza to any pizza lover.
(5)Meredith H.
love love love la madia!!! i agree with amanda c - this place is lunch mecca. it's just an unbelievable deal, no idea why they offer it! i love the variety here - in terms of both salads and pizzas. a meal for any mood really. they also have an affordable wine list and absolutely fabulous lighting! the private dining room has the best lighting fixture - such a delight. la madia is a great place for a fun lunch, a date, or a girls night out. upscale but nothing too fancy...a perfect blend.
(5)Lindsey L.
This place was amazing! I took a small group of friends from out of town here for dinner this weekend and we can't say enough about the experience. The atmosphere was wonderful, the service top-notch and the food and wine sublime. We will be going back!
(5)Ellen O.
we arrived on-time for our 9pm reservation but we weren't seated until after 9:30. we received some complimentary appetizers after we were seated, however i think a round of drinks while we were waiting would have been much nicer. no one even offered to bring us drinks or to take us over to the bar to wait - we just stood in the doorway for 30 minutes with our coats on. the salads were fine, but nothing to write home about. everything was just kind of there. i thought the pizza was ok, but i've had better thin crust for sure. i think this place is a little too trendy for me and the food doesn't make up for it. i doubt i'll be going back.
(2)J P.
We went for the late night fix with the wine. My wine was delicious! We got the pizza fondue, which I expected to be a lot different. We just got pizza crust in pie shape and a bowl of..sauce. I expected the pizza crust to be cut up in dippable pieces, and the sauce to be more..cheesy, thicker. It was okay, and definitely something I can recreate at home. We got the italian lettuce salad with pears..although we barely had any pears in ours, when you got the right bite put together, with pears, goat cheese, lettuce and walnuts, it was amazing, but there wasn't nearly enough pears/walnuts as I would have hoped. It was also weird that once we were through with our salad temporarily, the waiter simply took it away, when we had a lot left over and definitely would have enjoyed it with our pizza or to box up!! We just went with the simple three cheese pizza and what did it for me was the torn basil on top..it was very flavorful! I would re-visit but definitely order something else, and definitely try the different wines again.
(3)A C.
Went to La Madia for lunch today and was shocked at the prices. The place was unbelievably nice, yet the prices were very reasonable - $15 lunch special that includes a pizza, appetizer and cookies. Went for the basic margarita pizza - very good. Thin crust, a little greasy (grease is good), and flavorful sauce. Most importantly, the pizzas are HUGE. I could easily split it someone else, and still have leftovers. The crust was really the standout - very thin but not crunchy. The end was like a surprise of fluffy, fresh baked bread. Tried one of the salads too, which was also very good, I'm a fan of anything with raisins and pine nuts in them. Great place to go if you're downtown and feel like going to an upscale establishment, but not paying up the wazoo for it.
(4)Peter F.
I don't know what all the fuss is about. We went tonight, ordered three different pizzas, a salad and two bottles of wine to share between four. The pizzas were average thin crust and all tasted pretty much the same - of cheese. The salad was fresh and the wine fine. The wine list is very good, doubtless. But why have such an excellent wine list with pizza?! One could understand drinking a 2004 Raja Barbaresco or a pink Billecart Salmon with some exciting and interesting food - but pizza? The same goes for their extensive new and old world selection - a very good selection but totally incongruous with the food menu. But you know I just don't care. I won't be back. I won't be recommending it and when I do feel like drink excellent wine, there are many, many other places I shall do so before returning to La Madia.
(2)Michael S.
We stopped by late on Sunday night and were seated right away. Our server, Jennifer, was very friendly and attentive. The spinach/taleggio/truffle fondue was ridiculous, and I would have probably ordered it for dessert if I wasn't so full. Only thing keeping this review from being 5 stars is the egg yolks on our carbonara pizza were slightly overdone for my liking. Still a great pizza, though. We'll be back soon.
(4)Simir S.
I have been here about 10 times and keep going back for the food and atmosphere. Great pizza, good wine and the days they make the veggie corn risotto that stuff is awesome
(5)Josh T.
Great atmosphere and great food! My favorite has got to be the Triple pepperoni with white truffle oil. Having said that, I kind of wish that they had more meat options for pizza. Other than that, this will now be a regular spot for me and the gf!
(4)Nikki L.
Just got back from lunch and really enjoyed the service and food. I've passed La Madia many times on my way home from work but never got around to trying their famous Neapolitan style pizza. Their menu consists of pizzas, salads and sandwiches and EVERYTHING looked delicious. I was torn between the chicken, garlic spinach and mozzarella calzone, the wild mushroom pizza or the chicken salad flat bread sandwich. I decided on the wild mushroom pizza and an arugula salad. The salad had a peppery bite from the arugula, saltiness from the fresh grated parmesan and a sweetness from the 3 hour roasted grapes; the combination of the three make for a well balanced salad. Our server Rachel was attentive and well versed in the menu, she offered her recommendations and checked back with us often. I look forward to coming back for dinner sometime soon, any suggestions of what I should try next?
(4)R S.
I frequent La Madia. Inside, the decor is modern, simple, elegant, and fun. I've often had to wait a bit despite having reservations, but the staff was apologetic and sincere about this. This is a great place to take guests. The wines are delicious, and the menu is diverse. I start with the mushroom bruschetta - wow. Absolutely love it. I've tried several pizzas - some I love, others are ok. My favorite is the eggplant and burrata pizza. I usually ask them to put on extra basil. It's unique and flavorful. I recommend ending with the affogato with chocolate-sambuca gelato - yummy. Solid dinner spot.
(4)Elizabeth C.
There are a lot of 4-star reviews here for La Madia, which I understand, but for me, two things put it over the top into 5-star territory for me: 1. the stellar service, and 2. the super reasonable prices. 1. I went to La Madia not once but TWICE last week. The first time was with a girlfriend. We went after work for wine, and we split the gnocchi and house-made fennel sausage - absolutely delish. I could've easily eaten every bite. My friend wasn't crazy about the first wine she had, so the bartender gave her a few samples until she found one she liked. At one point, the manager (I think) asked us to move down a seat at the bar to accomodate 2 friends, and we gladly obliged; despite the fact that we didn't mind moving one iota, he bought us another round of drinks - that's my kind of service. 2. I liked it so much the first time that I brought my boyfriend who was in for the weekend. We had the "Lazy Luncheon" special - a starter, a pizza, wine pairings, and cookies, for $25. Not $25 per person - $25 total. In that neck of the woods (read: dangerously close to the Rainforest Cafe), they could charge a ton more for their (delicious) food, but they don't, and for that, they will be seeing my wino ass parked at the bar quite a bit. On that note, they have 2 wines of the week (a red and a white) for $5 a glass. I defy you to find me another place in River North that charges a mere $5/glass. So, five stars it is! Go there.
(5)Nathan S.
Strolled into La Madia at 8:00ish on Friday, and while their tables were full, they had an open table in the lounge area which is right next to large open-air windows and looks out onto patio seating, which was more than acceptable. Slightly upscale vibe, with lots of well-dressed ladies out for a night on the town, which made my lady-friend a little uncomfortable having come straight from work. In the lounge, we received prompt and thorough service from the bar staff. Unique and delicious (we had the Tallegio and Grapes) pizza choices abound on the menu, and each has a suggested wine pairing. We also enjoyed home-made gnocchi with house-made fennel sausage that was subtly and deliciously flavored. Boffo wine list for this type of more casual eating establishment. I know that thin crust restaurants have popped up all over in the past couple years, but unique differences at La Madia make it definitely worth a try!
(4)Alison M.
La Madia has a swanky vibe, and on a Friday night at 8:00 pm, my group of three was seated right away without a reservation. Good. The wine menu is extensive, and they have some interesting cocktails. I settled on some sort of fancy bellini garnished with ground vanilla. Delicious, but not overly sweet. Very Good. The pizzas looked interesting and we settled on one with white clam with spicy chili peppers and one with spinach and speck (ham). Hmmm... not so good. I'm not saying the pizzas were bad, they just weren't that great-- I was especially disappointed with the clam pizza, which had absolutely no hint of chili pepper. I figure, if you're paying about $15 for a small pizza, they should make it worth your while... For now, I'll stick with Frasca-- better pizzas, cheaper price.
(3)Robyn T.
I came here for lunch with my co-workers and enjoyed everything about the experience. The restaurant is contemporary with an open kitchen so you can watch the chefs at work. The prices were reasonable (between $9.50 and $11 for a pizza) and the pizzas themselves were large. I enjoyed my triple pepperoni (definitely for the meat lover) with white truffle oil and basil. Delicious! I also enjoyed the mushroom pizza and the oven warmed olives were a nice starter. I'd definitely come back and I'd probably pick La Madia over neighboring pizza rival A Mano -- I thought the quality was better and more authentic.
(4)Luciana B.
I have two words for you: truffle oil. Their pepperoni pizza with truffle oil hits the spot every single time. I always wonder why this place isn't more packed. They have an awesome lunch special and late-night special and the service has always been phenomenal. Only took a few visits to become one of my top 5 places to go in the city.
(4)Yao L.
Went here most recently for the $18 lunch special, which includes a starter salad, one pizza, and some small cookies ("Wisconsin Electric Cookies") with candied lemon peel on the side. Good deal. The meal was enough for two (I was even glad that the cookies were so small), and I also got to try a $5 glass of their wine of the week, a Primitivo. Don't know much about wine, but I liked that it was a little spicy. The sweetness of the wine was overpowered by the grapes and apples during the salad course, but it came through nicely when paired with the pizza. Organic arugula salad: This was standard, but you can't go wrong with arugula and shaved parmesan. I also liked the sweet roasted grapes, which I hadn't had before. The apple slices and walnuts weren't so memorable. Shaved asparagus and burrata pizza: This was delicious. I would have liked some more asparagus, but still the mild flavor wasn't overwhelmed by the cheese. Nice thin crust, crisp on the edges. Side note: You pay an additional $2 for this pizza when you order it as part of the lunch special. The cookies were fine -- kind of an afterthought, but I was quite full by the time they arrived anyway. Overall I was very pleased with this meal, and the service was timely and the right amount of attentiveness. On previous trips I've ordered and liked the olives appetizer and the fennel sausage and wild mushrooms pizzas.
(4)Kelly H.
If I could eat at La Madia everyday I'd be happy. I say that every time I go there.
(5)Theo c.
Just had dinner here and the best word to describe it would be DISAPPOINTING. There are too many great restaurants in Chicago to make this one a stop. I really wanted to like this place based on other reviews. Maybe they had a bad night with us but even though the food was good it's not worth going back. Snapshot of our evening - pulled up to valet. No valet around so hostess said just give her the keys. Got seated no server for 10 minutes. Watched my car sit for a half hour so went up to hostess to make sure they had a valet. They did but split him with restaurant next door. Don't worry your car will get parked. 15 minutes later see Valet standing outside - no communication with hostess so go outside and ask him to park my car. Order salad and a bottle of wine. Wait for both - salad was good - wine no flavor share that with server who told us he will share so they take it out of their rotation. Another 45 minutes go by server comes by and lets us know our Pizza is coming out soon. Another 30 minutes I stop waiter and ask for an update. He said he just checked and they were just cooking it now - must have forgotten it. Head Chef brings Pizza out apologizes. Pizza was good but not worth the wait and the total bill of $ 71. Paid another $ 12 for valet. Not an enjoyable $ 83 for a pizza, salad, wine, and parking.
(2)Ami H.
We were looking for a place to have a nice dinner out with friends when someone suggested La Madia. I'm glad that they did! The atmosphere was comfortable and it was a great place to sit and enjoy good, simple food with friends. The pizza is not your typical pepperoni & sausage. I had the lamb white pizza and it was delicious! The pizzas are big enough to feed two, especially if you get any kind of app or salad. As it was, we each got our own pizza and shared 4 different kinds! It was great and I can't wait to go back. Also worth knowing, I know that they do take reservations and it might be worth making one. We managed to get a table without one but I think we just got lucky!
(4)Al L.
This is a neighborhood gem. I love everything this place has going for it. I have had all their pizzas and salads, appetizers and even their pastas- it is all greets. Perfect first date place. The wine list is superb and the beer list is excellent. I would give it 10 stars if they changed they got a little more creative with the desserts. Try the three hour grape pizza - you will not be disappointed
(5)M T.
Great service, great food. Scallops were great. Eggplant soup was really bland, but the waiter was great -- took it back and didn't charge us for it.
(4)Meg S.
My friend and I walked for 5 hours to get here from another part of the city, but it was totally worth it! They have a lovely collection of truly unique and tasty pizza, and the beer and wine selection is also nice. We tried the egg pizza and it was wonderful. I would definitely suggest trying some of thier more unique pizzas! They're also surprisingly affordable for using such interesting and expensive ingredients. Definitely worth trying!
(5)Stuart K.
I went to La Madia last night for a friend's birthday. I had heard good things about Madia so I was excited to check it out. Unfortunately, I was so disappointed with the entire experience that I was motivated to write my first Yelp review. First Impression: The restaurant looks great. The decor is modern, yet casual and comfortable. It seems to fit with their image of a contemporary pizzeria. Our party of 8 was sat immediately on a very busy Friday night. We all got cocktails to start, which were excellent, but things went downhill from there. Food: The food is passable at best, and certainly not worth the above-average prices. Appetizers: Pizza fondue: Bread and marinara sauce. I guess the touch of cream makes it worth $9.50. I can't believe this was even on the menu. Toasted Bruschetta: It may have been toasted and crispy at one point, but when it got to our table it was a soggy mess. The ricotta was in a watery pool of mush. The entire dish was basically a nightmare. Oven Roasted Artichoke: This was the best appetizer we had. The sauces were good and the artichokes were tasty. Roasted Jumbo Asparagus wrapped in Prosciutto: A simple dish that seems hard to screw up. How did they manage? They served rock hard prosciutto wrapped around over-cooked asparagus. The most disappointing dish of the night. Main courses: I'm not going to go into as much detail here. The pizzas were good, not great by any standard. The risotto with asparagus was decent, but a little on the mushy side. The risotto with short ribs was hands down the best dish of the night. The Ricotta Gnocchi was good, but not memorable. Service: At first our service was very good. Our cocktails and appetizers came quickly as did our first two bottles of wine. After that, things started to get missed. We ordered a glass of wine that never came, even after reminding the waiter 3 times throughout the meal. We ordered a salad without meat that came only after asking 2 waiters and the manager. When the salad finally came, after the main courses, one in our party asked if there was meat in it. The manager grabbed the salad back from the table and stormed away without explanation. He came back 5 minutes later with 2 salads and nicely put them on the table. The whole experience was very, very strange. It just gets weirder from there. We ordered 1 piece of chocolate cake. It tasted like it came from Jewel. Then, out of nowhere, the waiter comes to our table and tells us that the Manager would like us to leave. I'm not kidding. We were not being loud, we were not acting rude. In fact, not one person had even made a complaint to anybody throughout the meal, despite the bad food and worse service. Needless, to say were were all stunned. We quickly paid, and left the restaurant. All I can say about this place is that none of us will ever go back, and I would encourage none of you to ever go there. The food ranges from awful to average, and the service is the worst I've had in years. The only star this place gets it for the wine list. It's extensive and has a good selection of inexpensive wines.
(1)caroline k.
Nice contemporary casual italian/pizza spot in River North. I'm not a pepperoni fan, but we had the tripple pepperoni/truffle oil pizza (spicy, very oily but good) and the pork belly pizza/kale/caramelized onion white pizza (mediocre at best). The ambiance is nice and inviting, and the sommelier is particularly friendly and helpful in navigating the length beer and wine list, and explaining the difference between the old world and new world riselings. I'd definitely come back to try the rest of the menu.
(3)nancy b.
it's hard to find good food in the river north area that isn't really pricey, so this place is a nice add for the area. very reasonably priced "upper scale" pizzeria. the service was good, and they also have a weekly wine special on a red and white ($5/glass, discount on bottles as well). the burratta was very good, as was the three pepperoni. my only complaint on the pepperoni is that it was extremely greasy, but i guess that's what you get when you have triple not-lean-meat as a topping. the crust is nice and thin, simply seasoned with salt. the mushroom bruschetta is delicious - meaty mushrooms that they don't skimp on, piled onto crusty, crunchy bread along with a creamy cheese. i'll definitely go back! for two people, one appetizer, two pizzas and a bottle of wine it came to $36/pp (w/o tip).
(4)Katie R.
Before i extol the virtues of La Madia - let me explain the lack of star. I would have liked to get it a 4.5. My only issue here is the middle of the pizza - on an italian style pizza I like it uncut/with a bit of a soupy, cheesy center. This pizza came cut, with no juiciness in the center at all. That being said it was delicious. The olive appetizer was tasty (hot olives in a marinade, sometimes a bit spicy in a good way). Pizza fondue also delicious (bread with a pizza dipping sauce that was somehow creamy). And the margherita pizza was good (but for the lack of center wetness). Other entrees that fellow diners loved - risotto gnocchi, parma classic and the bufala/tomato/basil pizza. I tasted one dessert - a blood orange/prosecco ice. It was amazing - fresh tasting, very orangey. Altogether a solid meal.
(4)Steve B.
I went to La Madia for a business dinner and was pleasantly surprised. It's a bit swankier than a regular pizza place, but the pizza was tasty and the prices were very reasonable. They have a great menu of unique pizzas (and some traditional ones as well) -- all using very fresh ingredients. For a group of 6 we tried several pizzas. My favorites were the spinach/speck (very fresh - highly recommend it) and the buffalo mozarella with basil. The pepperoni was good, but you can get pepperoni anywhere, so I'd recommend trying something different. We only had pizza and beers so I can't comment on anything else (great beer selection, by the way), but I enjoyed my experience and I'll be sure to come back again.
(4)Andrew K.
Wasn't bad, just wasn't good...If I am going to pay a premium for my pizza it better be damn good. This was just meh, with a lack of toppings/taste and average sauce/crust. The wines we tried we good, as was the server, but I don't plan on going back.
(2)betsy b.
I ate here Sunday for lunch and it's really good. They have this app called pizza fondue or something that is awesome. We got an artichoke pizza and a pepperoni. The artichoke was my fav...the pepperoni was dripping with grease....like it was almost soggy. I don't think I'd order that again. There's a great room off to the side of the restaurant for a big group. I also signed up for some email list and they give you a $10 a gift cert on the spot and then email you a free pizza for your birthday. We also used a groupon....god I sound cheap.
(3)leyla a.
Are you kidding me? I went to La Madia for one reason, I was very impressed by the interior the multiple times I walked by. Upon entering I was, I was very disappointed as the hostess informed me that there was not a coat check. I am the type of girl who expects someone to TAKE MY COAT when I enter an establishment but apparently, this is not that type of establishment and that says a lot to me. We were escorted to a table, a table that was not really a table but a small deuce that was barely nestled into a corner. Upon sitting, we somehow found a way to hang our coats on our chair and asked for a wine list. The wine list was impressive, as it should have been seeing the bottles in the front entrance of the restaurant. Clearly, this restaurant puts an emphasis on their wine selection. My friend asked about two different wines and the server answered "well, I am not sure since I have not tried either, they don't let us try anything but the wines by the glass". ARE YOU KIDDIN ME? you are going to have a full wine list, expect to charge a reasonable amount for these wines, and NOT educate your staff? What kind of place is this? How can you expect to make any $$ on wine sales if you DO NOT EDUCATE YOUR STAFF!!! At least, educate them to LIE! "I have not tried either" is a completely inexcusable answer! Short list...... The appetizers are OK at best The pizza, if you don't order anything too complicated is good The crowd is average AT best, dont' come here looking for anything "cool" The music is late 90s, I think the owners wife must have her Ipod on To put in all into perspective, I said this, "i think this place is great for shopping all day and looking for a place to eat afterwards". it is an upscale California Pizza Kitchen. Final thought...as I was leaving, I saw a man in SWEATS wearing a backwards, camaflouge, base ball hat - that was the way I would sum up my night at La Madia!
(2)Chiwei L.
I don't get it. This place serves up expensive thin crust pizza that has faint hints of Tostino's pizza rolls. I ordered a fennel and roasted onion pizza that seemed to lack any unique flavors or seasoning. The dough and crust were just ok, but the center was on the verge of being soggy. A medium sized "large" pizza and two beers for one, ended up in the $30 range. The restaurant is trendy, and comfortable, just not great za.
(2)Jacquelyn G.
My fiance and I had yet another fantastic dinner here last night, so I figured it was high time I write a review (though clearly this place doesn't need 'em). This is one of our favorite restaurants in Chicago. Now, while we love the true Chicago-style Lou Malnati's and Pizano's of the world, we love La Madia equally for the unique pizzas they offer. My faves are the ones drizzled with the truffle oil, like the triple pepperoni--yum. I also love the wine pairing you can get with your pizza. And the market tomatoes are a must-have every visit. Generally, the service is very good. I can't think of a single time that we've been there (and we've been there a lot) when the manager, Jason, hasn't been walking around, checking in on everything. We've grown accustomed to requesting a table in the partially-enclosed room off to the side of the restaurant, and they always accommodate. That would be the only reason I give this four stars instead of five. The restaurant can get LOUD and I hate the row of tables down the middle of the restaurant. There are constantly people shuffling past you if you're stuck sitting there--not very pleasant. Best to get a seat in the side room if you can.
(4)Camil C.
La Madia was a great late night date location. It was difficult to get a last minute reservation during regular dinner hours, but the food and service would make it worth it to be flexible. We went at 9:30pm on a Friday night and the atmosphere was casual and lively. The noise level was fine and everyone seemed to be having a good time. If you enjoy nice wine this place is a great find. Not only do they have a good selection, suggestions for pairings, and a beautiful display - they also feature nice wines at a reasonable price. This made the night feel indulgent on a budget. We started with the Spinach and Taleggio Fondue based on all the great reviews. The presentation was impressive and we were not disappointed by the taste. We followed this with their Triple Pepperoni Pizza. I thought this was good but I don't know that I would order it again - especially after the new tastes on the Fondue I bet that being more adventurous would pay off. Finally we also ordered their gnocchi with sausage. This was delicious and I would definitely order this again. Throughout the night our service was spot on. The waitress was very friendly, let us linger over our wine, and really made sure we were having a good night. The food came quickly and I will definitely be coming back!
(4)Brenda Lee J.
Okay, so if you had to assume what a place with a name like "La Madia" was, you could take a first guess that it is a Spanish tapas place. But no, it turns out it's a contemporary pizza joint. This past weekend we attended my sister-in-law's 30th birthday here, in an area at the back of the restaurant. It wasn't really what I would call a private room, but it worked quite well for our large group. First impressions were good for me, with a nice urban decor and an inviting fireplace that instantly made you forget about the crappy weather we put up with year after year here. You could easily lounge by the front with a drink and people watch from the swanky couches or array of stools that surround the bar. It didn't take long for us to be seated, and we were instantly asked if we were interested in any wine or cocktails. Mind you, our group had planned a $25 / person pre-set menu that didn't include cocktails, so this was the only decision we were likely to make while seated. The meal began with a set of bruschettas (not sure if there is a regular bruschetta AND a mushroom bruschetta to choose from) that were fantastic. I was quite a little piggly wiggly that day, and wasn't shy about gobbling up someone who didn't want theirs (or didn't act quickly enough). I was glad to find the recipe for this on the restaurant website. I'll try to reproduce at home with some quality ingredients and report back on my success. Anyway, no complaints there, and like I said - would get it again if given the opportunity. Then another starter: the prosciutto wrapped dates. I'm convinced that these are in football-sized vats just inside the gates of heaven. Oh wait, I'm agnostic. But you get the idea. I've always been a fan of bacon-wrapped dates, and these didn't disappoint. My all-time faves are at Cafe Babareeba, but these make the list as well. Our next course was the salad course. There were two from which to choose. One which was an arugula herbed chicken salad, that was OK but nothing memorable. The second was an organic mixed greens salad with cucumber. Again, although it was fresh, it was more like a stepping stone to the next course rather than anything I'd ever go back for. We had three kinds of pizzas at our table: Mozzarella di Bufala Campana, Tomato Sauce & Torn Basil; Triple Pepperoni, Tomato Sauce & Mozzarella Cheese finished with White Truffle Oil; and the House Made Fennel Sausage, Sweet Peppers & Vidalia Onions. The pizzas (although thin) are not crispy on the bottom like the ones I make at home or get through takeout. Now, I'm not the wood-fired expert by any means, so I can't say that's typical of those methods or not. Nonetheless, I love crispy pizzas but didn't care that this one drooped when I picked it up. Pretty much the same for each. Now, the taste. Pepperoni? Large discs covered the pizza, with an oily texture on top. Pepperoni is now a rare treat, after learning that it's beyond heavy on sodium and fat, with just four little discs adding over 100 calories. This was well worth the splurge in terms of flavor: extra salty, which I love. Next in line was the buffalo mozzarella one (what looked like a margherita type pizza with extra cheese and basil on it, so I think I'm reviewing the right one). Tasty. Simple, satisfying and something (like the pepperoni) I would have been happy ordering on its own. The least favorite, but still tasty (again, no complaints or something I would spit out and say 'no way' to) was the sausage pepper combo. Dessert was served but I didn't try more than just a spoon: it was a gelato that looked like cookies and cream, but I can't remember what it tasted like. It didn't make me ravage the table, so I can't say that much about it. I think I would definitely come back to lazily enjoy the bruschetta again and branch out from just the pizza to perhaps the gnocchi or the mushroom risotto. For the price we paid in the group, I guess you could say it was relatively reasonable. But I think the restaurant got away with serving very little for the price. I didn't leave the restaurant hungry, but things came in small quantities and was staggered (although it was advertised as 'family style' --which instantly conjures an image of Maggiano's-size bowls with take-home suitcases for the leftovers). So you coddled your food as if you were on an airline flight and were portioning your bites to fit the circumstances. This was because we had to be polite in our large group. There's no telling how much food would arrive, or how quickly I'd eat it if we were on our own and manners were limited.
(4)D J.
Cool atmosphere, very good pizza, the buffalo mozzarella on the caprese salad was some of the most delicious I have had ever anywhere.
(4)Ethan W.
Simply...not as good as the competition. The server seemed a bit new, and could only give a full description of a bottle of wine as "medium bodied..." I recognize the wine list is pretty extensive, but we could have used more than the obvious. As to the food, quite good. The pizza fondue is good but somewhat unoriginal, basically pizza crust in stromboli style for dipping in pizza sauce baked with heavy cheese. Certainly tasty, but we had hoped for more. The asparagus gnocchi is the closest to a "do not miss," it was delicious. The buffala mozzarella pizza was good, and the white clam pizza had good flavor but was light on clams. All in all, the food is good. but nothing that rises to the level of crave. With Quartino as the originator of the Italian small plates and thin crust in this neighborhood, we had hoped for something more than a passable imitator.
(3)Rachelle G.
What am I missing? Everyone else seems to love this place, yet I thought it was a bit lackluster. Host staff was lovely and helpful. Serving staff was a bit boring and lacked personality. Menu was a bit on the smaller side although they do have quite the wine list. My friend and I split the lamb bologanese and the mushroom pizza (recommended by our server). I didn't love either. They weren't horrible but nothing that left me wanting for more. It was definitely missing something that made it great. We were hoping to have dessert but nothing really struck our fancy. Needless to say, I was in great company and mediocre food.
(3)Kari S.
I really enjoyed the food and had a great business lunch here. The service was very attentive and the co-owner was helping out as he was a bit short staffed (but you would never know it). Our waiter helped to recommend items, and they turned out to be great choices. We started with a bottle of red wine, though I have no idea what it was. Very delicious and complementary to the pizza- and got better as it sat in the glass. We ordered 6 pizzas, and they were all very tasty. From what I remember: house sausage fennel pizza, house sausage fennel with peppers and onions pizza, artichoke pizza, margarita pizza, arugula and prosciutto pizza, and pepperoni pizza. My favorite was the arugula and prosciutto, and any pizza with the house made sausage is sure not to disappoint. The pepperoni pizza was far too greasy for my tastes. The pizzas are said to be individual sized, however they are quite large for one person. If you are a fan of Neapolitan style pizza, you should definitely give this place a try. I'll go back to try their other menu options as well as more pizza.
(4)Nina R.
Selected La Madia for a company dinner and Julie so great to work with. We had customized menus waiting for us when we arrived, and the food and service were both top notch. Received superb wine recommendations from our server, too. Highly recommend!
(5)JL S.
Nice modern decor, long wine list, and in a good location. Many interesting ingredients on their pizza. One 8 or 10 inch pie was enough for my wife and me, and with the prix fixe menu, we didn't leave feeling like we got mugged like most of the touristy pizza places nearby. Save yourself the hassle of the long lines and grossness of the gimmicky, overpriced deep dish pizza places and go here.
(4)Shaun K.
Hip new establishment in River North. It is a sort of enoteca/pizza Trattoria. There is an interesting pizza selection, featuring the classic margherita to fennel sausage and arugula with prosciutto. This place is trying to be that modern neighborhood Pizzeria al Taglio in Roma, and it does a great job at it. The salads are simplistic and fresh and the wine and cheese selection is true enjoyment. There is also panini and pastas. A great gnocchi with sausage and escarole is a must. This was my first time and I will be back.
(4)Brian P.
A good spot for a casual lunch in River North. For those who (justifiably) can't stand Chicago-style pizza, the thin crust pizzas here are tasty albeit a bit too heavy on the oil. Lots of interesting options. The lamb sausage pizza was quite good. A pleasant dining area and price was reasonable
(4)Chris S.
Place to chill and drink when you dont feel like standing in the late nite lines in the Chi. It is more like a restaurant tho with a circular bar in the front. The food was out of this world. I got the salad with chicken, pecans, and cranberries. My main plate was the chicken ravoli with spanish and a cream tan sauce to die for. The food was gourmet and curbed my appetite.
(4)Courtney B.
La Madia was a last minute choice for a weeknight dinner before a movie downtown. I had passed by it before, but never really even looked into what this place was because I don't hang out downtown too often after work. Boy, have I been missing out!! What a treat! The restaurant itself is very winter-friendly and warm. There's a fireplace in the lounge area and booths and tables leading to the back pizza kitchen. Had I known, I would have requested to sit back there, at the "pizza bar", where you can dine and watch the pizzas being made. Next time! The menu is simple and fresh. Lots of amazing ingredients put together in just the right way. For instance, the Oven-Roasted, Prosciutto-Wrapped Medjool Dates Filled with Gorgonzola Dolce. Now, I've had "bacon wrapped dates" before, but not like this. The salty crunch of the prosciutto was also very smokey. In combination with the gorgonzola dolce, which is a younger, milder gorgonzola that has a soft, spreadable texture and slightly salty aftertaste, was simply delightful with the sweet, baked date. All of those rich flavors in my mouth made me do the table shimmy and wag my tail just a bit. I was breaking each one into the tiniest of pieces to make it last longer. Another added touch to this dish is that the figs are served on a bed of tiny little shredded onions and sliced almonds. Not a morsel went to waste, trust me. One other appetizer not to miss is the Bresaola, Shaved Fennel, Sweet Peppers & Parmesan- this is best described as being a lot like lettuce wraps, except the 'lettuce' here would be salami. And you wrap all the other things up inside and make your own little wraps. Fun and fantastic! The Market Tomatoes, Bufala Mozzarella & Roasted Peppers with Honey Balsamic Dressing was another lovely choice. I was dipping everything into that honey balsamic- sweet and tart, yum! There are probably 15 pizzas to choose from and it is hard to commit! I saw several pass by and tried to check them all out. The one I went with was the wild mushroom and pecorino. This crust could not have been any thinner, it was like eating a cracker, truly. This is why I believe I was justified in eating the whole thing by myself. It really is very light and easy to devour in its entirety. The wine special on this particular night was "$1 per ounce" for the selected wine, which was a syrah blend. Our server offered us up to a 7oz pour or we could order a $25 bottle. It was a good deal compared to the other prices of bottles which were a little higher than I prefer paying. But the wine list was extensive and I did like that each pizza came with a recommended wine. La Madia was a fun new find for me! It has a very loungy feel for after work drinks or a casual date. Very good service, the pizza was GREAT and if you don't go nuts with drinks, it's really very reasonably priced for perfect, sharable portions.
(5)Diana N.
I love thin crust pizza - which makes me automatically inclined to like La Madia because they make GOOD thin crust pizza (the thin and chewy crust, not the crackery kind). Kudos to them for having an interesting menu of pizzas. I came with two friends and we split two pies - one had grapes and monchego, and another one was a normal pepperoni (which was slightly too oily for me). The pizzas were good and service was attentive. Note: They don't serve beers on tap here.
(4)Chris V.
I loved this spot. The pizza was delicious! It's hard to come across a solid thin-crust pizza in this City without it being too greasy. All of the ingredients were fresh, the service was great, and the bill was not too pricey. I recommend this to anyone in Chicago that is sick of the typical Chicago-Style deep dish pizza. Check it out for sure!
(5)MELEK L.
Fortunately I was here specifically for a tasting, so I tried many of the menu items! I'll do my best to give you my take on them and the restaurant. Let's start with the pizza, since this is what they're known for. I found it difficult to pick one favorite out of the bunch. The one with their homemade sausage, peppers, and onions wowed me. I am not usually a huge fan of sausage, but this stuff is awesome. Not too chunky or overly spiced, which I loved. Also the proscuitto pizza won me over. It's hard to handle at first, but it's worth it. Wrestle through!! Apparently everyone at the table liked the salami pizza because they were all raving, but I was not one of them. Now for the appetizers, order the pizza fondue and the salad with walnuts and pears. Yummy! The pizza fondue is a large portion, so beware. The pastas were excellent as well. We could not get enough of the gnocchi with more of that tasty sausage and the straw & hay pasta was light and refreshing. The menu may be small, but I've said it once and I'll say it again...If you do something well, stick to it. And they do! That same quote does not describe the wine menu. They have 52 wines by the glass and over 200 by the bottle. BRING ON THE VINO!! One last important note. The owner sat down with a small group of hospiality professionals for over two hours. I have NEVER seen an owner take the time to do this. Impressive!! They have a dedication to using only the freshest ingredients and providing a fantastic experience. Go in and check it out. Give it a chance, whether it be for the pizza, wine, pasta, or the gelato (which I couldn't stay for, but I heard the burnt caramel is to die for).
(4)Cait C.
As a NYCer I was surprised when my business meeting opted to take me to a thin crust pizza joint. We ordered a mixed green salad to start and I felt it was missing something, lacking dressing, and overall pretty standard. My margarita pizza was boring. I expected it to be loaded with basil and fresh mozzarella but it was a standard cheese pizza. I didn't enjoy the crust personally. The restaurant was nicely decorated and a good atmosphere but the food just didn't do it for me!
(3)Lisbeth D.
Stopped by here after work on a Thursday for $5 glasses of wine and a pizza with my fellow wine-loving friend. While I was waiting for her, I had some wine at the bar and was offered a complimentary slice of pizza, which they do for bar patrons between 4-6pm. Bonus! Except the slices that were left on the plate were pretty pathetic looking and one had all of the cheese pushed to the side. Um, that's okay I'll just wait for my friend. We weren't all that hungry so we just split one of their pizza specials: mascarpone, mozzarella, figs, and prosciutto. The figs were delicious and the mascarpone was just the right amount to give the pizza some creaminess. I thought it needed a little more flavor, though. We were both surprised to see that the wine list was so big and had so many choices by the glass that weren't outrageously expensive. We both had one of the $5 weekly special glasses, and then moved on to try others on their list. All the ones we tasted were very good. I would love to come back and try some other pizzas and the mushroom bruschetta that others have raved about.
(3)Terese S.
Amazing wine list. Food was average - we ordered 3 pizzas for a group of 6. Service was excellent, but a little pushy. We did have one little incident with a foreign material in the pizza and we were not impressed with the apology by management. However, again, the wine list is amazing. I'd go back just to sit at the bar.
(3)Lynne M.
Pizza. Wine. Conversation. This is my new fav quiet spot during the week, so please everyone, don't come rushing in at once! Wines of the week are always a good bargain at $5. The seafood, artichokes, pizza and salads have all been delicious, tho a little pricey. Stick to the special wine so you can share an entree and pizzas and get outta there about $30 person. Mixed drinks were good, not amazing. My friends and I have tried almost all the special summer cocktails. Sitting at the bar is fun and they have a nice flat screen with a local game on. Sitting in the lounge is nice as long as it isn't crowded with people waiting for tables. Sitting outside was very nice, tho it won't last much longer. Sitting in the back of the restaurant was warm and cozy. The chairs are all a bit odd so maybe try to get a booth.
(5)Becky R.
Wine and Neapolitan-style pizza is one of my all-time favorite combinations and probably my absolute favorite way to spend time with friends. So, as you can imagine, I was incredibly excited to try La Madia. The wine list is rather extensive, but our server appeared knowledgeable about the selections. I'm not sure what the difference is between "Old World" and "New World" Sauvignon Blanc, but then again, that's what the servers are there for. When I asked him to recommend one of two wines I was considering, he did not choose the pricier option. Always a plus. The pizza options were some of the most interesting I've ever seen. We tried the white clam with spicy chiles and the spinach and speck (ham) with pine nuts. Both pizzas were equally delicious and the crust was just right -- chewy and bubbly. I was shocked that we were able to get a table around 8:00 on a Friday night without reservations. The place was busy, but we didn't have to wait at all.
(4)Heather L.
I went to La Madia for lunch today. I ordered a mixed italian lettuces salad and a parma pizza. My pals had white pizzas. The salad was pretty good, but the pizza was just OK. I don't know what could have made it better, really, but it just did not do it for me. Maybe it was the sauce? My one friend really wasn't a fan either. Our other friend, though, loves the place! The waitress we had at the beginning was terrible. I asked for butter and salt, and she brought us neither. Another watiress started serving us halfway through the meal, and she was much more attentive. At $8, valet parking is quite reasonable.
(2)Alexis H.
I heart pizza and therefore I heart La Madia. Forget your build your own pizza places like piece or bricks. La Madia has a menu of well crafted pizzas that will suit any taste. Quality meats, unique veggies, and artisanal cheeses are mixed and matched and baked upon a delicious almost pita-like crust. You really can't go wrong with a single item on the pizza menu. My only disappointment was the chickpea and rapini appetizer. Served with a lemon sauce and crostini, I was expecting it to be warm. Instead the rapini was cold and bitter and the chickpeas were chalky. Just not a good combo. Skip the apps and stick with pizzas for everyone. Two pizzas between three people is a good ratio to stick with. I prefer the white pizzas to the reds, with their garlic and olive oil crunchiness, but both are amazing.
(4)Sheel M.
Definitely one of my favorite pizza places in the city. Great wood-fired pizzas and they don't mind substituting stuff around. Yum!
(4)Izabella d.
came with a medium sized group, got to try a few of the decently large salads, and some different pizzas. super enjoyed the $5 glass of tasty wine. - the beet and blue cheese salad was really good, i've been sick of seeing this on every menu in chicago, but i liked it , especially the thin sliced almonds. best crunch ever. - the creamy mustard dressing with bacon and romaine lettuce. super delicious dressing, by far my favorite salad of the night - the chopped Italian Lettuces, currants, pine nuts & balsamic vinaigrette was many peoples favorite, a light salad with many different flavors. for pizzas : - had the homemade fennel sausage and sweet onion - this was yum, but flavors i have had before - burrata and squash pizza with fresh basil - i didn't expect it , but one of my favorites of the night. the squash is yellow and green (like zucchini squash) and the pizza tasted so fresh. really great. - mushroom pizza - boooring. :( with so many other fancy combos to try, i don't know why we chose this one. cheese and mushrooms, you've eaten it a million times. - goat , leek , pancetta pizza : this one was my faavorite. the leeks were to die for, the pancetta added a touch of saltiness and delicious pork, and who doesn't love them some goat cheese. yes yes yes. -- my main upset with la madia is that all of the pizzas had way too much cheese. like can't taste the sauce or the crust , super cheese layer. im all for cheese, any day of the year, but i appreciate a balance of flavors, and these pizzas were too heavy on the cheese. either way, i want to come back, especially for the late night salad, pizza, cookie combo for $20.
(4)Rach T.
Came here on a Friday night for a birthday with a large group. We had great service for the size of our party. Everyone loved their pizzas. They were pretty big and could definitely feed 2 people, unless you're supper hungry. A friend and I split the olives, dates and the pizza fondue. The pizza fondue was definitely filling enough! Pretty good for an appetizer or to share with a salad. The dates were very good with a tasty balsamic sauce (or the likes). The olives were very small and didn't have much flesh on. A bit more work to eat around the pit for the amount of "meat" you get. The server was very good about suggesting wines from their large list. We brought a birthday cake and I was pleasantly surprised we were not charged for a cutting fee. Great night. Would recommend!
(4)Eva V.
Ok. Food is not mind-blowing, not awful. A little pricey for what it is (five spears of asparagus wrapped in prosciutto for $12?). Pizza is good, but there are many other places in Chicago where you can get a pizza of similar quality. The oven-roasted olive appetizer is good, but it would have been nice to have it served with some bread. Service was weird the night we were there -- our waiter wasn't very up-to-date on the menu, and we had to reorder several times when he didn't know ahead of time that the dish wasn't available. Ambiance is nice. Clean, modern. Interesting decorations. Good date place. All in all, my heart's still with Quartino. You just can't beat their combination of good food - cheap wine - fun atmosphere.
(2)Leang E.
Well my friend and I waited just a little bit for a seat outside, but succombed to the hunger pangs gnawing at us. I had a decent glass of wine to start out with, and the beet salad was pretty flavorful. The pizza special, which was a vegetarian dish that came highly recommended was quite a disappointment. It was a white pizza with cheese and summer squash with a light truffle oil with an egg cracked on top. As unique as the dish sounded it was kind of bland for what I was looking for. I wanted a zing and should have stuck to the margherita pizza that I had first decided on. My chicken ravioli dish was pretty light as well. There wasn't anything that really impressed me. So, I should have read the reviews more thoroughly to look for specific items to order and take advantage of the specials. The prices aren't too bad and the service was good. I might be back if I heard something here was worth trying.
(3)Samantha H.
I always love the pizza that I have at La Madia. The ingredients are fresh, the crust is crispy, and the price is right. While the serving staff is young and friendly, the food takes too long to be served. I've been to La Madia somewhere around ten times and every time I go the food is excellent but the service is slow. As you can tell, I keep going back despite the slow service (note: service isn't BAD, it's just slow, in my opinion). So if you are looking for delicious pizza in River North then look no further.
(4)Steve C.
Amazing pizza. Great selection. Great service. Nice atmosphere. I highly recommend La Madia for almost any occassion.
(4)Liz C.
Come here for great cracker thin crust pizzas and salads. I am a total thin crust lover so this is the place for me. Me and my bestie had a groupon for 2 pizzas at La Madia and decided to head over late on a Wednesday night. It was packed, so we grabbed a seat at the bar. We shared the romaine, pancetta, tomato salad with creamy mustard dressing. Sooo good. For pizzas we shared the triple pepporoni with truffle oil and the shaved artichoke, parmesan and garlic. I couldn't decide which one I liked more. Side note- the little dishes of parmesan and red pepper flakes they serve with the pizza, perfecto!
(4)Mary Ellen J.
This place was awesome!! Yum, yum and yum. We sat at the Pizza Bar so we got to watch it all be made. Nicole was our waitress- so helpful and kind and very attentive! I had the Arugula, Ricotta and Tomato pizza- OMG, this was so good and also had the wine pairing, very good. Totally affordable, 2 of us- 2 apps, 2 pizzas, 2 wines and a dessert, less than 80 bucks. The atmosphere and ambiance was great, felt like you were in south beach. The hustle and bustle was inviting, not stuffy or loud. Everyone was SO kind!! You have to try this place.
(5)Aletta J.
Friend and I used her Groupon and split two pizzas, the fennel sausage and the pancetta/goat cheese/leek. Both were good. I wasn't expecting Chicago pizza, I pre-shopped the menu. The wine list is very large and can be overwhelming. Ask your server for recommendations for your taste. Speaking of service, we met at 5 p.m. and there was no one in the place and we had great service. The atmosphere is funky modern and clean. I'd go back, but probably not for the wine (a bit pricey), and maybe the dessert. Whatever the table next to us had looked interesting...like a puff bread/balloon. Might try that, too.
(3)Dave H.
Tempted to give five stars because that triple pepperoni was sooo good. We also got the Housemade Lamb Sausage which was also quite tasty, but preferred the triple pepp. Very different taste, and it's what I'd do again. Saturday night was busy, but we showed up with no reservation and jumped in at the pizza bar and watched the food being made. Not super exciting, but we were hungry enough we didn't care. The pizza bar got busier as we were finishing up (about 8:30). I like my root beer, and the Abita Cane Sugar Root Beer was decent, but I think I'll go with Blumers Cream Soda next time (like our server recommended). He was great, by the way and went over several favorites with this newbie. Definitely not typical Chicago style with the thin crust, but sometimes I just want to enjoy the toppings and not the bread. It hit the spot tonight.
(4)erin t.
Pizza, wine & conversation is how La Madia's website describes themselves & that was exactly what my night consisted of. I went here with a group of 6 & we were 50-50 on the Taleggio & Vin Santo Roasted Grapes Pizza... half (myself included) loved it, the others thought it tasted like dirty feet! To each their own, but we all agreed that the mushroom bruschetta was amazing! Great atmosphere, sharing-sized portions, LOTS of wine, reasonable prices... I will most certainly be back!
(4)Isa B.
Been there twice and both times have been a positive experience. They let your kids make their own dough for the pizza they'll eat, and the pizzas are perfect: thin crust. The place is beautiful and the service is amicable as well. Perfect combination.
(5)Nicole C.
Tasty and very reasonably priced, these pizzas are larger (and cheesier) than a classic Neapolitan, so best to share a pie between 2 people. The crust had a nice texture, straddling the line between crispy and chewy. I had the house made sausage, pepper and onion. The sausage was rich and flavorful, so rich in fact that I think it would have been better enhanced with more pepper and onion (which were slivered delicately for a nice mouth feel) in lieu of the overly ample amount of cheese. The artichoke appetizer was great, two meaty artichokes suffused with oil and garlic and served with two dippings sauces, one an olive oil with chives, the other a creamy mustard. The wine list is very long, but with a nice range in prices. There were some 4 ounce tasters for $4 and some bottles as much as $400. I enjoyed the Malbec that was recommended to pair with my selection; $10 for a 7 ounce glass. The dessert, a pear "tart" was disappointing. It seemed like a day old bakery pastry (practically had to use a knife to get into it) that was warmed up and served with a dollop of ice cream. Lamentably, I could barely taste the pear. I think they would do better to offer a crumble and use some meatier chunks of fruit. Service was friendly and unobtrusive.
(4)Patty S.
Went there for dinner.. Didn't really know what to expect as it's known for a pizza joint, but when I walked in I was pleasantly surprised with the atmosphere and decor. It didn't seem like any old pizza place so I thought I was in for a treat. We ordered 2 pizzas to share; one being the home made fennel sausage and the other is the parma classic. We weren't very hungry so we didn't order any apps so I can't tell you anything about that. I think it only took 15 mins for the pizza to get to our table from time of order. The fennel sausage pizza looked a bit sad; it was very monochromatic and greasy. When you picked up the pizza it was very droopy which was disappointing. The fennel sausage pizza wasn't anything special. You couldn't even tell that it tasted like sausage - let alone "home-made." The Parma Classic was a different story. It was overloaded with arugula, a few thin slices of prosciutto, and pecorino cheese. It looked like a salad on top of a pizza. The prosciutto was good, but when isn't it good? Overall I wasn't very impressed with the food. I think you can get better pie elsewhere... The wine list on the other hand is quite extensive. The only thing I did right all night was order the wine that they had suggested to go with the fennel sausage pizza. It was tasty and not over priced. On the menu, they have already paired the wine with the pizza for you. So, it's a no brainer. The service was another story. We must have waited 10 mins before someone came by to ask for our drinks. It was Tuesday night when we went and really cold outside, so there was probably only 12 tables w/ 3 servers. Seriously, how hard is it to come by and acknowledge us? I envision the only way I would come back again is if I'm with a large group so we can share lots of food and have a large wine selection to choose from for a decent price.
(3)Joanna R.
The service was great... we had the pizza fondue, which was very fresh and filled with flavor. We also had the margarita pizza which was very good as well. The atmosphere is great. The interior is a well balance of colors and textures. It is a great date spot :) especially in the booths for two. Will definitely come back
(5)Ken A.
The wife and I went in on a Tuesday night without a reservation. She got there first and was pushed to sit at the pizza bar despite a fair number of empty seats. I didn't mind watching the pizza guy work, it was kinda cool actually, but the chairs were quite uncomfortable. Service was perfectly fine and as compensation for the slight backache you get a free glass of Prosecco. I thought that was fair compensation. As for the food, it wasn't enough to make me want to go back without a good reason. We got a mushroom white pizza and a pappardelle with duck ragu. Both were just OK. Both pizza and pasta were well cooked, but bland. We were wishing for more bold flavor.
(2)Katie N.
This is one of my go-to restaurants. You always have a great meal. Their peperoni pizza with truffle oil is to die for! The artichoke pizza is so good too. Greats prices and atmosphere!
(5)Agnes F.
god darn good pizzas here! we had the truffle oil pepperoni and the goat cheese, leek pizza ones and they were just fantastic! we also had the gnocci with sausage since i loved it so much the first time i had it there and guess what? we cleaned the whole plate up in no time good selection of beer (we had a french one), attentive service, reasonably priced can't wait until summer is here and we can sit outside for some ppl watching too!
(4)Vy T.
I really hesitated about coming here but then decided to visit it anyway. Turn out, my fiance was right. One of the few best thin crust pizza place in town. I had the sausage and sweet onion pizza and it was very good. The crust was thin yet crispy evenly through out and not soggy in the middle. I came in on a Saturday night so service was a bit slow but the server was very nice and friendly. I will definitely come back to this place.
(4)L L.
La Madia may be on the list of my favorite restaurants! Service - great. Food - great. Wines galore- great! I love it and I'm not sure who wouldn't!!!
(5)Raytus C.
Average thin crust pizza - nothing worth a big trip for. Many Italian restaurants in the area have comparable quality with a far large menu, so not so sure how long this place will last.
(3)Liz B.
Here's the review: GET the mushroom bruschetta - to die for. My server over-guessed how much we would eat too - but did have good suggestions. Ingredients are organic and fresh - unbeatable combination. If you want thin crust pizza with interesting cheeses and toppings, this is a great place to check out. It is also a nice, casual option in what can be an upscale area. Check her out!
(5)Shelley P.
When we walked in to this place, it seemed quite promising. The atmosphere was great, the decor was very trendy, and the layout was very open. The hostess and our server was very friendly, and we thought we were in for a great dining experience. Unfortunately, we were wrong. We ordered the pizza fondue as an appetizer, and the margherita pizza and artichoke pizza as a main course. Everything took an extremely long time to come out, but that wasn't our biggest problem. The fondue was only okay. But both pizzas were disgusting (I mean really, how can you go wrong with pizza??). The artichokes honestly looked like spiders, so that put me off right there. But then my sister found a hair in it, so there was no way I was touching it then. And as for the margherita pizza, I'd hardly consider it margherita. You know those cheap, run-down, corner joints where they sell pizza slices for a buck? This pizza was exactly like that, but not nearly as good. Because I was grossed out by my meal and left still hungry, I was pretty greatful for the McDonald's McFlurries around the corner! :) In short, I absolutely won't go back to La Madia.
(2)Bob D.
Returned to La Madia, this time for lunch. A great success! For $25 you pick an appetizer, a pizza, you get 2 glasses of wine and a couple of cookies. The pizza was the sausage and onion, it was missing the onions and our waiter rushed it back. It only took 5 or 6 minutes for our new pie, it was delicious, a very nice fennel flavor and the onions are paper thin lending a delicate onion flavor to the pizza. You can't beat this deal in this part of the city, I highly urge you to give it a shot on a Saturday afternoon.
(4)Maura S.
Everything about dinner at La Madia was wonderful. Excellent dining area with great ambiance.... and the food was delicious. We began with prosciutto-wrapped dates filled with gorgonzola. So good. We had two pizzas- one with goat cheese, leeks, garlic, & pancetta and another with tomatoes, pesto, and ricotta. Both were excellent. At the end of our meal a manager visited our table to check in and ask about our dinner (bonus points).
(5)Lindsay D.
I cant believe with how many times I frequent this restaurant that I have yet to Yelp! Service...always excellent. Food.....no contest on their salads and pizzas. Absolutely mouth-watering as I type; who can resist the pizza combinations? White truffle oil? Yes, please! I'd drink it if I could. Its all done with such class. I also have yet to find as good a glass of white wine as their Argentinian--amazing compliment to any dining experience. They even have a smaller area for private/bigger parties. Rock on, La Madia, rock on.
(4)L E.
Been here 2 times, once for dinner, once for lunch. Great lunch deal $15 for pizza & appetizer. HUGE salad!! Wonderful ingredients (tomatoes, crimini mushrooms, radishes), but NO FLAVOR! Just oil. We smothered our salads in pepper AND salt Service was pathetic. She never filled our water glasses (not busy during lunch), nor stopped over enough, & recommended the artichoke pizza (instead of asparagus & onion), raving it was soooo much more flavorful. It was TASTELESS!!! I covered it in red pepper flakes, AND asked for tomato sauce to douse it in. Gave the leftovers to a homeless man on my block I've never had pizza without an ounce of flavor. I might as well just eat a loaf of white bread. Saltine crackers have more seasoning. unimpressed. This is not a place for pizza (& I love rustic, thin crust. Never would I eat Chi-style).
(2)Ramya P.
The pizzas were delicious.The ambience, the lighting was all fantastic, and the whole experience was romantic nonetheless. Amazing wine selection as well. The dining experience was memorable overall.
(4)Joe R.
A fun place to eat with good food. While we were waiting for our order to cook the waitress brought over some pizza dough for our kids to play with. That kept them entertained very well while we waited. We shared a pizza fondue as an appetizer. It is simply pizza sauce in a bowl and a baked pizza crust. Break off pieces of pizza crust and dip them in the sauce. Simple but quite tasty! I had the chicken ravioli in a butter sauce. It was very good. My wife had a wood oven cooked pizza we all had a piece and really enjoyed it.
(4)Batya H.
This place is awesome! I've eaten lunch here 3 times. Their pizzas are wonderful. Appetizers and salads great, calzones wonderful. All prepared in a wood burning oven. Haven't tried the pasta or dinner yet, but plan to. The bathrooms are very clean.
(5)Dina L.
Triple pepperoni pizza with white truffle oil was excellent. Along with the beet salad and chocolate polenta cake.
(4)Peter L.
Solid place. Start things off with the pizza fondue -- kinda of like a huge serving of upscale breadsticks and marinara. Their pizza is pretty good, not incredible, I liked the fennel sausage and goat cheese pizzas. Price is reasonable for fancy-place pizza, size is about right for a starving customer, cool decor. Good beer and wine selection, service has always been excellent. Nice date place that doesn't empty your wallet.
(3)James D.
I thought it was good. We really enjoyed the roasted artichokes with olive oil, lemon zest and garlic dip (really good). The fennel sausage with peppers and onion was very good and pepperoni and truffle oil pizza was pretty good as well. For dessert we had the spiced pear tart with vanilla ice cream (good) and chocolate cake with chocolate ganache (table favorite). Service was alright, could have been better. It's a cool space, and if you're looking for a different pizza place it's worth checking out. It's not near the top for pizza/wine places in the neighborhood though it's worth checking out once.
(3)Arielle S.
One of the cheapest options to dine in the area and trendy feel. I am the type that eats plain pizza but my friends convinced me to try the Parmesan, garlic, artichoke pizza. Great for a date or small group and ideal for dinner and wine before going out in the area.
(3)M Y.
I don't visit La Madia as often as I should. Every time I do, I remind myself I need to. Their bruschetta with mushrooms....I could eat everyday! All their pizzas are wonderful and because each one has something enticing, I can't helped but to try every single one. Drinks are always good and the service is consistently great. The only thing that I would recommend is a better dessert selection. After every meal, I always look at the dessert, but I never order any. Nothing seems good and because my meal is always superb, I want to leave it that way without spoiling it with an "okay" dessert. Overall, never a disappointment and keeps me coming back for more.
(4)Ria C.
I love you La Madia. This being my third time here, I'm so torn on whether or not to give this place 4 or 5 stars. Only con is that if you don't eat your pizza right away, the cheese gets really hard and the oil solidifies which can be a bit unappetizing. The place itself is really cool, especially with the open kitchen and option to open the windows in the bar area. They also have a great private room by their wine cellar which I've used twice for events, and not to mention a great beer selection and the best damn Matilda I've had in a restaurant. Perfectly chilled and non-skunky. I've had an ungodly amount of food here so I'll just review a few: Foil-Roasted Olives-Good, not great. Pizza Fondue-Yummy but a little repetitive since most people tend to get pizza for their main course. Toasted Bruschetta-My Favorite appetizer here. The wild mushrooms are superb and the whipped ricotta is an awesome accompaniment. Arugula and Herbed Chicken-Nice, but heavy to start. Heirloom Beet Salad and Watercress with Salted Almonds-Such a great salad. Romaine Lettuce with Crisp Pancetta and Creamy Mustard-So good and torn if this or the beet is my favorite salad. Margehrita-Just OK House-Made Fennel Sausage-You have to like Fennel, which I don't, so this wasn't my favorite. TRIPLE PEPPERONI WITH TRUFLE OIL-I LOVE this freaking pizza. Love is an understatement. I have dreams of this pizza...but you have to eat it while it's hot. Parma Classic-It was like a salad on a pizza with too much arugula. No thanks, Goat Cheese and Leeks-Good but very heavy. Would like to see more garlic. Spinach and Speck-Esh ok...but again too salady... Will be back many times.
(4)William K.
I've been wanting to try this place out for a little while now, and I finally got the chance the other day. Went in for lunch (4 of us), and it wasn't very busy. The atmosphere and decor is great (compared to that old jazz club that used to be there), but the service is pretty dismal. Our waiter seemed like he was hating the world that day, and got our order with the minimal amount of interaction humanly possible. The food, however was pretty darn good. Aside from finding a dead bug in my lemonade (of which the waiter didn't even offer an apology after I pointed it out), the pizza and salad we had was worth the trip. I'm giving this place only 3 stars due to it's lousy job of staffing. As far as I'm concerned, I would never go back to dine it, but I'll definately carry out.
(3)Frederica B.
Okay, I am thoroughly confused about this place. Is it supposed to be authentic Italian pizza? I ordered the classic margherita and it came out particularly greasy. The grease was so plentiful that it dropped on my shirt. Is the the way it is supposed to be? The service was great although I waited for awhile before anyone seated us. I was also glad a $9.50 pizza fed two people.
(3)Madia C.
I went to LaMadia for my birthday celebration in September. There were eighteen of us and everyone had a great time. The service was excellent! The timing of the food and drinks was perfect. Our plates and our glasses were never empty.The pizza had a familiar taste. The crust mimics that of a pizza you would eat while sitting at a ristorante in the piazza of a small town in the south of Italy. The wine list was impressive as well. The ambiance was loud but not noisy. All in all it was a great experience and I will be returning. The best part is that my very picky Italian aunt who rarely eats out at restaurants because she feels her cooking is better raved about the pizza. She had the prosciutto and arugola pizza. Boun apetito!
(4)Richa A.
Went here on a weeknight to catch up with a friend, and La Madia provided the perfect atmosphere for that. Not too noisy, but not too quiet, either. More importantly, the food was delicious. The menu is constantly changing but I had a pizza with pesto, tomatoes, ricotta (in addition to the mozzarella, mmm) and it was fantastic. Apparently, they also have some deal every weekday after 9pm or something like that, where you can get a pizza, a salad, and a dessert for $20, so I plan on checking that out sometime!
(4)Kyle J.
Will be back soon. Great pizza that reminded me off my semester abroad in Italy. One of the best Mozzarella Caprese salads I have ever had. Who knows where they got these amazing tomatoes in January. Amazing atmosphere that would good for big groups or a romantic dinner. This place definitely has a contemporary atmosphere and the crowd was 25-35.
(4)David W.
We were hosting a couple from Pittsburgh this weekend and decided to try something new in the neighborhood and decided on La Madia. Our reservations were for 10:30 (after seeing The Sparrow at the Apollo Theatre...It was really good!) and we arrived on time to a very busy dining room. We were seating almost immediately. The menu was simple, but sophisticated. To start we order the Heirloom Tomato Salad w/ House Made Buffalo Mozzarella and Roasted Peppers. It was beautifully executed and was delicious. As far as pizzas go, we ordered the Wild Mushroom, Buffalo Mozzarella with Torn Basil, and the House Made Fennel Sausage w/ Sweet Pepper and Vidalia Onions. All three of the pizza's were excellent. We also ordered the Ricotta Gnocchi w/ Sausage which was killer. Typically you find that Gnocchi is dense because it is made with either flour or potato or both, but this gnocchi was light and fluffy because it was crafted with the Ricotta. With our food we had a Pinot Noir from Friuli that was an amazing value. The wine menu ranged from value priced to relatively high end and had something for all tastes and budgets. Very yummy food! We skipped desert because we headed over to Margies! The space itself was modern and warm. The music was a little all over the place, but I did hear some Cure and a nice chilled out cover of Bizarre Love Triangle. The service started off just a tad shaky, but recovered nicely. All in all a very good experience. 1 Tomato Mozzarella Salad 3 Pizzas 1 Pasta 1 Bottle of Wine ------------------------------------ $100
(4)Colin L.
I have walked by this place for years and I always imagined it was really expensive, but its not. The interior is really nice. Lunch for 2 with coffee tip and tax was under $35. I would not say the kitchen is as good as xoco but the food was good for sure.
(4)Maria C.
me and my bf stopped here randomly and were very surprised! minus the pizza being just a tad bit too oily, they were AMAZING. we stupidly ordered two whole pizzas, but they were both sooooo good! they do wine pairings with their pizza too... mmm... the wine was good too! the place is really nicely set up too, and the waiters are super happy and helpful!
(4)Puja A.
The food was very good. The arugala salad was very fresh with 3 day old grapes and pears. There was a bit too much cheese so I picked around it. There were "spicy walnuts" that were more just spiced. Still good. the brushetta was really good! I got the simple roma tomatoes one and it was very tasty. We also ordered the artichoke pizza (which also had a lot of shaved cheese sprinkled on top) which was good. It didn't taste like normal artichoke. A nice rougher texture that went well with the pizza crust (which is thin).
(4)Mel L.
I went to La Madia with a friend for a weekday dinner. We got apple bruschetta and split a hawaiian pizza. Both were so delicious, and it was the perfect amount of food for two. The hostess basically let us pick our seat, and so we sat next to a little fire which made the place very cozy. Our waiter was exteremely attentive and helpful with recommendations. It's an upscale pizza place - a little step above California Pizza Kitchen with similar food choices. Yum! I'd go back.
(4)Denise B.
Went with a friend last night. The fennel sausage pizza was TO DIE FOR!!!!! Also, thank you, Tony, the polenta chocalate cake and gelato were outstanding! We'll be back!
(5)tammy s.
There really isn't much more to say that hasn't been said already! They have a fantastic lunch special-- a beginning and a pizza for $15. No, you did not read that wrong. If you are feeling saucy, you can get a beginning and a pizza AND wine pairing for $25. Yup. The salad was scrum dittly umptious. I mean, it was just romaine lettuce with tomatoes but had this incredible mustard dressing. Since I flock to mushrooms like a fat kid flocks to twinkies, we ordered the Wild Mushroom and Pecorino pizza. The crust was a little too thin for my liking, but really airy and light. I would describe the rest of it (mainly the mushrooms) but I am still wiping drool from my chin. I apologize. Funny, our 2 beers were more expensive than the meal. That made me a little sad inside. I love the interior- rather stark and modern but kind of reminded me of an upscale 70's porn set (is there such a thing?) All around great experience. Good service, fantastic food, porn interior. How can you beat that?
(4)J S.
Decent, but slightly overrated. I've only had pizza (Triple Pepperoni & Mozzarella and Basil) and salad (Frisee), so I can't comment on any of the other entrees. I liked my meal, but I was expecting a little more after reading some fawning reviews. Maybe it's the result of serving decent thin crust pizza in a city that swears by deep dish pies, or it could be the middling contemporary decor that gives off a stylish vibe. The pizza was a bit oily and didn't taste very good when leftovers were eaten the next day. I still much prefer it to a Giordano's or the like. Budget Tip: Ask about the weekly wine special. It's $5 per glass.
(3)Shawn C.
I was a little skeptical based on some of the reviews here, but I have to say I was pleasantly pleased. The service was consistent and actually enjoyable. Our waiter (forgot his name) was nice and definitely helped out with the menu and wine selections which were perfect. My friend had the risotto with the chianti braised short rib -YUMMY! I had La Madia's House Made Fennel Sausage, Sweet Peppers & Vidalia Onions. It was very tasty. I have to admit the pizza is not as good as Coalfire, but it's not far behind either. I like the atmosphere and the pizza bar. Oh, get the pizza fondue. It's really good and the bread is definitely a treat.
(4)amanda m.
This place has yummy pizza. I got the margarita pizza made with buffalo mozzarella and it was delish! My boyfriend basically got the same thing with proscuitto. I love that they have $5 wine specials every week. I've been here twice and both times the $5 wine was good, especially the riesling. The only gripe I have about this place is that the service is slooooow! Its worth it if you want to have a relaxing time with friends and some well made thin crust pizza. The atmosphere is pretty cool too since it has a modern vibe and the wood burning oven is visible.
(4)Sara T.
We finally tried La Madia last Saturday for the first time and really enjoyed ourselves. The food is good, the wine list incredible, and the Staff is unbelievable!!! We made a last minute reservation on Open Table for 4. I called the restaurant about 30 minutes before to see if we could add 2 more to the the table and even though they were booked up they were very nice in accomodating us which is not common in Chicago. We arrived a few minutes late and half our group was missing but the staff was so polite and seated us when we requested it so we could order a bottle of wine. Our friends ended up being a half hour late and we never received one comment from the staff. The manager came by shortly after we were seated and politely asked if they could move us to a booth as we were at a table that could expand to seat more people and we ended up with only 4. We were happy to move to a booth (I love booths!) and he offered us complementary drinks. We started by ordering a bottle of wine. Their wine list is HUGE... two full long pages with so many options and organized nicely! We had a hard time choosing so our server offered to let us try a couple. We tried the red wine of the week which was a nice shiraz (priced at $25/bottle) and a pinot ($42/bottle). Surprisingly, we thought the wine of the week was much nicer, very smooth, a little dry, not too fruity. I'm not sure what the usual price is but it was a great value. As for the food, the host recommended we try the pizza dough fondue as an appetizer, and it was amazing! They serve you a large flat bread crust (lightly salted) with a side of warm tomato dipping sauce which is SO delicious due to all of the cheese and cream... definitely not healthy but tastes amazing! We had one red and one white pizza. The red with Prosciutto was very good, just the right amount of sauce, cheese and meat and the crust was nice and crunchy. We also tried the white Taleggio and 3-Hour Roasted Grapes. It was good, but a little sweet and heavier with the rich cheese and white sauce. Next time I want to try the red pizza with Buratta cheese & Fire Roasted Eggplant, unfortunately they were all out, so we'll have to go back. We also split a salad with our group, the chopped italian lettuces, and it was really good plus plenty for 4. We were so full at the end of the meal but the desserts all looked so tempting so we ordered a few to share. We had the blood orange sorbet, blackberry gillato, and an apple pie/crisp... they were all soo good!! We devoured every last bite! We had a delicious meal, excellent service, and thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance. We will definitely be coming back and I can't wait to try more of their food. Plus they have a late night special (after 9pm) for two, $20 for a pizza, salad, and cookies, or $30 with wine for each person. Sounds like a good deal to me! The reason for 4 stars??? They were sold out of the eggplant pizza! And there were not a lot of veggie options for pizzas (mushroom, eggplant, or tomato). I would love to see a pizza with all kinds of veggies, rather than just one!
(4)Lisa L.
I love the decor of this place...clean and hip yet warm and inviting. Shared the lunch special -- a romaine salad with a delicious dijon dressing, the fennel sausage pizza, and the wine pairing. It was a great deal...until we ordered two more glasses of wine and jacked the bill up by $20 or so! It was a cold, rainy day and our meal hit the spot. Wouldn't go out of my way to go back here, but if I worked nearby it would be a great lunch spot.
(3)Catherine B.
La Madia's thin crust pizza is so delicious!! I went to dinner on a weekday with a girlfriend and we loved the experience. The ambiance is cozy and the service is friendly but not intrusive. I would steer clear from the pizza fondue appetizer - it's pretty much just pizza sauce, and not so much cheese - but the rest of our food was amazing! I had the buffalo mozzarella, tomato sauce and basil leaf pizza, and my friend chose the tallegio cheese and roasted grape pizza - they were melt in your mouth delicious. The wine list is extensive, and there are pasta options on the menu as well. But I would definitely go for the pizza. The valet is $12, but the restaurant is only a block away from the Red Line stop at Grand. It's also perfectly walkable from the shopping on Michigan Avenue if you need a retail therapy break for a bite to eat. A funny thing did happen to the table next to us - the waiter accidentally spilled a glass of ice water down the back of a girl celebrating her birthday. Very unfortunate, but the poor girl was super sweet about it, and I have never seen a manager run across the room faster, to provide his business card and offer to dry clean or replace anything that was ruined. In the end, she told him it was just water and she was fine, but I thought that was a great managerial response to an innocent accident. Anyway, I definitely recommend La Madia!
(4)Jen C.
I like it! Love the atmosphere - small bar in the front and a nice little fireplace with seating nearby. Great for groups! LOVED the arugula salad with apples and walnuts. Delicious! If I go again, I'm getting that again for sure! The pizza fondue was great too - it reminded our group of Indian food (not the taste, but the way it was served with nan that you rip apart and dip in the sauce) - but the sauce is yummy. Pizzas were great. We tried the Margherita, Pepperoni, and Sausage pizzas - they were all awesome. Good size for two to share if you get a salad or appetizer beforehand too. In reality I like Piece and Santullo's pizza better, but this place offers a great, nicer atmosphere. Nice beer selection too! I want to go again to try that grape pizza...sounds weird but am told it's great!
(4)Amy P.
We went to La Madia last night at 9:15 after being turned away from several places in River North that had already closed their kitchen for the night (what's with that?). We were seated quickly, but after ten minutes no one had come to bring us water. I'm not usually one to complain, but I wasn't sure that the waitress even knew we were there. I told the hostess and she was super apologetic, and the manager even brought over some complimentary prosecco (which the bf deemed "drinkable"). We ordered the late night fixe, which includes a salad, a pizza, and cookies for $20. We opted for the beet salad, which included red and yellow beats, topped wtih watercress, goat cheese, and almonds. It was DELICIOUS. We got the wild mushroom and smoked mozarella white pizza. It was really good -- the smoked mozarella was a nice compliment to the mushrooms. The pizza crust was perfect. The cookies they brought for dessert were small lemon cookies dusted with powdered sugar and candied lemon peel. Nothing to write home about, but it was nice to have something light. It was truly a great deal, and I would definitely go back.
(4)Ryan H.
Space: Located in the space formerly occupied by the Jazz Showcase, the layout is solid with a nice view of the open kitchen and dramatic 13' glass enclosed wine cellar. A small bar and lounge area occupies the front corner of the restaurant. Food: The pizzas were very good. The prosciutto and parmesan pizza we tried had hulking shavings of cheese, fresh arugula and large flaps of tasty prosciutto atop an excellent crust. Delicious. Also tested was the Margharita pizza and the Buffalo Mozzarella pizza, both best in class. Service: Very good. The Executive Chef stopped by on each of our two visits to greet us and inquire about how we liked the food. A nice touch. Drinks: Impressive scope of a wine list for a contemporary pizza place. 250+ bottles. Full bar. Nice beer list with a little for everyone, from the standard Miller product to two Belgium brews and also a Lambic offering. Nice. Check out the monthly Chef's Table event. Usually four to six courses with wine pairings. Excellent value. Overall rating: 3/5 stars based on market segment
(3)Natalie S.
I ate grapes on pizza and I liked it.
(5)Bethany H.
Amazing! The pizza was incredible and so was their caprese salad. If you're looking for Chicago style pizza go somewhere else, this is Neapolitan/ the real stuff. The service was great and the interior is cozy and delightful.
(5)ER S.
Good, but there are others I like better (and so many more to try!), so I probably won't go back. Maybe it's me, but the pizza fondue was a bit too Bennigans for me (just needed the fried ravioli for dippin'). The pizzas were good but not great... nice crust but nothing that blew me away. I had the Parma special (arugula & prosciutto), my daughter had the fennel sausage, and my husband had the pepperoni (which supposedly had truffle oil on top, but there was no way you could taste it against the spicy pepperoni). The pear crostino for dessert was terrific, though, and the atmosphere is really nice. And my husband had a glass of wine that he absolutely loved.
(3)N L.
Yummy meal in a very classy setting. I had the gnochi, the pasta itself was VERY good as was the sausage. Desert, OMG, try the Chocolate Tortino, it's perfectly moist and rich and wow! Top it off with a glass of Dr. L's reisling and you'll be in heaven!
(5)Stefanie G.
Went here for dinner with a friend a few weeks ago. Amazing food!! From the asparagus bruschetta to the tomato mozzarella salad to the artichoke parmesan pizza...it was all phenomenal. And the $5 glass of wine of the week doesn't hurt. Can't wait to go back!
(5)N M.
If I lived in Chicago, I'd go there at least once a week. My friend and I liked it so much we went 2 nights in row. What's not to like - seating by the fireplace, exquisite bar, great service, well priced wine list, great thin crust pizza and appetizers, etc.
(4)Jennifer G.
This is decent wood fired pizza. Definitely many other great places in the city. The perk about this place is the lunch deal - for about $7.50 a person you can split an appetizer or salad, a pizza and each have a dry bland cookie. For $12.50 pp they will throw in a glass of wine. Kids and hubby loved the pizza fondue though.
(3)Suj S.
This is my favorite place for pizza in Chicago. Lovely pizzas with fresh, fresh, ingredients and very well priced wine. Plus, we took the kids for lunch. When the staff saw them mesmerized by the ovens, they brought them out little rounds of dough and helped them make their own pizzas. This is a gem of a place!
(5)Jason G.
best pizza downtown. i can't ever eat here without ordering the tripple pepperoni (with truffle oil). OH MY GOD! the calzones are amazing (they make their own fennel sausage) and the salads (especially the heirloom beet salad) are incredible. aside from the beautiful wood-burning pizza oven and open kitchen, what really sets la madia apart from the rest is the incredible wine list. you'll find some incredible values by the glass and over 200 wines on the bottle list. a great place for lunch or to entertain clients!
(5)Bridget L.
Great pizza. I really love a thin crust, it reminds me of my time abroad in college. I also think this place is very chic, and not too uppity, which is a rare find, indeed. Now I will say the prices here are a tad high considering the portions, but overall, it was a nice place and really took me back to my Roman life so many years ago with the papery thin crust pizza. Very good for a girls' night out too!
(3)Dan H.
Yeah baby. Very tasty pizza, fantastic and eclectic wine selection -- especially considering how casual the place is, very good service, clean and comfortable room, and a great value. Welcome, La Madia! One opportunity for improvement: the server was super-friendly and helpful, but didn't know much about any of the wines they served -- not a big problem, the bartender made up for it and helped him (and us) out. And this is a crazy thing to note but the olives they used in their martinis were fantastic. No fancy stuffing, just basic jarred Spanish olives with pimientoes, but they were perfect and had an exceptional, unique flavor.
(4)Joscelyn M.
Great wine list and amazing thin crust pizzas - I've tried them all, but my fave is the spinach and speck. Sadly, I have not tried the other items on the menu (pastas etc) because those pizzas tempt me every time!
(4)KC W.
It's in between three and four stars. The food was pretty delicious, but the service was abysmal. Our waiter claimed to be new, and he may have been, but that does not excuse the thirty minutes we waited for our drinks. It was difficult to get his attention the whole night. If he was new, then shame on the rest of the staff for not helping him out. As for the food. It was pretty good, but also forgettable. There are definitely places that are making better pizza than La Madia in Chicago, but I cannot complain about the dinners we had. The waiter did recommend two wines, and while one of them missed the mark, the other was delicious. Overall, I would not refuse to return here, but if you're in a hurry I wouldn't recommend it.
(3)Andrew B.
Their pizza was so heavenly!!! We had one with pancetta(and other stuff) and then one with mint and eggplant(and of course other things). The prices are reasonable, and the three of us were all filled with two pizzas, so it was only about $10 each. Not bad for dinner.
(5)Susan A.
I really want to give them 3.5 stars, but I'm going with 3 because of the horrendous experience I just had there. Granted, it's restaurant week, and granted it was recently a groupon deal, but I really expected more than the incredibly inept service we got there this week. The food is good. It's tasty and unique. The atmosphere is fun. It's a nice place to go on a Thursday night and catch up with friends over some food and wine. I always get the pizza fondue as an appetizer when I go, and I always get the sausage/fennel pizza. We tried the Market tomato which was a nice refreshing contrast to the sausage pizza. The reason I'm dropping it to 3 stars is because we waited 30-40 minutes for the stupid pizza fondu appetizer, which is basically just a big old piece of bread. It didn't come until AFTER we had already started eating our pizza. Our waitress apologized several times and kept saying, "you're appetizer's on the way." You really have to wonder if she forgot before she took 2 steps away though when every other table is getting the same appetizer and we're just sitting there with our wine. And then there's the wine. Took her several tries to remember to bring it to us. She brought the glasses... forgot for a while, brought the wine... forgot for a while... apologized about the appetizer... forgot for a while.... argh. So, how is it that we order the $5 wine special and end up paying $7 per glass or $4 per half glass? Apparently, because when we were asked if we wanted a full glass, we said yes, and we were supposed to assume that this meant that we were suddenlty not getting the $5 wine special, but the $7 wine. And for the person that said "no", she got the $4 wine. What sense does that make? I don't get how that's a $5 wine special. Do I have to special request a 3/4 glass??? Sounds like a cheap trick to make a buck! Overall, still recommend this place... but your experience will vary depending on your server.
(3)Traci M.
La Madia is easily my go to restaurant in Chicago. When me and the girls want a good meal, and a lively atmosphere on the weekends, we choose La Madia. When my boyfriend and I want pizza (pretty much three to four times a week) but want to do something more romantic than typical pizza joints in Chicago, we choose La Madia. The food is great (maybe not THE BEST WE HAVE EVER HAD like Great Lake), but with one click on opentable we can pretty much always get in. When that groupon came out I am pretty sure I got 5 of them and am actually using my last one tonight for our first double date with 2 good friends that just got together:) (see our go to place!)
(5)Lisa D.
I love La Madia! I am not a big pizza eater, so I have had the risotto and a ravioli dish there. Both were excellent! The wait staff is very friendly, the decor is gorgeous, and the whole place is just trendy enough without being pretentious. It's a great place both for a romantic date or to go in a group with friends.
(4)Jen W.
La Madia is one of my favorite restaurants right now. It is a cute little modern Italian-type place. It is a great place for a date or for a group. They have a huge wine list (with 4 or 8 ounce pours, I believe) and all the food I have had has been very good. The tomato, mozzarella and pepper salad is very good. I don't know where they get these huge juicy tomatos! The pizzas are also very good. They are thin neapolitan style. In particular the sausage and pepper pizza is very good. This is just a fun little place to go with reasonable prices. It is also pretty easy to get in without waiting for too long. Highly recommended.
(5)Marti G.
We love this place! You can't go wrong here. They have $5 wine specials, they have amazing pizza, beet salad, olives, mushroom bruschetta and strawberry rhubarb crostata! They have the best bartenders in the city and excellent management. They cater many of our in house events at Aniko. We love La Madia and we love their team!
(5)Siao Linn S.
While I am normally a huge fan of American style brunch on the weekends (see Nookie's review), I decided to go on a little lunch date to La Madia instead on a Sunday. The perks: you can make a reservation, you do not wait in line at the reservation-less brunch places strewn across Chicago, and you can start your appetizer in about 15 minutes. Also, they have a salad, pizza, and cookies for two people for $15. I will take it. It's almost too hard to decide on just one pizza, so my date and I ordered another pizza. The aged-grape pizza is awesome, as are the pepperoni and the sausage. Don't forget to try the Chef's table (make a reservation) on the first Wednesday of the month. $35 for a 5 course meal with wine pairings! Done and done.
(5)Kent V.
We visited downtown for a family night out to get into the Holiday spirit. La Madia came up in our google search for an interesting place to get some thin crust pizza so we gave it a shot. We arrived very early with our kids because we didn't want to get caught up in the Saturday night crowd. We were there by 5:00pm. The place was nearly empty, but the Hostess still questioned her ability to get us a table. Frankly we felt a little shunned due to having kids with us (4 kids, 8..16). After a bit they finally decided to seat us. (The place remained essentially empty for the next hour) Thankfully that was the end of the questionable part of the evening. Our server was fantastic and VERY friendly! He even gave our 8 year old a free small cheese pizza out of the blue, just to "..make him happy.." We had two additional pizzas, salad and soup. All were quite good, although nothing reaching the extraordinary state. The soup for $5 was very tasty, but very small for the money. Much more a cup than a bowl. But otherwise the meal and service was really outstanding and if you are a fan of wood fired thin crust pizza, give it a shot. We certainly wouldn't rank it #1 our our pizza list, but it was quite good and reasonably priced. Not bad for downtown Chicago.
(4)Fahad A.
I usually go there for their pizza selection. My favorite is "homemade lamb sausage pizza"
(4)Annie T.
Friday lunches. I live for a nice, delish lunch outside, under a little umbrella, while people watching. I do. La Madia is just around the corner from my office so I met my friend and her big boss man for lunch. We started with salads-- I shared mixed greens with perfectly seasoned chicken in a vinaigrette. MMMM. Then we ordered the buffalo mozzarella pizza. Holy Friday orgasm. Delicious, thin, perfect. If there's anything I learned from living in Italy for a summer-- it's basil and fresh mozz. And La Madia offered just that. Not only was our food delectable, but the chef took our orders and gave us his recommendations as well. Star service. I'll be back! I'd love to get a group of friends together for a nice dinner and some vino. They offer wines of the week for $5 a glass.
(5)Merle H.
We were looking for thin crust pizza and used Yelp to choose this place and so glad that we did. We ordered a sausage and onion pizza and it was excellent. Loved the homemade fennel sausage and the crust was excellent. Jason the waiter was very attentive and brought each of our kids a piece of dough to make there own pizza which was very cool. The pizza bread/crust fondue was awesome too. Highly recommend this place for thin crust. Much better than Pizannos. Did not like theirs at all.
(5)Elizabeth M.
Stopped here last week on a business trip and LOVED it. The Parma pizza was amazing, and so was the seasonal dessert. I highly recommend this restaurant:)
(5)Saudade C.
If you want authentic thin crust pizza this is the best kept secret in an area mobbed with tourists. Don't be intimidated by the slick, somewhat too cool first appearance. Yes, it's got a club-vibe to it, but the intimate front bar/lounge, and tiny outdoor garden are worth checking out. This is a place where you can kick back with a great glass of Chianti. The salads are also extremely fresh, especially the beet and dandelion selections. This is quality food with a cool European atmosphere for those seeking refuge from the surrounding generic eateries. Enjoy.
(4)Joy L.
We are pizza fanatics! We have only tried salads & pizza here but it's our most favorite thin crust pizza place in the city. We LOVE the sauce and always get extra on the side. The salads are phenomenal and so great that they take lengths to use fresh, local & seasonal whenever possible. Most of the servers are great--we've had a couple that were not as friendly but overall great atmosphere.
(4)Brad F.
I walked in and it was really hot inside, they leave all the doors open to the outside. The hostess had the personality of a mailbox, Inside was very boutiquey, not a fan of those types of restaurants where I dont know the ingredients on the items listed on the menu. Im a very simple person. But I ordered the bufala mozzarella pizza and it was pretty good. We also got the caprese salad which was excellent.
(4)Nick P.
Fantastic food, reasonable prices, and a great location. I had a great time with a few friends here tonight, and we weren't rushed out even though we lingered maybe a little too long. A place to check out.
(5)Bryan B.
The food's all good stuff, but don't leave without trying an Old Fashioned from their bar. It's the best mixed drink I've ever had. It's pretty faithful to the basic recipe, but their mulled cherries and blood oranges make it great, and I think they use honey-infused bourbon. Soooo good.
(4)Gina B.
The thin crust pizza here is the BEST in Chicago. I had the Triple Pepperoni with Truffle Oil and it was one of the best meals I've had - EVER! The sauce was tangy, the cheese was very light and not overpowering and the pie was LOADED with crispy yet chewy pepperoni. The truffle oil sounded a little gross for to me when I read the menu but it is amazing!!! Every bite was deliciousness! I enjoyed my pizza with a fresh iced tea and it was a perfect lunch combination! If you are thin crust pizza fan - this is the place to go in Chicago.
(5)sejal s.
This place is amazing. Wonderful wine selection, where you have the option to order a 4 oz, 7 oz or a bottle. Even though we both prefer red, we prefer different types, so I started out with the 7 oz of Tempronilla wine, which was smooth with a spicy kick, one of my favorite wines I've had. Then I wanted something a bit more spicier so ordered a glass of Malbec, which delivered. My friend stuck with the Cab, which he enjoyed. Everything looked good on the menu, but we skipped the salad and apps to leave room for dessert. We started out with the margherita pizza, the crust was perfect, not too thin nor too thick. The ingrediand were fresh and the sauce was tasty. I don't have a sweet tooth so I opted for the 3 cheeses, which were served with honey, almonds and preserves and were really fresh. My friend ordered the chocolate tortino and was savoring every bite, but still allowed me a small taste, and it was decadent. The restaurant looks small from the outside, but there are quite a few tables and it is an intimate setting. There are a few tables outdoors and it was not too crowded for a Monday night so we were able to get seated right away. I will be coming back to try the other pizzas and wines even though I found my favorite.
(5)Ross W.
Since we had tried deep dish pizza, we decided to go the other way, i.e., thin crust which is apparently a growing trend. We had the lunch special for 2, which only cost $16. You get to choose a salad and a pizza with 2 cookies. It was quite a bit of food. We had the Organic Arugula Salad comprised of roasted grapes, apple, walnuts, shaved pear & balsamic vinaigrette. It was lovely. For pizza, we tried a white with seasonal wild mushrooms & smoked mozzarella. It was delicious. Cookies are cookies, but their salad and pizza are impressive.
(4)Nina O.
I love love LOVE this place. It's like a Crate & Barrel inside....great salads to share and great thin-crust italian pizzas. this place never bores me.
(5)Jennifer S.
Wow - not what I expected....ended up exceeding my expectations. I had lunch with 3 girlfriends on a Friday. We started with foil roasted olives that were the perfect little treat. We split 2 pizzas and 2 salads. While everything was delicious, the standout was the artichoke, Parmesan and garlic thin crust pizza. I can't stop thinking about it! The atmosphere was a little trendy but comfortable. I will definitely be going back!!
(5)Brandon H.
Possibly the freshest ingredients I've had on a pizza anywhere. The service was good (during lunch) and the wait staff was knowledgeable and helpful. Everything about this place is classy, without going over the top. My only (slight) complaint is that on their website they mention they have a "create your own pizza" option, and that is not the case. I was able to change their pre-designed pizzas slightly, but there are things they won't do. This is also one of the only places I've found that offers buffalo mozzarella on their pizzas, and it was fantastic. It was a good value too, the pizzas are large, and the total for four of us ran about $20 a person, not including any wine or drinks. For only being open a week, this place is already great and looking to only get better!
(5)K M.
Definitely worth a stop in the area. Now anyone knows that if you sat me down in front of two pieces of pizza, one a big cheesy Chicago style and a thin crust, I will go for the big cheesy 9 times out of 10 (the thin crust would have to be topped by something pretty f***ing spectacular to catch my attention). However, I don't dislike the thinner crusts per se, and I would by no means kick and scream if someone suggested coming here. Much of this has to do with the pizza fondue. BRILLIANT. It tastes like pizza hut breadsticks, only you don't have to be ashamed of loving this (although I have very little shame when it comes to my "dirty" secrets in food- like Olive garden soup & salad and my love of cheap pizza). The bread they serve with it is just amazing. The sauce will get you through the bread and then provide enough to dip the crusts of your pizza in as well. On future visits, I would absolutely insist on this appetizer. Because the pizza didn't really knock my socks off. There were a few that sounded like they would work for me. But something about the cheese turned me off. Crust was good though- not too crunchy and didn't have that smokey, slightly charred out of the oven taste (god I hate that taste). What I really liked about the space was the area up front- when the windows are open, I can see this being a great spot for dinner. I love the alfresco dining! Unfortunately, that space is limited. I came here on a Sunday around lunchtime though and the place was deserted so that helped. The bar area was also cute. And randomly, I was impressed by the bathroom and kind of felt inspired to go home and do something with mine. Have no fear, the impulse passed quickly. There were 3 of us lunching and 2 pizzas + the fondue was plenty. Although we were trying to get my little brother over his bachelor party hangover, so he might not have been at usual eating capacity. Heck, go with 3, leftovers are good for you. And they don't have calories. Right? I will definitely add this to my lazy River North lineup of restaurants to go when I just don't feel like going far, and particularly when the pizza hut breadstick craving hits!
(4)Mihir P.
My friends and went here for late night wine cravings. What to say??? Our "winetender" was fantastic. He knew his stuff, was professional and very polite. They have a great selection of wines from allover and they are priced reasonably. Cool minimalist decor makes it relaxed and personable.
(4)Chrysta D.
Excellent service, Excellent food. I highly recommend the margarita pizza. My son ordered the peperoni pizza and I used his truffle oil on my margarita pizza, excellent! The salads were fresh and delicious. My son's pizza took a little long to come out of the oven and the manager came over to apologize and comped the pizza. I hardly ever write reviews on yelp, but felt this was a restaurant that really deserved a great review. Real Italian style pizza- not that Chicago style overstuffed with cheese.
(5)Gabriela R.
Love this pizza! Great portions and you have a menu special as well! If you are in big group then I WOULD recommend taking the special since includes as many pizzas as you like, appetizers plus dessert! Overall love the chic environment and of course PIZZA!
(5)Kathryn M.
5 stars for lunch. Why? $16 lunch special for TWO. That's right, $8 a person for salad, pizza, and Wisconson electric cookies. (Still not sure what makes 'em electric, but they were yummy!) We chose the arugula salad with roasted grapes, apples, walnuts, parmesan and a walnut vinaigrette - HUGE and delicious. The server's recommendation of the pepperoni pizza with basil and truffle oil was also a hit. We ended up with leftovers from both dishes. $16. Go.
(5)Scott P.
I don't know how they do it, but La Madia just keeps getting better . Some friends and I tried the new menu last night and were just blown away. From the Costa Rican pineapple and speck pizza (in the wood fired oven) to the pumpkin filled tortellaci (hand made pasta, of course), everything we tried was mentally logged as "must have this again." The staff absolutely lives up to the quality of the food. They offer up outstanding service and impressive knowledge of the menu and one of Chicago's best wine lists. If you haven't tried La Madia, you are missing out. And be sure to say hello to the owners. These guys are always in the restaurant greeting the customers and even stepping into the kitchen to help crank out some of the best food you've ever had. Thanks, La Madia. See you again soon...
(5)Cynthia L.
Meh. Truffle pepperoni pizza - slight hint of truffle, major pile of grease and burnt pizza. Three cheese pizza - no house made mozzarella, just standard boring cheese pizza I could probably make better at home using a frozen pizza. But of course, the torn basil on top made it real fancy-like. The service was good and prompt, but the decor is modern and has a sterilized and unwelcoming feel. No need to return, especially not for pizza when Quartino is right down the street.
(2)Layla J.
I went because of the reviews. I had to try something new in Pizza in Chicago. Well the dough is delicious. But I wish it was crispier since it being thin crust. We ordered the margarita pizza and it was okay. I think it was greesier then it usually should be. And then we ordered the Chocolate tarantino and it was okay as well the nuts on the top was the best part. I heard Quarintino does their pizzas right so we'll check that out next.
(3)Ben K.
Our party of 10 had to wait for about 45 minutes past our reservation in the crowded restaurant foyer due to a scheduling snafu on their part. Fortunately, they made up for this by comping us two bottles of wine, which started off an evening of good service and excellent food. Without going into too much detail, for what seemed to me a pretty reasonable price, we got a gluttonous amount of delicious food, a handful of glasses of wine each, and an excellent dining experience. Their bruschetta is surprisingly tasty, but what really stood out were definitely the pizzas. The pepperoni, the four-cheese, and the homemade sausage were all great, thin neapolitan style and thin enough to avoid being greasy and heavy. But the highlight for me was the eccentric combination of white clam, fresno chiles, and lighly pickled cucumbers. This was a pizza I would only have been exposed to in a large group setting, and I was blown away at how well the ingredients went together. Can't wait to come back.
(4)Susan F.
Having come here many times, I may as well put in more of my input. While all of their pizzas are amazing and they have the great $15 lunch special every week day (big salad or "Starter" one whole pizza, and mini cookies), my favorites are: Pepperoni with truffle oil Grape n cheese Mushroom Goat cheese n somethin They have more sophisticated names, but clearly I have named the most important elements of the pizzas. Great service, never over crowded for lunch, it's just the best!
(5)Grace L.
This is hands down the best lunch special in the touristy parts of Chicago. So great it's almost unreal. The menu runs parallel to the likes of Crust in Wicker Park with a variety of fancy salads, a few calzones and a selection of thin crust, wood-fired pizzas. Except that it's within a few blocks of the Magnificent Mile. We shared a very sizable salad of dandelion greens, radicchio, endives, black currants, fennel and plenty of pine nuts. Next came a hot, fresh napoletana-style pizza of mushrooms and pecorino cheese with a chewy, slightly raised, slightly blackened crust. We finished with two lemony butter cookies. This lunch special is $15 and meant to be shared...so really, it's $7.50 for one person. How is that possible? I do not know. There are other items on the lunch menu that are not included in the lunch special that look just as good for not much more. A lady seated next to us had a very generously portioned platter of a half-sandwich, small salad and bowl of soup - for $9, I think it was. Will hit that up next time, I think. The only downside to this place as a lunch option is that it seems to take a bit of time, but probably only because the food is fresh-made. So budget your time accordingly - at least a full hour for lunch. But the atmosphere is casual (and comfy seats!), there is not wait to be seated, and there was not a tour group in sight. I could be a lunchtime regular here.
(5)Levent T.
Alright...I love the quality of ingredients in relation to the value for what you get. Also, the $20 pizza, salad and dessert special they have (which we didn't get to take part in) is totally a win-win for those late night prowlers. Succulent pizza, some healthy greens and some sugar goodness to finish it off...where do I sign?!?!?!
(4)Nikita A.
The food and wine were fantastic -- my only complaint is that it took them almost 30 minutes to seat us and we had a reservation. However, the pizza was amazing. Try the pepperoni with white truffle oil!
(4)Rick A.
Excellent salad, pizza and drinks. Nice atmosphere and service.
(4)Sunil D.
Came back here the other day and had an outstanding meal. After 9 they have a dinner for 2 special for $20 (pizza, salad and desert/cookies) or $10 more for 2 glasses of house wine (obviously went with this option). The lamb sausage pizza was really good and the capaprese salad has some of the largest, freshest tomatoes that are probably available in the area. The wine was ok, nothing great...but at $5 a glass I'm not complaining. A great casual date spot and if you roll in after 9, you'll spend less on the meal than you dropped for the round of drinks to pick up said date at the bar anyways....
(4)Danae M.
I have spent countless girls nights & client lunches at La Madia. It is the perfect River North place for a sophisticated Italian meal and great wine list. Start with the artichokes, believe me, you will not be disappointed. They come 2 on a plate, accompanied with a mustard-based sauce. It is to die for! La Buffala pizza was my other staple at La Madia. Unfortunately they have restructured the menu & it is now the pizza margarita. And it is no longer lavished with big hunks of buffala mozzarella. It is still a good pie, but not as exceptional as it once was. (tear). And, yet, I will still continue to go to La Madia as they have all the great makings of a quality place: good ingredients, ambiance & wine.
(4)Andrea P.
My friend and I went here on a Groupon and we loved it! The food is great and the atmosphere is relaxing yet chic. Their artichoke appetizer is scrumptious and their wine list is decent. Their pizzas are unique in that they are baked in a wood oven, they are slightly on the thin side but the flavor is all the kick. I would recommend the wild mushroom pizza, it is sooo good! The atmosphere is so unique, I was very drawn in by it. The first time we came here it was winter and it felt so cozy inside. I mention this because it was cozy yet very modern (which I have found to be very rare). If your in the area and your in the mood to get a bit dressy for a tranquil dinner and a glass of red wine, I would give this place a shot. *A tip for the sauce lovers, ask for a small amount of extra sauce because the pizzas don't come with much. I love sauce but honestly I would leave the pizzas just as they are, the flavors are perfectly blended. If you absolutely can't go without sauce, ask for it. ; )
(4)Valentina V.
LOVE this place. I can't say enough good things. Perfectly thin pizza's with an amazing soft and warm crust , salads perfect for sharing and a great wine list. What more could a girl ask for? Great date spot (who doesn't love pizza??) or a nice dinner with the girls. My favorites include: Romaine Lettuce | Market Tomatoes, Crisp Pancetta, Shaved Parmesan & Creamy Mustard Dressing Seasonal Wild Mushrooms, Marsala Glaze & Whipped Ricotta Triple Pepperoni | Tomato Sauce & Mozzarella Cheese, finished with White Truffle Oil Laura Chenel Goat Cheese | Melted Leeks, Garlic & Pancetta Lardons
(5)Kimberly L.
I've been to La Madia twice now and have enjoyed both experiences. The ambiance is warm and friendly and the food is quite tasty. I also had a coupon from La Madia so this was another bonus in my eyes. We ordered prosecco--always crisp and refreshing--and some Niçoise olives to start out. I've decided that I'm not wild about hot olives but they were fine. The pizza is the real star of the show. We ordered one red and one white pizza. The red--Triple Pepperoni, Tomato Sauce & Mozzarella Cheese, finished with White Truffle Oil. The white--Burrata, Roasted Eggplant, Market Tomatoes & Torn Basil. Both of these were exceptionally delicious and, if you're a table of two, you'll have leftovers a-plenty. Service was efficient and friendly. Enjoy!
(4)Alison M.
One of my favorites! Everything I've had is good, but nothing beats the triple pepperoni pizza. It is so flavorful that even though you want to devour the whole pizza in a minute flat, you can't help but savor every bite slowly like a rich dessert. Love the $6 wine specials as well and the restaurant also has a nice ambience.
(5)Jessica S.
We recently went to La Madia when my parents were in visiting and we had a great time. The atmosphere is great, warm and inviting, and the food was all delicious. The waitress gave us a great wine recommendation and we got 3 pizzas and some salads to share. The pizza was all really unique and mouth watering! The burrata and shaved asparagus pizza was phenomenal and rich. There is a dish for everyone and a great place for groups!
(5)Yaw N.
Great pizza that comes straight out of a woodburning oven. They definitely know how to mix their ingredients to create interesting pizzas. I'm not sure what happened to their buffala mozzarella pizzas, but I want them to come back in a hurry. My girlfriend and I usually get a bottle of wine of their extensive wine list. They have a great range of prices that can accommodate a good wine selection regardless of your budget. If it comes back to the menu their tomato and buffala mozzarella salad is incredible. As far as pizza choices go.. Ask your waiter and go with your gut. The menu changes frequently enough for me to not single out one pizza but they had a triple pepperoni pizza with truffle oil that was delicious and a prosciutto, pancetta, and buffala mozzarella pizza that I still dream about from time to time. If you're not in the mood for deep dish and you want a good dining experience, try this great place.
(4)Kate S.
I continue to love La Madia. The food is delicious and at a very reasonable price point. They continue to accommodate groups and the food always comes out on schedule and warm for everyone. My only gripe is that the servers always seem frustrated when groups stop drinking! I felt like when we slowed down on ordering wine, our waiter came less frequently. Nevertheless, I love the pizza and wine selection here and look forward to my next trip to La Madia.
(4)M Z.
Love the wood burning pizza and the artichoke. One of my favorite pizza places.
(5)Olivia L.
Atmosphere. Service. Food. Amazing! La Madia is arguably my favorite pizza place in Chicago (excluding deep dish of course)- they have by far the best thin crust pizza! First, the atmosphere was relaxing and classy with candlelights wickering through the dim lighting. Second, the service was great! Food was served quickly and the waitress and host were smiley! Finally, the FOOD WAS DELICIOUS! We began with an organic beet salad that had goat cheese and watercress with it (so fresh!). Then we were served the fennel sausage with sweet onion pizza- SO YUMMY! I personally love fennel and onions! The crust was thin and crispy and not oily! I think they use charcoal grills (charcoal marks on the pizza plate) which makes it all the better! :) Of course, our meal was finished off with bite-size Wisconsin almond cookies- which were decent with the lemon jelly candy. I don't usually even enjoy pizza that much, but I LOVED this place! Check it out when you're around Dearborn/Grand!
(5)D F.
Restaurant week visit because I love this place. Food was awesome, and they offer pretty much the entire menu for restaurant week, which is how it should be. Wine list is very deep and my girlfriend loves the half glass option. Desserts are classic and perfect portions. Had a nice port-style wine as well. There is a reason why I go back to this place. Good food, great service and most of all its priced fairly. I can imagine, although I haven't been single for awhile now, its also a great date place.
(5)Tina B.
Eff a Chuck E Cheese. A La Madia, they gave my toddler a blob of fresh dough to play with, fired it up afterwards as his very own baby pizza and - didn't charge us any money for it!! I know! And the pizza tastes goooood. Like real good. The super thin crust is crispy and delicious. I think my man is having a creepy affair with the truffled pepperoni and I took slices of the roasted grape and taleggio home to try to figure out how to steal their recipe. And more good service - when it was obvious a glass of wine was going undranken...undrunk...unhadable....whatever - it was replaced with a new choice and comped, with totally suaveness...suavety...whatever - grace. One negative - the television at the bar was broken on a big sports night. Um, every night in Chicago is a big sports night - make sure that junk stays fixed, stat.
(4)Jami S.
Went back to La Madia for Mothers Day and was just as good if not better. Never a disappointment getting the Mushroom bruschetta and triple pepperoni pizza! My Mom & Dad loved the food and my Mom had a wonderful Mothers Day thanks to La Madia. Our server was friendly and polite too. They even gave my Mom a $25 gift certificate for coming in on Mothers Day to use at a later date, which she gave to me... Thanks Mom & La Madia! :)
(4)Pheebe L.
Place and decor was nice. Lounge atmosphere. Food. PEI mussels were fresh and just cooked but needed salt. Risotto was not creamy and was a little too under done. Braised beef was too salty. Pizza was dry and crust was tasteless. Service was slow and inefficient. I've had better food/ pizza. Won't recommend and won't be back.
(2)Mark P.
Great food and really terrific service. Everyone, from the host to the waiter (Josh) were so nice. The food was amazing. House made fennel sausage pizza (thin crust) was fantastic. Gulf shrimp risotto was even better. Great!!!
(5)blackvirga s.
Came here with a group of friends and I wasn't dissappointed. The pizza is great, the wine list is pretty good and the staff was super friendly. My friend loved her pasta also. We were taken care of all night long by our server. He never missed a beat. It is a convient location too as it is not too far off of Michigan Ave on Grand. Really close to a red line stop. I would come here again.
(5)Ay D.
The $16 lunch for 2 (salad, pizza, and cookies) is the perfect workday getaway for much-needed gab and grub. Salad choices are stellar with high end ingredients tossed to perfection. The heirloom beet salad is the bomb! It's a party in your mouth with all your favorite foodie characters - creamy, crunchy, airy, refreshing, healthy. La Madia offers pizzas with red sauce or white sauce. Missed out on the pork belly, tuscan kale, and caramelized onions. The triple pepperoni with truffle oil was a bit salty, but quite moist and still delicious. The lamb sausage pizza with the minty pesto is the best I've had here. My dining buddy and I are always full by the last slice, but refuse to waste it. No one gets left behind. The salad and pizza satisfy the needs for savory, but the little cookies with the lemon zest are a nice finishing touch. Tons of variety on the menu, reasonable prices, great service, and a quick skip from the office.
(4)C C.
Was excited to try La Madia. Had heard good things from friends and read decent reviews on Yelp. Unfortunately we were let down big time, mostly due to service, or lack there of. Arrived for an early dinner so there were only a few tables seated, but even so, for whatever reason it took forever for anyone to take our order. Hosted seated us right away. Then we sat... and sat.... after about 5 minutes someone finally came over, but just to tell us that our server would be right with us. Waiting... waiting... waiting. Another 5 minutes or so pass and still no server, but yet another person to tell us someone would be right with us. Still nothing. A few more minutes pass and then another person thought oh, here's some water, but they were still not our server and gave us the same ole' line.... someone will be right with us. About 15 minutes or so into it and deciding we'd rather just leave, our server FINALLY came. No apologies for the delay, nothing. Figured we waited this long, we guess we'll stay now that he's finally here. Ordered some pizzas and a salad, they were good. But we probably won't be back because of the poor service.
(3)Char Y.
We came with a groupon & ordered 3 pizzas triple pepperoni - really oily & salty housemade lamb sausage - really good & spicy housemade fennel ssausage & sweet onions - delcious I think it is pretty good pizza, but not spectacular for the price.
(3)Felice O.
Excellent! The epitome of a Euro Chic pizzeria. I love the decorum and all of the clean lines. That being said a friend and myself split The beet and Goat Cheese salad and the prosciutto arugula pizza. It was simply amazing.
(4)Amanda C.
Had a great time here for a group dinner. I was surprised at the decor and had expected it to be more of a traditional pizza restaurant but it's very modern inside. There were several bruschette to choose from on the appetizer menu; I tried the caprese option which was very good. We also split a few pizzas, all of which were great in my opinion. I don't understand the poor reviews of the pizza on here. If you are expecting Chicago-style pizza here you'll probably be disappointed as this is pizza is thin and awesome just how it is in Italy. I especially enjoyed the prosciutto/arugala, and there is a large selection of both red and white pizzas. The late night prix fixe menu is a cool idea and if I were in the area later that would be a great thing to pop in for.
(4)Lea L.
Love this place! Been a fan since it opened and keep going back. They serve my favorite wine Dr. L and never had a food option that I didn't like. Pizza fondue, sausage, onion and pepper pizza, risotto....all yummy.
(5)jenny m.
Easily one of my favorite pizza places in the city (I'd go so far as to put it in my top 3). I've been here a handful of times now and I've never had a thing I did not like. Well, I take that back. I thought the pizza fondue was kind of blah...but other then that it's hard to go wrong. If you like olives, I would start with them. Served warm and oh boy they are yum yum yum! The bruschetta's are also really good, especially the one with mushrooms (I'm a bit obsessed with mushrooms though...so I usually love just about anything mushroom). Now on to the important stuff - the pizza! I am not a huge fan of the Chicago style deep dish....I love me some thin crust. And the crust on the pizzas here is perfection - it's thin and a little bubbly in places - so tasty. I've tried probably half of the pizzas and there's not been one that I didn't think was delicious. They just know how to make em here. The right amount of sauce, the right amount of toppings, the right flavors....all of it just makes my mouth very happy! I also like the ambiance here. It feels upscale but not pretentious by any means. I've gone during the week and on the weekend and it's always busy but you never feel like it's too loud or obnoxious. They have a small bar/loungey area where you can wait for your table too. Although, with a reservation I've never waited more then 10 minutes to get seated. And if you go without a reservation, you can probably get a seat at the pizza bar, which I did one night. It was kind of neat cuz you are right in front of the chefs and you can watch them make the pizzas. Don't sit there if you are stupid hungry though - it'll be torture watching them make the pizzas while you wait for yours! I do agree with some of the other yelpers, service can be bit spotty. I've had awesome service a couple of times, but then the last time I was there the waiter seemed uninterested in serving us. But honestly, give me a glass of wine, some good company, and the knowledge that awesome food is coming, and I can overlook the possibility of getting less then stellar service at times. Hey, what can I say, I'm a glass is half full kind of girl!
(5)Tom Z.
We went here for dinner on a weekend. Instead of pizza we ordered entrees. The appetizer with truffle oil bread was fantastic. All food was great. But our most memorable experience was our waitress and atmosphere. We were seated in a side room away from our noise. Our waitress kindly explained that food may take some time due to the crowd (which it didn't). She paired drinks very well and was very attentive.
(4)Carol K.
La Madia was delicious, easy, affordable, satisfying yet light. We sat in the indoor/outdoor window seat, nice ambiance, the menu was fresh, creative, contemporary, but not over the top. They have a great lunch special, a larger salad and pizza (8 medium thin crust slices) for $18 bucks, a total steal, plus they give you cookies at the end. We ordered an organic salad, all the ingredients were fresh and it had a light herb dressing. The pizza was thin, crispy, and chewy not loaded with cheese, but shaved with aged parmesan, fresh arugula, and good quality prosciutto. SO GOOD, it's quick and totally doable for a business lunch. Go and enjoy!!!
(4)Stephanie S.
We stopped in for a weekday lunch during our trip to Chicago. I was craving some good quality Italian, and really wanted some homemade pasta. We got a shared appetizer of Buffalo Mozzarella, which was great! Crispy olive oil coated bread that was perfectly toasted with amazing fresh buffalo mozzarella, and sautéed smashed tomatoes and fresh basil, superb. The husband got the house made sausage calzone which was very tasty and huge. It was stuffed with great cheese, plenty of sausage and a nice mix of mascarpone cheese which absolutely brought the dish together, and came with a side of homemade sauce that was slightly cream based tomato and was delicious, we really enjoyed it (I may have stolen a few bites. I.e. about a 1/3 of it...whoops). I got the Gnocchi, and was underwhelmed by it, there was not very much flavor, it was fairly bland however it was still very fresh, homemade gnocchi, fresh spinach, tomato and sausage. I just would have liked a fuller flavor pasta dish that the light wine/butter sauce did not deliver. The service was pretty good, a little lacking at times, as our server disappeared for a bit (even though it wasn't busy) when I wanted to get some extra parmesan to spice up my dish. But over all very good. Although the prices are on the higher side (our lunch for two with appetizer but no beverages was $45 after tip) I do know they had some lunch combos that seemed reasonable for their pizza, and honestly the serving sizes were very large, we didn't finish all our food, so it was worth the price in my opinion. Cool atmosphere, I loved the wine rack wall behind the bar. I would definitely recommend and would definitely come back!
(4)Adrian G.
This was on my girlfriend's places to eat, so we decided to go with a few friends. I wish it would've been my find! 2nd favorite pizza (thin crust) place in Chicago. Good prices for food. Cocktails are good but a little over priced for the size. I'd recommend pepperoni w/ truffle oil pizza, the pizza with egg cracked on it and the lamb pizza.
(4)John H.
Favorite thin crust in the city by far! Definitely check out the triple pepperoni w/truffle oil. Most things I've had here have been good with exception to a couple pretty bad bottles of wine. Great vibe on Friday/Saturday night. One of the few places I actually go to again and again.
(4)Roberto M.
This is a popular lunch spot for "fancy" pizza. The slices are long and thin and have a good flavor. There are not many options for toppings and the kitchen is spitting out so many pies that parts of yours may be under cooked, i.e., soggy crust. A majority of people will enjoy La Madia.
(3)Terry K.
The decor in this restaurant was a lot like DBGB, Daniel Boulod's casual restaurant in NYC, but a little more casual/less pretentious. I'm not huge on pizza unless it's thin NY style, but their pizza definitely wowed me, especially when I was expecting to eat some heavy, thick Chicago style pizza. The slices are mid-level in thickness but on the thin side. The margherita was standard, but the visit was worthwhile thanks to their truffle oil pepperoni pizza. Warning: HEAVY, but the flavor is killer!
(4)Peter W.
The Diver Scallops were amazing, the Pizza was great, the drinks delicious, the fondue was good but more bread please we asked for it but would have had to pay extra and wait)! Service was a little sluggish but friendly. We were a party of 8, maybe 4 or less wouldn't have those issues, Still the food rates a 5.
(5)Vince K.
Having read the positive reviews on Yelp, I called in an order for one pizza for takeout and the hostess quoted me 20-30 minutes. When I arrived after 15 minutes, I went directly to the bar to pay, as instructed. The restaurant was about 50% full and the bar was deserted. 1 HOUR after my order was placed, I still didn't have my pizza. I complained to the hostess and the manager, Jason, finally came by to talk to me - he apologized for the delay, comped my pizza and offered me a beverage. The bartender finally acknowledged how long I had been waiting and offered me a drink (which I declined). He said that their best pizza chef had called in sick, and the kitchen was running behind. It would have been nice if someone had told me that earlier, before I got frustrated. Thankfully, the pizza I ordered lived up to the high reviews on Yelp. The spinach and speck pizza was absolutely delicious. A word of advice to the staff of La Madia, if you're reading this - set your customers' expectations properly, and they'll be less upset when things take a little longer.
(3)Alan M.
Young, hip pizza place... it's glitzy, bright, shiny and pretty. Lots of young pretty people walking around and being seen. It's loud, but not so loud that you can't talk. the pizzas were great (their margharita was excellent)... thin crust, perfectly cooked... picant, but not burnt.
(3)Marcus R.
I think this the type of place that a certain place in Atlanta TRIED to duplicate but failed. Upscale but you could slide a 12 yo in an not feel too weird. Extensive wine list, art and decor. Both intimate and trendy. We ordered a fennel sausage pizza and two salads. One salad was quite bitter, but the arugula salad was ok...nothing fancy. Nice spot for a date or pre-dinner drink at the bar. the down side was the $60 spent on two salads, a pizza and two drinks. Oh well, I have spent more on less.
(4)Melody C.
Ordered: Lunch Special - $15, includes appetizer + pizza, enough for 2 people AND Pork Belly sandwich BOTH very good. The pork belly sandwich was amazing. comes with a side salad. It had a barbeque flavor to it, and the pork belly was delicious but not overwhelming. It was very soft in good contrast to the pitapocket type sandwich shell it was in, with some greens in it too. The pizza we got was the white pizza with crumbled lamb and dollops of mint/pesto sauce spread throughout, with spicy red pepper slices - it had a real hot kick to it when you make the first bite. and i really like the crust. the only thing that was sad was that once the cheese cools it hardens so it's not as moist as i would like, but that tends to be the way white pizzas go. very delicious. they have some pretty original pizzas, like one with roasted grapes on it. the lunch menu is the best deal ever. at first i thought it was $15 per person but when we got the bill it was $15 period (for the pizza and the beet salad appetizer we got, which also was really large). combined with the two drinks we got AND the sandwich entree we added on, the bill was only $35. we got the extra sandwich just to sample more of the menu, not really b/c we would be hungry wtih out it. they also have a 7person lunch deal too - which amounts to $10/person if you bring at least 7 people - you get 3 pizzas 3 appetizers...if i remember the menu correctly. good deal for lunch if you're in the area. eat al fresco before it gets too cold! they also do wine pairings with their pizzas for you wine lovers out there.
(4)Kelly K.
Quick review- Lunchtime service was tasty but slow and it took ages to get our check. We went during lunch on a friday and everything was very tasty. The potato leek soup was not too creamy, but the goat cheese pizza with panchetta was a bit too salty. Overall, I'll be back if a friend suggests it, but I'm not in a rush to go back.
(3)Tom P.
I went here with friends/family to grab dinner before going to a show downtown. Two words: Perfect Choice. The place is nice, but I couldn't get a good feel for the ambiance since it was an early dinner. I imagine it gets much busier...but I'd be okay if it doesn't. That would make it even easier for me to come back! Between 4 of us, we shared 1 appetizer, 1 salad, and 3 pizzas. A rundown of the food: Appetizer/Salad - Solid. Interesting choices, tastes. I'd recommend picking at least one to share, just to experience some of the combinations they put together. Pizza 1: Triple pepperoni with truffle oil. One person in our group had been to La Madia before and said this was a must try....she was right. When ordering at new restaurants I like to be adventurous and try things that I can't get elsewhere. Ordering pepperoni pizza to me was like ordering chicken fingers everywhere you go - ordinary. But I guess that's why someone made the word extraordinary, because this pepperoni pizza was different. It stands above the rest. Pizza 2: House-made Fennel Sausage. This was my choice. It was good, and one person at our table liked it the best. In my opinion, while the sausage was very good, the rest of the pizza was bland compared to the other two choices. Overall, good but not special enough to order again. Pizza 3: Seasonal Wild Mushrooms (white pizza). Now, as you read this, understand that tomato-based sauces/dips run thru my veins - ketchup, salsa, and most importantly marinara. Can't get enough of them. Yet, in this case, this white pizza....STOLE. THE. SHOW. One bite in and I was sold - and I hadn't even hit a mushroom yet! Without the mushrooms, this would have been the best cheese pizza ever. Once my mouth made its way over to one of those succulent mushrooms...one of the best pizzas I've ever had! (Throw some of that fennel sausage on this bad boy and I'll be here for it every day!) Drinks: fearing drowsiness during the show we were about to attend, nobody took advantage of a solid-looking wine menu. Next time, I'll be sure to not pass it up. Bottom line: Interesting menu, good eats all around, and a place I feel I must share with friends!
(5)Swati B.
I had heard amazing things about this place, so I had to check it out. Being vegetarian there were a lot of items on the pizza menu that automatically got ruled out...we went with the pizza with buffalo mozzarella, tomato and basil. The taste of the pizza was amazing, very thin! However, it was sooo oily! We had the beet salad for an appetizer...and that was pretty decent, however nothing to die for. The Strawberry Rhubarb gelato however was amazing! definitely a keeper. Service was excellent, the ambiance is perfect for a pre-night out type of dinner. Has a bit of elegance without the pretentiousness. Service was outstanding, the manager came by several times to make sure we were content. I think I have to go back to this place and give it another shot, maybe order a different type of pizza!
(3)Haley S.
Me and the current dude I'm dating frequent this place. Best thin crust pizza I've had in Chicago. We were here Friday and had the margarita and the mushroom/smoked mozzarella. Both were excellent, though my fave remains the pepperoni/white truffle oil. Good wine selection, nice vibe for a date.
(4)Anna C.
This is absolutely our favorite neighborhood (River North) restaurant! The food is delicious, and the atmosphere is casual, but refined enough to make any night feel special. They regularly update their menu with fresh, seasonal pizzas. Tips: - Be sure to ask about their featured "wine of the moment" - they always have an excellent red/white at half price - it's a great way to try new wines. - If you sit at the bar in the back you get a free glass of prosecco!
(5)Tara M.
Dozens of visits later, I can say that La Madia is probably my favorite restaurant in Chicago. Perfect for any occasion with consistent service and a delicious, approachable menu. Try the cracked organic egg + proscuitto pizza. It is one of the most beautiful, delicious things I have ever eaten.
(5)Devyn C.
I went to La Madia last Saturday evening to carb-load for the Chicago marathon. My first impression of the restaurant actually came over the phone when I called to find out if my party would be seated even though two of us would be late. The woman helping me said that, although they usually require the entire party, she would make a note in my reservation so that we could be seated before all of my party showed up. That was a good start. Now to Saturday... Our waitress explained that the restaurant had created a dish specifically for the marathon runners, so of course I had to order it. The marathon dish - some type of non-potato gnocchi with basil and mozzarella - was great. The restaurant was conscious about not putting too much spice on it. Although I was expecting the portion to be a little bigger, it actually turned out to be pretty filling. My friends ordered the sausage pizza, which I also tried. It was excellent as well - thin and crisp, and no skimping on the toppings. Overall the service was great and the atmosphere was pretty good. We were seated right by the door, so that took a little bit away from the atmosphere, but that's how it goes sometimes. I would definitely recommend it and I would go back.
(4)Santi D.
Delivery Review: Margherita Pizza: really tasty. Cracked Organic Egg, Prosciutto & Black Pepper Pizza: others liked it way more than I did, still tasty Artichoke Pizza: it's good, but not really my thing. Triple Pepperoni Pizza: I want seconds. Fingerling Potato, Frisee, Pancetta, Poached Organic Egg Salad: This was really good, much better than what I anticipated. Seasonal Wild Mushrooms Bruschetta: This was very good, would probably order it again.
(4)Emily B.
It's good pizza. There's no denying that. The crust is tasty and light, the ingredients are fresh and unique, and flavors come together nicely. Am I going to say it's anything super special? No, not quite. Also, I wouldn't recommend bringing someone who was "craving Chicago-style pizza" here - as they will be disappointed. It's more gourmet than it is traditional, in-your-face, overly sauced and cheesed (not a bad thing) Chi-Town slice. Here's what we ordered: - Wild mushroom pizza with smoked mozzarella. We added lamb sausage to get a little protein punch. There is truffle on here somewhere, we tasted it :-) - Aragula salad with fruit and nuts: nothing special. Skip. Finally, props to the lady facilitating the takeout, everything was on-time and hot. She had put to-go cups and and plates together for me as well, and when I ordered a bottle of sparkling water, she even made sure I would have bottle-opening capabilities where ever I was heading. I didn't even think of that! Since I didn't, she opened it and corked it for me. Great customer service.
(3)Michelle C.
Delicious pizza for a reasonable price. Had the triple pepperoni with truffle oil the first time and then the parma classic tonight. Both tasted aweeeeeesome! About $15 each per pizza but they have a special Sunday - Thursday I believe where you can get a combo for $20. Large varieties of wine but not a lot of choices for martinis or fruity non-alcoholic beverages. Would definitely recommend this place.
(4)Debbie E.
Nice pizza 'bar' with wine pairing. Thin crust pizza is good. The salads are enough to split if you're having it as an appetizer. Very extensive wine list. I had a salad and the 3 cheese pizza. It was good. Tried at first the $5 wine of the day which was a melbac. Not thrilled. I think it was on special since it was getting old. Switched to an Oregon Pinot after wards which was about $10 a glass but much more tastier. What we didn't like was the service. We walk in to almost an empty restaurant without a reservation and they put us at the back pizza bar - watching them cook and make the food through a Plexiglas window. It was almost comical since we were watching the tables throughout the night and they were never filled. Then we got the "push out" - not offering another glass of wine, just giving us the check. What, were they looking to seat 10 people at the pizza bar when there were open tables? We were the only people at the pizza bar. Well, the didn't want our expense account money so we went elsewhere for a few more glasses to top off the evening. 2 stars for service, 4 stars for the food.
(3)Mike G.
Have dined in and taken out on several occasions. Noted by many, the pizza takes California Pizza Kitchen's concept several notches higher with fresher and better ingredients. I have had rather horrible experiences with La Madia's bartender the last two times. Last evening, I picked up a pie prior to the Blackhawk's game. One picks up the pizza from the bartender who takes payment and hands you your pizza. This guy is the least friendly person and lacks an ounce of service in his makeup. He literally tosses the pie in my direction, takes payment and says nothing. Did not even know he was done ringing up the sale. No thanks, goodbye, nothing. The previous time, he ignores the wife and thinks he is adding to your dining experience by showing an "attitude". It was not because the place and bar were busy-quite the opposite. If this bartender is the face the restaurant wants to present to its diners, I want no part of it and would recommend you find another place to enjoy from the many competing establishments in the neighborhood.
(1)Jackie B.
Yum! Went here to meet former co-workers on a Friday at 6:00ish. Most of us were running late (traffic) but they were so awesome about keeping our reservation and seating us once everyone arrived. The atmosphere was great, very contemporary...I had the artichoke (white) pizza and split a salad (lettuce, walnuts, gorgonzola, etc). Both were great! No complaints from me! Of note - they also have a "weekly" wine (one each of white and red) for $5. I had the white - always happy for a cheaper glass of wine with dinner. Thank you La Madia!
(4)RiRi K.
My friends & I are quiet wishy-washy when it comes to picking new places to eat. Usually everyone's response is 'I'm down for whatever' when it comes to food so we walked around (we call it 'working up an appetite') checking out menu's at a couple of places before we stumbled across La Madia. We walked in & they had this cozy little corner in front with a fire place, but we opted for a booth instead. The decor was nice, modern & inviting. Our waiter was very attentive but a little hard to understand because he did talk a bit fast but since I speak a bit fast too I translated for my friends. The manager was really nice too, it was my birthday & he came over to wish me happy birthday. Pizzas are 12" and thin crust. We ordered one white pizza (the Seasonal Wild Mushrooms & Smoked Mozzarella) & one red pizza (the La Quercia Coppa Piccante with Fire Roasted Sweet Banana Pepper & Onions). Both pizzas were good, but the white one was my favorite. It was just the right amount of mushroom to cheese ratio. The red pizza was spicy (which we wanted) & the sauce was quite good, but I just didn't like it as much as the white pizza. At the end of the meal they brought out their Electric Butter Cookies with a candle on the plate for my birthday which was really very sweet of them. The cookies were also delicious, the electric part is that they are topped with some sugary lemon zests. They also had a large wine list with lots of good options. I liked that you can choose from getting a smaller glass (4oz) or a larger glass (6oz) plus they have a 'wine of the week' where they choose one red & one white which they sell for $5 a glass. The only thing is I wish they had more options in the appetizer portion of their menu. Overall the food & experience was great. I would definitely recommend checking out this restaurant.
(4)Gayle G.
Harumph. $110 for dinner for three? For pizza? Granted, we did have a $30 bottle of wine, but still? That's $80 for dinner for three. We had two salads, one pasta dish and one pizza. Had the cost been less, I probably wouldn't be so tough on everything else. The ambiance was fine. Our server was just awkward. Her timing was weird and her delivery was weird. She was just all around odd and not a great server. For example, we had one ravioli on a plate and asked her to leave it. She left it, but took every other plate and all of our utensils. We had nothing left to eat the lone ravioli. The salads were both good. I preferred the arugula to the beet salad. Fresh and well dressed, the salads were my favorite part of the meal. The also had the pumpkin ravioli and a margarita pizza. The pumpkin ravioli was just ok, nothing special. A little too much cinnamon and nutmeg in the pumpkin puree. I've had much better. One of my dining companions really wanted mushrooms, so we added mushrooms to one half of our margarita. The pizza was good enough, but one half of it was a little too charred and it wasn't hot. It had clearly sat waiting for the server to deliver it. Everything we had was just ok, there was nothing stellar and certainly nothing 4-5 star worthy during our trip.
(2)Kai Z.
I went here for lunch during Restaurant Week, and really, they do NOT shortchange you on the portions! My opening salad was easily entree-sized, and completely delicious. I am not a salad person at all, and I dream about that salad. The pizzas - very good and generous. The waitress was cute too, and seemed very earnest. My only "complaint" about this place is that when I asked for recommendations on what kind of appetizers and desserts were good, they were out of almost everything. The cute little waitress would say, "Oh, the apple tart is delicious!...but we're out of that. The chocolate cake is good too, but we don't have anymore." What do you have, then?!?! Half your menu is out of commission! Please prepare better next time, La Madia.
(3)Alison S.
Great lunch spot, especially on a nice when they open up the windows to the street. They offer a lunch special that is a great value and gives you plenty of food. My favorite menu items include the artichokes with dipping sauce, the arugula and grape salad, fennel sausage pizza, goat cheese and leek pizza (actually every pizza has been very good), and the pork belly sandwich.
(4)Chirag P.
I'm a fan of the place mainly because it has wine on tap, which I think is pretty cool. As far as the pizzas, I've definitely had better, but these aren't bad. Try the lamb sausage with salsa verde white pizza, it's probably one of tastier ones that i've had anywhere. Get the asparagus appetizer which is very tasty. Only issue we had was our reservation was for 8:15 and we weren't seated until 9... but we had a larger group and they were trying to get us our tables together, so we just hung out at the bar had drinks and they made it up to us by giving us some free apps. So, not bad. I think it's more fun during the summer when you can sit outside.
(3)Alice S.
La Madia means, "the flour bin" in Italian. I had wanted to visit La Madia for quite a long time, and it was just luck that Groupon recently featured La Madia. Coupon in hand, a friend and I set out for a Friday night dinner. I am still a little uncomfortable with the concept of using coupons for discounts at restaurants, so I was glad that the hostess didn't make a big deal about the use of one at all. At about 6:00 PM the place looked almost empty, but apparently, all those tables and booths were reserved. We were seated at the "pizza bar", which was fine. At the pizza bar, we were lucky enough to be able to see right into the wood-burning oven, and watched as pizzas baked at 720 F. We also watched as the chefs created pizza after pizza out of mounds of soft dough, the barest touch of tomato sauce, and some of the freshest and best quality ingredients ever. It was fascinating to witness them toss copious amounts of flour from the bin of flour (la madia) over the dough, and with intense concentration and precision form each pizza as if they were works of art. We were treated to some complimentary prosecco, and started with some roasted olives and a beet salad. The olives were good, but I really loved the beet salad. Composed of watercress, blue cheese, almonds and red and pink heirloom beets, this salad is out of this world delicious. My mouth is watering as I write this! Pizzas were crisp, tasty and sparkled with freshness. My friend ordered the tomato/arugula pesto/ricotta: very good, with nice contrasts of flavors and textures. I had the egg and prosciutto, which was also excellent. I would like to point out that these are large pizzas, easily 12" across. The crust is fabulous in itself; rather than just being a "carrier" of the other ingredients, it's integral to the pizza as a whole. Lovely wine and a super rich chocolate tortino rounded out our meal, filled our bellies and fed our souls. The quality of the ingredients, the artistry of the preparation and the warm contemporary atmosphere were all outstanding. I will be back again to try their many other offerings. È molto delizioso!
(5)Em S.
I've been here many many times and I am 100% happy every time. Mostly I dine here for lunch. They have a lunch for 2 special for $15, which you can't beat for the quality of the food/serivce/atmosphere. Even if you don't do the lunch special, the prices are reasonable. The service is very friendly & even though they take reservations (on-line & by phone) we never really need one. Favorites/MUST TRY: - The Pizza Fondue - Chopped Italian Lettuces, Currants, Pine Nuts & Balsamic Vinaigrette - Organic Mixed Greens, Cucumber, Radish, Crimini, Tomatoes, Chicken, Herb Vinaigrette - Triple Pepperoni, Tomato Sauce & Mozzarella Cheese, finished with White Truffle Oil - Shaved Artichoke, Reggiano Parmesan & Garlic Try this place once and you'll be looking forward to go back!
(5)Ben C.
Nice little lunch spot near the loop. If you have a solid hour to kill during lunch I would definitely check this place out at least once. I have the pizza with the egg in the middle and it was mighty tasty. Tip: one pizza is plenty enough to share with two people.
(3)Carolynne M.
I feel very bad for everyone who had a mediocre experience here. Why it is so hit and miss, I will never know. But for Andy and me it was 5 stars all the way. I had the bacon wrapped dates of which my only complaint was how small they were. Especially in comparison to Andy's massive pizza fondue course. But they were expertly prepared and insanely delicious, so I can let that slide. My pizza was the Mozzarella di Bufala Campana, Tomato Sauce & Torn Basil. Beautiful and pleasing to the palatte. Both it and Andy's Triple Pepperoni went awesomely with the Masciarelli Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. So awesome that we had to get two bottles of it (just to be 100% sure we liked it, of course). The dessert was a no brainer. Affogato with Chocolate and Sambuca Gelato? Um, yes! Ambrosial! Plus we had the sweetest server, I think her name was Ina. Very nice and on top of her game. I guess the only bad thing I have to say is that the pizza does not work well as leftovers. The crust is way too chewy and most of the sauce just dissipates into nothing. But then that's all the more reason to eat up when you are there. We would definitely come back.
(5)Claire M.
The food and the ambiance was excellent and the food is reasonably priced. Unfortunately the wine is not as reasonable. They have an awesome wine menu, but bottle prices are pretty high. It's to be expected in a downtown restaurant, but would be great if they had some more affordable options. Great meal.
(4)Andy M.
Until this year, I have always been disappointed by Restaurant week. I have either went to places that did a bait and switch, or places where the food left a lot to be desired. My experience this year could not have been more different. Our diner at Brazaz was fantastic and our experience at La Madia blew me away. This is not your parents Pizza joint. La Madia is classy, unique and offers a wonder selection of Italian delights. My first impression of La Madia was that they were trying to be one those artsy New York City eateries. The interior is tacky to say the least. But the wonderful food and great service overshadowed the kooky interior. The restaurant week menu was pretty extensive. They gave you a wide variety of different choices to choose from. I started out with the Pizza Bread Fondue. It was basically a large chunk of Pita Bread served with a Tomato based Fondue. It was a huge appetizer that could have fed three people. For my Entree I went with the Triple Pepperoni Pizza. The Crust was thin, almost like a New York Style pizza. The Pie was perfectly spiced and it was cooked just right. The desert was a slice of American decadence. We ordered a double layered Chocolate cake that tasted like it was doused with some kind of Liquor. Every bite tasted like a sin. If eating so well makes me a Infidel, I'm all for it. The bottom line about La Madia is this. The restaurant week menu was awesome. We got fed like a King and Queen for $32 bucks a piece. The food was Delicious, the service was top notch and the atmosphere was fun. I would not hesitate to go back to La Madia. There are a ton of items on the menu that I would love to try on a future visit.
(5)Cecilia T.
This was my first time to La Madia. Our friends had a Groupon so we decided to try the pricier items on the menu for fun. APPETIZER Pizza Fondue - tasty but nothing memorable. Good for a group of peeps that are hungry - the sauce was tasty and the dipping bread (pizza crust) was warm and plenty. MAIN DISHES: -Mozzarella di Bufala - this was quite good! Juicy and full of flavor with gooey cheese. I scarfed this down big time. -Burrata, Wood-Roasted Summer Squash, Market Tomatoes & Torn Basil - not my cup of tea, really, but due to personal preference most likely. My friends like this pizza though =). -Fettucini pasta, lamb bolognese, ricotta dolce: Not bad but a bit salty. I've heard many good things about this place so I'm going to come back to try some of their other pizzas as well! I've heard some of their less pricey pizzas are quite tasty such as the triple pepperoni and $5 wines! I definitely love the hip ambiance of this place so there's potential to update my review with higher ratings next time i come =) Note to wait staff - Please improve your service - a bit slow.
(2)S. V.
My favorite pizza place in the city! Great, thin crust pizza with fresh, Italian ingredients. My faves are the Margherita and wild mushroom pizzas. Good wine selections as well. They also offer seasonal cooking classes (check the website). Overall, delicious, authentic, Italian pizza made with quality ingredients at a reasonable price.
(5)Jessie S.
The scallops with sweet potato puree were legitimately life changing. The puree tasted like a tiny piece of heaven - god i love this place.
(5)Mary H.
This is a really cool, reasonably priced restaurant that never disappoints. Delicious and unique appetizers, salads and pizza. My personal favorite is the Taleggio and 3-Hour Roasted Grapes pizza - yummmm. Great for a small group or date. Oh! And ask about their $5 glass of wine. $5 for 5 oz. or $7 for 7 oz. Can't go wrong there!
(4)Jen M.
The night started out rocky when we had to wait 30 minutes to get seated for our 7p reservation. But La Madia quickly redeemed itself by offering to bring us 2 free appetizers -- without which we never would never had experienced the delicious dough app. Yes, that's right, I said experience. Next up came salads and mushroom brushetta. Salads were fine. Mushroom brushetta was divine according to my friends. And then....the main event, we had 4 pizzas between 5 of us. All 4 were fabulous, but my personal favorite was the fennel sausage. We also had the capri classic (really fresh prosciutto), the mushroom and the pineapple bacon. The pineapple was an interesting twist on the traditional hawiian pizza with some spicy pepper added. All were delicious and left us wanting to go back. The wine was also quite reasonably priced and they had a very nice selection. And to top it all off, they also took one of the pizzas off the bill due to the wait we had. They definitely didn't have to but it made a great impression. A solid 4 stars for La Madia. Wish I could give 4.5.
(4)Melissa Q.
La Madia's pizza is my favorite in the city so far. I enjoyed deep dish the first couple times I had it, but I must admit, I crave my NJ pizza. Both times I have been at La Madia I left completely satisfied. This past Friday I went with my 12 dollar Groupon for two pizzas. Awesome deal!! I think the two pizzas we got totaled 30 dollars. The service did get a little slow once we mentioned the Groupon. Our olive appetizer took much longer than expected as well. This is the reason for my 4 stars. Of the three I tried, pepperoni, fennel sausage & mozzarella & Prosciutto, I think the pepperoni with truffle oil wins. But you can't go wrong with any choice! Right now I'm only a short walk away from La Madia and hope I will still be able to visit when I move!
(4)Brandon A.
I tried La Madia for the first time last night and was very impressed. So impressed that I signed up for my Yelp account today so I could review it. We had the triple pepperoni pizza that is drizzled in white truffle oil and the Parma Classic. They may have been two of the best pizzas I've ever tasted. And we started with the pizza fondue, which was delicious. The beer and wine selection is good. The beer selection isn't vast, but staples are there and they offer some higher-end beers that fit their pizzas a little more gracefully. The service was great, and our server even brought out a bowl of water for our dog. Overall it was a great experience and we will definitely be going back!
(5)Melissa R.
I went into this meal with a little bit of hesitation, because of what I heard it seemed that this restaurant wasn't really my scene. I should have listened to the age-old advice of not judging a book by its cover, or in this case trendy-hipness. I heard this was "a place to be seen" and I usually try to avoid those. However, I heard a few good things about the food and I decided to give it a chance. I went here with a group of friends and we were all impressed with the food. We had reservations for Saturday night, which was a saving grace because otherwise it would have been an extra long wait for a table. They were participating in Restaurant Week, but we quickly realized it would cost just as much to order thing a la carte...so that's what we did since their servings are pretty large and in charge. While there I tried the following things that were delish: - Pizza Fondue: the dipping sauce is much more tomato-y than cheesy - Bacon wrapped dates with gorgonzola: For reals?!? There is nothing but right with this app - Fennel Sausage with Sweet Onions Pizza: easy to throw pack the whole pie - Mozzarella di Bufala , Prosciutto di Parma, Tomato Sauce Pizza: salty and scrumptious - Chicken ravioli: good portion, creamy and flavorful - Chocolate tortino: Sweet Jesus...this was crazy rich and amazing! The only thing I tried that was way below-great were their famous butter cookies, not so much: dry and boring. I should also mention that our waitress seemed to be a little brain dead and not with the program. I felt like we had to explain things to her multiple times and ask lots of questions. She also broke one of my big rules: not bringing all the food out at the same time. For example, two of my friends ordered the prix fix meal so ordered all three courses at the beginning. However, they brought out their desserts before even offering the rest of us the dessert menu...it was kind of awkward. I would definitely go here again, but only on the weekend if I'm in the mood to throw on some heels and a face of makeup...and that's not often for this lady.
(4)Gary R.
This place was pretty good. Maybe not quite 'good as hell,' but really quite tasty. We had a number of foodstuffs here. The best was the pizza fondue. I'm not sure how to describe it, other than a large bread blob, filled with hot air, and a tasty sauce on the side. The bread blob was great. The inner air really didn't taste like much, so that was alarming. I really enjoy flavored air. The salad was just 'meh.' (not meth) It had some good lettuce pieces in it, but some of the pieces were actually like large bushes. One of my dining mates literally almost expired from life due to the size of this bush. The pizza was pretty good. I didn't love the peperoni w/ truffle sauce, because I dislike truffle sauce. "Why order it then?" you ask? The answer: Because. We did not get dessert, because the patrons in my group were too full, and said their bodies would have burst had they eaten another morsel. That would have been gross. The diet cokes were freaking great. Perfect ratio of ice to pop at ths place. In addition, I liked my napkin. Had at least a 430 thread count.
(4)Magdalen H.
This place is GREAT. My friend and I were both from out of town, and I was leafing through a copy of Where Chefs Eat at Anthropologie, and one of the recommended restaurants was this one, a short walk from our hotel. We were tired and thinking of getting room service, but boy are we glad we didn't! The $1 bruschetta is a fantastic deal, and the mushroom one is one of the best things I've ever eaten. As a Caesar salad connoisseur, theirs is one of the best I've had- the deep fried anchovies were a nice touch. I had the gnudi the first evening (yeah, we came back the next night) and the tagliatelle the second- both were amazing. Eat here! The service was great, as was the wine list. I don't remember which wine we had, but we requested it again the next night. Delicious.
(5)Anshul S.
I had the white pizza here and it didnt turn out to be good, i would rather go for the white pizza at Coalfire pizza which is 100 times better than this. Just the fancy restaurant and prime location
(1)Timothy N.
A lively scene with great Italian bites. Start with a selection from their excellent, moderately priced wine list. Then onto the small, but highly efficient kitchen that turns out pizzas and a number of exceptional small plates with remarkable speed to pair with carefully crafted salads and cheese and salumi plates. We didn't get a pasta, but what we saw flying past our table looked good. Our main was a tasty Chicken Milano that put two breaded cutlets on a bed of ratatouille and orzo with an emulsified citrus eggplant sauce. Tasty, inventive. Maybe most notable was the moderate prices for this part of town, or maybe a sign that the competition is fierce with nearby Eataly, Pizzeria Via Stato and Quartino. Despite the frenetic pace of La Madia, the team service approach keeps the place humming, but I can understand some reviews from disappointed diners that fell between the cracks at peak dining hours.
(4)Joanna T.
I seem to have luck in restaurants that begin with Osteria! I will, however, stick to the Osteria at hand. This is my second visit here and this gets 4 stars for the pizza. We shared the tomato and the arugula salads, which both were good, but the pizzas were very flavorful and both times I've taken one to go. Osteria literally means an establishment serving wine and simple food, and this is the perfect description, for both food and ambiance. Perfect spot for an early evening dinner. I wanted to try a pasta but I can't resist the pizza and I just can't say no to the tasty delicious carbs. Ahh, next time.
(3)Michael W.
Delayed Review: I Came here with a few friends back in May Food: I ended up ordering lamb meatball And coppa picante and burrata puglia, The food was amazing. My expectation for this place was fairly high after reading the reviews. It has met the expectation. Nothing was overcooked, nothing was under cooked. that is a huge key for an italian restaurant to succeed. 4/5 Service: Great staff service. Attentive to details such as cleaning the plates as soon we finish a plate, refilling water. Provided great suggestions. 4.5/5 Atmosphere: I do wish this place was a bit more specious. When we went, it was fairly packed and the tables were so close to each other. Other than that, it was fairly well decorated and very neat design place. 4/5
(4)Sophie C.
I don't want to take away from the Chefs as my food was amazing. I had the Salmon and the skin was perfect and crisp and the middle perfect and pink and the combinations of flavours fabulous. The waitstaff I have something else to say. For how many people were in the restaurant the service was slow. When I questioned that my desert was incorrect I was told that I was wrong and I had ordered what was brought out to me but they would change it as if they were doing me a favour. Otherwise they would have got a 4 star!
(3)Hannah C.
Not everything is great here but the great stuff is pretty darn good. Get the triple pepperoni pizza with truffle oil, side salad, and spinach fondue. The fondue is not conventional, more just bread with sauce, but the sauce is delicious. The pepperoni pizza is really quite good - a greasy thin crust personal alternative to deep dish. We also tried the fennel sausage and burrata bruschetta. Neither was remarkable and I wouldn't order then again.
(4)Jeff D.
This was an all-around fantastic dining experience. Pizza: we had the pepperoni pizza with white truffle oil. It was the perfect blend of spicy pepperoni, quality crust, and fresh tomato sauce. If this pizza were of my preferred gender, I would marry it. Cocktails: I had the not-so-old-Fashioned. Being rather old fashioned, and enjoying a good Old Fashioned, I had my reservations about this twist on the traditional drink. But I threw caution to the wind and ordered it. I have not made many good decisions in my life but this was one that I do not regret. Service: attentive, amiable, efficient. Do not dally. Go here. Thank you.
(5)Elle M.
I'm giving two stars here mostly because there are tons of better options in the immediate area alone. The food was decent, the pastas are homemade and solid. The grape and taleggio pizza was great, but the pork belly pizza fell flat. The dessert was sort of a joke- "zeppole" with gelato and Valrhona chocolate sauce is basically nothing more than a limp Krispy Kreme sliced in half and filled with crystallized ice cream and a weird spot of what I assumed was frozen chocolate sauce. I think the part that really made this meal hard to enjoy was the fact that it was about 80 degrees out with high humidity and they had the whole front of the restaurant open with no AC on. I mean you've got a pizza oven in the back! The restaurant was absolutely sweltering. Toward the end of the meal my mom actually had to leave and walk back to my parents' place because she couldn't take the heat anymore. I get that you want to have your windows open on a beautiful day, but it was not a beautiful day. There are so many amazing options for this type of food; next time I'd choose a different one.
(2)Jenna C.
I miss the old La Madia and their delicious, reasonably priced pizzas. I've been going here for nearly 7 years and after a visit this weekend I won't return. The quality of service has declined, the pizzas are much smaller and now more much expensive. I used to contend their $12 margherita pizza was one of the best on the North Side. This last visit we ordered the Parma Classic and the arugula on our pizza was old and full of wilted holes. What turned me off the most was when I asked our waiter for the second time to refill my water (which you shouldn't have to do) he proceeded to grab a half empty carafe from the table next to us and fill it. Blech!
(2)Lauren H.
Been to La Madia a few times, with the most recent being last week. The food is fantastic - 5 stars for sure! 100% recommend any of the salumi/cheese plates - they come out with some other accompaniments and some great bread! For pizza, we tried the popular Triple Pepperoni with truffle oil and it was fantastic! Service = 1 star. While the food has been awesome each time we visited, the service is severely lacking. Our waiter basically forgot about us - we had to flag him down to order a 2nd round of drinks after our glasses were empty for 15+ minutes. Also, we asked for fresh pepper for the salad and he never came back with it or even mentioned it. This service was one of the worst I've had in Chicago and the restaurant was not even that busy.
(3)Matt D.
Just completed our second voyage to La Madia last night. Although 3.5 stars would be more appropriate. The food has been consistently great on both occasions. There is currently a salmon crudo appetizer on the menu that alone is worth the visit. Between our table of four we ordered almost every pasta dish on the menu and everyone seemed very satisfied with their selection. I personally had the pappardelle with wild boar bolognese, which was delicious. Of course all of the pasta is also made in-house. The only fault on both occasions has been on the service side. While the servers have always been friendly and knowledgable, the wait time for food and drinks is well above average. I would understand if anyone had ordered a pizza that must be made fresh, however that was not the case. Overall La Madia is worth the visit and we're likely to return. However, with the great selection of comparable Italian restaurants in the area it is unlikely it will be soon.
(4)Gina S.
Wonderful ambiance and delicious food. I loved the brown butter ravioli. It was so delicious. The service was great as well. We will be back!
(5)Tina L.
I love this place! It *might* be because I had an awesome birthday party here, but everything about the experience was wonderful. Even if you don't come for an event, and if it's a small group or date night...you will NOT be disappointed with your experience. Put it down. Let's start with the private event coordinator, Julie. She is the most professional, friendly, efficient, event coordinator extraordinaire! And she made planning (for my boo) so incredibly easy and smooth. From what he told me, she was quick to respond to emails and answered all his questions and made all the requested accommodations as best as she could. She deserves most of the credit for this beautiful experience (and maybe a little credit should go to my boo. Good job, honey!) We pre-ordered dishes from the menu for the party and we had dinner family style. This was a genius idea, since we all love to try a variety of dishes, and this way, we were able to try all of the delicious dishes that La Madia is known for. I have to say, all the food that we ordered were phenomenal. I can't wait to go back and dine, again! For starters, we enjoyed the Steamed PEI Mussels, cooked with melted leeks, fresh fennel, garlic, and white wine Brodo. OMG, we all wanted to drink the soup! We had the Beet Salad as well as the Romaine Lettuce Salad. Both were refreshing and delicious. I highly recommend them both! If you had to only pick one, though, I would probably go for the Romaine Lettuce again. I've listed the pizzas in order of most to least favorite, but I just have to add this disclaimer that ALL of them were really really delicious! Slagel Farm Wood Smoked Pork Belly (Tuscan kale, garlic, caramelized onion, caciocavallo cheese), Seasonal Wild Mushrooms (smoked mozzarella), Parma Classic (Mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, prosciutto di parma, arugula), and Clam & Fresno Chilies (Pecorino, garlic and fresh thyme). I think some of them are a tie...I don't know. They were all delicious in their own way!!~ I was too full to try the Tagliatelle and Shrimp risotto...but everyone agreed that it was delicious as well. Hopefully I'll be able to go back again soon to try a couple new dishes, as well as a couple favorites that I'd like to eat again. One more note: if you order the limoncelli, it's pretty strong! Sip!
(5)Ziyan C.
This is my friend's absolute favorite pizza place in Chicago and I was glad to get a meal here on my short visit! La Madia's definitely got a cool, sleek vibe. The lighting is dim and you feel like this could easily be turned into a happening lounge late at night with its modern, tasteful decor and a bar area that looks like the place to hang out. Yet you the kitchen is pretty visible, mostly out in the open, separated from the tables by a low counter. I had a full view of the pizza oven. Our reservation was for 5:30pm on a Monday night, which was unnecessary as only a few other tables had customers. We had a very professional, responsive, and efficient server, and overall had a great dinner here. PIZZA * Parma Classic (red. arugula, prosciutto di parma. $19) - 4.5 stars pic: yelp.com/biz_photos/la-m… The best pizza of the night in my opinion! I tend to like reds so I may be biased, but even for a red I thought the prosciutto was sharp and complemented the arugula and fresh tomato sauce really well. Their crust is thin and soft with a crisp, though not quite as fresh-out-of-the-oven as I'd prefer. The outer crust could've done with being a little more stretchy when I pulled it apart, but this is me being picky on a 4.5 star pizza! * Wild Mushroom (white. smoked mozzarella. $16) - 3.5 stars pic: yelp.com/biz_photos/la-m… Not a huge fan of white pizzas, and not a big lover of mushrooms, so this wasn't a winner for me flavor-wise. But it was well made and I will say the mushroom wasn't too overpowering and had a fairly well-balanced flavor. Overall I found it a bit bland though. * Moroccan Spiced Lamb Sausage (white. mint pesto. $17) - 3.5 stars pic: yelp.com/biz_photos/la-m… This was my pizza and it wasn't as impressive as I'd hoped! The sausage wasn't very spicy, and its texture was a little chewy, reminiscent of chain-restaurant delivery pizza. ENTRÉES * Tagliatelle (foie gras meatballs. $14 half) - 3.5 stars pic: yelp.com/biz_photos/la-m… This was exciting for me because foie gras isn't allowed in my home city of SF anymore. I couldn't really taste the foie gras to my disappointment though - if I hadn't been told what this was, I would have thought it was just regular meatballs. The tagliatelle was not as wide as I've had at other restaurants, but had a texture that was balanced between being soft and al dente. I found the sauce to be a little plain, and rather watery. It was nice to have the option of a half order. Menu: yelp.com/biz_photos/la-m…
(4)Mariposa R.
The food was really good, the service was even more spectacular - menu items accommodated vegetarian food very well, leaving me over three choices per course.
(4)Jake R.
We are extremely happy with our latest order from Osteria La Madia. We found the restaurant on the web listed as one of the top 5 pizza restaurants in the city. We had a large order for the next day so I tried to place it online. It turns out that they have outsourced all of their deliveries to an outside company and this company wouldn't deliver to our part of the city. So I talked to Candice on the phone and she made it happen. They ended up hiring a driver just for our order! As for the food, We were fortunate to be able to order 3 of every pizza. So, we got to try them all and the general consensus was that they were all awesome! I even had a few coworkers come up to me and ask where we ordered from. One guy even took the address down and was going to take his wife to dinner there this weekend. Excellent job Osteria La Madia the pizza was great! If you are in the mood for a more adventurous pizza choice go for the three hour roasted grape pizza. A few people liked it and a few people didn't. It's great pizza either way.
(5)Jason S.
My wife and I spent our anniversary dinner in Chicago and we wanted to try "the best thin crust" in Chicago. We found this place on Yelp and trusted it. GOOD CALL. This place is the best. We had 2 types of pizza and they were awesome. She also had a homemade lemonade and I had a craft beer. Pizza is homemade and cooked on the wood fire right behind all the seats. The look and feel of this place is great too. Sit down pizza is always the best. Hope you enjoy.
(5)Julie N.
Had my first trip to La Madia last week and it won't be my last. The space had a lot of energy without being too lout or crowded. Tight menu with a pretty wide range of options. We had a the coppa piccante pizza to start: spicy meat and crispy onions - very good. Alongside the pizza we had some prosucitto and cheese - nicely presented and a good serving size. The local heirloom tomato salad was next and that absolutely stole the show - you must have this! Finished off with the chicken milanese - perfect to share, very interesting and delicious dish. Wine list was reasonably priced and service was smooth. Only watch out would be table location. Loved where we sat (in front main room), but there is space at the back of the restaurant that looks a little drab.
(4)Haroun K.
Given the options for Italian in the neighborhood, La Madia might be the best option (albeit rather overpriced), especially for delivery. The margherita pizza was excellent. The spinach fondue is sinfully decadent, and comes with a buttery flatbread for dipping. On the other hand, the mixed green salad was very forgettable. I'd also recommend against the desserts - both the chocolate polenta cake and espresso semifreddo were disappointing, and were a waste of calories. I'd much rather have eaten another bowl of fondue or pizza. One problem with delivery is that they don't seem to provide cutlery, but I did discover you can eat gelato with your hands.
(4)Triphena W.
Yup, I still love this place. The pizzas here are thin but not as thin as places like Eataly or Spacca Napoli so the middle of the pie isn't soggy. They're baked in a wood-burning oven but don't have too much char which I like because sometimes too much char tastes like you're eating ashes. The crust is tender and chewy so you don't see people throwing away the pizza bones like at some pizza places. They offer a nice selection of red and white pizzas so there's something for everyone. They have traditional and simple options but also more unique, complex pizzas. My favorites from dinner last weekend: Housemade lamb sausage, mint pesto, and fresno chilies. Pork belly, kale, caramelized onions, and garlic. Carbonara with guanciale, leeks, and eggs. Everyone raves about the pepperoni pizza with truffle oil. This was good, but I liked the above mentioned pies more. We also shared the mussels appetizer. The mussels weren't the largest, but what they lacked in size, they made up for with flavor. The generous serving arrived in a le creuset pot filled with a delicious broth made from leeks, fennel, white wine, and garlic. The thick cut toasted bread that accompanied the mussels was perfect to sop up the extra broth. I would order this again. Another reason I like La Madia is because they always have one red and one white wine of the week. $6 gets you a 5oz pour. The room is conversation friendly, and the tables aren't crowded together. I think La Madia is a fantastic choice for a date, dinner with girlfriends, or a family dinner. Highly recommend!
(5)Ben A.
Met a friend for lunch on a Saturday. Nice space - Open, airy, contemporary. The space is split into two sections, bar side with lots of light and restaurant side with booths and much softer lighting. We both ended up ordering the Chef's lunch which consists of your choice of soup of the day or salad and a choice of pizza. I decided upon the salad and fennel sausage, onion and gorgonzola pizza. The salad consisted of little gem lettuce, it feels and tastes like a butter lettuce and looks like romaine lettuce, roasted tomatoes and a house dressing. The salad was crisp and fresh with dressing on every surface of the lettuce, yet it wasn't too soggy or overwhelming. It was simple and delicious! The pizza was piping hot and a great alternative to Chicago deep dish. All three toppings stood out. The gorgonzola really mellows out in the wood-fired oven. I was worried it would be overwhelming. The crust was thin, light and chewy. I eat a fair amount of food and was thoroughly full after 3 slices. I also had a slice of my friends margherita pizza and it was equally tasty. I ordered a Moscow mule which was fantastic! Overall, great pizza, service and location. I'll definitely be back!!
(4)Sarah S.
Adjectives: romantic, groups, contemporary Italian Dish: Side of Glazed Carrots This place has a great ambiance and would be good for a romantic date or work dinner after work in the Loop. However, the prices were high for the level of food and wine that you get. To be expected, but I have been to Italian places in neighborhoods with better food for your buck. The glazed carrots are great for a side. I got the taleggio pizza with roasted grapes, which was an inventive and tasty pizza combo, but the taste was really based in the quality of the taleggio than any culinary artistry. My friend got a gluten-free pizza dough, and said that it was of a higher quality than most gluten-free crusts she gets. Service was good, and they split the check eight ways for our group.
(2)Mattie K.
Fantastic pizza and wine here. I got the triple pepperoni, which I recommend for the meat eaters. My mother had a divine crab pasta from the specials menu and the rest of my family (which was seated nicely in a glass room for less noise!) ordered pizza. Our waiter Adam brought us plenty of plates to share, so I recommend asking for sharing plates if they don't bring them. The wine list is extensive and well matched to entree items. I also would recommend grabbing a back bar seat to watch the pizza magic. The sambuca chocolate affogato was delicious, as was the chocolate polenta cake. If you go here, you won't be disappointed!
(5)Megan L.
I met some friends at La Madia for the first time, and had a really lovely time there. One of my friends and I got there a little early, so we sat in their gorgeous bar for a bit and had a glass of wine. Speaking of the wine, I thought they had a really nice selection at a number of price points. We actually tried a couple of different wines (all red, of course) and enjoyed all of them. Likewise, we had a pretty nice selection of appetizers and pizzas, and enjoyed all of them. There wasn't a bad selection in the bunch! For the pizzas we were sort of split down the middle in terms of traditional and getting something a little less so. All our pizzas were great, but the standout was the taleggio and roasted grape - wow, what a great idea!
(4)Jolanta G.
Had a "movie night" party yesterday and ordered pizza and mushroom risotto from La Madia. The delivery was as promised, food was hot and everything was delicious. The seasonal Heirloom Tomato Pizza is a must. Will definitely order from La Madia next "movie night".
(5)Kelly C.
A go-to favorite for great thin crust pizza in Chicago. Really flavorful topping combinations and fresh ingredients make it a solid choice. Really like the trendy and classy atmosphere. There's also a nice bar areas that made me think it would also be a good spot for a solo dinner in the city if you were traveling here for work.
(4)Wendel J.
Excellent exotic pizza and olive appetizer! A real plus was the friendly waiter. He was knowledgeable about items on the menu and liked to talk about their preparation. It's on our bookmarks. W & J from ne WI
(5)Andrea R.
After a few dozen visits to La Madia over the past 1 1/2 I've finally figured out exactly what to order. Actually you can't go wrong with anything on the menu (hence the 5 star review), but there are a few salads/pizzas that are extra tasty. Salad: Market Tomatoes, Bufala Mozzarella & Roasted Peppers, Honey Balsamic Dressing: The roasted peppers make this one of the best Bufala Mozzarella salads I've tasted Pizza: * Taleggio and Vin Santo Roasted Grapes: Grapes on your pizza may sound gross, but it's pretty uhmazing * Seasonal Wild Mushrooms, Pecorino: I've gotten this everytime and there isn't much left by the end of the meal because it's so delicious I'm not their only fan so be sure to make reservations ahead of time! Bon appetit!
(5)mei s.
i work in the area and had no idea they did pizza. the name didn't scream pizza to me, i assumed it was a spanish restaurant for some reason, eventhough i took a year of italian in college!! in any case, we were looking for something downtown and found this place. it was very family friendly. they did not have a kid's menu but offered dough, sauce and cheese for my daughter to put a pizza together. they also had an open area that you can watch them make pizza. the pizza was good. but be aware, all they do here is mostly pizza. i was dough-logged by the time i was done. but it is a nice place to bring the kids to in river north without it being rainforest cafe or overrun with tourists.
(4)Kate S.
We came to this restaurant on a busy Saturday night. We were told there would be an hour to an hour & 15 minute wait. So, we had a drink at the bar and they had a very large selection of wines to choose from. I liked that you could order a 4 oz pour or a 7 oz pour of most of the wines. Had a pretty good eclectic selection of beers. Atmosphere was nice, but very busy and kind of loud. We sat at the bar for about 30 minutes before deciding to go elsewhere and the entire time we were there, we watched one booth remain empty with no one being seated to it and we had asked for a booth when we added our name to the waiting list.
(3)Heather M.
So impressed by this place! I did not expect much from a River North pizza spot, but I was pleasantly surprised. First off, they have super cheap bottles of wine, that are actually quite drinkable. Service was great, and food was excellent! The pizza fondue was surprisingly good - it's not hunks of bread, as I imagined, it's actually plain pizza crust with a tomatoey cheesy dip. Great start! The salads were so good!!! Romaine salad was terrific, the pancetta bacon-o's made it. The arugula salad was also spot on, we enjoyed it very much. Pizzas - the egg and guanciale was ridiculous - garlicky and awesome. The one with prosciutto and arugula was also great. Overall, great meal. Will be back for the pepperoni and white truffle pizza. They also have some cool late night deals for even cheaper pizza.
(4)Lars F.
On a Saturday night this place can be packed, but there are moments it is quiet. We did not have a reservation but again we found a seat right away in the bar area. Great waiter service and great recommendations. The artichoke was good, but one sauce was not so flavorful. A lot of work as well. The brochette with tomato and mozzarella was fantastic. The bread really made that perfect. The fennel sausage pizza was really good and the cheese and grape pizza was a surprise hit. They have a huge selection of wine and a good selection of beer.
(4)Melissa M.
Been coming here for for the past few years. Love the "Lazy Luncheon for Two" because its a good deal for $18 which gets you choice of pizza, salad, a glass of wine, and a cookie. Can't beat that! I have tried most of their pizzas and they are very delicious; cant go wrong which ever one you order.
(5)Andy G.
La Madia is the go to date night spot for my wife and I. We love sitting at the bar, ordering a few glasses of wine and splitting a salad and pizza. The shaved artichoke pizza with truffle oil and the margherita pizza are excellent. The pizza is thin crust and light - a nice change from Chicago style deep dish. We typically go with the arugula or Italian chopped salad - both very good. Highly recommend.
(5)Lisa Z.
This place is one of my favorites! It's a great spot for a date. The atmosphere is really cool. They have the open woodfire pizza oven. I've had solid service every time I've been there too. I'd recommend the pizza fondue type appetizer. It was super good. Then I had the pepperoni and TRUFFLE pizza. Who'd have thought truffle would make pizza so great? This place! It makes everything else great, so why not this? We also went unique and tried a pizza with egg on it too, and some bacon. A breakfast pizza. I liked it, but I liked that pepperoni pizza better. More truffle please!
(4)Andrew P.
I think I've only been here for birthday parties/gatherings. It is a GREAT place for big groups. In fact they have at least one private area for special occasions which separates you from the larger, noisier dining area. I was impressed by La Madia's ability to seat large parties on weekends and by the overall service that we received. They have very very good thin crust pizzas (vegetarian options too) and an extensive wine list. Parking is pretty difficult so I would recommend using the valet. I'd like to go back someday for lunch. I think it would be a perfect spot for a quick bite with coworkers or a casual night out with friends.
(4)Rebecca N.
I agree with the other reviews--the menu NEEDS better appetizers. Besides that I would have given it a 4 star review. We got the Italian chopped salad. All the ingredients were good--the dressing was meh and the lettuce was a BIT too bitter for my liking. It needed a better dressing to cover that up. The pizzas however were AWESOME!!! We got one red (Eggplant) and one white (Artichoke). I went back and forth between the two and still can't decide which was better. Both were honestly outstanding. What is also great about this place is the price point. It is a good inexpensive, easy place to go with friends when you are trying to not spend a fortune. For 2 pizzas and a salad (definitely enough food for 3) it was 15 each with tax and tip! Impressive for River North/Gold Coast area. I'll definitely be here again.
(3)Krsna V.
I like it when my ill conceived notions are disproved. Especially about pizza. I am a lover of thin crust pizza. Deep dish can go to hell for all I care. For years I believed Chicago cannot do a good thin crust pizza. I have tried numerous places, ended up being disappointed every time. Trust! For years, I have lived in this snobbery that the only place to eat a thin crust pizza is NY. Well, La Madia gave me a good bitchslap and disproved my notions. The husband and I decided to play hooky on Monday. It was a beautiful day to go to work. We both decided to go on a lazy lunch date instead. Wandered around the neighborhood and found La Madia almost empty. Great outdoor seating and a cute interior. We were sold. They have an extensive wine list. The husband ordered a glass of Fournier and I got a Tamellini. Perfect for summer outdoor dining. We decided to order the luncheon for two: a selection of beginner, one pizza, and two cookies. For a beginner, we split the heirloom beet salad. Soft slices of beets served with watercress, salt roasted almonds, and gorgonzola. Excellent salad. For the pizza, we got the triple pepperoni pizza made with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, topped with white truffle oil. The pizza is the best I've had in Chicago. The experience can to be compared to the times when I like to be dominated by someone who is quite unassuming. Like that one aggressive guy who looks and acts innocent until he starts riding you like a rodeo cowboy. La Madia pizza is like that. This is how it would have went down, if the pizza could speak: Me: Hmmm... I am skeptical. Can you stand up to a NY-style pizza? La Madia Pizza (LMP): Just try me. *LMP gets naked* Me: Damn, this is good pizza *LMP pins me down and starts riding me like a cowboy* LMP: so, you think Chicagoans can't make a pizza huh? What do you think now? You little b*tch!! Me: Yes! Yess!! Yesss!!! LMP: You want some more? Here, have a few more slices. And while you are it, sprinkle some of that parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes Me: *moaning* yes mmmm, yes.... this is f*cking awesome. LMP: So, what do you think? Was that a pretty good "ride"? Me: Hells yeah!! LMP: Now you know, b*tch! Me: Yes, I do! LMP: Why don't you come here next week and we will do this all over again. I may bring some special toys for you next time. Me: oooooh, I am all excited. So yeah, I have another session planned with LMP. Next time I am going for a 3some. I will order two different pizzas.
(4)Clara L.
the food totally saved this review from being a lower rating as the service was majorly blah. such a shame since we experienced nothing but outstanding service from every other restaurant/snack shop we visited in chicago. here at la madia, i felt like i was back in LA. ughhhhh nooooo. we mentioned that we had late dinner reservations and were just grabbing a snack. she kind of rolled her eyes and said, "no drinks?". no, we're just going to split the house-made sausage pizza between the two of us. another annoyed look and walks away. about 10 minutes later, she walks by and pushed some plates and silverware on the corner of our table and walks away without a word. another 15 minutes later, she places the pizza on our table and walks wordlessly away...again. seriously? i thought these apathetic supercilious waitresses only existed in LA. ugh whatevs, the pizza itsef made up for it. the fennel sausage was spicy and peppery, there was a perfect amount of cheese (generous but not overdone), and the crust was thin, airy, and chewy. deeee-lish. keep the food the same but waitresses need customer service lessons.
(2)Nicole V.
I have been to La Madia several times and have always had such a good selection of food. Their pizzas are amazing and I love their bruschetta options. This review is more geared toward our rehearsal dinner that we just had there. They were so flexible in setting up the menus, which spanned many different categories and several different types of wines and beer. They were affordable compared to many other places in the area and gave us a semi-private room that was perfect for our group of 26. The staff that was assigned to us was so friend and attentive that we left very satisfied, full and likely with a glass or two more of wine than planned! I'd highly recommend them for your rehearsal or any private party.
(5)Rick T.
One of my go-to favorites. Creative salads and excellent seasonal woodfired pizzas. Regardless of the season, I usually ask them to whip up one of my off-menu favorites: housemade fennel sausage, peppers, and sweet onion white pizza. It's Cialis for the tongue. The outstanding wine selection and modern atmosphere round out a consistently great experience.
(5)Sarah F.
The pizza was good and so was the wine. The ambiance is a little modern for a pizza place. It would be nice if there was a bit more cozy seating.
(3)Susie V.
happy happy joy joy
(5)Bob J.
-Fantastic wine selection -Neopolitan style pizza from a wood fire oven -Very fresh -Reasonable prices -Two pizzas, two glasses of wine, two espressos, appetizer = $68
(4)Melanie S.
I have some good news and some not-so-good news. The not-so-good: the "Luncheon for Two" that was pretty much the best deal around, has gone up to $18, from $15. Still a great value if you ask me. The good, no, actually, GREAT news: they have a new pizza on the menu that may just preclude me from ever trying any other kind: shaved asparagus and burrata. Unfreakingbelievable. Love at first bite. I even ordered a second one to take home, but it may not last long enough to make it that far. I just can't seem to quit you, La Madia, but with pizza this good, why would I want to?
(5)Ralph K.
We had reservation and when we arrived our table was ready. That for me is a good start to an evening. Our table was located next to the pizza maker (awesome) and we had a view of the entire restaurant. Just loved it! Started out with the bruschetta which had some of the best fresh mozzarella I have had. Than we got our pizzas, one triple pepperoni and one grape pizza (yes grape) and they were wonderful. Thin crust, but not to thin just right. We loved the wine selection! Bottles ranged from $25 to $500 and what we loved most was the by the glass. You could get a 4 oz or 7 oz pour. Prices for by the glass were $4 to $15 and the selections were amazing. First glass was an Italian blend, warm, smooth and went well with the bruschetta. 2nd glass was perfect, bin #424 Italian Pinot Noir is one of the best I have ever had. Great nose, fruity up front, a little grip and an elegant finish. Atmosphere is good not amazing, but above average. Personally it just needs a little flair and this place would be off the hook. Desserts all sounded great but we choose to go to Fire Cakes for dessert, just a couple blocks away. Great place for a date or a group. When your in town, you should stop in.
(5)Jenny Y.
Ate here a couple times for lunch and I enjoyed every time i came, most of the dishes I tried were good. Spinach & Taleggio Fondue - SO good! Mushroom bruschette- Love it! Also really like their cracked Organic Egg pizza with prosciutto - I'm an egg lover! Everyone there is also very friendly- Always a plus to me. Service was good every time i went there (dinner could be different though when they get busy) Recommended.
(4)Caroline M.
Upgrading to 5 stars....what was I originally thinking?!? Things to know... 1) If you like sweet/salty order the grape and taleggio pizza. 2) Their special wine of the week comes in two sizes. Get the big one--it's only $7/glass. 3) Reserve a spot the lazy way, like I did, with Opentable. 4) Perfect for Girl Nights out. 5) Overall, high in quality, not in $$
(5)Dianne S.
I walked in for lunch in my scrubby sweats after hitting the gym this afternoon and was met with nothing but a smile and amazing service. Definitely, definitely under dressed...even for lunch. I was surrounded by suits lunching & girlfriends catching up. Opted to sit in their comfy lounge area with oversized chairs and decently sized tables for two (great people watching spot through their floor to celing windows!) By the way, if you sign up for their email list, they'll give you a coupon for a free pizza or sandwich for lunch! Enjoyed a wild mushroom soup d'jour with truffle oil and parsley for a starter accompanied by a $5 glass of their wine of the week (2007 Serblach dry Riesling from Germany...will definitely be picking a bottle up!). Josh, my server, perfected the art of being available without hovering. He even gave me some advice on how to use my new Nike Ipod. Tangent... Went with the goat cheese, leek, and pancetta pizza...way too much for one person. Actually had more than half left over. Can't wait to try their triple pepperoni with truffle oil next time! This place it too good to be true...I thought. So I'm gearing myself up for a disappointing dessert. Never happened. My husband had just dined here last week and told me to try the affogato with chocolate and sambuca gelato. After sampling this one scoop wonder, I fell in love with my husband all over again!
(4)Meredith K.
A coworker recommended this restaurant since she loves it, in fact her fave is the Pepperoni Pizza - it looked oily, but smelled good - I did not try. We started our dinner with the Pizza Fondue - Cheesy Tomato Sauce & Pizza Bread - it wasn't what I expected so just ok. The bread was shaped like naan. Also, 2 pizzas - Housemade Fennel Sausage & Sweet Onions, Tomato Sauce with Mozzarella Cheese and the La Quercia Coppa Piccante w/ Fire Roasted Sweet Banana Pepper & Onions. The latter had a touch of spice - both were ok, neither stood out. I started the Fingerling Potato Salad - Frisée, Pancetta, Poached Organic Egg, Croutons & Sherry Vinaigrette - this was the best, never had anything like this. Gnocchi with Housemade Sausage w/ Spinach & Teardrop Tomatoes - I was disappointed, I was hoping for either a creamy or red sauce. It was neither. WAH! This is the anti-Chicago pizza restaurant. Perhaps this may be one of the better thin crust pizza restaurants in town, but I know good pizza and I definitely know good food. Service was ok, but on the slower side. Prices were reasonable.
(2)Stephanie W.
All pizza all the time. Never met a pizza here I didn't like (not that I'm particularly choosy when it comes to pizza. I love Domino's as much as I love Lou Malnati's and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Maybe that decreases my credibility a bit. Don't curr.) TRY: Margherita, parma classic, cracked organic egg (pssst, this one is my favorite!) And let the (red, please) wine flow.
(4)Mehran F.
average at best. read about it in chicago tribune and that their pizza carbonara was a must try. went in on today (sunday)...pretty low key chain restaurant type of mood with a few out of towners who probably had nowhere better to go or had read whatever i had read. pizza carbonara was actually good. cheese pizza nothing to write home about. i had asked if we could do a half and half (half cheese, half sausage)...the chef said they were busy and could not do it... service by our waiter was really good. polite, pleasant. valet was nice. left our car in front of the restaurant. absolutely not worth the drive there from bucktown. food value not good either. even if the restaurant were in bucktown, it would not have been a place i would have gone to again.
(3)RICK L.
Good food; shabby service. I would give 2 1/2 stars if I could. Our pizzas came way, way late -- one about 45 minutes after ordering (10 minutes after my wife's entree arrived), and another even later than that. The server and manager apologized, but never explained what had happened. I had the feeling that my order had never really been communicated to the kitchen. They comped us for the two late pizzas; even so, considering my wife's entree and the fact that we ordered her dessert because our dinners came so late, I spent upwards of $60 for basically a miserable experience. On our way out, no one apologized or said anything to us. There are better choices in the Near North area. Take a look at the far less pretentious Italian deli called Bongiorno's on Wabash, or the yuppie pizzeria Scoozi.
(3)Amy H.
Because of my previously disastrous experience at La Madia, the manager graciously gave me some gift certificates to try them again. It's taken me over a year to eat at La Madia again and I had a pleasant time. La Madia has a great wine list. Everything else (the food, the ambiance, the staff) are ok. Nothing overwhelmed me as being incredible, but nothing was really bad either. We decided to have the "Luncheon for Two" with the addition of an appetizer and some gelato for dessert. The Appetizer: Bresaola, Shaved Fennel, Sweet Peppers, Parmesan. It was good. I like fennel and sweet peppers. It was nice and refreshing with a little squirt of lemon. It was good, but also kind of meh. Luncheon For Two (A Signature Salad, A Pizza, and "Wisconsin Electric" Cookies): Salad - Organic Arugula, 3-Hour Roasted Grapes, Local Apple, Spicy Walnuts, Shaved Parmesan & Walnut Vinaigrette. This was ok. How do you roast a grape for 3 hours?? Do you use an Easy Bake Oven? The arugula wasn't very "peppery", which might have helped the flavor of this salad. It was kind of bland. Pizza - Housemade Lamb Sausage, Fresno Peppers, Caciocavallo Cheese & Mint Salsa Verde. I liked this pizza a lot! However, the mint salsa verde didn't taste very minty. It was more basil/pesto-y. The lamb was delicious and the peppers were nice and spicy. Yum! "Wisconsin Electric" Cookies - Apparently these are cookies that the owner's mom, who worked for Wisconsin Electric, used to take to her company picnics. Wow, that's quite a stretch for a cookie name. I thought they might have cheese in them, but no. They're the lemon and pine nut cookies, which were better than the last time I had them, but still...meh. Dessert: Strawberry Gelato. Was this gelato?? It was creamy like ice cream. Not complaining, though. It was delicious! So, there you go. Three stars seems too low and four stars seems too high. They've improved for me, but I won't be rushing back to La Madia anytime soon. Three and a half stars is about right, but our waiter (Cutie-pie Ben) made it a four star experience.
(4)Shannon P.
Consistently delicious, fresh food. Rated "No" for kids but if yours are well mannered, there wasn't a a tinge of attitude from any direction. No feeding kids crackers until it dusts on the floor- kind of place. Work meetings here go well. (The lunch specials are one of the best in the city). Afternoon stops for a glass of wine and a snack, well. Service has been friendly and helpful. My recent trip had me savoring the risotto while the family had one of their favourite pizzas. La Madia is a delight.
(5)Tita P.
Went to La Madia two weeks ago for a birthday party. My first impression was that it was a very warm and cozy spot. I really liked the layout. They have really managed to do a lot with not a whole lot of space. We had a pretty large crowd so I knew that patience would be a must. Unlike most of my party I ordered Salmon and honestly was not as impressed as the crew that ordered the pizza. So, I will be sure to try the pizza next time. I was not that impressed by the wait staff but as previously mentioned we had a large party. I was on a coffee diet since I was drinking the night before. That being said I had to ask for a coffee refill 3 times before I actually got it. I know that you are wondering why give the place 3 stars? I just know that I will have a better experience when I am in a smaller group and when I order the pizza. So, La Madia PLEASE don't disappoint me...when I return.
(3)Jen A.
I really enjoyed La Madia. It was girl's night out and we started the night off at La Madia. I loved the decor and the atmosphere- everyone was really well-dressed for a night out, and the bar area was pretty packed. The wine was on special for $5 a glass-- a huge plus! We ordered a cheesy appetizer with marinara sauce, which was eh. It was basically pizza bread. We ordered pizzas, salmon, and pasta at our table, and everyone was really happy with their entrees- they were all delicious. The bill for four ladies with wine came out to less than $80. It was an affordable and yummy start to the night!
(4)Jim W.
Cute pizza restaurant, particularly nice when the weather is nice with the alfresco setting and the windows open. Fine alternative to the hot mess you see outside of Uno or Giordano's, and brick oven thin crust! I admit, with wine I'm a bit of a commitment phobe, so having many choices of wines by the glass and at different pour sizes (4 oz, 7 oz) that didn't break the bank was great. We started with a salad of mixed greens that was a decent size for sharing (probably best among 3 to 4 people, a little much for 2) that was highlighted by the inclusion of fresh-cut small radishes and some mushrooms. For pizza, the Groupon a few months back was an awesome deal. We ordered the triple pepperoni and the organic egg (who would have thought to do this?) & prosciutto pizzas. Didn't know what made the pepperoni "triple", but assuming it was the size. Egg was very unique and delicious on the 2nd pizza. Portions are definitely generous, I'm a big eater, but 2 pizzas could have easily fed 3 people. Pizzas came out a bit slow considering the restaurant wasn't at capacity, but our server was cute and polite as well as knowledgeable with recommendations on wines without being overly pushy. Reservations via OpenTable for a Friday night were easy to make a day in advance. Randomly observation: this seems to be a popular destination for couples and their parents.
(4)MTML D.
I decided to treat myself to lunch downtown while at work. I rarely eat out as I always bring my lunch. I decided to try La Madia based on my fellow yelpers. It did not disappoint. I went out on a limb and tried the most exotic pizza that they have which was the Taleggio and 3 hour roasted grapes. Who knew this pizza would be good. I decided that if they can make a grape pizza taste good then the rest of the pizzas have to be awesome. After I ate that thin crust slice of heaven I found myself wondering when I was going to come back with the wifey. This weekend. For sure. Jonathan Fox put his foot in this pizza and it came out awesome. He just made me a believer that thin-crust can be done great and with flair. If you have not tried it, you need to see what's up.
(4)Erin M.
I would give this place five stars, but the server was super slow. Overall, I loved this place, the pizza was AWESOME! All nine of us that ate that night couldn't get enough of the margarita pizza.
(4)Lindsay G.
I have to admit I felt slightly guilty for going to a thin crust specialty pizza joint in Chicago, but once I took a bite of the Coach Farm Goat Cheese, Melted Leeks, Garlic, & Pancetta, I was SO over it. I came here with a party of six (reservations in advance, please), and after scanning the menu and munching on some Pizza Fondue (pizza crust baked into a fluffy poof that you dip in sweet, savory pizza sauce), we decided to go all out and order 6 pizzas. The aforementioned Goat Cheese, Classic Margherita, House-Made Fennel Sausage, Triple Pepperoni, Cracked Organic Egg and Mozzarella di Bufala Campana. Our order didn't take long at all, and soon I found myself enjoying every flavorful bite of the wood-oven baked, super flavorful pizza scattered on our table. The Goat Cheese was my favorite, because I loved the combination of the gooey, distinct tasting cheese and the slightly burnt pizza crust. The Pepperoni was a close runner up--the meat was plentiful and the White Truffle Oil they slathered on it made it satisfyingly greasy and rich. The rest were solid - I was a little underwhelmed with the flavoring on the sausage, but the odd sensation of biting into an egg sitting atop melted cheese and toasted pizza crust was memorable. We thought six pizzas would be too much, but there was not a slice left when we were finished. The best part was that we only paid about $20 per person (no drinks) for piles of good food. La Madia is a great place to go to get your thin crust pizza fix in Chicago, the atmosphere is sophisticated but fun, the staff is friendly and helpful and the menu is so diverse that everyone should be able to find something they'd be curious to try.
(4)Shirley L.
Fresh thin crust pizza and pasta options, great for sharing. Full bar. Good location. Pretty easy to get a reservation, so a good safety option for large parties with a pretty good variety of options.
(3)Sara F.
Solid restaurant. I think this would be a very nice place to go with a group. Apparently, each week they have one white and one red wine for just $5 a glass. We all took advantage of the deal and were quite pleased with the wine. For four people, we started off with the arugula salad (chicken, apples, walnuts, and roasted grapes), and it was very tasty. We then ordered two pizzas: taleggio and 3 hour roasted grape and triple pepperoni with truffle oil. Both were very, very good. I could eat that taleggio every single day. When the pizzas came, we noticed that the bottom crust of the pepperoni pizza looked burnt (the way they cook it?); kind of off-putting, but it did not taste burnt at all. I'd definitely come back, but be warned: there were quite a few people who had reservations and still had to wait (including our party). This would not have been such a problem if 1) our stomachs were not literally eating themselves because we were so hungry and 2) if there was room at the bar to sit down and grab a drink. We were standing around kind of homeless.
(4)Bree S.
Triple Pepperoni Truffe Pizza. Do I need to say anymore? I think not, but then I would leave out the delicious cocktails. I've been to La Madia for lunch and also for dinner...both great experiences. and yes, both involved booze. I got a Moscow Mule the first time....so good I almost took a half day.
(5)Shelby S.
Not sure where to start. From the moment we walked through the door everything was perfect. The entire staff went out of their way to be accommodating. The waitress, gave us excellent recommendations on appetizers, wine, other menu selections including desert. Just a wonderful evening.
(5)KM M.
The place was packed! Which is good and bad. We had to wait about 15-20 minutes after our reservation time b/c a table wasn't available. Once we got seated it was smooth sailing. 4 of us went during restaurant week which is probably why it was so busy, but the options were plentiful. The appetizers were delicious. I had the artichokes and the grilling and seasoning were perfect. The dipping sauces were good. The other 3 appetizers were good, the only issue was that only 3 of them came out... the 4th took an extra 15 minutes to come out (the pizza fondue). The entrees were good, I was the only one that got a pizza, it was very good with amount of toppings (goat cheese, leek, pancetta). Others had scallops, salmon and the fettucine dishes. Very good. Desserts were also delicious, my favorites were the butter cookies and the blood orange in prosecco. I think this would be a good place to go with a group of girlfriends... a bit too loud for a date. The service was fantastic. Our waitress recommended a bottle of Pinot Noir (since the one we ordered was out) and it was the best Pinot Noir I've ever had. The waitress brought me a card with the name of the wine on the back, very thoughtful and unprompted. Liked it.
(4)Ang R.
A year later, and it's still good. I ate almost all new things, and they were all excellent. The only repeat was the pizza fondue, which again, was 100% worth it. I love that they left the sauce on our table so that we could dip our pizza crusts in it later. We also ordered the organic greens salad, and I just LOVED that it was chockablock with veggies--mushrooms and cucumbers, tomatoes and radishes. The dressing was light but tasty, and the quantity of veggies was so impressive that a slight lack of dressing was ok. I ordered the mushroom pizza, and it was great. I'm seriously awed by the sheer number of white pizzas here, and my sigfig also ordered one--the pizza with egg, caciocavallo, and prosciutto--and we both LOVED it. I want to go back to order that pizza. I mean, really. I'm going back and having that pizza. We finished with the strawberry gelato, and while I was not really a fan, he liked it quite a bit. Highly recommend.
(5)Baby M.
My experience was so bad here that when I realize my last review was deleted I had to go back and write another one. I ate there Christmas Eve 2012. The server was extremely rude. She took away the wine menu when we were still ordering drinks. She rolled her eyes at us. She gave us larger glasses of wine than we had ordered and then gave us a hard time when we noticed this on the bill. The manager was brought by and also was rude about the waitress trying to charge us for what we ordered. The food was ok but I'm not missing it at all. This is the only restaurant in Chicago that I refuse to go to ever again.
(1)Aida A.
I had a wonderful time and the food was amazing amazing I will be coming back very soon
(4)Harley S P.
The Mrs. and I went last evening. Very yummy pizza, she had artichoke and I had sausage, sweet onion. Had the arugula salad...also very good, with chicken, apples, & walnuts. The Spanish wine was the wine of the night (Wednesday)...paired up nicely with the pizza. We will def go again, very cozy. Next time we go we'll prob arrive early and sit up front near the bar and have a couple glasses of wine. Cheers!
(4)Liz H.
lots of good options on food menu and on wine menu. great downtown spot. a bit loud for business conversation but great energy all around.
(4)Emily D.
I don't want to sound ungrateful, but after hanging with the bourgeoisie, my Bottomless Pit (the hubs) was still hungies. Krsna V. and Michael a.k.a. Best Dressed (dear god, if I got his name wrong, I'm going to hear about it) were all, "There's really nothing good around here." OK, kids, let's go ahead and take those standards down a notch. I mean, we were eyeballing Rainforest Cafe. No seriously, their waffle fries are zesty and cruncharific. Moving on, nothing to see, we tipped into La Madia. On a Monday night, it felt like walking into a W Hotel room. Quiet, mod, Scissor Sisters. Ashley took great care of us, especially by making it so we didn't waste any (limited) brain power on making decisions. Tizi got me all hot and bothered for bacon-wrapped dates, so we went for round two. These had taleggio. Hallelujah, you creamy little son of a rind. I'll see your tang and raise you to the lips. We shared the gnocchi with lamb bolognese and spinach and speck pizza. Ashley figured if we had red sauce on our pasta, we shouldn't overdue it on acid(ic tomatoes) and recommended this lovely white pie. Wikipedia tells me speck is a juniper-cured ham. Righteous it was, especially with roasted pine nuts and plenty of red pepper flakes. We spoke of the fun we had, a little bit about hopes and dreams and a lot about the good at is Yelp. La M is a lady, and she knew what we needed that night. Red carpet welcome, service with alacrity. . . a solid epilogue to a great night.
(4)Jeff S.
For a guy who generally is a pizza purist (pizzatan?), I spend waaay to much time at La Madia. I guess thats what you get when the girlfriend likes things other than pepperoni and sausage on her pizza. That being said, I love La Madia. Love the beer list, love the atmosphere, love the apps, love the pizzas. They even play fairly decent music there. For a place that just screams "tourist trap", there also seems to not be a ton of people there from Schaumburg, which is always a plus. I've had almost every pizza on the menu and agree with other posters; the triple pepperoni with truffle oil is great pizza. They used to have an egg pizza with prociutto, its now an egg pizza with speck. Huge misplay. The waiter will tell you its the same pizza, but it is not. La Madia is also a great place for groups. You can order a bunch of different pizza and keep the cost pretty low. This was a very disjointed review, but thats what you get at the end of a work day!
(4)Doreen D.
Pizza was pretty good. Not tradtional Chicag style at all. More of a flat bread with tons of flavor. We ordered 5 different kinds which gave us a full rounded view of the types. All were good. Liked the artichoke appetizers as well. Waiter was good - no issues. Not 5 star worthy but good.
(3)Rhonda S.
Friday night was my third visit to LaMadia, and I realized that I hadn't written a review yet. First I want to say the service has been great on all my visits. From the hostess to waitstaff, everyone is really nice and accommodating. Second, the food is great. Two visits I had pizza and the last one I had one of the best salads I've ever had. I'm vegan, and on all visits the chef and waitstaff have been great at modifying some of their menu items so that I've had a wonderfully delicious meal. If you're vegan, just ask and they will work with you. Oh, and they have a great wine list!
(5)Silvana M.
great martini's wonderfull salads the best pizza
(5)Tammy H.
I am never disappointed here. All food items are fantastic. Once you're there, the service is great... But the only complaint I have is that I tried to make a reservation for Restaurant Week and I was shuffled around to three people to tell me the same thing. That was frustrating to say the least. The first time I went was for a dinner with some Joffrey colleagues, and we split some appetizers and pizzas and desserts. Everything was amazing - although I wasn't terribly impressed with the cookies. The second time, Joe and I went originally to use our Groupon, but then decided to take advantage of the Restaurant Week menu instead and save our Groupon (that's how confident I am that I will be back there again). Unfortunately, after we ate, we realized that it would've been cheaper to order the app, pizza, and dessert separately... Oh well. It was all delicious and that's what counts!
(5)Akila C.
This place had the worst service I have ever encountered, and I've spent a great deal of time in New York. The waiter at the bar completely ignored my friends and I for a good 15 minutes while we waited for our table to open up. He would make eye contact with us and then continue to clean glasses instead. Other than that, the pizza was subpar. I expected a little better out of my first pizza experience in Chicago! I'd say the atmosphere is nice, as well as the beer selection, but I would not go here again.
(2)Stacey P.
I can safely say I am in love with La Madia. I had the triple pepperoni pizza (which was HUGE) and gnocci. Everything was so delicious. I really want to come back and try ALL the pizzas. Service was excellent, except one waiter (not ours) kept booty bumping my friend (inadvertantly, I hope). We stayed there for at least an hour after we were done eating, and they were never rude and never hinted at kicking us out. I love the inside too. What a nice place!
(4)Chester W.
I'm not a huge fan of Chicago style so this was a welcome change. I got take out, but the atmosphere of the place was very contemporary with a nice wine bar on the side. The triple pepperoni pizza with white truffle oil was definitely tasty. I prefer my pizza with more tomato sauce, but that's just a personal preference. Will definitely be coming back to try the other pizzas.
(4)Bobby G.
the food is just so damn fresh. the cheese in my salad tasted like it came straight from the cheese farm. very good indeed.
(4)Susan S.
We sat at the pizza bar and enjoyed our complimentary sparkling wine as we watched the masters go to work. The cooks were artists to our eyes, nose, and stomachs. We had the bruschetta which was missing a "pop" a spice or something...rather bland. The salad was delish with roasted tomatoes...yum. The shaved artichoke pizza was to die for. The only problem of the evening was the gnocchi was served 18 minutes after the pizza! It was my dinner, so I had to steal my partner's pizza! We ended the night with the pistachio gelato, which was flavorful and delicious. I go Bach again and again.
(4)Margaret P.
Great location, price, drinks, food and service! Tip: Friday afternoon couldn't make a res til 9:30pm on opentable for the extra points, so instead i called and was able to get a res for 8:30pm. We arrived early and were actually able to sit down at the bar, and the bartender was very friendly and attentive. We just came from the Shamrock Shuffle expo and he asked about it and he mentioned he was doing it for the first time this year. It was difficult to decide what to drink - the wine list is huge!! Thankfully, they have half glasses which is great for me since I like to try different wines. I was looking for a Pinot Grigio and tried Zemmer which was perfect..and my husband was thrilled to see his favorite Belgian beer, Triple Karmelite. The Groupon for 2 pizzas made the ordering easy: Heirloom Beet Salad, Burrata/Eggplant pizza and Triple Pepperoni pizza. This is the first thin crust pizza we've had in Chicago and absolutely loved it!!! Keep in mind they are huge, so go with a group or plan on brown bagging the rest. The beets with the blue cheese was excellent, and both pizzas were outstanding!!!! The pep was a bit on the greasy side but after a little blotting, i could deal. It was worth it given the amazing flavors!!! We will definitely be back!
(4)Stephen M.
Easily the most delicious pizza I've ever had. Get the triple pepperoni from the reds and seasonal wild mushroom from the whites (pizzas not wines). Great place to go with a group as it a great atmosphere and very reasonably priced.
(5)Amy W.
I love this place. I think it delivers exactly what it promises to. I remember after being there a few times (at least 2-3 times a month), I read the owners' vision on their website - they wanted La Madia to be the "home away from home" for the neighborhood and that's exactly what they delivered! They have a very simple menu - mostly pizzas, a few entrees and salad/appetizer options. Nothing fancy but the ingredients are always very fresh and top quality. I remember having a very simple salad with normal ingredients like carrots and etc, and was very surprised how fresh and refreshing it tasted. They simply know how to bring out the best in the most basic ingredients. I highly recommend the wild mushrooms pizza (even meat-lover guys will love this one) and braised short ribs - very reasonable price for the quality of the food. The extensive wine list is also very impressive. Simply put - if you can't make amazing pizza and access to amazing and reasonably priced wine immediately at home - this is the place to go, just like the owner promises. The atmosphere is warm, casual, stylishly simple. I love how what can be a very awkward long, rectangular space can be transformed into different seating arrangement areas with little nooks. I love the front bar area with lounge type of seating, all the banquetts, the oval tables for 4-5, love the private dining room and even the chef's counter in the back. They all offer different experiences. This place is great for any occassion you can think of - a casual date, girls night out, happy hour with co-workers, casual work dinner/lunch, family gatherings - suitable for all ages and palettes. Highly recommended!
(5)Catherine W.
A girlfriend and I shared 2 pizzas. It was tasty, but I didn't find anything extraordinary about it. The decor is nice though.
(3)Christina P.
Ooooh barracuda. Let me tell ya - the proof is in the pizza! I love La Madia. A great spot to bring a group for happy hour noshing, the parents that are in from out-of-town and staying in the loop, or a group for a gathering. Everything is done very well. The service is top notch. The wine selection is vast. The salads are great - proportioned nicely. The pizza makes my heart melt. I mean, to die for. Upscale, crispy, interesting ... just lovely. And, dare I say - the wild mushroom & truffle risotto has inspired a craving that won't be cured until I return. All in all, a great spot. The only warning is that as this is in a "hot" area of town, my group was unfortunately victims of a purse snatch. All I can say is, ladies, keep your purses on your lap & be very aware of your surroundings. I don't think this was a reflection of La Madia at all but did want to warn other diners. I will be back for more carb loading soon!
(5)Tony S.
Great food, good atmosphere, slow and rude service. Easy menu not sure why
(2)Collin P.
We went to La Madia for the groupon deal a while back and the food was excellent. Service was prompt yet not pushy, and the pizzette were the closest I've gotten to a true napolitano style pie. The decor was interesting, I especially loved their wine room. The place is a nice change of pace from normal chicago style greasy pizza, so it will do well if they keep up their standards. Only gripe I had was a bitchy hostess on a couple occasions? Go figure?
(4)Matthew P.
La Madia you never seem to disappoint me. Went here with a few co-workers for dinner and had an amazing meal. My new favorites include: * Appetizer: Pizza Fondue: Cheesy Tomato Sauce & Pizza Bread * Booze: 2002 Cab Ornelia * Salad: Arugula, Herbed Chicken with Crisp Apples & Spicy Walnuts * Pizza: Triple Pepperoni, Tomato Sauce & Mozzarella Cheese, finished with White Truffle Oil * Desert: House-Made Gelato of the Moment: Cappuccino
(4)Sonesh S.
Came with a party of 8 for a friend's bday...really enjoyed everything here, from the food to the service. We ordered 2 Salads (Mixed Greens, Beet Salad), 5 pizzas (Sausage, Trip Pepperoni, Buffalo Mozz, Artichoke + Margherita) and Cake (we brought the cake). I'll start off by saying that while the mixed greens were nothing to write home about (honestly, how can mixed greens ever be that good?), the beet salad was absolutely phenomenal. I don't particularly love beets, but this salad was delicious. From a pizza standpoint, here's was my rankings: 1) Buffalo Mozz - Simple, yet flavorful and very fresh ingredients. I'm a sucker for fresh mozz though. 2) Fennel Sausage - Homemade sausage was cooked and seasoned very well 3) Triple Pepp - I would have enjoyed this a lot more if it wasn't for the healthy dose of truffle oil (it was lathered on the 2 slices i had) 4) Artichoke - I didn't think i would like a pizza w/o sauce, but it was actually pretty tasty - lots of flavors, and the artichoke wasn't overwhelming. 5) Margherita - nothing too special here, you've had it before. Oh yeah - the wines were also very good (Pinot Noir #413 - is very very good). Our bill ended up being about $35/person for food & drinks (and we paid for the bday boy), so its extremely reasonable as well.
(4)Michael D.
Looks ten, dance three. Not really feeling the love for La Madia. In a city like Chicago, you've got to have some serious pizza mojo to stand out in the city that made pizza, well, pizza. Zipped in for lunch, ordered up the fennel something or other. It came out pretty quick, which may have been part of the problem. Thin crust pizza should be crisp, with that satisfying 'snick' sound as you take the first delicious bite. This was the quietest pizza I've ever eaten, so limp in fact, that I ended up rolling it up like a burrito just to be able to put it in my mouth. California Pizza Kitchen does a way better thin crust 'za, sadly. Not that CPK is bad, but one somehow expects something more in a non chain, pseudo-hip kind of place. I will say it's a decent bang for the buck, sizewise, and if they could set the oven timer to make it thin CRUST, instead of thin LIMP, the world of Windy City pizza would be the happier for it.
(2)John G.
I must have been missing something. The food was high quality, but it wasn't amazing! We had a salad and a pizza half and half so we tried a variety of their menu and I have to say, I'm not a fan and I'll never go back.
(2)Craig F.
Went here on our recent trip to Chicago after reading all the great reviews on Yelp. Liked it so much I went twice while there. First time ordered a couple of excellent thin crust pizzas and ate in the bar because the dining room was full. Second time made a reservation and had the ravioli (also excellent). Both visits featured friendly staff and an excellent wine list.
(4)audrey c.
First rate Neapolitan pizzas paired with excellent wine and extensive Belgian beer selection. All other pizzas very jealous! I am a big fan of pizza and have been a loyal fan of this place since it opened.
(5)K. A.
LOVE the thin crust REAL Italian style pizza, reminds me of Sicily! We get pizza from here a lot and whenever I think about pizza for dinner La Madia is really the only place that sounds good to me. I love the Pizza Margarita! :) Just a warning do NOT order delivery from here, your $20 pizza will show up cold...
(3)Steve M.
Had the chance to try La Madia while on the Chicago Pizza Tour. There were 4 different pizzas brought out to try The triple pepperoni, goat cheese and pancetta, wild mushroom and smoked mozzarella, and one with taleggio and roasted grapes. The triple pepperoni with truffle oil was way too over-powering on the truffle oil and the rest were actually very bland. I would probably give it another shot but with so many pizza options in the city it is hard to say when I would get back. I also thought from just browsing the menu that the prices were a little high compared to other brick oven pizzerias.
(2)Tim D.
I miss the old pizza parlor - the checkered tablecloths, pitchers of soda, shakers of crushed red pepper, etc. I'm sure the parlor lives on somewhere; it can't have completely died out. No, the old pizza stalwarts are keeping it alive, waiting for simplicity to come back in vogue. In the meantime, we have La Madia, which is like your old pizza palor gone metrosexual. It's a welcoming place. It even has crushed red pepper, although the shakers are no more. And if you're a pizza fan and you want to convince your trendy friends to go out for a pie, then this is the place. Yes, the pizza is good, although I'm not sure what they are thinking putting truffle sauce on pepperoni.
(3)Esther Y.
Take my advice: stick to take out or delivery and you'll be happy. The husband and I went here on a Sunday for lunch. It should be nice and laid back, right?! WRONG. First of all, there were about 10 people there. I think 4 tables total. However, there was only one server. Usually, one server for 4 tables isn't that big of a deal. I've been in places where the server had more than 4 tables and was FREAKIN AWESOME. My server here, however, was anything but awesome. I ordered the $15 lunch....salad, pizza and cookies. That is easy. I stuck to water, my husband got lemonade. Again, easy I thought. But it was apparently not easy for our server. Literally 10 min later, we got water. I asked for some lemon wedges when we placed our drink orders. When we got our drinks, nothin. I asked again, nothin. I asked a third time.....finally, 15 min later. LEMONS!!!!! YAY!!!! Sucess. We ordered our meals......after waiting around for what seemed like a long time for the salad, we ended up getting our pizzas. Where was the salad? The waiter said, "oh, you ordered a salad?" Ummm we had a whole discussion on the salad, sir! Then I sat around again....5 min goes by, 10 min goes by....NOTHING. NO SALAD?!!!! I ask the hostess, whether the salad was coming...I ask the server again..." the sald is on the way" I was told....great. Then it arrives (FYI, the salad dressing is good). Then, we had to get boxes to wrap it up. Knowing the ineptitude of the workers there, I physically got up and asked for it myself. He came by with the boxes, and then my husband asked for the check. We waited around again....(mind you, there were only 10 other people there!!!! TEN!!!) and then I got up again to get my check. I'm SOOO peeved at this point. Any time I have to do your job for you, is when you get a suck ass tip. Then, my husband remembers the cookies. Oh, where are the cookies sucky waiter? He responds with, "Oh! Right, the cookies!" Umm...yeah, if you can't remember people's orders after writing them down, then you are in the wrong profession. Needless to say, I will not be going back there to dine-in EVER. I'll stick to take out if I ever go back. Great....I just got reannoyed at this place while writing the review LOL.
(2)Dan F.
Great location and atmosophere, great wine list with great prices and great food...can't really ask for much more. I guess the only thing that's keeping me from giving this five stars is that there really wasn't anything transcendent about this place...it was just merely wonderful. Started with a bottle of Austrian riesling that was very fairly priced and enjoyable. For a starter we had the bruschetta topped with marsala glazed mushrooms and ricotta...deelish. Pizza was with lamb sausage and truffle oil...perhaps a bit on the oily side (lamb oil, not truffle oil), but it was very very good. Great crust and good flavor. I will certainly be going back.
(4)Maggie V.
Triple pepperoni with truffle oil--- FANTASTIC. Fun atmosphere on a weekend night, really good service. Great option when you are in the mood for pizza or light Italian but don't want the crazy Midwest Italian American fare of more food than one person can eat in 3 days.
(4)Jack T.
Terrible, slow and inconsiderate service. We stopped in last night about 7:30 and were seated right away. Waitress came by and we ordered wine -- excellent and reasonable -- a caprese salad and two pizzas. The waitress mentioned the pizzas would take about 15 minutes. The wine and salad came immediately. Great tomatoes. We had finished the salad by 7:45. At 8:30 I finally asked another waiter to find our waiter as we had not seen her since the salad arrived. We were curious as to where our pizzas were. We were at that point passed starved where it really didn't make difference whether we got them or not. "Oh, they were just put into the oven." she said, smiling. They were supposed to be here about 45 minutes ago and we've been sitting here without anyone saying anything. The food is excellent. Just be prepared to terrible, slow and inconsiderate service.
(1)Jennifer H.
Although I said I wouldn't go back, my boyfriend and I decided to give La Madia another chance...and I'm glad we did. This time the service was excellent. It was less crowded so the time we waited for our pizza was definitely speedier, so I would definitely recommend going at a time when the restaurant isn't crowded (fyi: the brick oven can only hold so many pizzas at one time). They recently changed their menu and took the Abalone Mushroom with truffle oil pizza off the menu, which was disappointing since it was pretty unique and delicious. They replaced it with a regular assorted mushroom pizza which was still really tasty. My boyfriend also went back another time and ordered the artichoke pizza for carryout and we took it to a concert in Millenium Park (Since when do boys pack picnics?...So he brings La Madia boxed pizza...I'll take it). It was ready when he went to pick it up and the pizza was delicious.
(4)Karen L.
I really like their pizza, it is nothing that special but it is crisp, thin and chewy. We sat at the bar and watched the chefs make the pizza, which was quite interesting and we got to enjoy a glass of prosecco on the house. Not bad! The salad that we ordered wasn't quite what I wanted with the different lettuces (it was the one with the blue cheese and pears) but it was still ok. It is a nice date place, romantic but still casual.
(3)John M.
good pizzas, terrible service. the food was good. i would definitely eat their food again, just not in the restaurant. i don't think i've ever had such disinterested service coming from so many members of a staff. long waits for both ordering, and in between drinks. i think it took about an hour and a half from when we were seated to when we were eating, and this was probably around 9:30 on a saturday night, so not too busy. when our food finally arrived we had no napkins, dishes or silverware. our server just dropped our food and ran. at one point a gentleman came over to our table (the manager i assumed) to ask if we were waiting on anything. we had put a drink order in about 12 minutes prior and explained that we were still waiting for our drinks. he said nothing, then disappeared. the drinks arrived in about another 10 minutes. not sure what that was about. our server basically forgot us when it came time to deliver the check and we had to ask the waitress helping the table next to us to get our check for us. i believe we then had to walk the check over to the register as nobody ever came to retrieve it. go for take-out or get it delivered. there is no reason eat here unless you are a masochist.
(3)Jennifer S.
I met a friend for dinner on a Tuesday night. To my surprise, it was a pretty happening place for a Tuesday night. They had a very extensive wine selection and the server was able to answer questions and make recommendations regarding wine selection. We split the pizza fondue appetizer--definitely big enough to share. The pizzas are thin crust and they have a wide variety of choices and several all-vegie for your vegetarian friends. Overall, I thought they place had a great atmosphere and great food. I will definitely go back.
(4)Rita W.
i had been craving thin crust pizza so I was excited to check out La Madia. The decor inside definitely lived up to my expectations. It is sleek and chic inside. My friend Elizabeth and I kept pointing out the cool decorations inside the restaurant. We were seated next to a semi private room that had dangling lightbulbs that we thought were very cool looking. Most of us ordered pizzas. The most interesting pizza of our groups was the tallego and grape pizza. Tallego is a very strong cheese, but the tangyness and the salty flavor of the cheese, when eaten together with the sweet broiled grapes made a very impressive flavor combo. I had the shaved artichoke and parmensan reggiano pizza - it was good but it tasted more like mushroom pizza and it was not as cheesy or warm as I had hoped. My boyfriend ordered the chianti shortribs, not bad but I have definitely had better shortribs. In all, the pizzas were decent but average at best. I was hoping to find a restaurant where I would want to go if I am craving thin crust pizza and while La Madia is definitely great for atmosphere and a fun dinner, I wouldn't go there just for the pizza.
(3)a d.
Too oily, too greasy, just average pizza.
(2)Megan H.
Delicious! Reasonable! Must try the mushroom brushetta. Service was great too.
(5)Jaclyn G.
I really enjoyed my 1st dinner at La Madia. as soon as my friend and I arrived I noticed the atmosphere was very lively and welcoming. The hostess was very nice. As a matter fo fact, we had a 6:30 reservation, unfortunately my friend got held up. I was a little nervous to call and ask to push it back (I know how some of the host staff at these new trendy restaurants are) but when I did, the hostess was so nice and understanding she told me our table would be waiting for us. I have to add that the place was packed when we got there! As far as the food, I thought it was excellent! We shared the spinach, speck and pine nut pizza. Then we both had the braised short rib rissoto which we both agreed was absolutely delicious! They had a very extensive wine list as well. I thought our waitress could have been a tad more attentive, but thats truly my only complaint. After dinner we had a glass of wine at the bar which is also nice. the bartender working that night was very helpful and knowledgeable about the wine list. All in all my friend and I had a good time and I will definitely be back!
(4)Hugh B.
Nice modern room; informed service; great pizza on the wood-burning oven; good salads; broad wine list -- La Madia is a fine, fine place. I've only had lunch here, and only on weekends -- three or four times -- and it is the perfect place for that -- low key, but satisfying.
(4)alex c.
Been here several times before, but last time was Tuesday night for their Late Night Fixed which serves two people - $30 for a salad, a pizza, and one wine of the week for each person. We had the Organic Arugula salad, the Housemade Lamb Sausage pizza, a red wine for me, white wine for her. Great food as always and this is an excellent deal for the price - just the right amount of food that won't leave you hungry or overstuffed.
(5)Leah C.
i can't believe i've strayed from my beloved stuffed spinach pizza these days but i'm glad i've been exploring otherwise i wouldn't have found la madia... great service - ashley rocks. i have a hard time making decisions: asaparagus and pecorino OR summer squash and burrata mozzerala. "let's go half and half" she graciously suggested. i'm pretty sure that isn't really an option given the volume of orders at this place on a friday night but she made it happen and i'm SO glad as they were both equally delish. the grilled asparagus complimented the sweet, finely sliced onions and pecorino can never do wrong. burrata is sinfully delicious in any setting. my husband enjoyed his fennel sausage pizza as well (vegetable-tarian i am trusted his taste buds). my a mano wine was delicious and he enjoyed one of beers off of their mainly belgian beer list. the beet salad reviewed a few times already was also very flavorful - a good starter before indulging in pizza. being up close and personal with the kitchen (sitting at the bar), it was cool to see the behind the scenes action... as exciting as pizza and pasta and salad making can get! though, we were eye to eye with the dessert chick and were very tempted to grab a dessert as well if we weren't so stuffed. ashley let us know that their pizzas are baked in ovens using real oak and the flour is imported from italy making la madia as authentic as could be. tip: sit at the "pizza bar" and get a complimentary glass of sparkling wine.
(4)Brandon C.
Great place to take friends...
(5)Jessica M.
My boyfriend and I met my best friend and her husband here for dinner one night. It was good, but not great. First, the waiter, while very friendly, bordered on upselling. I appreciated that he le volunteered to let me taste a more expensive wine than the one I ordered, but.... I was pretty clear that I was going to get the cheap glass. Then it just seemed like every course we ordered, he would try to get us to get one a few bucks more expensive. He was a really nice guy, but he just needed to dial it down a notch. The food was ok, but nothing very special. I like Coalfire better, and have definitely had better pizza a lot of other places. Points for decor and effort, but I probably won't be back. Sorry La Madia!
(3)marisa s.
the drinks were good (many different to choose from), pizza was good, salad was good and service was pretty good too. what i liked: truffle pizza mushroom pizza pizza with fresh salami (might have been a special order) beet salad artichoke pizza we had a group of about 18 people for my boyf's surprise bday party and they were able to accommodate us pretty well (esp. for being fairly new). the bill was pretty cheap for 18 people, so i was happy about that. in a sentence: it's a pretty svelte slightly upscale pizza place but you don't pay svelte prices. do it.
(4)Philip N.
I think that La Madia is the perfect restaurant. I had lunch there today; it was my fourth time. It has great simple food. I happen to love beets and their beet salad is terrific. We usually order a pizza and split it but we were particularly hungry today. I probably over ordered but didn't have any trouble consuming the fantastic food. I tried the Italian sauce appetizer, not sure of the correct name but it was served with a large flat bread (pizza dough without toppings) to dip. Yum. We also had a calzone and a pear sandwich. It may sound odd but oh my it is sooo good.
(5)Monica J.
Came here with some of my girl friends on a sunday night. This place is relatively new and has gotten decent coverage...so was surprised to see only a few of the tables were occupied. I had imagined a trendier setting but in the end, was not disappointed as food and service were on par. Our waiter was exceptionally sweet and brought out dessert for my friend's bday! We ordered two pizzas, a pasta and a salad, which we shared between the 5 of us. It was just enough. I really have no complaints (maybe because I love pizza)...but not TOO eager to go back.
(3)Jenny G.
This is a nice place to come for a drink after work on a weeknight, if you want some quiet. I had a whopping glass of Pinot Noir and a $4 plate of fire-roasted olives. The bartender was very nice and gave me a free sample of another wine I was interested in. I haven't been here to eat yet but the menu looks delicious.
(4)S. J.
This place is great in the summer (open doors, small patio on the side, big selection of white wine) and in the winter (cozy, fireplace, great red wine). Good place for some light food, sharing a bottle of wine, and people watching. P.S. Pizza fondue, simple but awesome!
(4)