Via Bella
5412 S La Grange Rd, Countryside, IL, 60525
Via Bella Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Countryside for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
5412 S La Grange Rd
Countryside, IL, 60525 - Phone (708) 482-0055
- Website https://www.viabellarestaurant.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 11
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Valet, Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Leonard W.
I first was introduced to Via Bella as I was hired to take photos of an 8th grade dinner for their graduation. and time as a guest for a weeding and once as I brought my mother here for dinner. Each time I've come I had a great time but they may have more to do with my party and less to do with the banquet hall entrance is on the side of the building so it's larger then what you might expect. the decor is a little dated. I'm sure this place was a big hit when Wang Chung had their last big hit (Everybody Have Fun Tonight - 1986) The restaurant I enjoyed my dish but recall my mother didn't really care for hers. I think from a reception stand point this place is a 4 star but from the restaurant standpoint it's only 3
(4)Alexis B.
Amazing calamari and pastas! Perfect place for dinner or event! Service is great family oriented!
(5)Don R.
Very nice banquet hall. It's much more spacious in here than it looks from the outside. Tonight was the third time I've been here for a wedding reception or other event. Great food, good lighting, clean, nice setup. Only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because I'm not sure how much it costs. Guess I'll update my rating if I book an event here.
(4)Jose B.
Unfortunately I have to give this place a 3 star rating. The place is nice, good ambient feel to it. Great service. The food on the other hand is not. Ordered a chicken Alfredo, it was watery with bland chicken. The chicken cesar salad had bland chicken as well. The via bella pizza is not a choice to go with. The food was better last time I was here so not sure if there was a different chef or what, but will not be returning.
(2)Sandy K.
Definitely would not go back to this restaurant. We sat at the bar to eat. The bartender basically ignored us. Every time we asked for anything he told us to wait. Our food came and it wasn't hot; slightly warm. When I told the bartender he indicated that the ravioli had just been made; obviously the sauce must have been microwaved because it wasn't hot. Meatballs were big but those weren't hot either. Also, ordered the lobster ravioli and couldn't taste any lobster in them. Ended up taking out food to go and left!
(2)Kevin B.
I was here for an reception. The food was very good and it is a very nice facility.
(5)Chantal B.
My family has ordered from this restaurant several times for carry out. All five times we have ordered carry out, NOT ONCE has the staff given us all of our food. We will even have the staff double check to be sure they have given us our entire order. The first four times, they told us they would not deliver the missing items and we would need to return to pick them up. Tonight, they offered to deliver and the person delivering argued with me about the validity of our address. First, he called to inform me that I was mistaken about my address. The second time, he made a point to mention it again at the door. At no point, was there an apology. The food quality has not improved. A person in our party ordered the lobster ravioli. There were a total of four raviolis drowning in sauce. The specialty salads are the same size as the side salads, but twice the price. All in all, this has been a disappointing experience at a once lovely establishment. We will be giving the remaining gift certificates away or throwing them in the garbage.
(1)Catherine S.
Website says open till midnight on Saturday night. Grouchy Tony says we're closed at 9:30 when we walk in. Door outside says open till 1am. Get your stuff straight!
(1)Anna I.
Delicious family style restaurant that is so reasonably priced! Love the mothers Day Buffet! We love their food and carry out. It's clean and has a huge banquet area which is also nice. I was at a charity there which was a zoo and they managed to do a great job with valet and service. I'm impressed.
(5)JL J.
We had the pleasure of passing by and looking for a place to eat in the vicinity. Seeing it from outside, it was the perfect place for drinks and perhaps dinner. The ambiance was perfect for conversation. The restaurant was not particularly busy but a few people did walk in and sat down for dinner. The restaurant is huge. Nice space. The space is fantastic which gives you a chance to just chill and have a nice time. No one is hustling you out the door so that they can get the next one in. The staff was super nice. A no frills Italian joint in Countryside, IL that serves authentic Italian food! Finger licking good food! Our server was a no-frills, tell-it-to-you-straight Italian lady who didn't hesitate to go into the kitchen and add her special touch to our salads, bruschetta (she corrected our pronunciation of it - Italian pronunciation: [brusketta] ) and rigatoni marinara. For appetizers we had clams, bruschetta and blue cheese salad. For dinner we shared a pizza and rigatoni with spicy Pepperoncini. Being close to Chicago, the pizza fell short of Chicago standards but it was decent. The rigatoni with spicy marinara was a wonderful dish...the kind of comfort food that beckons you: "Come hither darling...it's winter time. Get fat!" We will definitely be coming back! Cheers, Jordan & Marks
(4)Pamela S.
Such a great restaurant experience. Our party ordered the AMAZING baked Cavatelli, chicken parm, veal parm, a house specialty Chicken Maria. Every dish was really good. Not a single complaint. Staff was very friendly, and the owner/manager stopped by our table twice to check on us. First time here, and looking forward to having my bridal shower here in May.
(5)Kara L.
Terrible. We ordered fried calamari to start. It was soggy, tasteless and mushy. The bread was also tasteless. My husband ordered the eggplant parmigiana. I took one bite and had to spit it out because it had a rancid taste. I ordered the lasagna. It tasted and looked like week old cafeteria lunch. The service was slow. The only positive thing I can say was our waitress was nice.
(1)Winston Y.
I used to love this restaurant when it was in downtown La Grange, but it has turned into a total disappointment. My favorite dish was the Chicken Maria, but the quality of the chicken has gone way down, the portion of crab meat has shrunken to almost nothing, and the whole thing is just drenched in sauce. I've given them too many chances to show me they can be what I remember, but I've been let down every time. I won't be returning anytime soon.
(1)Mark F.
We were here for a retirement party. The pizza was tasty enough. It didn't change my life. And the cash bar for overpriced bottled beers didn't help anyone's cause. For pizza alone - it was tasty to go along with my brews of available choice. The decor was outdated and felt stagnant and ready for any reception or party to come through its doors.
(3)Jose B.
I attended a banquet last night 8 august 2014 celebrating my church 85th anniversary 1bowl of pasta was put on our table server said dinner plates are coming when all 10 plates arrive 2 at the time every minute it was not enough pasta left for three more people I asked the server for more she responded there is no more pasta in the kitchen wine was being served it was like a wine tasting event was not expecting 1/2 bottle per people at least 1/2 glass servers look more like dishwashers desert was served it was supposed to be ice cream look more like milk shake coffee was being served but was not offer to every table like a regular banquet hall, dirty plates not picked up when the next was being served tried to get the banquet coordinator attention but she was only in one area terrible service ,t was told to call at 5pm today when I did the girl said one moment please when she returned she said she was not in and she is the banquet coordinator it was my first time at this and I will not recommend it to any one and I will not give you the coordinators name because I haven't spoken with her she is supposes to b in at 5 but she is late what do you expect
(1)Emma D.
Big portions of tasty pasta for cheap prices. I ordered the spaghetti di pomodoro, and the waitress was really really excited for me -- I guess the tomatoes are super fresh this time of year? The tomatoes were tasty, but her enthusiasm was overwhelming. We did appreciate the ample amounts of crusty bread. The restaurant was pretty empty around dinnertime on a Wednesday. Also, their liquor license is in flux for some reason or another, so they weren't serving wine. Seemed temporary though.
(4)Elyse K.
The good ... my dinner companion's chicken limone was delicious. The location is convenient and the menu is enormous, so everyone can find something to order. The not so good ... The pacing was very awkward. It took a long time to place our order even though the dining room wasn't especially busy. We had to ask for oil and parmesan to go with the basket of bread. I hadn't finished my salad when our entrees were served - some overlap from the kitchen. There was too much dressing on my salad and WAY too much sauce on my pasta. My companion's minestrone tasted like it was at least partly from a can. I brought my leftovers home and added more cooked pasta because of the copious amount of sauce. The dining room was very dark, which made it hard to read the menu and the bill. There was a large banquet in the adjacent banquet hall, a party taking place in the party room, and a group of about 20 people at a nearby table celebrating a birthday. So clearly there was pressure on the kitchen, even though there were a lot of empty tables. After the meal it again took a long time to get coffee. There was a card attached to the bill asking if at all possible, the gratuity be in cash even if the form of payment is a credit card. I understand the rationale behind the request but I have to admit, I was a little put off by it. I'll be back because it is close to home and the menu is large, but I'll keep my expectations modest.
(2)Kim F.
We were so disappointed in mothers day brunch. Not only was the food bland there was not much variety. There was no carving station and the desserts tasted and looked like they went to jewel and purchased some mini muffins. I felt even worse that my son paid for it. We will not be going back anytime soon.
(1)Chris M.
My family has been frequenters of Via Bella in both it's old location and it's new location. We are BIG BIG fans. We have never been dissappointed! When my daughter comes back from school this is where she wants to eat. We eat in the restaurant, at the bar and also do carry-out. Service is always good. At least one of the owners is always in the restaurant and tries his best to greet (and thank) people for coming in. It's such a shame that they can't do something to draw people who are driving by....the outside of the restaurant does the inside no justice. When you walk-in it is SUCH a nice place but from the outside it looks like a big banquet hall. I've read many of the reviews and must say that many of the 1 or 2 start people just seem miserable. I've NEVER gotten an upset stomach from the food, never had to beg for water ....I could go on but won't bother. Their half-portions are usually enough (but if you are hungry get the full portion. it's great that they have TVs in the bar area and somehow they don't detract from the "nice feel" of the restaurant (yet if you want to watch a game while eating it works out very nicely.
(5)Marilyn M.
We came here for dinner with another couple. I ordered the eggplant parmesan, and I have to say it was really wonderful. It came with a side of pasta, and the marinara sauce was really good as well. We also ordered ravioli, spaghetti, and the lobster ravioli, which were all very good. I had only eaten about one fourth of my eggplant parmesan and pasta, and asked to take the rest home. Unfortunately, the bus person dropped my leftovers, but our waitress said they were making me a new one. That would have been great, but when I got it home there was eggplant parmesan but no pasta and sauce with it. I was disappointed, since the pasta and sauce were really good too and the plan was to take it to work for lunch. I was going to give the restaurant 5 stars, but for that reason I am giving it 4 stars.
(4)Beth A.
I went here with my family tonight and we all REALLY enjoyed the staff and the food. Their meatballs were amazing. I'll be back. Much cuter on the on the inside than I thought it would be.
(4)Rocky G.
Great Great, we love Dawn, we love Jessica, we love the food
(5)Bernadette N.
This is such an awkard place. It's decorated by the Italian Ivanka Trump from the early 80s. There's ample seating, but not enough bodies in there. And now I know why. The food isn't good. This place needs a Gordon Ramsay intervention. The dishes are old school, but not old school GOOD. All the sauces are super heavy, nothing looked or tasted fresh (except the house salad that was actually ok). The soup was flour and water, my husbands carbonara tasted like gravy on over-cooked pasta. My six finger cavetelli was marginally better, but immediately congealed after being served. I just knew I was going to have an upset stomach after we ate here, and what do you know? I did. Sorry mom, I know you like this place, but next time I'm in town, we will not be returning here.
(1)Anna S.
My parents and I decided to go here before school starts. I wasn't as hungry as they were, but I guess I just went with to enjoy their company. When we walked in we were greeted very nicely and seated. Everything was great! Cute place. I wouldn't say it's very elegant or any need to dress to nice. Real flowers were on the table with a candle. I ordered the salad with ranch dressing which was very tasty, as well as the cheese ravioli with Alfredo sauce. Dad ordered some mushroom chicken thing I Don't remember. It took 15 min to arrive. There was only 5 I repeat 5!!!!!!! Ravioli ;((( what a rip off! So much sauce that it was overwhelming! I couldn't believe it! They were like floating in it. The sauce was thick, but I liked it. I took my first bite and I was so confused! I didn't know that it was supposed to taste so mushy and chewy.... I thought I was going crazy so I gave a bit to my mom and dad to try and they said the dough was still raw. It was sticky and stuck to your teeth. I told our waitress and she apologized and was sweet. It's not her fault but she was very professional and sweet! You could tell she felt horrible! :/ So my parents finished eating and here comes my plate..... This time I ordered just noodles and chicken with Alfredo sauce. I again tried it and it tasted weird again! :/ I gave to my parents again and my mom said it was again undercooked. Overcooked it would be falling apart! This was chewy and I could taste the dough. Waitress said it homemade so the dough hasn't had time to harden or whatever?? But I ate a little and I had her back it. Next day which is this morning I re heated my leftovers and there was about 2 inches of butter from the bottom of my plate! :O I spilled it in the sink and was dabbing it with a paper towel! But once again my stomach is gurgling and I'm(excuses this) farting non stop! ;( sorry but what in the world! I had diarrhea last night! I won't be going back here again. The waitress was very nice though, I don't remember her name though. I hate to say this but Olive Garden was much better then this place. Good luck!
(1)Maggie R.
Love their pasta. I've grown up with their food and I go down memory lane every time I have their dishes. I do have to say that I remember them being a bit more tastier but idk maybe my taste buds are just getting old with age lol.
(4)Deena K.
I think there should be a cutoff point for reviews on Yelp. Seriously, why would anyone use a 2 or 3 year old review to pick a restaurant. I didn't recognize Via Bella in some of these older reviews. Could it be because it changed locations? I met a girlfriend there for lunch two weeks ago and I can't say enough good things about Via Bella. From Dawn the hostess, to the servers and cooks, our food was delicious and delivered promptly and hot. We had the pepper and egg sandwiches (it being Lent). The eggs were cooked properly with the peppers mixed thoughout the sandwich. It may seem like a simple sandwich to screw up, but it could be. I will definitely be coming back with my husband soon
(4)Olga R.
Anytime a restaurant is totally empty, you know that there is a problem. I did not understand why the wait staff was so uncaring , until the bill came and they automatically charge you 18% tip. there were only 2 of us. We were seated right away, but had to wait 10 minutes for menu. then 20 minutes for waitress. Its a good thing that we weren't too hungry. Food was just ok. I would never return here.
(1)Wise Road Animal Hospital D.
LOVE this restaurant! The food is fantastic, the wait staff is helpful and friendly. The pricing is as expected for upscale Italian in the burbs. Try the Chicken Maria it's FANTASTIC !
(5)P K.
It was pretty slow when we went and the food was not bad at all. The reason for the low rating is because our service was horrible. Our waitress disappeared most of the time and when finally she came back she would watch tv (wheel of fortune was on) while our glasses were empty. Even took her 20 minutes to come back after she dropped off the check.
(2)Sleepless S.
Just stopped in here for the first time since they've moved to a new location. The house salad ("Dawn's salad") was out of this world--so many house salads are a few lettuce leaves and maybe a tiny tomato. This had ton of stuff in it, and in particular, the onions and slightly sweet vinaigrette house dressing with some blue cheese sprinkles was a fantastic taste. I had the Chicken Maria, and the chicken was melt in your mouth tender. I HATE getting gristle, and this was absolutely the opposite of gristly chicken; beautifully trimmed and cooked. Dessert was the raspberry gelatto. There is also complimentary bread which hit the spot before the food even came. I really was very impressed. Dawn served us, and she was so enthusiastic and friendly. I felt she truly wanted us to have a pleasant time at the restaurant, and to leave having had a great dinner and good time. I don't remember being in any other restaurant where the server seemed so all around enthusiastic about the whole enterprise. Anyway, we assured her we'll be back. The prices were also very reasonable. No, I am not associated with the restaurant and don't know any of the owners, servers, etc. I just really enjoyed the experience, and felt a very good vibe from Dawn--that she just really wants people to enjoy themselves when they come through the door. I don't write a lot of reviews, but when a place is outstanding for one reason or another, I take the time to tell others. This was one of those experiences for me. They also have a buffet lunch for $8, including beverage. Will have to try that. I wish this place luck; it is a bit off the beaten track now that it is near the corner of LaGrange Road and 55th, rather than in downtown LaGrange. But the parking is much easier here than at their old digs, with more parking in back. It's worth the very short drive (2 minutes? s. of downtown LaGrange). Try it, you won't regret it!
(5)Torrey L.
A Groupon took us here for dinner. We sympathized with the staff, who was dealing with a pill of a party sitting behind us, as they were bending over backwards to try and accommodate their requests. Can this food compete with the Titans of Italian food like Rosebud or Francescas? No. The homemade cavatelli was fair, but a bit under-cooked. We tried both the vodka sauce and the alfredo sauce, and while both were OK, they lacked flavor. The vodka sauce tasted more like a run-of-the-mill marinara. The alfredo would have benefited greatly from a punch of garlic or Parmesan. The chicken that we ordered to top the alfredo was the savior of the dish. Whether or not we will return is up in the air. While nothing offended us about Via Bella, nothing particularly impressed us either.
(3)J T.
Went there on an intern's last day at work. One person in our party had a piece of plastic in his italian sausage. It was lunch time, and we (party of 7) were the only ones there. That says A LOT about a business! Bruchetta was soggy, and my fettucini afredo was curdled cream. I'm probably never going there again unless work pays for it.
(2)Josh Y.
About what I'd expect for a reasonably priced italian place. Bread and water were brought out as soon as we were seated. GF and I each ordered a pasta dish, I had the pasta arriabata (basically rotini with marinara and prosciutto). The half portion was plenty of food and it was tasty. Very nice atmosphere just a bit away from Downtown LaGrange. Overall, the food wasn't mind blowing, but it hit the spot when I was looking for a little posta.
(3)Kim R.
I arrived early and was waiting for a friend so I sat at the bar. I couldn't decide on a wine so the bartender offered me samples of several wines which I thought was outstanding service. She also made some great recommendations, was very friendly and the service was outstanding. As soon as my friend arrived, we were seated quickly. The service was fast and friendly. I had Baked Rigatoni and my friend had the Chicken Marsala - both were excellent. No complaints at all. What's nice about this restaurant is you can order 1/2 serving or a full serving depending on how hungry you are. I ordered the 1/2 serving and still had left-overs. No complaints here and I would definitely return.
(4)Lynnette R.
I've been going to Via Bella for years and always enjoy it. Bar has a great atmosphere. The food is amazing and no one gives me a problem if I make a special request. Staff is very friendly and accommodating!
(5)Theresa C.
Went to Via Bella tonight had Dawn wait on us. She was great she it was our first time here we will be back! Chicken Dejonge it was great! They also had a perch special for the appetizer that I never would of order but we tried it and we were glad we did!
(4)Jeff B.
My family and I were a little unsure about trying this place since the latest review at the time was good and all others did not give it much hope. We were all enjoyed it and our server Dawn was outstanding. It was a monday night and not real busy but decent for the slowest night of the week for most restaurants and as for the food i had the cheese ravioli with the meat sauce which was excellent. It was cooked perfectly and the sauce was not acidic like you find in many places. The rest of the family had chicken dishes and the chicken was perfect and though the sauces were a little salty so we will just order it on the side next time or our waitress Dawn would make some suggestions she said. The place was very clean inside and out but for one that has tried many italian places over the years I would go back here over other places since they truly care about what there doing so as for the bad reviews I would not go by those but maybe at the time it needed help but now they seem to be headed in the right direction so give them a try. The menu has a nice selection to pick from.
(4)Dave W.
Glad to see they've opened the restaurant again! Great food, great service and great atmosphere! The bar is usually hoppin' on Saturday nights!
(4)Laura G.
My friends and I tried the new locaton this past weekend. The waiter was very pleasant and I will say hathe looked very busy. That said, I thoughtt the service was slow. The waiter never checked on us from the time he took our order until the meal arrived and then never checked to see how the meal was. Two in our group were over chaged for their wine, I was charged for the sauce for my portabello raviolli (which was cheese, by the way...no evidnce of mushrooms although I will say it was quite tasty). I did not care for the manage's excuses "working the bugs out" "it is standard to charge for the sauce" (even though the menu gives you the choice.....). I won't be going back.
(1)Eric Y.
This restaurant reopened in a new location after many years in downtown LaGrange. It is bigger and has a new banquet facility but the menu looks the same. The main dining room is Italian-American suburban plain. The lighting is very uneven. Our table was pretty much in the dark. Frank Sinatra is playing in the background. The menu is big and full of typical Italian-American fare. The menu is hard to read because of a big dark circle in the middle of it that says Via Bella. I bet no one orders any of the food within that dark circle. The wine list has probably 20+ wines by the glass. These are listed by name but no vintages are listed. The wines come pre-poured so I did not really know that I got what I ordered. With so many wines offered and the restaurant not full, I wonder truly how fresh the wines are. That being said, the Valponicella that I ordered was acceptable. We started with the stuffed mushrooms. They arrived piping hot but on the small size. They tasted ok though, not great. Meals come with choice of soup or salad. The salad is a standard plate of romaine with a few tomato wedges and Italian dressing. I had the escarole and bean soup - just ok; too tomatoey for my taste. The minestrone got a good comment from my son. I had the veal limone which was 3 pieces of breaded pan-fried veal cutlets in a lemon caper sauce with artichokes. The veal was tender but the sauce was overwhelmingly sour, the artichokes kinda funky and the capers too salty. The accompanying pasta was boring. My wife had 1/2 order of linguine with mussels and white wine sauce. This dish was more successful. The mussels were large and juicy, the broth flavorful. My son had linguine with white clam sauce. The clams-in-shell were sweet. The clam pieces were plentiful but their texture was doughy and there was not enough sauce for the amount of linguine. It also was really underseasoned - even tasteless. One of the important elements of a good linguine with clam sauce is the zing of fresh parsely - where is the parsely!? And where is the salt and pepper? Service was friendly but slow. I think they were short-staffed on this night. We did not get dessert. All in all, the restaurant was disappointing. The old restaurant was smaller, more cozy, and even though the menu did not change, the food quality has gone downhill.
(2)Laura L.
Everything about this dining experience was very satisfactory! Nice atmosphere, attentive waitress and savory food! I will most definitely return!!
(5)Lauren M.
One thing is for sure, Via Bella did its best to ruin Mothers Day for its "brunch" guests. Seated 45 minutes late. Too few servers weren't even able to fill simple drink requests. Buffet line overwhelmed and food scarce. I saw the owner/manager apologize to another table who were loudly complaining, but every single guest in that place deserved an apology. For a place that wants to be a banquet hall, they have a lot to learn about serving a large group of people. I enjoyed their food when they were in LaGrange, but I will never go back there after Sunday's debacle.
(1)April W.
As much as I would like to give this place great reviews I have to be honest as to not compromise my integrity as a "yelper". I went to a party that was being hosted here and kept getting rave reviews based on this place being smaller and located down the street. So I went with an open mind, even though I am usually disappointed in south side restaurants. The service was ok, we had a very nice waitress was good about bringing around drinks in the beginning. We were given pizza to start and although the pizza was very good, they way they plated it was odd....It looked like they cut up one or two pizzas and then put a few pieces on every plate on all of the tables. I just don't feel that you should call this an appetizer when you are charging people for a banquet style menu. The main dish was ehhhh ok. Nothing great. The one dish was a made up italian dish that consisted of boneless skinless breasts on top of cavatelli with green beans and mushrooms. It was not bad per se, but it was not anything special. My piece of advice to Via Bella....don't use frozen sysco products and act like you invented some rave recipe. The green beans and mushrooms were obviously frozen and the cavatelli was gloppy and tasted reheated. Again it was not BAD, it just was nothing special. The other chicken dish was just ok and the mostaciolli was much like a frozen dinner. The other weird thing about this place is that it is trying to come across as an italian homey kind of place and they had like 4 pictures that were all the same hanging all over the place, but they were the same 4 pictures. In a few spots they would have three pictures grouped together and 2 of them hanging next to one another would be exactly the same. Totally made the place seem corny . I mean, if you are going to use the same 4 photos dont hang replicas next to each other. I could see people who do not know food thinking this place is great....but it wasn't
(2)Lisa K.
let's see, waitress was slow, eventhough there were only 2 other tables seated in the whole restaurant. Had to beg for water re-fills. Over charged for glass of wine (was told it was wrong on the menu). Husbands lasagna was cold, kids pasta was under cooked. The salads and brocolli salad (which used to be my favorite) were so full of water from not being strained properly that I could pour the excess into a bowl on the table and fill it. Still was not complaining due to it being my daughter's birthday. Even with all of this, the waitress in the end, gave me extreme attitude due to the wine over charge. Needless, to say, I can spend $100 somewhere else next time very easily. I'd rather drive to Gatto's in Downer's Grove and spend less money for better food and nicer waitress's. Good luck to Via Bell, your're going to need it.
(1)Anna S.
Stopped here for lunch with my husband and mother -in-law yesterday. The restaurant is very pretty and clean....but that's about it. Service was extremely slow. There were probably 2 other tables seated, but you would've thought that the place was full with the service we received. I ordered one of the specials which sounded good and the waitress said was good. It was chicken on a bed of spinach, artichoke hearts and fresh tomato slices. Sounded healthy and appealing. When the meal was (finally) delivered, it was absolutely floating in sauce. I could only tell where the chicken was because it was the highest lump. I never found a tomato. When the waitress came by, she asked how my lunch was. I told her it was too salty. She did apologize and asked if I wanted the chef to make it over. I declined since we wanted to be home before Labor Day! During our unplanned long lunch, we could hear the waitress talking in the bar to a customer(?), while we were waiting for service. We will not return. Again, the decor is very nice.
(1)Tanya S.
Overall, pretty good italian food. Great chicken marsala, and pretty good pizza. Atmosphere is very spacious feeling due to their lofty space- high ceilings.
(4)John D.
Had an absolutely horrible experience at this place today. Made reservations for the Mothers Day Brunch and everything went downhill from there. First, we were forced to wait in the lobby for more than 45 minutes after our scheduled 1:00 p.m. seating time as they were not prepared to serve anyone. When we were finally seated, we waited another 20 minutes to get drinks. This was no surprised as we only saw three servers working quite a large room. Shortly after we received our drinks, we made our way toward the buffet line, which stretched across virtually the entire room, only to find that there was no food available at that time. It was now 2:30, ninety minutes after our reservation time, and we hadn't come close to eating. At this point we decided to leave and try to salvage what was left of Mothers Day. This establishment is obviously very poorly managed and should be avoided at all cost.
(1)Vanessa P.
I've been to Via Bella many times. The food is usually very good and the service is excellent. Try their Chicken Almondine (my friend loves it) and their Pizookie (chocolate chip cookie warmed in the oven w/ vanilla ice cream, hot fudge and whipped cream) is amazing!
(4)Mercie D.
We've eaten there twice. The first time, we sat outside on a nice pleasant evening. The food was wonderful and the service was great. I had a Chicken Picatta that was perfect. However, the second time we sat inside. We brought my mother-in- law and brother-in -law. It was so dark we couldn't read the menu. I don't know where they are going with such a dark interior, but taking a flashlight to dinner does not make for a pleasant dining experience, regardless of how good the food is.
(3)elizabeth n.
I went to Via Bella the other night and thought it was a great choice if you are in the La Grange area. It has outdoor seating and spacious bar seats, and a nice, intimate dining section in the restaurant. It's a little too dark though- they could use some candles on the table or extra lighting or something, but it's very cute. The portions are enormous! I had the chicken marsala and it was two chicken breasts that could have fed 4 people. They serve it with a side of pasta which is very good, and the salad with peppercorn ranch was delicious!
(4)