4. Restaurants

Clara’s

6550 Rt 53, Woodridge, IL, 60517
  • (224) 236-2104
  • Store is closed

Clara’s Menu

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Visit below restaurant in Woodridge for healthy meals suggestion.

Buffalo Wild Wings ( 6450 Route 53 )

Visit below restaurant in Woodridge for healthy meals suggestion.

Buffalo Wild Wings ( 6450 Route 53 )
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  • Helena P.

    I've lived in the area for some years, always promising myself I'd try Clara's, yet I never did. Well, I finally did and it was a really good experience. I won't go into a lot of detail; many reviewers have already so I won't repeat. I have only one complaint, which I think is significant enough to dock Clara's a star: the chefs don't allow the pasta to drain enough before putting it on the plate. My and my bf's dish had a lot of water from the pasta. It was less of an issue with the thick sauce-laden chicken parm my bf had, but it definitely watered down the delicate sauce of the lemon chicken dish I had. I'll wait that 30 extra seconds to get my meal if it means I don't get a pool of water muddling the dish!

    (4)

  • Lisa G.

    The restaurant's appearance is now as fresh as the food they make. Their new location is beautiful and roomy. The food is as delcious as always; the fresh made pasta and ingredients set them far apart from any other Italian restaurant in the area. At the recommendation of our waiter (a couple of visits ago) we tried the grilled calamari appetizer, we have had dreams about it ever since and have to order it each time. Other reviews are right, it's hard to not fill up on bread and the delicious dipping sauce. Any pasta on the menu is delicous, the shrimp primavera is my favorite. We never feel rushed or just like another customer; each experiene has us feeling like family. Thanks to the entire Clara's family for your continued hard work and delicious food.

    (5)

  • Angie D.

    I called in an order for carry out (5 entrees and a salad) they said 20 minutes.... And it was actually 20 minutes!!! No waiting my food was warm and ready to go when I arrived. So food wise.... It was amazing! And not to mention the portions are HUGE. The salmon salad had 4 full size salmon steaks. And the entrees also included soup. So after a hearty family dinner... We had leftovers for 2 days! So good!!!! Great place!

    (5)

  • Mary Lou R.

    We had the misfortune of dining at Clara's last evening. The food was in edible (over salted and swimming in water.) I sent mine back but another member of our party soldiered on. For the life of me I cannot understand the other reviews on Yelp. The restaurant was dirty, the service just adequate (you have to ask for water!) and the pasta absolutely definitely not made on the premises. Forget it!

    (1)

  • Sara P.

    I went to Clara's on Tuesday for the first time and I was impressed. I love Italian and in Chicagoland have mostly been going to the american / italian chain restaurants because I couldn't find one that served italian that felt like home made. This place is the best I have found. You can get the simple / traditional dishes and they are good. The meatballs satisfied the craving I have had for my uncle's meatballs. And the waitress(es) were friendly and outgoing. I got cheese tortellini with a vegetable marinara and it was good first out of the "oven" and it was still good re-heated in the microwave, because of course at a good italian place you can NEVER finish the dish because it is just too big after you have had everything else. It was a little pricey for us but then we got the drink, the appetizer, salad, dishes, and dessert. But worth it for good food and good company.

    (4)

  • Michele P.

    I'm definitely glad I didn't let the exterior deter me from going here. It was by far the best grilled calamari I have had. The wait staff were very polite and friendly without being pushy and the portions were massive and fresh. I was originally going to another Italian restaurant in Homer Glen for their grilled calamari and Clara's blows it out of the water, and with a better price to boot! I can't wait to go back.

    (5)

  • Samantha K.

    My boyfriend took me here on a date. I never really wanted to eat here (It's located next to an animal clinic... how yummy could it possibly be?) We got there and there was a 20 minute wait. That's always a good sign right? Yes! We sat at the bar and each had a beer. The bartender was really nice and explained which beers he liked and which he recommends! How many bartenders actually do that now a days? Once we got to our table we looked over the menu and decided on getting pasta (duh) I got the angel hair pasta with a spicy marinara sauce. My boyfriend got the radiatore pasta with a vodka sauce. I liked mine... however, the noodles were short which made it not look appetizing. I definitely did not want to dig in when she put the dish down. I understand that the noodles are homemade and all, but really? My noodles were legit bite size which I didn't like. The sauce however was excellent! My boyfriend's dish was really good as well! He enjoyed his. The waitresses (one was training) were really nice and attentive even during an extremely busy night. I was very happy with almost everything and will be going back very soon!

    (4)

  • Helena I.

    I'm not the biggest Italian fan. Maybe it's because I only like Italian if I'm coming to Clara's because they make the best? I've been to several Italian restaurants not only in the suburbs and city, but in other cities mostly on the east coast. The other Italian restaurants I've been to are considered the best of the best in their respective cities. I'd have to say Clara's competes if not surpasses all of them. The food: My standard is the homemade gnocchi (usually it's the Wednesday special, but if you go on a different night of the week ask and they might have some leftover.) I'll get the vodka sauce with it. It's my favorite sauce of all time. I love the fried calimari here as well. And the bread and dipping sauce is addicting. I have yet to run into an Italian restaurant that makes every single pasta from scratch, so this is also why I love Clara's. The bottom-line: Don't let the strip mall appearance fool you. This place is always packed. A few years ago they even had to add on to the place. I'm almost a little glad it's in a strip mall because then it makes it a little more of a best kept secret. Also, ask to be a part of the email list. You'll get an email once a week with some great offers. They also are an extension of the family feel you get in the restaurant because the owner writes them adding special family stories.

    (5)

  • Carolyn C.

    Fantastic! Staff was friendly and very accommodating with our two kids. The service was fast and the food was incredible - large portions and fabulous fresh ingredients and out of this world taste. I had the eggplant parm (pic posted) and my son had the cheese pizza which was a giant size for kids menu (also pic posted), my daughter wanted soup - the $1 kids soup on the menu is a HUGE bowl! My husband has mushroom ravioli special. The bread is tasty and a must try as mentioned in other posts. Each kids meal also comes with a cute bowl of ice cream - yum! We are sports fans and loved the local chicago teams games were on here and there on the tv's - just enough fancy with the nice glasses and tablecloths on the tables - the tv's are icing on the cake! We were in the area from out of town and would be regulars if we could be but will be back whenever the opportunity comes up again!

    (5)

  • Eric V.

    My opinion on Clara's is that the food is very good but think about what you order and if you're not used to rich heavy Italian food, go for something on the menu that's a little simpler. Everything tastes very good, like the baked lasagna. The stuffed shells are very tasty yet far too rich like a few of the items on the menu and if your digestive system isn't used to it you better settle in for the pain. The food is 4 stars, everything tastes good, but half of the menu items should be revisited by the chef or the waiter should at least point out that 2 pounds of cheese isn't always for everyone. The service is just abysmal. Yes the place is busy, and I feel for the wait staff. It's not their fault. Restaurant management needs to stand and watch what happens. It's easy to see. When you ask for water and your waiter then takes the orders of two tables while you are sitting there in a pool of sweat because their air conditioner is barely suitable for a room the size of a bathroom, that's bad service that is easily noticeable. Management needs to recognize this. I originally gave it two stars but bumped it up to three since I think that's more appropriate as long as you understand what you're getting into when the place is full and you know what you're ordering. The food is worth the lousy service and the Florida everglades-esque heat and humidity. It really is good food. The restaurant could quickly fix their problems and I'd give it 4 stars in a heartbeat.

    (3)

  • Erik L.

    This little gem was suggested by some friends when we were in the area for a wedding. Very unassuming look to the place. It could use a little interior freshening-up, but the food, wine and service are exceptional! We've been back a second time and are planning our third visit when we once again will be in the vicinity. Really good food and wine you don't just find everywhere.

    (4)

  • Megan C.

    I'm really happy to see they moved out of the strip mall and into this place down the road. It is much bigger and suits them better too. The first time we came we visited the strip mall location and this time we ate at the new place since it is now open. This being only our second visit I think I still need to eat here a few more times to give a more accurate review. So far we've tried the eggplant, and the spinach fettuccine with pesto sauce. The salad that came with the eggplant had a nice homemade dressing to it. And the eggplant itself was yummy. The side of pasta with homemade marinara and pasta was just as good. I loved the chunks of tomatoes in the sauce too. My pasta was obviously homemade too and it tasted fresh but my pesto was realllly salty. I want to give Claras the benefit of the doubt. But I literally ate a quarter of it (I was also full from the bread) then I took it home and recooked it the next day with potatoes in it to absorb the salt. I love Italian food so I'm hoping to come here again in the near future and try more dishes. Until then I'm going to give Claras 4 stars.

    (4)

  • Rick F.

    Clara's is fantastic!

    (5)

  • Zack R.

    Some of the best italian food around. I almost get full on bread every time I go before my meal is even ordered, because it's so good. Their lasagna is amazing. I always look forward to coming back here. The only negative I can say about this place is that it is not a large restaurant and on busy nights you can feel sort of cramped

    (5)

  • Matthew W.

    OUTSTANDING food, great service, Awesome VALUE, have a RESERVATION on Saturday night! Eight people, tons of drinks, apps, entrees, desserts for $340!! We LOVED it. Don't let the place "throw" you...its located in a strip mall right by the 7 Bridges Ice rink....and as you walk up it is less than impressive.......but once you get in it just 'feels RIGHT". We had a party of 8 with a 7 pm reservation on Saturday night and arrived around 6:45 pm - place was MOBBED. Hard to even get in the door, but we know that is a VERY good sign....so we snuggled in and I fought my way up to the bar.....3 glasses of wine and a beer for $27. We waited just a few minutes and were seated right at 7 pm. Dinning room on the right is just a large space and we sat right in the middle. It was busy and crowded, but easy to talk an hear those at the table. Lisa was our server and took GREAT care of us....we took our time and enjoyed several rounds of cocktails and were some of the last to leave just after 10 pm....but we were never rushed and I had to ax for the check....excellent pace to the evening. The FOOD is EXCELLENT. Started with the calamari (breaded) and it was as good as any I have ever had, also had the "soakers" which is just like like cheese bread - the women wouldn't eat it, but the hungry men did.....and its too bad because their house bread is sourdough and is served with an excellent olive oil (skip the soakers). Each entree gets a soup or salad, and then come the HUGE ENTREES.....and they were EXCELLENT. Everyone LOVED what they ordered.....I had the lasagna and ate every last bite (even after clobbering the soakers, calamari and some of the soup). It was almost embarrassing except that mike ate all of his shrimp and Tom ate almost all of his veal. Lisa made GREAT recommendations - lasagna over the chicken parm for me, lighter veal sauce for Tom...and she was always there to bring fresh drinks. It reminds me of Mamma and Papa's original Capri.....so good and all about the food and outstanding service. You won't be disappointed....... Calamari (2 @ 9.99) 19.98 Soakers Cheese (2 @ 2.99) 5.98 Miller Lite (9 @ 3.50) 31.50 Amstel Light (2 @ 4.50) 9.00 Belvedere and Seven (3 @ 7) 21.00 Grayson Cabernet (2 @ 28) 56.00 Lasagna 12.25 Veal Limone 18.99 Seafood Alla Clara 17.99 Rotini, Vodka Cream, Shrimp 16.99 Pasta Al Fresco, Shrimp 17.50 Cheese Tortellini, Alfredo, Primavera 14.74 Fettuccini, Alfredo, Shrimp, Broccoli 20.49 Shrimp Pesto 19.99 Tiramisu 5.99 Cannoli 3.99 Choc Mousse (2 @ 8) 16.00 Grayson Cabernet (glass) 7.50 Total - 340.36

    (5)

  • Amanda T.

    I've been here twice. Once on a extra snowy weeknight and once on an early Friday evening. Both times it was packed. So one would expect that this place is worth going to, right? Right! My aunt was the first person to ever bring me here, and if it wasn't for her I probably would have never noticed Clara's. Ever. From the exterior it looks like some whatever diner in a semi-dilapidated "strip mall." But Clara's is a classic example of why one shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Everything that was served was fresh-the bread, the homemade pasta, everything. The linguine with white clam sauce and clams is a winner. Good food, very reasonably priced-can't go wrong.

    (4)

  • Tracy M.

    This is my favorite Italian Restaurant. The lasagna is the best! Yes, the space is a little tight inside the restaurant, but the staff is fast and courteous. Last time I dined there was Friday August 17, 2012.

    (5)

  • alicia b.

    I had a semi good meal here a couple weeks ago. I had heard that they had really good food so I decided to give this lil family owned italian restaurant a try. I was there on a saturday night around 7 ish. It was really crowded and we got sat at a huge table since thats all they had but whatever at least we got to sit since I was starvin'. They have a full bar and a good wine list.I order wine and my Bf got a drink. The drinks were refreshing, the vibe was fun and we expected to have a really enjoyable, great meal. That didnt really happen. I ordered the eggplant parm and my bf ordered a pasta dish with marinara. We both are garlic feans and we extrmemly excited when we heard they had creamy garlic dressing. When our salads came i could just tell that the dressing was going to tast like mayo is was just a big with jiggly glob, sure enough it tasted like straight up mayo no seasoning,no garlic, nothing! Disgusting!! I almost gagged and at that point I knew if the dressing sucked the dinner was going to suck. The entrees were also a disppointment. My eggplant was edible but nothing I would eat again.The eggplant was bitter and rubbery, and the sauce was way too salty. My BF's dish was just the same the pasta was cooked well but the sauce was the same as mine,too salty. Our waitress was nice but didnt check on us and sure as hell never asked if we enjoyed our meal, probably because she knew the answer. I was suprised that there was no comment about both of our salads being pretty much untouched.

    (2)

  • Chris W.

    After years of driving past Clara's thinking it just looked " cheesy" we stopped in last night. What a great surprise! From the calamari to the salmon everything was great. The setting was comfortable and the staff very good and attentive. We will be heading back back over and over.

    (4)

  • Lisa D.

    In-laws recommended this restaurant and we were excited to go. We ordered soup which was great but that was the end of a good thing. Service was fine. The lasagna was layered with hamburger meat and had no flavor. I am a mouse, I love cheese, but It was so covered in cheese I couldn't eat it. My husbands veal parmigiana was bathed in cheese and he pulled the layer up like a bad toupee. Bad wine list too. We left the left overs and the drinks on the table because we didn't want to stay anymore. It was very busy so others must love it. We just didn't.

    (1)

  • Michael M.

    Great food every single time I go there. They make their soups and pastas and everything themselves, and the difference in quality is apparent. I have been going there for over 10 years and have had next to nothing to complain about. It's an unassuming place in a strip mall, but there is ample seating in 2 dining rooms and we often bring family and friends to dinner there. The atmosphere is nothing special, but it's well kept and has a very friendly and professional staff who will be able to give you great recommendations on just about anything on the menu. If you're after some great Italian food, you will not be disappointed by Clara's.

    (5)

  • michaelia f.

    I came here last week because my grandmother wanted to take me out to lunch, and we were going to meet in Woodridge to see my little cousin's Battle of the Books (like a quiz bowl, but about books). Clara's is old school Italian-American, from the stark ruby red decor to the dark tablecloths (even for lunch) and the complimentary bread basked. We were seated right away and there were only a couple other tables seated in the rather large dining area. The squishy soft and warm bread came out with a pretty fantastic bowl of seasoned olive oil. It wasn't the highest quality oil, but it made up for that with its perfect blend of garlic, oregano, parmesan, and basil. I could probably have eaten that all afternoon, but I ordered a "create your own" pasta with spinach linguine, pesto sauce and sauteed spinach for my lunch. The food came out about 20 or so minutes later. My pasta was OK--I could tell it was house made, but it was pasty and dense, and it swam in a watery pesto sauce. Much better were my grandma's stuffed shells, which were creamy and light, and my aunt's eggplant parmesan, which was 1) huge and 2) delightful--rich and not soggy at all. Portions were huge and the prices very reasonable. I think the trick to this place is to stick to the "red sauce" Italian. I won't be making any special trips out here, but if I'd be down to try it again.

    (3)

  • Roger D.

    so i stopped in for some take out on the way home from work, i have heard many many great things about clara's so i was EXCITED to try it, staff was all very friendly and the place just felt like home A very comfy and relaxed atmosphere. I ordered the sausage and peppers with a bowl of pasta fagiole soup and a side of red sauce. when i got home every thing was still very hot it was A nice portion for the small and came with bread that was very soft, The soup was bland, The sausage was cut into very thin slices it was overcooked and dry, the peppers were flavorful and cooked well not too soft, the red sauce was pretty good. I think i am going to give them a 2nd try and maybe stik to what they are more known for there pasta.

    (3)

  • Jessica A.

    I was introduced to Claras by my mom. When I walked in, I immediately judged it because it wasn't the "fancy" italian restaurant I had expected. But as they say... don't judge a book by its cover!! Love the fresh bread they serve before the meal. And the servings of the entrees are just huge!! I always get the chicken parmesan when I go there. It is honestly the best I have had from anywhere!! And the homemade pasta is to die for!!! Never had anything like it! I would highly recommend this place

    (5)

  • Mary M.

    Stopped by after seeing Lincoln with a few of my friends. We were a group of six and even though we did not have reservations they were able to seat us quickly. Food was great but the service was even better. I wish I remember our server's name. She aw awesome. Will be back. Going to eat my leftovers now.

    (5)

  • Eclectic N.

    Clara's came as a recommendation from a friend and this person still remains a friend today. I don't really have a good enough reason for not giving it 5 stars, but it just lacked a little ambiance and they served RC Cola? Anyway, a few families broke off from a team event that was happening at Buca as we weren't going to waste our time in Chicago eating chain food. We were about to be deeply rewarded for our decision. Warm bread was a very welcome start as it was fairly cool outside. We started out our meal (lunch) with calamari. You know that they're not afraid to show off their talents when they don't have to deep fry the suckers. It was bare and absolutely amazing, two of us had it completed in about 2 minutes. Entrees were not far behind. We all tried a variety of homemade pasta's (ravioli is one of the few that are not home made) and sauces. Every combination danced on the palate. I lean a little more towards Vodka sauce, but their marinara rocked me as well. When the base sauces are good and the pasta is not from a bag, only good things can happen and thankfully, they did.

    (4)

  • hannah c.

    To be fair...I'm picky and have a simple palate. That said....this is my favorite restaurant! My family and I have been going to Clara's for years. I do believe it's been one of our favorite spots for almost 20 years now. When I went to college in Iowa, I constantly craved Clara's. Now I live in the northern suburbs and it's the only place I want to go when I come back to Naperville to visit my family. Several years ago they started a half price wine night on Wednesdays. All bottles are half off. So...my family started frequenting Clara's on Wednesdays. It's a great value. One of my favorite things about Clara's is the bread and olive oil. I also like to have some fresh grated Parmesan to add to it. It's filled with garlic and spices and evil goodness. It's hard not to fill up on that before the main course. I also always like to get the house salad with house dressing. The dressing is a pretty simple oil and vinegar concoction, but it's mighty tasty. I would also suggest the fresh grated Parmesan on the salad too. Probably from my teens, on, I've only ever gotten two things...(see above about the picky and simple thing). The Aglio e Olio and spaghetti with tomato sauce. The thing I like best about the Aglio e Olio is that it's not heavy with oil. It comes in a sauce that is more broth like. It's salty, garlicky, cheesy awesomeness. You can mix it up by adding veggies too. It's also fantastic to dip your bread in. When I'm not feeling all adventurous, then I go with my old stand by...spaghetti with tomato sauce. I specifically like the tomato over the marinara due to the consistency of the sauce. I also get it on the side so I can control the pasta to sauce ratio. The sauce isn't sweet like Maggianos and I prefer that. You might like to know that other people I have dined with, including my family, have enjoyed the following: the lasagna, fettuccine alfredo primavera, angel hair with veggie marinara, and some traditional chicken and veal dishes as well. The service is good more often than not and we often get servers that remember us as regulars which is always nice. Lastly, if you're looking to do desert, then the Tiramisu is a must. The portions are large so sharing is a good idea. It's light and sweet and a good way to end a meal. Mmmm....Clara's...now my mouth is watering.

    (5)

  • Randy S.

    Don't let the fact that this restaurant is in a strip mall stop you, you wont regret the experience. First of the waiter we had was very friendly, liked to engage in conversation, and my drink was never empty. We started off our meal with the bread they serve when you are seated which was warm, soft and very tasty. As an appetizer we ordered the calamari which was made at just the right crispiness, and was full of flavor. For the main course I went with the lasagna which was absolutely bursting with flavor. From the fresh made pasta to the wonderful sauce, this lasagna was amazing. My Girlfriend ordered the lemon chicken, and I am not exaggerating when I say that it was among the most moist and flavorful chicken I have ever had. There was not even a hint of dryness or toughness to it. When it came to desert we asked the waiter what he would choose and he went with the lemon delight. He could not have been more right. The lemon was not strong, but just strong enough that it was absolutely enjoyable. Overall, this was a great experience, and we will definitely be returning in the future.

    (4)

  • Steve G.

    Very nice place. If you haven't been here, you should go. This is the place you may have heard of. Clara's mom was THE Mama Celeste, queen of Italian frozen food. But nothing here tastes frozen. Great food, large portions, nice mix of pastas, meats and fish. Strong wine list and very friendly staff.

    (4)

  • Jen M.

    This place is in a bit of an odd spot. Its tucked away in a little strip mall near the Seven Bridges movie theater. However, it delivers. My husband and I went here with our wedding DJ to discuss song choices. Odd situation, but the food and service were great. Portions are big. My husband and I split an entrée and were both stuffed. Calamari appetizer was good as well. The place is pretty popular however, so make reservations.

    (4)

  • Carmella P.

    Nice traditional southern Italian style food steeped in Chicagoland history -- this is, after all, the family of Mama Celeste! Well-balanced tomato sauce is easy on the digestive tract and the mashed cauliflower is TO DIE FOR (and I hate veggies!) A great place for a family celebration, too. Just pay no attention to the fact that there's a veterinary hospital next door, OK?

    (4)

  • Ty S.

    As my rating says, Clara's is 'A-OK.' THere are many things to like about it: Warm atmosphere, friendly staff, generous portions, and reasonable prices. I've been there twice and had a much better food experience the first time. It would do them good to cut back on the pasta sauces as all of the dishes for our entire party came our swimming in sauce. It might be welcome to some, but I would prefer that the sauce enhance rather than dominate the dish. This is a minor criticism on what was overall a pleasant evening. Bottom line, certainly worth going, but keep your expectations in check and you might be pleasantly surprised.

    (3)

  • Sanford R.

    Clara's is not bad at all, but I feel it's a bit overpriced. They do give you really big servings though. I usually end up with leftovers when I eat from here. The food is pretty good. I like their spaghetti best!

    (3)

  • Jason S.

    great local Italian place love the bread here always warm and crusty the pasta is always swimming in sauce just the way i like it

    (5)

  • Dave L.

    Clara's. Heard about this place for years. My wife and I decided to give it a go after pulling a "free entree"coupon from the paper. Full disclosure - id read in some prior reviews about difficulties getting Clara's to honor the coupon, but we dbl checked the expiration date and we were good to go. So, off we went. I have to say up front, i try hard to find the good. Ok - big portions. In all, the meal was ok, and the service was, eh, a little indifferent. I ordered a pasta that was sooo soaking in sauce that when the server plopped it in front of me, it splashed on my shirt. Bummer. The food was alright, I guess. But sure enough, when presenting our coupon, we were told we couldn't use it on a Saturday night. I asked where it said that and the waitress replies; "I dunno, the prints so small I can't read it". Seriously, I couldn't make out one word - it was worse than something you'd see in a car lease ad. So, Clara's marketing gimmick did get us in the restaurant, but after coming away with a mediocre meal, a shirt needing dry cleaning, and a useless coupon, all it did was convince me to never go back. Beware of the coupon - they clearly don't want to honour it and will work hard to find ways to get out of your cashing it. What a terrible marketing ruse. I personally Wont argue over $10. Places like this tend to succumb to their own fate, and I won't ever return. Too many other italian choices.

    (2)

  • Suzanne V.

    I feel Clara's is overpriced, and just Ok dinner. Funny, when you have a coupon, well, then you can't get the 1/2 price wine on a Thursday!! Place is crowded, food is nothing to rave about, and service always spotty. Our waiter smelled liked he had a few cigarettes before his shift!! Gross! I just never have gotten the attraction to this place. Really, it's in a strip mall, on busy Route 53... Very ordinary!

    (2)

  • Dean H.

    Incredible food at a good price.

    (5)

  • Alex A.

    Great Italian food made by Mama. The service is excellent and the ownership is attentive. Enjoy!

    (4)

  • Joyce B.

    The front of this Restaurant does Nothing for this Great Italian Restaurant. We decided to try this and we were Pleasantly Surprised how nice it was inside, friendly service, big portions. I cannot wait to go back and when you drive, the parking lot is behind full !

    (4)

  • Laura N.

    I had heard great things about this place, and, sure enough, it was quite tasty and cozy there. Bread = tasty. Calamari = yummy. Lemon chicken = tender and savory. Waiter's recommendation for the Lemon Delight...spot on. Try it. This place is a gem.

    (4)

  • Rob E.

    Most people swear by this restaurant, and they should. They provide a lot of great dishes, huge portions at an amazing price. The service is always excellent, especially if you can get Bryan as your server - he's always very nice and gets everything right. I'm Italian, and nothing makes me more frustrated then a bunch of stuck-up Dagos that have to criticize ever Italian restaurant they find because it wasn't how their mother made it. Get over it! Clara's is awesome!

    (5)

  • John B.

    Checked out Clara's due to good reviews from friends of mine. Service was good and waiter had a decent knowledge of the menu. They start you with some bread and oil mixed with cheese combo. Delicious!! Decided to get the fried calamari which turned out to be extremely bland. Calamari is typically mild flavored I know but the breading is what brings it together. This was what seemed to be a light flouring at best. House salad was decent and full of a variety of items. Moved on to the chicken with pesto and potatoes. Now this is a huge portion as was my date's dinner. Chicken breast diced and tossed in a great pesto with pinenuts and thinly sliced cross sections of potato! All layered on a bed of capellini. Tasty, had it for lunch the next two days. We didn't get the strongly suggested tiramisu...maybe next time. Good food over all, decor needs an update, your average italian restuarant with generous portions. I'd say go. When we went place had a good crowd so that has to say something of what others think of the place.

    (3)

  • Dino M.

    Best homemade pasta around. Family run business. Yum.

    (5)

  • Tracy S.

    OMG Clara's is our favorite Italian restaurant in the west burbs (so far). If you can look past the sad exterior in the strip mall next to our veterinarian the inside is homey and inviting. My husband and I have dined in as well as ordering for pick up. We usually get seated right away and pick up is super convenient for when we don't feel like sitting in the crowded dining room (because it's always busy at Clara's). I love the Shrimp Erisillia and my husband always orders the lasagna. I am not a big fan of their ceasar salad, there is just something about the dressing I am not impressed with. The bread and dipping oil at the beginning of the meal is always yummy. The wait staff is always pleasant (aside from one weird experience I had with a waiter). We have brought family and friends there and they have also enjoyed the food. We will keep going back to Clara's!!!

    (4)

  • Linda F.

    I was so disappointed with the hostess. After driving a few hours in the car and feeling pretty tired I was to meet my family at this restaurant for my son's birthday. I let the hostess know that there would be seven in our party and they would be there to meet us soon. I saw that there were plenty of tables to sit at so I asked if they could get a table ready for us so we could sit down and wait for the rest of the family to arrive. The hostess said no, that it was against the restaurant's policy. So I explained we were very tired and said it was my son's birthday could they please make an exception. She said no. So I asked to talk to the manager who also said the same thing. Then they walked away and talked about it with the rest of the staff and stood there laughing at us while we waited for the rest of my family to show up. I did not eat the food there I was so frustrated with the staff. I will be calling the owner soon although I doubt I will get any satisfaction. When I told them my family would be there momentarily they replied "Good then you won't mind waiting." I am not a big fan of this place. They were very rude. It drained me after a pretty tiring day of running around. I don't even care how good your food is it just ruins your visit if you are not treated right to begin with.

    (1)

  • D H.

    The rave reviews for this place were lost on me. Perhaps because the person who recommended it raved about how good it was, that I came away disappointed. I had the lasagna, which was good, and it's obivously the sauce has a good depth and dimensionality to it, but truthfully, the place was cold and our waiter was less than attentive. It was fine, but nothing spectacular. The bread was quite good.

    (3)

  • Julie C.

    Best Italian food I have ever had! Clara's is a great family owned restaurant with a delicious menu and very friendly wait staff. If you go there be prepared to wait a bit on Friday or Saturday night, but let me insure you it is definitely worth the wait. The food is all freshly prepared and they change up their specials every week. I suggest signing up on their website for the secret password, and you will get great discounts every week.

    (5)

  • Justin K.

    Before I die my last meal will be the portabella chicken fettuccini w/ alfredo .. Been coming here since I was a kid and never had a less than amazing meal here.

    (5)

  • Michelle I.

    This has got to be the best italian restaurant around!! They are always packed, it would be great if they expanded and moved to a nicer location. This is a definite treat going to Clara's! What's sad is that I don't think of going here that often.

    (5)

  • Brian D.

    Neighborhood restaurant with a ton of regulars; friendly but overall not recommended. One thing that is cool, is you can order any of their ten or so varieties of pasta, add meat or veggies, and pair it with a sauce. I ordered the herb linguini with ground garlic and olive oil, and added some anchovies. My wife ordered rigatoni with portabello mushrooms in a vegetarian tomato sauce. When my food arrived, it was not sprinkled with olive oil, but was actually submerged in a puddle of oil, seriously over a cup of fluid. No wonder people in this area are so horribly out of shape- more is not better, people! I actually drained my pasta before I could eat it. And the anchovies were just pulled straight out of a tin and draped on the top. The portions were quite generous, however the food was simply not very good. Being now part of a Italian family, I'm sort of a pasta psycho, so I was very not impressed with the pasta here. The rigatoni was pasty; the linguini was definitely not al dente. Like everything around here, it's in a mall, which is not so bad in itself... Let me break down the stuff that matters: Pros: - friendly servers - "family" restaurant atmosphere - plentiful portions Cons: - provincial notion of sauce usage (see above) - bad pasta consistency (see above) So I guess for best results here at Clara's, I would recommend ordering something with a hearty, flavorful sauce, with a thick pasta that is meant to have body. If you are sensitive to pasta / sauce ratio like me, order it with the sauce on the side in a bowl so you can add it yourself. Don't bother with anchovies on anything.

    (2)

  • Ryan B.

    Best Italian in the area hands down. Can't beat the clam with white sauce and egg/spinach angel pasta. Great bread, great food, average priced drinks.

    (4)

  • David P.

    Pretty average food. The pasta dishes are over salted. Prices are similar to chains such as Magianno's or Francesca's.

    (3)

  • Melissa D.

    Clara's always has exceptional food at great prices! The place is always busy; however the wait is never too long. This is a great local restaurant!

    (5)

  • Ashley L.

    The food is very delicious! Our waitress Neely was professional and friendly. I will definitely come back!

    (5)

  • Jordyn V.

    I love Clara's I got the crew, of chicken pesto served over a bed of angel hair pasta, that is freshly made,and it was delicious! The service was great,our waiter was nice and helpful with my questions. I will definitely be returning to Clara's very soon! If you want good pasta, but not have to venture out to the city stop by Clara's.

    (5)

  • J J.

    Well, I just dined there for the second time in 20 years. Now I know why I stayed away b4. I thought of it as a noisy- kid place, and seems like loud talking people aren't attenuated very well in the dining room, either. lot of racket with bussing tables too. So I don't really care for the dining experience there. I do like the carry-out service though. great sauces to take home!

    (3)

  • Chris L.

    Wonderful Italian food, thos place is great

    (5)

  • Emily C.

    I absolutely abhor this place. I have tried it on several occasions with different friends who swear by it which leads me to think that my friends don't know the difference between good and bad. Maybe its just that I come from the East Coast which is wraught with delicious Italian restaurants where if the service is bad (which it always seems to be here) at least the food was delicious. Never a friendly server, or a knowledgeable server, never willing to check on ingredients. I just don't like this place.

    (2)

  • Tricia S.

    This was pretty good Italian food. Their bread and olive oil cheese mix was amazing. I got the cheese tortellini and it good. A little too al dente for my liking, but it was much better as leftovers the next day. Join their online family - you can call ahead for seating and get discounts. I will go back.

    (4)

  • Jessica D.

    Delicious, home-made food and cozy (Small space) ambiance makes you feel like you dropped off at your long-lost italian great-grand aunt. Delectable sauces, pastas, seafood... a must try, and in my opinion, a lot better than Suparossa just down the road.

    (4)

  • Betsy B.

    This place has some of the best pasta dishes in the burbs hands down. Price is great and amazing for cary out. The homemade pastas and sauces are outstanding. We will be back time and time again.

    (5)

  • Frank B.

    Tucked away in a small strip mall between a glass supply store and a veterinarian's office is one of the best Italian restaurants in all of Chicagoland. Clara's Pasta in Woodridge, IL, has dished up great food in a relaxed, family atmosphere since 1987. The humble setting lets you know that the emphasis here is on the food and the service, not some high-rent room. Clara's has a rich history. Clara's mother was Mama Celeste of frozen pizza fame. The storyboard for one of the old TV commercials is on the wall near the takeout counter. The menu is filled with standard Italian items, but here are a few of our family favorites: - Shrimp Scampi - Bruschetta di Roma - Shrimp Ersillia - Chicken Breast Parmigiana - Angel Hair Pasta with Vodka Cream Sauce The portions are large and you usually leave with plenty of take-home items for lunch the next day. The prices are also reasonable. Appetizers are $7 to $9, baked pasta dishes are $10 to $12, and house specialties are $15 to $19. There space fills up quickly on the weekends, so go early. I suggest trying the take-out service. It is the best bet on Sundays and holiday weekends the food tastes just a good at home as it does in the restaurant. Mama Celeste would be proud.

    (5)

  • Rebecca B.

    I've never had food poisoning before, but if it has to do with gut-wrenching abdominal pain and at least the strong potential to vomit, I'm fairly certain that I got food poisoning from Clara's. Oh, that and some soupy-ass pasta. Skip it, there's better pasta up the road in Woodridge or on the Bolingbrook promenade. Hell, there's probably better food at the ice arena.

    (1)

  • James P.

    I used to come here as a kid and have never been disappointed. It's not the best Italian restaurant I've ever been to but it's close. If you're in the western burbs and looking for some excellent pasta and a friendly staff I highly recommend Clara's. I'm not sure what the negative reviews are about but I guess every place has it's moments. This place has always been consistantly good in my experience.

    (5)

  • Einstein F.

    Clara's service and pasta is unbeatable and I have enjoyed each visit, in which I frequent the place for their intimate dining and delicious menu and features. The manager, Paul, has an email update and it is a great way to keep in touch with all the happenings. I love the meals and wine list and wish they would add Guinness Draught cans to their bar stock, otherwise absolutely no complains. I would recommend this establishment to anyone who loves a great menu of Italian dishes. Each time I have visited, the service standard has far exceeded other places and norms.

    (5)

  • Justin W.

    Outstanding. Clara's stands apart from every other Italian restaurant I've been to. Usually an Italian house dressing is pretty spartan but I loved all of the extra spices and flavors they added to it. Honestly, it has to have been one of the best house Italian dressings I've ever had. I have to recommend the Shrimp Special over pasta. Again, I was simply blown away by the amount of spices they added to the sauce to make it a bit spicy with a lot of flavor. Most places use a sauce rich with fat, salt, or sugar to make it appealing, but whatever spices they used here made the entree extraordinary and delicious.

    (5)

  • h b.

    Our party of 6 were very disappointed in both the service and food this evening. We waited 15 minutes for the waiter to take our drink order. Neither he nor the bus person checked the table to clear dishes until we stacked them in piles. We're not big drinkers, but it was not until the appetizer and salad dishes were finally cleared that he thought to check out empty wine glasses. One of the biggest disappointments was the pasta was served swimming in the water it was cooked, diluting the sauce. When we complained to the manager, his simple response was "interesting". My response to that is "I'll never come back". Poor service & Equally poor quality of food.

    (1)

  • Nicole S.

    Sooooo glad we tried this place after driving by it for 2 years. It's outside appearance certainly doesnt do it justice but after being let down by places like Olive Garden and Suprossa, we decided it could hurt to try. Sooo glad we did because now we are regulars. Their prices are really affordable (much cheaper than Suprossa). Its very relaxed atmosphere and everyone who comes here seem to be regulars. Pastas are hand made. Our personal favorites are the lasagna and meet ravioli with alfredo sauce. The bread they serve with herbed olive oil is really good and we always fill up on it so we usually split dinner. This is a place you really should try out--I knwo it doesnt look like much on the outside but we discovered a gem!

    (5)

  • Nancy G.

    I really like this restaurant and it's close to my home. My favorite item is their regular meat lasagne, the sauce and cheese are wonderful, the portion is too much, but you can take it home. My mom likes the vegetarian lasagne. If you are picky, you can choose your own pasta and sauce, all taste homemade. On some nights the wine is half off, you have to look it up. The parking lot is always full but there are a lot of tables and you get seated quickly.

    (5)

  • Charles M.

    Clara's is outstanding! I'm fortunate to live in close vicinity to Clara's and go there regularly. There are always great weekly and nightly specials on both food and wine. All pastas are hand made in house and are delicious, and the wine list is eclectic and interesting. The owners and staff treat diners as if they were family. Portions are very generous so bring your appetite! It is truly one of my favorite restaurants in the area, and I've never had a bad meal here. Oh, by the way, I lived in New York City for over 10 years and so must respond to Emily C.'s haughty critique: First of all there is no such word in the English language as "wraught," which leads me to believe your ability to judge good food is as poor as your vocabulary. Buon appetito!

    (5)

  • Kelly M.

    This place is a hidden gem. One wouldn't expect that an Italian joint in a small strip mall would have such wonderful food and service, but it consistently does. In all of the times I've visited, the waitstaff has been more than amazing. When it isn't busy, I've had waiters bring mini-tastes of appetizers they're cooking just so I could try something new. They know their wine pairings, and when they suggest adding something (such as chicken or shrimp) to a dish, it's always a perfect suggestion. They'll also take special requests. The portions are gigantic and made for sharing, which is good as everyone at the table will want to sample what's on your plate. It can get a little pricey (especially if you order wine), but it's well worth the expense. If you come here on a weekend, make sure to have reservations, and prepare yourself for an extended, multi-course, relaxed, excellent meal.

    (5)

  • Jessica K.

    I have been going to Clara's since it first opened and have never once been disappointed. It's true that sometimes the service leaves a little to be desired, but it more than makes up for it in the food and prices. Their wine tends to be a little pricey, but my husband and I can always make it out of there for under $50 with drinks. In fact, if you share a salad, they will just bring you two. We had them cater our wedding(well they delivered the food, we provided the service) and they were on time, and brought hot, delicious food. The guy that I worked with, has worked there since they opened and was ever helpful and pleasant. They have a great family atmosphere, and nice ambience, albeit sometimes a little crowded. Overall, a great place with GREAT food and friendly(mostly) service.

    (5)

  • Keri B.

    We LOVE this place. Not large, unassuming but well worth the experience. All of their pasta is freshly made each day. Nothing ever tastes old or frozen. The portions are WONDERFUL. Wide variety to chose from. They also do wine tasting events every so often - I have been to a few and they are always really interesting. If you are ever in the Lisle/Woodridge area and looking for a place to have a nice bowl of pasta, Clara's is your place!

    (4)

  • Nicholle H.

    I've only been to this place three times, but I would definitely say it's not the best restaurant I've been to. Their saving grace is their great bread and homemade oil, which is available for purchase. Everything else I've eaten thus far can be summed up in one word - disappointing. Another gripe I have with this place is the extremely slow and inattentive service. Perhaps if they stepped that up a notch the food would taste a little better because the bitterness from having to wait so long would be washed out of my mouth.

    (3)

  • Cindy H.

    Great restaurant, wonderful service. It's one of the best, if not the best Italian restaurants I've ever been to. The restaurant doesn't look very appealing from the outside, especially since they are located in a strip mall. But, they make up for it once you get inside. Pricey, but well worth every penny.

    (5)

  • Barbara S.

    Great food, good service, comfortable dining room. Overall a very nice experience.

    (4)

  • Reezy Z.

    Food was good but service was not. Waitress clearly knew we were in a hurry but while pleasant she made no effort to serve us timely. When we arrived (to an empty restaurant) and said 'party of 6 but two haven't arrived yet' they made us stand and wait until our entire party arrived. There was no one in the restaurant. We stood next to the table that we were going to be seated at until we received permission to sit. Lastly, a toddler was wandering around the restaurant, crying and seemingly lost. a few patrons asked the hostess if she knew the boy. The hostess said that his mother was in the banquet/party room, but she made no effort to go alert the mother. Finally another patron went into the banquet room to get the mother. Just bad service.

    (3)

  • Angela U.

    Love Clara's. Great food at reasonable prices. This place is a gem. Local house wine, lasagna that is perfect. Every time I visit here, I remember how awesome this restaurant is. Wish I lived closer, I would be here alot more often. Staff is wonderful!

    (5)

  • Paul Z.

    Highly over rated and a bit of a disappointment, i have no idea why this place receives so many rave reviews. The Chicken Parmesan was a soggy mess after a few bites It looked like I spilled my water on my plate I had better Chicken Parm at Stevens Family Restaurant down the block,! the Margherita pizza says on the menu that it is made with sliced tomatoes but it was more like stewed tomato chunks The service was mediocre as well, after inquiring about the appetizer we ordered it finally came half way thru the dinner,.maybe they were having a bad night out there was nothing about Clara's that will have me wanting to go back again.

    (2)

  • J P.

    I'll be honest on this one. Not fresh Italian fare at all, and I won't go back because of the food. I know that Clara's is the staple in the area, and I know about the tradition. I really want to give this place a chance, but I really really hope the owners take my advice and look at their menu closer and taste their food. The restaurant is beautiful, new construction, the staff is awesome, everyone super helpful and friendly. The ambience is great, hence the 2nd star. The problem, the main problem is the food is not good at all. Flavorless food. Poor textures. ridiculous large portions. If you look at the photos of the food it's just not appetizing at all. The bread was warm and good, that was pretty much it. The food tastes old and lacking flavor. Smaller more appetizing plate sizes would be better. Please help make this restaurant better! Look at your caprese, it's brown. the tomato slices are too chunky, and it's cold. should it be room temp? a little olive oil on top. good to go. we like fresh Italian fare that's eye appealing. not old tired food.

    (2)

  • Heidi B.

    Great experience!! I stopped in with my husband and mom. We had a heavy lunch and just wanted some appetizers and a glass of wine. They do not have tables in the bar so we put our name in and only waited about 10 minutes for a table. Joe was an awesome server!! He came to the table right away. He kept our wine classes filled and brought the appetizers to the table right away. The food had a great taste and was reasonably priced. My favorite was the pesto bruschetta with goat cheese. The stuffed mushrooms and mushroom pizza were something I would order again. I did not have pasta on this visit but enjoyed the pasta dishes in the past. We've had issues in the past with Clara's. I'm glad we stopped in over the weekend- great tasting food and the server was accommodating. I will be sure to visit again.

    (5)

  • Andrew J.

    This is a great place. I've always had good luck here (except when I added anchovies to a dish, WAY too many included). My recent visit made things even better. They now offer zucchini noodles! I like these better than pasta, and Clara's sauces are fantastic. This was great news. For a pasta place this place is very gluten free friendly. Great job guys on adding zucchini noodles!

    (5)

  • Rebecca C.

    I've been going to Clara's for a long time, way before this new location. My mom and I would pick up the tiramisu to go only. However, there is too much hype around Clara's. Don't get me wrong they do have good Italian food, but I'm biased because of Rosebuds Downtown Naperville. This place is always packed and does not take reservations, which I find weird. At least they should put a certain amount of tables aside for guests who need reservations. Makes it inconvenient if you have more than 4 people. If you come during the dinner rush, you'll be waiting awhile. Yes, there's a bar, but I'm hungry! lol The service once you FINALLY get seat is fine. I've never had any negative experiences with the servers. Again, this is a good choice for Italian, but not the best around town. The wait is just too long and there's nothing special about the food to wait this long especially if I can make reservations somewhere else.

    (3)

  • Nonie R.

    I was excited to try this place since I heard it's the best Italian restaurant in the suburbs. Decided to have my dinner here on my birthday. Food was ok. Big serving. Place was nice. Everything was ok until I realized I lost my wallet. I am positive I have my wallet when I came in. Supervisor said he will contact me back. Never heard from him. SUPER BAD EXPERIENCE!

    (1)

  • Hank O.

    Really really good homemade Italian food. The only place I have ever had lasagna that was as good as my own. Newly renovated, tastefully decorated. Friendly, and helpful staff. Great place for a date or family get together.

    (5)

  • Lisa W.

    I LOVE this place. I'm Italian and I think this is as good as it gets. My boyfriend and I were seated in the outdoor/covered patio area last night and absolutely loved the ambiance it created. We split the Rudy Jr Shrimp Special and gnocchi with vodka sauce al forno. Both were amazing. The waitress explained that they only have gnocchi on Wednesdays so it's as fresh as it get and boy, did it taste fresh. The dumplings were huge. There was plenty of cheese and sauce as well. I went in knowing I would love the gnocchi (because I've had it before), but I was surprised that I almost liked the Rudy Jr Shrimp Special better. Wednesdays are also half price bottles of wine night, how awesome is that! We got a bottle of Moscato for $14, the exact same price as 2 glasses of the same wine would cost. Score. Thursdays are half price glasses so you can't go wrong there either. In my opinion, there's something for everyone at Clara's. Our waitress was great last night, too. I think prices are more than fair for the portion size and the quality of the food. I'm a big, big fan of this place.

    (5)

  • Jess F.

    Great Italian food! Bread is excellent and fresh. Portions weren't as big as most Italian restaurants. Place is usually busy so you may have to wait if you don't make a reservation.

    (4)

  • Courtney H.

    I have been to Clara's a few times, but forgot to write a review before now! I went last night with my friend because she lives right there and since it was Ash Wednesday, we were looking for meat-free options. Bread is ok, nothing special. The oil it comes with is good, but Carraba's is better. I started with a side garden salad and was very surprised when I got the bill and it was $4.50 for iceberg lettuce, 1 piece of tomato and some shredded carrots and zucchini. I have to remember not to order it again. We also got the bruschetta roma and it was phenomenal. I loved it and took some home, too. I got the small 5 cheese pizza and it was decent, crust was a little TOO crispy for me but I know for next time. My friend got a pasta dish and she seemed to like it. Overall, I know I will be back. My bill for the salad, a pop and the pizza was $18 plus tip. My friend picked up the appetizer, which was nice.

    (4)

  • Sue M.

    The new location is beautiful. They were very accommodating to my nephew who had a food allergy and that alone is worth five stars. Food was good, though my one big complaint has always been that the sauces are watery. I like my sauce to stick to the pasta and I like to clean up with a piece of crusty bread. Speaking of, their rolls don't quite cut it for me. They remind me of a Turano kaiser roll from the deli counter. Needs improvement. I got pasta fresca and it was great. My niece had Alfredo and it was one of the best I've tasted. My son had the pesto, which would have been perfect had he not had a pool of watery sauce at the bottom of his bowl. They brought me tiramisu for my birthday and it rocked!

    (4)

  • Ramone B.

    I finally made it into Clara's! After years and years of driving past the old location, Clara's made a huge step up by renovating the old Krispy creme building. The new location looks awesome inside! Really snazzy. When my boyfriend and I arrived the place was kinda empty (around 5pm) I'm glad we got there when we did because Clara's filled up fast, and I hate being in an overcrowd restaurant. Weird huh? Considering all the concerts, live shows, and noise I'm constantly around. I just hate being elbow to elbow when I'm trying to eat. The hostess sat us at a table that my boyfriend and I hated. This table was in the middle of the floor. We had people hustling and bustling past us, and I hated it which prompted me to request a move which the hostess accommodated. There were two ladies working the front, and the one I interacted with was rather pleasant. A heavier set chick standing next to her made a face like I had made an outrageous request. Whatevs. They made the move for me and I was happy about it. The first waitress we had was kinda blah as well. The hostess moved my boyfriend and I to a much quieter spot in the back of the restaurant. I'm glad the waitress moved us because the next waitress ( Christina) was pretty F*cking awesome. She was very friendly and I fed off of that. She stayed on top of things. Loved her!! I just love people with a positive vibe. My dinner companion and I decided to forego appetizers which was a very smart move on our part. We usually can't finish dinner because we fill up on drinks and appetizers. The bread was pretty good. I ate all of the square buttery focaccia out of the basket while my boyfriend ate the plain round rolls. He hates butter which was right up my alley! The focaccia squares were good! I ordered the seafood pasta. I typically order this at almost EVERY Italian restaurant that I go to just to see whose I like better. This dish is typically the most expensive on the menu everywhere. It's only $20 bucks at Clara's, but rosebuds it's $34, and I've paid over $40 at other Italian joints. The dish usually consists of squid, calamari, shrimp, clams, mussels, and shrimp. Some places even put a whitefish in there. I didn't see any in my dish at Clara's. #SayWhat Looking at my seafood pasta I kind of felt disappointed. My squid were the size of a Cheerios?! If I hadn't of went looking I probably wouldn't have noticed I had any in my dish. I've really grown to like the taste of tentacles! My clams and mussels were also on the small side. There was hardly anything inside those shells. The meat that was in the shells had quite a bit of sediment in it. Can I get some mussels & clams to go with my sand plz!? It did add texture to my clams just not the texture I was aiming for! I did bite into one mussel that tasted completely rancid. It tasted like I ate a fart cloud. Thank goodness it was just that one that tasted like that cuz I wouldn't have been happy. There was plenty of calamari so I guess that made up for my squid. I did enjoy the firmness of the pasta. The sauce also had a nice flavor! I will return and try something else! I totally recommend getting there before around 5pm because the place fills fast! I was amazed at how packed it got quickly! Later dudes!!

    (4)

  • Hubert D.

    After driving by this area many times, and always seeing it busy... my girlfriend and I finally paid a visit. For some reason, they are closed on Monday and it does kinda stink considering I am normally not working on Mondays but whatever. We were able to finally pay a visit last week. The restaurant seems to be kinda big with a lot of elbow room. The front desk was very nice and there was no waiting at 6pm. We walked into a room and were seated. It was a little loud but that might have been due to the big party behind us and in front of us but whatever...no biggie. We ordered the Fried Calamari and it was good. I didn't like how they kept the sauce chunky since it was a little hard to dip. The bread was amazing with their flavored oil. I ordered a pasta dish with chicken and mushrooms with a lot of different types of cheeses. Normally, my biggest complaint was places never add enough cheese or I couldn't taste the mozzarella or blue cheese or whatever. However, I am glad to say this was not the cause here. They added a lot of cheese and as a cheese lover, I really enjoyed this dish. Overall, I enjoyed this place and we will be returning soon. It does make it hard since Mondays are our date nights for most of the time due to my work schedule but I'm sure we have to find time to visit this place. I am kinda sadden this place used to be a Krispy Kreme where I spent a lot of money but I am glad to see this great place to take over the location.

    (4)

  • Matt G.

    Fresh, homemade pasta and terrific service, while being easy on the wallet? Clara's gets 5 stars from me (in spite of the fact there's an hour wait each time I go). Also, no reservations unless it's a party of 5 or more. This place just moved from a strip mall on 53 to the building formerly known as Krispy Kreme doughnuts. They pretty much gutted KK and rebuilt the place in their own way. Since it opened last year, they've added on like 3 new rooms to the place, and the wait is still an hour. Fortunately there's a well-stocked bar to keep your mind lubricated while you wait :) The hostesses, bartenders, and servers here are the best. Everyone is so friendly and they really work to make you feel welcome. Hospitality is a dying art, and these guys manage to do it every time I come in. Food itself is sublime- think homemade type dishes. The lasagna (both the eggplant and meat) are the best things to order here. I've also had the combination plates where you can mix your own pasta and sauce choices. The pizza's are huge and delicious. Salads are good- the mesclun is the best one, by far. Desserts are good (but I don't usually partake)- my kids love everything on the menu. Overall, just a real neighborhood gem. I think they should re-open in the their original location (in addition to the new building) just to handle the sheer volume of customers.

    (5)

  • Amanda S.

    I reallllllllly wanted to like Clara's. I was so excited to see how beautiful the new location looked, the reviews looked great (for the most part), and it's always nice to see a local/family-owned business do well. But our visit was VERY disappointing. We were seated right away on a Sunday evening, we tried Friday night but that was a different story. 45 minutes plus. Our waitress was prompt and attentive throughout our meal. We decided to skip apps and enjoy the bread. It is delicious, but it is just bread. Nothing out of the ordinary. I decided to get the Cream of Chicken Pesto with the Red Pepper Gorgonzola salad, and my boyfriend got the Chicken Parm with a Caesar salad. I saw that my salad was $2.75 extra but it sounded so good that I splurged. Our salads came out right away and I spent a few minutes figuring out what I paid extra for. The garden salad that comes with your meal includes lettuce, carrots, zucchini, cucumbers and tomatoes. This salad was lettuce with a spoonful of tiny chopped red peppers and a few croutons. If you do the math, that's actually less ingredients........but you pay more. The dressing was good and the salad was well-dressed but the lettuce was 90% hearts that were terribly bitter. When my food came, I was happy with the amount of pasta and what seemed to be one full chicken breast. There wasn't anything special about the dish, I would probably rate it a 6 out of 10. My boyfriend was pretty disappointed in the Chicken Parm. I remember hearing that it wasn't breaded, but completely forgotten about that when he was ordering. Our meals seem to be made with the same piece of bland chicken, just dressed in a different sauce. The plate was slightly watery, and the sauce was pretty basic. We left our card on the table to pay, but when we got the slip he was not happy to see the extra charge for his Caesar salad. I knew mine was extra but the waitress flubbed and charged $6.50. We had to wait for the waitress to come back, explain the mistake and fix it. I'm not so sure why they feel the need to charge extra for these basic salads, but it definitely isn't worth it. Our table was also incredibly wobbly and they sit on a pedestal so we weren't able to keep our foot on it to stabilize it. Just a minor problem that caused some irritation all night

    (3)

  • Yvonne M.

    Loved Clara's when I went this afternoon!! They have zucchini noodles instead of regular pasta if you want! So excited!!! I love Italian food but rarely eat it because of all the carbs but this gives me a really amazing alternative. I got the zucchini noodles with the vodka sauce and then it had filet tips on it. All of it was DELICIOUS! Also the roasted red pepper and Gorgonzola salad is definitely worth a try....so tasty. This has been added to my list of top favorite places because it gives me the Italian feel but with veggies that look like pasta but are fresh and healthy!

    (5)

  • Samantha A.

    I haven't been back to the area to visit for awhile and I've been dying to check out their new space. Overall, I would say their new space is a huge improvement. The outside definitely looks a lot classier. I just wasn't feeling the strip mall vibe of the previous place, and the prominence of the new location has to be helping with business. I'm still can't believe this place used to be a Krispy Kreme! In terms of food, they are still serving delicious American-Italian food. I've tried their chicken parmesan, lasagna, and now their stuffed noodles. All of them are dripping in cheese and soaked in a delicious pasta sauce. I'd say their prices for their pasta dishes are about average. I would have loved to try their steak, but it was a little pricey for me. In addition to steak and pasta, they also have 10 inch pizzas at reasonable prices. My father and husband split a pizza and seemed to enjoy it. I found the service very attentive. We went on a busy Saturday evening and didn't have to wait long for our food, which was nice. In sum, great ambiance, good food, and reasonable prices. As a final note, make sure to join the loyalty club so you get a free entree on your birthday!

    (4)

  • Kim M.

    Clara's has been a part of the Area as long as I could remember. Their new location is beautiful compared to the old it's night vs day. Seriously so much more light now! The food is always good ! Fresh pasta veggies oh my! Great service, so polite! Since there are soooo many Italian joints you have to really wooo me for a 5 star so that's why it gets a 4.

    (4)

  • Monica G.

    Ciara's is a neighborhood restaurant that has been around for many many years. Have eaten there a few times in the last 30 years, but have never ever been wowed by anything have ever eaten there. The ambiance is very nice in their new location and the service was attentive, but the food is beyond mediocre. Our party of seven each ordered different entrees and not one of us could honestly say anything was a wow. The lemon chicken was swimming in a clear "sauce" with no hint of lemon. It was the worst my husband said he had ever eaten. Calamari was tasteless , pizzas were pretty good! Not in any big hurry to rush back!

    (2)

  • Samantha B.

    Heard about this place through a friend. She recommended I make a reservation beforehand because they get pretty busy. So I called but they only take reservations for parties of 6 or more. Off to a bad start. We arrived and we were sat fairly quickly which was was a plus. They bring you lots of bread and oil before dinner so be careful not to fill up....the portion sizes are pretty large. I ordered the chicken parm and it was not good at all. I was extremely disappointed. The chicken was not breaded. Seriously? All chicken parm should be breaded. The pasta was homemade but it was extremely pasty. I hardly touched it. The sauce was not like marinara sauce. It seemed liked someone opened a can of whole chunk tomatos and poured it over my chicken and pasta WITHOUT DRAINING IT FIRST!! All of my food was floating in a pool of water. It was terrible. My husband ordered the linguine with meat sauce. His sauce looked better, but probably because the ground beef and linguine soaked up the water and his linguine noodles were also crap. My mother ordered the eggplant parm which was pretty much the same as my dish. Again, her eggplant wasnt breaded. Thats a mistake. Aside from the food, the atmosphere was great. It had excellent lighting, it was very clean and spacious and we sat in a huge booth that allowed us to have a personal conversation with one another without being heard or having to hear others. The waitress, April, was on top of her game. She was polite, professional, and did not mess around when it came to providing us refills. Her timing was always excellent. We didnt feel rushed to hurry up and order and she wasnt too slow. The prices were decent for the portion sizes. It was 80 bucks for the four of us and that was with drinks and dessert. The managers really need to step up. There were kids running around everywhere and one of them almost knocked down a waiter carrying a whole tray of food. At this point, the managers really should have stepped in and handled the situation. I dont come to a restaurant and only pay for food. I pay for the atmosphere. So when I go to a nicer, expensive italian place, I shouldnt have to look at kids running up and down the aisles playing tag with one another. If I ever return to this place, it will be for the dessert alone. Dinner sucked, but the Limoncello Marscapone Cake and Tiramisu was to die for.

    (3)

  • Chrissy R.

    My husband and I finally made it into Clara's after living in the area 7 years. The old location never looked "inviting" even though everyone we spoke to raved about the food. So now that the new location is up and running (and beautifully warm and inviting) we checked it out! And I'm so sorry I have stayed away so long! My love is Italian food and Clara's is by far the best I've had in a long time! True, authentic, perfection. I had the Lasagna florentine which was rich, cheesy perfection and my husband went with the traditional lasagna to which he said it was the best lasagna he's ever had!!! This is our new Italian staple. Can't wait to try some more dishes!!!!

    (5)

  • Julie W.

    Huge new fan of this place. Loved sitting on where they had the windows open and had a beautiful ambiance! Portion size is large so be prepared! The pesto brushetta is excellent! Caesar salad delicious with home made croutons. And my husband and I had the 9 oz steak! The mashed cauliflower is delicious and the side dishes are definitely large enough to share. We had enough left over food for a whole meal! Look forward to bringing friends and family here.

    (5)

  • Gary C.

    I have been going here occassionally for over 20 years, and while I love their fresh pasta and the breads, the sauces are just so-so and not worth the effort to dine there except when not in the mood for cooking it myself. Of course I usually order aglio olio or white wine sauce with fresh clams. Those are good, but I need to be in the mood for those items. Not sure how to reply to the comment made by Dawn and Rudy, so I'll try via an edit. To clarify my review, I find the red sauces a bit on the bland side, and we really don't do sauces laden with cream, so I can't honestly speak to those sauces. The white wine with clams and agllio olio are my go to sauces because you do them well and I don't.

    (3)

  • George D.

    If you have a groupon and are the wrong nationality... DONT GO. My wife bought a Groupon for Clara's restaurant in Woodridge Il. She was unable to make reservations on the Groupon website for some strange reason but was able to contact the restaurant and phone in a reservation indicating we had a Groupon. We received a text message confirming our reservation at 7:00 pm on Friday evening. We went to the restaurant on time, got seated and then things went sour after that. The manager in a plaid flannel shirt stated that we were not on his list in his cell phone. He looked at the voucher on my wife's phone and cancelled the page that the voucher was on. My wife had trouble getting back on line because there was no wifi available at the restaurant at that time. He told her to go outside and the reception might be better. My wife spent about five minutes outside trying to get back online meanwhile the plaid shirt manager stated the the reservation was given by a new girl by mistake and our reservation was null and void. Also, seeing that we were the only black people in the restaurant I assume we were not wanted there and therefore discriminated against. We left the restaurant with a worthless groupon and no service. Groupon deals aren't really a deal if you can't get the deal. Now we have to wait forever to get a refund for this rotten deal and certainly will not consider dining on a groupon to avoid frustration and definitely not even look towards Clara's.

    (1)

  • Michelle H.

    For the most part, every time any of my favorite local restaurants branch out or move to a larger location, some of the qualitly gets lost in the process. I am glad that did not happen with Clara's. Moving from their tiny, hard to get to strip mall location, to a brand new, reconstructed and enlarged old Krispy Kreme builiding a half block away, Clara's is clearly moving on up. The new building consists of at least three seperate dining rooms along with a large bar and a more casual central seating area. The whole place is beautiful, filled with dark wood and exposed stone accents, and low lighting, which puts it in an intamate setting without being impossibly dark. Read my previous review to learn about the service and the food beyond compare, because that, in all its excellence, has not changed a bit!

    (5)

  • Ramona T.

    This past Saturday (August 1st) my husband and I came to the restaurant at around 8:30 pm hoping to have an appetizer and a couple of drinks on the new patio. We were greeted by the hostess and I asked if we could sit outside for a drink and appetizers and she said that "they would have to find a server to come out there" and that since we were just having appetizers and drinks, the bar would be a better choice for us. Actually, Supparosa was better for us that night where they happily obliged our request.

    (2)

  • Justin C.

    Oh Clara's...you're red pepper gorgonzola salad is one of the greatest things I have ever eaten. You give insane portions and my fiance and I love dining here. The only complaint I have is that your bartenders do not know how to make a cocktail. Everytime I order one, I am disappointed. But stick to the wine list, and you will love Clara's. *I've actually tried many drinks...most recently, I believe it was a rye Manhattan on the rocks. Funnily enough, the first time I had it, it was light on the vermouth and the second time, heavy on it. I used to tend bar and I would guess they are not using jiggers and not consistent in counts. They are super friendly and I am normally not one to criticize a drink because I know how crazy it can get in a bar. But maybe a few pour tests would refresh their counts. :) Updating rating to 5 stars because you asked!

    (5)

  • Kate B.

    Service was outstanding! One of our party made a mistake in what they ordered (dietary restrictions). Manager visited the table, they remade the meal and brought extra sides. Food was delicious as always. Their fresh bread and rolls dipped in olive oil and grated Parmesan is a great start to the meal. Lasagna is enough for two meals. Totally impressed with the service! We will be back. You have to try this place.

    (5)

  • Alixx C.

    Still three stars. The waitress' name was Kristina. The nice one that was our second waitress that night. She was everything. I contacted their website personally to tell them of Kristina. I got the usual cookie cutter answer they give to people on here. " we will talk to our staff" I guess that's all they can say. However, when I go back, we will see. Keep you all posted.

    (3)

  • Mai S.

    On my colleague's recommendation, our family jumped at a chance to eat a local Italian restaurant. We usually drive into the city to one of Rosebud chain, Cocco Pazo, or Sienna's Tavern. We arrived Wednesday night 11/12/14 from a neighboring town. The restaurant was lovely and the ambiance was very warm and inviting. There was a short wait of 15 minutes as well - so we assumed the food must be GREAT??! We were very much looking forward to the food. We ordered and were looking forward to the fresh pasta, lasagna, chicken, and veal. We asked if there was pappardelle pasta nor cavatelli? NON. We tried the usual linguini and rotinni pasta. The pastas were not drained and the mariana sauce was watered down and runny. The chicken parmigiana was not flavored and tasted plain. My child's lasagna was luke- warm. The main entrees were all shockingly disappointing. I am surprised at the ratings? We tried the tiramisu cake/dessert as well -- again not a favorite. I must say I was hoping I didn't have to drive to the city for fresh Italian pasta....but maybe I still have to.

    (2)

  • Andre W.

    Its not often that I venture out to a restaurant in the north burbs as I just do not care for heading that direction. I received an invite to dinner from a friend that swears by this place. I trust her judgement with food so I was game and I also saw pretty good reviews here on Yelp. We grabbed a drink @ the bar while we waited for our seat as it was a bit of a wait due to it being a Saturday nite @ 7PM. Once seated we were greeted by our awesome server Craig and he made sure he got us our 2nd glass of chianti. We started out with the grilled calamari which was fantastic. Due to there being so many great items on the menu I struggled to decide on what I wanted. My friend gave me her recommendation of Rudy Jr's Shrimp Special. The dish included shrimp sautéed in fresh garlic, butter, olive oil and parmigiana served over Spinach and Egg Angel Hair and came along with a delicious caesar salad. The meal was phenomenal and I couldn't stop eating even though I was attempting to save room for dessert...I definitely recommend. Dessert was amazing as we went with one of my favorites, Tiramisu. It comes as a nice sized portion so you will definitely want to share. I could not believe we finished it as we were stuff from our entrees. Definitely a gem in the midst of chains over in Woodridge...do yourself a favor and get to Clara's for some really good Italian fine dining.

    (5)

  • Daniel V.

    Not a bad place, I really can't say much about it. It didn't blow me away. The homemade pasta was so so. I've have better.

    (4)

  • John B.

    Clara's Clara's Clara's... Back when I was about 9, I started coming here some 26 years ago. I hated it... Don't get me wrong, the food was great, But you try to get a 9 year old to sit still and mind his manors for 1.5-2 hours!!! As I got older, I had some of my first dates and a pre-dance date here... Then I moved. Fast forward 18ish years, turns out they moved too. I now have 3 kids myself and have moved back to the area which brings me to Date Night! I told my wife about this place and we drove out from Oswego. First impression: The new place looks great and even has a fancy sign! I was terrified since the parking lot was full that we would have to wait forever... But it was less than 20 min... Not too bad. The hostess.... I'm kinda speechless here, even my wife before I said it looked at me and "I know, I know, she's amazing." I'm in customer service and have been for a while, it's extremely rare to see someone that at their core, is a genuinely sweet and truly caring human being. It is a simple task, greet, take a name, and move on, but this hostess made me feel welcome and happy to be there immediately!!! She was amazing!!!! Folks, I could go on and on as to how genuine and inviting she was as she greeted people, but it would get a little weird... Funny thing is, I tried to get her name, but no one could remember since she was newer. Might have started with a "c", but she had darker hair, thin and early 20's. Long story short, give her a raise or make her a manager, she made the long trip worth while on only the greeting! The set-up: The new place looks great, lots of space and it was packed! Cool Pizza Bar and Rudy's bar too. (A quick note on Rudy: I remember him well, my father used to go and sit at the bar and have a drink with him or he would come sit at our table. I don't know if they knew each other or he was just friendly, but every time besides this one, I got to see him. I'm not even sure if he is still around, I think his son(s) are, but I have some great memories and I noticed a plaque at the bar with his name on it.) The Service: Everthing was attentive and I've never had my glass refilled with such regularity. I cannot say anything was bad, or astonishing, just how it should be. The Food: Bread and Oil: This is the free stuff, I love bread and oil, I even serve it at home, but this has me baffled??? I have never had such great tasting oil mix. The oil was so subtle I'm not even sure that's what it was... Garlic, cheese, pepper, lemon juice maybe???... with a fantastic bread selection... I could have ended the meal here and been happy! 10!!! Pesto Bruschetta: Full flavored, large portion and a great way to start. Solid 10 Soakers with cheese: I'm very confused by this one.... This is about a foot long Italian bread soaked in marinara(essence of clam) and baked with cheese. It was the best bread dish I have ever had... And the kicker... $2.99 I think!!! 1-10.... 12! Cesar Salad: One of the best Cesar's we have ever had. 9 (I only deduct a point since the best I ever have had was made table side) Gorgonzola Peper salad: I'm going with a 6 on this one, it was great if I had not tasted the Cesar, but it could be better and needs a bit bolder flavor. Eggplant Parmesan: I ordered this to be different since that's what I always teach my kids. I'm going to give it an 8 since I know it was made well, but I was not the biggest fan. I would prefer less gravy and cheese and a slightly crisp Eggplant. Baked Chicken with Portobello Mushrooms: Wow, this was tasty! Hearty portion, tender chicken, thick rich cream sauce and flavorful thinly sliced mushrooms! This is a must have! 10! ( I'm going to go take a break from this review and warm up some leftovers... Brb) ..annnnd I'm back, wow, that's good even cold! To end the night, Tiramisu! This was a wonderful treat, not to rich, not overly powering, what this dish should be, excellent! 10! Overall I will be back time and time again and hope my kids will have fond memories someday as well! Well worth the drive. This is what Italian food should be, and no one else can even come close! Thanks to Clara and Rudy's whole family for keeping this establishment going! And by all means, take good care of your new hostess, she is most certainly taking care of you!!!

    (5)

  • Kristi C.

    Clara's is hands-down my FAVORITE Italian restaurant. Not only do we go there frequently, but we also like to order take out from them when we're feeling too lazy to eat somewhere other than on our couch. They just in the past year renovated an old Krispy Kreme (good riddance!) building into this awesome Italian eatery, complete with 3 different dining rooms, a bar, and a pizza bar (watch then make your pizza!) They're also currently building an indoor/outdoor area. But enough about the building. It's the food you want! They will bring you some bread and oil to tide you over while you are looking over their extensive menu. Eat it, it's awesome. When I'm craving Clara's, my go-to is one of their house specialties: Clara's Breast of Chicken Limone. It's a butterflied chicken breast with some squash slices in a white wine sauce with herbs. It's basically the best thing I have ever put in my mouth. It comes with a side of pasta aglio olio, but I always substitute it for their fresh herb linguine with alfredo sauce , which pairs excellently with the chicken. Did I mention they make all their pasta in house? DO NOT pass it up, you will regret it. Their specialties also come with soup or salad (your choice). I usually get the soup, which changes daily. They also have a rewards card program, which is nice if you're an a frequent customer. I frequently recieve text messages from them for a free dessert or 10% off of our bill. It's the little things, you know? Overall, my family and I highly recommend Clara's to anyone with a serious cravig for some good Italian. Just go, you will not be disappointed.

    (5)

  • Gig F.

    The last time I was at Clara's, it was in the old location, so the new place is a big improvement in terms of ambiance. The glass-enclosed bar is beautiful and there are many vegetarian items on the menu. However, that's about all the good things I can state about this place....hostess and waiter were poor and food was nothing special, as many others have mentioned on Yelp. We arrived at 12 PM on Saturday and were the first ones in the restaurant. The hostess, a heavy-set woman wearing a striped top, did not greet us in any friendly manner, but looked up from her computer as if we were an irritant. She seated us at a table which was clearly dirty, but she turned around after dropping the menus (backwards by the way -- really poor hostessing skills on this one!) and went back to her station. I had to follow her back and ask her to send someone to clean the table...not kidding here, she grunted and rolled her eyes at the supervisor who was folding napkins at the bar! She then asked me to just move to another table, as none of the ten bus boys running around had time to clean the table! The waiter moved our silverware and water glasses, but even he looked annoyed. Gee, do these people not realize who is paying their salary? I figured the hostess must be part of the family and can't get fired....The eggplant parm I ordered was so heavy on the garlic, it was almost inedible. The full-size salad was nothing but lettuce with another garlic-laden dressing. The pizza was the quality of a Domino's crust. This should not be a surprise to the management, but as we took our leave, the hostess was at the stand and I looked right at her (on purpose) and she never acknowledged we were leaving, asked us how our meal was or anything you would expect a professional hostess to do. I suppose if someone I was dining with absolutely wanted to eat here, I'd go back (hence the 2 stars rather than 1 star) and I'd go, but I can't think of another situation which would be conducive to dining here again.

    (2)

  • Jen T.

    I have been going to Clara's for about 5 years since I moved to the area! I'm so glad I decided to try this place! The new location is even more fabulous! The food is never disappointing. I've had their pizzas to pasta dishes and desert and all have been great! Very authentic, rich, tasty and great quality! I love this place! The servers are equally as pleasant and polite! Place is very clean, great ambiance, great location! What more can I say?!?! Great place, Great people, great service, great food! I enjoy the olive oil dipped in their tasty warm bread. The focaccia bread is great! I ordered the Shrimp Ersilia and I could not stop taking about it! Love this place and I highly recommend Clara's!

    (5)

  • Tiff T.

    Deliciousness! Good atmosphere and service, great decor and did I mention the yummy food? Decently priced for a seemingly high scale place. Would love to go again. Great for everyone- couples, families, friends.

    (5)

  • Carolyn D.

    Clara's is the place to go for authentic Italian food. The new location is fabulous. We have bee. Customers since 1991. Highly recommend

    (5)

  • Freyja C.

    We hosted a bridal shower yesterday and we were very happy with everything. The food and service were excellent. The prices were fair and they set the room up nicely for our group and appropriately for the occasion. Nice touches included setting up a trash bin for the gift wrap and a cart to help us get everything into the car after. Highly recommend for an event like this! !

    (5)

  • Craig L.

    Just ate here with my wife, brother, daughter and nephew. We didn't have reservations and were told it would be a half hour wait, faster if we took a booth. We happily said a booth would be fine and in about 15 minutes we were seated. I feared this would be a tight fit, but nothing to fear it was a large comfortable booth that would sit 6 large adults comfortably. We found the food delicious. The bread service was great and tasted fresh baked. The only let down was we felt the Lobster Bisque was average and had a bit of an odd texture. Entrees were awesome. I judge a new Italian restaurant by their spaghetti and meatballs and frankly both were delicious. You just can tell the difference with home made pasta. The child's portion of ravioli was good as well and well priced. My wife had the pumpkin ravioli special and raved about it. The star to me was a baked chicken Alfredo that my brother got. It might be the best Alfredo I've ever had. I could bathe in that Alfredo. All in all, a beautiful comfortable place. Good but not great service. Great food other than the soup. Looks like I found my new favorite Italian restaurant and noticed that they appear to do a thriving carryout business that I intend to give a whirl.

    (4)

  • Ashley W.

    Every time I go to Clara's I am always drawn to the homemade pasta (usually linguini) with alfredo sauce, and I always add mushrooms too. It is delicious every single time which is why I haven't explored with any other options on the menu. Their new location is beautiful, and definitely a huge step-up from their previous location up the road. I just wish I'd think about ordering carry-out on any day but Monday when they are closed. It seems like any time I think order carry-out from here, without fail, it's a Monday.

    (5)

  • Doug A.

    I ordered carry out on an early Friday night. Place was dead and yet I had to wait almost 30 minutes for my meal! Not only that but when I looked in the bag after leaving there was no napkins, or cutlery to eat with. The meal itself was nothing great as the noodles were too soft and they skimped on the vodka sauce. When I called to complain they told me they had a large catering order so really what they were saying was "sorry but your order wasn't as important as the bigger order". I was offered a gift card the next time I come in but honestly who would want to go back after spending $16 on a mediocre meal and told they weren't as important as other customers. Clara's is not what it see to be. I think they're new big restaurant has gotten in the way of giving great customer service which they always used to have and was how they built their business. Very disappointing.

    (1)

  • Z B.

    I never had a bad experience at Clara's! The service is good, and they are fast with the food with a popular crowd! If you would choose an excellent entree, choose the cheese tortellini alfredo! The alfredo on the pasta isn't creamy, but has a nice flavor to it. The tortellini was great! That choice is most popular and to die for! The desserts are good too! I highly recommend this place!

    (5)

  • Glenn D.

    THE PLACE My wife and I hadn't been to Clara's in almost 20 years, so we were eager to return to their new home just down the street on Route 53 from the original location. The new location is much larger and more open with high ceilings, but missing some of the charm of the original. They have brought all of the great pictures that showcase the proud family tradition of the restaurant and its 3 generations, but they seem a little lost in the larger space and the over-lit atmosphere. I was reminded more of one of the Italian chain restaurants like Carrabas or Bucca di Beppo than an authentic independent. We were seated at a table for six in the middle of the main dining room. Given the size of the restaurant, I would have expected that we would have had no issue with space, but the tables were so close together that the staff had a bit of trouble navigating between the tables easily and I was bumped by patrons 4 different times as they tried to get through. THE SERVICE Our waitress was an older lady who gave us the strong impression that she didn't want to be there and that we were annoying her. She had little patience as we ordered, and even less when she brought out our food and drinks, handing them to the closest person and expecting us to pass them to the right person. We were there with good friends and were determined to have a fun evening, so we initially laughed about her brusque manners and lack of good cheer, calling it 'charming' and equating it to the Ed Debevics style of down-to-earth manners. But as the evening wore on and her appearances lost their appeal, we realized that she really didn't like her job, and she had given up trying long ago. It wasn't 'charming', it was unfortunate and detracted greatly from our experience. THE FOOD We had ordered four appetizers, all Italian-American Classics: Caprese Salad, Bruschetta, Fried Calamari, and Shrimp Scampi. The Caprese was delicious, and we commented on how good the tomatoes were for this time of year. The Bruschetta was fair, but the bread was soggy, so I'm guessing that it had been assembled ahead-of-time and had been sitting for quite a while. The Shrimp Scampi was not very good. The garlic sauce was less-than-inspired, luke-warm, and the quality of the shrimp was sub-standard. The Fried Calamari was the worst of the bunch. It was cold, it was dry, it was flavorless, it was the worst fried calamari that I have had at a Chicago Italian restaurant in living memory. I can only guess that it had been cooked as a part of a large order long before and sat in a giant vat under a heating lamp for hours. Heresy! Despite the disappointing appetizers and the ugly service, we remained hopeful that the main course could rescue the evening. After all, this was Clara's! This was one of the best Italian restaurants in a town choked with great Italian restaurants! They arrived and were distributed with little fanfare and much fumbling by a male employee wearing a tie. He looked confused as he frequently checked the order and tried to match the right dish with the right person... mostly successfully, but the strain of the effort seemed to make him frown. Having finally succeeded, and all smiles, he distributed the obligatory parmesan. I had the famous Lasagna. It was densely packed, with layers of al dente pasta that had just a hint of crunch, chees and meat. The sauce was good, but a bit sparse. Overall it was tasty, but missed slightly on the temperature and freshness. Again I got the impression that it had been prepped much earlier and then re-heated. Understandable for lasagna, but the execution was not up to the standard I've seen a hundred times at top-notch Italian restaurants. My wife had the stuffed shells and said that they were 'good', but didn't gush. Given that she has been on a low-carb diet for the last few months and looked positively fiendish when she had ordered them, I expected her to devour the three smallish shells with relish. She didn't finish them. DRINKS When we had arrived, we had ordered a round of cocktails, which were delayed at the bar because they 'were busy'. The waitress recommended a bottle of wine for dinner saying it was 'her favorite'. Predictably it was a bad choice, but I blame myself for allowing us to take her suggestion. It should have been apparent by that point that she either had no real knowledge of wine, or was just pushing whatever they had too much of. DESSERT We were pretty full by this point, but we gamely pushed on. We were enjoying each others' company and so we ordered some coffees and a couple of Italian classics (again): Tiramisu and Cannoli. The tiramisu was interesting. The ladyfingers were suspended in an almost foamy mascarpone. The flavor wasn't bad, but compared to all of the tiramisu I have tried it was in the bottom 1/3 or so. We got the three small cannolis plate and I ate two of them. Finally, something lived up to standard. OVERVIEW Service: Horrific Ambiance: Meh Food: Disappointing

    (1)

  • Leana G.

    I love this restaurant. Friendly, professional staff, and the food is authentic Italian and delicious. I love the seafood special, which is perfectly prepared and delicious.

    (5)

  • Jie S.

    Clara's has decent pasta dishes with excessive portion. The decor is dated. Services was pretty good. I'm kind of torn between 3 or 4 stars. It would be a solid 4 if they cut the portion to half and charge half the price? The complimentary bread and dip were an awesome combination. The dip is premixed with olive oil , parsley, and cheese. Bread was fresh and warm. Our grilled calamari appetizer was really good comparing to the usual heavy breaded fried ones. Home made marinara sauce went great of calamari pieces. Another nice combination. My seafood pasta come with a huge plate on which were full of seafood and marinara sauce. I probably ate 1/8th of it and I were done. Pasta was a bit overcooked but seafood and sauce were really delicious but I really could not have any more. The nice part was that I asked for spicy and it was truly spicy for me which rarely happens in an Italian restaurant. I reheat this for dinner the same day. It fed both me and my husband. However it didn't taste as good as the lunch time as the noodle were even mushier than then. So I would prefer they have smaller portion and charge less money. No left overs. Win-Win for everyone. My friend's linguine had the same problem. Over cooked pasta with too much vodka cream sauce in a huge deep bowl. Maybe I wait for a good coupon to go again or share one dish between 2 of us.

    (4)

  • Marianne D.

    This is my second visit to Clara's and I find this place just so-so. The atmosphere is loud and more like a Friday's or Chili's atmosphere, not what I expect from an Italian restaurant. Reservations are not accepted for parties of less than 5. Our server Joe provided good service and knew the menu well. The wine list does not offer a good selection of wine by the glass; but I did enjoy the only Sauvignon Blanc they had. The bread basket had a nice focaccia bread and then a warm crusty roll, which was more on the hard side than a crusty exterior with a soft interior roll. It was served with an herb olive oil for dipping. I would have enjoyed a Parmesan cheese with the oil for dipping which was lacking. To start, my mom and I shared the caprese salad which was generous in size and had good flavor and plenty of mozzarella for the tomatoes. Our the guys had the pasta fagioli which my dad enjoyed, but my husband thought was salty. My mom and I shared a margherita pizza and added prosciutto. The pizza had a nice thin crispy crust like I've enjoyed in Italy. Unfortunately, the tomatoes were chunks of tomatoes in sauce which I ended up scraping off. I am used to a traditional margherita with slices of tomatoes along with the mozzarella and basil and no sauce. My dad had bone-in chicken vesuvio which was generous in portion size. He enjoyed it very much. Clara's only makes this dish the first full weekend of the month. My husband had the chicken parmesan which was disappointing. It was a chicken breast with no seasoning or breading. It did have gooey melted cheese on top and it was served with a side of pasta. The prices were fair for the food. I found Clara's mediocre both times I have visited. I'd rather go to Capri in Downers Grove with great food, a quieter atmosphere and Frank Sinatra dinner music. I just don't get the crowds at this restaurant. I gave it a couple tries, but it fell short for me.

    (3)

  • Kathleen M.

    Clara's is a bit tricky to get to, we approached it from the strip mall behind it only because our GPS was super clever. It's a bit crowded, somewhat noisy but not real intimate place. Tables are just a bit too close together to be able to walk through and the strip mall facility has the big windows like it was a dollar store. Makes for an odd ambiance. The meat balls and pasta were good, but not outstanding. The bread was delicious as was the oil. My iced tea was nice and fresh and cold. It was a fine evening and I enjoyed being out with lady friends but I wouldn't rush back here. I am a meat ball fool but these didn't open up and sing an Italian opera to me. More like just a Dean Martin song on a juke box. A-OK.

    (3)

  • Boomer B.

    It's official! We still miss the old bread! The new stuff is just not as good.

    (4)

  • Afzal A.

    Called them got reserved for 6 got there on time wr seated promptly, front person ws very nice courteous. We been there few times had good experience but this time the waitress serving us probably was overworked ws kind of short after we ordered food came but pasta ws left behind whn we brought this to her attention she said ok in the meantime we wr finished with our dinner, she packed it on her own and put it on the table we did talk to the manager who ws apologetic, in spite of rude treatment from waitress we paid our bill and left 20% tip for waitress hoping she would treat next customer better, I doubt if we go there again

    (3)

  • Kadee D.

    I love coming here for an Italian kick when I can't make it out the city! It's really hard to get a bad meal here if you order the right thing! My usuals are the brick oven pizzas, salads, fresh bread, pasta salads or pasta entrées - and the dessert (omg the dessert). Best place to sit is at the pizza bar because it is first come first serve. I've never had an issue walking in on a busy night and getting a seat there... You meet some great people sitting there too! I wouldn't recommend this seating for close minded, private dining people as you do sit pretty close to one another. Personally, I like it and it seems more friendly as the whoever is cooking pizza that night gives you a lot of great info on the restaurant and menu! What's also great is the servers know their wine and pairings which is important. They also know what their food tastes like and can describe it or recommend something you are having trouble deciding on. Keep doing your thing Clara's because you have something special!

    (5)

  • Ingrid B.

    Come hungry, split a meal or plan to take lots of left overs home! Recommended dishes: Rotini, eggplant parmigiana, veal parmigiana, cheese ravioli. Everyone was pleased with their selections. Salads were fresh, crispy and delicious too.

    (4)

  • Mable S.

    I can't think of anything bad to say about Clara's. I've been going to Clara's since before they moved into the new location, which is beautiful. Excellent food and service. This may sound trivial, but one thing that really made my meal fantastic was the coffee at the end. I've been meaning to call and ask what they brew, because it was wonderful.

    (5)

  • M. S.

    The food is only so-so, the wine selection is mediocre, and the servers seem pretty unhappy to be there.

    (1)

  • Tony P.

    The pizza bar is the best seat in the house...this place is something to die for...if you have family from out of town, Ou have to take them here, to experience a small nice hometown place, such as Clara's. thank go they moved to the new location. It's bigger and decor is awesome...nice bar area, pizza bar, dining, high table tops, outdoor seating. This place is a gem. If your going with the pizza, try any dish there and take home the leftover. If it's just you, try the pizza or a few apps...

    (5)

  • Joe S.

    I see they moved. Ate there once at the old location. Air conditioning didn't work 80+ degrees inside at 5pm on a saturday. Service/ Wait staff slow and rude. Food? Musshy overcooked pasta for everyone, Some people swear by this place. Only gotta have one bad experience for me.

    (1)

  • David Z.

    I have been going to Clara's off and on for 7 years. The kitchen at the new place is MUCH faster! The food is excellent but the pasta could be drained of water a little longer before serving. I have to admit that I take my mom here and we both miss the homey comfy feeling that the old place had. It now has a cold vibe that we don't like. I miss that the old Clara's used to be a lunch place as well.

    (4)

  • Joan K.

    Beautiful new place. The layout inside seems to have the servers tripping over the patrons. It was kind of confusing. Although it was beautiful inside, let's get down to the food. I thought that this restaurant had minestrone soup.I was disappointed to find that they did not. I ordered the egg plant Parmesan which was an appetizer. I always thought they had it on the menu as an entrée. That was fine but they did not peel the eggplant, So you had thick chewy skin on edges to your eggplant That was not breaded and fried like the traditional style whatsoever. The pasta served with the eggplant Parmesan was not drained,so you had a plate full of watery sauce. The pasta itself was very good but i didn't want it with watered down sauce. I used a roll to sop up the extra water on my plate ...kind of disgusting. Drain your pasta please. all three of us at the table had the same problem. One had lasagna and still had water on her plate. The server we had was good but she and others kept coming by trying to remove your plates very frequently. Friend wanted his salad throughout his dinner, but at least 5 times someone wanted to remove it. It was like they did not have enough serving pieces for the next table. It's got to be a bit annoying. My friend had his rolls taken before he finished them. Again annoying. Maybe it's because it's still new and it needs to have its Kinks removed, food was not impressive. I could get better Italian food elsewhere. Overall I was not impressed and would not hurry back

    (2)

  • W Q.

    New location, really beautiful inside. Much nicer upgrade than the previous location. Seats more people than ever! The food still taste exactly the same in the new kitchen. Thur night and it is completely packed, had to drive around a couple of times to find parking. See previous review for the 4 star rating instead of 5.

    (4)

  • Teri J.

    The entree salads are a joke! How can they call that an entree? They consist of lettuce and croutons! For 11.25?? R they kidding? We won't be back! What a rip off!!!

    (1)

  • Tiffany G.

    Abundant portions and delicious food. If you're looking for great italian, this is the spot! It was nice to have found such good food and NOT have to drive to the city. I would give it 5 stars, but if you dine in, they rush you a little bit, which I don't care for. Luckily I lived around the corner, so most nights I would just order takeout. :)

    (4)

  • Sharon B.

    I have been to Clara's before, and love the mussels with pasta. I ordered the Chicken Lemone this time, and it was not what I call anywhere near what I would expect. The chicken on my plate looked exactly like the chicken on my friend's caesar salad. The plate was loaded with liquid and the pasta was drenched in lemon juice. The service also was not up to par. The waiter never came back after our meal was served, and the bus boy got us coffee. We saw the waiter once more, to ask if we wanted more coffee, but the cup was full at that time. Needless to say, our tip went to the busboy and not to the waiter. I always tip 20 percent, but this time, he got what he deserved.

    (2)

  • Yhatzina L.

    Clara's has moved and the food is way different. Sadness

    (1)

  • Kate S.

    I've heard really good things about Clara's in the past. The food is great, wine is great, and so on. And now that I've experienced it, I hate that I was less than impressed. We had a party of 6, and 2 in our group were running late. Turns out they won't seat a party until everyone is there. Which I understand, but I was disappointed to see the opposite of that happen; there was a couple sitting together when we were there, and 5 minutes later about 6 people walked in and joined them. I don't know why there was a double standard here. When we were seated, our waitress recommended a bottle of wine that was on special. Said it was a lighter easy-drinking red. It was completely different. It was a heavy, smoky, acidic red that just wasn't good. I ordered the stracciatella; it was described to me as scrambled eggs in chicken broth. Worth a try, I thought. I was sorely disappointed. The eggs were grainy, and the broth tasted like it came straight from the carton. For my entree, I ordered the baked chicken with portobello mushrooms and linguini. This dish has 2 options of sauce, marinara or alfredo; I opted for alfredo. The chicken was dry, there were chunks of gorgonzola the size of superballs that completely overpowered the dish, some kind of other shredded cheese wasn't melted (I could pull out shreds if I really wanted to), and the alfredo sauce was watery. I love cheese as much as the next person, but heaping amounts of gorgonzola take any dish right into Funkytown. The mushrooms were also no portobellos, and there were barely any on the plate. It felt like an afterthought, not a focus of the dish. We had the tiramisu for dessert, which was complementary because it was my boyfriend's parents' anniversary. I thought this was a lovely touch. The tiramisu was delicious until I hit a partially frozen chunk in the middle of the plate, like the cake was constructed then stashed in the freezer for the next day. There were some positive parts of dinner. Clara's service is impeccable. Our waitress was courteous, friendly and gave good recommendations on the food. She was a real pleasure, and I wish I caught her name. The tiramisu was good until the frozen part, and everyone else at the table did seem to enjoy their meals. They were also very accommodating of my allergies, and took extra care to tell the kitchen, and submit my food on a separate ticket so it didn't touch anything else. Overall, I just didn't get the hype. I felt disappointed with every part of my meal. I hate to say I probably won't be back.

    (2)

  • Alex S.

    Amazing! I went here with a group and had a great experience. The bread that they give you is almost TOO good. Make sure not to fill up on it! I ordered linguini with meat sauce and is was really good. The pasta was homemade and you can really tell the difference. The meat sauce was so good I could have eaten it out of a bowl like chili. If anyone goes here, I would definitely recommend ordering some sort of pasta (I think most dishes come with it actually). This place can also get a little busy so it wouldn't hurt to make a reservation.

    (5)

  • Stephanie B.

    Last night was my first time visiting Clara's with my husband and a few friends. While I hadnt heard of it before, Im pretty excited we found this gem. Going on a Saturday night without any reservations we were seated rather quickly. At first I was a little worried about the wait time because there didnt appear to be much seating but upon being led to our table we realized that its actually alot bigger than it first appears. Food and Drinks: I ordered the Muscato and I must say it was good and strong! Two of those and it was pretty much enough for me. We ordered the pizza bread for an appetizer which was warm and delish. One of our friends had gotten a soup with his meal and I was amazed at how large it was. Thankfully I didnt order one as I definitly would have wasted more than half of it. But he said it was tasty. For my main dish I ordered the rigattoni pasta with the vodka sauce. When the plate came there was a nice layer of toasted cheese over it. I was pretty full from the bread and oil dipping that was at the table and the appetizer that I didnt eat much of my main dish but it was extremely good. Overall the price was right and our waitress was nothing short of great. I will absolutely be visiting again in the future. Lucky for me its just right down the street :)

    (5)

  • William K.

    Food is great, and their new location is just beautiful. Make resv though... they are busy bees now. And repeat after me. Lasagna. Go ahead. La. Sa. Gna. That's it. Lasagna. YUM!!! lasagna... yow, bill

    (4)

  • Angela P.

    Clara's is located in a strip mall with a plain facade. The interior is simple, with dark wood tables and chairs, and paper tablecloths. It's unassuming, it's comfortable, and I liked the family photos scattered among the walls. And I loved the food! The clam chowder was good, and my eggplant parmesan was out of this world! If you're a cheese freak, this was perfection in the way it was baked. The sauce with the pasta was full of chunky tomatoes and had a good spice to it. The antipasto appetizer was full of quality deli meats, pepperoni, peppers and cheese. Oh, the cheese! 4 out of 5 of us left with most of our entrees in carryout containers. The portions are monstrous! Most entrees were in the $12-17 range. Service is also very good. Our waiter wasn't overly attentive, but for a younger guy he was very polite and our drinks were refilled quickly. I would definitely choose this place over Maggiano's, Olive Garden, or Buca di Beppo.

    (5)

  • Sonia C.

    My boyfriend and I decided to splurge on Italian so we deiced on Clara's and honestly i cant remember the last time i had an Italian meal as good! My boyfriend had the Shrimp Ersilia which was to die for! I usually dont ever like anything that has heavy cream or cheese but i couldnt stop sneaking some from him. I had Rudy Jr. Shrimp Special, and i have never had egg and spinach noodles and honestly it was too good. i loved the experience over all, and not to mention the amazing bread they serve you with oil thats already seasoned, and soup and appetizer (we had the baked mushrooms with breadcrumbs..yumm!). I would definitely come here again.

    (5)

  • Heidi L.

    Great food. We started with the fried calamari which was lightly breaded and cooked just enough to keep it tender. I had the seafood special platter with the spinach and egg spaghetti in the Jr. Sauce. The fresh made pasta is delicious! The seafood was fresh and the sauce was garlicky and light. This was a recommendation from our waitress and she told us to ask for it at any time. My only complaint is that since the food was so good, the lines to eat we're long. We called ahead, as we were planning to come in at 7 on a Friday night. However we were told that we could only make a reservation with a group of 5 or more. So when we got there we waited an hour to be seated. In the future, I would come on a week day or with a large group so we could have a reservation.

    (4)

  • Daniel L.

    I've been going to Clara's for at least the last 25 years. It has always been the best Italian place around, locally. Prices have always been right, the food has always been nothing but authentic, comforting, and delicious. Friends of ours who worked at a local restaurant when we were all kids transitioned over to becoming the backbone of the Clara's staff. I grew up eating here, and it's always been the same. I am so happy for the Clara's family. The new restaurant is immaculate, and it's obvious from the moment you walk in. The bar looks brand new while looking like it's been there for years. They have a "pizza bar", from which we were given a sampling of the pesto pizza. It was really, really damn good. New menus, a lot more space, a clean new atmosphere. There's some new food items as well, one of which was the focaccia bread- it was ridiculously good. My staple is always the spinach fetuccine alfredo with grilled chicken. Since moving over, they must have changed up either the recipe or the prep for the pasta, but whatever they did actually improved the dish. The pasta was perfectly al dente. I can't recommend that dish enough. Go there. It's a family-owned restaurant. Bring your family. Keep bringing your kids back. Clara's is a very special place and this new move ensures that it will remain so for years to come.

    (5)

  • Mindy C.

    claras rocks!!!

    (5)

  • Brian H.

    Only went here once before at the old location. Finally got to try the new location and have to say is even better! The pasta was fresh and made by them. The chicken was delicious and moist. The wait staff was attentive and helpful. Very happy and will be back for sure!

    (5)

  • Andie C.

    My family's favorite restaurant. Great food, and great people. Best Chicken Parmesan I've ever had....it's not fried!!! Never had a bad thing on the menu. Fresh pasta is always tasty. Warm/crusty bread with oil is a must (ask for them to grate parm into it). Save room for dessert! My favorite: chicken parm Dad's favorite: linguini with red clam sauce or rudy jr. Mom's favorite: Alfredo with spinach linguini and mushrooms

    (5)

  • Michelle M.

    Clara's is a favorite restaurant of mine; they have spoiled me for anything but fresh, homemade pasta. I am happiest when go with my usual: baked rigatini with marinara sauce. The sauce is full of fresh flavors, the homemade pasta is perfectly al dente, and it's all covered in crispy-gooey baked mozzarella cheese. A meatball or two on the side makes it all perfect. The alfredo sauce is also nice but this is a once-in-a-great-while craving because it's ridiculously rich. I love the warm bread and delicious delicious cheesy-herby olive oil to dip it in. I could make a meal out of that if I'm not careful. For dessert, I have tried and enjoyed the cannoli and tiramisu but the pasta is really the star of the show here so don't feel bad if you can't save room. I can't in good conscience give a 5 star rating for two reasons- one, they serve RC and Diet Rite which is just inexcusable and two, inconsistency. Once you find what you like it's always good, but the quality varies from dish to dish- I would stay away from the chicken parm and the vodka sauce, for example. The service is inconsistent, too- will you get the totally creepy, overly attentive waiter? There is a particular hostess who can be a bit much, as well. Overall, though, Clara's is excellent and it's pretty much my favorite Italian restaurant anywhere. If it takes a few tries to find your perfect dish, it's well worth the effort.

    (4)

  • Sandy I.

    Clara's has been recommended to my sister and niece, who live in the area, numerous times over several years. Based on this feedback, we went on a Thursday at 4 pm for an early dinner. There were 5 in our party. We were seated in a large booth. We found sliding in and out of this booth was not easy or comfortable. But, the other tables were high tables and we did not want to sit there either. (in hindsight, there is another part of the dining room, not clearly visible upon walking in, that had regular tables-however, this was not offered to us). So, that out of the way, we did not like the food. Starting with the bread rolls -- not good, were not warm, and seems a bit hard to eat. 4 of 5 could have totally passed on our meals. Portions were large - but if it does not taste good - what's the use in having a large portion? We ordered the Caesars salad with anchovies, veggie pizza, stuffed shells, and lasagna. We found the sauce on the pasta dishes very bland and monotonous-no depth whatsoever. I also felt my lasagna was not warmed through (the middle-it was not cold but not hot-this is really unacceptable. I felt like they thought I would never get to the middle of the lasagna based on the size, but I did, and it was a totally bummer when I got to the luke warm center).My niece loves pasta and she made it through one shell and basically said she was done. It didn't taste very good to her. The veggie pizza-the crust was thicker than expected but, with all the veggies, it was just soggy. It was weird that it was not at all crunchy anywhere. They have a pizza maker manning the oven in clear view. This did not meet expectations. My mom was the only person who felt her meal was good. It was linguine with mussels. However, it looked very odd. It was like they dumped a whole can of tomatoes as the sauce. My dad tried some (when his Caesars salad was getting old - the dressing was a bit off - he couldn't really articulate why) and he did not like it. We will not go back -- it was a huge disappointment. We left scratching our heads and saying -- what is the draw here?

    (1)

  • Heather J.

    My boyfriend and I ate there last night and were extremely disappointed in the food. We had the Baked Portabella Mushrooms, the Aglio e Olio, and Filet of Salmon. The homemade pasta had no wow factor. The sauces were bland. It was painfully obvious that all the vegetables came from a frozen mix in a bag (not even well thawed). The Mushrooms had little flavor and were lightly "breaded" with Italian bread crumbs - a soggy plate of yuck. I really wanted to have a good meal. I wanted to like this restaurant. The only reason I'm giving it 2 stars is because the waitress was really nice. Go somewhere else.

    (2)

  • Monica M.

    I had the chicken and mushroom , four cheese pasta and it was mouth watering good! The flavor was outstanding and well worth the extra walk needed to burn it off. The bread before dinner was warm and soft and the calamari was just right. I highly recommend this place. The portion sizes are very large. I went home with left overs only because I couldn't eat that much.

    (5)

  • Disney S.

    Def a good solid non chain restaurant to check out!!! Yummy homemade pasta was fabulous!!!sauce was outstanding!!!Good portion sizes, wed was half price bottle of wine nights! Only drawbacks was the server or busboy was absent at times to get waters refilled and plates cleared and only 2 beers on tap... If your a beer snob this will be a drawback to you...will recommend this place to others!

    (4)

  • Candy K.

    I held a wedding shower in the new banquet room over the weekend and the staff and the food was excellent.

    (5)

  • Clara R.

    Very disappointing experience. First time I got food poisoning, but came back because of a special event. This time there was two strands of hair in the food. The cooks, who we could see from the table, were not in hair nets, yet the manager failed to take responsibility. He was hesitant to even come up to the table, and when he did began to argue. After standing at the table justifying the hair can't be the cooks he walked away from the table, while we were talking. Mistakes are understandable, but disrespect to customers is poor management. Awful experience, I recommend not wasting time or money there.

    (1)

  • E C.

    Was there for an event and it was wonderful! Staff was incredible and everyone was very impressed! Food was delicious and the place was incredibly clean. Absolutely will be back !

    (5)

  • Michelle S.

    Not enough nice things to say about the new location. Just beautiful! Food has not suffered a bit, still the Rudy Jr can't be beat for flavor. Ceasar salad was a new experience and I was blown away by how fresh and delicious.

    (5)

  • Julie G.

    I have had many recommendations for this place and decided to try it out. We didn't like it at all! I had the lemon chicken which came with a side of angel hair - pasta was over cooked (and too thick to be angel hair in my opinion) and the chicken was just broiled with a ton or oregano swimming in a watery sauce that had no flavor but oregano, and no lemon taste at all. Left a bad bitter after taste because of the raw oregano. We also ordered the chicken Parmesan. The pasta was over cooked as well and chicken was not breaded either just broiled and topped with a bunch of cheese and a marinara that was watery and tons of harsh spices as well. For an appetizer we had the stuffed mushrooms. There was no taste - very bland. Don't think we will going back.

    (1)

  • Stephanie B.

    My fiancé and I decided to go to Clara's just recently for Valentine's Day (a little late on the review but better late than never, right?). Our wait was about an hour, understandable considering it was Valentine's Day, yet there was pretty much no where for us to stand and/or sit. I literally knocked a picture off the wall when we were standing all squished against a wall in the tiny entry space. Oops. The place is super nice, the interior and exterior are gorgeous. The only benefit to waiting was being able to look at the menu prior to sitting down, therefore we ordered our food quickly once we were seated. The place is huge but it was so packed, causing it to feel pretty warm throughout our dinner. Our waitress was nice though! I believe her name was Stephanie. We ordered a Margherita pizza appetizer to start off with. Although visually appealing, the pizza pretty much had no toppings, it was almost all dough. Skimpy on the cheese, skimpy on the fresh basil, and even on the tomatoes. Definitely disappointing considering I love Margherita pizza. I had a side Cesar salad prior to my entree, the dressing was just strange to me, kind of gritty. It wasn't bad though. Our dinners took forever to come out despite ordering as soon as we sat down. Again, I understand the place was packed since it was Valentine's Day but it took so long. Not even enough bread could contain us for as long as it took. I ordered the lasagna and was just not impressed! The flavor was good but I really expected more considering the great things I heard and read about Clara's. It was just ok. I think the lasagna is one of their most popular dishes too. Lasagna is one of my favorite Italian dishes too. My fiancé ordered from the pasta section that allows you to create your own dish (I can't remember exactly what the section was called). He ordered fettucini with shrimp, mushrooms, and spinach in vodka sauce. The dish looked good but it was kind of bland , runny, and mushy. We didn't have time to order dessert but I'm not sure if we would have. I can't imagine how long it would've taken to receive after ordering. Overall I was disappointed with Clara's and I'm not sure if I would try the place again, if I did I would like to go on a normal business day to see if our dinner was similar to our experience on Valentine's Day. The overall menu prices were decent and portion sizes were nice. Wish I could've given Clara's a better review!

    (2)

  • Karen G.

    In 20 + visits, never had a issue. Good service, great food with portions so large I get 3 meals out of it. This week was a typical example. I checked on yelp for hours and then when I got there discovered I was 30 min early. They let us in anyway, gave us drinks and did their best to get us the food. They even send us home with a loaf of bread each for our leftovers. I always get the veggie lasagna. It is very unusual with peas and carrots in it. It's covered in cheese and tomatos. My Shanghai friend love the place cause of the seafood pasta. She think its the best in the west burbs. Fresh and yummy. They often have 2 for 1 coupons and have daily specials like half price wine etc. Worth checking the website and local coupon flyers for the coupons.

    (4)

  • Honest R.

    I am very easy to please, but was not impressed at all by this place. The pasta was mediocre at best. I asked for the garlic dressing for my salad and all that was on it was garlic infused mayonnaise. Also, rumor about food poisoning at this location has been plentiful.

    (1)

  • Mike M.

    Food is superb but when you take into consideration how filthy the place was it takes away the excitement of the meal

    (1)

  • Chrissy N.

    Fabulous new very large restaurant. Bar area when you first walk in, classy place for drinks. Very large dining rooms. Service veer nice. Sophisticated. Classic Italian menu, fantastic wine list. Wait service was a little slow on a Thursday evening. But a good place, good for groups. Sophisticated but family friendly. A middle age/early senior crowd the night we were there. Huge parking lot. Will be back again.

    (4)

  • Chastane S.

    Stopped in a week ago for dinner. Had read reviews previously and wanted to give it a try. Since we had a later start we skipped the appetizer and I ordered the lasagna. The sauce was delicious and my husband commented that his dish (cheese tortellini w/meat sauce) reminded him of a meal he had in Italy as a child. We enjoyed the food, but felt the atmosphere was lacking. We tend to enjoy frequenting places that have the whole package. I certainly wouldn't rule this place out - the food was solid. Will certainly give it another try...maybe a Saturday evening at an earlier time....?

    (3)

  • John K.

    Clearly the new location is good for Claras. Busy on weeknights. Busy enough that it looks like they are working on an addition already. Stopped in after a youth hockey game. Food was great. I veered from my favorite for the fettuchini alfredo. It was excellent. Sausage and peppers was great and the kids split the 5 cheese pizza. Leftovers were even better the next day. What a great casual family friendly spot. I wish there was something like this closer to our house!

    (4)

  • John G.

    Really try to like this place, since we live walking distance from it. Not sure how people consider this good italian food. The chicken parm I had was so watery, I had to put two pieces of bread in the plate to absorb the water. Next, the chicken had that re-warmed taste, as if out of microwave. Was glad it was not fried, but come on, at least cook it fresh and then serve. Will say the pasta was fresh and good, but the gravy/sauce was chopped tomatoes, almost out of a can. Asked for a little extra pasta for my kids, since the kids meals consist of a very small bowl of pasta. Was charged 3.75 for a small scoop of plain pasta, nothing on it. Lastly, wine was mediocre at best and the glasses were small and barely half filled, for $8-$10 per pour. Won't be back.

    (1)

  • Karen K.

    We ordered food for carry out from here. The reviews looked good so we gave it a try. The food here tasted worse than a microwave dinner! The pasta was over cooked. The sauce was memorable because it was gross. I get nauseous thinking about the food. Never again.

    (1)

  • Matt K.

    Pasta wasn't al dente but the food's good.

    (4)

  • Lori H.

    I hadn't been to Clara's in years and just recently learned that they moved locations. I was pretty excited about the new spot since if looked so much nicer. We stopped in tonight with our two kids. Everything was great and it was such a warm atmosphere. I ordered the chicken parm and my husband had the lasagna. We both tried each other's. The food we really good, but I filled up too much on the bread. My kids (1 and 4) split a kids meal and still had leftovers. I would definitely come back!

    (5)

  • Jin Joo L.

    Had dinner with a friend and my boyfriend. Decided it was close to home and inbetween for my friend. I've tried their pasta before for carryout once, but it was my first time ever eating there. Now they're at the old Krispy Kreme location next the the ice rink. The atmosphere was warm and very friendly. Our server was great, prompt and professional. She had some good recommendations. I had the spinach fettuccine with the primavera sauce and bits of Italian sausage. It was the perfect blend of healthy and rich for me. Very flavorful and light. My friend had their chicken parmiaggiana, which he said was good, and my boyfriend had the fettuccine w/ vodka cream sauce w/ chicken breast. He liked it. Although to my tastes the meats were very salty. For dessert, I had a tiramisu, which was highly recommended as they make it fresh on premise. Will definitely be coming here again! Prices were reasonable but I thought it odd that you don't get a salad and soup unless your pasta order is over $15. So I did without. My friend and boyfriend had a bowl of soup and the portion was good. Overall, maybe $15/person-ish for entrees.

    (4)

  • Luke S.

    Service and food is awesome! Worth the price and a place that I take people when they're in town.

    (5)

  • Mark R.

    TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE! Just left Clara's for what was supposed to be a nice dinner for my daughter's birthday. Instead, me and my family had an awful and insulting experience. I will just give a brief synopsis of what happened so I do not waste too much of your time but hopefully it will save you from a similar experience. My wife ordered the special of the night and when she was half-way through she asked my daughter if she wanted to try it. When my wife placed a serving onto a plate to give to my daughter she noticed a hair in the food. The hair was not laying on top of the food. It was in the food. It obviously fell in during the preparation or plating of the dish. This is important because of what happened when the man in the blue shirt, who I am assuming was a "manager" (not sure because he never said who he was) came to our table. Initially, we told the waitress what happened and she appropriately apologized and said they would remove the dish from our bill, That sounded good until the "manager" came to the the table and was completely inappropriate and unprofessional. He initially apologized but he then starting giving us reasons why it could not be hair from any of the cooks. He said that they have fair colored hair that is not long and they they wear hair nets. By the way, they do not all wear hair nets. Instead of just accepting responsibility and sincerely apologizing he implied that it was my wife's hair in the food. He did this three times during the conversation. After he walked away I called him back to the table to ask him what he meant by the implication of the hair belonging to my wife. He did not respond directly to the question. Instead he looked dumbfounded for a couple of seconds and asked me why I thought he was implying anything when he mentioned the hair was the same color as my wife. So, I asked him why would he even bring up my wife's hair. For this, he had no answer. He simply said that they would take care of the meal and then he walked away. While the result was just his handling was profoundly incompetent for somebody who deals with the public in the restaurant business. Overall, I would never take my family back. I will tell anybody who asks what I experienced and let them make their own decision. I only gave one star because of the waitress otherwise it would have been zero.

    (1)

  • Andres D.

    What better way to celebrate my mother 61st birthday then with some homemade Italian food. To our server Loree with two e's......"You had me at pasta fagioli" and then you sealed the deal with the Allagash White as beverage of choice. I am still all smiles this morning from last evening's dinner. I ordered the incredible Filet of Salmon sauteed in a lemon butter cream sauce. You know this entree was superb because this fish swam in from the North Atlantic. I mean seriously the cream sauce alone is worth bottling and selling like hot sauce on the shelf. For starters the Anthony's Grilled Calamari in homemade marinara sauce was like bringing home the gold in the Olympics. Squeeze a little lemon and chew...yum! Was it a bad thing to keep dipping the complimentary Italian bread in the marinara sauce? Well too bad, it was magnificent! Our server was great and knowledgeable of the menu. I love how the Clara's Pasta crew hustles and really makes the dining experience memorable. That is good repeat business when someone like me notices. I am a foodie and you all made an impression.

    (4)

  • Ray T.

    We showed up for dinner about 5:30 yesterday The parking lot was crowded and, actually, a steady stream of cars seemed to be heading for the same place. We were thinking that a busy lot is a good sign and I was thinking that we will have to wait a long time for a table. The restaurant inside is far bigger than it first appears. It was busy, but there are plenty of tables to be seated at. Good. Our server was Lou and he did a fine job of greeting us, bringing the "required" bread & olive oil one expects in Italian restaurants, taking our orders and answering our questions. I ordered the pizza with sausage, pepperoni and wild mushrooms. It is about 12" in diameter, yet the toppings only cover about 8 or 9 inches. I liked the dough, but there was just too much of it on the edges and not enough toppings. Overall, it tasted good, but not great. Nearby Carrabba's, which is a comparable style restaurant has far superior personal-sized pizzas. Clara's was just okay and again, skimpy on toppings and heavy on the edge-dough. My wife had a couple of pieces and she liked it better than I. If she didn't have those pieces, I would not have taken the leftovers home in a doggy bad. My wife liked it enough that she would have. My wife had a salad and the meat lasagna. The salad was average; the lasagna was good except for the sauce. While the sauce was tasty, it was thin ... really thin. She asked Lou about the sauce and he said that he would mention it to the kitchen. It seems that in this restaurant, "thin is in." Thin sauce, thin pizza toppings. The menu prices are very good. Nothing seems overpriced. The decor is quite attractive and that is helped by the number of rooms they have to keep the restaurant more cozy and intimate. The staff is friendly and helpful. I give the staff 5 stars for friendliness, the restaurant 4 stars for appearance and 3 stars for food. If Yelp allowed 1/2 stars, I would rate Clara's with 3 1/2 stars. But, since the food is the main reason for coming here, I left the rating at 3 stars. We will probably return and try some other items off the menu.

    (3)

  • Jason R.

    I am new to the area and received a $10 gift certificate in the mail to this place. I was skeptical and I hate hidden or non-existent fine print, but figured I'd give it a go. When I got there I asked if I could just spend the $10 and be on my way, or if there was a minimum or whatever. I was delighted when they said I could spend the ten and book if I wanted to. I had no intention of doing this though. I ordered the spaghetti , with an unknown (2 day only) sauce and chicken breast. They started you with soup and bread, but I asked if I could skip the soup and just get it to go, which they had no problem doing. I hate being 90% full by the time you main course comes out. The main course I got was simply awesome, and a pretty good quantity with plenty of chicken. The service was great too. I also enjoyed a couple glasses of wine to go with the meal. Then I asked for the bill to see what the damage was, and I had to rub my eyes. It turned out to be half price wine by the glass day! Score! Don't ask me what day though as it's actually been a while since I've been there and they don't mention it on their website :(. In conclusion this place is great in every aspect and I'll be back. Luckily I'm an early eater so I'll beat out the crowds everyone is talking about. Edit: Thurdays are half price wine by the glass day. Go to their website and go to "Family Table" for their specials.

    (5)

  • Vivian Y.

    This place as as much character as a a doctor's office but don't let that stop you from dining here! It's not romantic, at all, but the food - will make you fall in love. We went for a company lunch with some visitors from China who usually like nothing but Chinese food but I thought, hmm, why not some fresh noodles - they should enjoy it - AND THEY DID. Most of us ordered the seafood pasta, or the Rudy's special - AMAZING hand made, fresh pasta. Portions are HUGE. This is my new favorite pasta restaurant without a doubt. Large scruptious pieces of fish, fresh clams and mussels - lip smacking yumminess.

    (4)

  • Stacy D.

    We never dined a previous location. The new location is spectacular and the food is certainly 5 star. My 7 year old son said it was the best noodle and white sauce ever. He also claimed Clara's had the best caesar dressing. My husband's favorite was the meatballs and I enjoyed the vegetarian options.

    (5)

  • Bernice R.

    My fiance and I grabbed dinner here thanks to our friends that gave us a gift card. We had heard that it gets very busy so we decided to go in the middle of the week for an early supper. Surprisingly, it was packed! It had a great atmosphere filled with family portraits of I'm assuming "Clara's" family and people chatting a storm while enjoying their meal. It just felt very homey and welcoming. We tried the calamari (half grilled and half fried). I'm a bit picky on my calamari and say it could have used a little bit more seasoning, but overall it was good. For our entrees, we had a choice of soup or salad. I choose the Italian egg-drop soup over the salad because I had never heard or tried one before. It was exactly what the waitress described- chicken broth, with tiny noodles, egg, Parmesan cheese and parsley. For me, it was super salty and probably my least favorite thing of the entire meal. But the meal picked back up when I got my pasta. Simply made and quite flavorful. No complaints. Overall, we had good food and service. The service was especially great at the beginning and the middle but dwindled at the end. It was probably because it keep getting busier but that won't deter me from coming back here again.

    (3)

  • Christina F.

    Great new place located just north of their original location. Definitely not enough parking spots for this hot spot on a Saturday night. Wait was about 15 min around 6pm and the food was delicious. Service was a bit spotty and slow. Ordered the bruchetta as an appetizer, radiatore with pesto and husband ordered linguini with clams. Portion sizes are great. My pasta was very over cooked and almost mushed as soon as it hit my tongue. Husband's clams were extremely gritty (more than usual). We will definitely be back to try other menu items though.

    (4)

  • Lynne S.

    Awesome meal. Our 1st time going and loved everything. We sat at the bar because the wait on Friday at 7:00 was 45 min. We went with the bartenders suggestion for our meals. We had the manicotti and the Rudy Jr special. Both were excellent. The only part of our meal we didn't like was the soakers. An appetizer of garlic bread covered in cheese. It was just mediocre. The price was average for the amount of food you get. We had 3 take home containers. But a definite place to go back to again and again.

    (5)

  • Rachel B.

    My fiance and I decided to try Clara's for the first time since it moved from the strip mall up the street. we went on 5/22 around 6 pm so naturally it was busy. We walked in and put our name in for a seat. We were seated approximately 5 minutes after we arrived. This is where it went down hill. First off let me say that the bar is extremely small, we contemplated getting drinks before we were seated but we could barely see the liquor selection so we just waited to be seated. After we were seated, it took approximately 10-15 minutes before our waiter acknowledged us. We were brough plates fo bread and oil however we weren't brought any water to drink. While we were waiting, our soon to be waiter walked by us at least 10 times. Granted we are 20 somethings but our money is just as green as anyone elses and I am in the restaurant industry so I know how it is to be busy. We exected an acknowledgment of "I'll be right with you." And it gets worse from there, we ordered our drinks along with an appetizer of Bruschetta. Our drinks came. We ordered right when our drinks came. The suop came out. We didn't get our food for at least 30 minutes and the bruschetta NEVER came. People who were seated after us receieved their food before us!! We ordered the chicken parmasean and Lasagna. They were both average. The chicken was not breaded which I am used to but I did see on the menu that it wasn't. The pasta and marinara sauce were good. If you enjoy tomato sauce that has an acidic kick you will like this. The lasagna was cold. Something that simple should be pretty hard to screw up. Overall we expected more from this restaurant since we had outstanding service and food when it was in the strip mall. We probably won't be going out of our way to visit Clara's again. It just seemed like since we weren't drinking wine and not in out late 40's-early 50's, we weren't as important as the other diners.

    (2)

  • Brad J.

    The food here is great. When you want Italian food this is the place to go. Everything on the menu is great and the new location is beautiful!

    (5)

  • Brian T.

    Let me start by saying I am Italian food is not my favorite. That being said, I love Clara's. This place has been around for as long as I can remember - a group of friends and I actually went there before one of our high school formals - and I am happy to say that the food has remained consistently good over the last 20 years. EVOO and warm bread to start, with hugely portioned appetizers and authentic family recipes with fresh ingredients, bold flavor profiles and first rate preparation. Go the first weekend of the month to get blown away by their chicken vesuvio - it's amazing! Hands down, the only place I go to eat Italian.

    (5)

  • Bri J.

    Amazing place! Great, casual and relaxed atmosphere. Great service--even when they are beyond busy on a Saturday night. Large portions and extremely reasonably priced. I can't wait to go back! Best dish is by far the cheese tortellini.

    (5)

  • Travis B.

    I don't hand these out normally, in fact this is my only one to date. SUPER BOWL SUNDAY! The game was a blow out so I Called Claras to make sure they were open and could accommodate the 2 of us and 2 friends. The hostess said that they were indeed open till 9:00pm on Sundays and that we could walk in because it was slow. 20 mins later we arrive and our friends were on route, both doors were locked. A member of the staff sat at the bar and watched us stand there in confusion and hesitantly came to the door. He opens it half way and say sorry we are closed, there just weren't enough customers because of the game. There were 10 tables sat inside. when making the call to close a restaurant, all factors should be taken into consideration. What is there to gain by closing 1 hour and 15 mins early. The damage is done. Grab what money you can from whoever is willing to come in. While walking back to the car I informed a group of 8 that were getting out of their suv that they were closed, and another car was pulling in for the same disappointment. This restaurant used to be great back when it was in a dilapidated old shopping center, now it's a shadow of what I had come to expect. Won't go back. Please don't take this out on the hostess or whoever answered the phone, she was the only professional I had the opportunity to interact with, and an asset. Good luck Claras.

    (1)

  • Ed N.

    Just had the worst experience ever. We come here once a month and tonight was a service issue. Had to wait 25 minutes for a caesar salad. This is unacceptable Clara's

    (1)

  • Valerie K.

    Very nice atmosphere with friendly and helpful staff. Cesaers salad was very good. I liked my lasagna but felt it should have more noodles. The hubby had the seafood special and also enjoyed it but the mussels were very tiny. Unlike some others I thought their meatballs were a little tough. Overall I would go back but I was hoping to be more impressed with the food.

    (3)

  • Scott N.

    I have been eating at this restaurant for over 15 years and have noticed an inconsistency in the quality of the food. This used to be my go to place for home-made Italian cuisine but the kitchen staff and quality control is serious lacking. We decided to take my wife's parents there last night and we ordered the Pesto Sauce Genovese, Angel Hair Pasta with Marinara sauce, Rotini with Meat Sauce and Lasagna. First, the lasagna was excellent as always however the pasta dishes were swimming in water! I had the Genovese and there was actually about 1/2" of water at the bottom of my bowl. I am by no means an expert in Italian cooking but I believe there should not be water at the bottom of these dishes. My wife complained that the sauce would not even stay on the pasta because it was so watered down. We decided to call the next day to mention this to the manager and he said the kitchen must not have waited long enough for the pasta to drain. Huh? You've been running an Italian restaurant for decades and your kitchen staff doesn't know how to cook pasta? OK, so how about the person inspecting dishes before they go out? There are a million Italian restaurants in the area and most know how to cook pasta. I could have had a better meal at Olive Garden where at least they drain the pasta. Not going back until I hear they make major changes.

    (2)

  • E E.

    This is one of our favorite places. Oh goodness, just thinking of their food makes my mouth water. A guy at a mattress store recommended Clara's when we moved to the 'burbs, and when he said "it's a hole in the wall, but try it anyway" we didn't think he was serious. Totally drove past it the first time thinking, "uhh... this cannot be it", but sure enough! If you hate waiting, go during off-peak hours. Otherwise, be prepared to wait. They can get VERY busy. Luckily they're moving to a newer building down the street in a couple months, then it should be a little better when waiting (Clara's: pleeease don't change your food or recipes when you move! Please. I'm serious.) A good thing to know is that if you are vegetarian they are very accommodating and will substitute veggies when there should be meat. My mother-in-law has had the eggplant parmigiana and said it was very good, and I've had mushrooms substituted in a chicken dish when I had a no-meat-phase. I've been told the lasagna is good but standard. Overall though, the shrimp ersilla, Rudy JR's shrimp, and Papa Rudolph's mushroom marinara are super tasty. My husband has also had the customized pasta with primavera sauce and said it was very good. Do try the soups though! We've had a number of soups, and we once had a side of meatballs as part of our appetizers. The staff is super friendly and we have not had a bad experience. We've recommended this place to many people already, and this was one of the best finds in the 'burbs so far. I think I'm in love.

    (5)

  • Claudia C.

    Love the new location! Definitely more upscale while offering the same great service and amazing food!

    (4)

  • Ryan L.

    Very good food, service was new but I'm sure will get better as time goes on. They did a great job with the new location; however, we sat near the kitchen entrance which had an incredibly annoying squeak which sounded like nails on a chalkboard.

    (4)

  • Jamie A.

    Amazing...so good! Great Italian food with Lasagna and meatballs to die for! The seafood bisque was incredible and the fresh, warm bread made it even better - and that wasn't easy to achieve, in my opinion.

    (5)

  • D. V.

    I love this place !!! I walk in here and it smell's like my Grandma & Grandpa 's house. GOOD !!! Love the pasta and bread !!!!!!! The service is always good too !

    (5)

  • Erick H.

    Wow, what a find. I drive by this place all the time, and didn't realize it was here. I won a gift certificate, so we decided to go back. Wednesday night and the place was busy. We were seated quickly, and our server took our order and brought out our bread. Wonderful, warm bread. It was amazing. They mix the olive oil with cheese and herbs, and it was great. We both had salads, and the only thing I would recommend is to cut back on the amount of dressing. My Bleu Cheese dressing drenched salad was a bit too much. I should have asked for it on the side, and then I would have enjoyed the salad. But the main course was amazing. I had the Lasagna Primavera and my wife had the Lasagne. I added Meatballs. I was in heaven. The sauce is amazing. As at almost every Italian restaurant there was too much food. We took home what we didn't eat, and when we warmed it up later to eat it I was again in heaven. Will definitely be back here.

    (5)

  • Teri G.

    I love this place! Consistently good food and service. It's a traditional Italian restaurant with traditional food. Their homemade pasta is so good, I usually get spinach rotini with arrabbiata or vodka cream sauce. Portions are huge, you'll definitely leave with left overs. Bread tastes like it's baked onsite. Extensive wine list. Decor is dated but the food makes up for it! I guess it's charming. I'm personally not a fan of the TVs playing sports all the time.

    (5)

  • Andrew T.

    I feel like I'm on a roll of average reviews, but it is what it is. Clara's was dinner with some family, and while it certainly wasn't bad, I can't say it was exceptional. I was lured in by the meat ravioli in vodka cream sauce - tasty, but missing a little something that's in the better vodka cream sauces I've had. Maybe a little heat? The ravioli were good, just that sauce was missing a little. And it was basically about 5 or 6 good sized ravioli in a huge puddle of sauce - I should have asked for some bread or something to mop it up. Not that it wasn't plenty to eat. I also had a bowl of lentil soup, which had good veggies, but not a lot of lentil - Although that's partially my fault, as I think of lentil soup and I think of dal or split pea which tend to be thicker than this sort of thing. Service was friendly, but our waitress was a bit of a character. Could be a good return spot. I actually don't know of many casual Italian places - most I'm aware of tend to the more expensive. Although, I haven't really looked to build up a collection, either.

    (3)

  • Jen W.

    I'm not originally from the Downer's/Woodridge area, but according to my husband Clara's is something of an institution. After our delicious meal there the other night, I can see why! Being raised by an Italian mother, who always cooked traditional food growing up, I am typically underwhelmed by Italian restaurants. Clara's is a rare exception. The pasta is made in house (except for the stuffed kind - ravioli, etc) and the variety of sauces to choose from should be able to please almost anyone. The kitchen is a scratch kitchen, meaning everything is made to order, no pre packaged meals, so you can customize your dish however you choose. I had the Rudy's special - House made angel hair in a butter/garlic sauce made spicy with shrimp - It was fantastic. The sauce was light and just spicy enough, and the shrimp was cooked perfectly. My husband had baked penne with sausage. He loved it. The bread they bring to the table was crusty and warm from the oven, and hard not to fill up on. I also had the pasta fagioule soup which was tasty. Another nice thing was their beer list. They have a good selection of micros to choose from. We'll definitely be back to Clara's! We only live a few minutes away. so I can see it becoming one of our go to places.

    (4)

  • P O.

    My husband and I visited their new location for the second time last night - with friends who first introduced us to Clara's and have been going there for years. All of us are surprised by some of the changes they have made - it seems as they are going away from some of the things that made their customers come back. 1) They no longer allow you to call ahead 2) They no longer serve French or Thousand Island dressing. 3) No longer have the lemon delight on their dessert menu. 4) We had to ask for bread. The pastas were good but we wish they would go back to what made them one of our favorites - next time, we'll try someplace else.

    (3)

  • Greg H.

    I used to come here when I was around five years old as it was my parents favorite Italian restaurant to go before they divorced. I still remember waiting at their old location and being offered by the hostess a plethora of "Where's Waldo" books to keep my little brother and I company while waiting. Over the next fifteen years, my parents would order take out or I would go with one side and every time, I would get the same thing: make your own with angel hair, creamy pesto sauce, and shrimp. Well, I wanted to celebrate my girlfriend finding a job out of college, so decided to take her to the new location down the street. It was nostalgic in an almost modern kind of way. Sure the new location used to be Krispy Kreme's, yes it is more modern than the old location as opposed to real candles lit in a dimly lit room, but the staff and food was exactly the same. I went on a Saturday at 6:30 and was told it would be a fifteen minute wait. My girlfriend and I immediately went to the bar and grabbed a few drinks, which were surprisingly inexpensive for such a restaurant. We were seated easily in fifteen, and our waiter was exactly the same as I had remember at the old location: professional, friendly, and fast. I understand that on a Saturday at 6:30, service isn't going to be the best. But it was fast. I have zero complaints about it. The food was exactly the same as I had remembered: delicious. I'm a pesto junkie, so I got the chicken pesto on angel hair with Jameson on the rocks. It was amazing. Two drinks and two entrees for around fifty dollars? I walked out of the place with a warm feeling knowing that it hadn't changed. Going there with my girlfriend will now always remind me of the good times I had with my family. The only thing I hated was the people sitting around us. I may be a 23 year old college student, but going to Clara's reminded me to dress a bit nice. Some people were in t-shirt and cargo shorts. Come on people, dress up a bit, look classy for a single night. I swear it's fun.

    (5)

  • Howard L.

    This was our second visit to Clara's, and like the first one about 11 years ago, it was like what's with the fuss about the place. It was ok, but that's about it (about 2.5 stars). We had chicken breast limone, which was salty, and also overly lemony. The cream of artichoke soup that came with it was overly lemony also. We also had the meat ravioli with vodka cream sauce. The pasta was a bit bland, and the ravioli was not stuffed with much meat content. The cream sauce was ok, but a little watery. Water service was poor, though the server was frendly. The place is older, family style, and very casual. We noticed there were a lot of wine drinkers, as they do have an extensive list of reasonably priced wines.

    (2)

  • Victrix V.

    They make fresh pasta which is great, but the ingredient quality has been questionable to me (after multiple visits)

    (2)

  • Larry T.

    Clara's is packed on weeknights! The lasagna is outstanding. My wife and I average eating 2 loaves of bread each visit. The bread is freshly baked and just out of the oven with an awesome oil dipping sauce. GREAT FOOD, EXCELLENT SERVICE & HUGE PORTIONS...don't think about going anywhere else...forget about it! You can also join the Online Family and receive special information and discounts available to only those who are a part of the "family". If you know the password just tell your server and you will receive the "family discount". If they ask you how did you find out, just say Who Wants To Know!

    (4)

  • Michael P.

    Having dined at Clara's multiple times over the past few years, we decided to host our wedding rehersal dinner there in June of 2013. It was just what we were hoping for. Working with the staff beforehand to plan the event was straightforward. Their deposits and minimum spend levels were very reasonable, lower than most of the locations we looked at. The banquet menu is family-style and although the options were plentiful, it was a painless process. The building and decor aren't much to be impressed with. The first time I went and realized that the strip mall I arrived at was the correct location I was a bit concerned. The waiting area is small for the number of tables and can be crowded on a weekend. But the wait is worth it. The food was amazing. The appetizers were quick to arrive, plentiful and very good - especially the bruschetta. The salads were solid. The pasta was very fresh and delicious and the Chicken Limone drew raves. For desert we went with tiramasu and cannoli for the adults and ice cream for the kids. That was until the kids saw the adult deserts and were hovering around hoping for scraps. A query to the staff and they promptly brought out a plate of tiramasu and cannoli for the kids table. Which segues into the service. The staff was wonderful. We did have a minor incident with spilled water, but they dealt with that quickly and were flawless the rest of the evening. They were attentive without being overbearing and were quick to respond to requests. I'll grant that we were dining in the banquet area, but we've had good service in the past in the main dining room also. All-in-all it was a great evening. I think we may have gotten as many compliments on the rehearsal dinner as we did on the wedding reception dinner itself. We will definitely be visiting Clara's again and are looking forward to upgraded facilities at their new location.

    (5)

  • Kristen D.

    This is a great go-to Italian place if you're picking what to order for carry-out after a busy day. (Not to mention the huge bag of bread they give you when you order carry-out!) It's also fantastic to dine-in, but that could be because I love dim-lit, candle filled, white tableclothed tables, and quiet...very romantic. The pasta is some of the freshest I've ever tasted. Sauce can be a little chunky instead of saucy, though I prefer a bit of noodles with my marinara. I've been eating here since I was about 8 years old, and this place was what turned a (former) very picky eater on to tortellini. Fresh pasta, great food, good atmosphere. Don't let the landscape of the strip mall fool you!

    (4)

  • P P.

    So disappointed with the food. I brought a friend there for her birthday dinner. She seemed happy with her meal but I was really disappointed with my floretine lasagna. I was told a salad didn't come with my entree but the entree was 'so large it would make up for not having a salad and I would probably take half of it home with me'. I was presented with a large serving platter covered with red sauce and in the middle was a possibly 4"x4" piece of lasagna. I think I will stick with Biaggi's.

    (2)

  • Jan W.

    Looks like a family operate place. The pasta was fresh made which was very special. The portion was huge, we have more than enough. The service was wonderful. Both of the dishes that we ordered tasted great.

    (5)

  • Jody S.

    Just came back from the restaurant, and extremely disappointed. We went there many years ago at their old place, and we had wonderful experience at that tim. But anyway we WILL NOT GO BACK again. The food is just not good. The italian salad dressing, Vinaigrette, Oil and vinegar are totally separated, and no taste at all (no salt no pepper). Chicken Parmigiana, the chicken was plain and no taste, just a big chuck of white breast with no flavor at all. Stuff shell again no taste, ricotta cheese inside have no seasoning at all, hard to swallow. Homemade meat ball again no taste. Don't understand why they don't use basic seasoning. Another problem is the tomato sauce was not good either. There were two things not too bad. One was their bread, they were warm, and the clam chowder. Rest of the dishes were really hard to eat.

    (1)

  • B. D.

    Phenomenal. Absolutely phenomenal. Essentially everything that CAN be home-made *is*. Awesome noodles, awesome sauces... quality ingredients and GREAT service. Portions are plenty to feed you three times over. This place hit it out of the ball-park. EXCELLENT. Perfect for everything from family meals to quiet romantic dates... plenty of room as well for larger parties and business meetings as well. This is our go-to Italian place from now on! Just... WOW. UPDATE -- August 3, 2013: I just found out that CLARA'S will be *moving* rather soon to a new location at Seven Bridges in Woodridge right on Route 59 -- down the street from their old location. They're remodeling the old Krispy Kreme building location and it looks like it'll be a lovely spot for this 5-Star Gem-of-an-Italian-Restaurant! Nearby attractions are a very nice Cinemark Theatre with IMAX and the Seven Bridges Ice Arena. I cannot say enough how impressed my husband and I were with this restaurant. I would recommend this place to ANYONE looking for top-of-the-line Italian. This is literally THE BEST ITALIAN in Chicagoland.

    (5)

  • Terri S.

    I've been coming here since they opened over in the strip mall. I have to say, I've been to the new location twice and was mildly disappointed the first visit and terribly disappointed tonight. The wine pours are so small for a $8.00 glass of average wine. We ordered the red pepper and gorgonzola salad which we had never had, and it was just a Caesar salad with a different name. Not at all what we expected. The manager took it off our bill. My husband ordered Chicken marsala marinara. He said he thought it had been warmed up in the microwave. Very watery and bland. I had the Baked shells and they had a strange chemical taste. The service was beyond bad. You just sit there and wait and wait and wait........ wait for a drink refill, wait for a water refill.,,,wait, wait, wait. Luckily, my husband and I talk. It makes me sad to write this review. I am hoping that it will get the attention of the staff and management because word does get around and people aren't always going to have low expectations. I highly doubt I'll be back. There are too many decent Italian restaurants in the area. I would say this was like eating at Olive Garden but I think the service would surpass what we had tonight. Sad.

    (2)

  • Katrina S.

    I went here with my boyfriend because we had a buy one get one free card and there were so many great reviews on yelp. I must say this is one of the worst Italian restaurants I have ever been too. I had the pasta with marinara sauce and the sauce tasted exactly like the horrible red sauce that pizza hut gives you to dip your breadsticks in. My boyfriend got a pasta dish that was baked with cheese. Well it was more like cheese with a little pasta baked in. He loves cheese and even he couldn't eat it. What made it worse was when we presented our card that manager wouldn't accept it saying it was out of date and I had to argue with him saying the only reason we came here was to use the card. Finally he gave us our free entree but was very rude about it. Our server was very friendly though and I don't think she liked her manager either. Will definitely not be going to Clara's again.

    (2)

  • Alison V.

    I had high expectations going in, so I was a bit disappointed. The wait was about 15 minutes for a party of two. I tried calling earlier in the day, but they only take reservations for parties of 5 or more. I had the Eggplant Parmesan which was WAY too salty. In terms of texture, parts were perfectly soft, others were rubbery/undercooked. I agree with others who commented that they just toss the pasta into the sauce without draining it properly. The side of pasta, which was on the same plate, was watery and unpleasant. My hubby had the Rudy Jr. Shrimp which was tasty with a bit of heat, but also quite salty. Service was great.

    (3)

  • Kristen S.

    I remember eating at Clara's many many years ago as a child and that tells you something. Awesome authentic Italian food. My fiance and I ordered takeout from here a few months ago and were not disappointed. This place gets packed quick! SO plan accordingly.

    (4)

  • Maureen E.

    Good food and no frills. If you want a place that has more ambiance than flavor, keep driving. One great thing about this place is that I have a set of dietary restrictions and they were super accommodating in making sure my meal met them. They also double checked with the kitchen to make sure that there wouldn't be any issues - and it still tasted delish! Our waiter had a rotten string of bad luck with us, and he made up for it with a free tiramisu. Despite the hiccups, we still plan to return - good food, and extremely reasonable.

    (4)

  • S G.

    Lou was server 5/9. Awesome attitude and humor. Very helpful with suggestions and he's honest. I had the calamari and lasagna and both were awesome I would order again. I think next time I want to try the chicken parm. Good job Lou on service! And tipping my hat to Clara's on the food execution!

    (5)

  • Catherine H.

    As a single diner, my experiences are always mixed with upscale restaurants. Clara's gets an extra star for treating me as well as any larger group! The wine list is good, with a few by-the-glass options. I love that you can create your own pasta (fabulous vodka sauce!), and my dessert was amazing (raspberry truffle). My waiter was friendly and attentive, and the food was top-notch. It is on the noisy side, and was kind of difficult to find as an out-of-towner, but it was all well worth it. Clara's is saved in my GPS for my next stop in the area!

    (5)

  • Anne B.

    Great food, great atmosphere, great service! A friend and I found Clara's on a whim because we wanted to have a catch-up lunch near the car dealership where my car was being serviced and thankfully, we found Clara's! The interior is beautiful and very clean. The staff were friendly and our server, Rachel, was on point. The menu offers just the right amount of variety. Before I start raving about the entreé, let me rave about the bread. It was warm, soft, and tasted fresh out of the oven! We actually asked for more to go with our appetizers and main courses because it was just that good. I ordered the fried calamari, which was above average but not spectacular. I thought it was missing something, but I'm not complaining. My entreé was the Rudy Jr. Shrimp Special. Oh.my .goodness. It was so so delicious! The shrimp was cooked just so and the noodles were not only pleasing to the eye, but pleasing to my palate as well! For dessert, I ordered the tiramisu which was melt in your mouth delicious. I've recommended Clara's to my family and my co-workers because the southwest suburbs need great restaurants like it!

    (4)

  • Danielle W.

    So I've passed by this place several times and the parking lot was always full. Decided to stop in for dinner one time. The food was really good, I got a shrimp and angel hair pasta sauce. It was really really good, the place had a kinda of greasy feel to it though. Server was nice if slightly unattentive. I would probably go back.

    (4)

  • Joseph H.

    My mom loves this place and for good reason. It's not fancy, but that is what's nice about it. The food is good and the staff are friendly. It's as simple as that. Also, Wednesday is half price wine night and I've only been on Wednesday...coincidence? I think not. I've had the chicken pesto and Rudy Jr. shrimp dishes thus far. I'll have to say that I got the Rudy Jr "spicy" and it was extremely hot. Typically, unless you're getting wings or something that is known as spicy, then I'm not usually afraid of getting a dish spicified. I was proven wrong here, so be warned. I got the pesto dish because according to my mother, my sisters always get the pesto and I wanted to make them jealous. Overall, I've been really happy with my experiences at Carla's. They also have a solid olive oil sauce for their bread to start that has parmesan infused with pepper. Don't eat too much though because the entree portions are insanely large. You literally should be able to take half home for a full meal the next day.

    (4)

  • Chi T.

    It's actually been a while since I've been here, but my wife an I went here after I had proposed to her. I loved the food, but perhaps love was just in the air that day :) I remember the lasagna I had, you can say I am a bit like Garfield the cat - I LOVE lasagna! I remember the lasagna because that was a meal! You don't eat it and then a few hours later say "what's there to snack on?" It's like a brick in your stomach, but in a good way. I've been meaning to get back over there and try some more dishes, but I'm more into Italian food than my wife so we just haven't made it back, yet.

    (4)

  • Maria P.

    Whatever you do, don't drive away because of the exterior AKA first impression. Even though the restaurant is in a strip mall, it's not traditional strip mall dining. We started off with the calamari combination platter which has both grilled and fried as well as the basil with goat cheese bruschetta. Both were tasty. For my meal I ordered the shrimp pasta that is sold as spicy, that of which it was not. If you like spicy, tell them to dial it up a notch. My husband got the linguine with clams and that was OK. We shared a cannoli and coffee; their coffee is excellent. if you like Italian food and you are looking for the more traditional approach in the burbs, check this place out.

    (3)

  • susie o.

    Good! Dirty martini....perfect!!! Olive oil dipping sauce...yummy! So so good. I had the cheese tortellini with (spicy) vodka cream sauce. Good service too.

    (5)

  • Louie F.

    The olive oil dipping sauce... I'll call it crack sauce. Just give me a straw, that sauce, and the bread... Had soup and sandwich lunch, the potato bisque... Delicious. Meatball sandwich... Great... I'd move in and live at a table if I could...

    (5)

  • Bonna M.

    We recently had dinner at Claras. It really isn't much to look at from the outside but is pretty nice on the inside...maybe a tad dated but it is fine. They are very reasonable and their food is really good. My daughter and I both ordered the grilled chicken with marinara sauce over angel hair pasta. There was so much that it ended up being dinner that night and 2 lunches for me. My husband ordered Rudy Jr's Shrimp Special (spicy). It was awesome! Next time we go back, I am getting that! The soup of the day was a seafood soup with a tomato base which came out very hot and very tasty. The bread is also wonderful and they give you oil/herbs or butter...the oil/herbs is fantastic. We will definitely return and I've seen coupons in our mail for Claras which makes it even more appealing.

    (4)

  • Terry B.

    Just left after returning 3 dinners - chicken parmigiana swimming in tomato water with soggy pasta, chicken pesto drowning in a gloppy, creamy mess, and a microwaved pizza with absolutely no flavor. After returning 3 entrees, no manager came to inquire or assist us. We turned in a $50 gift certificate and literally ate salad and bread with a glass of wine. Most of the clientele was using buy one-get one free coupons, but I wouldn't eat there again under any circumstances. The entire menu is based on tomato sauce, which is basically red water. I am Italian and eat at restaurants almost daily - have never had such terrible food or bad experience, and have never returned a dinner in my life. They should be on Kitchen Nightmares - Ramsey would shut the place down!

    (1)

  • Michael S.

    It doesn't look like much, but the food is great! My wife and I went for the first time last weekend and enjoyed everything we ate. You could tell everything tasted fresh. The Bruschetta di Roma was refreshing and full of flavor. The soup of the day was Potato Artichoke. It was creamy and pureed and didn't look like what I expected, but was so glad I ordered it! For dinner I had the Rudy Jr spicy and was happy with it, but think it would have been better if it has some some marinara sauce mixed in. My wife had the Eggplant Lasagna and she really liked it. I tasted it and Clara's marinara sauce is sweet and tatses very good. I love the chunks of tomato in it. It's a good thing I don't live too close to this place or I would have to get larger pants. The only thing is Clara's is a little pricey, but I think its worth it for the fresh ingrediants and delicious food. With wine, appetizer, dinner, and splitting a desert, or check was $77

    (5)

  • Laura M.

    Our family visited here last night and had a great time. Wednesdays have half-priced bottles of wine which allowed us to explore. Everyone enjoyed their food and we're looking forward to going back and trying other items on the menu.

    (4)

  • Lana J.

    We just ate at Clara's for the third time and it was really disappointing. We had reserved a table for 5; the really unfriendly hostess tried to cram us into a 4-top table by putting the high chair on the corner of the table. This was not going to work, so we requested a bigger table and she was quite huffy about it ..."I'll have to move some other people around." Well, the entire time we were there, not one single larger party came into the restaurant, so I'm not sure who had to be "moved around." in fact, the restaurant was not that busy at all. The waiter was pretty abrupt throughout our meal, and to top it off, both my husband and I had dishes that involved pools of water on our plates with our sauce/pasta. Yuck! We love the homemade pasta, but we were really bummed out after our last visit to Clara's.

    (2)

  • Scott M.

    I've been coming to this place since it was a single storefront wide and had bright florescent lights. It was a fine place then and it's fine place now. I find Italianos in General a vexing breed. I've had some of my finest meals under the Red White and Green flag, and some poisonous swill as well. Now, mind you, I've had none of the second kind at Clara's, in fact most every meal I've had there has been of the first. One of the things I like about this place is that it doesn't stand on ceremony. You can tell that these recipes are family heirlooms, 'cos they're quirky, they're unique, and unlike the run of the mill Red-Sauce joints. It doesn't taste like "restaurant food". And sometimes it doesn't look like restaurant food either. Take the Grilled Calamari for example, it ain't too pretty on the plate, but it tastes damned good. The "Fazuli" salad looks a mess when it comes to the table, and the taste ain't what you'd expect, but it, too is damned good-especially if you add the optional Anchovies. A word here about the bread service. The loaf that comes to the table is about the size of a Clincher (12") nicely crunchy on the outside and wonderfully soft, tasty and doughy (in a good way) on the inside. Perfect to sop stuff up, and the stuff they give you for soppin' is worth the visit itself. A mixture of good quality olive oil, cheese and frackin' fairy dust for all I know. I don't try to figure it out, it might spoil the experience if I knew what was in it. It's hard to not fill up on the bread. The Marinara is superlative. You get a healthy bowl of it with the Grilled Calamari I spoke of above, but the pairing is not happy. The two don't work together-the Calamari doesn't need the gravy. The Marinara doesn't need the Calamari, either. For me, it doesn't need anything but a spoon, which I what I eat the Marinara with, solo; disregarding the malocchio I get from nearby tables. F 'em-One man's gravy is another man's soup. My usual order here is a special that I can never remember the name of. In fact as I write this I can't remember exactly what's in it except shaved Parmesan or Romano and an Olive Oil Sauce to which I add the side of Anchovies. Heaven with a glass of Pinot Grigio. I suspend my usual restaurant fetishes here, 'cos it really does seem like you're in an extension of some Nonna's kitchen. I point to it on the menu and say "add Anchovies". I couldn't care what it's called. It's damned good. Wife usually orders Lasagna, which I taste and swear that I'm going to order next time (but never do, in favor of the Whatchamacallit that I usually order). I don't like Lasagna, for the record. More culinary felonies have been committed in Lasagna's name than a brigade of Wiseguys, and I flee when threatened with the dish. This one, however is...damned good. Daughter #2 orders Chicken Alfredo and nothing else (it's one of her favorite restaurants). I'm not an Alfredo fan either. She eats precisely one half of the voluminous Chicken Breast that comes on the dish, and always send the remainder home with me. (she finishes the pasta). What I noticed is that when I nuked the chix the next day, it was still cooked perfectly. Usually you land up with dried out Goodyear Meat, but not here. I don't like Chicken breast either, but this bird is...damned good. Like I said, Quirky. You get soup or salad with your entrees, and same Daughter eats neither, so Pop Oubliette gets the disjecta membra. On a recent visit, the soup was Clam Chowder, which tasted like many things, none of which were Clam Chowder. If you think that's a negative, it ain't. There was some kind of smokey/char-broiled note in the "Clam Chowder" which made the soup interesting as hell, and as a result...damned good. The onliest thing that sucks out loud about this place is that they serve imitation Cola. Sometimes I'm forced to forego the Vino either to driving duties or just not being in the mood to imbibe, so my call is a "Diet Coke". What comes to the table is a near-flat brown liquid that tastes like it has been piped in from one of the nearby auto body shops. With some saccharine added. This place does a land-office business, it's always packed. This place is making money. Do you think they could flip and serve a Coke or a Pepsi? It doesn't make sense, unless they are serving this shite to nudge a peek at the Wine list. I wonder if they have a BYO policy concerning soft drinks? All in all, this joint rocks. Put the menu up on the wall and throw a dart at it, blindfolded, and you'll have a good feed. Just don't order a Diet...

    (4)

  • Star G.

    Service was outstanding! But the chicken Parmesan I ordered was really bland with a big hunk of over-melted cheese on it. ...My Caesar salad was good. ...Their bread was good and the dipping sauce I thought was too Parmesan-ish. ...Coke products as sodas.

    (2)

  • Brian H.

    I just started working in the area, and ordered the "Lunch portion" of lasagna for pickup. Total came to eight bucks and change, serving was GIANT and high quality, and lasagna was excellent. I will definitely be getting more pickup in the future!

    (5)

  • Renee S.

    Clara's is my favorite non-chain Italian restaurant in the west burbs. Every dish I've ever had there was spot on. And the service has always been very good. It can be crowded on weekends so I try to go between the lunch and dinner crowds. I wouldn't care if it's in a strip mall or an alley. If the food is good and at a good price, I'm going.

    (4)

  • Anya J.

    Excellent all the way around. Best Italian food, so fresh! Great ambiance and service. We will definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Brandy W.

    I might still be tasting garlic and we visited 5 days ago. We were seated right away with no reservation on a Thursday evening at 7:00. The place was fairly packed, however. This place came highly recommended by a few people we know, so it was worth the shot. We ordered wine and drinks right away from our server who was nice, but a little loud and rushed for me. The bread and olive oil dip was quite good-- so we enjoyed that. We all had house salads. Their vinaigrette was amazing! I think that was my favorite thing about the place. I ordered a make-your-own pasta with spinach fettucine, sundried tomatoes, and broccoli. Boy were there a lot of sundried tomatoes! There was definitely no measuring going on in that kitchen. The other two ordered lasagnas-- one regular and one primavera. We had espresso, coffee, and a spumoni for dessert to follow our meal. Our waitress mentioned something about taking $9 off our tab for the wine selection. I think she gave us the wrong wine since I heard a discussion at the table next to us also about wine... anyway, whatever. The spumoni was sub-par. I've had a lot of spumoni in my life, but this wasn't the best. I don't know that it was the worst... or maybe this was the most authentic and it turns out I don't like authentic?! Either way, ick. I'd go back to Clara's again... but if it's not on the company tab, I will be using a coupon. It was a little pricey (around $80) for 3 people. Sure, we ordered 2 glasses of wine, a soda, 3 starter salads, 3 entrees, 3 coffees and a dessert. I guess the price was reasonable... but I just feel still a little ripped off for eating in a random strip mall on 53. I've said it once and I'll say it again... I hate paying for overpriced Italian.

    (4)

  • Wendy F.

    Clara's has reopened at a new location at 6550 Rt. 53 - in the Seven Bridges retail mall area (where the old Krispy Kreme was). the new location is beautiful - and has a lot more space. There's more room for private events, too. The most important thing, though - is the food is still as great as ever!

    (5)

  • Gia G.

    This place was quite the surprise. Headed over after working out at the gym across the parking lot (don't judge me) because there was a sign on 53 that said, "Try Clara's!" The food was absolutely divine!! OMG! We didn't know anything about the place when we walked in and actually felt badly because we had on just-left-the-gym clothes and this place is a bit on the nice/fancy side. But as soon as we sat down and our server, Lou, gave us the wonderful dinner rolls with olive oil we knew we'd found a new favorite. Everything they presented to us was really, really delicious. I mean fresh, well-concocted, authentic Italian fare. Huge servings, of course. And just super yummy! I had the cream of artichoke soup (which almost made me cry it was so ef'n good) and the baked chicken with portobello mushroom dish. Lawd, have mercy! I could not believe how fantastic the baked chicken dish was. To top everything off we shared the cheesecake, which was the perfect ending to a filling but not overly heavy meal. Our server, Lou, was attentive and funny. Because of all of this we will be back!

    (5)

  • Kristen B.

    This is probably my favorite restaurant in the area. Every dish I have tried is delicious. We've been coming here since it was in the strip mall and are so happy that they moved to an even better place closer to the movie theatre. The homemade pasta is out of this world. I love the vodka sauce and always add mushrooms. The pesto bruschetta is fantastic and I often order a tray of it for parties. I've had many dishes here and none have disappointed. My husband, who typically doesn't suggest Italian food, suggests Clara's all the time, especially since they moved to the new location. It's pretty child friendly and my kids love drawing on the white paper on the table. The new pizza is fantastic. Can't wait for the outdoor patio to open!

    (5)

  • LOIS B.

    I have been coming here periodically through the years since it opened trying to figure out what other people think is so great. It has expanded, a plus for the restaurant, but the food is nowhere near good. Crunchy pasta is just too al dente for me. The parking lot can be a hazard to you and your car's well being. There is frequently a wait even with people you have never met almost sitting with you at your table. I may go back again in another 5 years to see if anything has improved. A huge disappointment knowing the family history. Still looking for a GOOD, convenient Italian place.

    (1)

  • Mike R.

    This place is always good. The service is hit or miss tonight is was a miss our waitress was a older woman she seemed tired over whelmed and a little put out when we ordered oh well we all have bad days she was probably tired from working so hard Reviewed by the Naperville ~ Food Dude ~

    (5)

  • Tracy P.

    You can find better Italian elsewhere. You can find cheaper Italian elsewhere. BUT - I loved the menu and service -- it was just good, down home, traditional, Your-Big-Fat-Mama Italian cooking. Lots of choices and everything was pretty good. I'll be back. My tip for you -- call ahead to get your name on the "wait list". They don't take reservations but the "wait list" will shave 30 minutes off your wait . . . which is always killer on the weekends 'cause this is a good place.

    (4)

  • Cooper P.

    Even though I have lived in Woodridge all my life I had not been to Clara's in many years. The last time I was there I thought the food was just good but not outstanding. I have been anxious to visit the new location. I went with a group of 3 other friends. We had a bottle of wine at the bar while waiting for everyone to arrive...no complaints here although the bar area was pretty small compared to the amount of seating they have. Once seating we were given bread (2 types; a roll and focaccia) both were quite dry and not enjoyable. 3 of us got salads - the lettuce was in huge pieces and drenched in dressings. We ordered another bottle of wine from our server and she brought out the wrong one, when we stopped her from opening the bottle and pointed out the error she seemed very frustrated with us. The main dishes were ok. I order the chicken parmesan which was just mediocre, the chicken overcooked and tough and way too much sauce on the pasta. My friend who ordered the spaghetti said there was too much sauce as well. Another lady in our party order the Shrimp Ersilia - a signature dish and she said it too was just OK. We ordered deserts, mini cannoli's which were meh and tiramisu which was really good but frozen on the ends. Here is where they lost me and 3 others as customers. Our waitress brought out one bill. I split the bill and wrote down what each lady owed, and we all put our credit cards in there. When the waitress came back I attempted to explain how I broke down what each person owed, she said we can only accept 2 credit cards per bill. I then said I will pay cash and use three of the cards as that is the only form of payment they had, and she said no to that. She was unwilling to separate the bills when asked and finally after me voicing how ridiculous this is, she, with much frustration took the bill back and separated them all out. Each of us then used our credit cards to pay. How stupid is this policy ??? If you are going to enact such a ridiculous payment policy I suggest a couple of things..... 1. Put it on your website or on your menus or somewhere in your establishment so that your patrons will be prepared. 2. Train your wait staff to explain this prior to bringing out the bill especially when there is a group of non-couples. Offer separate checks if you will only take 2 cards per check. I have never seen this policy in any restaurant.....stupid! Perfect example of bigger isn't always better.....I won't return to Clara's and neither will my three friends. As Woodridge resident I am very disappointed. I will give my business to Suparossa when I want Italian food.

    (2)

  • Suzan K.

    Went there for the first time and amazing food. Started with calamari and soakers with cheese for appetizers. Best calamari I've had. Soakers was good but a bit more salty than I prefer. I had the shrimp ersilia and it was excellent. It was different than what I can get at other restaurants and I loved it. Loved the homemade fresh pasta. I went with several other people and everyone loved their pasta entree. I had the Italian almond cake for dessert and it was a great ending to a wonderful dinner. The cake was served warmed and very light and not too sweet.

    (5)

  • Michelle x.

    Clara's definitely exceeded our expectations. We were a party of six, and one of us didn't even like Italian food...until Clara's, that is. The highlight: The primavera pasta with grilled chicken over spinach & egg angel hair noodles. This was the dish that won the "non-Italian food" diner over. I had a taste; it was incredible. I'll order that next time I'm there. The warm bread and oil was great and helped tie us over until our entrees arrived. For entrees, we tried the vodka sauce over ravioli, the arrabbiata sauce with sausage and mushrooms, arrabbiata sauce with meatballs and mushrooms, and the veal Parmesan. We all really enjoyed our dishes. I took mine home and reheated it for the following two days. It was so good! Our server was perfect, warm and friendly. She attentively listened and accurately took our orders. She surprised us with a piece of tiramisu for my birthday that I shared with the table. That was sweet of her. The place is dimly lit. The older gentlemen in our group used the light on their phones to view the menu. It's a classic Italian restaurant to me. Clara's is a great place that I got to introduce my family to. I'll definitely be back. Thanks, Clara's!

    (5)

  • Kate G.

    I had not been to Clara's in months, as I have some new food restrictions and was wary about what I could eat. This past Wednesday I went there for dinner and ordered grilled calamari and a side of broccoli. I asked the server ahead of time what type of oil was used and was told olive oil. My dinner was delicious! After dinner we struck up a conversation with the waitress about food and my dietary restrictions. At this point, the waitress told us that they cut the olive oil with SOY! Wait, that's one of my restrictions and I clearly asked at the beginning of the meal about the oil in which my food would be cooked. It was explained to us that the reason they do that is that olive oil has too strong of a flavor and masks the taste of other ingredients. I really think it's because they are trying to save some money. I do not recall this being disclosed on the menu. I know plenty of people who avoid soy, this is not a good practice. FULL DISCLOSURE: OLIVE OIL IS CUT WITH SOY

    (2)

  • Mike M.

    It's no secret any longer! Clara's was packed last night. Even still, we were served in a very timely matter. The service was great. The decor was very nice and the food was terrific. I had chicken parmigiana, which was not breaded or fried (which is unusual) but was artfully blended with cheeses and a delicious red sauce. It was very tasty. Pasta fagioli soup was brothy, not too many beans... delicious! Wifey had salmon, she loved it. Friends were also very happy with their meals (chicken limone and beef tenderloin risotto). Downsides? Yes, we were too full for dessert!

    (4)

  • Steve B.

    It's Clara's. Excellent food and good service, in a new larger location. I eat here consistently and have never had a bad meal. I have also had family parties at Clara's.

    (5)

  • Rachael Z.

    AWESOME. Clara's used to be housed in a strip mall with block text advertising the name of the restaurant; you wouldn't know it was Italian (or a restaurant!) unless you looked it up. The new location is fantastic. While I believe it may be a bit smaller, the ambiance is much better. How they turned an old Krispy Kreme location to a beautiful Italian restaurant. If Clara's continues to thrive, they're going to need more tables in the bar. We had reservations for 7:30, and waited for nearly 40 minutes AFTER our reservation before we were seated. I can't knock a star down though for that - we were approached by both the manager and the owner and received two free appetizers for our wait. We weren't bothered, just ordered a few drinks at the bar as we waited. We were surprised when we were brought around the corner to our seats - we didn't realize the restaurant was as big as it was. It was cozy and comfortable. Our server, Melissa, was fantastic. Upbeat, and very nice. We started with the Goat Cheese Pizza as an appetizer as well as half fried, half grilled calamari. The pizza was fantastic. Huge slices and crispy crust. I could eat just this! The calamari was surprisingly good too. I've had lots of calamari, but this was a bit better than most. The grilled had a great flavor to it, and the fried was lightly breaded, so you could still taste the calamari. For dinner, I had the Shrimp Ersillia. I despise sun dried tomatoes, so I asked for regular. Melissa suggested I order either extra spinach or mushrooms instead, as fresh tomatoes may water down the sauce. The fact that she knew to recommend this and knew the dish/menu that well was super impressive. I so appreciated this! I ordered extra mushrooms and it was fantastic. Allow me to reiterate. I was with great company, but I could have literally moved to a corner and just ate in silence. This was so good, I didn't need conversation or company. It was creamy, garlic-y, salty and cheesey...so good. Very fresh. And LARGE! I had enough for a big lunch the following day...though I could have eaten this for weeks on-end. For dessert we ordered the tirimisu and the a chocolate cake that tasted like a lava cake. Both were delicious - the tirimisu was a little less chocolatey or coffee-tasting than I had expected but both were great. I can't wait to come back and support this small business. The new location is the icing on the cake!

    (5)

  • Michael R.

    The new location is better for sure, but the overall feeling is that this is an o.k. place to get Italian food. Nothing really exciting-while homemade pastas are nice, there's something slippery, almost slimy about their pasta. Sauces are decent-imaginative even in some cases. The bread and olive oil/pesto/parmesan that they serve for dipping is a good start and their appetizers (calamari, bruschetta) are tasty. I'm more in the 2.5 star realm, but respect what Clara's tries to do and the fact that someone is occupying the former Krispy Kreme establishment (the one immediately in front of the Edward (not 'Edwards'!) Fitness Center) is a positive by itself.

    (3)

  • Yhatzina L.

    Clara's has moved and the food is way different. Sadness

    (1)

  • Vivian Y.

    This place as as much character as a a doctor's office but don't let that stop you from dining here! It's not romantic, at all, but the food - will make you fall in love. We went for a company lunch with some visitors from China who usually like nothing but Chinese food but I thought, hmm, why not some fresh noodles - they should enjoy it - AND THEY DID. Most of us ordered the seafood pasta, or the Rudy's special - AMAZING hand made, fresh pasta. Portions are HUGE. This is my new favorite pasta restaurant without a doubt. Large scruptious pieces of fish, fresh clams and mussels - lip smacking yumminess.

    (4)

  • Brian T.

    Let me start by saying I am Italian food is not my favorite. That being said, I love Clara's. This place has been around for as long as I can remember - a group of friends and I actually went there before one of our high school formals - and I am happy to say that the food has remained consistently good over the last 20 years. EVOO and warm bread to start, with hugely portioned appetizers and authentic family recipes with fresh ingredients, bold flavor profiles and first rate preparation. Go the first weekend of the month to get blown away by their chicken vesuvio - it's amazing! Hands down, the only place I go to eat Italian.

    (5)

  • Christina F.

    Great new place located just north of their original location. Definitely not enough parking spots for this hot spot on a Saturday night. Wait was about 15 min around 6pm and the food was delicious. Service was a bit spotty and slow. Ordered the bruchetta as an appetizer, radiatore with pesto and husband ordered linguini with clams. Portion sizes are great. My pasta was very over cooked and almost mushed as soon as it hit my tongue. Husband's clams were extremely gritty (more than usual). We will definitely be back to try other menu items though.

    (4)

  • Lynne S.

    Awesome meal. Our 1st time going and loved everything. We sat at the bar because the wait on Friday at 7:00 was 45 min. We went with the bartenders suggestion for our meals. We had the manicotti and the Rudy Jr special. Both were excellent. The only part of our meal we didn't like was the soakers. An appetizer of garlic bread covered in cheese. It was just mediocre. The price was average for the amount of food you get. We had 3 take home containers. But a definite place to go back to again and again.

    (5)

  • Marianne D.

    This is my second visit to Clara's and I find this place just so-so. The atmosphere is loud and more like a Friday's or Chili's atmosphere, not what I expect from an Italian restaurant. Reservations are not accepted for parties of less than 5. Our server Joe provided good service and knew the menu well. The wine list does not offer a good selection of wine by the glass; but I did enjoy the only Sauvignon Blanc they had. The bread basket had a nice focaccia bread and then a warm crusty roll, which was more on the hard side than a crusty exterior with a soft interior roll. It was served with an herb olive oil for dipping. I would have enjoyed a Parmesan cheese with the oil for dipping which was lacking. To start, my mom and I shared the caprese salad which was generous in size and had good flavor and plenty of mozzarella for the tomatoes. Our the guys had the pasta fagioli which my dad enjoyed, but my husband thought was salty. My mom and I shared a margherita pizza and added prosciutto. The pizza had a nice thin crispy crust like I've enjoyed in Italy. Unfortunately, the tomatoes were chunks of tomatoes in sauce which I ended up scraping off. I am used to a traditional margherita with slices of tomatoes along with the mozzarella and basil and no sauce. My dad had bone-in chicken vesuvio which was generous in portion size. He enjoyed it very much. Clara's only makes this dish the first full weekend of the month. My husband had the chicken parmesan which was disappointing. It was a chicken breast with no seasoning or breading. It did have gooey melted cheese on top and it was served with a side of pasta. The prices were fair for the food. I found Clara's mediocre both times I have visited. I'd rather go to Capri in Downers Grove with great food, a quieter atmosphere and Frank Sinatra dinner music. I just don't get the crowds at this restaurant. I gave it a couple tries, but it fell short for me.

    (3)

  • Kathleen M.

    Clara's is a bit tricky to get to, we approached it from the strip mall behind it only because our GPS was super clever. It's a bit crowded, somewhat noisy but not real intimate place. Tables are just a bit too close together to be able to walk through and the strip mall facility has the big windows like it was a dollar store. Makes for an odd ambiance. The meat balls and pasta were good, but not outstanding. The bread was delicious as was the oil. My iced tea was nice and fresh and cold. It was a fine evening and I enjoyed being out with lady friends but I wouldn't rush back here. I am a meat ball fool but these didn't open up and sing an Italian opera to me. More like just a Dean Martin song on a juke box. A-OK.

    (3)

  • Boomer B.

    It's official! We still miss the old bread! The new stuff is just not as good.

    (4)

  • Candy K.

    I held a wedding shower in the new banquet room over the weekend and the staff and the food was excellent.

    (5)

  • Kadee D.

    I love coming here for an Italian kick when I can't make it out the city! It's really hard to get a bad meal here if you order the right thing! My usuals are the brick oven pizzas, salads, fresh bread, pasta salads or pasta entrées - and the dessert (omg the dessert). Best place to sit is at the pizza bar because it is first come first serve. I've never had an issue walking in on a busy night and getting a seat there... You meet some great people sitting there too! I wouldn't recommend this seating for close minded, private dining people as you do sit pretty close to one another. Personally, I like it and it seems more friendly as the whoever is cooking pizza that night gives you a lot of great info on the restaurant and menu! What's also great is the servers know their wine and pairings which is important. They also know what their food tastes like and can describe it or recommend something you are having trouble deciding on. Keep doing your thing Clara's because you have something special!

    (5)

  • Ingrid B.

    Come hungry, split a meal or plan to take lots of left overs home! Recommended dishes: Rotini, eggplant parmigiana, veal parmigiana, cheese ravioli. Everyone was pleased with their selections. Salads were fresh, crispy and delicious too.

    (4)

  • Mable S.

    I can't think of anything bad to say about Clara's. I've been going to Clara's since before they moved into the new location, which is beautiful. Excellent food and service. This may sound trivial, but one thing that really made my meal fantastic was the coffee at the end. I've been meaning to call and ask what they brew, because it was wonderful.

    (5)

  • M. S.

    The food is only so-so, the wine selection is mediocre, and the servers seem pretty unhappy to be there.

    (1)

  • Tony P.

    The pizza bar is the best seat in the house...this place is something to die for...if you have family from out of town, Ou have to take them here, to experience a small nice hometown place, such as Clara's. thank go they moved to the new location. It's bigger and decor is awesome...nice bar area, pizza bar, dining, high table tops, outdoor seating. This place is a gem. If your going with the pizza, try any dish there and take home the leftover. If it's just you, try the pizza or a few apps...

    (5)

  • Joe S.

    I see they moved. Ate there once at the old location. Air conditioning didn't work 80+ degrees inside at 5pm on a saturday. Service/ Wait staff slow and rude. Food? Musshy overcooked pasta for everyone, Some people swear by this place. Only gotta have one bad experience for me.

    (1)

  • Clara R.

    Very disappointing experience. First time I got food poisoning, but came back because of a special event. This time there was two strands of hair in the food. The cooks, who we could see from the table, were not in hair nets, yet the manager failed to take responsibility. He was hesitant to even come up to the table, and when he did began to argue. After standing at the table justifying the hair can't be the cooks he walked away from the table, while we were talking. Mistakes are understandable, but disrespect to customers is poor management. Awful experience, I recommend not wasting time or money there.

    (1)

  • Joan K.

    Beautiful new place. The layout inside seems to have the servers tripping over the patrons. It was kind of confusing. Although it was beautiful inside, let's get down to the food. I thought that this restaurant had minestrone soup.I was disappointed to find that they did not. I ordered the egg plant Parmesan which was an appetizer. I always thought they had it on the menu as an entrée. That was fine but they did not peel the eggplant, So you had thick chewy skin on edges to your eggplant That was not breaded and fried like the traditional style whatsoever. The pasta served with the eggplant Parmesan was not drained,so you had a plate full of watery sauce. The pasta itself was very good but i didn't want it with watered down sauce. I used a roll to sop up the extra water on my plate ...kind of disgusting. Drain your pasta please. all three of us at the table had the same problem. One had lasagna and still had water on her plate. The server we had was good but she and others kept coming by trying to remove your plates very frequently. Friend wanted his salad throughout his dinner, but at least 5 times someone wanted to remove it. It was like they did not have enough serving pieces for the next table. It's got to be a bit annoying. My friend had his rolls taken before he finished them. Again annoying. Maybe it's because it's still new and it needs to have its Kinks removed, food was not impressive. I could get better Italian food elsewhere. Overall I was not impressed and would not hurry back

    (2)

  • W Q.

    New location, really beautiful inside. Much nicer upgrade than the previous location. Seats more people than ever! The food still taste exactly the same in the new kitchen. Thur night and it is completely packed, had to drive around a couple of times to find parking. See previous review for the 4 star rating instead of 5.

    (4)

  • Teri J.

    The entree salads are a joke! How can they call that an entree? They consist of lettuce and croutons! For 11.25?? R they kidding? We won't be back! What a rip off!!!

    (1)

  • Tiffany G.

    Abundant portions and delicious food. If you're looking for great italian, this is the spot! It was nice to have found such good food and NOT have to drive to the city. I would give it 5 stars, but if you dine in, they rush you a little bit, which I don't care for. Luckily I lived around the corner, so most nights I would just order takeout. :)

    (4)

  • Kate S.

    I've heard really good things about Clara's in the past. The food is great, wine is great, and so on. And now that I've experienced it, I hate that I was less than impressed. We had a party of 6, and 2 in our group were running late. Turns out they won't seat a party until everyone is there. Which I understand, but I was disappointed to see the opposite of that happen; there was a couple sitting together when we were there, and 5 minutes later about 6 people walked in and joined them. I don't know why there was a double standard here. When we were seated, our waitress recommended a bottle of wine that was on special. Said it was a lighter easy-drinking red. It was completely different. It was a heavy, smoky, acidic red that just wasn't good. I ordered the stracciatella; it was described to me as scrambled eggs in chicken broth. Worth a try, I thought. I was sorely disappointed. The eggs were grainy, and the broth tasted like it came straight from the carton. For my entree, I ordered the baked chicken with portobello mushrooms and linguini. This dish has 2 options of sauce, marinara or alfredo; I opted for alfredo. The chicken was dry, there were chunks of gorgonzola the size of superballs that completely overpowered the dish, some kind of other shredded cheese wasn't melted (I could pull out shreds if I really wanted to), and the alfredo sauce was watery. I love cheese as much as the next person, but heaping amounts of gorgonzola take any dish right into Funkytown. The mushrooms were also no portobellos, and there were barely any on the plate. It felt like an afterthought, not a focus of the dish. We had the tiramisu for dessert, which was complementary because it was my boyfriend's parents' anniversary. I thought this was a lovely touch. The tiramisu was delicious until I hit a partially frozen chunk in the middle of the plate, like the cake was constructed then stashed in the freezer for the next day. There were some positive parts of dinner. Clara's service is impeccable. Our waitress was courteous, friendly and gave good recommendations on the food. She was a real pleasure, and I wish I caught her name. The tiramisu was good until the frozen part, and everyone else at the table did seem to enjoy their meals. They were also very accommodating of my allergies, and took extra care to tell the kitchen, and submit my food on a separate ticket so it didn't touch anything else. Overall, I just didn't get the hype. I felt disappointed with every part of my meal. I hate to say I probably won't be back.

    (2)

  • Stephanie B.

    Last night was my first time visiting Clara's with my husband and a few friends. While I hadnt heard of it before, Im pretty excited we found this gem. Going on a Saturday night without any reservations we were seated rather quickly. At first I was a little worried about the wait time because there didnt appear to be much seating but upon being led to our table we realized that its actually alot bigger than it first appears. Food and Drinks: I ordered the Muscato and I must say it was good and strong! Two of those and it was pretty much enough for me. We ordered the pizza bread for an appetizer which was warm and delish. One of our friends had gotten a soup with his meal and I was amazed at how large it was. Thankfully I didnt order one as I definitly would have wasted more than half of it. But he said it was tasty. For my main dish I ordered the rigattoni pasta with the vodka sauce. When the plate came there was a nice layer of toasted cheese over it. I was pretty full from the bread and oil dipping that was at the table and the appetizer that I didnt eat much of my main dish but it was extremely good. Overall the price was right and our waitress was nothing short of great. I will absolutely be visiting again in the future. Lucky for me its just right down the street :)

    (5)

  • William K.

    Food is great, and their new location is just beautiful. Make resv though... they are busy bees now. And repeat after me. Lasagna. Go ahead. La. Sa. Gna. That's it. Lasagna. YUM!!! lasagna... yow, bill

    (4)

  • Angela P.

    Clara's is located in a strip mall with a plain facade. The interior is simple, with dark wood tables and chairs, and paper tablecloths. It's unassuming, it's comfortable, and I liked the family photos scattered among the walls. And I loved the food! The clam chowder was good, and my eggplant parmesan was out of this world! If you're a cheese freak, this was perfection in the way it was baked. The sauce with the pasta was full of chunky tomatoes and had a good spice to it. The antipasto appetizer was full of quality deli meats, pepperoni, peppers and cheese. Oh, the cheese! 4 out of 5 of us left with most of our entrees in carryout containers. The portions are monstrous! Most entrees were in the $12-17 range. Service is also very good. Our waiter wasn't overly attentive, but for a younger guy he was very polite and our drinks were refilled quickly. I would definitely choose this place over Maggiano's, Olive Garden, or Buca di Beppo.

    (5)

  • Sonia C.

    My boyfriend and I decided to splurge on Italian so we deiced on Clara's and honestly i cant remember the last time i had an Italian meal as good! My boyfriend had the Shrimp Ersilia which was to die for! I usually dont ever like anything that has heavy cream or cheese but i couldnt stop sneaking some from him. I had Rudy Jr. Shrimp Special, and i have never had egg and spinach noodles and honestly it was too good. i loved the experience over all, and not to mention the amazing bread they serve you with oil thats already seasoned, and soup and appetizer (we had the baked mushrooms with breadcrumbs..yumm!). I would definitely come here again.

    (5)

  • Heidi L.

    Great food. We started with the fried calamari which was lightly breaded and cooked just enough to keep it tender. I had the seafood special platter with the spinach and egg spaghetti in the Jr. Sauce. The fresh made pasta is delicious! The seafood was fresh and the sauce was garlicky and light. This was a recommendation from our waitress and she told us to ask for it at any time. My only complaint is that since the food was so good, the lines to eat we're long. We called ahead, as we were planning to come in at 7 on a Friday night. However we were told that we could only make a reservation with a group of 5 or more. So when we got there we waited an hour to be seated. In the future, I would come on a week day or with a large group so we could have a reservation.

    (4)

  • Daniel L.

    I've been going to Clara's for at least the last 25 years. It has always been the best Italian place around, locally. Prices have always been right, the food has always been nothing but authentic, comforting, and delicious. Friends of ours who worked at a local restaurant when we were all kids transitioned over to becoming the backbone of the Clara's staff. I grew up eating here, and it's always been the same. I am so happy for the Clara's family. The new restaurant is immaculate, and it's obvious from the moment you walk in. The bar looks brand new while looking like it's been there for years. They have a "pizza bar", from which we were given a sampling of the pesto pizza. It was really, really damn good. New menus, a lot more space, a clean new atmosphere. There's some new food items as well, one of which was the focaccia bread- it was ridiculously good. My staple is always the spinach fetuccine alfredo with grilled chicken. Since moving over, they must have changed up either the recipe or the prep for the pasta, but whatever they did actually improved the dish. The pasta was perfectly al dente. I can't recommend that dish enough. Go there. It's a family-owned restaurant. Bring your family. Keep bringing your kids back. Clara's is a very special place and this new move ensures that it will remain so for years to come.

    (5)

  • Mindy C.

    claras rocks!!!

    (5)

  • Brian H.

    Only went here once before at the old location. Finally got to try the new location and have to say is even better! The pasta was fresh and made by them. The chicken was delicious and moist. The wait staff was attentive and helpful. Very happy and will be back for sure!

    (5)

  • Andie C.

    My family's favorite restaurant. Great food, and great people. Best Chicken Parmesan I've ever had....it's not fried!!! Never had a bad thing on the menu. Fresh pasta is always tasty. Warm/crusty bread with oil is a must (ask for them to grate parm into it). Save room for dessert! My favorite: chicken parm Dad's favorite: linguini with red clam sauce or rudy jr. Mom's favorite: Alfredo with spinach linguini and mushrooms

    (5)

  • Michelle M.

    Clara's is a favorite restaurant of mine; they have spoiled me for anything but fresh, homemade pasta. I am happiest when go with my usual: baked rigatini with marinara sauce. The sauce is full of fresh flavors, the homemade pasta is perfectly al dente, and it's all covered in crispy-gooey baked mozzarella cheese. A meatball or two on the side makes it all perfect. The alfredo sauce is also nice but this is a once-in-a-great-while craving because it's ridiculously rich. I love the warm bread and delicious delicious cheesy-herby olive oil to dip it in. I could make a meal out of that if I'm not careful. For dessert, I have tried and enjoyed the cannoli and tiramisu but the pasta is really the star of the show here so don't feel bad if you can't save room. I can't in good conscience give a 5 star rating for two reasons- one, they serve RC and Diet Rite which is just inexcusable and two, inconsistency. Once you find what you like it's always good, but the quality varies from dish to dish- I would stay away from the chicken parm and the vodka sauce, for example. The service is inconsistent, too- will you get the totally creepy, overly attentive waiter? There is a particular hostess who can be a bit much, as well. Overall, though, Clara's is excellent and it's pretty much my favorite Italian restaurant anywhere. If it takes a few tries to find your perfect dish, it's well worth the effort.

    (4)

  • Sandy I.

    Clara's has been recommended to my sister and niece, who live in the area, numerous times over several years. Based on this feedback, we went on a Thursday at 4 pm for an early dinner. There were 5 in our party. We were seated in a large booth. We found sliding in and out of this booth was not easy or comfortable. But, the other tables were high tables and we did not want to sit there either. (in hindsight, there is another part of the dining room, not clearly visible upon walking in, that had regular tables-however, this was not offered to us). So, that out of the way, we did not like the food. Starting with the bread rolls -- not good, were not warm, and seems a bit hard to eat. 4 of 5 could have totally passed on our meals. Portions were large - but if it does not taste good - what's the use in having a large portion? We ordered the Caesars salad with anchovies, veggie pizza, stuffed shells, and lasagna. We found the sauce on the pasta dishes very bland and monotonous-no depth whatsoever. I also felt my lasagna was not warmed through (the middle-it was not cold but not hot-this is really unacceptable. I felt like they thought I would never get to the middle of the lasagna based on the size, but I did, and it was a totally bummer when I got to the luke warm center).My niece loves pasta and she made it through one shell and basically said she was done. It didn't taste very good to her. The veggie pizza-the crust was thicker than expected but, with all the veggies, it was just soggy. It was weird that it was not at all crunchy anywhere. They have a pizza maker manning the oven in clear view. This did not meet expectations. My mom was the only person who felt her meal was good. It was linguine with mussels. However, it looked very odd. It was like they dumped a whole can of tomatoes as the sauce. My dad tried some (when his Caesars salad was getting old - the dressing was a bit off - he couldn't really articulate why) and he did not like it. We will not go back -- it was a huge disappointment. We left scratching our heads and saying -- what is the draw here?

    (1)

  • Julie G.

    I have had many recommendations for this place and decided to try it out. We didn't like it at all! I had the lemon chicken which came with a side of angel hair - pasta was over cooked (and too thick to be angel hair in my opinion) and the chicken was just broiled with a ton or oregano swimming in a watery sauce that had no flavor but oregano, and no lemon taste at all. Left a bad bitter after taste because of the raw oregano. We also ordered the chicken Parmesan. The pasta was over cooked as well and chicken was not breaded either just broiled and topped with a bunch of cheese and a marinara that was watery and tons of harsh spices as well. For an appetizer we had the stuffed mushrooms. There was no taste - very bland. Don't think we will going back.

    (1)

  • Stephanie B.

    My fiancé and I decided to go to Clara's just recently for Valentine's Day (a little late on the review but better late than never, right?). Our wait was about an hour, understandable considering it was Valentine's Day, yet there was pretty much no where for us to stand and/or sit. I literally knocked a picture off the wall when we were standing all squished against a wall in the tiny entry space. Oops. The place is super nice, the interior and exterior are gorgeous. The only benefit to waiting was being able to look at the menu prior to sitting down, therefore we ordered our food quickly once we were seated. The place is huge but it was so packed, causing it to feel pretty warm throughout our dinner. Our waitress was nice though! I believe her name was Stephanie. We ordered a Margherita pizza appetizer to start off with. Although visually appealing, the pizza pretty much had no toppings, it was almost all dough. Skimpy on the cheese, skimpy on the fresh basil, and even on the tomatoes. Definitely disappointing considering I love Margherita pizza. I had a side Cesar salad prior to my entree, the dressing was just strange to me, kind of gritty. It wasn't bad though. Our dinners took forever to come out despite ordering as soon as we sat down. Again, I understand the place was packed since it was Valentine's Day but it took so long. Not even enough bread could contain us for as long as it took. I ordered the lasagna and was just not impressed! The flavor was good but I really expected more considering the great things I heard and read about Clara's. It was just ok. I think the lasagna is one of their most popular dishes too. Lasagna is one of my favorite Italian dishes too. My fiancé ordered from the pasta section that allows you to create your own dish (I can't remember exactly what the section was called). He ordered fettucini with shrimp, mushrooms, and spinach in vodka sauce. The dish looked good but it was kind of bland , runny, and mushy. We didn't have time to order dessert but I'm not sure if we would have. I can't imagine how long it would've taken to receive after ordering. Overall I was disappointed with Clara's and I'm not sure if I would try the place again, if I did I would like to go on a normal business day to see if our dinner was similar to our experience on Valentine's Day. The overall menu prices were decent and portion sizes were nice. Wish I could've given Clara's a better review!

    (2)

  • Karen G.

    In 20 + visits, never had a issue. Good service, great food with portions so large I get 3 meals out of it. This week was a typical example. I checked on yelp for hours and then when I got there discovered I was 30 min early. They let us in anyway, gave us drinks and did their best to get us the food. They even send us home with a loaf of bread each for our leftovers. I always get the veggie lasagna. It is very unusual with peas and carrots in it. It's covered in cheese and tomatos. My Shanghai friend love the place cause of the seafood pasta. She think its the best in the west burbs. Fresh and yummy. They often have 2 for 1 coupons and have daily specials like half price wine etc. Worth checking the website and local coupon flyers for the coupons.

    (4)

  • Honest R.

    I am very easy to please, but was not impressed at all by this place. The pasta was mediocre at best. I asked for the garlic dressing for my salad and all that was on it was garlic infused mayonnaise. Also, rumor about food poisoning at this location has been plentiful.

    (1)

  • Mike M.

    Food is superb but when you take into consideration how filthy the place was it takes away the excitement of the meal

    (1)

  • Chrissy N.

    Fabulous new very large restaurant. Bar area when you first walk in, classy place for drinks. Very large dining rooms. Service veer nice. Sophisticated. Classic Italian menu, fantastic wine list. Wait service was a little slow on a Thursday evening. But a good place, good for groups. Sophisticated but family friendly. A middle age/early senior crowd the night we were there. Huge parking lot. Will be back again.

    (4)

  • Chastane S.

    Stopped in a week ago for dinner. Had read reviews previously and wanted to give it a try. Since we had a later start we skipped the appetizer and I ordered the lasagna. The sauce was delicious and my husband commented that his dish (cheese tortellini w/meat sauce) reminded him of a meal he had in Italy as a child. We enjoyed the food, but felt the atmosphere was lacking. We tend to enjoy frequenting places that have the whole package. I certainly wouldn't rule this place out - the food was solid. Will certainly give it another try...maybe a Saturday evening at an earlier time....?

    (3)

  • John K.

    Clearly the new location is good for Claras. Busy on weeknights. Busy enough that it looks like they are working on an addition already. Stopped in after a youth hockey game. Food was great. I veered from my favorite for the fettuchini alfredo. It was excellent. Sausage and peppers was great and the kids split the 5 cheese pizza. Leftovers were even better the next day. What a great casual family friendly spot. I wish there was something like this closer to our house!

    (4)

  • John G.

    Really try to like this place, since we live walking distance from it. Not sure how people consider this good italian food. The chicken parm I had was so watery, I had to put two pieces of bread in the plate to absorb the water. Next, the chicken had that re-warmed taste, as if out of microwave. Was glad it was not fried, but come on, at least cook it fresh and then serve. Will say the pasta was fresh and good, but the gravy/sauce was chopped tomatoes, almost out of a can. Asked for a little extra pasta for my kids, since the kids meals consist of a very small bowl of pasta. Was charged 3.75 for a small scoop of plain pasta, nothing on it. Lastly, wine was mediocre at best and the glasses were small and barely half filled, for $8-$10 per pour. Won't be back.

    (1)

  • Karen K.

    We ordered food for carry out from here. The reviews looked good so we gave it a try. The food here tasted worse than a microwave dinner! The pasta was over cooked. The sauce was memorable because it was gross. I get nauseous thinking about the food. Never again.

    (1)

  • Matt K.

    Pasta wasn't al dente but the food's good.

    (4)

  • Lori H.

    I hadn't been to Clara's in years and just recently learned that they moved locations. I was pretty excited about the new spot since if looked so much nicer. We stopped in tonight with our two kids. Everything was great and it was such a warm atmosphere. I ordered the chicken parm and my husband had the lasagna. We both tried each other's. The food we really good, but I filled up too much on the bread. My kids (1 and 4) split a kids meal and still had leftovers. I would definitely come back!

    (5)

  • Jin Joo L.

    Had dinner with a friend and my boyfriend. Decided it was close to home and inbetween for my friend. I've tried their pasta before for carryout once, but it was my first time ever eating there. Now they're at the old Krispy Kreme location next the the ice rink. The atmosphere was warm and very friendly. Our server was great, prompt and professional. She had some good recommendations. I had the spinach fettuccine with the primavera sauce and bits of Italian sausage. It was the perfect blend of healthy and rich for me. Very flavorful and light. My friend had their chicken parmiaggiana, which he said was good, and my boyfriend had the fettuccine w/ vodka cream sauce w/ chicken breast. He liked it. Although to my tastes the meats were very salty. For dessert, I had a tiramisu, which was highly recommended as they make it fresh on premise. Will definitely be coming here again! Prices were reasonable but I thought it odd that you don't get a salad and soup unless your pasta order is over $15. So I did without. My friend and boyfriend had a bowl of soup and the portion was good. Overall, maybe $15/person-ish for entrees.

    (4)

  • Luke S.

    Service and food is awesome! Worth the price and a place that I take people when they're in town.

    (5)

  • Mark R.

    TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE! Just left Clara's for what was supposed to be a nice dinner for my daughter's birthday. Instead, me and my family had an awful and insulting experience. I will just give a brief synopsis of what happened so I do not waste too much of your time but hopefully it will save you from a similar experience. My wife ordered the special of the night and when she was half-way through she asked my daughter if she wanted to try it. When my wife placed a serving onto a plate to give to my daughter she noticed a hair in the food. The hair was not laying on top of the food. It was in the food. It obviously fell in during the preparation or plating of the dish. This is important because of what happened when the man in the blue shirt, who I am assuming was a "manager" (not sure because he never said who he was) came to our table. Initially, we told the waitress what happened and she appropriately apologized and said they would remove the dish from our bill, That sounded good until the "manager" came to the the table and was completely inappropriate and unprofessional. He initially apologized but he then starting giving us reasons why it could not be hair from any of the cooks. He said that they have fair colored hair that is not long and they they wear hair nets. By the way, they do not all wear hair nets. Instead of just accepting responsibility and sincerely apologizing he implied that it was my wife's hair in the food. He did this three times during the conversation. After he walked away I called him back to the table to ask him what he meant by the implication of the hair belonging to my wife. He did not respond directly to the question. Instead he looked dumbfounded for a couple of seconds and asked me why I thought he was implying anything when he mentioned the hair was the same color as my wife. So, I asked him why would he even bring up my wife's hair. For this, he had no answer. He simply said that they would take care of the meal and then he walked away. While the result was just his handling was profoundly incompetent for somebody who deals with the public in the restaurant business. Overall, I would never take my family back. I will tell anybody who asks what I experienced and let them make their own decision. I only gave one star because of the waitress otherwise it would have been zero.

    (1)

  • Andres D.

    What better way to celebrate my mother 61st birthday then with some homemade Italian food. To our server Loree with two e's......"You had me at pasta fagioli" and then you sealed the deal with the Allagash White as beverage of choice. I am still all smiles this morning from last evening's dinner. I ordered the incredible Filet of Salmon sauteed in a lemon butter cream sauce. You know this entree was superb because this fish swam in from the North Atlantic. I mean seriously the cream sauce alone is worth bottling and selling like hot sauce on the shelf. For starters the Anthony's Grilled Calamari in homemade marinara sauce was like bringing home the gold in the Olympics. Squeeze a little lemon and chew...yum! Was it a bad thing to keep dipping the complimentary Italian bread in the marinara sauce? Well too bad, it was magnificent! Our server was great and knowledgeable of the menu. I love how the Clara's Pasta crew hustles and really makes the dining experience memorable. That is good repeat business when someone like me notices. I am a foodie and you all made an impression.

    (4)

  • Ray T.

    We showed up for dinner about 5:30 yesterday The parking lot was crowded and, actually, a steady stream of cars seemed to be heading for the same place. We were thinking that a busy lot is a good sign and I was thinking that we will have to wait a long time for a table. The restaurant inside is far bigger than it first appears. It was busy, but there are plenty of tables to be seated at. Good. Our server was Lou and he did a fine job of greeting us, bringing the "required" bread & olive oil one expects in Italian restaurants, taking our orders and answering our questions. I ordered the pizza with sausage, pepperoni and wild mushrooms. It is about 12" in diameter, yet the toppings only cover about 8 or 9 inches. I liked the dough, but there was just too much of it on the edges and not enough toppings. Overall, it tasted good, but not great. Nearby Carrabba's, which is a comparable style restaurant has far superior personal-sized pizzas. Clara's was just okay and again, skimpy on toppings and heavy on the edge-dough. My wife had a couple of pieces and she liked it better than I. If she didn't have those pieces, I would not have taken the leftovers home in a doggy bad. My wife liked it enough that she would have. My wife had a salad and the meat lasagna. The salad was average; the lasagna was good except for the sauce. While the sauce was tasty, it was thin ... really thin. She asked Lou about the sauce and he said that he would mention it to the kitchen. It seems that in this restaurant, "thin is in." Thin sauce, thin pizza toppings. The menu prices are very good. Nothing seems overpriced. The decor is quite attractive and that is helped by the number of rooms they have to keep the restaurant more cozy and intimate. The staff is friendly and helpful. I give the staff 5 stars for friendliness, the restaurant 4 stars for appearance and 3 stars for food. If Yelp allowed 1/2 stars, I would rate Clara's with 3 1/2 stars. But, since the food is the main reason for coming here, I left the rating at 3 stars. We will probably return and try some other items off the menu.

    (3)

  • Jason R.

    I am new to the area and received a $10 gift certificate in the mail to this place. I was skeptical and I hate hidden or non-existent fine print, but figured I'd give it a go. When I got there I asked if I could just spend the $10 and be on my way, or if there was a minimum or whatever. I was delighted when they said I could spend the ten and book if I wanted to. I had no intention of doing this though. I ordered the spaghetti , with an unknown (2 day only) sauce and chicken breast. They started you with soup and bread, but I asked if I could skip the soup and just get it to go, which they had no problem doing. I hate being 90% full by the time you main course comes out. The main course I got was simply awesome, and a pretty good quantity with plenty of chicken. The service was great too. I also enjoyed a couple glasses of wine to go with the meal. Then I asked for the bill to see what the damage was, and I had to rub my eyes. It turned out to be half price wine by the glass day! Score! Don't ask me what day though as it's actually been a while since I've been there and they don't mention it on their website :(. In conclusion this place is great in every aspect and I'll be back. Luckily I'm an early eater so I'll beat out the crowds everyone is talking about. Edit: Thurdays are half price wine by the glass day. Go to their website and go to "Family Table" for their specials.

    (5)

  • Bernice R.

    My fiance and I grabbed dinner here thanks to our friends that gave us a gift card. We had heard that it gets very busy so we decided to go in the middle of the week for an early supper. Surprisingly, it was packed! It had a great atmosphere filled with family portraits of I'm assuming "Clara's" family and people chatting a storm while enjoying their meal. It just felt very homey and welcoming. We tried the calamari (half grilled and half fried). I'm a bit picky on my calamari and say it could have used a little bit more seasoning, but overall it was good. For our entrees, we had a choice of soup or salad. I choose the Italian egg-drop soup over the salad because I had never heard or tried one before. It was exactly what the waitress described- chicken broth, with tiny noodles, egg, Parmesan cheese and parsley. For me, it was super salty and probably my least favorite thing of the entire meal. But the meal picked back up when I got my pasta. Simply made and quite flavorful. No complaints. Overall, we had good food and service. The service was especially great at the beginning and the middle but dwindled at the end. It was probably because it keep getting busier but that won't deter me from coming back here again.

    (3)

  • Rachel B.

    My fiance and I decided to try Clara's for the first time since it moved from the strip mall up the street. we went on 5/22 around 6 pm so naturally it was busy. We walked in and put our name in for a seat. We were seated approximately 5 minutes after we arrived. This is where it went down hill. First off let me say that the bar is extremely small, we contemplated getting drinks before we were seated but we could barely see the liquor selection so we just waited to be seated. After we were seated, it took approximately 10-15 minutes before our waiter acknowledged us. We were brough plates fo bread and oil however we weren't brought any water to drink. While we were waiting, our soon to be waiter walked by us at least 10 times. Granted we are 20 somethings but our money is just as green as anyone elses and I am in the restaurant industry so I know how it is to be busy. We exected an acknowledgment of "I'll be right with you." And it gets worse from there, we ordered our drinks along with an appetizer of Bruschetta. Our drinks came. We ordered right when our drinks came. The suop came out. We didn't get our food for at least 30 minutes and the bruschetta NEVER came. People who were seated after us receieved their food before us!! We ordered the chicken parmasean and Lasagna. They were both average. The chicken was not breaded which I am used to but I did see on the menu that it wasn't. The pasta and marinara sauce were good. If you enjoy tomato sauce that has an acidic kick you will like this. The lasagna was cold. Something that simple should be pretty hard to screw up. Overall we expected more from this restaurant since we had outstanding service and food when it was in the strip mall. We probably won't be going out of our way to visit Clara's again. It just seemed like since we weren't drinking wine and not in out late 40's-early 50's, we weren't as important as the other diners.

    (2)

  • Brad J.

    The food here is great. When you want Italian food this is the place to go. Everything on the menu is great and the new location is beautiful!

    (5)

  • Travis B.

    I don't hand these out normally, in fact this is my only one to date. SUPER BOWL SUNDAY! The game was a blow out so I Called Claras to make sure they were open and could accommodate the 2 of us and 2 friends. The hostess said that they were indeed open till 9:00pm on Sundays and that we could walk in because it was slow. 20 mins later we arrive and our friends were on route, both doors were locked. A member of the staff sat at the bar and watched us stand there in confusion and hesitantly came to the door. He opens it half way and say sorry we are closed, there just weren't enough customers because of the game. There were 10 tables sat inside. when making the call to close a restaurant, all factors should be taken into consideration. What is there to gain by closing 1 hour and 15 mins early. The damage is done. Grab what money you can from whoever is willing to come in. While walking back to the car I informed a group of 8 that were getting out of their suv that they were closed, and another car was pulling in for the same disappointment. This restaurant used to be great back when it was in a dilapidated old shopping center, now it's a shadow of what I had come to expect. Won't go back. Please don't take this out on the hostess or whoever answered the phone, she was the only professional I had the opportunity to interact with, and an asset. Good luck Claras.

    (1)

  • Ed N.

    Just had the worst experience ever. We come here once a month and tonight was a service issue. Had to wait 25 minutes for a caesar salad. This is unacceptable Clara's

    (1)

  • Valerie K.

    Very nice atmosphere with friendly and helpful staff. Cesaers salad was very good. I liked my lasagna but felt it should have more noodles. The hubby had the seafood special and also enjoyed it but the mussels were very tiny. Unlike some others I thought their meatballs were a little tough. Overall I would go back but I was hoping to be more impressed with the food.

    (3)

  • Scott N.

    I have been eating at this restaurant for over 15 years and have noticed an inconsistency in the quality of the food. This used to be my go to place for home-made Italian cuisine but the kitchen staff and quality control is serious lacking. We decided to take my wife's parents there last night and we ordered the Pesto Sauce Genovese, Angel Hair Pasta with Marinara sauce, Rotini with Meat Sauce and Lasagna. First, the lasagna was excellent as always however the pasta dishes were swimming in water! I had the Genovese and there was actually about 1/2" of water at the bottom of my bowl. I am by no means an expert in Italian cooking but I believe there should not be water at the bottom of these dishes. My wife complained that the sauce would not even stay on the pasta because it was so watered down. We decided to call the next day to mention this to the manager and he said the kitchen must not have waited long enough for the pasta to drain. Huh? You've been running an Italian restaurant for decades and your kitchen staff doesn't know how to cook pasta? OK, so how about the person inspecting dishes before they go out? There are a million Italian restaurants in the area and most know how to cook pasta. I could have had a better meal at Olive Garden where at least they drain the pasta. Not going back until I hear they make major changes.

    (2)

  • Bri J.

    Amazing place! Great, casual and relaxed atmosphere. Great service--even when they are beyond busy on a Saturday night. Large portions and extremely reasonably priced. I can't wait to go back! Best dish is by far the cheese tortellini.

    (5)

  • E E.

    This is one of our favorite places. Oh goodness, just thinking of their food makes my mouth water. A guy at a mattress store recommended Clara's when we moved to the 'burbs, and when he said "it's a hole in the wall, but try it anyway" we didn't think he was serious. Totally drove past it the first time thinking, "uhh... this cannot be it", but sure enough! If you hate waiting, go during off-peak hours. Otherwise, be prepared to wait. They can get VERY busy. Luckily they're moving to a newer building down the street in a couple months, then it should be a little better when waiting (Clara's: pleeease don't change your food or recipes when you move! Please. I'm serious.) A good thing to know is that if you are vegetarian they are very accommodating and will substitute veggies when there should be meat. My mother-in-law has had the eggplant parmigiana and said it was very good, and I've had mushrooms substituted in a chicken dish when I had a no-meat-phase. I've been told the lasagna is good but standard. Overall though, the shrimp ersilla, Rudy JR's shrimp, and Papa Rudolph's mushroom marinara are super tasty. My husband has also had the customized pasta with primavera sauce and said it was very good. Do try the soups though! We've had a number of soups, and we once had a side of meatballs as part of our appetizers. The staff is super friendly and we have not had a bad experience. We've recommended this place to many people already, and this was one of the best finds in the 'burbs so far. I think I'm in love.

    (5)

  • Claudia C.

    Love the new location! Definitely more upscale while offering the same great service and amazing food!

    (4)

  • Ryan L.

    Very good food, service was new but I'm sure will get better as time goes on. They did a great job with the new location; however, we sat near the kitchen entrance which had an incredibly annoying squeak which sounded like nails on a chalkboard.

    (4)

  • Jamie A.

    Amazing...so good! Great Italian food with Lasagna and meatballs to die for! The seafood bisque was incredible and the fresh, warm bread made it even better - and that wasn't easy to achieve, in my opinion.

    (5)

  • D. V.

    I love this place !!! I walk in here and it smell's like my Grandma & Grandpa 's house. GOOD !!! Love the pasta and bread !!!!!!! The service is always good too !

    (5)

  • Julie C.

    Best Italian food I have ever had! Clara's is a great family owned restaurant with a delicious menu and very friendly wait staff. If you go there be prepared to wait a bit on Friday or Saturday night, but let me insure you it is definitely worth the wait. The food is all freshly prepared and they change up their specials every week. I suggest signing up on their website for the secret password, and you will get great discounts every week.

    (5)

  • Erick H.

    Wow, what a find. I drive by this place all the time, and didn't realize it was here. I won a gift certificate, so we decided to go back. Wednesday night and the place was busy. We were seated quickly, and our server took our order and brought out our bread. Wonderful, warm bread. It was amazing. They mix the olive oil with cheese and herbs, and it was great. We both had salads, and the only thing I would recommend is to cut back on the amount of dressing. My Bleu Cheese dressing drenched salad was a bit too much. I should have asked for it on the side, and then I would have enjoyed the salad. But the main course was amazing. I had the Lasagna Primavera and my wife had the Lasagne. I added Meatballs. I was in heaven. The sauce is amazing. As at almost every Italian restaurant there was too much food. We took home what we didn't eat, and when we warmed it up later to eat it I was again in heaven. Will definitely be back here.

    (5)

  • Teri G.

    I love this place! Consistently good food and service. It's a traditional Italian restaurant with traditional food. Their homemade pasta is so good, I usually get spinach rotini with arrabbiata or vodka cream sauce. Portions are huge, you'll definitely leave with left overs. Bread tastes like it's baked onsite. Extensive wine list. Decor is dated but the food makes up for it! I guess it's charming. I'm personally not a fan of the TVs playing sports all the time.

    (5)

  • Andrew T.

    I feel like I'm on a roll of average reviews, but it is what it is. Clara's was dinner with some family, and while it certainly wasn't bad, I can't say it was exceptional. I was lured in by the meat ravioli in vodka cream sauce - tasty, but missing a little something that's in the better vodka cream sauces I've had. Maybe a little heat? The ravioli were good, just that sauce was missing a little. And it was basically about 5 or 6 good sized ravioli in a huge puddle of sauce - I should have asked for some bread or something to mop it up. Not that it wasn't plenty to eat. I also had a bowl of lentil soup, which had good veggies, but not a lot of lentil - Although that's partially my fault, as I think of lentil soup and I think of dal or split pea which tend to be thicker than this sort of thing. Service was friendly, but our waitress was a bit of a character. Could be a good return spot. I actually don't know of many casual Italian places - most I'm aware of tend to the more expensive. Although, I haven't really looked to build up a collection, either.

    (3)

  • Larry T.

    Clara's is packed on weeknights! The lasagna is outstanding. My wife and I average eating 2 loaves of bread each visit. The bread is freshly baked and just out of the oven with an awesome oil dipping sauce. GREAT FOOD, EXCELLENT SERVICE & HUGE PORTIONS...don't think about going anywhere else...forget about it! You can also join the Online Family and receive special information and discounts available to only those who are a part of the "family". If you know the password just tell your server and you will receive the "family discount". If they ask you how did you find out, just say Who Wants To Know!

    (4)

  • Rick F.

    Clara's is fantastic!

    (5)

  • Jen W.

    I'm not originally from the Downer's/Woodridge area, but according to my husband Clara's is something of an institution. After our delicious meal there the other night, I can see why! Being raised by an Italian mother, who always cooked traditional food growing up, I am typically underwhelmed by Italian restaurants. Clara's is a rare exception. The pasta is made in house (except for the stuffed kind - ravioli, etc) and the variety of sauces to choose from should be able to please almost anyone. The kitchen is a scratch kitchen, meaning everything is made to order, no pre packaged meals, so you can customize your dish however you choose. I had the Rudy's special - House made angel hair in a butter/garlic sauce made spicy with shrimp - It was fantastic. The sauce was light and just spicy enough, and the shrimp was cooked perfectly. My husband had baked penne with sausage. He loved it. The bread they bring to the table was crusty and warm from the oven, and hard not to fill up on. I also had the pasta fagioule soup which was tasty. Another nice thing was their beer list. They have a good selection of micros to choose from. We'll definitely be back to Clara's! We only live a few minutes away. so I can see it becoming one of our go to places.

    (4)

  • P O.

    My husband and I visited their new location for the second time last night - with friends who first introduced us to Clara's and have been going there for years. All of us are surprised by some of the changes they have made - it seems as they are going away from some of the things that made their customers come back. 1) They no longer allow you to call ahead 2) They no longer serve French or Thousand Island dressing. 3) No longer have the lemon delight on their dessert menu. 4) We had to ask for bread. The pastas were good but we wish they would go back to what made them one of our favorites - next time, we'll try someplace else.

    (3)

  • Zack R.

    Some of the best italian food around. I almost get full on bread every time I go before my meal is even ordered, because it's so good. Their lasagna is amazing. I always look forward to coming back here. The only negative I can say about this place is that it is not a large restaurant and on busy nights you can feel sort of cramped

    (5)

  • Rob E.

    Most people swear by this restaurant, and they should. They provide a lot of great dishes, huge portions at an amazing price. The service is always excellent, especially if you can get Bryan as your server - he's always very nice and gets everything right. I'm Italian, and nothing makes me more frustrated then a bunch of stuck-up Dagos that have to criticize ever Italian restaurant they find because it wasn't how their mother made it. Get over it! Clara's is awesome!

    (5)

  • D H.

    The rave reviews for this place were lost on me. Perhaps because the person who recommended it raved about how good it was, that I came away disappointed. I had the lasagna, which was good, and it's obivously the sauce has a good depth and dimensionality to it, but truthfully, the place was cold and our waiter was less than attentive. It was fine, but nothing spectacular. The bread was quite good.

    (3)

  • Greg H.

    I used to come here when I was around five years old as it was my parents favorite Italian restaurant to go before they divorced. I still remember waiting at their old location and being offered by the hostess a plethora of "Where's Waldo" books to keep my little brother and I company while waiting. Over the next fifteen years, my parents would order take out or I would go with one side and every time, I would get the same thing: make your own with angel hair, creamy pesto sauce, and shrimp. Well, I wanted to celebrate my girlfriend finding a job out of college, so decided to take her to the new location down the street. It was nostalgic in an almost modern kind of way. Sure the new location used to be Krispy Kreme's, yes it is more modern than the old location as opposed to real candles lit in a dimly lit room, but the staff and food was exactly the same. I went on a Saturday at 6:30 and was told it would be a fifteen minute wait. My girlfriend and I immediately went to the bar and grabbed a few drinks, which were surprisingly inexpensive for such a restaurant. We were seated easily in fifteen, and our waiter was exactly the same as I had remember at the old location: professional, friendly, and fast. I understand that on a Saturday at 6:30, service isn't going to be the best. But it was fast. I have zero complaints about it. The food was exactly the same as I had remembered: delicious. I'm a pesto junkie, so I got the chicken pesto on angel hair with Jameson on the rocks. It was amazing. Two drinks and two entrees for around fifty dollars? I walked out of the place with a warm feeling knowing that it hadn't changed. Going there with my girlfriend will now always remind me of the good times I had with my family. The only thing I hated was the people sitting around us. I may be a 23 year old college student, but going to Clara's reminded me to dress a bit nice. Some people were in t-shirt and cargo shorts. Come on people, dress up a bit, look classy for a single night. I swear it's fun.

    (5)

  • Howard L.

    This was our second visit to Clara's, and like the first one about 11 years ago, it was like what's with the fuss about the place. It was ok, but that's about it (about 2.5 stars). We had chicken breast limone, which was salty, and also overly lemony. The cream of artichoke soup that came with it was overly lemony also. We also had the meat ravioli with vodka cream sauce. The pasta was a bit bland, and the ravioli was not stuffed with much meat content. The cream sauce was ok, but a little watery. Water service was poor, though the server was frendly. The place is older, family style, and very casual. We noticed there were a lot of wine drinkers, as they do have an extensive list of reasonably priced wines.

    (2)

  • Victrix V.

    They make fresh pasta which is great, but the ingredient quality has been questionable to me (after multiple visits)

    (2)

  • Justin K.

    Before I die my last meal will be the portabella chicken fettuccini w/ alfredo .. Been coming here since I was a kid and never had a less than amazing meal here.

    (5)

  • Michelle I.

    This has got to be the best italian restaurant around!! They are always packed, it would be great if they expanded and moved to a nicer location. This is a definite treat going to Clara's! What's sad is that I don't think of going here that often.

    (5)

  • Michael P.

    Having dined at Clara's multiple times over the past few years, we decided to host our wedding rehersal dinner there in June of 2013. It was just what we were hoping for. Working with the staff beforehand to plan the event was straightforward. Their deposits and minimum spend levels were very reasonable, lower than most of the locations we looked at. The banquet menu is family-style and although the options were plentiful, it was a painless process. The building and decor aren't much to be impressed with. The first time I went and realized that the strip mall I arrived at was the correct location I was a bit concerned. The waiting area is small for the number of tables and can be crowded on a weekend. But the wait is worth it. The food was amazing. The appetizers were quick to arrive, plentiful and very good - especially the bruschetta. The salads were solid. The pasta was very fresh and delicious and the Chicken Limone drew raves. For desert we went with tiramasu and cannoli for the adults and ice cream for the kids. That was until the kids saw the adult deserts and were hovering around hoping for scraps. A query to the staff and they promptly brought out a plate of tiramasu and cannoli for the kids table. Which segues into the service. The staff was wonderful. We did have a minor incident with spilled water, but they dealt with that quickly and were flawless the rest of the evening. They were attentive without being overbearing and were quick to respond to requests. I'll grant that we were dining in the banquet area, but we've had good service in the past in the main dining room also. All-in-all it was a great evening. I think we may have gotten as many compliments on the rehearsal dinner as we did on the wedding reception dinner itself. We will definitely be visiting Clara's again and are looking forward to upgraded facilities at their new location.

    (5)

  • Kristen D.

    This is a great go-to Italian place if you're picking what to order for carry-out after a busy day. (Not to mention the huge bag of bread they give you when you order carry-out!) It's also fantastic to dine-in, but that could be because I love dim-lit, candle filled, white tableclothed tables, and quiet...very romantic. The pasta is some of the freshest I've ever tasted. Sauce can be a little chunky instead of saucy, though I prefer a bit of noodles with my marinara. I've been eating here since I was about 8 years old, and this place was what turned a (former) very picky eater on to tortellini. Fresh pasta, great food, good atmosphere. Don't let the landscape of the strip mall fool you!

    (4)

  • P P.

    So disappointed with the food. I brought a friend there for her birthday dinner. She seemed happy with her meal but I was really disappointed with my floretine lasagna. I was told a salad didn't come with my entree but the entree was 'so large it would make up for not having a salad and I would probably take half of it home with me'. I was presented with a large serving platter covered with red sauce and in the middle was a possibly 4"x4" piece of lasagna. I think I will stick with Biaggi's.

    (2)

  • Jan W.

    Looks like a family operate place. The pasta was fresh made which was very special. The portion was huge, we have more than enough. The service was wonderful. Both of the dishes that we ordered tasted great.

    (5)

  • Jody S.

    Just came back from the restaurant, and extremely disappointed. We went there many years ago at their old place, and we had wonderful experience at that tim. But anyway we WILL NOT GO BACK again. The food is just not good. The italian salad dressing, Vinaigrette, Oil and vinegar are totally separated, and no taste at all (no salt no pepper). Chicken Parmigiana, the chicken was plain and no taste, just a big chuck of white breast with no flavor at all. Stuff shell again no taste, ricotta cheese inside have no seasoning at all, hard to swallow. Homemade meat ball again no taste. Don't understand why they don't use basic seasoning. Another problem is the tomato sauce was not good either. There were two things not too bad. One was their bread, they were warm, and the clam chowder. Rest of the dishes were really hard to eat.

    (1)

  • B. D.

    Phenomenal. Absolutely phenomenal. Essentially everything that CAN be home-made *is*. Awesome noodles, awesome sauces... quality ingredients and GREAT service. Portions are plenty to feed you three times over. This place hit it out of the ball-park. EXCELLENT. Perfect for everything from family meals to quiet romantic dates... plenty of room as well for larger parties and business meetings as well. This is our go-to Italian place from now on! Just... WOW. UPDATE -- August 3, 2013: I just found out that CLARA'S will be *moving* rather soon to a new location at Seven Bridges in Woodridge right on Route 59 -- down the street from their old location. They're remodeling the old Krispy Kreme building location and it looks like it'll be a lovely spot for this 5-Star Gem-of-an-Italian-Restaurant! Nearby attractions are a very nice Cinemark Theatre with IMAX and the Seven Bridges Ice Arena. I cannot say enough how impressed my husband and I were with this restaurant. I would recommend this place to ANYONE looking for top-of-the-line Italian. This is literally THE BEST ITALIAN in Chicagoland.

    (5)

  • Terri S.

    I've been coming here since they opened over in the strip mall. I have to say, I've been to the new location twice and was mildly disappointed the first visit and terribly disappointed tonight. The wine pours are so small for a $8.00 glass of average wine. We ordered the red pepper and gorgonzola salad which we had never had, and it was just a Caesar salad with a different name. Not at all what we expected. The manager took it off our bill. My husband ordered Chicken marsala marinara. He said he thought it had been warmed up in the microwave. Very watery and bland. I had the Baked shells and they had a strange chemical taste. The service was beyond bad. You just sit there and wait and wait and wait........ wait for a drink refill, wait for a water refill.,,,wait, wait, wait. Luckily, my husband and I talk. It makes me sad to write this review. I am hoping that it will get the attention of the staff and management because word does get around and people aren't always going to have low expectations. I highly doubt I'll be back. There are too many decent Italian restaurants in the area. I would say this was like eating at Olive Garden but I think the service would surpass what we had tonight. Sad.

    (2)

  • Katrina S.

    I went here with my boyfriend because we had a buy one get one free card and there were so many great reviews on yelp. I must say this is one of the worst Italian restaurants I have ever been too. I had the pasta with marinara sauce and the sauce tasted exactly like the horrible red sauce that pizza hut gives you to dip your breadsticks in. My boyfriend got a pasta dish that was baked with cheese. Well it was more like cheese with a little pasta baked in. He loves cheese and even he couldn't eat it. What made it worse was when we presented our card that manager wouldn't accept it saying it was out of date and I had to argue with him saying the only reason we came here was to use the card. Finally he gave us our free entree but was very rude about it. Our server was very friendly though and I don't think she liked her manager either. Will definitely not be going to Clara's again.

    (2)

  • Alison V.

    I had high expectations going in, so I was a bit disappointed. The wait was about 15 minutes for a party of two. I tried calling earlier in the day, but they only take reservations for parties of 5 or more. I had the Eggplant Parmesan which was WAY too salty. In terms of texture, parts were perfectly soft, others were rubbery/undercooked. I agree with others who commented that they just toss the pasta into the sauce without draining it properly. The side of pasta, which was on the same plate, was watery and unpleasant. My hubby had the Rudy Jr. Shrimp which was tasty with a bit of heat, but also quite salty. Service was great.

    (3)

  • Kristen S.

    I remember eating at Clara's many many years ago as a child and that tells you something. Awesome authentic Italian food. My fiance and I ordered takeout from here a few months ago and were not disappointed. This place gets packed quick! SO plan accordingly.

    (4)

  • Maureen E.

    Good food and no frills. If you want a place that has more ambiance than flavor, keep driving. One great thing about this place is that I have a set of dietary restrictions and they were super accommodating in making sure my meal met them. They also double checked with the kitchen to make sure that there wouldn't be any issues - and it still tasted delish! Our waiter had a rotten string of bad luck with us, and he made up for it with a free tiramisu. Despite the hiccups, we still plan to return - good food, and extremely reasonable.

    (4)

  • S G.

    Lou was server 5/9. Awesome attitude and humor. Very helpful with suggestions and he's honest. I had the calamari and lasagna and both were awesome I would order again. I think next time I want to try the chicken parm. Good job Lou on service! And tipping my hat to Clara's on the food execution!

    (5)

  • Catherine H.

    As a single diner, my experiences are always mixed with upscale restaurants. Clara's gets an extra star for treating me as well as any larger group! The wine list is good, with a few by-the-glass options. I love that you can create your own pasta (fabulous vodka sauce!), and my dessert was amazing (raspberry truffle). My waiter was friendly and attentive, and the food was top-notch. It is on the noisy side, and was kind of difficult to find as an out-of-towner, but it was all well worth it. Clara's is saved in my GPS for my next stop in the area!

    (5)

  • Anne B.

    Great food, great atmosphere, great service! A friend and I found Clara's on a whim because we wanted to have a catch-up lunch near the car dealership where my car was being serviced and thankfully, we found Clara's! The interior is beautiful and very clean. The staff were friendly and our server, Rachel, was on point. The menu offers just the right amount of variety. Before I start raving about the entreé, let me rave about the bread. It was warm, soft, and tasted fresh out of the oven! We actually asked for more to go with our appetizers and main courses because it was just that good. I ordered the fried calamari, which was above average but not spectacular. I thought it was missing something, but I'm not complaining. My entreé was the Rudy Jr. Shrimp Special. Oh.my .goodness. It was so so delicious! The shrimp was cooked just so and the noodles were not only pleasing to the eye, but pleasing to my palate as well! For dessert, I ordered the tiramisu which was melt in your mouth delicious. I've recommended Clara's to my family and my co-workers because the southwest suburbs need great restaurants like it!

    (4)

  • Danielle W.

    So I've passed by this place several times and the parking lot was always full. Decided to stop in for dinner one time. The food was really good, I got a shrimp and angel hair pasta sauce. It was really really good, the place had a kinda of greasy feel to it though. Server was nice if slightly unattentive. I would probably go back.

    (4)

  • Joseph H.

    My mom loves this place and for good reason. It's not fancy, but that is what's nice about it. The food is good and the staff are friendly. It's as simple as that. Also, Wednesday is half price wine night and I've only been on Wednesday...coincidence? I think not. I've had the chicken pesto and Rudy Jr. shrimp dishes thus far. I'll have to say that I got the Rudy Jr "spicy" and it was extremely hot. Typically, unless you're getting wings or something that is known as spicy, then I'm not usually afraid of getting a dish spicified. I was proven wrong here, so be warned. I got the pesto dish because according to my mother, my sisters always get the pesto and I wanted to make them jealous. Overall, I've been really happy with my experiences at Carla's. They also have a solid olive oil sauce for their bread to start that has parmesan infused with pepper. Don't eat too much though because the entree portions are insanely large. You literally should be able to take half home for a full meal the next day.

    (4)

  • Chi T.

    It's actually been a while since I've been here, but my wife an I went here after I had proposed to her. I loved the food, but perhaps love was just in the air that day :) I remember the lasagna I had, you can say I am a bit like Garfield the cat - I LOVE lasagna! I remember the lasagna because that was a meal! You don't eat it and then a few hours later say "what's there to snack on?" It's like a brick in your stomach, but in a good way. I've been meaning to get back over there and try some more dishes, but I'm more into Italian food than my wife so we just haven't made it back, yet.

    (4)

  • Maria P.

    Whatever you do, don't drive away because of the exterior AKA first impression. Even though the restaurant is in a strip mall, it's not traditional strip mall dining. We started off with the calamari combination platter which has both grilled and fried as well as the basil with goat cheese bruschetta. Both were tasty. For my meal I ordered the shrimp pasta that is sold as spicy, that of which it was not. If you like spicy, tell them to dial it up a notch. My husband got the linguine with clams and that was OK. We shared a cannoli and coffee; their coffee is excellent. if you like Italian food and you are looking for the more traditional approach in the burbs, check this place out.

    (3)

  • susie o.

    Good! Dirty martini....perfect!!! Olive oil dipping sauce...yummy! So so good. I had the cheese tortellini with (spicy) vodka cream sauce. Good service too.

    (5)

  • Louie F.

    The olive oil dipping sauce... I'll call it crack sauce. Just give me a straw, that sauce, and the bread... Had soup and sandwich lunch, the potato bisque... Delicious. Meatball sandwich... Great... I'd move in and live at a table if I could...

    (5)

  • Bonna M.

    We recently had dinner at Claras. It really isn't much to look at from the outside but is pretty nice on the inside...maybe a tad dated but it is fine. They are very reasonable and their food is really good. My daughter and I both ordered the grilled chicken with marinara sauce over angel hair pasta. There was so much that it ended up being dinner that night and 2 lunches for me. My husband ordered Rudy Jr's Shrimp Special (spicy). It was awesome! Next time we go back, I am getting that! The soup of the day was a seafood soup with a tomato base which came out very hot and very tasty. The bread is also wonderful and they give you oil/herbs or butter...the oil/herbs is fantastic. We will definitely return and I've seen coupons in our mail for Claras which makes it even more appealing.

    (4)

  • Terry B.

    Just left after returning 3 dinners - chicken parmigiana swimming in tomato water with soggy pasta, chicken pesto drowning in a gloppy, creamy mess, and a microwaved pizza with absolutely no flavor. After returning 3 entrees, no manager came to inquire or assist us. We turned in a $50 gift certificate and literally ate salad and bread with a glass of wine. Most of the clientele was using buy one-get one free coupons, but I wouldn't eat there again under any circumstances. The entire menu is based on tomato sauce, which is basically red water. I am Italian and eat at restaurants almost daily - have never had such terrible food or bad experience, and have never returned a dinner in my life. They should be on Kitchen Nightmares - Ramsey would shut the place down!

    (1)

  • Michael S.

    It doesn't look like much, but the food is great! My wife and I went for the first time last weekend and enjoyed everything we ate. You could tell everything tasted fresh. The Bruschetta di Roma was refreshing and full of flavor. The soup of the day was Potato Artichoke. It was creamy and pureed and didn't look like what I expected, but was so glad I ordered it! For dinner I had the Rudy Jr spicy and was happy with it, but think it would have been better if it has some some marinara sauce mixed in. My wife had the Eggplant Lasagna and she really liked it. I tasted it and Clara's marinara sauce is sweet and tatses very good. I love the chunks of tomato in it. It's a good thing I don't live too close to this place or I would have to get larger pants. The only thing is Clara's is a little pricey, but I think its worth it for the fresh ingrediants and delicious food. With wine, appetizer, dinner, and splitting a desert, or check was $77

    (5)

  • Laura M.

    Our family visited here last night and had a great time. Wednesdays have half-priced bottles of wine which allowed us to explore. Everyone enjoyed their food and we're looking forward to going back and trying other items on the menu.

    (4)

  • Lana J.

    We just ate at Clara's for the third time and it was really disappointing. We had reserved a table for 5; the really unfriendly hostess tried to cram us into a 4-top table by putting the high chair on the corner of the table. This was not going to work, so we requested a bigger table and she was quite huffy about it ..."I'll have to move some other people around." Well, the entire time we were there, not one single larger party came into the restaurant, so I'm not sure who had to be "moved around." in fact, the restaurant was not that busy at all. The waiter was pretty abrupt throughout our meal, and to top it off, both my husband and I had dishes that involved pools of water on our plates with our sauce/pasta. Yuck! We love the homemade pasta, but we were really bummed out after our last visit to Clara's.

    (2)

  • Scott M.

    I've been coming to this place since it was a single storefront wide and had bright florescent lights. It was a fine place then and it's fine place now. I find Italianos in General a vexing breed. I've had some of my finest meals under the Red White and Green flag, and some poisonous swill as well. Now, mind you, I've had none of the second kind at Clara's, in fact most every meal I've had there has been of the first. One of the things I like about this place is that it doesn't stand on ceremony. You can tell that these recipes are family heirlooms, 'cos they're quirky, they're unique, and unlike the run of the mill Red-Sauce joints. It doesn't taste like "restaurant food". And sometimes it doesn't look like restaurant food either. Take the Grilled Calamari for example, it ain't too pretty on the plate, but it tastes damned good. The "Fazuli" salad looks a mess when it comes to the table, and the taste ain't what you'd expect, but it, too is damned good-especially if you add the optional Anchovies. A word here about the bread service. The loaf that comes to the table is about the size of a Clincher (12") nicely crunchy on the outside and wonderfully soft, tasty and doughy (in a good way) on the inside. Perfect to sop stuff up, and the stuff they give you for soppin' is worth the visit itself. A mixture of good quality olive oil, cheese and frackin' fairy dust for all I know. I don't try to figure it out, it might spoil the experience if I knew what was in it. It's hard to not fill up on the bread. The Marinara is superlative. You get a healthy bowl of it with the Grilled Calamari I spoke of above, but the pairing is not happy. The two don't work together-the Calamari doesn't need the gravy. The Marinara doesn't need the Calamari, either. For me, it doesn't need anything but a spoon, which I what I eat the Marinara with, solo; disregarding the malocchio I get from nearby tables. F 'em-One man's gravy is another man's soup. My usual order here is a special that I can never remember the name of. In fact as I write this I can't remember exactly what's in it except shaved Parmesan or Romano and an Olive Oil Sauce to which I add the side of Anchovies. Heaven with a glass of Pinot Grigio. I suspend my usual restaurant fetishes here, 'cos it really does seem like you're in an extension of some Nonna's kitchen. I point to it on the menu and say "add Anchovies". I couldn't care what it's called. It's damned good. Wife usually orders Lasagna, which I taste and swear that I'm going to order next time (but never do, in favor of the Whatchamacallit that I usually order). I don't like Lasagna, for the record. More culinary felonies have been committed in Lasagna's name than a brigade of Wiseguys, and I flee when threatened with the dish. This one, however is...damned good. Daughter #2 orders Chicken Alfredo and nothing else (it's one of her favorite restaurants). I'm not an Alfredo fan either. She eats precisely one half of the voluminous Chicken Breast that comes on the dish, and always send the remainder home with me. (she finishes the pasta). What I noticed is that when I nuked the chix the next day, it was still cooked perfectly. Usually you land up with dried out Goodyear Meat, but not here. I don't like Chicken breast either, but this bird is...damned good. Like I said, Quirky. You get soup or salad with your entrees, and same Daughter eats neither, so Pop Oubliette gets the disjecta membra. On a recent visit, the soup was Clam Chowder, which tasted like many things, none of which were Clam Chowder. If you think that's a negative, it ain't. There was some kind of smokey/char-broiled note in the "Clam Chowder" which made the soup interesting as hell, and as a result...damned good. The onliest thing that sucks out loud about this place is that they serve imitation Cola. Sometimes I'm forced to forego the Vino either to driving duties or just not being in the mood to imbibe, so my call is a "Diet Coke". What comes to the table is a near-flat brown liquid that tastes like it has been piped in from one of the nearby auto body shops. With some saccharine added. This place does a land-office business, it's always packed. This place is making money. Do you think they could flip and serve a Coke or a Pepsi? It doesn't make sense, unless they are serving this shite to nudge a peek at the Wine list. I wonder if they have a BYO policy concerning soft drinks? All in all, this joint rocks. Put the menu up on the wall and throw a dart at it, blindfolded, and you'll have a good feed. Just don't order a Diet...

    (4)

  • Star G.

    Service was outstanding! But the chicken Parmesan I ordered was really bland with a big hunk of over-melted cheese on it. ...My Caesar salad was good. ...Their bread was good and the dipping sauce I thought was too Parmesan-ish. ...Coke products as sodas.

    (2)

  • Brian H.

    I just started working in the area, and ordered the "Lunch portion" of lasagna for pickup. Total came to eight bucks and change, serving was GIANT and high quality, and lasagna was excellent. I will definitely be getting more pickup in the future!

    (5)

  • Renee S.

    Clara's is my favorite non-chain Italian restaurant in the west burbs. Every dish I've ever had there was spot on. And the service has always been very good. It can be crowded on weekends so I try to go between the lunch and dinner crowds. I wouldn't care if it's in a strip mall or an alley. If the food is good and at a good price, I'm going.

    (4)

  • Anya J.

    Excellent all the way around. Best Italian food, so fresh! Great ambiance and service. We will definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Brandy W.

    I might still be tasting garlic and we visited 5 days ago. We were seated right away with no reservation on a Thursday evening at 7:00. The place was fairly packed, however. This place came highly recommended by a few people we know, so it was worth the shot. We ordered wine and drinks right away from our server who was nice, but a little loud and rushed for me. The bread and olive oil dip was quite good-- so we enjoyed that. We all had house salads. Their vinaigrette was amazing! I think that was my favorite thing about the place. I ordered a make-your-own pasta with spinach fettucine, sundried tomatoes, and broccoli. Boy were there a lot of sundried tomatoes! There was definitely no measuring going on in that kitchen. The other two ordered lasagnas-- one regular and one primavera. We had espresso, coffee, and a spumoni for dessert to follow our meal. Our waitress mentioned something about taking $9 off our tab for the wine selection. I think she gave us the wrong wine since I heard a discussion at the table next to us also about wine... anyway, whatever. The spumoni was sub-par. I've had a lot of spumoni in my life, but this wasn't the best. I don't know that it was the worst... or maybe this was the most authentic and it turns out I don't like authentic?! Either way, ick. I'd go back to Clara's again... but if it's not on the company tab, I will be using a coupon. It was a little pricey (around $80) for 3 people. Sure, we ordered 2 glasses of wine, a soda, 3 starter salads, 3 entrees, 3 coffees and a dessert. I guess the price was reasonable... but I just feel still a little ripped off for eating in a random strip mall on 53. I've said it once and I'll say it again... I hate paying for overpriced Italian.

    (4)

  • Wendy F.

    Clara's has reopened at a new location at 6550 Rt. 53 - in the Seven Bridges retail mall area (where the old Krispy Kreme was). the new location is beautiful - and has a lot more space. There's more room for private events, too. The most important thing, though - is the food is still as great as ever!

    (5)

  • Gia G.

    This place was quite the surprise. Headed over after working out at the gym across the parking lot (don't judge me) because there was a sign on 53 that said, "Try Clara's!" The food was absolutely divine!! OMG! We didn't know anything about the place when we walked in and actually felt badly because we had on just-left-the-gym clothes and this place is a bit on the nice/fancy side. But as soon as we sat down and our server, Lou, gave us the wonderful dinner rolls with olive oil we knew we'd found a new favorite. Everything they presented to us was really, really delicious. I mean fresh, well-concocted, authentic Italian fare. Huge servings, of course. And just super yummy! I had the cream of artichoke soup (which almost made me cry it was so ef'n good) and the baked chicken with portobello mushroom dish. Lawd, have mercy! I could not believe how fantastic the baked chicken dish was. To top everything off we shared the cheesecake, which was the perfect ending to a filling but not overly heavy meal. Our server, Lou, was attentive and funny. Because of all of this we will be back!

    (5)

  • Kristen B.

    This is probably my favorite restaurant in the area. Every dish I have tried is delicious. We've been coming here since it was in the strip mall and are so happy that they moved to an even better place closer to the movie theatre. The homemade pasta is out of this world. I love the vodka sauce and always add mushrooms. The pesto bruschetta is fantastic and I often order a tray of it for parties. I've had many dishes here and none have disappointed. My husband, who typically doesn't suggest Italian food, suggests Clara's all the time, especially since they moved to the new location. It's pretty child friendly and my kids love drawing on the white paper on the table. The new pizza is fantastic. Can't wait for the outdoor patio to open!

    (5)

  • LOIS B.

    I have been coming here periodically through the years since it opened trying to figure out what other people think is so great. It has expanded, a plus for the restaurant, but the food is nowhere near good. Crunchy pasta is just too al dente for me. The parking lot can be a hazard to you and your car's well being. There is frequently a wait even with people you have never met almost sitting with you at your table. I may go back again in another 5 years to see if anything has improved. A huge disappointment knowing the family history. Still looking for a GOOD, convenient Italian place.

    (1)

  • Mike R.

    This place is always good. The service is hit or miss tonight is was a miss our waitress was a older woman she seemed tired over whelmed and a little put out when we ordered oh well we all have bad days she was probably tired from working so hard Reviewed by the Naperville ~ Food Dude ~

    (5)

  • Tracy P.

    You can find better Italian elsewhere. You can find cheaper Italian elsewhere. BUT - I loved the menu and service -- it was just good, down home, traditional, Your-Big-Fat-Mama Italian cooking. Lots of choices and everything was pretty good. I'll be back. My tip for you -- call ahead to get your name on the "wait list". They don't take reservations but the "wait list" will shave 30 minutes off your wait . . . which is always killer on the weekends 'cause this is a good place.

    (4)

  • Helena P.

    I've lived in the area for some years, always promising myself I'd try Clara's, yet I never did. Well, I finally did and it was a really good experience. I won't go into a lot of detail; many reviewers have already so I won't repeat. I have only one complaint, which I think is significant enough to dock Clara's a star: the chefs don't allow the pasta to drain enough before putting it on the plate. My and my bf's dish had a lot of water from the pasta. It was less of an issue with the thick sauce-laden chicken parm my bf had, but it definitely watered down the delicate sauce of the lemon chicken dish I had. I'll wait that 30 extra seconds to get my meal if it means I don't get a pool of water muddling the dish!

    (4)

  • Lisa G.

    The restaurant's appearance is now as fresh as the food they make. Their new location is beautiful and roomy. The food is as delcious as always; the fresh made pasta and ingredients set them far apart from any other Italian restaurant in the area. At the recommendation of our waiter (a couple of visits ago) we tried the grilled calamari appetizer, we have had dreams about it ever since and have to order it each time. Other reviews are right, it's hard to not fill up on bread and the delicious dipping sauce. Any pasta on the menu is delicous, the shrimp primavera is my favorite. We never feel rushed or just like another customer; each experiene has us feeling like family. Thanks to the entire Clara's family for your continued hard work and delicious food.

    (5)

  • Angie D.

    I called in an order for carry out (5 entrees and a salad) they said 20 minutes.... And it was actually 20 minutes!!! No waiting my food was warm and ready to go when I arrived. So food wise.... It was amazing! And not to mention the portions are HUGE. The salmon salad had 4 full size salmon steaks. And the entrees also included soup. So after a hearty family dinner... We had leftovers for 2 days! So good!!!! Great place!

    (5)

  • Mary Lou R.

    We had the misfortune of dining at Clara's last evening. The food was in edible (over salted and swimming in water.) I sent mine back but another member of our party soldiered on. For the life of me I cannot understand the other reviews on Yelp. The restaurant was dirty, the service just adequate (you have to ask for water!) and the pasta absolutely definitely not made on the premises. Forget it!

    (1)

  • Sara P.

    I went to Clara's on Tuesday for the first time and I was impressed. I love Italian and in Chicagoland have mostly been going to the american / italian chain restaurants because I couldn't find one that served italian that felt like home made. This place is the best I have found. You can get the simple / traditional dishes and they are good. The meatballs satisfied the craving I have had for my uncle's meatballs. And the waitress(es) were friendly and outgoing. I got cheese tortellini with a vegetable marinara and it was good first out of the "oven" and it was still good re-heated in the microwave, because of course at a good italian place you can NEVER finish the dish because it is just too big after you have had everything else. It was a little pricey for us but then we got the drink, the appetizer, salad, dishes, and dessert. But worth it for good food and good company.

    (4)

  • Michele P.

    I'm definitely glad I didn't let the exterior deter me from going here. It was by far the best grilled calamari I have had. The wait staff were very polite and friendly without being pushy and the portions were massive and fresh. I was originally going to another Italian restaurant in Homer Glen for their grilled calamari and Clara's blows it out of the water, and with a better price to boot! I can't wait to go back.

    (5)

  • Samantha K.

    My boyfriend took me here on a date. I never really wanted to eat here (It's located next to an animal clinic... how yummy could it possibly be?) We got there and there was a 20 minute wait. That's always a good sign right? Yes! We sat at the bar and each had a beer. The bartender was really nice and explained which beers he liked and which he recommends! How many bartenders actually do that now a days? Once we got to our table we looked over the menu and decided on getting pasta (duh) I got the angel hair pasta with a spicy marinara sauce. My boyfriend got the radiatore pasta with a vodka sauce. I liked mine... however, the noodles were short which made it not look appetizing. I definitely did not want to dig in when she put the dish down. I understand that the noodles are homemade and all, but really? My noodles were legit bite size which I didn't like. The sauce however was excellent! My boyfriend's dish was really good as well! He enjoyed his. The waitresses (one was training) were really nice and attentive even during an extremely busy night. I was very happy with almost everything and will be going back very soon!

    (4)

  • Helena I.

    I'm not the biggest Italian fan. Maybe it's because I only like Italian if I'm coming to Clara's because they make the best? I've been to several Italian restaurants not only in the suburbs and city, but in other cities mostly on the east coast. The other Italian restaurants I've been to are considered the best of the best in their respective cities. I'd have to say Clara's competes if not surpasses all of them. The food: My standard is the homemade gnocchi (usually it's the Wednesday special, but if you go on a different night of the week ask and they might have some leftover.) I'll get the vodka sauce with it. It's my favorite sauce of all time. I love the fried calimari here as well. And the bread and dipping sauce is addicting. I have yet to run into an Italian restaurant that makes every single pasta from scratch, so this is also why I love Clara's. The bottom-line: Don't let the strip mall appearance fool you. This place is always packed. A few years ago they even had to add on to the place. I'm almost a little glad it's in a strip mall because then it makes it a little more of a best kept secret. Also, ask to be a part of the email list. You'll get an email once a week with some great offers. They also are an extension of the family feel you get in the restaurant because the owner writes them adding special family stories.

    (5)

  • Carolyn C.

    Fantastic! Staff was friendly and very accommodating with our two kids. The service was fast and the food was incredible - large portions and fabulous fresh ingredients and out of this world taste. I had the eggplant parm (pic posted) and my son had the cheese pizza which was a giant size for kids menu (also pic posted), my daughter wanted soup - the $1 kids soup on the menu is a HUGE bowl! My husband has mushroom ravioli special. The bread is tasty and a must try as mentioned in other posts. Each kids meal also comes with a cute bowl of ice cream - yum! We are sports fans and loved the local chicago teams games were on here and there on the tv's - just enough fancy with the nice glasses and tablecloths on the tables - the tv's are icing on the cake! We were in the area from out of town and would be regulars if we could be but will be back whenever the opportunity comes up again!

    (5)

  • Eric V.

    My opinion on Clara's is that the food is very good but think about what you order and if you're not used to rich heavy Italian food, go for something on the menu that's a little simpler. Everything tastes very good, like the baked lasagna. The stuffed shells are very tasty yet far too rich like a few of the items on the menu and if your digestive system isn't used to it you better settle in for the pain. The food is 4 stars, everything tastes good, but half of the menu items should be revisited by the chef or the waiter should at least point out that 2 pounds of cheese isn't always for everyone. The service is just abysmal. Yes the place is busy, and I feel for the wait staff. It's not their fault. Restaurant management needs to stand and watch what happens. It's easy to see. When you ask for water and your waiter then takes the orders of two tables while you are sitting there in a pool of sweat because their air conditioner is barely suitable for a room the size of a bathroom, that's bad service that is easily noticeable. Management needs to recognize this. I originally gave it two stars but bumped it up to three since I think that's more appropriate as long as you understand what you're getting into when the place is full and you know what you're ordering. The food is worth the lousy service and the Florida everglades-esque heat and humidity. It really is good food. The restaurant could quickly fix their problems and I'd give it 4 stars in a heartbeat.

    (3)

  • Erik L.

    This little gem was suggested by some friends when we were in the area for a wedding. Very unassuming look to the place. It could use a little interior freshening-up, but the food, wine and service are exceptional! We've been back a second time and are planning our third visit when we once again will be in the vicinity. Really good food and wine you don't just find everywhere.

    (4)

  • Megan C.

    I'm really happy to see they moved out of the strip mall and into this place down the road. It is much bigger and suits them better too. The first time we came we visited the strip mall location and this time we ate at the new place since it is now open. This being only our second visit I think I still need to eat here a few more times to give a more accurate review. So far we've tried the eggplant, and the spinach fettuccine with pesto sauce. The salad that came with the eggplant had a nice homemade dressing to it. And the eggplant itself was yummy. The side of pasta with homemade marinara and pasta was just as good. I loved the chunks of tomatoes in the sauce too. My pasta was obviously homemade too and it tasted fresh but my pesto was realllly salty. I want to give Claras the benefit of the doubt. But I literally ate a quarter of it (I was also full from the bread) then I took it home and recooked it the next day with potatoes in it to absorb the salt. I love Italian food so I'm hoping to come here again in the near future and try more dishes. Until then I'm going to give Claras 4 stars.

    (4)

  • Matthew W.

    OUTSTANDING food, great service, Awesome VALUE, have a RESERVATION on Saturday night! Eight people, tons of drinks, apps, entrees, desserts for $340!! We LOVED it. Don't let the place "throw" you...its located in a strip mall right by the 7 Bridges Ice rink....and as you walk up it is less than impressive.......but once you get in it just 'feels RIGHT". We had a party of 8 with a 7 pm reservation on Saturday night and arrived around 6:45 pm - place was MOBBED. Hard to even get in the door, but we know that is a VERY good sign....so we snuggled in and I fought my way up to the bar.....3 glasses of wine and a beer for $27. We waited just a few minutes and were seated right at 7 pm. Dinning room on the right is just a large space and we sat right in the middle. It was busy and crowded, but easy to talk an hear those at the table. Lisa was our server and took GREAT care of us....we took our time and enjoyed several rounds of cocktails and were some of the last to leave just after 10 pm....but we were never rushed and I had to ax for the check....excellent pace to the evening. The FOOD is EXCELLENT. Started with the calamari (breaded) and it was as good as any I have ever had, also had the "soakers" which is just like like cheese bread - the women wouldn't eat it, but the hungry men did.....and its too bad because their house bread is sourdough and is served with an excellent olive oil (skip the soakers). Each entree gets a soup or salad, and then come the HUGE ENTREES.....and they were EXCELLENT. Everyone LOVED what they ordered.....I had the lasagna and ate every last bite (even after clobbering the soakers, calamari and some of the soup). It was almost embarrassing except that mike ate all of his shrimp and Tom ate almost all of his veal. Lisa made GREAT recommendations - lasagna over the chicken parm for me, lighter veal sauce for Tom...and she was always there to bring fresh drinks. It reminds me of Mamma and Papa's original Capri.....so good and all about the food and outstanding service. You won't be disappointed....... Calamari (2 @ 9.99) 19.98 Soakers Cheese (2 @ 2.99) 5.98 Miller Lite (9 @ 3.50) 31.50 Amstel Light (2 @ 4.50) 9.00 Belvedere and Seven (3 @ 7) 21.00 Grayson Cabernet (2 @ 28) 56.00 Lasagna 12.25 Veal Limone 18.99 Seafood Alla Clara 17.99 Rotini, Vodka Cream, Shrimp 16.99 Pasta Al Fresco, Shrimp 17.50 Cheese Tortellini, Alfredo, Primavera 14.74 Fettuccini, Alfredo, Shrimp, Broccoli 20.49 Shrimp Pesto 19.99 Tiramisu 5.99 Cannoli 3.99 Choc Mousse (2 @ 8) 16.00 Grayson Cabernet (glass) 7.50 Total - 340.36

    (5)

  • Amanda T.

    I've been here twice. Once on a extra snowy weeknight and once on an early Friday evening. Both times it was packed. So one would expect that this place is worth going to, right? Right! My aunt was the first person to ever bring me here, and if it wasn't for her I probably would have never noticed Clara's. Ever. From the exterior it looks like some whatever diner in a semi-dilapidated "strip mall." But Clara's is a classic example of why one shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Everything that was served was fresh-the bread, the homemade pasta, everything. The linguine with white clam sauce and clams is a winner. Good food, very reasonably priced-can't go wrong.

    (4)

  • Tracy M.

    This is my favorite Italian Restaurant. The lasagna is the best! Yes, the space is a little tight inside the restaurant, but the staff is fast and courteous. Last time I dined there was Friday August 17, 2012.

    (5)

  • alicia b.

    I had a semi good meal here a couple weeks ago. I had heard that they had really good food so I decided to give this lil family owned italian restaurant a try. I was there on a saturday night around 7 ish. It was really crowded and we got sat at a huge table since thats all they had but whatever at least we got to sit since I was starvin'. They have a full bar and a good wine list.I order wine and my Bf got a drink. The drinks were refreshing, the vibe was fun and we expected to have a really enjoyable, great meal. That didnt really happen. I ordered the eggplant parm and my bf ordered a pasta dish with marinara. We both are garlic feans and we extrmemly excited when we heard they had creamy garlic dressing. When our salads came i could just tell that the dressing was going to tast like mayo is was just a big with jiggly glob, sure enough it tasted like straight up mayo no seasoning,no garlic, nothing! Disgusting!! I almost gagged and at that point I knew if the dressing sucked the dinner was going to suck. The entrees were also a disppointment. My eggplant was edible but nothing I would eat again.The eggplant was bitter and rubbery, and the sauce was way too salty. My BF's dish was just the same the pasta was cooked well but the sauce was the same as mine,too salty. Our waitress was nice but didnt check on us and sure as hell never asked if we enjoyed our meal, probably because she knew the answer. I was suprised that there was no comment about both of our salads being pretty much untouched.

    (2)

  • Chris W.

    After years of driving past Clara's thinking it just looked " cheesy" we stopped in last night. What a great surprise! From the calamari to the salmon everything was great. The setting was comfortable and the staff very good and attentive. We will be heading back back over and over.

    (4)

  • Lisa D.

    In-laws recommended this restaurant and we were excited to go. We ordered soup which was great but that was the end of a good thing. Service was fine. The lasagna was layered with hamburger meat and had no flavor. I am a mouse, I love cheese, but It was so covered in cheese I couldn't eat it. My husbands veal parmigiana was bathed in cheese and he pulled the layer up like a bad toupee. Bad wine list too. We left the left overs and the drinks on the table because we didn't want to stay anymore. It was very busy so others must love it. We just didn't.

    (1)

  • Michael M.

    Great food every single time I go there. They make their soups and pastas and everything themselves, and the difference in quality is apparent. I have been going there for over 10 years and have had next to nothing to complain about. It's an unassuming place in a strip mall, but there is ample seating in 2 dining rooms and we often bring family and friends to dinner there. The atmosphere is nothing special, but it's well kept and has a very friendly and professional staff who will be able to give you great recommendations on just about anything on the menu. If you're after some great Italian food, you will not be disappointed by Clara's.

    (5)

  • michaelia f.

    I came here last week because my grandmother wanted to take me out to lunch, and we were going to meet in Woodridge to see my little cousin's Battle of the Books (like a quiz bowl, but about books). Clara's is old school Italian-American, from the stark ruby red decor to the dark tablecloths (even for lunch) and the complimentary bread basked. We were seated right away and there were only a couple other tables seated in the rather large dining area. The squishy soft and warm bread came out with a pretty fantastic bowl of seasoned olive oil. It wasn't the highest quality oil, but it made up for that with its perfect blend of garlic, oregano, parmesan, and basil. I could probably have eaten that all afternoon, but I ordered a "create your own" pasta with spinach linguine, pesto sauce and sauteed spinach for my lunch. The food came out about 20 or so minutes later. My pasta was OK--I could tell it was house made, but it was pasty and dense, and it swam in a watery pesto sauce. Much better were my grandma's stuffed shells, which were creamy and light, and my aunt's eggplant parmesan, which was 1) huge and 2) delightful--rich and not soggy at all. Portions were huge and the prices very reasonable. I think the trick to this place is to stick to the "red sauce" Italian. I won't be making any special trips out here, but if I'd be down to try it again.

    (3)

  • Roger D.

    so i stopped in for some take out on the way home from work, i have heard many many great things about clara's so i was EXCITED to try it, staff was all very friendly and the place just felt like home A very comfy and relaxed atmosphere. I ordered the sausage and peppers with a bowl of pasta fagiole soup and a side of red sauce. when i got home every thing was still very hot it was A nice portion for the small and came with bread that was very soft, The soup was bland, The sausage was cut into very thin slices it was overcooked and dry, the peppers were flavorful and cooked well not too soft, the red sauce was pretty good. I think i am going to give them a 2nd try and maybe stik to what they are more known for there pasta.

    (3)

  • Jessica A.

    I was introduced to Claras by my mom. When I walked in, I immediately judged it because it wasn't the "fancy" italian restaurant I had expected. But as they say... don't judge a book by its cover!! Love the fresh bread they serve before the meal. And the servings of the entrees are just huge!! I always get the chicken parmesan when I go there. It is honestly the best I have had from anywhere!! And the homemade pasta is to die for!!! Never had anything like it! I would highly recommend this place

    (5)

  • Mary M.

    Stopped by after seeing Lincoln with a few of my friends. We were a group of six and even though we did not have reservations they were able to seat us quickly. Food was great but the service was even better. I wish I remember our server's name. She aw awesome. Will be back. Going to eat my leftovers now.

    (5)

  • Eclectic N.

    Clara's came as a recommendation from a friend and this person still remains a friend today. I don't really have a good enough reason for not giving it 5 stars, but it just lacked a little ambiance and they served RC Cola? Anyway, a few families broke off from a team event that was happening at Buca as we weren't going to waste our time in Chicago eating chain food. We were about to be deeply rewarded for our decision. Warm bread was a very welcome start as it was fairly cool outside. We started out our meal (lunch) with calamari. You know that they're not afraid to show off their talents when they don't have to deep fry the suckers. It was bare and absolutely amazing, two of us had it completed in about 2 minutes. Entrees were not far behind. We all tried a variety of homemade pasta's (ravioli is one of the few that are not home made) and sauces. Every combination danced on the palate. I lean a little more towards Vodka sauce, but their marinara rocked me as well. When the base sauces are good and the pasta is not from a bag, only good things can happen and thankfully, they did.

    (4)

  • hannah c.

    To be fair...I'm picky and have a simple palate. That said....this is my favorite restaurant! My family and I have been going to Clara's for years. I do believe it's been one of our favorite spots for almost 20 years now. When I went to college in Iowa, I constantly craved Clara's. Now I live in the northern suburbs and it's the only place I want to go when I come back to Naperville to visit my family. Several years ago they started a half price wine night on Wednesdays. All bottles are half off. So...my family started frequenting Clara's on Wednesdays. It's a great value. One of my favorite things about Clara's is the bread and olive oil. I also like to have some fresh grated Parmesan to add to it. It's filled with garlic and spices and evil goodness. It's hard not to fill up on that before the main course. I also always like to get the house salad with house dressing. The dressing is a pretty simple oil and vinegar concoction, but it's mighty tasty. I would also suggest the fresh grated Parmesan on the salad too. Probably from my teens, on, I've only ever gotten two things...(see above about the picky and simple thing). The Aglio e Olio and spaghetti with tomato sauce. The thing I like best about the Aglio e Olio is that it's not heavy with oil. It comes in a sauce that is more broth like. It's salty, garlicky, cheesy awesomeness. You can mix it up by adding veggies too. It's also fantastic to dip your bread in. When I'm not feeling all adventurous, then I go with my old stand by...spaghetti with tomato sauce. I specifically like the tomato over the marinara due to the consistency of the sauce. I also get it on the side so I can control the pasta to sauce ratio. The sauce isn't sweet like Maggianos and I prefer that. You might like to know that other people I have dined with, including my family, have enjoyed the following: the lasagna, fettuccine alfredo primavera, angel hair with veggie marinara, and some traditional chicken and veal dishes as well. The service is good more often than not and we often get servers that remember us as regulars which is always nice. Lastly, if you're looking to do desert, then the Tiramisu is a must. The portions are large so sharing is a good idea. It's light and sweet and a good way to end a meal. Mmmm....Clara's...now my mouth is watering.

    (5)

  • Randy S.

    Don't let the fact that this restaurant is in a strip mall stop you, you wont regret the experience. First of the waiter we had was very friendly, liked to engage in conversation, and my drink was never empty. We started off our meal with the bread they serve when you are seated which was warm, soft and very tasty. As an appetizer we ordered the calamari which was made at just the right crispiness, and was full of flavor. For the main course I went with the lasagna which was absolutely bursting with flavor. From the fresh made pasta to the wonderful sauce, this lasagna was amazing. My Girlfriend ordered the lemon chicken, and I am not exaggerating when I say that it was among the most moist and flavorful chicken I have ever had. There was not even a hint of dryness or toughness to it. When it came to desert we asked the waiter what he would choose and he went with the lemon delight. He could not have been more right. The lemon was not strong, but just strong enough that it was absolutely enjoyable. Overall, this was a great experience, and we will definitely be returning in the future.

    (4)

  • Steve G.

    Very nice place. If you haven't been here, you should go. This is the place you may have heard of. Clara's mom was THE Mama Celeste, queen of Italian frozen food. But nothing here tastes frozen. Great food, large portions, nice mix of pastas, meats and fish. Strong wine list and very friendly staff.

    (4)

  • Jen M.

    This place is in a bit of an odd spot. Its tucked away in a little strip mall near the Seven Bridges movie theater. However, it delivers. My husband and I went here with our wedding DJ to discuss song choices. Odd situation, but the food and service were great. Portions are big. My husband and I split an entrée and were both stuffed. Calamari appetizer was good as well. The place is pretty popular however, so make reservations.

    (4)

  • Carmella P.

    Nice traditional southern Italian style food steeped in Chicagoland history -- this is, after all, the family of Mama Celeste! Well-balanced tomato sauce is easy on the digestive tract and the mashed cauliflower is TO DIE FOR (and I hate veggies!) A great place for a family celebration, too. Just pay no attention to the fact that there's a veterinary hospital next door, OK?

    (4)

  • Ty S.

    As my rating says, Clara's is 'A-OK.' THere are many things to like about it: Warm atmosphere, friendly staff, generous portions, and reasonable prices. I've been there twice and had a much better food experience the first time. It would do them good to cut back on the pasta sauces as all of the dishes for our entire party came our swimming in sauce. It might be welcome to some, but I would prefer that the sauce enhance rather than dominate the dish. This is a minor criticism on what was overall a pleasant evening. Bottom line, certainly worth going, but keep your expectations in check and you might be pleasantly surprised.

    (3)

  • Sanford R.

    Clara's is not bad at all, but I feel it's a bit overpriced. They do give you really big servings though. I usually end up with leftovers when I eat from here. The food is pretty good. I like their spaghetti best!

    (3)

  • Jason S.

    great local Italian place love the bread here always warm and crusty the pasta is always swimming in sauce just the way i like it

    (5)

  • Dave L.

    Clara's. Heard about this place for years. My wife and I decided to give it a go after pulling a "free entree"coupon from the paper. Full disclosure - id read in some prior reviews about difficulties getting Clara's to honor the coupon, but we dbl checked the expiration date and we were good to go. So, off we went. I have to say up front, i try hard to find the good. Ok - big portions. In all, the meal was ok, and the service was, eh, a little indifferent. I ordered a pasta that was sooo soaking in sauce that when the server plopped it in front of me, it splashed on my shirt. Bummer. The food was alright, I guess. But sure enough, when presenting our coupon, we were told we couldn't use it on a Saturday night. I asked where it said that and the waitress replies; "I dunno, the prints so small I can't read it". Seriously, I couldn't make out one word - it was worse than something you'd see in a car lease ad. So, Clara's marketing gimmick did get us in the restaurant, but after coming away with a mediocre meal, a shirt needing dry cleaning, and a useless coupon, all it did was convince me to never go back. Beware of the coupon - they clearly don't want to honour it and will work hard to find ways to get out of your cashing it. What a terrible marketing ruse. I personally Wont argue over $10. Places like this tend to succumb to their own fate, and I won't ever return. Too many other italian choices.

    (2)

  • Suzanne V.

    I feel Clara's is overpriced, and just Ok dinner. Funny, when you have a coupon, well, then you can't get the 1/2 price wine on a Thursday!! Place is crowded, food is nothing to rave about, and service always spotty. Our waiter smelled liked he had a few cigarettes before his shift!! Gross! I just never have gotten the attraction to this place. Really, it's in a strip mall, on busy Route 53... Very ordinary!

    (2)

  • Dean H.

    Incredible food at a good price.

    (5)

  • Alex A.

    Great Italian food made by Mama. The service is excellent and the ownership is attentive. Enjoy!

    (4)

  • Joyce B.

    The front of this Restaurant does Nothing for this Great Italian Restaurant. We decided to try this and we were Pleasantly Surprised how nice it was inside, friendly service, big portions. I cannot wait to go back and when you drive, the parking lot is behind full !

    (4)

  • Laura N.

    I had heard great things about this place, and, sure enough, it was quite tasty and cozy there. Bread = tasty. Calamari = yummy. Lemon chicken = tender and savory. Waiter's recommendation for the Lemon Delight...spot on. Try it. This place is a gem.

    (4)

  • Emily C.

    I absolutely abhor this place. I have tried it on several occasions with different friends who swear by it which leads me to think that my friends don't know the difference between good and bad. Maybe its just that I come from the East Coast which is wraught with delicious Italian restaurants where if the service is bad (which it always seems to be here) at least the food was delicious. Never a friendly server, or a knowledgeable server, never willing to check on ingredients. I just don't like this place.

    (2)

  • John B.

    Checked out Clara's due to good reviews from friends of mine. Service was good and waiter had a decent knowledge of the menu. They start you with some bread and oil mixed with cheese combo. Delicious!! Decided to get the fried calamari which turned out to be extremely bland. Calamari is typically mild flavored I know but the breading is what brings it together. This was what seemed to be a light flouring at best. House salad was decent and full of a variety of items. Moved on to the chicken with pesto and potatoes. Now this is a huge portion as was my date's dinner. Chicken breast diced and tossed in a great pesto with pinenuts and thinly sliced cross sections of potato! All layered on a bed of capellini. Tasty, had it for lunch the next two days. We didn't get the strongly suggested tiramisu...maybe next time. Good food over all, decor needs an update, your average italian restuarant with generous portions. I'd say go. When we went place had a good crowd so that has to say something of what others think of the place.

    (3)

  • Dino M.

    Best homemade pasta around. Family run business. Yum.

    (5)

  • Tracy S.

    OMG Clara's is our favorite Italian restaurant in the west burbs (so far). If you can look past the sad exterior in the strip mall next to our veterinarian the inside is homey and inviting. My husband and I have dined in as well as ordering for pick up. We usually get seated right away and pick up is super convenient for when we don't feel like sitting in the crowded dining room (because it's always busy at Clara's). I love the Shrimp Erisillia and my husband always orders the lasagna. I am not a big fan of their ceasar salad, there is just something about the dressing I am not impressed with. The bread and dipping oil at the beginning of the meal is always yummy. The wait staff is always pleasant (aside from one weird experience I had with a waiter). We have brought family and friends there and they have also enjoyed the food. We will keep going back to Clara's!!!

    (4)

  • Linda F.

    I was so disappointed with the hostess. After driving a few hours in the car and feeling pretty tired I was to meet my family at this restaurant for my son's birthday. I let the hostess know that there would be seven in our party and they would be there to meet us soon. I saw that there were plenty of tables to sit at so I asked if they could get a table ready for us so we could sit down and wait for the rest of the family to arrive. The hostess said no, that it was against the restaurant's policy. So I explained we were very tired and said it was my son's birthday could they please make an exception. She said no. So I asked to talk to the manager who also said the same thing. Then they walked away and talked about it with the rest of the staff and stood there laughing at us while we waited for the rest of my family to show up. I did not eat the food there I was so frustrated with the staff. I will be calling the owner soon although I doubt I will get any satisfaction. When I told them my family would be there momentarily they replied "Good then you won't mind waiting." I am not a big fan of this place. They were very rude. It drained me after a pretty tiring day of running around. I don't even care how good your food is it just ruins your visit if you are not treated right to begin with.

    (1)

  • Brian D.

    Neighborhood restaurant with a ton of regulars; friendly but overall not recommended. One thing that is cool, is you can order any of their ten or so varieties of pasta, add meat or veggies, and pair it with a sauce. I ordered the herb linguini with ground garlic and olive oil, and added some anchovies. My wife ordered rigatoni with portabello mushrooms in a vegetarian tomato sauce. When my food arrived, it was not sprinkled with olive oil, but was actually submerged in a puddle of oil, seriously over a cup of fluid. No wonder people in this area are so horribly out of shape- more is not better, people! I actually drained my pasta before I could eat it. And the anchovies were just pulled straight out of a tin and draped on the top. The portions were quite generous, however the food was simply not very good. Being now part of a Italian family, I'm sort of a pasta psycho, so I was very not impressed with the pasta here. The rigatoni was pasty; the linguini was definitely not al dente. Like everything around here, it's in a mall, which is not so bad in itself... Let me break down the stuff that matters: Pros: - friendly servers - "family" restaurant atmosphere - plentiful portions Cons: - provincial notion of sauce usage (see above) - bad pasta consistency (see above) So I guess for best results here at Clara's, I would recommend ordering something with a hearty, flavorful sauce, with a thick pasta that is meant to have body. If you are sensitive to pasta / sauce ratio like me, order it with the sauce on the side in a bowl so you can add it yourself. Don't bother with anchovies on anything.

    (2)

  • Ryan B.

    Best Italian in the area hands down. Can't beat the clam with white sauce and egg/spinach angel pasta. Great bread, great food, average priced drinks.

    (4)

  • David P.

    Pretty average food. The pasta dishes are over salted. Prices are similar to chains such as Magianno's or Francesca's.

    (3)

  • Melissa D.

    Clara's always has exceptional food at great prices! The place is always busy; however the wait is never too long. This is a great local restaurant!

    (5)

  • Ashley L.

    The food is very delicious! Our waitress Neely was professional and friendly. I will definitely come back!

    (5)

  • Jordyn V.

    I love Clara's I got the crew, of chicken pesto served over a bed of angel hair pasta, that is freshly made,and it was delicious! The service was great,our waiter was nice and helpful with my questions. I will definitely be returning to Clara's very soon! If you want good pasta, but not have to venture out to the city stop by Clara's.

    (5)

  • J J.

    Well, I just dined there for the second time in 20 years. Now I know why I stayed away b4. I thought of it as a noisy- kid place, and seems like loud talking people aren't attenuated very well in the dining room, either. lot of racket with bussing tables too. So I don't really care for the dining experience there. I do like the carry-out service though. great sauces to take home!

    (3)

  • Chris L.

    Wonderful Italian food, thos place is great

    (5)

  • Tricia S.

    This was pretty good Italian food. Their bread and olive oil cheese mix was amazing. I got the cheese tortellini and it good. A little too al dente for my liking, but it was much better as leftovers the next day. Join their online family - you can call ahead for seating and get discounts. I will go back.

    (4)

  • Jessica D.

    Delicious, home-made food and cozy (Small space) ambiance makes you feel like you dropped off at your long-lost italian great-grand aunt. Delectable sauces, pastas, seafood... a must try, and in my opinion, a lot better than Suparossa just down the road.

    (4)

  • Betsy B.

    This place has some of the best pasta dishes in the burbs hands down. Price is great and amazing for cary out. The homemade pastas and sauces are outstanding. We will be back time and time again.

    (5)

  • Frank B.

    Tucked away in a small strip mall between a glass supply store and a veterinarian's office is one of the best Italian restaurants in all of Chicagoland. Clara's Pasta in Woodridge, IL, has dished up great food in a relaxed, family atmosphere since 1987. The humble setting lets you know that the emphasis here is on the food and the service, not some high-rent room. Clara's has a rich history. Clara's mother was Mama Celeste of frozen pizza fame. The storyboard for one of the old TV commercials is on the wall near the takeout counter. The menu is filled with standard Italian items, but here are a few of our family favorites: - Shrimp Scampi - Bruschetta di Roma - Shrimp Ersillia - Chicken Breast Parmigiana - Angel Hair Pasta with Vodka Cream Sauce The portions are large and you usually leave with plenty of take-home items for lunch the next day. The prices are also reasonable. Appetizers are $7 to $9, baked pasta dishes are $10 to $12, and house specialties are $15 to $19. There space fills up quickly on the weekends, so go early. I suggest trying the take-out service. It is the best bet on Sundays and holiday weekends the food tastes just a good at home as it does in the restaurant. Mama Celeste would be proud.

    (5)

  • Rebecca B.

    I've never had food poisoning before, but if it has to do with gut-wrenching abdominal pain and at least the strong potential to vomit, I'm fairly certain that I got food poisoning from Clara's. Oh, that and some soupy-ass pasta. Skip it, there's better pasta up the road in Woodridge or on the Bolingbrook promenade. Hell, there's probably better food at the ice arena.

    (1)

  • James P.

    I used to come here as a kid and have never been disappointed. It's not the best Italian restaurant I've ever been to but it's close. If you're in the western burbs and looking for some excellent pasta and a friendly staff I highly recommend Clara's. I'm not sure what the negative reviews are about but I guess every place has it's moments. This place has always been consistantly good in my experience.

    (5)

  • Einstein F.

    Clara's service and pasta is unbeatable and I have enjoyed each visit, in which I frequent the place for their intimate dining and delicious menu and features. The manager, Paul, has an email update and it is a great way to keep in touch with all the happenings. I love the meals and wine list and wish they would add Guinness Draught cans to their bar stock, otherwise absolutely no complains. I would recommend this establishment to anyone who loves a great menu of Italian dishes. Each time I have visited, the service standard has far exceeded other places and norms.

    (5)

  • Justin W.

    Outstanding. Clara's stands apart from every other Italian restaurant I've been to. Usually an Italian house dressing is pretty spartan but I loved all of the extra spices and flavors they added to it. Honestly, it has to have been one of the best house Italian dressings I've ever had. I have to recommend the Shrimp Special over pasta. Again, I was simply blown away by the amount of spices they added to the sauce to make it a bit spicy with a lot of flavor. Most places use a sauce rich with fat, salt, or sugar to make it appealing, but whatever spices they used here made the entree extraordinary and delicious.

    (5)

  • h b.

    Our party of 6 were very disappointed in both the service and food this evening. We waited 15 minutes for the waiter to take our drink order. Neither he nor the bus person checked the table to clear dishes until we stacked them in piles. We're not big drinkers, but it was not until the appetizer and salad dishes were finally cleared that he thought to check out empty wine glasses. One of the biggest disappointments was the pasta was served swimming in the water it was cooked, diluting the sauce. When we complained to the manager, his simple response was "interesting". My response to that is "I'll never come back". Poor service & Equally poor quality of food.

    (1)

  • Nicole S.

    Sooooo glad we tried this place after driving by it for 2 years. It's outside appearance certainly doesnt do it justice but after being let down by places like Olive Garden and Suprossa, we decided it could hurt to try. Sooo glad we did because now we are regulars. Their prices are really affordable (much cheaper than Suprossa). Its very relaxed atmosphere and everyone who comes here seem to be regulars. Pastas are hand made. Our personal favorites are the lasagna and meet ravioli with alfredo sauce. The bread they serve with herbed olive oil is really good and we always fill up on it so we usually split dinner. This is a place you really should try out--I knwo it doesnt look like much on the outside but we discovered a gem!

    (5)

  • Nancy G.

    I really like this restaurant and it's close to my home. My favorite item is their regular meat lasagne, the sauce and cheese are wonderful, the portion is too much, but you can take it home. My mom likes the vegetarian lasagne. If you are picky, you can choose your own pasta and sauce, all taste homemade. On some nights the wine is half off, you have to look it up. The parking lot is always full but there are a lot of tables and you get seated quickly.

    (5)

  • Charles M.

    Clara's is outstanding! I'm fortunate to live in close vicinity to Clara's and go there regularly. There are always great weekly and nightly specials on both food and wine. All pastas are hand made in house and are delicious, and the wine list is eclectic and interesting. The owners and staff treat diners as if they were family. Portions are very generous so bring your appetite! It is truly one of my favorite restaurants in the area, and I've never had a bad meal here. Oh, by the way, I lived in New York City for over 10 years and so must respond to Emily C.'s haughty critique: First of all there is no such word in the English language as "wraught," which leads me to believe your ability to judge good food is as poor as your vocabulary. Buon appetito!

    (5)

  • Kelly M.

    This place is a hidden gem. One wouldn't expect that an Italian joint in a small strip mall would have such wonderful food and service, but it consistently does. In all of the times I've visited, the waitstaff has been more than amazing. When it isn't busy, I've had waiters bring mini-tastes of appetizers they're cooking just so I could try something new. They know their wine pairings, and when they suggest adding something (such as chicken or shrimp) to a dish, it's always a perfect suggestion. They'll also take special requests. The portions are gigantic and made for sharing, which is good as everyone at the table will want to sample what's on your plate. It can get a little pricey (especially if you order wine), but it's well worth the expense. If you come here on a weekend, make sure to have reservations, and prepare yourself for an extended, multi-course, relaxed, excellent meal.

    (5)

  • Jessica K.

    I have been going to Clara's since it first opened and have never once been disappointed. It's true that sometimes the service leaves a little to be desired, but it more than makes up for it in the food and prices. Their wine tends to be a little pricey, but my husband and I can always make it out of there for under $50 with drinks. In fact, if you share a salad, they will just bring you two. We had them cater our wedding(well they delivered the food, we provided the service) and they were on time, and brought hot, delicious food. The guy that I worked with, has worked there since they opened and was ever helpful and pleasant. They have a great family atmosphere, and nice ambience, albeit sometimes a little crowded. Overall, a great place with GREAT food and friendly(mostly) service.

    (5)

  • Keri B.

    We LOVE this place. Not large, unassuming but well worth the experience. All of their pasta is freshly made each day. Nothing ever tastes old or frozen. The portions are WONDERFUL. Wide variety to chose from. They also do wine tasting events every so often - I have been to a few and they are always really interesting. If you are ever in the Lisle/Woodridge area and looking for a place to have a nice bowl of pasta, Clara's is your place!

    (4)

  • Nicholle H.

    I've only been to this place three times, but I would definitely say it's not the best restaurant I've been to. Their saving grace is their great bread and homemade oil, which is available for purchase. Everything else I've eaten thus far can be summed up in one word - disappointing. Another gripe I have with this place is the extremely slow and inattentive service. Perhaps if they stepped that up a notch the food would taste a little better because the bitterness from having to wait so long would be washed out of my mouth.

    (3)

  • Cindy H.

    Great restaurant, wonderful service. It's one of the best, if not the best Italian restaurants I've ever been to. The restaurant doesn't look very appealing from the outside, especially since they are located in a strip mall. But, they make up for it once you get inside. Pricey, but well worth every penny.

    (5)

  • Barbara S.

    Great food, good service, comfortable dining room. Overall a very nice experience.

    (4)

  • Reezy Z.

    Food was good but service was not. Waitress clearly knew we were in a hurry but while pleasant she made no effort to serve us timely. When we arrived (to an empty restaurant) and said 'party of 6 but two haven't arrived yet' they made us stand and wait until our entire party arrived. There was no one in the restaurant. We stood next to the table that we were going to be seated at until we received permission to sit. Lastly, a toddler was wandering around the restaurant, crying and seemingly lost. a few patrons asked the hostess if she knew the boy. The hostess said that his mother was in the banquet/party room, but she made no effort to go alert the mother. Finally another patron went into the banquet room to get the mother. Just bad service.

    (3)

  • Stacy D.

    We never dined a previous location. The new location is spectacular and the food is certainly 5 star. My 7 year old son said it was the best noodle and white sauce ever. He also claimed Clara's had the best caesar dressing. My husband's favorite was the meatballs and I enjoyed the vegetarian options.

    (5)

  • Monica M.

    I had the chicken and mushroom , four cheese pasta and it was mouth watering good! The flavor was outstanding and well worth the extra walk needed to burn it off. The bread before dinner was warm and soft and the calamari was just right. I highly recommend this place. The portion sizes are very large. I went home with left overs only because I couldn't eat that much.

    (5)

  • Disney S.

    Def a good solid non chain restaurant to check out!!! Yummy homemade pasta was fabulous!!!sauce was outstanding!!!Good portion sizes, wed was half price bottle of wine nights! Only drawbacks was the server or busboy was absent at times to get waters refilled and plates cleared and only 2 beers on tap... If your a beer snob this will be a drawback to you...will recommend this place to others!

    (4)

  • Cooper P.

    Even though I have lived in Woodridge all my life I had not been to Clara's in many years. The last time I was there I thought the food was just good but not outstanding. I have been anxious to visit the new location. I went with a group of 3 other friends. We had a bottle of wine at the bar while waiting for everyone to arrive...no complaints here although the bar area was pretty small compared to the amount of seating they have. Once seating we were given bread (2 types; a roll and focaccia) both were quite dry and not enjoyable. 3 of us got salads - the lettuce was in huge pieces and drenched in dressings. We ordered another bottle of wine from our server and she brought out the wrong one, when we stopped her from opening the bottle and pointed out the error she seemed very frustrated with us. The main dishes were ok. I order the chicken parmesan which was just mediocre, the chicken overcooked and tough and way too much sauce on the pasta. My friend who ordered the spaghetti said there was too much sauce as well. Another lady in our party order the Shrimp Ersilia - a signature dish and she said it too was just OK. We ordered deserts, mini cannoli's which were meh and tiramisu which was really good but frozen on the ends. Here is where they lost me and 3 others as customers. Our waitress brought out one bill. I split the bill and wrote down what each lady owed, and we all put our credit cards in there. When the waitress came back I attempted to explain how I broke down what each person owed, she said we can only accept 2 credit cards per bill. I then said I will pay cash and use three of the cards as that is the only form of payment they had, and she said no to that. She was unwilling to separate the bills when asked and finally after me voicing how ridiculous this is, she, with much frustration took the bill back and separated them all out. Each of us then used our credit cards to pay. How stupid is this policy ??? If you are going to enact such a ridiculous payment policy I suggest a couple of things..... 1. Put it on your website or on your menus or somewhere in your establishment so that your patrons will be prepared. 2. Train your wait staff to explain this prior to bringing out the bill especially when there is a group of non-couples. Offer separate checks if you will only take 2 cards per check. I have never seen this policy in any restaurant.....stupid! Perfect example of bigger isn't always better.....I won't return to Clara's and neither will my three friends. As Woodridge resident I am very disappointed. I will give my business to Suparossa when I want Italian food.

    (2)

  • Afzal A.

    Called them got reserved for 6 got there on time wr seated promptly, front person ws very nice courteous. We been there few times had good experience but this time the waitress serving us probably was overworked ws kind of short after we ordered food came but pasta ws left behind whn we brought this to her attention she said ok in the meantime we wr finished with our dinner, she packed it on her own and put it on the table we did talk to the manager who ws apologetic, in spite of rude treatment from waitress we paid our bill and left 20% tip for waitress hoping she would treat next customer better, I doubt if we go there again

    (3)

  • Michelle x.

    Clara's definitely exceeded our expectations. We were a party of six, and one of us didn't even like Italian food...until Clara's, that is. The highlight: The primavera pasta with grilled chicken over spinach & egg angel hair noodles. This was the dish that won the "non-Italian food" diner over. I had a taste; it was incredible. I'll order that next time I'm there. The warm bread and oil was great and helped tie us over until our entrees arrived. For entrees, we tried the vodka sauce over ravioli, the arrabbiata sauce with sausage and mushrooms, arrabbiata sauce with meatballs and mushrooms, and the veal Parmesan. We all really enjoyed our dishes. I took mine home and reheated it for the following two days. It was so good! Our server was perfect, warm and friendly. She attentively listened and accurately took our orders. She surprised us with a piece of tiramisu for my birthday that I shared with the table. That was sweet of her. The place is dimly lit. The older gentlemen in our group used the light on their phones to view the menu. It's a classic Italian restaurant to me. Clara's is a great place that I got to introduce my family to. I'll definitely be back. Thanks, Clara's!

    (5)

  • Kate G.

    I had not been to Clara's in months, as I have some new food restrictions and was wary about what I could eat. This past Wednesday I went there for dinner and ordered grilled calamari and a side of broccoli. I asked the server ahead of time what type of oil was used and was told olive oil. My dinner was delicious! After dinner we struck up a conversation with the waitress about food and my dietary restrictions. At this point, the waitress told us that they cut the olive oil with SOY! Wait, that's one of my restrictions and I clearly asked at the beginning of the meal about the oil in which my food would be cooked. It was explained to us that the reason they do that is that olive oil has too strong of a flavor and masks the taste of other ingredients. I really think it's because they are trying to save some money. I do not recall this being disclosed on the menu. I know plenty of people who avoid soy, this is not a good practice. FULL DISCLOSURE: OLIVE OIL IS CUT WITH SOY

    (2)

  • Angela U.

    Love Clara's. Great food at reasonable prices. This place is a gem. Local house wine, lasagna that is perfect. Every time I visit here, I remember how awesome this restaurant is. Wish I lived closer, I would be here alot more often. Staff is wonderful!

    (5)

  • Paul Z.

    Highly over rated and a bit of a disappointment, i have no idea why this place receives so many rave reviews. The Chicken Parmesan was a soggy mess after a few bites It looked like I spilled my water on my plate I had better Chicken Parm at Stevens Family Restaurant down the block,! the Margherita pizza says on the menu that it is made with sliced tomatoes but it was more like stewed tomato chunks The service was mediocre as well, after inquiring about the appetizer we ordered it finally came half way thru the dinner,.maybe they were having a bad night out there was nothing about Clara's that will have me wanting to go back again.

    (2)

  • Rachael Z.

    AWESOME. Clara's used to be housed in a strip mall with block text advertising the name of the restaurant; you wouldn't know it was Italian (or a restaurant!) unless you looked it up. The new location is fantastic. While I believe it may be a bit smaller, the ambiance is much better. How they turned an old Krispy Kreme location to a beautiful Italian restaurant. If Clara's continues to thrive, they're going to need more tables in the bar. We had reservations for 7:30, and waited for nearly 40 minutes AFTER our reservation before we were seated. I can't knock a star down though for that - we were approached by both the manager and the owner and received two free appetizers for our wait. We weren't bothered, just ordered a few drinks at the bar as we waited. We were surprised when we were brought around the corner to our seats - we didn't realize the restaurant was as big as it was. It was cozy and comfortable. Our server, Melissa, was fantastic. Upbeat, and very nice. We started with the Goat Cheese Pizza as an appetizer as well as half fried, half grilled calamari. The pizza was fantastic. Huge slices and crispy crust. I could eat just this! The calamari was surprisingly good too. I've had lots of calamari, but this was a bit better than most. The grilled had a great flavor to it, and the fried was lightly breaded, so you could still taste the calamari. For dinner, I had the Shrimp Ersillia. I despise sun dried tomatoes, so I asked for regular. Melissa suggested I order either extra spinach or mushrooms instead, as fresh tomatoes may water down the sauce. The fact that she knew to recommend this and knew the dish/menu that well was super impressive. I so appreciated this! I ordered extra mushrooms and it was fantastic. Allow me to reiterate. I was with great company, but I could have literally moved to a corner and just ate in silence. This was so good, I didn't need conversation or company. It was creamy, garlic-y, salty and cheesey...so good. Very fresh. And LARGE! I had enough for a big lunch the following day...though I could have eaten this for weeks on-end. For dessert we ordered the tirimisu and the a chocolate cake that tasted like a lava cake. Both were delicious - the tirimisu was a little less chocolatey or coffee-tasting than I had expected but both were great. I can't wait to come back and support this small business. The new location is the icing on the cake!

    (5)

  • Nonie R.

    I was excited to try this place since I heard it's the best Italian restaurant in the suburbs. Decided to have my dinner here on my birthday. Food was ok. Big serving. Place was nice. Everything was ok until I realized I lost my wallet. I am positive I have my wallet when I came in. Supervisor said he will contact me back. Never heard from him. SUPER BAD EXPERIENCE!

    (1)

  • Hank O.

    Really really good homemade Italian food. The only place I have ever had lasagna that was as good as my own. Newly renovated, tastefully decorated. Friendly, and helpful staff. Great place for a date or family get together.

    (5)

  • Kristi C.

    Clara's is hands-down my FAVORITE Italian restaurant. Not only do we go there frequently, but we also like to order take out from them when we're feeling too lazy to eat somewhere other than on our couch. They just in the past year renovated an old Krispy Kreme (good riddance!) building into this awesome Italian eatery, complete with 3 different dining rooms, a bar, and a pizza bar (watch then make your pizza!) They're also currently building an indoor/outdoor area. But enough about the building. It's the food you want! They will bring you some bread and oil to tide you over while you are looking over their extensive menu. Eat it, it's awesome. When I'm craving Clara's, my go-to is one of their house specialties: Clara's Breast of Chicken Limone. It's a butterflied chicken breast with some squash slices in a white wine sauce with herbs. It's basically the best thing I have ever put in my mouth. It comes with a side of pasta aglio olio, but I always substitute it for their fresh herb linguine with alfredo sauce , which pairs excellently with the chicken. Did I mention they make all their pasta in house? DO NOT pass it up, you will regret it. Their specialties also come with soup or salad (your choice). I usually get the soup, which changes daily. They also have a rewards card program, which is nice if you're an a frequent customer. I frequently recieve text messages from them for a free dessert or 10% off of our bill. It's the little things, you know? Overall, my family and I highly recommend Clara's to anyone with a serious cravig for some good Italian. Just go, you will not be disappointed.

    (5)

  • Gig F.

    The last time I was at Clara's, it was in the old location, so the new place is a big improvement in terms of ambiance. The glass-enclosed bar is beautiful and there are many vegetarian items on the menu. However, that's about all the good things I can state about this place....hostess and waiter were poor and food was nothing special, as many others have mentioned on Yelp. We arrived at 12 PM on Saturday and were the first ones in the restaurant. The hostess, a heavy-set woman wearing a striped top, did not greet us in any friendly manner, but looked up from her computer as if we were an irritant. She seated us at a table which was clearly dirty, but she turned around after dropping the menus (backwards by the way -- really poor hostessing skills on this one!) and went back to her station. I had to follow her back and ask her to send someone to clean the table...not kidding here, she grunted and rolled her eyes at the supervisor who was folding napkins at the bar! She then asked me to just move to another table, as none of the ten bus boys running around had time to clean the table! The waiter moved our silverware and water glasses, but even he looked annoyed. Gee, do these people not realize who is paying their salary? I figured the hostess must be part of the family and can't get fired....The eggplant parm I ordered was so heavy on the garlic, it was almost inedible. The full-size salad was nothing but lettuce with another garlic-laden dressing. The pizza was the quality of a Domino's crust. This should not be a surprise to the management, but as we took our leave, the hostess was at the stand and I looked right at her (on purpose) and she never acknowledged we were leaving, asked us how our meal was or anything you would expect a professional hostess to do. I suppose if someone I was dining with absolutely wanted to eat here, I'd go back (hence the 2 stars rather than 1 star) and I'd go, but I can't think of another situation which would be conducive to dining here again.

    (2)

  • J P.

    I'll be honest on this one. Not fresh Italian fare at all, and I won't go back because of the food. I know that Clara's is the staple in the area, and I know about the tradition. I really want to give this place a chance, but I really really hope the owners take my advice and look at their menu closer and taste their food. The restaurant is beautiful, new construction, the staff is awesome, everyone super helpful and friendly. The ambience is great, hence the 2nd star. The problem, the main problem is the food is not good at all. Flavorless food. Poor textures. ridiculous large portions. If you look at the photos of the food it's just not appetizing at all. The bread was warm and good, that was pretty much it. The food tastes old and lacking flavor. Smaller more appetizing plate sizes would be better. Please help make this restaurant better! Look at your caprese, it's brown. the tomato slices are too chunky, and it's cold. should it be room temp? a little olive oil on top. good to go. we like fresh Italian fare that's eye appealing. not old tired food.

    (2)

  • Heidi B.

    Great experience!! I stopped in with my husband and mom. We had a heavy lunch and just wanted some appetizers and a glass of wine. They do not have tables in the bar so we put our name in and only waited about 10 minutes for a table. Joe was an awesome server!! He came to the table right away. He kept our wine classes filled and brought the appetizers to the table right away. The food had a great taste and was reasonably priced. My favorite was the pesto bruschetta with goat cheese. The stuffed mushrooms and mushroom pizza were something I would order again. I did not have pasta on this visit but enjoyed the pasta dishes in the past. We've had issues in the past with Clara's. I'm glad we stopped in over the weekend- great tasting food and the server was accommodating. I will be sure to visit again.

    (5)

  • Andrew J.

    This is a great place. I've always had good luck here (except when I added anchovies to a dish, WAY too many included). My recent visit made things even better. They now offer zucchini noodles! I like these better than pasta, and Clara's sauces are fantastic. This was great news. For a pasta place this place is very gluten free friendly. Great job guys on adding zucchini noodles!

    (5)

  • Rebecca C.

    I've been going to Clara's for a long time, way before this new location. My mom and I would pick up the tiramisu to go only. However, there is too much hype around Clara's. Don't get me wrong they do have good Italian food, but I'm biased because of Rosebuds Downtown Naperville. This place is always packed and does not take reservations, which I find weird. At least they should put a certain amount of tables aside for guests who need reservations. Makes it inconvenient if you have more than 4 people. If you come during the dinner rush, you'll be waiting awhile. Yes, there's a bar, but I'm hungry! lol The service once you FINALLY get seat is fine. I've never had any negative experiences with the servers. Again, this is a good choice for Italian, but not the best around town. The wait is just too long and there's nothing special about the food to wait this long especially if I can make reservations somewhere else.

    (3)

  • Lisa W.

    I LOVE this place. I'm Italian and I think this is as good as it gets. My boyfriend and I were seated in the outdoor/covered patio area last night and absolutely loved the ambiance it created. We split the Rudy Jr Shrimp Special and gnocchi with vodka sauce al forno. Both were amazing. The waitress explained that they only have gnocchi on Wednesdays so it's as fresh as it get and boy, did it taste fresh. The dumplings were huge. There was plenty of cheese and sauce as well. I went in knowing I would love the gnocchi (because I've had it before), but I was surprised that I almost liked the Rudy Jr Shrimp Special better. Wednesdays are also half price bottles of wine night, how awesome is that! We got a bottle of Moscato for $14, the exact same price as 2 glasses of the same wine would cost. Score. Thursdays are half price glasses so you can't go wrong there either. In my opinion, there's something for everyone at Clara's. Our waitress was great last night, too. I think prices are more than fair for the portion size and the quality of the food. I'm a big, big fan of this place.

    (5)

  • Jess F.

    Great Italian food! Bread is excellent and fresh. Portions weren't as big as most Italian restaurants. Place is usually busy so you may have to wait if you don't make a reservation.

    (4)

  • Courtney H.

    I have been to Clara's a few times, but forgot to write a review before now! I went last night with my friend because she lives right there and since it was Ash Wednesday, we were looking for meat-free options. Bread is ok, nothing special. The oil it comes with is good, but Carraba's is better. I started with a side garden salad and was very surprised when I got the bill and it was $4.50 for iceberg lettuce, 1 piece of tomato and some shredded carrots and zucchini. I have to remember not to order it again. We also got the bruschetta roma and it was phenomenal. I loved it and took some home, too. I got the small 5 cheese pizza and it was decent, crust was a little TOO crispy for me but I know for next time. My friend got a pasta dish and she seemed to like it. Overall, I know I will be back. My bill for the salad, a pop and the pizza was $18 plus tip. My friend picked up the appetizer, which was nice.

    (4)

  • Sue M.

    The new location is beautiful. They were very accommodating to my nephew who had a food allergy and that alone is worth five stars. Food was good, though my one big complaint has always been that the sauces are watery. I like my sauce to stick to the pasta and I like to clean up with a piece of crusty bread. Speaking of, their rolls don't quite cut it for me. They remind me of a Turano kaiser roll from the deli counter. Needs improvement. I got pasta fresca and it was great. My niece had Alfredo and it was one of the best I've tasted. My son had the pesto, which would have been perfect had he not had a pool of watery sauce at the bottom of his bowl. They brought me tiramisu for my birthday and it rocked!

    (4)

  • Ramone B.

    I finally made it into Clara's! After years and years of driving past the old location, Clara's made a huge step up by renovating the old Krispy creme building. The new location looks awesome inside! Really snazzy. When my boyfriend and I arrived the place was kinda empty (around 5pm) I'm glad we got there when we did because Clara's filled up fast, and I hate being in an overcrowd restaurant. Weird huh? Considering all the concerts, live shows, and noise I'm constantly around. I just hate being elbow to elbow when I'm trying to eat. The hostess sat us at a table that my boyfriend and I hated. This table was in the middle of the floor. We had people hustling and bustling past us, and I hated it which prompted me to request a move which the hostess accommodated. There were two ladies working the front, and the one I interacted with was rather pleasant. A heavier set chick standing next to her made a face like I had made an outrageous request. Whatevs. They made the move for me and I was happy about it. The first waitress we had was kinda blah as well. The hostess moved my boyfriend and I to a much quieter spot in the back of the restaurant. I'm glad the waitress moved us because the next waitress ( Christina) was pretty F*cking awesome. She was very friendly and I fed off of that. She stayed on top of things. Loved her!! I just love people with a positive vibe. My dinner companion and I decided to forego appetizers which was a very smart move on our part. We usually can't finish dinner because we fill up on drinks and appetizers. The bread was pretty good. I ate all of the square buttery focaccia out of the basket while my boyfriend ate the plain round rolls. He hates butter which was right up my alley! The focaccia squares were good! I ordered the seafood pasta. I typically order this at almost EVERY Italian restaurant that I go to just to see whose I like better. This dish is typically the most expensive on the menu everywhere. It's only $20 bucks at Clara's, but rosebuds it's $34, and I've paid over $40 at other Italian joints. The dish usually consists of squid, calamari, shrimp, clams, mussels, and shrimp. Some places even put a whitefish in there. I didn't see any in my dish at Clara's. #SayWhat Looking at my seafood pasta I kind of felt disappointed. My squid were the size of a Cheerios?! If I hadn't of went looking I probably wouldn't have noticed I had any in my dish. I've really grown to like the taste of tentacles! My clams and mussels were also on the small side. There was hardly anything inside those shells. The meat that was in the shells had quite a bit of sediment in it. Can I get some mussels & clams to go with my sand plz!? It did add texture to my clams just not the texture I was aiming for! I did bite into one mussel that tasted completely rancid. It tasted like I ate a fart cloud. Thank goodness it was just that one that tasted like that cuz I wouldn't have been happy. There was plenty of calamari so I guess that made up for my squid. I did enjoy the firmness of the pasta. The sauce also had a nice flavor! I will return and try something else! I totally recommend getting there before around 5pm because the place fills fast! I was amazed at how packed it got quickly! Later dudes!!

    (4)

  • Hubert D.

    After driving by this area many times, and always seeing it busy... my girlfriend and I finally paid a visit. For some reason, they are closed on Monday and it does kinda stink considering I am normally not working on Mondays but whatever. We were able to finally pay a visit last week. The restaurant seems to be kinda big with a lot of elbow room. The front desk was very nice and there was no waiting at 6pm. We walked into a room and were seated. It was a little loud but that might have been due to the big party behind us and in front of us but whatever...no biggie. We ordered the Fried Calamari and it was good. I didn't like how they kept the sauce chunky since it was a little hard to dip. The bread was amazing with their flavored oil. I ordered a pasta dish with chicken and mushrooms with a lot of different types of cheeses. Normally, my biggest complaint was places never add enough cheese or I couldn't taste the mozzarella or blue cheese or whatever. However, I am glad to say this was not the cause here. They added a lot of cheese and as a cheese lover, I really enjoyed this dish. Overall, I enjoyed this place and we will be returning soon. It does make it hard since Mondays are our date nights for most of the time due to my work schedule but I'm sure we have to find time to visit this place. I am kinda sadden this place used to be a Krispy Kreme where I spent a lot of money but I am glad to see this great place to take over the location.

    (4)

  • Matt G.

    Fresh, homemade pasta and terrific service, while being easy on the wallet? Clara's gets 5 stars from me (in spite of the fact there's an hour wait each time I go). Also, no reservations unless it's a party of 5 or more. This place just moved from a strip mall on 53 to the building formerly known as Krispy Kreme doughnuts. They pretty much gutted KK and rebuilt the place in their own way. Since it opened last year, they've added on like 3 new rooms to the place, and the wait is still an hour. Fortunately there's a well-stocked bar to keep your mind lubricated while you wait :) The hostesses, bartenders, and servers here are the best. Everyone is so friendly and they really work to make you feel welcome. Hospitality is a dying art, and these guys manage to do it every time I come in. Food itself is sublime- think homemade type dishes. The lasagna (both the eggplant and meat) are the best things to order here. I've also had the combination plates where you can mix your own pasta and sauce choices. The pizza's are huge and delicious. Salads are good- the mesclun is the best one, by far. Desserts are good (but I don't usually partake)- my kids love everything on the menu. Overall, just a real neighborhood gem. I think they should re-open in the their original location (in addition to the new building) just to handle the sheer volume of customers.

    (5)

  • E C.

    Was there for an event and it was wonderful! Staff was incredible and everyone was very impressed! Food was delicious and the place was incredibly clean. Absolutely will be back !

    (5)

  • Michelle S.

    Not enough nice things to say about the new location. Just beautiful! Food has not suffered a bit, still the Rudy Jr can't be beat for flavor. Ceasar salad was a new experience and I was blown away by how fresh and delicious.

    (5)

  • Amanda S.

    I reallllllllly wanted to like Clara's. I was so excited to see how beautiful the new location looked, the reviews looked great (for the most part), and it's always nice to see a local/family-owned business do well. But our visit was VERY disappointing. We were seated right away on a Sunday evening, we tried Friday night but that was a different story. 45 minutes plus. Our waitress was prompt and attentive throughout our meal. We decided to skip apps and enjoy the bread. It is delicious, but it is just bread. Nothing out of the ordinary. I decided to get the Cream of Chicken Pesto with the Red Pepper Gorgonzola salad, and my boyfriend got the Chicken Parm with a Caesar salad. I saw that my salad was $2.75 extra but it sounded so good that I splurged. Our salads came out right away and I spent a few minutes figuring out what I paid extra for. The garden salad that comes with your meal includes lettuce, carrots, zucchini, cucumbers and tomatoes. This salad was lettuce with a spoonful of tiny chopped red peppers and a few croutons. If you do the math, that's actually less ingredients........but you pay more. The dressing was good and the salad was well-dressed but the lettuce was 90% hearts that were terribly bitter. When my food came, I was happy with the amount of pasta and what seemed to be one full chicken breast. There wasn't anything special about the dish, I would probably rate it a 6 out of 10. My boyfriend was pretty disappointed in the Chicken Parm. I remember hearing that it wasn't breaded, but completely forgotten about that when he was ordering. Our meals seem to be made with the same piece of bland chicken, just dressed in a different sauce. The plate was slightly watery, and the sauce was pretty basic. We left our card on the table to pay, but when we got the slip he was not happy to see the extra charge for his Caesar salad. I knew mine was extra but the waitress flubbed and charged $6.50. We had to wait for the waitress to come back, explain the mistake and fix it. I'm not so sure why they feel the need to charge extra for these basic salads, but it definitely isn't worth it. Our table was also incredibly wobbly and they sit on a pedestal so we weren't able to keep our foot on it to stabilize it. Just a minor problem that caused some irritation all night

    (3)

  • Yvonne M.

    Loved Clara's when I went this afternoon!! They have zucchini noodles instead of regular pasta if you want! So excited!!! I love Italian food but rarely eat it because of all the carbs but this gives me a really amazing alternative. I got the zucchini noodles with the vodka sauce and then it had filet tips on it. All of it was DELICIOUS! Also the roasted red pepper and Gorgonzola salad is definitely worth a try....so tasty. This has been added to my list of top favorite places because it gives me the Italian feel but with veggies that look like pasta but are fresh and healthy!

    (5)

  • Sharon B.

    I have been to Clara's before, and love the mussels with pasta. I ordered the Chicken Lemone this time, and it was not what I call anywhere near what I would expect. The chicken on my plate looked exactly like the chicken on my friend's caesar salad. The plate was loaded with liquid and the pasta was drenched in lemon juice. The service also was not up to par. The waiter never came back after our meal was served, and the bus boy got us coffee. We saw the waiter once more, to ask if we wanted more coffee, but the cup was full at that time. Needless to say, our tip went to the busboy and not to the waiter. I always tip 20 percent, but this time, he got what he deserved.

    (2)

  • Samantha A.

    I haven't been back to the area to visit for awhile and I've been dying to check out their new space. Overall, I would say their new space is a huge improvement. The outside definitely looks a lot classier. I just wasn't feeling the strip mall vibe of the previous place, and the prominence of the new location has to be helping with business. I'm still can't believe this place used to be a Krispy Kreme! In terms of food, they are still serving delicious American-Italian food. I've tried their chicken parmesan, lasagna, and now their stuffed noodles. All of them are dripping in cheese and soaked in a delicious pasta sauce. I'd say their prices for their pasta dishes are about average. I would have loved to try their steak, but it was a little pricey for me. In addition to steak and pasta, they also have 10 inch pizzas at reasonable prices. My father and husband split a pizza and seemed to enjoy it. I found the service very attentive. We went on a busy Saturday evening and didn't have to wait long for our food, which was nice. In sum, great ambiance, good food, and reasonable prices. As a final note, make sure to join the loyalty club so you get a free entree on your birthday!

    (4)

  • Kim M.

    Clara's has been a part of the Area as long as I could remember. Their new location is beautiful compared to the old it's night vs day. Seriously so much more light now! The food is always good ! Fresh pasta veggies oh my! Great service, so polite! Since there are soooo many Italian joints you have to really wooo me for a 5 star so that's why it gets a 4.

    (4)

  • Monica G.

    Ciara's is a neighborhood restaurant that has been around for many many years. Have eaten there a few times in the last 30 years, but have never ever been wowed by anything have ever eaten there. The ambiance is very nice in their new location and the service was attentive, but the food is beyond mediocre. Our party of seven each ordered different entrees and not one of us could honestly say anything was a wow. The lemon chicken was swimming in a clear "sauce" with no hint of lemon. It was the worst my husband said he had ever eaten. Calamari was tasteless , pizzas were pretty good! Not in any big hurry to rush back!

    (2)

  • Alex S.

    Amazing! I went here with a group and had a great experience. The bread that they give you is almost TOO good. Make sure not to fill up on it! I ordered linguini with meat sauce and is was really good. The pasta was homemade and you can really tell the difference. The meat sauce was so good I could have eaten it out of a bowl like chili. If anyone goes here, I would definitely recommend ordering some sort of pasta (I think most dishes come with it actually). This place can also get a little busy so it wouldn't hurt to make a reservation.

    (5)

  • Heather J.

    My boyfriend and I ate there last night and were extremely disappointed in the food. We had the Baked Portabella Mushrooms, the Aglio e Olio, and Filet of Salmon. The homemade pasta had no wow factor. The sauces were bland. It was painfully obvious that all the vegetables came from a frozen mix in a bag (not even well thawed). The Mushrooms had little flavor and were lightly "breaded" with Italian bread crumbs - a soggy plate of yuck. I really wanted to have a good meal. I wanted to like this restaurant. The only reason I'm giving it 2 stars is because the waitress was really nice. Go somewhere else.

    (2)

  • Samantha B.

    Heard about this place through a friend. She recommended I make a reservation beforehand because they get pretty busy. So I called but they only take reservations for parties of 6 or more. Off to a bad start. We arrived and we were sat fairly quickly which was was a plus. They bring you lots of bread and oil before dinner so be careful not to fill up....the portion sizes are pretty large. I ordered the chicken parm and it was not good at all. I was extremely disappointed. The chicken was not breaded. Seriously? All chicken parm should be breaded. The pasta was homemade but it was extremely pasty. I hardly touched it. The sauce was not like marinara sauce. It seemed liked someone opened a can of whole chunk tomatos and poured it over my chicken and pasta WITHOUT DRAINING IT FIRST!! All of my food was floating in a pool of water. It was terrible. My husband ordered the linguine with meat sauce. His sauce looked better, but probably because the ground beef and linguine soaked up the water and his linguine noodles were also crap. My mother ordered the eggplant parm which was pretty much the same as my dish. Again, her eggplant wasnt breaded. Thats a mistake. Aside from the food, the atmosphere was great. It had excellent lighting, it was very clean and spacious and we sat in a huge booth that allowed us to have a personal conversation with one another without being heard or having to hear others. The waitress, April, was on top of her game. She was polite, professional, and did not mess around when it came to providing us refills. Her timing was always excellent. We didnt feel rushed to hurry up and order and she wasnt too slow. The prices were decent for the portion sizes. It was 80 bucks for the four of us and that was with drinks and dessert. The managers really need to step up. There were kids running around everywhere and one of them almost knocked down a waiter carrying a whole tray of food. At this point, the managers really should have stepped in and handled the situation. I dont come to a restaurant and only pay for food. I pay for the atmosphere. So when I go to a nicer, expensive italian place, I shouldnt have to look at kids running up and down the aisles playing tag with one another. If I ever return to this place, it will be for the dessert alone. Dinner sucked, but the Limoncello Marscapone Cake and Tiramisu was to die for.

    (3)

  • Chrissy R.

    My husband and I finally made it into Clara's after living in the area 7 years. The old location never looked "inviting" even though everyone we spoke to raved about the food. So now that the new location is up and running (and beautifully warm and inviting) we checked it out! And I'm so sorry I have stayed away so long! My love is Italian food and Clara's is by far the best I've had in a long time! True, authentic, perfection. I had the Lasagna florentine which was rich, cheesy perfection and my husband went with the traditional lasagna to which he said it was the best lasagna he's ever had!!! This is our new Italian staple. Can't wait to try some more dishes!!!!

    (5)

  • Julie W.

    Huge new fan of this place. Loved sitting on where they had the windows open and had a beautiful ambiance! Portion size is large so be prepared! The pesto brushetta is excellent! Caesar salad delicious with home made croutons. And my husband and I had the 9 oz steak! The mashed cauliflower is delicious and the side dishes are definitely large enough to share. We had enough left over food for a whole meal! Look forward to bringing friends and family here.

    (5)

  • Gary C.

    I have been going here occassionally for over 20 years, and while I love their fresh pasta and the breads, the sauces are just so-so and not worth the effort to dine there except when not in the mood for cooking it myself. Of course I usually order aglio olio or white wine sauce with fresh clams. Those are good, but I need to be in the mood for those items. Not sure how to reply to the comment made by Dawn and Rudy, so I'll try via an edit. To clarify my review, I find the red sauces a bit on the bland side, and we really don't do sauces laden with cream, so I can't honestly speak to those sauces. The white wine with clams and agllio olio are my go to sauces because you do them well and I don't.

    (3)

  • George D.

    If you have a groupon and are the wrong nationality... DONT GO. My wife bought a Groupon for Clara's restaurant in Woodridge Il. She was unable to make reservations on the Groupon website for some strange reason but was able to contact the restaurant and phone in a reservation indicating we had a Groupon. We received a text message confirming our reservation at 7:00 pm on Friday evening. We went to the restaurant on time, got seated and then things went sour after that. The manager in a plaid flannel shirt stated that we were not on his list in his cell phone. He looked at the voucher on my wife's phone and cancelled the page that the voucher was on. My wife had trouble getting back on line because there was no wifi available at the restaurant at that time. He told her to go outside and the reception might be better. My wife spent about five minutes outside trying to get back online meanwhile the plaid shirt manager stated the the reservation was given by a new girl by mistake and our reservation was null and void. Also, seeing that we were the only black people in the restaurant I assume we were not wanted there and therefore discriminated against. We left the restaurant with a worthless groupon and no service. Groupon deals aren't really a deal if you can't get the deal. Now we have to wait forever to get a refund for this rotten deal and certainly will not consider dining on a groupon to avoid frustration and definitely not even look towards Clara's.

    (1)

  • Michelle H.

    For the most part, every time any of my favorite local restaurants branch out or move to a larger location, some of the qualitly gets lost in the process. I am glad that did not happen with Clara's. Moving from their tiny, hard to get to strip mall location, to a brand new, reconstructed and enlarged old Krispy Kreme builiding a half block away, Clara's is clearly moving on up. The new building consists of at least three seperate dining rooms along with a large bar and a more casual central seating area. The whole place is beautiful, filled with dark wood and exposed stone accents, and low lighting, which puts it in an intamate setting without being impossibly dark. Read my previous review to learn about the service and the food beyond compare, because that, in all its excellence, has not changed a bit!

    (5)

  • Ramona T.

    This past Saturday (August 1st) my husband and I came to the restaurant at around 8:30 pm hoping to have an appetizer and a couple of drinks on the new patio. We were greeted by the hostess and I asked if we could sit outside for a drink and appetizers and she said that "they would have to find a server to come out there" and that since we were just having appetizers and drinks, the bar would be a better choice for us. Actually, Supparosa was better for us that night where they happily obliged our request.

    (2)

  • Justin C.

    Oh Clara's...you're red pepper gorgonzola salad is one of the greatest things I have ever eaten. You give insane portions and my fiance and I love dining here. The only complaint I have is that your bartenders do not know how to make a cocktail. Everytime I order one, I am disappointed. But stick to the wine list, and you will love Clara's. *I've actually tried many drinks...most recently, I believe it was a rye Manhattan on the rocks. Funnily enough, the first time I had it, it was light on the vermouth and the second time, heavy on it. I used to tend bar and I would guess they are not using jiggers and not consistent in counts. They are super friendly and I am normally not one to criticize a drink because I know how crazy it can get in a bar. But maybe a few pour tests would refresh their counts. :) Updating rating to 5 stars because you asked!

    (5)

  • Kate B.

    Service was outstanding! One of our party made a mistake in what they ordered (dietary restrictions). Manager visited the table, they remade the meal and brought extra sides. Food was delicious as always. Their fresh bread and rolls dipped in olive oil and grated Parmesan is a great start to the meal. Lasagna is enough for two meals. Totally impressed with the service! We will be back. You have to try this place.

    (5)

  • Alixx C.

    Still three stars. The waitress' name was Kristina. The nice one that was our second waitress that night. She was everything. I contacted their website personally to tell them of Kristina. I got the usual cookie cutter answer they give to people on here. " we will talk to our staff" I guess that's all they can say. However, when I go back, we will see. Keep you all posted.

    (3)

  • Mai S.

    On my colleague's recommendation, our family jumped at a chance to eat a local Italian restaurant. We usually drive into the city to one of Rosebud chain, Cocco Pazo, or Sienna's Tavern. We arrived Wednesday night 11/12/14 from a neighboring town. The restaurant was lovely and the ambiance was very warm and inviting. There was a short wait of 15 minutes as well - so we assumed the food must be GREAT??! We were very much looking forward to the food. We ordered and were looking forward to the fresh pasta, lasagna, chicken, and veal. We asked if there was pappardelle pasta nor cavatelli? NON. We tried the usual linguini and rotinni pasta. The pastas were not drained and the mariana sauce was watered down and runny. The chicken parmigiana was not flavored and tasted plain. My child's lasagna was luke- warm. The main entrees were all shockingly disappointing. I am surprised at the ratings? We tried the tiramisu cake/dessert as well -- again not a favorite. I must say I was hoping I didn't have to drive to the city for fresh Italian pasta....but maybe I still have to.

    (2)

  • David Z.

    I have been going to Clara's off and on for 7 years. The kitchen at the new place is MUCH faster! The food is excellent but the pasta could be drained of water a little longer before serving. I have to admit that I take my mom here and we both miss the homey comfy feeling that the old place had. It now has a cold vibe that we don't like. I miss that the old Clara's used to be a lunch place as well.

    (4)

  • Andre W.

    Its not often that I venture out to a restaurant in the north burbs as I just do not care for heading that direction. I received an invite to dinner from a friend that swears by this place. I trust her judgement with food so I was game and I also saw pretty good reviews here on Yelp. We grabbed a drink @ the bar while we waited for our seat as it was a bit of a wait due to it being a Saturday nite @ 7PM. Once seated we were greeted by our awesome server Craig and he made sure he got us our 2nd glass of chianti. We started out with the grilled calamari which was fantastic. Due to there being so many great items on the menu I struggled to decide on what I wanted. My friend gave me her recommendation of Rudy Jr's Shrimp Special. The dish included shrimp sautéed in fresh garlic, butter, olive oil and parmigiana served over Spinach and Egg Angel Hair and came along with a delicious caesar salad. The meal was phenomenal and I couldn't stop eating even though I was attempting to save room for dessert...I definitely recommend. Dessert was amazing as we went with one of my favorites, Tiramisu. It comes as a nice sized portion so you will definitely want to share. I could not believe we finished it as we were stuff from our entrees. Definitely a gem in the midst of chains over in Woodridge...do yourself a favor and get to Clara's for some really good Italian fine dining.

    (5)

  • Daniel V.

    Not a bad place, I really can't say much about it. It didn't blow me away. The homemade pasta was so so. I've have better.

    (4)

  • John B.

    Clara's Clara's Clara's... Back when I was about 9, I started coming here some 26 years ago. I hated it... Don't get me wrong, the food was great, But you try to get a 9 year old to sit still and mind his manors for 1.5-2 hours!!! As I got older, I had some of my first dates and a pre-dance date here... Then I moved. Fast forward 18ish years, turns out they moved too. I now have 3 kids myself and have moved back to the area which brings me to Date Night! I told my wife about this place and we drove out from Oswego. First impression: The new place looks great and even has a fancy sign! I was terrified since the parking lot was full that we would have to wait forever... But it was less than 20 min... Not too bad. The hostess.... I'm kinda speechless here, even my wife before I said it looked at me and "I know, I know, she's amazing." I'm in customer service and have been for a while, it's extremely rare to see someone that at their core, is a genuinely sweet and truly caring human being. It is a simple task, greet, take a name, and move on, but this hostess made me feel welcome and happy to be there immediately!!! She was amazing!!!! Folks, I could go on and on as to how genuine and inviting she was as she greeted people, but it would get a little weird... Funny thing is, I tried to get her name, but no one could remember since she was newer. Might have started with a "c", but she had darker hair, thin and early 20's. Long story short, give her a raise or make her a manager, she made the long trip worth while on only the greeting! The set-up: The new place looks great, lots of space and it was packed! Cool Pizza Bar and Rudy's bar too. (A quick note on Rudy: I remember him well, my father used to go and sit at the bar and have a drink with him or he would come sit at our table. I don't know if they knew each other or he was just friendly, but every time besides this one, I got to see him. I'm not even sure if he is still around, I think his son(s) are, but I have some great memories and I noticed a plaque at the bar with his name on it.) The Service: Everthing was attentive and I've never had my glass refilled with such regularity. I cannot say anything was bad, or astonishing, just how it should be. The Food: Bread and Oil: This is the free stuff, I love bread and oil, I even serve it at home, but this has me baffled??? I have never had such great tasting oil mix. The oil was so subtle I'm not even sure that's what it was... Garlic, cheese, pepper, lemon juice maybe???... with a fantastic bread selection... I could have ended the meal here and been happy! 10!!! Pesto Bruschetta: Full flavored, large portion and a great way to start. Solid 10 Soakers with cheese: I'm very confused by this one.... This is about a foot long Italian bread soaked in marinara(essence of clam) and baked with cheese. It was the best bread dish I have ever had... And the kicker... $2.99 I think!!! 1-10.... 12! Cesar Salad: One of the best Cesar's we have ever had. 9 (I only deduct a point since the best I ever have had was made table side) Gorgonzola Peper salad: I'm going with a 6 on this one, it was great if I had not tasted the Cesar, but it could be better and needs a bit bolder flavor. Eggplant Parmesan: I ordered this to be different since that's what I always teach my kids. I'm going to give it an 8 since I know it was made well, but I was not the biggest fan. I would prefer less gravy and cheese and a slightly crisp Eggplant. Baked Chicken with Portobello Mushrooms: Wow, this was tasty! Hearty portion, tender chicken, thick rich cream sauce and flavorful thinly sliced mushrooms! This is a must have! 10! ( I'm going to go take a break from this review and warm up some leftovers... Brb) ..annnnd I'm back, wow, that's good even cold! To end the night, Tiramisu! This was a wonderful treat, not to rich, not overly powering, what this dish should be, excellent! 10! Overall I will be back time and time again and hope my kids will have fond memories someday as well! Well worth the drive. This is what Italian food should be, and no one else can even come close! Thanks to Clara and Rudy's whole family for keeping this establishment going! And by all means, take good care of your new hostess, she is most certainly taking care of you!!!

    (5)

  • Jen T.

    I have been going to Clara's for about 5 years since I moved to the area! I'm so glad I decided to try this place! The new location is even more fabulous! The food is never disappointing. I've had their pizzas to pasta dishes and desert and all have been great! Very authentic, rich, tasty and great quality! I love this place! The servers are equally as pleasant and polite! Place is very clean, great ambiance, great location! What more can I say?!?! Great place, Great people, great service, great food! I enjoy the olive oil dipped in their tasty warm bread. The focaccia bread is great! I ordered the Shrimp Ersilia and I could not stop taking about it! Love this place and I highly recommend Clara's!

    (5)

  • Tiff T.

    Deliciousness! Good atmosphere and service, great decor and did I mention the yummy food? Decently priced for a seemingly high scale place. Would love to go again. Great for everyone- couples, families, friends.

    (5)

  • Carolyn D.

    Clara's is the place to go for authentic Italian food. The new location is fabulous. We have bee. Customers since 1991. Highly recommend

    (5)

  • Freyja C.

    We hosted a bridal shower yesterday and we were very happy with everything. The food and service were excellent. The prices were fair and they set the room up nicely for our group and appropriately for the occasion. Nice touches included setting up a trash bin for the gift wrap and a cart to help us get everything into the car after. Highly recommend for an event like this! !

    (5)

  • Craig L.

    Just ate here with my wife, brother, daughter and nephew. We didn't have reservations and were told it would be a half hour wait, faster if we took a booth. We happily said a booth would be fine and in about 15 minutes we were seated. I feared this would be a tight fit, but nothing to fear it was a large comfortable booth that would sit 6 large adults comfortably. We found the food delicious. The bread service was great and tasted fresh baked. The only let down was we felt the Lobster Bisque was average and had a bit of an odd texture. Entrees were awesome. I judge a new Italian restaurant by their spaghetti and meatballs and frankly both were delicious. You just can tell the difference with home made pasta. The child's portion of ravioli was good as well and well priced. My wife had the pumpkin ravioli special and raved about it. The star to me was a baked chicken Alfredo that my brother got. It might be the best Alfredo I've ever had. I could bathe in that Alfredo. All in all, a beautiful comfortable place. Good but not great service. Great food other than the soup. Looks like I found my new favorite Italian restaurant and noticed that they appear to do a thriving carryout business that I intend to give a whirl.

    (4)

  • Ashley W.

    Every time I go to Clara's I am always drawn to the homemade pasta (usually linguini) with alfredo sauce, and I always add mushrooms too. It is delicious every single time which is why I haven't explored with any other options on the menu. Their new location is beautiful, and definitely a huge step-up from their previous location up the road. I just wish I'd think about ordering carry-out on any day but Monday when they are closed. It seems like any time I think order carry-out from here, without fail, it's a Monday.

    (5)

  • Doug A.

    I ordered carry out on an early Friday night. Place was dead and yet I had to wait almost 30 minutes for my meal! Not only that but when I looked in the bag after leaving there was no napkins, or cutlery to eat with. The meal itself was nothing great as the noodles were too soft and they skimped on the vodka sauce. When I called to complain they told me they had a large catering order so really what they were saying was "sorry but your order wasn't as important as the bigger order". I was offered a gift card the next time I come in but honestly who would want to go back after spending $16 on a mediocre meal and told they weren't as important as other customers. Clara's is not what it see to be. I think they're new big restaurant has gotten in the way of giving great customer service which they always used to have and was how they built their business. Very disappointing.

    (1)

  • Z B.

    I never had a bad experience at Clara's! The service is good, and they are fast with the food with a popular crowd! If you would choose an excellent entree, choose the cheese tortellini alfredo! The alfredo on the pasta isn't creamy, but has a nice flavor to it. The tortellini was great! That choice is most popular and to die for! The desserts are good too! I highly recommend this place!

    (5)

  • Glenn D.

    THE PLACE My wife and I hadn't been to Clara's in almost 20 years, so we were eager to return to their new home just down the street on Route 53 from the original location. The new location is much larger and more open with high ceilings, but missing some of the charm of the original. They have brought all of the great pictures that showcase the proud family tradition of the restaurant and its 3 generations, but they seem a little lost in the larger space and the over-lit atmosphere. I was reminded more of one of the Italian chain restaurants like Carrabas or Bucca di Beppo than an authentic independent. We were seated at a table for six in the middle of the main dining room. Given the size of the restaurant, I would have expected that we would have had no issue with space, but the tables were so close together that the staff had a bit of trouble navigating between the tables easily and I was bumped by patrons 4 different times as they tried to get through. THE SERVICE Our waitress was an older lady who gave us the strong impression that she didn't want to be there and that we were annoying her. She had little patience as we ordered, and even less when she brought out our food and drinks, handing them to the closest person and expecting us to pass them to the right person. We were there with good friends and were determined to have a fun evening, so we initially laughed about her brusque manners and lack of good cheer, calling it 'charming' and equating it to the Ed Debevics style of down-to-earth manners. But as the evening wore on and her appearances lost their appeal, we realized that she really didn't like her job, and she had given up trying long ago. It wasn't 'charming', it was unfortunate and detracted greatly from our experience. THE FOOD We had ordered four appetizers, all Italian-American Classics: Caprese Salad, Bruschetta, Fried Calamari, and Shrimp Scampi. The Caprese was delicious, and we commented on how good the tomatoes were for this time of year. The Bruschetta was fair, but the bread was soggy, so I'm guessing that it had been assembled ahead-of-time and had been sitting for quite a while. The Shrimp Scampi was not very good. The garlic sauce was less-than-inspired, luke-warm, and the quality of the shrimp was sub-standard. The Fried Calamari was the worst of the bunch. It was cold, it was dry, it was flavorless, it was the worst fried calamari that I have had at a Chicago Italian restaurant in living memory. I can only guess that it had been cooked as a part of a large order long before and sat in a giant vat under a heating lamp for hours. Heresy! Despite the disappointing appetizers and the ugly service, we remained hopeful that the main course could rescue the evening. After all, this was Clara's! This was one of the best Italian restaurants in a town choked with great Italian restaurants! They arrived and were distributed with little fanfare and much fumbling by a male employee wearing a tie. He looked confused as he frequently checked the order and tried to match the right dish with the right person... mostly successfully, but the strain of the effort seemed to make him frown. Having finally succeeded, and all smiles, he distributed the obligatory parmesan. I had the famous Lasagna. It was densely packed, with layers of al dente pasta that had just a hint of crunch, chees and meat. The sauce was good, but a bit sparse. Overall it was tasty, but missed slightly on the temperature and freshness. Again I got the impression that it had been prepped much earlier and then re-heated. Understandable for lasagna, but the execution was not up to the standard I've seen a hundred times at top-notch Italian restaurants. My wife had the stuffed shells and said that they were 'good', but didn't gush. Given that she has been on a low-carb diet for the last few months and looked positively fiendish when she had ordered them, I expected her to devour the three smallish shells with relish. She didn't finish them. DRINKS When we had arrived, we had ordered a round of cocktails, which were delayed at the bar because they 'were busy'. The waitress recommended a bottle of wine for dinner saying it was 'her favorite'. Predictably it was a bad choice, but I blame myself for allowing us to take her suggestion. It should have been apparent by that point that she either had no real knowledge of wine, or was just pushing whatever they had too much of. DESSERT We were pretty full by this point, but we gamely pushed on. We were enjoying each others' company and so we ordered some coffees and a couple of Italian classics (again): Tiramisu and Cannoli. The tiramisu was interesting. The ladyfingers were suspended in an almost foamy mascarpone. The flavor wasn't bad, but compared to all of the tiramisu I have tried it was in the bottom 1/3 or so. We got the three small cannolis plate and I ate two of them. Finally, something lived up to standard. OVERVIEW Service: Horrific Ambiance: Meh Food: Disappointing

    (1)

  • Leana G.

    I love this restaurant. Friendly, professional staff, and the food is authentic Italian and delicious. I love the seafood special, which is perfectly prepared and delicious.

    (5)

  • Jie S.

    Clara's has decent pasta dishes with excessive portion. The decor is dated. Services was pretty good. I'm kind of torn between 3 or 4 stars. It would be a solid 4 if they cut the portion to half and charge half the price? The complimentary bread and dip were an awesome combination. The dip is premixed with olive oil , parsley, and cheese. Bread was fresh and warm. Our grilled calamari appetizer was really good comparing to the usual heavy breaded fried ones. Home made marinara sauce went great of calamari pieces. Another nice combination. My seafood pasta come with a huge plate on which were full of seafood and marinara sauce. I probably ate 1/8th of it and I were done. Pasta was a bit overcooked but seafood and sauce were really delicious but I really could not have any more. The nice part was that I asked for spicy and it was truly spicy for me which rarely happens in an Italian restaurant. I reheat this for dinner the same day. It fed both me and my husband. However it didn't taste as good as the lunch time as the noodle were even mushier than then. So I would prefer they have smaller portion and charge less money. No left overs. Win-Win for everyone. My friend's linguine had the same problem. Over cooked pasta with too much vodka cream sauce in a huge deep bowl. Maybe I wait for a good coupon to go again or share one dish between 2 of us.

    (4)

  • Mike M.

    It's no secret any longer! Clara's was packed last night. Even still, we were served in a very timely matter. The service was great. The decor was very nice and the food was terrific. I had chicken parmigiana, which was not breaded or fried (which is unusual) but was artfully blended with cheeses and a delicious red sauce. It was very tasty. Pasta fagioli soup was brothy, not too many beans... delicious! Wifey had salmon, she loved it. Friends were also very happy with their meals (chicken limone and beef tenderloin risotto). Downsides? Yes, we were too full for dessert!

    (4)

  • Steve B.

    It's Clara's. Excellent food and good service, in a new larger location. I eat here consistently and have never had a bad meal. I have also had family parties at Clara's.

    (5)

  • Suzan K.

    Went there for the first time and amazing food. Started with calamari and soakers with cheese for appetizers. Best calamari I've had. Soakers was good but a bit more salty than I prefer. I had the shrimp ersilia and it was excellent. It was different than what I can get at other restaurants and I loved it. Loved the homemade fresh pasta. I went with several other people and everyone loved their pasta entree. I had the Italian almond cake for dessert and it was a great ending to a wonderful dinner. The cake was served warmed and very light and not too sweet.

    (5)

  • Michael R.

    The new location is better for sure, but the overall feeling is that this is an o.k. place to get Italian food. Nothing really exciting-while homemade pastas are nice, there's something slippery, almost slimy about their pasta. Sauces are decent-imaginative even in some cases. The bread and olive oil/pesto/parmesan that they serve for dipping is a good start and their appetizers (calamari, bruschetta) are tasty. I'm more in the 2.5 star realm, but respect what Clara's tries to do and the fact that someone is occupying the former Krispy Kreme establishment (the one immediately in front of the Edward (not 'Edwards'!) Fitness Center) is a positive by itself.

    (3)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Tue

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Accepts Bitcoin : No
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    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
    Dogs Allowed : No
    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.

Clara’s

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