Best Casual Restaurants in Chicago

Love Pizzeria Portofino's riverfront location & we were seated on the enclosed "patio" which was very nice but a little chilly. Also a bit loud. But the cocktails & food more than made up for that. I highly recommend the limoncello spritz - it's amazing! We had charred pepperoni pizza, vodka pasta pasta, octopus & arugula salad. All were good but the pizza was the star of our meal. Our server was excellent. We'll be back without a doubt.

The food was fantastic! We loved how they did Christmas carols during dinner on Christmas Eve!

Food was flawless. Some of the best food I’ve ever had in my life. Our server Jess was also flawless, one of the best servers I’ve ever had in my life. Noise level was perfect, ambiance- perfect, service- perfect. Food- mind blowing.

The atmosphere and vibe of Elina's was terrific. Sophisticated and felt like a New York neighborhood restaurant. The service was attentive and friendly. The food was fine but nothing very memorable. The fritto misto was way over-breaded (couldn't taste the seafood) and our pasta dish was average. Steak Limone was simple but good and flavorful.

The table bread is a must. The Cacio e Pepe pillows (so fluffy) and Rigatoni (just a little spicy in a good way) were delicious! Fried potatoes and delicate squash were excellent. Roasted chicken was just a little crispy and so flavorful. Soppressata pizza was sweet and salty. So good. Can’t wait for leftovers. Tossed salad was just ok IMO.