Mario’s Table

Very traditional Italian food with an excellent chef. Very comfortabe and laid back. Food and service is excellent. Location just North of the Rush/​Division tourist traps. This is where the local neighborhood people go to get great food and service. The bar is «Cheers» and very friendly. They have been in business a long time because they do things nice.

Every time my fiancé and I come to marios table, we get great food, amazing service and a great experience. This restaurant won’t disappoint you!

After a weekend of running around the city, we weren’t too excited about trying to find yet another place to eat, and Mario’s was across from our hotel.
The bread and oil were great. I got Veal Parmesan, gf got the scallops — both were really good. The other meals at our table looked really good too and received good feedback even though I didn’t try them.
Place is really nice, and Mario came to our table to welcome us, which I thought was a nice touch. He spent the our entire visit out on the floor visiting with his guests and hanging what with appear to be regulars. This guy is all about hospitality.
Our server was very friendly and did a nice job. My gf was treating so I didn’t see the bill and I don’t want to– but when I glanced at the prices, I can’t say it’s out of line with any other Italian place and they nailed it on every level.
Don’t let it’s unassuming exterior (I was unclear where the entrance was and if you blink you might miss this place) or the fact that it’s a little off the beaten path scare you off– this place is worth a stop.

Mario’s is truly something special! The food is absolutely amazing (I recommend the caprese salad and any of the flat breads are delicious)… Every time I go back I try something new and love the food more and more! What really makes Mario’s stand out from the rest though, is the ambiance and the wonderful people there. I am not from Chicago and this is really a place I can go to feel at home. The ambiance is warm and inviting and Mario himself greets every single patron with a smile on his face. The bar tenders and wait staff are friendly and awesome as well! This will always be one of my favorite spots in Chicago. What a gem!

The fact that this place doesn’t have a 5 star review is crazy! Every time I come back to marios, I love my food even more. The bow tie pasta, the bruschetta, mussels, the pizza, the seafood pasta (diavalo?) and spaghetti are incredible. The wine selection is affordable and delicious.
The staff are so friendly and are always making sure you are happy and satisfied. Marios is the perfect authentic Italian restaurant that will leave you so happy and satisfied. The owner Mario is the friendliest guy and walks around constantly to make sure each table is happy.
Amazing restaurant!

I only have good things to say about this little neighborhood gem. I stopped by for dinner and had a wonderful experience. I tried the seafood diavola, which was absolutely delicious. It was a generous portion with a variety of seafood and the sauce had a nice kick to it. Also, they substitute whole-​wheat or gluten-​free pasta at no additional charge. The tiramisu for dessert is perfect for sharing and a great way to finish off your meal!

My boyfriend had passed by so much that he was curious about trying it out with me and his mom. We were able to make same day reservations and then move to another table to add another person. We started with the toasted ravioli that were just ok. My boyfriends cavatelli and sausage was diappointing kind of bland. My seafood diavolo was pretty decent. The best thing was probably the tiramisu. The prices were probably average with other Italian restaurants. The staff was nice. At the end of the day, I’ve just had better Italian food at other restaurants in the city.

Came here with a friend even though the dishes are a little bit on the expensive side the eggplant parmesan is amazing… the pastas area also rich, delicious and the atmosphere is really cozy… i will return for some more… its a great spot for date night if your in the mood for some rich, comforting Italian food

All the people who are talking about the great food they had probably didn’t order the not-​so-​fresh shrimp scampi, either that or everyone commenting here happens to be related to Mario.
Both the shrimp and the pasta had a weird texture. I couldn’t make it past 5 bites.
My boyfriend ordered the chicken parm– not great either.
We shared the fried calamari and it was the only really good thing, I liked that they balance out the amount of tentacles and rings (but honestly, it’s fried calamari, you have to try really hard to screw it up).
In the end my meal consisted on fried calamari and a lot of bread and butter.
Service was terrible too, we spent over 15 minutes waiting for the check. The waiter just kept passing us by.
I wanted to like this place, I wanted a good, family restaurant full of friendly people and comfort food, but all I got was indigestion.

Excellent! I live right around the corner and this was my first time here. The service was great and the food was excellent. Portions are pretty big and prices very reasonable. Definitely seems like a locals secret because it’s a little off the beaten path. Mario came to our table and introduced himself, which was really cool! We’ll definitely be returning!

Great find for date night! Very neighborhood feel — casual but not flip-​flops and shorts. You’d be comfortable in anything from nice jeans/​shirt to a suit. Relatively quiet, a couple of tvs if you like watching the game. I had the Cavatelli with sausage and it was great. Caesar salad with anchovies before that was tasty, and bruschetta appetizer was very nice. Decent but not over-​the-​top wine selection. Our server was great! Meal was staged and sequenced properly and we never went wanting for water in our glasses. Sat at a table next to the window which they leave open when the weather is nice. Very pleasant!
We went on a Saturday night with an 8pm Opentable reservation. it was busy but still had a few open tables. It’s a good place to keep in mind if you have a pop-​up business dinner and you haven’t made reservations.
As others have mentioned it’s a little off the beaten path and not in the core Rush Street zoo — which is a good thing! But it’s not in the boonies — it’s only two or three blocks from the Clark/​Division Red line station — so park where it’s convenient and hop the red line.

Great neighborhood place with good Italian food. Friendly and consistently good.

Excellent dinner at Marios. We had a slight problem with my wife’s chicken Parmesan being burned on one side. Manager was on top of it right away and promptly returned with a fresh plate. Food was tasty, wine was good. Very casual Italian atmosphere all in all very happy to have a good Italian dinner on our trip to Chicago.

First of all, I want to put a disclaimer on my comments for dinner because I was recognized immediately by the owner, Mario. No doubt my group received special treatment — «wink, wink.» But it was special treatment indeed. Mario is a gracious and gregarious host. We had a very nice meal, from cocktails, to wine, appetizers, salad, entrees, and dessert. This is not artisanal foodie food, it’s standard Italian-​American food that is prepared well and served in a very convivial atmosphere. If you lived in the neighborhood, you would eat and drink here all the time. Think «Cheers» with great food!

Great, affordable dishes in a cozy location. Staff is very friendly, treating each customer like a «regular.» Quick service considering a busy Friday night environment.
For lighter faire, the Palm-​Cuke salad is fantastic! It’s so good that this meat-​eater now craves salad!

My boyfriend and I are staying at Public Chicago and since it Valentine’s Day we wanted a light lunch. Came here and sat at the bar and let me just say it was delish! We had cup of mini strobe which was filling and tasteful. We shared the fried calamari not as crispy as we like but it’s definitely a second choice! Lastly we shared the toasted ravioli fabulous!
If your in the area and want quality italian within a reasonable budget it’s well worth it!

This place is amazing! It is well of the beaten path though, so unless you live in one of the apartment complexes by it you’d never just walk past it.
A causal atmosphere with a touch of elegance. The service was fantastic, I ordered a Manhattan but obviously had a glass of water too and I don’t think my water glass was ever more than half empty.
OK, so their food. I ordered linguine with clam sauce and holy cow was it the best thing I’ve eaten this past month. My date ordered the lasagna which he claimed «reminded him of home»
We ordered dessert which I thought I wouldn’t be able to eat because I was so full and I had already wrapped up half my meal, but I decided to try a bite if the apple pie. Omg order the apple pie when you go here. It’s definitely worth it.
Not too pricey, but a place that you would only go to when you wanted a nice night out. I could see it being a good girls night out place too.

I’ve been wanting to try this place for the year that I’ve lived in the neighborhood. I was in the mood for Italian, and after speaking with a friend about this place, they recommended and provided me the take out menu, I decided to give it a try.
The restaurant itself is tucked away in the corner of an apartment building. Upon first entering the restaurant, you’ll see a bar and private booths to accompany a majority of the guests. I like that the restaurant is dimly lit. Perfect environment for date night. I believe I met the owner this visit, who was outside smoking a cigarette. He directed me to where the restaurant was and held the door open for me. The hostesses were extremely friendly and further directed me to where I could pick up my order. The checkout process was extremely easy and quick AND my food was ready!
I ordered the calamari combo, which was a small order of the fried and grilled calamari, the meatballs and the toasted ravioli. The grilled calamari was UH-​mazing! I ordered it on a whim, but I highly recommend it! It came with bruschetta mixed in. Man… YUM! The fried calamari was just okay though. It was a bit short on flavor and taste. The meatballs were okay as well. Nothing stood out about their seasoning. The toasted ravioli’s were also very good. I’d recommend Mario’s for a spontaneous dinner date, or if you live in the neighborhood. I’d also recommend giving the not-​so typical items on the menu a try. I believe they may exceed your expectations. I’ll be back Mario’s!

I live in the neighborhood and have passed by this place so many times. I finally decided to check it out last Friday night. The Blackhawks were playing that night but I’m not a hockey fan and just wanted a laid back night with my girlfriend. I figured a cozy Italian restaurant would be a safe bet.
Unfortunately, they have TV’s in every corner of the room and all of them had the hockey game on full blast. That’s fine in the bar area but do you really need to have TV’s around the room?
Other than that, the food was pretty good and Mario does walk around and shake everyone’s hand which is a nice touch. The calamari app was one of the better one’s I’ve had. The veal saltimbocca was pretty par for the course. The servers were a bit abrupt with us but I think that was on account of the fact that they were about to close up. As soon as I took my last bite, they swiped my plate and handed us the check.
If you want a casual Italian place with a great atmosphere, you’re better off going to Orso’s just a few blocks away. Sorry Mario!

You’ll find that most of the folks inside Mario’s pronounce the street Gur-​ta rather than Goethe. That’s how hyper local they are. They’ve been around for 18 years and if you’ve ever been in it’s pretty obvious why.
The staff possesses that quintessential Chicago friendliness, the customers again are mostly regulars from around the block, and the food is very affordable considering how quality it is.
The flatbreads are really good, but my top rec is any pasta with their vodka sauce. It’s by far my favorite thing here, and I’d put it up there with the likes of a La Scarola or Volare. Totally try it with mixed seafood and if you like some kick they’ll do it spicy upon request.
They fly a bit under the radar not being nearly as busy as some of the other big names in town so if you don’t want to deal with the rigamoroo of reservations or a 2 hour wait Mario’s might just be super spot for you.