Cucina Paradiso

I was very pleased with the food, service, and overall experience. I usually go to Il Vicolo Trattoria, but they discontinued the dishes I love, so I'm looking for new places to try. I enjoy fried calamari, Brussels sprouts, and shrimp scampi. I prefer flavorful food that isn't too rich. I also like that they offer two different pasta sizes: small and large.

Found through TikTok, and it did not disappoint! The food was incredible, and we can’t wait to go back :)

Our server was Victor and he’s top notch! Tremendously courteous and attentive. We enjoyed appetizers, mains, desserts, and my wife had a cocktail while I went with a cappuccino at the end. Everything was phenomenal. 100% recommend Cucina Paradiso.

I just wasn't impressed with the restaurant. A personal pet peeve of mine is I hate it when you make a reservation and they sit you next to the waiter's station. I felt that the food was just there, nothing special about it. I expected more and was let down.

Service was amazing at this location. Everyone was friendly and responsive. The meatballs were light and moist, but had a mild flavor. I didn't think the sun dried tomatoes added anything to the Caesar salad. Overall the food was ok, with great service.

We dined at Cucina Paradiso for the first time tonight and everything was fantastic! Good food and even better service. We would recommend this to anyone looking for a good Italian spot in Oak Park!

We had our baby shower there in early Oct. ‘24 and everything was wonderful. We did the chef special menu plus fruit trays. The food was nonstop! The bar was a la carte- but soft drinks/coffee included. The pricing was more than fair given the value and quality of the extensive menu options. We had an hour to set up and had the entire place to ourselves it was a perfect venue for and I had to literally show the guests the door at one point- they were having such a great time nobody wanted to leave! I was able to add an arch for pictures, a welcome sign easel, have a table for games and photos and gifts and 5 tables for guests meeting our specific needs. There is plenty of room for more decor which is nice but you can add as much or little as you’d like and the space is still perfect! I recommend having any function here for your family or friends- the menu variety and freshness of the never ending food served was impeccable! Nobody had a bad thing to say, they were too busy eating, drinking, and celebrating in the beautiful space! If I could give them 10 stars, I would! I couldn’t even grab pics of the food, it was enjoyed immediately! I recommend going with the assorted pastries for dessert every time- amazing! Thank you to the staff for everything that day, it was a wonderful celebration! We can’t wait until our next date night to return!

So... I gave Cucina Paradiso 5 stars because it was the best experience I've had in a while. We walked in on a fairly busy night and got a seat at a bar table fairly quickly. The server was pleasant and personable. She had recommendations when asked, and was genuinely apologetic when she came back to tell they were out of what I order. I ended up getting their homemade rigatoni. It was phenomenal and really homemade. It was so similar to pasta I made from scratch a week earlier. The desserts we're just as good. The lemon blueberry mini dessert was tart and not too sweet. Oh, and the drinks were great too. Can't wait to visit again! UPDATE (3/3/22) Still a great place. Went in at 8:15 on a Thursday, important to know that the kitchen closes at 8:15, and had an enjoyable experience. They made sure the kitchen hadn't packed everything away, and then sat us at a table. We asked to change to a booth and the hostess moved us before we sat down. Even though it was obvious they were starting to wrap things up for the day, we never felt rushed in any way. The food came out almost as fast as the drinks, both were tasty. I had the ricotta stuffed gnocchi, and my wife had spaghetti and meatballs. The gnocchi was like nothing I remember having before. They were little pillows with a soft creaminess and almost dissolved in my mouth. It was complimented with a chunky tomato sauce, that had a touch of creaminess. The 3 meatballs were massive, and she loved them. There are 2 in the fridge that came home with us. The food was amazingly delicious, the service impeccable and not rushed, the drinks were incredible, and had we not known they were closing up, would have stayed for a few more.

Shame on me for not being back for awhile but my grown daughter was back in town so we returned for Father's Day. She remembers many happy family dinners at Cucina. We had pork and beef and potatoes and asparagus and my old favorite rustic salad. I began with a martini and ended with a cappuccino. How is it that the food is even more delicious than I recall. I won't wait so long next time!

Service second to none, courtesy of Victor our server. One of the best complimentary Italian bread - and the olive oil dip with parmesan cheese and olives is worth a visit by itself. The pear pizza was not sweet, drizzled in a light balsamic vinaigrette it just brings out the flavor of the fruit with the cheese complimenting the whole ensemble. I know it's an overuse word but the fresh dates with fresh grilled bacon of the bacon and dates are amazing! I really wanted to give this place five stars but the rest of the menu was just fine - namely the linguine frutti de mare and the arriabata pasta. Both had generous portions of seafood and sausage respectively. Unfortunately, the calamari in all the dishes were overcooked.

Perhaps our favorite pasta place in the area. Cucina has been around for a long time, and the menu continues to get better and better. Excellent bread, large interesting salads, and reliably good pasta dishes. Certainly worth a trip.

Mother's Day brunch was delightful. There were many choices of chicken, fish and steak varieties. The salads, fruit and cheese platters offered a variety of healthy sides. The wait staff was very quick with removing used plates and refilling the complimentary iced tea. The restaurant itself is a beautiful rustic building with exposed bricks and ceiling pipes. Great Mother's Day brunch!

Wow! I could stop there. What an incredible meal. Our family gathering filled 4 tables with perhaps 40 people. They allowed us to schedule off hours as they were preparing for dinner, and although they were busy setting up, service was perfect. And the food. OMG. From bread to salad to pasta to salmon and to beef, everything was outstanding. I wish I lived closer. I'd definitely return over and over.

Late review... September 2023 Went with my sorority sisters. The food was awesome! It was a beautiful evening, so sat outside on the patio area. We had a 6PM reservation and we stayed until closing.

Whenever I dine here it's through Uber Eats. I pay Uber an extra fee so my food is quickly delivered warm, and I look forward to the bread that accompanies my meal. The bread is wrapped so warm and fresh like it just came out of the oven and sooo good! Yum! I'm happy! Tonight, however, the one time (and last) that I pay for an extra order of this wonderful bread - I get three cold rolls that look and feel like they were pulled out of the bakery bin at Pete's. Maybe Aldi. I received an apology when I called and I appreciate that, but the lack of effort is disappointing and ruined my not-so-cheap carryout meal. Did the folks who dined in tonight get the Pepperidge Farm rolls too? Or just me because my order was from Uber Eats?

I ordered from Grubhub. I took a chance after reading the many reviews and comments. I ordered the lobster ravioli in a brandy cream sauce. Oh boy! The absolute worst! Ravioli sitting in gobs of oil, I bit into shells, mushy overcooked pasta with a strong fishy taste!! Grubhub refused to refund my money. I was so disappointed. I spent a small fortune. I ordered the bread pudding and that was nothing special. If you are considering dining here I have a bit of advice. Run like your the last two monkeys boarding Noah's Ark and it's starting to rain!!! No no no!!! That's a hard no from me folks! Enter at your own risk! You've been warned! I'm not sure what all the raves are about. I'm telling you it's bad! Yeah, it's that bad!!! Food

This is our GoTo place. The food is first rate. We usually carry out but sit down is also great

We recently dined at Cucina Paradiso in Oak Park, and it was a delightful experience. Hosting our large group of 8 was no problem for them. The staff went above and beyond to accommodate our requests. They offer plenty of vegetarian options and tasty handcrafted cocktails. Some of our favorite appetizers are the fried lasagna rolls and cucina puffs (cheesy zucchini fritters). Their menu has something for everyone, with generous serving sizes. The desserts are also a highlight--we usually get 3 or 4 to share at the table, and they never disappoint. They accept online reservations or you can call for parties of 8+. There is street, metered parking directly across the street and a covered parking garage a block east.

Nice evening sitting outside. Great service. I love the oil and Parmesan cheese served with the warm bread. My wife had a gluten free margarita pizza which she enjoyed thoroughly. I kept my meal light with a Caesar salad. Good wines by the glass. The host comped us with some warm dessert buns. We saw numerous friends from the neighborhood who had the same idea. Nice evening overall.

One of our go-to restaurants both for dine in and take out. On our last visit I had the San Gennaro pizza. What a treat! A nice mixture of sausage, grilled onions and peppers dotted with fresh ricotta. Definitely worth a try.

Great little date night dinner with the fiancé! Got the Cucina Puffs, Rigatoni Arrabbiata, and Spaghetti Amatriciana. Waiter even recommended wine for both of us to try. So good!

The food is all amazing!!!! Staff is always friendly bringing great service and the atmosphere has a very chill vibe that's great for dates or family gatherings ...

Excellent fresh food. Outstanding service great ambiance. Not overpriced for the quality.

What a great spot! On a whim, we drove into the area and after finding easy street parking, decided to give this place a try. We were a party of four and easily seated early (5:15 or so) on a Saturday. By the time we left at 6:45ish they were packed! Bread to start is just as people rave about, served with oil/cheese for dipping. We got the zucchini puffs to start and they were delicious - light and fluffy and even the kids wanted seconds. Kids split a pizza and husband got a short rib special. I went with the chicken calabrese as I have a really hard time with Italian food (no cream, tomatoes are often too acidic for me). Perfect choice - the batter was crisp and two huge chicken breasts with just the right kick from the peppers. Comes with roasted potatoes, but I was so full from the chicken I didn't get much of those. Husband thought the mash on his plate had some garlic or onion which he is opposed to, but ate all the rest (meat/asparagus). Kids ate all but two pieces of their pizza and still managed some flourless chocolate cake and vanilla gelato. All this and a few drinks and we were just north of $150 which is a steal! Run, don't walk and ask for Andres, who was a fantastic server! Can't wait to go back and try more!

Luckily this place was open on Christmas Eve. Mom didn't have enough Alfredo sauce so I asked for some when I picked up the pizza I ordered. The sauce was perfect and so was the pizza.

Had never been to this place and the service was awesome. The ambiance is great and they make due with the real estate they're given. We sat in a side room with total seclusion, I like being in the mix, but it wasn't bad at all. The gnocchi was amazing would have again every night of the week and if I go back I'd probably get the same thing.

While staying in town at our son's house, we ordered carry out from here. It was ready on time and piping hot when we picked it up. The did a nice job packaging everything to keep it warm on our 8 minute drive home. The warm rolls with olive oil and cheese was a pleasant surprise when we unpacked our food. I ordered a small shells and hubby ordered the large baked rigatoni. The small was enough for me to get 2 meals out of it and the same for hubby's large order. I liked my dish - it was flavorful, but not spicy and they had plenty of sausage and peas in it. I would definitely order it again. Hubby enjoyed the baked rigatoni as well, but next time, would probably order something with meat in it.

Oh boy what can I say, I tried their soup and pizza. I was not disappointed and it is one of my favorite places in Oak Park. Service was on point, ambiance was cool with good music. If I run out of places to eat this one is a always a keeper.

Omg I'm so glad we stumbled upon this restaurant! First, I was so surprised we could even get delivery from Oak Park to Chicago! The food arrive still fresh and hot. The flavors were good and especially for the price. The roasted beets salad was so flavorful, and the Brussels sprouts were nicely charred. I'm obsessed with Brussels sprouts and will almost always order if it's on the menu! I did not try the bolognese, but I was told it was very good. I really enjoyed the alla cucina, so creamy and generous amounts of chicken, mushroom and spinach. I'm a huge fan of pasta dishes that already have vegetables included! They're also generous with the bread, but we didn't want to fill up on it. I'd love to dine in, but in the meantime, can't wait to order delivery again.

PESTO TEMPESTO Not even severe storms can stop us from enjoying a nice meal at this restaurant in Oak Park. My first visit here with Nichole C on their outdoor terrace (8/30/18) was pretty dynamic. After an hour of tranquility, the skies turned green/black/purple and a deluge ensued with high winds, heavy rain, and considerable thunder. It was some serious sh*t! Props to the servers for keeping their composure during what felt like a scene from 'Twister'. We love sitting in the bar area where they feature 1/2 price appetizers from 5-7pm (Mon-Fri). Cucina Paradiso has some great weekly specials like half priced bottles of wine on Monday and 20% off carryout orders on Thursday. Tuesdays have 1/2 off appetizers all day, meaning we don't have to rush getting here before 7 o'clock, which is nice. Across 4 or 5 visits, we've enjoyed white peach sangrias, cocktails, several bottles of Merlot and a glass or seven of Cabernet. Instead of ordering big, heavy pasta entrees that are tricky to share, we usually order a series of small plates, like: + Bacon wrapped dates (6 for $8) stuffed with romano cheese and drizzled in a balsamic glaze. Delicious morsels. + Fried calamari ($10), a personal favorite of Nikki C. Theirs comes with a trio of marinara, cocktail sauce and pesto mayo. + Flash-fried brussel sprouts ($6) drizzled with lemon juice and a sprinkling of cheese. Cooper's Hawk does them better but they're A-OK here. + Shrimp risotto ($16), an ample serving of creamy risotto packed with sweet corn, peas, and lots of umami flavor (saffron, brown butter, white wine reduction). The caesar salad ($8) with romaine lettuce, croutons, sun-dried tomatoes and shaved parmesan is a big portion but fairly basic. Soup of the day ($7) has varied between a cream of vegetable, tomato basil, and Italian wedding soup, all have been very tasty. Spinach tortellacci ($18) are stuffed with ricotta cheese, tossed in a red vodka sauce with grilled asparagus and cherry tomatoes. Pretty good for a meatless dish! The chocolate lava cake ($9) isn't half bad, either. Bread = 4 Circuses = 4.5 I'm surprised that Cucina Paradiso doesn't offer lasagna or veal parmigiana on their normal menu, though the daily specials usually include some variation of pappardelle, chicken al limone, or fish. It seems like their kitchen focuses more on the small plates aspect, which is totally cool with us. Service has always been fine, whether outside in a torrential downpour or inside at the bar. On our most recent trip (6/4/19), we received two small zeppole dusted in powdered sugar as a delightful freebie, courtesy of the kitchen. Thanks for that little lagniappe :) * TL;DR * There's certainly no shortage of Italian places to eat in the area (Mancini's, La Bella Pasteria, Il Vicolo Trattoria, and La Notte are all within a mile). Cucina Paradiso features a lovely outdoor terrace..... though come to think of it, all those eateries mentioned have 'al fresco' dining, too. Being close to where we live and offering happy hour deals are two big reasons why we continue to come back. Lord Commander of Oak Park's stamp of approval: confirmed!

Still one of my favorite places in the entire Chicago area for great Italian food, or just grabbing a well-crafted cocktail with friends. Their Rigatoni Bolognese is the best version I've ever found. The friendly service and beautiful presentation is enough to make anyone feel special.

we ordered (kind of out of desperation) their heat and serve thanksgiving feast. thanksgiving, from an italian restaurant? yes indeed, and they saved thanksgiving. everyone loved it, and we all felt it was a good value too. can't wait to actually go in and eat there.

I was lucky enough to come here for the 27th anniversary with a couple of great deals. Sat at the bar on a busy night with no problems ordering or getting our food. Had an aperol spritz which was 10/10 and the bread is great. They have tasty table bread and olive oil with Parmesan. The brussel sprout appetizer was definitely worth getting, it is topped with a very light amount of cheese. A great, healthy option. The rigatoni bolognese was very creamy and tasted great. Chocolate lace cake was fantastic also. Overall, a great environment and fantastic place to spend an evening. Especially on a Monday night when many places are closed.

Best food in Oak Park. Great chicken, pasta, and fish dishes. The service is always great. Bob

We used Cucina for our daughters' (joint) graduation party and they were fabulous from beginning to end. Responsive to my first inquiry, super helpful in deciding on a menu, and delivered the food in two installments so that the hot items would stay hot and the cold items would be fresh. Their estimates for how much to order were exactly on target and the food was delicious! I've always been a fan of the restaurant, and was excited to find that the catering menu is even more varied. I would use them again in an instant!

I haven't been able to go for awhile but I know the food is always wonderful and service as well. Great place!!! I highly recommend it and the ambience is wonderful as well. Great for friends, families or date nights

Consistently delicious over 20+ years. Nice space, great service, convenient location.

Solid Italian fare. Nice ambiance in the dining room, but the also do fantastic takeout. Ask above the family style takeout special.

Great meal delivered to my hotel by Door Dash tonight. I got the baked rigatoni (it's a huge serving - order a small) which was delicious - very cheesy and saucy. The caprese was good, the tomatoes weren't quite as flavorful as they could have been, but it isn't really tomato season right now either. I finished off my meal with the tiramisu which was incredibly light and creamy. Only real complaint is that it wasn't packaged very well. Balsamic spilled and leaked over everything. I also wish they had included plastic utensils.

This is one of my husband and I's favorite places to go for date night. We tried it randomly one night and I honestly can't tell you how many times we've had it since. I always get the bolognese and it's always sooooo gooooood I always want to try something new when I go back, but the bolognese is just too good to pass up! Lol! The calamari is also great! Service is always wonderful. Jose took great care of us last time we went. As always, we'll be back!

We went on a bit of a whim and were very happy. Atmosphere was super cozy on a cold, rainy night. Restaurant was full but we had made somewhat last minute reservations on Open Table, so were seated right away. Bread service was good. We had our 7 year old with us and they didn't have a kids menu but said they could make a pizza however plain we wanted or they could do a side of pasta. Caesar salad was good. My husband added salmon to his for a meal and really enjoyed it. Cheese pizza for our daughter was also good during the meal and as leftovers later. I had the encrusted filet medallions and was happy that I took their recommendation for medium rare (they seemed more medium+) - they were just right. The potatoes were super yummy. We'll definitely be back.

I have been going here since they opened. My great aunts and I used to go there once a week. (we are Italian, and we look extremely Italian) When my aunts passed away 10 years ago. I stopped going there for a while because it reminded me of them. But a few years ago I started carrying out from there again. And I still go there a couple times a year to sit down and eat. I ordered take out from them a lot to help them survive during the pandemic. Last night I took one of my best friends to sit down and eat at Paradiso in oak park. I feel that I should tell you that I have a lot of tattoos on my arms and my friend has a lot of tattoos as well. When we showed up at 8 PM. I walked in and looked at the lady and said "Hello, two please. Can we sit at one of the tables by the window?" The lady looked at us and said in a very nasty tone of voice " You know we close at 9 o'clock, don't you?!" and I said that's fine. And then A few minutes into us sitting down. My friend overheard that same lady telling a couple of gentlemen. That she gave their table to us, and that we "didn't even have reservations". And sat them at a different table. The meal came and the sausage had bones in it. Yes, there were ground up bones in the sausage!!! The sauce tasted like somebody just used tomato paste and cream to make a sauce with. (I am a chef) It was extremely gross. It's bad enough that their menu changes all the time. And that they get don't have any traditional Italian food anymore. Italians like to eat seafood. Barely any seafood. And One fish if that. No mussels no clams. All the food they have on their menu looks like it's for white people that are not Italian. And now they are serving crappy food with bones in it. I was very polite to everyone and gave them an extra big tip. Because I plan on never ever going there again. And it wasn't the waitresses fault that the lady at the front was nasty. So out of respect for my aunts. And the memories we shared there. I was extra kind to them even though I was mistreated. It was very clear we were profiled when we walked in the door. Me being Italian and Native American and my friend being Filipino American. And both of us having tattoos. They treated us like we were trash. And they don't deserve to be open anymore. If you care about equality, then please don't support this business. It really broke my heart. The people of Oak Park deserve better. Equality for all!! And please. Never let somebody mistreat you. Have a nice life everyone!!

We ordered dinner from Cucina Paradiso while we were staying with friends in Oak Park, and they really weren't kidding when they said they had great delivery options in their neighborhood. This was an excellent casual Italian meal that came from the internet. We got three pastas and one entree to share four ways, and our order came with several individually wrapped pieces of bread. This was a bountiful amount of food, yielding at least a lunch or two worth of leftovers. Everything we got was delicious. The shells were probably my favorite of the pastas, though all three were great. These were lovely little pasta shells mixed with mushrooms, crumbled Italian sausage, onions, sweet peas, marinara, fresh basil, Romano cheese, and a touch of cream. The sauce was splendid, and I loved the peas and the flavorful sausage. The rigatoni basilico was a nice, satisfying basic red sauce pasta, with homemade marina, basil, and shaved Parmesan cheese. I also enjoyed the orechiette, which I can't find on any Cucina Paradiso menus on the internet (no one has mentioned it on Yelp either; it's like a ghost pasta, but I swear I ate it). The little ears had a great firm, supple texture, and they came with sausage, broccoli, tomato, and garlic. I almost never get non-pasta entrees from Italian restaurants, but our hosts said the chicken pistachio was worth ordering, and they were absolutely right. This was a fantastic dish, tender chicken pan-fried with a pistachio breadcrumb crust, served with creamy polenta, grilled asparagus, and an addictive red pepper cream balsamic sauce. As a side note, I'm impressed that the chicken traveled so well. I order a ton of delivery, but I rarely get like a piece of meat that isn't chopped up and drowning in tikka masala or Thai curry. I guess I'm not sure why. I'd certainly order the pistachio chicken and all of the above again if I lived in Cucina Paradiso's delivery radius. I don't know anything about the brick and mortar, but even if every manager and server is a raging asshole, Oak Park folks are lucky to have this place around.

What a disappointment. Made a reservation for a Friday evening two weeks ahead, for four people, for a birthday. We arrived on time at 6:30 and the place was packed. We watched them seat three people before us (no reservation) at a roomy table for four, up front. The only table left for us was the one in the very back, in a corner, where we were crammed against a wall with zero elbow room. The table next to us was a foot away. Nowhere on the floor to put the presents we'd brought, and no elbow room to open them. I asked to be switched to the empty table for five near us, but was refused. (It was still empty when we left.) We normally start with cocktails but were so uncomfortable, we passed and ordered quickly. I had the Calamari Abruzzi appetizer. It was served in a broth with spinach, white beans and cherry tomatoes. The tomatoes were so spicy I couldn't eat them (and I like spicy). The broth was very good, but the calamari was rubbery. And the toast was greasy. Chose the Pappardelle with Pork Shoulder for my entrée. The flat egg noodles were cooked perfectly, but the tomato sauce was thick and poorly seasoned (salty). The consistency of a pork stew. I had to scrape the noddles in order to eat them. After a third of the way through, I gave up. (Other photos of this dish on Yelp show it in a thinner sauce.... mine was clearly overcooked.) My friends had better luck with their entrees, and I'll let them write their own reviews. The birthday girl got a complimentary desert, a yummy chocolate lava cake with vanilla gelato... the hit of the evening. Our server was perfect. She recommended a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc that was outstanding. Would have ordered a second bottle (and our own desserts), but we weren't in the mood to linger. It's unfortunate they don't have anyone up front who's been trained to better manage the reservations and seating. With so many restaurants in Oak Park that offer great food AND great customer service, there's no reason to come back.

This review is not about eating at the restaurant but about ordering delivery. I ordered from this Cucina about three times and the food has been excellent each time. I had several items off the menu and they were all quite scrumptious. Last time i ordered I had few guests over who were also impressed with the quality of the food. Basically, if you want Italian for delivery , this place is it.

One of our favorites in Oak Park. Always good service and delicious food. My only complaint is that I wish they changed up the specials more often.

Our first time dining-in since the pandemic and this place over exceeded our expectations. Our original reservation request was to dine outside but once we arrived we felt comfortable enough to dine inside and they were very accommodating to our request. We have been very cautious to dine in during the pandemic but our experience here made us feel very comfortable and safe while we dined in. We were seated inside, the lighting and the atmosphere was perfect. We were seated in our own space, within safe limits of those seated elsewhere, the waitress was phenomenal! Staff was masked and we observe them follow cleaning protocols after every guest that left. We were greeted with warm bread and a mixture of olive oil and parmesan while we waited for our food. Food was absolutely delicious, pasta was perfect and the pizza absolutely delicious! We enjoyed our lovely evening dining in, the music in the restaurant was perfect, (a combination of my favorite artist) Everything was absolutely perfect! Highly recommend you check this place out. We will definitely be going back!

My fiancé and I decided to treat ourselves with a nicer than our usual take-out dinner one night. Cucina has been one of my parents' favorite restaurants so I have grown up loving their food but it had been awhile. All of the food was delicious! The pastas were very tasty - needed a little salt but that's not hard to add on your own! The brussel sprouts were delicious and you can't go wrong with bacon wrapped dates...or bacon wrapped anything for that matter! We got a salted caramel gelato for dessert that was dangerously good! A great semi-fancy meal in the comforts of our home!

Stopped in a few weeks ago right before it started getting cold. We were celebrating a few different family events so the five of us were enjoying various cocktails to start. I enjoyed the mojito - it was fresh and tasted great. We started with an order of the bacon wrapped dates. You must order these! There were only five in the dish so we each got one, but I could have had all of them to myself. We got a few different entrees for the table to split - two pizzas and two pastas. The portions were huge and we all had plenty of leftovers to take home. The sausage and mushroom pizza was delicious and perfect combination of flavors. The spaghetti and meatballs was just like your mom would make - huge portion, super comforting and delicious! Definitely will be back either for take out or dine in once that's available.

We caught them during their anniversary special. The prices were phenomenal, and the service was good. This is actually one of the only Italian restaurants I've tried in Oak Park. They did not disappoint. The wine was excellent, and the food itself was well prepared. My steak was well seasoned, and the sides were excellent (definitely grab an order of the bacon-wrapped dates as an app if you like dates). What most impressed me about Cucina Paradiso is the ambiance. It is a cozy and bustling place that manages to feel lively without being overstimulating. It's perfect for a romantic night out with your favorite person or even a meal with family or friends.

Finally we can say we found a Italian restaurant that we really enjoyed ! First of all the place is super cute and cozy .. our waitress karina was awesome and very attentive .. and her recommendations were on point .. for drinks try the blueberry old fashion .. I'm not big on strong drinks but I manage to steal a few sips from my husbands drink and it was delicious .. I had the papardelle with shrimp and cherry tomatoes and zucchini and when you get that sense of happiness when you take your first few bites just make sure you just leave half of it so you can have the same feeling the next day . But I must say I think I'm starting a new trend .. you May not agree with it but please I'm telling you try it and let me know how it goes . Are you ready? So raise your hand if you ever ate so much that it seems that you can never seem to find room for dessert ? ‍ ok . Me too ,so have the dessert first as a starter and then have your food . Why have I never done this before ? Well I did it here . Their warm bread pudding with vanilla ice cream on top just brought tears to my eyes on how delicious it was , And then yes it's true I ordered the pasta dish .. yes i know what you are thinking who does that ? Well me from now on so I won't miss on a good dessert like that one . And even though that was my friends idea . It really motivated me to start doing that especially when a place is known for a specific dessert . Please do that next time you can always take half of your food home . But you can never bring warm bread pudding with ice cream home without melting ..

Oak Park is pretty mediocre when it comes to food, but this place is an exception and a value. I had eaten here a few years ago and wasn't particularly impressed, but the menu is now filled with tempting items in each category and every member of our group was pleased with their selection. The main opportunity for improvement is the cocktails. They have good coverage across the bases, but at least on the night we went, the end product was a bit off

Cute place in oak park. Really nice ambience and waiters were really friendly. Got the Brussels sprouts for free through yelp check in which we're good. I got the octopus which was good , very refreshing and with a lot of meat. The grilled shrimp were amazing .

Cucina Paradiso catered our wedding reception at the 19th Century Club on May 12, 2012 in Oak Park. The appetizers, entrees and drinks were perfect! We have gotten so many compliments on the amazing food and the service. Anthony is great, very professional. We had a taste testing reservation at the restaurant so we could decide on the appetizers and the entrees. My husband was the one that noticed that Anthony and his staff were super busy making sure the food was ready and hot to serve to our guests. Anthony is an expert, he has worked with 19th Century many, many times so he knows what has to happen and he gets it done. The staff was amazing at serving almost 200 guest super quickly and the drink service was perfect! I felt that the guests got their fill of delicious food and the drinks of their choice. We came back last week and will be coming back to the restaurant more often because we are moving closer. My friend and I had brussel sprouts and bacon wrapped dates to start off. I had the rigatoni spinaci and I ordered penne arosto to go (for my husband ). The best drink (in my opinion) is the blood orange mint. I really wanted to get some dessert but we were stuffed when dinner was over. The server was very polite, friendly and attentive without being intrusive. There is plenty of parking on North Blvd. avenue. The restaurant opens for service at 5:00 pm every day. Make a reservation because the restaurant is incredibly busy!

Had dinner here on Monday night. Staff was very friendly and professional. We had the baked meatballs as an appetizer. They were well seasoned and very moist. My husband had the special, homemade pappardelle with braised beef tips and I had the chicken calabrese style. Both dishes were excellent. The chicken had a great kick to it and also came with two kinds of spicy pepperoncini. The tomato sauce with the braised beef was perfect, not sweet and not acidic at all. The portions were large. We both had lunch for the next day. We told the waiter we were too full for desert but they brought us two complimentary zeppole which were so light and melted in our mouth. They reminded me of the ones my mother used to make. Come to find out the owners are from Calabria which is where my parents are from. That's an added bonus and we'll definitely be returning and bring friends with us next time. Nice to have an authentic Italian restaurant near home

Freaking love love love this restaurant. My boyfriend and I order from here all the time and we always get the rigatoni ala cucina

I LOVE love love this place. Some of the BEST pasta I've ever had. I had the rigatoni Bolognese. YUM. They even had a check in offer so I was a happy camper. Not a big fan of the appetizer we ordered- dates rolled in bacon, but whatever. The pasta was worth coming for.