Sonny's Express

You come in and order right away! Staff folks were very friendly. Ordering process flowed great. You dine in(or take out) place is clean and nobody bothers you while slam their phenomenal Italian beef sandwich. This thing was not basic by any means. The meat,bread, giardiniera and au jus was perfect. Food came out in a timely manner (i was there at noon) I washed my beef Sammy down with a small chopped salad which is honestly a descent size. I’ve had their catering at a party one time and that was amazing too. Lots of food. Thank you for having me. I’ll drive across the suburbs again to see you tomorrow.

Sonny's Express is a little hidden gem right in downtown Park Ridge. It is a family-owned little Italian restaurant with specialty pizza and pastas and sandwiches. They do a very robust carry out business and they have six or seven tables that you can dine in. I love their chopped salad, minestrone soup, beef sandwich, and they make a really good tuna pasta salad.

Real Chicago food. Real family business. Real hospitality. Just ate here and honestly, the hate in some of these reviews makes no sense. The place is clean, the food is fresh, portions are generous, and the older woman working the counter was kind, respectful, and professional. She doesn’t “owe” anyone anything — she’s running a family business, not a corporate chain. This is a multigenerational spot, not a franchise, not Subway, not a fast-food factory line. Recipes handed down, real cooking, real portions, real pricing. That’s what local food culture actually looks like. Small family businesses don’t exist to cater to entitlement, rushed attitudes, or delivery-app culture. They exist because communities support them — and that’s exactly what Sonny’s deserves. Food is cooked the right way. Portions are solid. Atmosphere is authentic. Staff is respectful. Business is run properly. If you want corporate service, go eat at a chain. If you want real neighborhood food made by real people — this is it. Highly recommend Sonny’s. Support your local family businesses. This is how food is supposed to be made and served in America. 🇺🇸

We showed up and it was almost closing time one night after visiting family in the hospital. The entire staff was gracious and friendly and let us in for a quick supper while they cleaned up. Prices were great. The place was clean and the the staff diligent in their cleaning. They served our order quickly. My Italian Beef was the real deal. Nicely seasoned, on good fresh bread. Her rigatoni with marinara was very good too. Four stars for their food, plus one extra star for the late night hospitality.

This is a hidden gem- clean, friendly, & you know what the food was beyond just good. You can tell these are family imported recipes from the old country- MEATBALL SANDWICH 10/10- GNOCCI 10/10 the best in the area in my personal opinion. Thank you SONNYS

Sonnys is a staple in our house, we shamelessly stop by at least once a week. It is hands down the best chopped salad I have ever had and I could eat it every single day. Food and service is amazing.

Cute little Italian spot in Park Ridge I had an Italian beef with hot peppers it was delicious 😋 you seat there while you are smelling this pizzas being baked a bunch of old school folks that know how to make a good meal! I'll be back for sure 😛

Cute, fast-casual Italian spot serving homemade dishes. We ordered their Sub, Sonny's House Salad, and Soup of the Day (which was Cream of Broccoli). Everything was made-to-order. Their Cream of Broccoli Soup was different than others, not as creamy but just right, and their Sub was huge, not doused in oil or vinaigrette. Salad and Soup come with a side of fresh Italian bread and butter. Will definitely be back to try out their Pizzas and other offerings!

Sonny's Express seemed to be a good option for an easy lunch in Downtown Park Ridge. The inside is cute with an ordering counter and some tables to eat at. We ordered at the counter and food was served almost immediately. My husband got the Combo Sandwich with hot peppers and thoroughly enjoyed the flavor and quality in the sandwich. I got the Meatball Sub which felt underwhelming. The edges of the bread were a bit hard, cheese was not melted, and seasoning of the meatball wasn't my favorite. This shop could be amazing but a bit more thought into presentation could go a long way.

We showed up and it was almost closing time one night after visiting family in the hospital. The entire staff was gracious and friendly and let us in for a quick supper while they cleaned up. Prices were great. The place was clean and the the staff diligent in their cleaning. They served our order quickly. My Italian Beef was the real deal. Nicely seasoned, on good fresh bread. Her rigatoni with marinara was very good too. Four stars for their food, plus one extra star for the late night hospitality.

Frank, we all miss You. Gumba Joe's, FJ Ernesto's and Sonny's Express. Everything is good always. The sausage with sweets is my favorite. Everything is good from the salad, pasta and sandwiches. Always good. The family has stepped up and they are open for business. I went today, it seems like they could use some love from the neighborhood

Excellent chop salad and the soup soups are made fresh daily. I've been going to Sonny's for the last 10 years. A great lunch place and they make delicious pizzas.

No bells and whistles here! Just great, approachable food. You've got to respect a restaurant that has no paintings or art on the walls with an old scool menu board. I ordered an Italian beef and it was easily the best one I've had in years. Not to mention the service was incredibly fast and the food was ready in about 1 minute. This place is for sure a hidden gem, so don't sleep on it.

Good food ,very unfriendly woman at register. The guy that made our food was very nice.

The gnocchi was literally raw and the sauce it was in was more like chunky water then anything.

The only sub they have is Italian which was ok. The chopped salad was delicious. I didn't have any of the pizza or pasta, but it looks really good .

How come I didn't know about this place years ago? So simple and delicious! Come on in and place your order and the guys behind the counter work their magic. From pizza to salads and pasta dishes. Try the sub sandwich! My little guy likes the meatball sub. The vibe in this place is great. Kind of like half lunch counter half nice restaurant. Always on my list of places to eat when I'm in the area.

Great service! The chopped salad is outstanding! Way better than Portillo's and the dressing is quite good too. The Italian beef sandwich is awesome too. I love the ambiance and the prices are fair. Easy to order takeout or dine in.

ordered the chopped salad. the service used to be very VERY fast but I believe the young man running the operation was no longer working there. He knew everyone's name, order, and had it done before we even paid most of the time. he was the heart and soul of that place with his uncle. unfortunately the quality has NOTICEBLY dropped significantly since they re structures and I'm sad to say I won't be going to sonny's express anymore... oh and did I mention there was a LIVING cockroach in my salad. I was so grossed out I recommend LOOKING AT YOUR FOOD BEFORE EATING. used to be a 5 star joint, unfortunately I cannot give a negative review so I'll give it a star for every roach I found in my meal. Buyers beware! it ain't what it used to be!

I've never been inside this restaurant. We always do take out. The food is consistently delicious. The chopped salad is absolutely amazing. When taking food out, we experience good service. The inside looks nice at quick glance, but I've never eaten in. Parking isn't an issue.

This is the 2nd time coming here over the past couple of months. The first time we came here, I ordered a ham and cheese on white subway sandwich. The sandwich wasn't that good, and was very dry. This time, we came here to get 2 salads and a pepperonni pizza. Not the friendliest restaurant, but the food smelled delicious. We got our food and opened up our pepperoni pizza box, but it was only a cheese pizza. It was too late to go back, so we ate it. The cheese pizza was just ok, especially since it was made wrong. I think we will have to try a different pizza location going forward.

The chopped salad is amazing! Just let them make it and get an extra after to have the following day. Sure it's a simple balsamic dressing, but it makes the salad soo dang healthy! Tonight I called just before 8 and ordered a large chopped salad to take with me to Indiana. Luckily I thought to call before 8, bc they close at 8, not 8:30. I zipped right over and found it waiting for me and seeing an elderly man cleaning the floor on his hands and knees shows they take cleaning very seriously here. Not sure; but I have seen him here every time I'm here. Nice guy! Smiles a lot! Sanitizer available on the counter and smiley workers too! So next visit I will get a meatball sub, as this is the will be the 2nd sandwich I've ever had here. The 1st one was the American and delicious!

My friend Ty H. recommended we go to Sonny's Express for lunch. I never heard of it, but I said let's go for it. Once we got there, everyone was incredibly friendly, the prices of the food were reasonable along with the quality. I absolutely loved the place, I will definitely be coming back!

Food continues to be stellar here. However, I strongly suggest not using SLICE for delivery from Sonny's. Takes too long.....drivers do multiple pickups from different locations and food arrives cold. My 5 stars is for Sonny's.....SLICE delivery services scores a ZERO.

I was pleasantly surprised with their food. The price was very reasonable. I ordered this on Valentine's Day when quite frankly Lou's was slammed. Our food was delivered hot and timely. We had the family meal with the salad, pasta and pizza. Everything was delicious. Salad was fresh and it did come with fresh bread. The pan pizza is terrific! I will be back and can't wait to try more of the menu. The staff is also friendly and was happy to answer questions that I had asked before ordering. I'm happy that Lou's was busy and fate had me try Sonny's!!

Sonny's Express is dependably great. We have ordered and dined in. The staff is freindly and gracious. The food is excellent. Whenever we have out of town company we make sure to stop in because Sonny offers true Chicago home made food at reasonable prices. We will continue to be loyal customers.

Sonny's is a family favorite! The best chopped salad in town! Must visit if you stop in Park Ridge!

Park Ridge neighborhood gem is an old-school Italian storefront. Been going since they moved from the last location and the quality is amazing and fresh. They really have great food and consistent. HIghly reccomended.

Quick lunch spot. Chopped salad is exactly what it is, nothing special. Pizza is okay. I like that there's outdoor dining as an option. I'd like to try the other style pizzas so we'll give Sonny's another go.

Not nearly enough meat sauce with rigatoni. Over priced for a dish of noodles. Save your money! Definitely a one and done for me.

Overall, flawless experience. Fast, fresh, and delicious food. Perfect for carry out family dinner.

We stopped at Sonny's for dinner tonight. My wife had the special which was pasta with meat sauce, peppers and mushrooms. She said it was delicious. I have an Italian beef sandwich, which was solid just needed a tad bit of salt and an order of rigatoni with marinara. The pasta was phenomenal and we will be back again!

I love the chopped salad here. I order it w out pasta and it is so fresh and satisfying. The perfect size and the dressing is lite! The place is very cute and clean. Friendly staff. My husband loves the meatball sub as well. Cute local spot and we are happy to support it.

We ordered delivery last night and the chopped salad & beef sandwich were great, but the pasta was a big disappointment. We ordered the cavatappi, which was a good fresh salad pasta, but the meat sauce had no flavor. I've never had a tomato based sauce that doesn't even taste like tomatoes.

My office loves the food at Sonny's but the last 5 times we've ordered there they have messed up the order. I tried speaking to them about it and they argued with me and then hung up the phone on me. This will be the last time our office get's lunch from them and it will be the last time I get food from them. Buyer be warned, they hire incompetent people and will never apologize for their incompetence.

Good lord the food is delicious Italian Beef, on the spot real jalapenos peppers not pickled salad with chickpeas and all the good stuff, and last but not least linguine smells delicious fresh basil.

Stopped in after a haircut down the block. Quaint place with fresh food with simple ingredients with a cafeteria style setup. Great tuna pasta salad! Would go back just for that. Very flavorful and tuna was high quality with large flakes, not mush from a can. Place is a carry out type deal. Although you can eat in. There are just a few tables. They serve the typical sandwiches, a few pastas, salads and pizza. We got the meatball sandwich, an Italian beef, the chopped salad. and the tuna pasta salad (served cold). Overall food was a 7.5 out of 10. Beef needed more flavor. Meatballs also needed more spice. The tuna salad was the winner as was the chopped salad which includes little macaroni noodles and a homemade vinaigrette. Would definitely go back if in the area.

LOVE this place! loved it back when they were next to Walgreens too. Really really excellent beef sandwiches, the peppers are super tasty. Also love the house salad, chopped salad, pasta salad and italian sub! Great quality all around. On a side note, I would literally sell my soul if they would bring back their stuffed artichoke from back in the day! :)

Loved this place when it was in Uptown and was so sad it went away. IT"S BACK and as good as ever! This has made my heart sooooooo happy! Food is fantastic and the staff is warm and friendly! Best pasta salads around and the soup is always hot and delicious! Have not had a bad meal ever!

Greeted very enthusiastically as we entered this little gem tucked into a small strip center. Explained that had never been here and was politely recommended to try the chop, this place is known for their chopped salad. It is finely cut up, that way it fits easily on a fork and each forkful has every flavor. Tastes great with everything on it. Dressing was a light oil and homemade. It was just the right amount, not overwhelming at all. Service was great as well.

I read great things about the chopped salad and wanted to get a half pan for my family. Their website states right at the top that a half pan of chopped salad costs $35. I called and ordered one and it was ready in a few minutes. When I arrived, I was told that it was $44. When the employee helping me asked the owner about it, I was told, "Yeah, it hasn't been updated yet." No offer to abide by the price on the website or at least to split the difference. The salad was extremely tasty, but the experience left me with a poor initial impression. It is a reasonable expectation that website prices are current. The business should update their website or honor the prices shown. Alternatively, those taking the order should apprise the customer of the price increase, especially when that price increase is 25%.

Sonny's is back! Original restaurant from the 90's was in Uptown Park Ridge next to the old Morningfields. Then it changed name to Gumba Joes and was located on Main Street. Next door was the express sandwich/pizza/ salads, F. J. Ernesto's Now Sonny's is open on Vine Street across from Park Ridge City Hall. The latest version is the best of all the rest. Owner Frank Ernesto brings back his grandmothers famous vinegar and oil salad dressing on the popular house and chop salads and her old school minestrone soup. The pizza has always been the best in town if not the entire north suburbs. Add the Italian beef, sausage, pasta, homemade tuna sandwich, and this basic old world homemade Italian restaurant is a must on your list. It is called Sonny's Express for a reason. It is small and only a couple of tables- but several more outside when weather permits. With bright white walls, wood floors, and cafeteria style serving with a backdrop of cans and bottles Italian favorites, this place has 5 Star charm and food to match! The word is delivery is coming soon. Meet customers from the old days and some new friends. Sonny's Express has a small town atmosphere and old fashioned friendliness. Add great food and you can't miss!

Always SUPERB. Any time, any day of the week food is always amazing and full of great flavors due to the fresh ingredients. Looking forward to go back soon!

This is our go-to place for chopped salads! They are the best salads I've ever had, and they are always fresh and loaded with toppings. The staff is friendly, and it's always a good experience every time we go here. Definitely give this place a try!

Really decent food that is not expensive. Chopped salad and daily specials are fantastic. We have been about six times since COVID started. Unfortunately, the owner on all occasions was not wearing a mask :(

So delicious every time! Simple pizza, awesome chopped salad and delicious pizza. Our favorite Friday night order. Bonus: always a very nice delivery person.

The beef sandwiches are delicious. One of the best in the Chicago area by far. The service is always friendly and fast. Everything is fresh and delicious. It's a must.

Ordered a medium veggie pizza. Was not happy with it at all, looked like they just plopped a bunch of tomatoes, green peppers, mushrooms and onions on a cold cheese pizza. Then to top it off it costed $30.00! Will never go back there again. Highly dislike their overly priced cold unflavored pizza.

Best thin crust pizza around. Also enjoy their salads. Great to support a local business.

Since moving to Park Ridge, Sonny's has become our comfort place. They have great pizza, pasta, sandwiches and the best salad on earth. You need to try the chopped salad (I usually hold the blue cheese) - the dressing is life changing! Great, fast, and reliable service.

The negative review is based solely on the staff not the food. The older lady that works the register reminds me of the staff that works at Ed Debivics but she isn't acting. She is annoyed by whatever you are ordering and then screws up the entire order. I ordered a small salad without onions, received a large salad with onions? Not the end of the world but if she listened instead of barking it would have been correct. Saddle up, it gets worse. When it was mentioned to the owner as a gentle suggestion that she was quite snarky his reply was "What do you want me to do?" He went on stating this is the best he can do and we don't understand the stress of being behind the glass and taking orders especially when people want things on and removed from the menu (onion reference I guess) He said it is what it is and he didn't care if a negative review was written. We don't understand the stress of taking orders. I have nothing but respect for anyone who works with the public, but we were polite the entire visit and certainly don't deserve to be treated so rudely ESPECIALLY but the put out owner. Most restaurants are striving to make up for a horrible 2020 and everyone is experiencing staff shortages, but their service sucks. I refuse to go back ever and its a shame considering the food is good.

I really love the pizza and salad at this place! Sonny's Express has the best pizza all over the city. It is so delicious, lots of awesome toppings, and the sauce of it is also great. Their portion is good, their servings is creative, and they are organized. The whole place is very clean, nice, bright, and decent. It has a nice ambiance inside and the place is really relaxing. They have so many designs and decorations. The whole place is well-organized and well-maintained. This is my go-to place for quality and awesome salads. You all must also try their chopped salad with lots of toppings. It is so delicious and incredible. Also it has a dressing that is so unique and homemade. Really love it! I am looking forward going back again at this place when I have some free time soon. Want to explore more of their food on the menu. Thank you Sonny's Express for wonderful service, awesome staff, great prices, exceptional food, and for amazing place to relax. Will see you guys again soon! Thank you and kudos! Please keep up the good work and more customers to come! You all did a really great job!

Small place with excellent salads, pastas, and pizza..Very good soups and specials...Best in the area. It is all good..And very reasonably priced. Due to size restrictions the menu is a little short on some italian items.. Hopefully they will expand the seating and also expand the menu.

Yummy. High quality, tender and crispy. Crusty and crisp on the edges. Very ooey gooey. Yumm will order again!

Just simply outstanding. From the chopped salad to the pizza to the chicken vesuvio... just fantastic

First time ordering! It was just for me so I got the chopped salad. It was Amazing!!! Perfect portions. House dressing great! Will order again!

The Only GOOD thing is the chopped salad. Everything else is mediocre. Marinara is way too sweet and extremely bland. Minestrone was incredibly salty. Pasta is cooked soft and no where near al Dente. It literally dissolved into the sauce. Disgusting.