A stoic reminder of a once bustling city
With all the COVID madness it is nice to find a restaurant in the city with outdoor dining. I was able to find a seat fairly quickly (the host was away for a bit.) This place being one of the only places that is not only open, but has outdoor dining means it is a bit crowded. Pretty much every table was filled & there was lively chatter reminiscent of what used to be a bustling Chicago. The interior is your typical Italian upscale bar. I ordered the Richie Burger & Meatball pie to make sure my hunger was satisfied.
Pretty much every table was filled & there was lively chatter reminiscent of what used to be a bustling Chicago.
Price wise everything is on par with "gourmet" bars. Burgers are $15-17 & come with fries. The deep dish pizza is $27 for a 12" & $32 for a "15. 3 out of 5
I was told the deep dish pizza would take 45 minutes, but it came out in less than 20.
Richie Burger
Presentation -
The burger & fries are neatly prepped. The pretzel bun is a nice touch, but it is cold & doesn't look to be toasted. They let the juice soak into the buns as well which is always a nice touch. The burger is made of finely ground angus which oddly textured as it comes across as a turkey burger upon first bite, but you get used to it. Another oddity is the double tomato slice. 4/5
The burger is made of finely ground angus which oddly textured as it comes across as a turkey burger upon first bite, but you get used to it.
Taste -
The abomination that is the double tomato slice needs to go. It makes the burger thicker than it needs to be which increases the possibility of the entire stack (of which it is a pretty tall stack) falls apart. Other than that the meat itself is a mixed bag. Some parts are perfectly seasoned while others are too salty or bland. Overall everything is fresh. Do watch out as the burger is JUICY. 3/5
Meatball Pie
Presentation -
Not the prettiest pie in the world. Tomato sauce is simply mashed tomatoes with some cilantro & onions thrown in for good measure. The crust was also burned. For reference think Lou Malnati's, but less neat. 3/5
The crust is buttery soft & just melts in your mouth.
Taste -
Thankfully the burnt crust had little effect on the pizza. Everything blends well & nothing really stands out. I forgot the pizza even had ricotta on it until I tried it individually to which I confirm it is a very mild ricotta. Still, the pizza is GOOD...not great, but good. The meatballs are tender with perfection baked into every bite. The crust is buttery soft & just melts in your mouth. I could see this as a weekly lunch regiment if they offered slices. For reference think Lou Malnati's, but much better. 4/5
Overall Labriola has a lot to offer & is willing to do what it needs to do in-order to make sure it stays in business. I was even able to witness them change out the propane tank on the tableside heaters (something which I had been looking into for my deck at home) which is a plus. The prices are fair for what's offered, but could always be lower. The food is tasty which some minor imperfections that can easily be overcome with consistent preparation.
4 out of 5 stars
Labriola Chicago
535 N. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60611
https://www.labriolacafe.com/