Venuti’s
2251 W Lake St, Addison, IL, 60101
Venuti’s Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Addison for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Addison for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Addison for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
2251 W Lake St
Addison, IL, 60101 - Phone (630) 376-1500
- Website https://www.venutis.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
- Mon : 11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Dressy
Ambience : Classy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Linda W.
5 star experience! THE best place for your special day. Frank and his staff are top-notch professionals that provide excellent, 5 star service. As soon as you walk through the doors to either their restaurant, banquets or V lounge... you feel right at home with their customer service. With that said, if you're looking for a down town high quality/great atmosphere restaurant in the burbs... Venuti's in Addison, IL won't disappoint. A 5 star experience with fresh ingredients makes every meal extremely mouthwatering and delicious. It will make you want to come back for more.
(5)Paul B.
Why is the bartender here always pissed off? I've been here 5~6x and she's always got an attitude. Why? A puzzlement. Just looking for a friendly local place and she consistently makes it tough to pick here.... Sad, stupid. Revisit on 19 June: Astounding indifference from the same bartender. Took my drink order and served it. Offered a menu and then zero contact for 30 minutes in a 30% filled bar. No thanks. Third time's the charm. Never again. There are far too many places who appreciate your business. Scratch Venuti from my list. Apparently this bartender has pics of someone to hold her job. Sad.
(3)Mrs. J.
It looks like Frank can't handle poor reviews, and thinks whomever does not like his food only eats at Olive Garden. WOW! I'll make sure to spread the word on your customer service, and judgmental comments. Comment from Frank V. of Venuti's Restaurant Italian Cuisine Business Owner 5/7/2015 * We have received a few comments in regards to the potatoes looking like french fries or potato sticks as of late and we suspect it's from people that are used to Fazoli's or Olive Garden "Italian Food"
(1)Matthew D.
This place is incredible. I'm going to keep this short - big portions, more than fair prices, great food. Reasonable& awesome wine list by glass, and bartenders that can make a quality and proper cocktail. New 'go to' place in the area.
(5)Dave W.
2nd time here in 2 weeks. First time was 4 stars. .. High for a buffet. ... Today, it was barely 2. Throw in the crappy service, and this is a 2 minus. The guy didn't even talk to me once or all how my meal was. Not sure if I'll be back
(2)Erin K.
Thank you "frank" for the tactfully rude message, I'll be sure to come back now and tell all the locals how wonderful it is with GREAT customer service. Trust me lil man I'm the last person YOU should reference as cheap. "Erin we appreciate your feedback and hope you come back to us for another chance to impress you. After looking at your reviews, it seems you are into deals and cheap priced food. if that's the case, we would love for you to come in Monday - Thursday for half off appetizers or even try our Buy one Take One offer where you and a friend can each take home and EXTRA pasta dish from our menu when we leave.We apologize if you didn't enjoy the experience but each and every single customer is important to us, even the ones that don't have the same taste in fine art:) Hopefully our starry sky will woo you enough to come back and give us another chance. Thanks for visiting us. p.s. - We have drink specials as well throughout the week so please visit our website at Venutis.com or call us for more information."
(1)Marq C.
We came here for business lunch. Their lunch buffet is $12.95 with variety of selection to choose from. Great for vegetarians too! 4 stars for: good selection of food(pastas, meats, soups, pizzas, salads, desserts, veggies), ambiance (beautiful And classy), great value ($12.95 for buffet), and attentiveness of the server. They also take reservations, I recommend making one if you're party is big. They get very busy during lunch. Must try: soup, whitefish, and eggplant lasagna. Great job Venutis!
(4)Tobin h.
Sunday brunch was well above expectations! Knowing the pride, quality and care that Venuti's takes in its cuisine, the $20 a head price tag worried me a bit. I actually expected it a bit more expensive so I was concerned the fare would be last night's wedding buffet or something similar. But no...fresh and outstanding food with great value and would have to say our "hostess" for the birthday celebration had to be Momma Venuti. She was friendly with that classic Italian pinache and warm, welcome to our dinner table persona.
(4)Lauren M.
Food, drink! Excellent!! Tony the bartender makes the best Martinis.and the $4.00 top shelf drinks btwn 3-6 mon- Thursday and1/2 price appetizers are the best! You need to come to Venuti's ASAP! Enjoy!
(5)Scott B.
Had a business dinner there .... 5 of us and everything was perfect. The calamari was wonderful. We had it with a sesame glaze; not typical but really good.
(5)Dave S.
This place is massive and can accommodate large groups easily and comfortably as I was in one of those large groups. Our waiters were very knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly with just an air or formality. I was a bi worried with such a large menu of ordering a clunker. My linguine with red clam sauce was off the charts and from the sound of things the 19 others in my pary was enjoying their meals also. I am VERY pleased that I was introduced to this place.
(4)Art C.
We went to the V Lounge for drinks & dancing (The Moods were playing) on a Fri. night. Got there about 9 pm, every seat was filled by the 50+ crowd. My wife ordered a Venuti Sunrise, apparently it's not popular because the bartender had to look up the mix, she wasn't wowed by it and switched to a bartender special tailored to her taste. I stuck with rum & cokes all night, which came with too much ice and watered down quickly. All in all the drinks were just OK. Our bartender was attentive and pleasant! The Mood's crowd likes to dance and the floor was lively. The acoustics in the bar aren't meant for music, so be prepared for the echoes. All in all we had fun and would go again.
(4)Danielle S.
Venuti's has been on my list of "places to try" for a while, and my friends decided to go there the other night, so I tagged along for the ride. As far as atmosphere goes, Venuti's is very nice. I could definitely see why people want to hold their wedding receptions here. The place is pretty gorgeous. We were seated right away (we had a reservation) at a spacious table. There were 7 of us, so it was nice to not be squeezed in at a small table. Our server was very nice, but overall I'm not sure that I would say he was the most attentive. There was a good span of time that we didn't see him at all. The food took a while to get to us as well. He did, however, split the risotto my friend and I shared in two separate bowls. So that won him some brownie points. As much as I love Italian food, I have always had an issue with most Italian restaurants. The amount they charge for things that are not that expensive to make absolutely blows my mind. Venuti's is no exception. My mouth dropped a little when I saw the prices. Yikes. Not a cheap meal...alright...but if the food is fantastic then no biggie right? The food was good, better than many places I have been to. But, the shrimp risotto we ordered only had 4 shrimp between the two of us...the rest was risotto. It tasted great...but was it worth $27? Not really. I will say that the portions are really big. However, I would rather pay less and have less on the plate. Someone in our group ordered one of the specials and it was almost $50. Woah buddy! Watch out for those specials! So, it was ok. I would come back, it didn't offend me. But I wouldn't rave about it and come here for every meal (I couldn't afford it even if I wanted to).
(3)Linda L.
Took a while for me to remember to write a review. When I realized it I couldnt believe it-- WHy would I not write about the best wedding experience I had? I had my wedding here last year in July. Its almost our 1 year anniversary. Venutis is SUCH A BEAUTIFUL venue. Their packages were awesome. What made my whole experience stress free was Karen Dragel. SHe was the coordinator for my wedding. She is outstanding. Easy to work with, responds to my millions of emails quickly, there was nothing she couldnt get together/made/ready for us. She followed my directions well and gave us a wonderful wedding. I have referred many friends to check out the venue if they are looking for a nice place to get married. I just love the service here. Karen is every brides dream! There are horror stories out there with wedding planners of venues that I feared- I had just a great experience :)
(5)Alese R.
Where do I begin? First off, I am Italian and come from a big Italian family....we know good food. Venuti's has GOOD food. About three years ago I passed Venuti's for the first time and fell in love with the look of the building. I told my boyfriend at the time "I want to get married there." My now Husband and I just got back from our honeymoon and the first thing on my to do list was write a review for this beautiful venue. Venuti's was the only venue that we viewed before making the decision that this was OUR venue. Karen Dragel is one of the HUGE reasons we chose to go with Venuti's after just one visit. Her warm and professional personality were very much appreciated throughout the stressful process of planning a wedding. As a control freak, I followed up with her many times and each time she was already a step ahead of me (thank you for your patience, Karen!). She truly made me feel like I was the only bride that she was working with...I have heard horror stories of just being another wedding...'get in and get out.' Not with Karen, she truly cared that our day was perfect and it was just that...PERFECT. I could go on and on how beautiful the venue was, and how amazing cocktail hour was (I could die for those coconut shrimp) but what really mattered the most-the food, and the service. I have gotten countless compliments on how HUGE and juicy the filet was. This is rarely the case with cooking for a group of 200+ but the food was outstanding-from the salad to the pasta, the entire meal was perfection. Not only was the food delicious but the service was outstanding...asking each guest what temp they wanted their steaks and some people even decided last minute instead of steak they wanted the salmon. No problem! My server was so attentive and even delivered my drinks to me from the bar the whole night...talk about feeling important :) I can't say enough good things about Karen and Venuti's, our day was absolutely perfect down to every detail and I couldn't be happier with how it all turned out!
(5)Anne C.
Meh. Unimpressed. Walls between banquet rooms are PAPER thin. So much so that the wedding ceremony I was attending was completely drowned out by the bridal party introductions at the reception next door. I felt so awful for our bride and groom. Understanding that if nothing can be done about sound proofing- staff should work better on timing if the events. Also cocktail hour was WAY TOO crammed and the bar music was way too loud and overshadowed the wedding. I feel like it's trying to be a banquet hall- but then get revenue from a bar as well. Old rickety desks and an old school copy machine in the entrance was a turn off as well.
(2)Kristine C.
My cousin had their wedding on 4/11. Our families had a great time! The staff was very accommodating, esp families with kids. The food was great and perfectly cooked, we were able to choose from 4-5 dishes and my table had one of each.The venue itself was beautiful and big. Can't wait to go back and try the restaurant menu
(5)cindy s.
Very interesting that I wrote a less than perfect review on June. 22 and it has disappeared??? Attended a very large wedding reception recently. Walked into a lot of confusion I must say. Had to walk thru a mob of people eating and drinking in a very small and somewhat dark space. The room of appetizers was very impressive and tasty. What I don't understand is why the sweet table was already set up with things that should be in the fridge and not sitting out for hours! Only one bartender serving at the martini bar for 500 guests? There were dirty plates and glasses all over with containers left out that busters would use. Not impressed. The room is beautiful and never felt crammed. We made our way to the table and were roughly asked what we wanted to eat. Service was very slow and not attentive at all. The bread on the table was stale. Our water was never refilled. We all felt rushed once each course was served. Like hurry up and eat so we can bring the next plate. But then wait because it's not coming yet. Weird. The steak was delicious but the potato was Not a true croquette. Odd shaped and tasted soggy. Beans were over cooked. The bar should not have been out of a liquor when there are three others in the same room. Why wasn't it stocked for the night. There is definitely not enough staff overlooking cleanup. Dirty dishes laying around through out including the brides room filled with them 4 hours after they arrived at th venue. Just gross. I was looking forward to being so impressed by this venue as I have sent so many clients there. I think the venue has gotten too comfortable with being booked far in advance and the lack of effort in service shows. service is so important and should not for a minute be overlooked. A guest should not have to see a dirty plate or glass when spending several hours there. A guest should not at any time feel rushed during a meal.
(1)char c.
Have eaten here several times over the years, and I still feel it is very average food for a rather high price. My linguini with mussels was a bit dry, for $17.95 they could have added a few more mussels. Soup was good, but lukewarm. The surprise of the evening came with the bill when the person that ordered the surf and turf was charged $92.50, very expensive for the western burbs. The NY strip that was ordered was rather thin for $32. The bar has live entertainment on weekends. Will have to pass on trying this place again.
(2)Panchita P.
This place is beautiful, a much needed type of venue in the northwest suburbs. It's nice that it attracts and "adult" demographic and not a bunch of college kids looking to get drunk. I've only visited on the weekends looking for a nice place to dance the night and have a decent drink. Drinks you can count on but the music could use a much needed change in style (or dj with better taste). The only dance area is a tinny space, easily crowds to the point almost impossible to move. Question to the owner: why not open the other banquet rooms for dancing?... nicer music and better dance floor might just skyrocket your place.
(3)Mercedes Z.
May 2015 Once again, this place is outstanding! Veal Marsala & Chicken Marsala both with mushrooms is highly recommended. The BEST Minestrone Soup ever......great Focacia bread as well as great French bread and olive oil. Above and beyond other Italian restaurants in the area. Felix is a great waiter as well.
(5)John G.
Went here recently for a family baptism banquet. We started with a grilled octopus with caramelized red onions it was nice & tender only complaint It was a small plate of octopus for 10 ppl at one table. Had a tasty cream of asparagus soup. Salad course looked pretty but was also very small. My favorite course was the pasta with a mushroom cream rreduction it was very flavorful and I finished every bite.The main entree was a breast of lemon chicken. It tasted bland, as if the chicken was precooked and reheated. We had a nice cannoli cake for dessert.
(3)Rose F.
Very disappointing service last night. Our waiter seemed mad to wait on us. They closed at 9 so instead of asking us to leave they started turning off lights. At 9:30 we asked when they close and were told 9. We didn't expect a bar to close at 9. The food was ok at best. Mostly the unpleasant service and feeling like we were bothering our server left a bad taste.
(2)John K.
I fi had to describe in one word, it's Wonderful.
(5)Andrew E.
Went back again, service was better but still not what you would expect from this type of restaurant. Food is really good though, so we are probably going to continue to dine here because the food is good and the service is probably just hit or miss.
(4)Kim M.
Brought my son here the other night as he loves Italian food. I had the lasagna which I loved. Peach Bellinis were really good. My son had the raviolis and they were "ok". The service, meh. It wasn't great. I had to flag down the server quite a bit. We were never asked how the food was. I want to stop back in and try the lunch buffet sometime. We have had an event here for work and that was nice as well. Just ok.
(3)Brian F.
Beautiful restaurant with so-so food. I had the baked mostaccioli and while the pasta was perfectly cooked the sauce had zero flavor.
(3)Julie G.
We had our daughter and Son in Law's wedding at Venuti's a couple weeks ago and it was outstanding! The Service, food, liquor was top notch! Every detail was perfect. Karen was amazing, she kept everything organized and was right on top of it all. As the mother of the bride, it was my dream to have a fairy tail wedding for my daughter and it was!
(5)Ina B.
Very dissapointed, staff VERY RUDE! Called asking for details about NYEVe, wanting to book 8 ppl, asked some details about DJs ans music mix and the answer was arrogant and as if they wanted Hispanic guests...oh well their loss!!
(1)P S.
The food here is delicious. You can't deny that. I came in here for my birthday a couple months ago and everyone in my party enjoyed their food (and wine)! I made a reservation as I didn't know how busy they would be and they gave me a beautiful table near the fireplace. The host was lovely as well. The only issue was our server. He wasn't very attentive. It was like he was itching to leave us every time he had to take our order and it's not like we we were being slow about ordering. Also, when we asked him for suggestions all he had to say was, "everything's good." I think he saw that we were a group of younger people, so he assumed he was going to get a bad tip? I don't know; this is just conjecture, but his sub-par service got him an average tip. Which, by the way, he took to the side and stared at after he took our bill away. I understand you want to see what your tip is, but at least don't do it in front of your customers. Overall, I would go back and just hope I got a different server. :)
(4)Binita P.
We recently had our Wedding Reception in September at Venuti's. We worked with Pat and were expecting great service and the items listed in our contract. We did not receive what we wanted in our contract and were extremely disappointed in the service we received. We had emailed Venuti's the day after our wedding reception to discuss these issues. We live in another state and weren't able to set up a time. No one ever got back to us about We found out last minute that the chef messed up our desserts so they were going to throw in a fruit platter for the guests. The fruit platter was very small. Our tables were suppose to have Cabernet instead of Merlot as my husband hates Merlot and of course Merlot was on every table. They also ran out of Glenlivet even though we are clearly discussed this with Pat at our last final meeting before the event and was one of the reasons why we even booked Venuti's! (The bartender told us they only had 9 bottles for our wedding reception and the event next door!!!) All of our guests complained about how a lot of them didn't get any appetizers that were passed even me and my husband didn't get any at all. Our dinner was suppose to start a specified time and it did not (our wedding planner was blamed for the delay when in fact the kitchen wasn't even ready to serve). There was a huge delay in between courses as well. My husband and I didn't even get a chance to eat a full dinner, we only had soup/salad because our program was delayed based on the delay of dinner being serviced. The salad was completely soggy and not even edible. We felt that Venuti's wasn't able to handle a wedding reception of 400 people and unfortunately we do regret out decision. Please keep all of these in mind before booking here as we were extremely unhappy with our service and have still yet to hear from anyone!!!
(1)A A.
Awesome and amazing!!! My wife and I got married four years ago. Friends of ours still come to us and tell us how beautiful our wedding was. They say that they go to other weddings and the other weddings don't compare to ours. I give Karen all the credit. I'm not easy to please and everything she did was outstanding! I am very thankful that we worked with Karen and she helped make our wedding a huge success!!
(5)Mariella C.
I have not experienced discrimination ever in my life until yesterday 01/17/15. I had scheduled an appointment to view this venue and was very excited to get there and see what they had to offer. All that exciment came to an end once we met Pat the consultant in charge of my appointment. I had with me my fiancé and both of our parents my maid of honor and my son. As soon as he saw how many of us he made a face which I let slide. The reception venue entrance is very gorgeous but the actual reception room itself was nothing special. Pat seemed like he was in a hurry and didn't explain much of each room except to make sure that I was aware that there was a 6000.00 difference between the two rooms. Once we were done viewing which literally took less then five minutes we got back to the entrance and Pat asked if I had any questions and I said yes what are your packages like? He then proceeds to hand me a folder and says everything is there. He didn't even sit us down to explain the packages to us nor care to take our information down. It seemed because we were Hispanic and our parents were speaking Spanish he became annoyed and didn't even take us seriously. My fiancé and I became upset and I said out loud to make sure he heard me that he was rude. I became soo mad that I threw the folder on the ground in the parking lot. I just couldn't believe that they allow people like that to work for places like this. Glad to take my business else where. Ps will def be getting in contact with the owners.
(1)Janet R.
Very disappointing experience. First time customer in the restaurant. Sparse crowd for a Friday night around 7pm. Food and service were good. Felt generous and left a $20 cash tip on a $78 bill (paid by credit card). When we were getting in to our car to leave, our waiter chased us down in the parking lot accusing us of not leaving a tip. Who does that? Felt like we were on Mystery Diners. Not sure what happened to the $20 bill we left in the bill jacket. The waiter was so intimidating and in your face in the parking lot, my husband handed him another $20 just to get away from the drama. Needless to say we will not be returning.
(1)Lisa C.
HORRIBLE !!! We had a reservation for dinner in the bar and to see a live band that was performing tonight. Our waitress was bothered from the minute we sat down. Wasn't friendly, never told us the specials, we begged for drinks all night. No bus boy/girl so we never got refills on water. Dirty plates sat on the table all night. She rushed us to place our dinner order and then it never came. Table next to ours ordered after us and got their food long before us. Had to track waitress down at the bar and ask her where our food was. Then it magically appeared. Food wasn't good. They served my linguini and clams with clams that didn't open - THAT MEANS THEY'RE BAD CLAMS! You don't serve that!. The ultimate insult - the bill came with a 20% tip already added in! Seriously? We were 7 people, not 20. Who adds in 20%? Our group always tips MORE than 20% but this waitress wasn't getting it, no way. Worst service ever, would never go back.
(1)Darryl C.
Food was cold not refilled basically over rated for brunch SKIP this one. Kids running around Resturant staff standing around talking. Food not impressive at all
(1)Christine K.
If you are looking for your dream location for your wedding reception, look NO further!!! Venuti's is it!!! Karen is one of the most amazing women I've ever met...patient, helpful, kind...I could go on and on. The venue itself will take your breath away, and the service and attention to detail are like no other! And the food!!!! I have been getting message after message after message about the food! Best night of my life and I'd choose Venuti's over and over and over again. Thank you to all involved in making my wedding a dream come true. You can't find better than Venuti's!!!!
(5)Joulie S.
I come from a culture where they throw a party for every and any occasion and yes in a banquet hall. Venuti is a very classy, upscale Banquet hall. I came here before for an engagement party and here I am again for a baby shower of the same girl who threw the engagement party. It's a beautiful place with so much elegance, artistic wall art and an Italian vibe. We had an open buffet, the food was amazing, the desert/coffee table was served throughout the whole party, so coffee all the time :-) If you have the money to book this place, go right ahead, never disappoint.
(4)Ericka L.
Came here for a wedding in Sept 2012 and this place is absolutely gorgeous!!! From the 'chapel' where the nuptials took place, to the hallway where the cocktail hour took place, to the hall where the dinner and dancing took place - all were wonderful. The food was also delicious - steak and shrimp and pasta galore. I definetely wouldn't mind coming back here for another event soon and may even have one of my own here!
(5)Regan R.
Omg..at a wedding here..just had the best filet ever..everything here is a 10..on behalf of justin and patrica wedding guests....great job
(5)Spencer H.
I had never been here before but I knew a few friends who had come here at night when it turns into a bar & had good things to say about it. I was attending a wedding here over the summer however so I was looking forward to see how this place would look. I walked in & the place looked absolutely awesome. From the colors to the fountain in the front, the place looked better than most banquet halls I have seen. The reception took place in two different rooms. After the first reception was over everyone went to the lobby for cocktails. About an hour later the main room was ready for dinner. The food here was nice & tender & full of flavor. The steak was really good & the dessert was awesome. Overall the place looks awesome inside & out. The staff was nice & friendly & the place was very clean. Most importantly the food was really good. The experience here was a good one.
(5)Lochin S.
I love the lunch buffet. The quality of food is nice for a buffet. so many options too.
(5)Kristen G.
I had an amazing experience working with Karen from Venuti's for my wedding reception. We had the bigger room with the windows for our reception and Karen did a wonderful job making it look absolutely amazing. When I first saw the room on our wedding day it actually brought me to tears. I received so many compliments about the food and all the extra tid bits Karen added. It was worth every penny!!
(5)Jimmy G.
Venuti's is one of the most beautiful restaurants I have ever dined. The travertine walls , marble fireplace, and grand columns look like something the Romans would have built during their empire. My wife and I stopped here for an early weekend before Valentines Day dinner. The meal begins with fresh bread including tomato pan bread and light tasting olive oil with fresh Parmesan and possibly Romano cheese on the linen clad tables. I ordered a Stella and she had a French Martini. The waiter handed me a bottle of cold beer and I found it strange that I had to ask for a glass, but he immediately brought me a chilled Stella glass. We ordered the baked clams, veal picante , chicken picante, and side garden salads with italian dressing. The clams tasted fresh, the salad was crisp and just the perfect portion, I enjoyed my veal, but my wife didn't like the chicken. It wasn't because the chicken wasn't good it was because she expected egg battered and ordered picante instead of Marsala by mistake. The two reasons I didn't rate five stars is.. 1) I had to ask for a glass for my drink 2) the waiter didn't take our entree order until 10 minutes after the appetizers were finished The overall price was pretty inexpensive. About $35 dollars per person with cocktails and tip. We will return.
(4)Rhonda S.
I don't like extravagant food, but this restaurant looks like a castle on the inside...and they make their own Ricotta cheese. The restaurant has fountains and murals, mosaics and a gorgeous spiral staircase inlaid with brass scrolls. There were 8 of us, and we were seated at a magnificent room, by ourselves with a wall of wine, and glass doors closing behind us. Now for the service. The menu has Chicken Parmesan described where the manicotti is listed. My friend found peas in her lasagna. (Nothing on the menu states this.) They admitted the menu had some mistakes. Duh. They couldn't separate our orders, so we had to figure them out for ourselves. They actually told us, at 5:40 that we would be out by 6:30. By 6:12, we weren't yet served. We got served. they bring you focaccia and garlic bread with olive oil to dip it in. I have never liked eating olive oil, but fine Italian resultants serve bread that way. The focaccia had pepperoni on one kind and the other, cheese. The rigatoni I had was really good. I had to rush eat it, cause we weren't served in a timely fashion. The rigatoni had their fresh home made ricotta cheese. Now that was to die for. I'd say, try this place once, then pass on it. I have some amazing pictures of the interior decorations, but interior decorations don't always make a restaurant.
(3)Cristie F.
***Note:: V-lounge Review*** I came to Venuti's V-Lounge a couple months ago to celebrate my close friends' 2nd anniversary with them over drinks ((2nd note: They had their wedding at Venuti's 2 years ago and it was gorgeous - Venuti's did a knock-out job)). ::The Scene:: Old, creepy Italian men, cougars, & a little Jersey Shore. By 11pm the place was packed like a sardine can. The lounge is fairly small, but we were fortunate enough to get a couple tables for the 6 of us. Thank goodness because being in the mix of everything was flat out annoying. You had some people hanging at tables drinking, club rats dancing to Julian Jumpin Perez or whoever, cougars circling (literally) the bar knocking into people while trollin' for young bucks, and pervy old dudes hitting on girls who could pass as their daughter. Just a regular old night in Addison I guess. ::The food & drinks:: Food wasn't bad. We order melon and prosciutto and fried calamari. Both were good. The prosciutto was salty and meaty....just how I like it wrapped around sweet melon. The drinks were eh. My dirty martinis had way more olive juice than they should, which means the bar tender was skimping on the booze. Not cool. Between the crappy music, mixed bag of a crowd, and weak-ass expensive drinks, I'm not sure I will be hitting up the V-Lounge at Venuti's. It's just not my scene...at least not for another 10-15 years.
(2)malone j.
Came here for the Mother's Day brunch with my family and my in laws it was amazing!! Although it was jam packed the food was hot and fresh!! The pasta station was great and I love the seafood!! Never have had anything bad to say about venutis!! Great service great food!
(5)Jennifer S.
I attended a really nice wedding here in November 2010 and last night the hubby and I decided to stop in for dinner. I had a hankering for Italian food and Venuti's is close to home with a well known track record. The Good: Free valet parking. No wait at 6:30pm on a Saturday night. It's a very lovely dining room. The Italian bread and foccacia were fresh. The Shrimp Dejonge was very tasty. Our server was attentive. They have a lot of appetizer and dessert options. The Bad: The Shrimp Dejonge was not served nearly as hot as it should have been. The Chicken Parmesan was drowning in tomato sauce...made the breading complete mush. My meal arrived lukewarm. They quit filling my water glass about halfway through the meal. The Ugly: The hostess was missing the bottom half of her skirt...walking toward us to seat people throughout the evening, we could see more than our fair share of her undercarriage over and over and over. When I sent back my dinner, it returned with chunky, dried out sauce aka my entire plate had been microwaved. The specials have no prices attached to them because the server reads them outloud. I am not a fan of this at all. The hubby wants to try it again. He has an extensive history of eating at Venuti's. I'm not so sure at this point.
(2)Crystal S.
Imagine to my surprise when I realize I have a company sales kickoff party booked the day before I have a wedding at the same place! Chances of that...slim. I even joked and said, well the food better be good or I will dread going there the second day. Here is the low down: Elegent! It definitely has the WOW factor as soon as you step in to a waterfall and winding staircase. Well appointed bars, which completely eliminates long lines for a drink. Has a main bar if your early or want to stay a bit later. Food was superb! Had steak two nights in a row (not by choice) but regardless - it didn't get old and the two entrees were different at each event. The space itself is a perfect set up and has a "greek god esc" decor of cream and gold. Everything was clean and well kempt. The service was immpeccable, each banquet table had their own dedicated waitstaff on both nights. So, when I asked for A-1 (yes I'm a fan, get over it) - they obliged without hesitation. They cleared everything promptly and kept the events moving forward. It really was orchestrated well. In closing, both events were well planned and I had a ton of fun, two nights in a row at the same place. Well done Venuti's - I was impressed!
(4)Mark G.
STRICTLY A V-LOUNGE REVIEW. Yelp cliche, but I'm going to go ahead and say "omg I can't believe I haven't reviewed this place yet!". The main reason I love coming to the V-Lounge: Old School Saturday's. Yup, I'm a fiend for old school house and freestyle music. Julian Jumpin' Perez, Tim 'Spinnin' Schommer, Kenny Jammin Jason' alternate weekends spinning here, so the music is right up my alley. Even being 27 and typically the youngest person in the bar, all the tacky looking MILF's and cougars can't deter me from having an awesome time. A few negatives: It's small and gets crowded. It's a hassle battling your way through the dance-floor to get to the restroom. You may inadvertently grope someone in the process. But most of the girls (and some guys) don't seem to mind because people like to party here at the V-Lounge. I actually enjoy partying with people in their mid to late 30's because they just try to have fun. As you've gathered from that last paragraph, the positives outweigh the negatives. Long live Old School Saturday's.
(4)Anuj P.
Brunch wise.. this is a 5 star review for sure. This place is a big Italian banquet hall it seems like. My cousin took my wife and I here when we came to visit from NJ. Big Italian Banquet hall style Brunch done proper! This is the way a true brunch is suppossed to be. Meat station, fruit station, bread station, egg station.. name it! Great atmosphere for brunch. Actually, its ideal. I'm from NJ/NYC area and I love brunch. I go out of my way for good brunch. My wife and I still always think about this place and compare the rest to Venuti's!
(5)Alex G.
Been here a few times so we decided to join them for their New Years Eve event- not worth it. I paid $130 and did not feel as though it was money well spent. The baked clams (one do my favorite seafood dishes) were mushy and cold. The pasta from the pasta station had no flavor. The midnight snack was lental soup which was actually not bad. The 3 DJ's and band ALL played the same songs. Not to mention I purchased one ticket and was charged for two- my money was given back but not after numerous phone calls.
(2)Dan B.
I had very low expectations when I heard this was a banquet restaurant....boy what a mistake i made to pre judge. This place is awesome! The restaurant is easily a 4.5. Wait staff is attentive and knowledgable. The main dining room is elegant and being an Italian restaurant decorated with all the Christmas ornaments. It immediately put our group in the Holiday spirit. The food was excellent, friends had the ribeye...mama Mia...what a piece of meat. The portion and quality easily could be a $50 plate at a top steakhouse...now here's the kicker...hold on to your hat....the price was half that! The bread basket had both Italian and focaccia and along with the olive oil and fresh grated cheese, was a meal in its self. The ap portions where enough for 6. The wine list was not extensive, but adequate. The prices were reasonable. A few good selections in the $30 - 40 range. Overall, with a round of drinks, wine, meal and above avg tip, $50pp. For the ambiance, quality and price you can't beat this place.
(4)Jaclyn S.
I have been here for weddings before and they are the most beautiful wedding receptions I have ever seen. The food is amazing. I am currently getting married and have already put my deposit down because I know they will make our special day perfect. I've been working with Pat, and he is nothing but helpful and full of knowledge with all the questions I have about the special day. I recommend this venue to anyone for any event no matter the size.
(5)Johnny M.
The lunch buffet was spectacular. Many different varieties of classic italian foods along with fantastic finger foods and fresh salads make it a home run. The ambience is classy and the staff is efficient and friendly. To top it off, it was only $12.95 a person. Great food, great service, and great value!
(5)Aimee M.
Came here for a girlfriend's birthday evening and Girl's Night Out. There were 8 of us and we were told that we'd have a table ready for us in the bar area. I was the 2nd of us to arrive and when I met one of the gals, she was told that we did not have a table reserved--even though one of our friends had double checked the confirmation. Luckily (or oddly?) the bar area was 1/4 full so the gal that arrived first was able to snag a table large enough for our group. After that initial hiccup things ran smoothly. Service was very friendly and helpful. Drinks came out quickly and when I asked about any special mocktails they could make, one of the bartenders came to our table and suggested some things she could make for me. We shared a few appetizers and they were all very tasty. Grilled calamari--fresh, well-made, and not overdone. The spinach artichoke dip--very creamy and much thicker than I've seen at other places and it had a peppery kick/spice. The Arancini--what's not to love about a fried cheesy rice ball--delicious! The bar space is beautiful. I love the ceiliing--the center of which twinkles with star lights. Since the bar area is in the shape of a round, it was like I was in the Planetarium gazing up at the star ceiling. They have different entertainments nights like Salsa nights or nights when a popular DJ will spin.
(4)Erin L.
I came here for a conference lunch and was disappointed in the food. We had an option of Spinach Lasagna or Chicken Marsala. As soon as they took all the orders, they said that they were "out" of the lasagna. So any vegetarians in the crowd were left with no other option. The spinach, walnut salad was ok - some of spinach looked a little old. The chocolate pudding dessert looked pretty nasty too. They should work on their food options. The place itself was decorated nicely with different banquet rooms that you could rent out. It was kind of strange that we were the only ones renting out one of the rooms but it was a week day - maybe it's busier on the weekends. I couldn't imagine having a wedding here - the decor, although nice is kind of cheesy with an Italian type theme throughout and fake stucco/bricks on the wall with huge murals of the Italian countryside. I guess it's just not my thing.
(2)Osiris V.
Gorgeous place. Their food is still pretty good BUT it's not the same as it used to be. I know it's been many years since the one on North Avenue closed but really, their portions got smaller and they jip you out of the free cheesecake they used to give out at the end of the meals. Still, their food is worth going for. I love their fried calamari for an appetizer and linguini with clam sauce for dinner. Yum!
(4)Dave M.
First time visit as part of a business lunch and was very impressed. Atmosphere and decor were very nice. The service was probably the best I have had as the server made sure our drinks were never empty and dirty plates were promptly removed. The food selection and quality were very good, especially for a lunch buffet. I definitely will return.
(4)George W.
This was an interesting trip. I had never been here before, and my brother-in-law (not outlaw) was in town, so we got the whole family together. We had 12 people at the table. They started us out with two different breads - one was your standard Italian bread, and the other was a pizza-like bread - both were really good. Then they brought out a special appetizer from the chef, which was a special brochetta which wasn't normally on the menu, and include avocado, portabello mushrooms, and a balsamic extract - ity was darn good. We ordered a lot of Italian stuff for the entrees, and everyone enjoyed their food, which came out at the same time, hot and fresh. The wine prices were pretty good as well, as was the selection. All in all, a good place to visit. Don't be thrown off by the banquet facility - go to the north side - they have a stand-alone restaurant as well. One downside - they had a band playing in the bar - every time the doors opened, you got a band-strobe-effect until the doors closed. Valet parking is available.
(4)Lynda U.
Half price appetizers in the bar during the week, what's not to like. The Alaskan King crab legs are to die for!!!
(5)Sashja P.
Had my wedding ceremony and reception here couple weeks ago and it was magnificent!!! The entire staff the brothers Frank and ?? we're awesome! Pat Bruni was great to work with! The food and drinks were awesome! My guest were in awe and still talking about how elegant n classy it was! Couldn't have done without these guys ! If you are looking for upscale and posh this place is a must! Still living in my moment! Thanks Venuti
(5)Dave J.
Experienced V lounge Saturday night with my girlfriend. We are both in our thirties. Very diverse crowd, I dont think they are going for a particular demographic and just take whatever walks in. The drinks and service were good. Dj was not really playing the best selection of music, more emphasis needs to be put there. Upon leaving, I went to the bathroom for two minutes and when I came out my girlfriend told me some black guy immediately came up to her and grabbed her which made her very uncomfortable. She is an attractive girl I dont blame the guy but we chose venutis because we were looking to mingle with a classy crowd which is not the case here anymore. I dont think we will be going back to the v lounge and now i can see why there were no other good looking couples or women there. If we wanted a coach house (roach house) experience, we would of went there lol. This lounge was good couple years ago but when theres no control at the door anything can happen..and it did. The banquets are exceptional, been to a few weddings here i just wish that the lounge had some kind of standard because its a nice atmosphere.
(2)Joanne D.
I highly recommend Venuti's. Family owned and operated the food is cooked daily. I have had my son's Christening parties, Graduations & at night birthday celebration's at the V-lounge. Where they play my kind of old school music. The banquet facility is amazing we had our niece's quince there this past February & it was affordable & amazing!
(5)Keri F.
I thoroughly enjoyed this restaurant! From beginning to end the food was excellent. We decided to go on a Saturday night around 8:00. We were seated right away and brought fresh bread(Foccacia and regular) with oil and cheese and water. The waiter came and took our drink and appetizer order. Drinks came out quickly. The appetizers were excellent! Three of us split fried calamari, crab claws, and a shrimp cocktail. They were all outstanding! Surprisingly fresh shrimp, the calamari was melt in your mouth delish, and the crab claws(my favorite) were ridiculous. You get a choice of soup or salad with your meal. Two of us had pasta faggioli and one had a caesar salad and we were all happy. One of the specials was a seafood risotto that you could get with red or white(garlic olive oil) sauce and you could also get it on linguini instead of rice. He had the rice and I had the linguini. They were both amazing! They had mussels, clams, calamari and shrimp. All cooked perfectly. Our friend had the chicken vesuvio. It came with a side of steamed vegetables and quartered potatoes. Excellent sauce! No one had room for dessert : ) There wasn't a bit of the food that we didn't enjoy! A huge plus was the outstanding service! Our waiter was attentive but not intrusive and quite nice. The busboys were on top of getting rid of empty plates quickly and our water glasses were kept full. They were also quite friendly. I must say, this was a pleasant surprise! One of the best dining experiences I've had in recent months! We'll definitely be back!
(5)Bridget D.
Love Venuti's!! They had a fabulous buffet for Mother's Day. We routinely go here for dinner, too. Food is fresh and authentic and the restaurant is updated and beautiful! Can't wait to try their nightclub nights.
(5)Giuseppe D.
Visited here again this weekend, this time on a Sunday, with my brother and father. The environment is very different on a Sunday morning/afternoon from their typical Saturday night dinners/bar parties. It was much brighter with the large dining hall windows open and the sun shining in, there was light music in the background (great classical Italian songs), there were children running around the dining area, which might be annoying for those unfamiliar with Italian family dining on a Sunday, but I thought it to be nice; it all made me feel like I was enjoying a comfortable family dinner as I normally would on a Sunday. The main reason there were large groups and children moving around the dining area is because there is a buffet deal offered at Venuti's on Sundays. It's an open breakfast/lunch buffet with all the pork, shrimp, and pasta you could ask for. We refrained from trying the buffet though and decided to order separate dishes. We ordered a dozen baked clams for our antipasto caldo (hot appetizer). The clams are large and very good. The breading is thick and full of flavor, and the juices from the clam seep through the breading when you bite into it. Very good, very fresh. We also devoured the warm bread with oil and cheese, as well as the pieces of focaccia. My father ordered the sausage and rapini which came with 3 reasonably sized sausage that were smothered in long strains of rapini, with a side of potatoes. My brother ordered the gnocchi with vodka sauce. A very safe and typical order, but he insisted it was one of the better gnocchi he's had. I order the farfalle alla panna. It's not a set dinner item, but you can create your own pasta dishes by choosing your noodles and type of sauce, so I went with the farfalle (bowtie) noodles and the "alla panna" sauce which is a cream sauce made with imported cheese, prosciutto, onion, mushroom, and peas, I believe this might also be called "alla toscana" at other restaurants. The sauce had just enough thickness, the mushrooms were very large, and with the prosciutto/peas mixed in it had a great flavor. The portion size was large enough that I had to take the rest home. The service was fair. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and spoke Italian very well which was a pleasant surprise. Again, another solid visit to Venuti's.
(5)Blues K.
I attend every Thursday for Blues Night !! No Cover Charge & the Greatest area Blues Musicians you can find!! Also have such delicious food, on Thursdays the Appetizer's are 1/2 price !!! A Very Classy Place !! Check out their Calender, they have a Variety of Shows, including Old School DJ's !!! venutisbanquets.com then go see my pages, Chicago Music Society & facebook.com/pages/Chica…
(5)Candice G.
I HATE the holidays but there are few things I love more than being a date to someone else's company holiday party. ...and I say, "someone else's" because you get a little more wiggle room to go wild then at your own, ya know? So, my Mel's work got one of the banquet rooms and hired a DJ to rock out and celebrate the year coming to an end. The service was phenom, the bartender was super sexy and she knew how to sling some drinks, the food was pretty darn good too. Once the party wrapped up and the banquet room was closed out, we headed our way over to the restaurants bar area to dance it up with the rest of the old Italian men and cougars... it was pretty fun but the bar service was not as great as the banquet service. Also, the parking lot here is sooo far! Just valet your car and get it over with. You won't regret it when you're toasted (as a passenger, that is) in your toasty car and everyone else is freezing their buns off.
(4)Sara B.
It is a beautiful place. Went here for a wedding but it was SO crowded. There was another wedding going on at the same time and so many people seemed to be cramped into one place. The wedding was gorgeous and the reception hall stunning. Just a little bit of a tight squeeze for cocktail hour.
(3)Shark S.
Wow, the old blond bartender please go home. Place was empty and terrible service, couldn't try to smile. Disappointed.
(1)Mike K.
I like the Veal..but I go for the Baked Clams.. I could eat 30 at one sittting...
(5)Nicole M.
Everything about Venutis is amazing! They have a friendly staff, delicious italian food, great prices, and an incredible ambience! Karen was very accommodating and helped me plan my dream wedding. Their Sunday brunch buffet is great too. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
(5)Jeff W.
Good rib eye and wife loves the white fish. Bit pricey for an unsophisticated dining experience.
(3)Phillip A.
We had our great wedding here October 2007. They were superb on that day and continue to put out superb food in the restaurant. We have been back here numerous times in the following years. No...we are not related to anyone at this establishment. Try it....you will like it.
(5)Jeremy P.
We had our wedding here in June 2012 and they did the best job. Not only was it so well done, the price was very good also. The amount of extras that most places charge for were included in the contract. 6 hours of top shelf liquor, no extra charge. Free cake, great cake. Not to mention, the food was delicious. They did such a great job. Thanks again, Vinuti's!
(5)Sylvia T.
Went here for a wedding and the hall is absolutely gorgeous. I loved that the sweet table was in a separate room and the way all the sweets were decorated was beautiful. They definitely pay attention to detail. The staff was very friendly and helpful.
(4)Sonia B.
Just attended a wedding here and was very impressed with the atmosphere and most importantly the food! They served the chicken marsala, pork chop, and salmon at the wedding. The pork chop was huge and really good and the chicken was okay. No one at our table had the salmon. I'm not sure if the wedding cake was from here but that was delicious to. My only complaint is that the servers were so eager to take out plates when we were still eating! I still had my fork in hand when she tried to take my plate and I told her I want finished. Shortly after that I got up to get a cup of coffee and when I got back my food was gone! :-(
(4)Tricia T.
I had my wedding reception at Venuti's... previously was there for events during the day (showers, etc) and was always pleased with service/food/ambiance. After looking at multiple venues for our reception, we decided on Venuti's. Afterall-- most of them are pretty similar in price, but this offered a lot of value from the 6-hour top shelf bar to the champagne welcome toast to the amazing food. Karen (works with banquets) is awesome to work with! She's friendly and very responsive. She ensured that all of the details were exactly as planned. I didn't realize there was a "host" for the event (thought it was going to be Karen since we worked with her the 1 1/2 yrs of planning), but Pat (our host) was fantastic! He ensured the night ran smoothly and on-time... kudos to him, the staff, and KAREN for ensuring a smooth event with no hiccups. I would definitely recommend this venue for a wedding! We went with the Verona II room (the two rooms on the left) and were pleasantly pleased. If you have 200+ people, I recommend having your receiving line just inside the dining area (instead of in the pre-function area). That way your guests have some room in the cocktail area and are not lined up out the door waiting.
(5)Betty C.
I went to a Baby Shower on Sunday here. I have to say "It was fabulous" they offered Valet parking , coat check service and the food was excellent! The room was large but still felt warm and friendly , the decor was exceptional and the flowers were extraordinary. Not sure who did the floral center pieces but WOW they were gorgeous, I would highly reccomend this for any special event.
(5)selena i.
so I went with some friends of mine on a friday night. arrive there around 8pm and went into the bar area. Place was only 10% occupied. We sat down at a table where 5 tables were empty in a row. Then the blondie comes around and says "that table is reserved" even though there were a string of available empty tables from the moment we sat down to the moment we left. Despite the building's stunning interior, this place is the absolute SH*T when it comes to service and food. I rather go to McDonalds then eat their watery spinach dip and soft bruschetta. We went cuz Stevie B. and George Lamond was performing. First and last time I'll be eating there.
(1)Monica B.
Class act, this place is elegant and has a real romantic atmosphere. We went here for a wedding and everything was superb.The food was delicious from the start to the end.I highly recommend this place if you are considering having a wedding reception there or doing a banquet.
(5)Joy S.
I've been here both as a restaurant patron and as a wedding reception guest. The building is impressive with a grand staircase and columns and such. Very pretty inside. I brought my little sister here for dinner shortly after it opened a few years ago. I still remember the arancini being VERY good. But I also remember being surprised at how pricey our meal was. (Then again, my sister and I know how to eat!) The wedding reception I went to was nice looking, and the food was average. Spent a lot of time on the patio smoking. I considered this place for my wedding venue, but I didn't like that the pretty patio just overlooked a parking lot. It was also out of our budget. A friend also worked here as a bouncer for awhile for the dance nights. It's not my scene. But if you like Jersey Shore, you might have fun.
(4)Luke M.
I went here for lunch, and I was extremely underwhelmed. The decor was fine, for an Italian over the top kind of venue, however my steak was less than decent. I ordered a meal which consisted of mostly salad and meat, no starch. The meat part, was my steak, which I asked for medium rare. They served me a cold, already cut up, well done steak. OK, fine its not a steak place, I understand, but my 2 other friends were underwhelmed with the food as well and they ordered Italian food. One had the minestrone soup, but it was very very salty and instead got it swapped for the chicken soup and the other complained about the food being salty as well (she ordered a chicken in some sauce - I forgot the name of the dish). In all for a total of $70, I got some sub average lunch at best - especially considering the price. I do want to add, however, that the waitress that served us did a fine job and I think that she was new. So, the service is really good.
(2)CATHERINE C.
Went back in and mentioned my Yelp ad as it said to above when I made my reservation. It left an even worse taste in my mouth than before. My group was seated all the way in the back by the kitchen and this time the food left something to be desired. Very unhappy with dining here both times, On one good note- we did stay for the Queens of Freestyle concert. the complimentary valet and complimentary coat check was very nice. The bartenders inside the hall were friendly as well.
(2)R. Q.
Attended Venuti's recently for a wedding reception. The venue was indeed nice and clean and the waitstaff did a good job. The food however was terrible even for wedding food. The main course consisted of chicken potato's and asparagus. The chicken was not even edible. Half of our table didn't even it, and the asparagus was cooked so long it was almost white. The wedding had around 125 guests but that's no excuse for terrible food. I don't think i would come back here to eat.
(2)Steve S.
HAHAHAHA!!! Go into the "V lounge" This place is HORRIBLE!!!! It chock full of greasy Italian losers! Go once for a laugh, because the drink prices are sky-high and if you don't look like your on the cast of Jersey Shore they won't serve you anyway! I'd rather drink hobo wine with a tranny then go back there again!! I'm giving this a two star only because the crowd is entertaining and the bartender lady was nice.
(2)P R.
I had my wedding here in June, and I was so excited because the place is gorgeous and I loved the food there. But when it came the actual wedding events (rehearsal and wedding), we were very disappointed. Food = amazing. Venue = beautiful. Sales rep = the WORST. Brides - Beware if you get Pat B. as your sales rep. We had a morning wedding and lunch reception because my (then) fiance and I had a very small budget. We wanted to do the best we could with the little that we had and thought a lunch buffet reception was the perfect fit. But apparently - Venuti's (or Pat, specifically) isn't too accommodating and kind to small budget weddings because he DEFINITELY made me feel un-important. Every time I had questions, he would sigh and answer them - but sometimes not very thoroughly. But, I let it go because I would figure it out eventually and just rolled with the punches. ONE WEEK before our wedding rehearsal (and wedding) Pat called me and said that we would have to cut our wedding rehearsal short from 1 hour to 30 minutes. Shocked - I asked why that was, and he said that he "didn't know that there was another wedding planned during that time" and that I had to be done by 5pm. (We had scheduled it to be from 4:30 - 5:30pm). You mean to tell me that you "didn't know" about a wedding 1 week before it was happening??? When I told him that I didn't think 30 minutes was enough, he simply (and unapologetically) replied, "Well, it's a short aisle. You don't need more than 30 minutes." Brides - Is this what you want to hear 1 week before your wedding? Someone to basically tell you, "too bad" and to tell you how much time you need??? If he would've been empathetic, I would have been more understanding... but he was a jerk about it. So - seeing as I had no choice, I asked my wedding party to get there by 4:15 so we would at least have 45 minutes. When we got there - guess what, he tells me that we actually have to be done BEFORE 5pm - when he told me before that we had to be done BY 5pm - because his other wedding was starting at 5pm. Mind you - this was different info than he gave before... and he kept rushing us out of there because the other wedding was starting soon. When I asked him about it - he waved me off (one day before the wedding!) and said - "well you wouldn't listen when I tried to tell you!" Again - big jerk who had no empathy. I DID listen - that's why we got there early. Not to mention, a liar because the info he gave me the previous week was different than what he was telling me that day. To make a long story short, we made it work. The day of the wedding came and he NEVER ONCE checked on our wedding or reception to make sure everything was going ok. My vendors and family members - who knew nothing of how he had been treating me - all asked - "what's wrong with the guy in the office?" because he was really not helpful and short when it came to answering their questions. For ex - we needed a pair of scissors and asked him to borrow one. He said they didn't have one. They have 2 offices, a restaurant and a banquet hall... you mean that there is not one pair of scissors in that whole place??? He didn't even get up off his chair to search or try to ask others. Of course, I didn't let his poor attitude ruin my day... like I said, the venue was perfect and the food was amazing. But brides, be warned about booking your wedding here. Maybe he'll treat you differently if you have a large budget. But if you decide to have your wedding at Venuti's and you get Pat as your sales rep, I would save yourself the hassle and attitude and ask for someone else.
(1)Susie G.
My husband and I had our wedding reception here in June 2008. The management here is exceptionally accomodating and personable. We particularly liked their unique menu and technique for serving such a large group - they sold us on the idea that the food would be fresh and nothing like banquet food - and they DEFINITELY delivered on that promise. I might be biased because it was my wedding, but I can say without a doubt that it was the BEST wedding food I have ever had. It was restaurant-fresh, quality food in a banquet environment. Salad was fresh and not your typical boring garden salad; soup was HOT and served tableside right out of the pot; pasta tasted just like it does at the restaurant (served tableside from the pot as well); beef dishes were cooked to order to each guest's liking. I could go on and on... My only disappointment was that the banguet manager, who we had worked with throughout our entire planning process (and who said he would be personally hosting our event), was not present on our wedding day! A man who we had never met was coordinating our reception. However - food was still excellent, service was impeccable. We are very pleased with Venuti's and dine at their restaurant often!
(4)Sara Z.
My husband and I had our wedding reception here back in October and everything was PERFECT! Venuti's staff are very helpful, flexible and very accommodating :) The food even tasted better on the night of our wedding than it did on the day of our tasting a year before! The Oak Mill Bakery associated with Venuti's was great also, LOVED OUR CAKE. Venuti's went above and beyond for us... friendly staff, great classic beautiful setup and FABULOUS BARTENDERS! DO IT! Happy Wedding Planning!
(5)Amanda F.
This is where we had our wedding reception. Karen Dragel is absolutely amazing to work with! She made sure our day was perfect!! Venuti's attended to every single detail. Their wedding packages are all inclusive down to the wedding cake. Guests could not stop complementing the food. We could not have been more pleased with this venue. Anyone who is having a wedding or other large party should definitely put Venuti's on the top of their list!!!
(5)Robin C.
This place surprised me. It's a mammoth building (nice, just mammoth) on its own right on Lake St. The stop light on US-20 is literally for this place. And there's nothing but corporate warehouses or offices around or the hidden Medinah Country Club down the road. One side of the building is the main restaurant that's great for dinners with friends or to go out for Italian din in the burbs. The other side of the building houses various rooms for special events. I've been to Venuti's for several different occasions (casual dinners and a private party) and I have to say that the food was solid - the calamari was certainly a highlight - very fresh and tender - and the seafood linguini/fruitti di mare (I get this at nearly every Italian restaurant), was just as delicious and light. Definitely pleasantly surprised. Service is discreet and attentive and the food will satisfy you. Even the food for the special events was impressive, and we all know group food is a harder feat.
(4)Arianna C.
Came here with my family on a Friday night, and left fully satisfied in all aspects! Had drinks in the lounge, which was a beautiful area with a planetarium-esque starry ceiling. The bartender makes a mean french martini. We then headed to the dining room, and got a cozy spot next to the fireplace. To start, we ordered the baked clams & fried calamari, which did not disappoint! For our entrees, I had the rib-eye, which came with a soup or salad, vegetables, and potato, as did all the other entrees. My father had the filet, which was a perfect medium-rare. We both thought the meats were delicious, and affordable ($26-ribeye, $28-filet). My mom chose the tortilla-crusted tilapia on special, which was light and tasty according to her. My little sister built her own pasta and chose a rigatoni with vodka cream sauce which was GREAT-I had to steal a couple bites. Our server told us all their pastas and sauces are homemade. Speaking of whom, the waiter we had provided excellent service. Everybody gave off a friendly vibe, from the hostess to the wait staff to the busboys! Great dining experience that the whole family enjoyed.
(5)Peter A.
$10.95 for a 3 yr. old to eat the lunch buffet...how ridiculous!
(1)Mary S.
Recently celebrated my friend's wedding reception here and I have to say I haven't been this impressed with a banquet hall pretty much ever. It should be noted that my friend Courtney has impeccable taste and settles for nothing less than the best, so even though when we pulled up to nothing awe inspiring, my other friend and I knew that inside would probably surprise us. And we were right! First off, free valet service, which was much needed since it was pouring out. Secondly, the front entry way was beautiful in a very non-gimmicky way. We were told to go to the left at the end, and lo and behold there was room enough for a multitude of bars (I counted 3), and a smaller room perfect for appetizers. Then we entered the ballroom. Which had ANOTHER bar. Hoorah! The food was OUTSTANDING. Flavored butters, all three dinner choices were delicious (I went for the bone in filet which was basically the best decision I've made in 2009), the best sorbet (mango and raspberry) I've ever had.... This meal was no joke. A few things I noticed about the actual banquet facility: -if its daylight, there is not much to look at out the windows (other than parking lot). they should probably invest in some tall shrubbery. -there were like 3 or 4 other receptions going on and it didn't seem to bother our reception one bit! nothing felt neglected, we didnt hear anyone else's thumpin bass, it was just a cohesive space! -with over 150 people, i heard not ONE complaint about the food. the fact that they were able to keep everything hot and to my friend's high standards speaks well of this facility. I would definitely recommend this place!!
(5)B L.
I thought this food was going to taste WAY better than it did because the outside and inside decor is quite beautiful. However, I was disappointed with the lunch options. When the food came out it was bland, bland, bland. I hope they improve so I can re-review. This place has a lot of potential just based on decor alone.
(2)Swati B.
So...when you walk into this banquet hall you can't help but say "WOW!" It's gorgeous. The venue is perfect for big events...My sister had her engagement party here and this place was breathtaking to look at...and and outside patio with fountains..just perfect for pictures. However the process on getting the menu figured out and working with the staff was soooo painful. The week of the event there were changes being made to the menu and they went back on their word about certain items that they "tossed in for free". The people that my sister dealt with seemed arrogant and rude. Now mind you for an engagement party to have 200 people, you'd think this owner would say, shit we better be on our best behavior, if this is JUST the engagement party...helloooo the wedding will have 500 people! Service during the party was average, nothing super friendly, nothing stellar, just basic. The food came out kind of cold (not like ice but definitely not hot) and they completely left out some of the picked out side dishes for half the people's entrees). The microphone didn't work very well (they were supposed to do a sound check BEFORE we had guests arrive)... Overall not the best experience, but the venue is definitely something to see. Maybe suggest to your friends to host an event there like a birthday or graduation, but definitely not an event for 200 people or more!
(3)Chris W.
First time here, passed by many times not knowing it was also a restaurant, thought only a banquet hall.......WOW was I surprised. Decor inside is very pretty, if you like lounge type music (Frank Sinatra etc.) you'll enjoy the atmosphere as we did. Our Server Kimberly was extremely knowledgeable and very friendly and I'd love to have her again. I had the Chicken Marsala, my husband had the homemade Ravolli and sausage. Everything was excellant and YES they really do make everything from scratch. The sausage was very good as well as the whole dinner. Will go back again for sure.
(5)Jen F.
I'm a big fan of Venuti's. The best meal I've ever eaten here was the vodka rigatoni with chicken. They hand make their own pasta, so it doesn't get much better than that. Awesome soups, salads, chicken dishes, etc. My fiance and I celebrated our first Valentine's Day in 2006 at the original location on North Ave., and we were thrilled when the restaurant expanded into an enormous, beautiful banquet hall. We met with Karen about having our wedding here, and she was SO sweet and helpful. We happily booked our wedding! UPDATE: We ended up getting married in June 2012 and had a great experience. All of the food was incredible, and our guests definitely enjoyed it. They accommodated both vegetarian and vegan guests. I would confidently recommend this restaurant for a place to both enjoy dinner and have a wedding. :)
(5)Paul R.
Beware of up charges for crumpled blue cheese on salads. Not mentioned on menu buy pushed by the waitress without mentioning extra charge The "manager" was surly when brought to her attention. Admitted that extra charge is not listed on menu. While the food is generally good, this is not a customer friendly restaurant. we will not go there again. Former regular customer
(1)Justin G.
Went here for a wedding. Appetizers were awesome, meal was too. Accomodating.
(5)Duncan S.
Have gone for the little buffet/brunch type thing on Sunday. Very good food. Looks small when you first see it, but there's enough food. The best part is the taste. Tastes the same as homemade. I have a 100% Italian family that loves it, including the stubborn/older types who spend dual time in both countries, and usually hate "Italian" restaurants around town. Might be a little pricey, I know that buffet thing doesn't include drinks, but you can tell before you go in, and you get what you pay for.
(4)Heidi F.
My husband & I just got married here on 6/3/11. It was amazing! Every corner is so beautifully decorated that it would be impossible to take a bad picture here. The breath-taking, elegant, iron staircase is where we chose to take our pictures. No regrets! Our pictures are gorgeous. The ceremony room was so sunny and beautiful that little decorations were necessary. Several people told us that it was the best wedding they had ever been to. The food was to die for. I highly recommend the spinach manicotti & prime rib. They even provided 'to go' boxes if you didn't finish your meal! I also recommend the sweet table. It adds such an elegant touch and they were amazing. Make sure you have help in packing everything up. We had so many pastries left over it was great! It would have been a shame had my matron of honor not packed all of our pastries up and they would have thrown them out or taken them themselves. Karen was so nice to work with. She is so laid back, yet reassuring and professional. I felt bad for her because we were using the ceremony room and my friend the florist made us quite late. There was another ceremony that followed ours and that was really stressful. Thankfully the bride for the next ceremony was also running real late so everything worked out just fine. I recommend that if you use the ceremony room, try to request that if someone else follows you or wants to go before you that you request an hour in between the two in order to avoid this. The only negative encounters we had was with a couple of the owners who acted annoyed when we asked to see the glass cylinders. My husband also had to return for some shoes that he left in one of the rooms and one of the owners with the glasses and grey hair was quite rude to him. Aside from the previous complaints, everything else was absolutely perfect. We could not have been happier. Thanks to Venuti's for making our wedding so beautiful & memorable. It was a fairytale come true for both of us.
(5)Jerry N.
I used to love this restaurant...until they sold out to the Man! They moved locations to a much bigger more modern place. The address is now: 2251 N. Lake St. Addison, IL 60101. Since the move, the prices went up drastically and the portion sizes went down drastically. The food itself is very good, but they no longer have Pizza in the restaurant. It went from a nice moderate family place to a wanna be upscale Italian. Good luck on the venture...but you shouldn't have fixed what was never really broken.
(2)Gino D.
Went here last night for the first time with my wife and another couple. The place is very nice and large. The ambiance and design is very comfortable and they have spent a significant amount of money on the building. The place is a restaurant and banquet hall (restaurant is in the front.) Meal was good. A nice variety of Italian foods, traditional chicken, veal, and pasta dishes. The place is a certainly on the more expensive side but not outrageous. Nice wine list and very nice desert list. I would recommend for romantic night out or a fun time with friends.
(4)diane p.
The place is very nice and fancy but since i am a family oriented person i preffer a cozy family atmosphere, i can not deny that the food is delicious and flavorful but im not a big fan of a huge chain restaurants and thats how thiso one looks to me
(3)Anabella J.
we had our wedding at Venuti's.could not be happier with our choice.our guests still talk about it.they all loved it.we had a lot od guests that smoke and the balcony was great for them.they were able to tke their drink out and enjoy.organization was perfect.karen was our wedding cordinator and she was amazing.she made everything happen in just 2 months.i highly recommend venutis for your wedding.you will not be dissapointed.so relaxing,and the package they give you you will not find anywhere else.karen trully made our day to remember.we looked at so many different locations,but they all seamed too small or too dark with your guests smoking on a parking lot.after all we wanted them to enjoy as much as us.they also had free valet parking which made a vip for our guests.the best thing i liked about Venutis was the banquet with windows.other places that we looked were all closed spaces and very basment feel.thank you Venutis for making our day so special.
(5)T D.
My local choice for great pizza. I usually have my pizza delivered and only dine at the restaurant every so often. When I have dined there, I found the service to be good and the decor warm & inviting. It's really a nice Italian family restaurant, but hard to get past ordering anything but the ZZA! The pizza toppings are fresh and abundant, and they do have some great pasta sauces as well. The pizza prices are slightly higher here compared to pizza chain restaurants, but well worth the extra money.They also have a Sunday Italian Brunch worth checking out.
(4)Melissa F.
We had our Wedding Reception there and everything was perfect. The food was amazing,(Vodka Sauce I could eat for days and steak cooked perfect). Service was great. My guests loved everything especially the martinis which you hardly see at weddings . The decor is beautiful and bathrooms are very clean. Karen Venuti's Coordinator eased our every worries and I highly recommend this place.
(5)Kay J.
Went here for "opera" nite this past week. Food was OK, but just OK. I guess when you're eating what nearly 300 other people are eating, and the food is prepared and served "en mass" it's hard to get really good food that's not room temperature, and that's really good. The disappointment was the "opera" music. Two of the men singers (the "master of ceremonies" and the Korean guy) had really nice voices. The third guy was pretty good. The two women were not good, one of whom was especially bad. The musical selections (some opera and some other music) left something to be desired (with a few exceptions), and at times werewere so bad they were painful to listen to. The real turn-off was the guy who hosted the event... he tried to be funny, but definitely WAS NOT, and he waisted MUCH time horsing around with the singers and the audience. I would say we could have gotten out of there AT LEAST 30-40 minutes earlier if he had SHUT HIS MOUTH. But all in all I'm not sorry I went to this event. The other people at our table were very friendly and the wine was pretty good.
(3)Rachelle G.
I've been here twice: once as part of a small wedding shower luncheon where we ordered off the menu and another as a guest at a wedding reception. Service is great. They are friendly and are quick to answer any questions. The decor is absolutely beautiful. Having just opened in the past year or two, everything has been well maintained. Clean and inviting, you almost feel as if you're stepping into another land when you're on the banquet side. Another plus, the banquet side has complimentary valet. The food is what detracts this from being a great facility. When I dined for lunch, I ordered steak and asked for it to be done medium. It came out and was well done. They took it back although ensuring me that it was cooked to the proper doneness and cooked another at medium rare. Again, I thought it well beyond well done but decided to just stick with it. Other dishes I tried at the luncheon tasted good but nothing out of this world. At the reception I attended, the cream of chicken soup was delicious. The main entree consisted of a fillet mignon and a chicken cordon blue (definitely way too much food). None of the fillets were cooked to a consistent doneness. Mine was well done while my date's was medium rare (of course he let me eat his =P) The chicken was a bit on the dry side. What blew me away though was the dessert table they had set up. It was at least 12ft long and had everything you could possibly dream of. This definitely made up for the rest of the food that evening. I found myself trying not to eat everything in site and only grabbed some chocolate covered strawberries which were heavenly. Overall, of the banquet facilities I've been to in the suburbs, this would definitely rank up high on my list for overall enjoyment.
(4)Michelle P.
If you are looking for authentic Italian cuisine in the west suburbs, this is the place. My fiance took me to Venuti's for Valentine's Day. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and the service was excellent! We enjoyed a bottle of Chianti Montsanto-which was the waiter's recommendation. What a great one it was. I had the chicken piccata with asparagus and potatoes, and a side of buccatini pasta and pomodoro sauce. My fiance had the chicken visuvio with potato and asparagus. The sauce on both dishes was absolutely delicious. So flavorful, yet not overwhelming. I highly recommend Venuti's for your next dining experience.
(5)Tina T.
Venuti's has become quite a huge establishment with the opening of their new facility on Lake Street. It is a huge place, encompassing 3 banquet halls, a chapel (one stop shopping for weddings!), and a restaurant and very large bar. We stopped at the bar for a couple of drinks and really enjoyed it. It's definitely more upscale, lots of marble and huge staircases, and a large dome over the round bar with twinkling stars overhead. Upscale crowd, little bit older, lots of men in suits. They had live music, and the singers were good; they played a lot of 80's and 90's dance music. We ordered appetizers and they were delicious; a grilled calamari was very tasty. Fun place!
(4)Joe A.
okay okay so first off im not a d-bag italian thats like jersey shore guy before jersey shore. so that being said venuti's. well i am technically product of them my parents met when there was one on st. charles road and the other that was on north ave. so without them i dont exist so i gotta love them and give them props for that. but as a review for the restaurant, the one thing i ALWAYS recommend to people is the boneless chicken vissuvio... i know i cant spell that worth crap but bear with me...that is to die for there. i can not go anywhere italian without trying someone elses and saying nowhere as good as venuties. i usually have neno as a server because he has been around since i was a kid most likely longer...but he is an amazing server and when i work in my restaurant i try to emulate his service because i see him as what serving should be. but for atmosphere they deserve all the good graces in the world! this place is beautiful to just drive by let alone walk in. every friend i have ever brought there is blown away instantly when they walk in and is greeted by the beautiful fountain and double staircase. i have not been on the banquet side so i cant really talk about it that much but i assure anyone that goes there it is wonderful. but if you walk in to the left side you walk into a huge bar that is probably one of the biggest hot spots in addison. now i really dont go to the bar much because im all for the food and the bar crowd is not my type here but beautiful people all over in there so the singles...well you see where im goin...but i do know they do all kinds of events there with djs and they know how to make a great party! the dining room is just as exquisite as any part of the whole hall beautiful decor and more than enough space, esspically big parties. like i stated before though any of the food is amazing here. full of flavor, beautiful presentation, outstanding service, you might as well tell your mom to drop the wooden spoon and get a new job because she wont be cooking at home any more after you try any of their food.
(5)Chris H.
My wife and I had our wedding reception there in July of 2008. The food was amazing, service was great. Overall, couldn't have asked for anything better. Management was VERY helpful in getting everything worked out for our big day. Anything we needed was provided. Overall price was reasonable for a reception. I HIGHLY recommend this place.
(5)Kelly M.
This place is great for special occasions - great atmosphere, great service, and amazing food. And their panne cotta is like a religious experience!
(4)