Caponies Trattoria
7419 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL, 60634
Caponies Trattoria Menu
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Address :
7419 W Irving Park Rd
Chicago, IL, 60634 - Phone (773) 804-9024
- Website https://www.caponiespizza.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :3:00 pm - 10:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
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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快速殺手
If you really want to get a bit of Italy than go to Caponies. Great pizza, great antipasto, pastas but so far no alcohol. Large size pizza will feed a 2 kids and 3 adults. Before you get to eat your Italian dish you'll will get a fresh baked bread, with fresh unlimited olive oil and good grade parmigiano. Love the Italian hospitality atmosphere.
(5)Don R.
The pizza and pasta is great. Been here a few times on the Groupon and I'm thoroughly impressed on the pasta with the Vodka sauce each time.
(5)Michael Z.
I was using a Groupon and dining in on a Friday night. Luckily we were able to sit right down. Appetizer and pasta was very good. Waitress could have been a little more helpful but overall was a good experience. Seeing the wood burning grill makes us want to come back for a pizza, which we will. Also a BYOB establishment until they get their liquor license.
(4)A Z.
The pizza is not the same as it used to be... I feel like they made some changes. Not good. The pizza is filled with grease.
(2)Jacob G.
The food at Caponie's is very good. I like their pizza and pasta dishes.
(4)Jennifer G.
We had their arrancini, cannoli and marinara sauce. All were excellent. Would love to go band try more on the menu. Their arrancini was the best I have ever had.
(4)M. H.
I really love Caponies. The Brick Oven Pizza is out of this world. They have a lot of delicious options with authentic toppings. My favorite is the Verdura con Funghi - fresh spinach, mushrooms, and garlic with red sauce. Just talking about it makes me want to eat pizza, now. Harlem Ave can be a beyotch when it comes to traffic, but I'll deal with it for Caponies.
(4)Melissa S.
Great pizza if you're out that way. My godfather lives near by and raves about this place (yes, my godfather, we're italian okay!). Really reasonable prices, casual setting, solid italian food all around. If I can get anyone else to venture this far out from downtown, I shall return.
(4)Yvonne O.
Wonderful arancini - great soups and pizzas. Parking can be an issue, but that comes with the territory. Defnitely make the trip out here for very friendly service in a family environment.
(4)Frank S.
Very good pizza, and appetizers. Prices were affordable, and servers were attentive. The wood burning ovens give the place a pleasant aroma, and the food has that taste that only comes from such ovens. Place is clean inside, and there is plenty of street parking close by. It is a little cramped inside, but everyone seems to respect each others space. They also have excellent homemade soups. and a full menu of various Italian dishes. The fresh bread that comes out before the meal is always warm, and very tasty. Good site for families and dates.
(4)Emma R.
This place is great, even with all it's quirks. The service is slow but the place is packed - dinner there reminded me of when I served sunday brunch - always in the weeds but you just keep going and try to smile. Our server did just that, which is about all you can ask for when the neighborhood restaurtant is slammed - this is not fine dining people you have have to pay extra for that. I actually like when it's busy like that, it's sort of fun. More importantly let's talk about the food - AMAZING! The lasagna is ridiculously large -enough for two and delicious. We haven't tried the pizza but we will next time. And yes, there will be a next time.
(5)Diana O.
Went last night. We haven't been in a while since they screwed up our last order. Sad to say this will be our last time. Salads with garlic dressing was the best part of meal. Ordered baked meat ravioli. He asked what kind of sauce we wanted. We said meat if we can. He said sure and reconfirmed one baked and one regular. We told him both baked. Ordered buttered penne for our daughter. Also ordered Mozzarella sticks which tasted microwaved and the cheese inside was pasty. Our ravioli came out NOT baked and very watery. Penne had cheese on it when we asked butter only. When we mentioned ravioli not being baked he told us they only do baked ravioli with marinara.....then why ask what kind of sauce we wanted and reconfirm baked after saying meat sauce?? He never wrote anything down-maybe that is why they screw a lot up. Place was empty with only 2 other couples inside, one being a server's parents. When we were first seated a man came in and the server thanked him for bringing the stuff back and said he was sorry there was a mistake. That poor man stood there waiting until well after our dinner was served. I hope he didn't have a portion of his order at home waiting because it certainly would have been cold by now. Gonna stick with our gut and not return.
(2)Patrick R.
I hope the owners of Caponies read this review and make a few changes. I have probably picked up, had delivered, or dined in at Caponies 50+ times over the years. I have had most of their menu items and don't have any real problems with the food. It's generally better than average quality and they have a wood burning oven pizza that is much different than your standard Chicago thin crust. My problem with Caponies is the far above average amount of times they screwed up my order. I like their baked cheesy beef, but was charged for the cheesy beef and received a plain beef on at least 3 occasions. If I wanted a plain beef I would not have ordered from Caponies. They have sent dishes that I did not order, and not the one I did. They have forgotten to send a credit card receipt with the driver on a few occasions.... Just recently I tried to order chicken parm on a Sunday night and was told they were out? How does a place like that run out of chicken parm. On one occasion a driver told me that the owner hires young girls who are there to have fun and not to pay attention to their jobs, sucks for the driver because he winds up loosing money running the screwed up orders back. I have really cut back on ordering from Caponies recently because having to deal with their screw-ups has gotten pretty old. I hope they tighten things up there, Making good food is the hard part, nobody's perfect but they need to try a lot harder.
(2)Suzanne C.
NW side PIzza! Finally found one I really really like! also, their pasta, appetizers are really good. They have a large brick oven which makes the pizza awesome besides the flavor of the sauces and ingredients are fresh and meats are flavorful. The first Caponie's pizza I had was the tomato and garlic and since I have been on this here NW side, I have been looking for good pizza, so needless to say, I was ecstatic! whether eating in, al fresco or take out, you wont be disappointed.
(4)Damian S.
very good atmosphere, nice people but food just so, so...
(3)bob w.
Well after a long time of not going here, I finally made it back to Caponie's..and have thing's changed for the worst, first years ago you would sit down and they would bring a fresh whole loaf of hot bread..today I got served a half loaf of cold hard bread,and I remember the pizza was really good.. Well same like the bread it changed, we had a sausage and mushroom pizza..omg did it suk the sausage tasted like grizzle it was in tiny little pieces..there was hardly any cheese on it and we ordered it with thin crust..it came with a crust a half inch thick and burnt to the crisp..i call over the manager he didn't really care except to offer to make another one for me..i figured if they couldn't make the first one right why try again.. Well needless to say i will never return back to that over rated dive.. I'd rather go down the block to DOMINO'S if i want garbage pizza,i guess its off to jewel's for a frozen HOME RUN INN pizza..at least that tastes better and i can burn it if i want or not plus its a whole lot cheaper than what i paid for my disappointment there..don't look for me walking thru caponies door any time soon..
(1)Merce R.
I love this place! I've been there twice in the past two months...once with a friend, the second time with my family. Both times, the pizza was amazing! I've read some of the other reviewers who comment on the service...our service was just fine. They were not overly attentive, but that's OK. When I needed more water, I just asked for it. :-) Their tiramisu is delicious!
(5)Daria Z.
This place is great. They love to boast about owning the largest pizza brick oven in the city. Their food is great and reasonably priced. I'd recommend the pasta dishes - particularly the farafelle with supremo sauce. It's a great place to dine in and the decor is a lot of fun - there's Godfather and mafia memorabilia all over the place.
(4)Liliana S.
I havent been here for years but it was a favorite choice of mine in high school. Friends and I used to drive to this pizza place all the time. Brick oven the way its supposed to be. Constant entertainment. Lots of cute harlem boys. Haha
(4)Myron M.
Excellent Pizza! This small resturant has a nice little patio for dining and serves up wonderful Italian food. I usually get the pizza delivered but I swing by and grab myself a gellatto on a hot day. Highly recomended for delivery if you're in the area.
(4)Michael D.
My wife and I ordered a pizza with half pepperoni and sausage and the whole thing with mushrooms. My wife is a vegetarian. The pizza arrived with mushrooms on the whole pizza. Pepperoni on one side and sausage on the other. Not the way I asked for it. I called to complain and was told they would send out a new one. I started eating the previous pizza because they didn't say they wanted it. They called back after 5 minutes and said they want the other pizza back. I already ate two pieces. They didn't want to take it back. They also said they couldn't refund my money ($50.00). The girl admitted to making a mistake when taking the order and that, "I'll get it right next time." WTF!!! Now let's talk about the pizza itself. Very poorly made and incredibly sloppy. Looks like a monkey with no arms made it. We also ordered fried calamari and that was terrible. For the amount of money the pizza and calamari cost me it better knock me out of my seat. I'll never order from this place again. Find another place for real pizza.
(1)Gabriel F.
My family ate here one time after visiting the area. We were in the mood for Italian and we went here based on the reviews. Since we didn't get the pizza, I won't talk about it though it did smell good from the kitchen. Anyway, I had a good time and great food from here. The bread was warm and good. The soup I had was good as well. Not too hot that I had to wait to cool down. The entrees themselves were great. I loved the pasta sauce they used in it. I had the Chicken Parmigiana and it was just so good! The portion size was just right. Not too small, but not too huge to stuff yourself with. The chicken was cooked just right with no burnt parts or anything. The only negative I have is the parking. No parking lots near it and it's street parking. It's also Chicago, so prepare to fight for a spot. Luckily, we able to find a spot a block away from it. Overall, despite the parking, I would be coming back to this place again. Prices are reasonable; the food's good; and a nice atmosphere. Next time, I've got to try the pizza!
(4)Sharon K.
To say I was disappointed was an understatement. Service took awhile. The pizza was bland and I was told the reason I did not see the sausage I ordered on my stuffed pizza is because they grind it. What is that? (I am from Chicago eat pizza like everyone else and I know if there is sausage on a pizza and I'm Italian). Although our waiter was kind and apologetic that was the first and only visit they will get from me.
(2)Caroline B.
I wanted to be able to give this restaurant a better review after hearing so many great things about it, but my meal was less than memorable. I had a side salad, which was actually pretty great and I enjoyed it more than the white pizza we ordered. The pizza had a good crust, but was otherwise pretty bland. I know I know, it was a white pizza, but they should have some flavor. I mean it's still melted cheese on bread, so of course I ate it :) I even asked for extra garlic on it but couldn't taste it. The menu says there is spinach on the pizza so I was expecting a little more than the occasional small clumps in a couple of spots. White pizza is one of my favorite meals and when done right is full of flavor, this was not one of them. I'm giving three stars instead of two only because I would like to come back and try ordering something different. Beware: you will smell of wood burning fire coming out of this place so make sure you wear clothes you can wash easily. My jacket reeked for a couple days after.
(3)Thomas C.
Calzones are legit! Lots of sausage and peperoni filled every bitr
(3)junior k.
I dunno what's so funny. I'm updating this review because the Caponies wood-fired pizza isn't just the best on the Northwest side. Frankly, when they're on their game, there's no better pie in the city. Think I'm full of it? Name me a better wood-fired pizza. You can't. Don't try. And yes, I just used all three "theres" in one sentence. That means I'm smart.
(5)Kyle Z.
My wife and I eat here at least 3x per month and have always had a great experience. We often take friends/family with us, and everyone always likes the food and atmosphere. The pizza, salads, soups, and appetizers are good across the board. The service is always good, and the price is fair...not sure what else you can ask for.
(5)Joy K.
Used to be a great place, but has really gone down hill. I don't know if there are different owners or a different chef, but the food is no longer special, it's pedestrian. Recently ordered pasta w/vodka sauce and it tasted like Mac and cheese. What they call a "panini" sandwich is nothing more than a broiled bagel. Even their wood oven pizza is now dry and lacks flavor. It's too bad. I used to go there weekly and now I won't go there anymore.
(1)Judy W.
I decided to give this place a try and bought a groupon. Yes you have to pay extra for veggies or meat in your pasta but well worth the few extra bucks! Everything was delish! Pasta, pizza, toasted ravioli - great! Probably the best pasta I have ever tasted! Get the suprema sauce! Yum! Only thing I didn't like was that my hair smelled like I was sitting at a campfire all day. The fumes from the brick oven hits you as soon as you walk in the place. BUT I would definitely be going back again on a day that I have no plans after dinner to go straight home to wash my hair.
(5)Fancy N.
10/24 EDITED: "Anthony D" sent me a rude and threatening message, claiming he is the co-owner for the past 16 years. He stated Yelp is not here to review a restaurant, only its food. Oh really Anthony. Um, NO! Sad you are threatened by the truth of your establishment coming to light, by ONE OF YOUR WORKERS. Folks, its like the mafia is after me for writing the truth. Geez. GO SOMEWHERE ELSE AND SKIP THIS JOKE of a pizza place! --------------------------------------------------Â--------------------------------------------------Â------- Oh Caponie's, I used to love you on Harlem. But with the move to Irving Park, it seems you lost everything that was... well Caponie like. Where do I start?! Nothing, except for the manager, is the same. The pizza totally different, different crust, different oven (that smells like it just roasted a pig in it). This place used to be Hortex, and they haven't changed anything when they moved in. No liquor license. Why? Cause they can't afford the $2k application fee. Wait, what? A restaurant can't afford $2k? They've been open since May, they can't save a measily two thousand dollars? Ehh, byob is cool too. No outdoor seating. Why? Despite advertising they have it, they don't. The manager was telling us all sorts of stories, about the move to Irving (they stopped paying rent on Harlem, the guy that owns the carpet store next door is the owner and evicted them). The manager said they were "hopeful" for outdoor seating, I said where, on the actual 3 ft sidewalk out front? His response was, no, we were asking the people that live in a house behind the restaurant if we can rent out their yard for $50 a month to use as a patio. First of all $50? Second of all, on someone else's private property? He said he was surprised they didn't snatch up the deal. Seriously? This guy's head is stuck in 1989, as is his wardrobe. I honestly think that Harlem Caponie's is dead, gone, will never return. Maybe this manager bought the rights to use the name and is trying to make it happen for him, but it's not looking too good. No more Caponie's, what do I do, Edison Park?
(1)Mike L.
Yes they apparently have a brick oven, but I'm not sure who said their Margherita is 'Spot on" because it's not. A Margherita Pizza is NOT supposed to be peppered with Garlic - sorry, that is not a true Margherita, but rather, a typical American variation of something that should not be messed with! Americans really know how to screw up a good thing! Queen Margherita was the one who really made the Margherita Pizza famous. Pizza was actually known as 'peasant food' - Kings and Queens learned of the Red white and green dream food and sent out for them so they could enjoy, but often in secrecy. This pizza later became the colors of the Italian Flag - a traditional Margherita is Red White and Green. Pomodori (Tomatos) Basil, Olive oil, and Mozzarella and sometimes La Buffala Mozzarella also known as a Buffalino - That's it! It's supposed to have a fresh, sweet flavor - GARLIC totally ruins the sweetness of what a Margherita is meant to be. The service was excellent, the Salmon was frozen, but ok, the spinach was frozen, but ok, the Elggplant Parm was ok, the Chicken Marsala was also just ok. I say get a Pizzaiolo who knows how to make a Margherita and shame on the owner who is SUPPOSEDLY from Napoli!! Now, you want a REAL Margherita Pizza? Go to Elio's Pizza on Fire on Lake Street in Addison or Da Nella on Fullerton in Chgo - THOSE are real Margherita Pizzas!!
(2)Thatgirl T.
What a disappointment this new location is! I dined at the former location 7years ago with two girlfriends on a weekend afternoon in the middle of shopping for bridesmaids dresses for one of our weddings, along Harlem Avenue. We happened upon the restaurant by chance. Then it was charming, full of life, and delicious. Flash forward to this past Friday night. We had seen it on Check, Please not too long ago and my husband wanted to try it. This new location is off the beaten path, clearly, as we were almost the only table in the spot. 8 pm on a Friday night and nobody is there??? We had a bottle of wine with us and were told so many times about the corkage fee, we were finally like, forget it, we will open our wine at home, enjoy it without the fee you have now mentioned three times, and go from there. The table was dirty when we sat down. The pizza was marginal. Honestly, it left me with a stomach ache. We split a Caesar salad ahead of time, lettuce wasn't tossed in dressing, dressing was drizzled over lettuce. The core of the lettuce was also in my salad, a basic no no. All in all, pretty disappointing. We won't return, and definitely would never travel to such a remote location. It's sad, I'm generally a fan of one-off's like this. Competition is stiff in this industry, step up the game!
(2)Hugh S.
Righteous BYOB. The white pizza and the calamari are really good. Service is always attentive without being intrusive. Would recommend and will return.
(4)Georgina L.
I had recently gone to Caponies with my boyfriend this past weekend and overall was not impressed with the food. I found out about Caponies from Groupon and was excited to use since it was a great deal and the place is BYOB. Not that their food was horrible, BUT I have experienced better. The one thing I really did not like was the smell of the oven right when you walk into the place. The smell is so strong and you even come out of the place smelling smoky. The staff was very friendly and welcoming but overall food wise, I have had better.
(2)Jacob J.
This is that general family style pizza. You go in with your family and order a pizza and the works. That local spot where you see your neighbors at and exchange smiles with the many people you've come to know. You wear your napkin because things can get sloppy and grabbing a slice means that the dough hasn't got the strength to hold till it gets into your mouth. As you motion towards your face it flops. You expect to have a few toppings in your lap when finished. It's not bad and its stuff the kids will enjoy. The location is tiny with tables to seat maybe thirty. When it's busy it's hard to navigate the place. It can get so busy that people waiting for a table would have to stand in the space around the entry doors and let me tell you, that shit is tacky. For the two of us seated at the tiniest table, we've got constant onlookers hovering over us. There isn't any waiting area and the bar area is best for the single. Clientele is mostly family oriented with a mixture of Italians, Eastern Europeans and very few Mexican. Still, me and Harold walk in there and people are gawking. Except my name isn't Kumar. A good appetizer which is also found at many Italian restaurants is the Arancini which is a breaded rice ball stuffed with seasoned ground beef, mozzarella and peas. Complimented with marinara sauce, it's a light appetizer which is tasty. The parking lot is hectic with very few available spaces since the lot is shared with a truck repair next door. Caution is needed when exiting on the next side street as cars come flying down without much care. On this most recent trip to the area, I had a delightful exchange with a localite. I was inching back onto the street from the lot since SUV's lined the street which made it hard to see. It was my right of way but the localite felt otherwise. Paisano: "Hey bah-ddy" Kumar: "Yeah?" Paisano: "Take it easy okay" Kumar: "Dude, slow down and pay some attention." Paisano: "Whaaat?" "no bah-ddy, you take it easy okay?" A wave goodbye and we're on our way back to the Chi. Some advice; all it would take to add a bit of quaint and cozy to the atmosphere would be a few tall leafy plants and room dividers. Currently it's an open space with too much visibility; it's more like an open space bar instead of a family style restaurant.
(3)Jaime G.
Damn good brick oven pizza at this old Italian place. Great crust, fresh toppings, and quaint little place to eat it. Be ready to wait especially if you come on the weekends but def worth it.
(5)Betty S.
I went to the Caponie's on Harlem years ago and absolutely loved it! So when I spied a Groupon to go, I jumped at it. Now, I was still thinking it was on Harlem when I noticed that the Groupon said Irving Park Rd., so good think I checked that, since the one on Harlem says it's being remodeled. My husband and I went on a Friday night, and there was about a 20 minute wait. Not surprisingly seeing how tiny the place was. The bread they first bring to your table is nothing special. We ordered a vegetable pizza from the brick-oven and while it did take a bit to get to us, we really thought it was worth the wait. For dessert we had the tiramisu, and I will highly recommend it. I would say it was on par with the ones I had when visiting Rome's restaurants. It is a bit pricey, but if you stick with water and a pizza, you should make it out of there for under $20.
(4)J. Chuck K.
I miss the old Caponies. You'd think when a business moves, they would get a bigger location. Or maybe they'd get a place with a parking lot, like their old location had. Or maybe they would announce their new location does not have a liquor license and IS BYOB. Along with my burnt pizza (rarely happens), these were my three major complaints. My wife and I loved the old Caponies, went there all the time and decided to try out the new place on Irving. Before we even walked in the door I noticed the first two items: scarce parking and the restaurant is BYOB. After driving around for 10min and finding a parking spot that wasn't residential only, we were able to park our car. When we drove by, it said on the window BYOB. Had I know in advance, I would have brought a bottle of wine from home. Who doesn't enjoy drinking wine with good Italian food? I follow Caponies on Facebook and never once was there any mention of their lack of a liquor license (it still says you can take the Harlem bus to their location). Their website does not mention it being BYOB either. We noticed as soon as we walked in that the dining room was tiny. I think they actually lost tables by moving to this location. After moving some tables around and rearranging, we were seated at a table practically under the bar. It seems they realize the size of their dining room and are cramming as many tables as possible. In fact, If you are seated against the wall there is only one entrance and exit to the rest of the restaurant. Every table is right on top of each other and every conversation is within an ear shot of another person. While their previous dining room was not exactly large, it did feel like I was sharing a meal and conversation with only the people at my table. Obviously I am disappointed with the "new" Caponies. The warm atmosphere and accessible parking (along with the good food) made me able to overlook the high prices. With aforementioned complaints, I am not able to overlook the prices. Most of our food was good and the service was fine.
(2)Lloyd A.
Good service, packed house. Visiting from California and was a nice local way to end an awesome day!
(5)Suzan W.
Alright, so, I'm not really sure how I feel about the atmosphere of the new location. It's a bit cramped and the smell of the oven is overpowering at times (really smoky). As far as the food goes, it's just as expected for what it is. Nothing wrong with any of the food. Service was spot-on. I actually prefer that they're BYOB now. Have not decided if I will go back....definitely would not make a special trip to that part of the City to eat there.
(3)Adam L.
I used to order from Caponies all the time when it was on Harlem. I noticed last night that I could now order online for delivery...so I did, it had been a while. I ordered my old favorite pasta...it tasted nothing like it did before, they also forgot my salad and didn't follow the directions on the order. I got on to look at reviews, found that they have moved, and other complaints about food quality changing. I can say it unfortunately has and the Caponies I used to know and love on Harlem is long gone.
(1)Jorge A.
Great pizza. Small neighborhood style restaurant. Serving affordable great pizza. I had to return to try other menu items.
(4)Ron S.
Caponie's does a fantastic Margherita Pizza! Stick with this and only dine at the restaurant. The pizza is very thin crust but does not travel well. While living in the neighborhood for several years and having had pizzas delivered, they just didn't stay hot enough. BUT...if you get it straight out of the wood burning brick oven, it is wonderful! We've had pasta dishes and they're OK but stick with the pizza. Yeah, walking in there is like walking into one of Tony Soprano's old haunts. I know that bothers some and it is a little kitschy, I'll admit. If you can make it past that, go for the thin crust pizza.
(3)Kyle H.
I love this place pizza is always amazing truly a gem . I won't make any recommendation just try it all baby !
(5)Leslie B.
Whenever I'm back home in Chicago, I stop by for Caponie's pizza. I always have delicious pizza when I go, and always a pleasant service. The new location is only average, but I still love the pizza.
(5)Natalie S.
We were in the area doing some bridal gown shopping and after all that taffeta and tulle, we needed sustenance. The bride-to-be requested pizza and like any dutiful bridesmaid, we went on a search. Giordano's, our original plan, turned out to be one of those stupid restaurants that isn't open for lunch (so annoyed by that). So we pulled out the iPhones with our Yelp applications and saw this place had 4 stars... So we gave it a whirl. Glad we did! The service was awesome... attentive and friendly. The warm bread was HEAVEN and exactly what my starving stomach was craving. The wood burning oven not only warmed the room and gave it a cozy feel... but the pizza that emerged from it was delicious! We had a spinach and mushroom number because the bride is laying off the meat (calories) til she says "I do". It was delicious even though I usually prefer something that moos or oinks on my pizza. It was delicious! I didn't miss the meat at all! Service was attentive and friendly... couldn't really ask for much more than that. Yummy pizza... good salad... and after tax and tip, the total was $12 per person! With leftovers! THAT'S a lunch.
(4)Jelena Z.
I regularly get food cravings for a few things-- lobster rolls, mussels, and wood-fired pizza top the list. And it just works out that I have to travel a bit out of my way to sink my teeth into my favorite indulgences: Lobster roll: Summer Shack (Boston!) Mussels: Hopleaf Wood-fired pizza: Caponies Nope, no low-hanging fruit here... sigh. But, nothing good comes easily, and a trip to Caponies is well worth braving Chicago traffic. The restaurant is casual, warm and the owners are genuinely nice guys who care about your experience. The first time I came in, Dan recommended the Margherita Napoletana but I quickly contested with a terse 'I HATE tomatoes." No worries, turns out their version isn't actually topped with tomatoes, rather, hand crushed plum tomato sauce, garlic, basil and fresh mozzarella sit atop a paper-thin crust. According to Dan, an authentic Italian Margherita pizza is never topped with tomato slices. Works for me as I hate the texture of sliced tomato but adore the sauce. Well, the rest is history. I loved my pizza so much it's become part of my 'cravings' list. They also make delicious paninis, salads, and pasta. Wish they delivered to my 'hood!
(4)Kymberly J.
I love the atmosphere. I felt like I was at some local italian place from the God father movies where the clientel was all related to one another. One wall was lined with Mob movie posters and the other with old black and white family pictures. The food was excellent. Very fresh and homemade. The lunch specials are great. There is really something for everyone - it's hard to choose what to order. The service was also great. Very quick and friendly.
(4)Dan B.
I have passed by this place a hundred times and always wondered how the food was.So the other day my fiance and myself decided to stop in and try it.We were very pleased with the oven baked pizza .The crust had a very unique taste to it.I would recommend this place.
(4)Bingy K.
Tonight's experience at Caponie's prompted me to write my first ever Yelp review. I have been to Caponies with my family at least 10 times, and the experience is always a roller coaster ride. When everything's working, it's great....but when it goes bad, it goes bad. We arrived at 6:30 to a restaurant virtually empty, were promptly seated, and the traditional bread was brought to the table. So far, so good. Our calamari app arrived in a reasonable time, and was outstanding...has always been a highlight of Caponies. And then....the wait....for our presumably simple 1/2 pepperoni, 1/2 cheese large pizza. 25 minutes later, after only one visit by our Polish waitress, the pizza finally arrived. No "Sorry for the wait" or "Can we offer you X?". The pizza was good, thought a bit undercooked. But the clincher was when we were finished, and had to bring the pizza by myself up to the counter to have it boxed to take home. The waitress was floating around somewhere else The manager (who finally appeared) did little to make us feel less infuriated about the slow and shoddy service. We took our gelato business to Massa on North Avenue in Elmwood Park, and had some amazing ice cream! Sorry, Caponies...I want to like you, but you usually let me down. Shame on me for believing that you might have changed.
(2)Anne D.
I finally came here for the first time after driving by the old location for years. The new location is cute enough, but nothing too special. I must say that it smelled lovely in there with the wood-fired oven going! We split a caprese salad to start, and it was delicious and a really generous portion - it could have easily been an entree unto itself. We also split a margherita pizza, and my hopes were high since that seems to be their specialty. Unfortunately, I was a little underwhelmed. While it definitely wasn't bad, I didn't really dig the sauce. It was a little too sweet and garlicky...which is weird for me to say because I adore garlic. It's just not really an authentic margherita pizza. The staff was really attentive and the prices are reasonable, but the pizza, unfortunately, is a bit of a let down.
(3)Jeremy G.
Me and my girlfriend came here with the groupon we had. The portions are ridiculously huge. The service was great and the food was very yummy. The only reason I didn't give it five stars because they didn't serve alcohol. Food would have been excellent with a glass of wine. But try this place if you are in the neighborhood.
(4)P M.
Love Caponies be going for years whenever we are in the neighborhood this is the choice. Love how they have kept the old neighborhood atmosphere, food is great love the cesar salad. We've been lucky every time we have gone we've had wonderful staff. Kids love drawing on the paper table covers still and their teens now. Great for a casual family night
(5)Douglas B.
This place has some of the best pizza you will ever have. The brick oven style pizza is delicious. I usually get it with half proscuitto and half pepperroni. I have had the bbq chicke, which had a bit too much red onion in it, but to each their own. They have premium ingredients to add to the pizza to make it just right. The portions are huge and the price matches it just right. The lasagna is tops there! A big plate of lasagne covered in sauce and melted cheese. The place is a little small, you sometimes find a little ankle biter crying in your ear, but it has a very family dining room feel to it so I am used to that. They have a great decor of all sorts of Al Capone and Sopranos memorabilia. You get to watch the cooks put your pizza in the oven and the smells are fantastic! Highly recommended for a date #2 or #3. Make sure to order a "godfather" tastey drink!
(4)Allison B.
Yum! Great pizza from the brick oven. I recommend the Mushroom and spinach blanco with ricotta. Was surprised myself, but they might have the best buffalo wings I ever tasted. One downer is they never seem to have the featured chopped salad..not sure why.
(4)Brian B.
They never brought out bread. The appetizer took forever. My father in law ordered skirt steak dinner. They told him WE ARE OUT OF STEAK. They brought my wife a chicken salad with NO CHICKEN IN IT. They took her salad away and then brought it back the same with a side dish of chicken breast for HER TO MIX IN. The dish with the cut up chicken had a PAPER STRAW WRAPPER floating in the chicken juice. The chicken parmigiana and pasta I ordered tasted microwaved and had me on the toilet the rest of the night (not an exaggeration)!!!! We complained to the manager who came out dressed more like a bus boy (short sleeve t-shirt) then a manager. Only plus is my kids liked their pizza's. This is the first time I have ever felt the urge to post a review. I will not be going back there ever!!!
(1)Bob T.
I have been dragged into this place and the old location a few times and just hate this place. Even the gangster of the loser Al Capone is so tasteless and tacky. Their pizza is so phony with the cheapest and fatty sausage money can buy. Most of their other dishes are just microwaved and topped off with cheese in the oven for 5 minutes by an illegal who last week was mowing your lawn. How Italian is that? And yes, the margarita pizza is done wrong like the other poster stated and who puts bacon on Italian brick oven pizza? They don't know how to cook eggplant as well. Go anywhere else on Harlem and get real Italian food from a number of places that give you quality and value. I would never bring a date or someone here that I was trying to impress. Only a Soprano's fan with a 2 digit IQ that lives on fast food would like this dump.
(1)Mike O.
We were in the neighborhood and had 3 pizzas delivered from the original Caponie's on Harlem. The pizza still rules and everyone loved it. It reminded me of why this was our favorite pizza when we lived on the NW side. The kids chowed down on the cheese pizza and the grownups loved the sausage and the onion/mushroom pizzas. The way the crust bakes in a brick oven gives it a flavor different from your conventional pizza oven. This location is definitely better than the Edison Park one closer to our house.
(4)Amanda C.
Cannot believe I haven't reviewed this place yet! How rude! I have been going to Caponies for years now, I tend to visit once or twice a year. This year 3. This place has really good Brick Oven Pizza. My boyfriend (now) took me here almost a year ago today for our first date. We've decided to make it tradition so I'll be heading there this Saturday so look out for the update! What can I say? The whole place screams the Mafia. I love the decor in there & the overall setup is great. I've eating outside a couple times and that was definitely nice for a summer day. Every time I come here: PIZZA. Fresh mushroom please... the boyfriend put me on Shrimp pizza. Delicious. The pizza is always on point! I love the bread that they serve, straight out of the brick oven. I always ask for oregano so I can make my little bread dipping sauce. I cannot wait to go there tonight so I can review properly! Waiters are always attentive and the place is always nice and clean. It's a classic Italian joint where you can enjoy some good pizza!!!
(4)Jennifer J.
I bought 2 groupons for here a while back because I hadn't been in years. We're talking like 15 years ago was the last time I was here (I'm not even sure if it's the same name or owners). I remember it being nothing special last time. This time was different. There were quite a few families dining in on the Friday night we were there. The staff and customers were really friendly (especially the flirty toddler sitting behind me- I totally asked him for his digits but all I caught was a niner in between his sweet giggles). I loved the neighborhood feel of the place and part of me still wished I lived across the alley from here (I was kinda stoked when the only place I could find parking was in front of the house I grew up in). I don't know if parking is usually an issue (it was the night we went but it was just because there had been a snow storm that week) but it may be because there really isn't much parking in their lot. The service was great- our server knew exactly when to come over and didn't really bother us like some servers can. When I asked him for a box he joked with me a bit that since I was using a groupon it would be extra (I thought it was funny but some people might not, haha). The bread on the table was good, nothing out of this world, but good. The calamari on the other hand, was amazing! Out of this world amazing! The best calamari I've ever had. It was cooked perfectly and the portion size for the cost was great! We ordered 2 pizzas (margherita and pizza alla caponies) and both were delicious! I am definitely anxious to go back and try some more of their menu. And, wahoo, I will be back sometime soon because my groupon expires next week... and I can't wait to eat more of their amazing calamari!
(4)Ali V.
Meh. A-OK describes it. I don't know why people would wait so long for this pizza. It's really not that great. We were in the mood for NY style pizza - which this is not - and it was rather...bland, too much sauce and cheap on toppings. We weren't impressed, besides that this place is crowded and kind of dingy. But, as my husband says, it doesn't really matter to review it, b/c people who go there probably don't use Yelp much anyways...Oh well. Worth a shot. We won't be back.
(3)Patricia M.
Got a groupon when I saw this restaurant offered wood burning brick oven pizza. Yum. Arrived with friends 5:30 on a Saturday. Seated immediately. Our waiter was very pleasant. I had called and knew that they were a BYOB which we love. Smelled the wood on entering. 4 of us shared the bruschetta which was topped with creamy mozzarella. We shared 2 of their salad, the Caponies Chop and Cucumber & Tomato Salad. But the pizza. Fantastic. Had one of their specialty 'Pizza alla Caponies'. Great choice with roasted red peppers, grilled eggplant, zucchini and portabello mushrooms. My girlfriend can be picky when we go to a new place. She was smiling the entire time. She loved their crusty Italian bread. Place is small but very cozy. Nice bar area. Manager came over to visit and chatted with us. We felt welcomed and comfortable. We all agreed we would be back and soon.
(5)Lindsey C.
You know, since moving from Logan Square to Montclare I have caught myself saying things like, "I wish our neighborhood had this," or "Remember when we could walk to so and so?" Well, after recently eating at Caponies I decided that I am going to stop wishing for Logan Square and start embracing all that my new neck of the woods has to offer. Fortunately, Caponies has a lot to offer! First off, the pizza is fantastic! I have had several of the specialty thin crust wood burning oven pizzas. They are all so flavorful. I just had the White Pizza and it was indulgent: mozzarella, ricotta, bacon, and spinach! I know they are renowned for their thin crust, but the deep dish is equally delicious, as is the sausage in any form! I have tried some other things here, but they do not stand out like the pizza. I have had different soup of the days, a risotto, some salads... all just ok. If you come to Caponies, you should come here for the pizza. However, the gelato is great, and a wonderful treat to end any meal!
(4)Valerie H.
The restaurant is decent. A very Italian Mob feel. The pasta is good and the brick oven pizza is delicious. The staff is always friendly and polite. My biggest complaint about this place is their delivery system. It seems like everytime we have food delivered it takes forever. I understand pizzas take a bit to make, but waiting an hour and a half for a small pizza with garlic bread is a little nutty to me. One time we had food delivered, 2 hours later we decided to call and they didn't even have our order on hand...so we had to wait another hour. Luckily, the owner (or manager, not sure) gave us half off our next order, which was extremely nice of him. Still, the food is good and definitely worth trying.
(4)Rhonda G.
SO, went back and tried the pizza..fabulous! however our waitress was terrible and seemed to be pushing us out of the door from the moment we got there. The owner (or one of them I assume) is a really nice guy and I wish he was our waiter. They really need to work on the service that the waitresses offer because that could be a deal breaker. Oh...seating outside is a nice but not much to look at but a busy street and people shopping at a few local places.
(4)N H.
I just recently hosted a family party at Caponies. 3 reasons I wanted it there: GREAT ambience at the new location (LOVE the exposed brick and BYOB status); I knew the staff would take care of my guests; FOOD. They made the most incredible pasta with the house marinara; the lemon chicken was good (did not taste bready or fried); the pizzas, as usual, were amazing, and the bruschetta was crazy good. But, my favorite dish has been, and always will be, the sausage and peppers. I'm not a big italian sausage fan but THIS one is INCREDIBLE! It tastes like beef, not like sausage typically tastes like...it's so tender and soaks up all of the juices from the tomatoes and peppers so nicely. I knew that our guests were going to just go crazy over all of the food! After the appetizers were served, people were already saying how stuffed they felt, but once the pasta, sausage and chicken were served, there was no holding anyone back! Oh, and the calamari...good god order it broiled if you go there - so delicious, there are no words! I ordered the Quattro Formage (I know I killed the spelling) pizza and Caponies Special as part of the appetizers, just so people could have a taste....yeah, so after all of that, guests were rolling out! I had gone to Caponies many times (old and new location), and it's because of the service and food that I knew my dad's party would be a hit, and that Tony and his team would make this occassion a special one. Shout out to Wally and Alfredo for really taking care of my family, and to the rest of the staff for keeping things moving smoothly. Honestly, even for a regular ol' Saturday night, when you're looking for a byob with great food, great ambience and great prices, go to Caponies!
(5)Johnny T.
I purposely avoided going in since I thought a restaurant that's named after an infamous gangster seemed cheesy and touristy for the area. But after hearing some positive feedback from some people, I thought I'd give it a try. Weren't too many people there at around 2 and I believe one of the owners took my order. I vied for the 12 inch Quattro Stragioni ($13.50), which offers a different topping, got sausage, pepperoni, bacon, & garlic per 2 slices. While waiting, they had on a world cup game and the place felt more like a bar and grill eatery than a trattoria in my mind. Overall, service was good but when its from an owner, its usually never bad. Pizza was kinda of a letdown to be honest, even though it tasted good but I had high hopes going in. Its cooked in a wood-burning oven, so I was expecting it to taste different from most pizza joints since it was cooked in a wood burning oven. I'm probably being a little too hard on this place but I just didn't believe the hype here.
(3)Kassandra L.
I am a person who hates change, but the new Caponies is beautiful!! We go to Caponies for everything since we were 10 years old. They were always friendly with us, no matter our age! The food is amazing, the customer service is always great, and Wally the manager is always ready to make you happy and have a good time! My two friends and I had Alfredo as our waiter on a slow Monday. It was really gloomy outside. He had great service for us and made sure we were content!! I recommend this place to everyone! This is the ONLY restaurant that makes calamari the right way!! Every time we go somewhere else, we ALWAYS compare the calamari and nothing compares. 5 stars for Caponies, 5 stars for Wally, 5 stars for Alfredo, and 5 stars for the calamari and wood-burning pizza!!!
(5)Doug C.
The pizza... Great! I had driven by Caponies for several years. I decided to yelp it and see what the deal was. there are so many good reviews I knew that I had to try it. The wife and I went there on Sunday evening and were promptly greeted at the door. They were full up but it took them less than 10 minutes to seat us. The waiter was knowledgeable and courteous and the food came out pretty quickly. We started out sharing a house salad. The lettuce was extremely fresh and it had not been sitting in dressing waiting for us. Next we had the Chicken Parm (a gauge for us) and a small Quatro Stagione pizza. Bot were ample portions and we ended up taking both leftover pizza and chicken parm home with us. The sauce that they used on the chicken parm was one of the freshest I've had outside my own kitchen. Both reheated excellently. (also another gauge!) The management and the server seemed genuinely happy to have us there. No doubt we'll be back soon. I can't believe that it took me so long to try this place. I'm certainly glad I finally did!
(4)Steve S.
Tried it today.Pasta with meat sauce and meatballs,the meat in the sauce was better than the meatballs.The side salad was awesome with the house dressing it had 11 grape tomatoes in it wow! The smoke from the brick oven was a little overwhelming and still smell like smoke.Over all was tasty and reasonable.Will try again.
(4)Edward S.
Three of us went there at 7pm on a Thursday and were told there was a twenty minute wait even though the restaurant had half of their tables empty. They said they were reserved for reservations. We didn't wait and won't go back. Make sure you make a reservation if you make the trip.
(1)Brooke T.
The food was delicious! Service is good as well. The only issue I have is with how small and cramped the place is. It is very small and the tables are close together. So when getting up to go to the bathroom you are trying to squeeze through the chairs from other tables. We brought our 5 year old there and it was ok but not the greatest for kids. We had a Groupon for pasta dishes where you can pick from a separate menu of simple pasta dishes. Any extras you want to add costs extra. However it was delicious. They did not have their liquor license at that time but it was BYOB. Will definitely go back again just not at a peak time like a Saturday night since there are not many tables. Also there is no place for you to wait if you are waiting for a table. there are a couple of chairs by the door and that is it. There is no real waiting area. Also they only have street parking on Irving. Since that is a busy street it can be difficult.
(4)Vic D.
Don't get me wrong, Pizza's great. But literally THE most expensive pizza on the northwest side in the city! We live 5 blocks away, ordered a 16" with 2 toppings, a small cheese, and 2 caesar salads.... $$$ 62.00 freaking dollars. I know it's not dominos but $$$ 62.00 freaking DOLLARS??!!!! Does Rahm own this place ???? Never again guys ! Too bad though, the kids really like it. They'll have to get jobs to afford it.
(1)Dan D.
The pizza really was a shocker for the tastebuds. Why? Well, because at 11pm, driving randomly around Chicago, sorta hungry, just heading to the first pizza place you see.... Caponies had really good pizza! We ordered the 12" Hawaiian pizza (bacon, ham, mozz cheese, and pineapple) for about $12 and it was a good size for two to three people. Great crust, super friendly service, and we even watched a Mexican soccer game on the flatscreen TV. Good times! I highly reccomend Caponies to all yelpers.
(4)Alix R.
The food was good, not great. There was definitely plenty of it. I ordered the Insalata de Pesce which had a TON of calamari, mussels, shrimp, etc. on it, but not a ton of flavor. My friends all seemed to like what they ordered (Chicken Caesar Salad, Grilled Salmon, Grilled Portabella, Toasted Ravioli, Baked Ravioli, and Three Cheese Ravioli...lots of ravioli happening here) and the waiter gave my friend a free cup of gelato to go, which was really nice of him. We called first and were told that they didn't take same day reservations, and expected to be "more busier" (heh) later, so we didn't wait too long. We got there around 7:45 on a Friday night and it seemed to fill up a little more just after that. We ate on the patio. The service was pretty good. Nothing to rave about, but fine.
(3)Lisa M.
First visit and quite disappointing. Their menus have items crossed out and handwritten corrections in them. We were one of two parties in the restaurant. Ordered only main courses and it took 40 minutes to be served our food. By then the other party had left, leaving me and my friend as the only patrons. When we received our food it was not good. The salmon I ordered was sitting in a bed of some type of liquid and the potatoes were way undercooked. My friend's chicken sandwich was bland and dry. When we tried to pay with a $100 bill, the server came back and told us they didn't have change. I might give it another try, but I won't be running back there anytime soon. I must say, the atmosphere was wonderful.
(2)Sue R.
We've been on a search for the best thin "crispy" crust pizza since moving to Galewood. Someone recommended Caponies so we tried it last Sunday. I really, really wanted to like this place. First off, we came in and the place was pretty busy. Bear's game was still going and the bar area was pretty full. We waited to be seated, next to the sign that said - wait to be seated. And we waited. It was so awkward - finally so lady sitting at a table near us said "how many?". Huh? And we said two. And this guy shows up to basically say sit anywhere. Off to a rough start. Our waitress came pretty quick and took our drink order. We decided to order a small pizza and a paninni. We saw that someone else had ordered it and it looked good. We then got a basket of warm bread which was nice. As some other reviewers have mentioned the decor is definitely Italian movie/television show posters. And not well done, looks cheap. So the pizza comes very quickly - which surprised us. As well as the pannini. The pizza was not cooked enough - soggy middle crust. But I will say that the ingredients were delicious and very fresh. The sauce also had a nice flavor. Just wish it was cooked a little longer. The pannini was an open-faced sandwich (which they clearly mentioned on the menu). We ordered the chicken and there was hardly any red sauce - but it did have fresh basil on top. The bread was super thick and very heavy. I only at several bites. This would be a good item for someone who was really hungry. One of the owners stopped by the table several times which was nice. We told him we were looking for the best crispy crust pizza. After we were done, he said you should have ordered the Margharita pizza that's the crispiest. Would have been good to know. Seems like an OK neighborhood place but it's really close to our neighborhood. A lot of people seemed to know each other and enjoy the atmosphere. They also had a pretty decent size patio area. So the search continues...don't think we'll be back at Caponies - too many other places that are better. Still looking for the best.
(2)Vince A.
I don't get the love for this place. Tonight was the second time I have had pizza and clams from here and the second time I was completely underwhelmed. Pizza was underdone. Clams were underdone. This is second time they did that and the second time that I had asked for both to be done 'well done' The clams were soggy like they sat for minutes cooked before being brought to the table. Service was poor. Maybe I'm missing something, but I would love to give zero stars if I could.
(1)Kimberly R.
Great place, go with family or friends. I love the seating outside in the summer. The inside has 2 separate rooms; one is with a bar and tvs. They walls are decorated with pictures of their family. Lots of Italians. The staff is really friendly, and the manager is great. Their homemade sorbet is dynamite!! They make a mean apple martini.
(4)Jose C.
I hadn't been here for a few years and had sadly forgotten just how perfect their pizza was. I went there on business with five guys who had never been there before. I promised them the pizza was great. They all raved about how good it was. You can hear the oh my Gods and the mmm's the whole time. We had two orders of brushetta to start, it was delicious. Then we ordered three 16" pizzas- margherita, sausage, and pepperoni. They are all excellent but the margherita was hands down the best of all. I would HIGHLY recommend it. One of the owners stopped by as we had finished and talked with us for a minute. What a great guy. Great service overall, fast time, timely refills, and of course the classic Italian movie posters and other memorabilia. Parking was a breeze on the adjacent side street. A couple of the guys were able to squeeze into the "parking lot". If you want real Italian style pizza and are in the area, you cannot get pizza any better than at Caponie's.
(5)Carol J.
I really love little places like this and I think everyone on Yelp knows how I honor a good wood fired oven pizza. I really wanted to be over the top thrilled with Caponies, and while I really liked it both times, there was something missing. Maybe it was the ricotta on the quattro frommagio that really didn't belong, icky creamy texture that I didn't care for. Or the pasta I had the second time being cooked way past al dente? No, either of those things I could over look. It was the fact we stood around for ten minutes until someone acknowledged us and then told us to seat ourselves. Or when the server split in the middle of our dinner and no one else wanted to finish our table (do I look that mean?), seriously, in what restaurant world does a dinner shift end at 9pm? I was really wanting to love this place and make it a new favorite but I really like good service and this just didn't cut it. Maybe next time?
(3)Jennifer G.
There is nothing like the taste of Wood-fired (brick oven) pizza. When walking into Caponies you think you're in an old Italian restaurant, once you sit down and are greeted by your waiter that all seems to go away. On our most recent trip we were hungry and ordered an appetizer and my boyfriend ordered the house salad...with the warm bread that was brought to the table I enjoyed every bite. Once the Pizza reached our table I was excited for what I was about to eat. We don't exactly live very close to this location but its worth the drive! Also, just tried the gelato bar...very yummy! Light and refreshing!
(5)Joseph W.
I had lunch here today with several of my friends, and everything was quite nice! It's a great restaurant with a very lovely, authentic vibe (right down the painted murals on the wall and the old Italian ladies talking up a storm!) Our waitress was very amiable, even as the restaurant filled to capacity quite quickly. Our group ordered two of their largest pizzas--one pepperoni, and one sausage. I only had the sausage, and it was quite delicious--and piping hot! The used spices heavily on our particular pizza, so keep that in mind when ordering. Delicious piping hot pizza, cold Peroni served in a frozen mug, and enough ambiance to make you feel like you're in the mother country itself--all lead to a very nice experience, and a very full belly!
(4)Cesar j.
Anyone who's ever eaten here and sees my 1 star rating is saying "WTF?!?!" right now but let me explain. The pizza here is great. Super great. Deliciously great. The pasta, is ok. Last time I got pasta there it was pretty greasy. I had a meat sauce and my companion had alfredo and both had these pools of oil just gathering up all over. kinda nasty. For all i know that could be the way real italian cooking should be, but its not how im used to having it so i didn't like it. The reason I give 1 star is the service. I've had two really bad experiences with this place. The first time was with delivery. I ordered my food and waited for delivery. The person on the phone never told me what I owed so i figured it out with the menu I had and added in the delivery charge and tip. So by my calculations the guy would have had a 3 dollar tip. The guy comes up, and tells me the price. It comes up to exactly what I had put aside. It turned out I had a menu that was like 2 yrs old. So I hand him the money I had in my hand and said "hold on" while i reached for my wallet. As I'm pulling out my money he's like "gee, thanks buddy. thanks for nothin" and leaves. I shrugged it off and closed the door. The second and most recent time was when I went and sat in the restaurant. The guy who greeted us at the door was awesome. Very cool and personable. The waitress however was a total beeotch. She had an attitude from the second she saw us. We had to ask for everything. Water, bread, napkins. Everything that she brought to other tables she was serving. We ordered our pizza and it came pretty quickly. She brought it out, slapped it down on the table and walked away. 2 seconds after the pizza came she brought the bill and walked away. From that point on, she'd walk over to the door (we were sitting outside) every 30 seconds or so to see if we paid the bill yet. When we finished the pizza she rushed over and took our plates while I was still eating off of it. Total a-hole. That was the last time I went there and it will definitely be the last time i ever go there. Which sucks, because the pizza there is really good. But thats my experience. Yours may differ. Live your life man.
(1)Deborah B.
Caponie's makes the best calzonies! (Only they call them "panzarottis.") Get baked, not fried.
(4)Marie D.
Absolutely love the pizza! Its very unique because of the wood burning oven. One of the best pizzas Chicago has to offer. I rarely have to wait for a table, I am served immediately and the service is fast. Other items on the menu are very good as well. However, when I ordered a pizza delivery, it took over a hour to get it.
(5)cashmool d.
When we walked in Sat night I figured the room was cold because people kept coming in the front door. Then I noticed everyone in the back room had their coats on. We got seated in the back room and I've never been so cold in a restaurant before. The manager was indifferent to our requests for heat and it wasn't until the bartender spilled a tumbler of ice water down some poor womans back that the heat started to come up. By then we had gobbled our pizzas before they were frozen solid. The pizza is good but only takeout during the winter.
(2)Marisa N.
This restaurant is great to order from when you just want to stay home but eat a nice home cooked Italian meal. I haven't dined in before but Im sure the experience is just as great. I have also had food catered for my daughters 8th birthday party recently. Wally took my order and the price was great but the food was even better. I was a little afraid since kids can be picky but not one child refused the food and the adults raved about how great it was as well. The kid plates were wiped clean and many went back for a second serving. We barely even had any leftover food. I ordered the Bowtie pasta with Chicken and their Suprema sauce. I highly recommend that anyone try it. It will become your favorite dish to order!
(5)E D.
Been going here for years. Pizza and calamari taste great. It is a nice place. I would have given a fourth star but I agree with many of the reviews that service is a hit or miss. I still like the place however.
(3)Nina G.
Good pizza, not the BEST, but tasty. just went there for the first time the other day.We ordered the pizza with spinach, mushroom , garlic, and added sausage. I would go again. Service was good. Calamari wasn't really good, but whatever I'll just stick to pizza next time.
(4)Melissa K.
Caponie's has the best pizza in Dunning, but they just can't seem to get their service right. Also, they recently raised prices quite a bit from what is listed on their website. Toppings on the website are $1.75, but they've jumped to $2.50 each. I received a kind email from Tony in response to my service and incorrect pricing complaint offering a credit. Hopefully more vocalization about service issues will help them to get their act together. They are worth ordering from, but check your receipt and your pizza box before you leave with a pick up order.
(2)Jamie B.
Love their brick oven pizza for delivery and pickup but would never dine in at their new location on Irving Park. The restaurant is small and BYOB. Pizza is still delicious though so that makes up for the lack of gathering space for lunches and dinners.
(4)Tori M.
100% the very BEST pizza in all of Chicago. The sauce and crust are phenomenal, they have a lot of wonderful toppings that you won't find anywhere else. Now, let me tell you about something Caponies calls 'Suprema' sauce...If I could have an IV drip of this stuff, I would be one fat happy girl! Suprema sauce is a a mix of their marinara and Alfredo sauces....I know, it sounds weird, but it is the most delicious pasta sauce I've ever had. I highly recommend the Suprema rigatoni, you'll be in a delirious Italian food coma for a bit, but it's a wonderfully delicious coma. Really its more like euphoria. Anyway, Caponies is the best in the city....the restaurant itself is a bit small, but cozy and worth the experience. Do it, you won't regret it!
(5)Angela D.
Great spot!! From the moment you walk in and smell the brick oven for their delicious pizzas. The lasagna, and Chicken Marsala..delish!! all with their attentive, chill service. It's BYOB. . Which is even better, bring a bottle of vino and enjoy.
(5)Trung H.
Don't get the Groupon for this place. It's one of those places that say you're getting $XX worth of food for the Groupon that you're paying for, but when you get there they bust out this "Groupon menu" which has limited items you can choose from. No calamari as appetizers and their pasta sauce is extremely bright tasting, which is not good. Marinara should taste like it's been simmering for a while and not very tangy.
(2)Christina M.
I just ordered via eat 24, just wanted to try a new pizza place. The dough is so soggy I can barely hold my pizza up it literally all cheese and toppings just slide off. I'm really disappointed and really turned off. I was expecting fresh mozzarella and this pizza for the price is really really basic. I guess that's all. On a high note, the delivery kid was pleasant.
(1)Kamil H.
Ive visiting 100s pizzerias in Chicago area. Did a lot of online research for best ones too. For many years each Sunday my family and I go to Caponies. They used to be on Harlem, now theyre on Irving Park. If you want to have a real pizza from brick oven, real italian style, thats the pizzeria to go to.
(5)Shannon G.
I first visited on a Friday night around 7:30pm for dinner and I'd definitely suggest making a reservation! My boyfriend and I had no trouble getting a table, but we saw others that had to wait, but the waiters got them menus and sat them at the bar temporarily, none waited more than 5 minutes. I used a Groupon, which was a really great deal for the amazing quality of food! They had a special Groupon menu which made ordering a breeze and I wasn't worried about extra charges (ex. If the Groupon didn't apply to a certain item) & the waiters were very attentive! It's BYOB which is another + because I didn't have to pay an outrageous amount for a glass of wine! The food was amazing! First off, if you love pizza, THIS pizza makes you rethink everything you thought you knew about pizza. Absolutely delicious! The pasta to sauce ratio was phenomenal! I love extra sauce, I mean who really likes to eat dry pasta (yeah, no one) I got meat balls with mine as well & those really made the dish that much better! My boyfriend got Fettuccini Alfredo (mine was Rigatoni, same sauce) with chicken and broccoli & the chicken was perfectly cooked. I will definitely be buying another Groupon! A+
(5)David R.
Caponie's serves top-notch pizza, a bit over-cheesed but with maybe one of the best crusts around. It's not a Chicago-style thin crust but closer to New York style, slightly airy and somewhat chewy. My wife and I first encountered them via their food-truck at a WTTW event this fall and remember being impressed. On this occasion, we went with the verdura con funghi (spinach, garlic, and mushrooms) and I was very pleased. Also, the table bread and the side salad, with fantastic garlic dressing, were much decenter than expected. Service was pretty slow for a Saturday 2-3pm time frame. We didn't get drink refills until we were ready for the bill and thankfully the food was great because we never got the standard "How is everything?" visit after it was dropped off. There was a large party which took up most of the lone waiter's attention, and we were seated in a front corner which made it easy for him to miss us. He was a nice guy though and was doing the best that he could with the under-staffing situation. He had a great attitude, with a quip ready for any scenario. Order the brick-oven pizza and tip Sal well.
(4)Megan M.
I really enjoy the food at Caponie's. I'm not a huge fan of pizza, but I will always eat their pizza. Their pastas, paninis, and soups are all tasty. Oh yeah, the arancini and calamity are good too. As much as I love there food, I think they can definitely improve on the service. Their waitstaff always seems spaced out and forgetful. One time, the waitress brought out my boyfriend's pizza and it was obvious she forgot to put in my meal. She said she would be back with it, but brought it to the table 20-30 minutes later, steaming hot. She did not apologize and avoided our table until she dropped off the check. I was not rude and did not complain, but I thought she should have just admitted she forgot and apologized - instead of avoiding us like we did something wrong. She could have also not charged for an appetizer or something to make up for her mistake, but she just avoided us. There are other times I've dined in where they've forgotten to bring things to the table, not refilled our drinks, and took a very long time to drop the check off. This really stinks, because I think their food is very good, but I think the poor service is hurting them.
(4)Dorotka K.
I had a couple of disappointing experiences at Caponies. I really had my hopes up for this place, hearing so many great things. I ordered my food trough GrubHub for delivery. The first time, the restaurant called and said they cannot fulfill the order. I decided to give them another chance. This time, delivery took forever and the order was incomplete. It turns out that the restaurant sent one of their waiters to deliver our food. I guess they were short on delivery people... The food wasn't anything I could write home about. I was pretty disappointed that it was so greasy and did not have much flavor.
(2)Em P.
The ONLY saving grace on this was the doughy crust. Honestly wondering if they changed cooks. Moved back to the neighborhood and was so so glad to realize i was in their delivery area. Once i received the order, that changed. Ordered wings and pizza via grubhub. Pizza arrived earlier then expected which was good but when we took the pizza out to eat, you couldnt even hold the piece up. It was almost as if it wasnt cooked in the center. Wings were oversized and overrated. Very plain. Wouldnt waste the money on if someone got me to order from this place again.
(1)Maranda T.
There service is a joke. Ordered our dinner at 5:15 didn't show up till 7. Called the restaurant they said driver was minutes away. The drive called angry apparently wasn't give the right addresses said he had no way of finding me. Called the restaurant back Emanuel the manager is s joke spoke next to no English and was completely condescending about the situation. Will never order from here again!
(1)Steve C.
I started going to use a groupon. The food here is outstanding. We have always had great food and Service every time. We will return Please don't rate food delivered to your house in a box. It's not fair
(4)Don V.
We were a big group, sixteen or so. Some dishes were very good others blah. Lasagna was one of the blah's. Chicken florentine better. Service was the big miss. Waitress didn't remember who ordered what salad or soup. Five of our main courses somehow never got put in. When they realized the mistake there was no proactive recovery. After about fifteen minutes of my kids sitting with no pizza and their friends almost finished I talked to the manager. He tried to make excuses then finally got the staff moving. Five minutes later the food showed up. To his credit he comp'd the food that was late. Might be ok if going as a couple. I wouldn't bring a big party in though.
(2)Lisa B.
I love the kind of wood-fired oven pizza that's a little burnt around the edges. I don't know why, it just tastes more oven-y that way. We ordered two pizzas and neither came out burnt but they were both delicious anyway. The Napolitana was a simple pizza Margherita with a very thin crust. We also got the white pizza, with no sauce, lots of cheese, and some spinach and garlic. Very good, but the little tufts of spinach were kind of dried out -- they'd do better under the cheese to keep them moist. The atmosphere was casual, the service friendly.
(4)Caleb D.
I have had the deep-dish pizza from their food truck more than a few times and I can say that you most definitely get what you pay for. I don't mean this as a slight, this is solid food truck pizza. The dough is good and the ingredients are all of above-average quality. One of these is definitely enough no matter what your lunch appetite is like. My only real problem is the total lack of cheese. I'm sure this makes for a healthier pie, but if your eating deep-dish pizza while on a diet your doing it wrong. I totally recommend this if you are looking at a bank of food trucks and thinking pizza.
(3)Adam r.
Great food a little pricey for pizza but the wood burning oven def. leaves a differrnt taste. Not a must go but would check it out if I had the chance
(4)smilie d.
This place is Bada Bing, amazing brick oven pizza, great service, cute bartender(for the guys but if you like real Italian looking men ladies you might like idk) love all the pictures of goodfelas, sopranos, Godfather, etc. Place is quaint to be nice, okay its pretty small, but the pizza is huge caponiespizza.com
(5)maurice s.
There is a tremendous disconnect between the high quality food and the stereotypical mafia decor and name. The pizza is fantastic: thin crust and cooked in a wood-burning oven. The appetizers and the other offerings are solid as well. Service is good. Nice outdoor seating area on the side. They have a parking lot but, for some unknown reason, it's used as long-term parking for commercial trucks.
(4)Juliet L.
I would not say this is the best pizza I have ever had. I have tried the Margherita pizza here and thought it was alright. I have definitely had better. But the next time we came here my husband and I split a cheese and proscuitto pizza and that was pretty amazing. Plus the outside patio and excellent service gain an extra star. Nice west side restaurant!
(4)Mitzi N.
It's always a treat to have wood-burning oven pizza, and Caponies doesn't disappoint. On my last trip there, we also had grilled octopus and minestrone soup. If you can get past the thought of eating a grilled octopus, then Caponies is the place to try it. The marinade is so good, you'll want to drink it off the plate (or just ask for more bread & soak it up). The minestrone is also very tasty, but beware of the big, chunky vegatables.They put in a unique combination of carrots & zucchini. I thought it was great. The perfect start to a great meal!
(5)Nicole S.
I'm a huge fan of crispy brick oven pizza, and I exclusively get Caponies Margherita version which is delicious! The fried ravioli is out of this world too... Great service when dining in and very friendly attentative staff! I would give it 5 stars except for the fact that I've been disappointed with thier delivery and take out service. The few times I have ordered take out or delivery, the pizza was no longer hot and a bit soft (from the steam im sure) so I'd definately recommend going there and eating it fresh as it's served to you.
(4)ALFREDO L.
Good pizza, and the pasta is okay. The only complaint is, seems like when you have a pizza delivered no matter what's on it the bill is always 30 bucks or more and that's just a pizza. Don't know if its the drivers scamming or what
(2)Sam S.
The outdoor seating is nice, but it pretty much ends right there. Appetizers are okay - fried calamari is acceptable, tho' it's really hard to screw up anything that's fried. The pizzas, supposedly their bread-and-butter, are somewhat grotesque. The ingredients they use for the toppings just don't come together. The crust, tho' better than Domino's, is rather chewy. I've had really good pizza made in wood-burning brick ovens (e.g., Spacca Napoli), and I feel this place is overrated and overhyped.
(2)Alyce C.
My husband and I watched the review of Caponies on Check Please and were excited to try their brick oven pizza. We arrived at the restaurant late in the afternoon on Saturday. Our first impression was the smell of smoke. Perhaps the venting of the brick oven needed cleaning or it was non-existent. If you have any sensitivities to odors or smoke fumes you should avoid Caponies. The second impression was that the restaurant was very small. Lastly, there was no hostess or wait person in sight. We stood near the door for several minutes and finally sat down at an empty table and waited. There was a party of 10+ adults and children in the center of the room. The kids were making a lot of noise dragging their chairs around which was certainly not the fault of the restaurant, however because the room was so small we were only a few feet away from this party. Between the noise, the small room, the smoke smell and no wait person or host in sight, we left. I believe that no matter what we would have ordered, it would have tasted like smoke. We will not return.
(2)Amaliya L.
Hands down, this is my favorite casual Italian restaurant to dine at on this stretch of Harlem. My family had a very late dinner last night with my brother and his fiance. He loves Italian, and it was the first place that I could think of that would offer what he liked and also be kid friendly for our little one. They have a huge menu! ( caponiespizza.com/fullme… ) Besides their brick oven pizza, they offer your choice of 7 pastas, 8 sauces, and 10 items to top them off with. We ordered a dozen baked clams, an order of Brushetta, Capellini And Farfalle with Vodka sauce, Italian sausage, Rigatoni with shrimp and Arrabiata sauce, and also Spaghetti with meatballs. Everything was FUCing amazing, and the portions were huge! I love the fact that they always treat us like family here. Uncle Wolfie is a riot! My son and I adore Sylvia and want to bring her home with us. Sylvia was not our waitress, but that didn't matter, she still went over and beyond! You know what she did? She took my son on a full VIP tour of the entire restaurant! I don't think that my son has ever been so enraptured. He was able to play restaurant in real life, from tagging along beside Sylvia, making salads in the kitchen, learning about the art of making pizza, from dough to finale in the brick oven. They even gave him some dough to play with while he was waiting for his food so that he could be occupied. He met everyone that worked there and all of them were super cool to him. To top it off, after he was done eating, they led him around again so that we could eat a grown up meal and talk amongst ourselves! That's family!
(5)Robert C.
As soon as you walk in this place, you'll notice their brick oven. That brick oven is one main key that makes this pizza one of the best in the city. They have a pizza where you can divide it in 4 ways. I get it with sausage, fresh mozzerella, garlic, and italian beef. The toppings are all divided and you get to sample a slice of each. Make sure you get a gelato on your way out.
(4)claudia h.
HANDS DOWN THE BEST PIZZA! This is coming from someone who has been to Italy 2 times! I love Caponies. I live in NY now, and I can't stand the pizza here. I love all the food at Caponies!!! The zuppa di pesce is amazing. Their bread is perfection! I go there every time I'm in Chi.
(5)Lyndsay G.
Besides the fact that we made reservations and they weren't upheld, this place is pretty good. A small pizzeria in a very polish neighborhood with italian style decor, round tables and small bar. The salad was swimming in dressing but I'd rather have that then none at all. The pizza came with promptness, and were both (Margerita and Sausage) were good, but no great. I am a "Pizza-ist" so i judge pizza hard, and I'd give it a 7/10, but being true to my hungoverness, a 10/10.
(3)Nancy C.
I love the friendly, neighborhood feel of Caponie's. Everything here is good. The flourless chocolate cake is like a piece of heaven!!
(4)Mary S.
This is not a bad place to go for Italian food--it's not great but it is definitely above average. The pizza is very good; evidently they pride themselves on their wood-burning oven in which the pizzas are cooked--and indeed, the aroma of the smoldering wood from half a block away from the restaurant has a definite allure. I liked the thin, ultra-crisp crust of the pizza--it was unique and very satisfying. The pasta dishes are OK--I sampled their fettucine with tasty homemade vodka sauce; the portion was huge and the price was moderate. As a rule, I do not appreciate businesses that glorify the mobster side of Chicago's past so I was relucant to even give Caponie's a try. As a side-note, there was nothing memorable about Al Capone--a morally-bankrupt, syphillis-infested slob who was just as consumed by greed as he was by STD. I wish Chicago would finally just leave its gangster-era past behind and step into the 21st Century as the world-class city that it is. So to summarize--Caponie's food is worth overlooking the restaurant's tacky, tasteless name All in all, Caponie's provides decent bang for the buck; it is well worth a visit, if nothing else for the delicious pizza.
(3)Slu S.
For those who wait for hours at Spacca Napoli, be warned. Caponies is every bit as solid. The Margherita Pizza was tremendous. Dare I say, better than SN. The service was gracious and the wait was short. The gelato was also very good. The only drawback is the drive to Harlem and Belmont, but you can wait for 1 hour or 2 for a table on some of the popular places vs. a 20 minute drive to Caponies.
(4)Kelly M.
nothing but the best!!! all you other yelpers are a joke!!
(5)ROSIE V.
Loved it! Great Food, Great Service!
(5)Natalie S.
My husband's going to argue with this review, but he's too lazy to make his own Yelp account so I call all the shots here. This place is OK. I was pretty annoyed with the weird Sopranos crap everywhere and with the stale joke I heard the host tell three times before he came over and laid it on us as well. The white pizza was good, although it was so salty I couldn't find my ankles for two days. I'd say if you're looking for lunch opt for Pasta Fresh right down the street. It's not a bad pie, just a corny atmosphere and kind of lame apps.
(3)Mike W.
Hands down our favorite place to go to--I see some complaints about the pizza, but I never get the pizza because I'm a pan crust/thick crust kind of dude. I usually build my own pasta, and it's always awesome and the large size always gives me 3 meals worth. I ALWAYS forget my favorite waitress' name, she's blond with glasses and has a nice accent and she's SUPER nice. The owner always comes over to us and shakes our hands and asks how we've been---yes, being a regular DOES pay off here. Saw another person comment on the 'cheap' movie poster decorations. What, does every Italian restaurant need to look like Michelangelo came in and painted the place up?
(5)Christine G.
Absolutely super delicious!! Everything on menu is spectacular! Highlights are grilled octopus, pizza, chicken fiorentina, and gelato (to die for!!). Truly one of the best places in the City for good food!
(5)Yonatan R.
I enjoyed very much this place. The lemon Chicken with artichokes was just delicious.
(5)Bridgette K.
Great brick oven pizza quick delivery never sat in the restaurant cause it looked pretty small and everyone on top of each other.
(4)Veronica H.
I absolutely love this places food! They have screwed up my orders a couple of times but were always willing to make things right. I'll deal with little problems for the quality of the food.
(4)John D.
I have been going here for the last 6 years....I love their brick oven pizza well done gotta have it well done for that crunchy bite, their complimentary brick oven bread is so good I'm always asking for seconds...I honestly have not tried anything but pizza, bread, and fries... But it's so good I never bothered trying something else...My brother who lives in miles makes it out here once a month just to have their cheese pizza...prices are great, service is good, summer time enjoy their sidewalk seating and they have a good selection of drinks from the bar... Only negatives are that the restaurant is small and sometimes bread crumbs are left on table and floor... Overall a good neighborhood pizza restaurant
(4)William B.
Maybe more of a take out place. The food is great, and the staff is friendly, but their ability to handle crowds leaves room for improvement. The pizza is great.
(2)Bobby D.
I enjoyed the linguine with garlic & butter. It is great.
(4)