Chicago’s Great Value Italian Spot — Maggiano’s Little Italy ❤️

Came to this Italian restaurant on a friend’s recommendation — supposedly huge portions, great prices, and delicious food 👀 Five of us ordered: three starters, one pasta, one seafood dish, and three desserts. We ordered confidently, but wow — it was seriously filling! 🍞 Complimentary Bread– Decent, classic olive oil + Parmesan. I only had one piece to save room. || Starters || 🧄 Garlic Bread – A must-order! Even with free bread, you’ll want this. Not what I expected — it’s not crunchy baguette slices, but incredibly soft, stretchy bread loaded with melted cheese that pulls apart beautifully. The outside is perfectly crispy without being hard, and the inside is wonderfully chewy and elastic — so good! 🦑 Calamari Fritté – Solid fried calamari with fresh lemon and tomato sauce. A reliable appetizer 👏 🐚 Prince Edward Island Steamed Mussels – Steamed mussels in a slightly spicy broth (though the spice was subtle). The mussels were plump, and the broth was packed with seafood flavor — amazing for dipping bread! || Pasta || 🍝 Rigatoni Arrabbiata – Absolutely delicious! Tied with the garlic bread for top two of the night. Creamy sauce with chicken, mushrooms, and spinach — slightly sweet and paired perfectly with the tube pasta. Words can’t describe how good — I’m ordering it again next time! || Seafood || 🐟 Salmon with Crispy Calabrian Shrimp – A decent seafood dish. Mashed potatoes underneath topped with grilled salmon and five fried shrimp. Best when you eat the salmon with the mashed potatoes! || Desserts || 🍎 Apple Crostada, 🍮 Crème Brûlée, 🍫 Chocolate Layered Cake Portions here are huge — seriously great value! The apple crostada gets extra points for no cinnamon! Warm filling with a flaky crust, topped with a vanilla ice cream scoop made with real vanilla bean — you can see the specks! So fragrant and natural. The other two desserts were infused with a touch of liquor — a nice surprise. Don’t be fooled by the photos — servings are big! No disappointments here. Our whole table agreed the crème brûlée deserves a repeat order! #ChicagoEats #ItalianFood #Maggianos #GreatValue #FamilyStyle #PastaLover