Lucrezia Café — Restaurant in Chesterton

Our first visit, one star. A late lunch. The outside is just so charming, cute and quaint. As we walked into an cold empty bar room which felt very hard and sterile. Opposite from the outside look. We were seated by a sweet smile on dark haired woman with a broom, didn't speak english. We looked over the menus as the waitress came, she seem like she was being timed running so fast she tripped twice. Did not feel warm and graceful, and there was only two tables sitting in the whole place. So no real need to hurry. Then she slammed this huge chalkboard at our toes and said "heres the specials I'll be back", before we could ask her questions. We just wide-eyed looked at each other. She came back and we ordered our meals and was then served cold bread and the oil was never poured nor offered. She came back with wonderful tasting drinks, great kudos to the polite bartender just a stretch away watching a TV. Talking it over, trying to figure out, is this a high end restaurant as they portray in their prices or a small sports bar, sorry we couldn't get the feel they were goaling for. We waited for our food and started to conversate and enjoy our drinks... then the waitress slammed a tray of silverware on the bar and started trifling through loud metal forks to be wrapped, it was so loud. I waited a few moments but then embarrassedly had to ask her "miss could you do that in the elsewhere please?" The food came out it was wonderful, not up to the price standards we expected with these prices, they could use a better su chef, it was just average 'compared to pricing'. We visited a place called Stacks also this week and the food was just as good maybe better for half the price. Just saying.

The overall experience was not warm. With it being so small Inside they could really soften the place up with heavier thicker drapery not sheers, drape the doorways dividing the rooms would help for more intimacy and buffer the echo cold sound, since it is so very small. It was cold and lacked intimacy for such a quant small place.

Revisit 2021: two stars. Service was kind, yet rushed again. Lunch was great, still overpriced. Truly need a Mixologist, now that would be worth the overpay. Over the top cocktails would set this place apart! Just a critics review.

Revisit 2022: This time, Service was outstanding! 👌 Polite, not rushed and wearing pristine black vests and gave full attention in stature, not trying to rush off while you speak, well done. The guests next to us had food arriving as we were seated and a woman had Two stuffed peppers on her plate, it looked beautiful. She then told the server who sat us "It's nice but too spicy for me" So hearing her we ordered the stuffed peppers because we love spicy lol! The Specials chalkboard now mounted on the wall, we ordered the meatballs and stuffed peppers as from the table near us and two dirty martinis, shaken well. Drinks were fast, still need a Mixologist. Service was impeccable. Thank you. The food was much better this time. Thank you. However prices still entirely too high, sincerely for just alacart. I would consider the price if our view was stunning downtown Chicago in lights or the ever lasting rolling waves of Lake Michigan but no ambiance and it was four meatballs. Add a sprig of asparagus for the palette. Our stuffed peppers arrived however noticed we only received one stuffed pepper instead of two as the other tables presentation, we asked the server for the same two pepper entree so we could share the appetizer. The server went to the chef whom would not appease our request to be served the same as the other table. Chef said "that is what is served" Well that was rude and shunly disappointing.

Our closing notes, Server was polite and perfect. Drinks were drinks on average. Food was delectable yet over priced. Chef should always accommodate your guests to make a more personal connection for...

Lucrezia Café in downtown Chesterton offered a delightful dining experience that stood out with its charming al fresco patio, attentive service, and delicious cuisine. Opting to dine outside, we were pleasantly surprised by the comfortable setting, despite the general heat. The patio area was well shaded and made for a perfect spot to enjoy a meal outdoors.

The service at Lucrezia Café was nothing short of spectacular. The staff's efficiency and attentiveness ensured that our dining experience was seamless. We were particularly impressed with how our needs were anticipated and met promptly, often before we even realized what we needed next. This level of service greatly enhanced our overall experience.

The culinary offerings at Lucrezia Café were mostly impressive. The complimentary baguette served with their signature olive oil was a delightful start to our meal, setting a high standard for what was to come. The pouchette entrée was an absolute hit, perfectly executed and deliciously satisfying. Similarly, the penne casserole ala bolognaise was a comforting dish that was prepared exceptionally well, embodying the warmth and richness one would hope for in such a meal.

However, there was a slight hiccup with the duck confit polenta appetizer special. While the concept was intriguing, the dish itself wasn’t as well balanced as the rest of the meal, suggesting a bit of refinement could elevate it to the level of the other dishes.

Despite this minor critique, the overall dining experience at Lucrezia Café was certainly great. With some culinary refinements, the restaurant has the potential to match the culinary excellence to the high standards set by their waitstaff. Whether you're seeking a cozy outdoor dining experience or stellar service paired with great food, Lucrezia Café in Chesterton is a...

Lucrezia Cafe is a small town family owned Cafe situated in an old house setup with limited seating inside and decent outdoor seating. They also have a small bar inside the place. At first when we arrived and asked at reception for the seating for 8 peoe including 3 kids the girl at reception asked us to wait with no definitive wait time which was odd as normally the people at restaurants tell you how much tentative time to wait. So we sat at benches outside the reception for almost 45 mins, but meanwhile we grabbed some drinks from the bar and went back to waiting and than we got confirmation for seating. Once we got comfortable outside we looked at the menu and ordered our food, we ordered four cheese pizza, minestrone soup, penne primavera, rigatoni with smoked checken,chicken and braised lamb shank. The food took a little extra time to come and when it came we realized why it took so long. Everything was fresh and cooked on order and I had one of the best braised lamb shank ever, it was cooked perfectly as if you cook lamb too short it becomes chewy and if you cook too long it dries out but chef has done a magic on this dish and was melting in the mouth. Also I noticed that people here will not try to move you out and that's why the wait times are longer as they want you to enjoy your meal and hang out there as much as you want. The only thing I will suggest to the management is to improve the engagement level of servers with the customers as I understand it's a tough job but if you don't smile often and try and talk to customers often it takes away from the overall experience of the small town restaurant other wise an fantastic food experience a must try place if you have patience for some...