DeLucia's Italian Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Lake Forest

On Saturday, February 10, 2024, my husband and I went there to eat At De Lucia's. We decided to go after church. He ordered the lasagna and I ordered the Olive Oil, Tomato, Basil with Angel Hair. I also ordered a Garden Side Salad and side of Angel Hair Marinara. We were very hungry. We sat down and ordered at 7:00 p.m. The salad came right away. But our dinner did not come until 8:00 p.m.! It does not take 1 hour to receive the meals you are paying for. I asked the waiter twice and then the hostess twice about our food? They kept saying the lasagna takes a long time as it has to be cooked in the oven. If you are ordering this dish and it is prepared to order, then they need to tell you that it could take a longer time than usual. Finally, I asked for the manager. The hostess told me the manager was waiting for our lasagna to come out and he would bring it to our table. They tried to pass the whole experience off by bringing my food to me only. But then I was eating without my husband because he did not have his food yet. This was not acceptable! I still waited 50 minutes for my pasta dishes. And then the manager came over to give us the lasagna, apologized and he said he would comp the lasagna. That was nice, but in my opinion, the whole dinner should have been comped! I had to wait 50 minutes and then eat without my husband. They are only concerned with making their money. Of course, they noticed the whole dinner was very late! But they only chose to comp his lasagna. And on top of it, when the waiter asked if we wanted dessert, I told him I was way too full. He then told me that next time I need to make room for dessert! That would not have been so bad had he not said it so snotty and commanding. And on top of that, I went to hand the tip to the waiter and he said, "Just leave it on the table." And shooed my hand away. I have never had any waiter ever do that! I have no idea why he was so rude! I love Italian food but there are plenty of places to go for great Italian food at a better price. Aroma, Sal's, Romano Cucina, Ciao Ristorante, etc. The food is not that great, it is overpriced, and the people that work there are very rude! Service is the largest part of a great restaurant. We were very disapppointed. We will never...

From the moment we stepped into this charming eatery, we knew we were in for a treat. As a visitor from Canada, I've had my fair share of dining experiences, but nothing quite compares to the magic of this place. The food was nothing short of spectacular – affordable, yet exuding the kind of quality and flavor that surpasses even the priciest establishments.

Our culinary journey began with the most delectable meatballs spaghetti, a true testament to the chef's mastery of classic dishes. Each meatball was a perfect blend of savory and herbs, paired impeccably with al dente spaghetti and a rich, flavorful sauce that had us savoring every bite. Then came the ships – a unique, delightful dish that was both a visual and gastronomic feast. It was a perfect balance of crispness and flavor, leaving us utterly enchanted.

The pièce de résistance, however, was the lasagna. Layer upon layer of perfectly cooked pasta, intertwined with a harmonious blend of cheeses, sauce, and seasonings, made each forkful a dreamy escape into culinary bliss. It was, without exaggeration, the best lasagna we've ever had.

Every bite was a symphony of taste – fresh, flawlessly seasoned, with not a hint of greasiness or dryness. It's rare to find food that's so lovingly prepared, so full of flavor, and yet so kind to the wallet. It’s a culinary masterpiece that dances on your palate, leaving you yearning for more.

The service was the cherry on top of an already delightful experience. Our waitress was not just efficient but exuded a warmth and beauty that added to the ambience of our evening. Her smile was contagious, making us feel right at home. And the chef, oh the chef deserves a standing ovation! Their skill and passion were evident in every dish that graced our table.

Let's not forget the incredible team behind the scenes. They orchestrated the evening to perfection, ensuring that our family dinner was more than just a meal – it was a memorable event. Their attention to detail and commitment to excellence did not go unnoticed.

So, here's a heartfelt thank you to the entire team for making our night so special. This isn't just a restaurant; it's a place where memories are made. I am already planning my next visit from Canada because a gem like this is worth crossing borders for....

We tried this place for dinner on Friday evening and experienced the worst service ever upon arrival. The hostess was completely incompetent and lacked any training. First, we arrived on time after making reservations online through Yelp. Upon arrival, instead of seating us, the hostess told us we had to wait 45 minutes for a table even though there were plenty of empty tables at the entrance. Then after we told her a second time that we made reservations from home and had already put our names down on the wait list through Yelp and it told us there was no wait at the time, she finally said we could have the table once the other family leaves and it gets cleaned. Well another 15 min goes by and the table finally gets cleaned. Again, she ignores us and seats other people that came in after us and does not seat us. At this point we should have just left the establishment to enjoy dinner at any other restaurant in the area. However, since it was the first time we've been there in several years we mistakenly gave it a benefit of a doubt and still wanted to try it so we went ahead and seated ourselves at the table she pointed to earlier. The hostess saw us sat down but continued to ignore us and never gave us our menus so that we could order our food. It was only until my husband got up again and asked for the menus did we get them. Needless to say, this place has the worst service ever!!! They hire the most incompetent hostess without any experience or on the job training and is completely incompetent. Let's just say, it was our first and last dinner here as there are plenty of other nice Italian restaurants in the area with significantly better service. Food was just average for the high end prices they charge. Stay clear of this place unless you want bad service and ruin your dinner experience. You have...