Basil Leaf Cafe — Restaurant in Lake View Township

Food was marginal. They serve a typical Italian menu, but put twists on the dishes. For example I ordered Chicken Piccata - which should have a buttery lemon sauce with capers. They altered the dish, and included mushrooms and tomatoes, which made it... I guess Italian Skillet Chicken? It was kind of a bummer, because instead of a great, light crisp dish, it felt like what I had when I was 12 years old, eating at my friend's house and his mom was using leftovers. But, to stress - it was OK food, just nothing special. The wait staff was really bad. We had a reservation for 7 pm, for outside seating. When we arrived they told us they don't guarantee outdoor seating when you make a reservation - the exact opposite of what they said on the phone. But no big deal, we got a table in the front by the big open window, so that was ok.

But I arrived alone first, and sat at the bar for 10 minutes with no one helping me. Finally a waitress asked if Id like a glass of water, but I ordered a martini instead. 15 minutes later the bartender asked if I'd like a drink, so I told him that l I had already put an order in with the waitress. Evidently she forgot it, so he made me a drink.

Then we waited another 20 minutes until finally flagging someone down and asking them to get us a table. We were seated, the busboy brought us a glass of water and we each got 1 roll. Then we sat for 20 minutes without seeing another staff person. Finally the bartender came over and took a drink order . 10 min later we got our drinks and we ordered an appetizer. 20 minutes later we got our app, and he rushed away without taking a food order. Finally got to place our food order ~8: 15pm. Meaning I was there more than an hour before I could even place an order.

I don't think I'd go there again. I'm not upset, but marginal food and really bad staff isn't something worth...

We were looking for an affordable place to have dinner along Clark St, and even though there were a plethora of choices, we settled on Basil Leaf Cafe, with one of the deciding factors being that it was really close to the bus stop and we didn't feel like walking too much that day :)

I had the Linguine Meatballs and it was superb both in terms of quality and quantity. The meatballs were quite big by normal standards, plus they were really well done. The meat was tender and juicy, not overcooked. The outside was slightly crispy and the inside moist. The linguine was also nicely done, not overdone so that it tasted mushy, but cooked just right so that it had a full body of flavor and texture. I asked whether they made their own pasta but unfortunately, they did not. Nonetheless, they did a good job of cooking it.

The atmosphere is perfect for a quiet conversation, or a romantic night out. It's cosy, with warm lighting and wasn't too crowded when we were there. The service was also quite prompt, with my requests attended to quickly. I personally liked the bread that they served as starters as well, coupled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, it was a great start to the meal. The bread was warm, freshly baked, just the way I like it.

If you're looking for some affordable Italian fare along Clark St, this should be one of...

A quaint cute neighborhood favorite for Lincoln Park. Basil Leaf nails the basics and then only gets better from there. Two things that are afterthoughts at a lot of restaurants, water and bread, couldn't be executed better anywhere else. Their fruit infused water is cold and refreshing and is perfect to wash down their incredible food, if you're not getting the Thursday night $6 sangria special, of course, and the rolls they serve are hot and delicious with a garlic and herb infused olive oil that I would literally shower in, it's that good. I usually get one of their delicious salads (they have several salad options and all are amazing +$6 bucks for steak added is definitely worth it) but any of their pasta dishes has also been exceptional. The atmosphere is cute. Darker woods and earthy tones dominate the scene and set the stage for a romantic date night in the dining room, or just a night of Al fresco dining with the doors open on the bar side. Do yourself a favor and check out a hidden gem of the Lincoln Park neighborhood. You won't be...