Stefani Prime — Restaurant in Niles Township

To preface: the only reason this isn't a one-star review is because the staff are all lovely people. Literally the valets, the hosts, our wonderful server, Jessica, and the other various waiters consistently clearing our table as we ate - all of them were extremely friendly, polite, and attentive. We were running late when I called to ask how long reservations are held, and Isabella was very kind in letting me know that they do hold for 20 minutes but that the restaurant was not quite busy yet and to not worry.

That being said, our main entrees were depressingly underwhelming for a restaurant that currently has a 4+ star rating. My parents and I were excited to try a new Italian place so close to home but were sorely disappointed. Though I am extra grateful Jessica went to the trouble of letting us know that what would essentially be considered a chicken fettucine alfredo was entirely possible even though it wasn't on the menu - unfortunately, it was too salty for my mother's taste. My father enjoyed his spaghetti frutti di mare for the most part, but unfortunately there were a couple spoiled mussels in his batch that simply should not have been in there for a restaurant that seems to pride itself on being on the higher-end side. I ordered something off of their current special menu - can't for the life of me remember exactly how it was spelled, but something along the lines of "linguini de michelangello"? In any case it had shrimp, mushrooms, asparagus, and sun-dried tomatoes, and it was truly so shockingly bland, I was racking my brain for what seasonings I would add when I got home just to try and salvage my leftovers. We're not the type of people to demand food be returned to the kitchen and a whole new order be placed (very much a "make your bed and lie in it" type family), but given that we had such high hopes, it really is so unfortunate to be so devastatingly disappointed.

Some other quick notes: bread and butter: average, typical, nothing special, and honestly in hindsight a little surprised they don't do olive oil with parmesan instead calamari: decent! outside of it being served with ketchup and not marinara which was a minor disappointment in the face of many. garden salad (?): the dressing certainly helped, but I did have to explain to my mom that Caesar salad was an extra cost. water: given that the extra cost for an "upgraded" salad was clearly stated, I was surprised to find the bottled spring water also cost extra ($8/bottle) despite being offered so readily alongside sparkling water. (dessert) tiramisu: a cup full of more marscapone than ladyfingers - truly, it was a struggle to taste the espresso-soaked ladyfingers in all that fluff. (dessert) Italian gelato trio: delicious! a blessing to end this meal with such a great treat. The flavors available for the day were chocolate, hazelnut, and vanilla (I'm not sure what other flavors are in the rotation).

It would be nice to give this place another chance, but the fear of being disappointed again combined with the knowledge that there are plenty of other Italian restaurants in the area that have not disappointed (just drive an extra 10-15 minutes) make that chance very, very unlikely.

BUT AGAIN, DISCLAIMER: THESE STARS ARE IN NO WAY A REFLECTION OF THE STAFF. IF I COULD, I WOULD GIVE THEM 5-STARS.

Jessica literally helped an elderly woman at the table next to us with her napkin. She wrapped the napkin around the guest's neck with safety pins, AND she helped another woman at that same table remove the many crumbs the guest left on the tablecloth. She was very attentive to not just us, but to everyone in her section - even when it started becoming busier. Best wishes and all the...

I was very impressed Stefani in many ways, but disappointed in others. However, I would still come back here.

The good is that all the food was very delicious and I thought that quantity/quality/price was perfect! You definitely won't feel like you're getting ripped off here even though it is on the expensive side of dining.

The steak tartare was definitely one of the best I tried, and when I tasted it I wish I ordered one for myself! The Rack of Lamb was the best I've had (and don't bother paying extra for saice because it has TONS of flavor as is). The soup of the day was good, but could have been better. The Brussel sprouts, mushroom and spek was delicious as well: the Brussel sprouts were cooked perfectly, the mushrooms had loads of flavor and the spek gave the dish a nice salty compliment.

So why the 4 stars? Read below.

Service was slow. I would say they were around 70% capacity and it our group of six 2.5 hours from being seated to exiting the establishment. When I finished my soup it took them 10 minutes to remove it from the table. Service could have been better especially when paying nearly $100 per person.

When I go to a steak house, I expect the meat to be cooked perfectly. I asked for my rack of lamb to be medium rare as is typical. I cut into it and immediately called the waiter because it was cooked medium well. Then they remade the dish, and they clear rushed it. I cut into it and the outside was cooked, but the inside was still blue! It looked like a seared tuna steak! Gross! How does a steak house mess up a rack of the lamb twice in a row? I couldn't grab a picture because the server took it away immediately once he saw it wasn't edible. This was truly unacceptable for a steak house. However every other persons meat came out perfectly cooked.

The soup came out way too hot--like you'll burn the roof of your mouth hot. It needed to have more substance to it to make it worth the price. I would have been happier sticking to the salad. However, one thing they did right was that it wasn't too salty. I feel a lot of restaurants over salt their soups.

Overall I didn't have a perfect experience, but it was good enough that I would definitely give it...

UPDATE 7/2/2025 Stefani Prime is a great place to eat any night of the week but be sure to make reservations ahead of time as they are busy and book up fast! They have valet parking and the guys do a great job of quick service in and out!

All the food on the menu is top drawer quality and doesn’t disappoint! We were celebrating my birthday and boy what a fantastic meal we had. Matt our server was so friendly, made us feel comfortable and didn’t miss a thing! 10 stars for him alone!

We had calamari to start then I ordered the 22oz. ribeye which was cooked to perfection. My sister ordered the lobster risotto which was decadent! We also had a NY Strip and Lake Superior White fish.

We went on a Tuesday night and the place was packed but then it’s always packed! It was a really memorable meal and the entire wait staff was exceptional! —————————- Stefani Prime is a hidden gem in Lincolnwood. Highly acclaimed by Chicago Tribune and others. Their entire parking lot is Valet and keeps your car and belongings safe. There is a very nice ambience once inside. They have tables, booths, party room and an outside dining area. The outside dining during winter is covered/enclosed and surprisingly very nice. It’s super heated warm from top to bottom and quieter than the main dining area. Mike was our waiter and did an outstanding impeccable job of serving our family. All the servers were so personable before, during and after our meal. I almost felt like we were family. All the drinks, food and service are top drawer here. I had wedge salad, eggplant Parmesan and cookie skillet. The eggplant had a nice flavor and was not overly breaded accompanied with pasta marinara. The pasta was perfect as was the sauce! My sisters and husband each had Veal Piccata and broiled fish. The chocolate martinis after dinner were decadent! They give generous portions and the platings are beautifully rustic and simplistic. You’re not rushed here and all the servers have impeccable timing with food and beverage delivery to your table. Great place for any special occasion or just because you are craving their specialties. They have something for everyone! Thanks for a...