Clara's — Restaurant in Woodridge

This was our first time there but we joined friends that had dined there before. It was a Saturday night and we had reservations for 6. It was very busy. We were put in a corner of a room so we had walls on 2 sides of us and limited room to move the chairs that were against the 2 walls. Maybe being in the corner also added to the noise level. It was so loud that it was difficult to have a conversation even with the persons next to me. Our waiter seemed nice enough but seemed distracted. When he brought out water and drinks he only had 4 straws for 6 people and 10 drinks. He said he would bring back more straws but he didn't until we reminded him about them. He wasn't happy about our request to give us separate checks for the 2 couples each and the 2 singles each. Not cool! We always had to ask for drink refills instead of him bringing them on his own which showed a lack of attentiveness. We had food to take home so we asked for containers which he brought but he didn't bring bags or ask if we needed them. When we asked he forgot and we had to ask again. By this time it was 8:15 pm and the crowd was gone and our room was empty except for 1 other table so I am not sure why this was still happening. Food was brought out by an expediter so that person had no clue who the food was for so he just handed it to the closest person. We just did not feel welcome or appreciated. We had stuffed shells and they were good but lacked enough tomato sauce. I had the salad with chicken for dietary reasons. The taste of the chicken was amazing and it was so tender and there was a plentiful amount. The dinner rolls were very good. My coffee tasted great but again I had to request the refill with an empty cup sitting there. I think this place deserves a try if you haven't been before. We spent about $28 each without any alcohol. My salad was $18 and the pasta was $19. The other 4 folks spent quite a bit more with alcohol, appetizers, and such. They all seemed to have a good time. I grew up with a mom and Grandmother that immigrated from Bari, Italy and made everything from scratch from the tomatoes we picked to make the sauces to the flour and egg to make the pasta. I can't comment on how authentic the Italian food was though as I didn't even try the shells. I think it's worth a try but maybe stay away from dinner hours on...

Went here for lunch today.

The Decor is Beautiful and modern a place. Bathroom is small for that large of restaurant especially when they are having private parties.

Our server was attentive however we couldn't past his long hair, grossed me out with a drippy personality, in my opinion no one working in a restaurant should have their down, female or male.

Bus service was excellent and he was very nice.

Food....appetizers of 1/2 grilled /1/2 fried calamari, not good quality calamari, coating on not good, tasted like old oil, grilled was oily and not a good flavor at all. All of it was overcooked.

Stuffed mushrooms, nice flavor but you need lighten up on your oil in your filling and sauce.

Rolls were cold and a very dense, just took a few bites, wasn't worth eating.

Vegetable pizza, toppings were good tasting, crust was bland and a bit too thick and dry and we ordered prosciutto on it but didn't get it, we mentioned it to our server so we wouldn't be charged for it.

Meat lasagna while it's a large portion size, it lacked in flavor and way too much mozzarella cheese, its way too thick to cut and chew, my piece wasn't hot at all, more like luke warm to cold. Sauce that came on it is good.

Trust me if you lighten up on your cheese you will have a much better product and you will save a ton a money on your expenses every month with your cheese order.

Upgraded salad is a rip off for the price, all it was is a standard mixed greens, it was small, wilted, with cucumbers that are soggy. Maybe your fridge is too cold or where ever it is you keep it.

Friend had Chicken Parm, he wasn't impressed and he's a Chicken Parm eater and makes it at home often.

Tried the Special Lemon layered dessert, nothing to brag on at all.

Took a Tiramisu home, again nothing to brag about it at all.

I won't be going back here, there's nothing I would be willing to take a chance on trying...

3.5 / 5. Have ordered from here multiple times, and family has dined on multiple occasions. Overall, pretty good local spot. Having said that - the takeout experience leaves much to be desired. I'll let you decide for yourselves. (Read Below)

My Experience: "Takeout was sitting on a roller tray when I got there.....pizza, meat, pasta - none of it was in the warmer/refrigerator. Very interesting, slightly disgusting way to pick up a take out order. I was 20 minutes late for picking up my order so who knows how long it was sitting out there for, along with the fact that it took me 15 minutes to drive home, so was the food out for an hour plus before I even was able to open it? Looking forward to see what the response is. (ordered via InKind - 4:40PM pickup for 5/11)"

Clara Response: "Thank you for your recent order from Clara’s and for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re sorry to hear about your concerns regarding the pickup experience. To ensure accuracy, our carryout staff double-checks all wrapped orders before guest arrival, which is why your food was on the cart when you arrived. This process is intended to help ensure a quick and seamless pickup. Please rest assured that we follow all DuPage County Health Department guidelines regarding food safety. Per their standards, wrapped food stored in insulated containers remains safe for consumption for up to four hours, even when not held in a warmer. That said, we understand your concern and genuinely appreciate you bringing this to our attention."

I think that there is room for improvement in how they handle the take out orders, as well as response to customers. I think most people would expect a bit more from a high-end restaurant, and additional care and quality for their food instead of just ensuring it's not left out for over 4 hours (which would be absolutely insane, in...