06/03/09

Well-priced meal in downtown Chicago

by bphilipny

It's somewhat rare to find an inexpensive meal in downtown Chicago and not find any major drawbacks. Our server was down to earth and made some good recommendations. We had the fennel sausage pizza and it was somewhat small but tasty. We also had the roasted artichokes - simple and good. Our dessert (the affogato) was also quite good - it packed a strong espresso flavor but was still sweet.

I'd recommend making a reservation if you want a booth or table, though eating at the bar wasn't bad at all. In fact, you can see how the food is prepared - you can see that the ingredients used are all fresh!

• Pros: Good food, excellent service, nice atmosphere

03/30/09

nice lunch spot

by dilworla

I went to La Madia for lunch and I was impressed by the space and decor. Very minimalist with warm colors. They have $5 white and red wine pours Mon-Fri. The pizzas are thin crust and decent. Nothing to write home about, but good. The service is a little aloof. Maybe they were short staffed when I went, but our waiter didn't seem like he was happy to be there. Over all a nice lunch experience.

03/16/09

A treasure!

by Linsea

I went to La Madia and shared the two person lunch special. It was AMAZING! For only $15 you get an appetizer, a pizza and dessert. We started with the pizza fondue (a huge poofy bread thing that you peel apart and dip in a delicious sauce), the house-made fennel sausage pizza (thin crust, delicious flavor) and the dessert is two Wisconsin Electric Butter cookies (no biggie- but you don't really care about dessert after the pizza). Normally after eating pizza, you feel heavy and bogged down with grease, but this pizza was refreshingly light and perfect for lunch for two! I will absolutely be back again and again!

You can also get this same special, plus wine for only $25!

Nice atmosphere as well, very welcoming with the beautiful bar and cozy fireplace.

• Pros: Amazing lunch special! Great food!
• Cons: none so far!

02/06/09

Beautiful Presentation of Food, Amazing Mixed Drinks

by nolachitown

This place has a great vibe every time I come for dinner. The beet and goat cheese salad is so pretty you don't even want to eat it (although, I did and it was beyond delicios). The telleggio pizza with grapes is enough for two people, and it's mouth watering to just write about. The service is great, they constantly check on you and the hostesses are actually nice to their customers (unlike some places in Chicago). I also highly suggest the dates with proscitto. They are small but too good to pass up. Their drinks and wine parings are spot-on with their food. It makes things much simpler if you happen to be on a date. This is a great date/gong out with friends/co-workers location. You must stop in!

• Pros: the food is always delicious, great service, food portions generous
• Cons: the specialty drinks are deliciious but pricey at $10 - 13 a piece

03/18/08

Great Pizza in a Confortable yet Stylish and Upscale Atmosphere

by mbakalarski

I love that some great stylish restaurants are opening in Chicago that serve pizza (and thin crust at that!). IIf you want to go out to get pizza for dinner, I feel like you either have to go to a hole in the wall place or to a big pizza "touristy" pizza chain that specializes in the famous Chicago pizza pie. Don't get me wrong, I love that we have these options, but I do think Chicago has been missing out on the thin crust pizza scene. La Madia is a stylish and hip place with great pizza and wine list. The thin crust pizza is pretty good. It is crispy around the edges and a bit chewy on the inside - definitely not soggy! I would prefer if the entire pizza was crispy but the pizza is still great and I plan on going back for more. They have about 12 different pizzas to choose from...they are all great combinations of ingredients and cover most people's likes (including vegetarians). Finally, the restaurant offers some nice salads and appetizers to go along with the pizzas. Check it out.

• Pros: Great thin crust pizza, Nice wine list, Stylish/Upscale Atmosphere, Valet Parking
• Cons: Service was a bit slow and it is a bit loud (though I didn't really have a problem hearing anyone at my table)

02/13/08

Generic, uninspired pizza

by carlson_b

The pasta (gnocchi in particular) can be good but the pizza is just very generic and tasteless - I wouldn't even call it Italian as much as American - almost similar to a smaller version of marginal New York style. The pizza was perfectly round with a slightly chewy and basically tasteless crust (I never leave the crust uneaten on a good pizza - here I did) and the entire pizza was covered uniformly with a basic tomato sauce and mozzarella. On top of that they put about 6 slices of buffala mozzarella and some chopped basil - not exactly traditional Italian pizza focusing on the flavors. If you're really looking for GOOD Italian style pizza with a great crust and outstanding toppings (and taste) go to Sapore di Napoli, Pizza D.O.C., or Spacca Napoli where you won't go wrong. If you have to dine in River North hopefully you can find something with a little inspiration on La Madia's menu but I doubt I'll return to find out.

• Pros: Nice atmosphere, large space
• Cons: Uninspired, generic pizza

11/26/07

Pizza--the non-Chicago variety--gets top billing at his River North restaurant and wine bar.

by Fred Schlatter

A mix of older diners, young couples and groups crowds the front lounge and handsome, bustling bar--backed by a floor-to-ceiling wine wall--at this deceptively large River North pizza spot. A dozen or so pies, pulled from a wood-burning oven, use the same flavorful, chewy crust, fired to perfection. The toppings vary considerably though; one gets vine santo-soaked grapes and Taleggio and another, no more than chunks of garlicky house-made fennel sausage. Each pizza on the menu has a suggested wine pairing from the surprisingly comprehensive wine list. Non-pizza options are robust, from salty, roasted olives to start to hearty pastas.