REVIEW (PART 2 of 2) "Come on baby, were leaving, I'm not paying a cent of this bill, were walking out." Before we leave, I inform Brandon of my intentions and slip him the tip that he deserved for his services. We casually walk to the parking lot and I am approached, both by Juan and some other manger. They ask me if I am going to just walk out without paying. I ask them what does it look like I am doing? I've made my choice, you have made yours, our business with one another is through. The manager tells me that it is illegal to leave without paying. I inform him that it looks like he has choice to make then, because I have already made mine. Click some numbers on your phone and feel free to get the police involved or click some numbers on your register and make things happen with my gift certificate and gift card. We cannot do that sir is his reply. We'll great, then have yourself a good evening gentlemen.
I go to turn around and Juan approaches me. Juan starts back pedaling with everything that was told to me at the table. Sir I told you that I would allow you to use both the gift certificate and gift card, why are you leaving? I laughed and told him that he said anything but the sorts. He continued to explain himself in the same manner. This guy was an idiot. He knew he was an idiot. I knew he was an idiot. This transpiration of events leading up to this point was idiotic. What the hell ever happened to just taking care of the god damn guest! Leona's doesn't get it. Perhaps they want to fight tooth and tail to the bitter end because they are struggling in the slow market. As it turns out, Juan would go on and on about how I misinterpreted things and I would continue to pretend like I was listening intently to his load of lies only to tell him that he was full of it whenever he took the chance to breath in between his several sentences. Â The other manager rang me through without any problems.
Before I left, I asked him if someone would introduce me to this damn President already. President Andrew Dickhead comes out to greet me. He explains that the gift certificate from <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2FRestaurant.com&s=0aab4cbd731f3d3b0d1453050d3abc56a8c80bd214e25469c7555b750dca8a51" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://Restaurant.com</a> cannot be used with a promotional coupon. I explained to him that a gift card was not a promotional coupon. A gift card is something someone purchases with cash. There is no percentage discount or expiration with a gift card. Furthermore, I asked him to explain how it was promotional. He was at a loss for words but assured me that the gift card was like a coupon. I told him to look at the transaction history of the card. If he did, not only would he find that the transaction on the card previous to this one used a certificate in combination with it, but he would also see that the card was paid for with cash. I tried to have him explain what the difference would be between using cash or a gift card that was paid for with cash. He told me that Leona's is a business and wants people to come back on two separate trips if they have a gift certificate and a gift card so that more money is brought it. Oh so all of a sudden, it's alright to try to screw over the guess in order to make more money I suggest. He tells me that it is not the case and that he is just following the policies and guidelines that are written on the certificate itself. I told him to bring out the gift certificate and we could examine things together. He said, don't worry, we do not have to look over the policies together and that he knew exactly what the certificate had stated on it. How convenient? Let's not look over things together?!? Let's not be logical about matters?!? Let's not put you on the idiot boat with Juan, because we both very well know that's where you'll be headed if we read things over together?
Before I left after realizing how right I was about matters, I also told Andrew that I thought that it was ridiculous to hear from Juan that they would no longer be accepting <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Frestaurant.com&s=c5fe485af4df376130bee54f875814d79c4d7913e1258123b1206d2bdbf4873b" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://restaurant.com</a> gift certificates because your restaurant found them to be hasslesome. He told me that Juan was mistaken about matters and not to worry about this turning out to be the case. Great, so basically what I concluded from all of the conversations that took place this evening is that the managers of this establishment have no idea what's going on within their restaurants and that they will randomly make baloney up to sound like they know what they are talking about and pretend as though they are doing your favor. Furthermore, I realized that the President of the company is deceitful and will try to lie his way out of anything if it means making an extra buck from the patrons that visit his establishment. The most important thing that I got out of this whole experience was that I will NEVER visit Leona's again and I urge others out there that are reading this to do the same. If you want some Italian food that is on par with Leona's just go to Buca Di Beppo or Olive Garden. At least with Olive Garden, you know you will "Be treated like family" as the motto goes.
I took my nephew here for his birthday dinner, his choice, not mine. Our order was very simple: 1 large order lasagna, 1 Pepsi, i cheeseburger, boom boom sauce on the side, mac & cheese. Easy, right? When our food was delivered, no Pepsi, no boom boom sauce on the side. The cheeseburger had to go back. The Pepsi had to be re-ordered.
The food was mediocre, at best. I had brought some documents in an envelopes and, foolishly, left them on the table when we departed the restaurant. Halfway home we turned around and went back to Leona's to retrieve my documents and found them in the trash, wet and soggy. I guess it's a good thing I hadn't let my wallet on the table! All in all a pretty miserable experience. Mediocre food, an incompetent waiter, and an untrained busboy. The mix-up of a simple order is inexcusable because the restaurant was not crowded. However, I still gave the waiter a 20% tip. Would I go back? Never.
Pro: Gluten-Free pizza crust with relatively gourmet-ish topping options. And the pizza is in a comparable price range with "normal" pizzas.
Con: Well, there is only one pro in my eyes...
I believe the crust is made from brown rice. I have no idea of whether there is a dedicated oven strictly for baking this type of pizza, so please inquire or be forewarned if necessary.
The crust is prepared thin, and is quite crisp without being overly-crunchy.
Beyond this pizza, nothing stands out about the entrees offered here, nor the ambiance or service. I have sampled almost all of their other dishes, and while nothing was sent back, I definitely would not order anything other than the pizza.
Mentioning the wine list is pointless as it contains just figurehead bottles to say that they have them. Did have surprisingly decent Manhattans and Dry Martinis here.
This seems like a place where you either go because 1) it is convenient, 2) you have children and need a family-oriented place with a variety of menu options, 3) there is a dish they prepare that you cannot find anywhere else, or 4) you just want reliable food with no frills and no surprises.
If they take the GF pizza off of the menu, I do not see a need to return--except, of course, if I am with someone who needs to order a pizza with soy cheese (a recipe which they hit out of the park--one of the more "realistic" soy cheeses I have ever tasted, and I have been through the majority of them--and almost all commercially available options).
Being a new resident to the Roger's Park area, I heard many recommendations from friends about Leona's. I went with a group of 20 people on a Thursday night for dinner.
The interior of the restaurant was very nice~For being such a big restaurant, it still felt very cozy and I really appreciated how accommodating the restaurant staff were for our big group. The service was very good.
My friend and I shared a chicken pesto pizza. I feel that I had a less than spectacular experience at this restaurant in terms of the food because of how big our group was. My pizza arrived lukewarm as if it had been sitting out for a while. The pesto flavor on the pizza was good, but the pizza was ruined by the dry chicken and the hard, dry crust. Another friend next to me ordered pretzel bun sliders and did not finish his dish because of how dry the bun was and rubbery the meat was.
The price was pretty reasonable for the amount of food that came with each order.
Overall, I feel my dining experience was affected by the huge group that I went with. Before this time, I've only heard positive reviews of this place. I would recommend going with a smaller group of people. The menu is very diverse, and I thought it was interesting how there were options for vegans as well. It seems to be a very good place for families.
I really think that this is my new favorite family restaurant for the following reasons:
-Kids Room - yes, there is a kids room that my kids would rather play in than sit and eat dinner. Â I have to use the kids room as a reward for them to finish their food. Â Want to go play in the kids room? Â Finish your broccoli.
-Free parking lot (especially in the city, this is key and especially if you have kids!)
-FREE kids entree with every paying adult entree
-The Lena cake - it's just scrumptious!
Looking forward to our next family dinner out!
I really wanted to like Leona's, because it's within walking distance of my apartment, and having a great, unpretentious place close by is always nice. Â
But there were just too many problems.
Among them, a poor beer and wine selection, chain-restaurant fare (my girlfriend and I both looked up from our plates halfway through the meal and said, "Friday's?" almost simultaneously), and terrible service (we waited about fifteen minutes for our waiter to come back and grab our check, excusable on a busy Saturday night...except we were there on a Monday and the place was dead.  And I can say with all authority that it wasn't like he was busy with another table, either...mainly because I watched him try [and try and try] to pick up a waitress just a few  feet from our table]).
So, yeah...meh.
Leona's...WTF OMG. Why this long to have your thin crust? So close to my abode yet so far. I will hold your crispy crust close and bathe in your tangy tomato sauce. Yes, roasted garlic and mushroom you give me bad breath but the satisfaction is worth the aftertaste. Never again will I doubt you or judge you. There is no other like you in the area. I will only leave you for pan pizza, stuffed or piece pizza and brewery. Yes!
Review Source:The food is very tasty Italian-American, 4 stars. Â The service in the restaurant varies from good to innatentive, but if the service is poor, the food makes up for that.
The delivery service, on the other hand, is terrible, hence the low score. Â We've been frequently put on hold and forgotten. Â Out of 4 orders we placed recently, 1 arrived with missing side salads and 1 was missing bread. Â Drivers generally run 5 to 10 minutes later than they say. Â On our last order, the estimate was 50 minutes, and our food arrived 1.5 hours later. Â Today we were placed on another 5 minute hold, and ended up giving up and ordering from elsewhere. Â We may eat at this restaurant again at some point, but have to give up on delivery.
I came across this gem on a late night drunken Grubhub search. We were in search of some hot-wings, and were in no position to drive to get them. A friend of mine mentioned that if this was the place she thought it was that the food was outstanding, and they delivered. So we went on a whim, and placed an order. Delivery was fast, and needless to say the food was phenomenal. We got 2 orders of wings - which by the way were actual WINGS, not just nuggets of chicken in the shape of wings, or wings from some mutilated mini-chicken. Actual large flavorful wings. We also got an order of pasta. Everything was finger licking good - literally. Leona's is most definitely my new favorite late-night snack spot.
Review Source:I placed a pickup order on 08/04 for the wings and a waffle. It was okay. The chicken was above average because it was seasoned with garlic salt or powder. Leona's give you three nice size wings with ranch dipping sauce. The waffle was average so do not expect it to be delicious. After taxes I paid $9.82. The people at Leona's are always helpful and polite.
About a month ago I ordered a cheeseburger with onion rings. It was good for the price. Leona's is the only restaurant I know that gives you your food in a paper bag or in the case of my hamburger it was in a card board lunch box container (for the green people out there). It also included a brownie cake type dessert. The only drawback was that I only received about five or six onion rings but they were delicious.
I LOVE Leona's.
She's my go to for late night food, weekend brunch, and special occasions. I will never tire of the Leona cakes, broccoli olio, and buffalo chicken sandwich. Each restaurant has it's own management but each one has never failed me with anything less than outstanding service. The portions are definitely plentiful and I've never left without a doggie bag. The old school music videos playing in the background is the icing on the cake.
If I was forced to complain about something, it would be about their inventory: they always seem to be out at least one side dish, especially the mac and cheese! PLEASE ORDER MORE SO YOU DON'T RUN OUT! :)
For being a chain, this place is pretty solid. We were hiking around up north one day and we realized that there was a Leona's close at hand. After walking all day, we were freaking starved. Leona's would be the perfect spot to hit up because we never leave hungry after a meal here.
We were not disappointed at all. The food here was good as it is at every Leona's. Our server was great. She was training someone that day so she had someone shadowing her. They were both very friendly and did a really good job. Â I was very pleased with the meal! I am glad that this location lives up to the high standard that I am accustomed.
I use this place primarily for delivery, which is awesome. It takes a while (but I'm on the edge of the delivery map), but it's worth it. Want a bacon cheeseburger on a delicious pretzel roll at 9PM? You got it. The pasta is great, though the lasagna is on the salty side, which says something, since I'm a salt addict, and I've found that the sandwiches are pretty stellar across the board. The "petite" romano chicken sandwiches (several varieties) are actually one entire chicken breast, so needless to say, the portion sizes are ridiculous. The bread is great, the mozzarella sticks are delicious, and the drinks are good.
I've also had experience with ordering catering from them in the past, and from what I heard, everyone was really happy with their food at the party (I couldn't go, lame!). They were really nice, and there was plenty of food to go around.
The restaurant itself is good for groups and parties, and lots of kids go there, though if you want a quiet date spot, this is not the place to go. Tons of TVs blaring random music videos is one of my only complaints. I am a crankerpants about that sometimes.
Good food, good variety, good delivery, and good service, generally. Definitely worth a try!
I love this chain. It just doesn't feel like a chain, you know?!
I always have received good, consistent service at this location, and I always have a clean, delicious, and relaxing experience.
The prices are reasonable (they need to be when you're a full time college student surviving on 2 jobs and 86$ a month from your mother ), so that is always appreciated.  The waiters are kind, observant, and fast. The food is always delicious. I recommend the pesto pasta with the chicken, as well as the psychedelic salad. Also, I love the music  videos they play on their many flatscreens around the joint...classical, r&b, reggae, jazz, dance, pop....you name it.
I live 2 blocks from this location, and I am moving neighborhoods in less than 3 weeks. It makes me sad that I will be leaving this place behind.
Also, you get a free LenaCake with every meal...so delicious, savory, and moist.
NOM NOM NOM
I've eaten at Leona's sporadically over the years.  I work with the Developmentally Disabled population...and the last two times I've been there was for work with clients.  The service has been excellent and professional  Too many times people  inadvertently demean the population and I've not had this experience at this Leona's. Â
I had the Cesar Calamari Salad....DELICIOUS!
Food: great
Atmosphere: great (beautiful sconces and lamps and ceilings at this location)
Portions: huge
Waitress: friendly *
* I'm dinging this restaurant because it violated one of my biggest pet peeves.
We stopped in yesterday at 9:30, a whole hour and a half before closing at 11. In fact, we chose to go to Leona's because we were running late for dinner and wanted a place that wouldn't rush us out.
Everything was great until the food came out. Then the waitress made it clear through subtle cues she wanted us out of the restaurant as one of the last tables (this was at 10, a full hour before the restaurant even officially closes).
She brought me a nearly overflowing diet coke and asked if that would be the last one I'd like. Then her male companion started tag teaming the table. Then two guys, either from the waitstaff or kitchen were literally a few feet back from our booth, *watching us* eat and I overheard one say "I'll get them out of here right now if you'd like" referring to us and her desire to leave and go home.
The waitress applied more pressure while I was still eating asking if I wanted other left overs wrapped up. I was still eating what was on my plate and had a mouthful of food when she did this.
She then made a scene of wrapping up our table and pushing us along when the credit card slips came back.
It was 10:25.
Don't advertise you are open until 11 if you aren't open until 11. I was having a good conversation and your restaurant wrecked it due to all the staff shenanigans. It's not like we rolled in at 10:30 and you started pressuring us at 11:15. We gave ample time to finish and leave within the hour and a half, but instead, got 55 minutes.
I hope a manager reads this.
That said, I will enjoy my left-over pizza. It is delicious there.
Been here a few times before with family and friends. Nice atmosphere and good service every-time I go, with all around good eats.
So far I've gotten a mushroom and Swiss burger and a veggie burger which pretty alright and rather filling too. The pretzel bun is both filling and delicious. The main attraction however, is the macaroni and cheese. You can get it as a side, and not only is it plentiful, but its really tasty too, with large elbow macaroni and some lasagna noodles for layering. Finally  is the lena cake which comes with most orders, and is a must have, with a vanilla top and decadent chocolate bottom with an all around cheesecake taste which is an excellent way to finish off a great meal.
A bit dark inside I feel, but nothing to complain about too much. Also, while waiting, there are little trivia note cards that you can quiz each other with while waiting for your food.
Definitely reccomend.
Of all of the Leona's Restaurant eateries in the city of Chicago, the one in Rogers Park on Sheridan Road has got to be my favourite. In true Chicago dining fashion, you get more than you can eat alone in one setting. But with Leona's you get delicious food in surplus.
Let me just say that if the complementary bread and salad are delicious, the appetizers and entrees ought to be equally or better tasting. Leona's makes sure that you are satisfied. From the complementary garlic bread to the Cesar salad to the shrimp scampi to the five cheeses lasagna, there is a reason why I keep returning to the wonderful spot on Sheridan Road.
Leona's, your good loving from the kitchen deserves and encore.
WOW I am very impressed.
I came here for a friend's celebratory dinner and was very impressed.
For dinner I order the blue salad with chicken which was AMAZING. I can't believe the blue dressing actually had chunks of blue cheese in it. Chicken spicy and done to perfection. Not only that when taking the leftovers home the server asked me if I wanted more dressing. How happy was I to open up my salad the next day  and see a side of blue dressing. LOVED IT. MADE MY DAY! I love blue cheese dressing! Little touches like this make huge difference in my book.
The server was great but the management (the HOT manager) was also on top of things, making rounds and checking with everyone if everything was ok.
Very nicely done.
I suppose it's time to update my scathing review of Leonas.
The manager of the Rogers Park location was nice enough to message me on Yelp and offer me some reparations for my horrible experience in the shape of a gift card. To be honest I don't have any intentions of eating here ever again, the damage has been done but I know my boyfriend will gladly use the gift card on a pizza.
Like I said in my original review, their pizza is really not bad, totally over priced, but still tasty - I've enjoyed many a specialty pizzas from here.
So I thoroughly appreciate the managers effort to make right and make his customers happy - extremely nice considering I wasn't very nice in my review. I really appreciate that effort and offer and that gift card will probably keep my boyfriend coming back for more pizza ..... I however will never dine in again. Delivery or pick up is a much better option ....
This is one of my favorite places to take my parents when they're in town because they have the following things:
-HUGE parking lot
-Big menu
-Great Hours
-Quiet Atmosphere
It's a great place for groups, intimate chatting, or taking picky out of towners. Â I love the giant ass mozzarella sticks and the fact that I've never had to wait for a table. Â It's become a post show tradition for noshing and dishing after my evening shows in Evanston. Â Plus there are little trivia cards at the table, old school style.
The only bummer is that they don't have sparkling wine/champagne on the menu.
Leona's has a really great patio. Â Unfortunately we didn't have a great experience here, but they did a lot to try to make up for it. Â
My friend asked for a salad w/grilled chicken and they gave her fried chicken. Â It took a really long time to even come out the first time. Â They took that off the bill. Â Then...I found worms in my broccoli. Â It was a side with two jinormous pieces. Â To me it was just a case of their not washing the broccoli thoroughly enough, the worms were buried in there, you couldn't have noticed without pulling the broccoli apart. Â The waitress was great about it though, and they took 50% off our bill! Â A dinner for 4 people ended up being around $42.
I'm willing to try this restaurant again because despite the mishaps we experienced, they really were sincere and did a lot to fix the problems--plus the food was delicious and they had a large menu with lots of things I can eat. :)
We went in with two friends and our 10 month old son. Â Because we had a baby, we were sat in the kids area. Â I really appreciated that, because it meant that if he was screaming, he fit in with all the other screaming children. Â
Whether or not our friends appreciated being seated in the kid's area, well, too bad.
Anyways, I was a fan of being sat near there. They have a large, enclosed children's room with 7 TVs and toys. Â You can set the kids free in there and watch them through the windows. Â Well, not my baby, but I look forward to the day when I can observe him through the glass double doors and sip a Chardonnay while he watches Scooby Doo on the big screen. Â As it was, I went in there with him while he crawled around the other kids entranced by the movie. Â There's a few bead roller coasters there for the infants and that was a welcome distraction while we waited for our entrees.
The food is awesome. Â Maybe I'm slightly biased because we had our wedding rehearsal dinner at the location in Wicker Park but I love the food. Â Tonight I had the Parmesan Crusted Chicken Romano with a side of 5 cheese lasagna and mac and cheese. Â It was enough for me to eat half of and take the rest home for dinner tomorrow. Â
Our waiter was attentive and friendly. Â No complaints there. Â
If I could change one thing, it would be that I would tell the parents that were seated in the area to curb their spawn. Â Some were in the kid's area throwing toys and acting like maniacs. Â However, I suspect that my karma is coming and I will be one of those parents who turns a blind eye to the toy violence in favor of enjoying a kid free appetizer/cocktail.
The food was fine. Not incredible--not as nice as the décor--but fine. My burger was what you'd expect when you pay $10 for a burger, and my wife's chicken fingers were the same. The portions are *great*--tons of food.
The service, however, was painful. There were about tables filled in this wonderfully large restaurant, and at least 5 servers working. With every single interaction we had, we felt like we were inconveniencing them by even breathing.
Our first waitress asked us if we were ready to order when we hadn't even had a chance to pick up our menus--no greeting, no time to read, no smile. My wife smiled, and said, "No, we're indec"--couldn't even finish the word "indecisive," and the lady turned around and walked away. We were shocked.
After she returned and was equally brusk, all of a sudden we had a different server. He was also unfriendly but he was at least professional. The order came mixed up a little, but they fixed it. I asked for normal butter instead of butter with chives and the guy says, "That's just garlic butter." I know. With chives in it.
We were really disappointed. My wife visited a few weeks ago and had a similar experience but then got a server who was extremely friendly, so maybe there are a few good apples. All-in-all, the food is not remotely good enough to be worth the experience.
Stop #12 on my "Eating my way through Chicago/St. Louis and possibly doing other things on this trip Summer Tour 2011" took me out to dinner with friends of my father. Â They took me to Leona's Restaurant which I believe is a local chain that has been around since 1950. Â I like places that have staying power.
Just diving right in for the main dish I had the Italian Meats Lasagna. Â Ricotta, romano, provolone, mozzarella, sausage, pepperoni and meat sauce made up this lasagna. Â They have a Pleasing portion for $9.95 and a Plenty portion for $13.95. Â I went with Pleasing and was quite pleased. Â It was "plenty" for me.
I really was planning on skipping dessert, but my dad's friends said I should go ahead and get some. Â I had the large version of the Decadent Chocolate Cake. Â A big piece of nut brownie/chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. Â When they say big, they mean big. Â This thing was monstrous. Â With a little help, I ended up finishing it. Â A bit too much food for me, but I live and continue to not learn I guess.
The food was very good here. Â For a chain, they seem to be doing something right as this place was pretty well packed with some huge parties of people.
Classic Chicago.
The first time I went here I never wanted to go back. But thanks (or no thanks?) to Groupon I went back to use it. My second try was MUCH better, owing to the fact that it wasn't nearly as busy (the first time we had so many fuckups with our order, I thought we were being punked) AND we ordered thin crust instead of the extremely underwhelming Sicilian. We got the Shepherd, it was really good. Their tomato bruschetta is also pretty awesome, I would go back just for that.
The pasta and lasagna is sub-Olive Garden-quality, so skip it. Though the kids would probably like it.
Great googly moogly, this was the worst experience in a restaurant I have had in a while. So awful, in fact, that I don't want to spend on a lot of time on this review because it means I have to revisit the awful experience.
1. FREEZING. Our entire party kept all of our coats and hats on. Our server said that there was nothing she could do about it, but she would "try" to speak with the manager. We were incredibly uncomfortable the entire time.
2. The food took forever and the restaurant was not busy at all.
3. There was a hair in my salad, and the replacement salad did not arrive until everyone's entrees did. There was also a hair in my friend's pizza.
4. 4 our of 7 of our entrees were lukewarm.
5. My "lemon broccoli" did not come with lemon.
I added one star because the server did not charge us for the items that contained a hair (as she should have).
Last night was a real struggle. We ordered food at about 9pm. At about 10pm, Leona's called to tell me that they were completely out of lasagna (not just the kind I ordered, but ALL lasagna). I'm frustrated because 1) How long does it take them to realize that they are out of one of the entrees for an order? An hour had already passed. And 2) They are ALWAYS out of lasagna.
I've ordered lasagna (which has it's own page in the menu) at least ten times in the restaurant, and at least three times for delivery. I can only remember two times, in my entire history as a resident of Chicago, that I've managed to actually get a piece of lasagna. Yes, that speaks for the deliciousness of the dish, but if you have to tell customers that you don't have what they ordered four out of five times, then you're not making enough to begin with.
At 10:40, we still hadn't heard from our delivery guy. We called the place (three blocks away from us), and they said that the guy was on his way. At 11:00pm, he arrived with MOST of our order.
It was almost 11:30pm when we got the rest of our food. I'm thankful that he made the extra trip to correct the mistake, but dang. We waited over two hours for our food. We didn't get our dinner until it was time for us to be in bed.
Darn it, Leona's. We would give up on you, but you're just so tasty.
Look.... It ain't Charlie Trotters but its better than an Applebee's and I never feel chain restaurant dirty after I leave... Well maybe a little bit... but its not as bad as that one time I actually CHOSE to go to Old country Buffet...
Anyway, I like this location cause it feels cozy to me... Maybe cause its dark and there is always a little corner table for me to eat by myself and read a book on days when I need to get away from stay.at.home.momdom! Whatever it is it works for me!
This is the only place that I have ever even CONSIDERED ordering fried cheese. Cause, "fried cheese", is pig latin for Obesity Epidemic. Fried Cheese... Really? I, mean, I'm very far on the pleasingly plump side of things and even I know that shit is excessive.
But did that stop me from ordering it... Ho have a seat! You know, I did! And it was sooo good. Huge chunk of fresh, creamy, crunchy,fried cheesy, deliciousness! But come on, Diabetty, just one stick, okay?
Also I Â have an OBSESSION with their Chicken Noodle Soup... Yet, another thing I would NEVER order anywhere else. But I swear to you, I crave this soup... Somedays I hear it calling my name!
"Senam, don't you want some soupy deliciousness, today"
"Why, Yes! Yes, I do!"
At times it can be a smidge too salty but its always de.fricken.licious. Seriously, It is common knowledge at my house that if mommy has a cold, Â the flu, or another pesky bout with the gonorrheas (I kid, I kid) the ONLY thing that she needs is some chicken noodle soup from Leona's!
The
The wait staff is usually always kind and attentive. The last time I went though my waiter was a little weird. They sat me right by the server area. and it was like a booth with high sides... So I'm sitting there eating, chillaxing, reading 101 ways to avoid fucking up your children like your mother did to you. And he just sorta drapes himself right over my table and proceeds to have a whole convo with the waiter behind him... His arms were like right over my head... Â It was just a bit weird, loud, and goofy....
I do think its a bit more expensive than it  should be but then again. I tried to bargain for my $0.99 Double Stacks at Wendys!
All in all, Leonas is alright with me!
Okay, it was another two years between visits, but they are winning me back over after a long period of ambivalence. Â It wasn't my idea to come, but I'm glad that we did, because it was a great dinner and a heck of a good time.
Their printing vendor must make a fortune because gigantic menu has been revamped yet again. Â How to choose?? Â Mixing and matching is recommended and always, always, always coordinate with your tablemate(s). Â Mine was gracious enough to agree to wait the requisite 40 minutes for my Sicilian pizza--if I let her nibble on my Psychadelic Salad. Â And we both ordered a cheese stick to keep us busy, of course.
Bread with garlic and herb butter. Â A "petite" pre-dinner salad chock full of wonderfully fresh vegetables to dip into that delicious creamy-garlic dressing. Â A blissfully decadent fried mozzarella stick served with their marvelous marinara. Â And an eight-inch chipotle chicken Sicilian pizza with bacon, onions, red and green peppers....sigh. Â What a meal.
It's hard to put my finger on, but what I love about this Leona's is that it's just so...comfortable. Â Comfortable and pleasant. Â They likely won't win any awards or cause you to rave to your friends and relatives, but you will probably always enjoy a great meal.
Came here for lunch.
I had Individual size pizza with mozzarella cheese and cup of Minestrone soup. My husband had a steak slider with a side of cheese lasagna and a piece of chocolate muffin cake, which I think is Leona's little house special dessert. Â Delicious! Â
My husband's steak (Filet Mignon) slider was topped with bacon and blue cheese. It was really excellent. His side of lasagna had plenty 'o' cheese and was VERY filling.
My thin crust pizza was tasty and made with a nice flaky dough. Minestrone soup didn't look or taste the way I have seen before. Â It looked like a stew with beans,cabbage, zucchini, etc. Â Me didn't likey. All in all, nothing amazing, just a good solid lunch.
Our waitress was very nice and did a great job. Â
This restaurant is huge and super clean.
+ Cheese sticks, sold individually, enormous, delicious.
+ Great minestrone
+ Big parking lot
+ Open late
+ Diverse menu (I'm pretty sure everyone, including vegetarians, can find someone to eat here)
+ Classic music videos playing on a TV screen
- Spicy Thai chicken strips = far too salty and tastes like teriyaki sauce. This will not satiate any kind of boneless wings or Thai flavor cravings you may have.
- Most of the food is pretty decent, though I would only really eat here if there were no other places open. While I appreciate the diversity of the menu, I don't think any items are stellar (except the cheese sticks).
Question: Is there anywhere decent to eat around Loyola?
Answer: Yes
...I felt it necessary to do this review in the form of a trivia question because of the fact that Leona's has trivia cards on the tables for you to enjoy while you wait. Â The food here is really good Italian and the portions are HUGE, which is great for leftovers. The side salads are really good (with a good portion of fresh veggies to go with the traditional greens)and the dressings are really rich. I've eaten a few different types of pastas here and anything that includes an Italian sausage is very positive. In the summer, I'd recommend a milkshake =)
My only complaint is that it is a little pricey for a chain Italian restaurant, but with the leftovers you usually take home it's worth it. Not a bad option for Rogers Park!
I am craving their Mushroom Swiss burger as I type this!
This is the second time I've ordered from Leona's and I have to say I'm going to continue to do so!  I've had burgers over the years, but nothing compares to the buns they use for theirs! a bit of crispiness -- a bit of tenderness blends in just right with the melty goodness that is the cheese and mushrooms on top of what I have to say is the largest burger patty I've encountered, aside from a 'home burger' Ohhhh, SO, SO good!  As they say, "my how time flies when you're having fun!" So too, the burger quickly disappears, I'm full, happy and  already looking forward to the next time I order!
Bless their hearts, they delivered despite the snowy weather -- I tipped the driver accordingly - yes, Â a bit more than normal - but it WAS snowing after all, so he deserved it for braving the elements - it being his job or not!
Oh wow... seeing this review just reminded me that I am moving back to the area this place is in. Â Ugh.. guess this will make me have to cook for myself more often since the choices up in my neck of Rogers Park, I think are limited in terms of good take out/delivery.
Anyway, the food here is quite unremarkable which is probably why you get a lot of it. Â I usually have the buffalo chicken strips when I am desperate- and with that and everything there is to get on the side of it, I usually have enough to make a lunch for myself the next day.
I think that this place has probably been resting on it laurels for far to long and therefore has made that long slide into mediocrity. Â Just because you are good once doesn't make you good forever and one should remember this.
So if you can avoid it, please do. Â Oh.. and yes- the pizza is crap too.
I have yet to dine in at this place, but if they have signs outside that say "the best way to have the last word is to eulogize", then the interior can't be bad, right?
A good sense of humor aids digestion, methinks. And the food's not bad. Their veggie burger is a big fat thick delight full of soy and all manner of vegetable goodness, with lots of carbs on the side. Bon appetit.
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