Best Restaurants for Outdoor Dining in Merrillville, IN

It was packed tonight! And the reservation time was delayed a bit so we waited at the lovely bar. The hosts and hostesses kept coming by with updates and what a lovely surprise to have been sent appetizers on the house to make up for our wait. Besides excellent food, Gibson’s Italia is unmatched in terms of how they care for their customers !

Our family has had many memorable meals at RL over the years and last night was no exception. The service was friendly and prompt and the food was excellent. The shrimp cocktail is my favorite in the city and the new flourless cake is a must have!

My wife and I had a quick getaway to Chicago for her birthday. OpenTable booking made it simple to make reservations and any changes. Heads-up, parking will be a challenge so I recommend using valet! Make a reservation ahead of time to guarantee seating. The staff were very great at anticipating the wait time and so we did for 30 min since we arrived earlier. We were seated at the chef’s table which neither of us expected, and was a treat to experience. My wife enjoyed every bit of the good chaos in the kitchen and watching Ted & Kishaun (apologies for typo), prep the food with passion. Service was great all the way around and all the staff were attentive - kudos! The food, this is by far the highlight of the night and the trip! Flavor at its fullest and the portions are ample for two. We had the best empanadas to date, the skirt steak was a hit, and the pork belly was delish. Wrap dinner with apple pie is a a treat on its own. Thank you for making our trip and birthday celebration a memorable one.

We used to go to the Signature Room in Chicago for our anniversary dinner. Since that restaurant has been closed down, we needed a new place to go, so we tried Gamba. It was AMAZING. Our food was delicious and served super hot. The appetizer we had was calamari and it was cooked perfectly. The atmosphere was beautiful and the feel of family was felt throughout; from the pictures on the walls to the servers. Highly recommend Gamba.

We always have a great time here. The staff is extremely friendly and the food was delicious.