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Buona Terra, Chicago, IL

Buona Terra

4.7
4.7
306 Reviews
$30 and under
Italian
3608 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60618

Make a reservation

2 people
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
7:00 PM
Booked 8 times today

About this restaurant

  • Neighborhood gem
  • Charming
  • Good for special occasions
As one of the most beloved (and highest-rated) Italian restaurants in Chicago for over 22 years, the historic Buona Terra continues to serve scratch made pastas, brick oven pizza, fresh fish and seafood options as well as chops and steaks. The wine selection is meticulously chosen (and inspired by our yearly trips to Italy for the Vin Italy fair) to pair with our different plates made with the freshest ingredients.
Chef Chepe sources fresh items from the market daily. He butchers our fish and meats daily, makes all of our sauces and soups in house and most of our deserts. You might note that you see familiar faces as our servers have been with us since we opened our doors.
Whether you've been here a hundred times or tonight is the first visit, we think that you'll "Come for the food, leave as a friend".

Closed Super Bowl Sunday, February 9th.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Pizzeria, Seafood
  • Hours of operation
    Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (773) 289-3800
  • Website
    http://www.buona-terra.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Carte Blanche, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Jose "Chepe" Garcia
  • Catering
    We can make larger orders to go. Call and ask for our Chef, Chepe. He can tailor any menu to your needs.
  • Private party facilities
    We welcome you to explore our Private Dining options, perfect for any occasion.
  • Delivery & takeout
    Order direct
  • Location
    3608 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60618
  • Neighborhood
    Irving Park
  • Cross street
    Central Park
  • Parking details
    There is street parking available.
  • Public transit
    Blue Line Addison and Irving Park Stop,Irving Park Road Bus
  • Additional
    Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 306 people are saying

Buona Terra reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.6Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Buona Terra is a beloved neighborhood gem known for its "amazing food" and "outstanding service." With a welcoming atmosphere, it is perfect for both intimate dinners and larger gatherings. Diners rave about its "fantastic Italian food," and the attentive staff, led by the charming owner Eileen, ensures a delightful experience.
306 Reviews

  1. Laura

    Chicago9 reviews

    2.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    We made a reservation and when our friends weren’t there yet, we couldn’t be seated. They asked us to have a seat at the bar. I let that go for 10 min and our friends were trying to find parking. I pulled the waiter aside and explained my husband is in recovery and could we please be seated as sitting at the bar is difficult. They said no, it is a “thing” they cannot seat people until the entire party is there. I explained that we only use places that take reservations for this exact reason and it would be kind of they could accommodate us. The answer absolutely NO and was it was their “thing”. It’s super noisy and couldn’t hear each other as the restaurant became full. The food was very good. But, we won’t be back. Customer service is everything and too many good restaurants in Chicago to spend our money at.

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  2. rochelle

    Chicago4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Delicious food, generous portions, very friendly service. Casual dining, great ambience

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  3. craig VIP

    Chicago2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 4, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always great food and excellent service! A mainstay in my rotation.

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  4. Holly VIP

    Chicago4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 29, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We not only love the food and ambience but we also enjoy seeing so many neighbors there too.

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  5. Kim

    Chicago13 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 28, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Small but comfortable place. Conversation friendly. Helpful and attentive waiter. Food was excellent. No children's menu but our younger member was able to order a dish of noodles to his liking. Husband stated he wanted to return, the food was so good.

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  6. Savannah VIP

    Chicago1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 22, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always incredible, one of my absolute favorite places to dine in Chicago. The owner Eileen is just amazing, the whole staff is great. Never had bad service, food has always been good, atmosphere is so welcoming and warm. Rigatoni, calamari, and the H&C salad are my favs!!!

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  7. Megan

    Chicago16 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 22, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    What a neighborhood gem! Great service, great food, great restaurant overall. Will definitely be going back again and again.

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  8. Paul

    Chicago10 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 9, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    FanTAStic Italian food! Meets and exceeds my NJ standards for this type of cuisine. Very accommodating and pro service. Relaxed and friendly/family vibe.

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  9. Deepti

    Chicago2 reviews

    1.0

    Dined on March 2, 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 4
    We did not have a good experience at Buona Terre. Our server spoiled our experience for us unfortunately. He didn’t bother to come to our table at all. Our order was small because we stopped to have dinner for just us adults since the kids were not hungry. We felt the server didn’t care to serve us since we didn’t place as a big of an order as other tables. He didn’t come back after he took the order to check on us even once and when we tried to grab his attention to ask for a condiment, he seemed to ignore us. We were extremely offended and disappointed. I love the food at Buona Terra and have visited for years but this treatment will make me think twice before I visit again. Extremely disappointing. It was a busy night but it wasn’t like other tables weren’t being served. We were clearly being treated differently and didn’t do anything to deserve that.

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  10. OpenTable Diner

    Chicago1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We love going to Buona Terra! The food is wonderful and the service is so great! A great way to spend a birthday!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Buona Terra offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (773) 289-3800.

Buona Terra is rated 4.7 stars by 306 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Chicago / Illinois
  4. Chicago
  5. Irving Park

Make a reservation

Booked 8 times today
Google Map for Buona Terra

3608 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60618

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Central Park
  • Neighborhood
    Irving Park
  • Hours of operation
    Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Pizzeria, Seafood
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    There is street parking available.
  • Public transit
    Blue Line Addison and Irving Park Stop,Irving Park Road Bus
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Carte Blanche, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Jose "Chepe" Garcia
  • Additional
    Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Delivery & takeout
    Order direct
  • Website
    http://www.buona-terra.com/
  • Phone number
    (773) 289-3800
  • Catering
    We can make larger orders to go. Call and ask for our Chef, Chepe. He can tailor any menu to your needs.
  • Private party facilities
    We welcome you to explore our Private Dining options, perfect for any occasion.
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