Calabruzzi’s Cafe

Went there Friday and it no longer exists.

I had some great homemade chicken soup, pasta, and pizza. Neat room. Very friendly service.

Everytime I come to this place, my mouth waters. It is that good! The best Chicago style thin Crust pizza in the city. They offer Sopressata as a topping which is amazing. If you do not know what Sopressata is, its a spicy Italian Sausage. The pasta dishes here are also very very good. If I had to choose two words for this place they would be … Simply Delicious!
Recently Chicago’s Best took notice of this place and they filmed a segment that will air on July 28^th, 2013 on WGN TV. So if you curious about this place, set your recorder and see why Calabruzzi’s is indeed one of Chicago’s Best!!!

Calabruzzi’s Café is a place that I have passed by many times. I had been curious about their food but never had the opportunity to stop in. On the days I wanted to, they were closed. So much for my timing!
On Facebook, I belong to a group that posts about all things Bridgeport and the topic came up about what pizza place serves the best «pie» and so, I had to weigh in. I voted Phil’s Pizza on 35^th and then, the discussion continued and Calabruzzi’s Café came up.
I had tried another place in the neighborhood recently and I lamented that the pizza had very little sausage. Calabruzzi’s had posted a picture of one of their creations and I could see that the amount of sausage was generous and it looked to be cooked to perfection. So, I had that in the back of my mind to try.
Last week, my friend and I decided to have ourselves a treat and since I had Calabruzzi’s on my mind. We went for it and I have to say that I am extremely glad we did.
First, I got some valuable feedback from my nephew. He mentioned that their Sopressata (a spicy sausage) was awesome. Homemade by the owner, Angelo, and top quality stuff. So, when I spoke to the owner’s daughter on the phone, she gave me more details and I was sold. I ordered the spicy sausage with onion and double dough (asked for it to be cooked «crispy»).
Rosanna was the person I connected with through the Facebook group page. Let me tell you, she was personality plus! Down-​to-​earth and friendly. I feel like I knew her for years and it was a blast. She made my order a breeze and I felt appreciated as a customer.
I told Rosanna that I would be totally fair in my assessment. She knew that I was a Phil’s fan. I told her that the «food fight» would begin and that round one would commence when we received that pizza.
Her father, Angelo, delivered the pizza and it came within the time specified. Hot, fresh and ready to be devoured. I thanked Angelo and mentioned to him that his daughter was awesome. He probably through I was crazy because I was so excited at the arrival of the pizza! :)
The pizza looked like Heaven. My phone camera did not take the best picture but let me tell you, I didn’t give it much of a chance to get a second or third try. I wanted to taste it and find out if it was going to give Phil’s a run for the money.
This pizza was really good. The spicy sausage really added a nice kick to the party of taste and the sauce and cheese were just right. A very generous amount of sausage and onion and the crust was cooked crispy to perfection. To be fair, I should have ordered a regular think crust to truly compare to Phil’s but regardless, I have to say that I was extremely pleased with my taking a chance and trying (that last experience I had with another neighborhood place did nothing to ease my taste for a good pizza etc).
Rosanna included a cannoli with the order and that was tasty as oh hell. Seriously did not want to eat it that night because we were stuffed. Then, because my «treat day» was technically over, I did not eat it the next day either. Two days later, I realized I had a treat waiting for me in the fridge. I went for it. It was light, delicately flavored and oh so good. I wanted to collapse in a ball of gooey happiness. Yes. I love my treats!
As I mentioned, I was very pleased with the service. I can’t imagine Rosanna being any less friendly with anyone that calls in (since she did not know who I was at first and was still friendly). Also, I was very pleased that they took debit cards. I mention this because Phil’s (which was really the place I was comparing this too) does not. What’s great about this is that it certainly makes it easier for an «impulse buy» type situation. Sometimes, I find myself just absolutely starving and not wanting to commit to cooking. Phil’s is so close to me but I don’t want to stop at an ATM outside at night in order to order a pizza. Also, it was cold and icy out that night. I wouldn’t have wanted to walk out in order to do that. Yes. This is a point of convenience and facilitating commerce! :)
Comparing the two pizzas that are my heart’s desire, I have to say that Phil’s is still a bit more generous but that could be based on the fact that I technically had a «specialty» ingredient in the spicy sausage. To really fairly compare, I should get a regular sausage pizza. With all that being taken into account for, I thoroughly enjoyed the toppings and it was certainly enough to make us happy!
The ultimate determination for me was to consult my inner critic and ask the question — «Would I order another pizza from them again?» Since my last experience with a neighborhood place was to «skip it.» I was pretty happy to report that I am CERTAINLY going to try it again AND, I felt satiated in my desire for wanting a pizza.
I am thoroughly excited by Calabruzzi’s and this round was a draw. Looking forward to «Round 2!»

don’t bother. they served us salad with pieces of ice still in it, wine with parts of the cork in it, bread that was still frozen in the middle. I don’t think I need to go on. The only redeeming quality was the waitress, who took our complaints with grace and adjusted our bill accordingly.

I ordered take out once from Calabruzzi’s last year when a craving for pasta hit & the café had just opened up. The pasta was excellent, but I kept passing this great establishment up for other neighborhood hang outs of sheer forgetfulness on my part.
So, the pasta-​craving hit again, but I did not feel like going out to a local BYOB Italian joint. I walked a couple blocks over to Calabruzzi’s & was greeted, seated, & served a nice, cold Peroni within mere minutes.
I ordered a «create your own pasta» dish… I had penne with an amazing vodka sauce.
My waitress was friendly & we even chatted a bit.
When I left Calabruzzi’s, I had forgotten my umbrella. One of the kind fellows in the café actually chased me almost a block down Halsted Street to hand it back to me!
I went back a couple days later to just sit at Calabruzzi’s bar & have a couple more tasty Peroni beer. I was very fortunate to meet the owner & talk for a while over my drinks.
I really think that this hidden little Italian gem on South Halsted Street is often over-​looked… I am guilty of it! No longer; I will be back again & again when I have the craving for friendly, Bridgeport neighborhood service, a cold drink, or some excellent pasta.
P. S. Also treated myself to a ½ dozen of their baked clams after reading other Unilocaler’s reviews… the clams were AMAZING!!!

1 star is for the drinks that I had, I wish I could give 0 stars because even my pepsi tasted water downed.
As for the food… well I didn’t have ANY? I bet your wondering why. The service sucks ass in here.
Walked in here with my mom, saw 2 other tables, a bartender and this dude that came out of the kitchen, wasn’t greeted or even acknowledged by anyone. Sat down ourselves. Noone even came over for a good 5 minutes to take our drink orders. I was telling my mom, I’m gonna count to 10 and if noone comes then I’m getting the fuck outta here. So the lady, which I think is the owner also finally comes takes our drink orders and brings it back and then dissapears again to go talk to this one table that was there. 15 minutes passed and she never comes back to take our food orders. I’ve had enough, threw $ 5 bucks on the table and finally got up and left.
Screw this place, their a dime a dozen, with this kind of service, you won’t last much longer in Bridgeport.

I’m very jaded when it comes to pizza as I have already proclaimed my favorites in pretty much every category. However, being the pizza-​holic that I am, I will always try a new place and I am so happy that I tried the pizza at Calabruzzi’s Café! This is now one of my new favorite thin crust pizzas in the City. Nice and crunchy, a really nice flavor to it, the cheese is so delicious! I would choose this place over almost any place on the south side hands down! I am ashamed to say that I even had to sneak a piece when I got home before bed because I couldn’t get it out of my mind.
I got only veggies on my side, my BF got veggies and spicy sausage on his side — he couldn’t stop raving about that sausage. Well, the next day when I reheated the pizza I accidentally had a slice of sausage, I must say it was really tasty and had a really nice kick! I normally detest sausage on a pizza, but I may have to venture to the dark side and try this spicy sausage next time I stop by Calabruzzi’s for a pizza… because I will DEFINITELY be heading back there very soon!

I have stopped by a few times. I enjoy the location and the fact that there is parking in the back. I ordered their pizza with cheese and spicy italian sausage. It was great! They made me a cucumber salad. Didnt see it on the menu but when I told them I didnt want what they had the owner went and gave me the cucumber salad. It was GREAT! I agree that they are trying to do too much but I assume they are learning as they go. The place is nice if you want to be in a nice, cozey, around the corner place. Nice place.

Calabruzzi’s is a nice Italian restaurant in the heart of Bridgeport. The food is very good, prices are fair, service and atmosphere are good. The owner is a Bridgeport native and true Italian Chicagoan… if that makes sense. I like the joint and the people who run it and good people always make a difference.

The food is great here and it’s a great location and they have late hours.

Tried it twice because I really wanted to like it. Living in the neighborhood, I was excited about a new restaurant opening up. It was pretty crowded on our first visit, the week it opened up. Food was just ok. Tried it again a few months later. When my kids complained about the food, I realized it wasn’t just me. They normally will eat anything. The pizza was not that good, the clams tasted like they were right out of a can. They were pretty slow in getting our food to us even though we were the only ones there.

We went here for dinner. The place is very nicely re-hab’d, I wanted so much to like it. The food was alright. I do have to say that the fried ravioli were delicious as well as the homemade marinara sauce; the meatballs on the other hand not so much.
As for customer service, they need a greeter. When we walked in no one said anything, then the bartender said sit where you like. Well we would if someone bussed the tables. Everyone was confused. I think they need to work out some kinks in the customer service department.

I stopped in recently, after reading a fairly negative review by the Sun-​Times:
If they focus on being a pizza place, I think they’ll be successful. The pizza is good but, beyond that, Pat Bruno was right. They’re trying to do too much, so the quality is inconsistent from dish to dish. You can’t be all things to all people. Another downside of a large menu is that I overheard multiple patrons being told that an order was not available because they ran out of a main ingredient.
It’s also a mistake to market themselves as authentic Italian. The pizza, for example, is quite Americanized, as it probably should be for this sort of place. It’s still good but not remotely «authentic Italian.» Another example, the bruschetta contains no bruschetta (grilled bread), but rather is simply a large bowl of Caprese salad. It’s a good salad, but why use an incorrect menu description (accompanied by an incorrect pronunciation by the waitress)?

Wow, just Wow. Right on Halsted in Bridgport. Food above and beyond the standard Italian Fare in the area. Mixed Veggie chips are a Must (c’mon Lotus fruit chips… ARE AMAZING). Very eclectic menue for Bridgeport, but SooOOooo happy to have something different. Burgers great, and Deserts are to die for.
Just a bit pricey would be my only pseudo-​gripe.

Meh… I was so excited to see this restaurant was opening. I’ve tried it three times now, and my experience has been lackluster each time.
#1: Ordered pizza, which was still doughy in the middle. Not great. Also, the service was terrible. Everyone seemed completely lost. They were out of paper menus to take home. They had just opened in the last few days, so I forgave this visit and decided to try again in a couple weeks.
#2: Ordered another pizza for pick-​up. We got a large pizza for two of us, thinking we’d have leftovers. Their large is actually a small, as they have weird sizes like large, extra large, and family size. That’s just confusing. The pizza was good this time, though!
#3: Ordered pasta with vodka sauce, and I can’t remember what my boyfriend got. I think he got another small («large») pizza. It was pretty good, but what you’d expect from an «Italian» chain restaurant. I happen to like Italian chains, so it worked for me.
I’m glad to have an Italian addition to the neighborhood, but it just wasn’t as good as I had expected.

I stopped in for launch and had a Eggplant Parmesan sandwich and it was great. Excellent service, food and atmosphere. I really like what they’ve done with the place, and they also offer free parking in the back.
Finally, good Italian food has returned to the neighborhood.

Went here on a Sunday night a few weeks ago with my brother. I have never felt the need to write a review on Unilocal (or anywhere, for that matter) — so that ought to tell you how strongly I feel about this place.
It was maybe ¹⁄₃ full when we walked in. Still, the waitress took her time bringing our drinks and taking our order. Some other waitress brought our food — big messy Italian sandwiches — and since for some reason this place only gives you a spoon and fork and these sandwiches were huge, we immediately asked her for a knife. She said sure and promptly disappeared into the kitchen for five minutes. .. ten minutes.
Meanwhile, our waitress didn’t come to check on us and our food either, for five minutes. .. ten minutes. Reluctant to dive into our oversized sandwiches without at least cutting them in half, we waited in vain, trying to catch the eye of anyone on staff. But no, they were all congregated near the bar, laughing and joking and obviously having one big happy family of a time.
Finally, we flagged down a busboy who brought us a knife. Meanwhile, my brother’s pepsi had been empty for five minutes, but it would be another ten minutes before our waitress would bother stopping by, at which point we were basically done with our food.
Which brings me to our food — overpriced, completely unspecial Italian sandwiches. I got the Italian sausage and my brother got the Italian beef. The buns were clearly not fresh, the «homemade» Italian sausage tasted no better than the Bob Evans variety, and the tomato sauce was bleh. You can get a much better sandwich from Freddie’s or Maxwell’s or any number of places. Plus, they nickel-​and-​dime you for everything. Have fun being charged $ 2.50 to add mushrooms to your pasta (really?), or $ 2 to add cheese. And of course there aren’t free refills, which on fountain drinks is just so incredibly stingy.
Bad service, blah overpriced food, better places nearby. Bridgeport needs more businesses and more good places to eat, but I hope this place is gone before the year is up.

I went in with some friends after the home opener.
I ordered the chicken parm, my friend the seafood pasta and the other chicken alfredo.
we did order the baked clams to start.
the baked clams were really good. I’m not a clam person but the sever suggested them and I thought why not. I did enjoy them.
I really enjoyed my chicken parm, and my two friends loved their food.
One of my friends said her pasta was a little underdone but besides that she enjoyed it.
we each had a beer. I enjoyed the music.
One thing I will say is the server needs to learn the menu. I ordered two things she said they didn’t have that was clearly on the menu…
Don’t let a server ruin our experience!

I met my husband and friend here today after the Sox home opener (win). They had already finished their meal, so I quickly ordered a meatball sandwich and a Peroni from their simple but effective menu (mainly pizzas and sandwiches with some pastas).
Once I ordered I had a chance to take the place in. It’s a wonderful size for a semi-​casual dinner or pre-​game venue. The rehab of the space was very tastefully done, with some exposed brick, faux tin ceiling tiles, a beautiful full bar, and a semi-​open kitchen where you can watch the action behind the glass. The thing I appreciated about the place right off the bat was that there was no BS, you knew what you were there for: Italian-​American food.
Maps of Italy and nice amateur artwork featuring different Italian landmarks covered the walls (it seemed like someone in the family had traveled to Italy and were sharing the art they created there with their customers). The music was the mix you expected — rat pack and soundtrack songs from The Godfather. This may sound hokey, but it was exactly what needed to be there. No attempt to be ‘cooler’ or more metro than what it was, just solid, no-​nonsense Italian-​American food for people from the neighborhood.
The sandwich came, and it was delicious. I was asked if I wanted sweet or hot, or on the side, and I said both on the side — I used up both cups of peppers. In the end, I still don’t know what my preference was — both were equally tasty (pre-​made giardinera, and sweet peppers that seemed to have been roasted freshly). The sauce on the sandwich was great — not too sweet, but just a little sweetness. My only suggestion would be that I would LOVE the mozzarella cheese to be fresh on the sandwich, rather than a glob of melted shredded cheese. Don’t get me wrong, it was tasty, but the fresh stuff, added at the end, and kind of melty, maybe with some fresh basil, would be killer. Also of note were the excellent hand-​cut fries — we ate these with the olive oil, parm, and pepper provided on the table to go with the basket of bread (yum).
I didn’t witness my companions’ food, but they were equally happy. Everything I saw served looked and smelled great. The next test is to try the pizza — hopefully it’s on the same level. I overheard another waitress talking about a seafood pizza and was intrigued. I also really want to try their baked clams; they smelled amazing.
Best part? The three of us ate and had beers for under $ 40 — not bad!
I will absolutely be back — this place is a serious contender for pre-​game snacks, as well as somewhere we’d walk over to have a meal when there aren’t Sox fans around to entertain.