Avanzare Italian Restaurant

Great authentic Italian food. Tried for lunch & dinner as carry out. Awesome customer service & accommodating to our requests. Fresh quality food & portions are very good. I had 2 favorite Italian Restaurants previously & now I have 3 with Avanzare. I’ll definitely return to try other items on menu.

Very cozy and very Attentive waiters. The food was amazing and also reasonably priced. Will definitely be coming back again. You just have to try it for yourself to understand

New restaurant with great food. Big selection of appetizers. Main courses were big portions and better than expected. Staff very friendly and helpful. Fun place for a date night.

I am staying at the Crowne Plaza a 7 minute walk from the restaurant. I decided to go here after searching for best food near me. I am so glad I chose this. I had one of the best wood fire pizzas I have ever had and some amazing fresh bread and olive oil with my meal. This is an authentic Italian restaurant and feel like a place I ate at in Italy. What made it even better were the extremely reasonable prices! This place is a must visit if you are in the area!

Nice outdoor area, open concept indoor seating with mural of Italian scenery. Service and food are outstanding. Every dish tasted and looked amazing. It was our first time and they were very accommodating and gracious as I requested location of table and brought baloons for a birthday celebration. We look forward to return and bring different friends and family to Avanzare! Thank you for a memorable day for my father in law on his 80th birthday.

Great place to host events or go for date night. So much fun! Ricardo treats his guests like Royalty and the food and drinks are amazing! Every dish we have tried has been out of this world but we absolutely can not leave here without taking home some Butternut Squash Raviolli!

I have been compelled to write my first ever Google review. I called from Minnesota to make a reservation to celebrate my special aunt’s 80th birthday after reading posted reviews. Lucky enough to call the owner Ricardo who saw to it that we had the MOST fabulous evening. The food, wait staff and ambiance were beyond comparison. We were treated like gold. Thank you Avanzare!

Amazing place with amazing food & service. Highly recommend. Good to note: This is a very traditional Italian restaurant, which means they do not overwhelm you with service. They allow you to take your time & if you need something or want the bill, it’s okay to ask. I saw a few posts that mention bad service. I think it’s just a different kind of service from a typical American restaurant. I love it here and, again, would highly recommend it.

The staff handled well the funeral reception hosted by my sister in law. We were served well in an organized fashion. You even provided the to go’s for the leftovers. Thank you so much for the prompt service. I live in Texas. I was just in Lombard for my brother’s funeral.

Avanzare is a breath of fresh air- fine Italian cuisine - delicious everytime! A friendly neighborhood rendezvous:) but still sophisticated, professional, Italian culture- warm & inviting. Thank you to the two owners who are always there and know how to run a great restaurant- bravo!!!!

Avanzarre is absolutely wonderful! Great ambience. Great cocktails. Great food. Can't wait to go back!!

On 2/7/26, we attended a luncheon after a funeral at restaurant. Food was excellent and service was excellent. Group of about 50 and I didn't hear any complaints about food or service.

A truly authentic Italian restaurant. Sadly, we were there after a funeral service. If I'm in the area again, I would definitely go there. Those living in the Lombard area are definitely blessed to have this restaurant available to them.

This is a hidden gem in the western burbs. Very authentic Italian menu and execution, makes us feel like we're back in Rome. All the pastas, breads, and desserts are homemade, even the gelato! Very laid back and unpretentious atmosphere, friendly staff, and fair prices.

Excellent on all levels! Good was fantastic, service was A-1, location was easy to get to. Had a large gathering and they were very accommodating. Recommend highly.

Have been to Avanzare a few times now and we are consistently pleased. We are always greeted with warmth and feel so welcomed and wanted there. The one time that I was not completely, utterly over the top ecstatic with my meal, the management insisted on making me something else!! This is a rare and welcome treatment.from a restaurant that truly cares about what they do.

Delicious old Italian classics, great for dinner and large appetites. Popular with big groups, birthday celebrations, special occasions, etc. l as there always seems to be one or two birthdays being celebrated every time 😊. The crowd is on the slightly older side, with a lot of locals from the surrounding neighborhoods as loyal, returning customers. There is a slightly more formal, serious vibe to the restaurant with its dark interiors, yet it felt comfortable and casual enough for light appetizers and drinks. The different dining rooms offer lots of seating options, accommodating all types of special events/ groups/ whatnot. What I noticed instantly is how much bigger it is on the inside compared to what it looks like from the outside. There's a patio with seating that will open to diners as the weather warms up. The drink menu features great options, and the food is always delicious. It takes some time waiting for your food, but there is always more than enough to take home as leftovers. The staff are attentive, professional, and prompt yet never rush you ☺️. I appreciated the server's suggestions and personal input as it was invaluable to making a decision between my two favorite dishes. Oh, the arancini appetizer is one of my favorite apps! Also, the dessert menu features a lot more than just tiramisu and cannoli- which is always great to see in a classic Italian restaurant. Overall, Avanzare is a great pick for a more serious dinner or birthday celebration with family!

Always excellent food, great specials menu and "Avanzare" cocktail is awesome. Owners are the best and always welcoming.

Absolutely fantastic! Four of us had lunch here yesterday and I cannot say enough about this wonderful gem of a restaurant! To begin, the service was impeccable. Our server was gracious, knowledgeable, accommodating, and I could go on and on. We shared a Margherita pizza to start and it was only a taste of the deliciousness to come. The Salmon Oreganato was so good, as well as the pasta dishes that all of my companions ordered. We were quite full but managed to enjoy Biscotti for dessert. This was our first time here but by no means the last time....already looking forward to another meal at Avanzare.

Came in for the 6th anniversary special (having never been before but wanting to try this place) and BOY! were we happy we did! Our server, Jorge, was attentive, accomodating and friendly. Food was spot on and the variety of drinks kept coming. Nice pairing options too! Will definitely be back! Thank you for an enjoyable meal with grear friends!

I recently held a birthday party in one of the private rooms. Ricardo was very accommodating. Wait staff was efficient and pleasant. Several guests commented on how good the food was. Great place!

One of my favorite restaurants, without a doubt. Great service and great food. I recommend it 100% for an unforgettable afternoon or evening of delicious flavors and a wonderful culinary experience!

We dined at Avanzare right before Christmas. The evening was great. Our server, Ryan, was very professional and friendly. We had the ravioli and the rosticciana. It was delicious. Thank you. We will return!

Staff was kind and patient for such a busy Valentine's Day. Reservation may still mean a wait if it's packed like a holiday, but the food is amazing and the staff is very kind and vigilant! A regular spot for us!

Food was exceptional as always and the service was attentive but never intrusive! If you can sit near the kitchen, the aromas are heavenly and add to the experience! I so much wanted to take a peek and watch the action.

The servers were really nice over here - attentive and polite. I thought the atmosphere was pretty quiet for a Sunday, and the food was good, but also average. The value was incredible - the 6 year anniversary menu was a lot of food for a very reasonable price. The beet salad was decent - the arugula was a little wilted and the beets could have been juicier, but I liked that there was plenty of goat cheese. The chicken was flavorful and there was plenty of veggies and potatoes. I liked the sausage more than the chicken. I didn’t care as much for the dish itself, and after ordering mussels with tomato sauce, I was a little tired of the tomato sauce. I think the pork chop (or a steak, or another pasta dish) would have been better to have for the 6 year anniversary menu. I really enjoyed the creme brulee though, there wasn’t a lot of custard but it came together well.

This is good, if unspectacular Italian food. We both enjoyed our main courses. The lasagna is quite good with lots of sauce, nice and gooey. The pizza was also quite good. The bread that came out the beginning was also good. Again, good solid Italian food, just not something that is far away fantastic.

Overall, a good meal. The service was friendly but it took 90+ minutes for a lunch which I felt was quite long. The food was tasty and decently priced. There are a fair amount of options for vegetarians which is typical of a Italian places.

Second visit was really great. The food was much better. The braised short ribs super tender without being mushy, mashed cauliflower and vegetables really on point, chicken vesuvio flavorful,

First time visiting! We've been to this location, back when it was a different restuarant forever ago. I can honestly say the food at Avanzare is 5x better. The night started slow- took a bit to get drink and food orders in. It was a Friday so I understand it was busy- we were indoors but it was a party outside with large groups. Our waiter was all over the place but the additional waitstaff and even host chipped in to make the night enjoyable. That's it. The only negative thing I have to say. The food was great and ambiance felt warm, welcoming. We started out with the fried seafood appetizer which was seasoned nicely. Between the three of us we ordered the branzino, veal marsala and lamb chops. Branzino was tender and the side of bread soaked that delicious sauce perfectly. Arguable there could be less capers on the plate but thats a minor detail. Veal marsala's mushrooms & potatoes were yummy. I had the lamb chop and I was surprised that I was enjoying the side of brussel sprouts. The cool on the lamb was superb. We ended the night with a caramel gelato and flour-less chocolate cake w/hazelnut gelato. Both desserts hit right and we left without feeling too full but satisfied. Definently hope to come back and try one of their pasta dishes.

First time here, went with the classic spaghetti and meatballs and chicken Parmesan. Both were delicious, large portions. Best part was the excellent service from everyone we encountered especially our server Francisco. Everyone was hospitable and friendly. Will definitely be back!

Nice place never realized it was even there. Food was very good, but not the best Italian i've ever had. Far better than average for the area.

We were in the mode for Italian and asked Google for some help, Avanzare was one of the options. It was a 30-minute drive for everyone. The price point was on the high side for us but not out-of-reach. We arrived and was immediately sat in the bar; in fact, everyone is sat in the bar. The dining room has about twenty tables, and they were two tables being used; the bar also had about twenty tables and every table was sat. I asked the waiter and they do sit the bar area first and overflow into the dining room. With the bar area at near capacity and all hard surfaces it was loud, very loud. The dining room had carpet floor and a coffered beamed ceiling it was tremendously quieter. If you want the energy of a crowded restaurant the bar is great, the dinning room would be a more upscale experience. We started with Calamari Friiti, that is the title of the dish. In smaller print the description is Crispy Fried Calamari, Zucchini,  and herbs. What was served was 70% NOT Calamari, but thin fried zucchini strips, fried rosemary (literally the twig of rosemary in batter and fried), and fried thyme (the thyme was removed from the twig so I could not even find it.), but the waiter said it was there. At $19 we expected more Calamari at least 60%, after all the dish was not called "fried herbs and Calamari". Our table had Spaghetti and Meatballs at $24, the Stuffed Pork Chop special (with Broccoli Rabe) at $27, and I had the Eggplant Parmigiana at $20. I get eggplant Parmesan a lot, it is my favorite Italian dish. $20 is high for eggplant Parmesan, I prefer my eggplant thinly sliced and fried. This is more three eggplant steaks with cheese and red gravy. Not my personal favorite but good. The pasta was so unusual I had to ask about it; the waiter said it is made from scratch in house but the shape in an Italian grocery store would be casarecce. I thought $24 for Spaghetti and Meatballs high but my husband said the Meatballs were excellent. Finally, $27 for one Stuffed Pork Chop also seemed high but it tasted great, the garlic white wine sauce made a tasty glaze. We ordered Tiramisu for the table and one person got the blueberry sorbet. I found the Tiramisu traditional and another person thought the mascarpone cheese was whipped too much. I read a several reviews, most of the reviewers praised the service as outstanding; we found our server disappearing for 30 - 40 minutes; we had to call someone over to order desert and another to get the check.

The best of this restaurant is the service. I had 3 waiters come by every few minutes to add water, to remove the plates, to check on us. I love the grilled octopus for appetizer. The octopus was tender and tasty. The salad was lack of dressing. I didn’t care for the seafood pasta. It was too salty. For dessert, I had tiramisu. They used the real lady fingers. But I hardly tasted the rum. There was patio seating. It was pleasant.

We enjoyed our dining and felt that for the amount we spent, a couple of things could have been better. Warm bread to start... Bar prices were a little steep. IMO Nice staff.

We came to this place because it had very good ratings. I would say the ambience is nice but overall the food was average. We got the manicotti and a mushroom pasta and they were both just okay. The bread didn’t taste that fresh either. I liked the ambience, however they had reps from Jameson walking around passing out samples in the restaurant area which felt a little out of place.

We were seated immediately as we entered at 6:45 and ordered 10 minutes after. However, 2 appetizers (salad and fried zucchini) took 30 minutes. Then they forgot about us and only got our entrees an hour later. Due to the mistake they took off an appetizer (3 pieces of cheese zucchini for $13). The tortelli was underwhelming, wrapped with as little cheese and meat as possible, and forgot the clams. I think it would have been an enjoyable experience had our order not taken so long.

We went with another couple to Avanzare Italian in Lombard. Perhaps others have had good experiences there, but--for us--the food and atmosphere were terrible. Where we were seated, the tables were too close together. And they pushed two together for a large and very loud party. We were practically yelling at each other in an attempt to have a conversation. The food, though reasonably priced, was not good. The wormy-looking dish was mine: Cavatelli vodka with asparagus for $17.95. It was tough and doughy, and the overall dish lacked flavor. My wife had the special: linguini with chopped salmon. The salmon tasted fishy. Good salmon doesn't have a fishy taste or smell. This was our second time at this restaurant. Again, if your experience there was good--great, but we won't be back.

I don't usually find myself in the position of posting a one-star rating very often. Always try my best to find a positive at all the restaurants I visit. But in this case, I felt I needed to get this out there for others as a warning. GO SOMEPLACE ELSE! My wife and I arrived from O'Hare for a long weekend trip to attend a friend's wedding. We were starving and wanted Italian. Reviews looked decent so decided to check it out. Pulling in the parking lot was basically empty on a Thursday night at 6PM. The place next door (a bar) was packed with patrons. It was hard to even tell if this place was even open. Normally this triggers my flight response but we decided that we didn't want to go hunting for food since we had not eaten anything since before 10AM that day. Entering the dark building and seeing the room full of empty tables was the second warning. Again, we paused and should have run the other way. But we are diehard restaurant people so in we went. We were greeted by a friendly staff member and decided to sit outside on the patio since the weather was nice and the lighting inside was dark. The only redeeming quality of the place was the staff. Everyone was super attentive and friendly. My guess is they don't get too many visitors. A total of four different staff members checked in on us. We decided to stick with the basics... I got the grilled chicken on fettuccini alfredo and my wife got the chicken parm. The food redefines the word awful. The fettuccini was probably made the previous week and was so overcooked it turned to paste. My chicken looked like it was frozen and then microwaved. My wife's chicken parm was beaten to death before it was cooked for so long that it actually looked like wrinkled leather. It was only millimeters thick but was still hard to cut through. She didn't finish it. I should have just pushed the dish away but I ate a bunch of it (I was starving). I feel like one of those TV reality show hosts when I say...seasoning...try it sometime. The dishes had no flavor. The reviews said the Tiramisu was good so we grabbed it to go. It was good but based on the structure of the dessert, you could tell it was sourced from a bakery and frozen. But the worst is yet to come...that night, I spent the evening in the bathroom. Yup, you guessed it...food poisoning. Now just over two weeks later I have recovered enough to start going out to eat again. We managed to make it to the wedding but we left early since I was still sick. This place needs to close down and get cleaned out. Fire the "non-cook". It's been over 25 years since the last time I had such an awful experience going out to eat. Next time, I will listen to that flight reaction and run the other way. McDonalds would have been a better choice.

This was our first time visiting and we heard and read good things. We were seated right away; however, it took 30min to get water in our glasses. I talked to the wait staff after 10min, but we still had to wait another 20min. We only had 1 glass at our table, and it was dirty. One of the overhead lights was flashing, which was causing me a headache. Food-wise, our appetizer was fine. My short rib was good. My wife's carbonara was not good at all. She was very hungry and could not finish more than half of it; she was getting sick. It tasted bland and had a strange, slimy texture to me. Overall, there was nothing redeemable about Avanzare. There's no reason I can think to visit this restaurant again. All I was thinking about the whole time is how I'd much rather be at Fire + Win in Glen Ellyn. The food is better, the service is better, the ambiance is better, AND the prices are cheaper!