Zarella Pizzeria & Taverna

Enjoyed a wonderful meal this evening at Zarella. Highly recommend the fried zucchini appetizer, the tavern style pizza and the pasta! What ever you choose on the menu, Chef Katie Kelly and her amazing team will make you a meal you’ll talk … More

I couldn’t wait to try this place, what a letdown. **Calamari:** Poor quality and heavily covered in black pepper and seasoning, which felt like an attempt to mask a mediocre taste. My friend bit into something extremely hard that was deep-fried with the calamari (like a tiny pebble). It caused her gum to bleed and nearly damaged a tooth. We didn’t raise the issue at the time, but we honestly still have no idea what it was and should have said something. **Pizza:** Tasted good at first, but at $30 for two toppings (no meat), it was far too thin and became mediocre once it cooled. The outer edges of the pizza had little to no toppings. Not worth the price. Growing up in Chicago, we had thin crust, but never *this* thin—now it’s apparently called “tavern style.” Once reheated, it just tasted like flimsy crust and lots of cornmeal. Overall, a rip-off. **Fried Zucchini:** Good, but very standard—nothing you wouldn’t find at any decent Greek restaurant. **Tiramisu:** Fine overall, but looked better than it tasted. The flavors didn’t quite come together the way a good tiramisu should. --- ### Pricing & Value A large bottle of Pellegrino was $13, which is honestly insane. That alone told me everything I needed to know. Better restaurants offer higher-quality sparkling water for half the price. This felt like pure price gouging. We paid cash, but be cautious if you pay via QR code/mobile. The system defaults to a **minimum 24% tip**, on top of taxes and surcharges, without clearly presenting an itemized receipt before asking for a tip. I’m a generous tipper, but I don’t appreciate feeling misled or tricked. --- ### Service The staff leaned more “hipster” than professional. Our waitress did not understand that a shrimp/shellfish allergy is different from calamari, and we had to go back and forth explaining it. We were polite, but it was surprising. She then went on to explain cross-contamination with calamari to other nearby tables that mentioned shellfish allergies. Staff were also very quick to clear plates and frequently reached over us while we were still eating. For a place that adds surcharges and charges what it does, better staff training and professionalism should be a baseline. --- ### Atmosphere & Seating The layout is awkward and congested, which probably explains why reservations are hard to get. There were many families with small children (totally fine), but kids were running around, causing noise and traffic. Despite having a reservation made well in advance, we were seated downstairs in a cramped speakeasy area. The only main-floor option offered was a corner high-top near a busy intersection. Kids were occasionally running downstairs into the speakeasy, through the tables, and back out again. Pick your identity—a spot charging $13 for sparkling water shouldn’t feel like Chuck E. Cheese. The bar area felt strange: lots of people standing behind seated guests just talking, almost like they were planted there to make the place look lively or just hanging out Leftovers are boxed for you and placed on an unattended shelf by the front entrance. You’re given a numbered ticket (like a coat check) to match up and grab your food. It felt corny and unnecessary. My $30 pizza was shoved into a tiny box, stacked in layers. I would have preferred boxing it myself. There’s also the risk of someone grabbing the wrong bag or touching your food. --- This feels like an overrated Instagram spot. Americans trying to do Italian. Leave the Italian food to the Italians. For the same price, I’d much rather go to an authentic spot like Volare, get more food, better quality, and better service (and pay half the price for better sparkling water). I wouldn’t go back.

I've eaten a lot of pizza in my time and tavern style (as a Chicago native) is my favorite. Zarella nails it. Could be in the running for my favorite of all time. Keep it simple with pepperoni and sausage IMO. The carbonara pizza was yummy … More

Wow. Amazing food, amazing staff, and love the ambience. We got tavern style pizza, Alla vodka pasta, and calamari which were all an 10/10. Our server was Storm who was so friendly and attentive (along with the rest of the staff). Already can’t wait to be back! More

Very happy with my experience overall. That chicken piccata is INSANE. Such a perfect combination with the sweet lemon slices on top. Chris was our server. He provided us with all the right recommendations and catered to our requests. The … More