Best Gluten Free Restaurants in Downers Grove

We were seated right away at our scheduled time, our server was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu, she made sure that our appetizers, soup, and the meal were timed perfectly, and followed up to ensure everything was as we ordered. She checked in periodically to make sure all was well and if we required anything additional. All in all, it was a great dining experience.

The food was amazing and the service was great! It did feel like we were at a Cooper's Hawk, though, and not an Italian restaurant. Another thing that was similar to a past Cooper's Hawk experience was that we had to wait 15 minutes with a reservation. The restaurant was fairly empty at 4:00 pm and the hostess told us they're just clearing our table when we checked in right at our reservation time, but we still had to wait 15 minutes to be seated. Not really a big deal, but it's not a pleasant experience when you had a time reserved and you're waiting fairly long to finally be seated. We had the Pasta Fagioli, which was fantastic, and the short rib papardelle and rigatoni alla vodka, both of which were soooo good and light. It didn't feel heavy like normal when eating pasta. The chocolate hazelnut cake and gelato trio was also delicious! Our server, Robert R., was friendly and helpful! He didn't rush us at all and was honest and knowledgeable. The restaurant is in the Oak Brook Mall area, so parking can be a challenge.

From beginning to end, it was a great dinner. We arrived early for our reservation so found seats at the bar. Cocktails were all very good. They had a great list of mock tails too. Violi has a really cool vibe, but the conversation is loud if that bothers you. Great service. Plates are designed to share and all 6 of us did. We liked everything we tried from the lamb shank to branzino and the mousaka. Will definitely return !

West coast oysters were terrific. Crabmeat avocado was delicious. The fillet was excellent as was the WR cut and a lobster tail for the table. We were celebrating Moms 97th birthday and server Diana was very gracious and give the table two walnut chocolate chip cookies topped with vanilla ice cream whipped cream and chocolate sauce. It was an excellent topper to a terrific evening.

This was my second visit to the restaurant and it was another great experience. I, again, had the pleasure of being serviced by Alex. He is such a breath of fresh air; he’s naturally polite and remains professional. I chose the steak pasta from the lunch menu. The sauce was very flavorful and the steak was succulent. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I also tried the Martini Trio of the Month. Again, each one was delicious! The atmosphere in the dining room was very pleasing to the eye. I’m looking forward to my next visit!