The Little Gem Cafe - Oak Park, Illinois

Sereniti P.

My husband and I have visited this charming spot twice—once for Valentine’s Day and again for our anniversary—and it’s quickly become one of our favorite restaurants in Oak Park. The orecchiette pasta is a standout favorite, and the braised short rib pasta is absolutely incredible! I also fell head over heels for their cappuccinos; they were so good, I’m now tempted to buy an espresso machine just to recreate them at home!

Kisha J.

**NEIGHBORHOOD GEM ALERT**We a party of 12, the restaurant was ready when we arrived. We did not have to wait for the entire party to arrive, we were seated immediately as we arrived. The staff was very accommodating. The manager came over and introduced herself to us and welcomed us to the restaurant. The restaurant is intimate but festive. They have live entertainment on the weekend so that was nice. I recommend the braised short rib. No one complained about their food, but the prime rib needed to be cooked a bit more before it was enjoyable. All in all, it was a good time and I look forward to returning!

Mitchell B.

So we ate here once before, but quite some time ago. We didn’t have a reservation and it a Thursday evening with plenty of seating available. Service was good…nothing exceptional, but good. John was nice and polite…also the bartender. $14 for a sparingly spread of Brie and some figs with some honey on 4 small slices of common bread is pure profit for the restaurant. Skip
Plentiful hummus, but the ration of pita was incorrect. Sea bass was average and chopped salad with salmon was slightly above average. Skip the truffle fries…$14 and sitting in a mess of too much oil.
I’m going to sit this one out next time.

CRAFTY G.

Had brunch after my breast cancer awareness walk on 9/28/24. The little gem omelet and cornbeef hash was a hit with the group. The food was amazing! The atmosphere was spot on! And the service was impeccable! Even got a sweet treat on the house! Thank you so much, The Little Gem,for making this day a bit more special.

Cori H.

This is an addition to my previous review. Instead of addressing the pest infestation, the owner chose to wrongly critique my use of the superlative ‘worst’—which, for the record, is grammatically correct. It’s a shame that deflecting criticism took priority over resolving the actual issue. I’d be very careful to visit this poorly run establishment.

Here is the original review: I've been to this restaurant many times and usually enjoy the food and service. However, my last visit was extremely disappointing and ended with me feeling unwell as I had to vomit upon leaving.

When I was seated, I wasn't offered any bread, and the waiter seemed disinterested in his work. There were only two other groups in the restaurant, so I expected better service. The food took a long time to arrive, and when it finally did, it was both bland and cold.

What upset me the most, though, was when I noticed a roach crawling right next to my plate. I immediately alerted the waiter, who quickly came over to kill it. He then informed me that he would contact a manager while apologizing, explaining that they had recently sprayed, which was the reason for the roaches being present.

After waiting for 25 minutes with no further assistance, the waiter returned with a bill for $135 and a $30 gift card. I politely paid the bill but told him to keep the gift card, as I will not be returning. The service was poor, and the food made me sick shortly after leaving. This was the WORST dining experience I've ever had.

Susan R.

I truly love this Gem in the heart of Oakpark, and absolutely recommend them! The service was exceptional, the food absolutely delicious, the wine was also amazing, thank you for the recommendation! The ambiance
perfect enough to savor the food, enjoy the wine, and enthralling conversation.

I made a reservation and was running very late, i am most grateful to them for accommodating me either way.

I have been here numerous times and will definitely return. I sure recommend them!!!

OQuinn H.

Got the chopped salad with salmon and Chicken noodle soup and ice tea .. food was ok ..price point was a bit high but it worked out

Eileen L.

We came here for a date-night. It's a cute spot with some beautiful French decor, gold, and fresh flowers. Our waitress was very nice and attentive. We started off with the prosecco. They brought out this garlic, buttery, crusty bread. It was so good.
Next, we tried the soup du jour, which was the French onion. It was a cute little crock with the cheese melty and crusty. It was everything that a French onion soup should be. We also tried the tomato bisque. I have to say with confidence that this was the best tomato bisque I've ever had. It was rich and creamy and so flavorful. Each spoonful was like a meal. Next up was the short ribs with the cavatelli pasta. The meat was juicy and tender and full of body and flavor. The pasta was perfect and it had these amazing mushrooms in it.
Last, we had the tiramisu with an espresso spot and a cappuccino. The dessert was decadent, we really enjoyed it. I loved that they used Julius Meinl coffee and espresso. I haven't had this coffee from Vienna in a very long time.
We will be back. This is a perfect anniversary or romantic date-night.