Club Lucky

on Waubonsie, around 1800-1900 West, Chicago

Score: 81 in April, 1999

A great neighborhood place in a great old building in Bucktown. There's a lively, narrow room which functions as a bar by the front door, which opens up into a larger, nicely decorated main restaurant. They serve Italian food, which I described as New York Style Italian Food because I think its what you would find in an Italian Restaurant in New York or New Jersey. Its not anything too fancy and its not straight from Italy, but its good and reasonably healthy besides. I've always been thrown off by the name (Club Lucky). It sounds like a topless joint or some sort of place where single people go to meet each other.

I liked the food that I had. Grilled Calamari to start with, followed by Penne Arrabiata. The calamari was great and they gave me a generous portion. The Penne Arrabiata was very tasty, with just the right amount of pizazz and the right proportion of sauce to pasta.

Service was reasonably good, although there only seemed to be one waiter working. The busboy was helpful a couple of times when we needed his assistance. The hostess at the front was appropriately attractive.