cefalu seaside Sicilian

HAPPY HOUR REVIEWMy partner and I came to Cefalu for their T-F 3-5pm happy hour special. They offer 50% off their food menu (excluding grill portion, veil milanese, and cefalu brick chicken) as well as $5 spritz, house wine (cab and two white options), and domestic beers. WOW! The inside of this restaurant is HUGE! There are multiple dining sections as well as a main bar, cozy lounge, private wine room, and private party space. I loved the open kitchen, art deco/coastal aesthetic, and overall color palette. We started with the two spritz options: aperol spritz and lemoncello spritz. Our first round of drinks were slightly better and more spirit forward than our second round. Next we ordered the arancini and meatball as our starter. These were a good portions for (2) people but would be small for a larger group to share. The arancini had peas and meat mixed in the middle which was a great touch to lighten and brighten the dish. The meatball was dense but i enjoyed the sauce ratio it came with. Next we split the orecchiette pasta and pecorino pizza. The pasta was not my favorite but the pizza was amazing! For all my pizza and ranch people out there, get the truffle cream sauce on the side to dip! *chefs kissOverall, i thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Cefalu. I would certainly come back for the happy hour experience as no where else in the area can compete. Our server Katherine was so sweet and equally was attentive and gave us space to enjoy. My only critique is to make the drinks more consistent tasting.

had a reservation and got seated right away. came around 6:00 and it was a little busy. got seated outside as they asked if we had a preference. started off with some waters. waited a little and then got asked if we wanted some drinks. ordered an appetizer of the bruschetta and was disappointed. i read what it was implying but not what i was expecting. had to pay extra for cheese so we didn't get it. there was one basil leaf and the rest tomatoes which was a lot and made the bread soggy. asked for balsamic on the side and only made it a little better. for entrees we got the filet which was really good id recommended and also got the pasta norma, it was good just was expecting more eggplant. drinks we got a coke and gazosa which was also really good. the inside is really nice just probably would come back for soemthing else. waiting for food did take a bit as well.

The ambiance here was so fancy-chic! You walk into the bar area first which was confusing but once you get seated it's so open and beautiful. The decor was very thought out, from the walls to the plates everything was very Sicilian! The service was great as well our waiter told us every wine pairing for all the food we asked for and the owner came up and greeted us. The food was good! I got the steak and it was cooked to perfection, the potatoes were super good as well, love a good mash. The sides were an extra charge if I wanted more veggies and it was a pricy meal, but overall very good. Would come again but knowing it'll be a pricy dinner!

3.5 - This review is based off of dining in during happy hour (Tuesday - Friday, 3-5pm 50% off food items, not including grilled items and $5 house wines) Cefalu is decorated with calming and breezy seaside vibes. The restaurant is spotless and was designed very well. My fiance and I were here for a late lunch (3:30pm) and we were in and out within an hour and a half. Staff members were attentive and timed everything out well. Our water glasses were replenished multiple times and dirty plates were replaced with clean ones during each course. We both ordered red wines however we didn't realize the 1s we chose were not part of their happy hour deal, oops! Tip - make sure to order a HOUSE wine if looking to partake in the happy hour wine special. For food we started with a Cesar salad. It was a pretty standard Cesar salad but the portion was VERY small. Next we shared the chicken picatta and bucatini cacio e Pepe. The chicken was slightly on the dryer side but the flavors made me look past that. The bucatini is freshly made and cooked al dente. I really enjoyed both dishes. I'm not sure if portions come smaller due to happy hour, but if that is the full portion they seem to be on the smaller side for how pricey it is outside of happy hour.

What a beautiful restaurant! Truly a gem in the suburbs! The ambiance here is so lovely and the food is fantastic--particularly the seafood! You can't go wrong with any dish here and the drinks are also incredible. I will be back!

I visited again with my office colleagues for a social fun dinner! Our drinks especially coconut margaritas were really good. All our appetizers, entree and dessert were also good. Our server was very good with order recommendations and service. Last time, I sat inside closed room and didn't get much time to look around interiors but this time, we got table to near the center of the restaurant and it was nice vibe, especially with live music on. I want to try their happy hour next.

The food was tasty from the seafood appetizer to the pasta with eggplant tasty and fresh love it and will definitely be back

Food absolutely delishService attentive, knowledgeable about food from servers to management Ambiance amazingly upbeat everyone enjoying their time, with celebrations including band with music and dancing in bar area.

Loved hosting my families Baby shower at Cefalu! The ambiance is stunning absolutely gorgeous. Our servers Jenna Michelle and Josie were a 10 out of 10! Sweet kind caring speedy friendly attentive ! They made our experience extremely successful! The setup of the desert, pizzas & gift tables were done beautifully! The food was delicious as well. Thank you for making our day one to remember forever!

Elegance n charm along with amazing food. Stopped in with a fried for happy hour n appetizers. We had the fried calamari which was cheaply n delicious, perfectly cooked. The charcuterie plate has a good selection of Italian meats n cheeses. The desert menu is my favorite... try the cannoli plate. The cannoli chips were crunchy n tasty dipped in the creamy chocolate chip dip. Plus the balsamic strawberries n ice cream were heavenly. Staff was friendly n efficient. Ample parking. Outdoor seating available Happy hour. Live music on weekends.