Cafe La Cave

s from start to finish. Randy and his staff are INCREDIBLE. The process was fun, easy and enjoyable from the very beginning. We are so grateful for everyone at Cafe la Cave for giving us our DREAM wedding. We had everything we envisioned and more. BRIDE'S- If you are looking for your dream venue, look no further than Cafe La Cave. You will feel like a fairy tale princess! Thank you, Thank You, for making our big day the most special, perfect, care-free and wonderful day of our lives. We love you guys!

a Cave I felt like I was walking into a fairytale. It was absolutely beautiful. I am so happy that we had the wedding here - I would not have changed a thing. Wedding food is normally just wedding food but I had compliments from everyone at the wedding how delicious the food was - especially serving so many people. Thank you Randy and Cafe La Cave for making my kids special night extra special - and for me too! Sandi Szulkowski

ntown wedding (which sadly my budget couldn’t afford) but this venue and the team were far better than anything I had ever dreamed. Randy, Carrie, and Kim are the most amazing team and they really made me feel like the most special bride in the world throughout the whole process. They really understood what I wanted and because they are a family owned venue, they were extremely accommodating and flexible in any requests- they really make an effort to make every wedding different and unique. The rehearsal was actually fun for everyone and the day of I was not worried at all about any logistics. I knew the team had it covered and could handle any last minute issues without stressing me out. The highlight of the night was Randy, 100%. He was the emcee and coordinator and made the entire night flow perfectly. From queuing up speeches, keeping the food on schedule (by the way the food was AMAZING), and doing all of the introductions, he really made the night seem so easy and super special. He is also a man of MANY talents and actually sang a few songs with the band. At least 10 people came up to me throughout the night to compliment him and someone asked me, and I quote “who is Uncle Randy and how do I get one?”. Finally, I will just say that our wedding night was the best night of our lives. So many guests, of all different ages, told me it was by far the best wedding they have ever been to. I could go on and on about all the things I loved, but I will just leave it at this: if you want to have the best wedding ever and leave your guests raving, have it at Cafe La Cave!

vendors were even pretty solid. Everything went off without a hitch on the big day, which was also very important to us. The pricing was also great, which along with the quality of the venue, makes me certain that we made a good choice. It was too hot outside for any of our guests to use the outdoor porch area, but there was plenty of room inside for our 200-ish guests. Highly recommended!

pared to other venues in the Chicago area hit the bill! It was more affordable, had great food, more options in the bar (they had one bar package but was great). I did not initially realize how many "add-ons" there would be, but Randy the coordinator, worked with us and was flexible in understanding what we wanted to spend. Also, some of the add-ons were worth adding! I did not realize how helpful it would be to work with Randy throughout the process! He knew what looked good, and he helped the reception run smoothly. Many guests commented how beautiful the venue was and how great the food was, and just that the whole evening flowed well and timely. Randy had many recommendations of other vendors. We used his recommended DJ and he was LITERALLY THE BEST. The dance floor was packed the entire night, even guests that I've never seen dance at weddings before. You will not be disappointed with this venue and your experience there!!

else's wedding. We had 212 guests and everyone stated the food was the best they've had at a wedding. Randy, Kim, and Carrie are the best of the best. They did so much for us so we didn't have to. Randy always gave his honest opinions. Seeing our ceremony and reception was honestly a dream come true! The whole night went as smooth as can be, we didn't have to worry about a thing!

h a memorable evening for us and our guests. It is so elegant and the service is phenomenal. We had the Baby Grand Ballroom for cocktail hour and then the Main Ballroom for dinner and dancing. Everything was just perfect. The food was also to die for. From our initial tasting to our wedding day, the food and sweets were great. The waitstaff was absolutely amazing throughout the entire cocktail hour and dinner - we received many compliments from our guests! Many thanks to Randy for all of his help - he is efficient, responsive and gets the job done well. The evening ran extremely smoothly all thanks to him - Randy works with you through the whole planning process! He also had great recommendations for other vendors, all of which were exceptional. We are so thankful and would highly recommend Cafe La Cave to anyone that is thinking about having their wedding or special event there.

enting all night long! I cant wait to go back to have dinner there and hopefully be a guest at a wedding there! Hands down the best around!

rfect! Most people say that something will always go wrong on your wedding day....well if you have a wedding here, I can promise you, nothing will go wrong. I had the most fun and incredible time at my wedding. Randy also knows everyone in the business, and really knows how to create a magical night! I totally recommend everyone to check t his place out! And Randy, Thanks for all the little surprises you threw in throughout the night!

ce at Cafe la Cave. Carrie and Randy were awesome to work with! The helped guide us with their expertise. Thank you for making our dream wedding come true!

! From our very first meeting with Carrie, she made us feel welcome and answered all the questions we had. The planning phase with Randy was amazing as well. He goes over every single detail with you to make sure you're getting exactly what you want. We changed the color scheme at our last meeting with him and I could not have been happier with how it turned out, it looked gorgeous! He was so helpful with all the questions I had and we could not have had a better experience planning our special day with him. The food was unreal .. Every single person we talk to can't get over how good the food was. The venue is elegant and classy and conviently located-close enough to the city but not too far for people in the north suburbs. We cannot thank everyone at Cafe La Cave for making our day unforgettable and perfect!

e en Croute); the first and second courses were sensational (Lobster bisque and Walnut salad); and the entrees were something out of a culinary masterpiece (filet, chicken combo and salmon). Our guests could not stop talking about the great food and how quick it served. 2. The drinks never stopped flowing:: Our guests enjoyed top shelf liquor all night - even through dinner! 3. The atmosphere was classy, upscale and something out of a dream! Carrie and her team took our vision and transformed it to honestly the most beautiful room I have ever seen. We're still getting calls and texts of how gorgeous the room was and how our event was magazine worthy. 4. Carrie and Randy:: These two are worth their weight in gold! For any bride who works with Randy - LISTEN TO HIM! This man is a GENIUS when it comes to the layout and flow of a wedding. And Carrie was so helpful that we felt unbelievably at ease when we handed her the reigns. Both of them are great at what they do and made our wedding immaculate. **And this is a HUGE ONE:: Believe in Randy's methods! Randy pitched us a new format to how the wedding would pan out - and both my (now) Husband and I were extremely skeptical. But Randy was adamant, and insisted that "He only had one shot to make our wedding memorable" and that this layout would work. We trusted him, and we are so happy we did! Our dance floor was packed the ENTIRE night, all our guests ate the dessert and we had everyone's attention when it came to our Father/Daughter and Mother/Son dances.. so again, TRUST RANDY! He will not steer you wrong. We could not be happier that we had our wedding at Cafe La Cave. From the food/drinks and service, to the beautiful atmosphere and gorgeous decor! We will be forever grateful to everyone at Cafe La Cave and hope that when people read this, they will take a chance!

Every detail was taken care of...we never had to worry about anything--they covered it...100%. We along with everyone of our guest had a fantastic time...and the food...OH the food... it was DELICIOUS!!! The filet, salmon, chicken and vege en croute were fantastic. The service was beyond exceptional!!! We highly recommend Cafe La Cave to anyone looking for outstanding service, excellent food and a beautiful venue!!! They treat you as if you are family!!!! Thank you to Randy, Carrie and staff for making our day even more special than we had ever dreamed it could be!!!!!!

e felt like part of the family. They were so kind and patient with us, they worked with our budget, and just made our big day so wonderful. We spent the extra money to hire their planner, Randy, who was just a blessing for us. He helped us with every step of the planning and made sure everything was perfect the day of. We were so beyond happy with Cafe La Cave and suggest it to everyone we know who is planning a wedding.

hey had and how it was the best wedding they have ever been to! We have nothing but extremely positive things to say about La Cave. I first want to thank Randy Sutter for all of his hard work and time spent with us helping to make our wedding perfect. From the moment I stepped in to Cafe La Cave last year, I knew that it was the perfect place for our wedding. Randy was professional and friendly during our first meeting and his attention to detail, knowledge and creativity was above and beyond what I was expecting. Through our 13 months of planning, he was attentive and always available to answer my questions and concerns. He had suggestions and ideas to help me when I was indecisive or unsure about something. He sat down with us on numerous occasions going over every detail (linens, centerpieces, music, decor, etc!). His incredible coordinating skills truly made the night go SO smoothly! His itinerary of the evening was unique and worked amazingly!!! THANK YOU Randy for making us feel so comfortable and helping make our wedding AMAZING! In addition to Randy, the staff at Cave La Cave was wonderful! Everyone was courteous and professional.. the service was fantastic!! The food was beyond delicious! Our waiter during the reception was fabulous making sure we had everything we needed or wanted and was extremely courteous and professional! Cafe La Cave was amazing and made me feel so special! After the last song played, the lights turned on and none of our guests wanted the night to end!! Cafe La Cave was the castle to this princess's dream wedding! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

ing, the backdrop, the decor, the service, and most importantly, our wedding coordinator, Randy! As soon as I met Randy, I knew we were a great team! I would describe my vision, as crazy as it was, and he always seemed to understand just what I wanted! His suggestions were spot on! After all, he is the expert! What really made Randy standout amongst other coordinators that I met with was his knack for music. One of my biggest concerns with our wedding was that people weren't going to have fun on the dance floor! How can you ensure that people will dance all night? Randy, being a musician himself, had so many suggestions on bands, musicians for cocktail hours and even on what specific songs to play in which order! Randy put together the BEST music set after our first dance! He selected a series of songs that he ensured would keep people on the dance floor! Boy was he right! I even questioned one of his song selections, but he reminded me that I wasn't the only one on the dance floor and again he was right! That was the song that was needed to keep the flow! We couldn't have been happier with the turn out on the dance floor! We even had some people tell us it was the best music they have ever heard at a wedding! There was something for everyone to enjoy! From the cocktail hour pianist and string bass that Randy suggested to the amazing food and bar! The bar!!! Everyone said they've never seen a bar like it! If your guest wanted it, La Cave had it! Renaldo, our personal waiter, was incredible! He was at my every beck and call! What a Gem! When Randy wasn't available, which was a rare occasion since he always makes time for the bride, Carrie stepped in and took care of any and all of my concerns! Big shout out to Gus as well! The Cafe La Cave family is just that...family! They sure know how to make a bride (and her Sis and Mom) feel special!! Everything was just beyond beyond beyond! Can you tell we're still on cloud nine?!? La Cave will always have a special place in our hearts! :) I Can't help but be sad that Randy has new brides to work with, but at least we now always have somewhere delicious to go for our anniversaries!!!

vious reason why he is recruited all over to work on weddings. He made our ceremony and reception more amazing than we could have ever imagined. And because of all his experience and involvement our day was completely stress free and we were able to enjoy the reception with our family and friends. He was there to guide us and make sure everything was done smoothly and in a timely manner. In addition to Randy, the staff at la Cave were extremely professional as well. Everyone worked as a team to make our wedding special for us and our guests. And the food was amazing! Our guests raved that it was the best they ever had. Overall, our wedding is something that we will never forget because it was the most beautiful and enjoyable experience for all involved.

m looked amazing, the food was unbelievably delicious, service, decor were all just perfect, No detail was missed — even better than we ever could have imagined. The special touches resulted in an elegant and fun evening for all ages! I will recommend Cafe la Cave to everyone! Randy, who helped coordinate everything, was invaluable to me!

or. Randy is very nice and knowledgeable. The best is that he knows many different vendors where when we wanted recommendation on getting something we want he is able to either recommend someone or even book it for us, for a good price! That was more than we expected from a venue coordinator. Randy has been doing this for a long time so he is very experienced. However, he likes to do things in a certain way and he will persuade you to follow him. If you are open to it it will work out great but if you have something else in mind, you will need to strategically discuss it with him (which is what we did in our case and it worked out fine!). With that said, the flow of the night went great and Randy had everything to do with it to make it exactly how we wanted it as we needed our night to be fastly paced. He was in particular helpful with rehearsing for our ceremony! He did another rehearsal the day of the wedding (without my request) so everyone involved has all the practice they needed. The flower girls and ring bearer would not have performed perfectly if it hadn't for the rehearsals! The sweet table we ordered from them we SO MUCH more than we expected! There is coordinator fee and captain fee we need to pay. At first we weren't sure why we are paying for it but when we have received such good service the entire night we knew it was worth it. When we are exhausted and tipsy by the end of the night,the captain already have everything loaded onto a huge chart for us to take to our car! THAT definitely was a life saver at that point of the night. Almost forgot, food definitely was better than what is expected from a banquet hall, and the package included BOTH soup and salad (usually just either one). Great quality for the cost

t-of service, we had a wonderful experience. The food was excellent, the wait staff was attentive, and the overall flow of the night was spot on. Randy was great to work with, and he clearly knows his business. I was a bit concerned when he had me think outside the box about the flow of the evening, but I am SO GLAD I listened! The dance sets he suggested were a ton of fun, and my guests had a ball! The entire Cafe La Cave staff really helped our vision of a perfect wedding become a reality. Our guests continue to compliment us on such a great party!

olutely fabulous. The place itself is GORGEOUS--so much old world charm. They are very willing to work with you in every way, shape and form. The service the give you for the price the charge is absolutely unbeatable ANYWHERE. I would instantly choose them to host another event for me. The whole night, I had guests coming up to me over and over telling me "this is the most fun wedding I've ever been to!" I think that speaks volumes for Cafe La Cave.

lked into Cafe La Cave, I fell in love. The inside is absolutely gorgeous and it was the perfect location for our wedding. Randy may seem a bit extreme at first but it is true that all he really wants is for each wedding to be amazing. He worked with us every step of the way, whether it was about linens, our budget or even the sign so people would know where our guestbook was. It is clear that many people have their weddings here, but Randy made it seem as though we were the only ones getting married this year. He put so much time and energy into preparing our wedding that we felt so special. On the day, Randy ensured that everything was perfect...down to the last touch. He let my husband and I see the ceremony area before the guests arrived and I cried so much...it was absolutely stunning. The servers and the Captain were wonderful as well, ensuring that our guests had everything they needed and that they were having a great time. The ceremony, the cocktail hour and the reception were perfect and I could not have asked for anything more. We had an amazing wedding that people are STILL talking about twenty days later! PERFECTION!

dible food is years long, and the sales person I initially spoke with was NOT a sales person trying to sell me the world. Tina was trying to help me have a beautiful day. I was SO excited about having my wedding here. And then Tina left on medical leave (Godspeed, friend). Disorganization ran amok, owners decided their time and ego were way more precious than fulfilling customer expectations, and the next 6 months of sheer panic and anxiety set in. Now, Brides, if you have zero specific details for your wedding and would prefer to have someone tell you how THEY see YOUR day going, then stop reading. The food was outstanding, the service was inconsistent but still more top notch than most places, the elegance of the venue is undeniable, and the bartenders are a part of the party!! But, Brides, if you do have specific details that are personal and unique touches you want for your day, then STAY AWAY. You will learn, Randy is the bride, not you. After Tina left, calls and emails were not returned in a timely manner. I worked in business, and even now that I am a teacher, the universal protocol is that calls to clients, or bosses, or parents, are returned within 1 day. Oh no, not here…I was told that was an unrealistic expectation because they are soooo busy. After many days of calling and leaving messages that, admittedly, got more hostile as more time passed and no call was returned, I was told (scolded with a raised voice is more like it) by Randy that HIS business is premier and that I should be grateful I am having my wedding here. At that point, I should’ve just sucked up the loss on the deposit and ran, but I didn’t because, naively, I thought things would get better. The week of the wedding when we went to drop off things I had worked on for months, Randy didn’t want to see any of it because he said that our salesperson would call me to go over everything. He wanted to go over HIS itinerary. Yes, you pay $500 (cash) for him to be your MC...and guess what, he's in all the damn pictures!! I never got a phone call to follow up...I emailed all the details because I would not have access to email after that day, and I asked that I be contacted at my phone number. Again, naively, I figured they had it under control. Instead, I walked into my reception and found that NOTHING was the way I had asked it to be set up, and Randy's standard answer was "It works better this way". NO! They effed up and wouldn't admit it (see my Yelp review for details). I should not have gone to my wedding and been stressed out by details...small or not, they were MY details, that I wanted to make my wedding more unique. It didn't look unique, and I was unhappy. Now that I'm looking at my photo proofs, I have found more mistakes. While the value of the place is great, the food is amazing and the venue is beautiful, it is NOT WORTH dealing with them. Oh yeah, he also broke one of my candleholders, and informed me so very nonchalantly....way to be professional. My guests had a good time, but my mom and I did not because we knew it could've been better. My day is forever going to be bittersweet to me because the venue did not follow through on their promises. Stay away if you want to include personal unique touches.

e and profound experience I encountered and of my fortunate selection of this exceptional banquet facility. My wife and I could not be more delighted in every aspect of our daughter’s special day.) _____________________________________________________ The art of serving a customer has never been more prevalent than at Café la Cave in Des Plaines, Illinois. So often, we, as customers or guests, are attended in some type of rotational manner amongst a number of tables assigned to a wait staff. The wines usually arrive within a timely manner, the dinner is served, the coffee is poured, and one leaves with no distinction between one dinner venue to another. For a wedding venue to be distinct, the banquet hall has to be extraordinary. This distinction is found at Café la Cave. Without a doubt, Café la Cave is that extraordinary. Customer Service From the moment you walk in the door, you are welcomed as if you are an important VIP to enter that night. You are cordially escorted to your dining area, the chair is pulled out for you, and an introduction to whom is your maître d’ as well as your wait staff and sommelier are accomplished. (Usually, I have to ask for names.) Your coffee cup never runneth empty, and your wine glass is never unattended. If you leave your seating during your meal, a warming cover is amply placed to preserve your dinner at the intended temperature. The staff that serves you could not be more responsive and caring to your dinner enjoyment. The staff is seasoned and has waited on the likes of celebrities to politicians who know of this hidden jewel. Never do you feel rushed or as if you are waiting. The service is exquisite. Dining Experience Aperitifs and drinks are readily available while an array of delectable Hors d’oeuvres are served expeditiously throughout the reception. The sampling of flavorful delights succumbs only to the anticipation of your main entrée which is not only artistic in its presentation but bountiful in flavor as you acquiesce to the subtle spices and light sauces that define each and every bite. Prior to your entree’s arrival, no ordinary salad will do. Café la Cave offers special pasta dishes that establish a new sensation in the revelations of fine dining as well as a cucumber wrapped balsamic salad that is light and flavorful. You are left intrigued with the heavenly feast which awaits as your main course is soon to arrive. No matter what the entrée may be, I have only known it to be as close to perfection as one can imagine. Adorned with complimenting light sauces, each of two succulent breasts of chicken titillates your senses to the degree that would make any restaurateur beg for the recipe. The filet mignon and steaks make you forget about any of the best steak houses. The Atlantic salmon and the Chilean sea bass are unquestionably fan favorites as you surrender to the salacious pleasures of your dining experience. As for the consistent slew of drinkers in your party, the bar doesn’t close while dinner is served. The libations and signature drinks pour freely. The bar remains open the entire night through. Your guests will not need to have rows of drinks set at the table in military formation. At ease soldier. Everyone can relax. Customer Satisfaction When pr

ing about the beauty of the space, the courtesy of all staff, the attention to detail at every corner and the food! Everything was just perfect and Carrie & Randy (the wedding coordinator) were amazing and there for us the entire planning process. We've visited many venue places but none stood out to us like "the Cave". Our wedding reception was spectacular and we were treated like "stars" the entire time.

dding they have ever been too. I highly recommend having your wedding at Cafe la Cave banquets or any other event. The amount you spend for this place is well worth it!

son at Café La Cave. From Day one, this place was unbelievable to work with. Café La Cave told us from the beginning that they would give us a “Chicago Style” wedding reception for half the price. They delivered on that promise! My grandma told me that it was the most elegant wedding she had been to in her life. My aunt told me that it was a nicer wedding than some “hoity-toity” wedding in New York City that she and my uncle went to last year. I have had at least a dozen people tell me that the food was unbelievable and the filet melted in their mouths. Two of the three people that received a vegetarian plate told us that it was the best vegetarian plate of food that they have ever had at a wedding. We looked at over 20 reception halls in the Chicago area before picking Café La Cave. We would have made a HUGE mistake had we not chosen to go with Café La Cave. We have had so many of our guests compliment this place on the service, quality of the food, elegance of the room and overall fun of the night. The staff at Café La Cave is unbelievable. I have not had better service in my life. They were very professional, very attentive and were so very accommodating. If you’re looking for an awesome reception venue, you have to look at this place. And, when they say they will give you the best wedding reception, they mean it. And they will deliver on that promise. You will have zero regrets by going with this place. As far as the price goes, they rate very well with many other reception halls in Chicago and are much cheaper than anything that you’ll find in the city. We have been to weddings in the city and they were not nearly as nice and elegant as Café La Cave.

ing the wedding run smoothly without any worries.

. Randy (the wedding coordinator there) made sure that noone entered and saw the Grand Ballroom before my husband and I did. He was a step ahead of us all night making sure we knew what was to come next. And really helped us relax and enjoy the night. We are just about to celebrate our 2nd anniversary and on our 1st we went to dinner at Cafe La Cave. We were treated just as special on our anniversary, one year later. It is our tradition to go to dinner there for our anniversary. There is not one bad thing that I could say about Cafe LA CAve, or any of their staff except I was sad when the night was over. I would do it again exactly the same a million times over with them. They were wonderful to us!