Elina's sits on a corner of West Grand Avenue in West Town, an intimate room serving fine Italian cooking under two chef-owners, Ian Rusnak and Eric Safin.
Rusnak came up through Blackbird, NoMI, and Restaurant Marc Forgione before working the line at Carbone and ZZ's Clam Bar. He later served as Culinary Director at Hogsalt, overseeing the openings of 4 Charles Prime Rib and Bavette's Steakhouse and Bar, and held a back-of-house operations role at the New York group Quality Branded. Safin's background runs through a saucier post under Jean Georges, time as chef of ZZ's Clam Bar, work alongside Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi developing The Pool and The Grill Rooms at the Seagram Building, and most recently Restaurant Veronika, where he cooked alongside Stephen Starr.
Opinions on Elina's split sharply — regulars describe the food, service, and atmosphere as consistent and authentic, while others report inconsistent service and uneven pasta execution, with strong loyalists on one side and vocal detractors on the other. The Michelin Guide has selected Elina's for its Chicago guide in 2022, 2024, and 2025, and The Infatuation has reviewed the restaurant, scoring it 7/10.
Rusnak came up through Blackbird, NoMI, and Restaurant Marc Forgione before working the line at Carbone and ZZ's Clam Bar. He later served as Culinary Director at Hogsalt, overseeing the openings of 4 Charles Prime Rib and Bavette's Steakhouse and Bar, and held a back-of-house operations role at the New York group Quality Branded. Safin's background runs through a saucier post under Jean Georges, time as chef of ZZ's Clam Bar, work alongside Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi developing The Pool and The Grill Rooms at the Seagram Building, and most recently Restaurant Veronika, where he cooked alongside Stephen Starr.
Opinions on Elina's split sharply — regulars describe the food, service, and atmosphere as consistent and authentic, while others report inconsistent service and uneven pasta execution, with strong loyalists on one side and vocal detractors on the other. The Michelin Guide has selected Elina's for its Chicago guide in 2022, 2024, and 2025, and The Infatuation has reviewed the restaurant, scoring it 7/10.