On Touhy Avenue in Skokie, Buona serves its Italian beef the way the Buonavolanto family has since 1981: Top Sirloin dry roasted for hours, the drippings turned into a natural gravy, and sweet or hot peppers as options. The Combo Beef & Sausage adds charbroiled Italian sausage to the sandwich, and the Vegan Italian Beef comes as a sandwich or a bowl. The restaurant opened in June 2020 and shares its space with The Original Rainbow Cone, and Skokie Catering has served offices, schools, healthcare teams and families around Skokie, Lincolnwood, Niles, Morton Grove and Evanston.
The family story starts in Berwyn in 1981, and the beef recipe from that first restaurant has never changed. Fresh pasta is cooked to al dente and served with the family marinara, a recipe passed down through the generations.
Looking for another Buona? Visit Harwood Heights, Oak Park or Rosemont, or view all Buona locations.
“Chicago’s Best Beef Tournament returns, and Buona Beef is ready for their title defense.”
Top Sirloin dry roasted for hours and served in a natural gravy from its own drippings, with sweet or hot peppers as options.
A single-bowl meal of Italian beef and sausage laced with veggies and cheese.
Made to order in a 10-inch size with fresh whole milk mozzarella, with a cauliflower crust as a gluten-free option.
Westfield Old Orchard is a short drive from the restaurant, which makes Buona an easy stop between stores or on the way home from errands. An Italian beef, a Chicago-style hot dog or a tavern-style pizza covers lunch or dinner without a detour. The Skokie restaurant on Touhy Avenue has a drive-thru for a quick Italian beef sandwich on the go, and guests who want to sit down can dine in, with outdoor seating available too. Takeout and delivery are available, and you can order online ahead for pickup. It is a fast food stop that goes well beyond the basics, with burgers, chicken sandwiches, salads and pasta alongside the Italian beef.
Skokie is home to the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center, Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park, Emily Oaks Nature Center and the Skokie Heritage Museum, and Buona is a convenient place to eat before or after a visit. The menu has room for every kind of appetite, from a burger or a Buffalo Chicken sandwich to a made-to-order salad. Families can dine in after a museum stop or a walk through the park, kids have a menu of their own, and the drive-thru keeps things simple on the way home. Buona is an Italian beef restaurant first, and the Skokie menu also covers Chicago-style hot dogs, tavern-style pizza, pasta, protein bowls and chicken sandwiches.
Browse the full menu to see everything on offer.
Evanston, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, Wilmette and Glenview all sit within easy reach of Touhy Avenue. Lunch can be a meatball sandwich or an Italian sausage, dinner can be pasta with the family marinara, and the Vegan Italian Beef covers anyone at the table who skips meat. Neighbors can pick whatever fits the day: dine in with the family, grab takeout, have an Italian beef sandwich delivered, or pull through the drive-thru in Skokie. A Rainbow Cone shop inside the restaurant means dessert is covered too.
Where is Buona located in Skokie?
Buona is at 3754 W Touhy Ave, Skokie, IL 60076, on Touhy Avenue in Skokie, with parking on site.
Is Buona near Westfield Old Orchard?
Yes. Westfield Old Orchard is a short drive from the restaurant, so Buona works as a meal stop before or after shopping.
Is Buona close to the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center?
Yes. The Skokie restaurant is conveniently close to the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center, along with Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park, Emily Oaks Nature Center and the Skokie Heritage Museum.
Which communities are near Buona in Skokie?
Evanston, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, Niles, Wilmette and Glenview are all close to the Skokie restaurant on Touhy Avenue.
What makes Buona’s Italian beef different from other Italian beef in Skokie?
Our Italian beef is made old-school. Top Sirloin is dry roasted for hours, and the drippings become a natural gravy, with no bouillon, lard or preservatives added. It is the original family recipe the Buonavolanto family has followed since 1981, and it works for lunch or dinner on Touhy Avenue. Sweet or hot peppers are available as options. See the Italian beef.
Can I get Italian beef with sausage, or a meatless version?
Yes. The Combo Beef & Sausage puts Italian beef and charbroiled Italian sausage on one sandwich. The Vegan Italian Beef is labeled vegan on the menu and comes as a sandwich or a bowl, and the Beef & Sausage Bowl is a single-bowl meal laced with veggies and cheese. See the protein bowls.
Does the Skokie Buona have a drive-thru?
Yes. The Skokie restaurant has a drive-thru, and parking is available on site for guests who would rather come inside.
Is Buona open for lunch and dinner in Skokie?
Yes. Buona serves lunch and dinner every day, and the current hours are listed in the Restaurant Hours section at the top of the page.
Does Buona serve pizza in Skokie?
Yes. Tavern-style pizzas come in a 10-inch size and are made to order with fresh whole milk mozzarella. The cauliflower crust is a gluten-free option.
Does Buona serve burgers and hot dogs?
Yes. The cheeseburger is a broiled all-natural sirloin patty with American cheese on a buttered brioche bun, and the Chicago-style hot dog is all-natural beef on a steamed poppyseed bun with the classic Chicago toppings. See the Chicago-style hot dog.
What salads does Buona serve in Skokie?
Every salad is made to order and comes with Chicago French bread and all-natural house dressings, with no artificial colors or flavors. Choose from the Chopped Chicken Salad, the Mediterranean Chicken Salad, the Apple Cranberry Walnut (Tuscan Harvest), the Char-Grilled Chicken Caesar, the Spicy Chicken Ranch, the Crispy Chicken Salad, a Classic Caesar or a side house salad. See all the salads.
Which chicken sandwiches does Buona have?
Chicken is either char-grilled or lightly breaded and fried. The menu includes the Grilled Chicken, Avocado Jack, Fried Chicken and Buffalo Chicken sandwiches, plus the Vodka Chicken Parmesan and Chicken Caesar cutlet sandwiches, which use thinly breaded cutlets. See the chicken menu.
Does Buona have pasta?
Yes. The pasta is fresh, never dried, and cooked to al dente. The Rigatoni Marinara is finished with fresh basil and imported cheese, and the marinara is the family recipe handed down through the generations. See the pasta menu.
Are there vegan or gluten-free choices?
The Vegan Italian Beef is labeled vegan on the menu, as a sandwich or a bowl. The cauliflower crust pizza is a gluten-free option. Pastas and salads are not vegan, and the nutrition and allergens page lists ingredient details.
Does Buona have a kids menu?
Yes. Kids meals include the Kids Buona Beef Meal, the Kids Hot Dog Meal, the Kids Cheese Pizza Meal, Kids Grilled Chicken Strips and Kids 3 Piece Chicken Tenders.
Does Buona cater in Skokie?
Yes. Skokie Catering has served offices, schools, healthcare teams and families in Skokie, Lincolnwood, Niles, Morton Grove and Evanston.
