My family has lived in Little Italy for almost 100 years so I havent had much of a chance to eat in any of the local restaurants. But now that my Grandma, Great Aunt and Uncle have passed away, I can now try them out.
Maxi's is my favorite, although Il Baccio is close. Gilbert has some great dishes on the menu. When we were there, we had Pizza and sat at the bar, it was a nice but slightly crowded atmosphere. While waiting for our pizza, we could see them preparing the other dishes and they would tell us what each one was...Goat Cheese Ravioli...awww, yeah!
Here's a tip: come early so you dont feel so crowded. The neighborhood fills up fast on a warm summer night!
If you are a CWRU student, I believe they offer you a discount on your meal.