Extremely delicious. Some of the best gnocchi I ever had. Customer service was great and it was classy, chic, and elegant inside. They had a little patio area that was fun to sit and people watch. Good wine. Amazing pasta. The bruschetta was extra tasty, it was soft, different than I've had. A little on the pricey side but it was worth it! read more

Delicious and delightful. I look forward to returning. The patio seating area does accommodate the chilly temps with heat ventilation overhead. read more

Acanto - Tre Colombe - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Fantastic! Awesome food, great service. We were late and they even held our table for us. Make a reservation and go. read more

Acanto - The risotto special - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Acanto had great food and service. It was definitely the highlight if my trip in chicago. read more

Acanto - Classic Tiramisu - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Fantastic! Starter of house-made meatballs over tomato sauce (polpette of beef, veal, and pork in pomodoro with shaved parmigiano) paired with foccacia definitely hit the spot. Unexpected delicious surprise -- bread served with seed parmesan crisps! Special of whole brazino and risotto. We tried the seasonal risotto which was definitely overcooked. Neither al dente nor sticky. It was literally a soupy liquid with a few asparagus stalks. The chicken piccatta was ever-so-lightly battered over a cream caper sauce. Again with the overcooked broccolini! Generally a great experience with the lit candle and beautiful furniture read more

Beautiful restaurant! Great service. Perfect food. Fav restaurant! Lovely comfortable environment. read more

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Acanto was the highlight of my Chicago trip. I have not had food this good in a long time! Acanto is in a great location near the park and had outstanding food and service. We ordered a little bit of everything and shared among our group. Everything we ordered was so, so good. We started with the marinated olives, the burrata (the star of the show!), bruschetta, and the Tuscan Kale salad. Everything was so fresh and flavorful. The starters are small plates, so it was enough for the 4 of us to share. We ordered the ravioli, a Margherita pizza, and the agnolotti to split among the four of us for entrees. This was a great way to do it because we got to sample a little bit of everything. All of it was delicious, but the ravioli was my favorite. It was certainly not a cheap meal, but for a special occasion, it was really nice. It has a great location, a lovely ambiance (perfect for date night!), and wonderful service. I was so, so impressed with my experience from the moment I stepped into Acanto. read more

Came here for HH. $9 glasses of wine - red, white, & sparkling. Got the white... delicious. Got their olives & prosciutto bruschetta, both were solid options. They also had 3 pizza options in their HH menu. Inside was cozy & nice. Actual candles at each table. Didn't have dinner there but their menu sounded divine & the plates that were coming to each side of us look very appetizing. Service was very attentive as well. A very solid option, regardless if HH, in the Loop if you want legit, solid food for a decent price point. read more

Acanto - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Alex was amazing! Old fashion was the best in . We also had their specials El capo and La Regina very unique and exquisite drinks, very well made and served with a smile...amazing service and very good ambiance! read more

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Thank you for a delightful birthday dinner. We came to Acanto this Thursday which ended up being a total rainy and dreary day. However, Acanto did not disappoint. I was a little late for my reservation due to the weather but I appreciate that they not only held the table but agreed to allow the early guests to be seated. We all know of the places that insist on a full party which I can totally understand but it is a nice exceptionally nice given the new openness of the city and often over booking to allow a grace period. Our server was Phillip. A true gem, personality and service wise. I felt well taken care of. We ordered the aricini and brusetta to begin. Both were delicious and great palate starters. Next up, we got the mushroom pizza (omg the crust), the lobster spaghetti and risotto. I will say I was tied between the evening pasta special, the branzino and lobster spaghetti. Philip made the final choice for me and i was not mad. This dish was finger licking good. Even the next day leftovers were delicious. We elected for the lemonade and limeade for drinks and had a scoop of the strawberry mint sorbet for dessert. I will certainly visit again. The space, the crowd and the food were five stars. read more

Acanto - Lobster Spaghetti - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I ordered an Aviation cocktail (not on the menu). I am not one for sweet drinks but it could have used a little bit more simple syrup, was a tad too bitter. 4 stars for the drink. I ordered the chicken piccata for dinner, 5 stars. Definitely recommend. For dessert I had their homemade gelato. It comes as 3 scoops and they had 3 different flavors, vanilla, chocolate and pistachio. You can get each scoop a different flavor if you want. I LOVE pistachio gelato, so I ordered 2 scoops of that and 1 scoop of vanilla. The pistachio was disappointing, 3 stars. I could barely taste pistachio flavor which was really weird given that it seemed this gelato was literally more like a pistachio butter instead of gelato. What I mean by that is, it had the consistency of peanut butter, it was sticky and chewy just like peanut butter would be. Really didn't get a sense at all that I was eating gelato other than the fact that it was cold. The vanilla was very good, 4.5 stars for that. Service was a 3.5. While my waitress was nice, she wasn't around much. They were very busy. Not sure if they were understaffed and that was the reason or I was just given less attention as a table of 1, because my bill would be smaller than larger tables. After I received my drink my waitress came back to take my order. I asked for a couple more minutes. I had planned on ordering the cheese plate (which my husband and I have had several times and is very good, albeit small for $20) but the couple minutes I asked for turned into at least 10 minutes and so by the time she came back, I was aggravated and decided to just order the entree. Very nice ambiance outside, across from millennium park. read more

Acanto - Aviation cocktail, outside on patio. - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Not many vegetarian past options but I ordered the Cavatelli and it was delicious. The pesto sauce is definitely on the creamier, heavy side but it's incredibly filling. read more

Acanto - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Really enjoyed this spot. We went for happy hour and the deals were great. We tried the margarita pizza and the mushroom pizza and loved both! The ambiance was really nice as well, this would be such a cute date spot! Service was quick, and everyone was incredibly nice. read more

Acanto - Margherita Pizza, Mushroom Pizza - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a great place for date night or celebrating a special occasion. The artichokes with the burrata were really good. The agnolotti was very rich. The mushroom pizza had a great truffle flavor. They could use a few more heaters on the outside patio. read more

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The atmosphere here is very intimate, good for a date night or dinner with a close friend. The service was good and old fashioned cocktail was reasonably good (needed a little more simple syrup). I was very excited to try the pasta, given that this was a highly rated Italian restaurant. I ordered the lobster pacherri, which were squid ink noodles with lobster, shrimp, tomato, and other ingredients. I really wanted to enjoy the pasta, but it completely lacked flavor and the noodles were a bit more al dente than I expected. A little salt and pepper saved the dish enough, but I was a bit disappointed considering the price. read more

Do not recommend. The price was outrageous for the quality of food. It was giving elevated Olive garden with a candle light. Lamb was chewy and flavorless. Lobster tasted like the sea. Save your money read more

The octopus was our antipasti and it was good its cold which for some reason I wasn't expecting. It's not really shareable size despite them telling you yes. Everyone seemed to be enjoying their wines ( we didn't drink) the actual food was good, but it felt like I could've made it at home ( this doesn't mean it wasn't good) . The service was pretty friendly and we were quickly sat, they have body lotion in the restroom which was a plus, especially for the cold weather. The darkness definitely makes the place feel fancy and welcoming. read more

Acanto - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Acanto was a very nice restaurant right on Michigan ave. Lots of people constantly walking by, in a busy area. We sat out on the patio which was nice with the breeze coming off of the water. The service was great, they had a busser out on the patio constantly taking your dirty dishes and refilling your water which was super nice. The food was pretty awesome I haven't had this good of pasta in a while. If you're looking for an Italian restaurant on the nicer end, definitely give acanto a try! read more

Acanto - Meatball Bucatini - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I'll start with the good. Attentive staff, nice ambience, and an huge array of wine and liquor. Order seven different dishes, there were 4 of us. One dish being scallops, which smelled some sort of way when they brought it to the table. This was my husband's dish I'm not a fan of scallops, I thought it was normal. We live 45 mins from downtown. While driving home my husband complained about stomach cramps. I blew it off..lol. You'll be fine maybe you ate too fast. Time passed he's throwing up and is not well. Called our doc office, nurse called back asks what you eat? I tell her he has scallops at about 4:30. She said has to be food poisoning from bad sea food! Due to what he was experiencing. We called the restaurant and til this day no one has called us back! I called that Monday a lady said GM will call you. No call back!! Be careful what you order and if it smells funky return it! Place isn't cheap. You'd think they would have a better communication being there on the list for restaurant week. Beware! read more

Probably the best of our four dinners in Chicago. We had: - mixed olives (good) - arancini (very good) - burrata and beet salad (good) - butternut cappelletti pasta (outstanding) - tiramisu (very good) The housemade cappelletti was so good, I regret we didn't skip the burrata and get two pastas. Nice enclosed outdoor dining area (shared with Gage). Friendly and attentive service. We *also* tried Gage, and it was good too, but Acanto was better. We came hungry and left feeling so glad that we chose it! read more

Have been going here for years. Last visit was not good. Half cooked arancini, tasteless squid. Not sure what happened!

We had the best dinner at Acanto, it was in February and I'm still thinking about it. The pasta was amazing, the atmosphere and service was lovely, Our server Ken and I believe her name was Cherish, we're so helpful and friendly. Went here on our first day in Chicago and will make a priority to go back next visit. read more

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Very, very solid four-star meal last night for dinner. Acanto is another reason why I tell people that Chicago has the best "tourist" food in the country, and maybe anywhere...the quality of many of the restaurants along Michigan Avenue within proximity to many of our most trafficked destinations is incredible. We had a gift card to use up last night so we came in and got a bottle of pinot noir--the recommended bottle paired with the pork chop--to go with the bruschetta, two pastas (the cappelletti and the bucatini with veal meatballs), the rainbow trout and that pork. We also added the Mandorla Tart and the olive oil cake for dessert, along with a bellini sorbet...maybe two of those bellinis! The trout was a near-complete miss. My tablemates were surprised how poor the flavor of the fish landed; just not interesting, and not much punch to it in terms of flavor. But everything else was excellent. The bruschetta is a big order; for $16, it better be, but the quality of the meats on top were excellent (bruschetta is not normally served this way, at least in my experiences here in the US). The pastas were both great, but the bucatini was the winner of the two at our table thanks to the al dente quality of the pasta mixed with the tender meatballs that came with the dish. The pork chop was superb. It wasn't the best one I've ever had in the city (RIP Bar Marta), but this was a solid chop. And it's pretty massive, so for $36 you get a lot of take-home meat if you need to! While both desserts were tasty, the tart was exceptional. Had our gift card been a little larger we probably would have ordered a second one. The peach sorbet was out for some reason, so our bellini sorbet drinks were served with blood orange sorbet...and that was fine by me. Great service and the views of Millennium Park/the Art Institute/etc. are all good if you get a window seat like we did last night. I don't come to this area often for dinner but I now have another place to send friends and family when they visit Chicago. read more

My girlfriend and I went on a date here. Upon entering you are greeted to a very warm dining environment. The interior is very cozy with nice decor including a wall of old liqueur bottles. Everything about the meal was excellent. The drinks were delicious and had a great balance of sweetness and bitterness from the alcohol. We ordered the bread selection and mixed olives to start. The bread was warm and fresh. It was specked with fresh thyme and other herbs in the dough it was delicious. The olives were nice and brined very good as well. I had the black pepper rigatoni with a lamb ragu and my girlfriend had the ravioli. It was apparent the pastas were homemade and they were cooked to a perfect al dente. If you appreciate good Italian food this is a great restaurant to try. read more

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Really enjoyed this beautiful and cosy restaurant. Delicious drinks for our table and we agreed bar was on point! We ordered the arancini the seafood ravioli, bucatini and salads. Everything was delicious but would have like a bit more sauce on the side for the arancini but still so good! The vibe is comfy here and we were there for a while, our group of six nothing but compliments for the experience. Service was very good and not intrusive. We will be back:) read more

Went to dinner at Acanto before a show at the Studebaker Theater. We shared burrata and a bottle of wine, and then I had the spaghetti for my entree. The food was good, but it loses a star for how expensive it was versus the quality. Good food, but for the price, you can get better elsewhere. read more

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Amazing food, ambience and service! We were early for a 5pm reservation before a 7pm show tonight with a hungry 5 year old & it took us asking twice to get a waiter. When he came, he was apologetic and so efficient, and then the manager came over and comped our drinks and appetizers due to the wait! So unexpected & kind! The food was outstanding & we loved the cozy & romantic atmosphere! Definitely will be going back! read more

The chef's take on Sicilian dishes is usually tasty and unique, salads and pastas especially.

Atmosphere was great. Central to the loop and right on Michigan Ave. Went in for a spur of the moment lunch with a friend and was SURPRISED as how mediocre the entire experience was. Actual service was subpar despite it being early into service and only having maybe 2-4 tables sat already. Servers and managers didn't bother to explain either drink or food menu nor when anything was placed at the table itself. My guest and I actually confused our drinks and swapped. When I bothered to ask for something similar to a drink we had, server simply asked if I wanted the exact same one. Love the enthusiasm for their created cocktails but with an extensive selection of spirits, you would think there would be more options suggested by staff itself. Other than the poor service, we were basically left to our own devices. Worst part, the food was just okay. Nothing special to the meatball bucatini. Genuinely just tomato pasta with a bit of meatballs. I didn't ask my guest into detail what they thought of the food but even she was a little disappointed by the end of the entire service we had. Not to mention we never got a glass of wine that was ordered midway through our meal. Overall - overrated and underwhelmed. If you're in the market for good Italian, go elsewhere. If you're looking for a good view and to be severely unbothered, just come on in. read more

This is the lobster ink fusilli and it was phenomenal. I was initially apprehensive but it was very good. Nice restaurant as well. read more

Acanto - Lobster ink fusilli - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Let me preface this review with the fact I went to Happy Hour here and did not in fact eat. When we arrived here, we requested a table for two. There were several tables open but we were told they would not be able to seat us for two hours. I assumed that perhaps the other tables were reserved. My friend and I asked to sit at the bar. This wasn't offered when we were told we wouldn't be able to be seated but whatever, the hostess said sure. We sat at the bar listening to some lady who was there on a business trip talk about the times she was drunk in Europe to the bartender. He was, in fact, looking like a hot dad and maybe was Italian. He had an indeterminate accent which my friend and I decided was Italian. We were not immediately asked if we would like a drink and finally my friend waved down the bartender. We ordered our drinks. I mean, this bar isn't huge. Like maybe 8 chairs? Maybe he was giving us time to decide, maybe he didn't care? Jury is out. The wine was good. Prices are not insane. Happy hour made each glass about $9 and regular prices are like between $12 and a million dollars. There were limited selections for happy hour but you could probably find something you liked. The ambiance in the restaurant itself is lovey. It's dimly lit but not like eating in an unlit closet. It was like the nice natural light and candles type of dimly lit. It has some outdoor seating which was totally full. The inside is small and didn't have a ton of seating. Reservations are probably a good plan if you want to eat at a particular time. Although the tables that were empty when we arrived remained empty for over an hour. I can't speak to the food but the wine list is extensive. If you are a wine enthusiast, this is a nice spot to stop. read more

My husband and I loved this little Italian restaurant. The food was full of flavor and we would love to go back to try other dishes. We got the short rib dish that came with polenta, mushrooms and a sauce that is indescribable. The location and vibe of this cozy restaurant is a must try when in Chicago. read more

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Dropped in for lunch after visiting Cloud Colgate and it was honestly one of the best lunches we have ever had. Lobster Paccheri was to die for (spicy for those that don't know). Mixed olives for appetizer were tasty. Too fancy for our little ones so they accommodated us by making a simple cheese pizza which they loved! And the espresso and desserts were soooo good. Would definitely come here again next time we are in Chicago. read more

Acanto - Dark Chocolate Torte** - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Delicious italian food with a great view and excellent service. You can't ever go wrong eating here.

Stayed in Chicago for the weekend, and my girlfriend took me out to this dinner for my birthday. Everything was amazing. Service was fantastic, ambience was ideal, and the food was impeccable. Full disclosure: this is not your standard Italian restaurant. Think high-end, rustic, hearty dishes, with an elegant flair. I struggle to think how the evening could have been any better. Really really really impressed with this place. Definitely will go back the next time. We are in Chicago. read more

First and foremost, you absolutely MUST get the Bruschetta to start. The salty prosciutto, the fluffy truffled ricotta, the sweet balsamic...this dish is nothing less than perfection. It comes with 2 slices, so order accordingly. While it's impossible to follow up the divinity that is the Bruschetta, I was more than pleased with the creamy and lemony Cappelletti. However, be aware that the dish is quite small (which was actually the perfect size after the Bruschetta slice I had). Our wonderful waiter, Rich, kindly provided me with a loaf of bread to soak up the sauce (and fill me up) - definitely recommend doing the same. My best attempt at describing the feel of this place would be... similar to that of a high class drinking lounge in the 50's on account of the brown leather couches and shelved walls populated with a million different liquor bottles. I'm probably totally off on that comparison though. One of Acanto's selling points in my mind is the excellent service. Rich was adept at providing food suggestions and would check in to make sure our meal was going well, as did 2 other members of the staff (who I assume are managers). There also appeared to be some level of coordination between waiters and bussers to ensure plates weren't preemptively cleared - this was my first time ever noticing this in a restaurant so I was impressed. With its prime location on Michigan Ave, I'll undoubtedly come back here and may or may not order multiple portions of the Bruschetta to constitute my meal next time... read more

Acanto - Bruschetta - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Small but cute Italian restaurant right on Michigan Ave. We had the black kale, spicy coppa dates, linguine nere, and the special which was swordfish. Plus red and white wines. The fennel that came with the swordfish was itself very delicious. The spicy coppa dates tasted like bacon wrapped dates but a little spicy with tomato sauce. It was good. The black kale was kind of plain, it was just a darker kale with a few sprinkles of cheese. Linguine came with a sprinkling of tiny seafood which was cute and delicious. The mood is very datenight, cozy, romantic, small, relaxing. Honestly, my fave was that fennel! It was roasted into this crispy and juicy onion looking thing but I liked it more than the swordfish itself. read more

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They need to diversify the menu and items like dinner salads sandwiches Maybe a burger a good steak sandwich Better appetizers just expand the menu read more

It really makes me cautious to try anything in a high volume touristy area wherever city you are in. Acanto is just that in terms of location as it's right by Millenium Park on Michigan Avenue. This entrance is a bit tricky as you have to go into a building first before you enter the restaurant. Came here on a Sunday around 4:00 pm and it was pretty empty. The space is a lot smaller than I thought it would be. We first got the Bruschetta. This was by far my favorite dish. After coming back from Paris, I've been on this Prosciutto/cured meat phase and the description on the Bruschetta seemed ideal for me to get. It comes with Prosciutto, cheese, truffle, on bread. It was extremely flavorful and absolutely delicious. Small drops of balsamic was a fine touch as well. I absolutely loved this dish. It was unfortunate that it was $12 for 2 pieces though. I would've ordered more, no doubt about it. Haha. For entrees we went with the Linguine Nero and the Sweet Fennel Sausage pizza. I was a bit confused with ordering the sausage pizza at first because I realized it's not a tomato base. So just be aware the fennel sausage is not tomato base. However it was absolutely delicious! So flavorful, the cheese was great, and the giardiniera pepper base was a great touch. I really enjoyed this pizza a lot! Highly recommend. We also shared the Linguine Nero. I was a bit disappointed with this dish considering the price. The pasta itself was fine, however for $22 I wish they could add more seafood. Instead it was loaded with zucchini. Not the balance I want. All in all I really enjoyed Acanto. Definitely deserving of 4 stars. Intimate atmosphere, fantastic service, as the bus boys would not let our waters be half empty, and delicious food. Solid place, a bit pricey but has my 4 star approval! read more

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The atmosphere is very chill and cozy. This place reminds me of a old hotel. The service was great with very friendly staff. The food was tasty and the desert was delicious. read more

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