Ignore the cranky people complaining about not enough space. This is the most authentic Italian you'll see outside of NYC, with absolutely reasonable pricing esp. on the all-Italy wine list. I go here at least 2x a month - the seasonal specials are always excellent, service is top-notch. If you want a red sauce joint, this is not your place. This is a place for fresh, regional, authentic food that's not oversauced. Marty and the staff are the best. read more

Overall the food is good but the experience and atmosphere killed it for me and I don't think I'd return. We arrived and had a reservation- however we were barely able to even enter as a woman talking on a landline phone was standing in the doorway with her back to the door, seemingly unaware of anything around her- later realizing she was a manager or something. We had to wait about 10 minutes for our table despite the reservation- outside, as there's about space for 3 people tops in the entryway. We are sat at a small table in the middle of the very full room. It was completely packed so our server taking a while to greet us wasn't too surprising as he seemed quite busy. By the time he did we were ready to order everything though. For the food- we started with arancini and calamari. Both were very good, crispy and hot. For my main I got the smaller portion of tagliatelle with bolognese ragu. It was good but not mindblowing- clearly fresh homemade pasta though which is always good. Aside from being cramped and packed, the restaurant was incredibly loud. Perhaps it was a fluke and just a combination of unfortunate acoustics and the loudest people in Chicago dining there that night? It was a bit hard to hold a conversation, and someone hard of hearing would definitely struggle. The absolute worst was when management seated a foursome next to us at a 2-top table. These people came from outside with their dessert and drinks as it had started to rain so of course they wanted to find these patrons a spot. However the spot they chose was a small rectangular 2 top table that the manager turned 90°- did I already mention the space was super full already? So suddenly while we're trying to eat, we both have people's elbows in our sides, with them literally touching our table. No one on staff acknowledged this uncomfortable change for us (nor did the guests but I wouldn't expect that I guess- they also smelled of cigarette smoke which, not the restaurant's fault but unpleasant when someone is inches away). So we finished our food in discomfort, unable to move much, and barely able to hear each other. Of course we passed on dessert and got the heck out. Perhaps it would be a better experience when it's not completely full, or if you're someone with no awareness of your surroundings. read more

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Adorable boutique fine dining Italian restaurant. Came by during restaurant week last year a few months back. We started with the table bread and Chicken Meatballs. The table bread had a wide variety of bread, with seasoned olive oil to dip in. It was all fresh bread baked with italian seasonings. The Chicken Meatballs were juicy and tender, lathered in a delicious tomato sauce, and parsley and parmesan. They are a good portion for 1-2 people to share as a starter. My entree I got the Mushroom Risotto and it was creamy and soft that melted in my mouth, with a strong umami flavor from the variety of mushrooms. The portion of pasta was large and filling. My dessert was the Chocolate hazelnut tart, it had a rich chocolate flavor with hints of hazelnut and topped with whipped cream. The hazelnut complimented the deep chocolate flavor well. This place is pretty pricey but they give decent sized portions for the meal. They are receptive to allergy's and were able to accommodate out table. The atmosphere is gorgeous, filled with unique paintings and cute decor. My biggest issue was our server was a bit pretentious with us. We are not as familiar with the variety of wines and our waiter gave us a hard time with us not knowing and did not make an effort to respectfully bridge that knowledge gap for us. Otherwise, the food was great and it came out in a timely manner. I would come back but I'd hope on a future visit we are helped more kindly. read more

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Anteprima Is Such A Cute, Quaint Italian Restaurant, And Their Daily Rotating Menu Of Specials Did Not Disappoint. We Started With The Goat Cheese Arugula Salad--Although The Portion Was On The Smaller Side (If You're Sharing, Definitely Order One Per Person), It Was Absolutely Bursting With Flavor. Next Up Were The Wood-Grilled Trumpet Mushrooms, Which Were Incredibly Delicious And Perfectly Cooked. For Our Mains, We Tried The Polenta-Crusted Skate Wing And The Pumpkin Ravioli Both Dishes Were Sooo Good! Overall, A Lovely Dining Experience, Highly Recommend Making A Reservation! read more

Wonderful and relaxing vibe, welcoming and attentive staff, and very good Italian American plates.

We were seated right away without a reservation on a Friday night at around 7 pm. Their patio was fully booked and the inside was bustling too. We put in our orders and received our meatball appetizer fairly quickly, but our main dishes didn't come out for what felt like more than 40 min. I hadn't spent that much time waiting for food in a while. The table next to us arrived after us, ordered, and finished both their appetizers and meals before we got our main dishes. I'm not sure if it was because I ordered from the special menu. All the dishes were worth the wait. These were the best meatballs I've had at a restaurant and tasted similar to the ones I've purchased from Eataly to cook at home. My seafood risotto did not have any of the lingering seafood smells. The seafood mussels, clam, and shrimp were fresh and delicious. Getting our server's attention towards the end was a little difficult. I would recommend having your card ready for them to charge. I definitely want to come back to try their pasta, which was my original intent, but I got sidetracked my the seafood risotto. read more

Anteprima - Meatballs - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I had a great experience sitting on the back porch for a date night. It's a very casual atmosphere, great for groups too. The servers provide a nice, local vibe. I really enjoyed the orecchiette but it was a little bit more bitter than I would've preferred. The spice level, however, was great. The calamari busiata was flavorful and well cooked. I thought the pasta shape and sauce complimented the calamari. The calamari was steamed, not fried, so the dish smelled and tasted fishy. I liked it, and I could see how people who typically get fried calamari would be a bit thrown off. Great meal, and I would get again. Literally ate and left no crumbs. read more

Anteprima - Busciata - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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A very cozy, quaint Italian joint up in A'ville that I never noticed all the times I came up and hung with friends that lived up that way. First off, let me say Stacey H is pretty amazing at making the place work as she's bartending, serving and just being awesome and attentive. Wine list is very extensive and Stacey recommended I go with the Barbera Q (red wine selection by glass) and it was outstanding. We started our meal with the grilled octopus which was pretty good. So many amazing options for entree but I ultimately went with the spinach papparadelle w/mushroom ragu and parmigianio...very good dish as I broke it off something proper. Tiramisu was definitely on-point to close out the meal. This was a great dining experience and I highly recommend! read more

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Delicious food, great service. We were a large party celebrating a birthday. The restaurant worked with our host to establish a prix-fixe menu to alleviate stress on the kitchen as well as on our party to make decisions. Anteprima printed up custom menu cards wishing her a happy birthday, and wine was ready and waiting on the table when we arrived. Choices were one of two salads, one of three pastas, one of three entrees, and one of two desserts. I ordered: Beet salad, orecchiete with spicy lamb sausage, bitter greens, chili, and pecorino, trout picatta, and tiramisu. Best bite of the night was the pasta, for certain. The pasta itself is made daily in house, and you can tell. Sausage was spicy, like chorizo, and perfect compliment to the bitter greens. Trout was also very good, but I was already quite full from the salad and pasta. In hindsight, I should have ordered the steak, as it would've been a better option leftover the next day. I would definitely consider Anteprima as a great date night spot in the future. read more

What a wonderful little Italian restaurant with the best patio! We actually sat in the front window, which was perfect because the Midsommar festival was happening, so we could people watch, but I'm sure people come just for the patio out back. Service was excellent, they have a great wine selection, and the food was just perfect. Nothing additional needed at all. Perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned. I had the beet salad and my friends had the burrata - yummy and fresh. And the burrata was a nice sized portion, I think even 4 people could split it. For my entree I had the seared cod special which came with mushrooms and spinach - a perfect portion for me, and absolutely delicious. So juicy and well seasoned with a nice brown crisp on the outside. My brother's pasta looked amazing and came out super hot, and his hubby's tuna also looked excellent - cooked medium with a nice brown on the outside. We didn't have dessert, but they had some really interesting options - a rhubarb crisp that was tempting. it's nice to see that they use seasonal ingredients. A wonderful experience I wish to repeat the next time I'm in Chicago. read more

Decent Italian restaurant with reasonable prices. They didn't include a bread basket, you had to order it separately as an appetizer. But the olive oil that comes with the bread is delicious! It tasted like it was infused with basil but it went really welll with the bread. I got the orecchiette pasta with ground lamb sausage. The pasta was a chewy texture with a fun shape. All the flavors went really well together and I loved the bitter greens that came with the dish. Service was friendly and efficient. It wasn't too crowded for dinner on a Thursday night. We were seated right away. There's plenty of street parking around the area. Paid or for free in the residential. read more

I will start the server was GREAT! I made the reservation thru open table for Saturday night, I got a text on Friday that told me that my 6:30 res would require us to leave by 8 for an 8pm reservation. That was my first clue to not bother going. Anyway we went, were sat by the window and they had a heater by the table, just tacky. Again, should have been my clue to just go elsewhere ! We got calamari, it was very salty and meh. I got a half serving of pasta, more like a fourth of a serving, super small portion with a big price tag. My friend got the lasagna and he said it very underwhelming. Other friend got the ravioli and said it was delicious. As we were enjoying our after dinner drink, some rude old man standing at the host stand comes and tells us, at 8:03, the table is reserved at 8 and the people checked in online so we need to leave. There was no one there waiting for the table, but hey they checked in. We hurried up and sucked down our drinks and just got out of there. We stood outside waiting for our Ubers, still no one at the table. I can understand asking us to leave if the people were actually there waiting...I won't be back. The food was just ok, horrible value, and asking us to vacate the table could have been handled more appropriately. Calo is SO MUCH BETTER, should have just gone there in the first place! read more

This was a definite five star experience! It was a very welcoming and friendly Italian restaurant. We ate in the back outside and the heaters kept everything warm. Overall it was a very comfortable environment that kept me happy. My dinner was amazing! I had the carbonara which had so much good flavor. I would get the large again next time as I can guess that smaller one probably would not have cut it. Everything looked great on the menu but I was very pleased with the carbnara. Just overall, the food was amazing here. the Deviled egg appetizer was also good and so flavorful. Great service were they bent over backwards to make sure that we were taken care of. Looking forward to trying it again someday! Make sure to have reservations as they were very busy even on a Wednesday night. read more

Anteprima - Spaghetti carbonara - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I love Andersonville. . It is one of my favorite areas in the city to dine and shop. My wife and I decided to give AntePrima a try while celebrating our wedding anniversary. We were attending a play down the street at the Bramble Arts Loft. The location was ideal and allowed us to relax and not rush through our meal. We arrived on time for our reservation and were greeted by the hostess and seated promptly. Wesley, our server, came to our table and introduced himself. He asked if we wanted to start with something from the bar. I had several questions about the wine selections and Wesley graciously allowed us to sample several wines before making a final selection on a bottle. It was a nice touch and greatly appreciated. We decided on a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. The wine was chilled and had a citrusy aroma. Our server initially poured the wine but never returned to our table to refill our glasses. I mention this because Wesley kept referring to AntePrima as an upscale restaurant. While enjoying the wine selection we took in the dining room decor. First, the candle on the table was plastic with a dim bulb. It was not turned on. When my wife attempted to turn it on but it was burnt out. The bus boy was able to replace it. A wax candle with an actual flame would have been more appropriate. Second, dim lights in the dining area would have added a greater and more intimate ambiance to the dining room. The lights were bright and gave the room a warehouse atmosphere. However, the restaurant was overcrowded and the diners and staff kept bumping into our table every time they went past. This seems trivial but we were informed by Wesley that AntePrima has been in this location for 19 years. After 19 years I'm sure this should be glaringly obvious to the management. Wesley returned to our table after several minutes and took our order. We started with the spicy mussels and clams. The sauce was a red tomato base with garlic, chillies, and pancetta. The spicy tomato sauce was sublime and the toasted, charred bread that accompanied it paired beautifully with the spicy sauce and chunks of pancetta. Outstanding start to an otherwise mediocre meal. We also ordered a bread basket with focaccia bread, breadsticks, and Italian bread. It was a well presented bread basket and was warm. My wife asked Wesley if they were bringing bread to the table with our meal. He stated that we had to order bread at an up charge. Disappointing. My wife ordered the bolognese ragu with parmigiana served over a bed of tagliatelle noodles. Tagliatelle is a traditional, long, flat ribbon pasta from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, similar to fettuccine but often thinner and traditionally made with eggs. My wife asked Wesley if she could substitute the tagliatelle noodle with angel hair, or a similarly thin noodle. Wesley stated that the only other option was a thicker spaghetti. She decided to go with the tagliatelle noodle. The bolognese sauce lacked flavor and needed more tomato and seasoning. Combined with the tagliatelle noodle it was a thick, bland, flavorless plate of pasta. I ordered the polpetonne, traditional Italian word for meatloaf. The polpetonne was a mixture of beef and pork. It was seasoned with egg, parsley, spinach, and carrots. It was cold, bland, and had the texture of a rubber ball. Wesley stated before ordering that it was being taken off the menu and applauded the selection. I'm confused was he applauding the polpetonne for being taken off the menu, or that I was ordering it. Either way it was a cold, disappointing dish again lacking in flavor. Since we still had time before our play we decided to have dessert and coffee. I ordered a double espresso. I asked Wesley to not bring sugar only an orange or lemon peel for added flavor. He stated "I can do that." The double espresso was served in an 8 ounce ceramic mug. Not a demitasse glass. Wow! Again, not to belabor the point, but Wesley kept insisting throughout our meal that this was an upscale Italian bistro. Finally, we chose the Budino. A thick custard with Carmel and pecans. It was good, but definitely not homemade. The biggest disappointment was Wesley gave us two tablespoons to eat our dessert. I guess the dishwasher took the night off and they were running low on teaspoons. When I made the reservation I mentioned that my wife and I were celebrating our wedding anniversary. Wesley brought the dessert to the table with a candle and wished us a happy anniversary. AntePrima describes itself on their website as a "cozy, upscale restaurant in the Andersonville neighborhood." Neither cozy nor upscale. "People disappoint. Pasta never does." Unfortunately, both people and pasta disappointed me this night. read more

It's been so long since I have been here . It was my old neighborhood spot and I always adored it. A few years back we went and it was off for whatever reason and we thought it was a fluke and went back and was off again. We decided to give it another try and it was spot on! Love the patio it's just city dining and very cute Wine is good ! Love the meat balls, polenta, and octopus appies. I enjoyed the the orrecihiete and it's got flavor and some bite Dessert was their pot de crème Service is friendly and prompt and the atmosphere is always charming. Love this place ! read more

On a frigid winter night me and my date ventured to this quaint spot in Andersonville. It was packed and very tight in the atrium where 6 of us were waiting for our tables. To be fair, it's romantically lit and cozy spot, I can imagine turning tables can be hard as patrons like to park themselves. I found the cocktail I ordered great, the mussel and clams appetizer was the highlight for me. The restaurant even graciously substituted my arugula in the jake winter salad... it was delicious with the peppery green cutting through the creamy goat cheese. My only fault I found was in the pasta, I ordered the orecchiette it was alittle too stodgy and overcooked for my 1st generation Italian liking. I know I'm rare as my family hails from Bari and my aunt makes the pasta by hand. My dining partner enjoyed the orecchiette Great spot, I'd probably go back but not for the pasta's as I definitely enjoy a more al dente cooked version and that's really hard to maintain in a very successful and busy restaurant. read more

Anteprima - Cod special - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I enjoyed the service and space but this was either overpriced or underwhelming or both. The appetizer was fried calamari so that's simply frozen. Dinner was a pasta with meat ragu. The pasta was as mushy as chef boyrdee and the ragu was ground beef based. What kind of ragu is that for $20?! It should be a braised meat of some kind; pasta should be al dente. So in general no. Won't be back. read more

Anteprima is an upscale restaurant, so just know going in that you're going to get modest portions at high prices. That said, they get points with me for their willingness to make a pasta dish vegan; one staffer I spoke to recommended the orecchiette, so that's what I got. It was perfectly al dente and coated in a savory red sauce. Good as the pasta was, their house-made focaccia stole the show. Dense and lightly seasoned, it disappeared quickly as others at the table helped themselves to my order. Luckily, there was enough to go around. Other standout orders were the ravioli and the chocolate hazelnut tart dessert, which I didn't try but which won plaudits from others. And the lemon panna cotta was reportedly very light and refreshing. More salads would be nice, but I get that that's not really their thing. Basically, if you go here hungry, don't order a half portion, and you should be fine. read more

Anteprima - Orecchiette - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The menu never disappoints. The service is terrific and the atmosphere is pleasant and relaxing.

Menu changes frequently. A lot of appetizers, such as beet salad and polenta fritte. Pastas are excellent and varied, such as the paparadelle with mushroom ragu and orchiette with lamb sausage. Entrees inspired by Northern Italy. Staff friendly and very attentive. Patio is pleasant, quieter and warm when temps dip. Not a traditional red sauce restaurant. We go often and love it. read more

My first review was when I was younger (2011 says it all) and decided I needed to update because Anteprima deserves much more love than I previously gave it. The service is always outstanding. Their patio is all seasons and lovely. I love that they have half portions so I can either try a couple items or be a bit healthy for a night. For me, they're definitely a place to return to for an enjoyable meal and nice atmosphere. read more

Pasta was pitifully overcooked, the sauce bland and any "Italian" restaurant that doesn't offer complimentary bread and oil should send you running. Never again. Anybody who likes this place has certainly never been to Italy. read more

Loved it! Loved the food, loved the ambiance, loved the service. The interior is very cute. Rustic without being too on the nose. I really appreciated was experiencing an Italian meal that felt light. Light flavors with reasonably portioned plates. Don't get me wrong, I love a hefty pasta but this experience has left me curious in a good way and hungry for more. One thing I didn't like is that I felt like we were being watched by the staff. I know that it can be hard to accommodate everyone but I kept noticing the hostess look back at us. She'd glance at the tablet, glance at us. Another worker came up to check on the tablet, they both glanced at us. If I had to guess, she was really hoping we would leave soon to ensure she could accommodate a party. She even eventually came to check on us personally during our meal but not in a chatty sort of way--truly just a check up. I am pretty sensitive to these things--both in that I notice and in that I take it a little too personally. I wish I didn't notice it but I did and it bothered me enough to mention. Regardless, we will be back. read more

Great dinner tonight at Anteprima - one of our very favorites in Chicago. Unfortunately the owner trashed the vibe at the end of the night. We were seated for 20 minutes before a waiter even showed up - but we were not concerned, as we came to spend the evening together at one of our favorite spots. As we were eating dessert and drinking espresso after the main course, the owner scolded us and told us that other diners had shown up and it was time for us to leave. We were not lingering - in fact, we were still eating dessert and drinking coffee when scolded and told to leave. As a frequent diner I am sensitive to the need to turn tables over, but we were not lingering and still eating. I had just written a 30% tip on a $300 bill as an expression of thanks for a wonderful meal. After being treated rudely by the owner at the conclusion of the meal, it will be some time before we return. Unfortunate ending to a wonderful meal. read more

Always great service, food and drinks. Desserts are good as well. We have been dining here for 20 some years. read more

The overall rating for anteprima on yelp makes no sense. The rating on OpenTable is much more accurate. Everything we had was very good, and the service was great as well. I recommend the Chianti braised beef, bolognese, pumpkin ravioli, meatballs, and pumpkin soup (a special menu item) Very cute vibe and great food, would recommend for sure. read more

Excellent food and wine selection!! Great atmosphere! Amazing service!!! Will definitely return! read more

Anteprima - grilled octopus , potatoes , red onion , chilis , parsley , lemon , olive oil - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I greatly enjoyed my Spinach Pappardelle and would order it again. Their Roasted Cauliflower and Crispy Eggplant appetizers were tasty. My Donatella cocktail was perfectly mixed. Service was excellent and staff were friendly including the lovely hostess. Their outdoors patio is a nice place to sit. I loved the Lemon Panna Cotta dessert. read more

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Anteprima aims for authenticity, and it lands its mark. Its clean dark atmosphere whets the appetite for some delicious wine that pairs well with a menu that tastes like the recipes had been passed down for generations. What ultimately left a bad taste in our mouths and signing our last check with them was the host situation upon reserving our table. We had an inspiration to choose this place for our dinner date based on the outdoor façade and menu, so we did a walk up reservation for two for 6:45pm, about an hour from our walk-up. This host, a taller man with grey hair, was unfriendly. He shook his head in disappointment and told us "I can do 7:30 out on the heated patio...IF that's even available," as he typed in his system to check availability...as if he wanted us waiting on pins and needles. "Yes, we can accommodate you at 7:30". Great. We put in our name and continued our walk. My boyfriend then checked online for reservations and found one for 6:45, like we had wanted in the first place. That was a bit of a dagger to the heart, knowing that that host had just made his efforts in unwelcome such as saying "IF that's even available". So we arrived at 6:45 anticipating perhaps a confrontation, however we were greeted with a much nicer host, a woman, and shown immediately to our table. She was very friendly and certainly made up for the unfriendly and frankly prejudice and racist way the other host handled the situation based on who one of us was. It rubbed us the wrong way and so we might not be returning any time soon. Also what stood out to me was that I couldn't help but also notice a gap of time where we looked around the loud room and noticed that the majority of patrons did not have their entrées yet. read more

Anteprima - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The service was great. They accommodated us being a little late. Easy to get the waiter's attention. Food came fast. Bread basket we ordered was terrible. The focaccia and bread were both worse than what you could get from Safeway. Fennel salad was quite good. Squash ravioli was ok. Slightly undercooked (a bit beyond al dente) and tasted more of ricotta than squash. Wine was yummy. read more

Service and ambience at Anteprima were both great. Our server was helpful with a wine selection and very attentive. The space is well lit and cozy - you're close to other diners without feeling too tightly packed in (but it is close) so there's a low buzz of conversation but you're not yelling either. Overall, our pastas were both excellent - you can definitely tell it is very fresh! I imagine all of the dishes would shine with this great pasta. The arancini was also great. Our only negative food wise was the breadstick/focaccia basket. I was hoping for an excellent house-made focaccia and it really seems no better than something from a store - I'd skip this next time. Minor ding on an otherwise great meal! I'd call this a 4.5 if I could ;) read more

BACK STORY + WAIT: So, I'd been waiting to try this place after some friends referred and finally made it here yesterday! My mom and I had a reservation on open-table for 8PM, however arrived earlier than expected at 7:21 and we were seated immediately on a Saturday night. The restaurant was packed, but there were still about 5-6 open tables. It's not a very large recommendation, so I would recommend making a reservation to be safe. There is paid street parking all down Clark, which is convenient but will cost you. FOOD: We ordered the Brussels sprouts to start ($4) which were pretty good. They were cold, spicy, but tender! I personally wouldn't get those again. ENTREES: I had the orecchiette which is made of spicy lamb sausage crumbled up, greens, chili, and pecorino. It was really good and I would recommend this dish. (large size $19) My mom had the Wood cooked Fish, which was really good as well. Comes out the whole fish, bones and everything, but the waiter did skin it for us! I would recommend this - it was a daily special however. Not sure the type of fish, but the waiter told us it was similar to seabass. SERVICE: Nothing over the top, but the service was GOOD! Our waiter was nice and attentive + made good recommendations on the entrees plus wine. WINE: We did a bottle of wine ($42) Moliss Barbera d'asti - it was just sweet enough, but also a dry-ish after Taste. I would recommend + buy again! Overall, I think the Restaraunt was really good and I would recommend it, but not the best Italian food I've had. read more

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I've been coming to Anteprima since they first opened, so I'm sure I've been there over 100 times. I have never had a bad meal, their food is authentic and excellent. Marty the owner is sweet and genuinely concerned with the patrons' satisfaction. Andrea the manager is super sweet and dedicated to the business and their customers. All of the waitstaff are super nice, respectful, helpful, and a pleasure to interact with. Now finally, the food: ALWAYS EXCELLENT! Never a bad item on the menu. In warm weather the patio is fantastic. I love to go here especially when I feel a little down, because I always leave in a great mood. Highly recommended by moi. read more

My template for any Italian Restaurant that really floats my boat, must have: A dark room, red booths, waiters in tuxedos, more red sauce than a Raos section at Whole Foods, parmigiano cheese shaved on everything except my dry gin martini, a caesar salad with more anchovies than the Pacific Ocean and a bread basket with a bottle of extra virgin olive oil next to it - i.e. a Dan Tanas (L.A.), an Il Mulino (NYC), a Dante & Luigi's (Philadelphia), or an Original Joes (S.F.). Walking into Anteprima Restaurant in Andersonville, I immediately felt jilted; it had none of my above attributes. But, Oh Mio Dio, did I get a shockingly pleasant surprise! The dinner these nice people put out this evening was not good, or even great, but unbelievably outstanding! Anteprima completely erased my chronic "Italian Template". Every dish us four souls ordered and shared were stupendous: *Vegetible Soup - savory, rich, comforting (on this cold snowy night) *Funghi in green sauce - I've never had an appetizer this good - Period! *Fried brussel sprouts - crunchy, fragrent, delicious *Kale Salad - fresh and well rounded *Grilled Octopus - potatoes, red onion, chilis, parsley, lemon, olive oil - it was so good, I could have ended my evening here *Crostini with chicken liver - where do I start with this one? Well, considering "The Tribe" I belong to, let me just say, my Mother was completely out-done here! *Meatballs - Well, I did find a "Red Sauce" dish, but, these meatballs we so light and airy, I thought I was eating a mousse not an Italian meatball. Unbelievable! *Orecchiette - spicy house made lamb sausage, bitter greens, chilis, pecorino. We actually fought over this one. *Sweet Corn & Ricotta Ravioli - butter, chives, parmigiano - exquisite. *Panna Cotta - sublime *Vin Santo E Biscotti - fortified vin santo with traditional cookies / what a fantastic end to this fantastic dinner A truely lovely bottle of Nero D'avola "Chiaramonte" Firriato, Sicilia 2011 that paired with everything we ordered and accentuated our dinner. My wife and I have been in Chicago now 10 months. We've been to some 50 plus restaraunts in this time. Anteprima is solidly in the Top 5 of our "heady" list; it was just that phenomenal. read more

Food awesome, Service incredible, Ambiance active and fun. Location great. Wonderful spot. Truly enjoyed ourselves. Long drive from Aurora but worth the trip! read more

This inviting establishment has everything a neighborhood restaurant should aim for: fresh ingredients, a wine list with something for everyone, seasonal delights, and some of the friendliest service around. I challenge you to find something that isn't delicious. As far as this experience went, the octopus was the most tender I have ever had, the arancini was delicate & flavorful, and the pappardelle was simultaneously light & filling. Slip the host/hostess a sawbuck to get Armando as your server, you can thank me later. read more

Anteprima - grilled octopus , potatoes , red onion , chilis , parsley , lemon , olive oil - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We were hopeful of having a good meal, but the food and drinks were meh. The mushroom appetizer and accompanying toast were not good. The espresso martinis had no espresso and felt more like milkshakes with vodka. For two appetizers and two drinks, $60 seemed like a lot for meh food. I would try again but hopefully the quality of the food and drinks is more elevated in a future occasion. Despite the food not being up to par, the service was great. read more

I came here during Andersonville Restaurant Week, we arrived on time, there was a maybe 10 minute wait while tables were cleared, with our party of 4 and 2 more parties (a table of two and another table of four) also waiting to be seated. Once seated, our server was by in short order to introduce herself and fill our water glasses. Her service was attentive and knowledgable throughout. While the ambience is cozy, unfortunately tables are really too close for my liking (so much so that it was hard for bussers and servers to move about and do their jobs!) and the restaurant was really REALLY loud, so much so that I felt like we were yelling across the table to each other to be heard. This is one of my pet peeves in a restaurant and while I understand this is a small space, there can be baffling and sound absorption options to reduce the noise. On the food front, portion sizes were perfect for a three course menu, however I felt the food was lacking flavor/seasoning, which was a little disappointing. I asked our server if it was normally as busy or if it was because of restaurant week and and she told me that it was always this busy. Unfortunately, as a result of the tight quarters and how loud the restaurant is, I don't have a need to return. read more

Anteprima - Brussel Sprouts - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Delicious Italian, beautiful back patio, excellent service. Our server provided an wonderful wine suggestion and the bottle paired with appetizer, mains and even dessert. read more

Anteprima - Tiramisu? - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great food! The breadsticks alone are to die for! Friendly staff, good service. Reservations highly recommended.