Absolutely amazing! The food was so good it reminded me of Italy. Loved the ambiance (indoor and outdoor), service, and wine. Although we dressed casual (shorts), we would've preferred to have dressed more classy as that's what the 4 course meal deserved. Every dish burst with flavor and melted in your mouth. Very decadent. read more

I've lived in the neighborhood and passed this place many times, but never seemed to k ow when it was open. I finally made my way in. The lasagna was a standout. We'll be back soon! read more

Antico - Gnocchi with brown butter and crispy sage - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Fantastic spot in the middle of Bucktown. Ordered the four course special $55 per person and it was worth every penny. Caprese Salad was fresh and delicious, Risotto with duck was just fantastic, braised pork rib with polenta literally melted off the bone and the panna cotta for dessert was phenomenal. DISCLAIMER: the scallops were unreal. The patio is perfection on a beautiful day. Our waitress Nena gave ON POINT recommendations and made our experience at Antico that much better. See you soon Antico. FYI bottles of wine are half priced in Tuesday's! read more

This place was wonderful! The food was incredible and the place itself was so beautiful. Our server was so nice too! For drinks: we ordered a Greyhound and a Martini both we good Antipasti: We had the scallops and the calamari and shrimp. The scallops were the best scallops I have ever had Pasti: We has risotto carbonara and the lasagna and both of them were so full of flavor and delicious. I will definitely be back! read more

My girlfriend and I stopped here for a date night and were just blown away by how great the hospitality and food was!! We started with the calamari which was deep fried to perfection. Next we got the octopus salad which was my first time trying octopus and it was perfect and to be honest the tentacles were the best part so tasty!! Next we shared the risotto with duck and that was banging so good creamy and delicious! Next we had the lamb chops which honestly was the best lamb I've ever eaten cooked perfectly to the bone served with potatoes that just melt of the tongue!! Some how we still had room for desert which was so insanely good best creamy panacotta I've ever tasted in my life time!! It was worth every buck wine pairing was great as well overall 5 stars!! read more

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Overall, I like that this off-the-beaten-path, neighborhoody place exists, and I like that so many people love it. I, however, did not love it. On the positive side, the ambiance is nice. The scallop appetizer was the best thing that we ordered. The rest of the food, however, wasn't something that I'd recommend to friends or come back for. The tagliatelle was super disappointing. The pasta was way over cooked and not very flavorful. We also split braised short ribs which were chewy and rubbery. Great service, nice ambiance, just not great food. read more

This past weekend, my boyfriend & I really wanted to have a get-away for our anniversary; the goal was to stay in-state & create locale-based magic. We settled on staying at the 4Seasons &, on Saturday, I made reservations for Antico. I've tried many commercial & "unknown" Italian places all over the city; but Antico was a phenomenon all of its own. Right away, peering into the dim haze of its structured yet small atmosphere, Antico seems a romantic dream, tucked away airily off the corner of Armitage & Leavitt. We had to wait a bit for our reservation, but were content to smoke outside while everything was put in order. While outside, a beautiful, kind woman came out to offer us drinks & reassurances about the time. It was handled so delicately, which we appreciated. Once we were sat, we had a little spot nestled at the left corner of the floor by the bar. It was cozy & perfect for us. We were really eager to eat at that point, so when the bread came, we dove in with hungry fury--luckily Antico seems to have ascertained that a bountiful bread basket at the beginning leads a meal astray towards the end, so the bread situation was four mild slices of wonderful rosemary-focaccia. Paired with that incredible, slightly fruity olive oil, & we were already excited. The bread & olive oil quality really tell you all you need to know about a place. Our waiter was Sean, & he only further enhanced our experience! With such a wonderful sense of humor & a true understanding of the food, my boyfriend & I felt his opinions were so well-informed as to completely influence our decisions for each course! We each got the Traditional Four Course, which is $55 each & includes antipasti, primi (pastas), secondi (meat/entrees), & then dolce. Antipasti: (1) Cuttlefish Fritti (2) Capesante The best Fritti we've Ever enjoyed; & that is a frequent choice of antipasti between he & I. The fish was soft, encase in its bed of crisp & fresh fried batter. The fish really tasted fresh, without suffering at the hands of a heavy batter. The sea scallops were delicious. Perfect. The edges were slightly fried, & where the cuttlefish were presented with a purposeful laziness, the scallops were placed gently at the center of the plate & made to soak up the sauce. Our waiter also passed on a bit of wisdom to soak the bread in the sauce the scallops came with--Genius, honestly. We were pretty much seduced at this point. Primi: (1) Brown Butter & Sage Gnocchi (2) Tagliatelle Bolognese The Gnocchi came recommended once more from Sean, who was adamant about taking spoonfuls of the butter-fried, crisp sage leaves alongside the gnocchi itself. What a feast. The gnocchi were pillows of air. There was that initial crunch indicative of its pan-fried preparation, but after that moment, the dumpling just melts entirely on the tongue. With the leaf, which could be bitter raw but instead added a wonderful kick, it was never less than perfect. Antico boasts that its pastas are all made in-house, & what a nice distinction to make, considering that the pasta itself was prepared, clearly, by someone who understands pasta innately. That is the mark of an excellent Italian chef. Pasta seems so minute-made easy, but comparatively, one must assume that an exceptional pasta dish takes careful cultivation. This is how I felt about the Tagliatelle Bolognese which had all the traditional aspects of mia nonna's bolognese but somehow, different, distinct. All of it, gone in minutes. Secondi: (1) Rib Eye (2) Amish Chicken, Roasted The rib eye I was too full to steal bites of, but I did see that it came with a tower of bone marrow & a few slices of toasted bread. We ate the marrow on bread dunked in the sauce. As for the rib eye, well; most of it was reduced to a few small slices at the end, completely devoured with no regret! I had the Amish chicken atop a bed of polenta & mixed greens. The mixed greens reminded me of rapini, with its bitter, garlic sting, though cooked to a degree of softness I prefer in my greens. The chicken came with white & dark meat, which was a wonderful perk. Layering my fork with the dark meat dripping in juice, the greens, & finally, the polenta, was the peak of savory experience I would have all weekend. Dolce: (1) Nutmeg Vanilla Gelato with fruit (2) Zeppole The gelato was sweet, & had a true vanilla taste. With the warm strawberries, it could have tipped into an overt sweetness, but was rounded out by the nutmeg. We battled for bites until it was all gone. & the Zeppole..I've had Zeppole since I was a girl. This was fresh out of the fryer, & despite not having any traditional filling, it didn't even need any! It was a perfect end to our evening, & we left about twenty minutes after closing because we got caught in good conversation with our skilled & personable waiter. All in all, the service--the spot itself--the food: a true 5 stars. We will be back again & again. :-) read more

I had a lovely date night the other day, and I decided to go to Antico. I gotta say, I make a wonderful date. I splurged on wine, had a delicious meal, and even had dessert. I love to spoil myself. Seriously though, Antico is a great place whether you decide to treat yourself like a million bucks, you decide to take a plus 1, or you wanna get crazy and have a great dinner with friends. The wine selection is pretty extensive, and the food is delicious. The room is romantic, but the back patio can be a bit casual. If you're looking for something off the beaten path, with phenomenal food and drinks, pop on by for a tasty treat. read more

Lived across the street for two years and never been here. Now I'm regretting all the amazing food I've missed out on. Came here last night for my birthday & seriously this place is a GEM. It's definitely not cheap but you're getting what you pay for. Scallops were magical. Calamari was heavenly. And the lasagna special was divine. The back patio has such a cozy vibe. Our server (I think John) was great. He didn't just bring us our food and fill our waters...but gave great recommendations, very knowledgeable with the menu, and a fun guy! read more

Antico - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food is SO consistently awesome, and the service is nothing less than an equal match. I have always said that there is no better gnocchi in the city, and now I must bestow their lasagna with the same accolade. The rib-eye steak - delicious. Pair it with some sauteed greens....it makes it healthy. I have tasted the smoked duck - fantastic. Pasta bolognese - infallible. Antico is nothing less than a Chicago gem. read more

Love this place. Small with a beautiful garden area out back. Food is great. Homemade pastas. Some seafood. Excellent scallops. The filet is beautiful. Vegetarian options. Not a huge menu, but the food is absolutely solid. Not cheap but excellent value in terms of quality and portions. Staff is stellar. Make a reservation and go. read more

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I spent my evening at Antico and it was absolutely amazing. From the bread to the Grilled Rib Eye with Roasted Bone Marrow, the food was to die for. The steak had so much flavor. I should thank you, my friends, for inviting us and show us this place! Excellent food, service could be better. Will be back! read more

Antico - Grilled Rib Eye with Roasted Bone Marrow. - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Just a great spot. Located on a lovely block in Bucktown, just south of Armitage, I'd never heard of this place until a couple months ago. Imagine my shock when I discovered it's been around over five years! And it's less than a five minute drive from my house? I feel dumb for not knowing about this place sooner. We went spur of the moment, mainly because it fit three criteria: 1) It's close to our house, and it was already on the late side when we decided to go out 2) Italian food was the only thing my husband and I could agree on 3) It has an outdoor patio. Anyone who lives in Chicago knows that there are precious few days when eating outside is optimal (not too hot/humid, no bugs), and last night was perfect We didn't have a reservation and fully expected to have to wait for a table outside, but we got lucky and were seated immediately. Off to a good start with glasses of prosecco, we perused the menu. They had lots of wonderful sounding specials, as well as a good number of things on the regular menu. We ordered a fair number of dishes to try, in varying sizes (lest you think we're pigs) of primi and secondi. Caprese salad: I could eat this salad every day in the summer. When a salad has just a few ingredients, they better all be top-notch, and these were. Fresh, fragrant tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, basil chiffonade, and just a drizzle of fruity olive oil. Yum. Calamari: this was good, but pretty standard. I liked that there were pieces of fried lemon, but I didn't like that there were strips of calamari instead of rings. Probably would skip next time. Gnocchi: They offered three different sauces; a simple tomato, a bolognese, or traditional brown butter and crispy sage. We went with the browned butter and sage. The gnocchi melted in my mouth (definitely homemade). Another dish I can never get tired of if done well. Beet salad with arugula, goat cheese, and pistachios(?): Again, pretty standard, but everything was fresh. Sauteed wild mushrooms over saffron polenta: creamy, earthy, and savory. Would definitely get this again. Salmon: pan-seared and served with cucumber dill sauce, asparagus, and potatoes. I don't know how they cooked the potatoes, but they had this wonderful smoky flavor that really made the dish. Zeppole: you can never go wrong with doughnuts. Pillowy soft clouds of dough, with powdered sugar. So hot, so fresh, so scrumptious. The service needs to be mentioned too. Two female servers sort of acted as a "tag team," and they were great. They took care of all the tables on the patio by themselves (including bussing and serving the food) and despite it being pretty busy, they handled it well. They knew the menu well, were able to make recommendations, and were sweet to boot. So glad I finally discovered this place! read more

It was my birthday this past weekend. I usually don't like to make a fuss, and usually opt to hang out at home, eating some take-out 'za while watching Blade III for the umpteenth time. But the wife and a couple that we like to hang out with a lot went out and navigated the quaint quiet streets of Bucktown to try Antico. Short: Liked it a lot. Long. We had a reservation, which I think is a generally a good idea for any decent Northside restaurant. Our reservation was for 7:30pm, and we were seated promptly. As others have said, the space is small, but it's nicely decorated and it works. There is not much of a waiting area, but I think it would be cool to wait outside if need be. We had the fritti and pate' crostini appetizers. I greatly enjoyed both of them. Fritti, cuttlefish, think more-tender calamari. Yum. The portion size was enough for four to have a little bit each. The pate' was great. I love pate' and was not disappointed. We also had the gnocchi with sage, and that was fantastic. I was particularly struck by the taste and texture of the sage, which had been sauteed I'm assuming in the sauce. We also have the asparagus salad. This salad did not stand out but frankly the other flavors were so great that the salad never had a chance. My wife had the lamb chops, they were great. Her 'gratin potato side was really good. I had the ribeye with the marrow bone. The steak comes with crostini, so you can spread the marrow on it, and nosh away. Great. The steak was cooked medium-rare as ordered. We had a nice wine, I think it was a $42 Valpolicella, and went well with our meal. Also had the Zep desert with a latte. Friends had the flan, it tasted amazing. I would get that next time.... what a creamy texture. Friend had the vanilla ice cream with the neat topping that included sea salt... very nice and well done. My suggestion to a couple dining here would be to split a meat entree, like the lamb chops. You'd get one each. I'd get the gnocchi and two or more appetizers. The steak is big, and even though I can be a big eater the little angel that sits on my right shoulder told me that I shouldn't eat steaks as big as a plate. To the restaurant, I would say bravo, and hurrah. But I'd caution you to go lighter on the salt for the steak and the veal chops that my friend had, someone loves the sea salt too much. I also suggested to the manager who had stopped at our table to slow down the appetizers, the pacing was a bit quick at start. I'm splitting hairs to make you excellent. I'm giving you 5 stars, wanted to give you 4.5 so you could grow into 5, but honestly, the dishes were really well done. Restaurants like Antico are what make Chicago amazing. The attention to flavors coupled with the coziness of the space make it a nice place for a couple or couples to have a very nice meal with a nice ambiance. read more

To mark the start of our seventh year of marriage - *and what my wife assures me as the defining year of a crumbling marriage which certainly must end (gawd - I hope she's kidding) - and to celebrate six successful years shared together, Antico quickly came to my better half's mind as a place to celebrate and have that one final hurrah before filing divorce papers and figuring out which domestic beast goes with which parent. Not sure why she feels so strongly about this. I've heard of the "seven year itch" but it makes me wonder if the sentiment of a permanent break in our marriage comes around the seven year mark, or if that seven year mark was that finish line inside her head all along and the excuse to eventually abandon me. Either way, she made an excellent choice on the venue. About the only thing that could have come off as anything other than stellar was walking in, stating we had reservations, and then being told to choose where we want to sit. As a couple who is perpetually hemming and hawing over any and every option - we probably would have preferred to just be told where our place was (the rest of society seems to have no problem doing just that). In hindsight the skilled, professional and friendly staff here went out of their way to ensure our comfort and happiness through the evening (not realizing our marriage is crumbling) - so the offer to have us choose where we sit almost certainly fit more into a conceptualized service strategy rather than complacency and poor front of house management; especially considering just how well-run the service was for the rest of the evening. On to the food - as mentioned above, my soon to be eventual ex-wife and I have a hard time with decision making, especially when there are many appetizing options on offer for our choosing. To keep things a bit simpler, we inquired into and eventually chose the four course meal for $55/person (I believe it moves up to $63 with specific entree/secondi options) and realized its value. Each diner at the table is asked to partake in that option (all or none - like how a true marriage is supposed to work), and it gives you a starter, a pasta, a main dish and finally a dessert. This four-course option made things a bit more streamlined and therefore easier to decide what to order until our thoroughly nice and attentive server rolled off the top of her head a great description of seven more specials to get us second guessing all of our choices (and not just the one around our commitment to each other). In the end, I remember having the following: - Chicken and Duck liver pate, served with pickeled beets and a house made mustard - Pan seared scallops - Gnocchi comes with choice of sauce - gasp - wifey chose wisely, going with brown butter and sage - really delicious! - Risotto done as the daily special - our meal was primavera style - Pork tenderloin cutlet milanese served with arugula salad and shaved Parmesan - Pan roasted halibut with a smoked, citrusy potato and broccoli - The greatest panna cotta one could ever devour. Seriously. We plan on coming back for at least some wine and this one day soon. - Lovely slice of flourless chocolate cake We drank a bunch of wine also to take away the reminder of my wife's promise that the seventh year equals marital doom. I'd definitely come back to Antico for another celebration or special evening out. The food was delicious, service was excellent and they played Tracy Chapman through most of the evening which was both sweet and made me sob over my food. *Our marriage is both strong and flawed, yet beautiful and funny and good. She's (I'm sure?) joking about the 7 year curse, besides - what Tracy sang over our great meal: "With you I am revealed All my shame all my faults and virtues Behold body mind and spirit Heart and soul devoted all to you Can I get a witness There is salvation and rapture for the lonely Can I get a witness Bless this day sacred and holy Sacred and Holy" read more

"It is hard to get consistency in the kitchen." - waitress at Antico That is my main complaint about this restaurant and I cannot believe the waitress actually uttered those words to our table. It is a restaurant's job to be CONSISTENT. That is why people come back! The first time my husband and I went to this restaurant, everything was fantastic. We did the four course menu and everything was delicious and service was great! I think my only complaint was that I didn't really like the zeppole, but the panna cotta was really good. We liked it so much that we decided to celebrate my birthday with his family there... We had a table of ten originally, but a week before, his brother and gf cancelled so my husband called back to say we had 8. When we got to the restaurant, they had a table set up for 7. We told them it was for 8 and they actually argued a bit with us that the reservation said 7. Well we have 8...what are you going to do about it? (And on that note, we were there for at least 2 1/2 hours for dinner and there were two tables that were empty...). We all decided to do the 4 course dinner. The antipasti and primi were well received by the group (though the gnocchi I had loved the previous time did not taste as fantastic as it did the first time). The major issues came at the secondi and dolci course. My husband and I talked so much about the rib eye and five of us had decided to get it. Well when it came, we were so disappointed. On our end of the table, it was half the size than what we had gotten previously. Then on the other end of the table, my father in law had gotten the biggest portion and my brother in law had gotten the smallest - smaller than our end was. Then two of the portions were also overcooked and mine was undercooked (for me - but I was pregnant at the time and wanted something more done; it was perfectly cooked for my husband's liking). It was so crazy how uneven it was. Then dessert came. My sister in law and I ordered the panna cotta. The panna cotta I got was darker and more yellow and the one she got was super white. We didn't think hers was cooked enough yet so we asked them to send her a new one. They come back to us and tell us that the rest of the panna cotta looked the same as hers and that's the way it should be. It was just mine was cooked longer than it should have (um, it looked exactly like it did the last time we got it so did they mess it up last time too?). She decided she would keep it anyways...we decided to taste each other's - mine was sweet and perfect and hers was super light in flavor. I felt so bad about having the good one. Oh and my husband got the gelato this time and it tasted like store bought crap. Maybe it was just old? It was definitely not creamy. So yeah, after dessert was cleared and we were drinking our coffees, we started talking about the dinner. My husband was embarrassed about bringing them here and started to talk about the inconsistency when the waitress just butts into our conversation and tells us it is hard to get consistency in the kitchen. I remember staring at her and thinking, 'You seriously just said that?' Our friends and family dub us as foodies...and we kinda take pride in recommending restaurants. It was so disappointing and yes it was embarrassing. We wanted our family to have this fantastic dinner with us....but how do you mess up food so much? If you are having a consistency issue in the kitchen, shouldn't you at least make it consistent for a table? I mean, heck only two of us got the panna cotta. Was it not obvious we would say something? And service wise - how do you argue with us when we are unhappy - first about seating, then about the food...and how does a waitress just butt in on our private conversation?! We told a few friends that live in that neighborhood on how fantastic it was...I have to start backtracking... read more

Will I use my man-card if I call this place adorable? Sorry folks, that's the first word that came to mind when I recalled our evening at Antico. The restaurant itself is tiny, cozy and quaint. The food is big, bold and packed with flavor. The food was nothing short of amazing. We started out with the most decadent duck and chicken liver crostini. The liver was melt in your mouth delicious. For my entree I went with the Veal Milanese. This may sound like some foo foo, girly dish, but trust me when I say it's not. It's a gigantic slab of breaded veal the size of John Goodman's head that's packed with flavor. The spices in the breading and the quality of the Veal blew me away. To top things off, we ended our meal with a plate of delicious Zeppole and a couple of espresso's. The bottom line is, everything they served us was delicious. If you are looking for a nice relaxing experience and food that is shockingly delicious, add Antico to your list of must try restaurants. The staff is wonderful, the decor is soothing and the food is out of this world. Two thumbs up!!! read more

Wow, Antico was definitely an unexpected find on our Friday night dating adventures! So unassuming and laid back from the outside, you would never guess at the culinary wonders residing within. We started out with the Truffled Duck & Chicken Liver Crostini. Silky, salty, earthy and totally decadent. They give you more pate than crostini, so you will need to either ask for more or save the bread plate. You arent going to want to waste a single scoop of this. Andy had the Veal Milanese, which was huge veal chop, pounded thin and covered in a fantastic breading - sort of an Italian chicken-fried steak. I had one of their specials (and there was quite a few to pick from) which was...wait for it...Blueberry Risotto!? YES. And let me tell you, as strange as it sounds, it was so freaking delicious I will be making this on my own. They only gave you a tiny bowl, but it was so rich, so amazing with the blueberries and salty Parmesan - I had no idea this flavour combination could work so brilliantly. Of course, in true Italian fashion, we ended the meal with espresso and a plate of Zeppole, which are tiny fritters served piping hot and dusted with powdered sugar. For a meager $3 you really should make some room in the belly and try these. Do be aware, this place is tiny and you will want to call in a reservation if you want to come, especially for a weekend night. We lucked out in snagging the last available table, but better be safe than sorry. read more

What gives? I couldn't have been more excited to try this place. It disappointed in nearly every facet. Upon arriving, Meg L and I noted how lovely the space was. It's quaint and casual, but definitely upscale. There's a small bar and only 15-20 tables. Our server was terrific and did well describing the outstanding specials. Unfortunately, the description didn't even remotely match the food. Starter: Mussels. Rubbery with a mediocre, thin sauce. It seems like every bar in town can make a pretty scrumptious mussel dish these days. I'd like to think an expensive restaurant could at least match that. Pasta: In a hearty smoked pork ragu. Sounds amazing? I agree. Tastes boring and bland. Hearty would be the opposite of a description of this ragu and it featured about 2 oz of pork. That's not a ragu. That's leftover meat covered in warm v8. Entree: Short Ribs with Saffron Polenta. There was nothing specifically wrong with this. It just wasn't great. The Polenta was minimal (although tasted great), and the short ribs were braised at the level of quality of a decent home chef. Solid, and if I made them myself I'd be proud, but they weren't memorable. The wine was good and reasonably priced, so that was nice. The atmosphere and service were also great. It appears to have an amazing back yard space. I wish it was somewhere I'd go again. Unfortunately, I'm confused by all these high star reviews. The food could be outdone by any mediocre corner Italian place in most neighborhoods of the city. Sad. read more

Very quaint neighborhood Italian restaurant. The bread was delicious, the food was good (smaller portions) and the outdoor patio was fabulous. The prices are not cheap for italian food, however we had a restaurant.com coupon which helped. Also (not valid with restaurant.com) they have half off bottles of wine on Tuesdays which is a great deal as well. I would highly recommend this place on a nice summer night. read more

My wife took us here for our anniversary - not sure how she found it, she was just looking for new Italian places near our house. We walked in on a Thursday night (without a reservation) and were pleasantly surprised to be seated right away, on the only open table. It turns out it was their second day open! It's a smaller, more intimate space, about 12 tables. Nice, simple yet elegant decor. Service was great, both our waitress Nadia and Jonathan were attentive. They had not yet received their liquor license, so people were going across the street to get bottles, but I think they will have it in a day or two. The food was wonderful. My wife and I are both vegetarians, and they had several options for us. We started with a shaved fennel and citrus salad, and a mushroom, saffron cream and polenta dish, along with parmigiano gratin and olives. The mushrooms in particular were delicious, perfectly cooked with a nice balance. The parmigiano gratin was also delicious. For an entree, we had a wheat spaghetti with wild shrooms and the risotto milanese. The spaghetti was made in house (apparently all their pastas are made from scratch), and was probably the best I've had outside Italy. The bite was perfect! The risotto was also very good, loaded with saffron and also cooked wonderfully. We finished with a cheese coruse (taleggio, parmegiano, and I don't remember the third), chocolate cake and zeppole, all fantastic. Afterward, the chef/owner Brad came by to chat - He mentioned that he plans to emphasize fresh, local ingredients, including what he grows in the garden around back. And get this - he roasts his own coffee! Can't wait to try that next time! read more

We have been coming here for several years and the food and service is incredibly consistent. One of my go to places and I find we eat almost once and month and more during the summer. Very relaxed and mature vibe - I always enjoy the crowd that seems to find this place as well. read more

If I could give half stars, I would rate this place a 3.5, but I'll bump it up to a 4 for the nice ambience and great service. We started with an appetizer of fig butter crostini with prosciutto and cantaloupe, which was definitely the best dish of the night. Prosciutto and cantaloupe is just a classic combination, but the fig butter definitely made the crostini great. Strongly recommend. For our pasta we had pappardelle with pork ragu. While it was enjoyable, nothing really stood out. I expected more out of both the texture of the pasta and the flavor of the sauce, but sadly it did not meet those expectations. Afterwards, we had the pan fried pork chops. The meat was extremely tender but slightly on the greasy side. We ended the meal with a dessert of the panna cotta, which was strongly recommended by our waiter. I enjoyed the texture, but since I'm not a big fan of sweets, the panna cotta was definitely a bit too much on the sweet side. read more

This is a true neighborhood gem! Came here Friday night and was super impressed. We started off with the Beet Salad and the Fig Butter Crostini - my favorite. A nice crostini with some fig butter, prosciutto and melon with a vinaigrette drizzled over the top. It was so light and so delicious. We next had the Gnocchi - brown butter sage style, and those little gnocchi's were perfect fluffly pillows that melted in your mouth. SO good!! Tagliatelle Bolognes - UMMM, this one was my favorite. They make all noodles in house and they are so light so perfect. The sauce was so flavorful, I couldnt get enough. Lastly, we split the scallops, polenta and parmigiano gratin. The scallops were absolute perfection. \ For dessert, because why not, we had the Italian Donuts. Everything was amazing. Our server was the highlight of our evening. He was AWESOME! I loved him. He made the experience that much more enjoyable. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone. Its on the smaller side, so I would recommend a reservation. read more

Half priced wines on Tuesdays? Any bottle? Including Brunellos, Amarones, and Barolos? 17 stars. (ps the food is great and the wait staff very nice) 156/365 read more

Cute neighborhood spot! Very good food - I had the fish special and it was great. Service was spotty the last time we went, but great the time before that. We try to go on Tuesdays for half priced bottles of wine! You can also find them on restaurant.com. 307/365 read more

Wow -- I'm glad we gave Antico a try! The food was excellent, the staff was cordial, and the patio was pleasant on a mild summer evening. Our salads were very nice -- fresh, flavorful and attractive. My beet salad featured a yummy fig vinaigrette; my companion had arugula/tomato with a citrus dressing. For entrees, I had pappardelle with smoked pork -- perfect pasta, rich & succulent meat. My companion said that her gnocchi was the best she's ever had, and I second that -- they were truly light as clouds. My chocolate torte was OK; my companion's gelato was terrific. Nice selection of wines, too. I'll definitely be back! read more

We first stumbled upon Antico when we were apartment hunting. It was such an added bonus to finding a neighborhood and apartment we really liked! It was the summer so the back patio was open, and was lovely. You dine among the fresh vegetables, lettuces, and herbs they grow in the garden for your meals. The inside seating is also very cozy and warm in the colder months. We did the quattro corso the first time we dined there and proceed to have it every time. $50 for an antipasti, primi, secondi, and dolci - many options within each category, and a great quality and quantity of food for the price. I honestly have never picked a combo of dishes that I did not love. All of the pastas are made in house, and the brown butter gnocci is absolutely amazing. In the fall/winder they do a pumpkin/squash gnocci that is also to die for. All of the meat/fish secondi dishes are served with steamed broccoli and smokey potatoes ( the smokiness is spectacular). The panna cotta and zepule are our favorite desserts, along with port and coffee. Of course we always wash it all down with a bottle of vino - the Nebbiolo selection is great and is our standard choice. The waitstaff is always the same group of 4-5 people and all of them are very knowledgeable about the food and wines, and provide impeccable service. We come to this gem for both nights out and special occasions, because we love it that much! read more

Antico is located on Leavitt and you can easily pass it without thinking twice. But let me be the one to tell you - don't walk away from this place! It is AMAZING! I love how some spots in Chicago transport you to some far away land after walking in. Antico's back patio is beautiful and reminded me of Italy. They grow many herbs and vegetables in the back patio that will make their way on to your plate, which I think makes them stand out from other Italian restaurants. This is a great place to go on a date or have an intimate dinner. I started with the special appetizer of the night Fig Caprese Salad which was absolutely delicious. The figs were perfect and the mozzarella was fresh. I had the Salmon with Michigan Asparagus and it was also spot on. The Salmon was about 4 oz., a small portion, but it was so creamy I was happy with it. They unfortunately ran out of the gelato and I had their panna cotta which was standard compared to the other plates. The wine was also reasonably priced and I told the waiter to bring whichever he thought would match our food and he brought out a $30 Cabarnet. Service was impeccable as our waiter let us sit for a long time and enjoy our meal and was very informative. For an appetizer, two meals, dessert and wine the bill came out to $100, which I think is reasonable for the quality. I will definitely visit again! read more

What an awesome secret to have this little trattoria in Bucktown. (I like it being a secret, but I want to give some exposure so the doors don't shut forever!) The four course deal for $55/person is an absolute bargain. It's good, wholesome Italian cooking in a cozy environment. The waiters are fun and focused, and the food is always consistent. My favorites include the chicken liver crostini, the scallops, the gnocchi in brown butter sage, veal milanese chop, and the ribeye. read more

Fantastic! My husband and I eat out quite frequently, and I haven't been this impressed with a meal in a long time. We headed in on a whim last night and sat outside on the back patio to enjoy the weather. The patio is adorable, it reminded me of having dinner in a friend's backyard. The service was great, our waitress was extremely knowledgable about the menu and steered us towards a few things that we really enjoyed. The food was just phenomenal! We split the seasonal risotto (leek and asparagus) and it was light and delicious! I had scallops and my husband had duck both of which we agreed were some of the best dishes we've ever had. We managed to save room for some dessert and had amaretto cheesecake which was a perfect ending to a truly great meal. I can't wait to go back and try more of the menu! You should get here ASAP! read more

Another great meal! This new restaurant is destined to be in the upper echelon of Chicago Italian eateries. Charming space with simple and elegant decor. I'm working my way through the menu and have found each item to be mouth watering. Hard to choose what my favorite is going to be, but lots of seasonal specials to keep me coming back to check out the latest dish. Try it and it'll soon become your special place to dine. read more

Always reliable with excellent and attentive service. Great option for outdoor dining in a lovely and quiet spot.

The food and service is incredible. A great family owned business to support. They make everything homemade on site. So much so that they don't even have restaurant size freezers, just your small household size, because it's that fresh they don't need a big freezer! The four course package is a great deal, highly recommend! read more

I have been wanting to go here since they opened up. I'm a sucker for quality italian food as is, so coming here for my birthday was the excuse I finally used. I came here with a group of 10 since we were also adding in a lot of wine for this. I had worked things out ahead of time for the menu. Granted, I was saying yes to basically everything anyway and everything was served family style for the group. There was a whole lot of food and we started off with the fig butter crostini and prosciutto. These were absolutely delicious. We also had a mushrooms and polenta dish which was one of the first things that came to my mind when setting everything up. I have to say, their polenta is absolutely bang on. This was great polenta. We also had a selection of meats as well, but I don't remember them too well (there was soooo much food that some things were quick for me). The next up was the gnocchi. I'm a gnocchi nit, and this was some quality gnocchi. It was light but perfect texture. Nearly a week later and I can still think of it. yea, it was that damn good. We also had the bolognese which was perfect with the wines we were drinking. I didn't get too much of this, but what I had I enjoyed. I'm not gonna lie, I was bogarting as much of the gnocchi as possible, so the bolognese kinda went off to the side for me. I did dig into the pappardelle and wild mushrooms though. It was exactly how I wanted and imagined it to be. We finished things off with a rib eye and a short rib. The rib eye was very good but the short rib fell slightly short of everything previously. I will say though, the polenta surrounding the short rib was absolutely wonderful and I ended up having even more of that again. I really enjoyed myself here. I look forward to coming back for a more normal dinner, but this was a full home run. The service was tremendous and extremely nice. They were always available and extremely helpful. I'm already looking for reasons to go back. read more

Fabulous little spot... cozy, warm dining room perfect for a date night. We each ordered the 4 course menu, where you can pick any item from each course so it is really a great deal with tons of choices. Overall everything we had was tasty, but I will highlight the favorites from each course. Antipasto - Scallop special, I don't even know what was in the sauce but it was tangy, acidic, and sweet. So flavorful! We were dipping our calamari and bread in it to get every last drop. And not to mention the scallops were cooked perfectly. Yum. Primi - Gnocchi in butter sauce with fried sage was INSANE. Pillowy gnocchi, sauce wasn't too overpowering or heavy, just a perfect compliment to the gnocchi. And then the fried sage added an herbal crunch. Secondi - this course was good, but the other courses were great. We got lamb and short rib... I think next time we will skip this course and maybe get a third pasta or antipasto... Dessert - WOW. It seemed too simple, I thought it may be a throwaway dessert choice. But WOW! Vanilla and nutmeg gelato, with berries on top, complimented by fresh, hot zeppole. mouth. watering. I hope this never moves from the menu. Will most definitely be back, will be trying out 1/2 priced bottles of wine on Tuesdays. Cheers to Antico for a job well done. read more

Love how small it is, how romantic it is, and how good the food is!!! My husband and I went to Antico for our wedding anniversary dinner. The server was FANTASTIC with pairing the wine for the food we were to order, and she recommended the best ever steamed clams. I seriously would've stayed there all night long if it weren't for my husband :] Every dish was fresh, delicious, and SOOOOOOO appetizing that we forgot we had to romantic and just kept eating!!! Pricing was reasonable, considering it was gourmet food and that it was located in Bucktown. GO THERE TONIGHT!YOU WON"T REGRET IT! read more

I had to go 3 times before writing the review. The first time I went and had the gnocchi Bolognese. It was good but undersea aimed. Unfortunately it rocked my stomach afterwards. The second time I had the steak. It was good, but a little tough. Calamari needed salt. The bread is great. Again, stomach didn't like it. The third time I had the pork Milanese. It had everything except... Seasoning. It needed salt. I like the people. I like the food. It needs more seasoning and I'm not sure what killed my stomach. I really wanted to love this place. Instead, it's ok and a short walk from the house. read more

My boyfriend surprised me yesterday at our monthsary. He booked a reservation for this restaurant. It's evening so we eat our dinner. Aside from surprising me he also gave me a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolate. He's so sweet and gentle. I also gave him a watch that suits any outfit he wears. And he likes it. The food was already served. The food was pretty amazing and good. I really enjoyed the taste and the flavor of food. One of my favorites was their dessert. It's sweet and so yummy. The staff was nice. They served our food carefully. They are so professional in their work. Overall we enjoyed our dinner at this restaurant. Gladly my boyfriend chose this place to celebrate our monthsary. I highly recommend this place. read more

Excellent northern Italian fare. I enjoyed a arugula fennel salad to start and a pear martini. My main course was the lamb chops with potatoe gratin. This reminded me of my childhood and my grandmothers cooking. Dessert was the flourless chocolate cake and lemon cello. Very very good. This place is was awesome and the staff very friendly and knowledgeable of the food. read more

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