Food: great! Tasty! Nothing to say, fresh pasta, awesome drinks. Changing menu according to season…read more Maybe not the best desserts (too overpowering) Service: very attentive staff. Ambiance is dark inside great for date nights, has a bar sitting perfect for summer and people watching outside. Value: a bit overpriced like most westloop spots.

If you get anything at all from here, make sure it's the wagyu skewer and tiramisu…read more It is the best tiramisu in Chicago!!! This was my fourth time at Monteverde and out of those visits, two were just for the tiramisu lol. Although this time I came mostly because I wanted their wagyu skewer and pesto pasta again because they were so delicious the last time. We came on a Thursday evening around 5:45 and we sat at the available bar seats. The only downside is it was the bar seats at the end which had no space to put my legs so I had to eat facing side ways. But I guess we got lucky because everyone who arrived after us had to be put on a waiting list for the bar. We've never had an issue getting a seat at the bar or waiting for a table. It gets crowded but service is incredibly quick so I wouldn't worry about the wait times. To start, we ordered the wagyu beef skewer and mozzarella shooters. The skewer is so tender and the flavors are perfect. We also were curious about the mozzarella shooters and ordered two because we thought they'd be small (we were wrong--they are much bigger than you'd expect lol). Personally, I didn't like it because I couldn't get past the thick texture of the liquid, but my boyfriend liked it and ate both. For pasta (which you can watch being handmade in the mirror if you sit at the bar!), I ordered the gnocchetti con pesto. I love how refreshing and light it is. It's the perfect dish to eat on a hot summer day. For a side, we chose the crispy yukon cold potatoes and they were definitely crispy!! And of course the tiramisu for dessert. You just can't leave without getting the tiramisu.

A nice stop for their unique donuts! I like the classic ones dusted with sugar. A nice little…read morewindow that we ordered from. Unfortunately now closed.

This place was so so so good! These shakes were thick and creamy and dreamy!!!…read more The staff- oh these ladies were on it! Honey they are all of that and then some!!! Super heavy on the helpful and so sweet just like our treats! We ordered some treats to go... so all set and need nothing else sweet, we're going to have cavities from how tasty and sweet this place is (the staff... omg... my teeth were showing in the best ways!) Very cool spot super busy location and the hype is well worth it and love the space. Outside and inside!!

Such a legendary ice cream and candy shop that's been around over 100 years! It's like stepping…read moreback in time with the decor, neon signs, and old June boxes at tables. I heard The Beatles even visited here! It's a cozy shop and they fit quite a few tables instead and get creative with the layout. Fun booths. Everything is homemade. The hot fudge sundae is fantastic! They offer a variety of sundaes, banana splits, milkshakes, chocolates and more. They also offer sandwiches and other food items. Excellent service. Very special place!

Was a late night but was decently busy. We ordered to go and they have a large menu. The inside was…read morediner style and had lots of family pictures. We had the chocolate chip cookie sundae and it was good. Wish the cookies were softer but still yummy. Price is a high for the amount.

At this point, I've tried five of their entrées, two of their salads, and four of their cocktails…read more-- Nonnina can't miss. I personally think that their chicken parmesan is one of the best in the city. Both the chicken Parmesan and the rigatoni à la vodka are so good that my fiancé, who doesn't really like either of those dishes usually, kept stealing bites. I *would* also recommend the carbonara, duck pappardelle, and arugula and prosciutto pizza, but I'm convinced at this point that everything on the menu is great. The service is exceptional. They run a tight ship, with multiple people checking on us, refilling our water cups anytime they don't have empty, changing our silverware dishes, etc. There are several different spaces you can sit in, all of them, beautiful and with slightly different ambience.

Excellent pasta. Very good service. Probably the favorite meal that my wife and I had while in…read moreChicago. We were staying in River North, so we tried to find places that were short walks with the kids. This place lived up to the reviews. We will definitely go back when the girls are interested in eating pasta again. Sigh.

We had a toddler date with a friend and her son here at the cafe at the Peninsula. They had some…read morelimited-time St. Patrick's Day specials that caught my friend's eye, including the Pot of Gold, a special dessert only available for the weekend. The food was really excellent, as was the service. But it was ridiculously priced. The reuben sandwich was $28. It was a great sandwich, very lean, but you could get a sandwich as good for half the cost elsewhere. They only have a couple of kid's items, but my friend requested buttered noodles for her kid rather than the cheesy noodles. I got the hibiscus drink and lavender lemonade, both non-alcoholic, and they were very good. My little one especially liked the hibiscus. And we ordered the appetizer of whipped ricotta and honey; my daughter liked this more than anything else we ordered. We didn't have dessert at the restaurant, but ordered to go. The pot of gold was really good. There were little "gold nuggets" on it and that was my daughter's favorite part; good thing since I didn't realize it had a layer with Bailey's in it. It was very rich, and the cauldron was really thick chocolate (and actually was a struggle to get into, a bit!). The restaurant is small but it didn't feel crowded. We never felt rushed or unwelcome, and we were there for a couple hours (longer than I realized; it took an unusually long time to make two reuben sandwiches). Their pastries are really nice but somewhat expensive, like the rest of the menu. It was a nice, sophisticated experience.

Literally the cutest café. This was my favorite breakfast spot while visiting Chicago…read more The second I walked in, I was obsessed. The green and white color palette immediately reminded me of Ralph's Coffee. It felt classic and polished but still charming. Everyone working there had a smile on their face, and the warmth felt so genuine and comforting, especially first thing in the morning. They had such a huge selection of pastries and cakes that it was honestly hard to choose. I ended up getting the cake shaped like a cherry because it looked so interesting. It was a black cherry cake and I paired it with a cappuccino. It was the perfect combination. The cake was beautiful and tasted just as good as it looked. We also ordered the breakfast burrito, which came with a small side salad. It was fine, but not the standout for me. If I came back, which I would, I would probably stick to the pastries and coffee and try more of their baked goods instead. Service was amazing. The ambience was adorable. I loved how all the silverware, plating, and dinnerware matched that perfect green tone. Every detail felt intentional. It was just perfect.

Lickity Split often makes the short list of best ice cream shops in Chicago, and after stopping by…read morerecently, I can absolutely say it's for good reason! Every time I've passed by, it's usually got a line going out the door so I wouldn't count on a visit being quick. That said, the staff worked fast and were super nice. The interior had a major nostalgia factor, with every kind of retro, old-fashioned candy you could think of filling the space! I saw treats that I haven't seen in decades. As for the frozen treats, they're beautiful in their simplicity. This place is not Jeni's, and they're not trying to be. There were only three custard flavors with seemingly every kind of traditional candy, sundae, and fruit topping available. I heard great things about the concretes in particular and opted for the OMG, which was a peanut butter lover's dream! I ordered it with a swirled vanilla and chocolate custard base, and every bite had chunks of brownie bites and butterfinger pieces. The junior was plenty big and I felt like a pretty good value. If you're in the Edgewater area and craving a sweet treat, I highly recommend paying a visit to this shop regardless of the season!

I accidently stumbled here when I was walking around Edgewater. It was late and not quite 10pm…read more(they close) so I stopped in. Took me awhile to process the menu but it was pretty simple as there are only three steps but plenty of add-ons. Pick your custard base, pick your add-ons and size. I choose the store favorite "Mocha-madness" which is vanilla base custard and they add brew coffee and chocolate chip and blend. I like it as this was not too sweet and rich coffee flavors. $9 (medium). There are other favorites listed but I was not looking for anything crazy. The store has many candy items that you can buy which does not have to ice cream. There is a long bench in the back of the store where you can sit and enjoy the dessert. I like it and will come back for more.

Scooter's is a must try for a sweet treat! Creamy ice cream and rotating flavors you can find on…read moretheir website. Everything from shakes, concretes, sundaes, Italian ice, and even hot dogs! Line gets pretty long, but it moves decently fast. They have a small inside, as well as a takeout window.

BEST FROZEN CUSTARD EVER!!! Really really loved this place. Worth the line if there is one! They…read moreseem to move pretty fast.

I realized it's been many years since my last review. It's still my favorite go to gelato spot…read more Small, cute ambiance. It's changed a lot the past couple years. It has gotten a larger menu with drinks & sandwiches too. More of a something for everyone vibe than before. Still have their fun flavors, cashew caramel goat cheese, but more classics now too. Lots of attentive servers ready to dish out your favorites. Day old pints on sale in the freezer with gelato pie & other goodies. Outside patio & counter seating with 3 seats available.

The Black Dog Gelato is such a cute neighborhood dessert spot. When we went around 10 PM on a…read moreFriday night, luckily it wasn't too crowded, so service was friendly and quick. They didn't have a huge flavor selection, but they covered the basics (vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, hazelnut etc). I chose the pistachio and it was so good and really satisfied my sweet tooth. They did samples when I visited, so I tried the goat cheese caramel, but it was a bit too tangy for my taste. There isn't much indoor seating, but they have cute, little patio seating just outside. Parking isn't ideal if you're coming from a long ways away, but I'm guessing a lot of their customers live close by to walk to it. We may have to visit again before we leave, but high recommend!