I come to Caro Mio a couple of times a year and the food always hits the spot. Their bolognese sauce is my favorite and I always make room for the chocolate soufflé. It can be a tight squeeze in the restaurant but I love the homey feel and the service is always solid. read more

What can I say?! The service and food are outstanding! The lasagna is the best I've ever had! The sauce is so yummy! I also have had the homemade rigatoni with chicken parmigiana which is also the best I've ever had! It's also a byob which is a bonus! read more

Caro Mio - Homemade Rigatoni - A serving of baked pasta with tomato sauce, melted cheese, and sprinkled herbs on a white plate. - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Caro Mio has been thrilling stomachs in Lincoln Square for a quarter of a century. they are just celebrating their 25th anniversary in the neighborhood and have been doing some delicious specials during the weekdays. I have been here a couple of times and love the intimate and close vibe ( their seating area isn't massive), and all the pictures and paintings around the wall make it feel homey . They had BOGO for their anniversary and we got chicken vesuvio and eggplant parm. And tried their dessert for the first time ! Service is great and staff is super friendly . read more

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This place is cute, convenient, and BYOB. Tight spot, so make a reservation on weekends. It was really really hot inside, they need to figure that out. Food was tasty. Best bruschetta I have ever had (it was a special, not sure they always have the kind I ordered). Service was sooooo sweet and kind. read more

Caro Mio - Cavatelli Con Salsiccia - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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What an incredible experience! One of the best Italian restaurants in the city. I have a group of friends that every 4 to 6 weeks we go and explore a new location, and I was recommended this by a coworker who claimed "best in the city", and it's definitely up there! It's a BYOB, but they supplied any and all supplemental glasses or ice buckets you would need for the libations. All of their pastas are handmade and perfectly cooked. The sauces are incredibly flavorful. And the desserts were very tasty. Make sure you come, hungry, cause the portions are incredible. Also, the service is very kind, personal, and efficient. We came hungry, left happy. My personal favorite was the homemade rigatoni with chicken Parmesan, which is their signature dish. read more

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Came here for my girlfriend's 40th birthday, and the service was amazing. They took really good care of us and made sure that everything was perfect. The food was delicious and tasted homemade. This is one of our favorite Italian spots in the neighborhood! read more

Caro Mio - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The best restaurant in the city, I can't get enough of this place. I love the owner and the food is the best

Cozy, authentic, everything delicious Italian Restaurant in Lincoln Square. We hadn't been to Caro Mio since they moved.....Why? We will be back lots! It was always one of my top fav restaurants, and now I remember why. Great BYOB gorgeous food and impeccable service! read more

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We recently visited for an event and they had totally packed the place. The last time I ate at Caro Mio, they were located off Montrose so it was nice to see their newer location on Lincoln where the would get more traffic to see their location. If you're able to find street parking without paying, that's great as we were able to do, but parking is tough, so if you can rideshare, grab a cab, take the "L", or walk, you're better off. We were treated to a mixed green salad, their insalata della casa, (not my fave type of lettuce, so I passed). My wife said it was good. Then we had chicken parmesan. It was the thinnest chicken parm I've ever had. The sauce was good, but it overpowered the parmesan and the chicken. It had the thickness of maybe 4-5 sheets of paper. Next they served up their tri-colored rottolo. It actually looked more like a spinach lasagna. It was very tasty. Not as much sauce (thank g-d as it would have overpowered this dish as well). So, it was nice to be able to get the full flavoring of all the ingredients of this dish. They served fresh steamed broccoli that was very brightly colored which my family again said was very good. Lastly, they served their risotto funghi porcini (mushroom risotto). Again, not my ave, so I skipped, but my wife said was really delicious. They had red and white wine to share, hard seltzer and beer in cans or Coke products in cans. The place was decked out in interesting artwork that I assume family members painted which gave Caro Mio a very homey atmosphere. The staff was friendly, but several servers seemed not to understand English, so when I asked what each dish was, they just looked at me, smiled, and said that either they didn't understand what I was asking or they pointed to someone else. The food was decent. The atmosphere was nice, and is a cute little place for a date. If it's packed and you worry about the close proximity to everyone, this isn't your place. Lots of great Italian spots in the city. Caro Mio is a decent enough neighborhood spot. Skip the chicken parmesan, and order the mushroom risotto or rittolo instead. read more

Without a doubt this place should always get 5 stars! Food, ambience, customer service and connection with the customer were top tear. We ended up here late night on a whim for date night and would most definitely be back. Don't forget to ask for Daniel as your server and that it's BYOB!!! read more

In the heart of the ravenswood neighborhood. The inside gives a family style restaurant vibes and its BYOB. The homemade rigatoni and homemade lobster ravioli (in a creamy mascarpone cheese sauce and with sun-dried tomatoes) is good. You know its good when the person next to our table asked what I ordered! The portions are large and service is warm and welcoming. read more

Caro Mio - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Really authentic Italian restaurant! Lots of options for food and everything was good! The papperdelle was really good! Dessert also looked good but we were too full to get any. Very cool that they are BYOB with no corkage fee. Only downside is they charged a $12 credit card fee that we didn't see written anywhere so it was unexpected. read more

Caro Mio - A plate of penne pasta with tomato sauce, meatballs, and sausage links, served at an Italian restaurant. - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Amazing solid all day long handmade great service BYOB and def our go to for amazing g italian In our neighborhood Have been here multiple times read more

We love everything about this place. Most importantly, the food is delicious. Plus you can bring your own wine. We've never had a problem with service in all the years we've been coming. read more

Ravenswood Italian restaurant, and not bad. I can imagine it might get a little crowded here at times, but we were there on a very quiet Monday in the early evening, so it was comfortable. What drew me here was the BYOB with no corking fee, so we picked a bottle of wine and dropped in. Pretty much everything was ok, in that I have no qualms about visiting again but it wasn't a place that left me knocked out by how fantastic it was. The food was good; I had the agnelloti rossini, which had a great flavor and the pancetta was cooked just the way I like it. What I felt was lacking was a bit in the preparation--the pasta was overcooked. That's something that I'd expect at a chain like Olive Garden (which I like sometimes, so that's not exactly a knock on it), but not a local Italian place. While the flavor was great, it was a little disappointing not to have that lovely al dente texture to the pasta. They didn't have the tiramisu (which was pretty disappointing), so instead we got another dessert of lemon gelato with limoncello. It was very good. read more

BE WARNED: if you split an entree they will charge you an extra $8 for no reason. Total BS if you ask me. The food was amazing, both apps and entrees. Truly some of the best Italian I've had in the city to date. Truly felt authentic. I highly recommend going here if you plan on getting one entree per person. If you plan on splitting, you should go elsewhere. read more

I dined here with a group of 6 on a Monday. It was a busy as a Saturday (especially with so few options open on Mondays) and the person greeting me asked how many. There were 2 of us, as I had gone to pick up the very old woman we were taking out to dinner. She can barely walk and "forgets" her cane, so I had parked illegally out front and walked her in, hoping to deposit her at our table so I could park. We were the first to arrive, but I wasn't sure how many were coming since I hadn't made the reservation. I said "Either 6 or 7? The reservation is under X." He responded "Well I need to know exactly how many. We're very busy." I was surprised and wondered if he meant to have us all stand in front of the door in this tiny, cramped restaurant until everyone arrived. Why couldn't he check the reservation? I'm now furiously texting the person who made the res, who is probably driving, trying to get the headcount. The person who greeted us finally brought a chair, which was great because I'm texting and trying to hold the woman up. I finally tell him 5 and he seats us at one of the 2 open tables, both of which are set for 6 anyway. It's BYOB, so when our 3rd person arrived with wine, they brought ice buckets to chill the white, but then didn't come back until our 5th person arrived, so no drinks or anything. The food was excellent. We shared a few apps. The special app of burrata, which was great and came with tomatoes and 17 lbs of garlic. I had the rotolo and also tried the mushroom pasta. The food was a 5 but the experience and service was a 3 at best. I'd maybe do a takeaway order. Not sure I want to be begrudgingly served. read more

Calamari (not pictured) was absolutely amazing - very fresh and crispy. A large serving, too! Cannot get over the rigatoni - the homemade pasta was amazing, as well as the bolognese sauce. The salmon was delicious, we were obsessed with garlicky/lemony potatoes that accompanied it! Had been wanting to try this place for a while. Service was quick and friendly. The inside of the restaurant is quaint with a strong sense of personality. Will definitely be going back for dine in and takeout! read more

Caro Mio - Salmone Vesuvio - Salmon fillet served with roasted potato wedges, topped with garlic and herbs, on a white plate. - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Been wanting to stop by to try this place for a while. Always seemed a little crowded so stopped by for an early dinner. Small-cozy place but plenty of elbow room and easy to have a casual conversation over dinner. Sat us down almost immediately. Simple menu. I stuck with the specials. The burrata appetizer with the garlic bread was delicious. I love all the garlic but could be overwhelming for others. The chicken piccata was really good...enough for two servings perfectly cooked but my wife ordered the mushroom risotto. Made me wish I had ordered the same. Love mushrooms and this had that wonderful flavor throughout. Next time that's what I'll order. Will definitely be back! read more

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Cute little BYOB. With good prices, delicious food. Big portions. Very welcoming staff. Don't overlook this Lincoln Square gem. No corkage fees. Amazing salad. The rotolo spinach pasta was just right read more

One of the best Italian meals I've had and it's such a charming and lovely restaurant in the heart of Lincoln Square. Since my family lives nearby we can walk here which was a huge bonus since then you're not worrying about parking or driving. It's a very small restaurant with only maybe 15 tables inside. My sister made a reservation so we were seated right away. What sets this place apart from others is that they have a whole section of just the pastas they make from scratch (as in the pasta homemade). And then another section of *more* pastas and dishes. Their portions are HUGE so definitely plan on splitting and then taking some home. We ordered three pastas: - House salad to start plus - Their house speciality of the night was burrata so we also got that - Rigatoni (my nephew's favorite) -- big homemade rigatoni noodles with chicken and sauce (I didn't eat this one but it looked great!) - Farfalle primavera -- my choice to order: farfalle tossed with fresh vegetables in a light oil & garlic sauce - Linguine arrabiata -- my sister's pick; Nice spicy pasta sauce! I wish this could be ordered with the rigatoni or a different pasta! This place is also BYOB so we brought two bottles of wine and some beer with us. The service is impeccable and attentive. Just a wonderful meal and we left with plenty of leftovers and left fully and happy! 10/10 would recommend! read more

This an absolutely delightful neighborhood Italian restaurant! It's small, so reservations are a good idea. Make sure you order at least one dish with their homemade pasta. The rotolo is a great choice - ricotta and spinach rolled in homemade pasta covered in sauce and baked with mozzarella. Service is great, and the place is BYOB with no corkage fee. Eat here! read more

You know that show "Best Thing I Ever Ate?" Sometimes I like to pretend I'm one of those people on there. And if that was ever the case, I'd be talking about the Gorgonzola risotto from here. Yep, literally, best thing I've ever eaten. The Gorgonzola risotto work Italian sausage. Best. Thing. I've. Ever. Eaten. Caro Mío is just a perfect spot. BYOB (or wine). Decently priced. Stellar service! Plentiful menu. Every single dish is delicious! Great ambiance. Just everything is wonderful. We've both dined in and done delivery. Multiple times over. Want to know my second favorite thing? It's the mushroom fettuccine dish. And then then lobster ravioli. And well, there is, literally, nothing not great here. We have pretty much fully made our way through the menu. Everything is always stellar. I'm drooling as I type this. My fav restaurant in all of Chicago. If "Best Thing I Ever Ate" finally contacts me, I'm totes raving about the Gorgonzola risotto. You can't go wrong here. You truly can't. It's a stellar establishment with fab Italian food. And BTW, try the Gorgonzola risotto! read more

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I was really excited to try this restaurant near my friend's neighborhood. We thought it looked a bit pricey, but the reviews seemed great overall. The first impression of the restaurant is that it's a neighborhood spot, which is always great, since it means there are returning customers. The problem is that it felt quite dated, perhaps stuck in the 90s. The walls' paint had a spongy texture (e.g. applied with a sponge), and everything felt a bit old and dusty. There was tons of art on the walls, which is a nice idea, but it was almost too crowded with frames that had non-cohesive artwork, thematically. A lot of the experience this evening felt amateurish in the same way. (One exception was the polite service!) The bathroom was very large and also felt dated and old, and it was big enough where it would have made sense to split it into more than one stall and accommodate more people. We decided to get an appetizer. Grilled polenta with a flavorful sauce seemed great. There was also parmesan on top, it said, at least. We thought we got the wrong menu item. It was the equivalent of when you see a fast food or frozen food ad with a way better-than-expected picture, except this was at a different price point than either of those. The sauce that was supposedly rich and flavor did not have much of a taste, and it was quite thin...it did not feel like a "rich ragu." The polenta was not in any way grilled - it came in heated-up blocks that had no sign of grilling on any surface (outdoor grill, flat top surface, anything). And I am not sure there was any parmesan at all (had thought it would be broiled on top or something nice)...our server said it was already in the sauce, maybe. I guess? It was a ridiculous disappointment. The food that came out later was OK but not that good. The plates were lined with the requisitely cheesy/dated sprinkles of parsley. The food did not have much complex flavor, though the garlic was there and helped enhance the flavor and smell. My pasta dish had large chunks of garlic, which weren't raw by then but still felt a bit amateurish (different sized chunks of garlic/huge chunks aren't usually present in this way). The proteins in my dish were all lukewarm, despite the pasta and sauce being hot, so it felt like those were precooked and plopped in last minute. I get that these items are made in batches, and that makes sense, but these bad cooking techniques are more acceptable when you go to a friend's house for dinner and aren't paying at least $22 for each main course. And the sauce (tomato-based) was greasy enough where the oil pooled at the bottom. All in all, for an appetizer and two main courses, plus tip, it was $90. I was frustrated by the experience and wonder how it keeps pulling in such consistent customers. read more

This restaurant is a gem in Lincoln Square. It's BYOB so keep that in mind, but that pastas and main dishes excel. Chicken Parm and calamari especially star. The staff is friendly too. This restaurant is the place to go for Italian food in Lincoln Square. read more

Caro Mio - Chicken Parm with thick rigatoni - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This was my first visit to Chicago, I'm so thankful I don't listen to the news! The narrative that Chicago is so "VIOLENT" is a distasteful narrative. VIOLENCE IS EVERYWHERE, AMERICA was founded on violence.. Don't miss out on the opportunity to visit, if so you'll miss out on restaurants like this. I love pasta Italian food is one of my favorites. Let me tell y'all this place is absolutely delicious. We waited 30-40 minutes for our dishes, we had a party of 6. The pasta was made from scratch, the feeling of biting into homemade pasta is a life changer. The sauces are rich in flavor, your taste buds will instantly get to asking for more! Pass on the complimentary bread, grab the cheesy garlic bread Portion sizes are very generous! thankfully I was able to have it for breakfast the next morning lol so serious! I chose the fettuccine Alfredo with chicken, if you're calorie counting this dish may not be for you.. luckily for me I'm not, I enjoyed it the Alfredo sauce is a bit heavy. Knowing I love pasta I dipped into all the dishes. Lasagna very very good! Risotto prepared PERFECTLY! The rigatoni I loved those big thick noodles, oh my. I can go on and on All in all this restaurant is worth a try! Trust me you won't be disappointed read more

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This place is good (but I wish it were better) since it's in our neighborhood. But it's definitely heavy on the cheese on top. And the pricing seems very irrational (and high!) how are primavera and veg dishes pretty much the same price as meat dishes? And seriously, what is up with .95 at the end of everything!? Just charge $30 or $28 and be done with it, who are you fooling. read more

I've dined here once and it was great, the server was nice, but when I went in today they refuses to let me in because Im not wearing a jacket in 90° weather but there are other customers inside wearing string tops am I the only one? I guesss their dress code is business only if you are asian. i wonder if i was let in last time bc it was empty and i dined by myself lol read more

Caro Mio - lol good times when i was allowed in when no one else was around - The image shows the interior of Caro Mio, an Italian restaurant in Chicago, featuring artwork on the walls, tables with white tablecloths, and wooden chairs. - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food was great and the service was excellent. It's a neighborhood restaurant for us and we are lucky to have it. We took friends who were visiting from out of town and who are foodies and they loved it. One said the beer lasagna he'd ever eaten. read more

Had a gift card my sister in law bought for Xmas paid 75 $ 14 months ago called twice and said no problem you can use it got the persons name and the law says a restaurant gift card can't expire until after 5 years and the manager denied it ever happened and said call the police even though they stole my sisters in law 75$ scam rip off and no morals avoid this place they will steal your money and lie over the phone disgraceful person take your money elsewhere read more

Went with a couple of friends and we loved it! The atmosphere was great the food was delicious and our server Pierre was awesome. And for 4 people that had appetizers, our Entree's and dessert was a very reasonable price. And it's a byob place they do not charge for any cork fee. For sure will come again, thanks Caro Mío read more

I had an amazing time celebrating my birthday with my family at Caro Mio. I was looking for this place for quite some time and realized their location moved. I celebrated my birthday here 10 years ago and I wanted to relive the experience. What I remembered the most about my last time dining 10 years ago was the superb service, amazing food, and family-owned hospitality. I felt the same way this time around. The new space was inviting and my party dined comfortably. I ordered the lobster ravioli with buttercream sauce that makes you want to order more. Calamari isn't something I usually order at restaurants because it either a hit or miss. Caro Mio's calamari was not only fresh but crunch and flakey. So glad I found their new location. Wishing for many more memories here. read more

Caro Mio - Lobster ravioli. - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great food, great service. We went on a Friday evening around 7:30 and we were able to snag a table immediately but within 30 minutes, the place was packed! The management and service crew are obviously a great team. Lots of hugs for regulars coming in the door. Love the ambiance of local artwork (as well as some budding child artists as well) hanging from the wall. Our server recommends the burrata with herbs, garlic, olive oil and fresh tomato which we took him up on. Paired nicely with a good red wine (BYOB, yes!). Fantastic flavor. I had the pappardelle con porcini - imported italian porcini mushrooms sautéed with borolo red wine, parmesan cheese and cream. Enough rich deliciousness for TWO meals. My wife had pollo alla parmigiana - tender pan-fried chicken breast topped with marinara and baked with mozzarella cheese with a side of pasta with red sauce. Very nice and well flavored with sweet and tangy marinara. We were too full to try dessert but certainly we will save room for next time. Great local place with wonderful food an a great team! read more

The food is AMAZING ! The service is WONDERFUL Highly recommend It's a lovely place read more

The food is fantastic and the service is great. If you're hating on a restaurant because you don't like the art, pls stay home and let others enjoy. read more

Great food and I believe that the owner is involved in day to day operations. Having said that, there are definitely bad elements in this business on the diner facing side. After learning, despite contradictory information on the website, that only one card is accepted for payment, the bussing staff made sport of a victory over taking one card. To be honest, this is juvenile and reflective of the mindset in this establishment. Most options available today offer an equivalent or better food quality and superior service to Caro Mio. read more

Charming and intimate classic Italian spot in Lincoln Square! The restaurant is BYOB, and the prices are so reasonable. We had the minestrone soup, which was tasty. We also enjoyed the restaurant's signature dish: Homemade rigatoni pasta with bolognese sauce and chicken parmesan on top. I appreciated that the dish was served piping hot (it was literally steaming because it was so cold outside!) It was delicious. The portions are also huge so plenty of leftovers. If you're looking for old-school Italian dishes in a no-frills, cozy setting, Caro Mio is great. read more

We thought to visit an Italian restaurant for our Friday nite out and thought let's give Caro Mio a try, and man, we were so impressed with the quality of food prepared, the impeccable service, and the atmosphere was all top notch!! But wait I forgot to tell you the best part! The Parm! Omg, the best chicken parmigiana I've had ANYWHERE! Give Caro Mio a try you won't be disappointed and will be 110% fully satisfied. It's byob so bring a nice Pinot Noir to make it special night. It's a nice-a! read more

Amazing food and service! FYI that this is a BYOB place. Such a small and cozy restaurant!

Great experience here at Caro Mio. Service was exceptional, professional and prompt. This location has only a few tables and I recommend making a reservation prior. Started out with the mushroom special which was underwhelming. For my main course I ordered the homemade gnocchi which was superb. Each bite was light and melted in your mouth. Also the Pollo alla parmigiana was thinly flattened and rich sauce. Entrees come in large portions so be prepared to have leftovers. Note this restaurant is BYOB. If you are searching for a classic Italian dinner with homemade noodles this is the spot to check out. read more

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