Absolutely horrible. My boyfriend and I had a birthday in the area and we are not familiar with the neighborhood. We live in Lincoln Park. This place looked decent. Horrible service took over an hour took get our food and 10.50 for a lousy house salad and they have audacity to charge 3.50 for a can of Coke!? Are you kidding me? And $9 for a cup soup this place is not fancy at all mediocre crap my boyfriend ordered a $23 lasagna scalding hot mush!!! DO NOT COME HERE the positive reviews are all done by the staff. UPDATE : After posting this I got a message from Jean N. no doubt Someone from the restaurant saying I left a fake review and that I am a devil women for posting the truth. That goes to show how unprofessional this place is. read more

I've been wanting to go to Caro Mio for some time and finally made it there last weekend. It's homemade Italian, BYO with no corkage. What else could you want?? They don't accept reso's but seating seemed ample. We started with calamari, which was really crisp and tasty. They also provide the staple of bread with olive oil and Parmesan cheese. Hands down this was the BEST olive oil I've ever tasted. OMG. I wanted to put the bottle in my purse. With self control and restraint, I managed not to. For my main dish I ordered the chicken tortellini with fresh tomato sauce. This dish knocked my socks off. The freshness of the homemade pasta is virtually unmatched. The winning dish at my table of 4 though was one of the specials- homemade rigatoni with bolognese sauce topped with chicken parm. The dish was huge. The best part was definitely the noodles. They were thick and perfectly cooked. I've never had anything like it and I'm still dreaming about it. (My husband was sorry he ever shared because I couldn't keep my fork off his plate). Everything sounded perfect, so why the 4 stars? The ambiance was a bit lacking for me. Had we been seated in the main dining area, this might have been a 5 star review. However we were taken back outside to enter their private dining room, which I guess was open to the public that night. It did not have nearly the charm of the main dining area and I thought it smelled odd. It was chilly out too so the lack of a winter door left us shivering every now and again. But make no mistake, this does not detract from the meal. In fact, I'd eat in the bathroom if it meant I could shove my face with those rigatoni again. read more

Caro Mio - Chicken tortellini with fresh tomato sauce - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here for a gathering with a group of friends (about 15 of us) and enjoyed the food and atmosphere. They take reservations for groups bigger than 4 so I would suggest calling if you have a group bigger than that. They offer packages for big groups, but depending on the day, you can just order single items. Talk to the main chef first before making arrangements on a package or not. **Make sure if you do order single items, that you ask your party to bring cash. They only require you to put it on one bill and only use up to 4 CCs maximum/check. If you use more than 4 CCs, there is a small service fee. There is also a small service fee for splitting checks as well at a table. My party just brought cash and everything worked out great. The food was great, we seemed to all enjoy it. Be advised that the food you order does come in big portions, good enough to split with another friend, however, if you do split a plate, there is also another service fee ($4 I believe). Good food, prices for the plates are a little high (average about $19-$20) however understandable when you are not paying for alcohol and there's not even a corkage fee for BYOB. Drink and be Merry! I would suggest coming here with another party or hungry visit if I am in the area. read more

Great food! The lasagna is amazing. Just a wonderful gem in Lincoln Square. I highly recommend this restaurant and it's BYOB.

My wife and I came here on a weekday evening. We were only the second table when we arrived around 7pm, but the place slowly filled up during our meal. The bread they brought to the table was very plain and nothing special, and the olive oil on the table was extra "olivey," which some people may like, but it's not for me. We started with the polenta appetizer, which was very good and creamy, and the included sauce was awesome. My wife had the Rotolo, which was very good, but not earth-shattering. I went with the special of Chicken Parmesan with homemade rigatoni, and it was absolutely amazing. The rigatoni was off the charts fresh and delicious. The sauce was just how I like it: flavorful with a touch of sweetness. We didn't have room for dessert, and the portions are big, so expect to have some leftovers (that are even better the next day). The staff was friendly, and the atmosphere was quaint and inviting. Oh, and it's BYOB with no corkage fee. You can't beat that. read more

Caro Mio - Chicken Parmesan on homemade rigatoni with amazingly delicious sauce. So good. - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This place is amazing, phenomenal, and has been a go-to for me and a group of friends for about 15 years. We panicked this week when we saw a "for rent" sign in front of the building, but were relieved when I called and heard on their voicemail indicating that they are temporarily closed (this is late Dec 2020) and are moving to a location a few blocks west. We always get a few dishes to share -- favorites are the gnocchi special, the bruschetta special, and the porcini risotto. For a treat, ask for the gnocchi special done with the porcini sauce -- it is phenomenal. (We often order both and then just switch plates throughout our meal.) Since the pandemic I've ordered from them multiple times and while eating at home will never match the experience of eating in the restaurant, the food is always delivered on time, is appropriately packaged, and is just as tasty from home. read more

We stumbled upon Caro Mio after trying to visit two other restaurants (one was closed, one was hopelessly crowded). It was raining and it was nearby, so we stopped in. And I'm very glad we did! First of all, the spot is very cute, darkly lit with tables that are close, but not too close together. it's BYO, which is also nice. We tried some pasta dishes and bruscetta - everything was wonderfully delicious. The menu was pretty large, but I finally decided on the special of the day. It was fresh and delicious and also the largest portion ever! I think we took half of each meal home. I thought it was pretty reasonably priced. Service was friendly and quite accommodating - especially considering we were late arrivals to the restaurant. read more

This quaint little Italian restaurant on Wilson welcomes you with a warmly decorated interior enhanced by artworks by a featured young artist. My dilemma was what to choose --- the brasciole or the osso buco (two of my all-time favorite Italian dishes). I went with the latter and while it was a good solid dish of veal slathered with tomato sauce and sided with polenta, I have had better versions of osso buco elsewhere. The entrees come with either a house salad or a soup. The delicious soup I had included pasta, potato and a cheesy broth. The desserts looked good (lemon tartufo caught my eye on the card) but the otherwise vigilant service during the early dinner hour trickled to a slow grind once the restaurant filled up. read more

Caro Mio - Caro Mio - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We dined here with a group of seven recently. Overall, a solid neighborhood place for the Northside. Tables are pretty close together but totally fine. On a weekend night it seemed like a popular gathering place for larger parties. It is also definitely family friendly. The noise level was loud enough to accommodate children without negatively impacting others dining experience. The menu is straightforward Italian comfort food. Some dishes appeared to be better executed than others. My sister's rigatoni special looked and tasted great. Our chicken dish was a bit of a bust. It was like they put raw chicken into the pan instead of a par roasted half chicken or allowing the skin to cook enough. The result was no crisp to the skin at all. My veal was just o.k. as well. The sauce was really oily. It also was overly saucy. In the future I'd ask them to serve it over pasta instead of pasta on the side. That would probably help with the presentation and composition of the dish. It just seemed like 90% sauce and 10% veal. All and all everyone was happy and full by the time we left. It seemed like some pastas were homemade and others were not. There was a green bean salad special that should be on the menu all the time. It was great and I would go back just for that if it was on the menu all the time. BYOB. Large portions. Prices are reasonable given the portion sizes. Service is o.k.. read more

I have found my Italian -go-to finally! Homemade pasta is outstanding. Never realized how much of a difference it makes, but holy canolli, I don't ever want boxed pasta again! To me, it's the pasta that made the experience but there were other rewarding aspects as well. *bruscetta made with the freshest most mouthwatering mozzarella ever *extensive menu with so many specials that sounded delightful and made decision-making challenging *BYOB with no corkage fee *friendly, informative (cute with Italian accent) servers that gave us lots of recommendations (he also was nice enough to explain that the portabello appetizer might not be the best option to split between 3 people) *the bread and olive oil that began the meal was also accompanied by crushed garlic and red pepper *the portions were large enough for all of us to take home leftovers The only reason I did not give it 5 stars was merely because they did not have BYOB advertised outside therefore we had no idea and also I don't think the prices are outrageous by any means, but I personally can't afford a $24 plate of pasta every time I crave Italian. Although, saving money on wine probably evens it out in the end. So let's call this 4.5 stars! read more

BYOB Italian - what an amazing experience! A great little spot, that was able to accommodate our 12 person group (on a weeknight at least). The service was good without hovering. We ordered a couple appetizers. The Bruschetta and pizza bread, can't go wrong there! Then for dinner, everyone seemed pleased with what they ordered. The portions are a pretty good size, so if you get an app or salad along with pasta, you'll likely have some leftovers. I really wanted linguine with clams in a white sauce...but the menu had it with a red sauce, they adjusted it a bit and voila, I had a delicious plate of linguine and clams in white wine sauce and garlic, don't forget the garlic! My husband got a homemade pasta dish that was very good. Our friend across from us got stuffed gnocchi, which was amazing! I think we were all pretty happy and I can't wait to grab a nice bottle of red and head back again! read more

Had a lovely dinner late with family. Started with the gnocchi to share. Kids ate Alfredo pasta and risotto with Porchinni mushrooms. Adults ate the salmon with a honey glaze and balsamic vinegar reduction and eggplant Parmesan. The gnocchi was light and pillowy. Risotto was too intense of a flavor for the kids, but they tried it. The Alfredo sauce was perfect for the kids. And that eggplant Parmesan was liked. Portions were very big and we had to take half of everything home. They did forget to put chicken on the Alfredo and offered to bring it for free after the fact. That was very nice and showed how much they cared in making sure that we enjoyed their meal. We were the second to the last customers and there was no rush for us to be there. It was a wonderful night. Thanks for having us read more

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What a lovely little Italian gem. Went here for a romantic evening with my boyfriend and it was everything we were looking for - intimate, family-owned, delicious food, relaxing, and they do a great job with the BYOB: we brought a six-pack of beer, a bottle of wine AND a bottle of champagne and they accommodated all of it. The food was absolutely delicious and reasonably priced (although skip the bruschetta - it was soggy and gross). My only problem with this place is that it's really far from my house and sort of in the middle of nowhere - but it was worth the trip. read more

The best BYOB Italian restaunt in Chicago, no corkage Fee with generous Portions, small restaurant cozy and Friendly, the homemade chicken Is the best, the Green Bean salad fresh and delicious read more

Caro Mio is a good standby for Italian comfort food in a casual setting. The menu is good. The atmosphere is easy although some might say the place could use a makeover. Good food for a good price but those with a sophisticated pallet may not find much to write home about here. read more

After years of passing by saying "I should really try that place one of these days" I finally had the opportunity to give Caro Mio a shot and am happy to report it was great! We had a larger group on a tuesday night, they weren't busy and easily accommodated our party. The service was excellent, as the server demonstrated a thorough knowledge of the menu, the bussers were attentive, waters stayed full, dirty plates were cleared and (did I mention it's BYOB?) our stream of empty wine bottles were cleared, without being overattentive or hovering. They gave us a wine key for the table which, tbh, I much prefer over the alternative of having to flag down a server and wait for them to open a bottle while looking at us judgingly for opening yet another. Well not here! For appetizers we shared the Bruschetta and Italian Pizza bread, both were excellent. The group had a nice assortment of entrees- from seafood to chicken to veal- it was all very good and in generous portions. Feeling adventurous I had the Veal Piemontese, which was veal medalions with ravioli in a mushroom marsalla cream sauce. Definitely a richer dish, it was very good albeit a little salty, but not so that it was bad, just a little much for my personal preference (don't get me wrong, I happily ate it). I also sampled the Chicken Parmesean and Salmon special, in a slightly spicy red sauce with linguine. Both were excellent and everyone at our table seemed pleased with their choices. Some (or all?) of their pastas are made in house, which is a really nice touch. A few things to note- although the portions are generous, they charge extra if you are splitting a meal, so just get your own and have lunch for tomorrow. Also, they limit the number of credit cards you can use at one table to 3 or 4 (depending on where you look) so if you have a larger group make sure some people have cash on hand. They have every right to do both of these things and since they are up front about it, I take no issue. I am really glad I had the opportunity to try Caro Mio and will certainly be back to try more dishes! read more

We had not been here in a couple yrs since moving from the area. What happened-new owners or what??! Seems like they did some corner cutting..the bread was like thick sliced regular bread & not very good. The olive oil was bitter-cheap. The lasagna tasted good but not as good as it once was. Our salad- green leaves drowning in red wine vinegar. I really hope we had hit an off night & not the norm. That would be really sad! They never really did advertise or had a decent web page, rather relied on word of mouth...Perhaps it's time to rethink & regroup. read more

I live nearby and wanted to check this place out. I'm a pasta lover so it's a must. Had the calamari for appetizer and it was not bad. My main entree was the spaghetti with marinara which i thought was just okay. I have to try other pasta next time for sure. Service is good so it's a plus. read more

This by far has become one of our favorite Italian restaurants. Their food is amazing, and also doesn't take as long to make compared to most restaurants. I highly recommend the lobster ravioli! read more

I called for a pick-up order on a Friday night and food was ready in 30 minutes. Once I arrived, the staff was attentive to me walking in for a pick-up order. Each dish I would order and eat again - no doubt about it. The portions are enough for 2-3 meals in itself depending how hungry you are. The Gnocchi Homemade are filled with asiago cheese and melt in your mouth - some may feel it's soggy but we realized because each gnocchi was stuffed with cheese! You could definitely taste the lobster in the large portion and the sauce was great for dipping your bread in. If you don't like mushrooms, I wouldn't recommend the parpadelle con porcini since you can definitely taste them. However, I highly enjoyed each and every bite of the homemade noodles and sauce! 9/10 rating if I could rate it. read more

I came here on a Sunday afternoon and it was pretty crowded. There was a private party going on so we were seated in the back room. It was a little crowded in the restaurant, but we didn't mind the intimate atmosphere. The waiters were very nice and smiled a lot. They seemed sincere about their recommendations and the service was great. Food: They have very large portions, but the food is pretty tasty. The meatballs were the size of my fist! You can go here and end up splitting with how large the portions are. I had the caprese salad and even had a tough time finishing that. The calamari appetizer was large enough to split among four people without filling us up. A problem was that the large plates did not go well with the small tables they have. There was limited room to move around. Oh well. It was still a delicious time. Caro Mio is also a BYOB (yay!) and they have not corking fee (double yay!). Funny that they carded me and my boyfriend though as we are way beyond our 21st birthdays. LOL! read more

Mmmmm Italian food. I thought I could always use another italian restaurant just in case my favorite italian place (see other reviews) closes down or burns down. Unfortunately this isn't the place for me. It is BYOB which is nice but I think I could have cooked better gnocci at home. My girlfriend had the cheese ravioli which was good, but the bolognese sauce missed the target. We were there with a group of 10 and I don't think I heard one person rave about what they ate. The other good points to mention were easy street parking and it was a nicely decorated restaurant. I would definitely choose other Italian before I went back. read more

I don't like Italian food. Go through my reviews. MAYBE I have been to two or three Italian restaurants in the last five years but that's it. Suddenly, Italian has become one of my pregnancy cravings. Who knew? Well, I told the Mr. what I was craving and he jumped at the chance to check out Caro Mio. It's just a few blocks away and it was a lovely night for a stroll. We started out with the fried calamari. While it was a little tough, it was still quite delicious. The bread that came around the same time was definitely not warmed but it is not something I care much about... especially when they serve it with a big helping of crushed garlic in oil and red pepper flakes. Mmmmmm. My dude had the lasagne and I had the tri-colored rotolo (pasta stuffed with ricotta cheese and spinach, topped with marinara and mozzarella cheese and baked). Both were HEAVEN. I preferred my dish but the lasagne was delicious as well. We didn't go for dessert or the BYOB (obviously) but... there's always next time. The service was friendly and efficient. We walked in and were sat, had menus right away, order was taken promptly, etc. Zero complaints. The restaurant itself is super cute and cozy. My husband's hoping my new Italian cravings will stay and we'll be regulars. read more

This place is pretty good. Gotthe chicken tortellini and the seafood linguini. Both very hot and good. You can really taste that the food is very fresh. Atmosphere is nice and so is service. Great little place. Very heavy food though if you like that kind of thing. read more

I took 3 out of town guests here for a Sunday night dinner. No reservations -- no problem. We arrived 30 minutes before closing -- also no problem. No one pressured us to hurry up, which is a good thing, because we ordered a lot, and would have stayed for more had our bellies been able to accommodate it. One of my guests said it was the best meal of her life. That's a strong statement, but I would say it was one of the best meals I've had in a very long time. The four of us had separate plates, and each plate provided a different taste experience, which is nice; so many restaurants "recycle" their sauces so that they can have a huge menu, but just a few stock ingredients in the kitchen. Not so here. Each plate was different from the next. Desserts were absolutely top-notch as well. Part of the reason my experience was so good was the atmosphere of the place. I loved that certain customers would come in and be whisked to special tables in darkened corners. It felt very mafia, only in a safe way. read more

Fallen off big time. Decor is worse than in the previous space. Lights flicker like a horror movie. Food not nearly what it used to be. Not going to return. read more

Terrible service but more importantly horrible food! I've lived in the neighborhood for years and have always wanted to try this place it looks like a super cute and authentic italian spot but I will never go back! My boyfriend and I got sick immediately after dining here. It's lower quality than olive garden. read more

This is my favorite restaurant in all of Chicago. The food is fantastic (Bruschetta you dream of) huge portions and BYOB, it's everything you could ever ask for. Did I mention NO corking fee??? BYOB and good food alone is enough to get me to a place but when there is zero corking fee and amazing food, SOLD forever. Be warned for first timers, when you walk up to it...it's in a little odd shopping center and at first glance you might go errr a strip mall restaurant..really??Trust me go inside. read more

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Great italian food with a great atmosphere, if you live lasagna this place won't disappoint Very clean place not a long wait on a Thursday night read more

Caro Mio - Awesome lasagna - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Took a friend who was visiting from out of town here. First thing we noticed was the decor. Very eclectic and unique! Service was good and all the employees were nice. Food was good. So was dessert. Parking is street parking, but it's not too bad. I went on a Sunday evening and I was able to park in front. Great little neighborhood restaurant! read more

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This restaurant needs to update the menu prices on line. There's at least a $5-8 difference between the website price and the actual menu price. $25.00 bucks for simple pasta? Really? We ordered the veal and it was so salty, dry and chewy. The only good thing in this meal is the bottle of red wine I brought to dinner. Very disappointed! read more

Amazing service and very humble host. Totally underestimated the food. We were very pleased with this neighborhood gem

This place was delicious service was excellent! Don't listen to those bad reviews! We got the gnocchi and the tortellini with chicken. We had ZERO complaints on both plates. read more

Caro Mio - Tortelloni Di Pollo - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Excellent Italian. Food was perfectly cooked. The sauses are excellent. Their bread is delish. Prices here are very reasonable.

I don't even know where to begin. Caro Mio is run by the sweetest people who really care about your experience when you are here. The portion sizes are huge. As someone who has a deep love for Italian food and grew up in a heavily Italian influenced area, this place really hits the spot whenever I eat here. I'd be remiss if I didn't highlight the Pappardelle Con Porcini, Cavatelli Con Salsiccia, and Agnelotti Rossini. I was so sad to learn they will be moving to a new location on Lincoln, but wish nothing but the best for them. I will truly miss walking home from work and smelling garlic bread every day. But will continue to support whenever I need amazing Italian food! read more

One of my favorite Italian restaurants in the city! I used to live in the neighborhood and went often! I ordered their Veal Parmesan a couple days ago for delivery, and it was SO good!! LOTS of food from Caro Mio, and really good quality! Great value and always delicious food! They know what their doing! Delivery through DoorDash show up well, too! read more

Simply incredible. One of the best Italian restaurants in Chicago. Very small unassuming location made it a warm dining experience. Fantastic service and even better meal. read more

SO GOOD! Worth the price, portions are generous and the staff is always kind.

I had the salmon porto, it comes with a side platter of pasta which did not go together at all. The salmon was really tart and sticky sweet as one would expect of a dish with balsamic. The salmons plate included a pool of the sauce, it thought it was overkill. I am not sure I would order it again; I got food poisoning later this night. It could be from the food here... We ordered 'appetizers' of garlic bread and cheese bread that both lacked flavor, both were such a waste. I did enjoy the hot sauce they provide. Do not order these, if you want bread they already provide for the table and just ask for some of the sauce. We also got two desserts, the chocolate in one of them was finger licking good. Overall, this place is okay. Nothing to write home about and I do not think I will return. read more

Update: DO NOT GO HERE. I opened my leftovers (from a plate that had to be re-made because it was served with hair in it), and there were MULTIPLE HAIRS IN MY LEFTOVERS. picture attached for proof. This is absolutely unacceptable!!! read more

Caro Mio - Hair in my leftovers! Just one hair of multiple long hairs. - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois