My husband and I agree that this place beats out Piccolo Sogno and La Scarola for our favorite Italian food in the city. We had an awesome experience here for three reasons: 1) Our server, Megan, was so nice and so knowledgable. 2) Everything we ordered was delicious. Calamari - let's be honest, the aioli was the star of the show here Burrata - so creamy and tasted great with the arugula Ravioli - light and flavorful it was a great summer dish Bucatini - my favorite Chocolate cake - classic and delicious! 3) We loved sitting on the patio out front. Such a nice ambience with greenery and hanging lights, and it's a little further down Randolph where it's not quite as busy. read more

Had a reservation, they had it under the wrong name and we still had to wait. Our party was seated early afternoon on a Friday before they were busy. We waited an hour and a half for four pastas meanwhile every table seated after us was being served. Drinks took minimal 20 minutes to the point where once they were served we had to order the next round because they took so long. With every 20 minutes passing and no update on our food we asked multiple times while constantly being assured "it's coming". We had multiple conversations with the manager RICHARD in Which he gave the birthday desert free.. terrible customer service. One and done for our group. read more

Great service. Food was on point. Portions on the small side. Price is a little high for the portion. The limoncello martini is very yummy. Overall, a nice place for a good meal. read more

The food and drinks here were great. I enjoyed vegetables I never imagined could be made to tase pleasurable- but the real star of the show was our server Murphy. He was super cold dude that recommended some great options, was very attentive and took excellent care of us. We were sitting at a wobbly table and he had it adjusted for us without us even asking. Honestly the table didn't even bother us, but it just shows his attention to detail and service. read more

Big group went here for restaurant week. Immediately 1.) it's restaurant week and that means some restaurants slip up both on service and on dishes. Not so here. 2.) it was a party of 11 - service was AMAZING. Where to start: this place is super cute inside, since we had a large party we were sat upstairs. It was a private room with about 5 tables total. The food was AMAZING. The highlight was definitely the calamari. Probably the freshest tasting calamari I've had in Chi (and I'm from Southern California, so I'm quite the critic of seafood.) Definitely get the calamari. The pasta was cooked perfectly, not over done. Our server was AWESOME. I would absolutely go back. read more

See all

Really nice place, awesome service and decent food. Looks very different from the site. I did think the scallop dish was a bit small for the price but it was good. The duck risotto was good but way way too heavy for an entree. Fortunately we got it as an app. The buttata was meh. The octopus was tasty. I think the Affogata desert would be better with more cookies and no marshmallows read more

The Buccatini deserves 5-stars it's that good! I picked it up and it was still fresh as you can get, the pasta is definitely homemade and delicioso. Just Get it.. also the pizza and meatballs from Formentos/Nonnas are legit too. If you're looking for a quality Italian experience in the West Loop, stop at Formentos & Nonnas, you will not be disappointed. read more

The staff and atmosphere here were top notch. Enjoyed a wonderful meal with friends and the food was great. Highly recommend the chicken parm and whipped ricotta as an appetizer read more

The BEST food and the BEST service. :) we would come back in a heartbeat! We had Pam as a server and she was fantastic! The pasta is homemade and excellent read more

I visited here with a bunch of friends to celebrate a birthday and was thoroughly impressed with many aspects of Formento's. The restaurant itself has a great ambiance. They have a few tables of outdoor seating and quite a few tables indoors all greatly decorated. Our server Murphy was a great help in helping us find the right balance between the entrees we ordered. We ended up ordering Nonna's meatballs, calamari, bucatini, fusilli, the rib eye steak, and crispy potatoes. The Nonna's meatballs were spectacular as were all the dishes. My favorites were the bucatini, Nonna's meatballs, the calamari and the ribeye steak. The bucatini was unlike anything I have had at other Italian restaurants. The pasta comes with a creamy carbonara and an egg yolk that is mixed into the pasta at the table. Formento's makes all their pastas and breads fresh and you can really tell the quality of pasta they have to serve. The steak as well was cooked exactly to our liking (medium) and came with a nice gravy that topped exquisitely well with it. The calamari had a little hint of spice that came with the aioli. Overall our party was impressed with the high quality of food and service that we received. For my friend's birthday they also threw in a sorbet for dessert with a candle for her. It was a great night and I would highly recommend Formento's. I can't wait to come back! Street parking is pretty hard to find in the area although I believe the restaurant provides valet (not entirely sure what the price is). They also take reservations and I would recommend making them, they seemed pretty booked and we were there on a Wednesday night. read more

See all

This place was really a doozy. Cool spot on a corner. Waited at the bar for 5 or 10 mins pre dinner no one was being served by the two bartenders who were chatting over the register, backs to customers. The salad was way over dressed. Pasta was horrible- room temperature and overcooked - tried several different ones. And for the finisher my $67 steak was cold and rare (ordered med rare). Plate was cold - who does that? The cut if meat was stringy and tendony (ordered NY strip). This place has good reviews from a lot of people maybe I caught a bad night. read more

Great food, but the service is what wins the day. All of the servers know their stuff.They know each dish, the types of adjustments that can be made to suit your needs. Our broccolini was a bit over charred and under cooked. When they asked how our meal was, I told them about the broccolini and they took it off our bill. read more

Outstanding dinner!! Everything was excellent-- food, service and atmosphere! Unique salads, wonderful pasta, avocado toast with crab was really sublime! Branzino (fish) was SO flavorful. A first class operation! read more

Shared an amazing meal with one of my friends here. The food was top tier, but the service was phenomenal. Murphy cultivated an intimate and personal experience for us, offering his knowledge of the menu and excellent wine recommendation. We felt attended to the entire time, and will definitely return in the future! We split the gem salad and ordered each our own housemade pasta dishes. One of the best carbonara pastas I've ever had! My friend enjoyed the squid ink pasta which has a slight kick but is an amazingly well-balanced dish. If you don't go for the food (which you definitely should) go for a glass of wine and a conversation with Murphy. read more

It was delicious! Highly recommend to taste calamari appetizer. They soak calamari in the milk before frying and achieve the perfect balance. Just try it, you will know what I'm talking about. Fish was cooked to perfection. Croutons didn't really belong to the green salad on the fish but I don't like croutons to begin with :) my husband's beef dish was a show stopper and we will definitely come back to see what else tasty they have to offer. Our waiter Cameron was very easy going and very pleasant person despite the fact that we arrived 15 minutes before closing time. Thank you! We will be back! read more

Formento's - Ask for Cameron to be your waiter at Formento's! - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here with a foodie friend of mine and her 2 year old daughter which we thought might complicate the dinner but no. The inside is beautifully decorated but it was nice outside so we asked to sit in the patio which was covered. We were sat immediately outside and they quickly brought a high chair. I really appreciated how accommodating the staff was with the toddler. We ordered the meatballs, balsamic pork ribs, gem salad, vegetable plate, steak, and some plate with noodles and pepper on it. I have to say my least favorite was the meatballs...my most was the balsamic pork ribs. We were really full from dinner and we also topped it off with some beer and drinks. Overall pleasant experience and great service and staff. The food just didn't blow my socks off. read more

See all

Wow. I am left dumbfounded between the impeccable service and exquisite cuisine. Not to mention the restaurant's fine attention to detail, both in the furnishings and on the plate. This restaurant is beautiful and the people working here are nothing short of excellent. The food was way better than the price says. Needless to say I am quite satisfied! I would definitely recommend to a friend and come back in again. read more

Formento's - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went here for a rehearsal dinner and was so impressed at their catering to my vegan diet. They made a vegan gem salad and a pasta with red sauce that were SOO good. Not to mention the bread dipped in olive oil. I can't wait to go back for dinner! read more

My boyfriend-turned-husband and I discovered this place by accident and we're so glad we did. It's nice and upscale without any of the stuffiness or pretension or forced novelty that turns me off to too many restaurants in Chicago. Living in Garfield Park, it is nice to have a good one nearby. So far we've celebrated my adult adoption, birthdays, anniversaries, and the getting our marriage license here. I wish I could order everything on the menu and eat all of their shishito peppers. The drinks are classic, but not boring. read more

Service was great. We tried this place out for our family Sunday dinner and it was amazing. The artichoke app was delightful and not over filling the kale salad is life! Chocolate cake made us all extremely happy. All was great. Can't wait to Go back for date night! read more

I got tired of walking past this place so many times and wishing I would go there for dinner, so I finally did. I do not regret it. Went there with my girlfriend for a quiet Monday night dinner. Start with some cocktails which were decent, but in retrospect I wish we would've gotten the wine as it is Italian food after all. Appetizers were the artichoke and the cauliflower. Artichoke was great but the cauliflower was the star. Extremely flavorful and spicy. A great vegetable dish. We split the rigatoni which was a great entree. Wish there was a little more meat in the dish, but it tasted very fresh and vibrant. The flavors took me back to Florence. Overall, it was a great dinner with a cool, "classic Italian joint" ambiance and a great little outdoor space. I would definitely go back there. read more

I was excited to try Formento's but unfortunately it didn't meet expectations. Most of the food our group ordered was good. Chicken parm, bucatini carbonara, and the chicken dish were all enjoyed. However the branzino was average at best. The issue was the service. Our server took forever to bring us our drinks and take our food order. Then she forgot the sides we ordered and they didn't come until we were finished with the meal. The sommelier guy (not sure if he actually was a sommelier) was rude. We ordered a bottle from the wine list and he told us "we're out" but didn't bother suggesting another option. We selected a different bottle and he came back with it, poured our glasses and left the bottle on the table without chilling it (it was white wine). Overall, pretty good food but pretty bad service. read more

Living in Texas these days I am sadly deprived of good Italian but I definitely got my fix at Formento's. I came here with a local colleague who recommended this place and he wasn't wrong. I just have 1 issue with this place; wine prices. Don't charge me $75 for a bottle I know costs (and tastes like) $25. I expect some markup of course but 66%?! However that is not the fault of the sommelier who was very friendly although he did make the error of saying "welcome back, I know you guys are regulars" (I've never been and my colleague just once over a year ago!). Food wise we started by sharing the burrata and Octopus. Both were small and I was a little disappointed in the quantity of burrata but oh my was it delicious. As was the octopus which is usually a little chewy but it was so well cooked in this instance that it almost lost that slight rubbery texture you can't really avoid. I then had the Rigatoni with pork neck gravy, (half) a sausage and (a) meatball. It was fantastic and I almost licked the plate clean! It definitely rivals RPM Italian as the best in the city IMO. read more

Me and a friend decided to try a new place in the Fulton Market area....Formentos was the pick for the night! Ambiance is really nice especially for a nice date night. Dim but not too Dark! Morgan our waitress was really nice and gave us a run down of everything on the menu and made suggestions! Staff was very attentive the entire night....not overbearing! Not sure if it was due to being a slower night but either way we didn't wait long for anything! For an appetizer we ordered the meatballs-excellent! As my entree I ordered the Pork tenderloin which is odd since I hardly eat pork! However, I was in the mood to try something different and so glad that I did! It came prepared with Brussels sprouts and dried tomatoes sauce. Best entree I've had since 2017 has started. The flavors appear to burst in my mouth to the point I didn't want to talk anymore! I fully wanted to concentrate on the meal. Lbvs Sides are separate. We ordered the cream of spinach and asparagus! The sides were just ok! I also had a cosmopolitan which was fine! My friend ordered a coffee to go and I must admit the coffee is really delicious! A great restaurants for business meetings, a sophisticated girls night out and of course a romantic evening out! They are also big on wines but I didn't take a look at the list. Will for sure go back! read more

Formento's - I took the pic of course after a few bites lol so good-Pork tenderloin - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went for valentines the lobster saffron Rosotto was heavenly. If this was the only thing I ate I would have been happy, but it kept getting better with the kale pesto pasta and the melt in your mouth Swordfish. I will be back for more swordfish and more Rosotto. read more

Food was great. The only reason I did not give a 5 star because they seemed to be rushing us and portion size (according to my guests) were small. read more

Had a great dinner, waitstaff was attentive,food was excellent and unfortunately the bus staff didn't understand that I wanted my unfinished pasta wrapped up along with the excellent zucchini and cauliflower. Very unfortunate since I was looking forward to enjoying the rest of my pasta. I even asked the bus staff when he handed my the bag if he remembered to wrap the pasta and he said yes but there was no pasta in the take home bag. The Agnolotti and pasta with clams were excellent! Dinner excellent but disappointing end to the evening. read more

Ambiance- 5 star Service- 5*...our server was amazing!! Food- meh. Definitely had better food and better variety in Chicago. The waiter said " i know there are an overwhelming amount if options..." so I turned the menu over hoping there was more aside from the 5 appetizer and 8 main course options. Your usual burrata, calamari, and meatballs. And some very dry pasta. Will stick to Quartino. Better luck next time maybe ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ read more

Met one of my good friends here for an early after work dinner recently. We take turns picking out a new restaurant to try every month, and it was his turn this time. The weather was warm and sunny so we opted to sit outside on the patio facing Randolph St. The hostess was nice and so was our server, but initially they forgot to give us the happy hour menu, which we only heard about when he was reviewing it with the table right next to us. We tried the Gem Lettuce (a good summer salad), Crunchy Vegetables, Nonna's Meatballs (baby girl thoroughly enjoyed), the Wood Fired Short Ribs (the best dish, very flavorful and juicy). The regular dinner menu we received didn't feature the Cacio e Pepe Bucatini, but the server was nice enough to ask whether or not the kitchen could prepare it for us anyway, which they did. The pasta was al dente but the cacio e pepe sauce was just okay. We also split the Beef Filet, which was pretty good. For dessert, we split the famous chocolate cake...I don't know what the big deal was about this cake, but it was just a regular cake that didn't really stand out to me. Towards the end of the meal, the manager Joe came around to greet us and also said hi to baby girl. I had noticed him walking around and checking on the other tables, and appreciated the time he took to chat with us for a bit. read more

See all

We would give zero stars if we could. Last Saturday, we arrived 30 minutes late for our 9:15 pm outdoor reservation, but 15 minutes before the patio was supposed to close, all dressed up with our pup. The manager refused to seat us saying we were too late. When I pointed out they were still suppose to be seating outside until 10:00 pm, the manager was rude, obstenent, condesending and had an arrognat atttude refusing to honor our reservation. He made us leave. Unacceptable. Shame on the B Hospitality Company to let this man be a reflection of your alleged "warm and attentive servicve". We will make sure everyone in our circle knows not to go to Formento's. read more

Extremely small portions for entrees, not only in comparison to traditional Italian restaurants but to any other fine dining restaurant. My party had to order 2 entrees per person and still wasn't satisfied so went to get tacos down the street... Food tasted decent but will not choose to go back. read more

Honestly, don't go here if you can help it. Salty food, uncomfortable atmosphere (I think this comes from the service, minus the busser - he was the best part about the whole restaurant), and overpriced for the portions of sub-par food. So many other great places in West Loop! read more

My wife and I and two friends visited Formento's for their inaugural brunch service, and it was as nice as could be! The food and service were fantastic. We decided to share several items, which I would recommend for any group. Our starters included the whipped ricotta and the cinnamon bun, but our surprise favorite was the kale salad. The dressing was perfectly light and the crunchy bits added great contrast. For our mains, we shared the crepes, the antipasti omelette, the massive lemon ricotta pancakes, and the bucatini carbonara (can't go to Formento's and not get the bucatini.) Everything was very good - a nice mix of sweet and savory - though we agreed the omelette was weakest dish if only because it was a little boring after the first bite. The space is big and open, and we had a comfortable booth. It was great that we could enjoy each others' company without having to yell. Our server Gabriel was friendly and on top of everything, and managers Henry and Jonhattan stopped by to make sure everything was as good as it could be. Thanks, everyone, we will come back for sure. read more

The food was great, except a vegetarian dish was served with meat. This is despite making it clear many times that we are a party of vegetarians and a vigorous claim that we can make any dish as vegetarian. Well so much for that. Just to be transparent, they comped the dish in question, but the damage has been done. And to make it worse we came for a birthday celebration, one that will be remembered for some time. read more

The best service I have ever had at any restaurant! Beautiful interior. The cocktails were amazing. Chicken parm was awesome and the portion size was huge. The tuna appetizer was incredible. 10/10 will be returning! read more

Went here on a double date recently, had a great time. The squid ink pasta was really tasty and had a big kick of heat to it. The meatball was a little dry and under seasoned. Great space and ambiance. read more

Terribly rude hostess last night. I was excited to try, but experience was ruined after my encounter with her. Too many good places on Randolph to be treated so poorly. read more

Had a private party in their room upstairs. Staff was fantastic and the food was even better. 14 guests all had great appetizers, entrees, and deserts. read more

This place is so good. Every dish I've gotten there is fantastic.

Very good presentation and taste was fresh and scratch. There were not a lot of options on the menu and the food quality was excellent. The bread was freshly baked and with olive oil. Very high quality food. read more