I want so badly to gatekeep Ignotz's but it is my duty as an Elite Yelper to share my excellent experience. As a New York born and raised Italian American, I have strong opinions on Italian restaurants and Ignotz's is the type of old-school place that I love. Food is excellent, portions are generous, and prices are affordable (given the aforementioned qualities). Lots of cocktails, and creative daily specials. The spaghetti and clam sauce was almost half clams, half pasta (loved it). Not to mention, I am also a tavern-style pizza hater (sorry), but I actually really liked theirs and the crispy thin crust! I can't wait to come back. This is my new favorite Italian restaurant in the city. Moreover, I know my dad would approve of this place, should I bring him when he visits and that's a pretty big testament in my book. read more

Came in on a busy Friday night and sat outside. It seemed like our server forgot about us as we never got our soup and when we got our entree I had asked for angel hair and got linguine. The dessert was amazing though. We got the chocolate tartufo. I recommend having a reservation for a Friday night and sitting indoors to avoid being forgotten. We also never got our water. I'll definitely be back as it's my favorite restaurant but will make sure we sit inside read more

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This place is absolutely incredible, service was a 10/10, drinks were 10/10, and the food was some of the best we have ever had! Ambiance felt like true Italian, we absolutely loved the entire experience. Would absolutely return! read more

UNBELIEVABLE!!! The place is exactly what you would think it is small, quiet, not a ton of tables, it's the perfect atmosphere. The food is second to none. Maybe the best Italian food I've ever had and that includes eating in Italy. I had the Veal Parmesan and it was huge and super tasty. The sauce was on point and the meat sauce on the pasta was stupid good. Every time I come to Chicago I will be eating at Ignotz's read more

Ignotz's Ristorante - Veal Parmigiana and Spaghetti/Meat Sauce. - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Roger and his wife Joan are such a gem in the city of Chicago. They are so wonderful and involved in the best details of the food and experience. My favorite Italian restaurant is right here. They have indoor and outdoor seating and the ambience is just perfect. There's a lot of outdoor seating and you should enjoy it before the weather gets cold here. But the best part of this place is that their chef is just perfect. I've had the best chicken Parmesan at this restaurant when I don't even eat chicken. I really enjoyed the linguine and clams because the clams are bountiful and the sauce is perfect with the garlic and olive oil. The portion sizes are great and the hospitality and staff are wonderful as well. There's free street parking so you have to find parking on the street in a residential neighborhood, which is very quiet. The linguine and clams are the best I ever had bc it has a ton of clams which makes it so so tasty and they are so generous with them and the garlic in the sauce is great too. The more garlic the better. Our waiter was Nicolas and he was quick, efficient, and friendly and did a great job. And they give kids free ice cream at the end and they also give everyone a free cherry dipped in chocolate with whipped cream. You can't beat that. I would much rather eat here weekly than anywhere else for Italian food. read more

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Ignotz's is a cute but overpriced and hyped for boxed pasta, and definitely would not recommend for pizza there's way better in Chicago! quirky little spot that feels more like eating in someone's living room than a formal restaurant. The highlight for me was definitely the complimentary roasted garlic head served with the bread--such a fun and tasty touch. My main dish was decent, classic comfort food but nothing that really blew me away for the price. Service was friendly but flustered also the dining room gets pretty loud and cramped when it's full. It's a nostalgic neighborhood joint, but just an 'okay' experience overall for me." read more

Ignotz's Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I love going to this place whenever I get a chance. The owner is just so nice and he comes by to say hello. I mean, he genuinely cares about his customers and his business. The food here is always on point. We had the calamari we did the pizza, just all the pasta dishes are good. It's a great place just to be having lunch or dinner at. I've also brought family members and friends to celebrate their birthday birthdays here. read more

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The last time I reviewed Igontz's was over a decade ago. Sadly I live a 4 hour flight away. I give very few places 5 stars but this is one of them. The decor and quality as well as the recipes haven't changed in that decade. And that's a good thing. As far as I'm concerned this is probably the place with the best Chicken Vesuvio in the city if not the Country. I think the staff is as old as the restaurant Very friendly and very knowledgeable service from folks who've worked there for years. While I highly recommend the Vesuvio the other dishes are as good and I don't think there's a thing on the menu they don't do extremely well. If I still lived in Chicago I'd be there at least once a week. read more

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My friend introduced this place to me as one of her Chicago family secrets... and now I'm putting it on blast on Yelp! Wow - it's been so long since I've been to an authentic Italian place where it feels like a mini family when you dine in. The owner was so cheerful and kept coming by to check in on every table, and when there was a birthday at the table next to us, the owner asked EVERYONE in the restaurant to sing together. That was so adorbs!! That being said, this place is a bit pricey! They start you off with complimentary bread with butter, olive oil, parm, salt, pepper, and the best of all... a roasted head of GARLIC!! I got the vodka rigatoni (added $8 for meatballs) and it only came with two meatballs sadly. Meatballs were meh nothing special and a bit too firm for me, but the vodka sauce was unlike anything I've ever had. It was so creamy yet a bit tangy yet had just a nice hint of red pepper as well? Idk how to describe but I loveddd it! Such great sauce to pasta ratio too. Also tried the linguini and clam sauce (white sauce) and risked my life because I didn't realize I was also allergic to clams and started having trouble breathing lol. But a very generous amount of clam, and the sauce is genuinely so light and refreshing. Which is RARE!!! The bill also comes with a chocolate covered cherry dipped in whipped cream - what a pleasant surprise!! This place just had the best vibes!! But I'd recommend calling to make a resy - the space itself is quite small and homey. read more

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I'm calling cap. Reviews are good and a certain Instagram reviewer gave high remarks but my pizza was absolutely flavorless. I even opted for garlic & sausage on half & neither hel. Not sure f I simply ordered the wrong items from this place but I haven't had a pizza this bad in a long time read more

Ignotz's Ristorante - Half with garlic & Sausage - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Stopped in for dessert for my birthday. The best service I've had from intro to exit! Very cozy and family like vibes inside which is perfect. From big groups to couples plenty of seating to go around. We ordered the spumoni and it was on point. Cherry toppers were so good. read more

Ignotz's Ristorante - Spumoni - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great service, delicious food, wonderful owners, brought my husband and another couple for dinner before going to the theater in downtown Chicago. read more

This place was horrible...the service was the only thing that didn't suck. Ordered a shrimp special that came out smelling like low tide then ordered a side order of pasta and they charged me $20 for it. Anyone who says this is authentic must think dominoes also is. Subpar to say the least can't leave zero stars but this place blew read more

Staff and service was an A+ They started us with the roasted garlic clove and beautiful bread, which was a nice touch and tasty. I had the Minestrone to start which was delicious. The consistency of their soup was thicker than I'm used to, but delicious nonetheless. And I went with stuffed shells for dinner. They were very good, basically what I was expecting. We were able to eat outside, enjoying both their food and wine selection. I'm looking forward to going back and trying their gnocchi. read more

Ignotz's Ristorante - roasted garlic to start - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Before heading to an exhibition in the city centre, it was a great choice. The food was delicious, the service friendly and attentive, and the owners went out of their way to make us feel very welcome. It was the perfect start to the evening and we would happily return again. read more

People kept telling me to try it , well I did, and it's ok, it's good , I wouldn't go out of my way to go there, it's about average at best, no where as good as volare, or Vernon park tap, or La scarola , DC for me the best Italian restaurant was giannotties, they closed after 50 years, and no one comes close . read more

Very good food and pleasant service. The atmosphere was cozy, and most dishes were flavorful. One appetizer missed the mark, but overall, a strong option I'd visit again. read more

My friend and I came here for her birthday dinner and we were very happy with our dinner. The service is a bit slow as we had to wait a bit to get seated, order, and even receive our food. But overall, the staff were all friendly and the owner came to check in on everyone at least twice. We were able to receive more bread and roasted garlic as it took awhile for them to get our order and for our food to come. I really enjoyed how the bread comes with roasted garlic which is delicious. We decided that we'd rather order three main pastas instead of ordering two pastas and one appetizer. This also let us try more of the menu. We ordered the Baked Mostaciolli ($23.95), Stuffed Gnocchi with pesto (25.95 + $4), and the Vodka Rigatoni ($25.95). We enjoyed all three pastas as they were all delicious with different sauces. We just didn't realize when we were asked what sauce to have the stuffed gnocchi that when we chose pesto out of the options, it was $4 extra. The portions are very big and the pastas come with a soup or salad which we didn't realize. Out of the three, my favorite was the Vodka Rigatoni as the sauce was very flavorful. I enjoyed the Stuffed Gnocchi and it was very filling. I normally am hesitant when I see raviolis or gnocchi's as I feel like I won't be full. But because these were stuffed and they give a big portion, we were very full. We had plenty of leftovers. They ran out of the tiramisu so we hope to try that next time as it's the most popular dessert. We enjoyed our dinner very much. read more

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The food was amazing, the service was great, food didn't take long to come out, the servers were lovely and the owner was amazing! Friendly staff! read more

Ignotz's Ristorante - Meat Tortellini with vodka sauce - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Cool old school Italian restaurant located on the stretch of Oakley with a few other similar restaurants. We went on Father's Day and they had the street blocked off with extra tables out on the street which is where we sat. All the classic Italian dishes are available, I just did the meat tortellini. Nothing crazy but simple and got the job done. The owner would walk around and talk with people, he was very friendly. They still had plenty of seating inside, it was just a busy holiday. Worth going to if you're looking for that old school vibe. Parking is hard on that street, but they offer valet, that's pretty much your best option. read more

Ignotz's Ristorante - Meat Tortellini - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I can't recommend this restaurant enough. The food was very tasty and reasonably priced, as was the wine. The service was exceptional, and the owner or manager was very attentive to us, and not annoyed that we took forever to eat our meal and may have been a little bit tipsy. Also, we happen to see Santa and the Grinch there, which was a fun added bonus. Definitely feels old school and like you're in the family when you're there. read more

This was an absolutely terrible experience. I was ordering dinner for an all-day work function and needed it delivered around 5:00 PM. Since Uber Eats allows scheduling, I tried to place the order the night before. At checkout, items showed as out of stock even though they appeared available on the menu. Frustrating, but I figured I'd try again the next day. The next morning, I couldn't prep the order because the restaurant wasn't open, even though I was scheduling for later in the evening. I tried again in the afternoon and got all the way to checkout, only to have half my cart suddenly marked out of stock. I then realized a lunch menu was showing. Somehow spaghetti and meatballs were available, but spaghetti with meat sauce wasn't, even though this issue affected half the order. I cleared the cart and retried multiple times with the same result. I tried adding items one by one, waiting until after 3:00 PM when the app said dinner service starts. Still no luck. I called the restaurant and was told dinner should start at 3:00 PM on weekdays and run all day on weekends. This was a Saturday afternoon. They had no explanation and no alternative delivery option. Because our client had chosen this restaurant, we were stuck. I had to interrupt our work retreat to explain the ongoing issues and adjust the order. Two people ended up skipping dinner entirely because their items were never available. We finally placed a modified order around 3:15 PM. Then Uber Eats said the restaurant, which was open, wasn't accepting orders and pushed delivery to between 5:30-6:00 PM. We needed it by 5:00, but we went ahead anyway. Over the next two hours, the delivery time kept getting later, eventually showing 6:08 PM. Then, without warning, the restaurant canceled the order entirely--two hours after it was placed and well past the original delivery time. No communication from the restaurant at all. We were told we'd receive a refund in up to 10 business days, leaving our funds tied up. My team and our client were starving. The client ultimately left without dinner, even though it was part of his package. Completely unacceptable experience. read more

Ignotz's is a wonderful spot. The decor is full of character (loved the sketches on the shelf!) and the vibe is very cozy. The food was fantastic. The sauce was rich and the portion sizes were generous. It's hard to find places with this much charm and quality these days. definite 5 stars! read more

Our experience was fabulous! We were greeted and treated like regulars at the host. Our Pat was a wonderful host and made our evening a memorable one! We were well served with drinks, they were tasty and well made by Sasha. Appetizers were ready to go and the main course was ready and yummy! We throughly enjoyed our dinner at Ignotz's and will be back soon! read more

The food wad amazing, everything was super flavorful, hot and fresh. I have this ridiculous craving for vodka pasta and I was so glad I could add rigatoni with vodka sauce to my chicken parmigiana and it was perfect. The ambiance was amazing, perfect for a romantic night. Service was great, I just felt that it was a bit rushed and I understand it was getting busy and the waiter was on rush mode but he ran off a couple times after I tried speaking read more

Ignotz's Ristorante - Chicken pamrigiana with vodka rigatoni - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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That was a great time. The food was delicious. The server was awesome friendly and personable. I couldn't tell you how good my experience was. You have to come down here. The atmosphere is so cozy and so warm and welcoming. read more

Great vibe .. old school and every item we ate was incredible Chicken Vesuvio was perfect read more

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The most amazing fettuccine Alfredo I've ever had in my entire life and the roasted garlic cloves? I'm drooling thinking about them. I felt so cozy and welcomed, so many employees came by to say hi and gave hugs. Highly recommend! read more

Ignotz's Ristorante is a time machine that drops you straight into 1980s Chicago, back when red sauce was king, Sinatra played on repeat, and nobody apologized for pouring Chianti like it was water. And honestly? I never want to come home. You walk in and it's pure South Side Italian-American nostalgia: dim chandeliers, red leather booths cracked just right, walls covered in framed photos of local politicians, Bears legends, and regular Joes who've been coming here for forty years. The air smells like garlic bread baking, marinara simmering for eight hours, and that unmistakable perfume of baked clams and veal parm. The bartender calls you "hon," the busboys argue White Sox vs. Cubs in thick Chicago accents, and your waiter has been here since the Reagan administration and still remembers your uncle's usual. The food is gloriously unapologetic. The baked clams are stuffed so full of garlicky breadcrumbs and oregano you need a fork and a prayer. The chicken vesuvio is half a bird roasted with potatoes that drink up all the white wine, garlic, and rosemary like it's their job. The veal limone melts, the eggplant parm is a towering brick of crispy-fried bliss, and the pasta (whether it's mostaccioli swimming in Sunday gravy or the rigatoni alla vodka) is exactly what your nonna would make if she grew up on Taylor Street. Save room (lie to yourself) for the tiramisu the size of a softball and the cannoli they'll fill to order so the shell stays crunchy. Portions are "feed the whole block" huge, prices feel stuck in 1998, and nobody leaves hungry unless they're trying to make a point. Ignotz's isn't chasing trends, Michelin stars, or Instagram likes. It's chasing the same thing it's chased since 1974: making people happy with giant plates of red-sauce classics, stiff drinks, and that old-school hospitality where your water glass never hits half empty and the owner still stops by every table to ask about your mother. If you want tiny portions and foam on your pasta, go somewhere else. If you want to feel like you're eating at the best wedding reception that never ends, get to Ignotz's. Bring cash, bring appetite, bring your loud cousin Vinny. You'll leave smelling like garlic, grinning like an idiot, and already planning Sunday dinner. Chicago has a thousand "Italian" restaurants. Ignotz's is the one your grandparents would fight over. It's family, it's tradition, it's perfect. read more

This place is GREAT! So glad I came here for the first time. My party and I enjoyed drinks at the bar before being seated, and everything was great, including my French martini. We enjoyed the calamari appetizer and the arancini appetizer special: so good! For my entree, I had the gnocchi with a meatball and a sausage side: SO GOOD! We enjoyed tiramisu and pistachio gelato for dessert. We had wine and limoncello and everything was AMAZING! Karen and Roger were awesome and made us feel so welcome. The value was amazing and I can't wait to come back. read more

Met the owner Food and service we're excellent Ate at the bar had a great time Will definitely go back read more

I usually never go out of my way to review a restaurant but this was exceptional. If you're looking for a family-owned delicious place to get your serving of Italian food in Chicago, this is your spot. About a 15 min uber out of the main part of the city, in the cutest, quiet, suburb lined with Italian restaurants, this place is a gem. Roger, the owner, personally came out to every single table to introduce himself and makes you feel like you're family, and they feed you like family too! The portions are very generous and the food is incredible to say the least. Special points to their famous tiramisu. I would come here a million more times if I could! This is a can't miss. read more

Ignotz's Ristorante - Homemade Tiramisu - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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that first bite of the steak with the cream was just heavenly. french fries were excellent and home made. small spot down in pilsen. would love to go again and try their pastas! service was quick and attentive. owner went around and shook our hands. down to earth guy. read more

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Service was terrible. Our server never told us the specials when we heard other servers telling their tables. Had to ask two other servers for service (drink refills). Our food took over an hour. Our server never checked on us or made sure our drinks were filled and took a solid 10 minutes to ask us about our food. We had to go find him to order more drinks. Like literally got up and walked to another room to find him and tell him we needed more drinks since we had not seen him in 30 minutes. He kept telling us how busy it was when most tables were empty and other tables got their food in a normal amount of time. We were not in a rush but should always have drinks. We ordered Veal Scallopinne and Chicken à la Tippi. It was terrible. Tasted like boiled meat with no flavor and a side of boxed penne with tomato sauce. Tomatoes with mozzarella was delicious. We would not come back here and would not recommend. Super disappointing since we were really looking forward to a good, authentic Italian meal. Server tried to make it better after we told him the service was terrible by giving us limoncello and chocolate cake (both were delicious). read more

Absolutely a hidden gem and now one of my favorite Italian spots in the city! This place nails the Italian and Chicago classic ambience and everyone (including the owner) was very friendly. Service was slow-paced but there were special touches like complimentary bread with roasted garlic and chocolate cherries for dessert. The food portion sizes were large and we will have leftovers for days. Tiramisu was one of the best I've ever had. I like that the place is not pretentious and although prices are a little high there is a lot of value. Highly recommend for a night out (but make sure you have a lot of time)! read more

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I came here for my birthday and it was an amazing experience! They were able to accommodate my large group without forcing us to pay a minimum amount like some other restaurants do if you have more than x amount of people in the party. The only thing I will say is that the food took a really long time to come out, but it was homemade and FRESH. We were greeted by the owners of the restaurant and made to feel like we were family here! Ironically, it was a lot of people's birthdays that day as well so every 30 minutes or so happy birthday was being sung. My friends and I got all different types of drinks and they tasted delicious. I always go with a Moscow mule and I really loved it! I will definitely be back. read more

Ignotz's Ristorante - Vodka Rigatoni - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Tried this place once before and couldn't get a table, so this time I planned ahead and made a reservation. Now I know why it's always busy. The food was fresh, full of flavor, and came out exactly the way it should. They don't skimp on the portions either--we had plenty left to take home. Good food, solid portions, and no gimmicks. This place is the real deal. read more

The food was delicious and the atmosphere felt warm and welcoming. Service was fast, staff members were polite, and everything was well organized. I especially enjoyed the quality of the meal and the clean dining area. Portions were good for the price, and the overall experience was excellent. I would definitely visit again and recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for authentic Italian food in Chicago. read more

Service is great. Doesn't take too long to get your good. The portions are good.. not too small or big. My husband and I bring our son with us and we feel welcomed. Family friendly :) The lasagna is great! read more

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We went to Ignotz's for dinner a few months ago. It's a cute restaurant, kind of a homey feel and there are a lot of tables in a small space. The owner even came out to say hi. We had the pork chop, gnocchi, and ravioli. The pork chop was huge, very thick... and extremely dry. The accompanying sauce was good, but it was still really hard to eat. The gnocchi was good, but the inside was ice cold when it came out. We had to send it back, they warmed it up and it was fine. The meat ravioli was our favorite dish and the tiramisu was good - admittedly better than some other restaurants on that block. Overall, it was a fine experience but we probably won't come back. read more