Had a delicious dinner here last night. Drove a little further from our Southside Airbnb just to check this spot out. The drive was not wasted! Started with the fried ravioli and it was delicious, crunchy and packed full of melted cheese and meat. I had the chicken piccata with a side of spaghetti for my meal. Chicken was moist and flavorful, spaghetti also good. Husband had the scallops in risotto and it was very rich and creamy in the best possible way. What a great local spot! Can't wait to go back next time we are in town. read more

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Food was delicious, service was great and the ambience was very comfortable. Enjoyed a great evening of food and fellowship with a friend. Highly recommend!! read more

Visiting Chattanooga from out of town and this was the perfect date night spot on Saturday night. Our server, Avalon, was impeccable; she was friendly and helpful in making menu choices. The pastas we ordered were perfect 10s! We love to try new Italian spots, and this was some of the best we've had. Definitely add to your itinerary! read more

IL Primo - Shrimp Alfredo - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Food was good, only they didn't have many gluten-free options. There was a warm but busy atmosphere, which caused slower service, even when we had reservations. read more

I cannot wait for them to reopen because the experience is so missed, but the pickup orders we've done recently are just outstanding. The Lasagna is just perfect and the Orecchiette & Bolognese, my wife's favorite, is just as good. We had our quart of Sangria, too. And, it's plenty of food. We get dinner and a small lunch out of this order each time. The people there really look to be taking good care of themselves and go the extra step to social distance as the food is handed off. Caesar salads were good, too. Looking forward to dining in again one day!!! read more

IL Primo - Il Primo at home! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

What a great place for creative Italian food! We were worried we didn't have reservations on a Friday night but we arrived at 5:30p and were seated right away. Cool! Our waiter, Connor, was absolutely the best - informative and attentive. We asked for a few minutes before ordering entrees to enjoy our cocktails and he respected that and brought us bread to hold us over. The space is small and most of the 2-person tables are also small but that didn't matter. I had the cavatelli with roasted winter veggies, bacon and brown butter sauce which was amazing and full of flavor; my husband had the beef ragu and polenta... again, amazing! Look forward to going back. read more

Finally tried this place for the first time tonight. Food was amazing and our server Avalon was superb! I would absolutely come here again and recommend this place to anyone! read more

Fantastic restaurant! The atmosphere, the food and service are top notch. You feel like the servers are actually there to help you enjoy your meal. Both times the manager went out of the way to make sure our experience was top notch. Would HIGHLY recommend! And go on Wednesdays for Chicken Carbonara! read more

Great place, great atmosphere, great service. First time trying and thought the food was delicious. Menu has a nice variety and good potion sizes. A little louder inside vs outside. My husband & I sat outside & it was exceptionally comfortable with heat lamps( I'm usually very cold) and it was far more private/intimate. Definitely a good place to go for Italian cuisine. read more

A friend and I decided to celebrate her recent promotion here. What a lovely place! She had the butternut squash risotto with sea scallops dish and I had the ricotta cavatelli with sage brown butter, bacon, and autumn vegetables. Delish for both of us! The waiter picked the perfect Italian Pinot Grigio to pair with our entrees. The ambiance was cozy classy. Such a great choice for celebrating life's moments! read more

There are so many Italian places in Chattanooga but IL Primo should be near the top if not on it. While you will likely need to wait for a table, there is a call ahead option, it's worth waiting for. The service was fantastic and the ambiance is superb. It didn't seem like we had to wait long for our food however they came out at the end with a complementary dessert and Prosecco to apologize. Completely unnecessary but appreciated! read more

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Fantastic Italian food, great drinks, the prices are nominal, and the service is always impeccable. I can't pick one dish to use as an example because all are great! Two locations here and in Ooltewah. We've been to both multiple times and never been disappointed. read more

Went for dinner in a Friday night. While we were waiting for our table, the hostess mistakenly gave our table to another group. When she realized it, she sent an appetizer to the bar. Great move. The server was awesome. The food was really fantastic. I can't wait to go again. read more

This is my favorite restaurant! Food is excellent! Just wish the space was bigger! I love the chicken piccata! The penne! The lasagna! The bread! Everything we've eaten has been good excellent! read more

Attentive server... nice beverages ...arancina overcooked, rice was mushy ... every pasta dish ordered by our table was overcooked and mushy... had to stop eating the mussels in the spaghetti di mare (after 3) because they all tasted rotten and funky...in summary, good service and drinks, mushy arancina, mushy pasta, and funky mussels...The atmosphere and service were nice, but the food preparation was sorely lacking. Definitely a place that suffers from the mediocrity of having a monopoly in North Chattanooga. read more

IL Primo is such a unique experience here in Chattanooga! They have a quaint dining area and the meals they prepare are super fresh!! The cocktail menu is to die for! This is a must visit for locals and travelers passing through! read more

IL Primo - Chicken Carbonara - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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I WISH I HAD FOUND THIS SOONER! I'm from NY and enjoy my time visiting home in the lower east side in Little Italy. My mother's parents are from Sicily. I grew up making and eating authentic Italian food. Just got back from a 2 week business trip in northern Italy. With these qualifiers, let me say that this place is the absolute closest thing I've seen to Italy in entire south East!!!! Jasmine plants with herbs growing outside? Check. Indoor and outdoor seating? Check. Even the design feels like Italy. And the staff? Oh god. They have an incredible crew who takes perfect care of you. Finally, the food. We got the chicken Marsala, the Orecchiette Bolognese, and the Rigatoni al'Arrabbiata & Sausage--I died and went back to Torino. Absolutely insane. You not only get an abundance of food, but it is cooked to perfection. The flavor profiles, textures--I'd marry the chef if they were interested. The time and love that went into these dishes is abundantly clear. I hate to say it, but this cooking is better than my mothers. The only place State side that even holds a candle to this is Il Cortile in the lower east side of Manhattan. They also make a perfectly balance aperol spritz, which is wonderful on a warm day. I am so thrilled this place is here. I can't express how much this brings me joy. Thank you to the staff at Il Primo. I look forward to spending more time at your establishment. I feel like I'm home again. read more

Never Disappoints! My absolute favorite in Chattanooga. I love the Limoncello, Spicy Feta, Arancini, daily specials and always delicious! If they have the Osso Buco Get it!!! read more

Molto buono. Very good Italian food. IL Primo has a fun and classy ambiance that's fitting for any occasion. My favorite starter is the baked feta and spicy marinara. If you're here on a Thursday, I recommend their special: the veal. They have nice wines. Our table split a couple carafes of the rosé sangria. Something different but refreshing. 4/5 read more

IL Primo - Thursday's special: the veal - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

The menu sounded amazing! However the polenta was lumpy, the cheese plate was drizzled with far too much olive oil and balsamic. Even the prosciutto and the Coppa had balsamic on it which was a crime. The pork scallopini was dry and tuff, and I love a good eggplant Parmesan but this one was a hot mess! Layers of flavorless eggplant piled on top of each other topped with a meat sauce(?). With a side of spaghetti with sauce that could have been out of a jar. No grated Parmesan was offered. My super Tuscan was served in a small stemless glass. read more

First off. I will say that the all the food was good. Now, here's why the 4 starts. Why can't everybody get an on line order correct. It's ridiculous. You would think that after this last year of taking orders and getting everything you ordered in the bag, would by now, be second nature. Well, not so much. I ordered a Lasagna, Chicken Marsala, Ravioli and the Oriecchette. I also ordered some salads. We went and picked up the order. When we got the order come out, I counted the containers. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7. Ok. 4 meals and 3 salad. I get home and guess what. One salad missing. Mine. One tin had some bread in it. Dangit. I contacted the manager. They apologized and sent me a refund. Thank you for that. As I started off saying. The food is good. I think you won't be sorry ordering anything on the menu. I will try them again and I recommend that you do also. You won't be sorry. Hopefully, my next time, I can give them a better rating and review. read more

This place is great! Old warehouse made restaurant! Food was delicious and our server and everyone working there was just the nicest! I will definitely go back! read more

IL Primo - This was very good! The sausage was a little dry but the sauce and pasta were excellent. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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What great service. We came as first timers just searching for pasta with no reservations on a Saturday and the server actually went out of his way to seat us and serve us for the night. Great recommendations and we had plenty of left over as well. Will definitely be back for more risotto rice balls! read more

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Ironically the three of us had been wanting to get to this restaurant and had just never tried it. I Loved the atmosphere as soon as we arrived. Everyone was friendly. We started out with sangrias and we like sweeter drinks however these are not sweet. But they were still good. I'm not a lemon fan but loved the limoncellos! They are amazing. I had the salmon and it was the best salmon dish I've ever had. I had to take a million pictures bc I want the EXACT same dish next time. I wasn't sure what side I wanted but I wanted something with a lemon garlic base to go with my salmon. I'm really not sure what it was But our waiter Darian was super helpful and recommended this. It was AMAZING and I have to call in an order this next week. Everyone's food was great and seasoned perfectly. read more

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David has been our server all three times we have dined there and I guess that's just our lucky stars. David is one of the most professional, accommodating and hospitable servers I have ever had the pleasure to dine with. I have been in the business for over 20 years as a server, bartender and manager and I go out to eat often and feel like I can be hyper critical of restaurants after all my experience in the field. David leaves nothing to be desired, but is prompt, witty, informative, kind and is excellent at describing menu items but never with a hard sell feel. The man has finesse. The food is also excellent, the wine and drink choices are refined, but what really impresses me is David and how he strives for excellence at every level. Kudos. We had the bolognese and the Baked penne, both were recommendable. We have also tried the Arabiata but in all honesty those two were so good I can't review anything else because those 3 dishes are all we have ordered all 3 times we have dined there. The ambiance is upscale casual but not pretentious. Clean feeling. Welcoming hostess in a blue and white dress who could model for any fashion magnate and was very sweet. Great team there who take pride in a job well done. read more

Delicious food and comfortable and welcoming seating. They also have a small outside seating option. Service was very friendly, although getting a refill was an extreme challenge. Even after noticing my empty glass, it took a couple of trips before the waiter actually brought a refill. read more

Awesome place!! Everything we tried so far are soooo good. Great date night spot or just for dinner. We came back the 2nd time! read more

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My favorite restaurant in all of Chattanooga. The pastas, specifically the bolognese and the rigatoni are to die for. I wish I could eat here every day. The bread is amazing, and the drinks are good. My favorite is the cider sangria. 10/10 always. I'm very loyal to this Italian place. read more

Always consistent and friendly staff. I think my credit card is on file there! Management and staff are the best I've never had a mediocre meal read more

Food is so good. Wednesday night Carbonara is the bomb! Happy hour 4-6 with great wine prices.

Amazing Italian. Great service and even better ambiance. Little loud but you know a good restaurant will always be busy

It was indeed, quite possibly the best carbonara I have ever had. And I've had the carbonara in italy. The chicken was like velvet, there was crispy pancetta. The sauce was divine! I feel very lucky I was there on a Wednesday when they run the carbonara as a dinner special. They had a great wine list as well. My server was very attentive. Can't wait to come back to Chattanooga on a Wednesday to get this again! read more

IL Primo - Chef salad with balsamic vinaigrette - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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A little disappointing. The management was impressively accommodating of our needs and Amy was attentive and very good. The bread & oil appetizer was delicious, the main plate portions were big (we all had go-boxes), and all the plated were served at once. For us however, the flavors of the pasta dishes were mild, the chicken marsala had few mushrooms, and the lobster bisque seemed not to have any lobster; it was more like a rich tomato soup. The atmosphere was lively, the restaurant filled up quickly with people waiting for tables by the time we left. This was our second higher-end Italian restaurant (other than Pizza Bros / Lupi / Community Pie) (Boccaccia was first) since venturing out after COVID. We'll keep looking. read more

Just a great neighborhood Italian place that makes you feel like you're on a tucked away side street in New York City. It's homey, friendly and cozy. The food is hard to beat. Il Primo is not a red sauce and pasta joint. It's fresh fish, roasted meats, vegetables along with two of the best meatballs you will be served in Chattanooga. Primo is usually crowded but they take call ahead. If you do call ahead, they tend to tell you it's more crowded than it is and will take longer for a table than it does. Put your name on the list and go. If you do wait, enjoy a cocktail and the crowd. You'll see someone you know. Our favorite thing to do is sit at the bar with a glass of red and a charcuterie featuring local sourced cheeses and meats. Il Primo is a consistent choice when we're looking for a top notch meal and a relaxing evening. read more

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My husband and I had heard great things about this place and decided to check it out. Our meal was incredible start to finish! We got the baked feta appetizer which was delicious. My husband had the pork scallopini and I had the rigatoni arrabiata with sausage. Everything was cooked to perfection. We were stuffed and so satisfied but our amazing server Dalton brought us a complementary slice of their limoncello pie which was one of the best desserts I've ever had! Their sangria is also wonderful. My husband and I couldn't stop talking about how good the food was. It's our new favorite place to eat in Chattanooga! Great ambience, amazing food, and impeccable service! Ask for Dalton! read more

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Don't let the neighborhood location mislead you about the quality of the food or waiting staff. Food was delicious, with portion sizes JUST enough extra to make it a hearty, but healthy meal. I feel as though the flavors are authentic, no one herb nor spice overwhelms the dishes we tried. The house sauce was super yummy on the meatball and the risotto was creamy. We loved our waiter, Courtney (I believe?). She was extremely patient with my 1001 questions and dietary restrictions. If you haven't been, you're missing out. Prices are reasonable and food 100x better than certain Italian chain stores I won't mention. Anyways, I highly recommend Il Primo! read more

Totally disappointed with the lasagna that was mostly a bowl of soupy cheese and not much else. My husband got the shrimp pasta which tasted pretty bland and the Caesar salads were good but the croutons tasted like they were all rolled in a bowl of salt. Super disappointing meal after an hour wait. The staff were really great but the food was not very good at all. read more

Poor customer service. We called to make a reservation ahead of time and they told us, it was first come first serve, for a group of 7. The host was not helpful. She even "mocked" and asked if i called ahead... which i did and got turned down. read more

We ordered catering for daughters wedding. Always plenty of food. Lasagna was my favorite.

Desert was just the icing on the cake for the food we ate! It was our first time going here and I would definitely recommend if you are looking for new places to try, the waiters? Amazing attitudes all the way around. read more