Fantastic! The filet sauce is out of of this world. The ravioli is also a great choice. Great portions and service.

Great food. Great service. Great ambience. Haven't been in a while, but just referred some friends. See ya this summer!

Authentic Italian cuisine. I haven't seen Friselle on a menu forever. Sooo delicious. The ravioli took me back to my mom's kitchen. We are already planning to return. read more

Best 3 hour lunch ever. I Could have stayed all night Thank you to all of the amazing people that run this little gem. It's a real family business. Food was good wine was great atmosphere was awesome and the staff was incredibly accommodating. Can't wait for round 2 read more

Mart Anthony's appears to be a well-kept neighborhood secret. The restaurant would probably not have made it onto my radar if not for a buddy, who walks past it regularly on his way to work, suggesting we try it out for dinner. This unassuming neighborhood joint, with its subdued signage and location on a quiet section of Hubbard Street, could easily be missed. The restaurant maintains an old-school Italian vibe. The wood panel walls are adorned with black and white photographs of some famous and some not-so-famous people. The menu is packed with traditional Italian fare, the portions of most of which are very generous. The Black Linguini with shrimp and scallops and the Chicken Vesuvio were both difficult to finish in one sitting. Polishing off the Lobster Ravioli, with chunks of lobster in it, posed no such problem for me. The prices for the food and drinks are reasonable. The offering of beers is displayed above the bar. As with any good Italian restaurant, Mart Anthony's maintains a decent wine selection. Ever since the surrounding streets became permit only, parking in the area is difficult. Luckily, Mart Anthony's offers a free valet service. You'd be wise to use this amenity as the parking police in the neighborhood is very quick to ticket. Nothing ruins a great dining experience like finding a ticket on your car (he says speaking from experience). read more

Best eggplant ever All our dinners were delicious Lasagna white beans and sausage we were all happy and fat! read more

Came here for my brothers birthday and everything that we had was phenomenal. We ordered the fried calamari, black linguine, lobster ravioli, veal parmigiana, gnocchi and the chicken saltimbocca and everything was better than expected. The waiter was very kind and knowledgeable and he recommended us some things that ended up being great. It's a great local family own spot and we will definitely be coming back again. read more

Mart Anthony's - Veal Parmigiana - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A true and excellent example of a traditionally rich Chicago neighborhood Italian restaurant. Solid offerings like veal limone, chicken parm and tortellini combined with adept bartending and a wonderful enthusiastic staff. You can feel it when people enjoy where they work and this must be due to owner John who consistently makes the rounds. Visiting tables, you sense he actually enjoys meeting new customers and wants to ensure they have a wonderful evening. Which we do at Mart Anthony's...every time! read more

We went to this restaurant last week and the food is DELICIOUS! People are nice and are making sure that everything is going great. I took the chicken lemon and that was amazing. I will come back for sure! Great food/great people Didn't try the desert but I will next time! read more

Wow, this place is truly a hidden gem! Situated in a primarily residential area of River West, this is not a place you would just happen to drive by unless you knew about it. Such is the case with me - I've driven down Grand Avenue a million times and never realized that such a great place was lurking nearby. A friend who lives in the area recently discovered it and has been wanting me to try it. Okay, twist my arm. She last went there on a Monday night and was raving about their soup of the day, so we specifically made plans to go on a Monday night to try the soup again. Our plans to sit outside were quickly dashed by Mother Nature, that fickle bitch. It's a shame too, because this is exactly the kind of place you'd want to sit outside. It's on a relatively quiet street, with little traffic, other than people walking their dogs. We arrived and other than a bunch of dudes sitting at the bar and one other table, it was virtually empty. We were shown to a table and the waiter/bartender came by and he remembered my friend from her previous visit the prior week and greeted her like an old friend. I love places that remember and recognize their patrons. He gave us a wine list and menus and gave us a few minutes to settle in. She ordered a glass of Pinot Grigio and I ordered a glass of Ménage à Trois Cabernet (which always makes me blush when I say "I'll have a Ménage à Trois"). She talked me into getting the soup (chicken tortellini) that she raved about and we also shared a starter of sausage and peppers. The sausage and peppers came in a white wine and garlic sauce and was really good. I liked it better than she did, as she remarked that it was better on her last visit. The soup was good too, but I thought the tortellini in it could have been cooked a little longer and the soup also needed a bit of salt as it was a touch under seasoned. Still very good though. Since the appetizer and soup were rather filling, I decided to go with a small house salad and a stuffed artichoke appetizer for my main course and my dining companion ordered the spaghetti with meat sauce and a meatball on the side. I was feeling like I should have ordered a pasta but I knew my friend would share hers with me if I wanted. I wasn't about to go hungry. Our food came out pretty fast. I was expecting an entire stuffed artichoke but instead it was just half. For $10 I would have expected to be served the whole thing. The salad was your basic house salad, but it was very fresh and the dressing was good too. The artichoke was really good. I usually prefer them grilled, but since I am a sucker for a good artichoke, I ate almost the whole thing. The breadcrumb stuffing had good flavor and it wasn't mushy at all, which can be the case sometimes with stuffed artichokes. My friend's spaghetti looked really good, as did the meatball, and I was able to get a generous taste of both. The sauce on the spaghetti was rich and meaty but the meatball was the best part. It was fluffy and light and not dried out and overcooked, which is usually my hesitancy in ordering meatballs. It was a generous portion and she ended up taking some home, even after sharing with me. Mart Anthony is a great neighborhood spot that clearly has a lot of regulars and with good reason. The food is well-prepared and delicious and the service was friendly and engaging. Love the atmosphere too - nothing fancy, but very cozy and inviting. I'm looking forward to going back and trying some more. I have a feeling that with its outdoor area and proximity to my friend's place, that we'll be dining here a lot this summer. read more

My husband picked this place for our second anniversary dinner. We've driven by and it always looks slightly shady but he swore it was good so on we went. The vibe is classic Italian, pictures of Capone and Sinatra all over the red rag-rolled walls, which somehow kind of work with the decor. Our server was really nice and totally on top of things. We split the stuffed artichoke to start with, I maybe would have appreciated a how-to on how to eat this without looking like an idiot but I think we managed. It was good but messy and a bit hard to eat. I got the chicken saltimbocca and husband got the filet, which came on a skillet with tomatoes and a whole bunch of other stuff. He said it was cooked perfectly and was just as good as from a steakhouse, which is pretty impressive. Our server said you can also get it prepared different ways, such as saltimbocca like mine. Holy mother, I think that would be the way to go... fontina cheese and prosciutto with spinach and mushrooms? Yes please. My chicken saltimbocca was so freaking good, I'm pretty sure I licked the plate. We split their ice cream ball thing for dessert, can't remember how it's listed on the menu but it was the perfect ending with some coffee and Bailey's. I will definitely be recommending this place to friends. Anyone who says this place isn't for foodies is a moron. read more

Mart Anthony is an great combination of neighborhood joint and classic Italian restaurant. This is the perfect place to enjoy some serious mangia mangia! The staff was attentive and friendly, without being overbearing. In fact, there were a few times when our server just left us alone because he didn't want to interrupt our conversation and we never felt rushed or abandoned. I ordered the chicken saltimbocca, which was so good that I had to ignore my dinner companion to have a private moment of utter bliss with my entree. Just the thought of this dish is making me drool on my keyboard a little. It came with a side dish of pasta and sauce, which was a bit average. The sauce was too sweet for my tastes, but luckily I had enough chicken saltimbocca to eat that I didn't need the side dish. Whenever I go to an Italian restaurant, I have this thing that I do...I always order the tiramisu. I feel like this is the mark of a good Italian joint and if the tiramisu is good enough, I will return. The tiramisu at Mart Anthony was THE BEST I HAVE EVER HAD!!! Yes, I had to put that in all caps. It was that good. The lady fingers were perfectly dipped and the marscapone...wow...it was so fresh, so delicious. If I wasn't so full I would have licked the plate. Go to Mart Anthony. Just go. read more

Friday Night Fights? That's so 50s, palooka. Times have changed. It's 2010. Move over Monday Night Football. It's Monday Night Fights! So I ventured over to Mart Anthony over on West Hubbard on a Monday night. The erstwhile Mart was located over on West Randolph in a rather tawdry white building with a bright red neon sign. I don't know what happened, but at some point it relocated over to Hubbard into an inconspicuous corner building that looks more like an old bar than an Italian restaurant. You couldn't get more deeply ensconced in a neighborhood than this place is. It's really too tucked away off the beaten path, and the dearth of customers testified to this. Mart is an old school Italian joint. If you can't attach "old school" to an Italian joint it's not real Italian in my zero percent Italian eyes. At Mart, you've got your wood, your bar, your tablecloths, your olive oil and your old school waiter. The one problem with the layout is that the bar is the main focus and there are two televisions hovering overhead. One of the televisions was showing the Giants-Reds game on satellite. Curious. The space just feels more like a bar than a restaurant, but that's forgivable because it's a rather casual establishment. As to the food, it's old school goodness. On my ongoing quest to find the best vodka sauce in the city, I ordered the cavatelli with vodka sauce. It's hard to determine where exactly Mart's vodka sauce ranks, but it's in the top 10 percent in the city so far in my opinion. The meatballs here deserve their own paragraph. They're like buttuh. Really, they are. Your fork or knife will go through them like they're hot buttuh. They are so smooth and refined so well they will float down your gullet like feathers in the wind after gracing your palate with their melting deliciousness. These are the best meatballs I've ever tasted. The other side item here which deserves its own paragraph is the chicken tortellini soup. This is the freshest soup I've ever tasted. The poor little carrots, onions, potatoes and chicken in this soup must have just lost their lives and ended up in this bowl of tastiness. This soup has inspired me to attempt to make my own at home. I must say, mine is not quite the same. Order this soup! As far as ambiance, Mart is much more of a neighborhood joint than a destination, but don't let that take it off of your radar. And as to the Monday Night Fights I witnessed here, well that just added to the interesting experience of the place. The locals apparently sometimes have a few too many and unload verbally on the help. Honestly, it was probably an isolated one off deal that was handled graciously by the help. Forget it, Jake, it's Chinatown. Recommended if you like old school Italian. Four and one-half stars. read more

I live in California but native to Chicago - I came in for a week to visit friends and family. Due to COVID and protests, options have been limited and heard excellent things about Mart Anthony's. They did not disappoint - we ordered the Stuffed Gnocchi Arrabiata, Rigatoni Danielo, Meatballs and Theresa pizza. Some of the best Italian in Chicago. Highly recommend the Stuffed Gnocchi Arrabiata. Portions are large and does not disappoint! read more

This neighborhood needs more restaurants like Mart Anthony's. We went here with a Groupon and will definitely be back. The food was incredible and I come from a family full of great Italian cooks. Fried calamari: I could tell they use fresh calamari as it wasn't very rubbery or fishy smelling. It was delicious and a pretty large portion. Tortellini Romano: I can tell why this is a specialty. The cheese stuffed tortellini was cooked perfectly, the sauce was flavorful and it was a huge portion. Braciole: Great cuts of meat, large portion and the marinara was great. We sat outside-- they have a good amount of indoor and outdoor seating. The service was great, as well. read more

I grew up on the east coast, and while the people there can be way rude, they know how to make Italian food. And so do the people at Mart Anthony's. We went there for my hubby and father's birthday on a Saturday. Not only was the food amazing--they have the best eggplant I have ever had--the service was attentive as well as hands off--we were there for 2.5 hours and were never rushed or nagged. The food is surprisingly light. They seem to understand that there is such a thing as to much cheese, and their marinara is the best I have ever had. All and all, an awesome experience! read more

"When the moon hits your eye..." Oh yes. Mart Anthony definitely could be a place where Dean would have hung out. (You like how I say "Dean" like we are on a first name basis? I like to think we would have been. I mean, I woulda hatted and gloved it up to be one of hiiiiis ladies, yaknowhatimsayin?) "...like a big pizza pie...." So I owed the boyfriend a dinner and a lunch. Why not do it up and go for a lovely dinner WITH wine (that's making up for the lunch) at this spot we've been meaning to hit up for quite awhile, right? "...that's amoooooreeeee..." This place feels authentic. I mean, if there was a "Real Housewives of New Jersey, the wives move to Chicago," one of the husbands might own this joint. Dark woods, double-cheeked kisses bestowed on all regulars, old black and white photographs adorning the walls...very old school clubby. "When the world seems to shine..." And the food? Solid pasta dishes with a smattering of seafood on the menu. We stuck to the basics. Super crusty bread (identical to the kind you'd find in a ristorante in Roma) with olive oil, a cup of the minestrone (marvelous), a house salad (doused/drowning in Italian dressing), a chicken parmesan and a rigatoni arrabiata filled us up and left us with plenty for take-home. Add a bottle of Sicilian red wine and... "...Like you've had too much wine..." (Yeah right. Not in my world.) Lovely, old-school Italian with friendly service and solid Italian basics, you'll likely want to become one of the regulars who dines here every Friday night. "...that's amoooooreeeee..." read more

Since my first review we've gone to Mart Anthony on numerous occasions (even ordered in delivery one time as well) ... I have to say that this place seems to get better and better each time. My all around favorite dish is the Steak Visuvio - the sauce is so delish that drinking it with a straw (or more appropriately sopping it up with the warn bread) is an absolute MUST. Really the sauces on all of their dishes are outstanding. Italian food should be simple, straight-forward and comforting and Mart Anthony really knocks it out of the park. This unassuming, well priced, neighborhood spot can really give some of the better known/fancy Italian places around the city a true run for their money. On my first review I said it was only a "partial hidden gem" as although it was great; I didn't think I'd go out of my way to go there - however after going back again and again ever since I retract that statement and think that even those that don't live as conveniently close as we do should definitely make their way over. YUMMY!!! read more

There is not much that I can write that hasn't already been written in other fans' Yelp reviews of this place, so I will merely add my two cents to confirm that it's (from my limited experience of two visits) still true: this is a great place to go for a mid-priced Italian meal. Service: excellent. Just attentive enough to not be intrusive. (happens to be my preferred level, by the way) Food: delicious, high quality, but hearty and generous. You won't walk away hungry, and you will most likely enjoy experimenting by ordering something you may have never tried before, even though there's plenty of stand-bys and specials. If there are some regrets, it might be that you can only eat so much/order so much, meaning you'll have to come back to try the other thing or re-order what you liked last time if you don't order it again this time. Prices: reasonable. It helps that this place is not in the heart of the Loop. But if you have to be near the United Center, it's a great option. I'm happy enough to drive there from a half hour away. If you know people that are carless and in the Loop, you can easily swing by in your car, pick them up, take them there, and it's a quick trip. Practically free valet service is a major plus (you DO need to tip the valet, who's very friendly and professional even if he does technically not get paid by you). The place has a full bar, outdoor seating, casual atmosphere, photos and such on the walls to look at when you're bored. Decent wine list. Not been disappointed by them at all. Potentially it could be a five star rating. read more

Not to be confused with the top selling salsa artist of all time, Mart Anthony's is awesome if you're jonesing for some Italian food with J-Lo's ass-sized hunger. The portions are pretty darn hearty and they do some marinara sauce that almost anyone would sing the praises of. Get the lasagna. This dish is usually a measuring stick as to how good an Italian restaurant is and they definitely do an incredible one. Thick, meaty, and layered with some ridiculously good ricotta cheese it pretty much sums up the entire experience one will have at this cozy little family spot. It's quiet, dimly lit, and the service is not only very attentive, but super witty too. Our guy had us laughing almost every time he came to the table, and we left definitely adding this as one of our favorite family spots. Even though they've never won a Grammy it's still a great pick. read more

Found this place on Open Table. Came in and immediately were greeted with a warm smile and a hello. Sat at the "Sinatra" table. Absolutely perfect. Met the owner Mike. Young man who could not have been more engaging, warm and welcoming. He told us about his grandmother, her recipes and his favorite 3-4 dishes. We immediately knew this was going to be a great dinner. Grilled calamari for appetizer. Delish!!! Then 2 of the 3 favorites from Mike....and I am NOT going to tell you which ones. You just have to go and tell Mike, "I want what the guy from Florida ordered...and the Amarone" you will NOT be disappointed. Looking forward to my return. #unexpectedgem read more

3.5 - I do not live in the neighborhood, but I'm glad I ventured down. Overall, we had a really enjoyable experience. Fair warning re Groupon specials: they upcharge for pretty much everything. We had the $70 Groupon for 4, but ending up spending an extra $130 in upcharges, 4 cocktails and tip. So much for getting a deal! Here's what we had: Apps -mussels in red sauce (3) - red sauce had great flavor, but the mussels were kind of barnyard-y -stuffed artichoke (3) - our server highly recommended this, but we weren't wowed. Since most of the outside leaves are too tough to eat, it's essentially a tsp of artichoke heart and breadcrumbs Mains -porkchop special - my friend raved about this, he clearly made the best choice (he refused to share, which is a good sign for the dish, but bad for my tummy) -chicken sambolticca - this was tasty, garlicy red sauce with spinach and prosciutto wrapped chicken. The chicken was a little overcooked. I wish the side of rigattoni had been in the same sauce, it tasted more out-of-the-bottle. -shrimp and pasta - my friend enjoyed his shrimp and rigattoni -eggplant parmesan - she almost finished this, which I think is a good testament! Desserts -at 7:30pm, they were out of most of the desserts, but Italian desserts aren't really for me, anyway. Unless it's tartuffo! But they don't serve it :( -tiraimisu - my friend said this was one of the best tiraimisus he's had -spumoni - standard, nothing special here Service was very friendly, but our server kept telling us everything on the menu is amazing, best ever (which you begin to doubt after a while...) The ambiance is very old-timey and homey. I wouldn't make a special trip, but if someone was driving, I'd stop in again. read more

Real Classy Style Italian Restaurant! We found a Groupon for this place and decided to walk over to the area since we were already downtown. It was a little hard to find, tucked away in a neighborhood. Once we arrived the hostess was very nice and found us a table outside which was ideal! The waiter came by almost immediately and took out drink orders and brought waters (a great sign of good service). As an appetizer we got the stuffed artichoke which was terrific! Not only was it delicious, but it was hands on as well. You have to manually pick off the scaly leaves that are filled with stuffing and garlic and butter. For meals I got the lamb chops which were perfectly cooked and came with a wonderful savory sauce that paired perfectly. My friend got the veal parmesan which was a huge slate like portion of veal lightly breaded and covered with mozzy cheese! The wait staff was spot on. Our waiter knew it was our first time and had great suggestions and wine pairing ideas. The service was that kind where you know they are keeping your water glass topped and dirty dishes out of the way but they are never intrusive which is perfect. Also, whom I can only assume was the owner, would make his rounds to his regulars and socialize and entertain throughout the restaurant which really shows that he was enjoying what he does and strives for the happy customer. I really got a welcome feeling the whole time we were there. In conclusion, this little hidden gem was just exactly that! I would have never found the place if it wasn't for the Groupon they offered. I am definitely taking friends here next time I visit Chi-town. read more

I had never heard of Mart Anthony's, but bought a Groupon that looked like a good deal. My boyfriend and I made a reservation for a Tuesday evening and were seated right away. The service was great and the food came very quickly. It seems like a very popular neighborhood spot, as it was filled the entire time we were there. There were a lot of young families with babies, all of which were well-behaved (phew!). A lot of people seemed to know the owner and staff, as they greeted each other and hugged goodbye. My food was delicious. We had the house grilled chicken salad with raspberry vinegarette dressing. It was huge, and they did not skimp on the chicken. For the entree, I had the shrimp diavolo. It was spicy, a good-sized portion, and there was a lot of shrimp in it. My boyfriend has the chicken marsala. He said it was good, but not the best he'd had. For dessert, we shared the chocolate cake. It was very rich and think, almost a cheesecake consistency...delish! I'm glad we found this little spot. We really loved it and will definitely be back. read more

I've been cringing at the thought of writing this review. The very thought of Check Please!, and hordes of people overtaking this restaurant make me see red. I don't want to share my secret, but I love this restaurant too much to ever think of it suffering due to my selfishness. If you read this review, go there, but please keep it hush, hush! Mart Anthony has been a favorite of mine for over 8 years. They put a fresh approach to traditional Italian cuisine. We love the cozy atmosphere, and we love the fact that it is still virtually undiscovered. We've never had a problem obtaining a table or parking near by. Service is impeccable. Appetizers are to die for. I highly recommend their grilled calamari and shrimp. It's okay to sop up the sauce with your crusty fresh baked bread here. Their brick oven pizzas are always tasty, as are their baked clams. I always have a tough time when it comes to ordering my entree. Veal chop Marsala? Steak Vesuvio? They serve a generous filet, 12 oz to be exact. I also love their hand cut black linguine with scallops and calamari with vodka cream sauce. This pasta was such a hit that my 4 year old ate all of my leftovers and refused to share! If I had room, I would have ordered the lamb chops as well. Mama mia, I want to eat it all! Be sure to save room for dessert. We usually skip this course at most restaurants, but I can not resist their tartufo. There's nothing nicer to end a good Italian meal than with a cup of capuccino and something sweet. P.S. They have gift certificates available through Restaurant.com. read more

Mart Anthony's is so darn cute, classy, and authentic. I felt like I was in someone's family home ordering a comforting Italian meal. The prices on the food and wine menu are definitely reasonable, and you really can't go wrong with whatever you choose. Biggest honorable mention- service service service. Now when I got here, I was in a rare bad mood because I caught some lame cold, but my boyfriend and I bought a Groupon and really wanted to go before it expired. Our waiter made my day brighter with his friendliness and goofy humor right off the bat. He gave us some great suggestions, and we were glad we listened. This is one of those places that just gets it.... you treat everyone like they are at home, they are going to feel welcome and taken care of. Goes to show as always that you don't have to own a giant building to run a giant establishment. read more

I ate here with my family this past Friday for my Mom's 65th birthday, and we had an excellent experience! Starting from the time I placed the reservation on the phone, I already liked this place. I mentioned to the woman that it was for my Mom's birthday and that she loves seafood and salad. She started listing off salad and seafood recommendations and even told me about the specials. She also said the restaurant had desserts, but I was welcome to bring a birthday cake or whatever we wanted as her birthday dessert. All of the staff members were so nice to my family. We had a group of 9 including one 23-month old. Whenever the guys from the kitchen passed my nephew in his high chair, they would say hello and give him a high-five. When I walked in with cupcakes, our server offered to put them in the back for me I had purchased a Groupon good for four entrees, two appetizers, and four glasses of wine. I showed the server the Groupon at the beginning of the meal, and he very kindly explained that it was flexible: we could put $25 each toward four different entrees, $13 each toward two appetizers, and we could get four individual glasses of wine or he could take $32 off a bottle of wine. Basically, he helped us maximize the value of our Groupon without restricting our menu options. I have used a lot of Groupons and other types of restaurant deals and gift certificates, and I have never had a server who was as kind and helpful. I heard the server explain the bill to my brother. I appreciate it when servers are upfront about the fact that gratuity has been added to the bill. In reviewing the bill, I heard him tell my brother, "here is the price without gratuity and with gratuity." Of course, I had a Groupon and the food and service was delicious, so I liked the price I paid, but I will most definitely be back to this restaurant whether or not I get a discount, because my whole family had such an excellent time =) (I started this review months and never went online to actually post it, so this review is accurate for Friday August 9, 2013) read more

Molto buono!! This is the perfect spot for an after-work cocktail, a romantic but not stuffy dinner date, or a group of friends sharing wine, delicious dishes, and laughs. The service is spectacular, the wine list is wonderful, the food is fantastic. I'll save you the trouble of looking through the menu and advise you just order the chicken saltimbocca. There are many other awesome choices, but the gravy in the saltimbocca is silly good. And yes, it's called gravy. read more

This is a great place for a date it is small, intimate and tuck away on a small side street.. Everyone is friendly from the busboy, server and bartender. Our dinner was awesome tasty and delicious. We had a salad to start off and of course Italian dishes one order was steak the other was chicken...AW MAN! Good Good Good! It was a bit on the expensive side. I give you a 5 star rating. i just cant wait til our next visit. read more

We came upon this little restaurant as we were lost and attempting to find parking for a different restaurant. It was cold and closest to the car, so we said, why not. We lucked out! While it was a little pricey, the food was delicious. My favorite part were the variety of sauces you could choose from. The "pink" sauce with mushrooms (I forget the actual Italian name) that I put on my cheese ravioli was delicious. I tried the meat sauce on my friend's and it reminded me of the difference between good sauce and sauce out of a can. Delicious. As for atmosphere, they've got a whole Frank Sinatra vibe going on, and it kind of helped to make the place seem kind of fancy and possibly a good place for a date or to have good conversation with friends. read more

Don't let the outside of this building decive you. This is such a cute place. We happen to find it looking for a new italian place in the area...read all the yelp reviews and went to check it out. It's busy but never have to wait to long for a table on the weekends. It's old school where everyone knows everyone else in there. The bartender was extremely friendly to us and made us a strong drinks before they sat us down. The service was good. Food was excellent. My bf and I shared some pasta dishes and a salad. We left very full with a bag full of leftovers. We have been here several times so I have tried a handful of items. It's very dark and romantic in here so I think it's a good place for a date. Seems like a place where the mob would hang out. :) It's also located near some great bars so it might be fun to check it out before hitting the west town bars on grand. It can get a little pricey depending on what you order but most italian is that way. read more

I had heard good things about this joint from many friends, so when it became available on Groupon, I knew I had to buy it! It's close enough to my own neighborhood (Ukrainian Village), so the drive was cake. This is a far cry from commercialized and a quintessential family-run, classic Italian restaurant. That's why I liked it so much! After trying the black lingini di mare at Siena Tavern, I had to try it here. They do it just as good here as Fabio Viviani does it in River North, but for about $5 cheaper - AND with a groupon! At Mart Anthony's you get all different sorts of seafood, not just lobster. Props! The seating inside was intimate and the noise levels were minimum, as many families and couples were trying to emulate that same intimate experience my date and me were. The ambience is definitely awesome! The wine and cocktails were just ok - come for the food. Hopefully this place pops up on Groupon again soon so I can make the trip! read more

I dined here with Gary E this past weekend and I'll have to agree with most of what he's already said. Having driven by here numerous times and never thinking twice about going, I'm glad I did. I love places that look scary on the outside but inside is an amazing hidden spot. Having the restaurant.com gift cert helped too though. I loved my lobster ravioli and my husband had a really good spicy shrimp pasta dish. Next time I want to try a meaty dish...there was a lot on the menu and it was hard to pick what to order. The whole bill ordeal was odd...and it was hand written which I haven't seen in ages and the restaurant.com print out says they add 18%, not 20% pre discount....sneaky and shady on Mart Anthony's part. I'll definitely be back here sometime this winter to drink red wine and be fat.....and I already purchased another restaurant.com gift cert!!! read more

Definitely a hidden gem... The food and service were fantastic. I had chicken with potatos and pees, cooked to perfection. They gave us two huge baskets of bread with olive oil and parmesan cheese, yummy. Our friends all enjoyed their meals as well, so why the 3 stars right? Well, the owner, who is very nice by the way...was smoking in the restaurant...yep, despite the laws, he was sitting near the bar smoking. For me, that is a huge turn off despite the great food and atmosphere. read more

Perfect date place. Perfect place to take out of towners. Perfect place to get drunk. Perfect place to eat. Perfect place to stay sober. Perfect place to drink, scotch, wine, pop or whatever it is you fancy. The food is excellent. Each time I've been I've loved what I ordered, as did everyone I was with. The service is great- very attentive but not overly so. Friendly, fun- very aware of the guests and it seems like they can tell how you'd like to be treated. I went with a group, we were super chatty- the server seemed to notice that we wanted to hang out for a while before ordering entrees. This shouldn't be a big deal, but as someone who was a server forever (and a damn good one), I appreciate someone doing a fine serving job. They just know how to do it. I never want to leave when I'm there. The baked clams are freakin' delicious. The wine selection is fairly limited, but they do have good stuff. Just enough so that it's not tough to make a decision. Prices are reasonable. The bar is awesome. If you have the time, stay after dinner and just sit at the bar. The staff is awesome, as are the people who appear to be regulars. I love this place. Cannot wait to return. read more

Got some food Togo and didn't receive it all but paid for it. Kind of annoying. I should have checked I guess. Interesting atmosphere. Older crowd. The food itself was alright. Definitely not great. I got a glass of wine and it was an old bottle. I have the wine I drank there all the time and it had definitely gone bad. read more

Thin crust pizza done right!! After being tired of getting the same ol' same ol' food delivered, we decided to give this Italian joint a try. Everything was hot when it arrived and I couldn't wait to eat the pizza. I got to try two of their specialty thin crust pizzas, the Mart Anthony's and Stefania. Loved both but Stefania was my absolute favorite as it was topped with the creamiest most delicious fresh ricotta I have ever tasted. Also, got the spinack and ricotta stuffed gnocchi with arabbiata sauce.. yes, it was as delectable as it sounds. Now, can't wait to go to the restaurant and try it when it comes fresh off the oven.. read more

Me and a friend went here and used the groupon, it was the most excellent Italian food this side of heaven and i have been all over the place in Chicago. It's tucked in a little corner, parking was cool, food is great, nice little ambiance, a perfect mom and pop shop! We will be back. Only negative is we ordered the oysters and they were very gritty, like we have never had them that gritty before but other than that the entrees and food made up for it! Thanks for the great experience we will be back. read more

Like everyone else says, it is a very neat little neighborhood spot. We sat at the bar and enjoyed that. We got the sausage and peppers that was awesome. I really don't like sausage, but they had so much flavor. Baked clams were okay. We also got gnocchi, which was fine. I wouldn't order it again. The lasagna, however, was amazing. Very good. Overall, some stand outs, some average things, but the atmosphere is great. read more

I just love this place. Been coming since it was on Randolph. The mood is laid back but very friendly and the food is just amazing. The servers are always so nice - they don't hover but they are around when you need them. We tried the veal with eggplant / red sauce - so good. But I think the better choice was the sausage, onion, pasta....we also ordered meatball on the side. Since I wrote this review we went back and tried home made gnocchi with arrabiata sauce - I have gone back so many times to pick this up for home that I think the valet driver recognizes me - ;) read more