Jesus Christ! I had the gnocchi dish and was absolutely blown away. I have 0 notes. I can't wait to come back here. Im in freaking love. Our service was great. I tried the Cabernet and Prosecco. I really enjoyed the Prosecco. I feel like the cab could have have more body. I also like them served room temp and not chilled. read more

Rustico - Prosecco Brut Alexa, Veneto (187ml) - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Came here on a Monday night, based on yelp reviews, and I am so glad I did, everything was on point. From the front of the house service, to the bartender, and dishes selection EVERYTHING was absolutely delicious... if you're looking for a good tasting tapas place in the Oak Park area this is a must try. We got the grilled calamari, the muscles, and the grilled octopus, ALL m were very, very good. read more

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Me and my family come here all the time! We love the food, it is very delicious, the pizzas are delicious and very fresh. The costilla is to die for! The service is also great! read more

I visited Rustico a few days ago for dinner with a friend. Nice location in Oak Park right on Lake st. And the restaurant has a nice rustic decor hence the name. I loved the fact that they had a nice wine selection and a whole separate Tapas menu. To s of options to choose from so we decided to share Tapas and a Bottle of their Tempranillo wine Delicioso from Spain. We ordered the grilled calamari, grilled Scallops, patatas bravas, beef pincho, chicken croquetas and for dessert we had two creme brulees. We loved everything we ordered, they were large portions and very flavorful. Our servers were extremely nice bubbly and cheerful. We stayed right up to closing time and we decided to return to try their paellas. I definitely recommend Rustico for a casual night out or a nice date night. read more

Great food, great drinks, great service and reasonable prices. Rustico has become an Oak Park classic and is always a pleasure to venture outside Chicago to visit it. read more

Rustico - Serrano Caprese. - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Very mediocre. Its not fine dining, nor cusine of any kind. Its basic food, with no quality nor care/touch. Quite disappointing for the evening out. Ok stuff, ok decor, not much atmosphere. Find a better place. read more

Both I and my father felt uncomfortable After the meal, I even had dirrahea. We Love seafood pallea l lot and tried in different restaurants. This is the first time we met problem like this. It's not worthy of driving 40 minutes to try here, especially Many nice Italian and Spanish restaurant around. read more

Amazing food and great customer service. I absolutely love this place, I suggest reservations.

Ordered a to go order. Arrived before it was ready. Staff was rude, food was not hot and was nasty.

The service was amazing -- Ricky was warm and attentive! The food & drink were equally amazing -- the seafood paella, fried calamari, and strawberry lemon drop were impeccable. This wasn't my first time there and it certainly won't be my last. read more

Incredible dinner on a summer evening with the hubs. We ordered the bottle of red sangria (lovely, not overpowering with sweetness or just tasted like wine w wine fruit in it). We started off w queso de cabra which i sorta regret because they brought out bread (focaccia and regular). I ordered the ravioli con salmon and it was DELISH. Hubs ordered paella (which we were told would feed a single portion, but turned out to be a good size enough for two). We will definitely return with the fam or friends or both! read more

We ordered the scallops and calamari, chicken skewers and the arugula with prosciutto pizza. Sizes were just right for two and really good quality food. The sangria is really good here. read more

Rustico - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

The food is excellent and extraordinary. The server was outstanding and very helpful. It was great to be able to see the chefs preparing the food. They were smiling and congenial. The ambiance was simple and nice. In fact, We are going there again this weekend with friends. I highly recommend Rustico read more

Both the service and food was exceptional from the drinks, appetizers and main entree. The chef was also able to accommodate for diet restrictions. Very pleased with everything! read more

The Rustico Paella is absolutely FANTASTIC. All of the meat and seafood in it was perfectly cooked along with the rice. The portion size is large and a fair price. read more

What?! How have I never eaten here before? Get to Rustico quick. In an effort to support our local restaurants during current Covid restrictions, I ordered carry-out this past weekend. Since it's Mediterranean, I didn't think the food would travel great, but I was craving seafood. And yay! It was fantastic! The seafood paella was WONDERFUL and FULL of mussels, shrimp, fish etc. but everyone's favorite was the spare rib gnocchi. (A million calories. Go figure.) They threw in a bottle of wine for spending over $100 and then added another while I was waiting. (Cheers!) We got a ton of food for our $, including a sausage pasta, grilled octopus (amazing,) a pizza, and cannoli. They also surprised us with strawberry gelato for everyone. The other surprise was they also have an adorable, covered back patio for additional outdoor dining. Hoping to go back for a date night soon if we can get this Indian summer to stick around. read more

I'm trying to make sure I'm not being too critical since COVID is going on but I will say the average ratings I've been seeing have been pretty spot on. I ordered the paella rústica and the lobster corn chowder. The chowder was delicious! It was the perfect consistency and was flavorful. Had I only ordered that, the review would be different. The paella, however was way too salty. It isn't uncommon fir seafood but seafood isn't uncommon in Italian cuisine so the fact that it wasn't handled well is disappointing read more

We came in here after a late movie down the street. We really just came in for a couple drinks and deserts, so I cannot comment on the main meals. But, neither the drinks nor the deserts disappointed. They have a nice wine selection and were happy and helpful in making a selection. The staff and service were the best thing about the place, however. We came in with a group of about 20 just 30 minutes before they were closing. Yeah, we weren't that high maintenance, but still, we kept them a little longer than they probably would have liked. But they were super nice to us, and the service was amazing. Now I really want to come back for dinner! read more

DELICIOUS! DELICIOUS! DELICIOUS! Every dish we got with our party of 10 was superb! And this was the lunch portion! read more

Rustico - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Came here for my dad's birthday. We booked on open table, and they remembered we were celebrating a birthday, thoughtful touch! We ordered the seafood paella to start out, which was average. We had a party of 5 which 1 paella worked, but is probably a great portion for a party of 4. We ordered a few tapas: pulpo alla planxa, queso de cabra. They had a few specials we also ordered, the swordfish and the crab ravioli. Here's the thing, the ambiance and the wine were great, but I was underwhelmed with the taste of the food this evening. Every dish we had, besides the goat cheese (queso, we ordered this twice) was not salted and very bland. I was sad because we came here after viewing the reviews on their paella and the food looked beautiful with potential, but the chefs forgot the salt in all dishes. It was odd. Maybe we caught the kitchen on an off night. I'd come back here again and try, but I hope the chefs don't forget the salt next time! read more

We stopped in for a birthday lunch today as it is Friday and Rustico is open for lunch on Fridays. Everything was perfect! There were only 4 tables of guests so it was quiet. Our server was attentive and the food came out quickly- hot, fresh, flavorful and not too spicy did me. Loads of vegetarian options. I had the pasta primavera and my date had salmon ravioli. We shared a tapas plate of papas bravas- highly recommend! And really good fresh bread- two kinds. Serving sizes were very generous. Cool decor. Easy metered street parking right in front. Loved everything and I'm eager to return to try the paninis and hearth-fired pizzas. read more

Rustico - Orichetta Primavera with asparagus, Lima beans, mushrooms and tomatoes. Was amazing with the hot, fresh baked Italian bread! - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

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I was at this restaurant for the first time over the weekend March 2022 to celebrate hubby's bday. Everything we tasted was delicious! The scallops with mushrooms, crab cake, Brussels sprouts, pulpo a la plancha. we had three desserts but my favorite was bread pudding with ice cream. The staff ous very welcoming and thr chef came to say hi. I will be going back with mom. read more

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Everything was excellent, which was no surprise given that 2 locals had raves about Rusticò, which has a southern Mediterranean menu. The Caprese salad with roasted tomatoes and pesto was an excellent starter. The Chicken Paella was excellently prepared and was traditional Catalan (peas, tomatoes). Particularly great was the Linguine Vongole. The clam sauce was straight out of Sicilia. read more

I am slowly working my way through the menu and I haven't had a disappointing meal yet. I typically order a bowl of their Lobster Clam Chowder which is simply amazing. If you've never experienced this item, you must. I'm not sure if they prepare the chowder with heavy cream or a roux, but it rich, velvety, flavorful with generous chunks of clams and lobster. So very filling and will probably be my go-to comfort dish for cold winter days. Be sure to ask them to include a piece of their house-made focaccia with your carry out order. Although my orders are typically carry out, I finally decided to dine in. My guest and I sat outside where is ample sidewalk seating. I ordered the Rustico salad which I thoroughly enjoyed. It's everything I imagined a salad to be and more. It was loaded with fresh and grilled veggies with a creamy and generous serving of burrata cheese, fresh pesto, drizzled with a light and sweet balsamic dressing and served in a crisp Parmesan cheese bowl. Everything was edible except the knife and fork. Rustico is a neighborhood gem! Two thumbs up! read more

Rustico - Rustico Salad. - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

We had dinner Monday evening about 6:00PM. We sat outside at my wifes request. I found it too busy with foot traffic constantly passing our table. Also traffic noises, and smells were abundant. I chose this restaurant because we had had recently attended a dinner party where paella was served, cooked by a Spanish architect chef. It was wonderfull. When I saw it on the menu, i had to have it. I ordered the Rustico Paella. It looked wonderful and abundant in quantity and ingredients. But I found it too spicey, to a point that the multiple flavors of the ingredients were overpowered. Perhaps this is a mark of the Rustico Paella and the other two paellas have less heat. My wife had a ravioli dish that she loved. Drinks were not generous at $13 and the wine, for the same price a glass, was not special. Service was good. This would be a great place for a large group to share plates or dinners. read more

Food was great, the wait time for drinks was like 20 minutes. They are short staff, but right now who isn't. Try the rústico paella and bistec Rustico. read more

Rustico - Paella Rustico - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

My husband and I were seeking someplace to have a quick dinner that possibly had an outdoor dining & since moving into the neighborhood during COVID we figure we'd be safe but check it out and so glad we did. They had a nice outdoor tent with just a handful of tables and small propane heat lamps that worked great and kept you very toasty! The food was great, as was the service! Calamari tapas was amazing! Our dinners & wine pairing were really yummy too... everything was so fresh and the menu surprisingly wasn't limited. I'm glad we were able to support a local business during these hard times while also being safe and respectful to others around us. Hoping once this mess is done we can enjoy their indoor dining but in the meantime we'll also try their takeout/delivery options as well! read more

Rustico - Linguine Fruitti di Mare - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Came here for Valentine's Day, of course. I had high expectations as it can be hard to find good Italian food sometimes. Rustico was amazing, to say the least. It is a very elegant, yet affordable, place to take a date. I surely will be back because there was way too much that I wanted to try! P.s... get dessert. read more

Great pizza, Brussels sprouts, and the cod was great. No regrets The entrees are good size, I will try the tapas plates next time. read more

I have been here several times and would have given it a 5 stars, but I just had maybe the worst waiter experience I've ever had in my life here. Our waiter made us wait almost 15 minutes to take our drinks, but once he realized we weren't ordering alcohol it was downhill from there. Then it was another 20 min for him to take our order while he doted on everyone else around us with wine or mixed drinks on their table. Finally after we looked around impatiently another waiter took our order. We said we'd waited for awhile. Yet, instead of apologizing, he almost slammed our appetizer soup and salad down several minutes later. He never asked if we wanted our water or drinks filled, never cleared our plates. All things we needed to ask for. Then he had the audacity at the end several feet away from us to yell out, how was it? We were there to see a good friend we hadn't seen in months and he was so rude and disengaged from helping us it ruined the entire experience. Would not recommend if this dude isn't let go. The risk of having him would keep us away from here alone. Also - there were 5 tables in the place so him being busy wasn't the issue. He was just rude. read more

I've been here a few times and I haven't had a pasta dish that didn't like . the mussels are incredible too . Definitely recommended . Make sure to make reservations in advance read more

Great service and the food was excellent! Tried the salmon ravioli and a beet salad. Very delicious!

Had a great experience with a group of nine there. The service was friendly, attentive and helpful. Salads were fresh and tasty. Everyone loved their meal, interesting combinations and very flavorful. The atmosphere was cool and high wood ceilings keep the noise level down. Definitely going back. read more

This is my wife and my new favorite restaurant! We came in the other day while my mom was in town and were blown away by how good the tapas were! My personal favorite was the Short Rib Crostini. I could eat 20 of those things! The staff was also really nice. Can't wait to visit again. read more

Rustico - Short Rib Crostini - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Absolutely great meal while in town for business. Special of the night was braised lamb shank with asparagus risotto. Hard to turn that down. I also ordered the brussel sprouts as an appetizer. Topped with honey and sliced almonds, they were great. The lamb shank was flavorful and fork tender. The asparagus risotto was creamy and very good. The amount of food was enough for 2 but I ate until I was about to pop and called it quits. Rustico also has attentive staff and service that was on par with the food. Great meal for sure. If I'm back in the area I'll stop in again. read more

Rustico - Braised veal shank with asparagus and goat cheese risotto. - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

We visited Rustico a month ago and I enjoyed the gnocchi so much that we went back with a different set of friends. The gnocchi is pillow-soft and it comes with mushrooms and asparagus in a scrumptious sauce. The pizza was high-quality and appeared to have been made in a wood-burning oven with prosciutto, fior di latte, etc. On our second visit, the gnocchi was spicy, whereas it had not been the first time. I asked to speak to the manager, and the chef came over. I told him I wasn't complaining, since we enjoyed the restaurant in general, but I wanted to offer feedback that it was a little spicier than what I'm able to eat. He was super-gracious, thanked me for the feedback and said he was going to make me a new non-spicy dish to take home. Within minutes, he was back out with the newly-prepared dish of gnocchi packaged for takeout. It was, of course, perfect, but we were just so impressed that he was kind enough to do that. He really went above and beyond. Everyone else enjoyed their food--one friend polished off the chicken piccata and said it was delicious, one friend had the gnocchi with short ribs and said there was a generous portion of meat (but it was a little spicy) and one had the chicken paella, and noted it was also somewhat spicy. We'll definitely go back--but when ordering, we'll specify our preference for a mild level of spiciness. read more

Tried it once due to a recommendation in February. The food was pretty good but the sangria not so much. The water was nice but didn't check on us often. The ambiance was a little too dim. Music would've been nice in the dining area. I will definitely try it again. read more

Food was good , but martini's lacked sufficient alcohol. There were 5 of us. One guest complained about it and his particular next ordered martini was much better. We should have complained abt the other ones we had ordered. C'mon, let's make the martini's right, the first time. read more

So, first off, kudos to the host who has graciously greeted me every time I've visited (3). I'm new to the neighborhood and was eager for this place to become my new "local" spot, as clearly that is the vibe of the place and it's neighboring shops. Came back from having a beer, by myself, outside. I felt that they were keeping an eye on me so I wouldn't leave without paying which is absurd because of the kind of place it is, and the fact that I'm middle-aged and in my work clothes. I got up briefly to get up and pay, and then sat down because I wasnt done. My waitress came out immediately and seemed to suggest through her vibe that I was trying to take off without paying? for a single beer? I'm a residential neighborhood? wtf? I told her directly, I wasn't going to leave without paying. She got me my check, and said "Here it is." Sorry, but the lackluster, suspicious, and outright rude behavior is uncalled for, especially for the "neighborhood restaurant". I literally can't count the number of serving jobs I've had, so I feel my criticism is absolutely fair. Thanks for the not so nice welcome to the neighborhood. read more

This place was recommended to us. I wanted authentic Italian food. Not commercialized like Olive Garden. They knocked it out of the park! We all chose different dishes so we could sample each and we were not disappointed. The prices were reasonable and portions were large. I would highly recommend them. read more