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

Rústico has been one of our go to places for our annual pre-Christmas family dinner celebration and, as always, did not disappoint. Their multiple food options allow you to bring the entire family, even those little ones who tend to be picky eaters. Our little one enjoyed the complementary bread while we waited for our food and the servers made sure to always come and check up on us, fill our glasses with water and made sure they kept the drinks coming. As always, service was great and food was delicious! read more

We've been wanting to try this place for a while now , and wow were we not disappointed. Incredible food , impeccable service , and although restrictions are in place due to the current situation, absolutely each and every staff member was super professional , accommodating and went out of their way to make sure all of our needs were met . Our server Valerio and his assistants reminded us that spectacular service and graciousness still hold a firm grip at least at this establishment. Thank you all for making our dinner absolutely amazing , stay well and be safe . See you very soon ! read more

We ordered a variety of tapas and each one was delicious, well presented and very fresh. The atmosphere is cozy and rustic. On another occasion we visited Rustico and had a spectacular Seafood Paella (best to order this in advance) Were lucky to have such a great little restaurant nearby. read more

Gabriel, the owner and chef, is masterful. His Spanish and Italian dishes are all exquisite, but a couple of selections from his native Mexican cuisine--like chicken tortilla soup--should also not be missed. read more

My husband and I made reservation this past week to celebrate our wedding anniversary, wanted to try a local place as we just moved into the neighborhood. The food was AMAZING!!! I really enjoyed and pasta dish with scallops/shrimps, a big fan of tomato cream sauces (Vodka style). We sat outside in back due to COVID and left once it started to get chilly. I highly recommend this place... We also had the pleasure meerting the owner/chef Gabriel on our way out who was very personable. Definitely returning back with family/friends :-) read more

We ordered a bunch of things to share. The food was pretty hit or miss. Our group ordered 2 tapas, 4 entrees, and dessert. Two of the entrees, the black truffle gnocchi and the atlantic cod, were both phenomenal. If you go to Rustico, definitely get these two dishes. Everything else was pretty mediocre. The service wasn't particularly great. I mentioned we'd be sharing everything when we ordered so I asked if they would bring us a few extra plates. We didn't have the extra plates by the time the entrees arrived and it took a while for us to get them. And when we asked for boxes for our leftovers, they took our food back and packed them for us. But whoever packed them didn't even close one of the containers so I got home and it was all over the inside of the bag. I get that they were busy but if you don't have time to properly pack food into containers, just let the customers do it. I'd have preferred to do it myself then have them do it and it go to waste. read more

I have been here at least 5 times. I must say is this place needs to brush on their service. We usually sit at the bar. Bartenders don't even say hello. Just come drop off the menu and then come back and say "ready to order?" I'm not at a diner where I will pay $10 for my meal. The bar is usually not clean either. I was just there this last Friday for lunch. The bar had a lot of crumbs where I was sitting. The bartender didn't clean it. I used olive oil for the bread and when I touched the bottle it was completely dirty with fingertips and oil dripping. The menu also had leftover food on it. Things like this show that attention to detail is not really practiced here. These small things do matter and show that a place cares about being clean. The menu has a tapas section. From my knowledge and it many other tapas restaurants that I have been to, tapas are small plates priced from $5-$10. Here, tapas with shrimp was around $14 if I remember correctly. This is almost twice more expensive than a real tapas restaurant. Not sure if I would consider this a tapas dish then due to the high price. Food is good. I love grilled octopus and ordered one here last visit. It was so good! It came with potatoes, arugula, tomatoes and amazing sauce. That's all. read more

Thank you Rustico for your exceedingly warm welcome for us - two soaked, underdressed visitors last Saturday. We were on the Open House Chicago tour (visiting nearby Pleasant House and Frank Lloyd Wright...both worth a visit) and it started pouring rain! We were hungry and on a time crunch and the staff was so nice...ran to open the door for us and quickly brought over menus. We elected to sit at the bar and start with a cocktail. We then ordered a pizza and pasta dish. Both were excellent. The ingredients were fresh and the pasta, while creamy (pasta with cream sauce), it wasn't overpoweringly rich. Pizza was great - nicely sized and topped well but not overly topped (crust was excellent also). All in all, it was a delicious meal! Oh - and the bread they bring upon arrival is wonderful! Food - 5 Value - 4 (well priced though not inexpensive) Bathrooms - 5 (huge and clean!) Service - 5 Atmosphere - 5 (soooo cute and warm and inviting - tvs at the bar but they don't take up the space) read more

My husband and I stopped in here for a late bday dinner. I ordered a chicken pasta dish while my husband got a beef risotto. His dish was very delicious and tasty with tender meat. Mine had a strange seafood/sour flavor that did not sit well with me. I hate doing this but I returned the dish and was offered another order. The service was very kind and thoughtful all night. I really appreciated it. I ordered the chicken masala. Perfect dish for me, tender chicken with very tasty potatoes and mushrooms. The ambiance is romantic and lively. It was an overall great experience. read more

Everything about this restaurant is so warm and inviting! From the name to the ambience to the staff. We had the sweetest and most polite waitress I have ever encountered. My boyfriend and I ordered the the seafood fetuccine and seafood paella. Honestly we could have just ordered the paella and it still would have been more than enough food for the both of us. I probably wouldn't order the fettuccine again- I felt like it lacked seasoning and the pasta choice was too heavy/thick for the thin sauce. The paella on the other had was perfect in every way. I had such a pleasant dining experience here. A great restaurant to for a casual dinner, date, or even a place to take the family/parents. read more

Rustico - Seafood paella! Delicious! - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

See all

Went in after reopening on a Saturday night. They had pretty good social distancing protocols. Not enough outdoor seating, so sat indoors Mediterranean with a Spanish fusion. Needles to say, it was HOT inside!! No air circulation only ceiling fans. Ordered the fettuccine frutti di mare Had a very heavy taste of Chile poblano, nothing else, and it didn't have much seafood. Counted 2 shrimp, and maybe 2 scallops, few muscles and clams... felt they could've added more. House white wine was good. Didn't catch the name since the waiter did not mentioned it. Price was fair for dinner for 2, 3 drinks, and an appetizer. read more

Great food and such a great variety of it. The service was alright. Not wowed but definitely would go back!

I totally understand the high rating on this place. I went for a work function. Everyone was very happy! All the food was amazing! We got Brussel spouts, baked goat cheese, crab cakes, calamari, salmon, vodka sauce pasta, and chicken paella. Really you can't go wrong. Expect $20ish dollars for each tapa and $7-15 per drink. I plan to go back! read more

Hello Foodzies, tonight we went Mediterranean. We went to Rustico's at 722 w Lake st. In Oak Park. The interior is rustic and decorated with reclaimed wood and metal. It's a wood fire oven and an open concept throughout. The wait staff was friendly and helpful. With the high ceilings even a full house was surprisingly quiet allowing you to have a comfortable conversation. Our meal began with hot sliced bread add olive oil and parmigiana cheese and I'm in heaven. The focaccia was awesome also. We started with grilled calamari and shrimp served on a bed of arugula and cherry tomatoes drizzled with a light balsamic. The calamari and shrimp were seasoned and grilled perfectly. Next was a bowl of chicken tortilla soup and Lobster corn chowder. Both were perfectly seasoned and filled with plenty of chicken, tortillas and lobster. We then enjoy a seafood paella this is a rice dish filled with onions. Green and red peppers, shrimp, cod, calamari, clams and mussels cooked in a wood fired oven. There's a couple draw backs to cooking paella in a wood fire oven, the mussel shells become brittle and tend to crumble into the meat of the mussel, also there's no pegau (the tasty hard slightly over cooked rice on the bottom of the pan) my favorite. We had a great meal. I give this restaurant 5 stars. Try it out and let me know what you think. Ciao Ciao for now. read more

My son and I stopped in here on a whim for lunch on a Sunday. He ordered the pasta primavera and I ordered the chicken piccata. Both were absolutely scrumptious. The wine list here and the specialty drinks had several options that I will come back to sample. The service was outstanding, as well. If you are anything like me and enjoy outstanding rustic bread, then no worries, their loaf will have you dreaming of perfect crust with a chewy, soft center for weeks. This place is going on the keepers list!!! read more

Always good service and delicious foods, must try their pasta dishes and short ribs!!

Surprising flavors matched to foods and well designed plate combinations. Good portions make sharing easy. Unique drink menu; try the sangria. read more

Service was good the Sangria was great but the food lacked luster. I was excited going to place. We had a large group with us. We sampled several of their tapas dishes. They covered up any flavor to the dishes with sauces. Not my cup of tea. Go for the drinks and service. Pass on the food read more

Good patio seating on the sidewalk and the food was delicious. Loved the crab ravioli as well as the smoked salmon ravioli. Would dine again. read more

It was a great night in Chicagoland, so my wife, daughter, and me decided to have dinner. The menu here seemed appealing, so we decided to try it out. It was pretty crowded, totally expected since we've all been in hibernation for more than a year, but we got a table right away. The service wasn't very efficient, we had to ask several times for salt and pepper, and even our beverage, but not unbearable. When our food arrived ( it too took some time), we were truly ready to jump in. I ordered the short rib gnocchi, I received the short rib and potatoes. I actually started eating it, didn't really notice initially it was incorrect, but then didn't really worry to much because I was ready to eat, and it was good none the less. The staff person then arrived with the gnocchi, my actual dish, apologized, and said don't worry about it. We all ate well, enjoyed the time, and even had a really good bread pudding for dessert. The issue was when I received my bill, they actually charged me for the dish the bought me that was their mistake. Now again, I'd already started eating it, so there was no salvaging it for another customer, they would've had to throw it out. We've all probably experienced receiving something wrong before, but I've NEVER been charged for their mistake. I didn't make a fuss, in fact I hadn't noticed until after I'd already paid, but I think it was a truly a poor act of customer service to squeeze two entree charges out of one consumer, had I been told I certainly would've declined to take the mistaken meal. I hope the next time this happens to a patron of theirs, they make a more professional and appropriate decision. I was certainly not looking for a handout, I don't need it, but communicate better, or simply seek to create raving fans of your business with simple gestures. read more

We made reservations here before a party, and loved everything. Also live in Chicago, so I was wondering if a suburb was gonna compare to the city's food scene (it did). We started with the grilled octopus, which was outstanding. I got the short rib gnocchi and my partner got the chicken saltimbocca, both of which were delicious and enormous portions. Good drinks, very friendly and attentive staff. Now, the missing star in this review: the limoncello was probably one of the worst things I've ever had the displeasure of putting in my mouth. I was feeling fantastic and after that limoncello, I promptly went back to the car and got sick in the grass. All in all, delicious but definitely skip the limoncello here. read more

Ehhhh, not sure why this place has such good reviews - it is expensive, don't get that much food for the price, food is not outstanding, service was poor, bathrooms are gross, there was a bug flying around, the chef (in view) had a wet/dirty rag over his shoulder that he used on everything (I mean, come on, change the rag once in a while), the food delivery guy had his thumb wrapped over every plate and touching people's food cuz I saw him wipe it on his pants after drop off (ewww, right?? You know what I mean - otherwise watch for this next time out). The bread they give you is meh, but much better when slushed in the olive oil that we had to grab from another table cuz our guy didn't make sure we had. Slow to refill drinks (God bless the female server who offered refills but was not our server). Can park in PG south of Lake, normally free 90 mins, but free all day Sunday. Split apple salad with friend - tasted good and fresh but such small serving, even if not split. Chicken skewers "ok" - not much flavor but accompanying rice was good. Overall = Do not recommend, I will not go back. Thumbs down Go to Fiore in Forest Park instead read more

Hubby, daughter and I decided to give this place a try. It was very mixed. The items that were good were very good and the items that were bad were very disappointing. First the drinks: I ordered an Aperol spritz which was very nice. Hubby and daughter decided to split a bottle of wine. This was very bad. It was a bottle of red wine and arrived ABOVE room temperature! It was really distasteful. The waiter did bring a white wine cooler to cool it down. Don't know where they are storing the bottles but they need to be moved ASAP! We decided to order from the Tapas menu for our table to share. The overall review for the Tapas is mixed. Some of the items were really good and other just didn't cut it at all. I also had a starter of lobster bisque which wasn't very good. It had too much saffron in it. The scallops with mushrooms, I was told, were good but rich. There was truffle butter sauce that was too strong for me. The Queso de Cabra - baked goat cheese in marinara sauce was mediocre at best. There was way too much marinara to goat cheese. The Gambas al Ajillo - shrimp with garlic and white wine was also unremarkable. The Patatas Bravas - fried potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce was the standout. We all thought this dish a real winner! read more

The food is simply the best. Superb, delicious and their service is fast and friendly. Highly recommend

Good food, a bit over priced and nothing particularly special about this place. Service is good, not great. Small tables, the bar area looks to be the best place to eat and watch a few games read more

Since its opening we've been to Rustico multiple times and always satisfied. Our last visit was a few months ago to celebrate the arrival of my grandmother in the U.S. (who hadn't seen my dad in 13 years!) We had no reservation but despite it being a busy Saturday night we were seated right away. The ambience was lively and welcoming. For starters we ordered our usual: platillo Rustico and glasses of Pinot Noir. For dinner we had pulpo alla planxa, salmón, bacalao con almejas, and a beef/risotto dinner special. All very flavorful, fresh, and good portions. Although very little space for dessert we ultimately went with the warm chocolate cake with hazelnut ice cream and crema Catalana. Mmmmm! The service was attentive and polite all throughout the night...before we left the chef/owner came to greet us. Nice touch. Overall spectacular experience from beginning to end. We'll be back soon! read more

Simply amazing service and food. The service is top notch near fine dining experience. The food is beautifully prepared and tastefully delicious. The bread pudding dessert made your mouth water. A wonderful new dining gem in Oak Park read more

See all

What a fantastic find!!!! The minute we walked in the staff was cheerful and sat us right away on time of our reservation. Atmosphere was great and everyone was enjoying themselves. 5 of us all enjoyed our selections but 2 of us were absolutely blown away by the lamb!!!! I have NEVER had lamb so well prepared After dinner Chef Gabriel came to the table to make sure we all enjoyed our meals and stayed for a while explaining how his interest in cooking came about and became his passion Chef earned 5 new customers that night and can't wait to go back again!!!! read more

Attentive service in a spacious new location. The brussel sprouts, ceviche, and spicy tequila cocktail were all tasty. I've enjoyed the paella a couple times too. read more

Took my daughter there for our monthly dining and she loved it. I also enjoyed myself. The service was attentive and the proprietor introduces himself and checked on our satisfaction. Even toasted with me read more

Their fettucine fruitti di mare gave me violent food poisoning. Don't eat seafood here.

My paella was terrific. Excellent service and good food. The price was reasonable, not pretentious.

I am from WA State and had the pleasure of visiting family over the weekend. Went here for lunch and shared a few dishes-plus pizza! Mussels, crab cakes, spinach salad, shrimp linguini...topped off w/a complimentary piece of bread pudding for my nieces birthday! (I would recommend NOT sharing dessert-because I could have ate it all by myself)! Delicious! We were NOT disappointed w/anything! The food, waiter, chef...all of it was exceptional! Outstanding food and staff! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! Great experience!!!! read more

It was excellent! The food was outstanding! We had the gnocchi. There is a huge selection of beers and brews, and the service was attentive and one point. Loved, loved, loved this place! read more

Came here on a double date and it was the perfect spot. Nice mix if Italian and Spanish food. The food was really good, and the service was attentive. I had a seafood linguine that was really good and the shrimp were not overly cooked. Wasn't a huge fan of the tvs at the bar, but I guess they have to cater to the crowd. They use a wood oven for their pizzas and finish off many dishes in it. Worth a try if you are in the area. read more

Great food and great service. I know some people said there were some hiccups during the soft opening, but this experience was great. The atmosphere was fantastic. We ordered the gnocci, calamari, and patatas bravas and it was all delicious. The dishes were bigger than your typical tapas plates. More food! They also refilled our drinks quickly everytime, which is always a plus to be attentive. Oak Park is lucky to have this great new restaurant. Bring the family or bring a date. read more

Rustico - Patata bravas - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

See all

I hardly ever leave a less-than-complimentary review. We enjoyed Rustico when it first opened, and have dined there several times, and live in the neighborhood. This Sunday evening was a disappointment. We can deal with the noise. It seems to be the new normal. We saw our waiter only a few times.. to take the order, then to offer dessert, deliver and/pick up the check. The wait staff seemed harried, hurried, and over-extended. The food: We remembered the calamari as lightly breaded and tender. This was overbreaded, tough, tasteless. It was combined with a few shrimp, overcooked. The scallops and mushrooms were very good. The portobello pizza was low on ingredients and heavy on bread/crust. Overall, not the experience we remembered. Sorry to say, we will not return. read more

I ran into Rustico with my husband as we were walking by the area. The first time we walked in, we were seated right away by the bar area. We had some wine and some appetizers. We also ordered a dish and split it. The waiter was kind enough to split it for us, everything was good. The second time I had a gathering with my girls, the waiter wasn't very knowledgeable but the food was good and over all had a nice experience. I would give them 5 starts but I feel like the food can be a little more flavorful. My review is probably more of a 4.5. Would def try it out again and perhaps update to a 5. read more

Great food and service. Chicken is fantastic. Staff is professional. Nice ambience inside.