My wife and I went there recently for our wedding anniversary. It fell on a Monday and our options were limited. It was highly rated by Yelp so I figured I'd give it a try. Our reservations were for 7:30pm on a Monday and we arrived to a jam packed restaurant, which really surprised me. The focaccia bread to start was excellent. The apple salad had a nice flavor, but IMO it needed more dressing. I ordered the seafood Paella. I've only had this a few times before, but to me this was excellent. My only gripe was it was spicier than the other paellas I've had, and I have sensitivities to hot spices. Next time I would probably order the short rib gnocchis. Overall, its definitely a place we would go back to, but mostly for special occasions. With the Oak Park liquor tax, it gets very pricey if you want dinner and a couple of drinks. read more

Best service! Delicious food! Cozy atmosphere! Always coming back to this restaurant excited and never left disappointed One of my favorite places read more

We came here for a graduation dinner. Great food and mix of flavors. They were very busy, lots of graduation parties. Perhaps this was why one of the dishes was forgotten in the order. However, once recognized, they immediately prepared the order and removed it from the bill. Mistakes happen, especially on such a busy night. My qualification of a 5 star review includes how a mistake is addressed, and it was addressed well here. We will be back. read more

Great service by the whole Rustico team. We celebrated a graduation with a party of 30, and the food and service were top quality.

Just moved to Oak Park and finding my way around. Was happy to stumble upon this place on a walk. Fantastic short ribs and love the brussel sprouts. Nice spot in the neighborhood with good service! Will be back. read more

Have to say we chose that place for last notice and wow we totally enjoyed the food so much before we left we talked about coming back there again.....their paella was very good and the salad too..... highly recommend them!!!! read more

Service was phenomenal Oscar and Pedro made my sister's birthday dinner so special. The food was delicious, we didn't feel rushed out or anything. We will definitely be back soon! Thank you read more

We went for a late lunch but ordered off the dinner menu. They offer warm breads and olive oil. We had crab cake with the accompanying salad, and spaghetti & meatballs. We thought spaghetti sauce was a little spicy. Meatballs were nice & moist. Overall a good restaurant and pricing. Given a complimentary birthday desert. They have a nice atmosphere. Excellent service. On street parking. read more

Rustico - Bread Pudding & gelato - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

Went there Sunday Eve for dinner on Easter. Food and service was good. Big restaurant and no music. I asked the server about it and he said he would ask the manager. he came back to the table several times after i asked him and never mentioned it. Makes no sense. read more

Service here is always amazing! Whether you're sitting inside, at the bar or on the patio, the servers are always so attentive. The food is definitely a must have and their drink menu is inventive while not being off-putting. Always our go-to place for dinner and drinks. Our waiter Oscar and our food runner Lulu were so friendly tonight which prompted us to our first review for Rustico. Will definitely be asking for these two extraordinary individuals next time we're back. Thank you for everything!! read more

Rustico - White Sangria - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

The food is AMAZING! The staff is always wonderful and friendly. The ambiance is wonderful, especially when sitting outside. You can smell the wonderful food if you walk by on a summer day or opening the door to dine inside. I wish I could make sure everyone enjoys this restaurant, it is now my favorite!! You have to try this restaurant, you will not be disappointed. read more

Cute little restaurant in the Oak Park area. I ordered the Chicken Paella and it was really good. The service was great, not overbearing but attentive enough. Would love to go back. read more

Rustico - Chicken Paella, Apple Salad and calamari (in the back) - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

This place is fine--nothing too fancy but the food isn't terrible. Pretty run-of-the mill Italian fare.

Lively vibe, good service, and good food choices. I can find many options as a pescatarian.

Great food. Lunch was caprese salad and shard a pizza. Thin crust, arugula Parmesan and Italian thin sliced meat. Absolutely delicious and not over filling. Atmosphere was warm and cozy. Loved it read more

Wonderful atmosphere, amazing food, yummy drinks, impeccable service from the hostess to the bartender to the servers and simply loved the dessert and after dinner drink options! read more

Have been here several times with family and friends. The food never disappoints. They have a lamb dish with risotto that was to die for. Service was friendly and efficient. The wait staff checked in just enough. The place is popular and the ambiance is lively and "unfancy" in a good way. Can get a bit noisy when full so ask for a table in the back if you want to turn the volume down a bit. One kinda weird thing: no decaf beverage of any kind. It's not that they were out...it's a conscious menu choice they've made. I gotta believe that cuts down on the number of people who order a dessert later... read more

Fantastic service! Food was delicious and drinks kept coming. I had the rib eye it was deliciously flavored and so tender. The best appetizers for me was the scallops with cream of mushroom sauce. We also had the mussels and sausage. The sausage with potatoes was also another favorite. My family loved their dinners as well. And the staff made it extra special with deserts. A must try! read more

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

See all

Rustico has Tapas that was tasty and came fast from the kitchen. We also really enjoyed the (short ribs) Costillo and rigatoni . Brussel sprouts were quartered and fried just right. We went back again and the short ribs were delicious as were the brussel sprouts. Attentive service and thoughtfully shared main dishes for us. All of their staff was professional and friendly. They treat the customers so well. Would recommend this place to all the people I know. Thanks for the awesome service! read more

They wouldn't give us separate checks, so we had to pull out our calculators and try to calculate what each of us owed. Very time consuming and unnecessary. I won't be going back until they change that policy. They are stuck in the ice ages! Get a register that can print it multiple receipts (They've been around for ages)! read more

Delicious food. Great service and tasty drinks. The overall atmosphere is great. We will be back.

Not enough staff so service was very slow. No refills on soft drinks were offered. Crème brûlée was completely wrong-curdled with still-grainy sugar on top. Short rib gnocchi was very good but I would not return again. A group that was near to us didn't even get their food the whole time we were there (nearly 2 hours) and they arrived at the same time as us. read more

Rustico - Crème Brûlée - worst I've ever had - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

This place was awesome! We got a parking spot on the street very close to the restaurant for $4. My sister and I split a salmon ravioli for $20 and the beet salad for $14. The desserts are all $9 and the cocktails are $12. When we told the waiter we were going to split the meal, they brought it out on two separate plates at no extra charge, which was nice. All the food was quite good! The servers were great as well. read more

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

See all

Rustico's new space on Oak Park Ave. (in the old Oak Park Brewery) is incredible in terms of its aesthetics. Very open, high, exposed bow-tie roof trusses, reclaimed wood plank ceiling, a really cool floor (tinted concrete?), and exposed brick walls. Totally cool vibe indeed. Myself, my wife, and two 21 year old kids dined there 1.5 weeks ago and it was awesome. Upon arriving, we were seated immediately. All of the staff that helped us were great: fun, personable, and attentive. We ordered the seafood Paella, Carbonara, Fruitti Di Mare, and Braised Short Ribs. All seafood in the Paella and Fruitti Di Mare was cooked to perfection-nothing was the least bit rubbery and everything was quite savory. The Carbonara was so tasty and incredibly decadent (which, when ordering Carbonara, you almost expect!). The Braised short ribs that my son ordered were so good (based on his review), but unfortunately, decorum prohibits printing the words he used to describe his love of the dish herein. When the bill arrived, there was absolutely no sticker shock and in fact, my wife and I felt that the entrees were very reasonably priced (especially given their generous portions). I don't think that many diners leave this place hungry. Personally, I love Rustico as the food is awesome but the restaurant is anything but pretentious. We will most def be back soon! Jimmah! read more

Really solid food and good service. Fair and affordable prices for tapas, which is rare. The tapas are pretty standard but the scallops were AMAZING. Again, service is FAST and kind. It's crowded but they can get you in and out and food is good! read more

My mom, sister and I came here for an early dinner yesterday and had a pretty good time. I made reservations just in case but we didn't event need them. I liked the ambiance inside with the stone and wood accents and the little fireplace. It was cozy and perfect for catching up. We snagged a bottle of the Daybreak Sauvignon Blanc and it was crisp and refreshing. New Zealand white wines are my favorite I was happy with it. The bottle was $40 so not too bad. We started with the short rib crostini and this was by far our favorite item we ordered. The short rib was so moist and melted in your mouth with the jalapeño aioli. Next, we got the crab cake. It had a good crunchy outside texture and the mixed greens on the side were flavorful. One thing we noticed about the crab cake was that it tasted like it had filler rather than being made solely out of crab. It also was $16 for one small crab cake and we didn't realize it was going to be that small so it made it hard to share. We got the brussel sprouts next and they tasted a bit burnt. Bummer, we were excited about those! Last, we split the chicken paella. It was a large amount for $18 so this dish was very reasonably priced. It came out piping hot and our server reminded us to be mindful of the hot pan. The flavor was there in the rice but it was missing something. Overall, we had a fine experience and our server was welcoming. Our bill came out to around 120$ and we thought it was a bit overpriced for what we ordered. I'd give them another shot though because there are other things on the menu I would have liked to try! read more

See all

Food was good and servers were very responsive - even to our requests for a warm seat in the house!

Would absolutely recommend Rustico! The wine list was extensive and the cocktails looked so fun! The staff was knowledgeable and attentive! We ordered the short rib gnocchi, the mushroom gnocchi, and the costa mare. I personally had the costa mare and it was so flavorful! The salmon was tender and seasoned so well and the sun dried tomatoes perfectly complimented the pasta and shrimp. We also ordered three delicious desserts. The fig bread pudding that was paired with a pistachio gelato was probably the favorite, but by a slight margin only! We also got the chocolate cake, which paired perfectly with the strawberries served around it, and the coconut sorbet was sweet and refreshing!! read more

A perfect day to enjoy long lunch outdoors at Rustico in Oak Park! I took a peek inside as well - stylish, modern, rustic, spacious, several very large group tables, large marble bar, a very open feel. Outside seating is tucked on the street beyond the sidewalk out front, protected by plantings so it didn't feel exposed to traffic. Very comfortable. It was quite large and full of diners. The menu is Mediterranean Fusion and a delicious pairing of Spanish and Italian dishes. We started with tapas - very tender, tasty, calamari and shrimp fried in a light crispy, batter. Short Rib Crostini had deep and savory flavor, and large Diver Scallops were grilled on a wood fired grill and paired with an earthy mushroom, parmesan sauce. All winners. The Chicken Piccata was one of the best preparations I have had. The chicken was very luscious, tender, lemony with the salty, tangy bite of capers. Service was friendly and attentive. The only disappointment was the Spanish Tiramisu. I was hoping for more of the liquor coming through but the flavor was bland and we did not finish it. Thankfully it was accompanied by a super tasty scoop of strawberry gelato and a good strong americano. Very satisfying and we will definitely be returning. read more

See all

Delicious food, a little overpriced for the quality. My friend and I felt like we were being rushed out when it wasn't even busy or closing time. However, the drinks and ambiance were good. Don't know if I would go back. read more

Interesting food served hot and tasted wonderful. The wait staff was prompt, friendly and professional. The ambiance was very nice, classy and appealing. I really enjoyed my dining experience. Highly recommended. read more

Blaming delivery on missing order items love this place very very disappointed hope they recognize fault is with them

Delicious food. Excellent service. One of my favorite restaurants. Love everything! Great ambiance.

Everything is always so good! The only Italian restaurant in Oak Park worth your time. The Bolognese is a particular favorite of ours!!

Great atmosphere and ambience, friendly and attentive servers, relatively quick with food. Looks like they have some good selections on the menu I tried the seafood paella, and overall I thought it was solid. The seafood was fresh, smooth, and tasty. The rice was a bit dry but still had good flavor. Overall it was a bit crisp and on the verge of burnt (e.g., clamshells were all cracking, but the clams were still good!). The price point for the restaurant is definitely on the higher end of $$ for comparable Yelp restaurants. There is street parking and a public parking garage nearby available. There is also outdoor seating, a bar, window seating, and bigger tables. Would enjoy going back! read more

Rustico - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

This is a great place for a group! Our food was delicious but it is on the pricier end. Granted, it's a good spot for a celebration with the group! read more

We came across this place by mistake, as our regular spot was closed the day after the 4th of July. Honestly, it was one of the best mistakes ever. I've been here twice now and each time, the food has been out of this world. As of now, I've had the short rib crostinis, the gambas al ajillo, calamari, mussels, and Caesar salad....it's all AMAZING. My goal is to try at least one new thing every time I go (because I will be back lol). I didn't catch the name of our servers, but service has always been phenomenal as well. Can't wait to come back! read more

Rustico - Gambas Al Ajillo - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

See all

The food was good. The eye candy plentiful & the waiter a beauty to behold. I also liked interior design

When you walk into this place the aromas of great food just over takes you and you want everything. The ambiance of the interior is rustic Italian and quaint. It was 3 of us and we enjoyed every bit of the experience. The service was awesome. One of us dropped a fork and there was a guy there to take the fork that fell on the phone and then one guy to replace it. We had the calamari for an app and it was the best calamari I've had in a while. It was lightly breaded and lightly fried which made all the difference. Awesome - ness!! Our dinners were good too... the flavors were on point. So between the food, ambiance and service this place is a must try. read more

Every experience at Rustico has been an exceptional one. From multiple lunches to dinner at a table or the bar, we always enjoy our meals at this local restaurant. Exceptional food. Fantastic service. The ribeye is melt in your mouth. Great wine selection and a willingness to help you find what you like. Terrific salads and outstanding soups. So fun to enjoy the shareables with others or enjoy your own entrees. We're becoming regulars! read more