Came here for my sister's birthday! We made a reservation for Saturday dinner and got seated right…read moreaway in a booth. The ambiance is nice with the restaurant not too dark but still has moody lighting. The entire time we sat down there was a huge group of people waiting for a table, so definitely make a reservation! For apps we got garlic bread and Caesar salad. The garlic bread was a rec from our server, which did not disappoint. They brought out melted butter to pour over the bread. Caesar salad was interesting, it has chopped celery inside which I didn't realize until I started eating. I don't like celery but my sis does and she liked it in the salad. Pappardelle alla porcellino and chicken vesuvio were AMAZING. Pasta was fresh and the chicken was so decadent. Both mocktails I were delish. The tiramisu was SO GOOD. I will definitely be back the next time I'm in Chicago!

I'd been wanting to try this happy hour for some time, and once we did, I was beyond pleased. The…read more$8 Negronis (house Negroni and Negroni of the month) are a great deal and so yummy. Every shared food item we purchased from the happy hour menu was savory and memorable. We had the mushroom arancini, rib sliders, prime beef meatballs and whipped ricotta. The happy hour pricing is attractive. Service was top-tier, and the inside is quite inviting. Everyone seemed happy to be there and took care with every step of the ordering and serving process. The bar was full when we arrived, but the host told us that spots at the bar open up rather quickly. This proved to be true, so I am so glad we waited for a few minutes. However, I wouldn't recommend this happy hour for a group of more than 2 because offerings are available at the bar only, and I suspect it would be hard to get four seats together.

We had the best service!!! Trevor gave amazing recommendations as well as giving us the best…read moreattitude and making out-of-towners feel welcome!!!! Will definitely come back any time I visit the city! Food was amazing!!!!

Awesome! We were in town from Kansas City and this restaurant was recommended to us. It was just…read morearound the corner from our hotel so we fortunately we were able to get a reservation and have an incredible dinner.

We thoroughly enjoyed Gilt Bar! It was super busy when we arrived, but they moved people through…read morethe restaurant so efficiently that we were seated surprisingly quickly. We absolutely loved the aesthetic and vibe throughout the restaurant as well. For dinner, we had the vodka pasta with meatballs, and it was the perfect creamy consistency with incredible flavor. We also ordered the hamachi crudo, which was super fresh and definitely something we'd order again. Not pictured: we wrapped up the meal with the skillet cookie, and oh my gosh... I can't recommend it enough.

I've been back a few times now and do find myself liking it more over time…read more They have one of my all time favorite cocktails - the 100 year-old cigar. It's smoky, rich, boozy but not overpoweringly so, really well balanced sweetness from the rum. Love it. My wife and I got the ricotta gnocchi which was great, very cheesy. Surprising how much cheese they got in there. The steak tartare was also great. Super flavor, though probably didn't need the sriracha sauce. The wagyu burger was great but not worth the $30 price. That's a lot and not as good as other Chicago great burgers. The skillet cookie was a great way to wrap up the meal. Fantastic flavor from the brown sugar cookie and tons of chocolate. Definitely save room for dessert.

Carl is the man!!! And the truffle pizza, whew, chefs kiss!! Highly recommended!!!!!!!!!!!read more

Fantastic food, fantastic service. Third visit for me. Thank you for a very nice evening.read more

My dad took me to La Scarola and claimed it was some of the best Italian food in Chicago! I had to…read moresee for myself! Some street parking available nearby! The interior of the space is exactly what you'd expect from a family owned, authentic Italian spot: checkered tablecloths, pictures of celebrities and movie posters on the walls, and an air of possible mafia activity ;) Service was wonderful and kept things moving nicely throughout the busy Friday night dinner rush! The food was phenomenal! We had an assortment of appetizers, mains, and dessert to enjoy with our bottles of wine! My favorite dish was the Rigatoni Chiaverini, which included meatballs and a creamy vodka sauce. So flavorful and delicious! Would absolutely return for that!

I was really looking forward to trying La Scarola after hearing so much hype, but unfortunately it…read morejust didn't live up to the expectations. I can appreciate the old-school Italian atmosphere and the walls covered with photos--it definitely has character and history. But beyond that, I just don't understand what all the excitement is about. The bread was so hard that I genuinely had trouble biting through it. The bruschetta was probably the best thing we had. It tasted fresh, although it could have used a little salt to bring the flavors together. For my entrée, I ordered the chicken parmesan. I'd give it about a 6/10. It wasn't terrible, but there also wasn't anything memorable about it. The marinara sauce was the best part of the dish, while the chicken and everything else felt pretty average. The biggest issue, though, was the noise level. It was unbelievably loud. My husband and I barely spoke throughout dinner because we literally couldn't hear each other across the table. Even our waiter struggled to hear us when we ordered. It honestly felt like being in a nightclub without the music--just a room full of people shouting over one another. Had there been a bass track playing, it would've been hard to tell the difference. To make matters worse, our food took about 45 minutes to arrive. Normally I don't mind waiting if the meal is worth it, but sitting in that level of noise for nearly an hour made the experience feel exhausting instead of enjoyable. I wanted to love this place because of its reputation, but I left disappointed. Maybe it's an iconic neighborhood institution for longtime regulars, but based on my experience, I don't think it lived up to the hype.

I had to dine at Bavette's in Chicago, and it was absolutely fantastic. The ambiance immediately…read morecaptivates you and sets the perfect vibe for a late-night outing. We tried the bone marrow for the first time--beautifully plated, rich, and incredibly delicious. The Wagyu cheeseburger was outstanding: juicy, flavorful, and cooked to perfection, served alongside crispy French fries. To finish, the chocolate ice cream drizzled with chocolate sauce was the perfect sweet ending to an already amazing meal. From the atmosphere to the food, everything was exceptional. A true 5-star experience that I highly recommend!

Yup... it's worth the hype! We were only able to get a 3:30 reservation and basically planned our…read moreday around it. I would absolutely do it again! Great service, the staff operated like a well oiled machine. The steak was cooked perfectly and was huge. We also got a side of truffle mac and cheese. Just those 2 items was plenty of food for 2 people. Also, the have the best blue cheese olives i've ever had in the dirty martini.

Great food and decor. Well within walking distance from downtown. Lovely restaurant!read more

SOLID That's what my cousin from New York City called it. I…read morecall it "excellence." I had guests from out of state and decided to take them to dinner. I'm so glad I took them out to this spot. With the great reviews I read about and the looks of it, I was sure this was the spot I needed to be. With a great location in the heart of Chicago, it was walking distance to the famous riverwalk. The inside of the restaurant has beautiful warm aesthetics and not to mention a beautifully designed ceiling decor. Now as far as the food goes, they have an amazing authentic menu. From the beautifully tasteful calamari, to the delicious mushroom pizza, the chef had us eager to try our entrees. I had the chicken parmigiana. The chicken breast was well cooked and Parmesan sauce was beyond delicious. My wife had another dish that was made with hand made pasta and she loved it. Portions are well worth the money spent. It was a pricey dinner but well worth it. The waiters and servers are very friendly and knowledgeable with the menu. They catered to our expectations and gave us a wonderful experience.

We arrived in Chicago and were ready for lunch. We stumbled upon Nonnina's and are so happy that we…read morestopped. We ordered drinks (one alcoholic, one non-alcoholic), and they were delicious. One of our party ordered the Prix fixe menu and loved his selection. The other two of us shared a sandwich and Parmesan fries. So good. Our favorite was the Brussels! We were seated outside in the sunroom and it was nice, but it was hot. Felt great walking back inside into the A/C. The service was on point and we had a lovely lunch!

Excellent pasta. Very good service. Probably the favorite meal that my wife and I had while in…read moreChicago. We were staying in River North, so we tried to find places that were short walks with the kids. This place lived up to the reviews. We will definitely go back when the girls are interested in eating pasta again. Sigh.