place is always closed (during the day) when I want to patronize the establishment. Never really looks open even when it is. Vibe is ok people are kinda nice read more

We love the Tuesday and Thursday pizza nights. The daily specials always have something new and different to try, which is great. Drinks are great quality, and even the small salads that come with an entree are superb. I usually have a fish entree, but everything we have tried has been wonderful. All around a great local dining experience. Just as good for a 2 people to dine as a group of 8. read more

If you like tiny portions of average Italian food, this is your place! I've ever seen such a tiny slice of lasagna in my life. The $14 meatball appetizer comes with three tiny meatballs. The food is fine, nothing special but not bad. However, the portion sizes are a joke. It's not cool to go to a restaurant and feel ripped off by what you get. This was my first and last time at Trattoria 225. The second star is because the wine is reasonably priced and it was nice to sit outside. read more

Haven't tried this place in years, so I thought I would try with their 2 for $22 signature pizza deal. Restaurant said 15 min, I was like I guess....it was ready like they said, hot and fresh easy pick up, got a VIP spot in front. Very easy to place order with the guy, he knew the details of the menu too. Both pizzas were amazing. 3 pigs and wise guy. Crust great crispy on outside edges barely blackened. Very good pizzas. Was full of pizza, so only sampled the salad, but butternut squash one was very good too. roasted squash with cheese was really good. Got there on the early side and a few tables had a few kids each, around 5-10? relaxed atmosphere, and seemed good for kids and families. read more

Trattoria 225 - squash salad - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

See all

Have had decent pizza here before. Maybe it's because it's 2/25 night but this was the worst pizza I've had. No sauce, barely any cheese, sausage that was precooked and tossed on (rather gray looking). We're certainly not ordering pizza there anymore. read more

Great Italian food and friendly, prompt service. We ate outside. Authentic food. Very nice place.

**this is solely about the food and nothing about the attentiveness of the staff My fiancé and I went here for Valentine's Day and we were really disappointed. They have a pre fixed menu and it lacked in flavor and presentation. The crab cakes are just ok. The steak medallions aren't really flavorful at all. The sweet potato gnocchi is fine but needed salt. Overall we would have hoped for more for paying $100 for a meal The only reason I gave 2 stars is because I like the ambiance and the staff is really friendly. read more

I'm a neighboor and I've have great meals here in the past . Tonight my entree was bad. The pasta was soft and the bolognese was fatty and sour. Not sure what's going on. read more

So this place is nestled between other cute shops and restaurants in Oak Park on Harrison. So there is pizza place in the trendy area of Randolph and Halsted that their pizza reminded me of. This place is just as good without the downtown prices. This place can stand on its own and you won't be disappointed. Sam was our server ..she was AWESOME. The pizza is about 11inches and they were fresh with excellent ingredients. My gurl had the the funguy pizza and the chicken with goat cheese.....i had the 3 lil pigs.......all three were great!. Check out the pics. They have outside dining. Quiet block so very nice. They honored the Covid rules as well read more

See all

Accomodating, excellent menu-changes seasonally. Attentive to dietary needs: we were able to have vegan pizza and excellent pasta. Their specials are a great value. Service is helpful and friendly. We eat here regularly and always have an enjoyable experience read more

*Food: virtually inedible (blackened lettuce? Seriously?) *Service: Clueless and slow. *Entertainment: Very good pianist. read more

It's been nearly 10 years since I last reviewed Trattoria 225 as 2*, but we saw an appealing current menu and were enticed to try it again on a recent weeknight. It was better this time... VIBE: The place hasn't changed physically since it opened many years ago - it still has a brick and wood rustic charm. The lighting is adequate and the noise level was OK. SERVICE: Our servers were upbeat and reasonably attentive (as I'd expect, since the place was nearly empty). Food came out at a leisurely pace, which was fine since we were in no hurry. FOOD: A shaved brussels sprout & arugula salad was delicious and quite large - definitely enough for the two of us to share. Pistachio-crusted salmon was cooked nicely and tasted good. Ditto a chicken breast stuffed with prosciutto, spinach and feta, though it could have been a bit more tender. There was a modest list of OK wines by the glass (and a handful of house wine, as well), and a selection of value-priced bottles. We had a good dinner; we agreed everything was OK, and a notch above our previous experience. We'd go back... read more

Fairly good Italian food, but nothing super special. Staff was very attentive and courteous, and it's a good place to take kiddos.

This has been our neighborhood gem. We went for New Years Eve and both had the Pork Chop as main entrée. I had the Strawberry Spinach salad. Then finished with the baked Apple dessert. Everything was delicious. Plus, Dave has returned to work at the bar on Sundays and Wednesdays!!! He makes great cocktails along with Eddie. read more

Wow. So I'd been here before ages ago with my family. This time around I went on a date night with my fiancé. We sat at the bar with Dave and he took great care of us!! We started off with a great extra dirty martini. Dave had just stuffed the blue cheese stuffed olives himself! Next up was the focaccia - unfortunately I had given up bread for lent so I couldn't partake but I was very envious of my fiancé indulging them with a smile on his face. next we had the mussels. Oh. My. Goodness. I literally was drinking the broth with the spoon towards the end of the bowl. Delicious!! We both had a house salad with their homemade salad dressing that was great. For our entrees I had the short rib bolognese pappardelle - the meat melted in my mouth and the pasta was so fresh!! My fiancé got the chicken parmigiana and he definitely enjoyed it! We ended the night with a glass of housemade limencello for me and a glass of grand marnier for the dude. That limencello was perfect!! With the great food and the amazing service of Dave, this will be our new date night spot! Also, just so you know, the change out their menus weekly so there's always something new to try! read more

See all

I had forgotten how much I liked this spot. We got takeout and at first I was having trouble ordering from their website on my phone (using the computer worked fine!), but in the end all was perfect and I will remember not to use my phone again! We got a few pizzas and a salad. I love their margarita pizza - simple but delicious. Plain cheese is also tasty and the salad is fresh and with really delicious dressing. The pizzas made it home in perfect condition even after a few min of wait (as they were ready before we got there). They've also been great as leftovers. I also want to mention how nice the staff was. We originally planned to get delivery but modified our order (though I forgot to modify the instructions). They called to make sure we were coming since the instructions were still there - instead of just waiting to see if we'd show up. Great customer service. Can't wait to order some more pizzas! read more

Service was fantastic. Doris did a wonderful job taking care of our small group (including a toddler) outside on their patio. We decided to try a couple of pizzas, a pasta dish and the watermelon salad. They brought bread and olive oil as soon as we were seated. Our table tried the chianti, another red wine and the limontini. All in all, I think the red wines were the way to go. The pizzas we tried were good and we decided that a pizza could serve 1-2 depending on how hungry you were and if you ordered anything else to go with it. We tried the 3 Little Pigs and the 225 pizza. The pasta dish we chose was the Shrimp Alfredo Special and for us, it was just too much bacon. I know that sounds crazy to some people, but the bacon really overwhelmed all of the other flavors in the dish. The shrimp itself was very good though. The watermelon salad was good, but the presentation threw us off because we didn't read the description well enough to notice that it said grilled watermelon. It came out looking like fresh tuna instead of bright red watermelon pieces. It still had a nice flavor, but just a word to the wise and read the descriptions before ordering! All in all, this is a nice neighborhood place and I'm sure we will be back for pizza and chianti next time we are in town. read more

My partner and I have been here twice now. When we last visited a week ago we were the first table seated on a Saturday night. We ordered an appetizer, which was good. My partner reviewed the menu and ordered the lamb shank and mirepoix. While the lamb was slow cooked and tasty, the mirepoix was much more like a risotto, something he would not have ordered had he known this was what they considered mirepoix. I ordered a make your own pizza, with pesto, grilled chicken, carmelized onion, and spinach. Not sure where the pesto ended up but the pizza was still good. Lastly I splurged and got dessert, which was supposed to be a banana bread pudding. What was served was bread pudding with raisins - and zero bananas! Overall if any of the dishes had been what they were listed as, or were ordered to be, it would've made for a much more satisfying meal. read more

I live blocks away and have passed this place many times, walking and driving. On my way home on a Thursday from an appointment in the area and not feeling like cooking I decided to stop here and pick up dinner for me and my family. The 2 for $20 fire wood burn pizzas sign out front is what made me stop. That's a great deal! One pizza can run you $17-$18. I go in and I'm greeted by this very kind man who turned out to be the owner of the restaurant who also assisted me in deciding which pizzas to order. Not everyday you actually have the owner who is really kind and cool helping you decide on what to eat and taking your food order. I decided on the Margherita pizza, Goat pizza (replaced fennel sausage with chicken) and the chicken Alfredo. Everything was delicious! I really enjoyed the chicken Alfredo. It was so full of flavor with the garlic cooked in it being so tasty and appetizing. The portion was good. Two people were able to eat off it and it came with a nice side salad. Each pizzas were able to be enjoyed by 2-3 people. I ordered carry out to go and the wait time was less than 20 minutes. My total for the two pizzas and the chicken Alfredo came to $40.00 so not bad to feed a family of three with leftover for the next day. I will be back to eat outside on a nice warm sunny day and enjoy some great Italian food with a nice glass of wine next time read more

Trattoria 225 - Margherita pizza, Goat Pizza and Chicken Alfredo - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

The wood-fired pizza is perfect! Crisp crust, rich sauce, plenty of cheese. The dining room is ideal for large or small groups. I've been here on dates, just a party of two...with the whole family including a couple of wiggly children...and a bigger Book Club group. All visits included wonderful food & cocktails, attentive service, cool vibe in the dining room, and easy/free street parking on Harrison. Plenty of vegetarian options. I love this neighborhood so much. There are so many cool shops and galleries to visit before dinner. We usually buy a Happy Apple Pie Shop pie to take home for dessert. It's directly across the street and the best pie in Chicagoland. read more

I went to Trattoria 225 for dinner with my family this evening. I ordered a tiramisu to go. I started to eat a couple of bites once we got home. The taste was off, so I went to throw it out. Then I saw the MOLD on the tiramisu. I called the restaurant to complain, and the owner/manager Bill said he would take the tiramisu off the bill and give me a free dessert on my next visit. He did not seem surprised or concerned at all. We spent over $100 on our meal - I don't think a "free dessert" compensated me for taking a bite of moldy food. Won't be going back for another visit anytime soon! read more

Trattoria 225 - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

The food was so salty. It's a shame because I really like coming here. The dessert was good and the servers are super nice.

Inconsistent quality on their Tuesday/Thursday buy one/get one pizzas. Last time they delivered perfectly executed pepperoni garlic caramelized onion crispy thin crust pizzas. Tonight, not crispy, almost slimy gooey centers. Almost inedible. One quarter-sized pepperoni per slice. They're in the oven now on a pizza stone but not likely going to fix them. read more

First, I have to say that this was a great spot to hold a large party. The staff is wonderful and Bill, the owner, was very accommodating. We hosted our daughter's 1st birthday party here. As the restaurant's operational hours are for dinner service, we were able to use the entire place. We had almost 100 people and it was plenty of space. The food was delicious as well. We chose the heavy hors d'oeuvre option and got to pick 6 items that were set up as stations. There was a red pasta and a pesto pasta as separate options but Bill was willing to offer both as a part of a single "pasta station" The staff went around asking folks if they wanted anything to drink and brought drinks to people. We picked the pizza station and they offer all of their pizzas and did a good job of monitoring which ones were more popular with the crowd and tried to churn more of those out. They are small but cook quickly. And if you have an idea of how you want to set it up, maybe just pay a visit ahead of the event and talk to Bill. He was super easy going, was willing to take paintings off the walls so we could hang things and etc. There would be a few things that I would probably make sure of next time. Our agreement was for only beer, wine and soft drinks to be served at the bar, however if guests asked for liquor drinks, the staff did not say anything and we did not really notice that until well into the party so it did affect our overall bar tab. There were two big tables with food set up against a single back wall and you had multiple food "stations" on a table and no labels as to what is what and if it was vegetarian or not. I imagined that as it was said it would be stations that the items would be set up around the space a little more spread out and every station be separate. If choosing the pizza station, I would suggest just picking a few kinds and having them constantly be replenished. We did have some moments where the pizza was close to being out and I think its because they had waited to see which ones to make more of so picking out a few would just simplify it. For us, these were just minor things but things that I think would have made the event a bit smoother. I would 100% consider working with Bill and his team again if I needed to host another large party! read more

Years ago, I walked the art district stretch of Harrison Street in Oak Park. Just happening upon this hidden section of Oak Park, I was also pleasantly surprised to find an Italian eatery in the area. Italian restaurants are common, but it's the good ones that make lasting impressions. I returned with a friend for dinner and glad of it. She had the Atlantic char that tasted like a well-prepared salmon along with a mixture of greens and beans. Oh was it a wonder to the palate. I ordered a linguine ai frutti de mare, which was linguine with shrimp, calamari, and clams. When calamari is cooked such that it loses its rubbery texture and your teeth simply sinks through, then you have something worth writing home about. We had dessert of tiramisu and this was made fresh, evident in the taste. Also, we had the flight of creme brulee: regular, coffee, and mocha. Hello, lover. Much like what seems to be a common thing in Oak Park establishments, the manager spoke with us as we were leaving. Now I understand the draw to a lot of Oak Park businesses. Certainly for the restaurants, the food is top, the service is outstanding, and the atmosphere seems to beg for your return. I know I will go back to Trattoria 225. read more

See all

Delicious, wonderful service and didn't rush us through dinner. Goat pizza is amazing!

Recent dinner there. Waited 25 minutes past our reservation time. There was a big party taking half the restaurant. Between the party and the piano you could not hear the person next to you, it was so noisy. Having eaten here many times, the menu change is disappointing. Only a few pasta dishes in a Italian restaurant? The food we did get was average at best. Service was good. We had enjoyed it in the past and know the owner is a good guy and works hard. Based on the new menu and the noise will not be back again. read more

By far the best pizza in oak park. Don't know how this place got less than 4 stars. Their BLT pizza is the bomb, don't even need hot sauce on my pizza . read more

We love Trattoria 225, the food and drinks are always consistently good. Service great too. We've tried a few of their pizzas and my favorite entree is the salmon. Unbelievably good. We also here for a private luncheon after a funeral. The apps and pizzas were very tasty and everyone enjoyed the food and atmosphere. Try Trattoria 225, you too will love it. read more

Well, I can't comment on the food because we never got to experience it. We made a dinner reservation almost a week in advance for 8:30 on a Saturday night. They called us 2 hours before the reservation to tell us that their kitchen closes at 8:30 and we should come in at 8, which we weren't able to do. When my husband politely explained that we will have a hard time getting another reservation at the last minute on a Saturday night, the woman responded "I'm sorry you feel that way." When he suggested they might wish to adjust their reservation system to take the last reso at 8:00, she said, "thank you for your feedback." We really wanted to try this place but won't be making any further effort. Hopefully their food is better than their customer service. read more

So I'm at home trying to figure out what to have for dinner. I'm leaning toward Spizzico, an excellent Italian place that I hadn't been to in awhile. But I'm also wanting to try someplace new. Then it comes to me - I've always been wanting to try Trattoria 225. Why not give it a shot? I reviewed the menu and notice an interesting special - wild mushroom risotto. Sounded outstanding. So I call the restaurant and place an order to pick up. Took me about ten minutes or so to get there - I go to the host stand and ask about my order. He brings it out - aluminum tin with a plastic cover. He gives me the bill and I sign off on the charge. "Have a good night", he says as I give him the tab back. Huh? This entree in the tin pan is all I get? No bread? No salad? No utensils? No napkin? No bag to take it home in? I'm kinda surprised because with what seems like an increase focus on take out orders among many restaurants in the area, this is quite the opposite. So I ask for a bag to take it home and the host pulls out a plastic bag and sets it inside for me. Most restaurants that serve hot food in those kind of containers use paper bags as the insulate better and are not likely to stick or start to melt against a hot aluminum container. Got home and had the dinner. The entree was really pretty good. No utensils and napkins weren't a killer as I had those at home. But with no extras - bread and butter or salad, it kinda felt like I had bought it at a grocery store that has a selection of prepared foods. Kinda killed the idea of enjoying a meal from a good restaurant - hence the three star rating. read more

I love their pizzas. Baked in a wood fired oven with a nice crisp crust. The 2 for $20 Thursday deal is great. The beet salad and deserts are also good. To top it off, they have carryout down pat. There is a spot to pull in right in front of the restaurant, and they are usually at my car with the order before I can even put it in park. read more

Sat down to eat. The bread was good. No one came to ask if we needed drinks or appetizers for about a half hour. Got up and left. Not sure how the food is but very inattentive staff. read more

Food was delicious, beer selection was good. Food for grown ups and kids. Super cute interior and used Open Table to make a reservation.

This is purely (well, mostly) a review of the pizza at Trattoria 225. There is an art to pizza--it starts with the crust--it should have a crunch, but not a crisp. The dough needs to support the ingredients and the ingredients, sauce, toppings, cheese all need to combine and not fight. (The recipe for world peace). On a quiet Sunday night, this restaurant served pizza perfection! Their menu offers a wide variety of choices for pizza to go along with a build your own approach. I deliberated, sorting out the many possibilities--finally, realizing that the test should come from a build your own pepperoni and sausage pie. Wow! The crust comes from a wood burning fire. Whole wheat. Yes, crunch, not crisp. The ingredients, each and every one, were a delight. To sing the praises of one, the fennel spicy sausage was spicy, but not overwhelming, bringing a taste of Italy with each bite. So you know where this review is headed--5 star land, but let me add a few further comments. Our waitress was personable and attentive. The two spacious rooms are relaxed and city rustic--great. The other meals ordered by others, not pizza, all looked great. Wine is by the glass. Judging by the Chianti I had, very good. AND!!!--They have a gluten free menu, through and through. Bravo! read more

Our Garden Girls Club visited Thursday night to enjoy the food and a night out. The lobster ravioli was just what I expected. Looking forward to returning soon. read more

Attentive hot waiter, yummy short rib ravioli and nice selection of wine and beer. They did not have the garlic and oil dressing pasta my mom wanted on the menu so they made it special for her exactly how she wanted. She said it was delish! read more

Ooh mama. I think it might be a dangerous thing that this place is practically next door to my apt. We went in the middle of the Harrison street arts festival and it was only a 20 minute wait. Not bad at all. The grilled vegetable app special was amazing! Beautiful presentation to boot. I had The Goat pizza minus the house cheese and it was delicious. My wife ate some of it even though she despises Italian sausage because of the fennel seeds.... That tells you how good it was. Se ordered the linguine bolognese and really enjoyed it. It's such a strange combination of flavors that work surprisingly well together. I will definitely be going back. They also deliver and do carry out. That cinches it! read more

Trattoria 225 - Grilled vegetable app. Special of the week! - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

See all

I amy have reviewed this before but they have new owners so I thought it was worth a revisit. Menu is pretty much the same, which is to say, WONDERFUL. I love the wood over pizzas, the salads are delicious, the pastas are creative and chock full of awesome, and the appetizers are always amazing too. The fresh crusty bread they give you when you are seated, accompanied by olive oil, is also a nice touch. My only complaint about the place, something they still have not addressed, is that it's always noisy in there. It's hardwood with exposed brick, which has a lot of charm, but also does a great job of echoing noise from the entire restaurant, as well as the noisy bar that often plays sports that is attached. As long as we can sit outside, and it's not too hard as long as you get there at the beginning of the dinner hour, it's a lovely experience. If you don't mind having to raise your voice a little on occasion to hear eachother you might be fine inside. ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY try the grilled ceasar salad. It sounds crazy, but it is one of the tastiest salads I have ever had. Their salads are quite large, so unless it is your entire meal plan to share it and have room for a great pizza ro pasta dish. The Goat pizza is also my favorite but the fun-guy (mushroom) is really good too. One of these days I am going to try the brunch on Sundays! read more

See all

I have so much love for this place! It's so hard to find good Italian food since I already know how to make really good pizza and pasta. Highly recommend the Duck Con Fit or chopped Italian salad or my favorite is "The Goat" pizza!! Not to mention their weekly seasonly specials they are always offering. Don't forget that they offer two for one pizza nights on Tuesdays! Great location nestled in the heart of the Arts District in Oak Park. Tons of fabulous local artists display their work for free and I adore their bar area in case you just want a drink. I have brought several family members and friends here and they have all highly enjoyed their food. Hope you enjoy your food as much as I have! read more

Trattoria 225 - Italian Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois