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    Ummo

    3.8 (178 reviews)
    Open 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

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    UMMO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Trendy
    Classy
    Upscale
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Ummo

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    Pistachio cheesecake
    Melissa S.

    Came here and was very underwhelmed by the experience. The best part about it is that service is spectacular at every touch point, from the host stand to the table bussers and everyone in between. Special shout-out to our waitress, Janet, who was awesome. Ambiance is also nice: good, nothing amazing, but comfortable and inviting. Now the most important part: food and drink. I'll start with the drinks, which were good. I had two glasses of Nebbiolo, which were great (and they better be, for $25 each). My husband tried two different cocktails, which were both very good. Unfortunately, the food did not deliver. We got two appetizers, the Caesar salad, and the burrata e prosciutto. The Caesar salad was decent, but it would have been very good had there been more dressing on it and ideally some croutons. It was just meh. The burrata was by far the best thing we had all night. It was excellent and super unique, especially the jam. Very delicious. For our main courses, I had the campanelle all a vodka pasta, which was quite boring. I liked the chicken ragu, which you don't see a lot, but the sauce could have used a lot more flavor. My husband had the florentine chicken, which was okay, but nothing spectacular. I was excited to try dessert, the pistachio cheesecake, but it was underwhelming. It somehow tasted like bread pudding and had hints of pistachio flavor but was this dull brown color that was rather off-putting. I will say that this is a relatively inexpensive restaurant considering you are in the heart of River North, but you get what you pay for. I never need to go back to Ummo.

    Zack R.

    Stopped in last night for one of my final restaurant week stops. I don't typically dine in this particular part of River North, just because, like, let's call a spade a spade - this area is where the tourists flock to, AND it's notoriously over-priced and just a bit cheugy. Either way, went in with good intentions! We were a bit early, so we stopped at the bar for two $20 cocktails. They were fine. The Hugo was a version of a Hugo Spritz that was very floral with elderflower accents. I also had a sip of the Strawberry Cannoli, which was way too sweet for my liking, but I am sure the 20-something young girls adore it. Their Restaurant Week Menu has an app, an entree, and a dessert. It's $60, and the portion sizes were super small. I found that maybe one more dish, like a salad or something that isn't part of the apps part of the menu, could have aided in that feeling of something missing. I ordered the arancini, which came with two quite small arancini in a white cheese sauce. This was easily the best part of the meal, which doesn't bode well! I ordered the risotto for the main and was completely underwhelmed. I LOVE risotto, but this one was first about 6 spoonfuls worth of food, and was overwhelmingly pesto-flavored. It just tasted a bit cheap and not as rich as expected. Lastly, the deserts were just not good. Clearly mass-produced and chilled in the back, both the "tiramisu" and the pistachio cheesecake were subpar. The tiramisu, especially, was strange because it had a hard shell that you had to break into (also, this shell is supposed to obviously look like an espresso bean, but my IG DMs would suggest that it actually looks more like female anatomy). It tasted like overly amaretto-y, with way too much cocoa powder, making it have a strange texture and consistency. A miss, I think, when you're hoping for a simple piece of tiramisu. Last thing, and I'll leave it alone. When it comes out, the server pours this like amaretto, bitter chocolate sauce around the pastry from a French press for some reason, so you're like okay hot fudge, like girl I guess, but it's actually ice cold. Super perplexing. All in all, the meal was worth no more than $40, so paying so much was disappointing. Especially from a logistical standpoint, risotto is not expensive to make, same with arancini, etc., so to skimp out on serving sizes is an odd choice. I did love the plating, so there's that! Service was also attentive. There are also jazz posters everywhere around the restaurant for some reason (what is the identity of the restaurant, is it jazz?), so enjoy looking at those! A bit of a mid experience, but kinda also what I was expecting, so can't really complain! More of a 2.5 than a 3 FOR ME, but waiting on Yelp to introduce halves!

    Prosciutto and Focaccia
    Melissa R.

    A music-themed, cozy yet chic vibe make this contemporary Italian spot worth a visit. With fresh sliced prosciutto options, mouth watering pasta dishes and a stellar cocktail and wine list, there's something for everyone. I loved the velvety long booths and walls adorned with posters and photographs. The servers were helpful in assisting with selection and the busses were SWIFT, cleaning dishes as soon as they appeared empty. Good tip: the bar has happy hour even on Saturday! Don't miss the espresso martini, lamb tortelli, and the mashed potatoes--downtown sinful!

    Inside
    Katy C.

    My friend Olivia posted some tasty looking photos from Ummo, so I was excited to check it out. I made a reservation for 6 pm on a weekday but it was pretty empty when we arrived. The space is swanky and cool with dark vibes and low lighting. Our server gave us some suggestions for ordering, so we went with the bread, smoked cauliflower, lamb tortelli, and cacio e pepe. We also shared a negroni. The bread was delicious! I loved the truffle butter that came with it. I'm a big cacio e pepe fan (adult mac and cheese) and their version was really good - very creamy and cheesy. The noodles were very long and fun. The lamb tortelli was tasty with red sauce, mint sauce, and cheese. The flavors were not quite my favorite, but Nate liked it. The portions were generous and we didn't have room for any dessert, but I've heard the tiramisu is awesome. Service was great - our waters were never empty, and everyone was polite. I don't often go to Italian restaurants, but I enjoyed this experience.

    Burrata and prosciutto during happy hour
    Clara S.

    We came for the great weekends happy hour details (even on Saturday until 6:30!). Only at the bar, which is a lovely place to sit if you can snag a seat. I got the Tzuco margarita to start, which was tasty and refreshing. We ordered every food item off the happy hour menu as well - everything was great and so filling for two people for dinner. The cacio e Pepe was a much smaller portion than a normal sized pasta dish but so tasty with the perfect texture. The ceasar salad was a little different as it had avocado on it, but orherwise fresh and tasty. The burrata and prosciutto was a big delicious dish to share as well. The other dishes weren't standout in my opinion. Service was quick, and our glass of montepulciano to close out the meal was so smooth!

    Ciara W.

    I come to Ummo for the vibes. Classy ambiance without being over the top. The I was really impressed by the presentation of the food. The flavor was good, nothing special but the creativity and unique presentation really impressed me. I especially liked the dessert that came out looking like a tomato! This is a fun night out as they have Loft 22 as well. Service is always friendly and food comes out in a reasonable time frame.

    Sole Rosa
    Mark T.

    I agree with the sentiment expressed in an extremely detailed Reddit review: "Ummo is good, not great." The Redditor claims that Ummo is "somewhat affordable," to which I say, "perhaps, but the value proposition wasn't there." I had the opportunity to try: - Sole Rosa - Bolognese Meatballs - Mole Cappellacci - Ummo Ferrero - Single Espresso Sole Rosa: This is one of the more curious cocktails I've tried! The tequila seems high-end, and it's some of the smoothest stuff I've had! I didn't pick up on any boozy or earthy notes, and dare I say, it's a shame to use it in a cocktail. It was herbal, a little sweet, and a little tart from the hibiscus. Finally, the spicy coating on the outside of the glass added some welcome heat. While a 'good' cocktail, this isn't something I'd order again in light of the $22 price tag. Meatballs: I was thrilled that the beef was not dry and was loaded with herbs and spices. The tomato sauce was rich, flavorful, and clearly homemade. While not the "tennis balls" some other places call "meatballs," and definitely above average, I wouldn't go as far as to call them "phenomenal." Furthermore, the $4.50/each price seems excessive. Mole Cappellacci: With my love for Mexican food, and recently, Mole, you almost knew I'd be ordering this! The pasta was great, especially thanks to the sauce. While I understand what they were going for, I feel as though some things faded into the background. Croutons and the Caprese-inspired filling got lost. Meanwhile, the ancho and mole did not pack a punch significant enough to leave a dent in my memory. Price-wise, $25 seems less unreasonable, but this is a smaller portion than pasta dishes tend to be in Italian restaurants. Ummo Ferrero: I want to award them some points for creativity, as this dessert was like Gru hit a Ferrero Rocher with a grow-ray. That said, this dessert didn't land for me. It was extremely busy, while essentially being variations on a chocolate theme with some nuts and accoutrements. This one was $18, which is fine, but only just. Espresso: Out of left field came the espresso. This stuff was turbo-powered! Almost as strong as Turkish/Greek coffee! Service: The service started off great, but once our mains were out, it fell off a cliff. At the start of the meal, the service was attentive, knowledgeable, and fast. Props to the server for working with us so we didn't order more than we could eat and for allowing us to get smaller portions of some things (e.g., meatballs). However, after mains came out and only one check-in later, it was as if we all vanished. I caught the host and asked her to call over the server so I could order dessert. To close on service, the dessert was already more than half-gone by the time the espresso came out. Vibe: The dark and wooden tones and tastefully directed lighting were the highlights. On the flip side, the music-themed posters and music (although not loud) were, in my opinion, not in line with the price points. This seems like the kind of place one would bring a date for a romantic dinner to impress them, and these factors do not help. Thus, we are left with a "good" experience. The food, drink, and service all average to good. However, the prices demand at least a great (if not fantastic) experience, which this wasn't.

    Nerissa L.

    I was so excited to dine here last week! Ummo is a lovely upscale italian restaurant located in the River North neighborhood. It is an amazing date spot and the ambiance is fabulous! Everything about this evening was great! The bartender on duty was awesome and made fantastic drinks! For dinner, I had the campanelle alla vodka and it was incredible! For dessert we split the cherry mousse dessert! Such an amazing experience! Try this place out! I am looking forward to coming back soon, and they also have a nice happy hour!!

    Burrata
    Rie U.

    TLDR: It's contemporary Italian (American) which isn't quite what I was in the mood for. We came here on a Wednesday night and the place was pretty empty. Really cool ambience and decor! The server was friendly and the service was adequate. The food: It's contemporary Italian, so it's not quite Italian, it's more of an interesting mix/fusion of American and Italian flavors/styles. We had the burrata and prosciutto, which came with fried gnocco, which all looked great, but the gnocco tasted like old oil... which was a bummer. The Bolognese Meatballs were good, though! Not amazing but solid. Tbf, I've never had an amazing meatball. The Lamb Tortellini was very tasty but the mint pesto was overpowering, which I thought was a bummer bc I liked the novelty of a mint pesto!.. but that was all I could taste after a while. The Seafood Chitarra was okay; some of the seafood was rubbery and either overcooked or possibly reheated? Not sure. I really wanted to like Ummo because I had two very positive experiences having their Espresso Martini at the Espresso Martini Contest at the Time Out Market, and also having their take on the Ferrero Rocher (which was SO GOOD!) at the First Bites Bash. This dine-in experience did not quite meet my expectations, though. Maybe I just didn't order the right things? I'd happily come back for just the Espresso Martini and Ferrero dessert, though!

    Jazmine P.

    Stopped in for their happy hour before a concert and they had some pretty good options. I'm not a coffee girl but that was one of the best espresso martinis I've ever had! The pasta was also good, I definitely need to go back to explore the dinner menu soon.

    Niranjana S.

    I will preface by saying I only went for happy hour but it was a great deal!! I got an espresso martini which was so creamy albeit a little sweet from a delicious cold foam! I also got the arancini which is always a fav of mine and both ended up being pretty affordable! Seating is pretty limited for the happy hour since it's only at the bar and it does fill up because it's a great happy hour deal in river north! Would highly recommend and am definitely going back again

    Espresso martini
    Brittney W.

    Went on a Saturday evening. Interior is more upscale and decor is cute. We started with the house bread and caesar salad. Would definitely recommend both! The bread came with truffle butter which was delicious and had so much cheese on top. A great start to the meal. This caesar is more unique than we were expecting. It had avocado and egg in it too. It was delicious, we were just momentarily confused as it what we ordered. For mains, I split the seafood chitarra and the agnolotti di spinaci. I liked the seafood chitarra much more, especially the little scallop pieces in the dish. The shrimp included wasn't my favorite, but all around a solid dish. The agnolotti was too rich for me. I'm glad I split it, because I couldn't have finished it myself. I did really enjoy the shallots included here and would have liked more spinach in the dish. The star of the show was the espresso martini! It was gorgeous and tasted as good as it looks. The cream on top was sweet, but not overly so. Would return just for this drink! Once we got our food, we weren't really checked on very frequently so I was unable to try another drink, but there are quite a few cocktails that sound great.

    Divya V.

    I recently tried Ummo with a couple of girlfriends on a Saturday night and the experience was great! We had a reservation made and the checkin process was fairly easy. Once seated, we ordered espresso martinis and Sole Rosa 22 which was a tequila based drink. The drinks were amazing, I just wasn't a fan of the espresso martinis glasses as it did not look aesthetically that great! We then ordered Arancini, Avocado burrata and Fettuccini to share. The Avocado burrata was definitely my favorite, it was very creamy and tasted good with the sour bread it is served with. Fettuccini was also a good surprise as I was expecting something more creamy, but irrespective it was good! The food, service and drinks are good at Ummo! It is a tad bit expensive but worth your penny, give this place a try!

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    Carmen G.

    Thanks for your feedback Clara!

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    Peanut Park Trattoria - Sausage and Peppers

    Peanut Park Trattoria

    (160 reviews)

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    Food was fantastic. The special burrata with the prosciutto and apple is a must order. The main…read morecourse of pastas was fantastic. Though fresh parmigiana and red pepper was offered my orrichetta (sp?) and my friends bolognese were both soot in Drinks- wine and mixed drinks were generous and delicious. As good as all that was--. It eas the service that stuck out. Maggie was fantastic. Attentive, pleasant, and consistent in her attention. An incredible dining experience. Ill be back.

    Although I am a new customer, I've been loyal to Peanut Park for the past six months and have…read morerecommended it to many friends and family. Up until tonight, my experiences had always been positive and the food was fantastic. Unfortunately, this visit was more than disappointing. I ordered a salad I've had at least a dozen times before, accept I added grilled chicken on top. I live for this salad and was just there maybe three weeks ago. Unaware that they have changed their menu, I ordered as usual. The name of the salad has not changed on the menu, but apparently the ingredients had been completely altered. When the dish arrived, to my surprise, it was drastically different and not something I enjoyed at all. I politely informed our server, who was kind and accommodating, and offered to replace the dish. However, it was now 6 p.m. we had tickets to see The Wiz at 7 p.m. and didn't have time to wait for another order, which I also informed her. I asked if the salad could be removed from the bill since it was essentially untouched. The server checked with the owner, who refused to remove the $30 salad or offer any kind of discount. When a restaurant changes a dish but keeps the same name, it creates a reasonable expectation for returning customers. When that expectation isn't met, basic customer service should step in. What makes this even more frustrating is that the restaurant was willing to prepare an entirely new dish, but not willing to remove the uneaten one from the bill. That simply isn't logical. If you're prepared to replace an item, it clearly acknowledges there was an issue, so refusing to comp or adjust the original charge is unreasonable. That decision was extremely disappointing. I, in-turn made the decision to eat only the additional grilled chicken on top, leaving the rest of the salad, paying the full bill and promptly getting out of there so we could be on time for our show. The only positive part of the experience was our server, who handled the situation with professionalism and kindness. Sadly, the new menu leaves much to be desired and this experience has cost Peanut Park my business and my referrals going forward.

    Ciccio Mio - Black Truffle Bucatini

    Ciccio Mio

    (632 reviews)

    $$$

    River North, Near North Side

    Truly one of the most enjoyable Italian food experiences in Chicago. It's worth the effort to plan…read moreahead and make a reservation. Reservations are released 21 days ahead of time, which I personally find impossible to make. Every time I've checked over the last several years there have been no availability. Yesterday I decided to pop on their website again and was delighted to find that they had released same day dinner reservations for patio only dining. The weather was perfect for outdoor dining so I went ahead and booked a table for Friday night. I felt like I won the dinner lottery. Service was wonderful and I didn't mind sitting outside at all next to the road with cars. I actually never stepped foot in the restaurant so cannot comment on what it's like inside. But do not give up that patio dining reservation if it's available. All of our dishes were delicious. I was really impressed by the meatball appetizers, chicken vesuvio (the potatoes are a must get as a side if you skip this dish), and branzino. The meats and sauces were wonderfully balanced and tender. Nothing tasted overly salted. Ironically, the pasta felt less of a star compared to the other dishes. And of course I had to get the gelato, which was so aesthetically presented and the taste just reminded me of an Italian summer vacation.

    Downgrading bc of the pickup service I had today. (Spoiler: Karen the host is aptly named). I…read moreconsistently order pickup (direct and DD) and it's usually quick and consistent - my order is always ready before the quoted time. Today, I came in and there was no host at the front for long enough that several people just walked straight back (maybe they were meeting someone but didn't seem like it) and several servers walked in and outside without greeting. By the time Karen shows up again, it's me and another person waiting. Instead of asking "who was here first?" She services the white man, why would you assume he's there first?, and I have to listen to him asking if he can sit at the bar, doesn't understand why he can't sit at the bar, needs recommendations nearby where he can drink and wait at, if they'll hold his bags, and his whole life story. She's about to walk away with his bags when I say that I was here first and I'm picking up. She tells me go to the side window outside which I've never been prompted to do. I say so and she asks for the name, if I'm the person it's for and the gets on her walkie to see if anyone can walk it up. No apology and didn't appreciate her tone throughout the exchange. I like the bucatini and spicy rigatoni but if I order next time, will avoid Karen who had terrible vibes.

    Ummo - italian - Updated May 2026

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