Great new Italian spot in bucktown. The happy hour is fantastic with half price appetizers, my favorite Burrata & Prosciutto. The place serves delicious artesian style Neapolitan pizzas and delicious pasta dishes. Now, let's spend little time on cocktails. Nia, the house bartender, create an amazing cocktail menu with well balanced dinner cocktails and "hugging your soul" desert martinis. I am not a sweet desert martini fan but the creamsicle martini she sat in front of me was gone in no time and I secretly wanted another one. They also have a outdoor patio on the side with lot of greenery and a fountain perfect for Chicago summer. read more

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We came into this restaurant on a busy Saturday night with reservations, and got seated near the front. The seating near the front was very tight and very close to the front door, where the front door was hitting the back of my seat every time someone would come in. I recommend maybe shifting the tables. We got the paper menus and they were covered with pasta sauce which was not pleasant to see. I recommend maybe laminating the menus to avoid that. The waitress was very kind. We ordered the clams/mussels, pappardelle, gnocchi, pizza and ribeye. The gnocchi stood out as the best. The ribeye was a little bloody for medium rare. Pizza was great too! read more

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It's a cute and cozy spot. They also have an outdoor patio. I'd recommend the following dishes that we ordered. - beet salad. You can never go wrong with this. It's so refreshing and balanced with the flavors. - burrata and prosciutto - this was over a bread bowl. If you love grape tomatoes, this is what you need to order! My photo doesn't show the amount of tomatoes hidden under the prosciutto. It was a dream I would skip on the ribeye. The quality wasn't the best and it was hard to cut into. The smashed potatoes were an interesting texture and good. Drinks: I ordered a Limoncello Martini In Tre Modi - peach pineapple. Solid choice and would order again read more

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Will definitely be going back to try more food! Went here for to celebrate a birthday and the place is cute and cozy! I had the carbonara, it tasted so amazing, the portions look small but it's definitely filling. Definitely recommend getting the carbonara. Also the burrata! Our waiter was amazing as well! The staff are so nice and always smiling. read more

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Overall incredible Italian food in a beautiful restaurant and outdoor patio! I believe this is a relatively new restaurant, as I didn't see a restaurant here a few months ago. They did a wonderful job with the ambience! Inside it's nicely decorated and doesn't have too much seating. The outdoor patio is sizeable and gorgeous with wood fences and flowers and a running fountain and large umbrellas for shade. It's a perfect spot for summertime Chicago. The food was so good!!! Every table was served a few pieces of toasted bread with a drizzle of pesto on it. I like this serving size (for our table of 2) because its a nice appetizer without being too heavy and filling before your meal (a big bread basket sometimes stresses me out because I don't want to waste the bread but also don't want to spoil my appetite). For an appetizer we ordered the bruschetta. It was tasty but more on the heavy side because it had cheese and beans. We also got the arugula salad which had the perfect balance of lemon dressing and parmesan, and it was quite refreshing. However the star of the meal was the spaghetti carbonara! That was the best carbonara I've had because the spaghetti was perfectly al dente, the sauce was creamy but not too thick, and there was a perfect ratio with the most flavorful guanciale (pork). The guanciale was AMAZING and perfectly salty, fatty, and tender. I liked that it came in medium sized strips because it was the perfect bite size where you can really appreciate and savor its flavor. This amount of food was perfect for the 2 of us leaving full and happy! For drinks, I ordered the Acerra spritz which is peach flavored. It was so good and refreshing!! I loved that the peach flavor was natural (and it had pieces of real peach on top which added to it's nice aroma and flavor). All in all, this is a great Italian spot for its food, drinks, and ambience! The only reason I gave 4 instead of 5 stars is because the service was a bit slow, and they forgot to bring us our water for awhile. However, given they're a newer restaurant I think once they settle in and get into their flow it'll be much faster. I think they were aware of the long wait time for food and were really working on it. The servers were also very kind. And the food was absolutely worth the wait! Definitely recommend this spot. read more

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We dined at Acerra this past weekend and had a mostly great experience. The food was delicious--both pasta dishes were packed with flavor, and the pizza tasted authentically Italian, just like what I've had in Italy. The fish was cooked perfectly, although the portions of the sides ( mashed potato and spinach) could've been larger. The service was warm and attentive, which made the meal even more enjoyable. The restaurant wasn't very busy, but it was an unusually hot day, so that might explain it. The only letdown was the dessert. We ordered a chocolate cake, which unfortunately tasted like it was store-bought and didn't quite match the quality of the rest of the meal. Bonus- They have a cute street side patio! read more

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I absolutely loved the food here. Definitely get the bolognese, it tastes so authentic and flavorful, like it's straight out of Naples. Don't sleep on the cocktails either, they're so unique and fantastic! This is a great addition to the neighborhood and hope they stick around for a long time. Can't wait to go back again for date night. read more

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Good - Neapolitan bruschetta, rigatoni, and chicken tasty. Not so good - Expensive considering portion sizes and vibe. Slow service (took 20 minutes for drinks, an hour for food), clams and mussels were very disappointing. read more

Very disappointing experience at Acerra. Learning that the owners hail from a town outside Naples, and that they offered gluten free pizza crust, I was super excited to try this place. We enjoyed amazing gluten free pizza when we visited Naples, Italy recently. I called ahead to learn whether they make the GF pizza crust themselves, or if they use frozen crust. I was elated when they replied that they made it themselves. So we headed over on a beautiful summer Friday evening. We were a bit wary that both the inside and outside patio were almost completely empty. There was no music playing inside or out, so between being empty and no music, there was zero vibe. We were hoping that amazing food would make up for this. But, sadly, no. The GF pizza was soggy and obviously made using frozen dough. So they lied about making the crust homemade. And my partner's regular pizza was just OK. Overall a waste of a summer Friday evening. Skip this place. read more

We went for a girls night last week. They have a cute patio but we chose to sit inside - the decor is super cute and cozy. The restaurant is a family affair, owned by a husband and wife team and their daughter also comes around to each table to great guests. They were all so warm and welcoming. It felt like being with family. Wine is half off before 6 so we went for happy hour. We had a beet salad - yummy, cacio e pepi which was also good but the real standout is the pizza cooked in a wood fired grill at the back of the restaurant. This is a cute neighborhood place that would make for a great date night or GNO read more

Best gluten-free pasta I've ever had--seriously amazing! The staff was super friendly and made us feel right at home. Huge bonus points for the dog-friendly patio (they brought water and treats for the pup!). Can't wait to come back. read more

Acerra Italian Kitchen & Bar - Gluten free vodka pasta, gluten free amalfi pizza, passionfruit spritz and a martini(huge glasses) - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food here is the real deal. Like, seriously. The long neck artichokes were absurd. The handmade pasta (all of it is!) is the absolute real deal. The rigatoni, which is unlike any rigatoni I have ever had, is quite literally the best pasta I have ever had. The pizza is gourmet quality. Their oven is Neapolitan perfection. The tiramisu was honestly perfect. My only qualification is the restaurants is small and the kitchen got overwhelmed when the place was full. This is not a place to go when you are on a schedule. If you have the flexibility of a longish wait for your food, it really is worth the wait. I am a big fan. read more

Delicious dinner spot! They just opened this week and I had a chance to try a few items on their menu. Very friendly service - the server remembered me when I visited when this place was called Trattoria RNB. New chef, new menu, same high quality servers! It was a beautiful night on their patio. Started with the clams and mussels which were cooked perfectly and served with garlic bread! We got two entrees - the bolognese and sea bass, both of which were exceptional. Great flavors, solid portions. Finished with the tiramisu, and paired this all with a bottle of Chianti. I am excited to come back and try more of their menu! read more

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Hands down the best Italian I have had in a while. Service was great and food was even better. 10/10 would recommend for anyone looking for a nice meal! read more

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We stumbled upon this restaurant and are so happy we did! The ambiance is amazing, you feel like you are in an Italian bistro. The staff were so kind and accommodating. The manager went above and beyond when she found out it was our anniversary. The food portions were very nice. We highly recommended this small family owned restaurant. We will be back. read more

The food and service here was absolutely amazing! The owner Bobby was super friendly from the moment we walked through the door, and with the help of our server Evan- the two of them made our experience unforgettable. You can tell each dish was made fresh and with love. Very authentic Italian food- love it!! 10/10. I can't wait to come back. read more

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Everything about this place was incredible! Ordered a variety of dishes and every single one of them was outstanding. My family and I tried one of the specials one the menu which was mini calzones... Definitely one of our new favorite restaurants to go to!! Be sure to check it out if you're in the area, you won't be disappointed. read more

Acerra Italian Kitchen & Bar - Mini Calzones - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Acerra was one of the best restaurants i've ever been to!!! The owner Bobby was nothing short of amazing. Made you feel at home from the second you walked through the door. Our server Evan was fantastic as well, super kind and very attentive. Our food was INCREDIBLE. One of our favorites was the bread bowl appetizer with fresh tomatoes, prosciutto, and burrata. 10/10 would recommend!! I can't wait to come back here. read more

Acerra Italian Kitchen & Bar - Bread bowl & burrata - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Every single thing we ordered was 10/10. Pastas all perfectly al dente. The rigatoni was to die for. Bonus points for thin rimmed wine glasses and a cozy patio. Fav Italian in wicker park! read more

Acerra Italian Kitchen & Bar - Vodka rigatoni, Cacio e Pepe, carbonara, bolognese, Amalfi pizza, shrimp and arugula lemon parm salad - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Very fresh tasting food and drinks! Good portion sizes that you're full but probably not taking lots of left overs home Recommend the truffle fries, rigatoni with chicken, cocktails: Orla Italian & smoked old fashion read more

We absolutely LOVE the rigatoni. The noodles are massive and delicious. The sauce? 10/10. But the star of the show is the noodles! We also really like the gin fiz cocktail. When I asked for a mocktail they had several good options for me too. One of our favorite neighborhood spots with great staff! read more

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We had dinner here last Saturday. Our server was kind and gave us good advice on wine. Everything arrived fast and was nicely plated. I realy liked the pasta. We'll come again when we in the area. read more

This hidden gem is a must visit!!! From the service to the food, Acerra in Bucktown is sure to impress. Every course was simply perfect. The ingredients were fresh and each dish left me wanting more. The restaurant is super inviting and comfortable. I cannot wait for the summer time to visit their patio for a pizza and cocktail! 10/10 experience. read more

I honestly never do this but I feel it is my duty to protect other customers from ever having to taste this food. I genuinely have gotten better steak from Chili's and have had better pasta from a bag. I'm refraining from giving a one star because the staff was nice but holy cow I feel bad that the cooks have to prepare what I can only assume is premade slop. read more

So the food here was actually really good! I think what was more difficult to get by is that I walked in to to get dinner by myself, and there was a young lady busing a table by the door. She looked at me and said give me one second I'll be with you in a second and walked away and proceeded to go do things on the computer. Then she begin talking to her colleagues , and all of them were just staring at me by the door, waiting for someone to seat me. Remind you they told me to wait there to be seated. Finally, after about 3-4 minute, a different staff member came to the door and asked me if I was dining in and finally gave me a table. I sat at the window and watched other folks come in whom they attended to immediately with other patrons being seated within the first 30 seconds of being in the restaurant while I waited over three minutes awkwardly standing in front of other Guest eating dinner. I don't wanna assume it was a race thing or how I was dressed because regardless of anything it wasn't right. Staff need to make sure that they're treating guests equally and they're giving equal attention to guests because it's not a feeling that makes me wanna come back. read more

Amazing! This is heaven! Waitress so kind and all the people here are so kind! Defiantly recommend! ALL THE FOOD WAS AMAZING! Best Italian food I ever had! Everything made so fresh and the seasonings were delicious. read more

Food was great. Drinks were great. Setting with fountains and great outdoor seating reminded us of Italy. So accommodating of our celiac daughter with great homemade gluten-free pasta. Plan to make this a regular stop. read more

First time here. Sat on the patio which was on the side street (not North Ave.) so nice and quiet. Service was friendly and efficient. We had the Spritz Aperol which was lovely and the Margherita with cucumber basil which was just ok. There was a lot of basil floating around the drink which I felt was overpowering and unnecessary. The hand-breaded calamari was top notch - good flavor and nice and crispy. We also had the margherita pizza which we enjoyed even though the crust was a bit soggy. In spite of these minor complaints it was a very enjoyable meal in a very nice setting and we will definitely be back. I think they have only been open for a short time so they may be working out some kinks. I'm glad they're in the neighborhood and I recommend you give them a try. read more