Service was very subpar, several dishes came out for other tables that made a pit stop at our table. The house vitino wine on the menu claimed a 2015, once delivered to the table was a 2020. Upon asking the waiter what the issue was with the discrepancy the waiter told our table that they had yet to update the menus and there would be no price reduction for the age difference. Overall a very sad experience for a place with so much potential. I'm hopeful the Managment turns this place around soon. read more

Beautiful grounds. But the actual building needs some greenery or something. It looks very pretty inside. We were there for a tasting. There is a restaurant I would like to try( some day ) when they look more prepared. We arrived right when they opened and they were scurrying around. One gentleman behind the bar did greet us and apologized because I guess there was a wedding the evening prior. It seemed like they weren't prepared . He was pleasant and did a tasting for us. The wine is good. There is a house on the property that serves as a retail shop. We followed the sign and walked up and then around down to the entrance. Its a cute little place if you find it. The view is nice too. The woman running the shop was nice and explained some of the history to us, which was nice. You can also get wine and sit there as well. read more

These people are thieves. I put down $4,000 deposit in December 2021 for our wedding to be Oct 2022. We found out in Feb 2022 we were pregnant and our due date was Oct 2022. My father was going through cancer treatments, which I had to pay throughout all this. I told Joe the owners son in Feb that our due date is way to close to our wedding date and we would have to reschedule another time and that we wanted a refund...Nope, they kept all $4000 for doing absolutely nothing. They had plenty of time to book an October wedding. Me canceling in Feb for an October wedding didn't affect their business 1%. I've made numerous attempts to resolve this and left several calls, and Joe dodges all of them. Just look at the owners house across the street from the restaurant. You dont get that being honest..Thieves. It's ok ...keep my $4,000 add it to your millions...You people are thieves, and you dodge my calls because you know you are in the wrong...I will not give up or be silenced. I've already contacted the BBB and my next call is to the State. Hope the $4,000 was worth all this mess coming your way. read more

Beautiful beautiful place. The service was fantastic. The food was so- so great. Our Italian family was disappointed in the food.

My last visit at Acquaviva winery blew my other visits out of the water even with a couple missteps in service. I chose to make reservations here for my graduation dinner with family because of the lovely ambiance, lively atmosphere, and food selections. The negative was we had to wait a half an hour to be seated even with a reservation, and the ladies at the bar were too busy to pay attention to us with a crowd of others trying to drink while waiting for seats. Luckily, out of the two wine samples we managed to get a taste of, we really enjoyed the Don Guiseppe (a dry red). Once seated, our server was actually great! He was quick to bring waters, bread baskets, ask for drink orders, and gave good suggestions for what to order for the family. He was funny, too. Among the four of us, we ordered the beet salad, mozzarella caprese, Pollo piccata, Salmon special, Zuppe di Mare (Seafood linguine), and Limoncello dessert. The salads were near entree size and easily shared among the table. Some of the entrees are super sized. Having seen the pasta bowls on earlier occasions, we knew we could easily split the Zuppa di Mare between two of us. I was surprised that it was packed with seafood, perfectly cooked, and served warm to hot. Everyone was beyond pleased with their meals. This is a great option (if not the best) in the area for celebrating! read more

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If you're Italian you will LOVE this place. The downside is that it's apparently only open on the weekends. But the people running the market are extremely friendly and helpful. Eating here can be a little on the pricey side. But the food I had here was FANTASTIC. The brick oven pizzas tasted amazing and reminded me of home. Definitely coming back. If not for the great pizza, for the wine tastings! read more

Gorgeous setting, delicious food, order full wines. But most of all, lovely people! Tours available. Tastings at the bar. And a full service restaurant. I hear this is the place for a wedding reception. But I just come for the wine and food. =) read more

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I have been to this location twice now, and I have truly enjoyed both of my experiences. The first occasion was due to my anniversary (highly recommend--romantic spot!) and then again just because we had loved the food so much that we went back again for a date night. Both times we were fortunate to have Vito as our waiter. He was welcoming, friendly and seemed to really enjoy his profession. We started off with the bruschetta the first time and it was wonderful. Very fresh ingredients with bold flavor. Since it is a winery, we had to get a bottle. We went with the "Don Guiesspi" (?), a red, and absolutely loved it. For entrees, I got the Zupa di Mare the first time and my girlfriend tried the Rigatoni Bosciola. Both were delicious, but the Zupa di Mare is a MUST! One of my favorite dishes. Highly recommend going with a large appetite for this one, but you can always share or take it home to enjoy for another day or two. The second time we went to Acquaviva, we decided to try the baked clams to start and they were wonderful. Vito was even so kind to bring out a sample of Bruschetta because our wait time for the clams would be a little longer. For entrees, my girlfriend stuck with Zupa di Mare but I branched our to the Linguini con Vongole (clams). As expected, the dish was excellent. Highly recommend for a garlic lover! Both times were a week night dinner. The restaurant was not at all crowded. We would love to come back to do a wine tasting some time and would also be curious to experience this restaurant for a formal occasion. read more

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It's hard to believe that the 3 year journey with Acquaviva has come to an end. We went through a pandemic, a shift in event coordinators from Suzanne to Beata, and several uncertainties about floor plans and final details. Though these were stressful additions, the day of the wedding was absolutely perfect. Everything went off without a hitch, except for some rain that thankfully cleared up and we were able to have a beautiful ceremony in the vineyard. The food was delicious and Beata and Nancy were truly wonderful constantly checking in with my bride and I if we needed anything. We received so many compliments on the venue and the food and are so very grateful that it turned out to be the wedding of our dreams! read more

We found this place by a happy accident. Mo demonstrated a high degree of customer service from the moment we walked through the door. We did not know what to expect as we went to Reams meat first and googled near by wineries. We had no idea we would be stepping into Italy and such a warm and welcoming site. They offer a tasting of 6 wines for $6. Mo was super knowledgeable and walked us through the steps of wine tasting. We are not strangers to the wineries and she was the first to describe "S" of wine tasting. We are excited to return when every turns green. read more

The food was delicious and the ambience was fantastic. Our server, however, seemed rude and disinterested in us

If you want surprisingly excellent local wine an outstanding crusty bread along with excellent and friendly service, this is the place for you. However if you're looking for a quality meal, I would not recommend this place at all. Appetizers: fried calamari was very good and crispy! baked clams were drowned in butter snd the topping was flavorless. My husband had the gnocchi which was hard and chewy and just awful. The presentation was not good either as it came out in a bowl with a slice of low quality mozzarella barely melted over the top of it. I had the grouper de jhong with shrimp on top which came with what they were calling mushroom risotto which was just rice with mushrooms in it and zero creaminess to it. The grouper and the shrimp were completely over cooked and were very chewy and the sauce on it was extremely salty so i left 75% of my meal to be thrown out. Will not return for a meal but will definitely buy the wine!!! The bread and the wine really are exceptional. read more

Seriously amazing. Zuppa de mare is absolutely HUGE and worth every penny. Brought it some and my son ate the leftovers for a second dinner. Seriously, it comes on a serving platter! Soooo fresh and delicious. Only thing I would suggest to the restaurant is having black pepper grinders, sorta bummed when the waitress brought a dinky little greasy-spoon shaker. But for real, eat here. Food was fresh, hot and pure quality. Place was clean and bathrooms were good too. I added a pic with my hand for scale to the size of this plate, all for $35! read more

Acquaviva Winery - Wineries Near Me - Maple Park, Illinois

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To set the stage, I'm a winemaker from Sonoma County, California who not only enjoys great food, but also appreciates fantastic wines. If this winery/restaurant were located in California, my rating would likely be three stars; however it's not. In fact, what owner Vito Brandonisio has built out in the middle of the Illinois heartland can only be described as amazing. It appears that Vito has spared no expense in building his dream; from the facility itself, to the materials and craftsmanship of the décor. Overall, the food was prepared extremely well; everyone in our party enjoyed what they ordered. We started the evening off with the classic Bruschetta alla Romana; for being fall and in the Midwest, I was surprised that the tomatoes were actually ripe and had flavor. I ordered the Gnocchi al Pomodoro Basilico Sauce with Pecorino; the gnocchi was prepared correctly, great texture and was served with just the right amount of sauce - in other words, it wasn't swimming... I specifically ordered the Frontenac, which we were told by our server was an estate wine, grown across Rt 38 at the winery's own vineyard. The back label reflected that the wine was bottled in Wisconsin, so it's possible that winery needed to crush and produce their wines elsewhere until this facility was opened. I'm not sure I can buy their description of this wine being an "Illinois Zinfandel." The flavor profile reminded me more of a Tempranillo, with flavors of blueberry vs. the classic Zinfandel red raspberry. Overall, the wine was appropriately dry and quality was clean and good. Service was polite and very friendly; however not pretentious or very sophisticated. When we first arrived, we visited with the tasting room host, who raved about the food. We were made to feel comfortable and were not disappointed. I would summarize to say that for being located in corn country outside of Chicago, this is probably one of the most formal restaurants w/in an hour radius. I would also recommend coming here for lunch and hope to do so on my next visit. read more

Acquaviva Winery - Acquaviva Winery Entrance - Wineries Near Me - Maple Park, Illinois

Really cool place. We met friends for dinner and may have found one of the best restaurants in Kane County. Before eating you almost have to admire the architecture and design of the place though. Both paid great attention to detail. Aquaviva offers an Italian food menu with several great choices. Before picking something out though, be sure to hear what the specials are. I had something in mind then the waiter kindly informed us of two other dishes, both of which sounded even better. I went with the shrimp ravioli with lobster which was phenomenal. Also had a piece of the salmon, and their tiramisu to finish off the night. I'm pretty sure everything they make here is top notch as I had trouble leaving even the last bite of tiramisu on the plate, despite being completely full. It should be noted that Aquaviva is obviously a winery. I don't drink wine but our friends do and said their Brianna is top notch. Back to the ambiance, they have a musician that plays throughout the evening at a level that's very enjoyable, and does not dominate the room. At times he walked around the restaurant and played an accordion. While there you can view the wine production area from a window on the second floor, or go down to the basement and see it directly. During daylight hours one of their vineyards can be seen right across the street. I'd highly recommend dining here if not stopping in for a couple glasses of wine. We'll certainly be back. Cheers! read more

Acquaviva Winery is not only a stunning location, but the staff is exceptional. They were a huge part of why our wedding ran so smoothly. Before the wedding and on the day of, they were attentive, on-point, and professional. To put it over the top, the food and wine are great. We received so many compliments from our guests on the food, staff, and venue. read more

I visited for the first time on Sunday, 6/23/13 with my best friend, who knows this place well. We arrived around 4 pm and it was not crowded. I like cutting to the chase so here are my ratings. Wine tasting experience - 4 stars -- could only have been better if samples were free. 6 tastes for $6 is fine. Nice server staff, beautiful tasting bar - but no seats. Wine prices by the glass - 5 stars -- really nice wines for 5-7 dollar per glass at the sole location that sells the wine (their house) not bad. They have a captured audience right, and still the prices for a glass are reasonable which is appreciated. Wine by the bottle prices - 3 stat - nothing under $20 for a bottle. And while I liked all their wines, 2-3 were pretty exceptional and the highest priced wines were around 29 bucks per bottle. Ambiance - 5 stars - exceptionally pretty with a nice outdoor area. Service - 5 stars - great friendly staff Food - 4 stars - I give 4 stars only because we ate a limited selection - the two of us shared a cobb salad (very good) and a prociutto (sp) arugula pizza (very good). A dessert of gelato and cocoa (truffle) was yummy. Prices - 3 stars. For the venue and overall experience, it's a good value. I didn't feel like I was charged too much or too little for the overall experience and service. TOTAL TAB FOR 2 WITH A WINE TASTING, 4 GLASSES OF WINE, AN INDIVIDUAL SIZED PIZZA AND SALAD PLUS DESSERT = $72 BEFORE TAX AND TIP. SO SAY $90... that 's not highway robbery but it's not especially inexpensive either. But again, the cost of the wine by the glass was the real treat. Also --- the lack of TV was AWESOME!!!! read more

Made reservations and went here for Valentine's Day dinner. The dinner, wine and atmosphere was nice. (Been there before) but I have to tell you, our initial experience last night was really unfortunate. I was close to just turning around and walking out. We were met by the hostess who I could tell had an attitude. We were escorted to our table which was the first one in the room pretty much in front of the service hallway and really not a place to celebrate a special occasion. Since there were more than 3/4 of the room still empty I asked to see if there was another table available. She curtly said with a deep sigh, "I'll seat you at the next table since we're booked solid" .This one was right next to the first one we declined. As we dined she kept taking twosomes to their tables and kept taking them between the tables where they were brushing against already seated patrons which many looked up in surprise. She could have easily used the larger service ways but for some reason felt the need to do what she determined a faster way to dump the people off. I enjoyed our dinner but it would have been much better with a "customer based attitude" from the first person you interact with. read more

We visited the winery after visiting the nearby apple orchard. We came on a Sunday. There was the big venue that we originally went to and they had said they were closed for the day because of a wedding. There was actually a tasting room that looked like a house that we almost missed but an "open" sign was at the front. We walked in right when it opens at 12 on a Sunday and were greeted for the tastings. For 6 dollars a person it is not bad. The pourings were a little small, but the glasses of wine were reasonably priced. We only went to the tasting room but heard there is food served at the actual venue. We were able to sit outside when ordering a glass of wine which is very nice. Very nice for an Illinois winery. read more

Acquaviva Winery - Wineries Near Me - Maple Park, Illinois

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Came here on Christmas Eve, "family style" fix menu dinner and we left less than impressed....and hungry. Cost was $45 per person, didn't (of course) include drinks. There were 7 of us at a large table and they were to bring out bread, olive oil and parmesan cheese but that didn't arrive till much later, after someone said something. Drink refills arrived promptly but that was the only plus. The starter was bruschetta which was tasty, one highlight of the meal but they only brought out one piece per person. Would have been nice to have another. Next was a seafood salad along with a balsamic mixed green salad. The seafood salad was tasty with calamari rings, shrimp and the like. The mixed green salad was nothing special. The next course was a cheese filled spinach ravioli with marinara sauce. The ravioli's were a little cold but out of the whole meal, they were the second best. Course 3 was the "main" which consisted of cod fish w/Puttanesca sauce and beef tenderloin. The cod wasn't a hit with any of us, on the cold side and not as tasty as cod normally is. The beef tenderloin was a big disappointment as it was served very, very rare. Heard someone in our party say "that's a bloody mess"! So much so that a few in our party wouldn't eat it. On the tough side and not much flavor, sad as that was what most of us were looking forward to. Dessert arrived and the the Tiramisu was basically nothing but whipped cream, mini Cannoli were over cooked, too crunchy. Many of the above courses didn't allow "seconds" as the portions were small. We were really hoping for a delicious Christmas Eve dinner but unfortunately, it didn't happen here. read more

Paul was absolutely amazing! We enjoyed our tasting with him at the front bar. We would come back just for him! The wines were delicious! We ordered a quick appetizers and glass of wine at a table and can't wait to come back to try more. We did stop by the market but it didn't seem like Dina knew too much about the wine clubs. It didn't make sense that if we signed up for a wine club that we wouldn't get our membership discount today. There is no incentive. Regardless, the wines are delicious and the atmosphere is remarkable. We will be back! read more

I scheduled a wine tasting for 2 on a Sunday. I booked the tasting online but didn't find much about the experience in advance. When we arrived it took a while for anyone to notice or help give us direction because there was a baby shower happening and the winery seemed very understaffed to handle the demands of customers and the party. The wine tasting was at the bar counter right as you walk in. The employees were rushed and were pouring the same wine the couple was drinking next to us. We often had to interrupt and ask to try a different sample. This was not a good date or place to talk. We had a couple of baby shower women next to us chatting. My review may seem harsh since I'm used to wineries on the west coast. The inside of the building was pretty but the experience itself was lacking. Wines were great (there were a lot of sweet wine options so we stuck with the less sweet ones). I would go back here to buy the wine only. If you are wanting a nice date experience I would go somewhere else or call them and ask about their tour nights or other options. My experience was only with wine tasting and eating lunch. Food and pricing were reasonable. Wine was 4 stars experience 2. read more

I came here because of a local flavor coupon. The inside is very nice looking, italian influenced. For lunch I split a pizza and salad with my friend. The salads are huge, they definitely can be split amongst 4-5 people per salad. The pizzas are the perfect size for two. As a table of three we would have had the perfect amount of food with just 1 salad and 1 pizza. The portion sizes are clearly great! We were really happy with the taste of the food. I had the margharitta pizza (imported plum tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil) and it tasted very fresh, plus the dough was cooked perfectly. For the salad we choose the CHOPPED SALAD (tossed mixed greens with salami, soppressata, cappocolla, marinated artichoke, provolone, roasted red bell pepper in balsamic vinaigrette dressing) I liked the overall flavor and variety of ingrediants. I also had a piece of the SALSICCIA E FUNGHI (imported plum tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, Italian sausage, wild mushrooms) I liked it better than the margheretta pizza! To drink I had the BRIANNA wine which tastes a lot like a moscatto. It was very light and refreshing. Our waiter was very friendly and personable. As far as the wine goes, they do not have many sweet wines. They also do not change out their wines very much. So if you go to a tasting in December most likely the same wines will be available in August. For this reason, there is not much incentive for me to visist often unless I love their set menu of wines. This winery is definitely worth checking out once! The food and service are great! read more

Well, I wasn't holding out much hope for an 'Illinois Winery' especially after hearing they grow ALL the grapes on site. Much to my surprise, the wines were very tasty. I prefer big reds and enjoyed their selection... satisfied with several of their creations. The building and decor were the biggest treat. Gorgeous foyer with mosaic floor and painted ceiling. We had a late seating of 4 so we didn't have to deal with the busy waitstaff as some other reviewers did. I must say, our waitress was a delight. She guided us through their menu according to our tastes and we had a great meal with a couple of bottles of wine... and live music. I look forward to another visit sometime soon. I must get a better look at this vineyard. read more

The venue is simply stunning! I can see why it's booked so much for weddings. The inside has a beautiful Tuscan feel. The food was delicious. read more

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I was surprised for my birthday today but we have been to the location they had in st. Charles and me and my friend enjoyed it! Omg let me tell you how freaking beautiful this place is. I was in aw the history and the story to the facility and the land they own is a marvelous story. The wine is amazing, but I knew that! They have a lunch and dinner menu which I didn't try but will next time. We had Vito who is the son of the owners who helped us and gave us an amazing and funny tour! I enjoyed it! Will be back and enjoy some of that yummy artichoke dip they were talking about. The decor is so amazing, it was legit hand painted every little detail when you walk in! Like I said to hear he history you need a tour! Super cool to learn how they do their wine! Thank you for an amazing afternoon! read more

Went to the sycamore location for Valentine's Day dinner. Should have known to leave as soon as we sat down. The bread served before the meal was burnt. They ran out of ribeye steak and pasta for their special. The dining room was not very busy. The new york strip undercooked. The potatoes were literally halved and seared on a flat top with no seasoning. The main dishware came straight from a high school cafeteria and none of the dishes matched. This had to be one of the most terrible experiences for a bill of $117.00 for 2. We will never dine here again. read more

Acquaviva Winery - I enjoyed the various forms cutlery for a table of 2. Different forks, knives and dishes. - Wineries Near Me - Maple Park, Illinois

The food is exceptional, the service is attentive and the atmosphere is beautiful! (might want to clean the vents on the ceiling) I'll be a guest as long as your doors are open. read more

For my wife and I, this is our go-to spot. We've shared countless glorious memories here, including our wedding reception. My wife surprised me with a wine tasting tour a few years back, hosted by the wine master. It was unforgettable, and the wine was delicious. Take a few bottles home. We love Italian cuisine, and the menu is full of favorites. The gnocchi and sausage is my absolute favorite. After a starter of bruschetta of course. We have never been disappointed here. I almost hope you don't go, because we don't want this well kept secret gem to get overrun. Make a point to visit, you will be glad you did. read more

Amazing place! Food is off the hook legitimate Italian! Try the winetasting after dinner so cool!

Have been here numerous times when it was a restaurant, EXCELLENT food and service. They have changed it now into a banquet facility for weddings and other events so you are limited to dining options. We recently had a ladies luncheon and added a wine tour, than a tasting in their wine shop. Just a FANTASTIC experience, highly recommend this beautiful restaurant. read more

I recently visited Acquaviva Winery for a wine tasting/tour, dinner, and proposal to my long-time girlfriend. Joe, the GM, and the rest of his staff was extremely accommodating from the first contact on. I met with Joe a week before the planned proposal and he was extremely excited to help me accomplish my plans for the proposal. Paul, our tour guide, was extremely enthusiastic and had great knowledge of the history of the winery and was once again, very accommodating as Paul played a very important role during my proposal scheme. Paul was a joy to work with. Now on the the product. I am not a "wine person" by any means BUT I did very much enjoy the different types of wines Acquaviva had to offer (big selection). Dinner capped off an amazing experience at the winery and the food did not let us down. From the bruschetta to the entree, it was all amazing! I recommend this place for many of reasons! For the great food, for the great wine, and for my favorite reason: Joe and his staff are great people and just want everyone and anyone who steps into Acquaviva to have a great experience. I know I sure did! read more

My wife and I hosted our wedding reception there in the Fall of last year. We chose Acquaviva because we had previously attended another wedding there the year prior and liked what we had experienced. Additionally, we had dined there months earlier and were very impressed with the presentation and quality of the food. My wife and I are both Italian, by the way, so we don't take the menu portion of a wedding reception lightly. I will quickly point out that the owner (or owner's son), Joe, was a pleasure to work with from start to finish. Moreover, he was extremely accommodating to all of our requests, even when they didn't necessarily coincide to Acquaviva's typical reception program and timeline. My wife and I were never short on questions or concerns, and Joe was always available in person, over e-mail or on the phone to have a conversation months leading up to the actual day. The food quality, as mentioned, was really good. Everything is made to order (the filets aren't sitting under warmers, etc.) so we did experience some delay with the courses. We had about 175 guests so that, I suppose, is the sacrifice you make for perfectly cooked filets and food that isn't received lukewarm. Overall, we received many compliments on the food at the wedding as well as weeks after. We expected nothing less. We had a great "seafood bar," which all Italians enjoy, during the reception hour. That went over really well but the staff probably could have picked up the pace when refilling the platters. What stood out more than this was the dessert table. We had purchased dozens of Italian cookies and pastries from a local bakery and half of them were not put out at the same time due to a "lack of room," we were told afterward. I would have taken issue with this at the time but I wasn't told about it until after the night was over. If the ball was dropped anywhere, it was here, as we were left with hundreds of cookies and pastries that night. For the record, Joe, was not on sight for a majority of the night but if he was, I'm confident that detail wouldn't have been missed. The venue itself is beautiful and the foyer is like what you would find inside a Venetian cathedral- very ornate. It's makes quite an impression upon first entering the venue. You basically walk from the outside directly into the foyer (the place is one big room essentially) so we experienced a bit of a backlog with our receiving line. As mentioned, we had about 175 people and I don't think you could have more than 225 comfortably. Another bonus, regardless of your wedding size, is that the entire venue is yours that night. Unlike banquet halls that have several rooms, you won't be sharing one of the most important nights of your life with one, two or three other couples also tying the knot that day. Since this is a winery you have the opportunity for some really great wedding pictures, including in the basement among the wine barrels and across the street in the vineyard. This is a definite bonus if the weather is on your side that day. Also, since this is a winery, fruit flies can be an issue, depending on the time of year (usually if it's warm and during a wine harvest time). About two weeks before our wedding, we had stopped there and were shocked at the number of fruit flies literally swarming around our wine glasses. Luckily, the weather cooled off and by the time our wedding date came around, it wasn't an issue at all. But if it was- and it certainly could have been- it would have been pretty embarrassing. Overall, this is a great wedding reception spot that is unique, that your guests will always remember, and that boasts a lineup of food that you can count on. I challenge any banquet hall or hotel to match the food offered at Acquaviva! If you have a wedding size that is 200 people or less and you don't mind the trek (it's about 20-25 minutes west of downtown St. Charles), then this is a great choice for your wedding reception. read more

18 months ago some friends gave us a gift certificate for Acquaviva Winery. Today I called hoping to place an order and use the gift certificate and was told that I needed to present the gift certificate in person even though it is numbered and could easily have been cancelled on their books. I even offered to tear it up after using it and send them a photo of the pieces so they could rest assured it could not be used again, but that was not sufficient. I have never been there or tried their wines, but if their wines are as lacking as their customer service and desire to accommodate customers, then I guess I haven't been missing anything. read more

After reading the rave reviews on Yelp, and hearing from a former neighbor that Acquaviva was their favorite restaurant in these parts, we decided to bring my parents and wine-enthusiast uncle and aunt there for dinner on Friday night. Let's be blunt: Acquaviva isn't going to win any international wine competitions with their products. If you enjoy Three Wishes, Yellow Tail or Kim Crawford wines, you may enjoy this winery. If you're a serious wine drinker, you'll likely leave the glass half empty, as both my uncle and I did. The food was largely under-cooked and under-seasoned. I had the gnocchi, which arrived drenched in vodka sauce. The gnocci themselves were so over-cooked that they were chewy and rather unpleasant. But the portions were large, so if you like eating a lot of poorly prepared food, you're in luck! The atmosphere is odd as well - I felt like I was in a banquet facility with a large wedding party, not an intimate restaurant. The faux paintings on the wall are tacky, as is the accordion player who serenades every table (no offense to the musician - I'm sure he's just doing his job). Some people are wearing jeans, others are dressed to the nines in skirts and sequined tops. Bizarre. Personally, I wouldn't go back. read more

Went there for my birthday the other night. The waitress knew it was my birthday because she knew someone in our party of 7 and they told her. The food was good. We had the fried calamari (okay, I've had better) and the grilled octopus and squid which was good. Our entrees included the clam linguine, a couple of shrimp pesto pizzas, a side salad, bruschetta, some sausage dish with peppers/garlic mashed potatoes, a pasta with spinach/cheese in a vodka sauce, and the chicken vesuvio. All were good. I had the sausage dish which was good, but I thought the combo of sausage and peppers with garlic mashed potatoes was a little weird. They try to convey this place as a nicer restaurant, but they failed in the service department. The servers (waitress, bus staff) were all very nice, that is not where they are lacking. The problem was the inattentiveness of the servers. They seem to not be trained or inexperienced. I think they need some training. My (the birthday girl) entree was forgotten. When I ordered, I asked the waitress which entree she would recommend between two choices. She told me the sausage and I took her advice. All the entrees came out except for mine. She came up and asked me what I ordered. She should've known that especially since she recommended it. She then said it would be right up. Well, I told everyone to start eating. No one wanted to because they thought it was rude especially since it was my birthday. I told them to eat or their food would get cold. My food came a little later, but obviously was not ready and had to be prepped. Refills of soft drinks were brought out and the empty glasses were left. New glasses of beer/wine were brought out and empties not removed. One girl (she looked very young) would bring a pitcher of water and ask does anyone need water, instead of looking at the glasses, walking over to that person and asking if they would like a refill. By the time we were done, we had empty appetizer plates, glasses, beer bottles, on our table along with our dessert. One person in our party was never asked if they wanted their food boxed even after taking our dessert order. We had to ask. read more

Our third visit, and time to post our observations... First the good... It's a beautiful location, overlooking the vineyards and way out in the country. It really feels like you're in wine country somewhere other than just west of St. Charles. They really cater to wine tastings and small plate appetizers, making it a fun place to go to for an afternoon outing. I liked the meat and cheese plate and it's priced very reasonably. The wood oven pizzas look great. Now the not so good, not quite bad... They only serve their wine, meaning you get what they've got. That makes it hit or miss on the wine, and for us, it's been mostly a miss. Most of the whites are okay, but not really great, and the reds are mostly less than satisfactory. An exception is the 2008 Frontenac ("Illinois Zinfandel") that does go well with the meats and cheeses, even if it's missing the pepper we normally expect from a good zin... The restaurant is also more of a miss than a hit -- at least for a couple. Our last visit, we were seated in the midst of the room that's full of 8 to 10 top tables. And here we started to think maybe we're not the demographic for this place. Most of the 10 tops were family-filled, or bachelorette parties, and it seemed the food/wine was secondary to the fun of simply sitting around the same big table. Kind of like "the old days". For us, while we enjoy each others' company, it's still about the food and service. And that's where it went from not quite good to bad, bordering on ugly. My wife's Pollo Picatta, described as "sauteed in a white wine lemon sauce with garlic and capers", arrived as pale as poached chicken served in a hospital room, missing the garlic, or any hint of lemons. Our guess is that this was cooked off hours earlier and sat waiting for us to arrive. When we arrived, the kitchen was too busy to adequately saute the chicken, choosing instead to simply spoon a little capers in butter sauce on top. It could have been fixed had the waitress had time to even see our furtive waves at her to get it fixed. My filet, ordered medium-rare arrived dangerously close to medium, although still tender and very tasty. We ordered a bottle of Frontenac and it was very good with the meat and cheese starter. But they gave us tiny little cheapo tasting glasses, depriving us of the opportunity to swirl our wine, and get our noses into the glasses to fully enjoy the experience. In fact, we saw almost no appropriate glassware at any table. Too bad, they're missing a chance to make their wine shine. And lastly, service. As I wrote earlier, we may not be the right demographic. We're not a table of 6 or more, with multiple generations of family, sitting around a table enjoying food just like we used to get in the old neighborhood. But when your waitress picks up two or three 8 or 10 top tables, It's easy for her to get overwhelmed. And when your server is overwhelmed, someone's going to suffer. This time it was us. No one asked us if our food was good, it wasn't until late in the meal after the bottle was long empty that we were asked if we wanted another, and no one asked if wanted coffee or dessert. When we complained that the chicken showed no evidence of sauteing, the server (not ours, another server who came by), argued that the chicken was never cooked ahead of time, so she didn't understand our complaints. She took the chicken to the kitchen and came back with an offer to re-cook the chicken. Sorry, no, not when the other person at the table has finished his entire dinner, and the wine glasses are empty. She took the chicken off the bill. Still no offer of coffee, no mention of dessert. Our waitress brought the adjusted bill - no apology offered for the lack of attention to us, or the unsatisfactory meal. So, to sum it up, we probably won't be back -- at lest not for dinner. We may try the pizzas, but until they figure out how to turn their entire staff into customer service people, like Francesca's or Bien Trucha does, it's too easy to fall through the cracks here. ...and we won't order the chicken again... read more

I was lucky enough to attend one of my friend's weddings tonight at Acquaviva and it was by far the best wedding I've been to (besides my own, of course.) The place is beautiful. My friend (the bride) had showed me pictures on her phone so I knew what to expect, but my mind was still blown by the beauty of the whole venue. The ceremony itself was hard to see at times because there are these giant pillars in the center. I still had a clear enough view to see all the mushy parts leaving me an utter sobbing mess. After the quick ceremony was cocktail hour. I was impressed by the friendliness of the bartenders who seemed unphased by the mass amounts of people swarming for a drop of booze. Props for that. One of the biggest parts of weddings that I hate is that the food is usually sub-par. It's hard to make the food consistent when you're cooking for 150-300 people at once. Acquaviva definitely had some pretty amazing food. During cocktail hour, they passed bruschetta, bacon wrapped dates and meatballs. The crunchiness of the bread with the bruschetta is not braces friendly, so I skipped it -- the bacon wrapped dates were pretty good but can't compare to the ones at Cafe Babareeba (not that anyone can) so I only had one or two BUT the meatballs were the star of the show. Not joking that I just followed the lady with the meatball tray around for an hour. I think they were getting creeped out by me. YUM. On to dinner. It was family style and we ended up with a salad, bread, chicken, baked potato, veggies and steak with mushrooms. All of the food was surprisingly hot and very delicious. The star of the show was of course the wine (um..DUH it's a winery) Since my husband couldn't make it, my friend was my date. We finished off 2 bottles of Bella Blanco wine between the two of us. I'm not normally a wine-o or anything, but it was THAT good. If you're thinking of planning any sort of event at Acquaviva, as a guest - I would highly recommend it. Everyone that was in attendance raved about the food, the wine and the venue. read more

I have to say that my daughters and I were there for my birthday. They thought it would be special to take me there as I love wine and vineyards. I love being with my daughters and they treat me very special. Across the street from the restaurant is a vineyard so a very pretty setting for a restaurant! The food all of us felt, was below the quality that was expected for such an expensive restaurant. We will not be back... read more

What a great Easter Sunday destination with the family. Incredible menu, service and presentation. Everyone's meal was perfect and we all had leftovers. The Crab Cakes were exceptional and my Lamb Chops were locally sourced and were simply amazing. Paired nicely with baby red potatoes and grilled brussel sprouts. Enjoyed a fine glass of Bianco Bello too. Already looking forward to returning and dining alfresco. read more

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