We headed north to Skokie to see a friend play some jazz and ate at Ascione beforehand. We are so glad we did. The restaurant is a gorgeous, huge space, with two dining rooms. The main dining room has a view of the kitchen, and the second dining room is adjacent to the bar. I recommend the bar, as I am not a fan of open kitchens and if you are lucky you can get a table against the windows, secluded from the hubbub. It is a loud, energetic space. They have a solid cocktail program, particularly their riff on a Black Manhattan with bourbon and Demerara - a refugee from an Old Fashioned. I recommend swapping out bourbon for rye and holding the Demerara - its an excellent drink. A good collection of Italian and American wines. We ordered the Lemelson, a light bodied Pinot from Willamette Valley. It paired well with the lobster ravioli special and roast chicken. For food, we ordered the aforementioned entrees, and started with the meatballs and the beet salad. The meatballs were superb, flavorful and juicy. The beet salad was delicious, as were the entrees. Just a note, they have a very heavy hand with the sauces. The lobster ravioli came with a cognac cream sauce that painted the plate. It had much more tomato than I was led to believe but the dish was still very good. Kelly had the red wine reduction on the side for her chicken, and it was a veritable bowl of soup! The mushrooms are actually in the sauce, and it has a strong bitter flavor - I liked it but it was not Kelly's favorite. Still, a very good dish. We went light for dessert and had a scoop of gelato and a scoop of sorbet. They were both excellent. Service is friendly, the tables have plenty of space between them and the restrooms are accessible. No valet, but a free city lot is a short block away and street parking is available. Definitely worth a trip from the city. read more

Met with some friends after work and they suggested Ascione (which one of them had already been to several times). Spacious and elegant, the bar area seemed even larger than the dining room, though not many people were there for Happy Hour (please add more options to Happy Hour). We split a charcuterie plate (not exciting) and some pinsas (flatbread pizzas), one a margherita style and the other a pesto flavor (our favorite). We basically met to have some drinks and catch up but I would have welcomed a few more choices. The staff was very attentive and friendly and even sent out some complimentary bruschetta. There is plentiful free parking. It's great to have another restaurant in this area of downtown Skokie. Though I didn't have dinner, my friends recommend it! read more

See all

I was seeing a friends daughter in a show at the Actors Training Center and we wanted to grab dinner beforehand. Libertad is usually my top choice when in the area, but my friend mentioned she found this adorable Italian restaurant that we should check out...and so we found ourselves here. We were also lucky to find a parking spot right outside the restaurant on this fridge Chicago January evening. As she promised the atmosphere is lovely, it's quite spacious which gives me hope it's not too difficult to score a reservation on a weekend and the service was top notch. We opted out of drinks since it was a week day and I knew I'd have to get back to work after the show and chose to share some apps among our party of 3. - Meatballs: yummy and usually my go to since an excellent source of protein - The Tomato Salad with burrata: They forgot the burrata (the best part!) when they brought it out, but brought some on the side which sufficed - Charred Broccoli: a great veggie side We also had something else that I can't seem to remember (even by looking at the menu) so clearly not memorable, but overall it was a solid meal and filled me up without making me too full for the show. No dessert since we were in a rush to get to the show, but didn't feel like i needed it on this particular night. I"d definitely come back for another girls night out or date night. read more

Great chef. Top tier service. Large space. Reasonable prices for the quality. Will return.

Finally tried this spot that got so much praise on Instagram! We tried the happy hour, such a great deal! Everything was between $7-10. The oysters didn't seem as fresh and the bruschetta was just ok, but thr meatballs, pinsas, cocktails and service was top notch. The martinis were $7, we tried the lemon drop and cosmo and 100/10! The margarita pinsa sounded so simple but ended up being our favorite item off of the menu! So flavorful. It was very spacious in there and decorated very nice. Looking forward to coming back and trying the full dinner! read more

See all

Went there on June 9 for dinner. First of all, I don't the service was very friendly, very helpful and knowledgeable. I've had their pasta there before which was superb about a month ago, so we decided to come back and have friends join us. I had the braised short rib, which was again particularly good. My wife had the eggplant and white fish which she split with her friend Lori and she said it was also very good. I will definitely return. They also have a nice patio, which was great and at 6 PM there is no sun beating down on you. read more

Ascione Bistro is a nice spot. It's got a little more energy and noise than a very upscale place, but the food prep and presentation is very nice. So it's a bit of a contrast. I've sat in the lounge and the kitchen room. The lounge has the big bar in the middle with the TVs and sports so it feels sort of casual and noisy. The kitchen room, I thought was less noisy, but still above average loud. The food is nicely prepared and presented well. The short ribs were massive. The seafood "soup" was a more like a seafood buffet. I think the portions are a touch random. You can't judge on price tag alone whether your order is 2x or 3x the size of anyone else's order. The service is very attentive, practically overlapping each other. They are quick to clear your plates, dust the crumbs, and refill the drinks. The kitchen also brought out the food really fast (almost too fast) despite being a good size weekday crowd. read more

See all

Welp Yelp, I must really like this place. I think this is the first time I have written a review update just 2 days after my first review (and visit) to a restaurant, or any other business for that matter. After having a tip-top delicious lunch on the Wednesday, I returned here on the Friday to enjoy a dinner. This time it was for a party of 7 as I sold the place to some extended family members and Ascione Bistro came through with another tip-top delicious 5 star meal for us all. We all agreed on the rating, and I patted myself on the back for the recommendation lol. We basically had a 3 course meal, and Mario was our attentive, competent, and friendly server. Being Asians, we shared everything family style and it was a great way to try a lot of their dishes. All of the dishes were delicious, flavorful, and just plain excellent, from appetizers to entrees to desserts, and the entrees were particularly generous and pretty good values. So for the record, the menu for our dinner was: Appetizers: Insalata di Mare (seafood salad), $21 Fried calamari, $16 Beet salad, $12 Entrees: Squid Ink Davalo, pasta special of the day, $55 Lobster risotto, $39 Salmon, $28 Duck breast, $33 Colorado lamb chops, $39 Braised short rib, $36 Desserts: Tiramisu, $9 Limoncello mascarpone cake, $9 Flourless chocolate mousse, $9 Both dining areas and the bar area were quite busy and vibrant. We sat by the open kitchen this time, and that particular room was closed off during our previous quiet lunch visit. It was actually pretty loud and got a little difficult to hear, but it all made for a fun, upbeat, and festive environment. Big thumbs up again, and thank you for a wonderful evening out in downtown Skokie! read more

Ascione Bistro - Corner storefront looking out to a busy Oakton St at the moment. - Italian Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

After a long wait, Ascione Skokie is finally open! In the heart of downtown Skokie, Ascione provides a huge, classy space for juuustt slightly upscale Italian food. There's plenty of parking nearby, but the restaurant also provides a free valet service. Came here with a group of 4 and we decided to get the Arancini. We split it 4-way, which gave us each a very delicious bite of mushrooms. If you're looking for more, I would recommend only sharing this with 2-3 people instead or ordering a second one. I ordered the Pork Chop Italiano which was GIGANTIC? I didn't expect it to be. The mashed potatoes that come with were very delicious, and there's more than enough white wine sauce to help hydrate the meat. I definitely had this for lunch and dinner the next day too. Highly recommend checking out this long-awaited spot in Skokie! read more

See all

I really wanted to love Ascione. There are not a ton of upscale places by Skokie so I was rooting for it. The place is nice and grandiose, with a beautiful bar and a nice atmosphere. We sat by the bar and gotta say the service was top notch. We had two bartenders that tag teamed us and they delivered. I got a great recommendation on my wine from staff (which I plan to buy at Binnys). The food is where my issue is at. We got a cheese place that was terrible looking and it was served in a steak plate. Is it too much to ask to have a cheese board for presentation purposes considering this is fine dining? There were massive chunks of parmesan that were so hard to cut. We also got squares of ricotta so that was a rare sight. Never seen that consistency not did I think I would find it on a cheese board. The fries were good but very thin and shrively looking. The gnnochi was supposed to be hand made but I believe that it was not hand made or possibly old. Hand made pasta tastes fresh, this did not. I might return but not anytime soon. read more

Ascione Bistro - Cheese plate - Italian Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

Food and service were excellent. Had the braised short ribs and they tender and well prepared. It is great place to go with a small group. read more

Ascione Bistro - Chianti Braised Short Rib - Italian Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

Great neighborhood gem that is putting out mouthwatering Italian fare that feels like your Italian grandma made it in her kitchen. Our waiter, Roberto was awesome!!! He mentioned he came from a small town north of Venice. He was very informative with all the specials that were rolling out. I really appreciate the way that the space is laid out and how the bar is in the middle! I think the flow is well balanced with it spaced that way. Came for an early dinner before watching the Nutcracker at NorthShore Theater. We loved how fast & fresh the food came! We were able to enjoy a lovely meal and still make it to our ballet performance. Don't miss out on this powerhouse place. Happy to announce Skokie has another standout pillar in the neighborhood serving Italian deliciousness!! read more

See all

I have been going to the Hyde Park location for a few years , always good food and service. I live in Northbrook and was super excited when they opened their Skokie location . This is the 3 Rd time we celebrated a birthday party at the Skokie location and it has been stellar each time. The food is amazing and the service is just as great. Amazing ownership too . My family and I are customers for life . read more

Ascione Bistro - Italian Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

See all

Great new place to enjoy half way to Chicago from the northern suburbs and with a much less chance of getting mugged or car-jacked! The bar area is wide open and huge. Probably seats 20 easy with at least two nice corners fire a group of four. Several high tops to the east of the actual bar add some space as well as a large couch and some big chairs by a digital fireplace. All in all a bit "open" feeling (not cozy) although nice enough. We had drinks and an app during Happy Hour at one of the high tops and then dinner in the dining area to the west side of the bar, just inside the patio. The service extremely professional, friendly, knowledgeable and efficient. Two folks took care of us at the high top and Mario was our server for dinner. Mario gave great insight as to the dishes so we could make our own informed decision and did suggest one of the wines while also describing it. We enjoyed $7 Manhattans at HH (they have it misspelled on the menu as manhatten) as well as $1.50 each fresh oysters and $7 "mini" meatballs. For my meal I chose the lobster bisque and then the eggplant and arugula salad. The bisque was tasty - not very creamy yet quite flavorful. Best of all it was only $10. The eggplant was very thinly sliced and had a nice crispy coating with what appeared to be Panko breadcrumbs. It was a bit too thin in terms of the thickness of the eggplant. The arugula was very fresh and abundant. The only problem was the dressing was way off. It was basically just sweet balsamic glaze no olive oil to speak of and the flavor was not balanced. Other than that, it was delicious. We will definitely return to try more dishes read more

Had lunch on a Sunday. Really cool vibe inside the restaurant. Lovely and attentive service. We had the Arancini for an appetizer. Large deep fried rice ball on a tasty mushroom sauce. Pappardelle with wild boar sauce. Super yummy with plenty of sauce. Would have been even better with some fresh Parmegiano regiano on top. My friend had the duck with the risotto and she loved it. We had the limoncello cake with a scoop of pistachio gelato. The cake with moist with the right amount of tartness. Gelato wasn't anything special. Overall good experience. read more

See all

Very nice place, upscale type atmosphere, polite service. The food was a little pricey for what you get ($9 to add a giant scallop--yes, that's for one scallop; but also yes, it was a very good scallop). Valet parking is available, or you can park in a public lot that's about a block away. We had the tiramisu for dessert, which was delicious, and it cost less than a giant scallop. read more

See all

Our first visit at Ascione to celebrate our anniversary. Vice nice decor and atmosphere. The service staff was excellent. We order calamari, lobster bisque to start, and then braised short rib and lobster risotto. All very good, the lobster tail over risotto was over-seasoned a bit (too salty). Looking forward to the next visit. read more

Ascione Bistro - Braised short rib in the back and lobster risotto in front. - Italian Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

Beautiful restaurant with nice staff. However, the food needs improvement. We tried the mussels, burger, and mushroom risotto. The food was saltier than I'd have liked, so I didn't enjoy it as much. Their tiramisu was delicious, though. I would come back if the prices were more affordable. read more

See all

Hands down some of the best Italian spots. Every dish was fresh, flavorful, and clearly made with care. The pasta was perfectly cooked, the sauces were rich and authentic, and the portions were generous. You can really taste the quality in every bite. Can't wait to come back! read more

Ascione Bistro - Gnocchi & L Linguine Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

Today we had lunch at this newly opened lovely Italian restaurant with charming ambience. The hot bread served with olive oil and herbs at the beginning of the meal was very promising. The lunch did not disappoint: my branzino was pan fried to perfection, spinach on the side had a beautiful flavor and freshness. My husband's carefully spiced seafood Linguine ai Frutti di Mare was outstanding. We ended our lunch with delicious pistachio and salted caramel gelato and espresso. The excellent service and reasonable prices were a nice bonus to our overall wonderful experience. Bravo! We cannot wait to come back! read more

See all

I don't even know where to start--that's how incredible everything was at Ascione. From the food and drinks to the service and ambiance, every detail exceeded expectations. The restaurant is stunning, with a cozy patio that feels like a hidden gem. Our server Jose was outstanding--attentive, friendly, and full of great recommendations (which we were so glad we followed!). The rest of the staff were just as welcoming. And the desserts? Absolutely phenomenal. As we were leaving, the manager Danny checked in with us, and I had to tell him how amazing the entire experience was. I'll definitely be back. Such a wonderful addition to downtown Skokie! read more

See all

Wow, Ascione Bistro was delicious! The only thing we wouldn't recommend is the Caesar Salad. Ours was watery and flavorless. Everything else we ordered was really good. The restaurant itself was ok. The chairs are beautiful and expensive looking but are actually very uncomfortable to sit in. The music was rave music; which really took away from the experience and food, so unfortunately, for that reason, we can't see ourselves bringing guests here. read more

Food was great. Little Pricey... Service was good . Noise level too high! Hard to talk to people! read more

The food was outstanding (5 star rating) but the experience with the waiters was terrible (1 star rating). The main waiter repeatedly interrupted our conversation, reached across us rather than serve to the side, pushed us to hurry up our orders, and actually seemed hostile. I have no issue paying for a great meal but the restaurant was not full and we were constantly rushed. I will admit that one of my pet peeves iwhen dining in a good and expensive restaurant is to be interrupted by waiters; our waiter and some of the other service people rudely interrupted us repeatedly. I think that the kitchen is excellent but expect provessional, trained table service when I spend $100+ per head. I write this because I would like to return when the owner and/or manager retrains his staff. read more

We had a terrific time at this venue. Great cocktails, all entrees and pastas were spot on (although my Puttanesca was a bit light on the pasta!) the boar ragu drew raves from my friend, and his wife really enjoyed the gnocchi. My wife LOVED the short rib entree. We ate in the bar area as the open table reservation option gave three options: lounge, high top or chef's table, which was merely the dining room with an open view of the kitchen. I would've given five stars if it was a little less confusing to make reservations and they didn't skimp on a very inexpensive entrée with the pasta portion. We definitely will be back. read more

We went to Ascione Bistro for date night last Sunday. What a nice experience . . . .. The restaurant is lovely, the food was very good, and the ambience was just right. Jose was our server and he took care of our every need. He was attentive, and charming, checking on us as we enjoyed every course. We will be back, and bring our friends! Don and Jan read more

My friend and I came here for one year friend anniversary and honestly, this place was super cute. I know there's not too many new restaurants in Skokie, but we decided to come to this place after looking at a few yelp reviews. My friend got the pasta with red sauce and I ended up getting the chicken which ended up being really juicy and flavorful. The drinks were anything special but for the price it was a pretty good evening! read more

This place was elegant without being stuffy. Roberto was server and he was funny and knowledgeable about the food and I will definitely be back to have another delicious meal and see Roberto again! read more

Had a lovely birthday dinner at Ascione. Our server was attentive and when I inquired about the cioppino that was on the new years menu only, he graciously checked with the kitchen and they were able to make it for me. It was perfectly spicy with lots of fresh seafood and the crostini were divine in the rich tomato broth. Thank you for a great birthday dinner! read more

Ascione Bistro - Raspberry sour cocktail - Italian Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

See all

Ascione is a lovely New Italian restaurant in downtown Skokie. The dinner was fabulous. Every dish was prepared excellently. What stands out in my mind, as far as the dinner, was the lobster bisque. Big chunks of lobster in a beautiful broth. I highly recommend you start out your dinner with that soup. Our waiter was Edwin. He was very attentive but did not rush us one bit. We appreciated everything he did to make are evening unforgettable. Thank you, Edwin. As I said our evening was lovely, the food stellar and the service outstanding but where we sat was a big negative for us. When we arrived we were told we had to sit in the area they call the Chef's Kitchen. That is exactly where we did not want to sit. They told us they did not have waitstaff for the other area of the restaurant which was much quieter and had a whole lot more ambiance. Maybe for some diners that chef's kitchen vibe is what they like and prefer but I have to say it was noisy and made you feel like you were eating in a diner. I understand that they did not have someone to work that section of the restaurant we wanted to sit in but when we go back I'll make sure the quiet section is opened or we'll sit at the bar and eat. I give the food and the service two thumbs up but that Chef's Kitchen is only for those who like it noisy and more brightly lit. read more

I am surprised by the rave reviews of Ascione. This was not my experience. The lobster bisque soup that I had was warm, not hot. The linguine in my shrimp/scallop entree was over-cooked and the amount of seafood was a little light, especially for $45. And it wasn't hot. My friend's wife requested a salad with dressing on the side, which she got mixed together. And her filet was medium-rare, not medium-well. My wife enjoyed her fish and my friend enjoyed his seafood pasta, but he never received his second glass of wine. They were apologetic to my friend's wife and comped her entree and gave her a free dessert (kudos). I eat out often, and this was far from my average experience. The restaurant wasn't even crowded at the time we ate. Honestly, I give them 2-stars for food, 5-stars for ambience, and 4-stars for how their management handled the situation. read more

Excellent food quality Attractive selection on menu Terrific atmosphere Attentive waiters read more

I hope more people visit this restaurant! I went there for a 'fancier', relaxed lunch - it was such a special treat. Very nice options, great service, delicious meal. And it has a lovely cocktail bar in the center of the restaurant. Easy parking 1/2 block north of the restaurant . Give it a try for lunch or dinner. read more

Excellent in every way! We were a party of four and we tasted 4 different entrees (2 different specials, lobster ravioli and spaghetti puttanesca which they made fresh on request without anchovies). We also had fried calamari which was the best I've had. As excellent as the meal, was the apple torte dessert. Service was warm and professional, restaurant is lovely. Easy to park on the street, and they have free valet. I live down the street and great dinner restaurants in downtown Skokie aren't plentiful ; hope the crowd on a Thursday night will encourage more restauranteurs to consider downtown Skokie to locate. read more

My family and I would have given this place 6 stars if possible. My wife said it felt like she was eating in an upscale New York City restaurant. Our server was quite knowledgeable about the menu and made great recommendations. What really made this place special was the attention to detail in the service. Our water glasses were never empty. Our server "decrumbed" the table between courses, the silverware was replaced between courses, and the pace of the meal was perfect. The food was excellent, we highly recommend the Branzino and the Chicken Parmigiana. The Crème Brûlée and the Flourless Mousse were delicious, as well. read more

SECOND time dining here!!! And once again, everything was perfect. The food was just as delicious as I remembered, and the service was warm and attentive. I especially loved the Pork Chop Italiano and my friends ordered the Salmone and the Ascione Smash Burger. Highly recommend this place to anyone who appreciates great food and a relaxed dining experience! read more

See all

Excellent new spot in downtown Skokie! Grew up in Skokie and went there when it was Desiree (aging myself :-) ), this restaurant does the location proud. A much needed addition to the area. Staff was friendly and attentive. Food was delicious and although some dishes were not portioned relative to the cost, I think that's par for the course in this economy. Also, although the others didn't hit right the Spritz Limoncello was perfect for a summer night. As a perk they have free valet. Excited to go back and try their brunch! read more

See all

Unconventional Italian fare presented elegantly. Glad to have a fine dining restaurant in downtown Skokie, a shorter walk for me than Mia Francesca in Lincolnwood (which offers a similar menu). As a newly opened place that people have yet to discover, the staff was very attentive and eager to please. My pasta dish was tasty but what really impressed me was the steak my husband ordered. It was a perfectly prepared medium rare - Capital Grille couldn't have done better. The meat was high quality, tender with the right amount of marbling. Not a long list of appetizers, desserts and wines but a fairly good selection. My only comment on ambiance is the music seemed a bit too raucous. Better to have some Euro pop/jazz to match the unconventional but classy cuisine read more

Ascione Bistro - View of bar and captioned tv - Italian Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

What an incredible new addition to Skokie! We popped into Ascione on a whim and sat at the bar, and I'm so glad we did. The service was beyond welcoming--every staff member made us feel right at home and helped guide us through the menu. We tried the meatballs, short ribs, and vodka gnocchi--all absolutely delicious. Each dish was full of flavor and perfectly prepared. The team was great at helping us choose, and their recommendations were spot on. For drinks, my companion had a vodka cocktail--it was a generous pour and such a great value. I had the limoncello spritzer, which was refreshing, bright, and absolutely perfect (I do love lemon!). Overall, Ascione is warm, inviting, and exactly the kind of restaurant Skokie needed. We'll definitely be back--already dreaming of our next meal here! read more

Ascione Bistro - Vodka gnocchi and short rib entree - Italian Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

See all

Food and service were excellent. We came as walk-ins and they sat us at the bar immediately. Service was prompt and courteous. Ambiance is nice, lychee martini is on point! We shared the burrata to start, lobster ravioli w/ fries for dinner all excellent! Highly recommend and will come back with reservations next time. read more

Ascione Bistro - Lychee martini - Italian Near Me - Skokie, Illinois