Went there the other night, and they've certainly turned things around. I think now that they've expanded their space, they're not as touchy about turning their tables, and we didn't feel so rushed or crowded. Menu was good as always, and portions are huge. Glad to be back at Caro Mio's. read more

The best ossobuco around. Stop by any of the local shops for a few bottles of wine and enjoy the home cooked food and warm italian atmosphere. It can get crowded so go 5:30ish if you want to beat the rush. read more

Do not eat at caro mio. Tasteless food or rather "old" really BAD manager service, I got sick after eating there, I had to call to let them know but they did not care. The place smells like they have a problem with mold. Would not recommend. read more

The positive here is that they don't rush you out-we had to hunt down our waiter from the moment we sat. It took 10 minutes to get water..then another for bread...then another to order...when we asked for the check, our waiter brought us the dessert menu instead. If I were on a date, I don't think I would have noticed the service as much, but after sitting in a dark corner, below the freezing air conditioner, with my mother, I just couldn't take it. Food was good and an Italian BYO is certainly a change, but it would have been nice if we were actually treated like paying customers. read more

The 1st time we tried to eat here, we were completely ignored at the door, and just left. The second time, we felt like we were interupting something and felt unwelcome, mostly by the unfriendly attitude of the staff, like 'what do you want?'. There is not host station, so you just stand there and hope someone wants to seat you. They sat us at a table that was really close to another table, and when I tried to move our table a few inches so I could sit in the chair, I was told I couldn't do that because the waitstaff needed room. WTF. My salmon filet was good, but it was DROWNING in a plate of overpowering, sweet, thick balsamic vinegar sauce, when it should have been drizzled delicately on top. Also no vegetable came with the dish, only a crappy side of pasta. The waiter didn't even know what the dish came with and had to ask the chef. My boyfriend got the spicy whole what pasta with sausage, which we both thought was mediocre. He was ok throwing out the leftovers. The bread they give you sucks, real bland and small pieces. The polenta was decent. At least it was BYOB, as this was the only saving grace because we loved the beer we brought ourselves. How others give this place 4 or 5 stars is beyond me! read more

I have lived in Lincoln Square for over a decade and before tonight never had a chance to check out Caro Mio. I discovered, unfortunately, that I wasn't missing a thing. The food was absolutely terrible, and way overpriced. We had the fried calamari, a tiny portion for a ridiculous $12.95 and it tasted like it was previously frozen. Basic pasta dishes were in the $20-25 range (plus an additional $7 for shrimp -- are you kidding me?) and clearly the chef has never heard of the term al dente. We had the spaghetti carbonara and the tortellini special, and both were cooked about 10 minutes too long. And the bread was inedible -- it tasted and smelled like frozen (and then thawed) Wonder Bread. Friendly service but the food was very disappointing. If you like good Italian food, move West to La Bocca Della Verita or Trattoria Trullo -- Caro Mio doesn't hold a candle to these places! read more

Do not go to Caro Mio if you like real Italian cooking. The sauces on the meats overpower the taste, the salad was wilted by the vinegar ( I actually put bread onto the salad plate to soak up the dressing) and the pasta stuck together! You get what you pay for. This probably serves the locals well but it is not for an educated palate. Service is uneven. The only positive is the BYOB policy. I had a great wine! read more

Without question the worst restaurant in Chicago. Wait staff very incompetent and rude. The waiter refused to put our appetizer order in before our main course order. We had to order everything at once- no time to mull over the menu. Atmosphere chaotic and frenzied ... Like hurry up and order "or else." So we hurried our order and then our food took forever to arrive. At the end of our meal the owner came over and asked us to leave because he thought we'd lingered too long. We had only been there two hours and 45 of those minutes were spent waiting for our dinner to arrive. I have never seen such a low class restaurant owner EVER. The food was marginal at best. It was served with indifference and haste if not down right disdain. There are so many wonderful restaurants in Chicago DO NOT GO TO THIS ONE! read more

Love love love this place!!! My husband and I came here for multiple anniversaries while we were dating and it was always such a magical experience. It had such a special place in our hearts that my husband proposed to me at the restaurant and I'll never forget it. We are going to be back for our 6 month anniversary. Besides the wonderful ambience the food is amazing. The gnocchi is a dish we always get and everything else we have tried lobster ravioli and stuffed mushrooms to name a few have been so tasty. Can't wait to come back! read more

My first experience at this place was for a friends birthday dinner. I have to say honestly I was not impressed with the food. There was a group of 25 of us and it cost us each 55 dollars a piece, which seemed a bit much, considering entrees range from 15 to 18 dollars. It probably did not help that most of the dishes that was served to our group were meat based and I'm a vegetarian. So for a salad, a couple slices of bread and a couple spoons of pasta, it was a little pricey for me. But talking to another friend of mine, he did say the food is normally excellent here. That is why I'm giving this place 4 stars. I looked at the menu and there are some awesome sounding dishes on the menu. I would love to come back here and try out some dishes without being in a birthday party dinner setting where the meal was already picked out for you. So I will definitely give this place a second change, and looking at the reviews others have left, I'm sure I would not be disappointed the second time around. read more

Caro Mio is a great Neighborhood BYOB that has been recommended to me by several people from around the city. They don't take reservations for parties under 6 and will fill up on the weekend by 7:30. Park on Wilson for free-no permit required. My parents and I went after an afternoon concert in Lincoln Square. Come hungry because their portions are ample. The tomato salad and minestrone soup were standard for Italian restaurants and satisfying. I ordered the Gnocchi special which was gnocchi stuffed with pesto and ricotta cheese in a tomato sauce. The gnocchi was incredibly light and flavorful which sets this apart from a lot of places. The tomato sauce was clearly fresh and creamy. My mom ordered the chicken Parmesan with homemade rigatoni. Not only was it at least two meals but the rigatoni was incredible. I would recommend this place for any occasion- they also have a lot of group space available. read more

I would give this restaurant "0" stars. While I have been a patron for several years, this restaurant has changed and I would NOT recommend it to anyone - no matter the price of the meal. The owner and manager are very rude and cursed me out in person and on the phone when I tried to discuss the unacceptable experience we had "dining" at Caro Mio. The service was horrendous, the food was not edible, the dishes and silverware were filthy - need I say more. Furthermore, the server brought us the wrong food - not one of the dishes we ordered was delivered to us, but rather we were given food that was not identifiable and not edible. I guess they had to clean out the old food in the kitchen and serve it to what they thought were unsuspecting customers. When the manager stopped by to see how we were enjoying the meal, we asked him if he wanted the truth and then politely expressed our thoughts. He proceeded to threaten us, threw the bill at us and kicked us out of the restaurant. We paid the FULL bill in cash as we were afraid he would come after us - in hind site we should have just left as we didn't touch any of the food for fear we would get sick. Upon trying to speak with the owner about the incident, we learned that the manager complained we didn't pay the bill - it appears as though he must have pocketed the $100 in cash we left. With so many great restaurants in Chicago, why would anyone want to go to Caro Mio and get abused and possible sick from their rancid food and dirty environment. read more

$13 for a Caprese salad? $9 for garlic bread that is made on mushy bread that you would expect to find at Walmart? Spaghetti for $17 swimming in half an inch of olive oil with so much garlic that you stop after 3 bites? Do yourself a favor - at these kinds of prices, you can go to Mia Francesca and get a superbly Italian created meal that puts anything here shame. Quite honestly, this was a complete waste of money. read more

Great Food, Service was slow, which surprised me as other reviews commented on the amazing waitstaff. Called ahead to ask if there was a wait for a party of 2 on Saturday night. Was told to come right in. We were seated in about 10 minutes. The menu was enticing, and we decided what we wanted, but sat for 10 minutes without even the water glasses being filled. Once we finally ordered, the waiter recommended the Breschetta special, which was to die for. Could have eaten 2 more orders, it was soft toasted bread, excellent tomato mixture and fresh mozzarella. We ordered the lasagna special and another pasta dish. Both were beyond expectations and we decided we would definitely go back to try more items on the menu. I am hoping the poor slow inattentive service was a one time thing. I do recommend though to anyone who enjoys a hearty homemade Italian dinner with no frills, just a super cute atmosphere with fantastic food. read more

Some improvements in the saltiness of the dishes, it's much less. You know you can always add salt, and tomatoes don't even need any salt to bring out their flavor, The bread is still awful. Wonder bread. How about a little bread basket with some wheat bread, or flat bread crackers, and some real Italian bread? That bread is dreadful, and it's cold. Good portions. Some things still way over-priced, there was one app for 15.95, don't remember now, but I was like WHAAAAT? If it's an app, cut the portion and cut the price. Not everyone wants huge portions of food that they can't eat. And the music, well, don't get me started. On the other hand, there isn't a resto in Chicago that has good music, it's all terrible. Except for Bistro Campagne. You know resto owner, we don't all want to hear top 40 crap, oldies, heavy metal, rap and hip hop (god no!). Some of us like to have a QUIET dinner with conversation. Remember conversation? Sadly few people know that concept any more. Anyway, much better than last time. Keep reducing the salt. Change the music and the breads, and keep up the good work. read more

Delicious Italian food. I had a salad and their spinach soup with three cheese tortellini - it was super tasty.

3.5 actually....Caro Mio where to start. So I have actually been here quite a bit. And progressively they have lost stars. So lets start by this, the last two times I have went here with a group and they have "lost the reservation" or "I didnt call to confirm" so they assumed we werent coming....WTF! Not to mention, they were super rude when we got there. And I had talked to them one of the times earlier that same day....seriously?!?! Weird. Anyway, they ended up cramming us in both times. I dont know if thats a good thing or not. Its definitely a tight space but I like it. Anyway, food...well there really is no rhyme or reason to their menu...for example, the last three times I went there, the specials are exactly the same...remember each was about 6months-1 year apart. Also, they have a whole wheat pasta that is veggie for like $21...the same one that is not whole wheat pasta is $17....really?! The service is so so. If you go on a weeknight, its great...if you go on a weekend....hit or miss. Also, most of the dishes are super cheesy and salty so if you like this bad for you italian, this is the place for you...sometimes I feel like that but sometimes I dont. Anyway, I actually found a very good dish the last time I went....salmon alla grille. So good! Lots of veggies, which most of their other dishes dont have. The portions here are HUGE so I guess that is how they can get away with just mediocre pasta at pretty expensive prices....plus BYOB. Its worth a try, I do like it and most likely I will go back and say...why the hell am I back here but oh well! read more

Pretty sure this is new but they now charge an $8 fee if you split plates. Their dishes are HUGE so we always split. The waiter is usually accommodating and will waive it if you order some appetizers. We had a table of 4 girls, and ordered 3 dishes and he didn't charge us. But there's no way that one person could finish a plate - they are almost meant to be split amongst groups. read more

My friend and I ventured in for dinner this past Friday, and we were both totally impressed. We arrived at around seven, and were seated immediately. We brought our own wine, and they opened it immediately and chilled the bottle of white we brought with us in a fridge in the back. We ordered calamari for an appetizer, and it was delicious. They also dropped off a ton of chewy bread with olive oil and garlic. We each ordered our own entree, and when the food came, we realized we could have easily split one. The portions are HUGE. He did the chicken parm, I did gnocchi stuffed with pesto and asiago. It was phenomenal. We did the tiramisu for dessert, and that too was awesome. The staff was extremely attentive and quick with everything. We were both stuffed and satisfied by the time we left, and shocked at how reasonable our bill was. I'll be back. Great experience. Oh, and by the time we walked out, around 9, the place was packed... just an fyi. read more

This is possibly one of the best Italian restaurants I have ever been to in my life. The gnocchi are like soft pillows of deliciousness. No matter what else I order, I always get these as well. And BYOB!!!! Make the detour to stop by here. It is worth the time. read more

This place is AMAZING. It's so cozy, you feel like you're at your grandma's house! There were 5 of us and we just got a few things to share since the portions are pretty big. We had the bruschetta that was on the specials menu for the first appetizer. It's got tomatos, basil, a hint of garlic, and a slice of fresh mozzarella on top. Then we got the fried calamari. It's in a light crisp batter that is excellent as well. For entrees, we got the gnocchi. That was made with asiago cheese and it was in a creamy tomato sauce. We had the the chicken breast with portobella mushroom ravioli. That was delish as well. The last dish we got was the saffron risotto. That was the only thing that was ok. Kinda tasted like paella to me. Other then that, everything was fantastic. And don't forget it's a BYOB! We polished off 4 bottles of wine as well. read more

Took the lovely wife here on a busy Saturday night. Wait was 1.5 hours, but very worth it. The food was nothing you haven't had before, but it was tremendously fresh, simple, and delicious. If it's busy, just put your name in and go get a beer at O'Shaughnessy's one block east. read more

This review is for the newly opened lunch buffet. The dinners are fantastic- so I was very excited to see they opened up next door (expanded) to have private parties and buffet lunch. I guess buffets are hard- but this felt like it was a different chef/kitchen. The pastas were flavorless, the desserts felt like hotel boring options, the chicken was over done- and the entire offering was just not up to Caro mio standards. The service was very friendly- and faster than the usual food since everything was already made- but I wouldn't go back for lunch unless the quality dramatically improved. read more

I have been meaning to right a review for Caro Mio because everyone needs to know that this place is awesome! Seriously, we go here at least every 6-8 weeks and every experience is tasty! First, BYOB, can't go wrong. Second, homemade pasta, can't go wrong! This is a neighborhood gem with great food and atmosphere. Great for a small or large party. I love, love the lasagna and my husband loves anything with seafood in it. You will not go wrong with anything you order here, you will enjoy it and have leftovers to bring home with you. read more

This place is truly a hidden gem. From outside looking in it seems to be a jungle of houseplants, but the crowds on Friday nights should tip you off to the deliciousness of the cuisine inside. I once had a seafood pasta dish with a pesto sauce which was a "special" for the day. It was the best Italian food I have ever had. When we returned a few months later, it was (understandably) not on the menu, but when I requested it they made it for me anyway! In my opinion, Italian food doesn't get better than this - except maybe in Italy itself. read more

I don't usually give out fives, but I think this place deserves one. First off, it's BYOB which always helps cut costs while dining out. Also, I'm a big fan of having bread with cheese and oil while I wait so I greatly appreciated the bread to munch on (however, it could have been a little tastier.) When I ordered, the waiter was very helpful and he seemed to enjoy his job and the food at Caro Mio. The portions were big allowing me to to have it again for lunch and dinner the next day! Lastly and most importantly, the meal was very good. All in all, I had a good time there, enjoyed the food, and didn't spend an arm and a leg! read more

This is a great date restaurant. It has a cozy, warm environment. Everything I've ever eaten has been delicious, the portions are large, and it's BYOB. Great restaurant all around. read more

Really good food. Huge portions. Every main is about $20 which is a little high for the location. But then we get the bill. They charge for splitting plates. $4. Where are we? Skokie? Who still charges for splitting plates? My girlfriend and i split a portabello appetizer and a special gnocchi that was stuffed with pesto and cheese. Both were good but the gnocchi was so big that we still took some home. They don't charge a corkage fee but charge for splitting food, who is running this place? The opening bread was also a touch stale. read more

This place was insanely delicious. It was very authentic tasting and BYOB. The tables are little close, but it didn't really bother me. Very cozy atmosphere. I would recommend to a friend and go again! read more

i LOVE this place! my boyfriend lives in wrigleyville and last night we were craving italian (me to carb load before my 18 mile marathon training run this morning). My bestfriend met us as well and over 2 bottles of our own fav wine, we started with an amazing crapese salad paired with bread and this little plate of garlic and red pepper that they give you to mix with olive oil. then, we each had GIGANTIC pasta dishes. athletes, this is seriously your place to carb load! my pasta was incredibly rich and savory (prochini mushroom sauce!!); my boyfriends was super meaty (had both italian sausage and meatballs - he was in heaven!) and my best-friend's was super cheesey and rich (ravioli with creamy tomato sauce!). The atmosphere is fantastic - artsy and low lit- especially the little background. We will all definitly be going back! read more

Wow! I LOVED it! Everything we ordered was very well prepared and so flavorful! My friend ordered something that he had before but was not on the menu and with out hesitation it was made for him. After, a nibble of his chicken mushroom dish I understood why he had been so anticipating this dish. I loved that it is b.y.o.b. very charming. Great first date, Anniversary or just want a good meal restaurant. read more

One of the best Italian places you'll ever go. Everything on the menu is perfect and make sure to get the passion fruit sorbet at the end.

Food was out of this world. Love that it is BYOB. I had the salmon with veggies, the veggies were just as good as the fish, and the fish was fantastic. Only complaint I have is about the service. Im not exactly sure how it works here, but someone greeted us, someone else uncorked our wine and then we never saw anyone for 20 minutes. We had to literally wave at a random server to come take our order, because several employees made eye contact, but no one actually came up to us. The other tables around us seemed to be getting good service, because the people that sat after us got their appetizers before anyone even took our order at all. We also had to finally grab ANOTHER server because no one came up to our table after we finished our meal and we were ready for the check. Maybe it's like a team effort here? I'm not sure, but thank goodness the food was great or I would not be a happy camper right now. read more

So, so lovely. Fantastic atmosphere. Tiny and warm. Homemade pastas. BYOB. No corkage. No wait. Mi amor.

YUM they have great pasta and you get SO much of it. You can easily split it with someone and both still be full. I ate off of it for like three days. This place is also byob which is nice. Overall it's a cute little date night place and the service is always great, they are very friendly. read more

As many other people have attested to this is truly an authentic Italian restaurant. I had the calamari fritti to start: nicely plated and cooked to perfection. I had the risotto gorgonzola with homemade Italian sausage. O so good.Also, do not worry about the price tag as portions are quite large. My dinner companions easily had a meal for the next day. Also the ambience is quite nice perfect for intimate and familial encounters. Go here. read more

I've fallen in love. Quaint restaurant, lively docor, abundant fresh flowers, the menu is amazing. I ordered the Linguini Arribiata and it put my own to shame, seriously! The service was great. You feel like part of the family. My boyfriend and I are so excited to have this near by. Our dessert was crazy! Some type of Papaya, passion fruit granta with a white chocolate shell. It was to die for. Every course of our meal was wonderful. I would highly suggest this place. BYOB super Bonus! read more

I love this place! The food is unbelievable. Well, I should say the gnocci is unbelievable because I order it every time. And the bread that they bring out while you're waiting with garlic and oil and parmesan cheese is so good! Be careful not to fill up on bread though because the portions are pretty big. This place is also BYOB and there is no corkage fee. The only drawback is that this place gets busy fast, and the wait during their peak hours is about an hour. I usually try to get there before 7, to avoid the wait. read more

I'll keep this simple: if you are impressed by fake Italian food that you could easily make at home yourself, a cramped loud space with no waiting area, and a ridiculously rude manager with a Napolean complex who likes to inform people that unless their entire party is exactly, to the minute, on time, you will lose your reservation, then Caro Mio is for you. I actually saw this happen to two groups of people, and the sad thing is the restaurant was less than half full. Oh, and byob? Big deal, your own home is byob too, and you don't have to listen to some jerk up on his reservation high horse. read more

Typical Italian dishes but not quite worth the price. BYOB was a plus and we were able to get reservations last min on a Fri night.