Came here on a Saturday night for a birthday party. Food- For appetizers we got the Calamari and Mozzarella Di Bufala. My favorite was the calamari that was lighly breaded paired with a light red sauce. For entrees we had quite a few but my top favorites were the Pappardelle Cinghiale that had tender wild boar. I will say the pasta was did taste homemade, but the sauce and boar made up for this. Another great dish was the Ravioli di Zucca. The combination of Pumpkin with and parmesan was well balanced. Service- The waiter and staff were very attentive to our party of 7. The only thing I will note here is the pace of service was on the slower side with the restaurant only 3/4 full on a Saturday night. Overall good place for Italian food but there are better options. read more

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This was recommended by a good friend. The service was great and so was the food... loved everything I've been doing keto all month and I wanted to eat some pasta for my cheat day, this place did not disappoint. Dinner was delicious and the wine was really good. read more

Coco Pazzo - Rigatoni alla buttera - Tuscan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We have heard a great deal about this Italian restaurant and were pleased to have an opportunity to dine here. It's reputation is stellar and our experience lived up the press. Even though we did not care for our waiter (spoke too fast, brash), he was attentive and easy to find. It was not hard for us to look past this when the food came because it was absolutely fantastic. Having lived in Italy for a decade, and not being able to find properly cooked and served "branzino", it was a welcome delight to be eating just as I ate in Italy. Very authentic Italian cooking and service. Being curious as to if there were any Italians working there (an ongoing curiosity of mine in so-called "Italian" restaurants in Chicago) I asked, and was directed to the manger, who hailed from Lucca. We had an absolutely delightful conversation and he mentioned several others who are native Italians, including one that was standing by us who was from Venezia. We had a delightful evening and will return here at our first opportunity. It was memorable and well worth the high ticket! read more

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Decent food, attentive but uneven service. A bit stuffy and not worth the money. The dining room was chaotic and too loud/busy for an enjoyable date night. read more

Went here with a party of 4. We got a variety of appetizers, dinners, and desserts. The food was all pretty good. I'd give the food 4 stars for taste; 2 stars for value. The place is pricey, but, good. Drinks are standard for Chicago restaurants, being about $12 for a normal drink (I got Maker's Mark & Coke). Service was very good. Fast, friendly, & attentive. Sadly, a few of the dishes we wanted weren't available. My fiance and her daughter had looked online at their menu before going. What they had found online, was no longer available. I wanted the Sea Bass, but, it was also not available; so, I got another one of their fish dishes. Overall, it was a nice upscale meal. Just very pricey (over 300 bucks for 4 people after tip). Not a place I would go often; however, I did enjoy the experience, and, the food. read more

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Coco Pazzo is a classic Italian restaurant in River North that consistently serves delicious dishes! For appetizers, you can never go wrong with the antipasta misti platter. Based on the number of people in your party, they give you a perfect serving of vegetables, meat, and cheese! For entrees my go-to is the rigatoni alla buttera. It is a perfect mix of creamy tomato sauce, sausage, and peas. I've also ordered from Coco Pazzo on grub hub often and the food is always just as fresh and delicious as when dining in the restaurant. Lastly, I'd recommend Coco Pazzo for any type of dinner whether it be a business meeting, or casual week night. It's a very versatile restaurant! read more

Coco Pazzo - Rigatoni alla Buttera - Tuscan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

What a great place. You enter old world Northern Italy as you enter this restaurant on Hubbard. from the native Italian staff talking to you in brief Italian phrases, to the ambiance, the feeling they portray is great. Like old Italy, there is no rush to the service. You are welcomed and graciously served and encouraged to stay as long as you want. The restaurant is dimly lit adding to the atmosphere. This was a business dinner. We were seated at a large round table in the window. The chef comped us a few appetizers and we ordered a few more. The best I thought were the roasted vegetables. But, there were plenty more. The menu is extensive and has lots of variety, meats, fish, poultry (even Quail) and several vegetarian options. Their minestrone soup was wonderful, and different than I'd ever had. It had a greenish tinge which I believe was due to the addition of fresh spinach and no tomatoes. It needed a little salt and that made it perfect. The bread was wonderful - crusty and freshly baked. For the main course, I had a spicy seafood stew. Calamari, shrimp, scallops, clams, vegetables and a poached white fish in a fish broth. The broth was a little salty, but the rest was outstanding. The desert menu looked fabulous. Unfortunately, I left no room for desert. This was a fabulous experience, one I hope to repeat soon. read more

Coco Pazzo - Amazing - Tuscan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Yum!! Came for dinner the other day with a group of friends. We had a reservation so we were seated quickly. Ambience of the place was warm and romantic. Service was fantastic although the waiters went through the specials very quickly haha. My friends and I split: - Mozzarella di Bufala: so yummy, especially with the fresh tomatoes and arugula. Only thing I would have changed was to have it less salty; it wasn't overly salted, I just like things less salty. - Crudo di Salmone: my favorite! Loved the combination of the sweetness and tanginess of the orange with the smokiness of the salmon and the fresh crunch of the fennel. - Guazzetto di Cozze: what's not to love about steamed mussels? The tomato sauce is amazing, super savory, and great to dip your bread in! For my entree, I got a swordfish special. Perfectly sized portion that came with grilled onions and lentils, and probably other things that I'm forgetting. I'm a sucker for lentils, and absolutely loved this dish! I also got to try my friend's malfatti fiorentina. Super rich and delicious! I would recommend getting the appetizer portion (3 dumplings) because I think this would get pretty heavy after a while. I'm usually pretty skeptical of Italian restaurants, but really enjoyed this one! read more

Coco Pazzo - Swordfish special. Doesn't look that great but I think that's because of the lighting! - Tuscan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great service, great ambiance and really good food. We had four in our group and we started with a wood fired oven pizza for the table. We went with the spicy pepperoni and it did no disappoint. You can't go wrong with there pizzas as an app. I always get it a little well done. The pasta of the day was Casio e Pepe. We got an order for the table to share and it was fantastic. It's hard to believe that a dish so simple could tastes so good. I went a different route and ordered the NY strip with the Tuscan fries it was incredible. The rest of the table got pasta in a ragú gravy and the halibut. The only little bit of a let down was the spicy seafood dish my brother got. It was a combination of mussels, clams, shrimp and I think halibut in a red spicy sauce with pasta. I would definitely recommend the place , ample parking if your driving. read more

My boyfriend and I love Coco Pazzo. The ambiance is super relaxing and romantic. I typically am not one for Italian, but this place makes me crave it regularly. My boyfriend really enjoyed his cocktails and my dessert was delicious. The portion sizes for our entrees were generous enough for me to take leftovers home. Service was friendly and attentive. We will be back. read more

It's been well over a decade since I experienced Pazzo's on Hubbard; which I fondly remember not only for the vibe but also the exceptional bill-a-fare and keen staff. So when I "highly" recommended the joint to my dear friends visiting Chicago from Cleveland, I freely admit I was a bit trepidatious especially since so many of our fine waiters and wait staffs disappeared after 18-months of COVID fears. As we were walking out we visited with Mario (I think) and I shared my story with him which was overheard by the Cleveland gang. Nicole simply said: "You hit it out of the park, Walt. Pazzo's is STILL amazing." Linda also mentioned: "Did you notice: Not one plate we ordered during the whole evening for the entire table had anything left of it?" Nope! read more

Always a past favorite and was looking forward to going back as it had been a few years. I'm really not sure how to write this as much of the dinner was good other not so much. I ordered my salmon medium well. My server said I couldn't order the temperature but it would come out cooked. That seems odd. It came back twice not cooked. Third time it was cooked and tasted good but it's really hard to be happy when everyone else is done eating and you have been waiting on your food. The manager did not need to but gave us desert (little truffles) and comped the fish. I shouldn't have to send food back twice and my server shouldn't have to make excuses for the chef. Drinks were good, appetizer and atmosphere were good. I'm not dying to go back as there are so many other great places in the city and ones where I can eat at the same time as my friends. The service was good and polite and the restaurant is very pretty and a good meeting point. I'm really mixed about the whole experience as it was disappointing. read more

We went for an anniversary dinner last night as we were craving some Italian. We cleaned out plates. Food was good, they have a wood fired oven and the wine list has plenty of options. We will definitely be back. read more

My favorite Italian restaurant in Chicago! They have the best branzino, Rossitto & bolognese!! The service is fantastic, staff always very friendly. Love this place! read more

5/5 for outstanding service and accommodating friendly staff all around. We called around 415pm to see if they were open. specifically asking about their espresso martinis, and even though they didn't open until 5pm the owner said we could swing by a bit earlier and sit outside for the drinks which was a huge win for us. Adorable patio seating and huge indoor space too. We had an appetizer when they opened at 5 and it was also delicious. Will absolutely be back, thanks again to their staff for an incredible experience! read more

Coco Pazzo - Espresso Martini - Tuscan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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If you're debating between Coco Pazzo and Olive Garden, pick Olive Garden. Ambience is great but the food for a vegetarian is really lackluster. The menu makes it seem like the food will be presented and will taste great, but it falls short in most areas. We had a reservation for 8:15pm but were not served our food until 9:30pm. I had the fava bean and ricotta ravioli which didn't taste like much. I had to douse it in red pepper flakes, and even then there wasn't a lot of flavor in it. Didn't love it at all. In fact, my friends and I went to Taco Bell after because we were starved for good food. read more

Super meal! Waiter even spoke Italian! Ravioli special was too small of a meal for my husband. Mine and my daughter's was a perfect size! Nice music during meal but Italian music would have been more fun! I do recommend this place and look forward to returning! read more

We had a spectacular meal with a large group in coco pazzo's warmly elegant dining room earlier this week. I started with delicious arugula and "shaved baby artichoke" salad that was topped with lemon oil and a shaved piece of parmesan. As much as I enjoyed the rest of the meal, it's this very simple and amazingly refreshing salad that I keep reliving. We had three entrees at our table, all of them excellent. I had the agnello al chiante (braised lamb with a side of polenta). Cooked perfectly and falling off the bone. My wife had grouper, which she liked enough so that I didn't get to try it. I did get to taste my daughter's risoto, which was excellent. Service was attentive even though the restaurant was close to full, and we were directed to an unfamiliar excellent wine (Syrah from Sicily). read more

Food was okay/ambience great/service disappointing. I was recommended the risotto as the staff stated it was the best in the city. I wouldn't agree but wouldn't complain either. The chicken and gnocchi were the table favorites. There was plenty of good dishes on the table however I am rating down purely based on the service received. You could immediately tell the server was annoyed with questions about the menu. It seemed as we were a burden to his night any time we asked for anything. It could take up to ten minutes for him to return at times even though he as actively serving the table beside of us in a manner i could only wish my table was served. I will always give people grace to have a bad day but it was disappointing given I made reservations for my sisters birthday and all the guest had flown in to celebrate. The manager did wish us well on the way out and asked how everything was which was appreciated. We are not the type to complain especially when there is nothing to do to rectify the situation but do appreciate management checking-in. read more

Great food poor service. Was expecting more from this place, unfortunately did not hold up to expectation. Started off strong, we got seated at our reservation time, got waters and our drink order taken. After it started going downhill. Our server forgot about us so I had to grab a passing sever to place our main course order and again for a round of drinks. The food was awesome, we started with the octopus, and calamari. We got the branzino, eggplant arrabbiata, and Formaggi di Capra pizza. No complaints with any of it. However during our meal the table was out of water and I had to grab a server again. After everything we were just sitting there for dessert and the table to be cleared. After about 15 mins someone noticed came and cleared the table, at this point our original server returned and asked if we would like dessert or anything else. We got the chocolate flourless cake and some espresso martinis, both were great! At the end after we got the check I put my card up and nothing happened for about 20 mins so one person from our party decided to go to the bar to pay. At which point a third, different server, came to run the card at the table. Overall 1/10 for service a 8/10 for food averages out to be about 9/10 or 2.5 out of 5. read more

Excellent. Great foods and excellent service. The atmosphere is great. Fair price. Recommended.

Great cocktails, great service, great vibes, and really really great food. Can't recommend this place enough.

Not even kidding, maybe the best meal my wife and I have ever had. We got the cavatelli with shrimp and gnocchetti. Superb, and the atmosphere and service is top notch. We'll be coming here again and again. read more

I finally got to try Coco Pazzo last Friday night, and so glad I did. It's been on our list for so long and we were able to snag a reservation at the last minute. The chef brought out a Stuzzichini for us to try - all free of charge. It was a really nice gesture on their part. We started with the Octopus and the Fritto Misto de Mare. Both were good, but the calamari and rock shrimp were stellar. The octopus was cooked in an olive sauce - which if you hate olives kind of disappoints. But that was my fault - not theirs. But the Fritto dish was delicious. For entrees, we had the Veal Scaloppine and the Special Risotto (Shrimp with a pepper sauce). Both dishes were really good and definitely something we would get again. I was so happy with our experience at Coco Pazzo and it is definitely a place we will be back to. read more

This is pretty good Italian food but being in Chicago, there are definitely better options, especially cheaper options. But the service was good and on par with the price. I seem to always order gnocchi and this one was good. The sauce was amazing. Get the panna cotta for dessert!! read more

Coco Pazzo - Tuscan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Ambiance is nice, but vegetarian food is definitely limited and more bland. I don't know if I would return, especially considering the price point. read more

I'm honored to say this was one of the most pleasurable dining experiences I have ever had in the River North area. From the time we walked in, our host was kind with his eyes and smile yet formal. The atmosphere was relaxed sophistication. Hannah, our waitress was the perfect consultant with our wine and menu inquiries (which was no small feat;) May I commend her on her patience and genuine joviality. In addition, she was superb in her iPhone camera skills ;) I was excited by the fact that the Paste (pasta) course was available in appetizer portions as I also wanted to indulge in Secondi. We sampled the Pappardelle Cinghaile and Rigatoni alla Butera. Each hand made pasta dish was al dente heaven. I could have cried. My partner and I then opted for the Branzino al Forno served table side by the Major Domo. This Mediterranean fish served so close to Lake Michigan was absolutely spectacular in its preparation, but the Major Domo was the unexpected compliment to this main course! What a magnificently kind, generous, entertaining soul to bring light and joy into our evening as he deboned our entree. Our dining experience ended with a smooth as silk Panna cotta and huckleberry sauce. I cannot say enough about the wonderful staff, from Hannah's assistant, to each server encountered, to the valet ($15...why find a space and feed 13 bucks into that angry machine) There are many places in the Chicago area that offer a great food and dining experience. Coco Pazzo does as well, but I intend to return to this wonderful establishment time and again not only for their food, but for their incredible hospitality. read more

I have no idea how this restaurant can have such a high rating. there were four of us... 3 out of 4 meals were bad. Mine was average. The veal was really dry, the pork chop was dry as well. The only redeeming quality was the decor inside and my salad. That is just not enough for the cost of food these days. read more

Came here for a glass of wine and an appetizer at the bar while we waited for another reservation. Wine was good, but slightly overpriced. We also got the antipasto meat plate, which was delicious. Service was decent. There are a lot of regulars here. One guest asked us if we could wrap it up and leave about 10 minutes after we had paid so he could have our seats, which was odd. Overall, would come back and try more food. read more

Killer branzino al forno (grilled sea bass) it was perfectly cooked and deboned table side. The accompanying greens and roasted potatoes were excellent too. Dessert did not disappoint either, we shared the flowerless chocolate cake and the panna cotta, both were lip-smackingly good. Service however was not well coordinated. There was a long delay to order our meal, water glasses sometimes were left empty, desserts came, but with no share plates or utensils, etc. Also I wasn't crazy about my dried tomato and mozzarella appetizer. Still the branzino carried the evening for me and I'm still thinking about it, so maybe a 3.5 star experience and round up? read more

Coco Pazzo - Branzino al forno - Tuscan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went here the other night for dinner and all I can say is " splendido"! Coco Pazzo serves Tuscan style Italian with a flair! The food is excellent. I always like to ask the server (who in this case was Jason) what he suggests, and he did not disappoint. We each started with a salad- mine was with shaved hearts of palm. So good! We also split the risotto special of the day. On this night- it was risotto with truffle oil and mushrooms and was so good I could have licked the plate! How stirred rice can be so smooth, rich, creamy and full of amazing flavors is beyond me! Finally, the entree. We chose to split the whole trout which was the fish special of the day. This place makes eating fish an event as it is brought out to your table on a cart and then it is de-boned and fileted in front of you. They even came up with another sauce for it as the one that the chef recommended had an ingredient in it that I am allergic to. The trout was so good, served with asparagus and some potatoes that I almost wish I had kept the whole thing to myself. Oh and did I forget to mention the bread basket? We kept the poor bread guy running back to our table to get more of the Parmesan bread sticks and sourdough bread because one just was not enough! All in all- excellent food, and great service all in an atmosphere of relaxed sophistication. While it's not totally like being in the Tuscan countryside- for the time I am there- I can dream! read more

Very few people would go out for dinner in a blizzard on a Monday night, but can't keep me away from a good restaurant. And this would probably be why I have a cold this winter that just won't go away! However, I have enough sense on a blizzardy night to go to a restaurant in the neighborhood. And the restaurant of choice last night was Coco Pazzo. My in-laws were in town and our party of 4 was one of only a few full tables in the restaurant. Like i said- most stay home in such awful weather conditions. Once we sat down we were greeted by the bread man- being a carb lover this may just be my favorite employee of any restaurant. We all pretty much went for a piece of delicious foccacia bread, while my husband chose a piece of french bread. He later came back and this time I opted for a very thin breadstick. As for appetizers my husband and father-in-law both chose salads, while I had a bowl of minestrone soup to help with my sore throat. I'm actually not really a fan of minestrone soup, but this was pretty good and soothing. They also brought out some complimentary bruchetta with white bean dip, which I liked...especially cause it was a lot softer than most of the bruchettas I've had. And then on to the main entree... I took advice from an old colleague who once told me "always order the special because there's a reason why it's special." There was lots on the daily special menu to choose from, but I went for the bass. Husband and father-in-law followed in my lead and ordered the bass as well, while my mother-in-law chose the salmon from the regular menu. The bass was cooked to perfection- very fresh and flavorful! I think we all liked our meals because we were soon 4 members of the clean plate club. Too full for dessert, but if they'd had tiramisu on the menu (my husband's favorite) I'm sure we could have found some room in our bellies. All in all, a very nice way to spend a blizzardy Monday evening. read more

I love this place and went to save air miles so I was delighted to find I had never been there. Great dining room, rustic timber loft and delightful stone tiled bathroom with tables far enough apart in a big room full of windows and velvet curtains to keep unnecessary noise down. Great food, great host and great waitress who recommended the flourless chocolate cake, to which we added banana gelato - I highly recommend it! Nice coffee too and great white wine recommendation read more

I love when you walk into an italian restaurant and they are speaking italian. Call me crazy. But isn't that what you want when you go to a Japanese resturant and they call out a greeting to you in the language? Same diff really in my mind. Everything looked very freshly prepared here and I can't say enough about the octopus salad! Wow. I can't say I have ever had a salad like this where the entire plate is covered in thinly sliced octopus with potatoes, lettuce, kalamata olives and a light vinagrette. Yum! It wouldn't be for the faint of heart, but its definitely delicious. read more

Coco Pazzo - octopus salad, baby potatoes, radicchio - Tuscan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great atmosphere. Antipasto selection looked incredible, though I didn't order it. Staff was tentative and food was decadent, meticulously plated, and combined flavors and textures that perfectly complemented eachother. Definitely on my list of places to go again. We closed down the joint- and at no point felt rushed to leave. Remarkable dining experience. read more

Coco Pazzo - Yum!! - Tuscan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Coco Pazzo is an exceptional restaurant that holds true to the art of Italian cuisine. It's one of the few places that I have dined where pasta is done right. Their gnocci is exactly the way gnocci should be, light and pillowy. The homemade papardelle with ragu is a well execution on a classic. The risotto, gnocci, and tagliatelle are a must for first time diners. People have criticized the menu for its simplicity but that's how real Italian food should be. The menu includes pizzas cooked in a wood-burning oven to braised and grilled meats as well. Unfortunately, their menu is updated frequently so don't get too used to a particular dish. Be on the lookout for specials of the day from your waiter. If you work in the area, Coco Pazzo is an excellent place for a formal business lunch. During lunch time, the place is often full of business professionals and executives. Reservations are recommended if you are coming with a party of three or more during lunch time. read more

Coco Pazzo - Gnocci w/ beef short rib ragu - Tuscan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Definetly one of the best itialian restaurants I have ever ate at in my life. From the appitizer, main course to the delicious panna cotta dessert. Great service is hard to find but they made it seem so easy. Even the chief came out to great us which says a lot about an establishment. My glass of water remained full if it ever went below half a glass lol. It might be pricey and You have to try all 3 courses but you will not be disappointed one bit. read more

Coco Pazzo - Tuscan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is in the style of my very favorite restaurants - delicious food, small plates as well as large ones, and a very good wine list. Yes, the prices can be high, but so is the quality. (Witness the selection of Brunellos and Amarones, as well as the freshness of the mozzarella di bufala) Portions were generous and nicely presented. For a large dining room, the noise level was under wraps, which made conversation easy. I felt like I shouldn't have worn jeans, though nobody gave me any looks. It's the kind of place you'd like to wear something a little nicer, just to bring a sense of occasion to your meal. The waitress generously offered me a taste of the first white wine we were considering, which is not something I find everywhere... The service was very good, the waiters were helpful and patient. I would go here anytime (provided I had the money) I'm in Chicago! read more

Great past experiences from years gone by but its over. The waiter disappeared for 45 minutes and long after we asked a busboy, asked us if we wanted more wine. Had to ask the host who was wandering around to send someone to clear dirty plates that were there for 10 minutes he had a huge attitude, said he guessed he would do it. Awful service, $90 porterhouse came with nothing although we were told fries, charged another $18 for said fries. Dont do it, what an expensive disappointment. read more

Date night last night in city with my wife. We were looking for delicious Italian food & Coco Pazzo hit the spot. The staff was all very friendly & professional. Hannah was a great server and Roberto, the manager, treated us like family. Pastas are fresh & homemade; perfectly cooked. I've been to Italy several times & this place is very authentic. Bravo Coco Pazzo! Can't wait to return. read more

Coco Pazzo - Octopus & fried calamari appetizers - Tuscan Near Me - Chicago, Illinois