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    Gussie's Handmade Italian

    4.3 (378 reviews)
    ModerateItalian, Desserts, Salad
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Order Gussie's Handmade Italian Takeout or Delivery

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    GUSSIE'S HANDMADE ITALIAN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Moderate noise

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    Recommended Reviews - Gussie's Handmade Italian

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    Manhattan
    Edward R.

    Would prefer 3.5 but no halves allowed... Service: host/ maybe owner very welcoming, Food: the appetizers were wayyyy better then my entrée, but not knocking the meal, it was just a very good appetizers, melon salad, garlic loaf/bread with cream, amazing... Entrée: cabonara was somewhat dry, not as creamy as i would have preferred but the flavors were there... Ambiance: very welcoming and not feeling rushed... Definitely would reconsider on my next trip

    Classic Spaghetti Carbonara
    Ashley H.

    Gussie's is a very cute local Italian spot in Old Town! With a cozy, welcoming vibe and handmade pasta, they're really leaning into the mom and pops aesthetic. It was packed around prime dinner time, with some folks most likely making a pit stop before visiting Second City and others gearing up for a night out on the town. Our waitress was super kind and attentive throughout the meal. To drink, I tried the espresso martini, which was clean with a strong coffee flavor. I would order this again. Needless to say, I was most excited about their famous (and free!) pull-apart garlic bread. It arrived piping hot with a perfectly chewy crust enveloping the fluffiest whipped cream cheese. Normally, I try not to fill up on bread in order to save room, but this was so good that an exception had to be made. Next we split the arugula radicchio salad. I appreciated the zesty orange flavor and hazelnuts, but felt that it could have used more dressing. For mains, we ordered the tagliatelle with meatballs, spaghetti carbonara, and brown butter honey ravioli. The ravioli was by far my favorite- it balanced sweet and savory notes very well, with some lemon zest perfectly balancing the rich sauce. Definitely recommend. The carbonara was okay- I liked the tender guanciale, but found the sauce to be a bit thin and lacking in richness. The tagliatelle was pretty basic- the sauce was a bit watery and benefitted from some extra salt. The meatballs were pretty good. Aside from the food, the experience itself counts a lot for me when writing reviews. Our group had a lot of fun and our visit was definitely the perfect weekend cap. I would return for the vibes and garlic bread alone, and look forward to trying more of the menu.

    Grilled Octopus
    Melanie L.

    Got tickets to a comedy show across the street and made a reservation on Google for a party of 4 a few hours prior. Got seated instantly, inside was dim but cleanly decorated. Family style for the following dishes: 5/5 Italian salad. Good portion size. The salami and mozzy balls were my fave. 5/5 grilled octopus. Warm and deliciously flavored 5/5 spaghetti carbonara. The meat was really good and so was the richness. 4/5 linguine all' vongole - clams were plentiful and well flavored, noodles texture felt handmade 4/5 Tagliatelle with Meatballs - sauce wasn't overpowering, meatballs were well seasoned and flavored 5/5 chicken piccata was delicious! Tender chicken and the asparagus was also crispy and delicious while also being soft enough to cut thru and not chewy. Really enjoyed the meal and the service. I'd def come back again!

    Alia S.

    A lovely ambiance and truly lovely staff! I came here for a quick dinner and left pleasantly surprised. The octopus and ricotta bread were absolutely delicious! I also loved the arrabbiata sauce and would return just for it. The mussels were good but only if you're a fan of a very fragrant white wine broth.

    Complimentary garlic bread
    Jessica A.

    The food was fresh, clean, and tasty. Further, their complimentary garlic bread is dangerously delicious and generous in portion size (see picture). Their pasta noodles are fresh - and it seems the ingredients they use is fresh as well. After eating a full pasta meal + the garlic bread, i was stuffed but not bloated. It's a quaint, clean space that I will be returning to.

    Signature Bread
    Amelia B.

    Gussie's Handmade Italian has moved up on my list for Chicago Italian spots! A great restaurant for a casual date night with cute booths but also seating options to accommodate larger parties. I wore jeans, kitten heels, and a fun top. The signature bread went above and beyond my expectations, and while I love free things, I feel like I'm robbing them and they should charge for this since it is so perfect and tasty. I was very pleased with the entrées, prices, and variety on the menu. My boyfriend and I both had leftovers. Typically I prefer a tomato based sauce so I ordered the wild boar pappardelle, but my man's order won the night - Linguine all'Limone con Gamberoni. Shrimp was cooked perfectly, the lemon was bright, and the sauce was creamy. Wish I had room for dessert because the options looked phenomenal. Also I'm interested in trying out some of their digestives post-meal. A huge thank you to our server. He was friendly, helpful, and checked in just the right amount without hovering.

    Drink/wine menu
    Jim M.

    Have you been to Gussie's? If you haven't I recommend you get there and get there fast. This is a cool little Italian place right across the street from Second City. My wife and I went there for a quick bite after a show and it was amazing. We sat at the bar. Our bartender was fantastic. They start you off with a garlic bread loaf slathered in mascarpone. OMG!! She had the brown butter & honey ravioli, and I had the carbonara. We topped it off with a piece of the lemoncello pie and some coffee and espresso. The vibe in this place is fantastic and the food is even better. Get down to Gussie's. Don't walk run!

    Nolan F.

    We shared: 1 Linguine all'Limone con Gamberoni - Jumbo Shrimp, Spring Pea, Artichoke Hearts, Aged Parmigiano Reggiano 2. Pappardelle with Wild Boar Ragu - Slow Braised Wild Boar, Red Wine Reduction 3. Spaghetti Carbonara - Crispy Guanciale, Egg Yolk, Pecorino Romano, Black Pepper Solid Italian spot with FRESH pasta. Linguini all'Limone was my favorite. It had such a balanced, light flavor and the shrimp was juicy. Carbonara was quite salty and indulgent; I've had more balanced carbonara but still tasty. Pappardelle was the weakest imo: I prefer a thicker, richer sauce and pulled boar meat. Portions were good and shareable. No issues with service. Vibe was simple and relaxing.

    Kamryn A.

    The bread. That's the best thing on the menu! The stuffed bread was so good I could keep on talking. We also enjoyed the browned butter ravioli with chicken. Service was alright since it was a smidge busy in there but that created a great fun ambiance.

    Classic Spaghetti Carbonara
    Addie C.

    Gussie's is what you want from a modern Italian restaurant in terms of ambiance and menu. The best part of the meal were the appetizers! The signature table bread is incredible. Filled with mascarpone cheese and spices, it pulls apart and melts in your mouth. This bread is worth it alone. We ordered gnudi with a brown butter sage sauce. The sauce was delicious and I kept pouring more over each bite of the dumpling. For my main, I ordered the classic carbonara. I thought it was pretty good and the crispy Guanciale was tasty. I'd like to go back and try a main that is more unique and has a stronger flavor profile. We finished with housemade lemoncello. I loved it! Flavorful and strong, I would highly recommend to finish off your experience. The wait staff was attentive and made the experience really enjoyable. I recommend getting a reservation to make sure you get a table!

    Manicotti
    Jenna C.

    Saddens me to knock down a star but I've visited twice more since my first time and both food and service have been hit or miss. Still a good vibe and I appreciate it's not too loud so you can actually converse over your meal. But I'd skip the manicotti - my friend got the classic carbonara and said it was good. Espresso martini just ok. Service was friendly but slow to check on us.

    Kay P.

    Gussie's is such a cute Italian restaurant! Their pasta is homemade and you can tell the ingredients are fresh and authentic. The complimentary table bread is the best table bread I've ever had - It's so buttery with lots of garlic & cheese. I would go back for that bread alone :) Service was super friendly and everything was delicious!

    complimentary Signature Bread
    Katherine Y.

    we made a reservation the night before for 2 people for 7:30pm on a thursday evening. i had this place bookmarked and was excited to try! the service was good- our servers were friendly and helped us pick a second dish. we were pleasantly surprised by the free cheesey bread- it was delicious and savory and a great free starter for our pasta dishes. for entrees- we got the pappardelle with wild boar ragu and the linguine all'limone con gamberoni. the pappardelle with wild boar ragu was pretty good and the pasta was yummy. the meat was tender and the sauce was flavorful. the linguine all'limone con gamberoni was next level though- it was SO SO delicious. the sauce was super lemony and not too heavy which i really appreciated. the shrimp was tender and packed with that same lemony flavor. this pasta was definitely one of the best pasta dishes i've ever had at a restaurant. i will be coming back just for it. and i'll be trying to replicate it at home too. overall, im really happy i got to try this place and cross it off my bucket list. i'll definitely be coming back and bringing my friends so they can try it too. and maybe id even catch a comedy show at second city too

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    Ask the Community - Gussie's Handmade Italian

    Are there any vegan options? Booked for a party and I'm not Vegan myself, so I'm not well versed whether hand made pasta has egg or other non vegan ingredients in it. TIA!

    There are NO Vegan options at all. Not a place to bring a Vegan- unless they are just drinking.

    Is this place still open for dine-in?

    Yes & up to Covid regulations.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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