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    Il Carciofo

    4.1 (145 reviews)
    Closed 4:30 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

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    IL CARCIOFO ATMOSPHERE

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    Recommended Reviews - Il Carciofo

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    Courtney E.

    If only on food, its a five star but unfortunately its not how it goes. I liked all my items - cacio e pepe and the dessert as well as the flat bread to start but the staff had some weird concept of sharing tables - to the point there was no consistency as well as large gaps because of it. The whole thing where your soda doesnt show up until after your done your meal is kind of crazy. If its a cocktail, I get it - I guess. But it was a diet coke. Nice, clean spacious place - could have room for improvement as well as a few more menu items making this place better.

    Kaile T.

    First time at a Roman style restaurant and WOW! This place is amazing. Food ranked in recommendation order: 1. Fried artichoke is a MUST! I took a bite and said "wow" out loud- they are insane. I am not an artichoke lover normally, and ordered upon a friends recommendation. Do not leave without trying these. 2. Gnocchetti: Perfectly done! I am not a mushroom lover and the way they are prepared added a bit of crunch to the dish- SO good. Light and fluffy. 3. Prosciutto do Parma: Bread is fresh, hot and flaky is the best way, mozzarella delicious and good portion of prosciutto- this is a favorite dish of mine and I love how they did it. 4. Spicy Rigatoni: A unique spicy kick! Our table loved this one. Service: Excellent, felt like friends. We arrived early at 4:45pm after work, be sure to make a reservation as it was full by dinner time. Perfect location for dinner with coworkers, girls night or date night.

    Very fresh and good
    Rosie V.

    Been wanting to visit for a while and so glad we did. Delicious wine and food, and welcoming atmosphere. Im a big fan of this chef and this restaurant felt similar in quality to the others but ceberated Roman food. The artichoke and lamb really stood out at favorites although everything was thoroughly enjoyed. I am looking forward to visiting for happy hour or Gelato over the summer.

    Rigatoni alla carbonara
    Vita P.

    Excellent! Another great addition by Joe Flamm! Beautiful ambiance and detailed delicious food. We started off with the suppli pesto and ABBACCHIO ALLA SCOTTADITO which were excellent. Everything looked excellent as it hit our table. The artichoke appetizer is a fan favorite which we did not have but saw often ordered. We shared the spaghetti with wild boar and rigatoni alla carbonara both great dishes and common. We finished off with pistachio gelato which was fresh and homemade paired beautifully with MARITOZZI and polished off with their dessert Lambrusco. We enjoyed a table visit from Joe Flamm himself. Service was attentive yet thoughtful by our server in addition to all staff. Beautiful evening and great dining experience! Highly recommend in the west loop.

    Ciara W.

    Exquisite flavors! Innovative drinks and a delicious assortment of Roman dishes. They were very considerate of my friend's food allergies and even provided several different menus to accommodate dietary restrictions. We ordered the CARCIOFO ALLA GIUDIA, which surprised us all as none of us were huge artichoke fans to start, but these were a fried delicacy and fan favorite at our take. We also ordered the PANE BIANCO, RIGATONI ALLA CARBONARA, MEZZE RIGATONI ALLA AMATRICIANA, STRAWBERRY GELATO, PISTACHIO GELATO, and TIRAMISU. All decadent and delicious. They even brought out a free COCONUT GELATO as the wait time for one of our pastas took longer than expected. Service was very kind and attentive. Dim lit ambiance with a slightly more upscale Italian vibe. Would highly recommend coming here for a date night or girls night out!

    Vince H.

    Had been hearing of this place and had to give it a try! For how large the place is I was glad it wasn't too loud like some other places in the area. The apps were the highlight, and the artichoke were worth the hype - absolutely amazing. Our next favorite were the arancini. The carbonara was not my favorite, didn't have much flavor or anything too special. The arrabbiata however was to die for.

    Alexandra A.

    My husband and I dined in for our anniversary/baby moon celebration and were treated like royalty. We sat at the chef's counter which was fun to see how everything is prepared. Thermometers were used every single time meat was cooked. Quality control is a priority here and it shows. The entire staff made us feel welcomed and at home. Since I'm pregnant I'm staying away from anything cooked with alcohol. Our server took the extra time to see what my options were and brought over a new menu with items that were not cooked with alcohol. ABOVE AND BEYOND right there and I truly appreciated it. The atmosphere is simple and elegant. It's very cozy and warm. I highly recommend getting here for an earlier dinner if possible. By 6pm the place was PAAAACKED. The food here is divine. They are on the pricier side given the smaller portions, however, the quality is top notch. We started with the Carciofi alla giudia which was full of flavor, crispy, and a must try at least once. Next we had the Pizza capricciosa and we both enjoyed it and would order this again. We tried 2 pastas: Spaghetti cacio e pepe and Anolini. GOODNESS! I'm a big fan of Joe Flamm's pastas and both equally brought their A+++ game. I wanted a veggie so we also had the Brocolini e cavoliore. LOOOOOVE! Safe to say this mama to be left with a happy food (and baby) belly =).

    Rigatoni
    Christine K.

    I came here for a group event dinner so we had a room near the back of the restaurant. I heard this is *the* place to eat and a hot spot in the Fulton Market area so I was pretty excited. I'm also a huge Italian food fan (top 3 fav!) so I was really looking forward to the meal. Overall, I would rate this a 3.5 stars based on my experience eating a prix fixe menu. I really enjoyed the fried artichoke starter which was deliciously crispy and paired well with the pecorino romano cheese. The rigatoni was decent but nothing to write home about and I felt like the sauce was missing an umami flavor. Sea bream isn't my favorite fish and their version was decent but I still would have preferred a differnt version. I was most looking forward to the dry aged bone-in strip and wasn't super wow'd by it. Maybe they were too heavy handed with the salt that day but I didn't feel like the beefy flavors came through enough and the meat was kind of chewy. I know this place gets raving reviews so maybe I came on an off night. However, the service was impecccable and the servers took great care of us despite that we were a larger party in a very busy establishment.

    Natasha B.

    This place was absolutely amazing. Service was lovely, Joe Flamm does not disappoint. Best carbonara I have had. The bone in strip with honey and black pepper was sooooo flavorful. Will def be back.

    Spaghetti with wild boar ragu
    Sky W.

    Overall, a solid option for Italian (specifically Roman) food in Chicago. I came on a Thursday night and the place was still very busy. My friend and I started off with some drinks, and I liked my Lambrusco Spritz. Then we ordered a bunch of food to share. Abbacchio alla Scottadito - I'm usually not a fan of lamb, but this was not that gamey. It was too sweet for me though. Boscaiola pizza - Nice texture on the bread and the flavor combination is great, but way too salty. Rigatoni alla Carbonara - I was worried this would be too salty after trying the pizza, but it was pleasantly not so. Texture of the rigatoni was great and I really loved the little bits of guanciale. Spaghetti with wild boar ragu - This was okay. Tasted good but nothing particularly memorable. For dessert, we got some corn and blueberry gelato which sounds weird but the flavor combination really works. I did find the gelato to be a bit on the icy side, however. Our server was very nice and checked in with us regularly throughout the dinner. I think that the food is not really worth the prices charged, though this is West Loop and that's just the norm here. Food: 4/5 Price: 3.75/5 Service: 4.25/5 Ambiance: 4.25/5 Overall: 4/5

    Carbonara
    Lizzette P.

    It has become my life mission to find good carbonara anywhere in the US I visit ever since going to Italy. And to my surprise it was almost always a fake version without guanciale or weird added peas. But recently visited Il Carciofo and omg let me tell you, carbonara was on point!! The guanciale was perfectly cooked, nice and crunchy while the pasta was also perfectly made, al dente, and honestly that's also hard to come by. Not only did I get 1 plate but I went for seconds right before closing and the chef was so kind enough to whip it up last minute and it came out just as fire . Anyways, totally recommend if your looking for an authentic carbonara dish! The rest of my family also loved their dishes but we all mainly went for the carbonara.

    Annette B.

    Everything here was so delicious! The artichoke was the star of the show. I loved my drink, pasta, pizza, and amazing pistachio gelato. Highly recommended!

    Pizza
    Krystian C.

    I appreciated the server walking us through the menu and providing his recommendations! We sat near the bar which was fun as we got to see the chefs preparing pizzas. Food came out in a staggered fashion which kept it all piping fresh.

    MEZZE RIGATONI ALLA AMATRICIANA

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    Food, Service was amazing and the ambience is very Chicago Fulton Market. Greta for a business dinner and or good time with friends

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    Ask the Community - Il Carciofo

    Are the ingredients imported from Rome ? Including the pasta flour?

    IDK.

    Do they have gluten free options?

    Yes -- I reached out and they emailed me back this (as of 2/17/25): Antipasti- Prosciutto and… 

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    GoodFunk

    GoodFunk

    3.8
    (40 reviews)
    0.9 mi

    We tried pre opera drinks and bites at Good Funk on Wacker and overall it was a blah experience…read more The wine selection was interesting, the food was average, at best. We didn't especially enjoy the atmosphere (sadly we were seated at the bar next to some douche dude bros) or the service. I doubt we will return.

    My friend rented this out a few weeks ago to celebrate her 45th. It was the perfect spot for about…read more30 women to mingle, drink cocktails and eat delicious food (compliments of Beaknik). I helped her choose the menu using both Yelp and some help from my bestie chatgpt and came up with the following: 7 Passed Apps: * Mini Truffle Beef Wellington (black truffle aioli) * Short Rib & Brie Slider (Aleppo BBQ, arugula, tomato jam) * Chicken Kebab (harissa-marinated chicken, tahini labneh) * Salmon Taco (avocado, mojo rojo, cilantro) * Mushroom Croquette (black truffle aioli) * Halloumi Skewer (tomato & quince jam, za'atar) * Mini Crab Cake (lemon aioli, herb salad) 1 Stationary Grazing Item: * Mezze Trio (tahini hummus, beet tahini w/ goat cheese, tzatziki, grilled pita & crudité) ---- It ended up being the perfect amount of food- heavy enough to fill us for dinner, but also light enough that we didn't get too full and could stay out late and dance (at the request of the bday gal). They passed the appetizers, but once they passed them around a few times they put them on the bar which became one big grazing station. The drinks were great as well and they even did a signature cocktail in honor of my friend, which was quite strong (hello tequila). The bartender and other staff were super friendly and knew many of us by name after a few hours. It was the perfect cozy spot for this amount of people and I'd love to look into using it again for a similar type of party...or just stopping in for a cocktail!

    Photos
    Behind the bar
    Behind the bar
    GoodFunk
    Great selection of wines

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    Great selection of wines
    Arbella

    Arbella

    4.4
    (698 reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $$

    We love Arbella!! Atmosphere inside was great, really large space! We sat at the bar, the…read morebartenders were super friendly and attentive easy to talk to and order from. LOVE the $6 cocktail of the day happy hour (M-F 4-6pm) . Our cocktail of the day was a watermelon lemon drop which was delicious!! Will be coming back next time in Chicago! My local friends new favorite staple bar.

    (Kari's Rating 8.75/10)…read more Came with a friend late on a Friday night after dinner time We were able to be seated almost immediately at a nice little private Cove table. We ordered a flight of whiskey sours, which contained whiskeys from Japan, Vietnam, and Wisconsin. I also was able to order an amaretto sour, which they made with freshly hand beaten egg whites, which was a nice cherry on the top. As far as the whiskey flights go, I think the best one was the Vietnam flight because it had a slightly lemongrass twang and was a little bit lighter than the other two. The heaviest one was the Wisconsin which came with a little bit of a bite at the end, but it still wasn't bad if you're trying to blackout on a $15 budget. I would definitely come back with a larger group this seems like a great place, but is a little bit loud- so if you be prepared to yell or wear earplugs. The bathroom took my a second to find, which should have been intuitive considering it was on the opposite end of where you come in. I blame the lighting as things are already pretty hard to find in the dark, but eventually I made it there-Pat myself on the back.

    Photos
    DJ Adam Pecho bringing down the house
    DJ Adam Pecho bringing down the house
    Crab rangoon
    Crab rangoon
    Vietnam Old Fashioned

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    Vietnam Old Fashioned
    Chicago Winery

    Chicago Winery

    4.3
    (65 reviews)
    1.4 mi

    I stopped by Chicago Winery on a Wednesday early evening solo and was able to sit at the bar…read morewithout reservation. I was blown away by the ambiance and decor. Chicago Winery prioritizes upscale and intimacy but their service is personable and friendly allowing you to feel right at home. On Wednesday they offer a Happy Hour special, $5 off a tasting and $10 wine by the glass. The server as extremely kind, and was able to offer me some suggestions based on my personal palate and wine interests. I landed on the Winemaker's Tasting, which included 4, one ounce pours, including Blancs de Blancs, Albarino, Barbera and Merlot. I paired the tasting with the a BYOB board. From their menu I picked the olives, Afterglow, and the Tempesta Guanciale. The server was educated on the wines was able to walk me through the tasting and pairings but gave me independence and autonomy to enjoy at my own leisure and pace. I highly enjoyed my visit and absolutely will be returning to dine in, as well as to get a winery tour!

    Was gifted the wine tasting and tour for my birthday which was a very fun experience. Great deal to…read morebuy wine after. I preferred the whites and was disappointed by the reds. We had the date package and ate at the restaurant after. I recommend the pork schnitzel and pierogis. We ordered four shareables but weren't blown away by the butternut squash fondue and gougeres. Loved our hostess for the wine tasting, but wish there was more guidance on tasting notes and wine terminology. I'd recommend though to any wine lovers, I still learned a lot!

    Photos
    LIVA Private Dining Room
    LIVA Private Dining Room
    Dinner Reception
    Dinner Reception
    Enjoy a seasonal American menu in our restaurant

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    Enjoy a seasonal American menu in our restaurant
    Il Porcellino

    Il Porcellino

    4.4
    (1.8k reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    Il Porcellino has been around for ten years, but my lovely wife and I finally visited this…read morerestaurant on Hubbard Street to enjoy the Happy Hour specials. We had visited Florence last year, and one of the numerous wonderful moments of our trip to Italy was seeing "Il Porcellino" - the lucky bronze boar fountain that draws tourists from around the world. A copy of the boar stands proudly near the entrance of the restaurant, and though it is not as old as the original 1634 sculpture, it was a charming reminder of our amazing Italian holiday. Did I mention that the weekday Happy Hour (4-6PM) specials are quite good? The specials are served only at the bar area, so you might have to wait a few minutes for available seating. We started with some drinks, including two kinds of Negroni. The wild mushroom arancini (5 little balls for $6) were the smallest I've tried, but they were creamy and melt-in-your mouth delicious. The whipped ricotta and jam beautifully served on a strip of toasty focaccia was a unique taste sensation. Prime beef meatballs and short rib sliders on toasted ciabatta bread also hit the spot. Even though we were merely dining at the bar, we enjoyed the overall vibe of the restaurant. There are lots of photos on the walls, interesting lighting from the ceiling, nice serving dishes, and servers who seem to know who their regular diners are. We look forward to returning to Il Porcellino, to bask in that indescribable feeling of being in Italy again.

    Great vibe. Has the dark and moody you want for a date night but also some airiness when the…read more"patio" doors to the street our open. I ended up at a table right by said doors, which was perfect because it had a view of the 1 TV during the World Cup. There is a downside that random people or servers will walk through and be closer than you'd like vs using the regular door like they should. Serviced is good but not exceptional. Attentiveness could be increased a bit, especially relative to water refills, more drinks, dessert time, etc. Food is quite good, but probably won't break into most people's very top tier. That said, there's nothing to really complain about and you won't leave hungry. Overall, it's a solid place that is worth the visit but may not make your "Best Places in Chicago" list.

    Photos
    Dining room/Bar
    Dining room/Bar
    Grilled Calamari
    Grilled Calamari
    Burrata Lasagna

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    Burrata Lasagna

    Il Carciofo - italian - Updated July 2026

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