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Il Culaccino

3.9 (311 reviews)
Closed • 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
Updated over 3 months ago

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IL CULACCINO ATMOSPHERE

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Happy hour specials
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - Il Culaccino

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Chicken Limone was so thin it was thin as paper. Sauce was good, Pasta was WAY overcooked :(
Cheri Y.

Sorry, but we did not like this place at all. The calamari was over-breaded & overcooked. The meatball salad was nothing special it was like meatballs from Cisco. Wouldn't order them again. The Ginormous Eggplant was way too mushy & goopy. Way over cheesed. The chicken lemone was way too thin & overcooked. The sauce was good but the pasta was also WAY overcooked. Will not return.

gelato and Cannoli Dip
Reemadree M.

My husband and I went here on a weekday night at 7:30 PM and it had quite a lot of people there in a good way. food was really good. service was fantastic and warm. great date night spot.

06.27.25 Fish special
Chris V.

The main bar, dinning room, and patio are all spacious and nicely designed--with a retractable glass ceiling that adds a stunning open-air feel. There's also an additional uncovered patio for those who prefer a more outdoor experience. The staff is consistently warm and professional, making the service truly impeccable. That's one of the reasons we've become regulars. We tend to stick with our favorite apps and whatever fish special is featured that day--always a great choice.

Nonna's Meatball Salad, Fried Calamari, Chicken Limone, Chicken Marsala, Tortellini Carbonara, Pipette Vodka
Jazmin A.

I live nearby and have actually not been to Il Culaccino in person, but it's on my list. I've actually ordered a good amount of takeout from there though, and have usually had very positive experiences! The food is always made fresh and fast. I usually go with the vodka pasta anywhere I go and the one here is pretty good! I wish the sauce was a little more flavorful, but it's pretty solid and I attribute it to being takeout that it gets a little watery. The chicken dishes are all pretty good too - we have had a variety of them. This is my go to when I have friends over and want to get some Italian food - without having to cook it myself. Staff is always helpful!

Outdoor space
Whitney V.

We came to Il Culaccino when we were at a conference. The restaurant was nice and close and had amazing food! I ordered a pasta bowl which came with just the right amount of food for lunch and was incredibly tasty. The indoor outdoor area of the restaurant was very nice since it allowed so much natural lighting. The only issue we ran into was having service as they seemed to be a bit understaffed. We had to ask multiple times to the servers and the busser to order and another two times to receive our checks. Overall not a bad place to go when you have the time.

Linguine with Clams
Bao L.

When you walked in, it has the old-style Chicago charm with dark wood and red leather booths. The waitress took us to a nice window table overlooking the patio. The place is very clean. This was my first-time dining in, but I've taken out during Covid. I think the food tastes better on site or maybe it is a different chef. The Italian Burger came out medium as requested. There was a lot of bell pepper which looked colorful and appetizing. The herb bun was toasted with butter which makes it hard to leave behind. It was loaded with crispy string fries. The linguine was clams was just the right balance of wine, cream, and butter. It was creamy, but not too rich. The food did take a while to come out considering there were no other guests, but I'm willing to wait for delicious food. The waitress checked back on us twice, but did not rush us considering the light traffic. I would like to return for their Happy Hour during the weekdays 3-6pm and try their selection of wines.

Spicy Penne Pesto
Ryan S.

This place is a staple of the neighborhood. It has some of the best Italian food around and really good wine and cocktails as well. The owner always comes by and says hello to my friends when we visit since they're regulars. I tried the eggplant parm and it was delicious. They also have a really nice, humongous covered patio. Parking can be a little tough in the area, but they have a lot and valet as well.

Cabernet
Aisha A.

Great location and service highly recommend whether you're looking for a quiet place to get some food or to sit at the bar and have a great experience

Stefano P.

I came to this restaurant last year during a trade show and ordered pasta. I specifically asked for it to be al dente, but it wasn't. I decided to let it go at the time. I came back this year, ordered pasta again, and once more asked for it to be cooked al dente. Unfortunately, it still wasn't. When I mentioned it, I was told that for the chef, the pasta was al dente. As someone who is 100% Italian, I can assure you it was not. I would expect an Italian restaurant in Chicago to serve pasta the authentic way. Service was good. Ambiance is good.

Dining room
J David H.

Our group of five dined at Culaccino in late February. The location from our hotel was ideal. The interior is impressive! Love the color scheme and open design. A female hostess seated us promptly in a booth. Our waitress was much better up front with service and then fizzled. My visit was on a weekday an hour prior to close and it was pretty busy. Our female server was great when present. She smiled and was even bubbly. Mains hit the table different times around 25 minutes or so after. Appetizers were quicker. My gnocchi dish was awful and not finished. It likely had been sitting and reheated, It was dry and lacked flavor. Our waitress did not follow up until I gave up with a complaint on the dish. Drink refills were sporadic by a water boy. Others at the table had better luck with their dishes. Close out of the check by our server was slow. Prices seemed fair. I would not return, nor recommend. 2.5 rounding up.

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1 month ago

Old school Italian comfort food. It is well executed and the service is excellent. Very nice covered outdoor seating is available

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4 months ago

The appetizers were tasty but the pasta & risotto were not as good as Traders Joes frozen items. Very overpriced for the quality.

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Ask the Community - Il Culaccino

Do they have a heated patio?

Yes we do!

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Food was fantastic. The special burrata with the prosciutto and apple is a must order. The main…read morecourse of pastas was fantastic. Though fresh parmigiana and red pepper was offered my orrichetta (sp?) and my friends bolognese were both soot in Drinks- wine and mixed drinks were generous and delicious. As good as all that was--. It eas the service that stuck out. Maggie was fantastic. Attentive, pleasant, and consistent in her attention. An incredible dining experience. Ill be back.

Although I am a new customer, I've been loyal to Peanut Park for the past six months and have…read morerecommended it to many friends and family. Up until tonight, my experiences had always been positive and the food was fantastic. Unfortunately, this visit was more than disappointing. I ordered a salad I've had at least a dozen times before, accept I added grilled chicken on top. I live for this salad and was just there maybe three weeks ago. Unaware that they have changed their menu, I ordered as usual. The name of the salad has not changed on the menu, but apparently the ingredients had been completely altered. When the dish arrived, to my surprise, it was drastically different and not something I enjoyed at all. I politely informed our server, who was kind and accommodating, and offered to replace the dish. However, it was now 6 p.m. we had tickets to see The Wiz at 7 p.m. and didn't have time to wait for another order, which I also informed her. I asked if the salad could be removed from the bill since it was essentially untouched. The server checked with the owner, who refused to remove the $30 salad or offer any kind of discount. When a restaurant changes a dish but keeps the same name, it creates a reasonable expectation for returning customers. When that expectation isn't met, basic customer service should step in. What makes this even more frustrating is that the restaurant was willing to prepare an entirely new dish, but not willing to remove the uneaten one from the bill. That simply isn't logical. If you're prepared to replace an item, it clearly acknowledges there was an issue, so refusing to comp or adjust the original charge is unreasonable. That decision was extremely disappointing. I, in-turn made the decision to eat only the additional grilled chicken on top, leaving the rest of the salad, paying the full bill and promptly getting out of there so we could be on time for our show. The only positive part of the experience was our server, who handled the situation with professionalism and kindness. Sadly, the new menu leaves much to be desired and this experience has cost Peanut Park my business and my referrals going forward.

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Peanut Park Trattoria - Tender piping-hot light crispy calamari fritti, with deep lightly-spiced tomato pomodoro and bright golden Calabrian aioli

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Ciccio Mio - Black Truffle Bucatini

Ciccio Mio

4.7(635 reviews)
2.6 mi•River North, Near North Side
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Truly one of the most enjoyable Italian food experiences in Chicago. It's worth the effort to plan…read moreahead and make a reservation. Reservations are released 21 days ahead of time, which I personally find impossible to make. Every time I've checked over the last several years there have been no availability. Yesterday I decided to pop on their website again and was delighted to find that they had released same day dinner reservations for patio only dining. The weather was perfect for outdoor dining so I went ahead and booked a table for Friday night. I felt like I won the dinner lottery. Service was wonderful and I didn't mind sitting outside at all next to the road with cars. I actually never stepped foot in the restaurant so cannot comment on what it's like inside. But do not give up that patio dining reservation if it's available. All of our dishes were delicious. I was really impressed by the meatball appetizers, chicken vesuvio (the potatoes are a must get as a side if you skip this dish), and branzino. The meats and sauces were wonderfully balanced and tender. Nothing tasted overly salted. Ironically, the pasta felt less of a star compared to the other dishes. And of course I had to get the gelato, which was so aesthetically presented and the taste just reminded me of an Italian summer vacation.

They stick people on their front coffee table as their dining location and act like it is normal…read more There needs to be a discount to eat at this table. Removed the "restaurant surcharge" after I asked.

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Ciccio Mio - Espresso machine

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Ciccio Mio - Lasagna Bolognese

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Such an amazing restaurant, I can't recommend enough. We came for dinner so the place was packed…read morewith people. The inside of the restaurant felt like a classic Italian restaurant you might find in Italy. Our waiter was super nice and gave some great wine recommendations. First, they bring you some bread and give you a small platter mixed with olive oil, fresh garlic, and Parmesan. This is the first time I've seen it done this way but it was delicious. The calamari was delicious, not too fried and oily but still had so much flavor to it. We also decided to order the peperoni pizza, which is just a magnificent pizza. It was just cooked perfectly with just the right amount of flavor and spice. I ordered the raviolacci toscani, which took a bit of time to come out (but understandable given the amount of people). It was just delicious. The meat filling had such a deep flavor and the sauce wasn't so heavy that I didn't want to finish it. I would recommend this to anyone that wants a good Italian meal with great portions. Reservations might be hard to get so plan ahead.

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Tuscany - Taylor - Dining Room

Dining Room

Tuscany - Taylor - Insalata Pera

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Tuscany - Taylor - Sausage Potato and Vegetable Soup

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Sausage Potato and Vegetable Soup

Il Culaccino - italian - Updated May 2026

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