Gem of an Italian restaurant right near McCormick Place! Will always go to when I'm in town for a trade show. Back patio (covered and great for all seasons). Great atmosphere, food and service. Bonus info: some portions are very large and can easily be shared by 2! ( like the gnocchi). read more

Walked in after a volleyball tourney. We were a party of 7. lady wrote us down and said 10-15 min. After waiting 30, we asked another lady and she said we don't have a table for 7. I said, that lady said 15 minutes. She then said that lady is wrong and walked away. Other customers that heard even comment how wrong they were and they walked out with us. They lost about 25 customers because they were a team with their parents that also walked out. We're from out of state and just wanted to feed the players before heading back to the hotel. Worse customer service I ever experienced. read more

4.5/5 Delicious! The bread and olive oil was fresh and the entrees were the perfect temperature. The tortellini carbonara and pork chop both tasted amazing. Though the arugula salad could have used a bit more flavor in the dressing. The cocktails were not priced on the menu, which made me a bit skeptical but they turned out to be $15 each. It did take quite a few minutes for our waiter to greet us at our table. Though once he did, the service was fantastic. We probably won't come back as often as I would like due to the price, but will definitely check out their weeknight specials sometime. read more

Il Culaccino - Pork chop with potatoes - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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A really cute, unpretentious restaurant. The patio was really nice in October when we went. Even though we had a reservation for indoors, the servers were kind enough to accommodate our request to sit outside even though it was a crowded Saturday evening. The food just didn't really stand out to me though, I ordered the pipette alla vodka and thought the vodka sauce was just ok, felt the same way about the grilled calamari we had as our appetizer. read more

Il Culaccino - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great location and even better food. I stayed at the Hyatt McCormick Place and this is a short jaunt across the street. My Italian go-to is always very consistent, Chick Parm. The flavor was booming and the portions were fantastic. I would recommend to anyone looking for a great meal/experience read more

Delicious Italian Favorites and an Amazing Ambiance both inside and out. Great Entertainment also when Zed's Singing Salute to Sinatra and More. read more

I got one word for you AMAZING!!! The food and service were top of the world. Our host Frankie was very welcoming and gave us all the details on the menu, wine list, and he topped it with a complimentary dessert for us since we are newly married trying that place for the first time. We had stuffed peppers and omg they were so delicious with a little spicy kick to it. MUST TRY! Along with bolognese which is not on the menu but was a special for that day. And for dessert was the chocolate cake which was huge and delicious. We will definitely go back and highly recommend this place! read more

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Wow So for the last few weeks I've been working on Arrive Lex, seeing different contractors setting up this spot and the excitement was real. I was dying to try this place. They finally opened at lunch today, I HAD to go. Now usually I start off talking about the look and feel of the place but, good god the food needs to be at the forefront of this one because damn I started with the Stuffed Peppers, they were AMAZING. Homemade sausage, stuffed inside banana peppers and topped with their house marinara. The heat of the banana pepper was just right in my opinion, and the sausage stuffing... just WOW. My main course was Fettuccine Alla Franco, the sauce was so thick and rich, mushrooms and chicken was perfectly cooked and the ratio was perfect. Like seriously, every bite was perfect. My coworker got the Pan Seared Salmon, the presentation of it was gorgeous & is definitely on my list of things to try next. Dessert was Cannoli Dip - a Deconstructed Cannoli. This is the only way it should be made. The sweetness was just right, there was a slight cinnamon hit and the light chocolate drizzle killed it. I'd 100% recommended getting it. Especially since it's only $12 The inside of Il Culaccino is simple and clean with a very comfortable yet upscale vibe. I love the deep reds and dark wood decor. Only little annoyance here was the small four seater tables by the bar area we were seated is probably better for two people. I like the outdoor seating area too, very open and relatively shaded since the patio is on the north side of the building. Would definitely recommend stopping in, food is delicious, service is super friendly and it's quite cozy in there too. read more

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Nice place! Excellent service, great wine list... The food here has a handmade and homemade feel, recommended. read more

Il Culaccino - menu - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Loveeeeeeeee this place!! I've been here twice and have basically confirmed that I'm going to be a regular here (partially because it's so close to my apartment). Its a pretty standard Italian restaurant with your normal pasta/entree dishes and some interesting twists (deconstructed cannoli dip??). I just really like the modern vibe of the restaurant, the quality of the food, and the quality of the service. It's a good place for a date night that's not tooooo fancy/uptight but still has a nice atmosphere. So far, I reallllllllly recommend their pipettes alla vodka and ricotta tuffo. Can't wait to come back to try more read more

Il Culaccino - Menu - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

An incredible evening and a very accommodating staff. We literally arrived 20 min before the kitchen closed but Mandy our server and the entire staff did the best to make sure we were taken care of. They even made pesto linguine for me special and fixed all the best drinks for us. We didn't feel rushed at all and all the food came out amazingly fast. Thank you so much we appreciate it and will definitely be back. read more

Visited here for the first time on Valentine's Day. We had a wonderful time. I've read other reviews and knew we'd enjoy our dinner. We waited a bit for our table understandably as it was busy. We sat at the bar and I had a bit of an upset stomach and the bartender who was exceptionally busy, Korissa was amazing! She made a club soda with bitters to help with my stomach. We were seated and had Jordan who was THE best server ever!!! He was knowledge, personable and funny. He deserves a raise! We had Nonna's meatballs. For us they were a tad salty but good. We had the gnocchi al for no style with the tomato sauce. We spilt the entree and we were glad as it was a huge portion! We used the valet service and the car was warm and running! More great service! We will return. read more

Il Culaccino - Nonna's meatballs - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We chose this restaurant at the recommendation of the concierge at the Marriott. I don't often write such a negative review, and probably would not have if the hostess hadn't argued with me incessantly. The food was mediocre but even that wouldn't have merited a one-star from me. The fried calamari was rubbery and chewy. I had the salmon which was flavorless and bland and the sauce was watery. The potatoes were soggy and flavorless. The wine we ordered was good and a good price. The service was poor but that was because they were understaffed on a busy night- which I can appreciate and forgive. I cannot however, forgive being argued with by the hostess- who was exceedingly young and inexperienced. I even gave her the words to use to diffuse the situation, but she refused and then continually insisted she wasn't arguing. They don't allow you to pay at the register and that's all she had to say but she couldn't say it and just continued to argue with me. I suggest you avoid this restaurant. read more

The food was strictly fine, standard Italian fare. Good if you need to stick close to the convention center, but otherwise you can find better in the neighborhood. read more

Another wonderful dinner experience here. Were taken care of by Jordan, so pleasant. Always start with cab wine. Bread brought to table with EVVO and Parmesan cheese. Tried their piazza made of cheese, was great. Shared a salad of Caesar that three of us ate. I ordered chicken Parmesan (huge) atop a bed of penne and marinara sauce, perfectly done. Room for leftovers. Husband had mahi-mahi that was good. Daughter had tortellini, peas and cream sauce she said was her favorite there so far. Enjoy atmosphere. Again happy an Italian restaurant is in south loop. read more

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I've been to this restaurant twice (once for brunch and once for an early dinner), both times with a group of four. Each time, the experience was excellent in terms of food, service, and setting. I particularly recommend the Caesar, roasted beet, and arugula salads, the pizzelle, the fried and grilled calamari, and the rapini. My companions raved about their selections, which included salmon, soup, and sandwiches. It's convenient to Wintrust Arena (home of the 2021 Championship WNBA team, The Chicago Sky), and there's a variety of parking options. read more

Staff was great, food was pretty good. Portions weren't huge but good sized. Needed more gluten free options. Overall nice place close to hotel. read more

This was our first time here. The food is outstanding. We had a group of 6 co-workers looking for dinner after working all day. Based upon the reviews, we decided to give this place a try. The menu has a great selection and everyone tried something different. Everyone was amazed at how great the food tasted. The waiter, Esmundo, was very attentive at first. He brought out our drinks right away and the food appeared amazingly quick. Once we got the food, it felt like the server was done with us and only came back to take things away. I would have given this restaurant 5 stars but there were a few things that happened that took that away. They brought out the bread and olive oil as soon as we ordered our drinks, but then just before the food came out, they took away the bread plates and the bread. Would have been nice to enjoy the bread with the lovely sauces that our food was in. There was no follow-up on refills. My wife almost had to beg to get a refill on her iced tea and the two of us that had soft drinks were never asked if we wanted refills, even though the glasses were emptied before the food was brought out. The two people that had ordered wine were somewhat disappointed because they had barely finished their glasses before they were taken away. They both had hoped to order additional glasses but they were never asked. It could not have been because they were trying to get us out of there, because there were quite a few empty tables. Other reviews raved about the service. Everyone at the table was dumbfounded at the lack of customer service we experienced. We will definitely be back for the food and maybe we will get one of the servers that everyone else was raving about. read more

I went here for a work lunch with a large group and the restaurant was very accommodating. Service was great and the food was delicious- well priced for the quality and portion sizes. We sat in the covered/heated patio area, which was comfortable and spacious. read more

Delicious Bucatini! Friendly service, warm ambiance (festively decorated for the holidays). Classic Italian vibes. Great for a date night.

We stopped in for early dinner 4:30 pm. It really got busy after 5. Great atmosphere, good wine selection and the food portions were VERY generous. Our chicken parmesan was so big that we shared it and still could not finish it read more

Il Culaccino - Chicken parmesan - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We had such a great experience eating at Il Culaccino this past weekend. I highly recommend eating in their heated, covered patio. It has a great ambiance to it and I really liked the string lights hanging from the ceiling. The service here is really good and our waiter was great at answering our questions and providing suggestions and recommendations. Drinks were brought out quickly and the courses were spaced appropriately. I recommend using their in-house valet parking service since street parking was very tricky for us to find in that area. It's also an easy walk off the green line if you use public transit. The food here was outstanding. We shared the whipped ricotta tuffo (which I believe is a house special) and it was amazing. It comes with crostinis that you can dip into a delicious blend of ricotta cheese and orange marmalade. I loved the hint of sweetness from the orange with the richness of the ricotta. It really was a great combination of flavors. I truly struggled to pick an entree since there are so many options that sounded great. I ended up going with the eggplant Parmesan and it was as good as the Yelp reviews hyped it up to be. The sauce was so hearty, the cheese wasn't too overwhelming, and the portion was gigantic. It comes on a bed of penne as well. It was really satisfying and very tasty. Would definitely recommend! Can't wait to come back here to try more dishes, or get the same ones again since I enjoyed them both so much! Thank you! read more

Dropped in for a business lunch. Sat on patio which was nice and well shaded. Service was good, not great, but honestly for a business meeting meal, being left alone wasn't a bad thing. The Tortellini Carbonara was delightful. Full of flavor, and a huge portion. read more

Il Culaccino - Tortellini Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

What an amazing place!!! You MUST visit. You will NOT be disappointed. Frankie, the owner, will personally see to your satisfaction. You don't wanna leave without meeting him! (He just might buy you a drink!) This is how ALL restaurants should be run! Run, don't walk, to Il Culaccino. God will bless you for it. Dan read more

The food is always on point! So are the drinks. It's always a nice vibe inside and the servers are always fantastic and sweet. They also always give great recommendations based on what we're looking for. Their cocktails are wonderful and tasty, too! This is our regular for Italian food! read more

Best Italian food with the cutest indoor decor and outdoor patio seating area. Very friendly staff! I absolutely love this place and so does everybody I have ever taken there! A must go to place! read more

By far hands down some the best pasta I have ever had in the city. We love next door and frequent there often. The service is impeccable as well. My go to is the spicy penne pesto and I add crumbled sausage. I am so happy this place opened in the South Loop!! read more

Incredible pasta. They have a full bar and really good pasta all around. Tried a few different entrees over a few days. All very delicious. Nice people. read more

Food was amazing, rich, delicious. Service was great, very friendly and accommodating. Nice energy and not too noisy, as we sat in a sunroom type area. read more

Finally, there are decent restaurants popping up near McCormick convention Center. At the end of the housewares show, a bunch of us stopped in on Tuesday night and had a fantastic meal. The meatball appetizer was pillow soft and delicious. Eggplant Parmesan, shrimp scampi, and other meals were all what was to be expected from a good quality restaurant. The wait staff is awesome and the ambience is very homey. Try to get a seat by the heaters the homemade tiramisu was excellent as well. Will be coming back there again. read more

Good food fast service has valet service but didn't use it since it was so close to hotel

Food was good. Service was good. Having said that, tried to charge me for a $90 bottle of wine when I drank a $62 bottle of wine.

Great vibe and good music accompanied by excellent food and service. Jacqueline was exceptional with our large party. Give them a try when in town. read more

I had a shrimp pasta dish. It was very good. Fresh made pasta and the shrimp was well cooked.

I went there on Sunday 3/10/24 around 6pm to celebrate a family member's birthday with 7 other people. The waiter was friendly and engaging, and he remembered all of our orders perfectly. But the veal parmesan that I was served was actually burned on the bottom and not tender at all. I ate part of the top of the burned patties along with some of the pasta while I waited for the waiter to return. When I showed the manager the burned black bottoms of the veal patties, the manager didn't apologize for the bad food, but instead replied "Well what do you want me to do?" I suggested discounting half of the price of the meal and she said "Well I can't do that because you ate more than half of it" and she walked away. I definitely won't be returning there. Burned food and rude, ignorant management don't deserve our patronage. read more

Food was tasty and came out quickly!! But we did wait 20 minutes with no one coming to our table. At that point, I went to ask if someone could come over - I accidentally spilled my drink in the process and STILL no one came over. Once I asked the hostess for a mop and our server things went more smoothly. read more

A hidden gem tucked away in the shadows of the McCormick Convention Center... we'd always viewed Il Culaccino as a last resort for desperate out-of-town convention attendees... oh, we were so wrong. A serious craving for eggplant parmigiana led us down the street to this quiet (likely due to the pandemic) Italian-American spot. The pasta didn't disappoint -- perfectly al dente, the garlicky creamy penne buttera hit all the right carb-tastic notes. The eggplant parm -- not outstanding, but solid... covered in a generous layer of cheese and fresh marinara... unfortunately, the flour-coating of the eggplant left the dish lacking the extra textural punch of breadcrumbs. Nonetheless, craving satisfied! read more

Il Culaccino - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The food here was ok, nothing special. But the service was TERRIBLE. The waitress was unpleasant from the first time she approached our table. I asked for condiments more than once before I walked to the kitchen to get them myself (while she stood talking to the hostess at the hostess stand). Once our food was delivered, she didn't check in once to see if we needed anything or to refill water or anything. We had a large party so she was guaranteed a 20% tip so she obviously didn't care. She rolled her eyes, brought my daughter lemons for water in a wrapped up napkin in her hand, and was all around terrible. I would never do back for that reason alone. read more

My date and I arrived early for our reservation. After 10 minutes, we realized no one had stopped by our table. We asked a staff member for water after 15 minutes - received water and bread. After 20 minutes and still no waiter, we got up to leave and told the hostess what had occurred. She said "sorry" without any remorse and canceled the reservation. I do not recommend read more

I took my cousin here last night for her birthday and we both LOVED it! The heated outdoor patio, the atmosphere, the server, the food and the dessert was all a HIT! The flavor on the grilled calamari is unmatched! I prefer it grilled over fried anyway, but I've never had it seasoned like there's and I love it! I'll definitely be back SOON! read more

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