Considering that this place is very close to McCormick Center where I attended a conference, I wasn't expecting much. My Italian sausage sandwich was pretty tasty. And it was huge. I only ate have and boxed the rest. Luckily, my hotel room had a kitchen with a fridge. Service was fine. The biggest issue though was that it was extremely noisy. Lunch was served in the screened in patio area. The sound of the neighboring discussions seemed to get amplified by the glass walls. Verdict: good to eat, not so good to have a discussion during the meal. read more

8/13/23 It's been a minute since I was last in Chicago. After NY, this is one of the better cities to find home-cooked style Italian food. Not over the top fancy but a solid meal you miss from time to time. I was here for an event, and this was close to the Marriott Marquis. Not super busy for a Sunday night and the service was ok for sitting at the bar. My eggplant parmigiana was a solid 4, with enough pasta to satisfy but not make me overfull. --------------------------------------- Follow up 8/15/23 I had a good experience the other night, and my friends were looking for dinner. It's a good mile+ from McCormick Place, and not everyone was able to walk the distance. The short, seven of us ordered a variety of dishes. The non-vegetarians (I'm veg) really enjoyed their dishes as well. We used DoorDash. I'm not taking points off for that, but Yelp, please help us out. The Dasher got lost (again - I helped another friend with dinner the night before) and was 30 minutes late with our food. It wasn't hot, but what choice did we have? They are supposed to know the area they are delivering to, and it felt like we were asking them to come to another city. Il Culaccino made a good impression on me to order for a lot of out-of-town friends so I'll be back. read more

Il Culaccino - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Made reservations for lunch for my friends birthday. It is also the beginning of Chicago Restaurant week, so I also wanted to check this place out for that as well. When I arrived, the place was visually empty, but I could already smell the aromas from whatever they were cooking up. I love the ambiance, very nostalgic. There is plenty photo memorabilia as well as wine bottles singed by famous people over the years. Even though I came during the first day of restaurant week, my friend and I wound up ordering off the regular menu. I had the Gnocchi, which was divine! She got a chicken fish from the menu and enjoyed it as well. I cleaned my plate, not a crumb left. When we were done with our entrees, the waiter brought out a complimentary tiramisu for the birthday girl! I was so impressed and also surprised. Not a lot of restaurants put that extra effort in for special occasions. All in all, I enjoyed my experience. It's right across from the Wintrust arena so I'll keep that in mind when I'm there for a game or special event. read more

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The outdoor space is really nice and perfect when the weather is nice. Service was a bit slow but the server was really nice and made sure to check on us as much as he could. The food wasn't bad. We started with the meatballs which were really tender and pretty flavorful. The dish of the night was definitely the gnocchi al forno with the melted cheese. Soooo good! The sauce was delicious and it's very cheesy for sure. The only disappointment was the pipette a la vodka. The sauce wasn't very flavorful and didn't taste like vodka sauce. Plus it was pretty dry. I would definitely skip this dish and order something else, it was pretty disappointing. There aren't too many Italian places in the neighborhood, that I'm aware of, and I would probably go back if I was craving Italian. read more

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Hidden gem in the heart of south loop. Walked in and was able to get a hightop table in the bar on a busy night with basketball and concerts going on across the street. A really nice patio with retractable glass roof. Our server Rob was friendly and made recommendations of what to order. We split the burrata salad which was phenomenal with pesto and grilled bread. For entrees the egg plan parm and chicken Milanese was cooked to perfection. Portions are shareable and filling. Overall great service and ambiance. read more

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Came on a Sunday evening with a reservation and enjoyed our meal. They have valet parking available for $15 which is by far the cheapest option if there's an event going on. Otherwise plenty of street parking available. We ordered the calamari and meatballs as apps and both were good. Generous portion of calamari and 4 meatballs with the order. Our entrees (pictures attached) were also generous portions, especially the Chicken Milanese. While the food was tasty it's definitely not as authentic Italian as they strive to be. That being said if someone was looking for a restaurant in South Loop near McCormick, I'd recommend. Service was okay, slow at times but they were busy so it was understandable. Ambiance was a lively and they have a nice patio when the weather permits! read more

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The staff were very nice and accommodating. The interior design is rustic and old-school. The food is decently priced and not bad. The sauce in their linguine with clams is amazing! There were a lot of clams, but they were all a bit on the smaller side. The tiramisu is good, too! read more

The atmosphere was ok, but the food was horrible. The chicken parm was dry, slightly burnt, and a lack of sauce and cheese. Yes, the portions were massive (the waiter claimed it was one pound of chicken), but what a waste of food. And the waiter was pushy as if he needed to turn the table when there were hardly any customers. read more

Had dinner here Monday evening with a group from work. They were sitting everyone outside, which gave major pandemic vibes, which was a bit disturbing, but since it was a nice day, I guess it was okay. I had the meatball salad and it was pretty good. Restaurant is very close to the Hyatt McCormick, which was convenient. Only about a five minute walk. read more

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

First time visitor to Chicago. Found this great Italian restaurant with lovely ambience and delicious food. The service was prompt and friendly. I definitely recommend it.. read more

Il Culaccino - Nonna's meatball salad and ribeye. - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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In a town that has a ton of really good italian restaurants, we thoroughly enjoyed Il Culaccino. The spicy pesto pasta was outstanding and the gnocchi was fantastic. The service can be a tad slow at times during peak times, but they were very attentive and took care of us. The restaurant itself is fairly stereotypical italian, but great for both lunch and dinner. read more

Came by for a late lunch. However I was disappointed in our visit. We had the Bucatini but it was over cooked. The grilled calamari was also overcooked. The crispy calamari was good and there were large pieces. The service could have been better, they barely checked in on us. read more

Great menu! The grilled calamari was soooooo good with the salad it was paired with. Customer service was impeccable. Will be going back. read more

Il Culaccino - Grilled Calamari - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Wonderful restaurant within walking distance of the McCormick Place venue. We walked right in on a Wednesday evening and were able to get a table. Ambiance is old Italy and the menu is the same. Food was fresh, authentic Italian and featured an excellent wine selection. Service was fantastic. Leave room for desert and have the deconstructed cannoli. Amazingly good. read more

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

The atmosphere., the service and the cuisine was top notch. Hats off to Frank and his crew!! read more

Food was decent but the canneloni dip was amazing. Service was very disappointing. Busy for a Monday night but several issues. They didn't clear the appetizer plates before the entrees came, then didn't ask if we wanted more drinks when dinner came. Biggest issue was they didn't bring plates and silverware when dessert came. Had to go ask them for some. They brought plates and 5 spoons. 3 of the five were large serving spoons. Busboy was way more helpful than the waiter. read more

Do not go there!!! Ate there last night with 5 other people. Service was horrible, staff was argumentative and combative with us about everything. Wait staff spilled hot oil on one of us and barely said sorry for it. Food had no flavor and not worth the price. Spoke to manager and they did nothing to rectify the situation. Worst experience ever. read more

Was so close to Marriott marquis and a nice surprise for the quality of food! Service was on pointe as well! Holiday decor was super cozy!

Came here with some friends who were visiting me for a weekend. My friends said they wanted some Italian food and after a quick search we ended up walking here. We came for an early Saturday lunch and were seated immediately and the space is really pretty, with plenty of natural light. First we got some bread. It was pretty good but nothing to write home about. I ordered the orecchiette for my meal. The sauce had a nice flavor profile but I felt it could've been more flavorful, and the chicken was quite dry. The texture of the orecchiette was also quite, plain? Not sure how to describe it but it just didn't feel very fresh. One of my friends ordered the gnocchi al forno and I had a bite. I much prefer that dish over mine, but at the same time there was a TON of gnocchi for one person to consume. Service was just okay. A bit slow considering there were only three tables in the whole restaurant but not unreasonable. If I was craving Italian food, I'd come here in a pinch since I live close by and the place does look pretty nice. Food: 3/5 Service: 3/5 Price: 3.5/5 Ambiance: 4/5 Overall: 3/5 read more

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

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Cute Italian restaurant with great food, amazing customer service, and a nice atmosphere. The restaurant offers indoor and outdoor seating. We sat outside and was greeted with warmth, great service, and a smile by my server. It was my first time dining here and decided to go traditional with pasta. Ended up getting the Spicy Penne Pesto pasta which was delicious. I'm not into spicy food, but it was good. The initial bite is flavorful and in the end you get a kick of spicy. Also, we indulged in the grilled calamari as an appetizer. It was different, but tasty. read more

Il Culaccino - Spicy Penne Pesto - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great food! Great service! I especially love that they didn't push booze, always drives me crazy! Bobby was awesome! We will be back! read more

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The veal was overcooked and very thin. I asked the server if this was the correct way it was supposed to be prepared, and he said yes. I can't believe anyone would give this meal five stars. This is the worst veal dish I have ever had. The salad was good, though. read more

Il Culaccino - Veal Milanese - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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What a disappointment. Visited this old pot with my mother after taking her to a Seniors Living with Dementia event had a great fun time there singing and dancing so I wanted to take her to lunch. We arrived around 2:30 was seated in main dining area. (Beautiful restaurant) were given a "regular" menus to order from. I looked in line and saw they had a LUNCH menu which the server didn't bother to tell us. . So I requested the lunch menu. We order drinks juice for mom and one of my fave white wines ($15) for me. I was served my wine and I could have easily used it to either clean windows or make salad dressing with.. it tastes EXACTLY like VINEGAR .. meaning the bottle has been opened in the 90's ... it was not a fresh or nearly fresh bottle. I told the server who told the bartender and he said it was about half full and "fresh" . . I had it replaced. Ordered the Grilled calamari ($18) and what was served was a pile of mixed greens and cheap 3 tube pieces of rubbery calamari flopped on the wet salad. Ordered the meatball sandwich for mom and it was good AFTER I peeled off the 3inch thick layers of stiff mozzarella cheese that could choke a horse on the hardest bread ever. I ordered the Chargrilled Sausage & Rapini sandwich. What I RECEIVED was a long DEEP FRIED ITALIAN-adjacent sausage Salty Slimy Rapini ALSO covered in the 3 inch cold cheese blanket on Brick hard bread. . Cut a piece of sausage .. immediately sent back.. I eventually ended up with a salad and a $80 bill. We went to the rest room and saw a HAPPY HOUR sigh with lunch & wine specials..I was LIVID.. this was not offered to us. Paid bill and left. . I hate it here. *server was nice read more

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Good service at the bar. Linguini with clams was as expected and calamari was excellent but huge portion for one. read more

Il Culaccino - Very dirty martini at happy hour special - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My experience at IL Culaccino was excellent: great food, great service, excellent atmosphere, terrific prices!!! Highly recommended!!!

Attention all my carb and pasta lovers!!! Il Culaccino is your place! --I wasn't expecting to fall in love with this place but I did. I popped in her on a Friday evening for a solo date. I was greeted and seated immediately without a wait. Upon being seated, I was started off with bread and oil. What better way to begin your meal of carbs? With more carbs lol. The bread was fresh and tasty. I ordered a glass of the riesling to pair with my bread and oil prior to my food arriving, It was pretty busy for a Friday so while the staff was nice, they weren't as attentive/personable as I prefer. Very straight to business (which is also pretty common when eating solo). Although not super attentive, service was fast and efficient which I enjoyed. The patio was super cute, with bulb lightning and large windows. Perfect ambiance for date night, or intimate dinner with friends. I ordered the Spicy Penne Pesto. And-- amazing, literally amazing. The pesto sauce was perfect. It had great flavor, good creamy texture and the perfect spice! I substituted the prosciutto for chicken and spinach which I feel added more character dimension to the dish. I finished the dish with another glass of riesling which was a great way to end the night! Ambiance and food was exceeded my expectations and I am so excited to get back! read more

Il Culaccino - Spicy Penne Pesto. - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Nice ambiance. I was able to get a seat right away even though it was pretty crowded. I tried the Pappardelle and it was delicious. read more

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

My husband and I were fresh off the plane a hungry. This place was around the corner from our hotel and we were glad we found it. The food was amazing. The environment was chill and the service was excellent. read more

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Excellent food, drinks, & service on two separate visits while in Chicago. Il Culaccino really came through when another restaurant cancelled my plans for a business gathering on short notice. Mandy went out of her way to accommodate our group on a night they were fully booked and allowed us to mingle by the bar. Joey, our bartender, kept everyone happy with well-made cocktails and special requests. The entire staff was attentive and thoughtful and my guests were delighted. Il Culaccino is reasonably priced, considering its location right across from McCormick Center. read more

Great place great service great food, lively outdoor environment during a busy day. We stopped by after a graduation to escape the rush and had a great meal. read more

Stopped here after an appointment nearby. Service was QUICK, courteous and friendly. Out meal came maybe a little too quickly. Kind of odd for the enormous pork chop my husband ordered. I ordered the chicken Milanese. Huge portions but something was missing. The arugula salad was no enough to accompany the chicken. I think it needs a sauce of some kind. read more

Il Culaccino - Chicken Milanese - good but too dry for just arugula salad topping. - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Food was great! The service was great (especially with Andrea). We were checked on often and lots of casual conversation! The 3-season room was comfortable and very pretty. My visit was during the late lunch-hours so it wasn't the busiest. But it created this feeling of having space to ourselves. read more

Solid 4 star delivery option. Happy to get again. Whipped Ricotta Tuffo - 4/5. Heaping portions of ricotta, more than we could fit on the provided break which was great. The fruit on the side is a nice touch but wish there was an extra oomph on this. Gnochi - 4/5. Perfect texture gnochi. The sauce decent but not as good. Eggplant Parmigiana - 4/5. Heaping cheese, solid tomato sauce. Perfectly cooked pasta. read more

Food was good, with the pork chop dish being the best! Tender, juicy and thick pork chop. Asking for extra sauce for the pork chop was a charge of $9,60, which was a bit disappointing. They do take reservations. Indoor seating as well as covered indoor patio seating. Interior is clean. Tables are spaced. Metered street parking. read more

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We ordered for delivery last night and I'm wondering what took us so long to get dinner from this place! I ordered the Chicken Marsala and my husband ordered the Pipette Vodka. WE LOVED IT. My dish was cooked perfectly, chicken as so delicious and lots of mushrooms (my fave). My husbands pasta was so good, the ricotta you mix in was perfect. Next time I want to try the tortellini carbonara. read more

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

We felt very ignored at this place. I've been here three times and unfortunately even though I really like the food. The service was horrible and we will not be back. The server messed up our food, and he never came back to the table after that, we had to flag him down multiple times. He kept checking on every table but ours. Then the general manager or someone higher up checked on every table except ours again and I had to ask her if we can get some more bread, which took a while. I felt very disrespected and now I am wondering if it is because we are black and everyone else in the restaurant was not. read more

If you appreciate wine, do NOT attempt to imbibe here. Despite being an "Italian" restaurant, most of the wines are not from Italy. They often do not have what is on the list in stock. It is also stored improperly. I ordered a bottle today that was so warm it tasted like bath water. The server asked if they could chill it for me. Are you kidding? I upgraded to a much more expensive bottle only to find that it tasted acrid. This makes me very sad to write this as I am a South Loop resident and prefer to patronize local businesses. read more

Close to the Marriot convention center Chicago , at first seemed very quiet but we just arrived early, seating is on a patio and service is good but most of all food was delicious and super plentiful- go hungry, good drinks name brand wines and great expresso afterwards. Huge chocolate cake slice too. Fun and cozy read more

We came in a larger party and we're pleasantly surprised by the speed and quality of service. Our server was attentive without being overbearing and gave great suggestions. The Spicy Penne Pesto was delicious and had the perfect kick without being overpowering, however it is oily but that is typical for penne. The Orecchiette had a great sauce though the pasta was a little over cooked. Finally we got the Gnocchi and it was terrific - baked to perfection with a sauce with great consistency. We sat our on the patio which was a little loud but great for a bigger group, especially when the weather is good. The red chairs and booth surrounded by string lights have a very cozy and welcoming ambiance. I would highly recommend checking our Il Culaccino if you find yourself in the areas. read more

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