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    Il Girasole Trattoria

    4.6 (69 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM

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    Bucatini Carbonara
    Ernie H.

    The menu is in Italian and not curated for mid-western palates, that's not a bad thing. We have enough of those. English is in small caps, the staff looks Italian(I didn't ask of course), which means it feels really authentic. We had the carbonara pasta, the tuna special and the branzino(fish) in lobster bisque which I thought was best of the three. My family really likes the simplicity of the Tuna paired with arugula salad. The carbonara was a little salty. All three entrees were good you taste the quality, however none blew me away and it's a little pricey. It is across Regal Cinema which makes it convenient especially for parking since we left the car in the theater lot.

    Risotto Porcini and penne Polpette alla Arrabiatta
    Donna M.

    Back from vacation and resulting cold, my spouse and I restarted our Saturday night restaurant picks. It was his turn and picked this lovely, neighborhood place. We shared a Caesar salad and he got the risotto porcini with black winter truffles. It was super flavorful and he said it actually tasted of mushrooms. I had the penne all a arriabiata. The sauce was thick and spicy but no overwhelming. We shared an amazing crème brûlée to finish the meal. Staff were great and made sure we had everything we needed. They have a nice patio that was full when we arrived . I'd recommend checking them out.

    Denyce M.

    This is an update to my earlier review based on drinks. We were across the street at the Regal to see Nosferatu and decided to have dinner here and that was a great decision. The service was very nice again and the food was very good. Before I get into the review, think it is important to know that the chef likes to have everyone's order placed in its entirety, appetizers and all. That said, the food was spaced out nicely and we didn't feel overrush. I hate when the table is overloaded with plates and this did not happen. We started with bread, which was pretty good and tasty....so much so we got a second serving of it. Next we got the Tartare Di Tonno (Ahí tuna tartar, capers, red onion, bell pepper, avocado, cucumber, E.V.O.O dressing with lavash strips) and the Calamari Impanati Al Forno (Baked calamari w/ lemon oil dressing). The Tartare Di Tonno was a pretty presentation and was pretty good. But the Calamari Impanati Al Forno was really nice. The preparation was very good, with the calamari being nice and tender, with great flavor. The Doctor got the Zuppa Di Natale (Seafood chowder soup w/ shrimp & mixed shellfish). I wanted a spoonful to just see what it tasted like, but ending up having a few more. It has a lovely creamy texture and was more like a puree than a chowder. It was a special on the menu, so I am not sure how long it will be on the menu, but I recommend it. The Queen and my BFF #2 got the Polpette Alla Arrabbiata (handmade beef meatballs in spicy tomato sauce. Usually when I see Arrabbiata as a sauce, I steer away from it has it tends to be really spicy. But this was not the case. I had one of The Queen's meatballs and it was really good. Trust me, if I am eating it, it is not super spicy. And I loved the small size of them, made them easy to eat. For entrees, we got the following: BFF #2: Pollo Al Milanese with green beans (Breaded & pan fried chicken breast w/ arugula & grape tomatoes). She said the chicken was really good, but the green beans wee on the bland side, even though I could see silvers of garlic in it. BFF #1: Ravioli Della Massaia Al Funghi (Veal stuffed ravioli w/mixed mushroom sauce). He loved it and I know he did because he was made as hell when he left his leftovers in my car after dropping him off at home. The Queen: Fettuccine Al Vecchio Stile (veal & beef bolognese meat sauce w/ tomato). She did not have anything to take home, so guess that was a two thumbs up experience. The Doctor: Branzino Al Francese (Mediterranean Sea bass in lemon capers, white wine & lobster bisque sauce w/grilled asparagus). Again another clean plate experience. The Doctor said the fish was prepared nicely and the bisque sauce was good. I had the Tagliolini Al Limone (Lemon, parmesan & pecorino sauce, black pepper). It was simple but done so well and the pasta was cooked well. I asked for some extra lemon because I like my citrus based food extra tangy. I also did not have any leftovers. For dessert I had the Torta di Pere Con Gelato alla Cannaella (Pear cake w/ cinnamon ice cream). I requested that the cake being warmed up a little and they made it happen. I love my cakes served warm and sometimes restaurants don't accommodate the request, but so happy they did. The cinnamon ice cream was a nice touch. They have a Tuesday Ladies' night with $10 cocktails and drinks & Fix Price dinner special for $39, 3 - Course Menu from 4PM - 6PM. That would be something to check out after a matinee show at Regal. IL Girasole Trattoria has made the list to merit a repeat visit.

    We recently celebrated my son's 18th birthday at IL Girasole Trattoria, and I truly couldn't have asked for a better experience. We had a private dining-style setup, and everything from start to finish exceeded our expectations. The food was absolutely amazing with well-balanced portions -- perfectly satisfying without being overwhelming. Every dish was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The service was above and beyond: attentive, warm, and incredibly accommodating. The staff made sure every guest felt comfortable and cared for, which made the evening feel extra special. One of the highlights was how they handled the cake. Not only did they cut it for us, but they also decorated each individual slice and plated them beautifully before serving -- a thoughtful touch that truly impressed everyone. This was such a memorable celebration for our family, and I'm beyond grateful for the incredible service, attention to detail, and welcoming atmosphere. Highly recommend for special occasions, family gatherings, or intimate celebrations. We will absolutely be back!

    Risotto Porcini
    Zack R.

    Il Girasole goes so hard. Love that this restaurant has landed in Logan Square. Speaking of which, it's location is impeccable! I was not familiar with the establishment that was here before, but it sounds like it was important to a lot of people. With that being said, it's all about Il Girasole now. Popped in recently for dinner ahead of a movie at the Regal across the street (again, impeccable location), and the seating alone was something unique. Inside there were two wedding parties, so that tells you how spacious the inside is, we then went upstairs and out to the terrace before settling on a seat on the patio. We did not have a reservation, but staff found a table for us. It was a particularly busy night as well so that was really appreciated. We ordered the Insalata Tricolore to start and for entrees we ordered the Risotto Porcini and the Bucatini Carbonara. Both were next level, but the Risotto changed my life I think. I've thought about this risotto every day since and would/could eat it every day. Hands down the best I have ever had. It's so funny because at first I was like "why would a risotto be $30?" but portions are massive and it's truly worth the price point. Flavors went too crazy, it was amazing.

    Chocolate lava cake
    Leslie A.

    This new Italian restaurant took over the old Owen and engine space. Seating starts on the main floor however, please note there is a second floor and when the weather is good, they also occupy the outside sidewalk area which turns into their patio. Parking around here is rather tricky either you are lucky to find some public parking and to pay for it or maybe you're from the area and have the corresponding parking permit to park around the block in the residential area. Came here for the first time on a weeknight evening for an early dinner and luckily I did make reservations even though we were the second party to enter the restaurant after it opened it doors for dinner. Service was absolutely impeccable and on top of it and happy to say there's quite a lot of staff for a weekday evening as well The menu is very diverse and has lots of options whether you are vegetarian a meat eater or even a pescatarian. The menu is also diverse in that it offers a variety of dishes from all over the geographic region of Italy. For example, there are risotto, dishes, as well as orrechiette dishes from Puglia. The wine menu is decent. It could use a little bit of a revamp, especially because I did happen to have dinner with some wine connoisseur who are overly picky. This is a solid spot and I would definitely come back here again. Great location. The service is absolutely stand out. And the renovation of the space is bright, clean and modern.

    Spaghetti di mare
    Lilith C.

    I went here for a date and I cannot stop raving about this place, from the ambience to service to the food! We started with the carpaccio, which was so tender it literally melted in your mouth. Just sublime! For the main course I got the spaghetti di mare, which had a slightly spicy red sauce that was so fresh tasting. The scallops, shrimp, clams, mussels and squid were fork tender as well. My date had the pork chop special, which was pounded thin, breaded and topped with prosciutto and sage. So perfectly crispy! For dessert we had crème brûlée, which had a perfect crust and creamy custard. Even the espresso was perfect. I will be back many, many times!

    Tuna tartare
    Pavnit K.

    In seeing the reviews, we were so excited to try Il Girasole. We decided to celebrate our 1st date anniversary here, and while the vibe was super cute, the food and drinks were pretty average. I started off with a glass of what seemed like a decent cabarnet sauvignon. I think it could have been good, but it was super warm. This resulted in feeling like it was acidic the entire time. We had the tuna tartare as an appetizer. It was ok. I think what made me a little nervous was that the back end had a little fishy taste, which really shouldn't occur with raw tuna. For our entrées, we ordered the arrabiata pasta and halibut ravioli. I added meatballs to the arrabiata pasta. The sauce was spicy as one would expect. The meatballs were a bit disappointed because they looked and tasted like the frozen meatballs you get at the grocery store. The ravioli stuffing didn't seem like halibut, but more like crab, as it had pink parts to it, similar to what you would see for imitation crab. Overall, the food was mediocre, but the service and ambience was cute.

    Ossobucco di Milano & beef short rib (special)
    Alyssa D.

    Went for the first time tonight to celebrate a birthday. I haven't heard much about this place so didn't know what to expect. The service and food were both great. We ordered the pork shank and the beef short rib. Both were rich and flavorful- highly recommend.

    Ossobucco Di Milano
    Andrew W.

    A lot of people are still kind of bummed that Owen and Engine, a high end British pub, is no longer in this location. However, the current restaurant that is now in this spot definitely did not disappoint and it's a worthy successor to the location's former resident. First, the food is amazing. The food is absolutely delicious, but thankful lacks any of the pretentiousness of other high end Italian restaurants in Chicago. Everything that I ordered was simple, true to authentic Italian food and delicious. I ordered the bucatini carbonara, ossobucco di Milano and Il nostro tiramisu-su for dessert. While, I don't typically comment on that table bread, I am compelled to do so now. It was warm and delicious, and I even asked for a refill. My favorite of the night was the ossobucco di Milano. It was super tender and fell right off the bone. I also loved the bed of risotto it came on. At $42.00, it's not cheap, but it's worth the splurge. Second, the service was excellent. Our waiter was attentive without being overbearing, and the staff recommendations were excellent. Third, the decor and ambiance were very nice. It's a small and narrow restaurant, but it's also bright and lively. In sum, this is a must visit Italian restaurant in Chicago.

    Arancini: crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside.

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    Lotus Banh Mi

    Lotus Banh Mi

    4.5
    (607 reviews)
    5.0 mi
    $

    5 stars based on Bahn mi, cha gio and iced coffee I ordered today…read more I must have been part of an early crowd. When I arrived, there was only one other table dining, which made it GREAT for me. It's a decent size hall with 10+ table arrangements, making it pretty great for a group to enjoy their lunch. It also featured a couple of kiosks for ordering, which I thought was a bit easy to miss, since it was tucked away in the left corner when you walked in. It looked like there was also a cashier available to take orders, if you miss the kiosks. I've seen places where they simply do not have anyone at the register to take orders, but that wasn't the case for Lotus. Before deciding to visit them today, I had an impression that their menu choices were very limited compared to other Vietnamese restaurants I was used to. I'm certainly not complaining, since I'm usually a huge fan of select "specialty" approach in restaurants. That's why I decided to order one of their Bahn mi, where I normally would have chosen pho for my first visit. And it didn't disappoint. First off, the size of the sandwich was good. I've had it where they charged a buck or two less, but they weren't big enough to be a full "lunch" portion. Lotus' size, I thought was decent. I had ordered one of their cha gios just in case the sandwich failed to fill me, but I think I would have been okay without it. Cha gio was super good tho! Oh, and the iced V-coffee was good, too. Typically, they'll bring out the coffee before your meal is ready, probably because they're ready-made in the morning and all you'd need to do is pour them over ice. I of course, have known legitimate mom n' pop places, where they'll actually bring out coffee as it's brewing in Phin (stainless steel coffee filter) and a glass of ice with condensed milk, so you can wait for the coffee to finish brewing and pour yourself one, which is what I *always* prefer. Not here, but no big deal. You can usually tell how good the food is going to be by trying their iced coffee. Even though V-coffee isn't known for using "incredible" beans, the balance of the strength of coffee and condensed milk *does* make a big difference in your experience. I felt this place had it correct! I'll definitely come back myself and even bring coworkers or my family to have their Bahn mi again. What I'm not sure about is whether I want to try their pho or bun. First, they don't offer too many variations, so I'm stuck choosing from just a few. (For example, I usually go for "brisket-only" or a combo of brisket and rare steak, but they didn't seem to have those options. Granted, it's possible they'll make it happen if I asked) Secondly, I think they're a couple bucks more expensive than what I would like to pay for a bowl of pho. We'll see.

    Ambiance - neighborhood gem, casual, offers small dine in area…read more Service - order at kiosk upon arrival, self serve, pick up food at counter Food - pho broth was aromatic, sliced beef was slightly different than what I'm used to (it was marinated, not the typical rare un-marinated sliced beef)

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    Inside
    Inside
    Pork House Salad
    Pork House Salad
    Honey pork Bahn mi with side of jalapeno peppers.

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    Honey pork Bahn mi with side of jalapeno peppers.
    Xi’an Cuisine

    Xi’an Cuisine

    4.4
    (183 reviews)
    4.2 mi

    LEGIT. Every time I come here, it's just for that lamb…read morenoodle soup (羊肉泡馍). Also, the fried green beans are amazing--those dishes have GuoQi, the magical Chinese smoky char I almost never get in the US. That taste really feels like back in China. I wish the Bay Area had this kind of flavor, but unfortunately, we don't. 牛逼!

    Pretty decent hand pulled noodles in a no frills setting. Service was a little spotty but…read moreunderstandably so given one waitress for almost a full restaurant. Potstickers: Nice thin skins, good crunchy pan fry on the bottom, slightly underseasoned filling. Sautéed bok choy: Crispy and light with a hint of garlic, easy and healthy. Biang Biang noodles: Interesting mix of strong flavors, which weren't quite my favorite. I found it to be a touch too salty, and I was surprised by the tomato. Trialing the thin noodles was probably the wrong move; the thick hand pulled ones would've stood up to the savorineas much better. Large portion. Beef noodle soup: The thick hand pulled noodles were homey and delicious, just the right texture with some alternating thin and thick chewiness that reminded me of home. The beef noodle soup was quite light without any real beef flavor, though comforting nonetheless. Some pieces of beef were chewier and not completely cooked through while others were tender and melt in your mouth. I'd return when in the mood for a bowl of thick hand pulled noodles and maybe some healthy sauteed vegetables.

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    Inside
    Inside
    Marinated Tofu Skin with Hot Oil
    Marinated Tofu Skin with Hot Oil
    Biang Biang Noodle 裤带面 ($15) - with egg and tomato, pork, bok choy. Requested without beef.

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    Biang Biang Noodle 裤带面 ($15) - with egg and tomato, pork, bok choy. Requested without beef.

    Il Girasole Trattoria - desserts - Updated July 2026

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