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    Il Girasole Trattoria

    4.6 (71 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM

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    IL GIRASOLE TRATTORIA ATMOSPHERE

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    Recommended Reviews - Il Girasole Trattoria

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    Laurel Z.

    A great spot for a date night, especially if you're going to a movie before or after. The service is friendly and welcoming, the vibe feels authentic and the food was delicious!

    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.

    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.

    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.

    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!

    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

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    1 year ago

    Great atmosphere. Great menu and variety. Excellent food. Great service. I'll be back for sure.

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    Peanut Park Trattoria - Short Rib Paparedelle

    Peanut Park Trattoria

    4.1(168 reviews)
    4.5 miUniversity Village

    Delicious pizza and pizza in Little Italy area of Chicago. It is a nice looking restaurant, too…read more We went for lunch on a Sunday (to avoid the crowd and for free street parking). The restaurant is not busy at all. We were seated right away. Our server was nice and attentive. We ordered pizza and pasta. Pepperoni and Whipped Ricotta Pizza - cooked perfectly, fresh ingredients and delicious! Served hot! Short Rib Pappardelle - to die for! This is very tasty, the pasta is cooked al dente. The short rib sauce is ssosooo delicious! We sat by the bar overlooking the open kitchen. It was nice to see the chef make the pizza and make the pasta. Further area is more fine dining with wall of wine. Very classy! Street parking only. So plan ahead.

    This is such a cool spot. I wouldn't have even known about it, if it weren't for a local friend…read more Where to start? We came in with a group of about 20! Normally I hate those kinds of large group dinners, but this was the perfect spot for it. The service was absolutely wonderful. I don't know how our server stayed so cool and calm with a group that size. We got a variety of things. EVERYTHING was amazing. If you have seen any of my other reviews, I always get a meatball when I'm at a place that has them. They almost never live up to my expectation. But this place has the new gold standard for a meatball. It was everything you want. It is fork tender, full of flavor, no chewy ground up bits. The pizzas were authentic and thin. With fabulous house made red sauce that wasn't too thick and overwhelming. The flavor was A+ The cocktails were so good! All made from scratch with love. The ambiance was cozy and comfortable. Perfect for a group or a date. They have a full bar, and also great seating with perfect lighting. This is a new favorite for me in the city.

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    Peanut Park Trattoria - Sausage and Peppers

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    Alla Vita - Inside

    Alla Vita

    4.4(859 reviews)
    3.9 miWest Loop, Near West Side
    $$$

    Alla Vita was great! Glad we went with 4 people because we got to try more dishes. They also have…read morean extensive wine selection. We started with three apps. The octopus surprised me because octopus can be hit or miss for me, but they did it really well! The table bread was also pretty good and cheesy. The Caesar was just fine. Nothing special but not bad (which is good coming from me since I'm not usually big on kale). Of course all of the pastas were yummy. The fusilloni was definitely my favorite from the noodle shape to the sausage and cheese. The ricotta dumplings were suuuuuper cheesy which I really liked (though I could see why others wouldn't) and had a melt in your mouth softness. The rigatoni was tasty, but kinda just tasted like a normal red sauce so would probably try something more interesting next time. We really enjoyed the chicken parm, too. Not as good as the pastas, but definitely tasty and the basil was a good touch. We finished with the guava cheesecake sundae. I really liked the little bits of cake, but the ice cream itself was a little lacking for me. Still a nice sweet treat to finish the meal!! We had the perfect amount of food overall for 4 people!

    It was very flavorful, dish sizes were kinda small for the price. Usually if it's good I have…read moreenough to take home something for 1 more meal. Not here. The place is a little crammed inside, but good service. I think they have cameras lol because everytime I was running out of water or when I was done with my food the servers came around FAST AF. I had the tagliatelle , a beef shank ragu with parmesan and oregano. There was a hearty helping of shredded beef in there, noodles are homemade and dense with flavor. But again, serving size I chowed down on this pretty fast and even upon presentation I'm like "that's it?!" Just because serving sizes I don't think I'd come here again. Flavor and experience can make up for it, vibes lol. But still not enough for me

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    Alla Vita - Kale Caesar

    Kale Caesar

    Alla Vita - APEROL SPRITZ

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    Alla Vita - The strawberry gelato was delicious!!

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    The strawberry gelato was delicious!!

    Viaggio Restaurant Chicago - Spaghetti Marinara with meatball

    Viaggio Restaurant Chicago

    4.4(946 reviews)
    3.8 miWest Loop, Near West Side
    $$$

    Went to Viaggio's for a girls dinner with some friends, and we tried an array of different dishes…read more I ordered the mussels and lasagna, and OMG!! the lasagna was AMAZING. It was a huge, thick portion, super flavorful, fresh, and served hot. The mussels were also really good, especially with the bread. Honestly, all of the portions were a really nice size. The restaurant has a cute, authentic Italian ambiance, and there was live music while we were there. The service was great...our server was friendly, attentive, and gave us good recommendations. We originally came because my friend raved about the chocolate cake, and it definitely lived up to the hype. I also tried the fudge cake they brought out for our celebration, and that was really good too. Writing this review is actually making me want to go back right now. Everything was flavorful, fresh, and delicious. I would absolutely come back!

    The best. Such a…read moregreat time, great atmosphere, and fantastic service. 5 stars all the way!!! Owner Dave was so nice and made every accommodation for us being late the first night and we missed, but we rebooked for another night and it was awesome. On Thursday it's live music and the singer was amazing! We got sat toward the back so we could hear and still have conversations. The food was excellent! We had the Mussels, linguini clam (tons of clam in it), the risotto special, and veal lemone. Not a single miss, it was so good. Our server was so nice, attentive, and personable. I'm glad to see that it's still at a high level and real. It was packed by the time we left so make sure you get a reso. When I return to Chicago I will be back and this will be one of my go to spots. - VIP, David

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    Viaggio Restaurant Chicago - Restaurant

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    Viaggio Restaurant Chicago - Meatballs

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    Il Girasole Trattoria - desserts - Updated September 2026

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