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    IL Primo

    4.4 (244 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    Order IL Primo Takeout or Delivery

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    IL PRIMO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Romantic
    Loud
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - IL Primo

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    Reviews With Photos

    Sydney W.

    I only had an espresso martini here, but it was really good!!! Our waiter was seriously SO nice!!! My friends food looked amazing, I just had already eaten so I didn't get food! So it would be a perfect date night spot or place to catch up with friends!!!

    Orecchiette & Bolognese

    got the bolognese and arancini. Both were great. Bolognese was rich and super solid, and the arancini were crispy and on point. Atmosphere was awesome too--great vibe. Definitely going back.

    Branzino special with capellini and beurre blanc, melted feta app, eggplant parmesan special, olive app, Manhattan with Sazerac Rye
    William B.

    Exceeded expectations. A friend's recommendation for our visit to Chattanooga and I'm so glad we visited! Excellent service, top-tier drinks and fabulous food! Also the perfect vibe. White tablecloth food without the white tablecloth or dress code. You cannot skip the bread, it was astounding. All of our meals were so very good. Don't leave town without trying this gem.

    Ricotta Cavatelli
    Alexia G.

    My friend and I found this place by happy chance, just walking around. The place was packed but as there was only 2 of us they got us in right away. We were greeted warmly right away and were seated. Even though the place was busy we were given ample attention by every server that passed by. It's a quite fancy place and we were challenged reading through menu as they use the correct Italian names (I loved that btw but we are simple people over here) But with Yelp pictures we were able to make our choice. I decided on the Ricotta Cavatelli and I added chicken. It was so perfect! My friend got the salmon and said it was cooked perfectly. My favorite part was the seasonal vegetables that came in the dish, everything was cooked perfectly.

    Connor will take great care of you!
    Todd E.

    It has been called the best Italian restaurant outside of Florence (Italy, NOT Kentucky, y'all) Authentic Italian cuisine, ample servings, a full bar with many creative cocktails from which to choose, the vibe is trendy and upscale. Whether it is for a full meal, a drink and appetizer, or a soup and salad (my favs are the potato leak with balsamic drizzle and the arugula salad with fresh cheese and balsamic dressing) Come visit next time you are near the Northshore just outside of Chattanooga and you TOO will soon be making your own stellar yelp entry!! Ask for Connor - very personable - he will take great care of you!

    John H.

    If you like salty food? This is the place for you. Everything I ate and I ate a lot there that night and everything was full of salt, they don't understand flavor which surprises me, everything in Charlotte was this way. Not for me. Won't be back.

    Natalie and I with our to go toasted ravioli
    Darrick L.

    AMAZING SERVICE!!! AMAZING FOOD!!!!!! AMAZING ATMOSPHERE!!! My girlfriend and I had to pivot last night after our first restaurant choice was booked and BOY WAS THAT A BLESSING IN DISGUISE!!! From the moment we walked in we were greeted with excited hosts and an even cooler and joyful server named Connor. Natalie got a Caesar Salad with Salmon, which was AMAZING, and I got the ravioli. I didn't really like the ravioli and Connor could tell based off my reaction. NOTHING WRONG WITH THE DISH!!! The butternut squash just wasn't my taste. Before I knew it, Connor brought me out a replacement dish of toasted ravioli which was WAY MORE up my alley. Next time I really want to try their pizzas!!! When you go, ask for Connor he'll hook you up BUT take good care of him ;)

    Affogato
    Michelle G.

    Another successful dinner downtown Chattanooga! This place is a bit on the smaller side so we had about an hour wait. The food and drinks were worth it! We had a few appetizers and drinks. I had the chicken piccata which was absolutely delicious. I chose Brussel sprouts as my side because they are my favorite. The Brussels were just okay. IMO there was too much bacon. My biggest complaint about this place was how absolutely cold it was! Granted, it was 15 degrees outside, but there was a major draft everywhere in the restaurant that made it feel like 30 degrees. I took my coat off for pictures, but we had to stay bundled up the entire meal. I will be back! But will definitely wait for warmer weather.

    Rigatoni with sausage
    Joanne C.

    Rigatoni with sausage was the only photo I took of food. So good. Nice little kick of spice. Love the bread with oil & spices. I had the parpardelle alfredo with shrimp and it's my ultimate favorite pasta dish in all of Chattanooga. Making Il Primo my new favorite Italian restaurant. Upscale Italian dishes. Beautiful atmosphere. We've been to both the Ooltewah location and the North Shore location. Staff is always excellent. Highly recommend!

    Baked Penne & 4 Cheeses

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    Business owner information

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    Jaclyn J.

    Thank you for the review Paola. We look forward to seeing you again.

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    3 years ago

    Food is so good. Wednesday night Carbonara is the bomb! Happy hour 4-6 with great wine prices.

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Amazing Italian. Great service and even better ambiance. Little loud but you know a good restaurant will always be busy

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    3 years ago

    We ordered catering for daughters wedding. Always plenty of food. Lasagna was my favorite.

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    Page 2 of 7

    Ask the Community - IL Primo

    Do they offer outside/patio seating?

    They do have outside seating just along the perimeter of the building.

    View All 2 Questions

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    4.8(49 reviews)
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    Sat at the bar at Rosecomb and ended up having one of the best meals I've had in quite a while. The…read morefood? Next-level--creative, flavorful, and clearly crafted with care. Every bite felt like it belonged in a much bigger city. The bar staff were everything you want: friendly without being fake, helpful without hovering, and clearly proud of what they're serving. The atmosphere nails that sweet spot between stylish and laid-back--cool, but not trying too hard. If you're in Chattanooga and want a spot that delivers both serious flavor and great vibes, Rosecomb should be high on your list. Bonus points for the bar--because that's where the magic really happens.

    Parking was quick and easy, cute spring vibes in the front of the restaurant, very picturesque. As…read moresoon as you walk in the door you are kindly greeted and sat. Everyone was very nice but Evan made the night great, he went out of his way to help make the experience there top notch throughout it all. The carrots were perfectly cooked and a great starter along side the broken potatoes. The broken potatoes are ridiculously delicious, crisp and savory, honestly a side of those with some cocktails and you are set for the night. The catfish was tender on the in side and crisp on the out and the pulled chicken sandwich kept on giving and with a side of the caramelized onions added was the bees knees. I'll definitely be back, thanks again Evan !

    Photos
    Rosecomb - Inside

    Inside

    Rosecomb - Pimento cheese (they were out of gf bread so served it with gf corn bread)

    Pimento cheese (they were out of gf bread so served it with gf corn bread)

    Rosecomb - View from the garden

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    View from the garden

    Whiskey Thief - Half drank House Expresso Martini

    Whiskey Thief

    4.1(165 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$$

    Can't recommend this cocktail bar enough!…read more We visited the bar late night while staying at the hotel and it did not disappoint. Despite clearly being short staffed and having a busy night - we were greeted almost immediately and encouraged to help ourselves to a seat. We sat at a table away from the bar (only one available) and a server came by to take our drink order. Before he could return, another employee - who was running food to another table - immediately came over to us after to see if we wanted to order food (which we did!). She took our order, then the drinks arrived and before we knew it the food was out and was incredible! The menu is quite limited - and even more so when you one of you doesn't eat meat - and yet we were able to make a meal out of 2 caesar salads, the hummus plate and the deviled eggs. And don't even get me started on the cocktails! We started with a Manhattan and an Espresso Martini that were perfectly crafted. And then for our dessert round switched to their signature Old Fashioned. Each one was better than the next! Thanks for an incredible time, Whiskey Thief. We will definitely we back!

    It wasn't busy at 4:30 on a Wednesday. We got a seat on the balcony overlooking the river, the art…read moremuseum and in the shade. Perfect. At first, servers were scarce, but as I got up to go to the bar, the bartender must've seen me and was on his way. He took our initial drink order. At $14 per glass of wine, we just went for the bottle at $54 and a charcuterie board at $27. We are on vacation, so why not. The view is excellent. The weather cooperated. People watching from on high was fun, and the nature scenery was nice. Service was a little slow, but not an imposition, however, if it gets much busier, that could be a thing. We later learned they previously had a $10 cover, but we did not get asked for this and it must be a thing of the past, or I understand it is waived for guests of the Edwin Hotel (the bar's affiliated with the Edwin) but we had dinner reservations at Whitebird, the affiliated restaurant. The charcuterie was good with cheeses, cured meats, jams, crackers, etc. all in all, the star is the Al fresco seating and the River, and of course the company of my beautiful wife! So, go for outdoor seating and bring your own beau!

    Photos
    Whiskey Thief - Margarita

    Margarita

    Whiskey Thief
    Whiskey Thief - Old Fashioned

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    Old Fashioned

    IL Primo - cocktailbars - Updated June 2026

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