I had a dinner on Tuesday night! Reviews were awesome so I have called before coming in to know if there is an open spot. I got my table pretty quick. Service was awesome! read more

Pasta Palazzo - Healthy Primavera Love it! - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great little place. Fresh past, cooked quickly and tastefully. Highly recommended for an affordable past bite.

The food is delicious! Plus - substitute gluten free penne in any dish for an additional $2 I stopped in here for lunch and was able to quickly grab a table. Within about 10 minutes, the restaurant was full, so I guess we dropped in at the perfect moment. The staff was friendly from the second we walked in the door and remained attentive even once all the tables were filled. I went with a daily special - Seafood Risotto. Risotto with shrimp, calamari, scallops and broccoli in a tomato cream sauce. It was beyond delicious. The creamy tomato sauce was the perfect overlay of the seafood mix. The broccoli added a nice, fresh crunch. The serving size was more than enough for me! I took it home and had lunch the following day! read more

Hungry for pasta with no pretenses? Try Pasta Palazzo. Wonderful straight-forward Italian dishes in a casual setting. With prices that reflect your eating a simple pasta dish, not Prosciutto di Parma. Friendly service, bar-stool chairs and bare tables, clean and comfortable. Not the place you'd take clients, but a great place before theatre or just when you feel like some good pasta. read more

Great food, great value. We had gorgonzola cream sauce and mushroom marsala cream sauce pasta plates. Both were excellent. The place can be a bit loud with kids or t"volume impaired adults" dining there, but that is the only drawback. NOTE: CASH ONLY! [but there are three ATMs on the corner : ) ] read more

YUM and CHEAP. can ya ask for more?! The place is small so even on a weeknight we had to wait about 20 minutes which isn't that bad esp for good and cheap food. Everything on the menu is about $10 or less but they only take cash here. I'm a credit card girl and never carry cash but thankfully i read other yelpers reviews before heading there. thanks fellow yelpers :) read more

Just had Pasta Palazzo for the first time. Pesto linguine with shrimp and broccoli. The food was delicious. My only mistake was ordering it for delivery. They use a "service" called Caviar (never heard of it before). The original delivery window estimate was wildly off, the GPS tracking of the courier didn't work, and the food was cold when I finally got it. If you're going to try Pasta Palazzo, eat in or pick up -- DO NOT order delivery. My recommendation to restaurant management - drop Caviar as soon as you can. You make great food and have overwhelmingly good reviews -- you risk hurting your reputation by using this sketchy delivery service. read more

Love this place. Reasonable, good food for at least 12 years that I've lived in the neighborhood. I eat it at least once a week.

Great place. Awesome food, even better prices. We went on what was quite possibly the nicest Saturday night Chicago has seen in 7 months...expecting an hour or two long wait. We must have come at the right time (a little before 7) because we only had to wait 20 minutes and we sure didn't mind waiting outside with the rest of happy people of Lincoln Park. The hostess was so nice and offered us a seat at the bar earlier than our 20 minutes, but we decided to wait for a table. Sangria..fresh, fruity, $5. Can't beat that. We got the garlic bread for a whopping $2.50, which was very yummy. For entrees I got the Conchiglie Classico and my husband got the Cavatelli Shrimp special....both under $10...in Lincoln Park....what?! Atmosphere is very quaint...only 12 tables but definitely worth the wait. The menu has a large variety of pastas for anything you could be craving (and a healthy pasta section too), and it seems they do it all well. Will definitely be back here soon. read more

Great inexpensive dining option. I like to come here before heading to the theater or as a central meeting place with friends. Most all of the entrees are under $10 and are big enough for you to share or take home for leftovers. Wines by the glass are priced nicely around $7. Appetizers/Salads are also a good portion but are so good you'll want them all for yourself! I LOVE the grilled asparagus salad in a light lemon vinaigrette or the caprese salad with fresh tomatoes. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the pasta dishes. I do try to order the specials but seriously, anything on the menu is filling and delicious! *Cash only! Visit the ATM before you head here for dinner. read more

I had a gorgonzola pasta with spinach and tomatoes. The ingredients were fresh and it was really flavorful. My husband didn't care for his pasta because it was really soggy. The sangria was decent but nothing to get excited about (sangria at an italian restaurant?). Although the service was good and prices reasonable, I agree that it is ridiculous to function as a cash-only establishment. Are they in cahoots with the Citibank atm across the street that charges a $3.00 service fee? REALLY annoying and I won't go back. read more

Everytime I eat here I walk away happy. Prices are very affordable (which is good b/c it is cash only), service great, and food very tasty. For an app I definitely recommend the grilled calamari. The jalapeno gnocchi is something I crave on a regular basis. I once could not decide between that and the Cavatappi Pollo so on the waitress' recommendation got the gnocchi and the sauce of the other dish. *kissing fingers* Benissimo. Very rich but so GOOD. Dine in or carry out this place is great for tasty and cheap pasta. read more

Really nice casual Italian place, specializing in (you guessed it) Pasta. Nice specials, congenial atmosphere, tall tables of various sizes. The pasta dishes and appetizers were all good. Cheap wines by the glass. Very reasonable prices. If you are alone, you can sit at the counter and watch the cooks while you eat. Located on Halsted, just south of Armitage, next to the bank. read more

This place is casual and cramped. I didn't like the seating at all. Service was just okay, and food was just okay too, but it was really cheap! I think I'll have to go back to try the gnocchi like other reviewers have suggested in order to make a better judgement. One thing that's cool is that they have green river. Talk about a blast from the past, but I enjoyed that! read more

Been here a few times. The place is pretty clean, service is good and you can watch your dish be prepared right in front of you (if you sit at the bar). I've had a few different plates here, but the one that caught my taste buds was the gnocchi. Very good portion, enough for left overs for sure. If you don't like what you see on the menu, you can customize your pasta with virtually any ingredient available. Definitely worth a try. read more

Pasta Palazzo is a very charming Italian restaurant in the heart of Lincoln Park on Halsted. There is not much seating, so call ahead, and be aware they will not seat incomplete parties. If you have a party larger than 8, you may have difficulty, but the staff is incredibly friendly and are happy to accommodate. I came here with my boyfriend and his family on a Saturday evening, there were 8 of us total include 3 very rowdy kids, adorable, but they're between the ages of 4-9 so very easily excited. The staff didn't blink an eye, they were absolutely fantastic with us even when we had to change tables, they immediately accommodated us and the service was great. We shared appetizers, calamari- delicious, small portion, Bruscetta- very fresh tomatoes and the sauce was amazing along w the bread, and baked goat cheese, if you like goat cheese, it's amazing, it comes in a tomato sauce with toasted garlic bread, kind of bland, but not terrible. We split a large Cesar salad, the greens were very fresh, but the dressing was a bit bland, it was still good, just not great. My BF ordered the seafood pasta in a red sauce, the seafood was very fresh and well season, the pasta was great. I ordered the gnocchi with Gorgonzola sauce, The menu doesn't say that any veggies come with it, just the plain pasta, but when I asked if veggies could be added, the server said I could add whatever I wanted, it was a large group ordering, so as not to hold it up I only ordered mushrooms, but if I would have know that anything could go in the gnocchi, so it would be very helpful if that were listed on the menu or even offer a wider selection of gnocchi dishes. And I wasn't a huge fan of the Gorgonzola sauce, you can choose between about 10 other sauces, but it was a little overwhelming on the menu and I didn't know what would go best, so that's my fault for ordering it. I was surprised by how small the portions seemed, the price point is pretty affordable, but I finished my plate and I was still hungry, and that never happens when I east pasta. The food was good, but the service was outstanding and we will definately be back. read more

I love simple pasta without too much fancy schmanciness going on, and this place has it. Cappellini with basil and tomatoes, pesto fetuccini, - a little too creamy for my taste, meatball sandwiches, cucumber salad.... Nice sit down atmosphere and reasonably priced. read more

I got my food for carry-out. It was good, which made up for the few downsides. My only complaints were 1. I didn't get what I thought I ordered (it was some version of the healthy primavera, I don't know if they just mixed up the vegetables or changed it without changing the menu) and 2. the carryout came in a flimsy plastic bag which didn't keep my food level (too hot to hold the whole way home) and so the sauce started leaking out. Aside from those mishaps, it was good. Maybe next time I'll grab a friend and eat there. It was before 5 and I was the only one. The lady who helped me was very nice and gave me some water and a magazine (US weekly, I love those things) to read while I waited for my food. read more

The best pasta I've ever had!!!!! I love this place it's very comfortable to eat in and the food is totally awesome!!!!! Don't be fooled by the atmosphere and underestimate the food because the food here is the bomb ass!!! I even took pictures of my pasta and saved it on my phone!!!! This is the coolest italian casual food place Ive been in!!!! read more

Great variety in the pastas with all the ingredients fresh! (You can smell them as you're waiting for your food!) Bread is brought out to you while you wait, and there is olive oil, pepper grinders and Parmesan cheese on the table so you can make dip for yourself. The vibe of this place is in between a nice sit-down Italian restaurant and a fast food Italian restaurant (like Fazzoli's). The service is great, and the food is cooked fresh for you... but it's not fancy and it looks a little better than an old style diner (not 50s). It's not too expensive either! What they give you is definitely worth the price! And don't forget... this place is CASH ONLY! read more

I LOVE PASTA PALAZZO! They have a great selection of pasta that all come out quickly and fresh. It's a smaller resturant, but I feel it adds to the restaurant's vibe of keeping it simple. There are times you find yourself standing next to the tables where others are eating, but I think its worth the short wait. The staff knows what they are doing and keep things flowing well. I wouldn't pick this place as a place to sit and chat all night, but its great if you want to grab some great food in a casual environment. I can honestly say I've never had a bad meal here. They also have great sangria! AND BRUSCHETTA! They just do simple things, but very well. read more

Helllllllllllo delicioussssssssssssss! A fellow runner friend and I decided to carb up before the Shamrock Shuffle so we headed over to Pasta Palazzo for quick bite to eat. Little did we know how packed it was going to be at 8 p.m.! But we managed to hold out on our hunger and wait the 20 minutes it took to get a table. We probably should have just ordered for carry out like the other smart people walking in there to pick up their dinner but so be it... At least the lady working the register gave me a Dr.Pepper (yes! DP is served here!) to quench my thirst while we waited. I had a hard time figuring out what I wanted to eat since the menu is full of some great options but thanks to a fellow Yelper's suggestion I went with the jalapeno gnocchi with the red pepper puree. No disappointments there! The gnocchi is homemade and stuffed with a ricotta and jalapeno mixture. It has a sort of kick to it because of the jalapeno flavor but yet it wasn't spicy which I almost missed since I love spicy. But the red pepper puree sauce can't be beat, it has a perfect consistency and lots of flavor. My friend ordered the risotto with calamari special and she was in carbohydrate heaven. I had a bite and couldn't put my finger on what it was but there was some magical flavor in there. Sage? Rosemary? Oregano? I don't know what it was, but keep it up PP. I'll be back soon to try one of your cheesy cream sauce dishes...they look heavenly. read more

A friend and I set off for an adventure on Monday, and the restaurant where we planned on going happened to be closed - I tried to use my trusty Yelp app but for some reason it kept saying that my location didn't exist or something along those lines...so we ended up eating at Pasta Palazzo because we stumbled upon it. We awkwardly stood waiting for awhile until someone acknowledged us and told us to sit down. We picked a table that they needed to clean because it was near all the sunlight and didn't want to sit in the back where it was barely lit. They cleaned the table and gave us water promptly - but that was about all they did quickly. We probably sat at least ten minutes with no one acknowledging us and that we were ready to order... finally they got there and we had brief interactions related to what we wanted to order. The bruschetta was very good - you could definitely taste the balsamic vinegar. We decided to split one of the specials of the day which was only OK - seemed very basic and something I can whip up at home. Their portion sizes are gigantic, so if you don't feel like eating a few pounds of pasta, I would definitely suggest sharing - or actually, I wouldn't, because I don't recommend this place. The service was apathetic- there were two people working and only a handful of customers on a Monday afternoon - we shouldn't have to ask for bread that we saw you give to every other table...except for us. We also shouldn't feel like we are imposing you when we would like to order. Maybe this place was having an off day - but I wouldn't chance it again. read more

This is me and the boyfriend's favorite date night spot in the city. That's pretty much the highest praise any place can get from me, so that's saying something! It's got so much going for it: 1. A cozy, eclectic interior with candle-lit high tops and beautiful mosaics 2. An open kitchen with bar seating where you can watch cooks prep your dish from scratch, to order 3. Delicious pasta dishes, traditional and creative alike - there's always an interesting special on 4. Really decent prices and generous portions - we always end up with leftovers Not to mention good service in a city where some things feel like they come at a premium - waitstaff is friendly, and they serve you crusty bread and olive oil as you wait. Our favorites include the Conchiglie Gorgonzola or Classico, Jalapeno Gnocchi, and Pumpkin Ravioli! read more

I got takeout from here one afternoon after reading all the reviews about the Jalapeno Gnocchi and I think all the reviews built it up too much. Don't get me wrong the gnocchi was good and I quite enjoyed the red pepper sauce, I'm just not sure it blew me away as much as I was anticipating. I also got the polenta and it was okay but nothing to write home about. Probably wouldn't get it again. The prices were reasonable for the amount of food I got. I would go back again and try more dishes. read more

For Lincoln Park, this place is a steal. Where else can you have a sit down meal with wine for $9-10 an entree? The restaurant, located at the busy Halsted/Armitage intersection, is pretty small. It's an open kitchen with a bar around it along with tables along the wall. They don't take reservations, and it's cash only. The menu is comprised of simple $9-10 pastas where you can add meat, veggies, etc for a couple bucks more. It's seriously no frills Amer-italian place that is affordable good eats. It's got some neighborhood charm as well. Along the wall ledge are some pictures of who I can only assume to be the owner's kids. I think it's the owner who answers the phone and greets people from behind the cash register. My go to dish here is the housemade gnocchi with gorgonzola sauce. It's probably one of the richest dishes I ever had. For 13 little nuggets of potatoey pasta, I'm fall over full. The sauce is rich. I once watched them make it and saw the cook pour a whole lot of heavy cream into the pan. But it's more than that - the gorgonzola gives it an earthy funk, which makes it stand out from any alfredo sauce. It tastes a little toasted too, like what happens when pasta sticks to a pan, even though there's no crunchy bits. The gnocchi is plump and chewy. The tiramisu dessert is pretty good. For $5, it's a huge portion. The cream is light and not too sweet, the coffee flavor is distinct but not overwhelming. The ladyfingers are spongy. read more

I think this place should change their name to "Pasta Palooza" since that is much more fun to say. Anyways, this place is a steal for the quality & quantity of food in Lincoln Park. I've had a few of the different pasta dishes and never been disappointed, although I think the gnocchi is my favorite. The free bread is delicious, and the bottles of wine are decently priced. The interior of the place is adorable and comfortable, although a bit chilly on cold days if you sit by the window. The kitchen is open in the restaurant, so the smells are delicious. The seating area is tiny, but the wait never seems to be that long. The only thing holding this one back from a 5 star review is the service. I know that quick table turnover helps the generally short wait times, but I have often felt rushed. The last time I was here with two friends, one of my friends asked for a box since she knew she wasn't going to finish her meal. She still had her fork in hand when the waitress came over and boxed her meal before she was done. I'm sure I'll be back again soon :) read more

This is my second time coming to Pasta Palazzo. After the first time I kept bringing it up as a spot to go, finally I got my chance and it was worth the wait! They don't take reservations so we showed up at about 7. We were told we would have a 30 minute wait but ended only waiting about 10! Under promise and over deliver is always the way to go. We ordered appetizers of the goat cheese, garlic bread, and bruschetta along with sangria which were all amazing. Onto the main course. I had the Cavatappi Pollo & it was great, I finished every last bite! Perfect portion for the price and tasted fresh and delicious. I'm assuming this is the same for everything on the menu! My only wish for pasta palazzo is that they expand to a bigger space and have a few more waiters on during the busy time. We had a hard time flagging someone down when we needed them since the only 2 people working were so busy! Can't wait to go back for whenever I have that pasta craving. read more

Pasta Palazzo - Cavatappi Pollo - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I always enjoy this place whenever we eat at this restaurant the pasta is fresh! They have fresh noodles that they use for each dish. It's a great restaurant, a bit noisy though, and at times it was hard to hear/speak. Great prices for food! Small, intimate and the staff is like family. read more

We stubbled upon this delicious restaurant while shopping. It was delicious. The goat cheese with fresh basil sauce appetizer was the best! Would go there for that alone. Super service and pretty interior. read more

Pasta Palazzo - Amazing goat cheese appetizer - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Neighborhood staple I've never left here any other way than happy! Everything is approach-ably priced and the service is great!

A fun, fresh, incredibly clean place to eat really good food. I hardly ever eat pasta and never eat goncchi because it is heavy and packed with carbs, but Pasta Palazzo has an understated healthy twist on traditional Italian meals that I just love. The service is great! The girl I always see is helpful, always smiling, and efficient. Get the baked goat cheese with tomato-basil sauce, it is AMAZING. I love this place. Here's to you Pasta Palazzo read more

I'm bored by mediocre pasta. if it isn't fresh, i don't want it. i went alone. i had a garlic bread, feta appetizer and a feta, pine nut, tomato entree. hey, i'm a sucker for strong cheese and pine nuts. but then, sadly, it was just pretty boring. the garlic bread wasn't made from good bread. the pine nuts were a bit soggy so what if it is cheap? cheap pasta can be better. go to any non-tourist restaurant in italy: delicious. cheap. read more

I've been here a few times. The first time with my boyfriend and we didn't realize it was cash only. Luckily there were some ATMs just outside. The sangria is okay - kind of small. I only got it the first time I went. I went again yesterday and got the bowtie pasta with tomato, basil, goat cheese and pine nuts. I must say - this was exceptional. It was a very simple pasta with tons of flavor. I could only eat half and will have the other half today for lunch (can't wait!). One odd thing is the olive oil they have sitting out. It's kind of, uhm, not like olive oil. I mean, it's got the green hugh and all, but it tastes nothing like any olive oil I've ever tasted. I mean, it's oil, but OLIVE oil? Hmm... I know that they might need to cut costs in certain areas so perhaps they bought the most reasonable olive oil out there to save some money - especially in this economy. I suggest they put some basil or a garlic clove in their olive decanters to make the oil taste a little better. But that's not really why you're there, it's the delicious pasta dishes and sandwiches they make. Oh - and each dish is around $10. Not bad for really tasty food. read more

All in all I' say dinner at Pasta Palazzo was just fine. I am really surprised by all the raving reviews here. The pasta was fine, as was the soup. Nothing to write home about or to complain about; just standard not-in-the-mood-to-cook-dinner-tonight food. The ambiance was nice and I particularly enjoyed sitting at the bar watching the cooks get down. Gotta' respect a line cook. The service, however, was terrible. Like, our food came out before our drinks did terrible. An we were sitting right next to the expo station! Our server didn't even have to take one single step to check on us, all she had to do was turn her head to look at us. I don't get it. There were about 12 tables and three servers it was about 7:30 on a Sunday night. Why in the weeds? read more

Love this place! My roommates introduced me to this joint way back. I love the food (the Gorgonzola shells with spinach and tomatoes are the best) and the prices can't be beat! It is not terribly difficult to find a seat here, even on the weekends. Plus, you can graze on free bread and olive oil while you watch your food sauteed over an open flame. They also receive take out orders (on the phone and online) and usually have them ready in ten minutes. Last time I was there it was cash only, but uh...it's so cheap...why are you charging it anyway! Oh and a foodie lesson...if cops frequent a joint , as they do Palazzo, it is either 1. a great deal for a hearty meal 2. it is owned by the mob or 3. they give cops free meals... read more

I very badly wanted to give Pasta Palazzo four stars, but my pasta wasn't all that great so I am sticking with three. This place is quiet and small and the mosaic decor inside is nice. I also like that you can see the cook making your food while you sit at your table. The service was great and we had plenty of bread/oil to snack on before our meal. The dish that I had that I didn't love was the Linguine Pesto-Cream. However, despite my disappointment in my dish, the other people in my party liked their food (a couple of them got the Conchiglie Classico). read more

Overcooked pasta for a pasta restaurant? Really? Definitely not the best takeout experience, especially for something soooo basic. 2 orders capellini with pomodoro sauce, with the second ordered with "no tomatoes" (which, essentially meant, please no crushed tomatoes). The two orders came exactly the same way, despite there being written "no tomatoes" on one. Then, capellini was completely overcooked, which in my eyes, is inexcusable for a restaurant that specializes in pasta. So, because of the very limited limited order, they are getting the benefit of the doubt with 3 stars. Still, I doubt we will go back to make the same mistake 2xs, especially with so many other options available. read more

just popped in to escape the cold weather for a warm pasta dish with my guy. atmosphere is warm and inviting, namely because of the friendly greeting and open gas fire kitchen. not bad at all. I ordered the penne fungi, three types of mushrooms in a creamy cheese Marsala sauce. the pasta cooked to a perfect al dente, mushrooms all had great texture, but the rub was the flavor. perhaps in the attempt to allow the freshness of the ingredients shine, the cook skipped the extra pinch of salt. marsala is not a strong flavor like a traditional alfredo, so a little extra seasoning would have set this dish of well. my guy ordered the penne con salsiccie, that's with chunks of Italian sausage, portabellas and tomato sauce. no lacking of flavor on this dish. we enjoyed the experience. portions are generous without being overwhelming. we'll be back. read more

Pasta Palazzo - penne funghi - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The perfect quintessential neighborhood Italian joint. Small space, with warm and friendly decor. No reservations accepted, so plan to get there and manage a small wait at popular dinner hours. As other reviews have mentioned, the jalapeño gnocchi is truly fabulous. (jalapeño stuffed dumplings with roasted red pepper puree) I love the open kitchen and sitting at the bar. You're able to see all of the fresh ingredients being tossed and cooked and perfected just for you. I literally haven't had a bad meal at Pasta Palazzo and I've eaten there (or taken out from there) no less than 30 times. I recommend this for catching up with friends or a nice family dinner. It isn't a highly romantic setting, so I wouldn't recommend it for a first date. Overall, it's a great experience at a good value. read more