We had a wonderful experience at Froggy's. Despite the name, it is really a fine French…read morerestaurant, Starting with the room which was decorated in a "country French" style and brick walls. The front of the restaurant is open in the summer and the lighting is nicely subdued. Our server was prompt and pleasant. He accidentally gave us a bill for four people who were heavy drinkers and readily took it back and we had a good laugh about it. The ratatouille and artichoke app was delicious and a work of art. Even the carrots used as garnish were pickled. The beef short ribs were tender and had the most amazing gravy. I wish I had the recipe. My wife enjoyed the white fish in a classic provinciale sauce. The bread pudding was likewise unique and delicious. The cost of a filling and delicious (taste and visually) was reasonable as well. If I lived in the area I'd be a regular.

The service was very good! Ambiance very nice , welcoming…read moreand everyone tried really their best to be attentive and very friendly and affable. Unfortunately I'm French born and raised. I order gaspacho and I got something that tasted like Mexican salsa with a couple of cucumbers and a lemon in the middle with a cilantro. It wasn't a smooth cold soup with tomatoes , bell peppers, onions and garlic seasoned with lemon juice. Salt and a dash of pepper Then I ordered a Landoise salad I specified French dressing Very basic Dijon, vinage Olive oil salt. And a dash of lemon just well emulsified. I got something dressing, and a salad with chicken, tomatoes and lettuce.i believe there was cucumbers. . The chicken wasn't freshly made was the one that you have pre made and you just put in the pan to reheat. Dessert i ordered a mouse au chocola noir ..... it was a cake with a frixxla

For years, we have eaten at Viaggio before attending summer concerts at Ravinia. This year, we…read morelearned that Viaggio had "evolved" into Nico, so we didn't know what to expect. It turns out, Nico is GREAT! Many of our favorites from Viaggio remain on the menu; the crusty bread, the Caesar salad, the gnocchi, the chicken Parmesan, all were top-notch. Terrific seafood dishes remain, too, although we didn't try them during this visit. And some new items that will be fun to try have been added, such as pizza. As always, the service was friendly and efficient. And best of all, the spumoni bombe is still on the menu! (It's our favorite and SO delicious.). Other delightful desserts, such as Tiramisu, are also available. We loved Nico and we will return soon!

Nico's, formerly Viaggio's, underwent a full renovation and change of ownership. Thankfully, much…read moreof the excellent staff remains. We loved the old Viaggio's and really wanted to love Nico's, but one major design decision has completely changed the experience for us. The bar was always the heart of this restaurant. It was a comfortable neighborhood bar where locals could have dinner, drinks and conversation. The new owners installed the pizza oven and pizza-making station directly in the middle of it. As a result, the bar is now literally a pizza counter. When you sit there, you are sitting directly in front of a working pizza station, watching pizzas being prepared, with boxes and supplies around the bar. Instead of feeling like you're having dinner and drinks at a neighborhood bar, it feels like you're sitting at the counter of a pizzeria. For us, that simply isn't an appealing or relaxing way to spend an evening. The layout also makes normal bar service extremely awkward. The pizza operation physically separates the bartenders from many of the customers sitting at the bar, requiring them to walk around the bar to take orders and serve patrons. Finally, you are sitting directly in front of a large, very hot pizza oven. The heat is significant. The pizza maker working in front of the oven was, quite understandably, sweating heavily throughout the evening just a few feet in front of us while we were trying to eat dinner. That's not a criticism of the employee--it's an illustration of why placing a commercial pizza oven directly in the middle of a dining bar simply doesn't work. The frustrating part is that so much about Nico's is good, particularly the staff. But putting the pizza operation in the middle of what was previously the heart of the restaurant fundamentally changes the experience. I hope the owners reconsider the layout and return the bar to being a bar. We would happily come back.

Amazing service and authentic italian food! Ambiance is perfect for a date night too!read more

Hubby & I went there Saturday night, 7 pm reservations for my 55th birthday celebration. They sat…read moreus in the dungeon, aka, basement. Horrible table, crammed like an after thought to squeeze more money out of 2 suckers in the corner. When I complained, we were seated in Margo's section. I heard her tell the table next to us something along the lines, if they liked her so much, don't forget to leave a review! I foolishly thought, cool, we'll be in for a treat. Took 10 minutes before she came to us. We had to ask for water & the few times she came over, she acted like we were a major inconvenience. I ordered the Pappardelle Bolognese. At $29 it was a major ripoff. Had no taste & there were tiny scraps of veal. Photos I've seen of this dish have decent sized clumps of meat. The whole point of Bolognese is the meat!! The "wonderful" Margo only checked on us as soon as the food was delivered, asking how it tasted. It was just placed on the table, barely had a chance to taste it! Never asked if we needed drink refills until we were ready to leave, never came back to see if the food actually tasted good. My birthday wasn't even acknowledged by the hostess or the waitstaff. We will never return & highly recommend you avoid. Would give 0 stars if I could.

From the moment we arrived for our 5:45 PM reservation, we felt so welcomed. Our table was…read morebeautifully decorated with a personalized menu that said "Happy Anniversary" with our names on it, along with flowers and a balloon. It was such a thoughtful touch that made our celebration feel extra special. The restaurant itself is absolutely beautiful with such a romantic atmosphere. It was the perfect place to celebrate our anniversary. Our server, Nathan, was exceptional. He was attentive, friendly, knowledgeable, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout the evening. The manager also stopped by to check on us, which really showed how much they care about their guests. I've dined at much more expensive restaurants before, and I've honestly never experienced this level of hospitality. The food was incredible 10/10! Everything tasted fresh, flavorful, and perfectly prepared. The portions were generous, and I couldn't even finish my meal because there was so much delicious food. Overall, this was one of the best dining experiences I've ever had. From the outstanding service to the beautiful ambiance and amazing food, everything exceeded our expectations. Thank you to Nathan and the entire team for making our anniversary so memorable. We will definitely be back and highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for an exceptional dining experience!

We came for an evening with friends and decided to take advantage of the Sunday "per la famiglia…read more(serves four)" special when we saw the menu. What looked like a generous offer of comfort food at a reasonable price, at a lovely Italian restaurant, was actually a gimmick worthy of Ebenezer Scrooge. Dinner started with a tasty chopped salad that would have been a reasonable entree for one or enough to share as an appetizer for two. It was a large spoonful each for four. The four garlic knots that accompanied the salad were each about 2x2x2 inches, and when we asked for a refill of both the salad and bread we were told "that's all you get." The spaghetti came with 2 meatballs in a portion size that looked like it was enough for an entree for only 1 person. We waited a moment and when no more came realized we were screwed. Later, seeing our disappointment, the waiter was kind enough to secretly get 2 more meatballs out of the kitchen for us to pretend there were portions for each person at the table. Had they been serving Italian tapas, maybe we could have pretended it was a fair approach. The 16 inch cheese pizza was good but nothing special and the tiramisu provided 4 small pieces a little larger than the garlic knots mentioned earlier when cut into squares. I don't know what kind of "famiglia" Salvatore "Sal" Lo Cascio, the culinary director at Ballyhoo Hospitality, or Ryan O'Donnell, the CEO, have; but they probably don't eat very much. Perhaps they expect the famiglia of their guests to be a single parent with young children or a group of little persons. In short, the food tasted good, the dining room was lovely, the service was outstanding, and the portions and prices were a complete rip-off to the point that the place should be put out of business. With two iced teas, a glass of house wine, tax and a generous tip the bill came to well over $100 and this morning when checking the receipt for this review I found out that they charged us $8.00 for the extra meatballs which the waiter pretended were a secret, complimentary addition. Not very nice!

Recently hosted a bridal shower at Miramar and it was wonderful! Working with Felipe was such a…read morepleasure. The back room was a great ambiance, with plenty of room for our party of 15 people. They have a variety of spaces and menu packages to choose from, and work with you to ensure you have the event you want. The food and drink all came quickly and people were raving about what they ordered. I split the steak frites with blue cheese and a special pasta dish. Both were outstanding & I'd order them again and again. The creme brulee was a fan favorite for dessert. I'd definitely host another event at Miramar - they make it smooth and comfortable!

Added later: really disappointed that neither we nor any others who have had substandard full…read morepriced meals here have heard from the owner. Buyer beware. We have wanted to try Miramar for a long time based on reputation and reviews, so we booked it for our 30th wedding anniversary dinner. TL/DR, food was only ok, service was attentive, but overall experience was disappointing. Selected "anniversary" on the Open Table reservation...and added in the notes that it was our 30th. Nonetheless, nobody said a word about either when we were greeted or seated. Sigh. When we ordered two glasses of champagne, the server asked if we were celebrating. Yes, we were...and were surprised nobody knew... Our meal was fine but only fine. Had the mushroom soup and endive salad, both specials, both pretty good (and the salad big enough to share). She ordered the salmon, I had the lamb shank (both on the menu). I like my food hot...and I am as a result confident that I have never written this before...the food came really hot. TOO hot. Inediblly hot. Both dishes, and especially the lamb. Once it cooled down enough to be edible, the lamb shank and basil whipped potatoes and vegetables were good (dried out a little from the heat?); the salmon was only ok and a little fishy tasting. Her glass of Pinot Grigio was quite nice; mine of Bordeaux was delicious, but served surprisingly warm for a restaurant/glass at this price point -- I'd have expected them to have a proper wine refrigerator. Then, finally... We asked about, and then decided not to have a dessert. The server was kind to bring us a well intentioned delivery of two glasses of prosecco (which we didn't drink --- had already had a champagne and a glass of wine) and asked if we'd like that dessert after all to have with it. We said "sure." They then charged us for the dessert... For the record, our server was kind and attentive and professional, and the rest of the team were equally so. But, in summary, for a pretty aggressive price point, this was a disappointing experience on a night we hoped would be special. Perhaps we're victims of a holiday weekend meal...we're hoping ours isn't a typical experience.

(4.25) ~ Very good overall food & service…read more DRINKS: ** Pinot Noir (De Bon) = (4.35) Very good ** Doppio Espresso = (4.25) Very good, comes w. rock candy;) ** Water (tap) = (4) very good FOOD: ** Prosciutto E Rucola (white pizza) = (4.35) Very good ** Sausage & Peppers = (4.25) Very tasty & shareable ** Bufalino D.O.P. = (4.25) Very good ** Cookie Dough Gelato = (4.25) Very tasty

When here at 5 PM on a weekday. Not too busy, but still fairly loud (maybe due to the high…read moreceilings?) First, I want to say that our server, Esteban, was excellent. So the food was decent, the majority of them were overly oily. The main problem, however, was that three out of the four of us received our food in a timely manner, while my daughter waited endlessly for her entrée. It finally came to the table when the rest of us were almost finished eating our meals. This is not an acceptable practice.

We have been coming to Bella Via for years. Never a bad meal, always consistent, delicious food…read more Not sure what the griping is about. Try it, you'll like it! Short rib ravioli, minestrone soup, appetizer meatballs, tiramisu, and veal saltimboca excellent tonight as always. Every business, especially restaurants have an off night here and there. A chef gets sick, folks quit without notice, etc. It's a tough business. Don't be mislead by the star rating. This place is a gem.

Well we sat for 20 Minn for a waitress. this is just after…read morethe rush people were done and leaving. No beverage water yes No bread. Was Expected ...finally we order get food I asked for more bread and nothing. We are not from this area and will not come back. Is it a local favorite maybe but we are sitting here I need another a glass of wine we are here to eat and our waitresses was nice but in adequate. We are at the end of the night for them 8pm we'd gladly eat and drink more... I'd rather tip the bus man wait I did. Just an odd night for this place The beet salad was canned

We stopped in at Pixca on a Friday night for dinner. When we arrived many tables were open but when…read morewe asked for a table for two the host paused like he wasn't sure he could fit us in. He did find a table and during the course of our meal there were non-stop arrivals with a few heading straight to the small bar so I'm thinking perhaps it has a strong flow of regular customers. The service was efficient and the dining room has a cozy bistro feel to it. The menu is seasonal. Nothing was calling out to me so I went with the burger and fries. Both were good. Overall we are glad we gave Pixca a try. Before we go again we'll make a reservation and check the menu to see what the current options are.

We were around the area at the Botanic Gardens and found this spot on Yelp. Located in a cute…read morelittle area, this is a nice local restaurant. We arrived very early at a random time, probably right after opening. Everyone was so nice and service was great. The table started with the cornbread, moist and warm. Not as sweet as I personally like (I can't help it I'm southern) but delicious nonetheless. The eggplant hummus wasn't that great to me, loved the bread it came with but I think I would prefer typical chickpea hummus instead. Brussels were so good, probably the favorite thing I tried. For my entree I had a kale salad with added salmon. I liked the crunch and the light vinaigrette. My husband had the seafood risotto which was slightly undercooked. All and all a positive experience and I'd definitely go back if I was in the area.