My husband loved his pasta dish, my friend didn't like hers... I thought the fish was cooked beautifully but needed some seasoning. The risotto was good. We sat at a table in the back at first but it was so loud we couldn't hear each other talk. We ended up sitting at the bar. The bartender was super friendly and made great drinks. Service: Excelelnt Food: Good read more

After walking past the spectacular entrance many times, I was excited to finally try Piccolo Sogno. We made a res for Wednesday night and were promptly seated on the patio. The ambiance is amazing with great lighting and heat lamps in case it gets cold. We ordered a bottle of prosecco that was recommended by our waiter to share and snacked on the complimentary bread/EVOO while we ordered. For food: - Grilled Octopus: Great char on the octopus and cooked perfectly. We loved the arugula salad on top with cherry tomatoes as well. This was our favorite of the night. - Spaghetti Neri: Seafood was yummy and perfectly cooked. We thought the sauce was ok but the pasta itself didn't have much flavor. We've had more briney tasting squid ink pasta in the past. - Salmon: Great dish if you're looking for something healthier but wasn't special and something that you could make at home. Service was excellent and we appreciated how they split our mains complimentary without us asking. We stayed late into the night and didn't feel rushed out at all. read more

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A jewel in the city! Excellent ambiance, service and food! When I arrived I wasn't sure what I was walking into but this restaurant was a definite jewel! Met old friends and had a fabulous time. read more

Piccolo Sogno - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Food is the same menu (boring) BUT, Delicious! Score 1-10 Lentil soup 10 Margerhita pizza 10 Prosciutto pizza 10 Pappardelle con Cinghiale 10 Lasagna 10 Spaghetti Neri 10 Dolci: Mille Foglie and Tortino Di Gianduja 10 Love coming here during lunch. Service: 10 Very attentive Ambiance: 10 ****Definitely recommend **** read more

This place is so cute , cozy, quaint, and definitely much larger than I expected! The outside patio looked very cute, so I can see why so many reviews rave about sitting outside on a nice summer day! Similar to the other reviewers, our table was super small for the two of us! I'm glad they staggered our orders a bit because our table would not have fit more than 3 plates at once. Appetizer: Burrata- (we substituted the Mortadella with prosciutto instead) Entrees: Veal Ragu and the special of the day (sea bass cooked in a wood fired oven) The burrata was absolutely so delicious! Very light and very creamy. We substituted the mortadella with prosciutto, which was so nice of them to substitute it for us! (We were in between ordering the prosciutto di Parma and the burrata). The veal ragu was good and the pasta was so fresh! Definitely very flavorful and would order again. The sea bass special cooked in a wood fired oven was served as a whole fish. They present the fish to you and filet it in the kitchen (the photo is half of the fish, the other half was shared with my bf). The fish had a nice citrusy sauce (lemon juice and Orange slices). Overall, a good dish, but as not as flavorful as I hoped. The 15 years aged balsamic vinegar was such a smooth combination of sweet and sour flavors! Absolutely delicious with the bread and olive oil. read more

Piccolo Sogno - Wood fired-Sea Bass (Special of the night) - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Piccolo Sogno is my bf's mother's go-to restaurant. This review is for the two times I've been there--which were a complete 180 from each other. The first time, we sat in a quiet corner of the main dining area. The service was great albeit being a busy night. I had the Rosticciana (braised beef short ribs) which was very tender and flavorful; the fragrant squash purée complimented the tender short ribs. It was delicious! Everything came out in a timely manner and we left feeling very satisfied. The second time, I had the tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms. Usually, I am a huge fan of porcinis. Can't get enough of the earthy meaty flavors! Mmm. But this particular pasta dish was just really mediocre--at best. Couldn't taste the nutty porcini at all, and the pasta was over cooked. The whole dish was just a pile of flavorless mushy carbs in watery broth. (I'm sure the Pasta Gods will smite me for talking about porcini or pasta like that but that's how bad it was!) And the service was just as bad as the food, unfortunately. Took forever for our wine to come out and even longer for our food to come out! We just couldn't wait to leave... Maybe next time will be better--but I'm in no hurry to find out. read more

Piccolo Sogno - Rosticciana - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Beautiful restaurant! The waiter and staff were very friendly. The ambiance was very nice as well. Love me some aesthetic dim lighting (: In terms of the food, everything was good but nothing was spectacular. There was no standout dish that blew my mind or stood out to me. I wish the bread was warmer. The best thing there was the caprese, refreshing and plated well. I will say that for the price, I expected a little bit more. Nonetheless, still a good time and some decent food! Worth a try! read more

Piccolo Sogno - CAPRESE (GF), Gnocchi, Margerhita Pizza - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

When it's 80 degrees in April, the patio at Piccolo Sogno is the place to go! Everyone had the same idea because it was bustling and packed! Chicagoans love to take advantage of al fresco dining the first chance we get! All the dishes we had were great. But, honestly, I was just relishing drinking my spritz on the beautiful patio and the amazing weather. read more

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We decided a week before that we wanted to try this place out. We were able to snag 5:00 dinner reservations and requested to sit on the patio. When we arrived the weather was off and on rainy, but we still opted to sit at the patio because it was gorgeous! Unfortunately, 10 minutes into our meal we had to move because it started pouring. The waiters moved us and all the other tables seamlessly! I have to say the staff and the patio deserve 5 stars! I was with my husband and another couple. We all ordered something different. My entree was my least favorite (go figure). Everyone had pretty tasty dishes, I felt like mine lacked flavor. I ordered the gnocchi with high expectations and was disappointed. The gnocchi itself had perfect texture. The sauce and accompanying veggies were bland. I almost asked for salt but decided against that. The other meals, pictured, were full of flavor and excellent. My husband ordered a special, the Chilean sea bass. This was amazing and fresh! I would come again, for sure, if not just for the beautiful patio! I also love how the menu changes often so you can always expect to find a new favorite. read more

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Reservations is a must if you want to able to obtain a seat here for dining. I had made RSVP weeks ahead and finally able to enjoy some culinary delights. We were seated outdoor and in the back and behind a large party of 20. They given us a daily special card and menu's. I ordered a couple of salads and three entrees which included a variety of proteins such as seafood, braised beef and kid-friendly raviolis. Their 15yr balsamic vinegar that they produce stole the show, I enjoyed it with the complementary bread selections the most. Overall I enjoyed the meal and the company I had. The food was superb with the service. I recommend this place and the balsamic vinegar. read more

Piccolo Sogno - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Delicious food, and the most beautiful, romantic patio in the city. A wonderful experience every time.

The food was great! My favorite dish was the ravioli, and the boar spaghetti was also excellent. We tried the fish special, but it wasn't my favorite. The wine selection was great, with affordable prices. read more

Beautiful patio and warm welcome, but downhill from there. Mediocre wine bottle recommended by sommelier. Good mushroom appetizer, although more of a salad with mushrooms on top than the mushroom dish advertised. Entrees subpar, a very dry duck dish and an undersalted shortrib. We'd made the reservation noting a major anniversary but no notice of this during our dinner (how hard is it to comp a small glass of prosecco), and as noted, the entrees were disappointing. We're neighborhood residents and have enjoyed meals here before but based on tonight's experience (poor entrees, 3% credit charge, mediocre wine, etc.) am not sure we will return. read more

If you are looking for a romantic environment, great service, decent entrées, and a Much older demographic, then this is the ideal place. It was a sea of grey and Silver heads all around. The gnocchi could have been more flavorful, but the lasagna was perfectly seasoned. They had a Decadent chocolate lava cake with strawberry ice cream. The service was great - our server came to check in frequently and they allowed my handsome date and I to stay and talk even though they were closing. read more

2023 Chicago Restaurant Week I came here with a party of 5 for restaurant week, with a 3-course meal for $42 per person. For my first course, I got the Prince Edward Island mussels stewed in a spicy tomato broth. The broth was delicious and the mussels were cooked perfectly! It was plump and juicy. I enjoyed the broth so much that I order an extra bread basket to soak it up. For my second course, I had the grilled salmon with sautéed greens. There was also roasted grapes soaked in a red wine reduction. The salmon was cooked and seasoned perfectly. As for my dessert, I had the tiramisu, and this was probably my least favorite. The tiramisu did not have a strong espresso flavor as I would've liked, but overall it was alright. For an additional $40, we ordered a bottle of Saracco moscato and a bottle of sparkling water for $8. However, my party members did not have the same experience as me. They found the Caesar salad average and the pappardelle pasta was too dense. It wasn't the flavor they had expected. They said it tasted like pot roast pasta. They also ordered the rosticciana (slow braised beef short ribs) and the meat profile tasted like a chuck roast instead of beef short rib. Despite this, the service was great and attentive. read more

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Piccolo Sogno is a great place if you are trying to accommodate a large group - they have a lot of space. The food is good. We got the steak, the halibut, the lasagna, and the mushroom pizza and everyone was happy with their meals. They refill the bread baskets which have a good selection of bread. They also have valet parking ($13 cash at the time of this review). The thing that had the biggest negative impact on our dining experience was the service. The wait staff are so eager to get things done and turn the table that it deteriorated the experience. They bump into your chairs. They reach across the table and over your plate to fill glasses of water, and they are so busy cleaning up the table when you are done that you can't get out comfortably. read more

Went to lunch here for business and ordered the fried calamari for an appetizer and it wasn't the best that i had, there wasn't lot of flavor just in general, but, I ordered the Ravioli "piccolo sogno" and LOVED it. Such great flavor and the perfect portion for lunch. We sat outside and it was the perfect day to sit out side not to mention the setting was beautiful and covered, so even if it was super hot we were shaded. If you visit and it's available you MUST sit outside. Loving forward to having lunch here again soon. read more

We had a reservation for 6:30 and we were asked upon arrival if we wanted a table right next to the bar - not a great table so we opted to wait. The weather was already not good and we were then offered an outside table - we asked if it was "fully covered" and the answer was yes. It was not. We ended up having to leave because it was pouring and we were getting wet. Our reservation was not prioritized and the hostesses did not care. Bartender and server were fine. Will not be coming back here. read more

Great lunch today. Gazpacho soup delicious, pasta special with fennel sausage ridiculously good. Great Pinot Noir and dynamite service from a 15 year tenured employee. Not only was the Chef/Owner in working his kitchen and room, also some celebrity old school chefs spotted in the room being happy guests. Great spot, haven't been in years. read more

Second time I visited Piccolo Sogno and this time it was my farewell!! We decided on this place because of the space and we were seated on a big table. Very few places would accommodate 13-14 people and piccolo is one of them. We ordered a bunch of wine and cocktails and the server was good and patient with us and helped with the wine collection. We also ordered few pizzas and they were good, burrata was fine as well. Overall I think food could have been better. Would recommend this place overall! read more

We went on a Saturday night and had a great time. The restaurant has valet parking and plenty of space. There's a patio with really nice lights and there are multiple rooms throughout. Although it was very busy, it didn't feel overcrowded. Our server was attentive and made good recommendations. We got the inverno salad, octopus, spaghetti neri, branzino, panna cotta, and chocolate cake. Everything was light and extremely flavorful. The best dish was the branzino! It's not on the menu, but the server recommended it. It was soft and moist, probably one of the best fish I've had at a restaurant. read more

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I came here for a dinner with coworkers and I recommend wearing loose clothing in order to eat all the great food offered. We were seated outside which was a great setting. The lights and sky looked so beautiful especially for a dinner. The staff were great and very helpful with our group the entire time. We had a big party, and they made sure to make sure someone always checked up on us. We ordered a lot of food but I recommend trying as much as you can. We got all the pizzas (Margerhita, Bianca, Pesto e Pomodoro, Salametti, and Prosciutto) on the menu to try together, the Polpo, Frittura, Pappardelle Con Cinghiale, Anatra (duck), Halibut al forno, Spaghetti Neri, a Truffle pasta, and the Ravioli Piccolo Sogno. We also got the lava cake and thousand layer for desserts which were both very delicious! I cannot pin point which dish I enjoyed the most but I think whatever entree you choose, you will be extremely full and satisfied. All the food came out fresh, warm, and delicious! When I came here for another dinner, I ordered the anatra (duck) which was delicious! It was cooked beautifully and the veggies they have in it and the mashed cauliflower (I believe that's what it is) were a great combo! I enjoyed my dinner the entire time and I lost track of the time easily. This is definitely a great place to come for an occasion and splurge a bit and it is for sure worth it! I love this restaurant and can't wait to come again! read more

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The food is really good but the selling point is the patio. We requested patio seating weeks in advance only to be stuck in the way back in what was formerly a shed. Very noisy, warm and service was fair at best. There were open tables on the outdoor patio so not sure why we weren't seated there but it doesn't really matter now because there are so many other great Italian restaurants in town that actually give you what you want so we will go there. read more

If you are debating whether this would be a good date birthday dinner, go. I took my girlfriend here on her 21st birthday to treat her to a special dinner for a special day. There was a lot of traffic out (it was a Wednesday night) and we were ubering down, so we were running a bit late to out 6 PM reservation. I called ahead to let them know we were about 15 mins late and they were super understanding! We get there and as soon as we walk in, the mood sets in. We are takin to the back to our table and seated in an intimate setting. Since we are younger, we didn't know too much about wines. Our server, Esteban, gave us some options and we took a jab at one of his suggestions. The Chardonnay was a fantastic choice, as both of us enjoyed it. Before we ordered, Esteban had asked if we had any food allergies (which was big for us). We ordered apps and get the caprese salad and calamari. The mozzarella with the caprese was so fresh, and the balsamic was to die for. The calamari was nicely fried, and I was a big fan of the variety of pieces (strips, tentacles, and rings). For the main course, I got the short ribs and my girlfriend got the wild boar pasta. The shirt ribs were tender, and the squash purée was a good touch. My girlfriend liked the flavor in the wild boar pasta. Man we were so impressed with the food. The service up to this point has been great. Esteban would constantly checkup to make sure we were okay, and a supporting server was really kind (didn't catch his name but wish I did). Even with a slight table accident, it was quickly taken care of like nothing happened. Lastly, for dessert, we got the torta di ricotta and wow...it was such a soft, creamy consistency. Flavor was top notch too. They even put a happy birthday in chocolate sauce on the plate that was a nice touch. In the end, the meal was a bit pricey but I believe it was 100% worth it if you are looking for a great dining experience. I would come back here in a heartbeat. read more

Piccolo Sogno - CAPRESE (GF) FRITTURA - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Piccolo Sogno has one of the best patios around, and I'll definitely be back again and again this summer to enjoy it! We had such a lovely meal here. There were 3 of us for context - for apps we split the frittura which is fried calamari AND shrimp. It was a touch too salty but overall really good with the sauce. For entrees we split the bustine primavera and the funghi pizza. The truffles on the pizza weren't as strong/flavorful as others I've had, but it was still enjoyable, and the primavera was amazing. What I really liked about this place is that it's very rustic/seasonal/authentic Italian food! There are many places you can go in Chicago for trendy Italian (aka, if you want vodka rigatoni) but less that really take what's seasonal into account. read more

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I have never felt so rushed and pressured to eat quickly and leave. It made the whole experience so unpleasant. It wasn't that busy and we had made a reservation. Also the bathrooms were not clean and left a lasting "ick" feeling the rest of the night. read more

This place was hopping on Valentine's day evening! Service was good and food was delicious! The tonnarelli was sublime and the serving was generous! The tiramisu was top notch and overall this place delivers a great value. We got a reservation here since it's rated one of the most romantic restaurants. Our table was in an extended space that felt more like a tent than the restaurant. Definitely request indoor seating for the best experience. The ambiance in the extended areas lags the actual restaurant in the winter. Tables were limited to 90 minutes, but that was plenty of time since food comes out quickly. Metered street parking was available north of the restaurant on Halsted and they also have valet available. Upon exiting they gave all ladies a long stemmed rose, what a lovely surprise on V - day! read more

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Lasagna was so yummy! The patio is an escape from the city. Some of the best Italian in the city. Will be back!!!

My coworkers chose this place as a dinner spot for our entire team and we made reservations in advance for a table of about 7 or 8 of us. The place was absolutely packed on a Wednesday night which in my opinion is a great sign given inflation, the rising costs of everything, and a post COVID world. We were seated in the patio (under the tent so it was heated). In my opinion, it doesn't give you much ambiance sitting out there, but we didn't really have an option. I think a lot of the larger tables are sat out there anyways. As far as the food goes, we ordered a lot of different appetizers to start off, some of them being excellent and others being just ok! I've had better calamari so I was a little disappointed since I was looking forward to it. My personal risotto I thought was a solid 4/5. It was a special for the night (rotating special menu) and one of my coworkers got it and liked it as well. The service itself was pretty darn good and all of our servers and food runners were very friendly and with it. I came with my team to Il Porcellino in River North a few months before this and I think that place was a better option for traditional Italian food, service, and ambiance. I'd still come back here, but with Chicago having so many excellent Italian restaurants, I wouldn't go out of my way to come back here in a heart beat. Still a solid choice in the River West area! read more

1. It's popular 2. You will encounter flies inside and outside 3. The food is less than mediocre. Was it once good? I have no idea but it's terrible now 4. They have a weird habit of adding fruit to savory dishes --- for example First visit my wife ordered salmon and it came with grapes. My last visit I ordered the Branzino fish special and it came in a puddle of orange juice with orange slices. -----------what in the crack cocaine smoking chef thinks fruit and fish go together? Back patio is an incredible ambiance but the only way i'd return is if I suffer a debilitating accident and lose all free will. read more

I'm afraid I can only give this restaurant three stars due to the noise level in the restaurant. My Husband and I were at a table for two and it was very hard for us to hear each other. With the high ceilings, the voices bounce off and reverberate around the room. Couple that with a table with a large party on both sides of us it was extremely noisy. I'm sure they're very busy on a Friday night, and this was during Restaurant week, but I felt like we were rushed. We were in and out in an hour. I guess they wanna turntables over quickly. The food was good, I'd like to come back in the summer when we could sit outside. The atmosphere might be better. read more

Another great dinner at Piccolo Sogno. The outdoor patio continues to be charming and inviting. Service was outstanding. The drink selection is very good, we opted for some of the specialty cocktails. The food menu is not extensive, but very good and portions are decent. My daughter and split the Barbabietole salad and salametti pizza. The desserts were outstanding, accompanied by lattes. This was an annual celebration and looking forward to next year. read more

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Came here for restaurant week, had the mussels, pappardelle with boar ragu, and the panna cotta. Pasta is definitely their strong suit, super fresh pasta cooked aldente and boldx flavorful sauces. read more

Piccolo Sogno - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Was just sat outside next to a plastic tarp as an exterior wall. The 2x4 and spray foam did not keep out the cold chills The tarp would billow back and forth with the wind .. Food has gone downhill over visits in last few years read more

Came here during restaurant week and it is amazing. The patio is beautiful and just what you need. Service is good too. I loved the appetizers, main entrees, and desserts. You really can't go wrong with this place...except for maybe over ordering bc everything is just so delicious on the menu. read more

Beautiful restaurant with fresh, vibrant food. Absolutely loved my past dish and the squash blossoms appetizer. The balsamic vinegar on the table for bread dipping along with the olive oil was crazy good! Loved this place! read more

Came here for a casual lunch. Really nice interior with grand arches and a big patio. Started with three types of bread and ate it with a mixture of olive oil and a balsamic vinaigrette. Probably the best balsamic vinaigrette I've ever had. For my entree, I got the spaghetti neri since I'm a sucker for a mix of seafood with pasta. Big fan of the black spaghetti just for the uniqueness. Good amount of mussels, clams, and shrimp with tons of calamari. A few tomatoes on top of the red sauce tied everything together. While this dish had everything I wanted, it did lack a little in flavor. I felt it could have used more salt and time together in the pan. Overall, great Italian vibe with tasty bread and good pasta. read more

Piccolo Sogno - Spaghetti Neri - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great food and ambiance. Been here several times. Consistently good. Great for a special occasion.

It was ok. For such a staple in Chicago I was excited to take my friends and though the food was great the service was completely awful. Its usually wonderful but I'll be writing to to manager because it was truly not ok. Bummer because they again are a staple and have wonderful food. read more

If I could give this place 100 stars I would!!! I made reservations for dinner to celebrate my son's birthday. When we arrive, the restaurant was packed. I gave my name to the hostess, however, they couldn't find my reservation. When they finally located my reservation, I had made it for the following night. The host asked me to give him a few minutes and he would try to sort it out. We were seated within 20 minutes. They truly save the day!!! There were seven people in my party and everyone had something different and everyone was extremely happy with their meals. Everything was so fresh and delicious. This was our first time there we were one over and will be back many more!!! read more