What an amazing experience. It was my son's 19th birthday. Not only were the staff accommodating as…read morethey sat us in the best table in front of the window! What a fun night. First time here and we already plan to go back. Every single food item we ordered was amazing. From the seafood pasta and the mussels to the dessert of tiramisu! Great place for a nice "fancy" great meal.

This is a good spot for special occasions, just don't order the pasta…read more The service is impeccable, much better than at Il Ritrovo or Field to Fork. The dining room is tastefully decorated. Be prepared to spend a pretty penny here. I didn't think my pasta was anything to write home about, I wouldn't even say it was al dente. It felt over cooked. I typically don't have high expectations with pasta, but for the price point, I would expect the pasta to be perfectly cooked at the very least. Their nicer entrees that don't center around pasta are likely a better bet.

Amazing place for dinner. A quiet restaurant with great service from host to server. We started…read morewith Housemade sea salt and rosemary Focaccia bread which comes with a garlic confit and olive oil and Fried Zucchini. For our main course, we had the lobster ravioli, mushroom ravioli with salmon, roasted chicken, and the wild striped bass. Dessert was ice cream, an olive oil cake, which the server said was underrated but very delicious, and she was so very right. When we were there it wasn't too busy, so you were able to have a conversation at your table without shouting to be heard. I'm not sure how it would be when they start to get very busy. They do take reservation which I think will be needed when it gets popular!!

I visited Renard's for the first time with a 7PM dinner reservation on a Thursday. To get there, we…read moreentered through The Annex, which was incredibly lively--complete with a very loud live band playing right at the front door. Walking into Renard's, my first impression was that it had a romantic fine dining vibe and the room was bright. We were seated at a table with four wooden chairs, and unfortunately, all of us found the chairs extremely uncomfortable. For dinner, we ordered the Caesar salad, soup, olive & sausage pizza, crab fettuccine, French onion burger, and fries. The standout for me was the soup--it was flavorful and had a bold lemon taste that I enjoyed. The cannellini beans and kale made it hearty and satisfying. My husband and I were really disappointed by the olive & sausage pizza. We're pizza lovers but this one was overwhelmingly salty--even after we removed the olives, the sauce and ricotta were still too salty to enjoy. We ended up barely touching it. The crab fettuccine had great flavor, but the texture of the crab was not for me- it was crunchy, possibly from bits of shell. The French onion burger was a hit- big, cheesy, and satisfying. The fries were also great, especially paired with the aioli dip.

06 /13/26. My wife and hit up the Calderon for a nice 6 o'clock dinner. I'm a pizza nut, and she…read morehad a taste for the lobster ravioli. We ordered a glass of wine, and I had an iced tea. I have to add the tea comes unsweetened. As an app we had fried eggplant. I was warned the pizza would be over 30 minutes. The eggplant came super fast. It was great. Nice sauce. On time my pizza was in front of me. A minute later my wife's ravioli was on the table. Both were served hot. My rectangle "works" pizza was packed with fresh crispy flavor. It was very good. Nice and thin crust. Today (the next day) I ate it for lunch, and it was still great reheated. Wife tells me her lobster ravioli was also very good. My wife might like the pasta, but I guarantee, I will have this pizza again. I would vote 4.5 stars for sure.

Ordered kalimari as an appetizer. First time trying it for one of us, and it was above…read moreexpectations! We got chicken alfredo and spaghetti and meatballs, respectively. They were both very good. (This review gets a bonus star for being our first date )

Well, the James Beard nomination removed one of my favorite restaurants from under the radar to…read moredamned packed - and they 100% deserve the kudos and the attention and the packed reservation calendar. I love this place. After every visit I have to forego pasta anywhere else for weeks. Nowhere in town compares. Their treatment of wild mushrooms is masterful. My partner and I scored a two-spot at the bar on a Saturday to celebrate and we loved it, as always. The service was just as attentive and friendly at the bar as at a table. The atmosphere there is cozy and intimate and feels very European. Bonus - you get a great look at other diners' meals. I've had the tajarin with morels in the past, blessedly, and got one of the final orders available, maybe the last for the night. It's always a revelation in how amazing simple, high quality ingredients can make a meal. The amount of morels is generous as well. He ordered the rigatoni with pork and enjoyed it very much. We started with a cauliflower and broccoli dish that would make anyone a cruciferous vegetable aficionado. I had the always wonderful browned butter bourbon drink and a twist on a Manhattan for dessert. He had the house Affogato and really enjoyed it. This place is always worth the time and the money. It's among my favorites anywhere in the country that I've ever eaten.

Well shit, no wonder this place is nominated for a James Beard Award. I'm literally still thinking…read moreabout all the good food 24 hours later. It's actually shocking I've only just made it here because Ca'Lucchenzo has been on my to-go list for years. Lucky for me, my girlfriends planned a dinner to catch up and one of them chose this spot. Hot tip: make the reservation. Those go fassst! We went on the Tuesday night and it was full, with repeated table turnover. Delightful atmosphere. Very cozy, with warm tones, dimer lighting, and thoughtfully curated Italian'esque decor. Loved that there is a whole area where you can look onto the from-scratch pasta being made. However, that's over in the dining room and we actually sat on the bar side. There's maybe a dozen seats wrapped around their full-service bar, and then a small high-top tucked behind, where we sat. Our server, Malichai, new allllll of his stuff. When I tell you this menu is so clearly planned with immense detail, and changes pretty much daily, but this man knew every thing there was to know. We found that to be so helpful because as first timers it's hard to know what - and how many dishes - to choose. In the end, we landed on a handful of picks from the antipasti section, which we're all great shareable sizes. And then of course we needed pasta, so selected two of those to share as well. Can I recall what each dish was? No. Can I recall everything being extremely flavorful and enjoyable? Absolutely! From goat cheese and white asparagus, to creamy potato ravioli and the most insane/delicious focaccia of my life... we all noted how great every bite was. Oh and the drinks + dessert selection lived up to the hype too. I had a citrusy gin cocktail, and we finished with some sort of hazelnut chocolate cake. 10/10. Super duper excited to bring my husband here. He appreciates the craft of good food and boy that is what this place is alllll about.

This is an authentic Italian restaurant that feels like I'm having Sunday dinner at my papa's home…read more First and foremost the customer service is stellar. The waitstaff was lovely and owner Pietro told my son and I the story of their beautiful pizza oven that came all the way from Italy and visited our table to welcome my parents and tell us about the resturant and their family. This place is owned and operated by an incredibly talented and caring family that has opened their recipes and hearts to the community. The food was perfectly executed. From the seasoned and crips calamari to the margarita pizza that was flavorful with a thin crisp crust, our appetizers were loved. And then the pasta; just perfect. It's hard to find legitimate Italian pasta and this is it. The pasta was al dente with delectable homemade sauces. We enjoyed the chicken Marsala, chicken parmesan, a la vodka pasta, and pasta Alfredo-which my kids said was better than mine! All of these dishes were perfectly seasoned, fresh, piping hot, well sauced, and just delectable. The portions are perfect leaving just enough for lunch the next day if you can keep yourself from eating the whole plate! It was easy to get a reservation for a larger party, which I appreciate! The dining room and bathrooms were accessible for my mother who uses a wheelchair and she felt extremely comfortable dining. My two younger kids also enjoyed themselves and the atmosphere was versatile; perfect for kids, dinner with the grandparents, or a date night out. All in all we are excited to come back for another fantastic meal. Thank you to the owners and family for building this gem in Milwaukee.

I might have deducted three stars, rather than only two, if I'd included my feelings about my…read moreentree . . . which I hated. But that would be unfair and inappropriate. I had the beef Spiedini -- something we served at the venerated east side institution, Palermo Villa, when I waited tables there, years ago. But as delectable as it looked, it was one of our dishes that I never tried! And so, I think I ordered it at Carini's with unrealistic and inaccurate expectations. Suffice it to say that, FOR MY TASTE, the meat was undercooked and too chewy. I also found the stuffing off-putting, in both taste and mushy consistency. But again, THAT'S ME. It's entirely possible that this dish was prepared perfectly. It's just not for me. Now, on to the positives: * The Mussels Macchiato (in "a garlic wine sauce, splash of Carini's marinara") were the best mussels I've had anywhere. And, if you utilize the provided bread, so as not to let any of the ample sauce go to waste, you'll find it a "sopper's delight". * Is it possible to ruin Tiramisu? I doubt it . . . but its quality certainly can vary. In this case, I'll venture that Carini's is the best by far. The unfortunate negatives (and the reasons for the two-star deduction): * What could have been, and should have been, a very pleasing, simple and straightforward spinach salad (with cucumber, fontinella cheese and kalamata olives, in a sundried tomato vinaigrette) was ruined by the fact that whomever added the dressing drowned this unfortunate little salad that never did nothing to nobody. * The coffee -- both my first cup and the refill -- were barely warm enough to count as "tepid", much less hot. Details, even those as small as this, matter in a fine dining establishment with fine dining prices. * And, speaking of fine dining establishments with fine dining prices: These, of all places, should not commit that cardinal sin: jumping on board the "me too" train, shamelessly taking on the feel and appearance of a sports bar. In short, guys, 86 the giant TVs (of which there were, I think, at least two, in the not-all-that-huge bar area. I had to choose my seat in the dining area so as not to have to see either of them.) The prices, menu and marketing of Carini's all say "class" and quality (and/or an attempt to project class and quality). TVs say "tacky". Lazy. Like almost every other tacky, lazy, fungible place one might choose to step into these days. Because a Brewers game was on, and because I noticed it (behind and above the head of the understanding young lady at a table to my left), I succumbed to the temptation to steal (pun intended) several glances. But had I been left with nothing more than people-watching and my own thoughts, I would have survived just fine. Just fine, thank you.

Good food. Good service. I thought that the price was a little on the high side. My sausage…read moremushroom pizza and out hot and crispy. Quite tasty and loaded with great flavor. The wife ordered the gluten free crust, chicken, mushroom, and hot honey on the side. She loves the way that the hot honey augmented the flavor of her pizza. Zaffiro's is one of my favorite Pizza places, especially the Lower East Side Farwell location. (5 stars)

I really liked Zaffiro's pizza. We ordered a cheese pizza and it was really good. That crust is…read moresuper thin and crispy! We also ordered the fried eggplant appetizer and it was excellent too. Service was friendly and they kept our drinks full.

This is a small place, but the food and service are amazing. From the time we were seated we were…read moretalking care of quickly.Friendly service with a smile.Food was amazing bursting with flavors. This place is a game changer for me. Nice laid-back atmosphere..Great place to hang out with a few friends. This is going to be one of my favorite places for i Italian food..... Try this place, you will definitely come back for more

It's been on our list for a while, and this was our first time coming here…read more Food: Excellent! One of the best Italian meals we have had. We started with a couple of the signature cocktails. My Papa Gio's Old Fashioned was outstanding. The additional Cynar amaro is a stroke of genius. For starters, we ordered the Fried Eggplant (Melanzane Fritte), which was probably the best we have ever had. It arrived piping hot, and the breading was fried to perfection. The eggplant itself was mild, with no hint of bitterness. The accompanying marinara sauce was thick and flavorful. For entrées, we ordered Gio's Stuffed Filet and the Chicken Parmesan. The filet was cooked perfectly to medium-rare and was delicious. The Chicken Parmesan was a huge portion. There were literally three chicken breasts, each with well-seasoned breading and fried to a beautiful golden crispness. It was excellent. We had plenty of leftovers and enjoyed several more meals at home. (The eggplant reheats especially well in an air fryer.) Service: We had a 5:30 reservation and were seated right away. We let our server know that we had a performance to attend and were assured that we would be out with plenty of time to spare. For the vast majority of the evening, the service was great. Unfortunately, things changed toward the end of the meal. We literally could not find our server, and we suspect they may have also been handling a party upstairs. Since we needed to leave, we had the host help us get our bill paid. Feeling rushed at the end of the meal took a bit of the polish off an otherwise excellent experience. Atmosphere: The restaurant is small and has an authentic feel to it. The photos and décor make you feel as though you're dining in a typical European restaurant. The tables are close together, and it was a bit noisy at times. Overall, we had a very good experience. I can't say enough about the drinks and food. I just wish the service had been more consistent throughout the evening. We are looking forward to our next meal there.

Very friendly service even though the place was packed, and the food was a good value for what we…read moregot. The Sicilian breaded tenderloin had plenty of seasoning and was much bigger than I expected, tons of food even for my giant appetite. The bar area is first come first served, so if you try to walk in, check there and avoid the wait. It's a cool supper club feel and was very welcoming; we'll be back!

We recently ventured to Galioto's for dinner. We had two birthdays in a party of four, a fact that…read morewas confirmed when I made the reservation. We entered on an early Friday evening and the place was already quite packed. I was somewhat surprised at how small the bar and dining room actually were, but the somewhat eclectic décor made the place feel warm and cozy, even though we were not seated by the fireplace table. Our server, Jane, was nice enough and the service was fairly good, but despite seeing a table next to ours getting a birthday song serenade, nothing was ever said about my groups occasions. Even at the end, when my mom ordered a to-go dessert and I commented on it being a birthday treat, it was never acknowledged. I find that odd and a little irritating. The eggplant sticks appetizer was good, as was the bread and whipped butter. My cod dinner was adequate, with the star being the potato pancake. Mom's Ditka chop was good, but the other two were mixed in their opinions about the Sausage Pepper Vodka Penne. I left the place feeling fairly underwhelmed, I'm afraid. Meh.