Delicious! Had the lunch special pasta with the Torrellacci Crema pasta, and a house salad. The service was great and prompt. The ambiance is casual and comfortable. We will come back again! read more

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Not the best restaurant experience I've ever had. Chairs were uncomfortable and noise level in the room was extremely loud. As for the food I had the Chicken Marsala. The chicken was dry and sauce just average at best. One of our party had chicken parm which they described as just ok and the sauce was below par in their opinion. Another had Penne pasta and Shrimp which was described as terrible. The manager listened to the complaint but did not act to satisfy. Finally coffee was excellent and so was the tiramisu. Bad night? Maybe. read more

Lunch specials are awesome ! Lunch until 3 . Closes and reopens at 4 for dinner. Closes at 9:00 . Two levels very pretty. Pretty windows tables and chairs wooden . Windows and doorway are pretty. The pasta was delicious . The server was accomodating read more

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B: be sure to make a reservation, as this place is popular! Very easy on OpenTable. O: olive oil with the pre-dinner bread is very premium. T: tasty entrees like pollo y pesto gnocchi come with a soup or house salad. I would say the fried calamari was a bit underwhelming and not as crispy as I would like. T: the portions to price point are very reasonable. No kids' menu, but there's something for everyone, like pizzas, pastas, and salad. A: attentive service all night! I: inside is cozy, with tables relatively close together and limited table spade. O: oh boy, we'll definitely be back! And thanks for the birthday tiramisu for my husband's celebration! Very light and flavorful. read more

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Ristorante Bottaio is a true hidden gem in the suburbs. Everything we tried felt comforting, classic, and well done. We ordered the bruschetta, crostini burrata e pesto, tortellacci with vodka sauce, rigatoni with veggies in a tomato cream sauce, melanzana parmigiana, a house salad, and mint and chocolate ice cream. The standouts were definitely the eggplant parm and anything with the vodka sauce. The eggplant parm is almost like a lasagna with layers, and the marinara is rich and delicious. The house salad was simple, but the vinaigrette dressing really makes it. It is so flavorful and a must try. Overall, a great spot if you are craving Italian. I would definitely come back. read more

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I hadn't been to Bottaio in several years, but was pleasantly surprised during a recent visit for a private lunch. The luncheon was held in the cozy sun room, with a dedicated server for our group. Our group had a variety of entrees and everyone enjoyed the salmon and grilled chicken salads and pasta entrees. Standouts were the salmon salad, rigatoni bolognese and penne primavera, The service was excellent and a good time was had by all! Ristorante Bottaio offers valet parking and has a small onsite parking lot. read more

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Great ambiance, food, and service. Our water glasses were always filled. The bread was fresh and plentiful, if you like to get full before you main course The pasta dishes are flavorful, and if I had any self-control I would've had leftovers. Self-control over a dish of cheesy meat-filled ravioli is overrated. We were also there for a birthday, which we noted on the Open Table reservation. We were asked when we entered about the birthday, and I was surprised by a lovely piece of tiramisu (yummmmm) and a candle without a spectacle. It's worth the carbs, especially if you like pasta and great service. read more

Ristorante Bottaio - Grilled squid on eggplant and zucchini. Perfectly grilled with a nice char. - Italian Near Me - Libertyville, Illinois

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A lot of good reviews so we had to give it a shot, and yeah, Bottaio did not disappoint. Food was excellent, nice relaxed atmosphere, we wanted to try more things so we will be back. All that said, and among all the other positives, what really stood out was the service. Good amount of staff who were Seriously on point, timely, professional, and not overbearing at the slightest. Water at half a glass? it gets filled. Plate is done? someone is picking it up, no wait. It was no fuss, no badgering on how is everything every two minutes, but at the same time not rushing at all. So it took me a while to figure out what they were doing, and I think I got it. They were not being robotic, they were looking, scanning, seeing where they were needed, instead of roaming and interrupting. Been a while since service really impressed me, this was very noticeable. Also, get the apple cake for desert, no pic, cuz we ate it too fast. read more

Ristorante Bottaio - Ravioli Noce - Italian Near Me - Libertyville, Illinois

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We went there on a Thursday evening and everything, from food, service and drinks was 5 star. The server Kyle was up beat, friendly, knowledgeable and efficient. The food was delicious, served hot and exceptional. We had a nice bottle of wine that was half price (who knew Thursday was half prince bottle wine night). The owner came around to check on things. The ambience is casual and very nice. And it is not too loud to have a quiet conversation. We will be going back and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a nice place to get out to. read more

Really adorable date night spot. It's a little house that was given new life as a fancy Italian restaurant. It was a little slow and I noticed people around us getting service quicker even when they'd arrived later than us. I also wasn't too impressed by the layout of the cheese plate.. I WAS however very impressed with the pizza which was fantastic!!! read more

Ristorante Bottaio - Margherita Pizza Dinner - Italian Near Me - Libertyville, Illinois

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We hadn't been to Bottaio in a while and overall enjoyed our experience. I was disappointed that the bread was not very good and our table was very small. I don't remember this being the case and I wonder if they decided to fit more tables in and made them smaller. The server had to remove the bread so our appetizer would fit. But the eggplant Parmesan was excellent. The service was a little slow and we had to ask for more water. read more

A popular spot for locals! Plan early if you have a party larger than 4. Service is attentive. Food is fresh; good size portions

We made reservations for four at Ristorante Bottaio in Libertyville Friday night. Reservations were necessary. It was packed. We still had about a fifteen-minute wait after our reservation time, but we sat on a bench inside and they took our drink order there. The host, the waiters, the bartender, everyone was very professional. They take service seriously. Right up there with the service is the food. We started with Calami Fritti and Beef Carpaccio. Both of these dishes were spectacular. The calami was plentiful, tender and included fried jalapenos which just added to the flavor. Not many tentacles but the rings were perfect. The carpaccio was served with arugula, parmesan and olive oil. Tender and again the flavors were spot on. For my entree, I went with the sausage and gorgonzola pizza. The gorgonzola was mild and not a lot of it, but the sausage was seriously plentiful. If it wouldn't have had such amazing flavor, I might have thought it bordered on too much but as it was, I had no complaints. My dining companions had the Salmon Alforno, the Rigatoni Formaggio and the Fettuccine Funghi. The salmon portion was huge and everyone enjoyed their entrees. I'd happily eat here again. read more

I was wanting this to be a 5 star but hard pressed to give it even 4 stars. We have lived close to Bottaio for years and finally gave it a try. Atmos was definitely lacking as it was small but just about as plainly decorated as could be. No atmosphere at all. The food ordered was a tomahawk pork chop I split with one child and filled us up but flavor was lacking. The soup that came with it was clam chowder and was a 3 star star but had plenty of clam and carrots/celery. Just preferred a little thicker. The shrimp Rigatoni was also just average but came with a large portion. The spaghetti Bolognese was the best dish of the three as we gave it an 8/10. The Caesar salad with extra anchovies were also an 8/10. We skipped dessert as I said the portions are large and the value on price was perfect. Service from waiter was awesome as he was great with the kids and professional at the same time giving us a few choices and in-site on dinner choices. We would try again as a casual dining experience. read more

Excellent!! We made reservations for this very busy spot on a Friday night and were sat immediately. To start, we ordered a bottle of Pinot noir. They offer bread for the table with imported olive oil and balsamic. It is exquisite to say the least! Every entree comes with a salad or soup -- I ordered a house salad that came with a delicious house balsamic dressing. For my entree, I ordered the meat ravioli that is baked in a tomato cream sauce. It was absolutely divine! Even after all of the bread I ate, I finished my entire dish. My boyfriend loved his fettuccine bottaio and also cleaned his plate. My mom shared a pizza with my daughter and they both enjoyed it. My dad got the chicken Marsala -- I tried a bite and it was so good! The chicken had great flavor and wasn't dry at all. This would have been my alternate choice for an entree. Service was excellent. The restaurant itself is family-owned and the food is authentic. This would be a great spot for a date night too! read more

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We went to this restaurant for dinner with friends on a Friday night. We had a reservation, but still had to wait about 30 minutes to be seated, which wasn't ideal, but we were without kids and able to chat with our friends, so we survived. It was definitely busy, though, so I would recommend making a reservation, even though that may or may not make a difference. They bring bread to the table before dinner, which we devoured (it was a late reservation, so that coupled with the wait time meant we were all suffering from extreme hunger). We also had two appetizers - the cheese plate and bruschetta prosciutto. Both were enjoyed by all. The bruschetta had a saltiness to it, which I liked. I ordered the salmon limone. It was okay - the salmon was a little overdone, so I don't know that I would recommend it or order it again. The pasta is all made in house, though, and it was very fresh. My husband had the rigatoni scampi, which he thoroughly enjoyed. He said there was a slight spiciness, but not overwhelming. The star of the night was the gelato, though! We had the mango and salted caramel flavors and - oh my word - these were both SO DELICIOUS! They were creamy and flavorful! I will definitely order again, if we come back. read more

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I've been coming to Bottaio since high school and my husband and I had our wedding shower here 10 years ago! It's fair to say that I love this little family-owned Italian restaurant. Everything is fresh and delicious. I get the same thing every time The house salad with the most delicious beet red dressing and the angel hair with vodka Mariana. Simple and perfect. My husband got the salmon limone and loved the citrusy flavors. Our daughter got the pizza but filled up on bread before her meal came. Pretty typical! For desert we had the delicious carrot cake with vanilla gelato. And we always get a bottle of wine prices are so fair compared to other places in Libertyville! The owner Tom is amazing and I guarantee that's why the restaurant has done so well all these years! This will forever be my go to (favorite) Italian place! read more

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My wife and I joined a couple of our dear friends to share a wonderful dinner at Ristorante Bottaio. Our before dinner cocktails our appetizer and our entrees were all excellent. You cannot go wrong by selecting the house wine. Our service was also outstanding. Given the level of service, the quality of the food drink, and wine. The pricing is actually quite reasonable. We plan to go back soon. read more

Always a 10/10 experience at Bottaio. My husband and I love to come here for quality Italian food. The owner is absolutely lovely as is all the staff. If you come often, they actually remember you, which is truly so unique & makes coming here that much more special. We also just returned from a trip to Italy, so now coming back to dine here - the vibes/decor bring us right back. As always, we intend on dining here many many more times to come! read more

Ristorante Bottaio - Tortellacci Crema Pasta Dinner Chicken Pollo Milanese Dinner - Italian Near Me - Libertyville, Illinois

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Food was fantastic. All the pasta dishes I had were perfect. I would highly recommend to anyone. I was visiting for work and went here 6 months ago and this was the only restaurant I was waiting to go to again. read more

One of the better Italian restaurants that I have been to in a long time. Get there early with an empty stomach and leave late, ready to bust out of your now immense waistline read more

I had my baby shower here and I cannot express how amazing the staff, and food was. Not only was the atmosphere beautiful, and bright but we were able to have a lunch with an appetizer, salad, entree and desert. They were so kind and attentive to each guest, the food was exceptional and overall the experience was so easy, and stress free which is what you need at 33 weeks pregnant lol If you are looking for an event I would 100% recommend this place. Thank you for making my event so special IG flywithjacqueline for more photos read more

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The food was excellently prepared, cooked perfectly and delicious. The staff was friendly and the service was excellent!

This is rated against Italian restaurants like Carlucci's in Rosemont. Bottaio is a solid Italian restaurant. Very workman like. Just not polished enough to make 4/5 stars. The bread was warm and tasty. Nice olive oil for dunking but the parm cheese on the table looked like jar bought parm from Kraft. Service was good. Meals. The fish special of white fish was very good. But the placement of the entree on pedestrian angel hair past was plain. Uneventful lacked color. The egg plant dish was good. The tomato sauce on top isn't fancy. Like hearty crushed tomatoes. Thick. Needed a bit more flavor thru seasoning. Tiramisu rocked. The restaurant is solid. Described as a family spot for honest Italian food moderately priced. It's loud when the upstairs fills up. read more

Wow, jeez louise, let me tell you about my favorite date night destination. It's a hidden gem called Ristorante Bottaio in Libertyville. The woodfire Neapolitan pizza... I'm particular about such things. The pizza is the best I've had in states, and among the best I've had anywhere (including Italy). Personally I love the prosciutto e funghi, so like a ham and mushroom situation, but they have a lot of options. My wife picks a different entrée each time, and she has been delighted each time. She is similarly delighted by their pistachio martini, and that is what I am paying for, I really want her to be dazzled and delighted for date night. Dessert, also top notch. I am who I am, so I will be drinking espresso (excellent), but my beloved often has the tiramisu or cake, and she reports both are outstanding. Oh, and the restaurant, it's a bit hard to find. It's at the far end of the downtown strip, and the parking is valet. You don't have to park valet, just park down the side-street if you don't want to valet (I'm particular about my pickup), but you do you. read more

Found this on yelp somehow. Lived nearby for 7 years and never heard of it yet it just popped up. Showed up around 8pm on a Friday and were seated right away. Wait staff and support staff were quick and attentive. Had a few salads to start which were fresh and tasty. The dressings were great. Had the spinach lasagna special and the chicken rigatoni vodka. Both dishes were very good. Cooked well and prepared well. We didn't want dessert yet the waiter brought us some tiramisu anyway which was good. I think we found our Italian restaurant. read more

Best Italian food in Lake County. Service is normally great. Love the seafood pasta dishes. For parents and allergy sensitive people - they have gluten free pasta. Cute interior. read more

Our visit was such a study in contradictions. They have cans of imported Sicilian EVOO on the table, next to pizza joint powdered Parmesan shakers, to put on fresh baked bread that was outstanding, White tablecloth and black tie waiter, with soft drinks served in random glasses. One was plain, then next had ornate raised dragons, the third days Miller Lite. The restaurant was packed, and with good reason: the food is quite good and reasonably priced. It was very loud, but conversation was still possible. My wife ordered the veal special, with olives and zucchini, but was brought veal Marsala. Despite the crowd, the correct dish was brought out fairly quickly. My ravioli was quite good. Not the best I've ever had, but top quartile, for sure. I'm not sure if it's worth going from Cook County up to Libertyville, but if you're shady in the area, Ristorante Bottaio is a solid offering. read more

Ristorante Bottaio - Meat Ravioli Al Forno - Italian Near Me - Libertyville, Illinois

Sorry to say the service and food were not very good. Christmas Eve dinner was more like high end food service. The white fish special was over cooked and mushy. The chicken pasta dish was frankly terrible. Salad and soup were good but drinks were lame. The server had no personality and we saw him less than 4 times. Not sure what's happened as this was always a great place with fresh a flavorful dishes. Maybe new owners? Better choices downtown. Total bummer read more

My family has been going to bottaio for over twenty five years. My grandparents fell in love with the food, the service, and the atmosphere and our family would always have celebrations there, cater through them, order take out and we're never disappointed. Bottaio over time meant a lot to my family. My grandmother died almost 16 years ago and my grandfather died just this last week. Bottaio was able to accommodate us for a luncheon after the burial and his burial and the food was just as good as the first time we went. A big thank you to bottaio for allowing us to incorporate them in his final send off. He wouldn't have wanted it any other way. read more

Ristorante Bottaio is a tasty little restaurant located near the downtown area of Libertyville, IL. Its upscale interior is elegantly put together, displaying fine sparkling crystal glassware, accompanied with shiny silverware. The service is top notch, providing wonderful interactions and experiences during the visit. When venturing the menu options, there's a balance of options for guests to choose from. Two dishes that we chose for dinner, which are highly recommended, are the Torrllacci Crema and the Farfalle Salmone. Each dish was well prepared, providing a balanced consistency of each recipe's exquisite ingredients and scrumptious display. These dishes paired well with the house chianti. After a delicious and pleasant experience, we'll definitely be coming back to Ristorante Bottaio for more. read more

Ristorante Bottaio - Rigatoni Quattro Formaggio and the Farfalle Salmone - Italian Near Me - Libertyville, Illinois

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I have been here a few times and the ambiance is really nice. We sat in the indoor space that feels like a patio as well as upstairs. The food is very tasty. We got mushroom bread, calamari and octopus! The stand out was the octopus! We also got various dishes, gnocchi special, fettuccine with seafood, salmon and it was delicious! The service was top notch and they even have a vallet. read more

Food was great the ambience is small and intimate it was a neutral like inside of a home. Tried the linguini and clams very tasty. And unlike others the clams were cleaned throughly. A great place for a date night read more

Ristorante Bottaio - Tiramisu - Italian Near Me - Libertyville, Illinois

The food was very good, not great, but very reliable. The sound level is incredibly loud, especially on a Saturday nite. If they could add something soft to the walls, that would help. Even conversation across a small table was difficult at best. My hearing is fine, thank you. Wait staff was excellent, accommodating my Gluten Free wife on her birthday. Can't ask for more than that. I'd go back, but could not be a regular here. read more

This place has a "cool restaurant in an older building" vibe that I really like. There's a small parking lot adjacent to the building, in which we were lucky to snag the last spot. We were seated promptly, at a corner table, which was perfect. My friend ordered the spaghetti with meatballs, and I had the garlic shrimp scampi. I also tried their house Manhattan, which was listed under martinis, which is unusual, but it may be because it's served "up" as the default. It was perfectly made. We were a bit disappointed with our entrees -- she said hers was good, but nothing special, and she could have made something as good at home. She was surprised it wasn't more amazing given the price point. The pasta in mine was molto al dente. It wasn't something I'd send back, but it was less enjoyable because of this. I prefer my pasta to be soft and supple. The cream sauce, however, was delicious. I also wish, when shrimp are served in a sauce, that the tail shells be removed. This has become a thing with many restaurants in the past 10 years or so, and the last thing I want to have to do is fish into the sauce with my fingers to pull them off, or struggle with a knife and fork to do the same. Please, restaurants, please fully de-shell your shrimp before serving in a sauce. Your customers will appreciate it. We split a generously-sized tiramisu for dessert, which was lovely. Overall, it was a nice evening out for dinner and conversation with a friend. Our server was pleasant, the unisex bathrooms were updated and spotless, and I'm guessing we'll stop in again sometime for another dinner and chat. read more

Good is a little American Italian with mashed potatoes not pasta with the meals. Tables small like those in Italy. Did not care for grilled calamari as too rubbery. BUT Vitelli Picatta very good. House wine good and best expresso have had in a long time with excellent real Italian grappa. Soup And salad good. Waiter did a good job and all were in black shirts and trousers Plan to go again but no mashed potatoes read more

I have been here 3 times now. The ambiance is nice and the staff is attentive. My favorite dish so far is their chicken with spinach and marsala cream sauce. Their tiramisu is very good and also with their lemon drop martini. They also have a large wine list. The only issue is their parking is very limited. I recommend parking across the street instead. I will definitely be back. read more

As a Libertyville local, I've been going here for a while. Yesterday, that big bowl of pasta finished off with tiramisu was much-needed after a big exam. I went with friends, and our server, Kyle, was entertaining, passionate, and informative. Loved every minute and would highly recommend this place! read more

Ristorante Bottaio - Tiramisu - Italian Near Me - Libertyville, Illinois

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The food is excellent. The salmon's perfectly seasoned and the calamari is the best. The service is very attentive and the Manhattan was perfect. Will definitely be back soon maybe tomorrow read more

We tried Bottaio for a family night out. Located on the north end of downtown Libertyville, they have their own parking lot so you don't have to find parking on the streets. We were seated immediately. They were obviously busy, and service was a bit slow. Since restaurants have been struggling to hire back servers, we were understanding. A couple of us started with a glass of wine. They had the Chianti and I had the Malbec. They were quite good. A good start. For an appetizer we ordered their scallops special. The scallops were large and very sweet. Off to a slow but a good start. Two of us ordered salads off the specials menu, and the others had the complimentary salad and soup that came with dinner. We asked that they be served all together. After a very long wait, the specialty salads were served. It took over ten minutes for the remaining salad and soup to be served and no waiter was to be found in that entire time. The salads were good, but the soup tasted very watered down, a bit bland. For dinner, we ordered 2 of their pasta dishes, one of their chicken dishes and a fish special that was crusted walleye with a tomato sauce with anchovies. After another long wait, our meal was served. One pasta dish had the sauce tasting off, the chicken was cold to the touch. The walleye was served without any tomato sauce on the top. It was served over a risotto that was gummy not appetizing. When we finally asked the waiter for the sauce, he brought it on the side. When we finally tasted the walleye, it was overcooked and very dry. All in all a very disappointing dinner. One other note: the tables were way too close. I'm NOT saying too close for social distancing - which they were. I'm saying even for pre-pandemic, our tables felt stacked right up next to the tables next to us. I cannot recommend this restaurant. read more