AMAZING. Bill and Janice - amazing Scallop fettuccine - amazing x1000 might just be my favorite pasta dish ever Tiramisu - amazing Olive oil cake - amazing Atmosphere - amazing read more

We were lucky enough to get a last-minute reservation here, and it turned out to be our best meal in Chicago! Some of the best food I have ever had in my life!! And, the atmosphere is adorable. Highly recommend the gnocchi and pasta carbonara! I don't even like tiramisu, but theirs is incredible. It will be first on my list whenever I'm back in town! read more

Torchio Pasta Bar - Gnocchi unlike any I've ever had - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I am a a fan, having been a couple of times. Most recently last evening. Love the space, and Bill is the ideal host. I have to say that I was disappointed in my entree. The orchiette with sausage, etc was way over-sauced, and entirely too spicy after I asked that the spice be toned down. My friends all enjoyed their food but in general the comments are to think about the heaviness of the saucing. Marianne read more

The burrata is simply amazing, we ordered another round!! My husband and I loved our meals... portions were a little small but food was fantastic. Not very kid friendly, the menu was a little fancier than we are so we were limited on what to order. We will definitely go back (without the kids) if we're ever back in the area. Atmosphere was perfect. read more

This place was to die for. Adorable vibe, all the food was delicious. We got mussels, carbonara and tiramisu and all were extremely good. The owner came up and said hello and couldn't have been a nicer guy. Will def go again next time we are in town! read more

The BEST homemade pasta dishes, killer cocktails and OMG the desserts are to die for!! The owners Bill and Janice are so sweet and personable and treat you like family. Really cool vibe. Will definitely come back the next time I'm in town!! read more

This was awesome. Heard about Torchio and so happy we got a reservation while visiting from NY. Bill and his wife Janice were so welcoming, it felt like family. Can't wait to come back! read more

This has been the best food I have had in a quite a while. Bill and his wife were incredibly friendly and made sure that every single guest felt welcomed and that every guest had a one of a kind experience. We sat at the bar and had amazing drinks, apps, and food... and truthfully every single food item exceeded expectations. There are no words to describe how the food tasted - you just have to experience it yourself. I recommend the gnocchi on the appetizer menu and literally any pasta from the main menu. Thanks for the amazing food and the amazing time. I'll be back again soon! Garrett read more

Food is amazing and Bill is exceptionally friendly. Pasta Primavera and tiramisu is fabulous.

Visited Torchio on a Thursday night and had a wonderful time! The atmosphere is warm and welcoming. The owner, Bill makes everyone feel right at home. We live down the street and will definitely be back. Fresh pasta and a gorgeous restaurant is a win-win! Carbonara was outstanding! read more

We love, love, love this place and are so happy they have re-opened! Excellent food, ambience and great owners. A real gem of a place.

So I'm in town visiting, and I'm killing time, and I stumble past this place, and wow, thank god I did! The ambiance and decor immediately gets you because it oozes authentic. The owner is standing in the front making homemade pasta?!?!!! I decide to try a drink, and it's the best old fashioned I've had in Chicago, ever, and I've had a lot. So I'm not even hungry, but I have to try something. I get the arugula salad, yep, exactly what your looking for. Then of all the things they have on the menu is a porchetta sandwich???? Yep, totally crushed it, best I've had in AMERICA! Anyone who knows porchetta knows how hard it is to make and/or find authentic, legit porchetta, and these guys killed it, to me this says it all! Absolutely 5 stars! read more

Torchio Pasta Bar - Porchetta sandwich! WT!!!! - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I noticed Torchio Pasta Bar the past few weeks walking by it (we live in the neighborhood). I have been waiting for it to open--the design, decor, and posted menu looked so inviting! My wife and I tried it tonight and we were not disappointed. Everything we had was fresh and delicious. The service was friendly, attentive, and excellent. My wife had one of the specialty cocktails, the Milan. She said she would return for that alone! Our appetizer was the Burrata cheese--creamy with great taste. My wife had the Giovanna's Bolognese which comes in a "parmesan basket." Ask about it! That was so unique, fresh, and delicious. I had the spaghetti carbonara, something I like to order at the most genuine of Italian restaurants. I put Torchio's carbonara at the top end of all the carbonaras I have ever had. Wonderful taste and fresh pasta cooked just right. The atmosphere is great, even outdoors were we sat. The owner, Bill, came by a few times to chat. His passion for Torchio's food (he described his travels through Italy for the recipes) and service was evident. River North has a number of terrific places to eat. When it comes to Italian, Torchio's is our new favorite. Excellent food, caring service, and good value for our dollar. My only hesitation in giving it such a great review is that I don't want it to get so busy that I won't be able to get in whenever I want! read more

My new favorite Italian restaurant in River North! Giovanna's bolognese with a crisp Parmesan basket serves like an Italian tostada that keeps you wanting more. The semolina gnocchi is a must have on the appetizer menu and will melt in your mouth. I'm looking forward to many more meals (and glasses of Pinot Grigio) out on the patio this summer. read more

It's been 12 hours and I still can't stop thinking about some of the best pasta I have had in a long time. Maybe best ever. We got the scallop pasta special and the signature torchio pasta and our bowls were cleaned. Be sure to save room. You have to get the tiramisu. read more

Easy 5-stars. While I've been to many a pasta joint in the city - many of them great, to be sure - this new establishment run by an ex-engineer takes the cake for one of the best Italian-style pasta experiences I've had in the US. My friend and I could tell that the evening was about to be great from the bread service: the olive oil was high-grade and had a hint of smokiness, and the generous serving of grated cheese in the condiment container (which they did not take away with the empty bread basket for us to use on the pasta, thank goodness) I think was parmigiano reggiano! I use a cheese grinder on a store bought block of cheese and it does not nearly amount to how much of that goodness we were given. The fig jam and ricotta cheese appetizer may seem small, but the quality and flavor of the ingredients were outstanding. Definitely recommend the restaurant to include an additional cracker or two because there is just enough cheese and jam for that and I wouldn't want them to go to waste. For the pastas, we had the cacio e pepe, rigatoni with tomato sauce, and the gemelli & pesto as well as we simply needed to experience more of Torchio's pastas. All three were incredible (ingredients, preparation, etc) and definitely measure up to the best pastas I have had in Italy. I must say that I've been searching for the perfect cacio e pepe, and the one here I could eat every day and not get tired of. One of those apparently simple recipes that takes a true master to perfect. I regret that I cannot taste a genuine spaghetti carbonara in this country as I am now vegetarian, but I'm sure Torchio's does a hell of a job with it. read more

Torchio Pasta Bar - Broccolini, cacio e pepe, rigatoni with plum tomato sauce, an already devoured plate of whipped ricotta and tomato fig jam - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The service is entry level and food is underwhelming. I wish it was better because i live in the area, I'm sure it won't last. It's the poor man's Tortello's, check out that place in Wicker Park if you're looking for an authentic and well executed pasta bar. read more

We had read great things about Torchio so made reservations for dinner after a cocktail at the Violet Hour. We started with the arancini - this is a classic dish that is hard to do poorly. Traditionally it's made with leftover risotto (of which they have several on the menu) filled with cheese, peas or meat, then breaded and fried. This arancini was disappointing - I'm not sure what kind of rice they used but it didn't taste like Arborio - it was more like plain white rice, dry and not creamy. It was breaded and fried well but the rice was really disappointing. It came in a spicy tomato sauce - the sauce had an odd thickness to it and was way too sweet. Next we tried two pastas - the orecchiette with spicy sausage and broccoli rabe and the rigatoni alla vodka. The orecchiette is another traditional dish that I love - this one had good sausage in it but not much broccoli rabe and there was tomato sauce added - google the dish - no one puts tomato sauce in it, just some olive oil and garlic. I was disappointed. And the rigatoni alla vodka was just ok. Again, sauce was way too sweet and thick. Pasta was undercooked (which is hard to do with fresh pasta) and there were some good fresh peas in jt and cubed ham - the ham was mostly flavorless and tasted like boiled ham, it would be better with some pancetta or other Italian pork product. The venue is gorgeous inside with a beautiful bar but is crazy loud. We really wanted to like it here but won't be back, there are so many incredible Italian places in town. read more

I moved to Chicago from New York last year and have been searching for a neighborhood place for homemade pasta since...I found it tonight at Torchio! The tagliatelle bolognese is comfort food at its finest - elevated with the delicious twist of being served in a crispy parmesan basket. Tried a variety of other appetizers that were also delicious. Top it all off with a beautiful patio and the nicest owners possible - what more could you ask for?! Can't wait to come back. read more

Incredible pasta. Delicious and tasty appetizers. Full bodied wine. Chef Bill should 100% go on Beat Bobby Flay. Great experience, highly recommended. read more

The food, music and drinks were 10/10. Bill, the owner, is so friendly and queues up the music himself. He played Queen just because we asked! I ordered the spinach pappardelle short rib and it was delicious. Pasta is fresh and handmade and you can tell! Highly, highly recommend! read more

Some of the best pasta outside Italy! Super friendly staff, and the food is fantastic. Highly recommended.

My girlfriend and I have been here a few times and the food is great. The pasta is made in house and cooked to perfection. The service is top notch. Staff is knowledgeable on dishes, and always willing to give recommendations. read more

Absolutely fantastic! You will be greeted at the door with the most fantastic aromas and a great atmosphere. From the beautiful woodwork, tin ceiling tiles, to the copper bar, it all makes a very welcoming environment. The food was fantastic! I am gluten intolerant and it had been a very long time since I had got to truly enjoy an Italian restaurant. Oh my -- this was such a treat! I started with a very high quality cheese platter, followed by the most amazing GIOVANNA'S BOLOGNESE with gluten free pasta. I was so sad that I couldn't take the left overs with me, but I was staying in a hotel. We finished with excellent flour-less chocolate cake. Janice, one of the owners, made us feel so welcome! I so look forward to a return visit!!! read more

Decided to try this place out when the wait for everywhere else seemed long. We called ahead and they said they could hold us seats at the pasta bar. These turned out to be the best seats in the house! We got to watch Bill, the owner, prepare our appetizers. Long story short, we had the best meal I've ever had, start to finish. Bill and his wife were so kind. Service was amazing. We will return soon! read more

Neat, new place. Not very large, but doable with reservations, even on a Saturday night. Bar seating is available and a great option. Great wine list, knowledgeable bartender (who can help with off the menu wine and drink choices). The food is fresh, and they have several gluten free pasta options. Nice, relaxing atmosphere. Definitely worth a visit. We'll return . . . often! read more

Great happy hour deals, delish food, and friendly staff, but the regular menu is a bit overpriced.

My wife and went here and found it to be a great intimate atmosphere, super courteous staff and excellent pasta. We first split an arugula salad which was just OK, but the main course Torchio pasta was excellent; very sweet and tasty sausage with a nice creamy (but not too rich of a sauce). My wife had the scallops and noodles and that was excellent too. Really had a great kick! For desert we got the lemon olive oil cake which great. What sets it apart is the service and friendly people. The owner came to our table and talked to us for a good 10 minutes. It's nice to have a connection with the person in charge of the food. Location is also good and parking was very easy to find right outside on Wells. Overall a great experience. read more

I had dinner here with a few girlfriends after a coworker recommended it to us. We all had visited Italy recently and were craving an authentic dinner - this was authentic, amazing, everything you could ask for in an Italian restaurant. My personal favorite was the carbonara, it was absolutely out of this world and so creamy and rich with flavor. We finished dinner with espresso martinis which were also out of this world. The owner came up to our table to introduce himself and even brought us out tiramisu! Which, again, was amazing. I don't usually review on places but I was so impressed and felt so at home, I can't wait to return again soon! Everything you could ever ask for in a neighborhood Italian place read more

Great food. Great service. Neighborhood feel in heart of RN. Very nice evening. Each of the pastas were unique (great to share). The place was full and vibrant. read more

We were so excited to try this restaurant based on all of the reviews and photos. We had a reservation for the pasta area last Saturday. When we arrived they sat us in a booth not near the pasta making section. We ordered the cheese board to start. Nothing special for $19. We didn't even finish it. Which is unusual for us. Our food came very quickly. My friend ordered the carbonara and he literally could barely eat it. It didn't have a good flavor and tasted very sweet. I ordered the Pasta Torchio and it was better than the carbonara, but didn't have a ton of flavor and I honestly I would never go back for the dish. There are so many other amazing Italian restaurants in Chicago. I don't like writing negative reviews, but this place did not live up to the hype. We go out for Italian at least twice a month in Chicago and this is one of the worst I have experienced. read more

This place is SO GOOD. Bill, the owner, built everything inside and makes all the pasta himself. My favorite was definitely the Bolognese (literally incredible) and i also recommend the Tuscan chicken and orecchiette w hot sausage. In terms of beverage, I had the Torchio cocktail. It's a richer, warmer old fashioned. I highly recommend trying this place out! read more

Amazing restaurant! I went with a group of friends and we got five pastas, apps, and dessert and everything was delicious. The owner, Bill, checked in a few times with us and even gave us a free glass of wine at the end of the night. Best Italian in Chicago!! read more

I wanted to love Torchio so bad, alas it fell short! The good, we were 30 minutes early for our reservation and were able to be seated within minutes which was nice. The burrata appetizer- amazing, they're a little stingy with the number of crostini's but it's still so good. If I was wanting just an app and a glass of vino I'd maybe consider torchio again. The meh, the pastas hubs and I had, while tasty left something to be desired. He had the seafood fra diabla and said it could have done with half the calamari's. I had the fettuccine with scallops and while the sauce had good flavor the amount of red pepper flakes was at times overpowering. The bad, well more like the petty (maybe?) an Italian restaurant with no bread?! Our table wasn't offered any bread, the bar seating across from us had some and we were def jealous considering when we finished the crostini's with our burrata app we weren't offered more, oh well. Throughout our meal I saw the owner go up to table after bar patrons chatting asking about their meals, making small talk etc. to every table except ours; not the biggest of deals but when your table isn't approached at all until you're 3 feet away from walking out the door, we def were an afterthought and left me feeling some type of way. For the price paid I'd expect better. read more

Torchio has quickly become my favorite restaurant in Chicago. Each handmade pasta dish is AMAZING. Great ambiance and service, the owner is very nice and friendly. Favorite dishes include seminoa gnocchi appetizer, rigatoni, spinach braised beef paparadelle, and the torchio pasta. Only reason I just made a Yelp account was to write this review. Highly recommend! read more

Awesome food, the burrata app was excellent and our pasta was phenomenal. The best part was the owner who spoke to us and made it a special dining experience. He gave us a taste of prosciutto on the house and a bit of the backstory of the place...we will be back many times! read more

Finally! A great option for fresh-made pasta. Every single thing we had was excellent, and I'm picky about pasta. The service could not have been better. Highly recommend! read more

Everything was delicious. My favorite dish was the meatball appetizer but the fresh pasta was amazing. The owner was so sweet and even came out to talk to us. The patio is very cozy and private. read more

Torchio is our spot!! We live a few blocks and have already been three times since it opened a few months ago. Amazing pasta and Bill is truly awesome! The staff are very knowledgeable and friendly and the food is phenomenal. Glad to say we will be regulars! read more

Everything was amazing! Ordered 4 pastas, 1 salad and 1 appetizer between 5 of us. The pastas were all perfectly al dente and perfect amount of flavor and sauces. The owner, Bill, was so nice, attentive, and personable. He made sure our meal was going smoothly and made great conversation. We will definitely be back! read more