This place was PACKED on a Friday night before a show at the Steppenwolf! I walked in as a party of one, fully prepared to sit at the bar for a glass of wine and a "snack" before the show. The host was an older gentleman who was not manning the front of the restaurant. The kitchen does were open and he was just milling about. He finally (street a solid 10 minutes) wandered over to the front of the restaurant. He assumed I was with the others waiting so I spoke to and said "party of one". His response was "no we cannot for a party of one!" I asked if there was anything at the bar and again his response was rude: "no we cannot serve you dinner". I told him that I'm a party of one looking for a glass of wine and an appetizer before the show. He sat me at the bar. The food was incredible (antipasti platter) as was my Super Tuscan. But everyone seemed incredibly stressed at the restaurant. Is this the vibe EVERY night before a show? Fire a restaurant directly across from the Steppenwolf, you'd think they'd have this pre-show thing down by now. At 715 the entire restaurant emptied as the theater goers left. I still didn't have my check. The gal took it but it still wasn't run through. I would love to come back for the food because it was indeed amazing. But I'm not a fan of a stressed out host telling me what I can and cannot do. Get ahold of your restaurant sir. read more

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Great time here! Came in a few weeks back with a large group, and was still easily able to get a reservation. their patio is huge, and it is the perfect place to enjoy a warm evening. Service was awesome, we had a large group in our food, still came out pretty quickly. To drink, I have an old-fashioned, which was honestly not my favorite (it was mostly bourbon), but I was also ordering a cocktail at an Italian restaurant. For my food, I had the Linguine Portofino which was amazing. I love seafood, and Italian food, so this is the perfect combination of the two. If you also like seafood and Italian food, I strongly recommend this dish for you. Overall, great time and would happily come back! read more

Trattoria Gianni - Old fashioned - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I came here on a Saturday night with a group of five and loved that they have round tables that are perfect for larger groups. We all ordered the Restaurant Week menu and shared all five appetizers: Polenta ai Funghi di Bosco, Misto di Pesce, Insalata Barbabietola, Insalata della Casa, and the Polpette di Vitello (veal meatballs). The salads were fresh and perfectly dressed, and the veal meatballs were especially enjoyable. For my entrée, I ordered the Linguine Portofino. The pasta and seafood were perfectly cooked, and I appreciated that the dish didn't feel heavy at all. It also had a generous amount of scallops and shrimp. Others at the table ordered the Risotto ai Funghi, Branzino alla Griglia, and Costoletta Vesuviana, and everyone seemed happy with their choices. For dessert, we shared the Tiramisù, Cannoli, and Gelato, and had no complaints. The tiramisu was light, fluffy, and a good portion size. I love the old-school Italian vibe of this place and can see why it's been around for so long. Our waiter was excellent and made the experience feel relaxed and comfortable. My friends and I were able to sit, talk, and enjoy the evening without feeling rushed, which made the night even better. read more

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The wine by glass list was about 20 choices which was a great selection. I had 2 whites and enjoyed both. The minastone soup was different- not tomato based and full of veggies. Enjoyed it but I would have enjoyed more flavor in it. The ravioli was really good- lots of cheese and tasty burned butter flavor . Husband had bolegese and he said it was very good. If we were back at Steppenwolf we would have dinner here again. read more

The service was poor at best. We waited 15 minutes for someone to even give us a menu or water. My boyfriend had to go find someone to serve us. When our orders came my boyfriend got what he ordered but mine was totally wrong. The only excuse they gave me was that they ran out of the branzino so they gave me salmon. They never bothered to even ask what I would like instead. Then they brought us 2 lemoncellos as an apology. I can't stand lemon cello. The least they could have done is offer a glass of wine that we were drinking or a desert. Terrible service. read more

Best way to describe this restaurant is chintzy. They cut corners wherever possible to save a buck. 1. Salad was very tiny. A few pieces of romaine lettuce in an overly bitter dressing with a hunk of tomato on the side. 2. Gelato serving was itty bitty and half melted. 3. A few other people in my group ordered the tiramisu which only had one layer of lady fingers instead of two and the cream layer tasted more like cool whip than mascarpone. 4. The restaurant charges for soda refills. (!!!!!) 5. The restaurant serves RC cola instead of Coke. Luckily the waiter was honest and told this to my boyfriend but it came up on the receipt as "Diet Coke" which leads me to believe the restaurant designed to pass diet RC cola off as Diet Coke. 6. They charged a 3% inflation fee that was not disclosed on the menu. What the heck??? On top of that, service was INCREDIBLY slow. Reserved table was not ready until 25 minutes after reservation time. I seldom write bad reviews on local businesses even if I don't like the experience because it's like "well... there's room for improvement but it's tough out there and they're working hard and at least they tried" but the sneaky inflation fee and Coke switcheroo to me is just unethical and is what motivated me to write this one. read more

Trattoria Gianni - Gelato - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We stumbled in on a Saturday evening and enjoyed some bread and wine to start. Service was quick as well. The place is simple but with a cute patio that we unfortunately couldn't take advantage of because of the weather. We started with the mussels, which had a delicious broth to dip the bread in. The pasta was pretty good as well but smaller in portion - we had the lobster ravioli and conchiglie del mercante. Both were tasty, and my Caesar salad was a nice refreshing side though smaller. read more

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I went here for Restaurant week and overall it was pretty good food. Not overly spectacular or underwhelming, but solid. The ambiance was very intimate, and a nice spot for a date. They did have a back area that had a small party going on, so perhaps that could be of interest. Below are the dishes I tried and my individual ratings: Misto di Pesce (4/5) - the octopus was tender and well seasoned. Had a very robust flavor Risotto ai Funghi (3/5) - the risotto seemed a little undercooked to me. There was a slightly hard center to the grain, but perhaps that's how it's supposed to be? I should've said something but it didn't affect the meal too much. The flavor was creamy but I felt lacked some salt, or another component. The truffle flavor was present and the mushrooms were tender. Tiramisu (3/5) - your standard tiramisu, nothing out of the ordinary but pretty solid! I did like that the ladyfingers weren't completely soggy and still had a slight crunch to it. It felt like it wasn't sitting for too long. Service was also great and the owner (I assumed he was because he was dressed differently and attending to all the tables) came to check up on me and even gave me some Parmesan cheese to put on my bread since I was eating it with olive oil. Very nice staff!! Again, maybe I just didn't order the right things, but I'd still recommend people to come try it. read more

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I was in the area this week to see a play at Steppenwolf Theater which is right across the street from Trattoria Gianni restaurant. The show started at 7:30 pm and it was 6:40 pm when I entered the restaurant. There was no one at the hostess stand and there were open tables. I kept looking for someone to seat me; but, it was quite a while before I was approached. The owner then appeared and asked me if I was going to the theater. I responded 'yes.' He appeared annoyed and was very reluctant to seat me. It had been my intent to order a salad (simple and quick). The owner was so arrogant that I left without being seated. I eat in nice restaurants frequently and have never been treated this way. If he had shown any respect I would be sending an email with my complaint only to him; but, that was not the case. read more

I like this spot! Probably because I'm walking distance and the pasta is fresh. Staff is nice. The outdoor seating is nice when the weather is. Not the best Italian I've ever had but it's a chill spot. read more

Wow! What an adorable bistro! Walking in, the room is cozy, with dark wood, exposed brick and soft lighting. The small bar at the front and semi-private room, create a warm relaxing atmosphere. The owner heard me walk in and immediately stood up to greet me. He was friendly and offered a gracious welcome. The pasta and sauces are fantastic. Layers of flavor nuances over delicate noodles, make a very memorable meal. The tiramisu is out of this world. The bartender created the the most delicious cocktails. My martini was served exactly the way I asked. Easy street parking is a bonus. I can't wait to return soon! read more

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I went to Gianni's recently and had one of their specials which was grilled cod on a bed of greens, with tomatoes, olives and capers. It was delicious! And as always the service was great. read more

Trattoria Gianni - Grilled cod - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Obsessed with this place! Extremely nice staff and they let me bring my dog on the patio and brought her water. They have a huge patio space and it was packed by 5pm on a Saturday. The food was amazing, fresh, and fast. The patio is so nice. Definitely will be coming back! read more

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I went here for Valentine's dinner with my boyfriend and we had a great meal. To start off, we shared the Arancini Siciliani and it was delicious and a wonderful way to start off our meal. I ordered the soup of the day, which I believe was lentil and it was incredible! Definitely some of the best soup I have ever had. For my meal, I got the Conchiglie del Mercante. It was pretty good, as well. Trattoria Gianni is located in Lincoln Park and a cozy Italian restaurant. I have been before for dinner and had only stopped for drinks with my boyfriend, so I suggested that we go here to celebrate Valentine's Day. We both enjoyed a delicious meal! I took off a star due to service. The service was slow and we were waiting on our water once we were seated for almost 10 minutes. The service hasn't been this slow when I've previously been here and there were only a few parties seated while we were there. Our waiter also forgot the salad we ordered, but it is what it is. Other than that, we enjoyed our time here! read more

Nice atmosphere but everything we ordered was bland. Minestrone soup, Caesar salad, arancini, pasta dishes all bland bland bland. Service was ok. We only went because it was across the street from the Goodman. We won't be going back. read more

Honestly, after checking out the Yelp reviews, I didn't have the highest expectations for Trattoria Gianni, but me and my friends came for the $42 restaurant week special, and I was pleasantly surprised. I definitely think the menu items are hit or miss, but if you order right it's great value for a solid meal. For the app, I highly recommend either the polenta or the calamari, you can try the veal meatballs but there's only three and they're small. For the main you MUST have the pork chop, the costoletta vesuviana, it's 12oz, fatty, juicy, and seared, a lovely chunk of meat to gnaw on. Finally, cap off the meal with the tiramisu or gelato. The portions are not as small as I thought they were going to be, but it's definitely not a meal where I felt stuffed after, we went to small cheval to get burgers for second dinner. Services kind of slow and the time between the first and second course was especially long, but we were so chatty that it was mostly fine. Ambience feels like a classic Chicago Italian restaurant, not too stuffy, not totally informal. read more

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Great stop before a show at the Steppenwolf! Food was really good and the olive oil especially was really clean and fresh tasting. It took a little bit for our server to come to us, but I noticed that the floor manager saw our table and then pointed the server to us, so it's good to know we were not forgotten about. Food was a little on the pricey side, but overall a fair value considering how close it is to the theater. read more

We stopped here for dinner before a show at Steppenwolf and it was a perfect pre-show restaurant. Service was good, food came out in at a decent pace and I enjoyed everything I ate. I had the bruschetta and ravioli. We sat outside and we enjoyed the outdoor patio environment. read more

On my morning runs I've run by here many times. We finally got to eat here. It looks so small from the outside but the inside is surprisingly big and the outside dining is terrific! The wine choices were reasonable and the menu covered all the expected meals. The 4 of us started with the tender calamari, the delicious Arancini, and Polpo Genovese (grilled octopus). Great start! For entrees I had the tagliatelle bolognese and the others had the Branzino, chicken Marsala, and salmon. All were very good and good size servings. Marco was a great server with good suggestions! They have valet parking which is necessary on busy Halsted. read more

Always a wonderful meal great pasta dishes wonderful ambiance owner very attentive to dinning guests. Great gem for over 30 years read more

My go-to before any Steppenwolf show (or even dinner anytime). The patio in the warmer months is awesome. Tortellini Baronessa is my absolute favorite!!! read more

Food was very average, went here for restaurant week and servers were nice. Homey Italian vibe but it was empty in there. My penne was also pretty dry but good portion sizes for the price. read more

Amazing homemade, fresh pasta that was absolutely delicious and not overly filling. Ambiance and vibe were great. Our server was also very sweet and recommended us well. Tiramisu is a MUST HAVE. Will be thinking about this one for a while. read more

Trattoria Gianni - Tiramisu - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came here for restaurant week and unfortunately did not have a good experience. Our server was very sweet and attentive so no problems there. My main issue was the tiny portions. There was two of us so we split everything. For starters, we had the Polenta ai Funghi di Bosco, which gave us exactly 1 bite each & it just lacked flavor and excitement. The misto di pesce was fine, but I've definitely had better - this was the largest portion of the night. For entrees, we got the penne caprese, which I could've absolutely made better at home - again, just underwhelming. The Branzino alla Griglia was pretty decent, but the portion was tiny - maybe 3 bites per person. I actually found myself taking tiny bites so it would last longer. Dessert was the most underwhelming of the courses. Gelato portion was tiny: 2 spoonfuls & half melted. Cannoli was way over baked so it was way too crunchy & completely fell apart when we tried to split it in half. After all of that, I was still hungry & still paid about & $100 for half of the bill ($45 pre-fix dinner + half bottle wine + tax/tip). I'd like to think that this is just the craziness of restaurant week, but I work at a participating restaurant and we give a full size starter, entree, dessert, & alcoholic beverage (which quite frankly is too good of a deal from a server POV) for $45, but my guests often get desserts to go because they're too full by that time. Realistically, this "deal" only really gave us a dessert, maybe a couple additional dollars off, with (I would hope with their prices) much smaller portions. I cannot see myself ever coming back. read more

The food was fantastic! My husband and I went in for Chicago Restaurant Week and we wholeheartedly enjoyed our meals. I had the pesto pasta while my husband had the pork chop, we both had enough for seconds the next day. The restaurant was quaint and authentic. Service was nice and this would be a place I would visit again. read more

Trattoria Gianni - Tiramisu and Cannoli - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I just happened upon this place when I was looking for food before going to the theater. OMG was I in for a treat! I sat at the bar and ordered the Gnocchi Della Nonna and felt like I was back in Tuscany eating all the good food! They guy I ordered from understood the assignment and got my food quickly, as I had 1/2 hour to be in the theater. Phenomenal food, excellent service....I'll definitely be back! read more

The place is fantastic. Family owned business with warm friendly service and rich history. Cute and authentic! As an appetizer we got Burrata. Simple but yet simply delicious. For my main course I got Zappa di Pesce and it was out of this world. An ensemble of perfectly cooked fish coated with delicious savory sauce. My boyfriend got the Conchiglie del Mercante - a rich meaty flavor paired with a perfectly al dente pasta in a graciously floating red sauce. For dessert we got the Tiramisu and it was the best we have had so far in Chicago. Overall, we love the place and we are definitely coming back again. 10/10 would recommend it to anyone looking to try genuine Italian food. read more

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Wow! I went here tonight for Valentine's Day with my boyfriend. We booked the reservation weeks in advance and were super excited but this was the worst dining experience I've ever had. To start off when we got in we weren't greeted and stood by the door for quite a while. A man, who I assume was the host since he had Open Table on his tablet, looked at us then turned around and walked away. Although our reservations were for 8:15 we didn't get seated till around 8:35pm. We were given a random table that was cleaned off and no menus. We waiting for around 15 minutes before someone finally came around and gave us menus, within this time no one greeted or spoke to us. We finally ordered an appetizer and our entrees, then waited 45 minutes before our server came back and told us they were out of the appetizer we ordered and she walked away. Everybody who came in after us had already been served their appetizer/entrees. We ordered the calamari instead and waited another 20 minutes. The calamari wasn't very good and was also a super small portion. It was served with a plain marinara sauce that was underwhelming to say the least. Not long after being served the appetizer they brought our entrees out. I was feeling super hopeful until I noticed mine didn't look like the pictures I had seen online. I was hoping the flavor would at least make up for the appearance but that was genuinely the worst pasta I've ever had. It lacked flavor and seasoning. The texture of the gnocchi was unusual and the pasta itself was lukewarm. It was served with 3 cold pieces of mozzarella cheese in the middle. My boyfriend ordered the Penne Caprese which was cold and completely undercooked. We told the server and she responded "oh it might be because of the cheese." We asked if it could be replaced or taken off the bill, she responded "let me check" and took the plate. We waited another 15 minutes for her to come back and she just walked past the table. We eventually stopped her to ask if there was an update since my partner was sitting there with no food, to which she responded "oh it was taken off a while ago." We asked for the check and left without really eating anything. Although the ambience was nice, the service and food were absolutely terrible. I understand Valentine's Day is a very big night for restaurants and can be overwhelming for servers, as I work in a restaurant myself, but this was the worst experience eating out I've ever had. Wouldn't recommend to anybody especially not if you're celebrating. read more

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Flavorless pasta dishes with very little sauce, specifically the Tagliatelle Bolognese. Simply appalling. Chicken and fish Items came out burnt Side dishes were overly salted Not sure what's going on with this place but definitely not Italian. read more

We came before seeing King James. This is a classic Chicago place. Great service. Comfortable dining room. Bread was brought to the table quickly with amazing olive oil. The bread was warm and crusty. OMG it was wonderful. The Caesar salad was meh. The dressing was bland and dry. Essentially awful. The saltimbocca was tender and yummy. Came with broccoli. So we'll probably return but no Caesar salad read more

Dined here with four friends for a birthday celebration on Saturday and we had a wonderful time! Our waiter, Davide, was very welcoming and we were so grateful for how special the staff made the night! My friends loved their espresso martinis, and the food we had was delicious. The ambiance was perfect, we highly recommend!! read more

Authentic and delicious place! The rigatoni alla nocerina was SO good and I love that they give you table bread with olive oil. Marco was our server and he was very sweet! read more

Trattoria Gianni - Rigatoni alla Nocerina - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Homey Italian restaurant in Lincoln Park. Delicious pasta and cocktails! Staff was very attentive, no complaints! read more

Trattoria Gianni - Tagliatelle Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I am still appalled by what happened. From the start the staff was pushy and unprofessional. Please listen to what happened - My kind and amazing mother-in-law respectfully asked to see a menu as she was walking to her seat and the man (that I suspect was a manager of sorts) no joke screamed at her and said "What?! Do I look like I have a menu in my pocket lady?!" And then proceeded to start speaking in Italian loudly to another staff member and looking at us. I didn't realize asking for a menu at a restaurant was an absurd question? If they will speak like this to a nice paying customer - then imagine what happens behind closed doors. Not good. Also food was mediocre at best and way overpriced - take your hard earned dollars to Topo Gigio or another great Italian place nearby. read more

Came in on a Thursday for dinner. Service was hospitable and friendly. We dined inside since it was slightly cooler in the patio for a July evening. We ordered the following: - mixto pesce appetizer from the specials which was quite good. Even my toddler tried squid and octopus for the 1st time and enjoy it. - short rib over risotto- fork tender piece of short rib. It was pretty good but tad heavy on the salt personally - then the pasta shells with sausage, mushrooms, peas in a tomato cream sauce. The pasta was way tooo al dente for us so the staff was willing to fix it for us. - we also got the molten chocolate cake, which was a bit meh ....could have used more chocolate. For little kids, they do have high chairs. FYI for parents with strollers, the entrance is tight to get through with stroller and few steps. If you have side by side double stroller, you would have to take the kids out and fold it. I would probably return again since we are in the neighborhood to try other dishes and sit in the patio. read more

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Ordered the handmade tagliatelle bolognese and was served store bought box fettuccine in bland sauce. Also ordered the cappelletti en brodo soup and was very underwhelming. Service was slow and relatively unfriendly. Ambience outside on back patio was really nice! read more

Trattoria Gianni - Tagliatelle Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

After decades of Chicago dining, I finally got around to trying Trattoria Gianni on a recent weekend evening. The food was good, the service was good, and the ambiance was tolerable. VIBE: The long, narrow, somewhat dim dining room has a warm, rustic feel. It's a litter noisy from the babble of conversation, but it's tolerable. Tables are close, but not crowded. SERVICE: The staff was mostly congenial and attentive. Our server gave us time to study the menu and was not pushy, yet was attentive and checked in with us periodically. Food pacing was just right, and the check came promptly. FOOD: There's a comprehensive menu of Italian standards, plus a handful of specials. We started with a beet salad; it was OK, but the greens were a little beat up. Special risotto with sausage and tomatoes was quite good; the rice was nicely cooked and it was all delicious. Special baby lamb chops were the star of the show - cooked perfectly as requested, tender and delicious (the accompanying roasted potatoes were not as roasty as they might have been). A couple of dozen wines by the glass were well-chosen to complement the range of dishes on the menu; the quality of the two that I had was OK. We had a good meal on this first visit. I'm sure we'll be back on future occasions for pre-Steppenwolf dining. read more

This family-run restaurant has been serving Chicago for 30 years. An intimate Italian restaurant that serves some of the classic Italian dishes. They also have an awesome outdoor patio on the north side of the building that is perfect for couples or friends and family to eat together and enjoy al fresco dining and a little taste of Italy! As part of their 30 year anniversary, they threw a friends and family party with an all-you-can-eat buffet on some of their most popular delicious dishes along with red and white wine. We were able to eat a variety of dishes including Maiale Pork, Eggplant with Riccotta and peppers, Pollo Limone, Orecchiette Primavera and others as well as a delicious anniversary cake and sweets. They even had a very good Italian singer who sang most of the class Italian songs. My favorites were the Pollo Limone, meatballs with sauce, the Eggplant with Riccotta and peppers, and of course, cannolli for dessert. Pasta is fresh as well as all other ingredients, and the staff is excellent! The Steppenwolf theatre is right across the street and a lot of people come before or after enjoying a performance. i would recommend making a reservation as this is a very popular restaurant. As part of their 30 year anniversary, they are offering $30 specials select entrees include a salad and a glass of wine through the end of the year. read more

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Food- Wonderful. Fresh dishes with great flavor, but if you're going to charge $11 for a salad, at least have it fill the plate. Service- Our server was great, but it seemed the other servers all were in bad moods and never smiled. Ambiance- We sat outside on a perfect evening so what more could you ask for. read more

Very cute Italian restaurant in the heart of Lincoln Park. The warm bread and olive oil in the beginning was very tasty, but I was unimpressed with our risotto balls appetizer. The pastas were sizable portions and overall the pastas were pretty good! read more

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