We dined here in the summer after seeing a play at the Steppenwolf. The food was excellent as was the service. We liked it enough that I was intending to go there again after our most recent play. Made reservations, had them confirmed, planned our day around it ending with the play and a late dinner. Got a call that evening telling me my reservation was for too late and they were going to close early that night, and that they had "other things to do tonight". I'm not sure what that meant, but they were superficially apologetic and not really interested in anything other than getting off the phone. A shame, our first experience was so good I'd hoped to make it a regular thing, but this really soured me on the place. I get that things can change, but the manner in which they went about this was pretty lousy. Main recommendation is don't count on a reservation being honored, even if it's confirmed. I don't think we'll be back. read more

I dont think I even took a sip of water and the water filler man was already back, time and again. Besides the wonderful water service - the gluten free menu was plentiful and delicious. I had fussili rice pasta, broccoli, sun dried tomatoes and a white wine garlic sauce. Not too saucy but just saucy enough. This is a perfect spot to people watch - especially since they have 3 outdoor tables and watch all the people on the way to Steppenwolf or Royal George Theater. Excellent gluten free pasta & great service. read more

My boyfriend and I went here on a Sunday night with our Groupon. There were only a few people in the restaurant and we got excellent service. The waitress bordering on being overly helpful explaining the whole menu. We got a mushroom polenta appetizer that was very good. I had the conchiglie pasta with sausage and mushrooms. It was really tasty with a huge portion. My boyfriend got the duck. He thought it was good but maybe a little over-cooked. The portion wasn't huge, so he ended up eating half my pasta I couldn't finish anyway. The tiramisu was realllllly yummy as well. Overall, I think this place is a good standard Italian restaurant and we will probably go back. read more

I had a really really good experience here as we came in here on a very uncrowded Sunday afternoon around 3:30pm (late lunch). Let me say upfront that I am not a fan of the typical Italian place where the portions are oversized and the food isn't homemade. My husband and I shared the argula salad and polenta special of the day. Both were fresh and delicious and really well seasoned. The polenta was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. We're not used to polenta this thick but I thought it was pretty decent. Then my husband had some grilled pork chop and I had the veal saltimbocca. Soon after we ordered, I heard them pounding the meat in the back. That was a pleasant surprise since scallopine is best when it's freshly (as opposed to pre-) pounded. The presentation was simple but the food was all delicious and cooked to perfection. I could see how the restaurant could be cramped on a busy night and, if not adequately staffed, could have slow service. I can't comment on this considering the time of day we were there. Our waiter was attentive but not overbearing so A+ for service. read more

This place is great, and the best part is that it is not trying too hard!! Groupon brought my husband and I to this place, but we are definitely coming back!!! With it's ascetically pleasing, yet non-pretentious atmosphere, Trattoria Ginanni was just the place to have a romantic, easy going dinner date. During our dinner, we found the service to be pleasant, and attentive. I am from NYC (home of some very good food) and was pleased to find that the food tasted very much like authentic, Italian cuisine. I was thrilled to see VEAL SALTIMBOCCA A LA SORRENTINA on the menu (which if you have not tried - you must!!!!) and even happier when I tasted it and found it to be as good as if someone's grandma had made it =) In summary: a nice place worth trying for yourself =) read more

When we come to the city this is the restaurant we frequent without fail. It has a warm atmosphere and truly is a comfortable establishment. You feel like family from the time you walk through the doors. Gianni is usually there to greet you right away. The bar area is cozy. The wine list has a wonderful selection of Italian wines. The wait staff are efficient and extremely friendly. The true star of the restaurant is the wonderful food. The risotto is perfect and the ingredients are always fresh and different. Last night's had chicken, red peppers, and mushrooms in it...just fabulous! The homemade pastas are to die for...papperadelle with mushrooms, sausage in a brown sauce drizzled with truffle oil is unbelievable!!! Last night's tagliatelle with mushrooms, sausage in a ricotta tomato sauce was just delightful. The best tiramisu in all of Chicago is here! read more

This is really 3.5 stars. Service is slow, not very efficient or particularly competent. Atmosphere is pleasant and very convenient for Steppenwolf or Royal George Theaters. Prices are moderate. Appetizers were passable. Main courses were pretty good, both filet mignon and seafood risotto, and so were cannoli. read more

My Girlfriend and I went here to use our Groupon. It was good we made a reservation, even though it was at 5:15, because this place fills it in. The interior is really warm and inviting. The menu had some creative choices and the bread was hot and fresh, but I hated that our server tried to push additional items on us. She took all of the rare moments that she spent at our table to not only ask, but insist that we order a salad, additional appetizer, or another glass of wine. The food was pretty good, but I have to say my pasta sauce tasted a bit watered down. The pasta was homemade and was extremely fresh tasting. The portions were not too large, which I prefer. I also thought the calamari was excellent, but similarly to the pasta sauce the sauce that came with the calamari was watered down. There are so many great Italian choice in the city that it's tough for me to give this one another shot. read more

Trattoria Gianni is a gem of a restaurant. Reasonably priced Italian in a great part of Lincoln Park. We took my mother and father-in-law here who were visiting from out of town and they loved it (big points for my husband and I). Our waiter Marvin was very attentive and helpful with ordering. We all loved our dinners (I had the Gnocchi), and the housemade tiramisu was the perfect end to a wonderful meal. Simply put, this place is good... really good. I'm grateful for the nice experience AND earning points with my in-laws. read more

A wonderful experience all around! The proprietor, Gianni, greets you as he would any family member and his staff is very attentive. The chef prepares true Italian fare and it is delicious. We enjoyed a birthday celebration with a party of 7 and every entree was well received. We selected the specials (Braised Veal Shank, Pumpkin Ravioli with browned butter and sage and skewered Beef with Braciole like stuffing) The wine list is extensive and easily well paired with your entrees. Highly recommend! read more

YUM! This is my new go-to Italian place! The staff was so kind and enthusiastic about the food. I enjoyed the old school vibe. The burrata was outstanding (although a few more tomatoes wouldn't hurt!). My gnocchi was so light and fluffy and was some of the best I've ever had. Bread is usually not something I notice, but it was perfectly fresh here. I can't wait to return to take advantage of the patio. I'm so happy to know this spot is close by! read more

Choose this if looking for recommendation from Royal George. We loved this place and tried both. You won't be disappointed with the authenticity of the food/menu to the drinks. Bon appetite read more

Food was just so-so. I had the linguini with shrimp and scallops for about $20. There were about 4 small shrimp and about 4 small bay scallops. Had to ask for Parmesan cheese to go with bread and olive oil. The waitress brought a very small cup that wasn't enough for the 3 of us at our table. When our entrees arrived, I had to ask for more Parmesan cheese for our pasta dishes and again she brought out a very small amount that wasn't nearly enough. She then came by and took it away. You'd think the Parmesan cheese was made of gold. The drinks were small and over priced. read more

I took a look inside the charming, warmly lit floor of tables which seemed never ending and thought I was in for a real treat. Exposed brick and friendly lit Garland hung through out made for a great setting. That is the nicest thing I would have to say about our experience. Here it is in a nutshell. Awkward and spacey service that was inadequate and slow; and food that couldn't make up for any of the many issues during our visit. Moments after we ordered a food runner brought us an order of Fried Calamari and was stunned to believe it wasn't ours. Okay wrong table I can deal. But to have that deer in headlights look like are you sure, not okay. Completely awkward. We decided to start with the Mussels and got them only after our server remember we ordered them almost 20 minutes later. Overcooked, oily broth a little on the salty side also. Very small portion. Another 30 minutes and we get our entrees. I am certain they sat in the window growing older and colder as we tried to eat the appetizer. Then we waited another 5 minutes or so for cheese on our pasta. I had the Ravioli burro e Salvia, and there was grit in the butter sauce, which seemed only drizzled over not tossed in. My date had the Conchiglie del Mercante which I believe he only took a few bites of and was not interested in finishing the mediocre dish. I have to say that my major disappointment was that it seemed that everyone in the restaurant had a Groupon and the waitstaff said things were bad because too much business and short staffing. They will not need to worry about more business from me and many others it seemed like. read more

This was a very relaxed and unpretentious date place with delicious food. A date and I went here on a Tuesday night, so it wasn't crowded at all. My lamb chop absolutely fantastic and my tiramisu was good. Overall a very reasonably priced, nice neighborhood Italian place. Also, I made my reservation through this website called gdine.com. It was a great experience--for Trattoria Gianni, I paid $53, including tip, for an appetizer, a meal, and dessert for me and my date, a very good deal! They have deals on restaurants all throughout Chicago--I'll definitely be using them again. In the interest of full disclosure, they're giving me $10 off my next meal with gDine to mention them in a review, but I would sincerely, highly recommend using them! read more

Went to Trattoria Gianni with a group of 12 for New Years Eve dinner and it was fantastic. The meal was great and everything was made to perfection. The owner is super friendly and the atmosphere is typical of a nice Italian Trattoria. I tipically do not eat Italian food outside my home, but I consider Trattoria Gianni a good quality restaurant and the food is as close as what you would eat in Italy. I am sure that there are other restaurants out there, but I will definitely return to Trattoria Gianni and I am sure I will not be disappointed. read more

The creepiest italian restaurant ive been to by far. The waitress a splitting image ( well a negative blonde) version of morticia adams from the adams family. Not only was the image pretty similar her ability to pop out of no where and scare you was truly unique. Should this restaurant been a fun park- certainly score high points for thrilling entertainment. As versatile as the staff may have been- the service was prompt. The aqua man was certainly dedicated to his job. Beverages were served swiftly and menus collected accordingly. The preparation time was sufficient and on arrival- the presentation was adequate. For an american restaurant the portions were british. Nevertheless the food was good and tasty. The atmosphere increasingly warm and humid. But cosy for a family meal. Located close to two of the finest theatres in Chicago.Its a okay place. Sad to say this is not a place my stomach wishes to revisit. read more

Delicious food. Fresh. Not too salty. Highly recommended. Got delivery. Loved it. Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

Came on a whim going to the theatre...no reservations so ate at the bar...delicious zuppe di pesche and delicate calamari...pleasant bar tender in a pleasant atmosphere... read more

If you like liberal amounts of cheese with your food, this might not be the place for you. I mean seriously, I know times are tough but you're an Italian restaurant...youre supposed to be all generous and giving! Let me rant about the cheese (oh, and the pepper) and then I'll get on to the positives. The oil was there...the bread was there...but the cheese was missing. No one offered it to me. I eyed it on a water table in our dining section. I guess I could have asked for the cheese like a man at another table but i wanted to see how long this was going to go on. All night apparently. When the entrees arrived I was finally asked if I wanted some cheese. Instead of leaving it at the table our server sprinkled a few pitiful teaspoons on my food and took it back with her! They also got weird with the pepper for my salad. Normally, one will say so when they've had enough pepper cracked onto their salad. Not here. Our server took 3 twists of the pepper mill and called it a day. my boyfriend actually to tell her he wanted more as she was about to walk away. Aside from all that I loved this place. The portions werent extremely generous but I was stuffed anyway. I had the grilled chicken with spinach and mushrooms. The chicken had a grilled taste and was juicy and flavorful. The spinach wasnt over sauteed or salted. my BF had some of their homemade pasta. Fresh pasta has everything over dried pasta! I also liked that the waitress told us which dishes had thier own homemade pasta and which desserts were made in house. I like those little touches. it almost makes up for the cheese incident. read more

Hole in the wall / family style place that serves great Italian food. Try not to go on a theater night before 7:30pm. This place is slammed! Literally afterwards it dies down. Pretty much had the place to ourselves. Had the ravioli and gnocchi. The restaurant lets to do half and half portions too! read more

If i lived in Chicago, I'd love to come here before a show, or late dinner after it, either way works. Afterall, who can refuse a cozy warm restaurant with delicious food? My friend and I went there for a late lunch last week. Everything turned out very well, including the price. Service was impeccable, meaning nice manners, knowledge, recommendation, clean white shirt, attentive yet not pushy. We were starving , devastating (I live in Cali and Austin, definitely not a cold-weather personnel) and finally walked our way in drizzling snow from CTR station (only few blocks away but felt like forever...). We started with portabella mushroom appetizer, which was nice but not impressed, and some sangiovese. Our pasta dish, however, was yummelicious. Conchigilie was perfectly cooked, fused with italian sausage, tomato sauce and a touch of parmigiano . My friend had ricotta ravioli and I had to borrow 2 from her plate, mind you I usually do not care much about ravioli. Serving size is very generous. Somehow I managed to persuade myself this is gonna be my only and last meal of the day, so we had dessert, and another glass of wine, and espresso. And the bill was not bad at all (to my surprise). Wish I could be a regular. :( read more

Finally made a reservation. We had to use that groupon! I'm not typically an Italian type of dining girl but I had a good deal. Date night with my husband and 3 year old...from my toddlers mouth when he walked in "WOW" I guess he loved all the white Christmas lights and garland. A PLUS for the holiday spirit. The waiter was nice, but service was dragging...speed it up! The water was always topped off but too bad I didn't like the food as much as I enjoyed the bus boy service. Average Italian food, but I can give thumbs up for the "made in house" pasta noodles, We all approved. This was my issue, the steak was served rare, ok, maybe my husband didn't state medium well, but the server didn't ask either..so we kindly let the server know and it was brought back out fully cooked with a HOT HOT PLATE..I'm pretty sure the put that sucker in the microwave! Average food and difficult parking. Closed on Mondays. read more

Trattoria Gianni is located very near the Steppenwolf Theater. It is quite popular with theater-goers. The dinning room ambiance is cozy, warm, and appealing. The service is good. The menu is respectable. There is a single standard to which I hold every Italian restaurant. Their ragu (bolognese) sauce. On that test Gianni's failed miserably. Both on the pasta and on the cause, the restaurant failed to deliver. Gianni's tagliatelle look more like over-sized spaghetti alla chitarra. Tagliatelle are supposed to be thinner than Gianni's. The sauce is extremely sweet and without the distinct flavors that result from hours of slow heat simmering. Marcella Hazan's recipe for ragu is widely considered the canon. Any home cook with reasonably basic skills can follow Hazan's recipe and produce a good ragu bolognese. Such is not the case at Gianni's. Pasta with bolognese sauce is a good measure of authenticity and respect to regional culinary traditions. On that measure, Gianni's was disappointing. read more

I had a groupon so we figure lets go eat for cheap! We made reservations and when we arrived we were seated immediately. Ordered the German Riesling and it was AWESOME! Started off with mussels and they were divine. I thought it was odd that they didn't really like to give up the control of the cheese. We asked for cheese and he dumped a spoon full in each plate. I was a little dumbfounded because I wanted to dump my own cheese. I know it sounds stupid but its the little things.... I ordered the Rigatoni and added chicken...it was void of flavor. I figure I would take it home because it could be rejuvenated. It didn't have any salt, pepper, and it was in a basil sauce but if you were not really staring hard you would not have even noticed the sauce. I did take it home and added some much needed spices and it turned out to be super yummy. I truly cant remember what my friend ordered but she said it was delicious. We ordered Lemon Sorbet and Tiramisu for dessert and they both were outstanding. I wish I could give five stars but the main dish just really threw it off for me. The atmosphere is really cute and quaint and the server was really nice... our glasses never went empty. I think I may give them another chance and try something different and hopefully they can redeem themselves for those extra stars read more

Looked for Italian in Lincoln park. Menu looked great. We were the first ones there- (party of three), and the service was prompt. After the restaurant started to fill up, we had five different waiters. The food came late, cold, and the "plain" pasta we ordered came doused in oil after I stressed plain, no sauce, no oil, no butter- nothing. Chicken Marsala came with 3 mushrooms and a side of raw cold broccoli. When we asked for more mushrooms and Marsala sauce, my co-diners were finished with their dinner. I had also asked for a replacement plain pasta and after 15 minutes, I was told that the chef could not prepare the pasta. (Who can't throw a handful of noodles in boiling water for a few minutes and drain it?). Asked for check cuz wanted yo check out. Told the manager that I realized they were working hard, but we did not enjoy the experience. Left the waiters a nice tip and graciously walked out with a hefty line of people out door. I don't care how bad the food is, treat your customers with dignity. Glib, undermining and a restaurant that could care less about your experience. I would appreciate some feedback from owner or management. Don't want anything free or compensated.... Just for the restaurant to do right by customers. read more

This is my favourite place to eat in Chicago - I came on it by chance with friends back in Summer 2006 when we were looking for somewhere nice to eat. I have only been back twice since then as we like to take friends/parents who come from out of town for a special night out as it is expensive (but worth it). Wonderful ambience, service is excellent, the reason we go back is the food is outstanding. The best food I have eaten in Chicago. read more

Would not recommend. Service is lacking and despite the history and Italian menu names the food leaves much to be desired. Better off finding another Italian restaurant or going with a chain because you are likely to get the same or better quality for a better price. read more

Went here for dinner a while back. I used to live in the area, and figured it must be decent. The decor was very cute and authentic looking. There was one large party, but most tables were filled with couples. The food was good and seemed like a reliable option for good Italian food as many of the other yelpers rated it high. It was good, but not great. Though I'm not a huge fan of Italian cuisine. S&J summer08 read more

My friends and I have eaten here twice in the last 3 weeks, and both times we had excellent meals. We had dishes that included risotto, short ribs, pasta with sausage, veal, chicken and a seafood pasta. All were prepared perfectly, and the portion size was fantastic. The salads and appetizers were also tasty, including the beet salad, carpaccio, arancini, calamari and soup - and weren't too huge so you could enjoy your dinner. We dined outdoors on their very nice patio, and had great service as well. You get a lot of food and a great meal for the price point, which is very affordable. I highly recommend. One of these days I'll get next door and go to Alinea. read more

Stopped in for an appetizer and a drink before seeing a play at Steppenwolf. Service excellent, they made sure we had our food in plenty of time to make the play. They were very attentive and flat out great at their job. The ambiance of the place is ideal for a date or two couples. Very easy to hear each other and just a perfect setting for dinner. I only reason I gave it 4 stars is that the appetizer calamari was chewey. I was pretty disappointed. When I go to an Italian restaurant and the calamari is frozen it is usually what you can expect of the rest of the menu, so u do not bother ordering anything else. Overall great place to have a drink with a date or two couples before a play. Excellent service. Beautiful decor. Very warm and homey feeling. read more

I love the relaxed feel of this place - warm light and cozy - like a comfortable living room. From the time I entered the place and was greeted by friendly host till the end of my visit I felt taken care of attentively service accommodated all my needs and was very friendly. Even the owner of the place made sure that we enjoy dinning. I definitely would return to try more dishes. The grilled Polenta with mushrooms was amazing and the Variopinta salad was refreshing. Home made pasta with crumble Italian sausage was not too miss and Veal Contadina was made to perfection. Wine list has variety of choice and is very affordable. read more

I went here w/ my friend. She got there before me and said there would be two people and that I would be arriving shortly. Apparently the host just blank stared at her and then turned around and walked off without saying anything. Once I got there he came over and acted like he hadn't seen her before. Service was quick-- the food came quickly too, but it was just blah. While the service was nice and quick it was a little too much. Everybody working there was hovering over us the whole time, which made it awkward. The place is cute, but I won't be going back. Much better Italian restaurants around. read more

Good food, good service and good service. Excellent stop after a show at the Steppenwolf.

Really enjoyed dinner here. Bruschetta, calamari and risotto balls were amazing. Truly some of the best we've had. Dinner was good as well but not as great as the apps, tried the gnocchi, duck, ravioli amongst other items. I was a little disappointed they did not have fresh parmigiana though at the table. They brought out a powdered version. We had the dessert and my favorites were the cannoli and the tiramisu. Both were excellent. read more

Great service. Great food. So convenient to Steppenwolf! I recommend this restaurant for especially its seafood pasta and the duck breast

This quaint authentic Italian restaurant offers a nice atmosphere and delicious food. The service was attentive and excellent. I would definitely go back on my next trip to Chicago! read more

Excellent food and great service. It was a cute place and seemed very authentic (our waiter was from Italy). Good for catching up with friends and is pretty casual. read more

I would rank this zero stars. I ate there on an evening where the temperature in the low 80's and the humidity also in the 80's percentage. We requested to eat indoors as it was uncomfortable and we were dressed to go to theatre post dinner. They had the door open to the outside patio and had to ask for them to turn on the a/c which they did but as the door was open it was quite warm. By leaving the door open it totally negated the effect of the a/c making it very muggy. I finally couldn't stand the warmth and humidity and told an employee to close the open door which he did. Someone then opened the door and placed a door stop at the bottom. I removed the door stop and was yelled at by the manager who I thought was a busboy as he was wearing a t shirt, jeans, and running shoes. His shirt was soaked with perspiration. He hollered at me for kicking the door and said this is not my home and I couldn't do that there. I said I closed the door as its hot. We got in a shouting match. Exchanged profanities, he told me to leave. They also screwed up by bringing the wrong appetizer and bringing the correct one in the middle of the salad. So if you want to eat where it's hot and uncomfortable, deal with a surly and rude manager, and have your order screwed up this is the place! read more

Enjoyed every morsel.Great drinks, service, warm bread with olive oil or butter and shared the Carpaccio di Manzo - Row thin sliced filet mignon, olive oil, lemon, arrugola, shaved parmesan cheese. Then the entrees came: Mrs. Q had the Veal Saltimbocca alla Sorrentina - Veal Scaloppine,prosciutto and mozzarella cheese, white wine, a touch of tomato sauce, served with sauteéd mixed vegetables. One of the absolute BEST Veal dishes she ever ate. Mr. Q had one of the "Specials" Talapia and enjoyed his choice. They offer a beautiful outdoor seating area with umbrellas. We would go again when the opportunity presents itself. So many good restaurants, so little time. Alice 34203 and 60660 read more