Gioco

07/13/10

Excellent Experience

by Vinc at Citysearch

2nd time here in two years. Both times were fantastic. Food, service and setting are outstanding. We have decided to make this a regular stop when we're in Chicago.

• Pros: Everything
• Cons: Nothing

05/18/10

BEWARE

by Dynamic Dish at Citysearch

I was here recently with family and the food was fine. I might be giving Gioco a better review if this post was prompted by food alone (see other posts for rave reviews of the Italian cuisine). My experience was ruined when my purse was stolen right out from under my feet (literally). I was sitting in the back room at one of the large round tables with my purse at my feet. I avoided hanging it on the back of my chair to prevent this very thing from happening. The meal was nice, as stated above, and I checked my purse after dessert to check the time on my phone. Within a matter of seconds my purse, with my wallet, phone, etc., was gone. I was seated at my chair the entire time (as were the five other people I was dining with) and didn't notice any suspicious activity around me. I alerted the staff to the fact that my purse was missing and their response was rather passive and disappointing. They had an attitude of disbelief and aside from a very cursory check around the premises, and use of the house phone to call the police, they really didn't do anything to mitigate the situation. Meanwhile my credit cards were being used at area gas stations (as later revealed on my fraud report).

THIS POST IS A WARNING to all future patrons. If you choose to dine at Gioco, watch your purses/wallets! The theft was so swift it was seemingly the work of a pro who will probably strike again. Be safe!

• Pros: Food
• Cons: SECURITY, thieves

04/04/10

I think we're done w/ Gioco

by charminc at Citysearch

We've been to Gioco numerous times, and last night was our last. I've had better pasta from Trader Joes. The chefs antipasto choice plate was a joke-who puts two piles of speck and prosciutto on a plate with piles of whatever with it and calls it an appetizer? The other meals were average. I had a hard time deciding on what to get-just wanted a simple nice tasty meal. the veal has prosciutto and provolone cheese w/ other stuff on it-how about just a nice veal lemon? The menu is too "heavy" for us. Dessert-we had the three gelato's-boooring. could've had that at home and save my paycheck. Would've been nice with some wafer-thin dark chocolate cookies with it, but thanks for the mint sprig. Sorry Gioco-that's the last....

• Pros: good staff/ambiance
• Cons: food. price

12/07/09

Nice Ambiance, great food

by DRomulous at Citysearch

Was visiting from out of town back in 2007 and was taken here by some good friends. The ambiance was nice, and the historic aspect of being a former speak-easy for the Al Capone crew created interest. Our guests ordered for us. We started with a plate of the bolognese. Outstanding, likely the best bolognese my wife and I have ever had. No joke. The secondi platter was a porter house steak, sliced up for the table. Veggies and such on the side. Again, the steak was unreal. One of the better meals I've ever had. A five star visit for sure. We visited again in 2008... however the restaurant didn't come close to delivering. Still, a 3-star, but the bolognese just didn't have the same flavor and the porter house was fatty. None-the-less, we're dropping the 4-star bomb on this place due to the great great experience from the first time around.

• Pros: amazing Bolognese and Excellent Porter House
• Cons: Didn't deliver the Five Stars on trip #2

09/12/08

Very tasteful food, very friendly service and alot of smoke from the kitchen

by bokworm at Citysearch

Last night, 7pm, we went to get pizzas, with no reservation and a convention in town, they were able to seat the two of us, very quickly I might add. No hassels from the hostess, just a friendly smile and the way to our table. Water, bread w/ super mellow olive oil and parmesan cheese quickly adored the table. Our waitstaffer told us about the specials of the day and was very nice. Watching her at other tables showed us she was very nice to everybody. Our carpacio salad was served to us very soon after we ordered. The salad was super!! The super thinly sliced rare beef was so soft it melted in your mouth. Crisp fresh 'rouggala' greens were nice and sweet. With the cheese,greens and sauce the salad came so nicely together. Well, the cappers were on the very salty side. But that was so minor because there probably were only 4 cappers on the plate. So far so good. Thin crust pizzas were next! Gee, what a bargin!! They had to be 12 inches across and the ingredients, the pizzas were created w/, fanatastic! One mushroom and one prosciutto, fresh everything, oh so good. They were very good. We each took 1/2 of our pies home. OK....the smoke from the kitchen. What's that about? Well we were seated on the level that the bar was and the kitchen was down one level, it is an open kitchen. The smoke from the cook staff, when they "flamed up" something in the pans overywhelmed the vent fans (I'm guessing) above the stoves which then rose up to the ceiling and then through the arched openings in the wall between the two levels to our level and filled the room. At times my eyes were watering from the smoke. You could see the smoke billowing from the kitchen it was that thick. The smoke did not have a bad smell to it, quite the contrary, a pleasent flavor of your backyard/deck grill. But still alot of smoke. Waitstaff was very attentive and nice. We'd definitely go back again. No we don't work there, we just live in the cily of Chicago. Enjoy as we did.