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Dinotto Ristorante

215 W North Ave
Chicago, IL 60610
Phone: (312) 202-0302
Fax: (312) 202-0308
Dinotto Ristorante
Price:
$$
Cross Street:
Wells Street
Directions:
El: Brown Line to Sedgwick; bus: 72 to Wells
Best of Citysearch:
Outdoor Dining 2007, Late-Night Dining 2005, Lunch Spot 2005
Hours:
Mon-Sat 12pm-4:30pm, Mon-Thu 4:30pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 4:30pm-11pm, Sun 5pm-10pm

Message from Dinotto Ristorante

Dinotto Ristorante

Contemporary Italian with a twist. Outdoor and late night dining

  • Delivery and Carry-out
  • Open 'til Midnight on Weekends
  • Lunch Monday-Saturday

Dinotto is a great find for Italian dining in Chicago. Zagat calls it "Excellent." It's located across the street from Piper's Alley and Second City. Their outdoor patio is beautiful, reminiscent of an Italian Piazza in Rome. Their pastas are delicious, but save room for their award-winning desserts.

Paid advertisement by Dinotto Ristorante.

Editorial Review for Dinotto Ristorante – by J.P. Anderson

The Scene
A lively pre-theater crowd bustles in Dinotto's two small dining rooms, where decor is simple (warm golden walls, hardwood floors) and tables are packed tight. A charming little bar beckons with a few stools in the front room; a spacious, enclosed front patio offers primo Piper's Alley people-watching.

The Food
The simple, classic Italian fare includes pizzas, calzones, 15 pasta dishes and a handful of chicken and veal specials. Meaty grilled portobello mushroom is fragrant with white wine, herbs and cheese, while Gorgonzola and 10-year-old balsamic vinaigrette give the signature salad a nice tang. Standout pastas include a basic, perfect farfalle pasta with grilled chicken, sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms in a light garlic sauce, and crispy risotto with plump tiger shrimp, pesto and a healthy sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.

Insider Tips

Where to Sit

During the warmer months, the enclosed outdoor patio offers great views of the bustling North Avenue scene.

Parking

Valet your car for $10.

User Reviews for Dinotto Ristorante

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

07/03/2008 Posted by Jaite

My wife and I wandered into this restaurant on a cold thursday night - we had good service and the food was great. We're definitely going back. She ordered the veal milanes (?) and i have their "famous" lasagna which was really delicious. For dessert we ordered the Tiramisu. We consider ourselves Tiramisu experts and I believe we just had the best Tiramisu ever outside Italy!

Pros: Great outdoor garden

Cons: Not for families with kids,

1 Star Rating: Not Recommended

06/28/2008 Posted by OldTownPatron

My wife and I went to Dino Lubbat’s restaurant, Dinotto’s, in our neighborhood on a Wednesday evening. We were delighted to hear about their ½ price wine that night. When the bill came, I presented the waiter with our $75 gift certificate, at which point he explained that Dinotto’s policy doesn’t allow gift certificates to be used on promotional nights (the ½ price wine). Keep in mind, our gift certificate was not a coupon or some other promotion – my parents paid Dinotto’s $75 for this gift certificate. I explained this to the waiter but he could only state their policy. I quietly asked for the manager. We then patiently explained to the “manager” that a gift certificate for $75 is not a special offer or promotion by Dinotto’s but a certificate that certifies that, in this case, $75 has already been paid to the restaurant. The gift certificate was a benefit to the restaurant by them having been paid several months advance, and that honoring the gift certificate for which they were already paid was not some sort of promotion or special offer that the restaurant was extending to the patron. This “manager” persisted in saying that he couldn’t afford to give us two promotions – both their ½ price wine promotion and using a gift certificate. We explained again, he has already been paid $75; a gift certificate is not a promotion. I then asked for the “manager’s” card only to discover unbelievably that this “manager” was Dino himself. We couldn’t believe it. He actually claimed couldn’t understand why we would use the gift certificate and pay full price for the wine instead of saving the gift certificate to take advantage of his half-price wine offer. Dino, if you’re really scratching your head, let me clear it up for you – We’re NOT coming back. (By the way, we decided the waiter was not to blame so we tipped him 20%+ of the full bill.)

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Editor's Review

Cozy Old Town spot dishes up great Italian at cheap-date prices  See the full editorial review.

Insider Tips

Where to Sit

During the warmer months, the enclosed outdoor patio offers great views of the bustling North Avenue scene.

More Insider Tips

Restaurant Information

Smoking

  • No

Parking

  • Street
  • Valet

Hours

  • Mon-Sat 12pm-4:30pm
  • Mon-Thu 4:30pm-10pm
  • Fri-Sat 4:30pm-11pm
  • Sun 5pm-10pm

Payment Types

  • Discover
  • Diners Club
  • American Express
  • MasterCard
  • Visa

Cuisines

  • Italian

Meal Price

  • $$

Amenities

  • Local Favorites
  • Date Spot
  • Notable Wine List
  • Romantic Dining
  • Lunch Spot

Recognition for Dinotto Ristorante

2007 Audience Winner - Outdoor Dining
2005 Audience Winner - Late-Night Dining
2005 Audience Winner - Lunch Spot
2005 Audience Winner - Outdoor Dining
2004 Audience Winner - Date Spot
2004 Audience Winner - Late-Night Dining
2004 Audience Winner - Outdoor Dining

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