Doesn't Recommend

Patcos

Joined 3 years ago

RUDE!. We where promtly seated when we arrived but the experience soon changed. The salad was nothing more than lettuce. The main dishes looked like appitizers and everything is overpriced. We had a table of 8 and where told that we where to loud for another table. They where very rude and don't know how to keep customers. There are too many great resturant's in CHICAGO to waste your time and money!

Recommends

GirlScoutsRule

Joined 4 years ago

Delicious Bolognese and stewed meat. Really enjoyed the dinner. The wine complimented the meal perfectly. Haven't stopped talking about the meal since we ate there.

Doesn't Recommend

friargee

Joined 5 years ago

live and learn. Went there once. Saturday night. Party of 6. Service was ponderously slow - waitstaff hard to track down. NOW HERE'S THE GOOD PART: On paying the bill, the owner came over and asked us (nicely) to leave the table so they could employ it for others. Was he blind? We were already on the way out! We were standing. If we had occupied his table for too long, that was our misfortune and the fault of his staff. I wrote him a letter soon after in an attempt to find out what was going on in his head when he requested our departure (we're a fairly quiet, friendly and low key group), but consistent with his rudeness, he did not respond. Considering the relatively high price of his cuisine and the large amount of money I spent, I certainly deserved better. By the way, the food was good, but the memory persists. Live and learn.

Doesn't Recommend

tootsiemn

Joined 5 years ago

I would rather give my business to Olive Garden.... From start to finish, my experience at this restaurant was deplorable.

-quoted $25 for drinks at the bar, then charged $32 when I used my visa-red flag, anyone?

-out of several entrees/wine-only discovered after we ordered, and then were told that they were "out"

-1 of the 3 meals arrived cold

-music in the kitchen was so loud, we could hear it in the dining room

-when addressing our concerns with whom I can only assume was the Manager, we were brushed off, essentially told tough-even though he acknowledged their errors (this was also the same person at the bar who charged me 15% more when I used my visa)

-with poor service, an incomplete bar and food menu, and no signs of remorse for a job poorly done...I will not be back, and I strongly suggest you do not go either.

Doesn't Recommend

kstueland

Joined 5 years ago

horrible service,even worse recovery. - Horrible service

- they didn't have the wine we had requested and wouldn't offer us a comparable bottle for the same price.

- they were out of the signature osso bucco

- they would not provide us with any money back for the difference in bottles of wine.

- we tpped, but should not have.

- don't go there

Recommends

watashiwa

Joined 11 years ago

Best Italian in Chicago. I lived in Italy for years and am always looking for an authentic Italian restaurant with home cooking. I found it at Merlo. The food is excellent and the service is great. People are all friendly and down to earth and the food is awsome.

Recommends

jlh67

Joined 7 years ago

Excellent Authenic Italian. This wonderful little jewel is just around the corner from my home, however last night was the first time we have tried it since moving here a year ago. What ashame! I wish we would've tried it much sooner. This is the real deal if you are longing for true authenic style Italian food. I haven't had such a thing since actually being in Italy. They use top notch fresh ingredients and really seem to put their heart and soul into the dishes. This is not the place to go to eat pasta if you want a bucket load of pasta plopped down in front of your face like most typical Chicago Italian joints. The portion sizes are what they should be and you can taste the quality in each bite. You want to savor eat bite. All the pastas are home made on site. We had a fabulous dinner, dessert and a great bottle of wine. Our waitstaff was very nice, informed and more than willing to help with selections. At the end of our meal they brought us a wonderful glass of sparkling dessert wine...on the house. Not too sweet...just right.

We will definately be returning when we need a real taste of Italy!

Recommends

candicemz

Joined 7 years ago

The best Italian restaurant in Chicago. The best Italian restaurant in Chicago. Period. EVERYTHING we had was spectacular. This is now my favorite restaurant and I will be going back very soon. The risotto of the day and the bolegnese were outstanding. A must try.

Recommends

cristymay

Joined 8 years ago

Wonderful experience...until the check. We had a wonderful dinner; the food was exquisite. However, we were a bit put off when we received our check. Our waiter put the check on our table, picked it back up to look at it again and said "Yep, this is it, the most inexpensive check I've had tonight." Keep in mind we ordered a bottle of wine, an appetizer, two entrees, two desserts, two coffees (for two of us). We paid the check, and when he brought the bill back to us, put a bottle of wine on our table. We interrpreted this as an apology for the rude comment before. Instead, he said, "Nope, no more wine for you," picked the bottle up and went to a neighboring table. Food was excellent, but we won't be going back!

Recommends

catchris98

Joined 9 years ago

Where old people go to eat. First off, the food was outstanding...you've never had veal ragu this good. However, the ambiance left something to be desired...sort of elegant cheesy. It's hard to explain. They tried, but it has a stale, one step above Italian scenes painted on the wall feel to it. Lots of botox riddled fortysomethings trying to be thirtysomethings.