03/02/09

Not Authentic stay away if you are a foodie

by rickrez

I went to this restaurant in January and It was awful. The service was friendly, the atmosphere pretty drab, don't sit by the front windows very cold and the food was well awful. The portions were huge but the pasta was not fresh and was over cooked - soft and mushy. The sauces were also out of a jar. If you grew up eating italian or have visited Italy avoid this restaurant at all costs. I had the pumpkin soup which was disgusting, seasoned very badly and then the linguini with mussels or clams can't remember but what I do remember is that I got sick to my stomach shortly after so not to sure about the quality of the seafood. The large portions do not compensate for poor food quality clearly not cooked by Italians.

03/01/09

This is not good Italian food...in fact this is not even ok Italian food.

by nonameslerft

We arrived and there was a long line...generally a good sign. The events unfolded as follows:

1. It turns out that the major reason the wait was so long was that the host was MIA and remained so for about 10 to 15 minutes. The host finally made an appearance at around 9:15. We then waited another 15 to 20 minutes to be seated.

2. At about 9:30 we were seated for out 9:00 reservation.

3. The service was surprisingly prompt and friendly.

4. Then came the food... I knew that we were in trouble when I could taste loads of butter in the bruschetta.

5. Everything that we had was uninteresting and had the over powering taste of butter and salt. The paste was overcooked to the point of being mushy...one of the worst things you can do in Italian cooking as far as I'm concerned...although this place made me think that maybe the worst thing you can do is substitute butter for olive oil in everything.

6. We left disappointed and wishing that we had pick another place.

If you like decent Italian food this is not the place to go.

• Pros: Very nice service...once someone actually talked to us.
• Cons: terrible, horrible, aweful, overcooked, over salted, butter drenched food.

11/12/08

Great food in LP

by evamc

Awesome Italian food, although it was a little pricey. The service was great and they were very flexible with the menu options.

07/19/08

Super friendly service, good food!

by jenj75

I really recommend Sapori if you are in the mood for old-fashioned Italian food in the Lincoln Park area. While it was not the best Italian I have had in Chicago, the food was fresh and thoughtfully prepared. They also had a nice selection of wines - both Italian and New World. But by far, the best part of the evening was the superb service. the Hostess was ultra-friendly, Seating us inside on a busy night, even though our reservation was for the patio (it looked like it was going to rain). And our waiter, Dan, was knowledgeable and attentive. Overall, very impressed.

05/10/08

Being watched?

by Mary202

This place had excellent lobster ravioli in a creamy pink sauce with a side of cameras everywhere! I have been to many small places in Lincoln Park, but none that made you feel like you were being watched by all the cameras in every room. The fresh pasta was excellent, the server was very attentive, but my friend and i felt really uncomfortable the whole meal with the owners cameras. I've worked in a bistro in the western suburbs that had security cameras at the doors and above the register, but Sapori's "pentagon security" is borderline paranoia! Red movement lights flashed everytime I used my napkin. They are watching every table eat! Security is one thing, or not trusting your staff, but at the cost of making every customer feel observed the whole meal like a polar bear at the Lincoln Park Zoo is a huge price to pay. The food is good, so get take out so you can eat it in privacy!

02/15/08

Outstanding Service, Great Food, and a Cozy Atmosphere

by steve_romanchuk

This cozy Italian restaurant in Lincoln Park is an ideal spot for a romantic dinner for two. The European style table arrangements combined with candle light provides the ideal cozy setting. The food is fantastic. I normally order the grilled calamari which is fresh and delicately prepared. The lasagna is my favorite dish on the menu and arguably the best in the city. The wine list is robust with many Italian vintages. Overall, this is one of my favorite spots in Chicago.

• Pros: Ambience, Food, Prices

09/10/07

The absolute worst service experince I've ever had

by pborkstrom

My parents wanted to take me out to this restaurant for my birthday. They said Sapori Trattoria was a real 'feel good' place with excellent food and exceptional service. I'd say they had 1 of the 3. I can understand a long wait on a Saturday evening, but a 1 1/2 hour wait for dinner after being seated? Unacceptable. My mother's coffee wasn't brough out 'till the 3rd round of drinks (and she ordered when everyone else did). Our waitress was in good spirits, but seemed way to busy to give us any attention greater than a fast food restaurant. After such a long wait, the server brought the manager out to talk to us. He told us that he was 'Aware of the long wait, and that would make everything SWEET'. What the heck does that even mean? 10 minutes later, he brought out the food and that was apparently he way of making everything "Sweet" - no adjustments, no desert, just a great big 'deal with it' was all our unpleasant evening was worth. We had to devour the food and leave as it was getting very late and obviously could not enjoy it the way we had hoped. What is good food with horrid service?

Although my dining experience was poor, the food was delicious. I ordered the Lobster Raviolli and I really enjoyed it. I felt the portions were fair and the price was acceptable, but after waiting so long, the evening was ruined. A bar and a cheeseburger would have made my birthday much more enjoyable.

• Pros: The food - delicious. What else do you go to a restaurant for?
• Cons: The service - what value is good food when the service is exceptionally poor?

07/14/07

Good food, good deals

by sleopold

I went here for the deal of appetizer, salad, two entrees, wine and dessert. It really was worth it. The food was excellent. I had some pasta with seafood and it was spicy...loved it. My bf had the lasagna and he loved it. The service was ok. Pretty much our waiter took our order and then we never seen him again. It was all food runners, bus boys after that which was slightly annoying when we were trying to order another bottle of wine. Other than that, the atmosphere was cute, I would recommend it

• Pros: the $59 deal
• Cons: no parking, not that great of service

06/14/07

The best lobster ravioli!

by annarohrer

My husband and I have regularly gone to Sapori over the past two years, and it's by far our favorite Italian place in the city. Their lobster ravioli is amazing. And it's so cozy and romantic- perfect for dates. In the summer they have great outdoor seating. We've never had a bad experience. You'll probably need a reservation- the restaurant has really grown in popularity over the past year, and it's getting harder and harder to just walk-in.

• Pros: Ambience, free lot parking, always great food
• Cons: Umm.... can't think of any

05/29/07

Consistently Fantastic Italian

by fwagnerumichedu

I've eaten all over the city, and still haven't had a better meal than i've had consistently at Sapori. It's hands down our favorite restuarant. The house salad with apples and raspberries and honey-mustard dressing is very tasty, and we love the lobster ravioli, and the penne with artichokes and chicken (penne cardinale). Also try the Zuppe di Pesce - it's a humoungous dish of linguini with salmon, shrimp, clams, mussels, scallops and calamari in a red sauce. it's absolutely HUGE. Big fun. All the portions are quite large actually. We always seem to have enough leftovers for another entire meal. The staff is always friendly and helpful. The wine list is extensive, but a little pricey. Our favorite is is the house chianti, which goes great with the pastas, at about $30/bottle.

They also offer a dinner for two special: You get the bruschetta and a house salad to share, 2 pasta entrees, a bottle of wine and one of their homemade desserts - all for $59, which makes it not only one of the best meals in the city, but also one of the best values. HIGHLY recommended.

• Pros: Value, Quality, Service, Portion size
• Cons: none