02/10/09

Rudest sous chef?

by katej0805

I've been researching a project and chatting with chefs across America. The sous chef hung up on me without even listening to what I had said. If that's what service is like in the kitchen, I can only imagine what the food is like.

02/18/08

Not a romantic dinner spot

by JStrine

I made reservations here upon a recommendation from a friend for their great food. Online reviews were favorable so I thought 'why not?'. I should have been suspicious when I was able to make a reservation for two at 7 p.m. on a Saturday night the day before (on Valentine's Day weekend) without a problem. My husband and I were expecting a romantic evening out and were very disappointed. We were seated in the corner of a very small alcove with barely room to spare. NOT ROMANTIC. No music, no dim lights. Our fellow diners were TOO close, and the server had to lean over the head of the table next to us to take our order. We felt totally rushed by the wait staff. I had no sooner ordered my martini and taken a sip when our main course was delivered to the table, and that was after I had ordered wine to go with the food. I am not exagerrating when I say that the food was delivered to our table within 10 minutes of being seated. I would applaud this kind of service during the lunch hour, but not on a Saturday evening. The Ravolini was delicious, and so was the spaguetti, but the atmosphere was totally lacking in ambience. I would not recommend Cocco Pazzo for a special occassion, or romantic dinner. The only way I would try it again would be in the summer, for lunch, on the patio. Wine list was just okay.

12/14/07

Delicious food, great service

by dmet

Best Italian food I've had so far. I had the Tortino di Asparagi, the Ossobuco, and the Frutta con Zabaione and EVERYTHING was delicious! I highly recommend this place. I'll definitely make this restaurant a stop every time I'm in Chicago.

• Pros: Great food and customer service
• Cons: Parking (?) or you can always take a cab

12/04/06

Nice service and good value

by sugarywitch

The food was very well done, classic dishes with a slightly fancy spin. The lasagna and the duck pasta were both great. I might skip the cheese plate at the end, though the walnuts on it were very good. Large selection of wines by the bottle including some less pricy options. The service was also very nice, not hurried but not inattentive either.

11/04/06

Great lunch spot after shopping

by luvs2travel

We love Coco Pazzo's on Hubbard st and love this spin off also. It's a block off Michigan ave so it's a great spot to relax and have lunch after hitting the stores. We enjoyed the outdoor seating, though if you don't like pigeons don't eat outside in Chicago (they are a fact of life). The food is great, though a bit on the pricy side.

10/28/06

Nice italian cafe

by croche312

Very nice food, the crowd is like fish out of water. Alot of people who look like they rather belong the the gold coast than on St. Clair street. The outdoor cafe attracts rolex wearin' aston martin driving puff your cheast out dudes in search of the most expensive thing on the menu.

but the resturaunt itself is great

• Pros: food staff and drink list
• Cons: the clientle

10/11/05

Great date place

by darealdeal

i was in chicago last week for only 2 days and on the second night i met an engineer from new york. i would have never gone to this place if this engineer hadnt invited me. i had calimari and bruscheti for the first time! the food was excellent! my friend had the ceasar salad and she said it was the best salad shes ever had! i had lasagna, which was also exceptional. service was good too, they let us stay for almost 45 minutes past closing time, awesome! highly recommended

• Pros: great food, romantic, great service
• Cons: hardly anyone there

03/11/05

teeth grinding ambience

by david1055

Pazzo has standardly decent Italian food, certainly no worse than dozens of other Chicago restaurants. I understand in summer, their outdoor cafe is quite nice. In winter, however, through a combination of terrible acoustics and poor ventilation, you dine in the din of dozens of shrieking corporate types getting progressively blasted. Despite whirling ceiling fans attempting to clear the air, cigarette smoke is the order of the day. It's a lunchtime restaurant and except for the crowd at the bar, the place was virtually empty at 7:30 PM

• Pros: decent food, nice waitstaff
• Cons: horrible ambience

12/05/04

Chicago's Best Italian

by jason vicars

I have lived here for a little over a year and this is the best Itailian restaurant I have found in the city. Always consistant! Try the specials they are always great and the caeser salad is the best!

More affordable Coco Pazzo sibling aims for upscale-casual Italian in a sunny, colorful setting.

by Contributor

Murals of people enjoying meals cover the walls of this casual-chic, tile-floored restaurant known for its seasonally inspired, full-of-heart Tuscan fare. First impressions come in the form of an antipasto, perhaps orange-garlic dressed octopus with white beans. By the last bite of butternut squash-filled capallaci graced with amaretti cookies and seemingly just-plucked, grilled veggies, it's amore. Rich beef brisket ragu clings to papparadelle, while a pork chop plated with chestnuts and rapini in mustard sauce updates a Sunday dinner staple. A mid-priced, all-Italian wine list makes pairing vinos a cinch.