02/02/05

What-a-place

by eliades

I had dinner at Aldente a week-a-go and I was pleasently suprised. The staff was friendly the food was great. A DJ came on at 10 PM and the party got going then. We stayed till they politely asked us to leave.

09/21/06

What a pleasant surprise!

by mrsbouquet

A friend and I needed to find a place at the last minute on a Saturday night. On a whim I picked Aldente and we were not disappointed. Everything we had was great. Only complaint was that they were out of shrimp at 8:00PM on a Saturday???!!! Apparently the shrimp appertizer is one of their most popular dishes. Maybe they'll plan accordingly:))) All around great experience!

• Pros: Good food, good wine list
• Cons: No shrimp on a Saturday Night!

08/30/06

Bland overpriced food

by chicago86

The menu made everything sound fresh but our pastas and gnocchi were bland and tasted like they were store-bought pastas and pasta sauce. The gnocchi was extrememly hard and tasteless. Nothing seemed fresh about the entire meal. Big disappointment. The staff was very nice and helpful but the food was boring and bland and way overpriced.

• Pros: Romantic atmosphere, attentive wait staff, great wine list
• Cons: Bland tasteless food, overpriced

07/02/05

Feed me late and often

by ab1023

My boyfriend and I have been at Aldente 4 times now and I finally thought I need to share this hidden jewl with the rest of you. Our first trip was after a show at The Stepponwolf, and only after we missed a reservation at another restaurant. The manager of this other restaurant actually recommended Aldente for a good late night dinner. Even though we showed up at almost 10:30 on a Wednesday night, we were treated like royalty from the moment we stepped into the restaurant. My boyfriend had some of the biggest shrimp that I have ever seen with pasta and I had the Telapia. WOW!!! Since that first visit we have been made to feel like part of the family pictures that hang on the wall. This is our new favorite restaurant....

05/24/05

Hidden Gem

by aces1234

Aldente is a real hidden gem in Chicago, their food is good and their ambience is relaxing and comfortable. Our service was real good, and this was a perfect place for a date or before hitting the town. I recommend this place to anyone who likes delicious Italian food!

• Pros: atmosphere, service

02/08/05

Contemporary Italian restaurant and lounge draws a crowd with simple Mediterranean flavors and a casual late-night scene.

by Robyn Galbos

The Scene
Located in the Clybourn corridor, Aldente is a convenient dinner spot for shoppers and Steppenwolf Theatre patrons. The late-night lounge scene draws a fun-loving crowd of girls-night-out groups and couples out on the town. The multi-level space is decorated in rich colors with a vaulted ceiling, exposed brick and candid black-and-white photos depicting family meals and gatherings. A long bar on the main level has two flat-screen TVs tuned to sports.

The Food
The menu features straightforward Italian dishes of pasta, salad, pizza and more. Winning appetizers include seared jumbo scallops: caramelized on the surface, tender inside and served with basil puree. Gnocchi pomodoro--puffy handmade spinach dumplings served with tangy tomato sauce--is a popular pasta dish. Thin-crust pizzas are great for sharing and come with toppings like red roasted peppers, Italian sausage and fresh basil. Traditional desserts in sharable portions include tiramisu for two, cannoli and Chocolate Decadence cake.