04/18/08

Best Italian I've had in a long time!

by cristynes

I stumbled upon this place about a month ago and I've been back 3 times. Nana's Gravy is the best! Also the meatball salad and Lemondrop Martini's made with Lemonchello are awesome! It's my new favortie place!

• Pros: Authentic, good service, Nana's Gravy

02/12/08

urbanpln

by urbanpln

Big food does not equal good food or great retaurant. I don't get it, this place is average at best.

10/26/07

Best calamari around-great for the table, very close to McCormick Place, tables are close enough to see and be seen without feeling cramped, great service for my party of 12-worth the visit

by boatguy5

Tables are close enough to see and be seen without feeling cramped, great service for my party of 12-worth the visit!

Taking my family after the bears game.

Will go again and recommend to others

12/09/06

AMAZING FOOD!!!

by cannondale1325

Great food, like the previous poster, I have eaten here numerous times. Exact opposite experiences. Great, friendly wait staff, service and the food. Wow, best meatballs I have ever had.

The only "bad" thing is the space is a little tight, don't get the backroom, there is an annoying flat screen TV.

Highly recommended, great addition to the booming South Loop

• Pros: food, price, service
• Cons: not really a con, but tight seating

12/04/06

Average at Best

by kumakap

Average food and if you don't believe me, order the pasta with mussels in it or even the one with clams. They are both tasteless and bland. I'm not sure which part of Italy are they claiming their food represent, but certainly not the parts I have visited. Anyway, waiting staff is terrible, I'm not saying that they are impolite, but they lack the basic skills i.e. they have no idea about any wine, and according to them all dishes are great ... WOW what a lame response. By the way, the mussels pasta was highly recommended by our waitress. I have eaten here 3 times (you must be wondering why, but I don't form an opinion quickly, I give people a chance to prove themselves), but everytime the only thing that was decent was bionda salad. By the way, did I say that their bread is the worst in town, it tastes stale.

• Pros: Location/parking
• Cons: Everything else

07/26/06

The booming South Loop gets a little homier with this lively Italian spot.

by Contributor

The Scene
Spiffing up a formerly dreary stretch of south State Street, the restaurant is divided into two halves--sporty bar with flat-screen TVs on one side, and a more elegant dining room with original art on the other--separated by a dark wood and frosted glass partition. Diners are a neighborhood mix of newly urban empty nesters and young South Loop condo dwellers.

The Food
The menu features hearty southern Italian fare that offers sausage lovers plenty of options: from salumi (cold cuts) samplers featuring smoked paprika and hot sopressata to antipasti like mild or hot char-grilled fontanini sausage served with crunchy broccolini. As for pastas, the bucatini--thick spaghetti noodles--comes nicely spiced thanks to chili flakes and garlic, but is stingy on the pancetta. The traditional veal francese is a satisfying dish, enhanced by details like thinly sliced roasted garlic flavoring the sauteed spinach side.

06/29/06

chicago style italian

by hoover701

I will follow Joey Farina to any restaurant he works. His food is awesome. Bionda is worth going to just for the Sunday salad with meatballs. Great job

06/14/06

Great food and reaonable prices.

by spiders13

Great food and service. It is a far cry from the old restaurant that was there. I am sure this one will be around for a long time! The quarters are a little tight, but I think that will change since they have the space next door and plan on expanding. The meatballs are the BEST

• Pros: parking, service, food
• Cons: a little tight