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Filippo's Ristorante
Categories: Restaurants Italian Event Planning & Services Venues & Event Spaces Italian, Venues & Event Spaces [Edit]
2211 N Clybourn Ave(between Webster Ave & Greenview Ave)
Chicago, IL 60614
Neighbourhood: DePaul
(773) 528-2211
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
164 reviews for Filippo's Ristorante
Review Highlights
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"The complimentary olive oil with eggplant and parmesan..." In 32 reviews -
"I had the ravioli neri and my bf has the black fettuccine..." In 4 reviews -
"Try the mussels in white wine sauce and crab risotto." In 5 reviews
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164 reviews in English
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Review from Lauren V.
Wow is really all I can say-our group was completely blown away by our dinner at Filippo's. The space itself is small and intimate and would make for a great spot to bring a date, a small group of friends or, as in our case, our parents.
Once we were seated (I made a reservation for 6:30p on a Saturday night) and ordered a couple bottles of {really great} wine, we were given a basket of warm, crusty bread, a plate of foccacia with a little tomato sauce on top, and some incredibly tasty olive oil with what I believe were shaved mushrooms on top. All of this was so good, we couldn't wait to see what the rest of the meal would bring.
To start we tried their Caprese salad which was on their board of specials for the night. The mozzarella was just ridiculous-so fresh and delicious, its really some of the best I've ever had outside of Italy. For my main dish I chose the Rigatoni Zughi Zughi which is rigatoni pasta sauteed with sun-dried tomatoes and porcini mushrooms in a creamy pink sauce. This was a delicious, fantastic, amazing pasta dish! The sauce had a bit of a smoky flavor to it and everyone at our table agreed it was really, really good.
The rest of our table ordered pasta dishes as well that were equally as delicious. Among us we tried the Fettuccine Masaniello, Spaghetti Integrali, and one of their specials that was spaghetti in a light white wine sauce with several different kinds of seafood and vegetables mixed in. I would recommend any of these dishes; the sausage in the Fettuccine Masaniello was so flavorful, the vegetables in the Spaghetti Integrali so fresh, and the seafood and vegetables in the special were cooked to perfection.
We ended our meal with Strawberry and Hazelnut gelato, Carrot Cake, and of course, Tiramisu. The Carrot Cake stole the show for me, and I'm not even really a big Carrot Cake fan. The Tiramisu was very good as well but maybe just a little too much liquid on the bottom layer for me. This has for sure become are go-to spot for Italian in the city, I can't wait to go back!! -
Review from michael s.
Chicago, IL
4/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place is definitely one of those things I miss about living in Chicago. The spaghetti and meatballs are likely some of THE best I've had in the city. Plus they give you this little dish of olive oil with a splash balsamic and sprinkled with shaved portobellos in it that are just yum! Not a bad dish in the place.
Sometimes the service can be a little spotty on those off nights when they don't expect a crowd. Even then it's well worth the little extra wait. -
Review from Jen B.
3/26/2012
The food and service at Filippo's are spot on.
This is hearty, red sauce Italian that doesn't scrimp on the portions. You will find all the classics plus a few inventive specials. Every single dish at our 8-person table (lasagna, bolognese, angel hair and roasted veg, seafood alfredo...the list goes on) looked (and from what I could tell, tasted) amazing. Accordingly, this place was jammed on a Saturday night.
Despite our reservation, we had to wait about 25 minutes for a table. And the tiny, five-seat bar was not up to the task. Luckily, it was a warm evening and I didn't mind standing outside. Once seated, the bread and oil came out and the waters were endlessly refilled. I ordered the beet salad special. Wowsa. Super flavorful. The sweetness of the beets went so well with the tanginess of the feta and spicy black pepper that I doused on top. Not an earth-shattering combo but hey, if it works, it works.
I felt a little bad ordering a salad at a table of seven other ladies opting for heavy pasta, but having just come from a popcorn and candy splurge fest at the movie theater, I really didn't think I could manage a whole pasta dish. Lucky for me, the salad was huge and filled up my now-growling stomach that seemed to instantly expand upon seeing the pasta dishes.
The only hitch is that this place apparently can't split checks very well due to their computer system. It took 30 minutes for them to run our cards, some of it due to a mix-up that was our fault (someone forgot to put their card in). I would advise bringing cash or not splitting the check. -
Review from Elise K.
3/8/2012
Filippo's was a great treat after a fire-drill at the movies... literally. Service was good and quick. The restaurant was a bit old world-tacky feel with a bunch of clashing plastic table cloths as well as a rather unkept floor. The floor was taken care of after the many children left mid-way through our meal.
We started with warm bread just out of the oven. Despite my companion thinking he had the black fettuccine... that was me. It was quite good - I didn't have the seafood though.
The neatest thing about the menu is that you can augment anything. You can pick and choose any part of anything you like on the menu and they will make it for you! -
Review from J R.
Chicago, IL
4/29/2012
Don't eat here. The house salad was drowning in balsamic dressing. The Rotolo Primavera was ok but forgettable. The Tiramisu had to be out of a frozen store-bought box- I quit after two bites. And the service was just plain weird- a bunch of lethargic slobs. I'm not a restaurant snob. But this place has problems. I will not be back.
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Review from J. P.
Chicago, IL
1/3/2012
When I walked in this place, I immediately disliked the number of tables that were crammed in such a small area. My husband and I found the host? and told her we had a reservation. We were right on time, however, was told it would be a short wait. Okay, fine. 30 minutes later and this birthday girl is getting impatient. We had been waiting in the tiny bar area which hovered over other diners and were feeling like major douchebags. There was really nowhere else to stand! Not even the complimentary round of drinks was helping at this point. During our wait, I noticed the host? manager? woman was running around scoping out tables but sort of lingering and trying to see who would be leaving soon. It was awkward and as a diner, a big turn-off. We finally get seated and the tables are on top of each other. Smelling cigarette smoke from the guy next to me was not terribly appealing.
I can't recall what I ordered, but it was one of the specials and a pasta dish consisting of crab with a cream sauce. It was tasty and the crab tasted really fresh. My husband ordered spaghetti and meatballs and it was okay. We were given a dessert to share on the house after they heard it was my birthday. We also noticed a drink was taken off our bill or forgotten about, not sure.
The food was good, but the the small space and long wait would not warrant a second visit. -
Review from James S.
Chicago, IL
2/14/2012
This may be the best Italian place on earth, wow!
And its pretty cheap, fun people, lively bar, very large portions! I had a little bit of everything with my group, super! -
Review from Brandy A.
12/11/2011 1 photo
It seemed like a perfect night to be at Filippo's. We called half an hour before to try to reserve a table for 7 people and were lucky enough to get one. We were seated immediately when we got there. The wait staff was attentive overall, bringing out some pretty delicious bread and refilling our water glasses every few minutes. The atmosphere was cozy and not so loud so we could all hear each other talk.
The menu is large, just like the portions. People are right--the food here is really good. It's actually one of the better Italian restaurants I've been to. Everyone liked their orders. I had the rigatoni with pink sauce and sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms. I liked how the sauce covered, but did not drench, the pasta. The tomatoes were aged well and had just a hint of tartness to it, while the mushrooms were juicy and cut into perfectly sized slivers. Everything balanced the dish well.
We ordered two bottles of wine, one during dinner and one afterward while we were chatting. It was a great experience until then, and I was thinking that this place was a definite 5 stars. We were finishing and paying when the manager (? I'm not sure who she was) abruptly came over to us and said we needed to leave NOW because other people were waiting for our table. This happened while we were paying our bill, signing our checks, and putting our coats on.
I understand that during busy dining hours establishments appreciate it when customers are considerate and not hanging around at the table for a long time. We weren't doing that. We paid our bill right after we finished our second bottle. I've actually never encountered an experience where restaurant management directly told us we needed to leave.
To average out the rating, it's 4 stars for food and 1 star for rudeness. Bad customer service will ruin any meal, no matter how great the food is. -
Review from Stephen D.
Chicago, IL
1/5/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Absolutely my favorite Italian place in Chicago.
The bruschetta and eggplant olive oil spread they put out before the dinner is absolutely wonderful. I don't think you can go wrong really with anything, but I enjoyed the pasta with sausage and the black ravioli with salmon.
Each dish is very complex and I love this place. -
Review from Kelli J.
Chicago, IL
4/29/2012
Simply Amazing. Great cute rustic atmosphere and the food is delicious!
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Review from Mary H.
11/16/2011
Clearly, this place does not need another five star review, but I can't help myself! The food is simply amazing. As other reviews have mentioned little touches like roasted eggplant in the olive oil really make this place stand out from the typical Italian restaurant. They offer a full and unique menu with options sure to please everyone in your party.
The entrees are around $15-20 for a large portion and you will not be disappointed. I tried the ravioli special with crab meat and asiago cheese and OMG. It was one of the best things I've eaten in a long time. We also started an appetizer that featured asparagus wrapped in prosciutto and cheese. Holy crap, it was good.
Unlike other Italian restaurants where you feel that with a bit of practice you could master their dishes, I am well aware replicating anything they make here is 100% completely out of my league. These people know what they're doing.
So yeah, basically, COME HERE! -
Review from A P.
Rockford, IL
12/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Went here with a large group of friends after listening to one of them rave about this place, and he certainly wasn't wrong. Filippo's is not your typical Italian fare, but after eating here once I guarantee you wont miss your "traditional" menu items.
We had a reservation for 6:30pm on a Saturday and despite being 20 minutes late they seated us right away. The quickly brought out some bruschetta and bread with eggplant olive oil. We dug in and devoured the breads and were pleased when they brought more out as soon as we asked. Our waiter was very friendly, and very helpful when trying to make a decision on what to order. I'd go back just to have him as a waiter again, even if the food wasn't as good as it was.
We split an order of calamari to start and again devoured that. The breading was light and crispy and the meat tender and juicy. Someone even scraped together the crumbs on the plate and ate those too! After some wine and chatting we all ordered. It was a tough choice for me between the risotto buongustio (seafood risotto) and the lamb shank special, but I ended up with the lamb.
When my plate came, it looked like I had the entire leg, not just the shank! Everyone's portions were huge, and everyone's plates looked divine. My lamb came with potatoes, gravy, and veggies. I didn't even need a knife to eat, the lamb just melted away from the bone. I ate, and ate, and ate until I couldn't eat anymore and there was still half of my lamb left.
This place is a jewel; I wish I could eat here every night. I'm very upset I live so far away. I promise if you try Filippo's you won't be disappointed! 5 stars all the way! -
Review from Lydia B.
Chicago, IL
3/4/2012
I love this place, my boyfriend and I have been on a few dates here and I can't wait to go back. I always want to try something different but they have this pasta with blue cheese and chicken and brocolli I think that I get every time because its so good. The price is reasonable and they give you a ton of food, I always have leftovers and I eat it for breakfast the next day :)
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Review from Rosanna L.
Bensenville, IL
You know how sometimes you just develop that big ol' crush on someone or well, something and you can't stop thinking about it? Well, that happened to me and Filippo's House Special: Fresh Salmon Filet.
My friend had made reservations for a party of 20 for her birthday and they were very accommodating even though the group was half an hour late. I was quite surprise as to how empty it was for being such a delicious restaurant! Small, intimate, and just perfect for a group outing or a date.
We were given complimentary pizza bread - that's what it tasted like to me and regular bread with a spread, which from reading the reviews is made of roasted eggplant and olive oil? Didn't matter because I really enjoyed it and the love the heavy garlic flavor.
Their fresh salmon filet special was phenomenal, beyond describable. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. The next morning I woke up wishing I could have some for breakfast. Yup, that was how good it was. Made with a white wine sauce and cherry tomatoes and served with a side of vegetables (normally comes with cornmeal), you get a nice piece of salmon filet (about 8 inches) that was cooked to perfection, tasty sauce and tender vegetables. I love it so much I shared about 1/3 of it to some of the people in our group and a few were bummed they didn't get it also.
The rest of the party enjoyed their dishes. And my boyfriend who ordered the Fettuccine Alfredo (even though it was not on the menu and not a real Italian dish) loved his dish. The sauce was perfect.
The birthday girl enjoyed her risotto, perfect amount of sauce, not too tomato-y and the tiramisu also, not overly sweet.
Service was great, our water and drinks were constantly refilled and for such a big party our food arrived in a timely manner.
So happy I found a great Italian place! HmMmmm... until we meet again fresh salmon filet! -
Review from Max L.
Chicago, IL
9/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good lord this place is amazing!
Decided to give it a try after a movie, and was so happy we did!
We were immediately greeted by a friendly and humorous staff member that made us feel right at home. Place was full of families and people enjoying their food, and while it was a bit noisy, it felt even more so like a small place transplanted from the depths of Italy.
Bread and olive oil (with pickled zucchini and garlic) was a great warm up to huge and fantastic portions.
I had the Fettuccine Sozze, which is a black fettuccine with mussels, calamari, and eggplant. The dish came out steaming hot and it was immediately apparent that this pasta was freshly made. Perfectly aldente and not a single bite without a good serving of seafood, a seriously amazing dish for $17.95 (one of the more expensive menu items).
Everything is made to order, so you can mix and match as you wish.
I would certainly put this place toe to toe with Mia Francesca which has just recently become my second favorite Italian restaurant in the neighborhood. While they both compete with amazing food and reasonable prices, the superb service and Italian ambiance of Filippo's put this place in its own class. -
Review from Y O.
Chicago, IL
11/3/2011
Really love this place since my friend introduced me to it a couple of years ago.
The waiting staff is hard working and always attentive. I have yet to experience a bad dish, so feel free to experiment with the specials. The salmon is always a solid bet, and the wine selection is accommodating to each price range.
It is a nice cozy place filled with couples, families, and groups of friends looking for good food. Word to the wise: this place WILL get crowded, so sometimes it is hard to get around the tables when its packed. I would recommend making a reservation in advance to avoid having to wait in the cold for a table since there isn't much space to wait inside, but believe me the wait is worth it. -
Review from Jeannine L.
Chicago, IL
7/1/2011
I found this place by accident and am so glad that I did. When the restaurant I was originally planning to go to was closed, Yelpers led me to this nearby gem which ended up being far better than the originally planned destination!
The theme of the evening was "amazing." The bread is served with a roasted eggplant and olive oil dip that is outstanding. Our party ordered four different dishes: spaghetti and meatballs (off menu), vegetable lasagna, a veggie cappellini dish, and a roasted chicken entree. All four were outstanding. The pasta is simply fantastic. All of us agreed that this is the best pasta/Italian we've ever had.
After our dinner we asked to thank the owner for our meal. As it was a slow night, she came over to our table and chatted with us. Then she gave us a round of limoncello digestifs and dessert tray - on the house! All were delicious, so save room for dessert!
All of the food is made fresh and to order, so this is a great spot for people with food restrictions (diabetic, vegan, etc). However, since the food is made fresh, do expect to have a bit of a wait.
The restaurant is in a small space with very homey/rustic decor. I found it to be very cozy and quirky. I will be coming back here a lot! -
Review from Jerry S.
Roselle, IL
12/3/2011
I cannot believe that we have not reviewed this restaurant before. We have been going here for almost 15 years and love it!
My wife always order a seafood pasta dish and is never disappointed. I hop around and always love my meal.
We have gotten to know our waiter, Felipe, over the years and always feel welcome. Awesome! -
Review from dan c.
Chicago, IL
5/5/2011
Seriously the best food I could have imagined.
The food and service was top notch. I would recommend though, save room for desert.
The restaurant itself is very stylish and kind of european/minimalist looking, which suits me just fine.
Not too crowded, but I could see on the weekends where it might feel like a typical chicago elbow to elbow restaurant. -
Review from Debbie C.
Chicago, IL
3/18/2012
We went on Valentine's Day. I hadn't been to Filippo's in years and remembered it to be good, but it was so much better then I had remembered. Besides bearing an annoying wait to sit down (despite our reservations) the food and service were both great! The host was very considerate and apprehensive of our wait and kept us updated on the status of our reservations. It's a great place for date night. The food was all delicious and the service was both friendly and welcoming. I definitely recommend!!!
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Review from Andrew H.
Chicago, IL
12/11/2011
Hit or miss on service. Prices are high for the food in my opinion, but then I feel that way about Italian food in general. I think the homemade ravioli is really the way to go - it's far better than anything else I've had on their menu. I've been here a couple of times when the service was just inexcusably bad. Also, I just don't really dig the atmosphere in this place - for a boutique Italian place it just feels sort of cheap and not particularly intimate.
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Review from Joey M.
Chicago, IL
8/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been a regular at Filippo's for many years and I keep going back for the food ( always excellent ) the service ( always spot on !) and the casual comfortable atmosphere . The wines by-the-glass can accomodate most any palette too ! If the owners are there they always come by our table for a friendly chat too , which always gives us a great feeling too .
We ate there last weekend and got all of the above and had a great time as always except for a drunken irate fellow who was roaming the place babbling about an error on his bill that the server fixed as soon as it was pointed out to him . We were like "Really ? Are you going to cry ?"
Anyway , love the place and highly recomend it to everyone ! -
Review from Jess F.
Chicago, IL
4/2/2011
Cute Italian place near the movie theater. The staff were a bit slow, but fairly friendly. They might have been slow because I went on a Thursday night and the place was rather empty, but I don't know.
The bread was kind of cold (again, might be because the place was basically empty). I ordered the Ravioli Neri (which is black ravioli stuffed with salmon in a light pink sauce) and it was scrumptious. I was going to save half but ended up eating the whole thing because it was so good.
Not the best Italian food I've had in my life, but it was still really good. Nice location right by the movie theater, definitely recommend if you're going to see a movie after.Listed in: City dining
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Review from PHIL S.
Roselle, IL
12/13/2011
Hands down this is the best Italian joint in the city. Located just west of De Paul off Belden and Clyborne (very easy to miss). Must try is seafood Black Fettuccine and Spaghetti with seafood. Very nice owner I've met a few times. Also the pink vodka sauce is pretty good on the giant Ravioli
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Review from Gayatri D.
Chicago, IL
4/12/2011
Thank you FOODA for bringing Filippo's and their made-to-order pasta & salad bar to our apartment building. My girlfriends and I are eternally grateful for saving us the trouble of mid-week cooking.
We had the pasta marinara and the veggie pasta with vodka and cream sauce. I can't decide which one I liked more. The flavors were bold and distinct. That's the best part about a veggie pasta. You never know what you'll taste with each bite! Special mention to the carrot cake as well. Loooooooved it!
Yep, 12 bucks was a bit too much for the pasta considering the portion size. And the rice krispie cake tasted very stale. So I had to lose my 5th star. But I'll definitely go to the restaurant for more. -
Review from Pete H.
Chicago, IL
12/21/2010
It was approaching dinner on Saturday when my wife's sister, visiting from Ohio, mentioned she could really go for a nice Italian meal. As always, I assumed the roll of Super Host and searched for my best can of Chef Boyardee. I felt bad serving the dented can of ravioli that expired 4 years ago and couldn't bring myself to opening the Beefaroni with the rusted, peeling label. So I reached for the most delicious and authentic Italian I know of: a newly purchased can of Cheesy Nacho Rotini.
Long story and awkward moment short, after the tears dried, we found ourselves at Filippo's chowing down on some seriously tasty vittles. The insalata ignorante is very basic, but fresh and a nice palate cleanser. The mussels in white wine sauce are stellar--make sure to ask for extra bread to soak up the drippin's. Our entrees, the crab risotto and rigatoni con bracioline practically gave me a full-on buongiorno.
For dessert: HOMEMADE tiramisu!! The real deal! Yep, that even sums the experience... the real deal. -
Review from Alison T.
Chicago, IL
6/10/2011
I stopped by here on a weeknight to pick up some pasta and salad for my boyfriend and I. I hadn't ordered beforehand, so I had to wait about 15 minutes or so... Filippe (not to be confused with Filippo) introduced himself, asked if I'd be before, etc. SO nice. And while I was waiting at the bar, brought me over a glass of wine! On the house!
I basically picked a pasta dish and customized it, which was no problem for them. Everything was so fresh and delicious! Italian is everywhere in the city, so quality ingredients, good prices, and great service are so important... and Filippo's has it all! We will definitely be back! =) -
Review from Sarah E.
9/13/2010 2 Check-ins Here
It isn't in my cosmic destiny to stumble upon a restaurant I have never heard of or seen, and find it to be the most exquisite Italian food I have had since moving to Chicago. My life seems to be ruled more by Murphy's Law. My keys are in the last place I look for them, my bread will inevitably fall and land butter-side down, etc. So when out for a nice little date night on Saturday we see this Italian ristorante I was full of worry and thoughts of Lean Cuisine-style pasta.
At 9 p.m. on Saturday night this place was poppin'! However we were still immediately seated and brought the most delicious focaccia bread and garlic-y EVOO with roasted shavings of eggplant. That was gone in minutes. Maybe seconds. The menu features more true to real Italian cooking that I've seen in many places, including five options of risotto and several seafood dishes. Everything was just mouth-watering. Black fettuccine with mussels and generous portions of grilled calamari, risotto in a light red sauce with ham and spring veggies, we couldn't stop eating! The risotto could have cooked a few minutes more, and some of the mussels were a bit sandy. But overall the experience was fantastic. I wish we could have stayed for coffee and dessert. It's the kind of place you feel comfortable relaxing in and taking your time. The prices were also very fair and the portions are massive.
But have no fear, little monsters (thanks Gaga), this wonderful evening was capped off by the most expensive nap I've ever taken in the form of The American at the Kerosotes Theatre. What happened George? Once again, Murphy's Law rules my fate.Listed in: Autumnal Harvests, Red Sauce
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Review from Neil O.
Chicago, IL
2/25/2011
I've eaten here three times, and waited until the third time before I wrote this review, just to make sure the first two times were not an aberration.
It's a strange thing, this Filippo's Ristorante. First the good. The entrees are absolutely fantastic. The sauces are delicious. The specials are numerous as well. Plus, there is an excellent selection of wines to go with your dinner. I have had three different types of pasta here and been pleased with each of them.
So for a place that takes such care that its entrees are "authentically Italian," why are the appetizers so clearly frozen, thawed and deep fried? The calamari here is an embarrassment. I was shocked. Absolutely shocked. I've worked in "authentic Italian" restaurants for years and I have never before seen such a disparity between the quality of the appetizer and the entree.
Also, for such a small place, the service leaves a lot to be desired. Twice I have been here on a slow Sunday night and waited nearly an hour to eat. I am not an unreasonable diner, and totally understand that the occasional mishap will happen in a kitchen, but to not even be offered a complementary glass of wine is unforgivable.
So one star for the entrees, one star for the specials, one star for the wine selection. If you don't have the time to drive to Little Italy and want some mouth-watering ravioli, then Filippo's is definitely worth a visit, but not a return visit. -
Review from Debbie F.
Chicago, IL
5/8/2011
Fresh, fresh, fresh food. Great variety (Estimating 12 appetizers, 24 pasta dishes). Service: Okay, nothing impressive.
Would come back here if it were a little cheaper. -
Review from Ricky B.
Chicago, IL
5/2/2011
While the food was good, I feel it was a little over-priced, I had the stuffed pork tenderloin. It was the special of the evening. Really the only thing special was the look on my face when I saw the price.
Probably will not return but others may feel the price was decent. -
Review from Winifred b.
Chicago, IL
11/12/2011
The hubby and I went nice quaint and small place. The hubby had the salmon which was okay, but we like ours more on the seared side. I ordered the Risotto Con Pol pa Di Granchi .....Italian rice with fresh crab meat and crab legs in a delicate tomato sauce Can any one say AWESOME and will order again, will make another trip just for this dish. It was perfectly seasoned (as I would do it) The hubby talked this dish most of the evening. Large enough portions to have the next day .....and I did
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Review from Erin L.
Chicago, IL
8/9/2010
I am in love. With this restaurant. Yum.
We had some friends come in for dinner tonight and they asked my brother and I to pick a place. After asking my trusty restaurant recommender (Yelp, of course), I chose this place based on the 4.5 star avg. review. Good Italian food is not hard to find and it's probably one of my favorite kind of foods, so it's not hard to please me with Italian food.
This place, however, was impressive.
The restaurant is small and quaint and has a good casual atmosphere. The waitstaff was very nice and very on top of things. I agree with several reviewers -- my water glass was never less than half full. But by no means were they intrusive.
When you sit down they serve you bread and pizza bread and some amazing pickled olive oil (sounds weird but it was outstanding). Both were excellent starts to the meal and a sign of good things to come.
I ordered the Neapolitan-style lasagna. Wowza was it delicious. It was layers of noodles, lightly breaded eggplant, spinach, mushrooms, and cheese. It also had a tasty marinara sauce. This is, hands down, one of the best lasagnas I've ever tasted. You're not going to believe this, but I actually SAVED half my piece so that I could bring it home and experience it again tomorrow night!!!
My fellow diners were also more than pleased with their selections. Here's some more major points for Filippo's...one of the other diners couldn't choose between two entrees. When he asked the waiter for a recommendation the waiter told him he could have a half portion of each! Talk about accommodating. And they were very generous 1/2 portions. Also, when we got our food, you could tell it was hot and fresh.
One last important thing that contributes to my 5 star review...prices. The prices were very reasonable compared to some of the other Italian restaurants I've eaten at in the area. The portions were a good size and the ingredients were high-quality.
Hmmm....maybe I won't save that lasagna for tomorrow.... -
Review from Samantha M.
Chicago, IL
5/31/2011
So delicious and the service is excellent!
I have been here many times and each time, it is consistantly fantastic. My favorite is the meatless lasagna. It is seriously the BEST lasagna that I have ever had and the portions are so big, I get to have 2 meals out of it!
For the appetizers, I loved the portabella over spinach and the sauteed mushrooms. Both are very good and full of flavor. They also bring out an olive oil with an eggplant sauteed in a balsamic vinegar. SO GOOD! The bread is great too and they even bring out a tomato type of bread with it that is also very tasty.
My boyfriend always liked a chicken dish there and one day wanted to try a pasta dish. The waiter offered to make a 1/2 and 1/2 dish so that he could try both. Win, win! Now that is all that he gets every time that he goes.
Easy to make reservations, convenience of free parking on street, great service and food...they earned all 5 stars! -
Review from David C.
Chicago, IL
2/16/2011
I enjoyed my visit to this small spot. The place was packed on a Saturday night. Its a perfect spot to eat a meal prior of post movie... its across the street from Webster Place Theater.
We both had a pasta dish and they were both fantastic. Prices are reasonable and the food was wonderful. My dining partner has been there many times and he swears you can not go wrong with any dish.
Service was great.... I will be back... great place. -
Review from elvin y.
Chicago, IL
12/1/2010
What a little Italian gem! I wanted to eat everything on the menu! But a girl who is wearing tight jeans needs to check herself...so I did...sort of.
I will make this short and to the point.
-Good service
-House chianti is a great pair with the food
-The oil and sauteed eggplant they bring out at the start of the meal is amazing...and it's on the house
-HUUUUUGE fan of the rolled/fried eggplant dish in goat cheese
-Ordered the black linguini w/clams for my entree. It was savory, filling and delicious. It was a nice variation off the regular linguini.
-Must order dessert! We got the warm chocloate cake....it was gone in just a couple minutes. It's warm, gooey and has great sauce. -
Review from Andrew B.
Chicago, IL
10/28/2010
Amazing experience. Took visiting family here for dinner one night. Service took a little while to show up at our table, but I soon realized why. Manager personally highlighted all of the great items on the menu and introduced all of the nights specials that weren't listed. Easily spent 10 minutes at our table describing items and answering questions. You could tell this was her establishment and she took great pride in her restaurant!
Appetizers and food were sensational. Good, fresh Italian food. However, the real magic was the dessert. Do NOT skip dessert here. If you are stuffed, take one to go. I have tried the tiramisu, chocolate fudge unleavened cake and the carrot cake. All were incredible.
Reasonably priced as well! -
Review from Nick M.
6/22/2009 3 photos
I don't know if I should write this review... I don't want anyone to know about the best Italian in the city!! So go ahead, read this, FUC it, and then forget about it!!
I must express that I've had Italian all over the U.S. and nothing even comes close to the perfection that is Filippo's. They blow you mind with every dish. The service is nice, help when you need it and then leave you alone to enjoy your meal and company. The atmosphere and design is cozy and romantic... the perfect place for date night. But on to more important things...
The food...
Sounds kind of silly but their bread and oil gets 5 stars alone, sweet, tangy, and very light. I love my oils but this is like nothing I've ever had, pure heaven. If I won't have been looked at funny I would have drank it.
CALAMARI FRITTI
with marinara sauce. I had the perfect crunch to the breading, fresh calamari, and it had a smokiness taste from this powdered black pepper... excellent!
INSALATA IGNORANTE
Tomato, cucumber, basil, fresh mozzarella, olives and artichoke tossed in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Fresh, perfect temperature, and gone in no time!!
FETTUCCINE GIORGIONE
In a light tomato sauce with sauteed chicken breast, broccoli and blue cheese. It's crazy, I'm not a fan of blue cheese but it gives this dish an amazing creamy taste but not overpowering. Each bite was finished with a "wow" being said by all.
POLLO VALDOSTANA
Lightly breaded chicken breast sauteed in a garlic white wine sauce topped with prosciutto and smoked mozzarella. (Minus the prosciutto this time). My least favorite of all the dishes but still fantastic, the smoked cheese was a great compliment to the tender chicken.
What I really enjoyed about Filippo's was when you left you didn't have garlic coming out of your pores or feel blotted from heavy food. Everything we had was light but filled us just enough so not to regret it later. The other thing was that there were three of us and we still had leftovers. Without liquor the bill we shock you, but in a good way. Great price for the food, but they will get you on the drinks!
OK now you have read my review, FUC it and never think about this place again!Listed in: Q: The Mario Bros only eat…
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Review from Michael H.
Seattle, WA
9/16/2011
I like this place. Sounds generic, but it's true. The fried calamari is fantastic and the pasta and meats are delicious. The tiramasu is great too. The people who work here are always friendly too.
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Review from Jenna S.
Chicago, IL
12/27/2009
Clearly I missed out on all the "authentic" Italian cuisine when we visited Italy because I've never really had anything here that is like anything I had there. However, I can't deny how delicious the food was at Filippo's. The restaurant is located in a great spot right across from the Kerasotes theater, so you can have a good meal before you see a late show.
We started our meals with a nice glass of the house wine (I had the red and my boyfriend had the white) and we both really enjoyed the selections. We usually never drink enough to get a bottle, so I can't say what the prices/selection was like, but they seemed to have quite a large menu.
I tried the Rigatone con Bracioline and it was very yummy. I liked the idea of roast beef and raisins mixed together, and it made for a good flavor combination. However, I was disappointed with the slices of beef - they were kind of rolled up and a little dry, so it made the entire dish a bit difficult to eat. There also wasn't as much sweet from the raisin as I had expected, so it didn't offset the tomato sauce as much as I thought it would. The dish was still good, but it definitely had the potential to be a lot better and that was disappointing.
My boyfriend chose the Nodino di Vitello, which is a breaded veal chop. Since he absolutely loves veal and anything related to it, he thought the dish was fanstastic, especially with the wine. We decided to skip dessert since we were going to a movie across the street, but the selections on the menu looked great.
Filippo's is a pretty small place, but it wasn't that busy when we arrived around 7 p.m. on a Saturday night. Some of the tables were full and they are able to accommodate large-ish groups, so come a bit early if you're going to bring five or more people. The restaurant wasn't too loud or bright, which is always nice for me since I hate extremes in both of those areas. It was pretty romantic, so a good spot for a date, but be prepared to sit quite close to other diners once the place fills up. Very rustic feel inside and the decor was très Italian, fitting in with the authentic feel the restaurant is trying to accomplish.
