- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Il Vicinato Ristorante
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
2435 S Western AveChicago, IL 60608
Neighbourhood: Pilsen
(773) 927-5444
- Nearest Transit:
-
Western-cermak (Pink Line)
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
Jonathan T. said: "I still haven't been here for dinner, but it's my favorite brunch in the city. The food is great and for $20 you get an entree with bottomless mimosas, bellinis and kir royales. The service is excellent and they never rush you out of…" read more »
33 reviews for Il Vicinato Ristorante
Review Highlights
-
"The Homemade Ravioli." In 4 reviews -
"Best pasta I've ever had." In 3 reviews -
"...was perfectly cooked, and the meat sauce was delicious." In 4 reviews
Loading...
33 reviews in English
-
Review from Victoria O.
Chicago, IL
2/26/2012
Excellent restaurant! The food was great and service was outstanding! Made reservations for a Saturday night (highly recommended!), but it was packed, so we didnt get seated until maybe a half an hour later. It was ok though because they gave us a free glass of wine while we waited. The escargot was the best I ever had! My new York strip was so tender and full of seasoning, delicious! I can go on and on, but I won't..lol...This place is definitely a must to go to!
-
Review from SoxSide Mike R.
Chicago, IL
5/13/2012
This was my first visit to Il Vicinato, but it came highly recommended from some friends.
I went on a Friday night with my mom, I made reservations thru Open Table, but we didn't need them since it was still pretty empty when we arrived at 7pm.
We were greeted and seated very quickly. The waiter that first came by was quick to check on us for our wine selection, but failed to tell us about the specials for the evening. Since their specials board is up on the wall near the ceiling, we didn't even notice it until our waitress was taking our order. We started with the minestrone soup which was delicious, then we had the bruschetta, GREAT! As mentioned by other Yelpers, the girl who brought out our bread and water was completely stone faced and looked as if she hated to be there..... That being said, I had the veal ravioli, which tasted fantastic, my mom had the half and half spaghetti and veal ravioli, she loved it.
Now we get to dessert, our waitress highly recommended the Homemade Tiramisu, which was absolutely fantastic!!!! Delicious, creamy, but not overwhelmingly sweet.
Overall, nice atmosphere, but can get noisy; great waitstaff, very attentive and pleasant; fantastic food, and all for a good price.
I will be back to work my way thru their menu! -
Review from Cesar M.
5/3/2012 1 photo
Simple and nice.
I was there on a rainy Tuesday evening. My friend and I were craving cheese and bread so I jumped to yelp and did a quick search.
Italian of course. Closest to where we where driving by???? Il Vicinato. So we pulled over, parked and in we go.
The place is simple, yet very nice.
The service is nice, yet not readily available.
Tables were readily available since they were only 4 other parties.
We had: bruschetta, soup, eggplant parmegiana, and gnocchi with gorgonzola cheese sauce. The bruschetta was really good and the eggplant was super good. perfectly coated and moist. And I found out that gorgonzola is not for everyone. The bread was good bread, but extremely cold.
It was a decent dinner -
Review from Stephanie M.
Chicago, IL
4/15/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Great food. I mean, really great.
I had homemade ravioli with cheese and mushrooms and it was perfect.
My friend had the veal ravioli and said it was literally the best she had ever had. That's saying something.
We had great wine and coffee and dessert was delicious. The cannoli was excellent and the bananas foster was pretty good.
Service was a bit slow- but as long as you are not in a hurry and don't mind lingering over the meal, I don't think it will be a big problem. -
Review from Susan R.
Wheaton, IL
5/26/2012
Want an delicious, authentic old world italian meal that will meet every expectation? You must go to Il Vincinato's. The drinks are well made and the wine was nice too. We love the pizza bread and fried zucchini appetizers. The service was great, it wasn't that busy and we were able to have a nice leisurely meal without being rushed. We ordered the homemade veal ravioli with meat sauce. Soooo good! This is a neighborhood place that has not changed for 25 years. Oh, don't forget to leave room for a cannoli or the tiramisu, we ordered both, best cannoli I've ever had. We enjoyed an excellent meal at Il Vincianto's.
-
Review from Peter V.
Chicago, IL
3/3/2012
Il Vicinato is great. My girlfriend and I were craving a hearty Italian meal, and just jumped onto OpenTable to find something new. It's directly across the street from Working Bikes, in Pilsen. We went on a Saturday night, and I was thankful that we had reservations - it was packed! Despite this, we were seated within five minutes in a nice cozy table.
The food was very good. We started off with some fried zucchini, which was good but probably would have been better had it been served with some kind of marinara sauce. For our main dishes, I had the eggplant parmesan, which was great - not breaded and fried, but rather I think it was baked just simply with the skin taken off, and then swimming in a tomato sauce with mozzarella cheese. It was really flavorful and a huge portion - I took home a good amount of it. My girlfriend ordered ravioli with a meatball on top, and it was also gigantic.
The only drawback was the service, as others have mentioned. Our waiter seemed really preoccupied, and it was tough (impossible?) to get his attention. Luckily the restaurant takes a "group service" approach and we were served by a number of different employees, some of whom took care of refilling water glasses, others who brought food, others who took our dessert order, etc.
The prices are surprisingly reasonable - $50 including tax and tip for dinner for two. -
Review from Mehak S.
Chicago, IL
5/7/2012
I came here with a friend for lunch. First things first- while this restaurant is in a random location, let's remember the pluses. Parking was very easy and I didn't bother with a reservation.
My girlfriend and I started with a plate of calamari for our appetizer. It wasn't on the menu, but the waiter was nice enough to let us know that the kitchen could whip up pretty much anything off the dinner appetizer menu. While waiting for that to come out, we gorged ourselves on the bread and olive oil, which was very fresh and tasty. The calamari was good, not the best I've ever had because it was a little oily, but good nonetheless.
For our entrees, I ordered the cheese ravioli and my girlfriend ordered the "half and half"- half spaghetti and half veal ravioli. I enjoyed my dish. The sauce was incredible and had a smoky flavor I have never encountered in a tomato sauce. The pasta was cooked perfectly. My girlfriend said her veal ravioli was delicious, but admitted the spaghetti could have been cooked a little more.
For dessert, I continued binging and ordered a cannoli. I was incredibly disappointed. It was so hard I couldn't break it with a fork! My teeth hurt after awhile because of the effort it took to gnaw through the thing so I just gave up.
I'll forgive the cannoli debacle because of the excellent pasta and the incredibly nice and accomodating waitstaff. I would definitely come back to try more dishes to meet my italian food fix. -
Review from Matt M.
Chicago, IL
11/16/2011
Il Vicinato was an extremely charming restaurant. The service was spot on, very knowledgeable of the wine list, and extremely friendly. The appetizers and entrees were perfectly made, pleased our table entirely. The dining room was very full, and lively, we had to make reservations for a Saturday night.
The only drawback is that it's a bit far if you live downtown or on the north side, but well worth the trip!
Highly recommend Il Vicinato, great for group dinners or date night! -
Review from Chuck E.
Coupeville, WA
11/15/2011
Quite simply, the best Italian restaurant in America. At least that I've eaten at, and I'm trying to get to as many as I can before I head to that big Cardiology Clinic in the Sky. The Homemade Ravioli? Delivered straight from Heaven on the wings of Angels. The shrimp appetizer. The sausages & peppers. Any of the daily special meat dishes, and more of the fish dishes. Skip the vegetables, they're sometimes overcooked, but you can eat veggies at home. Don't know about their desserts, never had room. Heaven......with a wine list.
-
Review from Cyp H.
Oak Park, IL
12/14/2011
Horrible Service.
-
Review from Lauren K.
Chicago, IL
11/12/2011
We had the prosciutto and fruit, delicious homemade meat ravioli (they were the size of pierogi and very filling), and a tasty bananas foster for dessert. We never felt rushed and our waiter was very attentive and courteous. The place was also very busy which is always a good sign. We'll be back!
-
Review from Nancy M.
Chicago, IL
9/25/2011
I worked at this joint when I was High School and I must say the food is superb. The chef is so passionate about his food..this place is always packed...I love the food here. :)
-
Review from Carolynne M.
Chicago, IL
3/31/2010
From a rather nondescript exterior comes the most wonderful and amazing Italian food. I couldn't believe the diversity of the menu, the beautiful presentation, or the efficient and impeccable manner of the staff from this rather small restaurant. I took my mother here for her birthday, and having never been here before was a little concerned. She takes her Italian cuisine very seriously. But it worked out fantastic all around. I had a salad and the grilled octopus appetizer (which was much larger than expected). The octopus was prepared excellently, with just a tiny drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette. My mother ordered the ravioli (there are both meat and veg options). You could tell they were handmade, in a wonderful, rich sauce and giant meatballs that were the size of lemons.
I don't get to this neighborhood very often but I know from now on any time I am there this will be my go-to place.Listed in: Thats-A Spicy Meatball, South SOOOOIIIIIIDE!!!!
-
Review from Bob D.
Chicago, IL
6/17/2010
Hell yeah, just what the doctor ordered after my three day Little Italy walking tour.
After two very disappointing meals i have found a spot.
Tasteful decor-check
out door seating-check
good bread and EVOO-check
Smiling service-check
Decent reasonably priced wines-check
Now for the food.....................
We started with some very fresh very nice oysters, nothing crazy, just a squirt of lemon. They were nice and at $6.50
Then I asked the waitress to decide between a couple of shrimp dishes for me, she chose the shrimp arancini. It was delicious, 6 big shrimp in a sauce of orange, white wine, tomato parsley and garlic it was excellent.
I tried a side of sausage, it came smothered in meat sauce, at first I was a little beside myself, but the meat sauce was decadent. It had an intensely roasted flavor, there are many ways to make this sauce and I have never had it this aggressive. I was quite glad I had the opportunity. The next time it is ten below I will come and get a simple dish of spaghetti in meat sauce. As for the sausage, it was the real deal, rich, complex, a touch salty but balanced with sweet fennel and garlic. The texture was a little harder than the commercial grades and the thickness was smaller. A very fine sausage indeed.
We had to try the famous gnocchi in Gorgonzola sauce, you better love Gorgonzola because kaboom! This is an atomic bomb o Gorgonzola. More than I could ever dream of splitting with another. Maybe order this to share around a big table.
I have no complaints. I really enjoyed the food and the overall dining experience, can't wait to go back. -
Review from erik d.
Chicago, IL
10/30/2007
droooool. I love this place. Parking's super easy, just pull up behind one of the White Escalades / Mercedes and NOBODY will touch your car. Yeah, it's kinda like that.
There is only one item on the menu you need to know about. it's some of the best that I've ever had, and it's not even prominently placed on the menu... simply listed as "homemade ravioli" - $10, it's some of the best damned veal ravioli I've ever had. ever.
service has always been good when I've been there, and it's very reasonably priced. 4 people can get out of there for about $100 or so unless you go crazy with the boozeahol. -
Review from Colleen A.
Chicago, IL
10/27/2009
I will agree with what others have said: The homemade ravioli is to die for. Best pasta I've ever had. You can tell it is as fresh as can be.
This is a cute little restaurant - very authentic. Parking is easy; staff is friendly and not over-bearing. Prices are reasonable, especially for the quality. They are also part of http://restaurant.com so you can get a gift certificate at a cheaper price and go all out. I will come back again and again - but I don't know if I'll be able to order anything except the ravioli! -
Review from Tim O.
Chicago, IL
6/2/2010
Il Vicinato is my favorite southen Italian cuisine restaurant in Chicago!
Hand made ravioli is hard to find anywhere these days, and it is exquisite at Vicinato. Reasonably priced all the basics are 17-19$, specials are slightly higher.
Chef Jim is an outstanding master at meat sauces...his process is tedious and time consuming but it is the old fashioned way to create a great meat sauce. If you prefer fish, his lake perch is divine, lightly battered and pan fried with a touch of peccorino romano and garlic.
Lake superior white fish is also fresh and prepared without breading to a delicous tenderness.
Start with the anti-pasta house salad, its filled with five meats and five cheese and serve with italian dressing....astounding!
I recommend any and all basic his Italian recipes: Eggplant Parmesian, Chicken Marsala, Spaghetti, Ravioli. The veal is tender and amazing ...best recipe is Veal Parmisiana and the Tortellinni with sage cream sauce. Be prepared for lots of oil and butter...this is not a health concious menu. Il Vicinato is the best of all the nearby southside Italian village restaurants! -
Review from J A.
Newark, IL
1/13/2012
This is one of my all time favorite restaurants ever! The wait staff is super attentive and friendly. I would highly recommend the antipasto salad to start off -- the meats, cheeses, and especially the dressing, are as good as it gets. As for a main dish, everything is good, but nothing beats the homemade ravioli. Do yourself a favor and go here!
-
Review from Frank T.
Chicago, IL
12/27/2011
Food was fantastic and the service was warm and attentive. I loved the charm of the place. Dim lighting, old school ambiance -- complete with those old Butler Call buttons on the walls (They're not functional.) My wife and I had an appetizer, entrees, a glass of wine apiece, and dessert for 90 bucks including tip. The portions were giant, so she took more than half of hers home. We're planning to go back next month to try other dishes.
-
Review from M. M.
Chicago, IL
4/20/2011
Best Pasta Ever!!!
-
Review from Kevin B.
Chicago, IL
9/13/2011
Finally found my favorite Italian place in Chicago! Best pasta I've had in a very long time. I had the crab/lobster ravioli, which was perfectly cooked. My girlfriend had this chicken inverno, which was a chicken breast with this artichoke/garlic cream sauce...the sauce was the best thing that has ever entered my mouth! We left there in a food coma. We will be coming back here!
-
Review from robert m.
Chicago, IL
11/7/2011 Seated via OpenTable
This restaurant is a throwback to the Italian restaurants that thrived in Chicago thirty years ago, before the chains like Rosebud and Francesca's took over the scene. The room is the same as it was twenty years ago, right down to the call buttons on the walls. Everything is homemade to order, so be prepared to wait for your food. We had Chicken Vesuvio, Eggplant Parmesan, and Fettucine Carbonara. Entrees came with house salad. Everyone loved the food and we all thought it was a great find. I gave it five stars because I think it's a great neighborhood place, with very good food at low prices. This is not sophisticated gourmet Italian food like Spiaggia or Coco Pazzo, but I loved it for what it is and will definitely return.
-
Review from Andy M.
3/31/2010
If I had to use one word to describe Vicinato Ristorante, it would be amazing. There is a beautiful bar area in the front and dinner seating in the back. It looks like a place you would find in little Italy in New York City or the North End in Boston. The interior both Cozy and Classy.
My Chicken Parmesan entree was delicious. I have been to places that just butcher this dish. It's either overcooked and Hard as a Hockey Puck, or undercooked which gives it the texture of Goulash. The portions were huge and the Chicken was cooked to perfection. It was crispy on the outside, moist and tender on the inside. The side order of Spaghetti and Meat sauce was a meal in itself. The Pasta was perfectly cooked, and the meat sauce was delicious.
I'm a hard core Northsider, but the next time I'm in the mood to get my Italian Grub on, I'm making a road trip to the South Side. The food at Vicinato Ristorante was delicious, and the service was top notch. I enjoyed every tasty morsel. -
Review from Gerry H.
5/18/2010
I always visit this restaurant with some guys that grew up in the hood, and are intimates of the owner and wait staff, so I suspect that we receive VIP treatment. It's hard to describe this place. It's cozy, but certainly nothing fancy. The bar area is nice but by today's standards, unremarkable, and the bathroom needs to be remodeled. However, and this is a monumental however, the food is breathtaking. The Pasta Shuta(sp) is absolutely to die for. The Chicken Vesuvio is sublime, and the salad is perhaps the best I've had. In fact, everything that I've tried has been perhaps the best I've had. The prices are pricey, so be prepared
-
Review from Kim H.
Chicago, IL
8/7/2010
Just ate at ilVincinatos. It really looked promising, old school and all. We ordered an appetizer from the specials board and found out they really didn't have any of what we ordered. Then ordered the special pasta, shells with sausage and peas in a cream tomato sauce. Well, the dish came out luke warm and upon tasting, the sausage went mush in my mouth, it was RAW!! That was awful. Sent it back, and the sausage was still not cooked all the way, and the pasta was chewy, not al dente, really stick to your teeth chewy. Don't bother ot was really gross.
-
Review from Tammy M.
Chicago, IL
12/28/2010
Our favorite Italian in the city. Love the old favorites that stay on the menu and the new specials. Servers have been there forever so feels very homey when you come in. Owners are cordial and remember their regulars. I have been going there for over 15 years and have never been disappointed. Be sure to check out the annual wine dinner. Took a group of Vicinato novices this year and we had a wonderful experience. We are a family of foodies and this is a gem.
-
Review from Shawn L.
Crown Point, IN
9/20/2007
Great food. Sometimes lousy service. I've been here several times over the last few years as my father knows the owner. The food has been consistently excellent, every time I've been. On the other hand, the service can REALLY suck. I took a friend about six months ago and we didn't leave a tip. And we ALWAYS leave a 20% tip, minimum. It was that bad. The waitress had a major attitude and was VERY rude and short with us (she's probably been waitressing for 30 years and should rethink her career), and the busgirl was, well, dumb as a post and kept bringing us the wrong things (at least she was nice...and pretty). I'm still going back for the food, but I'd seriously consider asking for another server next time.
-
Review from Arjun C.
Chicago, IL
10/6/2007
Great food -- old school, quality, large portions. Whether it's the tortellini, gnochhi, ravioli, chicken marsala, or whatever, I enjoyed my first jaunt into the "Heart of Chicago" area.The waitress definitely has an attitude, but I actually found her to be helpful in a strange way. Came away generally satisfied.
-
Review from luke f.
Lombard, IL
5/30/2008
i have been to italy and have dined at alot of italian reastaurants and this is by far one of the best. im going there tonight and wanted to share how good this place is. the inside is nothing special but the sause stains the dishes its that authentic. the chef / owner from luca italy is usually there hanging out so after the meal on the way out say hello. chkn parm was awesome and a rigatoni lugi was good to...
-
Review from bob s.
Chicago, IL
11/14/2008
Fits in perfect with this great area around 24th and Oakley/Western. The homemade ravioli is amazing, and the chicken parm was chicken overkill. Put aside your unpleasant 40yr lifer wait staff, and enjoy the great food Il Vicinato has to offer. I'd still prefer Bacchanalia, but this place is very much worth a shot. The breaded zucchini is great too.
-
Review from Y M.
Chicago, IL
9/10/2009
Like some of the people mentioned ravioli is great. I love it. I liked the meatballs alot too but the meat sauce on ravioli has alot of meat already so it's up to you if you need more. its a very very meaty delicious sauce. big portion, I packed like half my entree to go but I am small so it's def. a meal to feel a big man too.
-
Review from Eddie U.
Chicago, IL
5/11/2010
I was not sure what to expect at this eatery. I was very pleased with their service, menu and very nice looking 1920/30s environment. It transported me to old Chicago. Now, the food menu: these people know their veal. My boyfriend had this awesome place. it was a total pleasure watching him enjoy that meal. I had the wheat pasta and shrimp with veggies. I loved it and wish I could eat some more now. If you are in the area, I would definitely say -- go for it and enjoy!
-
Review from Pamela W.
Chicago, IL
6/11/2010
I didn't think the food was worth the price. The salad dressing had little flavor and was very oily. I was especially frustrated by some contradictions in the menu; it specifically said "Entrees include soup or salad and a potato or spaghetti." My husband and I ordered entrees off the 'specials' board. I asked my server if they were all entrees, and he said yes. But neither of our meals came with the potato/pasta side. When I asked his only explanation was that the dishes we had ordered didn't count, they were just exceptions. Well, I ordered my meal based on the information listed on the menu; if that information doesn't apply to the dish I ordered I should be told when I order, or they should make it up to me after I order because they didn't inform me. Especially if I complain.
I ordered pasta with shrimp and asparagus. It was mediocre. My husband ordered some kind of fish with vegetables and some kind of cornbread. I didn't like it at all, it was just a really strong smelly fish flavor. He said he liked the fish well enough, but wasn't impressed and didn't like the cornbread at all.
I felt crowded, it was a bit too loud and close to be very romantic.
