What an amazing experience!Great ambience even though we didn’t get a table in the main dining area.. the nook that we got was cozy and warm. We ordered spicy vodka rigatoni and ricotta gnocchi.The vodka sauce was so flavorful that we wanted to lick the plate and the gnocchi was so heavenly soft that it melted in our mouths! We ended with cannoncini for dessert, which had a delicious cream filling and a crispy outside, with a top notch hot fudge. Overall, it was a fantastic experience and we would go there again as soon as we can!
Maybe our expectations were too high. Went to Bavettes, Travoli, and armitage ale house prior to trying Cicco Mio. I would recommend all of them HIGHLY over Ciccio. I've never been more disappointed in food before. It was below average. Flavorless. The best dish was a side, mushroom carbonara. Great service, A++, and the atmosphere was exactly what I was expecting. The food really sucks though... Buona Terra on Irving is head and shoulders better
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
Veronica
Loved everything about this place! The Pavlov for dessert was phenomenal!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
David Paul
Wanted to go to Bavettes but it was full. This place is fine. Absolutely fine. Not worth the price or wait if you don't have a reservation.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
Elaine Lee
I would highly recommend reservations because we saw so many people get turned away. The food was good and the drinks were even better. Pastas we’re cooked well. They have an old school espresso machine. I really appreciate the service which made the experience also feel intimate and comfortable. It is fairly dark in here but still very enjoyable.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sammi
We had a fantastic experience celebrating our anniversary here last night! Jessica was our server and she was incredible. She was very knowledgeable and her recommendations were spot on. There was nothing we tried that we didn’t like, including the drinks. Such a perfect intimate dinner and we’ll worth the wait for a reservation.
Blown away by the food and atmosphere. Make sure you have a reservation.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spicy Vodka Rigatoni
Valerie Beery
You have to request for Elizabeth as your server! She is so kind, knowledgeable, and makes the experience magical along with impeccable food. Truly the best restaurant in Chicago. Very romantic so it is the best place for a beautiful date night. Thank you for the amazing service and I'll be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Madison Ogden
The restaurant itself is really nice and very cozy. The service here however was average. It felt like we were forgotten about despite how small the restaurant is and the food was kind of average. It seemed like all the sauces were the same despite ordering a few different plates which was disappointing for the
The burrata was so good. I’m just confused why other peoples reviews they got meat & side of veggie toppings with their burrata & we didn’t. They gave us a walk in spot where you sit in the lobby/waiting area because reservations were booked - maybe you get a different treatment sitting there with food? But regardless we spent almost $200 on dinner, tip included, so we should be getting the same dinner. I thought the appetizer was so good, but the dinner was meh. We got the eggplant lasagna & spicy rigatoni. For the price point you can get the same dinner elsewhere for cheaper. The drinks were good though & the ambiance was worth it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
The Review
On 3 separate occasions I asked the restaurant to do a simple birthday recognition for my wife’s birthday just to make her feel a little special. After the third time asking with no response, they finally confirmed via text that they received my request. During dinner- nothing/crickets. I know this seems small but they definitely need to work on communication here. Our food, waiter and service were good but management didn’t seem to care when I mentioned it.
George Vlahopoulos
We loved our experience here tonight. The food, atmosphere, and especially the service was excellent. We didn't have a reservation but were lucky enough to get a stool in the lounge.Jessica, our server, was excellent. She was very knowledgeable, had great recommendations, and overall made this experience stand out over other Hogsalt visits.[Update: My partner says she would have voted Jessica's service 7/5 if possible. Great recommendations, spacing of the dish delivery was perfect, and we never felt rushed]We had the Spicy Vodka Rigatoni**, Pappardelle*, Chicken Parm, Vesuvian Potatoes, Toasted Almond Gelato*, and Panettone Bread Pudding* (seasonal). Everything was great but we especially liked the *. The spicy rigatoni is a must.We also really enjoyed the Old Fashioned and the Sardinian wine.
A very cute and cozy Italian restaurant. Reservations are hard to come by as this is a popular place with very limited seating, so plan in advance. Love the ambiance and decor. It’s dimly lit and romantic. The service and food was great. It’s not the best Italian cuisine in Chicago, but it’s definitely delicious and worth a visit.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jackie C.
Was able to get a seat in the entrance area as a walk in with my partner on a Thursday right at 5. There were no seats in the restaurant but found our two seats in the corner nook by the window cozy and warm! I absolutely loved the vibe of the room.Our server, Jessica, was absolutely amazing. She was warm, friendly, walked through the menu and spoke to everything so well. She timed our food perfectly and we never felt rushed - she was definitely a highlight of our experience!For drinks my partner had the old fashioned and I had the vesper. Between the two - the old fashioned was my favorite. They make an amazing old fashioned with walnut bitters. Onto the food, we were 2 people and got the spicy vodka rigatoni, pappardelle w/ prosciutto and peas, the chicken Parmesan, and the Vesuvio potato's. Save room for dessert because we also tried the toasted almond cookie gelato and the panettone bread pudding (seasonal). My favorites were the vodka rigatoni and the almond cookie gelato. The spicy vodka rigatoni sauce was so good and the noodles were like little boats for the sauce and some just burst with the sauce flavor - so good! Usually for dessert I like to get more than just ice cream/gelato so tried the bread pudding but the almond cookie gelato is now an exception for me because I'd have to get that every time now - it was so so good! Bread pudding was okay - it was huge portion which was great but a bit dense for me.The pappardelle was also amazing - the textures in it with the peas and salty prosciutto was divine. Chicken parmesan was good but nothing special and the Vesuvio potato's also were really good - had a good crunch but were very rich.Overall, I can't wait to come back here and try more things. I'm so excited to try more pasta and get that gelato again.Food: 5/5Service: 10/5Ambiance: 5/5Value: 5/5Overall: 5/5Must try: Spicy Vodka Rigatoni, Almond Cookie Gelato
What an amazing experience!Great ambience even though we didn’t get a table in the main dining area.. the nook that we got was cozy and warm. We ordered spicy vodka rigatoni and ricotta gnocchi.The vodka sauce was so flavorful that we wanted to lick the plate and the gnocchi was so heavenly soft that it melted in our mouths! We ended with cannoncini for dessert, which had a delicious cream filling and a crispy outside, with a top notch hot fudge. Overall, it was a fantastic experience and we would go there again as soon as we can!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spicy Vodka Rigatoni, Ricotta Gnocchi
Maybe our expectations were too high. Went to Bavettes, Travoli, and armitage ale house prior to trying Cicco Mio. I would recommend all of them HIGHLY over Ciccio. I've never been more disappointed in food before. It was below average. Flavorless. The best dish was a side, mushroom carbonara. Great service, A++, and the atmosphere was exactly what I was expecting. The food really sucks though... Buona Terra on Irving is head and shoulders better
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
Loved everything about this place! The Pavlov for dessert was phenomenal!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wanted to go to Bavettes but it was full. This place is fine. Absolutely fine. Not worth the price or wait if you don't have a reservation.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
I would highly recommend reservations because we saw so many people get turned away. The food was good and the drinks were even better. Pastas we’re cooked well. They have an old school espresso machine. I really appreciate the service which made the experience also feel intimate and comfortable. It is fairly dark in here but still very enjoyable.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We had a fantastic experience celebrating our anniversary here last night! Jessica was our server and she was incredible. She was very knowledgeable and her recommendations were spot on. There was nothing we tried that we didn’t like, including the drinks. Such a perfect intimate dinner and we’ll worth the wait for a reservation.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Meatballs, Lasagna Bolognese Rotolo, Rolled Lasagna, Spicy Vodka Rigatoni, Truffle Mozzarella Sticks, Cannoncini, Ricotta Gnocchi
Loved every bit of it! Went for our anniversary and was amazed at it all! Definitely would recommend to not leave without trying dessert!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gelato, Lasagna Bolognese Rotolo, Spicy Vodka Rigatoni
Blown away by the food and atmosphere. Make sure you have a reservation.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spicy Vodka Rigatoni
You have to request for Elizabeth as your server! She is so kind, knowledgeable, and makes the experience magical along with impeccable food. Truly the best restaurant in Chicago. Very romantic so it is the best place for a beautiful date night. Thank you for the amazing service and I'll be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The restaurant itself is really nice and very cozy. The service here however was average. It felt like we were forgotten about despite how small the restaurant is and the food was kind of average. It seemed like all the sauces were the same despite ordering a few different plates which was disappointing for the
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 1
Restaurantji Recommends
The burrata was so good. I’m just confused why other peoples reviews they got meat & side of veggie toppings with their burrata & we didn’t. They gave us a walk in spot where you sit in the lobby/waiting area because reservations were booked - maybe you get a different treatment sitting there with food? But regardless we spent almost $200 on dinner, tip included, so we should be getting the same dinner. I thought the appetizer was so good, but the dinner was meh. We got the eggplant lasagna & spicy rigatoni. For the price point you can get the same dinner elsewhere for cheaper. The drinks were good though & the ambiance was worth it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
On 3 separate occasions I asked the restaurant to do a simple birthday recognition for my wife’s birthday just to make her feel a little special. After the third time asking with no response, they finally confirmed via text that they received my request. During dinner- nothing/crickets. I know this seems small but they definitely need to work on communication here. Our food, waiter and service were good but management didn’t seem to care when I mentioned it.
We loved our experience here tonight. The food, atmosphere, and especially the service was excellent. We didn't have a reservation but were lucky enough to get a stool in the lounge.Jessica, our server, was excellent. She was very knowledgeable, had great recommendations, and overall made this experience stand out over other Hogsalt visits.[Update: My partner says she would have voted Jessica's service 7/5 if possible. Great recommendations, spacing of the dish delivery was perfect, and we never felt rushed]We had the Spicy Vodka Rigatoni**, Pappardelle*, Chicken Parm, Vesuvian Potatoes, Toasted Almond Gelato*, and Panettone Bread Pudding* (seasonal). Everything was great but we especially liked the *. The spicy rigatoni is a must.We also really enjoyed the Old Fashioned and the Sardinian wine.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gelato, Spicy Vodka Rigatoni, Chicken Parmesan, Bread Pudding
A very cute and cozy Italian restaurant. Reservations are hard to come by as this is a popular place with very limited seating, so plan in advance. Love the ambiance and decor. It’s dimly lit and romantic. The service and food was great. It’s not the best Italian cuisine in Chicago, but it’s definitely delicious and worth a visit.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Was able to get a seat in the entrance area as a walk in with my partner on a Thursday right at 5. There were no seats in the restaurant but found our two seats in the corner nook by the window cozy and warm! I absolutely loved the vibe of the room.Our server, Jessica, was absolutely amazing. She was warm, friendly, walked through the menu and spoke to everything so well. She timed our food perfectly and we never felt rushed - she was definitely a highlight of our experience!For drinks my partner had the old fashioned and I had the vesper. Between the two - the old fashioned was my favorite. They make an amazing old fashioned with walnut bitters. Onto the food, we were 2 people and got the spicy vodka rigatoni, pappardelle w/ prosciutto and peas, the chicken Parmesan, and the Vesuvio potato's. Save room for dessert because we also tried the toasted almond cookie gelato and the panettone bread pudding (seasonal). My favorites were the vodka rigatoni and the almond cookie gelato. The spicy vodka rigatoni sauce was so good and the noodles were like little boats for the sauce and some just burst with the sauce flavor - so good! Usually for dessert I like to get more than just ice cream/gelato so tried the bread pudding but the almond cookie gelato is now an exception for me because I'd have to get that every time now - it was so so good! Bread pudding was okay - it was huge portion which was great but a bit dense for me.The pappardelle was also amazing - the textures in it with the peas and salty prosciutto was divine. Chicken parmesan was good but nothing special and the Vesuvio potato's also were really good - had a good crunch but were very rich.Overall, I can't wait to come back here and try more things. I'm so excited to try more pasta and get that gelato again.Food: 5/5Service: 10/5Ambiance: 5/5Value: 5/5Overall: 5/5Must try: Spicy Vodka Rigatoni, Almond Cookie Gelato