The best Italian restaurant I have been to in Chicago! My girlfriend and I have been going here for the last year (a total of 20-30 times), the food and wine is absolutely amazing. I wish they weren't closing. I wish them success in their future endeavors and cannot wait to see the new restaurant. Grazie Mille Bruno!
Marlo M.
"Simple, clean, not fusion or confusion food," couldn't have said it any better than Chef Bruno Abate did this evening at our table. I am so sad that Tocco is closing in Wicker. But reopening up in Winnetka, so I guess I'll be making the drive! The experience takes you out of Chicago and brings you to Italy. The minute I walked in and heard the southern Italian accent come out of owner and chef Bruno's mouth, I knew it would be a great evening. The decor was chic, but the vibe was so casual. At one point, chef Bruno was shouting from the bar to our table, trying to convince us to change our drink order which we were happy we did. The massive projector screen played gorgeous videos of Italian landscapes and city centers.. so much nostalgia. We were given genuine suggestions when placing our order but everything sounded incredible. The burrata, tomatoes, olives and basil were incredibly fresh and flavorful. The pizza tasted just as I remember it tasting on a patio in Sorrento. I'll definitely be back... in Winnetka.
Angie Markese Koch
Bruno (the owner) is an excellent host and makes you feel at home! The food is fresh and the best Italian food I have had since my Grandma's. If Bruno recommends it I suggest you try it, you won't regret it!
Gary M.
Food was incredibly tasty. Crazy good calamari. And the torta chocolate out of this world.
C C.
Though it took some time to be greeted, we were finally seated with a warm welcome. Nice atmosphere, delicious pastas but smaller portions. Pizza was tasty but sauce was watery which made for a soggy crust. Would definitely return for pasta.
R A.
I usually love tocco, but this last visit was extremely disappointing. Our server was unattentive. I had to ask her about specials, she never mentioned them. She mentioned an appetizer special of octopus and we ended up ordering it. We didn't think to ask about price, but we've never paid more than $18 for an appetizer of octopus. Literally, a few pieces of octopus with a small piece of burrata. No sauce, no flavor. $26 on our bill! Our pizza was good but we were never offered parmesan or crushed peppers and our server was no where to be found. The restaurant was pretty empty and she was the only server. Our cocktails tasted like syrup. We had ordered the pomegranate martini. Needless to say we won't be back.
Will J.
I'm pretty shocked that the overwhelming majority are not enjoying Tocco as much as myself and the party I went with did. We went in on a Friday night at 7:30 for dinner, and it was half empty which was somewhat shocking. My big gripe with the restaurant was that when we walked in, there was no one to greet us and we just kind of stood around for about a minute before we were seated. However, we were seated by the very enthusiastic and inviting owner of the restaurant. He instantly apologized and made sure that we felt at home. For food, we ordered the gnocco fritto, pappardelle alla norcina, tortelli au tartufo, and prosciutto funghi pizza. Overall, the quality of the food is well deserving of a 5 star rating. Everything that we ate was excellent, except for the pizza. The pasta was perfectly cooked and the sauces that accompanied the pasta were simply to die for! The pizza is my only gripe on the food as it was relatively soggy, like it had been sitting out for a while even though the oven was right next to us (???). The quality of the pasta was well worth the trip, and honestly even return trip. I will say that the restaurant could use some better signage on Milwaukee in order to help flow of people. It is in a prime location, and I am just shocked that it could be as empty as it was. This pasta was as good as I have ever eaten, so I'm shocked that Tocco does not receive more love from the locale.
Colleen T.
Our group of 6 arrived for our reservation at 5:45pm and were seated immediately. Our server greeted us but did not explain the menu or drink selections despite us being one of the only groups in the restaurant. We informed our waitress that we had an event to make by 7:45pm and ordered our food by 6pm. We waited patiently for our food to arrive, but started wondering where it was after about 45 minutes had passed. We politely asked our waitress and she informed us that it took a while because one of us ordered the lasagna, but our food would be right out. It would have been nice to have been informed of this when ordering our food, that way we could have chosen a different item. Our food finally arrived at our table at 7pm, an hour after we ordered. Upon arrival, most of our food was luke-warm at best. Although it tasted good, it was very unfortunate that it was not hot. Additionally, our waitress did not pay much attention to our table overall. Our water glasses sat empty throughout most of our meal and our waitress only checked on us once after our food came. We also had to hunt our waitress down in order to get the check for the table. Although the overall ambiance of the restaurant is nice, the dinner experience was not very enjoyable. Unfortunately, at one point the restaurant got a little loud, as most places can, and the woman who sat us (seemed like she may have been an owner) actually shooshed all of the diners! It was an unbelievably uncomfortable and awkward experience. Overall, our experience was not what I expected and do not think I will be visiting this establishment again.
Julie S.
I've walked by this place many times and didn't think much of it. (You can probably relate.) My boyfriend and I ended up having dinner here Saturday night. When you walk inside, it's a lot bigger than expected, and I was surprised that it wasn't very busy. The host was Italian and friendly, but he might be the only authentic Italian that works here. There's also a cheesy (no pun intended) video of different Italian destinations playing on repeat on the back wall. The wine list is pretty big, but generally overpriced. They do have some nice Italian bottled water and quality bread though. We ordered the insalata di Bosco to share. The dressing was nice, but the mushrooms were bland and chewy. I had the spaghetti allo acogollo which was very tasty and a decent sized portion. My boyfriend was underwhelmed by his steak, which came with a few bites of the same salad on top. Overall, it was decent, but nothing special.
Amy S.
Homemade pasta at its best. Absolutely lovely portions, flavors and ambiance to create a perfect night out. Share a pizza as an appetizer. Truly amazing. I wish they were open for lunch.
Private event with the owner. What great fun! And the pairings of their food with wines was stellar!
Kevin Foster
The food and wines pairing are excellent. Bruno, the owner is a funny and engaging host. It's a hidden treasure.
Margaret B.
Great true Italian food, and even better in the summer when you can sit on the amazing patio. Drinks are great as well. Staff is very kind.
Kelry Kirschenmann
1st time experience was wonderful! Beautiful atmosphere, everything was presented in excellence, and of course Bruno was the highlight of his restaurant. This place is truly a gem!
Ann Raven
The pappardelle limone is to die for! I put the Calabrese chili pepper on most of the entrees. I do not eat meat except for fish and, still, there is always something wonderful for me to try. Yes, I think the pasta is the best I've ever had! The atmosphere is quiet enough for a conversation and Chef Bruno and his wait staff are informative and charming. Go to Tocco! You won't be sorry.
The best Italian restaurant I have been to in Chicago! My girlfriend and I have been going here for the last year (a total of 20-30 times), the food and wine is absolutely amazing. I wish they weren't closing. I wish them success in their future endeavors and cannot wait to see the new restaurant. Grazie Mille Bruno!
"Simple, clean, not fusion or confusion food," couldn't have said it any better than Chef Bruno Abate did this evening at our table. I am so sad that Tocco is closing in Wicker. But reopening up in Winnetka, so I guess I'll be making the drive! The experience takes you out of Chicago and brings you to Italy. The minute I walked in and heard the southern Italian accent come out of owner and chef Bruno's mouth, I knew it would be a great evening. The decor was chic, but the vibe was so casual. At one point, chef Bruno was shouting from the bar to our table, trying to convince us to change our drink order which we were happy we did. The massive projector screen played gorgeous videos of Italian landscapes and city centers.. so much nostalgia. We were given genuine suggestions when placing our order but everything sounded incredible. The burrata, tomatoes, olives and basil were incredibly fresh and flavorful. The pizza tasted just as I remember it tasting on a patio in Sorrento. I'll definitely be back... in Winnetka.
Bruno (the owner) is an excellent host and makes you feel at home! The food is fresh and the best Italian food I have had since my Grandma's. If Bruno recommends it I suggest you try it, you won't regret it!
Food was incredibly tasty. Crazy good calamari. And the torta chocolate out of this world.
Though it took some time to be greeted, we were finally seated with a warm welcome. Nice atmosphere, delicious pastas but smaller portions. Pizza was tasty but sauce was watery which made for a soggy crust. Would definitely return for pasta.
I usually love tocco, but this last visit was extremely disappointing. Our server was unattentive. I had to ask her about specials, she never mentioned them. She mentioned an appetizer special of octopus and we ended up ordering it. We didn't think to ask about price, but we've never paid more than $18 for an appetizer of octopus. Literally, a few pieces of octopus with a small piece of burrata. No sauce, no flavor. $26 on our bill! Our pizza was good but we were never offered parmesan or crushed peppers and our server was no where to be found. The restaurant was pretty empty and she was the only server. Our cocktails tasted like syrup. We had ordered the pomegranate martini. Needless to say we won't be back.
I'm pretty shocked that the overwhelming majority are not enjoying Tocco as much as myself and the party I went with did. We went in on a Friday night at 7:30 for dinner, and it was half empty which was somewhat shocking. My big gripe with the restaurant was that when we walked in, there was no one to greet us and we just kind of stood around for about a minute before we were seated. However, we were seated by the very enthusiastic and inviting owner of the restaurant. He instantly apologized and made sure that we felt at home. For food, we ordered the gnocco fritto, pappardelle alla norcina, tortelli au tartufo, and prosciutto funghi pizza. Overall, the quality of the food is well deserving of a 5 star rating. Everything that we ate was excellent, except for the pizza. The pasta was perfectly cooked and the sauces that accompanied the pasta were simply to die for! The pizza is my only gripe on the food as it was relatively soggy, like it had been sitting out for a while even though the oven was right next to us (???). The quality of the pasta was well worth the trip, and honestly even return trip. I will say that the restaurant could use some better signage on Milwaukee in order to help flow of people. It is in a prime location, and I am just shocked that it could be as empty as it was. This pasta was as good as I have ever eaten, so I'm shocked that Tocco does not receive more love from the locale.
Our group of 6 arrived for our reservation at 5:45pm and were seated immediately. Our server greeted us but did not explain the menu or drink selections despite us being one of the only groups in the restaurant. We informed our waitress that we had an event to make by 7:45pm and ordered our food by 6pm. We waited patiently for our food to arrive, but started wondering where it was after about 45 minutes had passed. We politely asked our waitress and she informed us that it took a while because one of us ordered the lasagna, but our food would be right out. It would have been nice to have been informed of this when ordering our food, that way we could have chosen a different item. Our food finally arrived at our table at 7pm, an hour after we ordered. Upon arrival, most of our food was luke-warm at best. Although it tasted good, it was very unfortunate that it was not hot. Additionally, our waitress did not pay much attention to our table overall. Our water glasses sat empty throughout most of our meal and our waitress only checked on us once after our food came. We also had to hunt our waitress down in order to get the check for the table. Although the overall ambiance of the restaurant is nice, the dinner experience was not very enjoyable. Unfortunately, at one point the restaurant got a little loud, as most places can, and the woman who sat us (seemed like she may have been an owner) actually shooshed all of the diners! It was an unbelievably uncomfortable and awkward experience. Overall, our experience was not what I expected and do not think I will be visiting this establishment again.
I've walked by this place many times and didn't think much of it. (You can probably relate.) My boyfriend and I ended up having dinner here Saturday night. When you walk inside, it's a lot bigger than expected, and I was surprised that it wasn't very busy. The host was Italian and friendly, but he might be the only authentic Italian that works here. There's also a cheesy (no pun intended) video of different Italian destinations playing on repeat on the back wall. The wine list is pretty big, but generally overpriced. They do have some nice Italian bottled water and quality bread though. We ordered the insalata di Bosco to share. The dressing was nice, but the mushrooms were bland and chewy. I had the spaghetti allo acogollo which was very tasty and a decent sized portion. My boyfriend was underwhelmed by his steak, which came with a few bites of the same salad on top. Overall, it was decent, but nothing special.
Homemade pasta at its best. Absolutely lovely portions, flavors and ambiance to create a perfect night out. Share a pizza as an appetizer. Truly amazing. I wish they were open for lunch.
Restaurantji Recommends
Private event with the owner. What great fun! And the pairings of their food with wines was stellar!
The food and wines pairing are excellent. Bruno, the owner is a funny and engaging host. It's a hidden treasure.
Great true Italian food, and even better in the summer when you can sit on the amazing patio. Drinks are great as well. Staff is very kind.
1st time experience was wonderful! Beautiful atmosphere, everything was presented in excellence, and of course Bruno was the highlight of his restaurant. This place is truly a gem!
The pappardelle limone is to die for! I put the Calabrese chili pepper on most of the entrees. I do not eat meat except for fish and, still, there is always something wonderful for me to try. Yes, I think the pasta is the best I've ever had! The atmosphere is quiet enough for a conversation and Chef Bruno and his wait staff are informative and charming. Go to Tocco! You won't be sorry.