Get a reservation, this place gets crowded.Finally a good Italian restaurant in Ooltewah. Every dish my family ordered met expectations. One observation though, the focaccia served in the beggining was a little dry.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Mushroom Ravioli
Ipes
First time I've ever visited IL Primo and it was excellent! I'm Gluten & Dairy Free, and they were able to accommodate to me better than I expected. The food is more than most others in the Chattanooga area, but when you find a good place that knows how to cook high caliber food, the pricing makes sense. I will be returning again soon.
I can only remember going to one Italian restaurant better than this one. It was in the Italian neighborhood of Chicago. The food was amazing. The staff were very friendly. The pork scallopini was terrific. Thank you!
Our 3rd time here. All 3 visits couldn't have been better.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
MikeS
Overall was disappointed after reading all the great reviews on Trip Advisor etc. The first two courses were excellent (calamari, soup and salads) Entrees were average at best, my daughter's scallop dish the rice was borderline spoiled, the spinach pasta was odd in the lasagna dish's. Desserts just didn't have great flavors. When plates were delivered they were almost thrown on the table. To expensive for an average dining experience.
Morgan Eddy
Always amazing service and food!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Brian Scott
Maybe the best Italian food I've ever eaten. Great experience. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: House Made Focaccia for 2, Lobster Bisque, Mushroom Ravioli
JamesBurris
We went for the Tuesday night special. Lobster in a creamy sauce with pasta. It was amazing as always. The seasonal beet salad is a truly tasty treat. TJ is an amazing server as always. Amanda and Cody are super bar tenders and the Blood Orange Old Fashion was very enjoyable.
KimC
This is one of our neighborhood favorite. It's changed some over the years, with new management & servers. We typically have a good meal here. My only complaint is that it's an Italian restaurant AND NO BREAD was ever served to us, even after requesting it. In my mind, it should be a "given" that bread is served.
I dined here for Valentine's Day, and it was really nice! I had the 8oz Beef Filet and braised collard greens as a side. The food was delicious! Everyone at my table ordered the "Limoncello" cocktail, and I must say it's one of the best I've ever had. The staff was attentive and friendly as well. I definitely recommend Il Primo if you're looking for a great experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
ChrisB
Brisk service and delicious food. Server answered questions about the menu and helped one diner navigate a food allergy successfully. First time here and would be happy to go back!
JoeW
IMPORTANT: ask if there will be a party when you plan to dine. If so, go another time. I did not ask, and it was slow, slower, and slowest. When waitstaff and the general manager tell you that things will slow because of a party, don't make the reservation or just leave. Yes, things happen, especially in the restaurant business. I do try to be understanding. However, after being told multiple times about the party, I will longer accept the implication that I'm second best. The restaurant's short staff for a party is NOT MY PROBLEM! We alway looked forward to eating at the Ooltewah location. Even on this vist THE FOOD WAS EXCEPTIONAL! I normally would have rated all except ambience and noise level a 5. But tonight, the service was slow and terrible. We might have tolerated it but our waitress started avoiding us. She should have been even more attentive because it was slow, even if just to let us know she had not forgotten about us. As an example, I asked her for another beer. She "forgot" (?) and it took me two more requests with management to get that second beer. To be fair, the general manager did try to mitigate our displeasure, but at that point it was too late. Nevertheless, I asked to void the corkage fee for my wife's wine, which she did. She included two deserts with our take home containers, and said my name was flagged for her attention when we returned and she would notify staff of our visit. I would recomment Il Primo Cambridge to a friend, but with the caveat about a party.
LynneP
Food and service are consistently excellent. We loved Miles as our server , she was genuinely sweet and knowledgeable. The chicken mushroom soup was amazing and my red snapper delicious . Thank you for being consistent , we love coming here and bringing our out of town guests .
Bluegirl
We love IL Primo! We had a lovely dinner celebrating Valentine's Day one day early. The lasagna is the best I've ever eaten anywhere. Fresh and made from scratch! The appetizer of Baked Feta & Spicy Marinara is delicious! We always order this when we visit. BUT the big surprise was their special Beet & Arugula salad! I am not a beet fan, but this may have been one of the best salads I have ever had. Everything on this salad was exactly portioned correctly. We asked about it and the waiter said that beets are in season in February. If you get the chance and they still have it available, you got to try it! What a great experience dining at IL Primo!
Get a reservation, this place gets crowded.Finally a good Italian restaurant in Ooltewah. Every dish my family ordered met expectations. One observation though, the focaccia served in the beggining was a little dry.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Mushroom Ravioli
First time I've ever visited IL Primo and it was excellent! I'm Gluten & Dairy Free, and they were able to accommodate to me better than I expected. The food is more than most others in the Chattanooga area, but when you find a good place that knows how to cook high caliber food, the pricing makes sense. I will be returning again soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Get the lasagna! You will NOT be
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lasagna Bolognese Spinach Pasta, Mushroom Ravioli
I can only remember going to one Italian restaurant better than this one. It was in the Italian neighborhood of Chicago. The food was amazing. The staff were very friendly. The pork scallopini was terrific. Thank you!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Mushroom Ravioli, Pork Scallopini Capers & Butter
Our 3rd time here. All 3 visits couldn't have been better.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Overall was disappointed after reading all the great reviews on Trip Advisor etc. The first two courses were excellent (calamari, soup and salads) Entrees were average at best, my daughter's scallop dish the rice was borderline spoiled, the spinach pasta was odd in the lasagna dish's. Desserts just didn't have great flavors. When plates were delivered they were almost thrown on the table. To expensive for an average dining experience.
Always amazing service and food!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Maybe the best Italian food I've ever eaten. Great experience. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: House Made Focaccia for 2, Lobster Bisque, Mushroom Ravioli
We went for the Tuesday night special. Lobster in a creamy sauce with pasta. It was amazing as always. The seasonal beet salad is a truly tasty treat. TJ is an amazing server as always. Amanda and Cody are super bar tenders and the Blood Orange Old Fashion was very enjoyable.
This is one of our neighborhood favorite. It's changed some over the years, with new management & servers. We typically have a good meal here. My only complaint is that it's an Italian restaurant AND NO BREAD was ever served to us, even after requesting it. In my mind, it should be a "given" that bread is served.
Restaurantji Recommends
I dined here for Valentine's Day, and it was really nice! I had the 8oz Beef Filet and braised collard greens as a side. The food was delicious! Everyone at my table ordered the "Limoncello" cocktail, and I must say it's one of the best I've ever had. The staff was attentive and friendly as well. I definitely recommend Il Primo if you're looking for a great experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Brisk service and delicious food. Server answered questions about the menu and helped one diner navigate a food allergy successfully. First time here and would be happy to go back!
IMPORTANT: ask if there will be a party when you plan to dine. If so, go another time. I did not ask, and it was slow, slower, and slowest. When waitstaff and the general manager tell you that things will slow because of a party, don't make the reservation or just leave. Yes, things happen, especially in the restaurant business. I do try to be understanding. However, after being told multiple times about the party, I will longer accept the implication that I'm second best. The restaurant's short staff for a party is NOT MY PROBLEM! We alway looked forward to eating at the Ooltewah location. Even on this vist THE FOOD WAS EXCEPTIONAL! I normally would have rated all except ambience and noise level a 5. But tonight, the service was slow and terrible. We might have tolerated it but our waitress started avoiding us. She should have been even more attentive because it was slow, even if just to let us know she had not forgotten about us. As an example, I asked her for another beer. She "forgot" (?) and it took me two more requests with management to get that second beer. To be fair, the general manager did try to mitigate our displeasure, but at that point it was too late. Nevertheless, I asked to void the corkage fee for my wife's wine, which she did. She included two deserts with our take home containers, and said my name was flagged for her attention when we returned and she would notify staff of our visit. I would recomment Il Primo Cambridge to a friend, but with the caveat about a party.
Food and service are consistently excellent. We loved Miles as our server , she was genuinely sweet and knowledgeable. The chicken mushroom soup was amazing and my red snapper delicious . Thank you for being consistent , we love coming here and bringing our out of town guests .
We love IL Primo! We had a lovely dinner celebrating Valentine's Day one day early. The lasagna is the best I've ever eaten anywhere. Fresh and made from scratch! The appetizer of Baked Feta & Spicy Marinara is delicious! We always order this when we visit. BUT the big surprise was their special Beet & Arugula salad! I am not a beet fan, but this may have been one of the best salads I have ever had. Everything on this salad was exactly portioned correctly. We asked about it and the waiter said that beets are in season in February. If you get the chance and they still have it available, you got to try it! What a great experience dining at IL Primo!