Acanto Reviews

We walked in to this great restaurant by chance without a reservation. Our server Phillip was great, very nice, extremely polite and knowledgable. The food was simply incredible, the fresh Spaghetti with lobster was superb, we also ordered a Margherita Pizza, warm olives and Tiramisu. Best lunch I've had this year, loved the atmosphere too.

First class service, great wines, and comfortable ambiance, make thus a worthy pre-theater restaurant. Of the two entrees we had, one was great (the Veal) and one was too salty ( Pasta Vongole). The Tiramisu was perhaps the best we’ve ever had.

We visited based on a top 50 TripAdvisor ranking and walking distance from our hotel. I have to say it was just very average from drinks, food, and service. Many better Italian options in Chicago (sapori trattoria,etc) unless you just want the Michigan avenue convenience

After a delayed trip, we were in need of a good dinner. The restaurant looked like a true Italian and it was indeed. The food and the wine were delicious. Good advice and very helpful service with our family. Thank you!

My daughter and I were walking past this place one lunchtime, looking at various options and menus but were lured inside by the lovely helpful owner who was standing outside. It was an excellent choice - we had originally only wanted to get a drink but when we smelt and saw the delicious food that was emerging from the kitchen we were hooked, and both ordered the most fabulous rissotto I have ever tasted - it was exquisite. The wine too was absolutly excellent. This is not a cheap venue but they do say you get what you pay for and I can testify to this - the decor, service , food and drink - everything was wonderful.

We had lunch at Acanto before going to the Art Institute of the Chicago. The museum is a five minute walk from the restaurant. We arrived at 1130am on a weekday and we were immediately seated at a table of our choice. Acanto is well rated not only for the food but also for its extensive wine list. We agree with the bloggers! Their wine list is like a guidebook to Italian wines, classified not just by regions but down to the districts within the regions. As a finale, we had their Tiramisu and it was excellent.

We met a good friend here for lunch. It was quiet and easy for visiting. We ordered pizza for lunch to share, but it did not measure up. It’s a nice location, good surroundings and good bar and service. We ordered the wrong thing however. Maybe better next time...

Amazing service and superb food with a great elegant ambience. We shared the aranchini started and had the fillet mignon main, without a doubt one of the nicest meals we've had in Chigago .

Great atmosphere, even though they were busy my wife and I could still hold a conversation. They offer outdoor seating, however we dined inside. The staff was friendly and helpful with the menu and gave good recommendations. When a dish was finished they quickly removed the item and kept the table from feeling crowded, but Not in a hurry up and leave type of way. Hanna was our server and she was wonderful, informative, happy and gave great recommendations. The food was good, but not great. It just wasn’t anything I would recommend. Field green salad 4 out 5 Oysters 4/5 Meatball and pasta 3/5 Chicken piccata 3/5 Tiramisu 4/5

very nice wine bar, very good Italian food in gene set to many other pseudo Italian restaurants. Very friendly staff.

Overall is definitely a five. We had good service and relatively good turnaround time, perfectly enjoyable atmosphere with street seating even though it was cold outside it was warm with the covering they had. I had the cannelloni and it was outstanding. Our appetizer was a lukewarm it could've been hotter. It was the Busconi with mushrooms.

Thanks for a warm welcome to Chicago with fantastic service and a great lunch! I highly recommend it. And they do gluten free really well.

The Acanto Restaurant was excellent. The food was outstanding and the cocktails were excellent. The service was awesome. A very good dining experience. Thank You Acanto!

Read a lot about this place (and the Gage next door) but this was the first time I tried it. I really like restaurants where the noise level is low and you can have a conversation with dining companions. Acanto fits this requirement perfectly and adds an interesting menu, an extensive wine list and excellent service. Everything we tried was perfectly prepared, tasted wonderful and was served promptly. Took a three tries to get to a wine that was actually available, but the sommelier could not have been more helpful and we ended up with an excellent choice. I'll definitely be back.

Managed a walk up sitting for Friday night dinner. We were seated at the bar but was made to feel very welcome and comfortable. Food was wonderful, good wine list and spot on cocktails. If you want to make sure you get in, I'd reserve a spot.

Nice restaurant across from the Millennium Park in Chicago. Food was delicious & staff attentive & helpful explaining menu when any questions were asked. It’s not cheap but service was good so it was worth the visit. The lobster with pasta was delicious. I recommend this restaurant Acanto when visiting Chicago.

I've only had lunch here before, but dinner was lovely on July 4th. Wait staff was terrific. Atmosphere terrific as well. We brought friends from New York and they were impressed. The bruschetta was very different and delicious. Our mains (all had pasta) were good but I would have liked a little more variety. The location is across from Millenium Park and the Art Institute. I would definitely recommend Acanto if in the area.

We booked a table for five and had a nice round table by the window. The food was amazing. Probably the best carpaccio I have ever tried. Bruschetta was great. Our server provide an outstanding customer service. I did not catch her name but the girl with short brown hair she was fantastic. Highly recommend this place anyone who really loves Italian cuisine and wines.

Was in town for a meeting and went out to look for a dinner place after a walk. Chanced upon Acanto and decide to head in for a meal. Our server was attentive and after some initial conversation about the menu offering, a our party of 3 decided to share some small plates of grilled octopus , yellow tail (hamachi) , fresh olives and a soft cheese with salami with a bottle of red wine. We had additional order of a home made spicy sausage pizza, spaghetti with lobster as entree. We top off the meal with a Tiramisu for dessert. Overall it was an easy dinner sitting in the patio overlooking the park. The food was great and I would wish to return on opportunity to Chicago again.

Classic, elegant, beautiful restaurant. Classic, elegant, beautiful dishes! They call themselves a wine bar, so it’s no surprise that their wine menu is ridiculously expensive. We are not cheap, but it was so expensive that we didn’t order a bottle!!! Prices were insane. Rather, we each ordered one expensive cocktail to go along with… Oyster appetizer and Short Rib Rigatoni and Lobster pasta dinners (oh, and a ziti with butter :-) ). Unlike the wine list, the entrees were very reasonably priced and out of this world! Home-made pasta coupled with perfectly cooked meat/fish and solid portion sized (appetizer aside) made for combos that couldn’t be beat. Can’t wait to come back to Chicago to visit Acanto again. $240 for what I described above: one app, two entrees, one kids pasta, and two drinks. Highly recommend! …and don’t leave without trying the short ribs pasta! Worst case, share it as an app with your party!!!

We thoroughly enjoyed the food. It was delicious and very unique. The service, however, was slow. It was over 1.5 hours before we received our main course after we put in the order. I'm not sure of the rationale. Was it to provide a leisurely dinner? Was it to encourage us to drink more wine? Was it because they were busy? Were they short staffed? Regardless, the service was too slow and the meal became less enjoyable as a result.

Had the pork chop and the capelleti and both were fantastic. Strongly recommend anyone that says otherwise was probably dining somewhere else.

Met some clients for lunch and had the most delicious risotto I’ve had in a long time. Casual location across from the park makes it a perfect location for a bite and a view. Staff was more than welcoming and took great care of us. Highly recommend for all ocassions.

We were looking for a good lunch near the Art Institute, where we had gone to see a Georgia O'Keefe exhibit. The pictures and reviews we found here made us think Acanto would fit the bill. We were wrong. The location is great--on Michigan Ave, across from Millennium Park, only a block away from the Art Institute. We were directed (with no reservation) to a well-shaded outside table. The service and ambience were pretty good. But the food was disappointing and over-priced for what it was. Undercooked and not well seasoned broccolini, an uninspired bowl of arugula with some parmigiano shavings, pappardelle with mushrooms that was overcooked and drowning in a watery sauce, tortellini filled with mushrooms and covered with "truffles" that resembled sawdust in a vinegary sauce (and, again, too much of that). Over a hundred bucks for that experience.

So happy I made a reservation. The place is small, so is the bar. There is outdoor seating that would be desirable in good weather. We shared the octopus app. It was nicely portioned and steaming hot-- grilled octopus, potatoes and arugula in a spicy sauce. Hubby had the oversized pork chop on polenta, served with special strawberries and zucchini. He could not even finish the enormous portion. I had the Buccotini with Veal Meatballs. I have never had meatballs that flarvorful and moist. They have a nice by the glass menu of Italian Reds and a lovely cocktail list. Shared Tiramusi to finish... melted in my mouth. A definite must try. Very romantic. And if you have to wait for a table, it will be well worth it.

Excellent food and great wine selection in a very small and quaint setting. A great place for a couples dinner or date.

The service was exceptional and the food was even better! Do NOT pass on the bread! I had the risotto and it was delicious…I will dream of it.

We tried to eat here one night for dinner without booking. We had to eat next door and then booked for the next night. We were not disappointed. Great food and wine served by every delightful staff.

Incredible experience with a delicious meal. Our server, Gavin, was knowledgeable in the wine menu, cocktail options, the menu and overall Chicago history. As visitors (or tourists haha), he did an amazing job in making our visit to not only the restaurant but the city. Thank you Gavin, support staff & kitchen team in providing one of the best restaurant experiences I've had in a long time. And as someone who travels North America often enough, I would highly recommend this restaurant as a favourite. I'll be back!

This excellent, moderately priced restaurant has everything for the concert-goer. Located at 18 S. Michigan, the menu features everything from a full dinner to appetizers and snacks (a nice touch for an after-concert visit). The food is excellent, Italian inspired, with favorites such as lasagna and pasta and also meat and chicken entrees. I am not a foodie, and tend to be hungry, but I was easily able to pick a dinner that satisfied my taste and appetite. Service is friendly and efficient, not obtrusive.

Best in town. Just sit at the bar counter and follow Alex’s recommendations. He had curated a gold medal menu. Thank you !

A very nice spot, food and service were excellent. We had the flatbreads. It's a great spot for a pre-Hamilton dinner just a few blocks away from the theatre. You won't be disappointed.

Acanto offers up superb food in a lovely dining room in an historic Michigan Avenue building designed by Louis Sullivan. The menu is creative and varied, the atmosphere is convivial, and the service is attentive without being intrusive. My wife and I particularly enjoyed the Insalata di Polpetta, which we shared, the halibut that was the "pesce di gio," and the dark chocolate budino -- an imaginative and scrumptious dessert. The house made pasta offerings are outstanding.

We had a great lunch at Acanto! I had the Margherita Pizza and my former boss had a special Caesar salad. Our waitress Emily did a superb job! What impressed me the most was, as I explained to her, she told us her name BEFORE she started taking care of us! Sadly, that rarely happens today. As someone who frequents restaurants often, most wait staff these days just walk up to your table....."what can I get started for you?"...and don't get me started on the ACTUAL service! Sad, but true! Almost a lost art form in waiting tables today. Not Emily! She did a great job from start to finish! Nevertheless, we enjoyed our lunch and we will return there again! Especially myself with my current boss! I highly recommend it to those high business folks such as myself who are looking to have a quick bite, yet have a taste of exquisite Italian cuisine! My favorite is Squid Ink Pasta (I don't know the name, but it's DELICIOUS! LOL!!).

On the main drag on a Michigan Ave it was never going to be cheap (the wine list is eye watering) but I had lovely salmon, fellow diners reported great veal meatballs and linguine, all in a friendly bustling atmosphere

We visited on a Friday night and I was catching up with friends I’ve not seen for two years. The quality of the food was fantastic and it was aided by great service from our waitress Sylvia. She explained the menu clearly and made recommendations to us and was on hand all the way through the meal to make sure everything was going smoothly for us and we were enjoying the food. She was funny and entertaining and helped make the evening. I had the pasta with lobster which was fantastic followed by the vanilla gelato that was out of this world. I will definitely come here again if I am in the area

This isn't the kind of place where they tell you about the 15 ingredients in each dish. Instead they cook up great tasting meals. There were 4 of us and everyone was happy; warm olives to start, pasta, salads, steak. All were good. The panna cotta was silky smooth and the gelato of the day was tasty too. Great location. Comfortable noise level, but not quiet.

I have yet to have a bad meal here. Cocktails are great. Relaxed and eclectic atmostphere. A favorite for happy hour.

We hadn't been here before and stopped in for a quick bite to hold us over until dinner. We ended up having more than a snack- great food and wine. Will definitely be back!

Excellent meal! Food was outstanding and customer service was 10 ***********! Octopus appetizer, caprice salad, and a corn ravioli with light sauce! Omg…. Salivating even writing this!!!

The SPRING ONION BUCATINI was out of this world. My partner enjoyed the Seasonal Risotto. &, I can't remember having a better brushetta appetizer. Ask for Phillip, great service &, if you are in from the burbs, use ParkWhiz at 55 Monroe Garage. Save $20.00....... :)

Cozy restaurant across the street and a block south from The Bean with very good food and service. The cappelletti and bucatini are both outstanding, the baked eggs are flavorful with bell peppers and sautéed onions in a deep skillet with poached eggs and rich cheesy polenta. They serve decent bread with olive oil for dipping, good panna cotta. The biggest disappointment is the revamped wine list, with not one true champagne by bottle or even glass, kind of a dealbreaker for some, especially considering all the good restaurants in the city.

The wine was perfect. The cheese plate was divine. My husband liked the flavors of the spaghetti with lobster and lamb, chestnut, mushroom pasta. I was not a fan, (nor was my son) as there were flavors in each dish that over powered the whole dish itself and made it too strong to enjoy. The spaghetti had a butter sauce and was almost fishy, and the lamb (or the mushroom in the pasta, I could not tell which) had a very strong kick when you bit into it that was too much for me. The pork chop with the potatoes was very good and they did make my youngest son some simple cheese pizza. You must posess a certain taste palet to enjoy these dishes that are a tad more complicated and ingredients that don't seem to compliment eachother. Our waitress was helpful and friendly.

What a find! An intimate space with highly attentive waitstaff and wonderful food. We ate before an afternoon symphony performance and they were cognizant of the time.

I went there on New Year's Eve and had a 4-course fixed price menu. Everything was delicious and the place was charming. Feels like a pub with more high end food. Would be a great place to take visitors from out of town because you could visit the park or Art Institute and make it a day.

A lovely evening with friends. Delicious Italian fayre with an excellent wine menu that had an excellent range for all palates and budgets. Friendly, courteous service. Portions were of a comfortable size, not over the top. Busy vibe with an outside street patio area. Ambience is elegant, dark and moody with atmospheric lighting. Would highly recommend.

That’s a really good Bar/ restaurant! Indeed’. I loved it! Its food and drinks and desserts are delightful! Very good service and the view by the terrace! Highly recommended by me and my son👍🏻😋

Our waiter was great. The place was very nice overall. We just stopped by after walking through millennium park for wine and a cheese board. The cheese was pretty meh… and it was $20 for three smaller pieces of cheese with grapes and bread. It was a little disappointing. Our drinks were just fine. Pretty niche place for Italian food too. All the food looked great but we had reservations elsewhere. I would still recommend it!

Excellent wine list and menu full of italian choices. Service could be improved. Dishes are on the small side. Definitely a good and solid italian restaurant worth considering

Out of towner, solo diner, early supper. Had a pleasant seat at the small bar. Spritzer with limoncello; carpaccio starter, fresh pea tendrils on mezzaluna pasta with rhubarb. Light, springy, delicious. I would love to try everything on the menu. Bartender and hostess were welcoming. I did not feel like a fifth wheel. There were other single diners also. Most tables full and more reservations on the books. Huge wine list. This was a splurge that was well worth it. Would definitely go back.

We enjoyed a nice dinner here three years ago, but this time we were a bit disappointed and will probably not return again. Wonderful ambiance and service, but we felt the food was overpriced for the quality and quantity.

We enjoyed a delicious dinner at Acanto our first night in Chicago. Very tasty, authentic Italian food and nice service!

Sometimes you have a dinner that is worth the time and money, this was it. The food was wonderful from start to finish. The arancini , gorgonzola salad and gnocchi were outstanding. Service was excellent, overall just a great dinner!

We stumbled upon this gem tonight for dinner. We sat outside on the patio and enjoyed the beautiful Chicago evening while sipping a glass of wine and lemon drop martini. Our waiter, Alex, had amazing recommendations and personality that did not disappoint. We started with the chef special, Burrata, with marinated tomatoes, basil & crostini's - chef's kiss 💋 . We then had the arugula salad with the most tender chicken that just melted in your mouth and the rigatoni that brought me right back to my summer trip to Italy. Then, to top off the evening, Alex highly recommended the Torta Baretti and OMG, this combination of flourless chocolate cake with the carmel sauce, candid pecans and mascapone was moan worthy and worth every bite! Thank you, Alex, for recommending this amazing meal, we will definitely come back the next time we visit Chicago.

Great service and we had a beautiful light meal before the theatre. Absolutely perfect and felt comfortable ordering a salad and appetizer. Was even recommended that we share the salad. The waiter understood exactly what we wanted (that we didn't want to eat a heavy meal before going to the show).

Solid, if unspectacular, Italian. Dishes were variable. A couple were very good, and a couple were average. The interior and ambience are pleasant, and the service was very good. Prices were reasonable for the quality.

Great food, lovely atmosphere, good service. Met friends here for dinner while staying in Chicago for meetings. The taxi driver took us to the wrong place (18 no.) but it was a quick walk to 18 so. Michigan. Really excellent. Hope to return.

We had a pleasant dinner here before going to the ballet. The ambiance is warm and cozy and the staff are attentive without being overly so. They had run out of one of the vegetarian entrees, but accommodated us by making another. They also were happy to make my 7 hear old son pasta with olive oil and cheese, since he wasn't quite up for the fancier options. The home made pasta was delicious. We also enjoyed the charcuterie and cheeses and our wine selections were great as well. We found it to be fancy enough to seem special, but not too fancy for us to go as a family (although probably too fancy for little littles). They even gave us some free biscotti because it took awhile for our food to arrive and they knew we were trying to make the show.

Exceptional service in a small busy fun restaurant very near the art institute and millennium park. Food is very Italian very good and very well thought. Fresh made pasta is outstanding. The misto frito disappeared quickly. Apple salad is superb. Gnocchi with short rib was comforting and a brutal work week. Wine list is short but extremely worthy of exploration. Somm is on his game (as are front and back of house). Bar is a great place to sit for cordial and kid service and their old fashioned is the best I’ve had in some time - exceptional spirits make exceptional cocktails. Highly recommended.

Offering one of the most extensive wine lists I’ve seen, along with a knowledgeable sommelier, makes this the perfect place for wine lovers. They also offer a few beers and cocktails. Dinner was fantastic. I highly recommend the tuna tartare as a starter. It’s a pricey evening, but definitely worth it for a special occasion. Very clean, excellent service, nice atmosphere. Get reservations!

I decided to do a solo working lunch and wanted to be able to work, have a nice glass of wine and enjoy delicious food. Acanto did not disappoint. I’ve traveled all over Italy and I’ve had incredible dishes, but you can tell the dishes here are made with love and attention. And in the tradition of true Italian cuisine. I started with a cheese plate to get a sense of the region, and then moved to a beautifully prepared stuffed pasta that was similar to tortellini, but much more intricate. The service was very kind and attentive and the free WiFi made it very easy to work. If you want a high quality meal near Millennium Park/Art Institute, this is an ideal choice.

Atmosphere was warm and inviting, service was exceptional, cocktails were generous, and food was fantastic. Pricy but worth it.

Three of us enjoyed a late lunch at Acanto, a small, fresh restaurant in the Loop providing excellent food and service. Reservations are needed, and they were pretty busy at 2 pm on a January Saturday. Two people enjoyed the cappelletti (pasta pockets filled with scrumptious cheese) and , enough so that they ordered a third order and split it. I had the bucatini (tubular spaghetti) with veal meatballs -- filling and delicious! Desserts did not disappoint. I had the lemon tart, which was tangy and perfectly done. my companions enjoyed the panna cotta and a deconstructive riff on apple pie a la mode. All the while, the unobtrusive staff made sure that every need was met almost before we knew of the need. Great place.

My husband and I popped in after hitting up the Art Institute. We live in Chicago but don't always get downtown or appreciate the institutions as much as we should! But, we'd planned to hit the AI then check out multiple of the local dining locations via Happy Hour! We hadn't planned on hitting Acanto, never heard of it, but having been to Gage and knowing they were connected, we figured we were likely in good hands. Acanto has some great happy hour deals. We sat at the bar and did several glasses of a house wine suggested by the bartender. We ordered a pizza to snack on and it was an impressively large size. The bartender highlighted it would be spicy (the sausage) and it was pleasantly so. A nice longer than usual lingering spice (from the giardiniera), but not off-putting for us. Best of all, I kid you not, the crust was amazing -- I've lived in Chicago for more a long time and it was one of the best thin crust pizzas I've had. Loved the crust. They had an impressive collection of some unfamiliar liquors we observed from our bar stools -- at least a half-dozen amaros and a cynar. We weren't familiar with these liquors and in the course of our questioning the bartender generously provided us with 3-4 tastings of them. Yum! He also provided a bit of history and other info -- cynar is made from... wait for it... artichokes! Earthy and still tasty -- a nice digestive or perhaps with a gin cocktail -- they'll find something nice for you. Hit it up. I will be back.

Our teenage friend requested an Italian restaurant for lunch for our day trip to Chicago. The entire waitstaff was very welcoming and attentive. We had the arancini as an appetizer-very good! Our friend had the rigatoni and devoured it (said it was excellent), I had the margarita pizza (shared with the other 2) and it was good. My husband had the Italian Boss panini- which was more of a sub sandwich not grilled like a typical panini. He said it was wonderful. The entire lunch was good and worth it! Great location right across the street from Millennium Park and the “Bean” and Lurie garden!

Food was very good, and the atmosphere is very nice. The appetizers were very good. My wife had the dates and I had the bruschetta. The dates, in particular, were exceptional. The bruschetta also was excellent, with a generous amount of meat on top. We ate inside because Lollapalooza was outside and seemed loud. Pasta (I had squid inky pasta) was cooked al dente, and very nice though a little salty for my taste (same with my wife's pasta). Inside dining allowed for pleasant conversation without shouting at each other. I probably would score 4.5 if I could. Very good, though not in the very top tier of restaurants.

Arrived and had to wait a few minutes for an outside table, but it was a delightful evening and so I enjoyed a Prosecco at the bar and then a fabulous meal with wonderful attentive and helpful service. The Baby arugula salad was superb and so was the squid ink fusilli, after adding just a bit of additional red pepper that they readily provided, as I like a bit more zip. My waitress recommended the Peach Baba which was a delicious and unusual treat

The special garlic pizza was incredibly tasty, in a city known for it's pizza. Great wine list, relaxed attentive service. Being able to sit outside in October was a real plus, although likely not always possible.

Dined early evening before a show. Restaurant is small but has indoor and outdoor seating. Nice decor. Cozy seating. Lots of menu items and drinks to choose from. Lemon cocktail I had was not good. Returned and replaced with one of many specialty wines that was good. Had the fennel sausage pizza and black kale salad. Pizza was spicy but not flavorful. Salad was bitter and needed more sweetness. Caprice salad looked good. Fare was ok. Service good. Food didn’t impress. Passed on desserts. Nothing impressive on menu and dinner made us wary. Also kind of pricey. Over $80 pre tip for 2 cocktails, 2 salads and 1 pizza. Didn’t experience what positive reviews suggested.

What happened to this place? It used to be a favorite. Bucatini was gummy, red sauce and meatballs bland. Polenta also had no flavor. Special risotto inedible due to heavy salt. Salad overdressed and the Roman Suppli, just fried up leftovers, and not in a good way. Waitress disappeared halfway through meal. Cocktails meh. Beyond disappointed.

This is a lovely spot for dinner and a bottle of wine. The restaurant has an extensive wine list (with an excellent sommelier) and the food was absolutely delicious. The room has a very nice vibe and I’d go back in a heartbeat.

We had a little trouble with our OpenTable reservation but they were quick to get us a table outside. When it started to rain we were whisked away to a lovely table by the windows. Great staff! All three of us ordered the Halibut special and were very pleased with our selection. It was perfectly prepared. Great evening on Michigan Ave.

This was an amazing experience. The athmosphere was relaxing, and service was amazing. I had the spicy capprichese pizza and it was delicious. My mother had the mushroom pizza and I felt that it was better than my own. Exceptional food. We went on to have dessert and it was incredible. We had the tiramisu, and it was one of the best I have ever had. I would come back any day of the week.

The atmosphere was welcoming but that is where it ended for us. The server said the resturaunt was designed to share food but only if you are a party of one. The portions were small I ordered the pork it was tasty but a small tenderloin not worth the price...my wife had the porcino mushroom risotto and it was like a side dish...the best was my daughter ordered the capaletti and 30 bucks she got small pieces of pasta. The are far better Italian places in Chicago that give you what you pay for. It doesn't help that we are all Italian immigrants at the table so our critique is all more strict.

I had the spaghetti lobster pasta which is a white sauce which large chunks of lobster. The pasta is homemade daily. It was absolutely delicious.

It was our first visit to Chicago and we went to the aquarium....we walked from there to the restaurant. We got the advise from TripAdvisor. We were a party of 7, and they asked us if we thought that we could have dinner before 5pm, because they had a reservation. It was an awkward question, because we were not the ones that were going to cook and serve, but even with that , we were able to have late lunch. The service was great and the food very good. We had a great time.

Great location, super friendly and competent service, and also extremely delicious dishes! Unlimited recommendation!

We came 4 for lunch near our hotel in Chicago. The waiter was very nice recommending a good Chardonnay from the wine menu. They have a deal that the wines are half price between 11 to 4. We ordered 4 dishes of salad and pastas and a plate of cheese. I liked the atmosphere and the service. The dishes were good and with good flavor. Tiramisu for desert and a perfect lunch with my dear family. I recommend the place !

Great menu, service was the best we experienced during our 4 days, and we were happy everywhere we dined. The Lobster Spaghetti is a gem, the Bruschetta a wonderful surprise, and the desserts (Lemon Tart&Tiramisu).....oh My!! Ask for Tony...just perfect.

Great Italian restaurant. Wide range of options, including vegan. Dessert was as good as the entree. Restaurant was full on a Thursday night, but service was not slow. I had the scallops, which the waitress recommended. The meal was excellent.

My husband and I wanted a quick bite and drinks prior to a Tuesday evening engagement downtown. We stopped here and were lucky they had an open table prior to the dinner rush. Our waiter was very pleasant and we enjoyed a couple of appetizers and wine.

Excellent food and great wine. I had one of the dishes of the day Risotto and found it exceptional. Recommended

The restaurant is not too large so makes for an intimate dining experience. The gnocchi with chantrelles and swiss chard was delicious. The drinks were excellent with a wide variety of choices of gins. The service was great! Loved the round table which enhanced sharing and conversation.

We stumbled on to Acanto, walking on Michigan Ave and perusing their menu. They offered many options for this low-carber, along with a list of intriguing wines. Our family members have various and competing dietary needs, that can make dining out a challenge. Acanto accomodated without blinking, bringing us the mussels with no meat,so we could share. Our dishes included veal chop, squid ink pasta, and a halibut on greens. All of us remarked on the freshness of the greens and heirloom tomatoes. (We are conscious of that, given our brother supplies some major chefs in the Chicago area.) Their Sommelier made an excellent suggestion of a white Italian wine, within our budget. And the best tiramisu ever. Go.

We used to live downtown, but have since moved to the burbs. This is one of the few Chicago restaurants that we all agree is worth fighting the traffic to come downtown for. Had dinner here with my husband and two young daughters. We opted for a family style sharing dinner and were blown away. First of all, they have THE best Italian wine list I have ever seen outside of Italy. Not only is it extensive, but it’s diverse. There are many reasonably priced wines as well as unique wines that are very difficult to find outside of Italy and many fit into both of those categories! Food was great. We shared the arancini, bruschetta with prosciutto, asparagus, pork chop, octopus, sausage pizza and rigatoni. Everything was delicious. Tiramisu was a nice end. Service was solid. Sommelier was better than the waiter. Atmosphere was dark and cozy. Perfect for a chilly night. We will definitely be back.

It was New Year’s Eve, we decided to go to Chicago on the last minute and finding a restaurante to have a good meal without breaking the bank wasn’t very easy. Acanto had only 1 slot available to make a reservation and we d coded to risk it. We were all pleasantly surprised!!! It was a pre fixe menu for the night with 3 courses and dessert. We were 3 and we had the grilled octopus, cheese torta to start, pappardelle, truffle risotto and mushroom cappelletti for second course, beef tenderloin and veal osso bucco for the third course. The isso bucco was the only dish that didn’t amaze us, everything else was perfect.

A cozy spot for a cold Chicago night, accommodating waitstaff, interesting wines by the glass. The octopus starter was absolutely delicious. The pastas were very good but pricey for the small portion sizes. The bread was good but we had to ask for it. Meal was paced well, allowing us time to talk. Overall a very pleasant experience but on the expensive side for what we had.

As one of the previous reviewers mentioned, the location of this restaurant calls for higher expectations, which this place doesn't always meet. The seating outside is quite tight and the waiters sometimes bump into the chairs. The person that was refilling water was sloppy and splashed every time. The waiter was knowledgeable and the service wasn't bad, but lacked the class. The food was good. For the amount of money we paid, we'd expected a better experience.

This was our second trip to Acanto, and it didn’t disappoint. The owners stopped by with a complimentary glass of sparkling wine to start off the meal. My husbands duck breast was the best he’d ever had. The suggested accompanying Pino Nero went with his entree as well as my pasta. This is a great dinner place on Michigan Avenue, and we’ll be going back.

What a fantastic, charming spot with great dishes and staff. We stopped by for a cocktail early afternoon on the patio and after looking at the menu decided to go back for dinner. What a great decision, we had a very enjoyable evening outside with fantastic weather, food and ambiance

My wife and I stopped in here for dinner after having lunch at The Gage nextdoor the day prior. Excellent view of the park and skyline. Very good Italian pasta and pizza. Nichelle, the manager, was most helpful.

Excellent service, well located! We had an excellent waiter and especially delicious food. A Great Recommendation to Eat in Chicago! Thank you.

Fantastic very very tasty Italian food. The Risotto was wooooow. Fairly priced for Chicago. Excellent service. Would definitely go back.

Right on Michigan Ave, right across from Millennium Park and I never heard about it?great wine bar and perfect lunch menu! Italian white bean soup best ever. Service spectacular, casual yet professional in customer service. I definitely recommend stopping and will absolutely stop by again with my girls group trip to the city.

Second time here: I rated 5 stars 8 years ago. Ambience is still great. Service is also very good. Comfort was reduced by the very tight space and I was bumped many times by servers who walked behind me even though I tried to sit as close to the table as possible. The food was quite good, but nothing we ate came across as extraordinary. Meal prices are steep but acceptable for the location: drinks are quite expensive and similarly good, but nothing stood out. Overall a good dinner, but my main memory will be walking to the candlelit tables with anticipation and then the bill that was triple digit per person even though we shared each course and had only 3 drinks total — not much in between.

Party of 4...Each of us ordered an appetizer and meal. My arancini Appetizer was burnt and had to be sent back . They brought me another and told me it would not be on my check. I told them that was not necessary, and they did charge me for it. The dorado fish was approx. 3 ounces and had to be scraped off the skin. It was probably the worst fish entree I have ever ordered in a restaurant. If I didn't already return the arancini, I would have returned the fish. All 4 of us ordered the Dorado and not one of us was happy. The cocktails took forever to get and were delivered to the table one by one, with one person waiting 10 minutes before she received hers. They don't mind charging $17 for an Old Fashion but it arrived without any orange peel, let alone dark cherries. Funny, on their Open Table review, they show a photo of a perfect old fashion. It certainly was not made here. By the time they came with the dessert menu, I was starving. They informed us if we wanted dessert, we only had 45 minutes before they had to turn over the table. Such an insult after a horrendous meal. We went elsewhere for dessert and ended up having more appetizers...that's how hungry we all still were. I don't know how this place gets such great reviews? Chicago has so many fabulous restaurants. This is not one of them.

Not often I tell someone they absolutely must eat somewhere but this time I'm going to. You absolutely must eat at Acanto! I had dinner here two nights in a row. First night was so remarkable I had to go back! The menu is most definitely modern Italian. I had the fresh spaghetti with lobster. So deliciously decadent! Rich and buttery. Off the charts! If you know Italian wines you will be in heaven with the wine list. If you don't ask the waiter as they are well versed on these luscious hearty red wines. I had the Tenuda de Arceno one of my favorite classic Chiantis from Tuscany. I visited this estate a few years ago and recommend that experience to anyone. It was so good the person I dined with went online immediately and ordered a case and he lives in Napa,Ca! The second night I ordered the Gnocchi in spinach pesto. Not what I expected but wonderful none the less. The gnocchi seared and dry on a bed of pesto. Could have been more sauce to balance the dryness buy tasty none the less and of course more Tenuda de Arceno. The place is small and quaint the way I like it with sidewalk seating as well. A small bar while you wait for a table. Reservations are recommended! Across from the Art Institute and Millennium Park.

Well, the location is great; right across from Millienium Park. The food? Not so much. We ordered the Bruschetta, the bread plate, pear salad and strawberry salad, the beef pasta and the gnocchi. Bread was served with very bitter olive oil. I've had many kinds of oils with breads and this one was Not. Tasty. The salads were both overdressed to the point of wilting under the pressure of the liquid. Yuk. My Gnocchi was supposed to have an apricot puree. While there was a puree of some sort on the gnocchi, you would never convince me that there were apricots in it. Tasteless. The pistachios atop the gnocchi were BITTER! Almost rancid. Pistachios should be a sweet nut; these were definitely NOT. Just a mushy mess. Hubby's beef pasta looked like beef stroganoff. It was not beef stroganoff. It was supposed to taste like mushrooms. It did not. It was a bland, brown mess of overcooked noodles. At this price point, for basically salad, bread, pasta, I'd expect much better. I suppose when your primary clientele is from out of town and you're right on the Mag Mile, you don't need to worry about repeat customers. We're from the suburbs, and we will not be back. Out of towners, if you want good, classic Chicago Italian in this general area of the city, go to Petterino's. You won't be disappointed!

We were excited to try Acanto recently. The staff was very friendly and accommodating (we had our little one with us) and the atmosphere was nice. The location was fantastic as we had just come from Millennium Park (right across the street). The food was overpriced, lacking in taste, and toward the end of my meal (ugh!), I found a hair in a meatball. YUCK. I didn't say anything to the staff, we just got our check and left. I'm sure they would have apologized and offered to bring more food, but again, we had a little kid with us so time was really of the essence. I would not go back - not just because of the hair, but I think the food was not quite as good as I was expecting, the portions were relatively small (we were there for lunch, though), and the food was not as flavorful as I thought it should be. The service, though, was truly excellent.

What a great place. From service to prices to deliciousness of food. Great ambiance coped with great service make it a great experience. We dined here before Hamilton. Perfect. Bottle of Rose, cheeseboard, cod croquettes (the best) and octopus. Pizza to share and one of t best Tiramisu I’ve had. Can’t wait to come back - make a reservation

Beautiful restaurant, feels like an old Chicago atmosphere. Our server was also the bar tender and did an excellent job at both. The food was outstanding especially the Rigatoni and Veal Marsala

Solid little Italian restaurant with great food and atmosphere. Excellent service as well. Highly recommend for lunch or dinner.

I visited Acanto on a business trip because it was small and close to my hotel. It was so good I returned the next night wig my wife who flew in for the weekend. Service was exceptional. Food is fresh and amazing. Pasta is homemade and sauces are wonderful. Having traveled extensively in Italy I can say that Acanto captures the unique tastes and for Chicago the value is great.

Acanto offers good food at a good location. The ambience is also welcoming. The prices are a little high but the service was excellent.

I had dinner yesterday night. I am Italian but I know good places of Italian food in Chicago. it was my first time and so I wanna try to give another chance changing choises. First I had beef carpaccio, was fine but in Italy beef Carpaccio means parmesan flakes on rucola and beef instesd was grated parmesan and is not really the same. Pappardelle the dish I hated, I gor diarrea all night. Pappardelle pasta very good made but sauce terrible. Very savory maybe cause the Marsala (bad choice) the truffle mentioned was not in (or maybe they used truffle oil cause it was really oily the sauce) Wild mushroom (chiodini) seemed coming out from a jar of mushrooms in oil or even vinegar and the porcini too. The dessert Torta Barozzi itself was fine a little dried not ienough wet with rum totaste it . The big mistake with a dry cake like that was to add a quenelle of mascarpone that is fat sweet chees instead maybe a quenelle of ice cream that could make fresher for the palate. So I will g another time but I will not choose the same things. Let's see if my rating will be higher. I neve judge something or someone for the first time so....good luck Acantp (by the way the word in Italian is Accanto with two c and Acanto doesn't mean nothng in Italian). TAS

Stopped here for a mid day snack, as we had late dinner reservations. Got a few drinks, a pear salad, bruschetta and peach mint sorbet. It was all very good. Our waiter (Reed?) really knew his wines and made great suggestions. The bruschetta was not what we expected-buratta cheese piled high with prosciutto. It was really good. Our teen was somewhat pleased with the sorbet but did a good job not letting it show.

We headed to Acanto Wine Bar for an early dinner before a play. It’s not far from the theatre districts and made for a nice pre-production dinner. It was a short Uber ride to the theatre - possibly walkable if the weather is nice. Seating is tight, but the restaurant is cozy. A large wall of bar stock and lighted mirrors covers one side of the door Interior - the glow was romantic as the snow fell outside and the warm cheer peaked inside. The featured wine this week was from the Apulia region - a less traveled area of Italy that we visited this past summer. We knew we were in the right place. Meredith, our server, guided us to the bruschetta (there is an off the menu traditional option) and a cheese plate. She also recommended a pasta that is made in house. The pasta with a cheese sauce was simple and straightforward. Delicious. The margarita pizza was a little floppy, but had good flavor. The pork chop was truly man size. The food was not fussy or complicated. It was very reminiscent of the dishes we enjoyed in Southern Italy. It was a most pleasant start to a lovely night.

Joined my friend who had a reservation for dinner. They easily accommodated the extra person. We sat inside but I understand they have outside tables. Our waiter gave us enough time to have some conversation before ordering. They offer cocktails and wine. They apparently have a happy hour I'm sorry I missed. For dinner we shared a fennel salad and had two pasta entrees: cavatelli and rigatoni. We both were happy with the pasta and shared the salad. We order bread. The seed crackers that came with were so good! We got wine with dinner. Our waiter, Bar D, was excellent. He didn't intrude on us but was there when needed. All in all, a great night. Thank you, Acanto.

A warm welcome and busy but friendly atmosphere awaits. Well presented and tasty dishes, generous portions (US style)! Be sure to ask about ingredients in dishes, however - there was a surplus of olives in my market fish dish this particular night. As I had mentioned I did not want an olive appetizer (not a fan!) I was surprised our server did not take note to let me know what I had chosen actually contained many olives!

Very yummy food Italian style. We ordered the seafood pasta and the beef pasta. It came very hot as I like. Not too expensive. The have very nice patio on the street too.

We loved our meal—family of four. We ate outside and enjoyed fabulous food. The servings are not gigantic but the focus was on flavor and presentation. Very nicely done Acanto!! Had the halibut and snow peas- so good. Teenage daughters split margarita pizza with their dad. So nummy!! We will be back!

Enjoyed a great rainy day lunch here a few days back. The bruschetta with truffled ricotta and prosciutto is memorable. Lovely atmosphere and service!

Great food and service, a combination hard to beat. Our waitress was very patient and helped put together a meal that was not normally on the menu. Food quality and taste was auhtentic italian and super. Very good ambiance and great for business meetings.

Four of us had just finished an architectural walking tour of downtown Chicago when we needed a quick lunch before starting a tour at the Art Institute. We tried a few places that were too crowded and then lucked into an open sidewalk table at Acanto. Wait staff were efficient, polite, and friendly. Food arrived quickly. Great salads and beers. A lot of fun watching the crowds walk by. I highly recommend this spot for anyone doing touring along Michigan Ave.

We weren't able to be seated at our original reservation time, which created a short time frame for our meal since we had theater tickets. One of the managers, Nechelle, proactively took our appetizer order as the table was being prepped so our dining wouldn't be delayed. Our server, Melissa, did a great job of taking our remaining orders and expediting their delivery. They deserve praise for their attentiveness and care for their customers. The food was great and it is a charming ambience. We will likely return.

Perfect location, perfect experience. We had a short time before going to a concert, but made every minute count by dining at Acanto. The service was stellar, the ambience was a bit on loud side but visually stunning situated right on Michigan ave. across from Millennium Park. We started with the arancini, then a pear/gorgonzola salad, bread plate (this was outstanding especially) then some pasta dishes: the gnocchi with pistachio and cream was delightful, the fungi pasta was savory and really the best we've had. And, the homemade bucatini was perfect with their red sauce. I couldn't have been happier.

Excellent meal and top ambience. Quality ingredients and attention to detail in every dish. Loved sitting at the bar! Service outstanding.

Dined before a show on a beautiful Saturday evening. Outdoor dining was full but able to appreciate the breeze and views at a nearby table. Very good seasonal cocktails and wine. Excellent lobster fusilli and octopus salad. Server was friendly and knowledgeable and recommended great wine pairings for our dishes. Field green salad is very basic - greens and shaved Parmesan. Halibut tad bit over cooked. Chocolate dessert very good. Ambiance and service are excellent. Enjoyable early evening dinner.

We came here on a whim as we needed somewhere to eat on our last day and it didn't disappoint. I'm just sad we didn't get to go here for dinner as well! Food was amazing, service was great and overall just a really nice dining experience. We had the Arancini, Carpaccio, Lobster Paccheri and Simple Green Salad and Meatballs. Everything was fab! And was the best moscow mule we'd had in Chicago.

The food was delicious and memorable, had the pistachio gnocchi, which was just noteworthy!!! Also had the mushroom pappardelle, very good. Drinks were great, and seating outside was the perfect atmosphere. Would highly recommend!!!

Stopped here after a show and it was great! Large martinis and wonderful plates. We loved the Fried Artichokes, Salt Cod Crochettes, Octopus appetizer, & House-made Rigatoni followed by delicious Gelato. This is worth a visit!

Went to dinner with family and everyone really enjoyed the food here. I had the Chicken Marsala which was very tender and flavorful. I made a special request to have a side order of polenta and they accommodate d my request. It was offered which another meal choice. It was delicious. Nice wine selection and great service. Make a reservation as the place is on the small side.

What a lovely place this is. Wonderful ambience--lively but conversation-friendly. A fabulous wine list, including by the glass. Really elegant Italian food. (Tip: There's often a fish special, which is always delicious--and I don't ordinarily like fish that much.) The service is also just marvelous--very professional while also being warm. (Our terrific server on July 30 was Alex.)

If you want a nice, updated, delicious meal and need to be somewhere near S. Michigan Avenue, this place is perfect. The waitstaff is some of the best in the city, the menu varies with terrific specials. Whether it is my husbands or my friends or business associates, it works. Oh, yeah, and the price is right in the middle: not too cheap and not too pricey. This is my go-to if I need to be on this part of town. Hey, it can also be a great destination meal as well as a cozy-dinner-for-two place.

We stumbled upon this place last week as we were looking for a place to eat a late lunch at 4pm. Very intimate place with great atmosphere. Its was very nice of the owner to stop by and greet us at our table. It really gives you a feeling that he is on top of things and he is making sure everyone is comfortable and well attended. We tried alot of things on the menu and they were all excellent. Our waiter was also Excellent. He provided excellent wine recommendations. He definitely knew his stuff. The wine menu is very extensive and covers all the regions from Italy. Overall, the experience was great. I highly recommend.

Quaint and cozy environment steps from Millennium Park. Dined with my two adult sons in January. Two of the three of us had best dishes of our lives (and we have dined around the globe). I will never forget Chicago for the Chestnut Agnolotti (Handmade pasta with chestnuts, duck confit, celery root, duck jus, 25 yr balsalmic).

1st the waitress came at least 3 to ask us if everything was ok, nice privacy, in 30 mins but didn't offer us cheese for the legs. 2nd (see photos) the sauce, clear as tomato juice and $35 for a small plate of legs which should have been a starter. 3rd the green pea risotto, very devedant (both recommended by the waitress) Oops yes, nice terrace. I compare it with Tocana for having been. 4 stars for the situation, nothing more.

We had a really nice lunch here, sitting outside, across from the park. Delightful. The food was really good, creative, flavorful, and fresh. The service was great, they have a very friendly and efficient staff.

Food was outstanding starting with the steak tartar appetizer, followed by the multiple entrees we ordered. Lasagna, Pork Chop and Salmon were all great and each had a unique presentation. Extensive wine list, limited beer on tap. Great service, no offense taken when wine ordered was sent back due to taste. Somewhat pricey but worth it for a special event. Age of clientele leaned more toward 40-50 (not like some of the typical bar/restaurants filled with millennials). Enjoy!

The food is excellent, very nicely presented Italian style. The nutty desserts were all amazing as well as the arancini. The kids loved everything too.

The setting is welcoming and warm, but the problem is the sounding noise in the room we didn't get along and we were 2 😳🫣. The arrancinis were very good 😋. On the other hand the stew pasta was very ordinary 🫤. Value for money a little expensive.

Wednesday night and the place was really busy! It was noisy, but not so much so that we couldn’t talk. Service was excellent!! Wine steward brought us a bottle of wine and I noticed it smelled a tint bit odd. He sniffed the cork, took the bottle and our glasses and replaced everything. The food was delicious. The fresh made pasta was terrific. Definitely a very good restaurant.

My family of 6 went here - we all love Italian food. Great food, wine and cocktails for each of us and excellent service. I would easily return plus have recommended it already. One other advantage - excellent quiet ambiance.

Acanto is one of the one and only 10 for foddies!! Why? 5 start service 5 star wine list 6 start food Beautiful window view of the Millenium park When you decide to differentiate between good and espectacular food, you are welcome here to try my choice !!!!!!

Delicious food, reasonably priced for great quality, in a casually sophisticated setting. It’s a Gage Hospitality Group restaurant. You can’t go wrong.

Great place - food and service excellent. Not much more to say other than go try it …. Waiter service was very attentive and a very comprehensive wine selection.

We chose this restaurant since it had good reviews and was near the art museum. It is pricey, but that may be due to its location. The food was good, but we felt very rushed. We deliberately waited to order our entrees, since it seemed like everyone around us was getting served their food shortly after ordering. We ordered a bottle of wine and appetizers and stated that we were hoping to relax a bit before ordering our entrees since we had a busy day. Our server came back shortly after that and asked that we order, but said they would take their time. Maybe an extra 5 minutes? From the time we arrived until leaving, it was less than 1.5 hours. There were 6 of us, we ordered 2 bottles of wine, cocktails, appetizers, salads, entrees and after dinner drinks. That is way to fast for this caliber of restaurant. Additionally, the portion sizes were definitely small. Maybe they try to turn over the tables quickly due to the location...

Awesome service, great table, better food. We took our time with appetizers then dinner. We enjoyed all, not a bad selection. We were paced well and not rushed to turn our table. We even enjoyed sharing some dessert after we saw how good it looked. Great choice for dinner!.

My daughter and I ate here after seeing a Broadway show. After asking some questions from our very helpful server, we chose to share everything we ordered. We had the Pear and gorgonzola salad, the Arancini (fried tomato risotto with mozzarella and basil pesto aoli), Gnocchi al Forno (ricotta gnocchi, roasted squash, butternut cream, parmigiano, rosemary, pepita crumble), and the Chicken Picatta. From start to finish we loved everything. The Gnocchi and the Arancini are something super special, but honestly this was the best meal I have ever had in my 48 years. If it would have been appropriate, I world have licked my plate clean.

Great food. Fantastic cocktails. Good local beer. Sandra, our waitress, was lovely and very helpful. Really nice place to end our holiday in Chicago.

We ate their steak with bruschetta , it was impressively good and delicious, try their bruschetta with medium cooked steak, crazy good, nice staff…

I had a great dinner here with some folks during a recent work trip. Everyone was very pleased with their meal. I had veal meatballs with bucatini, and it was really, really good. I can't remember what the exact name of them is, but we had the deep fried risotto balls for an appetizer, and those were so good I could have eaten the whole plate. The location is convenient, and there's a nice view of the park through the restaurant windows.

I just walked into this restaurant, because it looked original italian. I had some great Black Pepper Rigatoni and an excellent espresso. Just what I needed for a great dinner.

This was a wonderful intimate lovely restaurant with excellent food, service and atmosphere, truly a special evening at Acanto!

Acanto is on a busy road. The terrace outside is well protected so that the noise of the traffic is not obvious. Italian cuisine serves a number of pastas and two pizzas, as well as meat dishes. in advance we shared a fresh and well-flavored kale salad. The pasta with meatballs was also flavored and even a bit spicy. The pork chop was completely grilled. I have never eaten such a tasty steak. For dessert I had an Affogato. The espresso was a little too cold but on the whole good in taste. The attention for the customers was good.

Out of our ten-day trip to Chicago, we dined at Acanto three nights. The gluten-free rigatoni with lamb ragout was the main reason (I ordered the dish each time). The bartender was a genius and recommended the best wines. One night, it started to rain. How efficiently guests were relocated indoors. Impressive! We loved Acanto’s atmosphere, food and people so much that we joked about moving to Chicago. Extremely highly recommended!

We hoped to have dinner on the patio but the host told us it would be an hour. We had drinks and an appetizer at the bar which were great. We went next door and 15 minutes later got a call our table was ready. If we had not just ordered we would have tried it as we heard the food was amazing. Perhaps they need better planning at the host level, but it seems like a great option from the taste we had!

Interesting place, good atmosphere, good service, and a quite varied menu. It's quite close to Symphony Hall so a good choice for concert-goers, which we were.

I came here with a group of colleagues after a business retreat. The restaurant was loud and a little cramped, but the service was high-end and spot on. I ordered the rigatoni with lamb ragu, which was good but more al dente than I prefer. What I loved were the appetizers and the desserts. We ordered a cheese board, arancini, octopus, prosciutto-wrapped dates, and fried artichoke. We also ordered the sides of Brussels sprouts and roasted cauliflower, both of which were wonderful. For dessert, we got a variety of sorbets and gelatos (I had the rhubarb gelato, which was lovely, and the orange hazelnut gelato, which was excellent) We also shared a chocolate budino, which was spectacular.

We stopped here for dinner over the holiday . I must admit , I have mixed feelings about the restaurant , although I would not rule out going back . The restaurant is very small and tight inside . The tables are right up on each other , making it a touch uncomfortable . I had the spaghetti . Here is where the mixed feelings come in . The dish was $28, which is a bit on the high side for pasta . And the serving was ridiculous small , served in about a 7 inch plate . However it was exceptional . The pasta was fresh , and the flavor of the sauce was incredible . It was one of the best tasting pasta dishes I have ever had .

In front of Plensa (Crown) fountain. Nice atmosphere. Quiet space. Good service. Excellent quality of Italian food. On Sundays, 50% on wine list from 12 to 4pm.Hugh wine list. Rigatoni with meat balls and pizza margherita to be recommended. Home made ice creams excellent too.

I was impressed with almost every meal in Chicago, but this one stood out above the rest. A group of us were in town for a conference and had not seen each other for quite some time so we were a little loud and talkative. Toni our server was fantastic and helped us order appetizers and meals so we could try as much as possible on the menu. The pizza was perfectly crispy and delicious. The fish and steak I tried was outstanding. The prosciutto and ricotta bruschetta has been on my mind for the last week. I will certainly be back next time I’m in Chicago! Reserve a table for groups. You may get lucky and snag a bar seat for one or two but I would recommend a reservation anytime you choose to go.

At the suggestion of a friend, we met at Acanto for dinner. I left semi-satisfied and annoyed. Read on for details. Located along bustling Michigan Avenue across from Grant Park, Acanto features indoor dining and patio seating. The weather was nice, so we sat outside. Our food server's demeanor ranged from attentive to intrusive as my friend and I chatted and reviewed the menu. The young men refilling our water glass were fast and sloppy, splashing water repeatedly. Small things, for sure, but the things that are unnecessarily distracting. We split the chicken picatta and cheese plate, reversing the order from dinner to appetizer for the wine transition from Prosecco to Pinot Noir. The chicken was serve with asparagus and capers. It was nicely cooked and seasoned though salty to the point of distraction. The cheese plate contained four cheeses, a mix of hard and soft of fine quality presented in small portions. The wine list is extensive and marked up to about 2x retail. Our Kistler Occidental 2015 was $29/glass; good but pricey. The patio seating was comfortable during the early evening. The food was enjoyable, losing points for portions and unnecessary salt. The service lacked polish. For the price, I expected more and less.

We went during restaurant week, and it was not what we expected. Food needed more salt to bring out the taste. They say the spaghetti is home made, well it tasted store bought. I have had home made spaghetti and this did not taste the same. I guess they make theirs different. Server was a bit lack luster, and took along time to check on our progress. The manager did check on us and seemed pleasant. They need to improve the restaurant week to win new customers, and retain them. With all the restaurants available in Chicago we will give this one a miss going forward.

Met friends from out of town here for dinner. Great menu, pasta dishes were very good, pizza very tasty as well. Nice wine list with wide range of prices and vineyards.

Had a sallad and ravioli, and some nice Pinot Noir wine. The service was excellent, and the location on the park is obviously great, But it was a bit too pricey.

We stopped by to have a leisurely lunch at the upscale Italian restaurant. The server help guide us through the menu and wine list with good suggestions. We shared the generous pear salad and followed with lamb sausage rigatoni , seafood spaghetti, chicken piccata, and ravioli. All delicious. We filled with good coffee; the ending to any great meal.

First of all - Trip Advisor shows the foods as "American" and it is Italian only. We arrived a party of 6 looking forward to a nice meal. We are all seasoned travellers. The ambience is satisfactory however we were all freezing. We asked a few times to no avail to turn down the heat. All of us were cold not just a few. Then things went downhill. My octopus was fiery hot which was not as described. It was replaced however was very chewy. The special of the night was salmon which was overcooked. One of the pasta's was undercooked. None of us would ever go back and that is a first for this group - consensus. The server was satisfactory and the Manager did try to make amends by comping us a few items. We would have rather paid full price and had a good meal.

We went early dinner before a show at the Symphony. Not easy to find a great place not too tourist oriented in the loop. We were surprised to see evident locals and regular customers in Acanto. The owner came to have a friendly chat with us... We had to clear our table but since we had time to spare before the show, they offered us not one but two drinks (a lovely Vin Santo, italian dessert wine) at the bar where we chatted with the manager, the bartender and another couple... The food was truly amazing, large and tasty homemade pastas (our options). We also shared the oysters for starters and they are amazing! I highly reccommend this restaurant in the loop. he next door Gage is operated by the same owner, I'm sure it is just as good with impeccable service (our waiter was very professional).

It is Restaurant Week in bitterly cold Chicago, an event that I recognize only because it headlines a companion menu to the regular menu. This special menu offers items that distract us from the main menu, particularly the roast suckling pig offer. I am a lucky regular visitor to roast suckling pig regions of the world and consider it a go-to item because, well, I like the concept of succulence and pork is not off my radar. It is the Year of the Pig, after all, so bring it on! It is aided and abetted by the roast beets appetizer and the side of roasted Brussels sprouts so it is a roast-fest. The wine list is an exhaustive tour of Italy...so much so that help is requested simply to narrow my focus within Piemonte’s Barbaresco. The one recommended elevates the excellent food to a stratospheric experience. So so so well done, Acanto!

the food and service great. unique and stylish food. very interesting tastes and very special combination. the chocolate ice cream was the best that we taste.

We were looking for a place to dine after testing local pizza/dinner specialties where quantities are often huge , and we were not disappointed by this restaurant which is very well placed. The place is very nice and well decorated and cozy (white tablecloths, excellent service, candlelight, wooden table). Bushetras and pasta were very good the normal amounts for a European at last. The wine was good. Of course the prices are American but frankly in the neighborhood it is a great value for money and we had a great time. We recommend this place.

We had reservations early on a Wednesday evening and were delighted to learn that we had arrived in the midst of "Happy Hour". Our server was extremely helpful with our wine selection and spot on with his descriptions. We ordered the prosciutto and truffled ricotta bruschetta and the sausage pizza. Both were perfectly prepared and presented! The atmosphere was very cozy and inviting, all staff interactions were excellent and we will absolutely return to experience more of the menu!

Probably the best Italian restaurant I’ve ever made. You feel like you’re in a Scorsese movie. The food is excellent and the service is very good. Bravo.

And Italian american nice restaurant. The food is very tasty and surprising. We had pasta and the side of califlower is wonderful.