Adalina Italian Reviews

We had dinner at this restaurant based on our concierge's recommendation from the St. Regis Hotel in Chicago, and we're so glad we took their advice. The restaurant boasts a stunning design and offers a delightful atmosphere. The service and food were flawless, and we all had a fantastic experience. I absolutely loved everything about the place and would highly recommend it to anyone seeking an exceptional Top Chef-style meal!

Had a wonderful dinner at Adalina. Shared the fried green tomato salad that was absolutely delicious. Also had the octopus, which was good, but I wasn't a big fan of the goat cheese sauce. The pesto pasta was fantastic; so fresh and so different. We also love the pork chop parmesan which was huge....definitely an entree to split. We will be back!

Adalina, Chicago's newest upscale Italian ristorante, has a lot going for it. Start with Michelin-starred chef Aoo Ahn, add servers wearing tuxedo jackets and a menu with house-made pastas and Wagyu strips, imported meats and cheeses and a curated wine list, then close with a chocolate hazelnut mousse pie dessert with chocolate fudge and malted banana gelato. Located at 912 North State Street, at Walton, south of Ogden Elementary School, this sophisticated bistro is a rising star on the city's restaurant beat. Open from 5 to 9:30 on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 5 to 10:30 on Thursday and Friday, 11 to 10:30 on Saturday and 11 to 9 on Sunday, Adalina offers several one-of-a-kind, never-before-tasted, you-gotta-love-it dishes. My wife and I sampled some of them. For starters, we ordered a bread service with garlic stuffed bread, shrimp cocktail, gnocco fritto with prosciutto, whipped ricotta and honey and truffled Caesar salad with black garlic, parmigiano reggiano, pink peppercorn and Yuzo. For her entree, my wife chose one of the house's specials, tender bone-in veal chop parmigiano with spicy tomato, crispy basil and green beans with prosciutto. One again, I was surprised to see my favorite fish, Branzino, on the menu. It is becoming a frequent sight, much to my delight. The tender and meaty Mediterranean sea bass was grilled with braised Swiss chard and chive oil with a side of roasted sweet carrots. For dessert, we shared an order of chocolate hazelnut mousse pie with a generous slice of pineapple angel cake with pineapple hibiscus gelato. You'll be hearing a lot more from chef Soo Ahn and Adalina in the future.

Everything we enjoyed was incredible and the service was as well. Ask your server to provide recommendations from the menu so you don't miss out on the specialties of the house. The restaurant isn't very large and it is very popular and can get loud. Still, don't let that deter you from visiting this gem.

Lots of potential but so disappointing. Pretty space and a good menu. The good stops there. Service was beyond horrendous and the space and tables are so dark that you cannot see your food let alone the menu. Waited forever for food and when it came it was disappointing. Soggy veal parmesan, bland pasta etc. Way too many restaurants that are great in Chicago to bother with Adalina. This seemed like another chain restaurant with nothing inventive or creative. Wanted to love it but just didn't.

What an amazing find! From start, with Mara taking our reservation, to the wonderful desert combo, all served by the amazing Emily Sanchez, what a night. The ambiance was great, the service fantastic, and the food ... well amazing. Thanks also to the GM/Sommelier Peter Lopez who recommended a great wine, perfectly matching the flavor profile my wife described, and it was not the most expensive wine on the list, instead, just what we asked for. To all at Adalina, thanks. What a wonderful evening!

Wonderful! This restaurant was recommended by a bartender at The Brass Tack in the Waldorf Astoria. We walked across the street and had a wonderful meal! The homemade pasta is delicious. Will definitely return on our next visit to Chicago

The waiter and the chef were not the least bit accommodating to my garlic allergy!! while the restaurant has an extensive menu, I was offered ONE entree that I could have. It came without any special preparation, very bland and over cooked. They made it sound like I was a huge inconvenience with a food allergy, and made me feel guilty that i even brought it up. Last time I checked, there were over 10,000 spices to use in cooking. Unacceptable for the outrageous price I paid. I went home hungry, and made dinner at home.

We are from Virginia, and had made reservations 2 months in advance. We had been previously in 2019 and had one of the best dining experience we’d ever had. After raving about this place to the couple who traveled with us and are first timers to Chicago, our experience was very disappointing. Our reservation was for 730 and we didn’t get seated until almost 9pm. We had requested “Chad” based on our first experience, and were willing to wait a little time, but it became ridiculous and we kept getting promised by the host/hostess station “any minute”. When we were finally starved beyond belief we asked for the next available and the hostess said they had a table for us and never came back. We decided to leave and I stopped by the hostess station and this woman assured us our table ready…and I was cautious to believe her. We got seated, they gave us complimentary appetizers, which were greatly appreciated since we were famished. After alllllllll that, the food was average as was Chad, our server. The place was super loud, so do not expect any table discussion while dining. We were very embarrassed to subject our friends to what we had basically promised was going to be an amazing experience. Maybe management has changed since 2019. We love Chicago…and there is crazy good food there….on to find a new favorite.

The food is very good, as is the service. There are several house-made pasta dishes; gnocchi della nonna excellent, very good mafaldine & limoncello, corn ravioli decent, except dry/bland truffles, brown butter tart lackluster. The decor & ambiance aren't as upscale as the prices, and customer comfort isn't top-of-the-list. Unfortunately the whole experience is marred by the noise level. It is not enjoyable or relaxing to have to yell to be heard, or lean halfway over the table to converse with your dining partner; that alone is a deal-breaker, though way too close table-spacing (especially in the Covid era) is a close 2nd.

We had stumbled upon this fairly new restaurant ( just over 1 year) as we were walking the neighborhood, and the pastry chef was having a bake sale to benefit PAWS. The baked goods looked great so we bought a few items. The Pastry chef suggested that we take a look inside. The inside looked classy but yet comfortable/not stuffy. We made reservations for brunch the next day. Went home and read some bad reviews. Based on some of the reviews about Brunch at Adalina, we were tempted to cancel our reservation. Glad we gave this restaurant a chance. Yes the Brunch options are limited but they were delicious. Portions were larger than it first appeared. We ordered 1 item from the sweets section, 2 appetizers, and 1 from the brunch section. Could have eliminated 1 item, since we were so full. We ordered the sourdough croissant, meatballs, gnocco fritto, and duck. All were tasty but the standout was definitely the gnocco. Creative variation to a typical charcuterie plate, with puffy bread, prosciutto, and ricotta with honey. The drinks were also delicious. Music was needed to drown out the chatter, which was surprisingly nosy. Though we would have expected the music to be jazz, they had a singer playing more modern tunes. He had a nice voice suited for the pleasant atmosphere. Be aware that the restaurant adds additional service charge (about 3-4%) to the bill and included in the taxes line. Overall, a very nice brunch that was slightly more costly than other choices but definitely worth the $$$.

Great spot for a fancier dinner (we went for our anniversary). Delicious food and beverages. Very loud and dimly lit — leave your old folks at home.

We were guests of regulars and had to wait thirty minutes for a table, with a reservation; totally unacceptable. There are numerous managers running around but doing nothing. The noise level in the Bar maybe okay for Gen Xers, but certainly not for an older clientele. While the food is different and good, I find many other of our local haunts far more inviting, and where they take care of us and HONOR reservations.

I think it deserves one star but my dining companion said two stars. Horribly average. Very brusque waiter that referred to himself as Daddy. I wanted noodles not a BDSM top. Inside is like a club. I didn’t want a club. I wanted good Italian food. The menu is so unappealing. I thought if you could really focus on bland, basic, uninspired food then that’s really your choices. Basic, normal, average, desirous of being special: that’s how I would off my opinion. I can’t even remember the food.

I feel like the Gnocchi should be heralded by angels! You don't chew it, you put it in your mouth and become one with it. The rest of the food is as good. The atmosphere is chic and the reservations are a month out.

Great restaurant experience. The staff is attentive and the food is cooked to perfection. I mistakenly ordered the wrong dish and they swapped it out quickly and were very accommodating. Also, the restaurant is nicely decorated. I will visit the restaurant again when I visit the city on my next trip.

Food is very good and the service was even and attentive. Had the lamb, which was prepared a shade over the medium rare I ordered, but otherwise solid. Great wine list. Two negatives keep this from being 5 star: It’s a smallish space so, when full, is very loud. Also, as sides are a la carte, it gets pricey with add-ons. Don’t mind paying top dollar for a premium meal. This didn’t get to that level.

Party atmosphere and quite busy on a Tuesday but sadly not really great food. Most dishes were disappointing. Saddest was the pasta with “lamb bolognese” which showed up with so little lamb in it that you had to pick through to find it and the “bolognese” was just ground lamb with spices & onions - no tomatoes or creaminess to it. Oh well!

The decor is phenomenal. A very sensual and visually appealing dining room and bar. Service was lacking, our server was not attentive (we sat in a booth at the bar area). She was offering us dessert but we had not even gotten our entrees. The food is good but portions are small. We had to pick dessert twice since they were out of the first two things we chose. The food runner paid more attention to our table than the server and he truly was fantastic. The manager (Miles) was kind enough to ask how our dinner was and after listening to our feedback about dessert he extended an invitation for us to return and make things right. I am not sure if I would go back since there are restaurants that offer a higher end experience for a similar price.

OK, so it's a bit on the noisy side....and if that bothers you, don't go here, and certainly don't do a review as you were warned! It's noisy as people are happy here, having a great time and love this place! First, our server Chad was amazing, full of energy and excitement for the menu, with great recommendations and pacing of the meal. His service team was also excellent, clearing at just the right time and never letting a water glass get less than half full. The room is gorgeous and perfectly lit. But the show is the food, which we found priced at a solid value given the exceptional restaurant location and quality/freshness/inventiveness of what is being served. We shared every item, and I am glad we did, as the food is nicely filling and rich. The bread service is a must. The asparagus salad had wonderful texture to it, as did every item, as they think about how to put something nicely crunchy with each food item that provides great texture. The chitarra and mafaldine pastas were delicious, but don't expect your traditional Italian with a big bowl of pasta and some sauce--you have never had Italian quite like this, and it's some of the best we have had. The lamb chops were generous with 4 double chops, and every bit perfectly cooked medium rare (recommended, as they otherwise come medium) and VERY high quality and flavorful. The wine list is extensive, and I had the most wonderful $5 mocktails I could every dream of, beautifully presented. Our party of three felt that this was one of the best meals we have had in a long time, and it's a must go to.

Ok, this is my 3rd visit in a year. So I thought I would finally write a review since I haven’t written one on a restaurant in Chicago in a long time. This place is just fabulous! From the service to my most favorite octopus in the city, tonight I finally tried the pastas OMG! I’m not gonna go on and continue to say how wonderful it is, just because it’s that freaking wonderful. I’m here on a Sunday night and the place is packed. And I’m still getting very nice service from a server named David. No doubt worth a visit. This is voice command, so pardon any spelling or punctual errors.

This was our first time here and it was amazing, start to finish. The octopus was definitely the star of the show, but I honestly think you can’t go wrong. The espresso martini should not be missed. We also had the gnocco frito and asparagus salad, both delicious. As entrees we had the champanelle which was so fresh and the branzino, also incredible. We finished with the banana chocolate cake gelato which was just right. Delicious. You must request Chad to be your server if you want the full service experience. He is top notch.

We were celebrating a birthday on a Saturday night at this 2-month-old upscale Italian restaurant in Chicago's Gold Coast. The restaurant is on the second floor in a large room with big windows, dark-painted walls, and tables with white linen tablecloths. Waiters wear tuxedoes. The printed menu is small; the house-made pastas change regularly. They did not have specials in addition to the menu items which I expected. There is a large staff of waiters, hosts and supervisors roaming the floor with iPads to keep things on track. There's a sommelier and a big wine list of Italian, French, American and some Spanish wines. The by-the-glass options were reasonably priced and I got a generous pour. The food was delicious and plates are meant to be shared. We ordered 4 items: the charred octopus which came cut into bite-size chunks in a creamy sauce; a grilled Caesar salad with crisp, thin house-made cheesy "croutons"; mafaldine, a long ribbon like pasta with artichoke and whole mint leaves, among other ingredients which was the stand-out dish; and lamb chops which were a rack of lamb cut into 4 chops, served medium and I thought over-salted. Service was deft. Water was constantly refilled; plates and cutlery were changed for each course and brought with serving pieces. The first 3 items came promptly. Then we had a l-o-n-g wait for the lamb chops with no explanation. As the dishes were removed, the waitress left a dessert menu which we perused and made our choice. Then we had another l-o-n-g wait . After 2 hours at the table, we gave up and ordered the check instead of dessert and coffee. The main reason we fled the scene was the incredible din that was headache inducing. It made conversing impossible as you had to lean halfway across the table and shout to be heard. As they knew it was a birthday, they brought a cupcake with a candle on the dish with the check, which was nice. They had an issue with their P.O.S. machine and couldn't run credit cards. The waitress had to write down the card info and said they would sent a receipt by email later. The waitress thanked us and we left. None of the hosts or doorkeepers at the entrance thanked us for coming; they all were looking at their devices. This is a hot, stylish new restaurant. It's a place where the female patrons show off their party clothes and lots of skin, much to the enjoyment of the birthday boy who gave a running commentary on his observations of their fashion choices. Bottom line: the food is good and worth seeking out but the noise level made for an unpleasant evening. Dinner for 2 with 2 glasses of wine, four food items but no dessert or coffee, came to $180 with tax before tip. Probably par for a fine-dining Gold Coast location. They offer valet parking.

Why is Branzino so popular? Described as the most popular Mediterranean fish, this lean white sea bass, virtually unknown on this side of the Atlantic Ocean before COVID, is becoming an omnipresence on the menus of American and Italian restaurants. Before COVID, I was introduced to Branzino by a restaurant owner in Florida. "Try it," he said. "I think you'll like it." He was right. I've been addicted to Branzino ever since. If it's on the menu, I order it. It is on Adalina's menu. Grilled Branzino with burro bianco, braised Swiss chard and chive oil. Why is Branzino appearing on more and more menus? At the end of the day, it all comes down to flavor. Branzino meat is sweet, pleasantly flaky, and can be used in many cooking applications. Comparable to halibut and sea bass, Branzino's mild taste means that it can be paired with a wide variety of aromatics and ingredients. It has some of the best qualities you want in a fish--tasty, moist and flaky. Ir has a pleasant, mildly sweet saline taste, literally the taste of the sea. Consumers and restaurants are drawn to Branzino because it is labeled as a sustainable and responsibly sourced option. And, considering ease of cooking, it is incredibly versatile in the kitchen. Located at 912 North State Street, on Chicago's Gold Coast, Adalina adds a romantic, upscale, intimate, trendy, classy, premier and modern Italian restaurant to the neighborhood. Under the guidance of Michelin-starred chef Soo Ahn, it opened in 2021 to rave reviews and has been thriving ever since. Open from 4 to 10 on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 4 to 11 on Thursday and Friday, 3 to 11 on Saturday and 3 to 10 on Sunday, it offers house-made extruded and stuffed pastas, imported meats and cheeses, and hand-selected beef and seafood. Not to mention a luxurious interior with large chandeliers, high ceilings, white tablecloth tables and a full bar. I started with a bread service featuring Quattro Formaggi garlic stuffed bread, three meatballs with pomodoro sauce, a six-piece shrimp cocktail and a truffled Caesar salad with black garlic, parmigiano reggiano, pink peppercorn and yuzu. My entree, of course, was the grilled Branzino. Delicious. For dessert, I chose Adalina's version of tiramisu, with coffee, chocolate, lady fingers crunch and amaretto gelato.

The front of the house in this fairly new restaurant offers superb service at all positions starting with the valet at the entrance, The overall feel is one of luxury and the interior is improved and lightened somewhat from the previous restaurant which operated at the same location (but still contains the oppressively dark steak house style dark wood panelling). The bar makes tasty cocktails and, like the restaurant itself, draws an upscale clientele. The food offerings are very expensive (ie. $10 for bread) and is just not very good, Our Hazelnut Blondie desert, as an example, tasted like a supermarket grade crumble cake with jelly topped by a small scoop of gelato and tasted vile,

Fantastic dining experience: gorgeous ambiance, attentive service, and the food - every dish we ordered was incredible. Recommend ordering the polpettine (meatballs) and cacio e pepe arancini as starters, the “pesto” pasta and veal chop parmigiana. Great cocktails. A bit pricey for Chicago but well worth it!

You know a restaurant is outstanding when every review is praiseworthy as in "best meal we've had in Chicago" and "great everything." No negative reviews. No exaggeration. Chef Soo Ahn is batting 1.000 with Adalina, a small but sophisticated Italian bistro spotlighting hand-made pastas and Wagyu strips and curated wine list. Located at 912 North State Street, it is Chicago's newest upscale Italian destination, a classy dining room and bar with a club-like atmosphere and an outdoor patio. Open from 5 to 10 Monday through Thursday, 5 to 11 on Friday, 10 to 11 on Saturday and 10 to 9 on Sunday, Adalina specializes in tender pasta and steaks drizzled in eight-year aged balsamic. My wife and I started with a unique bread service featuring garlic stuffed bread, shrimp cocktail and truffled Caesar salad with black garlic, parmigiano reggiano, pink peppercorn and yuzu. For her entree, my wife chose veal chop parmigiana with basil and spicy tomato, charred broccoli and crispy fingerling potatoes. I couldn't resist Branzino--I order the tasty and meaty Mediterranean whitefish whenever it appears on a menu--with Swiss chard and pine nuts, mushrooms and fingerling potatoes. For dessert, we shared tiramisu with chocolate gelato and a butterscotch sundae with passion fruit, pineapple gelato and brown butter. If you haven't heard about Adalina yet...well, judging by the fact that there were no empty tables during our visit, the word is out.

I visited Adalina for Easter Brunch and the food was simply delicious. The vibes and the ambiance was second to none. I highly recommend for a special occasion or a nice dinner.

Excellent food and exceptional service. Just go with people you don’t want to have meaningful conversations with. Otherwise a fun night out. The duck lasagna is a strange dish though.

I wouldn’t recommend this venue for a private group dining experience. The reservation process was frustrating—communication was inconsistent, with days passing between responses. This was meant to be a special graduation dinner, yet they misspelled my name on the printed menus and staff began rushing us out before our reserved time was up. While the food itself was good, the overall experience was disappointing and not what I expected for such an important celebration.

This is our favorite resturant in all of Chicago. The food is always perfect. The service is above perfect and the wine program is great.

We had a fabulous dinner at Adalina. It is very high energy and has a fantastic vibe. It gets a very attractive clientele. The food is delicious, the owner gave us their best server and the decor is beautiful. The drinks were also very good. We had great martinis. The location is on State Street near Walton. They have valet parking. I highly recommend Adalina. It is one of the most popular new restaurants in Chicago

Robert was our server and he did a great job despite the restaurant being super busy! We love Table # 71 and the food was incredible! The restaurant is beautiful and the wine and cocktail selections were great. We have visited the spot a few times now and have never been disappointed in the service or food. The hostesses at the front were delightful as well!

Remember Yogi Berra's comment about a restaurant? "Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded," the great sage said. Chef Soo Ahn's Adalina is a tight squeeze and it is noisy. But it is impressive from the minute you walk in the door to the moment you leave...glitzy and luxurious second-floor Italian dining room, leather booths, tuxedo-clad servers, sidewalk patio, elegant Rose Lounge or speakeasy. Located at 912 North State Street, at Walton, in Chicago's posh River North neighborhood, Adalina is a sophisticated bistro spotlighting home-made pastas and Wagyu strips. Open from 5 to 10 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 5 to 11 on Friday, 10 to 11 on Saturday and 10 to 9 on Sunday, it features an expansive menu of Italian and Mediterranean classics from appetizers to entrees to desserts. My wife and I started with shrimp cocktail, garlic stuffed bread and Truffles Caesar salad with black garlic, parmigiano reggiano, pink peppercorn and yuzu. For an entree, my wife chose Branzino, a wonderful Mediterranean sea bass with Swiss chard and pine nuts. I chose one of the house's specials, Filet Tagliata, a superb strip of tenderloin with parmigiano reggiano and eight-year aged balsamic. For dessert, we shared a portion of tiramisu with espresso, dark chocolate and rum raisin gelato (you can't pass up tiramisu in an Italian eatery) and a butterscotch sundae with passion fruit, brown butter and pineapple gelato. It's good to have another fine dining restaurant in the neighborhood.

In the 10 years of living in Chicago, I have never had such impeccable service and food. May I mention Catie was outstanding and I was so surprised she was not the owner. However, it was unfortunate that the atmosphere and experience was ruined by a burlesque show in the middle of the dining room. There was a woman in skimpy clothing with her friends- making out with a guy while sitting on his lap, putting her legs up in the air like she should have “gotten a room.” While we experienced there were several tables surrounding us in awe of what was going on in front of us. As one of the owners, Miles came up to our table and asked how our experience was- we went on to explain the distribution in the middle of the room. It was gross beyond belief and the owner may I mention was unprofessional, not caring, and continued to flirt with two girls at the bar while several tables were in disbelief of what was going on. Yes, the food and employees were amazing. Catie realized what was going on and could read the room of how uncomfortable we were- she so nicely brought us Limoncello. But unfortunately the Owner, Miles was extremely unprofessional and not customer centric at all.

I saw Chef Soo Ahn on Top Chef and loved his creative dishes. So knowing he’s the executive chef at Adalina, it’s been on my radar. I was not disappointed. First, the restaurant is absolutely gorgeous. The attentive wait staff is top-notch and I loved our server Javier. My husband ordered a bottle of Brunello di Montalcino, my favorite. They have an extensive selection. We shared the caviar service and also the truffle caesar. I love truffle everything and this salad was crisp & fresh and lightly dressed with a fabulous truffle dressing. And caviar? ‘Nuf said! There were 5 mini gnocco fritto with whipped ricotta and a half ounce o golden kaluga caviar. For dinner, my husband had the veal chop parmigiana and I had the salmon Vesuvio. Both excellent dishes. The veal chop was huge and so tender. It was in a spicy tomato sauce. My salmon was a perfect medium with a crispy potato crust with lighter than air gnocchi. We ended our meal sharing the limoncello blackberry tart. Divine! Tonight’s dining experience was amazing. The only thing missing was meeting the chef. Highly recommend!

It starts with a fun atmosphere. The staff gets customer service and they know the menu. The apps were amazing and the main course is as good as any you’ll have in the city. This place is a must do. See photos.

My American colleague took me. The atmosphere is very stylish, but there's nothing pretentious about it, and the taste is delicious and I'm very happy. The amount was so large that four women went and ordered two appetizers, two plates of pasta, four mains and two desserts. That's just about right. Unlike the traditional Italian style, I think it can be called American Italian. It was all delicious, so I wanted to try the other menus.

In the middle of a strip of restaurants and bars, easy access vis cab and car but difficult for parking. Not handicap accessible since there are two steps up from the main sidewalk and not ramp. Inside front room smallish but comfy, full visible bar, feel of neighborhood bar. Good menu, excellent food, attentive staff.

Bad on us: the Four Seasons Hotel concierge sent us over and it wasn’t our desired dining experience of delicious food and gracious dining in a charming atmosphere. It was instead wall to wall people and the outrageous noise levels unbearable. If you’re under-thirty and want to be found, this is the place for you. The cuisine okay, over salted and overly spiced. Other than that, and the RUSH to turn our table, not a place conducive to a lingering romantic evening. More akin to “Slam, Bam, Thank you Mam”. PS: An interesting side note; Female servers all wear matching low cut push-em up tops. So you readers get the drift of this place. (Sexist I’d say, but that’s a whole other subject. I didn’t see any male staff forced to flaunt their stuff. Damn!)

Very tasty versions of popular foods like Caesar salad and pesto. Amazingly tasty gnocchi. Waiters in formal clothes. Good, friendly service and advice. Expensive.

The place is beautiful, pastas are delicious and service was very good. Sadly, dessert was a huge disappointment. We asked for the almond ricotta cake (an Italian classic) and the only good thing on it was the cherry jam. Ice cream on top was melted, cake was soggy and tasted as artificial almond extract. Coffee was cold too. Would not go back, very pricey for not having good desserts.

This place has a great ambiance but that’s where it stops. Service is slow. Wait staff is friendly but have way too many tables. We sat for a long time with empty drinks. The prices are in line with Next, Sepia or Maple & Ash but the food and service do not come anywhere close. The lobster was cold, the wagyu beef was fatty and raw and the martinis small. I wouldn’t rate it so low if it weren’t for the price. It’s trying to be a top restaurant but does not meet those expectations. There are so many great restaurants in Chicago but this isn’t one of them.