IL Culaccino Reviews

We had the restaurant to ourselves on a Saturday night at 4:30, but it normally gets busy later. We love Italian so it's nice to see another option come to our part of Chicago. The pros: fast and friendly wait staff, nice romantic atmosphere, some interesting menu choices, and a good wine list. The cons: pricey for portion size, close to McCormick but far from the loop, specials seemed similar to cheaper menu items. I've got nothing to complain about. Our dinners were great and the warm bread and wine were perfect. The thing is, Italian restaurants are plentiful and I'd prefer the same food for a cheaper price and less atmosphere at Tufanos Vernon Tap. But if you want a nice romantic dinner or you're staying near McCormick and crave some pasta or a steak or even need a classy place to take a client out on business, IL Culaccino will be perfect for you.

Searched google for the Best Italian restaurant in Chicago. Google definitely got it right. When we got there, my wife and I both said we would not get an appetizer or dessert because we were going to a concert. That was impossible. We had the meatball appetizer and they were the best I’ve had. My wife had the linguine and white clam sauce and I had gnocchi al forno. I’m Italian and have been eating Italian food for 50 years and I must say, I’ve never had better. Even the dessert was great. The best part was the prices. Bravo IL Culaccino. Cant wait to come back next time I’m in Chicago.

Went here several times during my stay and tried several different dishes. They all delivered as true Italian, good wine list, and great staff. I would definitely eat here again and revisit many times. Great happy hour, and the whipped ricotta is outstanding.

We went there due to convenient location to our hotel. It was not too busy on a weekday for lunch. The food was good and portions large. We got one refill of water and tea and had finished our food and waited to see our server again but he disappeared. After being finished for about 20 minutes we finally asked another server for our check. She didn’t know where our server was and made the comment he must have had an emergency. If that was the case he hadn’t asked anyone to cover for him.

This is my second visit to Culaccino and both times the experience has been worth the visit.. I loved the veal so much I ordered it twice in two nights. I love how you can get it prepared different ways. The homemade giardiniera was very flavorful but spicy. The veal parmigiano had just the right amount of cheese and I like the pasta served with it. The portions are large and you end up leaving filling very full. The bread was nice and hot both nights and my drinks never went dry. Looking forward to trying the cannoli cake. The first night I had the Ceasar salad and it was huge and the second night I had the caprese salad. The dressing on the side was perfect. I travel quite a bit and was happy to run across this restaurant close to the hotel.

Was in town for a trade show and have been here before, so decided to return. Service was very good as we were greeted quickly after being seated. We ordered the Calamari for the table, and it was excellent. The sauce was well done and the pieces of Calamari were large and very tasteful. I ordered the Chicken Marsala, and it was fine. The chicken was overcooked and the marsala sauce was tasteless, nothing special. I finished with a cappuccino, which was very good. My colleagues had Chicken Parmigiana and Chicken Vesuvi, and they both enjoyed.

tasty red sauce pasta, big parm plates, old tomato with caprese, overdressed green salads, food service deserts. Food & liquid on patio floor, "don't slip!" caution from staff, but no clean-up. Food delivered and then we asked - and WAITED - for tableware. No refill on small glass of iced tea, order incorrect, reservation pointless as front of house "girls" hiding at the podium are ineffective. Groups & couples at tables elsewhere in the restaurant had a different experience, luck of the draw on staff apparently & we lost. This is a one and done visit, other restaurants in the south loop, UIC, McCormick neighborhood. (like the food and liquid on the patio floor, bathrooms filthy, apparently Il Culaccino doesn't own a broom or mop.) Sum takeaway? Badly managed.

We were there for a family dinner and it was just lovely. The server was very helpful. The food was delicious. I was surprised to find this restaurant to be of this high quality. The place was packed due to the proximity of the convention center. Fortunately we were able to make a reservation online.

We visited the restaurant before a concert. The service was fantastic, Bobby! The food was excellent and we will definitely be back. It was a great surprise find. Highly recommend.

I ordered the chicken Marsala and it was fine. It didn’t open new portals of culinary wonder for me, but it was a satisfactory lunch. If you’re staying next door at the Marriott Marquis, you’ll find the food at Il Culaccino to be an upgrade from the hotel fare.

Great place for lunch within walking distance of McCormick Place and across the street from Wintrust Arena. We were here for lunch. No wait as there was nothing going on at McCormick Place. The Italian food is good and it is a quiet place- as opposed to a noisy bar. The South Loop is finally getting a number of restaurants and new hotels as the area has become gentrified. My son bring his kids (4 & 6) with another family for dinner during the week once in a while. Even the kids enjoy it.

Our family of 4 had dinner here over Easter Weekend and the food was outstanding. Our server was excellent and the wine choice was spot on from the server! We enjoyed our appetizer and the serving sizes were enough for leftovers at a future meal! Needless to say if we are by Mc Cormack Place again we will definitely put this on our list for dinner!! We had chicken Parm - 2 pieces of chicken!!! Ravioli - a good 6-8 of them all smooth and cheesy; meatballs - great too!

Business meeting, had gnocchi, I am still looking for the best but Culaccino do a good job. Had also calamari as appetizer. One colleague had the pork rib and was really good. If you like sweets the desserts are amazing . Had a espresso coffee and that was authentic. For sure a great Italian restaurant option when attending events in Chicago.

Sat on the covered patio. Service was good even though they were crowded. Had a reservation for 5:45 pm and got right in. The server was pleasant and engaging. The food was delicious. Split an appitizer and main course.

We went there for a graduation party. Immediately impressed by the beautiful design inside and equally impressed by the covered outdoor patio. Movable windows and out door plant give a garden feel. The food was outstanding from salads to appetizers to entrees. We had so many I could not begin to list them. It is one of those can't miss restaurants. I can't wait to go back with family and friends.

Went in for lunch on Sunday. Quiet day for them. Service was efficient. I had orrechietta pasta with chicken and spinach. The pasta was al dente. It was lightly sauced and very tasty. I would happily go back again.

Authentic Italian flavor with rich presentation and reasonable portions. Out for an evening dinner with my wife I chose I’ll Culaccino be cause of their varied menu full of Italian favorites. Their extensive wine listing was rewarding. The fresh bread with Parmesan and olive oil was endless! The bright olive oil set expectations for what was to come. My wife being gluten free was reticent to go Italian due to so many disappointments with noodles in the past. Our server offered to bring a sample to try; totally unexpected. She chose the fresh fish and said she would take a chance with the pasta. I selected eggplant Parmesan. We were both rewarded with authentic Italian preparation and stunning flavors. Her mahi-mahi was served over the best GF pasta she had ever ate. The eggplant had fresh flavor and delicate textures. The sauce for both entrees was exquisite. We met new friends there who were back for the second time in a week. If we lived here, we would be regulars too. The easy music created a charming ambience that enhanced the meal. Our server was fabulous with attentiveness, recommendations, and timing. Allie was wonderful.

Fantastic food and service. Plus it’s within walking distance from the mcCormick Center. One of my team members loved it so much he went back again two days later!

The Gnocchi was delicious! While it wrecked my diet, I can’t complain about the taste, quality and delivery. The meal was amazing.

Place to avoid because the food is really bad and I wonder about the freshness of the dishes. Indeed, my wife had a minestrone as a starter but it was water with pieces of potato and plenty of celery... Not worthy of Italian cuisine and we know it well... As far as I'm concerned, as a starter, the fried squid must have been fried for several hours... As for my dish, the Milanese veal escalope??? suggested insistently by the waiter, on the 3 pieces of meat, covered with a salad and potatoes... All this still gave me the impression of being reheated!!! I'm wondering because I think that in the middle of the veal, there was probably chicken... So, it's true that in reading the reviews, many of which are excellent, I tell myself that I was wrong, the usual chef must have been away or he got angry with his wife, but I really felt like a tourist trap like us.

Last night my son and I got food to go as we were staying in a hotel nearby. The wait time was short, it was ready when they said, the food was excellent, with good portion sizes at a reasonable price. Who could ask for more! The beet salad was delicious with generous amounts of goat, cheese and walnuts. We had two separate pastas, one with chicken and another chicken Parmesan over penne pasta. Both were absolutely delicious and my son and I could not actually finish either. I highly recommend this restaurant and the restaurant is really cute as well, so I bet the dining in experience is even more fabulous.

Made a reservation based on reviews on trip advisor and because it was walking distance from the Hyatt Mcormick Place. Good decision! I had the special Halibut Putanesca ( superb!). One of my coworkers was celebrating a birthday and our amazing server, Kayla, brought the table a deconstructed Cannoli, which was incredible! Crave worthy in fact. Dinner was delicious, service was excellent and we definitely recommend you try it! A special thanks to Kayla who as she was leaving for the evening saw us on the street looking for the Rooftop Bar and graciously walked us to the spot! Wow.. you can’t teach nice it has to be in you to start with and it absolutely was in Kayla!

A true Italian restaurant with a wide menu selection, wine and homemade tiramisu. Authentic ambiance with Frank Sinatra music and Robert DeNiro movie posters. Highly recommend.

We have been fans of Franco's for a long time so when this popped up in the search we were excited to try it out. The service was great, and the wine list and cocktails on point. Our appetizer, salad and entrees were all wonderful. The menu offers all of the traditional Italian preparations at the entree, but the pasta list included some things I was not expecting and the grilled calamari was great.

I ordered the Chicken Marsala with Spaghetti. Wow, I felt like I was back in my grammar school cafeteria. It tasted just like what they served there. I haven't had spaghetti with the consistency and the thickness like that since having it regularly in that basement cafeteria. This was true nostalgia. The marsala sauce tasted just like the sauce I remember as well. And it had that lingering aftertaste (for about an hour) that I still remember. I think this might be the result of the use an inferior oil or shortening rather than olive oil or butter in the sauce. The mushrooms in the sauce were just fine. The Italian bread was good, but you had to ask for olive oil and parmesan. It is an attractive spot with a very pleasant outdoor patio. The service was somewhat inattentive despite the fact that it was early and they were not busy.

Chose this place as was recommended by The Marriott Marquis Chicago and was walking distance. Had a reservation for 545 pm and had stopped at the Fatpour Tap Works prior to our reservation. They are a half a block from each other. Jackie did a great job serving us. We felt the dinners were ok.

Wanted a nice meal while at McCormick Place for gymnastics meet. IL Culaccino was right across the road and had good reviews. Service was amazing, was able to reserve a table ahead of time. Seating we were put right up against the windows by the door so every time it opened we got cold. Food was decent but not remarkable... Honestly Olive Garden is better. Worth it for proximity. Would go again, but wouldn't be expecting "wow". Again, service is what makes this place tic, as I can't complain at all about the staff, they were attentive and helpful and there but not overbearing.

Been here before and the menu is limited (and pricy), but always good. I ordered the Veal Parmigiana, being basic, but it was great. The sauce is different and somewhat suite, but perfect match. Good service and place was packed, but overall real good.

Our group of six ate there on an early Friday night, mainly based on it's close proximity to the Hyatt McCormick. We were a motley crew of youngsters and oldsters with varying tastes and appetites. My mom was in a wheelchair. The place was fairly empty when we started dinner (5pm), but was crowded by the time we left. Everyone ordered a different dish so we covered a good sample size. The pastas were all very well prepared. The Eggplant Parmesan was excellent...not bitter or salty. The pumpkin ravioli was superb, as well. The Salmon with a red sauce was can unusual tantalizing very good surprise and the Hollow speghetti (I can't remember the name) was my son's favorite. The only miss was a pasta special with beets, spinach & chicken. The ingredients were good, but it just did not stand up to the rest. The wine list had reasonable choices and splurges. Dessert was a canoli-inspired treat. Very good! Our server Shane was fantastic. He had the waiter banter down pat and the team kept our water, wine, and bread filled and table stocked and cleared. Excellent service rivaling many restaurants we have visited at three time the cost....The long booth was a little awkward, but they made it work. Super reasonable for the level of service and food preparation. We will be back.

Was here with clients. Although the environment was nice, the food was not that good. We ordered Fettucine Diabolo and Tortelini Carbonara. The Fettucine Diabolo was so spicy that we could not eat it. The Tortelini was more or less....the price was too high for the quality offered.

We’ve been here a couple times and sadly it is a hit or miss. Calamari first couple times were amazing, but recently overcooked and dry. Chicken parm, I feel like the past couple times they pre-cooked it, which I am not a fan of

Tasty food and good wine, thoroughly enjoyed my experience here. Staff were extremely friendly and very patient with a large group of people.

We ate here with a large group the first week of October 2019. I heard from the bartender that they had only been open 4 months so I understand there is a learning curve and changing staff conditions. First let me start with the positives. The location is great if you are staying near McCormick. The specialty drinks are amazing . The food however is lacking . Out of the four dishes I tasted from our group only the gnocchi impressed . The veal was over cooked and the tortellini was just ok. I would probably find a better option for food but the bar is wonderful.

and enjoy all this restaurant has to offer. Food was amazing and has an extensive wine list which will please the pickiest. Dawn, our server was knowledgeable about the menu and flavors and guided us through our selections. There is a nice outdoor area to enjoy as well as a modern dining room. It’s the perfect combination of great Italian food, Chicago and a modern setting. Our food was served hot and with the freshest taste. Outstanding! The dining room is open, versatile and impressively accommodates business meals as well as local diners.

We were seated promptly. However, when they brought us to the table it was still dirty from the previous guests and they had to wipe it down before we could take a seat. Water and bread was brought to table quickly. Bread was blah - no flavor. Beet salad was descent. Our entrees were inedible. Pasta dishes tasted like store bought jar sauce. Seared salmon entree was extremely salty. We saw no point ordering dessert since this place left a lot to be desired. Only redeeming quality was our friendly waiter.

we stopped here for a late night meal during the convention in august. we were a group of 4. The waitress was friendly and attentive. Good service. We made our orders before the kitchen closed so we rushed through it. We ordered wine, beer and old fashioned cocktails. The table had a wide variety of orders from calamari, fries. roasted chicken and eggplant Parmesan. It is apparently a relatively new restaurant - it is just a block away from the Marriott and the food was good.