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Anna Maria Pasteria
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
4400 N Clark StChicago, IL 60613
Neighborhoods: Ravenswood, Uptown
(773) 506-2662
- Nearest Transit:
-
Montrose-brown (Brown Line)
Wilson (Red Line)
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Classy, Intimate
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
69 reviews for Anna Maria Pasteria
Review Highlights
-
"Being a pasta lover, this place is like heaven." In 25 reviews -
"The food was very good and service was excellent." In 5 reviews -
"Service is always great here." In 4 reviews
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68 reviews in English
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Review from elena r.
Chicago, IL
1/14/2012
Great food, great service, great ambiance!
My friend called Friday at a little before 10 to find out if they were still serving. The kitchen is open until 11. Hooray!
We arrived a little past ten. I think there were 1 or 2 other tables there, not surprising considering the late hour.
We were greeted warmly and seated promptly.
The restaurant looks really nice and cozy and clean!
Our server was Scott. He was very gracious and attentive, but not smothering or pushy.
We had questions about the menu and requested suggestions. He clearly knows the menu well as he was able to offer many different suggestions for a range of palates.
We ordered drinks and an appetizer as we made our decisions.
Even though we arrived quite late, we did not feel pressured to order quickly.
We had the eggplant appetizer. I love eggplant and this was quite yummy. It was lightly breaded and, I think, baked instead of fried. The breading was tasty and it didn't overpower the eggplant.
We ordered entrees and then remembered we wanted to try the soup. No problem, Scott said, it's not too late! We had the house soup (not the soup of the day) which is a chicken broth egg drop tortellini concoction that was oh so yummy!
The entrees we ordered were the farfalle a la nonna and the lobster ravioli.
The farfalle itself did not seem to be homemade pasta, but the dish was still quite good. The sausage was flavorful and everything was fresh tasting.
The ravioli did seem to be homemade pasta. It was also quite good, but I think that the mushroom sauce overpowered the delicate flavor of the lobster. However, I really loved the mushroom sauce. I would order this again just for the mushroom sauce.
Again, even though it was now past 11 and we were the only ones left dining, Scott suggested we really ought to try dessert. Now, this was a good thing because we always like to try dessert and we were glad we wouldn't feel rushed through it. Scott recommended a new addition to the menu and we were not disappointed (though today I can't remember the name)!
As we were enjoying our cake one of the owners, Maria, stopped by our table to say hello. I love that!
Thank you to Scott and to Anna Maria Pasteria for a wonderful, late, leisurely dinner. Now that we've found you we will be back. -
Review from Dejan B.
3/31/2012
We stopped by this place looking for a very late lunch/early dinner right after doing our taxes. It hit the spot.
I think the service was very good here, very nice, prompt, and attentive. The decor is nice as well while nothing that would make you say wow. My wife and I thought the food was good but not the best (I still think one of the best Italian places in Chicago for us so far is Francesca's on Taylor in University Village/Little Italy). The bread and olive oil was good but not outstanding (I have had better at Macaroni and Grill which says something). The prices were a bit more on the expensive side and a bit more than Francesca's. The dessert was again good but not the best.
If you are in the area looking for a decent Italian place I would recommend this place. -
Review from Vanessa C.
Chicago, IL
3/4/2012
We had a group of 13 people for a surprise birthday dinner-the service was phenomenal. Brian, our waiter was super attentive along with the wait staff. It could not have been a better place-cozy atmosphere, delicious food, and super welcoming as one of the sisters came to greet our table and check in on us. We brought our own cake, which they served. I highly recommend for a large group.
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Review from JL Q.
Pompano Beach, FL
8/16/2011
Food and Service are alright, but nothing outstanding.
We visited this place over Market Days weekend. We found our server to be informative and fun. We enjoyed our entrees even if they were served to us incorrectly. The bruschetta was one of the worst I've had. The bread was too toasted.
The wine was good and reasonably priced.
Our entrees were served to the wrong persons. Barring that, my chicken dish was tasty. We didn't order any dessert.
After we paid the bill, we continued to sit outside and enjoy the beautiful weather, but no one ever came to refill our water glasses and we were there another hour. In fact, we would have had to gone inside to ask someone to come out and bring more water because we never saw anyone else the rest of our visit. C'mon! It's water already! -
Review from Alicia M.
9/27/2011
I just moved to the neighborhood from Wrigleyville, so I wanted to eat at a REAL Italian restaurant, not a pizza place :)
The staff was very welcoming and our waiter was very professional and warm. The restaurant had the perfect mood lighting and was very cozy.
The bread they brought us was fresh out of the oven and hot! It tasted like candy...I loved it. Bread is extremely important so I was excited that it was so amazing :) No appetizer needed!
Hubby and I didn't go "all out" here because we're trying to save some money, so we just ordered wine and entrees. Hubby got the spaghetti bolognese with meatballs and I got the penne caprese.
My penne caprese didn't disappoint! It was the perfect size portion, they weren't stingy on the fresh mozzarella, and it was so garlicy and amazing! MMMM. Hubby's bolognese sauce was so flavorful, and he let me have one of his meatballs. It was the best I've tasted in a long time...definitely made fresh and with love!
Also, it was a Friday night, the restaurant was full, and our food came out within minutes! I cannot wait to come back and try the bread pudding...I spied it on the dessert menu and will be dreaming about having it until it is MINE! -
Review from anonymous B.
Chicago, IL
4/2/2012
Me and my girlfriend have lived about two blocks away from Anna Maria for a couple of years now and tonight we decided to try it.
I have read the reviews after I went to the place and really to tell you the truth I don't see what everyone is ranting and raving about. I have been to many Italian restaurants and I must say that this place was the worst. The waiter that served us wasn't really on top of his game that night because of a couple of reasons. 1. he did not introduce himself so I have no idea who he even is (lucky for him I suppose) 2. the only question he asked us all night was "would you like anything to drink?" and that was about it. He only checked on us once...any other time that we needed him we had to flag him down.
Now for the food. I think it is waaaay over priced! I don't mind going out every once and a while and paying top dollar for a good meal, but this food was unreasonably priced and it wasn't worth the flavor! My girlfriend had ordered fettucini alfredo, I did not try it, but I do know this is one of her favorite pastas and she was very displeased with it. I ordered the spaghetti with meatballs with marinara sauce. (sorry but I don't remember the fancy Italian name they gave it) First off, I had only gotten 2 meatballs. only two. Now the only difference between my dish and my girlfriend's dish were meatballs. both of us got noodles and sauce, but I had meatballs. He dish was $13 mine was $15 which means we payed a dollar a meat ball. and they weren't even big. I hate to say that at the risk of sounding cheap. but they could have given me more than two or at least bigger meat balls. The marinara sauce that I had was very watery as well. not a thick sauce indeed. really it seemed like they took some tomatoes and water threw it on my plate and called it sauce.
So my dish was $15 her dish was $13 and this was as low as the menu went.
And for a restaurant that is suppose to be "high class" it doesn't look to good when your specials for the night are written sloppy on a piece of paper and not just written but photocopied as well!
In conclusion I would give this place no stars if I could but yelp is forcing me to give them one. Why all the people below me gave this place a good review? I think because they either work there or it is the owner...because I walk past this place almost every single day and when I look inside its usually a ghost town. -
Review from William B.
Chicago, IL
3/22/2012
A good (but not great) neighborhood place
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Review from Susan B.
Chicago, IL
6/18/2011
We have been ordering delivery from Anna Maria for several years, though I have never visited the restaurant.
Pasta dishes--tortellini with vodka sauce, farfalle ala nona, etc.--are all tasty but could use a higher ratio of sauce to pasta. Fried calamari is good (pop in the toaster oven for a few minutes to crisp it up), as are the portobella mushroom appetizer and salads.
Friendly phone order takers and delivery person. In our regular rotation. -
Review from Joanie S.
Chicago, IL
7/6/2011
Anna Maria Pastaria is Great!
Not only do I think so, so does my Italian boyfriend.
I ate an amazing plate of pasta tonight. The service was outstanding. I highly recommend it! -
Review from Lorelei C.
Chicago, IL
10/5/2011
Tonight I had dinner at Anna Maria Pasteria and if ever I
have found the perfect Italian restaurant this would be it.
This gem of a restaurant is located at the corner of Clark
Street and Montrose, and the fact that I have lived 2 blocks
away and never frequented Anna Maria until tonight blows
my mind, obviously I made a wrong turn and wound up at
some other restaurant, this would be my loss.
This place is magnificent, starting with the ambiance, a
gorgeous interior with exposed brick walls, lovely chandeliers,
and beautiful table linens.
So, it appears that the restaurant is owned by 2 sisters,
Anna and Maria, I met Maria tonight and she was welcoming
and kind, introduced herself to myself and my friend Gina.
Scott was our server and took care of us beautifully as well.
Tonights special was a spaghetti with meatballs and a
truly phenominal bolegnese sauce, my friend and I both
ordered this dish and I have to say it exceeded my expectations,
Just so perfect!
And to sweeten the deal the menu special price tonight
was $10.00, so worth every penny!
Anna Maria is not the largest of restaurants, as you enter
there is a small bar area and the rest of the space pretty
much consists of tables.
But, from the moment you enter you just feel so comfortable
and relaxed, my friend and I both agreed, we had a great
dining experience at Anna Maria's tonight.
They have a great wine list as well, after all what goes
better with a great italian meal than the perfect glass of wine.
Nice dessert options too, I tried to avoid this but I gave in
and my friend and I shared 1 dessert between us.
Prices are comparable to other finer italian restaurants but..
do yourself a favor and have a meal at Anna Maria's.
And if you can go on a Wednesday night when you can have
the spaghetti special, you wont be sorry!
I have fallen in love with this place, give them a try,
you may fall in love too..:) -
Review from Gary B.
12/8/2010 1 Check-in Here
While we had been to their other location and found it enjoyable, I am not quite sure what took us so long to get to the new one...well not so new at this point.
We had another engagement in the area and decided to have dinner before hand and chose Anna Maria. The space is very easy via public transportation and they were able to accommodate us on a Friday evening with out a reservation. The host was very friendly and sat us right away.
The restaurant was busy but not overly crowded and the noise level was minimal. Our server was prompt and offered us the specials. I had the potato cabbage soup and the veal picata which I found both very good. The portion size is reasonable for the price and most entrees come with a side of pasta.
We will certainly be back. -
Review from Lauren B.
Chicago, IL
2/20/2012
My fiance and I came here on Valentines Day and got just what we hoped for: a very cozy, friendly environment with some of the best service I've ever experienced. Arrived 15 min late for our 7:15 reservation - so prime time on a prime restaurant night - the minute we walked in, we were greeted by a nice hostess who immediately sat us. Waiter came right over within 2-3 minutes. The wine list has great varieties, but not so many that we felt torn. Went with a moderately priced pinot noir and was pleased that it tasted about 15% better than it's price point. I had a caprese salad - very cold, crisp vegatables - just the way it should be, and spaghetti with meatballs. Pasta tastes like it was made same day. He had the tortellini with mushrooms, peas, and something else - he loved it. We shared tiramisu - I'm borderline neurotic about tiramisu and this was yet another course that set the bar high. We will definitely be back.
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Review from Viv C.
Cook, IL
3/18/2011
I want to give it three stars but "Meh. I've experienced better." (I like Yelp's note)
The reason to give it three stars is I like the internal design and the atmosphere. But since it's a Italian restaurant, it's all about food. I would say, I won't visit this restaurant again.
Food is okay. What we ordered not a surprise but you will forget how it tastes after you go home.
Everyone recommends desert-Tiramisu and we tried.
Again, I don't recommend Tiramisu here, either. Too much cream on the top and it's an okay one.
What is the reason I give two stars? Their services are not friendly. We had a lovely mood to enjoy it but the waiter is pushy! He tried to sell their soup or salad even we already finished the order. I would rather go Francesca for Italian food.
Their high price doesn't make their food worthy. And I don't like their waiter! -
Review from Beth N.
Chicago, IL
7/7/2011
We live right around the corner, and we absolutely LOVE their pizza delivery! It always arrives piping hot, and everything tastes really fresh. You also get 10% off if you pay in cash.
We've only dined in once. We split the caeser salad. It was really tasty; the dressing was more of a vinaigrette than creamy, which was nice.
For our main course, I had the Farfalle Primavera. It was just ok. It was kind of bland, and tasted like something that could have been made at home rather than a $17.50 restaurant dish. Just nothing about it made it very special. It kind of reminded me of diet food, to be honest.
My husband had the pork chop special. He really liked it.... but it was severely undercooked. He had to send it back. To the credit of the chef, when it returned it was cooked perfectly and was still juicy and delicious rather than overcooked and dry as the hubby feared.
Due to the aforementioned pork dish, we were credited with free dessert :) I had the mini cannoli, which were yummy.
The service was prompt and friendly, and the restaurant itself has a nice ambiance. We will definitely keep ordering the pizza, and we will likely be back to dine in as well. -
Review from John B.
8/30/2006
I haven't been to Anna Maria since they moved to this location, and yes, I'm ashamed of myself. But I have looked in, and the space looks just as cozy and charming as their old location on Broadway.
Anna and Maria are the sisters who run the place -- and do much of the cooking. If the brothers from "Big Night" came to Chicago, this is the kind of place they would open. Traditional Italian dishes prepared with an attention to detail. Nothing too fancy, but everything delicious. They serve a salad with apples, walnuts and gorgonzola cheese which is wonderful. A huge selection of pastas (I'm a sucker for the puttanesca, with fresh tomatoes, capers and olives), and a variety of chicken, veal and fish. Maria is the pastry chef, and if there are fresh profiteroles (filled cream puffs topped with chocolate sauce), save room for dessert.
Service is always great here. A lot of the staff have been with Anna Maria for years, so they know their stuff. You won't find a lot of struggling actors paying the rent here. These are professionals.Listed in: Italian is the New Black
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Review from Michelle S.
Chicago, IL
4/22/2008
I LoVe Italian food... and I've been happy every single time that I've eaten at Anna Maria.
First, they don't have a meal on the menu that would satisfy my veggie loving taste buds, but the chef has been happy to 'CrEaTe' something for me EVERY time! Thaz love! I'm not crazy about the bread either, as some others have said, AnD I prefer to have olive oil on the table, but it is brought if one asks for it. The menu looks superb for carnivores, and my meat/fish loving friends have adored it.
The atmosphere is cozy with nice lighting and music. It is perfect for a small group of friends or a date. I would recommend calling ahead for a reservation. The service is also great!.Listed in: Belly LoVe
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Review from Colleen C.
Chicago, IL
4/10/2007 1 photo
Such a great little location, smack dab in between all the main restaurant strips (Lakeview/Lincoln Square/Andersonville). A quiet, cozy, authentically inspired dining area with excellent homemade pasta (I had the gorgonzola/apple salad and a creamy tomato rigatoni that was on special).
Our server was polite, courteous, efficient and made lovely suggestions. Our dinner was at a nice pace, not rushed even though it was pretty filled on a Saturday night at 8pm. The crowd seemed casual and relaxed and the prices were acceptable for the portions and quality.
Parking is OK. :) And yes, save room for dessert (I had tiramasu). -
Review from Damian C.
12/7/2009
The restaurant is cute and the waitstaff is friendly, but I wouldn't put this amongst my favorite Italian places. I inadvertently got myself on an Italian bender this week so this place had a lot to live up to.
The menu included all my Italian favorites - pastas, chicken dishes, veals, you name it. I had eaten a huge lunch earlier and had been eating out all weekend so I chose to go with a cheap dish with a size that was not-too-overwhelming (you know how those pasta dishes are - deceivingly large and can feed a small nation). I opted for the spaghetti and meatballs and loaded up on the fresh, warm, super crusty (!!) bread and oil.
The pasta was done perfect and the marinara was great. The meatballs were delicious and decent-sized - my only disappointment was that there were only two of them cause I would have eaten at least 5 because they were so good. The portions were not too large, either, so I had no trouble finishing 95% of my meal in one sitting. My friend ordered the pollo cannelloni which was equally as tasty! Had I been a little more ambitious I definitely would have gone after a few of the other dishes on the menu - the pollo vesuvio is marked for my next trip.
Since it was my friend's birthday, the restaurant did throw in a dessert on the house, which we all dove into even though we were completely full.
My only major complaint about my visit was my bill. I noticed on the website that Anna Maria offers "Spaghetti Sundays" - $8 for spaghetti or an extra $2 for meatballs. I was charged the full menu price of $13 for my meal. I am not sure if the portions are different, or I needed to explicitly mention this, but it was not mentioned as a special to our table. I won't cry over $3, but something to note for next time. -
Review from Ross F.
Chicago, IL
4/4/2006
Incredible home made pasta- This place made a move off of Broadway and Irving last year sometime. When they were on Broadway their location was totally under the radar (you could literally walk right by and not see it) and they just moved to a corner location about a mile away on Montrose and Clark.
They are a great deal busier now, but they still have great food and are relatively still unknown. -
Review from Amy H.
10/8/2008
I came to Anna Maria Pasteria for dinner a few months ago and had a wonderful time! I had a wonderful time because I was with a group of 20 amazingly smart and witty people (and the wine was flowing like...well...wine.) If it hadn't been for our dinner party, I don't think I would have enjoyed Anna Maria Pastaria.
First of all, the jammed us into a little spot in the back. We were practically sitting in each others laps! I know that a party of 20 is hard to seat, but maybe the could have tried to accommodate us in the front part of the restaurant instead of trying to make an area that was too small work.
They have a huge menu. It was almost too hard to decide so I went with the first thing that caught my eye, which was tortellini. It was ok. The tiramisu was good. Everything was all kind of average. Nothing really stood out as being really good and no one raved about their meal.
I would try this restaurant again, but I don't feel like I would go out of my way to eat here. -
Review from Dawn G.
Chicago, IL
7/16/2008
I used to go to the location on Irving Park & Broadway at least twice per month. Comfy, comfy, comfy homeade italian food that could consistently repair any level of crappy day you may have gone through.
It was a good gap of 5 years since my last visit and I was THRILLED to see some of my old favorites and a few more entrees than their old menu. Although pretty full, my friend and I got seated immediately (on a Saturday without reservations, even). Great meal, great service from start to finish.
It was like finding your long lost favorite pair of jeans...and they still fit.
They lose one star due to acoustics. Once the Chianti hit the bloodstream of a couple of Soccer Moms...whooofff....crazy loud in there. -
Review from Ben E.
3/1/2009
This is a great neighborhood restaurant. The prices are very reasonable for what you receive, the service is excellent, and I've always felt welcome when I go there for a meal. Plus, its corner location means lots of big windows with good street views, and while the restaurant is small I've never felt it to be overcrowded or too loud.
My only complaint is that many of the sauces are too sweet for my taste. I'm sure this is simply a regional Italian influence, and it definitely has nothing to do with the quality of the restaurant's food. Everything is fresh, well-made, and extremely good.
Anna Maria Pasteria is a great place for a date, or simply going out on a weeknight for a casual dinner. -
Review from Jamie J.
Chicago, IL
9/2/2011
Hallelujah, we finally found a place that delivers GOOD pizza in a reasonable amount of time on a Friday night! We've been searching - trying all the different delivery places and all of them have left us feeling dissatisfied. I mean, pizza shouldn't be that hard to make right? Good cheese, fresh herbs, tangy sauce and delicious toppings. This isn't rocket science people!
We ordered pasta from them a while back and everything was really good. So tonight when we wanted pizza, we decided to give them a try. First of all, everyone was friendly - the person that took our order and the guy that delivered the food. Secondly, it came in under an hour on a Friday night. Thirdly... we could actually see slices of tomatoes on the pizza! We've ordered pizzas in the past with fresh tomato and the bits of tomato were few and far between. Fresh garlic with fresh tomato was amazing. Cheese and mushroom, not bad at all. The crust was a little chewier than I would have liked, but it was topped with such amazing yumminess that I'm more than willing to forgive it.
Pizza or pasta, we'll be back for more! I also recommend their salads - the one with apples and gorgonzola is great. -
Review from Justin B.
Chicago, IL
10/12/2009
I visited Anna Maria Pasteria for the first time last Saturday night. The restaurant was moderately full, but nothing what I expected for a busy weekend. The ambiance was quaint and cozy - good for a date but beware, it was a bit noisy.
For appetizers, I recommend the portabella mushrooms. Two fairly large mushroom caps came sautéed in a delicious base with vegetables. The bruschetta was also tasty but was heavy on the garlic. (Hours later, I was still tasting it.) For my entree, I opted for the Lobster ravioli special in a roasted red pepper cream sauce for $18. Very good. The ravioli were fresh and were most likely homemade. The friends I was with ordered various chicken and fish plates, all which they seemed to enjoy.
I would definitely give this place another take. It's owned by two Italian sisters and my Italian friends seemed to give it a seal of approval (when in Rome...). I would like to give the other entrees a try, besides just getting pasta. -
Review from Taylor G.
Chicago, IL
3/12/2009
Oh, Anna Maria Pastaria, how I had suck high hopes for you. At the recommendation of a friend for a great date spot, I tried AMP and left a bit disappointed.
Being a proper date, I planned on having a standard entree with appetizer, dessert, and a bottle of wine, and succeeded in most of that. We dined on a cold Wednesday evening and the lack of patrons only seemed to reiterate that fact. The place is cozy without packing the tables in, but there were maybe only 3 groups seated.
Service was only average from the moment we entered until the moment we left. There was no maître d' waiting at the front. Instead, a bus boy directed us to sit where we wanted. Just then, a waiter arrived and lead us to an open table. After being seated, we were simply handed menus and a card with daily specials and left to our own. It wasn't but a few minutes before the waiter returned asking us if we've made a selection, when we hadn't even had chance to decide on drinks, let alone entree choices.
The meal started with a bottle of Pinot Noir, which was delicious, but a bit on the pricey side - there seemed to be no economy wine choices on the menu. If you can BYO and pay a corking fee, it would be a much better value. Additionally, the glasses the wine was served in seemed to be glass rather than crystal. They were very small (maybe more appropriate for a dessert wine?) and looked like they came straight from a department store. Unfortunately, as the night progressed, we had our wine glasses filled only once, which left us to the task of constantly refilling the tiny vessels.
Our appetizer was Fried Calamari, which was fairly standard fare - nothing outstandingly good or bad to report. My main course was Rigatoni alla Caprese, which I found to be absolutely delicious. The portion size was huge and priced very reasonable. My date chose a chicken dish (not sure which) with a side of spaghetti, and she seemed to enjoy it quite nicely.
At this point, with good conversation, it seemed the restaurant had emptied out, and we were the last table there. Although it was still far before closing time, despite a quarter bottle of wine and food on our plates, the wait staff on two occasions asked if we were finished with out meal, it seems in an attempt to move us along. We did finally finish the bottle, skipped dessert, and were ready to leave. The check was paid and we left, likely much to the enjoyment of the staff (as they were already cleaning while we were still eating).
Overall, I feel the restaurant deserves 2 stars based on my experiences from this one night. At the same time, I think my rating would be much higher on a night with a better equipped staff, and hopefully more attentive service. Because of this, I'm splitting the difference and assigning a rating of 3 stars.
I would definitely give AMP another chance, but I'll wait until a Friday or Saturday when the crowds are out, and maybe therefore hearts of the wait staff. -
Review from Jim F.
Los Angeles, CA
9/28/2009
Yelp needs half stars. I'd give this place 3 and a half of them.
First off I went with my GF on a Monday night at about 8:30. Not crowded at all. After reading the positive reviews I thought I'd give this place a chance.
The restaurant has two parts plus some outdoor seating (weather permitting). The inner dinning hall is tightly packed and I imagine on a crowded night it might be a little loud.
For dinner I had the Veal Parmesan with a side of meat balls. They're hand made and pretty good. The sauce was ok and the noodles were also Ok...
Since it was so dead in there I could hear all the music they were blasting. Mostly old Dean Martin and Sinatra songs with a few classical opera pieces peppered in... All standards and sort of a cliche.
The dessert was bad and obviously frozen. It tasted like something you'd by from Costco. We had a cannoli and some lady fingers. Both tasted store bought. -
Review from K. R.
Chicago, IL
1/11/2012
We heard from friends the food was great and so were the prices. However, when we dined here, we found the food to be only okay and quite over priced for what it was. We've had much better elsewhere in the city. Plus, I was terribly unimpressed with the service. This is one restaurant I will never eat at again. I'll stick with better quality, service, and price at places like Crust or Spacca Napoli if I want Italian.
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Review from Rachelle G.
Chicago, IL
3/25/2008
I should start this with I'm not a huge fan of Italian food. I was asked to join a friend and her family for dinner here. The restaurant is a bit off the beaten path, definitely not a neighborhood I would go to in search of an Italian restaurant. Our party of 15 was lucky enough to have a semi private area. The service was attentive and welcoming.
The menu offers a little bit of everything for everyone. We ordered three appetizers for the table and I only tasted the fried calamari, while good, nothing about it made it stand apart from others I have tried elsewhere. I had pasta in a red sauce with shrimp. Ehh, nothing to rave about, but it wasn't horrible. I did add some red pepper flakes to spice it up a bit. I also had the strawberry torte for dessert, which should I return, I will never order. It was almost 75% whipped cream. Really, who eats that much whipped cream?
Would I go out of my way to return? No, but I'll definitely return if asked to w/ friends. -
Review from Brian L.
11/15/2009
Today was actually the 2nd time we've been here. However, the last time was about 3 years ago and I can't remember much from the night other than we left full and a bit tipsy (thank god for taxi cabs)
But today we were there for a private party and it was a lot of fun. We actually were there before they were officially open but it took me back to my younger days when we would have a Sunday Italian family meal at my grandma's house.
Appetizers were the portabello mushrooms, bruschetta, polenta and the pizza bread. Everything was served family-style and people seemed to enjoy it pretty well. I only had the polenta and pizza bread. The polenta was firm and covered in a tomato sauce. I've had better but this still was pretty good. The pizza bread was fantastic.
We then got two pastas (primi piatti), a rigatoni alfredo w/mushrooms and a farfalle marinara with sausage & mushrooms. Both were pretty good. Not something I'd order off of their menu as a first course, but still solid family-style servings.
For our main course, they had the chicken picatta with a side of spinach. I do not like spinach and we had only one piece of chicken on the plate, so I'm glad I had the beginning courses to help get me going. The chicken was alright, but too small.
Desserts were brought in externally as it was for a private birthday and the birthday girl is a pastry chef.
I agree with some of the reviewers from my memories from 3 years ago. The dining rooms are small and I remember the tables being VERY close together and sort of tight, which also made it quite noisy. This is right on the northern border of Wrigleyville so it's not as populated and you can get street parking (metered) so for that, if you're driving, this is fine. -
Review from Jef B.
Sacramento, CA
4/13/2008
We went with a group of 8, and when we split the bill it was $35 per person.
The food was very good and service was excellent. I had the pork chops, D had the gnocchi. We were very happy with everything. If we had been able to eat here for more like $25 per person, I would have given it 4 stars. It is a bit pricey for the overall experience. -
Review from Tracy K.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 7/18/2009
One of these days, I will have a proper dinner here.. but until then, I will continue to come for drinks and appetizers or dessert.
We came in last night and branched out a little, trying their tiramisu martinis. Dangerously delicious!
Service was friendly as usual, and the grilled mushroom appetizer we split was quite good.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/22/2007
Please note this review is for dessert and after-dinner drinks only.
After a lackluster birthday… Read more »
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Review from Erica H.
Chicago, IL
2/23/2011
We went to Anna Maria on Saturday night and had a horrible experience!! We had to wait quite awhile before we were noticed, which wasn't such a big deal, even though the dining room was split between three waiters. However it was clear our server could care less about us or our experience. When my fiance asked him for his thoughts on two different dishes, his replay was "go with the fungi, because I already wrote it down". WHAT???? Are you kidding me?? Who says that??
My fiance ended up ordering the mushroom dish (no thanks to any assistance from the waiter) and it tasted like dirt...it was horrible. If that wasn't bad enough, the wine list is very small and I ordered a glass from a bottle that had been open a few days too many.
Needless to say, we will not ever be going back there again. Not sure how this place has made it this long! -
Review from Anthony B.
Chicago, IL
6/23/2009
I tried to give it two and a half stars. It was good food, with excellent service.
On a friday night it was pretty loud though so it wasn't exactly the best
place to take a date. The food was good. Seems to be just another decent
Italian place in the city. Still looking for better quality food and an environment that is quiet and cozy for an Italian dinner. This is definetely
not it. -
Review from Joe F.
Chicago, IL
5/11/2010
To say that I was underwhelmed would be an understatement. Anna Maria Pasteria doesn't make their own ravioli. No seriously. They bring it in from Pasta Fresh. That's a big strike, in my book. That kind of set the tone for the evening, sadly.
On top of the not so made in house pasta, the wine list is incredibly small. Want a nice bottle of Perseco with dinner? Well too bad. Because at this eatery, there is a very bad split bottle for $9.00. It's terrible, too. There isn't a whole lot of variety in the wine menu.
Making matters worse, Aquaman seemed to be pouring drinks to our table. On four separate occasions I had to wipe water that off of a plate and food due to the dreaded over aggressive water pour. Complicating matters, the service team ran into meall evening. The number of times that I was needlessly ran into was stunning. Come on, folks, please, for the love of all that is good and holy: Don't kick your customer's chairs or run into them while they're eating!!! SLOW DOWN while walking so close to a customer table.
I made the mistake of ordering the veal saltimbocca. The ham was so tough and leathery. It obviously was packaged pre-sliced. It came with a pasta side. The sauce kind of tasted like chef boyardee. Not very tasty. The rest of the table had very little to say in a positive way about their entrees.
The dessert menu didn't scream EAT DESSERT. After hearing that the pasta isn't made in house, we decided that the dessert menu would probably be brought in as well.
This place is fine for a quick bite or to meet someone. Your standard American-Italian fare is plentiful here. If you like cheese baked on top of an entree, you will find several wonderful options here. It's fine, but I'm just kind of over spagetti and meatballs Italian. -
Review from Tracy C.
Chicago, IL
1/30/2009
My fiance and I had dinner at Anna Maria on a whim and we had a good experience.
Wasn't crowded and was very dark - but the food was good.
I had Chicken Piccata and bread pudding for dessert -- both were great. the side of pasta was okay.
I would go back. -
Review from L. Joey M.
Chicago, IL
7/21/2009
Underwhelmed. I had the Chicken Primavera served over linguine and my gf had the calamari served over angel hair. My chicken was room temperature and the sauce lacked any complexity. I really dislike being served a dish that I feel I could make at home for 1/4 the cost. Gf didn't like her entree at all. The calamari was overcooked and left the dish lifeless.
I love love love going out for Italian food and experiencing a flavor explosion in my mouth. I'll keep searching for a neighborhood joint that can offer that. -
Review from M D.
Chicago, IL
11/11/2011
I really wanted to love my dinner here the other night. It's been a few months since my last visit. On Friday night my mom, my niece and I decided we were craving Italian food. I've always had great meals here so off we went to enjoy a great dinner. Alas, that's not what happened. My dish had a wonderful taste but was luke warm when served. Mom had spaghetti and meatballs. The meatballs were as hard as hockey pucks as if they had been reheated. Our waiter was more attentive to other tables around us. Not planning to return any time soon. There are other italian restaurants with GREAT food AND attentive wait people.
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Review from Angela S.
Chicago, IL
7/26/2006
This is a great pasta house right around the corner from where I live. I love how the name rolls off the tongue- Anna Maria Pastaria! Everything I've had here has been good, but nothing earth shattering just yet. The caprese salad was a bit different than I thought it would be (more salad than tomato, basil and buffalo mozzarella), but still very good. I've had the fettuccine and a seafood pasta there, both tasty but nothing spectacular. They do have a nice Italian restaurant atmosphere- dark and Mediterranean- a good spot for a date!
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Review from Emily R.
Chicago, IL
10/3/2011
I ate here for the first time after a friend recommended it.What a find! This place is a real neighborhood gem.It is not a loud see and be seen place.It is small and unpretentious and on the night I was here the crowd seemed mostly 40-60 years old.I had one of the nightly specials which was grilled salmon over pasta with red pesto sauce.It was so delicious! And,at $20,it was a real bargain as the piece of salmon had to be at least ten ounces.The sauce was light and delicious.The salmon was cooked just as I ordered.I wish Anna Maria was in my neighborhood.
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Review from Deb B.
Chicago, IL
6/5/2011
Ok, been here before....not impressive....it was almost exclusively pasta just with an array of different sauces to choose from...meh.
So when the neighbors suggested Anna Maria Pasteria for supper I hedged, hemmed, hawed, you know....
Well, the menu has changed! And for the better! WOW!
We started with pizza; hot from the oven and just delicious.
Our caprese salad came with good ripe tomatoes, basil and some romaine as well as with sun dried tomatoes...different but yummy nonetheless.
The choice of evening specials included a great steak with porcini sauce, perfectly cooked salmon, and for me they prepared specially the chicken carcioffi; usually made with veal....I just can't bring myself to eat veal anymore....
Dessert was fabulous! I pride myself in making excellent Tiramisu, and I have to say theirs was almost as good! ;-))
Cannoli were tasty; not too sweet as others are.
Great coffee, terrific and accessible wine list, and super service.
Just wonderful!
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