- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Antica Pizzeria
Categories: Restaurants Pizza Restaurants Italian Pizza, Italian [Edit]
5663 N Clark AveChicago, IL 60640
Neighborhoods: Andersonville, Edgewater
(773) 944-1492
- Hours:
Mon, Wed, Sun 5 pm - 9:30 pm
Thu 5 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
126 reviews for Antica Pizzeria
Review Highlights
-
"Some of the beat, authentic wood-burning oven pizza around." In 11 reviews -
"Antica is a great place for the thin crust pizza lover." In 8 reviews -
"If you like Neapolitan style it's worth checking out." In 7 reviews
Loading...
126 reviews in English
-
Review from Liz A.
Chicago, IL
3/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Saw the 190 North clip showcasing this place and I was intrigued needless to say. On a whim one day I decided to try this place out and I did not regret the drive from the south side of Chicago to what I consider boo-foo Egypt (the north side)!
Their service was great, it's a BYOB establishment and their food was excellent. Their rigatoni ala sam was wonderful and their pizza called the Fattoressa which I just had to try was fabulous!
NOTE: I would suggest calling ahead to make a reservation on a Friday or Saturday night because they do get super busy. -
Review from Jeff B.
Chicago, IL
5/22/2012
Italian restaurants are always hard for me.
1. I used to live in Italy. I've eaten at restaurants where their meats were probably alive earlier in the day, hanging out next to the vegetables they would later be served next to. I've been lovingly stuffed stupid by families that don't understand the meaning of the phrase "Piu? Non posso!" Hell, even Italian fast food was pretty nice. So yeah, I'm hard to impress at Italian restaurants.
2. I'm an above average cook, and the wonder of Italian food is in its simplicity. With a little effort, and maybe a trip to a nicer grocery store, I can competently duplicate a lot of Italian recipes.
So, for me, Antica was already at a disadvantage going in to it all.
I ordered their grilled calamari with baby octopus, followed by the gnocchi in a Parmesan wine sauce with ham and peas. The calamari was good, but not amazing. From what I've been told, it's a step up from the fried version of the same dish. The gnocchi was actually quite good, and pretty balanced as far as the dumplings/sauce/ham/peas were concerned -- not something that I'm going to rush back to try again, but enjoyable.
By leaps and bounds, the Cappuccino Pannacotta stole the evening. And I hate coffee. If this is indicative of their dessert menu as a whole, save yourself and come by for dessert. Or just the Pannacotta. -
Review from Megan G.
Updated - 5/22/2012
Vindication! I reviewed Antica at 2 stars back in 2011 and was continuously bewildered by their positive reviews, both on Yelp and in real life. I figured I MUST have visited on an off night, so I readily agreed when this was suggested as a restaurant for our BYOB dinner group.
My first impression of Antica this time was it was loud. We were seated at a table for 8 and there was no way I could hear anyone I wasn't seated next to or across from. Antica has one of those rooms where sound just bounces off the walls. It creates a sort of buzz even in a mostly empty restaurant, but I wouldn't recommend it for groups if you care to hear each other.
The bread was, again, great. Remembering my horrible experience with the fried calamari this time I opted for the grilled. It really was much, much better. So far, so (mostly) good. Then I got my main dish. I'd ordered a pasta special that supposedly had mushrooms and pancetta with pasta in a garlic white wine sauce. What showed up at the table had a red sauce (and very, very little pancetta). My friend, who had ordered the same, asked the waiter if we'd gotten the wrong dishes. He went back to the kitchen and reappeared telling us these were the right dishes and the menu was inaccurate. He then asked "So what do you want to do about it?" My friend and I both found the way he handled this odd and but off-putting. We opted to just finish the dishes since our friends were, by this point, mostly done eating. No matter the sauce, the dish was really bland and dull. We both tried doctoring it with the parmesan cheese on the table (in a shaker, no fresh parm or pepper, which would have helped) but it was a lost cause. It was edible, but in no way worth the $17 menu price.
Antica was slightly redeemed with the truly amazing panna cotta dessert and then, as Ericka said, damned by the corkage fee. Despite what other Yelp reviews have said and the fact that I can't find this disclosure anywhere on their website, they DID charge us corkage - I believe it was 3.50 per bottle of wine and 2.50 for my friend's 6-pack of beer. My friend who made the reservation mentioned that they told her they were BYOB when she called for the reservation, and even then didn't mention the corkage fee.
That's it, Antica. You're well and truly dead to me. Your poor customer service and overpriced, lackluster food have been confirmed. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
3/22/2011
This was a letdown. I headed here on a Saturday evening for dinner with a date. We arrived to find… Read more »
-
-
Review from Ericka A.
5/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
I was torn between 2 and 3 stars, but if you have to think that hard about if you love pizza (which should be a given) then it couldn't have been all that great. However, I should emphasize that the pizza itself was the best part of the meal. I was only impressed with a few other items I tasted and service was hit or miss.
We arrived and either the reservation was under a different name or the hostess was confused. They didn't seem to have our party of 7 scheduled, which wasn't a huge deal as the restaurant was far from full when we came on a Friday night. They seated us right away and put our BYOB and BYOV on ice.
Complimentary bread was served up quickly and I quite enjoyed it. They brought out a second helping and our end of the table was ready to order. We indicated that we would like to order appetizers, but when others in the group weren't ready he simply walked away and didn't return for what seemed like forever. We ordered grilled calamari and it took a while to come out. It had a strange smell as well. I didn't let it get to me though, and was pleasantly surprised by how delicious it was. We ate it quickly and then waited forever for the rest of the food to arrive.
I had the Parma pizza and loved it. I did not love the price. I believe that was a $17 pizza, which is absolutely ridiculous. I tried my friend's specialty pasta with a "white wine sauce," but it was overloaded with a red sauce and had nothing much going for it. We pretty much all agreed that the experience was simply OK and felt a little better about it when the Cappuccino Panna Cotta was brought out. Unfortunately, the points gained back with the sweets were quickly knocked off again when our bill arrived and we discovered we had been charged a corkage fee which they never bothered to inform us about. For the record, I have no problem paying for BYOB, but at least let me know to expect it. We ended up spending about $35pp, which is easily one of the most expensive group dinners we've had thus far.Listed in: WWJB?
-
Review from Patrizia C.
Philadelphia, PA
5/3/2012
This place is fabulous!
I came here for dinner with my family because my sister is absolutely obsessed with their pizza. We are all born and raised in Italy so we know what real pizza is supposed to taste like and I was not disappointed.
We shared the fried calamari as well as the grilled calamari, which were delicious, and I had the Parma Pizza. Cooked to perfection, not too crispy, not too doughy. Sooooo good!
I had the tiramisu for dessert, and that was delicious as well.
While we had coffee, Mario - the owner - came to chat at our table and told us all about his story, from Sicily, to Chicago, becoming the owner this great restaurant. His story is incredible and just goes to show how perseverance, hard work and determination can get you far in this country.
Overall this is a great spot. It get pretty busy so definitely make reservations, and dint forget to BYO! -
Review from Foodie H.
Chicago, IL
5/14/2012
I love this place!! My girlfriend and I have dined here at least once a month, sometimes once a week! We have always been treated with respect and the servers were attentive and friendly. They have accommodated us without reservations on weekends and I've never felt like they were rushing us out the door (even when we clearly stayed past closing time).
Mario, the owner, always took the time to come by and say hello and inquire about our food. How many restaurant owner(s) will do that every time you stop into their establishment?
Between my girlfriend and I, we pretty much have sampled most of the items on the menu and we love it all! My favorite is their lamb shank and I time my visits for when they have it in stock. I love it so much that the wait staff knows what I will order when we go there! Embarrassing I know but the food is oh so good! It's also BYOB so grab your favorite bottle or two and head on over there! Though if you order the last lamb shank and I can't get mine, we may be fighting :)! -
Review from Quality C.
Chicago, IL
4/20/2012
THE GOOD: Decent pizza.
THE BAD: Pies were very small. Sausage pie was very salty.
THE UGLY: very far from the center city. -
Review from Karen C.
Chicago, IL
4/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
I love a good BYOB and this place was great. Saw it in a clip on TV a little while ago and made a reservation on a whim for a Friday night when we couldn't figure out where to go.
The service was wonderful and the maitre'd was exceptional. So friendly and happy to have us as customers.
The food was great. Loved the burata and had a nice arugula salad. Pizza was so good. Can't wait to go back to try the pastas. -
Review from Jamie J.
Chicago, IL
4/21/2012
We love this place. And it appears that everyone else is starting to love it too! For the first time ever, we went here on a Saturday night and were told it would be an hour wait for a table. Bummer!
But on to the good. The cozy, dark dining room is great for a dinner date with a good bottle of wine. Note that they're BYOB, but I don't think they've ever charged us a corkage fee. So bring that bottle along - you can't have good italian food without good wine!
The food here is great. And it's not the typical Italian meal where you leave and feel 10 pounds heavier. Somehow they've managed to make pasta and pizza lighter fare. Maybe it's the normal portion sizes, but there's also something lighter about the noodles. Maybe because they're so fresh? Any of the dishes with italian sausage are great. In fact, if your pasta dish doesn't come with it, I highly recommend asking them to add it for you. I think it's made in-house. So good. The light bread that they serve before the meal is warm, soft and fresh and perfect for dipping in olive oil. The salads are fresh and very tasty. I haven't had the pizza yet, even though I keep saying that I will. I just keep returning to the pasta.
Also, ladies - a word of caution. The owner is very Italian. You may just fall for him. He's very friendly and tries to make everyone feel welcome and at home. If you're lucky, you may get a kiss on the cheek when you arrive or leave. Watch out jealous boyfriends! -
Review from jenny m.
2/23/2012
My first thought upon walking in - super charming! I loved the atmosphere - the open kitchen with the wood burning stove, dimly lit but not dark, bustling but not loud...it felt like I imagine a pizzeria would be like in Italy (having never been I could be totally off base but that's how I'd want it to be!).
The service was wonderful. Our server was charming and attentive. He made sure we had our wine bottles uncorked and poured quickly, didn't rush us to order, and made sure we were taken care of the 2+ hours we were there (I should mention I was with my BYOB dinner club and we are slow diners when we get together).
The food was on point. Not a bad dish to be had between everything we tried. The appetizers hit the spot (bruschetta, calamari, a lovely arugula & goat cheese salad), the mushroom risotto was delectable (I was reluctant to share), and the two pizzas had no complaints. I enjoyed that the pizza selection offered interesting ingredients - artichoke, eggplant, asparagus - which is not stuff I'd normally want on my pizza. But they do it all well here.
When we finally left it was mainly because we'd ran out of wine...I think we could have sat there all night if that hadn't been the case. They make you feel at home & welcome and serve you some darn good food to boot! -
Review from Bruce L.
Chicago, IL
1/21/2012
I went here because I read the reviews. I went with my friend and her autistic son. We got there early, about 5:45. We said we did not have reservations but they sat us and we ordered 2 pizzas and salad. We ordered desert and coffee..While finishing desert the manager or owner came over and asked us to leave. Said we were there too long and he had others to seat. Not only was this rude, but also unfair. Why did he choose us when there were others in there who sat when we sat with no reservations. Maybe because they were two males and we were two females with and her son.
The food was fair but nothing great and the staff went out of their way to be rude.I hope anyone thinks twice about going to this establishment. Sometimes a business has to have a little people manners and its not always about the food. -
Review from Tim M.
Chicago, IL
2/8/2012
Just had dinner here. We ordered a salad with arugula and goat cheese, and got the pizza with fennel sausage, eggplant, and spinach.
The service was friendly, and we got our food in good time. BYOB was nice as well. The toppings on the pizza were among the better pizza toppings I've had - especially the sausage. I think they snuck some basil on there too.
The negatives: the salad was advertised as having black olives, and we found four on there (two for each of us). Also, despite the amazing toppings, the crust was wet and floppy. If it had a bit more chew or bite to it, I'd have been very happy.
All in all a good place, and worth a try, but not my favorite pizza ever. -
Review from Laura D.
Chicago, IL
1/12/2012
Wow, this place was the perfect mix: BYOB, fascinating and fresh pizzas with great salad and chewy bread dough loaves, and outrageously inexpensive. Four people ate their belly-full on delicious stuff and paid twenty dollars each...which should be unheard of.
The three pizzas we tried out were the following: Caltagirone, with sausage, spinach, and eggplant (ugh, so good); Parma, with arugula and parmesan (lettuce on pizza - surprisingly great); and the Padania, with prosciutto that melts in your mouth and mushrooms. My personal favorite was the Padania, which... is unsurprising...it's pretty hard to mess up prosciutto.
Our waitress was fantastic! Such style and class - open, friendly, and witty, a perfect blend.
While the restaurant itself is out in the boondocks of edgewater, a good piece away from Lincoln Park, I have a feeling I'll be escaping to this sunny restaurant fairly frequently now the the cloudy, snowglobey months are upon us...and I recommend you do the same. -
Review from Duncan S.
Chicago, IL
3/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Antica makes a really good pizza, old school and thin crust. I had the Fattoressa which has ham, hard boiled egg, green peas and mushrooms which was really quite tasty and reasonably priced. The staff are super friendly and the venue is BYOB (with plenty of beer and wine options nearby). The crowd is a good mix of locals, family friendly and it can get tight on weekends for space. A pretty solid local.
-
Review from Billy W.
Chicago, IL
3/9/2012
My friend Jose hosted a birthday dinner here and the staff at Antica rocked our group of 30 with aplomb. Cool place, love the neighborhood (close to Simon's) and the food was marvelous. BYOB is a plus, and there was no corking fee. We all had different dishes including the pizza and it was all good in the hood. I would definitely recommend a reservation as the place was jam packed and spirits were high. Two thumbs up!
-
Review from Meg L.
Chicago, IL
9/8/2011
The vibe at Antica is as charming and warm as its wood-burning pizza oven. Despite the excellent caliber of its regional Italian fare, this place has zero pretension. The wait staff and the owner are always friendly and accommodating - whether you're dressed for a hot date or coming directly from the batting cages (hypothetically speaking, of course).
Antica is both a cozy neighborhood restaurant as well as a romantic, low-key dining destination - the crusty homemade bread alone is worth the trip. The extensive menu favors simply, authentic ingredients. Standouts include the mussels, the beef carpaccio and the Padania pizza with pancetta, mushrooms and carmelized onions. -
Review from Milo M.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 10/22/2011
Consistently outstanding! This is my third review of Antica Pizzeria and it's as if experiencing the passion and quality of a neighborhood restaurant in Florence, Italy. Fine ingredients, masterful preparation a real value for the price.
Recent standout special - Wood fired NY Strip Steak with roasted portabello mushrooms and roasted zucchini. Picture this: Perfectly tender (large) steak, lightly pink inside, lightly charred on the outside - paired with a bite of tender wine/vinegar tenderized portabello. I avoid portabello like the plague, but these guys have simply mastered the Italian culinary arts.
I have to go back tomorrow - I must have that steak again (of course with my favorite tortellini con panna, any pizza for an appetizer a BYOB bottle of wine and any one of their creamy desserts).
All I can offer is my continued patronage - but you offer me so much more. You cater to the very core of my search for excellence. Thank you for that.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
-
2/9/2010
I just went back again recently- just outstanding! The quality is on par with an Italian restaurant… Read more »
-
-
Review from Matt S.
Chicago, IL
10/1/2011
Oh, my--Antica is intimate and comfy. The waitstaff are extremely friendly and made us feel like family.
We didn't know it was BYOB, but our waiter pointed out the lack of a corkage fee and the presence of a liquor store across the street. We'll definitely be taking advantage of it next time.
There's not much not to like here. The food is incredible, flavorful, authentic, and perfectly portioned. The prices are great for the quality you're getting, the staff is incredibly friendly, the ambience is great, and despite the small(ish) dining room we didn't feel crammed at all.
The only tiny complaint we had was the burnt bread (the free stuff that comes at the beginning), but considering how excellent the rest of the food was, it seems like it was just a little bump.
We didn't try the pizza, but instead had the amazing meat plate (piatta somethinga), fried calamari (with some wonderful, very fresh dipping sauce), pear and gorgonzola salad, and fresh and amazing bolognese. Also, our waiter brought us a little sample of some sort of chocolate gelato that was an explosion of amazing in our mouths.
Loved it. -
Review from Colleen J.
Chicago, IL
1/12/2012
Aside from the amazing food, which is amazing, the service is outstanding. Come here more than once and you'll probably be remembered. Everything about Antica is warm and cozy. I grew up on Chicago-style pizza - I'm very loyal to Giordano's - but I have to say that Antica has won my heart.
-
Review from Daniel M.
Chicago, IL
11/20/2011
Went there recently and thought this was a great find. Had the grilled octopus as an appetizer, which was pretty good.
I had a pizza with sausage and eggplant. The pizza is Neapolitan style and is very good. Crust was nice and crispy and it was a good mix of sauce and cheese.
If you like Neapolitan style it's worth checking out. -
Review from Dustin W.
Chicago, IL
6/15/2011
When I first moved to Chicago, I lived right around the corner from Antica Pizzeria and watched them grow and develop significantly over the past few years. They have maintained the essence of small family Italian dining without losing the characteristic warm nature, family home-table setting, and kind attitude that sets their service and small restaurant apart from the others. Without a doubt, one of the most friendly staffs in town, look for the original waitress (sorry i forget names) that started it all off and she will make sure you leave satisfied and stuffed.
Mario Rapisarda (Cocco Pazzo, Spiaggia) and Faris Faycurry (Dylan's Tavern, Villa Nova) created Andersonville's first wood burning pizza oven at Antica in 2008. A native of Sicily, Mario serves as chef and creates regional Italian fare from scratch with authentic ingedients, constantly rotating and changing specials according to market availability. I have tried just about every salad and wood-fired pizza creation they have come up with and they are all good (havent disliked anything yet).
For pizzas, TRY THE SPECIALS! , If they ever have one combining sausage, pine nuts, olives, and greens of any nature or variety, GET IT. The salads are always clean and crisp, never over dressed, and leave you not overly stuffed on greens but rather, ready to devour your ZA with a clean palate. I also highly rec. the Carpaccio di Manzo (thin sliced tenderloin, with an arugula and mushroom salad, topped with shaved parmesan cheese and an infusion of truffle oil, served with homemade crostini).
How could Antica get any better? Throw in a $0 corkage fee (woo hoo BYOB) coupled with reasonable prices and great family atmosphere, this andyville pizza fave is a no brainer on any budget and will leave your tasty buds happy you dined. GREAT for groups under 12 (call ahead for more) but be forewarned, while i used to be able to get any seat, any day, any time in late 2008, Antica is no longer a secret spot. Fortunately, the killer wait staff shouldnt have you waiting more than 15-45 minutes on even the busiest of nights (especially for 2-tops as they are very willing to split tables).
Couldnt ask for a a warmer dining experience with friends or for a semi-romantic date when the lights are dimmed low at night. -
Review from Boon K.
12/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
I find it interesting that there are two italian places next to each other and they are totally different. As soon as you walk in here it is open arm welcome. The pizza was really good especially since I never had eggplant on my pizza but it was roasted to perfection. The Ahi tuna entree was heaven so much favor and perfectly seared. The Bolognese was like eating a home cooked meal and the pasta was perfectly cooked.
-
Review from Moe f.
Chicago, IL
12/19/2011
Attended a BDay party on a Sat night. First off the bread was great and gotta love the BYO factor. We just ordered some apps and pizzas. Calamari was spectacular. And all the pizzas were a hit although I loved the pistacchio bacon one. Get it!
-
Review from Em F.
Chicago, IL
8/27/2011
Love this place! My girl and went last night just looking to try a new Italian place close by. This place is BYOB with no corkage fee so right of the bat it is a bargain!
The ambience is intimate but it could work for friends or lovers to break bread. Bread is served immediately and it is not a hard white loaf from the back it is this delicious seasoned loaf that is almost a ciabatta - for free!!!
Our server was excellent and twice the very Italian owner came and checked in on us - he was wonderful.
We shared a salad and then she had the pizza which was true to Italian form, flat bread cooked in a brick oven and I had the spaghetti anticiana which was the perfect portion and size. As we watched delicious piping hot meals fly by us we knew we could have really ordered anything.
I highly recommend this place - great date place! -
Review from Dhruv P.
5/5/2011
I loved the aroma that greeted us when walked in. It felt like I was in a very homey place, a small tucked away "bistro" in Italy. It wasn't packed at all when we met a few friends.
The waitress was super nice, accommodating to a large group and the food was perfect. We got a pizza and a salad... both were good and better than most pizza places that specialize in thin crust pizza.
However, if you want some Neapolitan pizza, go to Spacca Napoli in Ravenswood. Hands down best Italian (authentic) pizza.
Antica is a great neighborhood restaurant. If I lived in the area, I would be there more often. The food is average to above average, but nothing creative as creative as Great Lake (even though the crust in passing reminds me of great lake). -
Review from Ali H.
4/24/2011
I'd probably give this place 3 stars for food with an additional star for great staff and being quiet and not too packed when we had dinner in a large group here last Thursday. The waitress was very accommodating and friendly; even brought us a new pizza after a certain wine glass accident cast suspicion that there might be glass in our pizza. She also offered to bring out a half order of two dishes that a girl in our party was having a hard time deciding between. Really great service.
Ambiance, really nice. Quiet, dark, very chill.
The food was good. Really good. But if I want Neapolitan pizza, I'll probably still go to Spacca Napoli. We had a fennel salad and a vegetarian pizza, but I tasted a few of the other dishes as well. The bread seemed to have a lot of potential but came out cold and tough as a result. Really? I was surprised by this. Everything was a-ok but not spectacular like I expect from Spacca. The dough seemed a little wet, and the flavors just didn't have that punch. But, affordable, and better than your average pizzeria.
Corking fee was 3 dollars a bottle. -
Review from Daniel H.
Chicago, IL
11/8/2011
Yup, this place is boss... It fills a much needed niche between deplorably bad and cheap "Italian" American food (i.e. Italian Garden) and expensive places that charge $40-50 an entree. A nice midrange place that serves rustic but thoughtful Italian food. Since they have their own brick made wood oven, anything they bake is amazing, i.e. table bread and pizzas. The pizzas are Neapolitan in style and are excellent. Though they don't allow you to determine the toppings, the variety and arrays of options are more than enough to cover any fleeting desire. They also make their own sweet sausage, and it's outstanding. This is a great local Italian place that won't break your wallet and will satisfy your craving for quality and non-Americanized Italian food.
-
Review from Jenn H.
Chicago, IL
4/8/2011
What a little gem of a restaurant! The outside is nothing fancy but the décor inside is lovely. The owners have made the best of a tiny little storefront Italian restaurant.
We were here for a private party for a friend's twin daughters first birthdays. Apparently, you can rent the place out for parties in the afternoon as long as you are done by 5 p.m. in time for the dinner crowd to start arriving. I am not sure what all the details are or what the cost was but this was a great idea! It was a nice sized space for a cocktail hour and sit down lunch for about 50.
We had Regis in tow and weren't sure what to expect in terms of kid accommodations. This was more of an "adult" first birthday party. However, I was totally satisfied all the way around. I fed Regis a small lunch before we went because I wasn't sure if he'd like what was served. He did eat some pizza and some walnuts and pears from a salad. Our waitress was really attentive; when she saw this she brought me some plain old shaved pears for him. Now that is service.
The restaurant is BYOB and the minute we walked in we had someone greeting us and uncorking our wine. Nice!
I am looking forward to going back! -
Review from Jeremy L.
Chicago, IL
1/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Antica is a great place for the thin crust pizza lover.
Intro:
The table bread comes out hot and is paired with olive oil for dipping. Good stuff. The bread was sort of hollowed in middle but by design I'm sure.
The Crust:
Their wood fired oven is no joke. It produced a crust that had that great almost charred markings which brings out the quality of the dough for appearance, texture and taste. One thing to note is the crust also included a softer texture at times...depending on what piece you got. This was a perfect balance to me because I like a thin crust that can hold it's own but is still forgiving to an extent.
The Sauce:
A little sweeter than expected but complimented all our pies. They don't use a heavy hand when dressing the pizza as well so it didn't overwhelm the toppings or turn the dough into rubber.
The Service:
We had great service, although we went during the week and it wasn't too busy. Very accommodating and all the pizzas came out at relatively the same time.
BYOB:
Makes this the perfect spot without breaking the bank.
Overall:
I have this place bookmarked and will go back when I need "a fix".
Cheers. -
Review from Chris m.
Chicago, IL
12/20/2011
Great wood burning oven pizza. I always get the Margherita, which to me is really what I crave when I go here, no need to gild a lily. It doesn't get much better in my opinion. In league with Stracca Napoli, Apart, Great Lakes, Pizza DOC, Fred's at Barney's (actually my fave, sorry). Nice, casual atmosphere, less drama than the aforementioned places. Of course I always have at least a slice of whatever my friend is having which tends to be a bit more adventurous. One of the best of this type in Chicago. Excellent salads and appetizers. I have had pasta dishes a couple times and they are top-notch, but I really come here for the pizza. Super-nice, welcoming people, excellent service. BYOB is a nice feature. Only criticism is the pizza is too hot when they bring it and I have to wait to dig in as I dig its aroma!
-
Review from Jeff G.
10/7/2011
food is definitely a 4. pizza was great, so was the pasta dish we had.
their homemade bread was great, though they only brought out a little olive oil on a plate. they need to bring out some balsamic vinegar, and fresh shredded parmesean cheese to for dipping as well.
my wife had two complaints: for what you pay for the entrees, their silverware is cheap and weak and bend fork, they need to upgrade that, and none of it matched.
additionally, their napkins were the cheap paper ones you use at home, they need some cloth napkins in there.
we'll be back though.
much better pizza than Apart over on broadway -
Review from Adam K.
Chicago, IL
12/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Nice place. Very friendly service. Good food. Byob.
-
Review from David B.
Chicago, IL
2/28/2012
Flying solo last night on my birthday. Checked out Antica Pizzeria in my neighborhood (Andersonville) and guess who else was celebrating his birthday? Mario, the proprietor of this fantastic restaurant. Thanks Mario and Raci for a terrific dinner! Delicious Salsicca Arosto and truly phenomenal steak.
-
Review from Marie M.
Chicago, IL
11/29/2011
Fantastic food, great vibe and BYOB. It is some of the BEST Chicago has to offer! Mario and the entire staff is wonderful. Do yourself a favor - GO, GO, GO! Also, great for large parties.
-
Review from Pheebe L.
Chicago, IL
10/26/2011
Got in even without reservations on a busy Saturday night. Pizza was one of the best I've had. even their bread had taste and texture. Squid ink pasta was awesome!!!! The clam app was yummy. Grilled squid was cooked right. Everything as far as food was done right, tasted really what it should. Well seasoned without being salty. People leave that place happy. I was.. Can't wait to go back.
-
Review from kerry d.
Chicago, IL
12/3/2010
Discovered this place a few weeks ago and we're about to go for the 3rd time! Delicious food, great service and byob.
The pizza is amazing, thin crust- I've had the margherita and buffalo mozzarella- both delicious. The arugula salad w/mushrooms/cherry tomatoes/parmesean is wonderfully fresh. The mushroom risotto was so good we had to order a second plate- as was the papardelle rosa- 2nd plate, again.
Very affordable, great service and amazing food. -
Review from Sara H.
Chicago, IL
5/1/2011
Absolutely the most authentic Italian pizza in Chicago. Unlike the doughy crust at Spacca, which is very un-Italian, the thin, crisp, excellent crust at Antica is honestly the best I have had in the States. I have been an Italian pizza snob since my first trip to Rome in 2000. Coming to Antica always makes me feel like I am back in my favorite city in the world!
Plus, the owner Mario always comes by to make sure we are enjoying our time, our meal, our experience. It's such a warm, inviting place with warm, inviting people and top-notch Italian food, why oh why would you not go here? BYOB keeps the prices very reasonable, too. -
Review from Nick M.
It tastes like you are eating Antica pizza... j/k. One of the very few good pizzeria places in the Andersonville area, and my favorite style brick oven Mmm Mm.
It's not really much to look at! The décor is absolutely plain but seriously if they keep making pizza like that, they could put pictures of clowns on the walls (yeah clowns freak me out too, but the pizza is so good that you wouldn't even look up unless you had to use the washroom but I would probably just hold it until I burst rather then catching an eye from a clown).
The service was nothing short of excellent, absolutely perfect. The food is fast, shockingly fast!! We had the calamari which was extremely fresh who would have thought it, perfectly cooked too and a salad to start; finishing with a white pizza with mushrooms so mouth watering good!.
From start to finish, in and out, it only took a half a hour. It's not like they rush you or anything, you just end up eating really fast because they serve you that way. I swear you leave and you don't feel as though you've eaten anything but you're not starving either. It's BYOB which is fantastic as well.
I can't wait to go back for more!Listed in: Andersonville, R.O.T.D.
-
Review from Tiffany G.
Manhattan, NY
11/21/2010
Sweet little place with very good food. The owner greets you at the door with a warm, genuine smile and the staff is attentive as well. Cozy atmosphere, great menu, reasonable prices and a BYOB policy too.
Pizza dough is tender yet thin and crisp, the pesto was bright, fresh and very flavorful, the pasta al dente and the bolognese light yet full of goodies. The tiramisu is just as I've had in Italy - richer than you typically find at other restaurants here and just delicious.
All in all a lovely experience. We will definitely return with friends and family! -
Review from Caitlin G.
Chicago, IL
1/11/2009
Fresh pizza with just the right amount of cheesiness, sweet thinness, delicious ingredients and all topped off with that wonderful smoky wood-burned flavor.
The salad too is delicious. I had the pear and gorgonzola, which was definitely drenched in a sinfully good dressing and topped off with crunchy walnuts. Mm...
The boyfriend and I each got our own pizzas since we decided to gorge ourselves. We had the margarita and the special, which was a sausage and goat cheese delight. The special pizza was particularly tasty, managing to outshine the splendid and solid margarita.
Service is excellent, if not going through a few growing pains. A bit slow, but very friendly. The owner (?) even offered to take the bf's bags (he was headed to the airport later) and put them out of the way for us. He then got on his hands and knees to fix our wobbly table by himself.
While it's not expensive here, I do think there are a few kinks to work out to justify the price--our silverware was dirty, the glasses for the BYOB wine were all different sizes and left me feeling a bit like they'd hit up a thrift shop for their dinnerware. The unevenness of the floor, making most of the tables wobble, accentuated the feeling of discomfort as you're a bit crammed in together. Still, for a snowy evening where delicious pizza is in order, it does the trick!!
BTW, do NOT order and pick up here. My first experience with Antica was pick-up, but this pizza is meant to be eaten on the spot, fresh out of the wood-burning oven. Otherwise, you'll end up with pizza that's a soggier, sloppier lesser-version of itself.Listed in: Andersonville: The Little…, Pizzaholics Anonymous
