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Categories: Italian, Party & Event Planning
Neighborhood: Near North SideSip & Savor Sundays
On Sundays "Just Bring Your Own Wine" and have Sunday Dinner with us. Maximum of 2 Bottles- no corkage.
Grand (Red)
Merchandise Mart (Purple Express, Brown)
Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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I had set up a corporate dinner here and the night couldn't have turned out any better. I was a bit nervous booking with another LEYE restaurant due to the horrible experience at Nacional 27 the week before, but I decided to take a chance on Osteria via Stato. This place gets 5 starts for the combination of quality and value. Stellar place for food and wine for about $125/person including tax and gratuity.
The atmosphere is very cozy and subdued--very fitting for a cold autumn's night in Chicago. We were accompanied by a few sales execs from Boston and immediately they were very impressed. The service was phenomenal as was the food and wine pairings.
1. I had picked the wines prior to the event--required if choosing the Italian Dinner Party Option. Both were ventures between Mario Batali and italian wineries. Tocai Friulano Bastianich 2006 (white) was light and fruity which paired very well with the appetizers and first courses. Morellino di Scansano "I Perazzi" La Mozza (red) was a medium-bodied sangiovese that paired very well with the pasta and second courses. Very smooth and calculated movement from the white to the red, and was very well suited as we progressed through our courses.
2. At the table: Salt-crusted ciabbata bread-good but I didn't enjoy the sweetness. Marinated Mozzarella with fresh basil and chili-also very good. Shaved Prosciutto and Apple-Stellar. This was one of the freshest slices of prosciutto I have had apart from Pastoral's selection. Olives-Good.
3. Antipasti: Caesar Salad and Calamari-Good. Parmesan-crusted wood roasted onions-PHENOMENAL. I have never had onions presented in this fashion with a creamy and slightly torched cheese crust. Delish!
4. Primi: Parpadelle with Duck Ragu-Yummy. Fresh Cavatelli with Mushrooms & Brown Butter-TO DIE FOR. This is one of the best pastas I have ever had, and I've been to spiaggia and the likes. This surprisingly is up to par with the quality, taste, and ingenuity of the pricier venues.
5. Secondi: Prime Ribeye with crispy shallots. SUPERB. I have been to several steakhouses: chophouse, gibsons, david burke, tavern, keefers...you name it. This might be the best ribeye I have ever had, 20oz. on the bone, charred to perfection and cooked exactly to Medium.
6. Sides: Calabrian Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts-Very good.
7. Dolce: Double chocolate tart-simple and a fine end to a perfect meal.
This was one of the best 5 course progressive dinners I have had and I forgot to mention the best part: each course, with the exception of the second course, is UNLIMITED. We were too full to oblige, however, this option is perfect for hungry groups. OSTERIA-understated indulgence.
the food is good, service inconsistent.
in the past couple of years, i've been here for dinner a handful of times and lunch a handful of times. i can say that my experiences with the food have been pretty positive overall. the food always has tasted of fresh ingredients and has been well prepared. the service on the other hand has been across the board. sometimes service is fabulous (engaging, courteous, knowledgeable and friendly), other times i've been made to feel unwelcome and a burden to my server.
unfortunately, what is spurring me to write this is an unpleasant lunch i had just last week. as expected, i thoroughly enjoyed the food. but the service? not so much.
we were sat down on arrival, cool. then waited around 10 minutes before someone came over to acknowledge us. booooh.
we finally got set up with waters and were able to order drinks. putting the initial service hiccup past us, we ordered, got served, finished eating and were in good spirits. then, while contemplating dessert, we decided to order some coffee. the server was a challenge to track down, and even after letting him know we wanted coffees, he really took his time to get back to us just to take our order. we went on to wait for another 15 min before the coffee arrived with no apologies for having to wait (the restaurant by the way was not slammed by any means). the coffee i ordered tasted old and two of my friends were served capuccinos that were no longer hot! needless to say, it put a big damper on what would have been an agreeable lunch hour.
This Italian restaurant has a lot of presence in my opinion. The great smells preceded the meal, the pasta was served tradition style before the main entree (parmesan topped filet mignon), and the wine was served in a small decanter. Our waiter explained that two glasses of wine were served under the 'wine by the glass price' and that it was an excellent deal for the quality. I was impressed.
The filet mignon was one of the best steaks I've ever had. It melts in your mouth. The experience was like tasting chocolate for the first time. Surprise, happiness, and anticipation for the next mouthful are the first thoughts that come to mind. Check out the picture of the steak!
I went here for the first time for the 20 wines for $20 and had a great time. It was my parents first wine tasting and the wine (seller's?) people could not have been nicer. They answered all their questions without annoyance (they had a lot) and were very informative and interesting about each wine they poured. Alpana Singh was the host, so it was pretty cool to meet her- she was also super nice and interesting to talk to.
Another plus of the night was the appetizers. Heirloom tomatoes are/were in season and each appetizer had heirloom tomatoes included. The bruschetta was awesome, the margherita pizza with tri-colore tomatoes was fantastic. We couldn't get enough! That portion of the review gets 5 stars for sure.
After the wine tasting we got dinner in the restaurant. This is where I'd have to say 3.5 stars, but I rounded up on the star o' meter.
We ordered the calamari as an appetizer which was good and I had the scallops -which I loved. Not one compliant or gripe to say about those, only that I wish there were more they were so good! My friend got the roast chicken which she just said, "eh" to. My mom just got a side of pasta as she was a little "full" from the wine tasting. I don't remember what my Dad had, which can be taken either way.
All of the staff, especially the Maître D, could not have been nicer or more accommodating, except our server. I'm not really sure what his problem was but he had a horrible attitude. We were all in a good mood, having drinks so I'm not sure how he could have picked up some sort of 'vibe' with us to be so, well, rude. He definitely put a bit of a damper on the night.
The food here and the rest of the staff was great, so it will not deter me from returning. Just maybe...look out for the male server with the crappy attitude. Geez!
All sorts of tasty eats.
Awesome pizza, nice place, very relaxed... Quality Italian foods.
oh my gosh...YUM. came here this past weekend w/the bf, his sister and husband and their 2.5 year old niece.
-+1 star for being so especially accommodating and sweet w/bella, the little 2.5 year old ball of energy(had a kids menu, high chair, the whole deal)
-+4 for the food. holy DELICIOUS. all of us had pizza and it was delicious. in a world of deep dish, these guys know thin crust and do it right. bf had the pepperoni, his sis had a pizza w/asparagus and her husband and i had the "pizza of the month", which was a garlic+cheese+savory/tangy combination. there were several other items on the menu that looked amazing as well.
finally, to top off our great experience, everything was VERY reasonably priced (especially for a downtown joint) and the service was great! i often find that downtown venues are overrated so this was a pleasant and tasty surprise.
Osteria Via Stato is one of those places that I have passed many a time but have never been that interested to enter. After all, if I want an Italian fix in that neighborhood, Quartino's is right across the street. But on a recent Friday night- I met a friend to check it out.
We couldn't get reservations so we sat in the bar for about 50 minutes waiting for a table. That was fine by me as the bartender poured a good drink and it gave us time to catch up. The bar is small (and busy) so be prepared to stand waiting to grab a chair as it is vacated (the old game musical chairs comes to mind). On this night- the wait was so long that people were actually eating their dinners at the bar.
When we were finally seated-our server was pushing us toward the Prix Fixe dinner but we were in a bit of a hurry at this point so we ordered a couple of appetizers and an entree. This restaurant is all about sharing plates so the portion sizes are big and they try to use locally grown produce where possible.
For the appetizers-he Caprese salad with heirloom tomatoes was quite good. I wish the same could be said of the octopus which was tough and very fishy tasting.
For entrees, my short rib was quite good- tender and falling apart but my friend's entree was only so so (so unremarkable I can't even remember what it was). They were having some service problems as we ordered the risotto special of the day to split as a side(mushrooms and corn) but it came up on it's own before the entrees. We probably should have just eaten it then, but we sent it back- only to have it brought back out in 20 minutes with our entrees looking like it had suffered a little under the heat lamps.
Our server was just bored with the whole thing. Once we decided not to go with his recommendation, he tuned us out and pretty much had the bus staff helping us during the rest of our visit. Even getting a water refill was a challenge.
Oh- and if you go expecting a "romantic dinner"- know that it is super loud in this place- any "sweet whisperings in one's ear" will surely have to wait!
I guess the good news is that dinner for two with a couple of drinks was only $60 so I can't complain too much- I just expected more.
If I told you the best pizza in Chicago wasn't from one of those deep dish places, would you believe me? Eat here, and you'll know what I'm talking about.
The best wine sampling deal downtown! The "Summer Sips" is a wonderful wine tasting of a Red, Rose and White wine for $15. The sampling of each were very large. It was wonderful.
I ordered the sausage pizza, in which I only finished half, and it was good, not the best pizza I've ever had but good. Our service was extremely fast and helpful, maybe too fast when they took my boyfriends plate when he was still chewing. Actually he hadn't finished his last piece of bread even.
I've never had better dinner bread before Osteria's. It was truly amazing, fresh and soft bread. An overall good experience.
There were 4 of us out, 2 pasta dishes, the chicken breast, and I had the Sea Bass. Unfortunately not everything was timed very well, both pasta dishes came out cold, but the chicken and fish were perfect.
Server was decent, had a good knowledge of the menu and the wine list. However, was a bit disengaged and lacked any kind of enthusiasm. Not looking for a performance, but it is nice when the server takes an interest in the table.
I've been to the restaurant twice and ordered take out many times, but I always end up getting the hand-rolled cavatelli with wild mushrooms, which is divine! But it pretty much ends there for me, I've tried other dishes, but never liked anything else. I tried the lemon-crusted white fish and there were so many thin little bones in the fish, I was disgusted and couldn't eat the rest of it. You'd think they could debone it because it's a choking hazard they way it is now.
We had the same server both times we ate there, an older gentleman who does not care at all about making your dining experience a pleasant one. I would still recommend the place for the most delicious cavatelli and complimentary olives--a mix of green and kalamata olives.
I came here with a very large party for the Italian Dinner Party - $39 for unlimited antipasti and pasta along with a choice of entree. The antipasti were decent - the veal meatballs and parmesan crusted onion rings were especially popular, though the tri-colored beets were my favorite.
The homemade parpadelle with the meat sauce was much better than the other bland pasta with the white beans. The parpadelle was cooked perfectly al dente and the tomato meat sauce was light and tasty. The other pasta was left mostly uneaten.
For my entree, I had the grilled ruby red trout. It was pretty tasty, if a little salty. Filleted but grilled skin-on, it was fresh and slightly crispy. My friends mostly ordered the short ribs or pork chops and everyone seemed pleased with their dishes.
We were stuffed by the end of the meal, but I split the gelato platter with 2 other friends. The caramel gelato was excellent, especially since they served the gelato atop a little pool of semi-solid caramel.
Our waitress was very nice and patient with our large party. After tax, tip, and two bottles of wine, we ended up paying about $64pp. A little pricey for what we got, and the reason I'm withholding a star.
I am SO disappointed. I think I have an old review on this place about my experience there few times years ago where I gave it four stars. It has clearly gone down the drain in the three or so years that I took a hiatus. I first came here when it opened and I loved it. Yesterday, I walked away SO disappointed. Most importantly, they committed the cardinal sin of over salting their food. I still feel sick from it. J and I liked couple of the dishes but by the time our main entrees came, we couldn't even eat it, it was so salty and disappointing. The quality of the food went WAY down that I had to re-review and give it a crappy rating. What a shame.
This will be one of those restaurants that will close down in a few years time...
Hm, I usually don't like to write reviews for places I've only been to once, but it was such a… Read more »
When my parents come to visit me - I get a wave of anxiety and panic on where we'll dine. This is of course due to their wonderfully particular nature.
That's why, I was beyond thrilled that we chose Osteria Via Stato for our Friday night meal. It's a great place to take parents. Trendy, but not too pricey. Social, but not noisy. Cavernous, but not too dark. It really was the perfect place to spend a few hours for great conversation.
The meals are standard Italian with a kick - such as the asparagus & scallop risotto special (um, yum!) The wine list is extensive and served in various sizes. I also loved that they offer a more casual dining option with the Pizzeria space. But I do recommend the Osteria for a more intimate dining experience.
Drinks only--but oh, what drinks they were!
Adam Seger's the head mixologist here--you might also know his liquid masterpieces from Nacional 27 and other joints in town. The legend of his baconcello (pancetta- and apple-infused vodka, capped off with lime, maple, and a pancetta swizzle stick) brought me here. Alas, I was too late--too exotic for most people, the beverage had been taken off the menu, so I couldn't try it. Boo!
However, the other handcrafted cocktails more than made up for my disappointment. I started with the strawberry-rhubarb martini--fresh-muddled fruit with tequila, served in a salted martini glass, tasted just like summer pouring down my throat. Then the orange Dreamsicle martini, a drink I've had other places but never enjoyed it as much as I did here. Finally, Osteria's 'fresh' amaretto sour (meaning the sour mix was freshly made, not poured out of a dusty old bottle)--my favorite classic mixed drink, and now I have a new favorite place for it.
I need to go back for dinner--if the food as as awesome as the beverages, that fifth star will go right up with its four brothers.
I'ma Lettuce Entertain You membah and it was on my list-o-places and it just looks mahvelous....so, we tried it the other night.
Walk-in reservation gave us a 40-minute wait for an outdoor table on a Saturday night and we walked around as they took our cell phone number. Cool. We ended up getting the best outdoor table. Great people-watching yet I was surprised at how quiet the table was for being right on the street corner....appropriately set back with a 2-foot hedge. Truly conversational space. Decent menu (limited for Italian - meant in a good way) although my date would have liked an anti-pasta salami/meat dish. Yes, I agree with other ratings here in saying good food, good service, good prices. Nothing to write home about, but enjoyable little unassuming evening spot. I got the carbonara....yes yes to really see how good it was; they actually put the egg on there.....something you don't see here ever, although they DO NOT use pancetta, and the 'cream sauce' was thinned down from the authentic, in a way thankfully so - you know what i mean....My date had a 1/2 portion of the gemelli w/pesto...too much mint, although tasty....the best course was the arugula salad with dates and cured bacon and the exceptional Olive Oil. I recomend NOT sitting towards the hotel entrance if outside...crazy constant stop n go traffic, etc. We then shared the chocolate tart which was a sweet chocolate butter....unimpressive and my date in fact didn't like it. We shared a lemoncella ($3ish) and I had a quartino (2 glasses) of Multipulciano for $11. The total was $70 with tip. A decent evening for not too much. I LOVE their pizza.
I'll be back...perhaps for the $40 family plan.... :)
I took my mother and some family here for her 50th birthday because they claim to have a gluten-free menu. When we arrived, not only did they not have a menu, but the wait-staff didn't understand what gluten-free really meant. My mother was able to design her own gluten-free entree off the menu, but I was hoping for a better dining experience. At another point in the evening, the waiter made fun of my sister for not knowing what kind of cocktail she might like - suggesting she was like a high school kid choosing a drink.
We all ordered steaks which were very good and perfectly cooked through. The wine list was pretty extensive. I wouldn't suggest the place if you're taking someone here to impress them... or if you're going in a larger group. This place is good for just a few people who want a good meal... don't expect much else.
This is a fabulous place for a group. I love how all the apps and pastas come out family style and you just choose your main. The food is super yummy and I left sooo full! Dark and cozy, but a bit noisy.
I only ever get 3 dishes here, and have never gone wrong. The papardelle is perfect, the noodles are fresh and delicious, the ragu is great. Not mind blowing, but just what you want to fill up on any cold night. Always get the roasted parmesan onion appetizer. The special pizzas are great too - they had a special with truffle and sunchoke in the last couple of months that was absolutely incredible.
I've had mixed experiences in the dining room here - two good, one bad. They did take care of us very well after the bad exeperience, very well. Takeout never disappoints, though.
This restaurant is fine. Not great, not superb. Just fine. In fact, if it were to suddenly shut down I don't think I'd shed a tear.
As far as Lettuce restaurants go, I think this one is at the bottom of the barrel. The interior seems to be what every Italian restaurant shoots for - some kind of replica of some quaint little place in Italy that ends up looking like a chain.
Our server was completely boring with no personality whatsoever, and the food echoed him. My ravioli tasted like olive oil. The ragu sauce was infinitely better, although still pretty plain. The chicken mario, their "famous" dish, was decent for chicken but nothing I'd write home about.
For dessert, I went for the chocolate creme brulee which was - you guessed it - fine.
If I had to go back, I'd probably sit in the osteria part where they serve pizza. More casual and smelled a lot better.
**On Sunday, they wave the corkage fee if you bring your own bottle of wine.
Makes you feel like you are dining at a 4 or 5 star establishment because the service is great. They really care about your dining experience. There was constant tending to beverage levels and dishes.
We ate the Italian feast where multiple courses come at you. The antipasto was my favorite part. They offered delectable little meatballs and fresh mozzarella and olive to start. Then came the onion parm bake and a beet salad with feta. The next course was the pasta where a linguine with pesto and a penne with bacon pasta was offered. The main is where I have my problem. I ordered the pork chop and gf ordered the shortrib. Both were extremely over salted. While the cuts were nice and presentation was appealing the taste of salt was just to overwhelming.
Overall it seems to be reaching to hit its price point. While the service is excellent and they really do dress up to be considered high end. The food is overall ok but they miss their mark by trying to be what they are not.
I've been here twice, both with my bosses. The first time was a company-wide dinner. We had a blast, sharing food family-style at a large table. The second time was a smaller dinner with a client.
Both times, we were greeted warmly & taken very good care of by our server. We were given suggestions on all items, which we took advantage of, making a very delicious meal all-around. The food was great, the atmosphere was wonderful, & the staff was fantastic. I'll definitely be back.
Came here tonight on my "Maggie date" and it was very nice. We had planned on another place, but after passing by here and seeing they had cheese plates, we were sold.
We at down and started with a bottle of wine and the cheese plate. We had the Gorgonzola Dolce and the Il Caprino Tartufo. Mmmmm. Cheese.
Our server, Wendy, was amazing describing the specials, and I was set on ordering the Atlantic Salmon, while Maggie was set on their special, a roasted chicken on Risotto.
Unfortunately we noticed the time and we only had about 45 minutes. Sad face.
We'll be back.
Worst part- The movie we were going to was sold out. We were super bummed on missing out on the main course.
Several years back, my friends would come here pretty regularly for happy hour, but I was working in the suburbs so I never managed to check it out. Happily, tonight that changed.
After dinner, my friend and I decided we wanted another glass of wine (or two or three), so we dropped in to Osteria. They couldn't have been more accommodating! The bar was full, but they were more than willing to give us a table. And our server, Brian, was extremely knowledgeable about the wine list, and made some great recommendations for us. He was super friendly, and didn't try to push us to something more expensive or try to pressure us into getting food. I rarely rave about a server (check my other reviews, if you doubt me), but he was great.
They had a nice selection of reasonably priced wines, and while we didn't eat, I can tell you that the pizza smelled phenomenal - we're definitely going to go back for dinner.
One downside - this place is connected to the Embassy Suites, and while there's a ladies room right outside the bar (in the lobby), if you're a guy, you have to go up some stairs, around a business center, and follow the yellow brick road if you have to pee. Seriously - it's a haul - I followed my friend there on our way out. Had I been alone, I might not have found my way back.
Anywho. Good wine, great smelling food (I'll update the review once I eat there), but a men's room in Canada, which costs them a star.
The atmosphere is a comfortable.."we look like countryside in Italy'" look, as is the service. We have always gone with the dinner party plan and have not been disappointed! Can not speak for the fish...but the beef and pork dishes have been well spiced and are cooked well. A couple of things I really enjoy are the fact you can choose sparkling or still water with your meal (sparking is not extra!). Also, if you are lucky and are there when they have the blood orange granita..get it.
Had a pretty decent meal here here for RW. Unlimited antipasto is great. Salad, grilled onions with cheese, mozzarella balls in olive oil and red chili flakes, olives (with pits) and mini veal meatballs. Then the braised short ribs, which was not good at all, it just felt like a cheap peace of meat that they tried to dress up. Came with sides of polenta and grilled brussel sprouts with bacon which were better than the actual dish. And vanilla gelato which was excellent.
Ordered the "wine me" option and the wine seemed to have been breathing a bit much..
This place is great, service is excellent, the food out-of-this-world!
Would go again many times, I'm in town for the week, 5 days will be eating there.
We had the fixed menu since there were 13 of us dining together, and we were all extremely happy with our food. In a moment of cleverness, a friend and I ordered the filet and the whitefish and shared them (one of my favorite things to do at a restaurant) and I'd have to say the filet was slightly more delicious. The antipasti, pasta, and sides were all fantastic too and I truly cannot think of a better way to end a meal than with pistachio gelato and limoncello.
That being said, the food is probably worth 5 stars, but I took it down a notch because of our snooty server. It's a nice place -- I get it -- but I've never quite understood why that entitles waiters to make rude comments to guests. A fellow yelper (who shall remain nameless) asked our waiter a simple question about local beers and got a less-than-polite response, which really annoyed us! I'm not going to dwell on it, but it definitely made an impression on me and will make me think twice the next time I have $100+ to spend on my meal (it could be awhile).
It's taken me years to swallow my pride and walk in here. See, Papagus, the restaurant that used to occupy this space, was the shit. All the goodness of Greektown, without the parking tragedies and long waits. Ok, so maybe that's a stretch, since my family used to walk to Papagus and we'd eat dinner at like 4:30 pm, but whatever...
Anyway, I'd heard a rumor about this cavatelli with mushroom sauce. Well the rumors proved true. The cavatelli IS dating Serena Van Der Woodson. Hot! Oh wait, did I say "dating Serena Van Der Woodson"? I meant "very good". Sorry.
Let this be a lesson kids. Never write a review while you're thinking about Gossip Girl.
So yeah, my slightly dirty martini was pretty Chuck Bass. The bartender was Vanessa to us, and gave us this chocolate thing on the house. The prices were in line, or even Dan Humphrey for the neighborhood. Not sure anything here is going to Blair your mind, but if you're on the Upper East Side, I think it's worth a stop.
Believe it or not...I'm still out there, enjoying sumptuous meals I can't really afford.
Like Osteria via Stato for example. They have a gorgonzola crusted filet mignon which cost me all my tips for the day (I assure you, no one saw my lady parts. I still work in a restaurant). Luckily it was a damn fine cut of meat.
Our server was mildly amusing in that it's obvious she'd been working in fine dining for far too long.
"And how shall I have that prepared for you?"
Nice verbage, Robotica. Beats the hell out of my, "How d'ya want it cooked?" when I used to take to-go orders...wow I kinda miss to-gos. These days all I get are bitches trying to make reservations for "Just 12 of us" at "8pm this Saturday." And then I get to silently sneer and politely tell them to get fucked. I'll bet you'll never guess where I've relocated!
Hoho...anyways. Myself and two other fine Lettuce Ladies had a wee blow-out on Tuesday night. Bottle of wine, two appetizers, entrees, two desserts and finally cocktails. Yeah, I tried the baconcello. Bacon = great. Cello = dead sexy, I would know. Baconcello... fucking nasty crap, tastes like campfire. Precious booze I couldn't even bear to choke down. Sorry. It's a gimmick cocktail.
So Osteria's not exactly what I call good value (when they say a la carte...they mean it. Slab of meat ONLY.) However, I enjoyed every mouthful and every moment. Except when we got the check....but at least then I was tipsy enough to laugh like Rosanne. Ugh, I'm so impoverished.
Yum! My husband and I went here to celebrate our first anniversary. Loved the atmosphere - each room has slight variations in the decor, but it all flows together. Nice, open space, not too quiet and not too loud. Our waitress was attentive and helpful. Had a bottle of wine that was not expensive and quite good. The bread and olives are delicious.
I had a roasted beet salad and scallops with mushroom risotto. There was a tiny bit of grit in one of the scallops, but overall, it was a really good dish, and I would order it again. The beet salad was just wonderful. My husband had the chopped salad (good, but big), and pappardelle with meat ragu (delish). We split the raspberry granita for dessert. I'm telling you, I could eat a bucket of that! Nice and light (perfect after a big Italian meal!), and the crunch from the shaved ice with the raspberry flavor and fresh raspberries - YUM!
Oh, and the prices are pretty nice, too!
Amazing food. Favorite restaurant in the city.
My girlfriends and I came to Osteria for Chicago Restaurant Week and boy were we happy we did! Inside you'll find genuinely friendly & welcoming staff who'll guide you through their impressive wine list & extensive Italian fare.
We all went with the "Just bring me wine!" option (for those who can't choose) which includes 3 glasses of wine (white & two reds) to accompany our 3 course meals. The waiter got as started with their standard appetizers of veal meatballs, carmelized onions topped with melted cheese, and salad. We had to ask for another plate of onions...they were delicious On to my entree, I had the braised short rib over polenta and it just melted in my mouth! The short rib was so tender and moist that I could used a spoon to eat it! We completed our meals with a scoop of gelato. My friends like to share so I was able to try the carmel, chocolate, and hazelnut. All were light and refreshing, served with a sprinkle of sugary carmel, cocoa powder, and crushed hazelnuts respectively.
We'll defintely be coming back to try their Itialian Family dinner!
My rating of 3stars is based on an average between my experience and my Mom's (who was my dining companion for the evening).
My Mom gave her meal 5stars, she had a bellini, the fillet mignon with salad and their famous potatoes. I tried the potatoes and I agreed that they were YUMMY, fried with olive olive and Italian seasoning- YUM, YUM. She also had the blood orange shaved ice for dessert which she loved.
I give my meal ONE STAR! I had the kale brushetta as an appetizer, which is not traditional brushetta with kale, but toasted bread with grilled kale and shaved cheese- no tomatoes to be had. I hated it. I ordered the 1/2 portion of the gnocchi w/riccotta and marinara sauce. My gnocchi was OVER COOKED and there wasnt near enough sauce. For me, the highlight of my meal was the bread and my cafe latte.
Based on the conflicting experiences my Mom and I had I would say a person's love of Osteria really depends on what they order. Despite being an Italian restaurant they have very few vegetarian options.
Thought the food for the most part was pretty average. One thing you should consider especially when dining in the summer is that it gets really hot and uncomfortable eating here. There's Air Conditioning in the lobby, but not in the actual dining hall. Also, the place is a little too dark for my taste. We liked their appetizers that came out and also the main rib dinner entree, but other than that, the wait for the food, the dark look, and the hot environment sort of took a lot out of the whole dining experience.
Good solid food, service was outstanding and the food quality was solid. Nothing exciting but just solid all around. Nothing here will wow you but its just rock solid.
Bring your appetite when you eat at Osteria Via Stato. I highly recommend the Italian dinner, which is a fixed menu of unlimited antipasto, pasta, and sides. You get to choose the main course from about seven or eight different entrees. I had the pork shank and the Wifey had the gorgonzola crusted filet mignon. I think she was the big winner of the night, although the pork shank was fantastic too. I asked our server Tara, who was knowledge and personable, how many people get dessert after gorging on the Italian dinner. She said, "not too many."
I'm glad I experienced the pain in my stomach from eating too much. However, I don't think I'll go back anytime soon. Ugh!
My husband and I chose Osteria for our anniversary dinner because we'd been here once before, about three years ago, and because (I'll admit it), we had a gift card to Lettuce Entertain You.
We LOVED the Italian Dinner Party option the first time, and the service was first-rate, from the wine steward to the bussers. The food was also outstanding. Sadly, on this visit, most of that had changed.
The appetizers were excellent, especially the sweet onion and the green salad with mushrooms. But we had to wait an inordinately long time for everything, from drinks to bread. This turned out to be the theme of the evening. Granted, we were there at 7pm on a Friday night. But to wait almost 45 minutes between the conclusion of the pasta course and the arrival of the entrees was a little extreme, even for a relaxed diner such as me. When the entrees arrived, they were both luke-warm, which was disappointing. They tasted ok, but nothing special (I had the scallops and asparagus risotto, my husband had the salmon).
Our waitress did make up for that a bit by comping us two desserts. I have to say, the gelato trio (home-made in house) was the highlight of the evening--I highly recommend it!!
Overall, it was fine because it was free, and the atmosphere is nice. But there are a lot nicer prix-fix menus to choose from at other restaurants where the food is better and the service is more attentive.
I usually have a grudge against hotel restaurants, but this one won me over.
I loved the whole experience. I'd give it five stars if the service wasn't so odd. It was decent service, it was just really odd.
The food was great, though, great flavors, perfectly seasoned, nicely portioned. And I love the wine options. Everyone was very friendly. I really have no complaints worth listing here. I will be back.
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Neighborhood: Near North Side
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Neighborhood: Near North Side
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Pizza
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: French
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Tapas Bars
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Restaurants
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