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Mon-Thu. 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 4:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
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I just wanted to brag about this place again! We went last night for a belated-birthday dinner and everything was so amazing!
One thing that makes this place stand out is how FRESH everything is. The food is literally made when it is ordered.
We had two new appetizers last night: Stuffed Mushrooms and Sausage and Pepper. Both were so incredibly tasty. My husband normally goes for a special and he is never disappointed and I stick with either a fish entree or eggplant parm! Got to love the friendly, laid-back service, amazing food and not-over-the-top prices. GO TO RoSal's!!!!!!!!! Make your reservation at http://Open-Table.com to ease.
My husband and I have been several times and can't get enough. We've taken both our parents and… Read more »
My husband took me here for my birthday, because we had read so many good reviews for this place and I love Italian food. In the end, I thought our meal was just average, and I believe the fact that I'm not giving this place 4 or 5 stars might just be simply due to difference in taste.
To start, we had toasted ravioli topped with a parmesan cream sauce. The parmesan cream sauce was awesome - really rich and tasty. I loved it.
When it came to the main course - I had some type of pasta, with the shrimp sauce on it. It's hard for me to articulate why I didn't like this dish - but I guess it comes down to the fact that I don't really like "fishy" tasting stuff. I like the taste of shrimp - but not "fishy" shrimp. That might not make sense - but it's kind of similar to how I like the taste of seafood, but not the taste of fish sauce. So, in my opinion (and my husband's) the shrimp sauce just tasted too fishy - and it wasn't really appetizing. The pasta itself seemed like it was freshly made and cooked well - so that was a plus.
My husband had duck and mushroom ravioli, with the parmesan cream sauce. The mushroom ravioli was very good, and the husband thought the duck was just okay. We both preferred the mushroom to the duck - I am not an expert on duck, but the hubs said he thought it was kind of bland.
In terms of service - I have no complaints. Our server was attentive, and very personable. I wish I could give this place more stars, but overall - I just didn't like the taste of my main dish and my husband thought his was just average. I want to try and go back and have something else - this time without shrimp sauce. For now - only 3 star experience for me.
This place is the real deal! If you're looking for pretty wall decor or fancy tables, look elsewhere. What you will find is warm, friendly service....and made-to-order food in large portions. If you can, ask to sit upstairs...it's warmer and more inviting than downstairs.
They're willing to create anything you'd like (just expect to wait 45+ minutes). I asked for a shrimp rigatoni with arrabiatta sauce, red/green peppers and mushrooms. They were happy to accomodate, and rocked it! The portion was enough that it made 3 meals.
The bread was better than most, and the white chocolate strawberry mousse was perfecto!
Old school Italian - No frills except for the food. The food is outstanding. The service good. The seating is fine - don't expect big spacious tables and fancy flower arrangements. This is Taylor Street and Taylor Street calls for sinple presentations. One word of advice: stay away from this place on holidays. (i.e. Valentine's Day) because the food will take forever. They have a small kitchen that they can't knock out a ton of food at a time. But the food they do knock out if top notch.
Big fan of the fried ravioli and chicken vesuvio.
Great family owned restaurant. Plan on spending some time here and ordering an appetizer, as the entrées take 40 minutes to come out. It's not that they're slow - that's just how long it takes to make great, homemade Italian. Feel free to mix and match pastas/sauces/meats, as the kitchen is very flexible. Ambiance is good, but there isn't a ton of seating, so I'd recommend reservations. Friendly staff. Prices are in-line with other restaurants of this type.
The service was horrendous. We were served by a waitress with shoulder length dark hair. She took our order and got it completely wrong. When she brought us the wrong dish (a pasta dish when we ordered a chicken entree), we tried to ask her where the chicken was, but she was too busy so we asked someone else. She came by and said that the kitchen would make us a side of chicken then quickly hurried away. We asked for her to return to clarify that we were given the wrong dish - not that we wanted a "side" of chicken. She returned and asked in an impatient tone if we wanted to change our order. We explained that we were brought the wrong dish. She then accused my husband of mis-ordering.
He is currently unable to eat pasta. There is no way he would have "accidentally" ordered a dish that has the word pasta in the name. The dish he was brought was "Portabello Pasta" the dish he ordered was "Chicken Portabello." She was saying that he ordered "Chicken Portabello Pasta" - This is not an item on the menu.
She then proceeded to argue with us and become ruder and ruder. She said that she "didn't want to argue" but did so in an argumentative manner. She then chided us by saying that "it is already going to take 15-20 minutes to get this re-ordered, and right now you're wasting more time." Meanwhile my dish was getting cold as this exchange was occurring.
As she continued her accusatory and impatient attitude, we continued to simply stress that we wanted the correct dish. Ultimately, she agreed to bring the dish (with an insincere apology) and huffed away. When we saw her to continue to wait on other tables (for at least 3 or 4 minutes) rather than quickly put in the order to fix our dish, we realized that the night was beyond salvage. We asked for our check and tried to leave. She wouldn't bring us our check at first, saying, "Are you really serious?" when we requested it. She then proceeded to continue arguing with us, and then stopped by saying, "I don't want to argue." Finally we received our check, paid it, and left.
All in all the worst experience with someone in food service I have ever had. And I've been a waitress.
I have been to this restaurant twice before but it had been a few years.....
Went on a saturday night early.....many regulars have there tables reserved in advance so be prepared on weekends
Table of four: We enjoyed homemade lemon drop shot martini's that were the best we ever tried in the city. The wine selection was perfect and the waitstaff was excellent. They are friendly, courteous and know what their limitations are for food timing and quality.
We had the Veal Parmesan, Chicken Parmesan and Rigatoni with Sausage. We were offered the homemade bread to begin with and waited for our homemade - or made to order meals relaxing in a family and yet sophisticated room of foodies who enjoy this restaurant on a regular basis.
Veal Parmesan: crisp on edges but the flavor and taste was not over-stated. Served with side of pasta shells and marinara sauce. Excellent- could have this egglplant a little thicker slice but great!
Chicken Parmesan: nice size and good flavor - chicken was tender and served with pasta shells and marinara sauce. Excellent
Rigatoni with sausage was so much food and yet the taste of the table to try with everyone. Nothing lacking in flavor and could be enjoyed by two or three people. Excellent
Desserts: Lemonella and Tiramisu-- both were homemades splendors of flavor and topped off with an espresso, they were perfect!
Meal overall did not lack in anything!
Service was personable, confident and warm!
(could have had the main waiter check the meal after served- not remembering if she had or her backup! )
Bus staff always there to pick up...could us the crumb sticks a bit more.
Always a recommendation to everyone who loves true Italian meals!!
would give RoSal's a 3.5 if i could...slow service knocked it down a half star
ate on a monday night and surprisingly every table was full - there was only 1 server for the whole floor so service was a bit slow. it took a while for her to check on us so if you are in a hurry i would select a different restaurant.
however to make up for the wait we had shots of anise liquour on the house, yum!
food was delicious, fried raviolis were tasty but what made the dish great was the garlic cream sauce, ooh la la!
had the sausage and chicken special, flavors were nice and the portion, HUGE. everyone i was with thoroughly enjoyed their dish. my dad had a veal dish with roasted peppers and melted cheese, it was absolutely delicious.
Excellent. Old school. Italian food.
Yep, that about sums it up.
We headed for Chicago over Memorial Day weekend and after doing some research, decided on RoSal's for a good Italian dinner. We cabbed it over from our hotel and were instantly enamored of the quaint street setting. Going inside, the old wood floors and the painted tin ceiling seemed just magical. The inside had a wonderful homey and kitschy feel, without being over the top. All in all, it felt like coming to dinner at a family member's (if you like you family, that is) house.
We were indeed greeted as family by the staff, and truly enjoyed great service throughout our meal. I started with a glass of Valpolicella which was lovely. We ordered the Sicilian Spinach, Veal Saltimbocca, and Sicilian Style Perch for our entrees. The veal was wonderful, just as expected: lightly breaded and fried and then topped with Prosciutto, melted provolone cheese and marinara. The perch arrived topped with tomatoes, artichoke hearts & black olives in a vinaigrette sauce. It was also delicious.
The star of the evening was the Limoncello sorbet...we split one and the site of the almost-empty dish almost caused a brawl at the table. Overall, it was a very nice dining experience.
Everything they served us was very good and reasonably priced. The server was very nice and knowledgeable about the menu and there is a lot on the menu. I'm not much of a wine drinker but after talking with him he picked out the right one. The restaurant itself is a very cozy setting. I went on a Thursday night and was seated immediately. I would suggest reservations on weekends or if you have a group.
We started off with caprese which was very fresh and tasty. I got the Linguine Ai Frutti di Mare (shrimp, scallops, mussels and clams) but rather than have marinara, I had a spicy garlic and oil combo. The seafood was solid, nothing too fancy. There was not too much garlic or oil, just right
My friend got the Carbonara Chicken. This was a monster of a plate. She was kind of disappointed because it was a very creamy sauce, which she was not expecting. But she did say she liked it. I took a taste and I agreed.
I have to preface this first by saying I used to work at RoSal's as a waiter. Now that said I no longer am employed there but I believe it is the best food I've ever had. I've even brought my parents who are not very adventurous and like to stay within their normal food range-plain and plain-and they loved it. With so many options it's impossible to review all but my favorite meal would have to be the Fried Ravioli appetizer and the Gnocchi in vodka cream sauce. Many a time I've also had little meals that the chefs have just whipped up and they have never failed in making a delicious plate.
I think the most important aspect of RoSal's is the atmosphere. I loved working here as it was fun. I looked forward to walking in that door and working with the other waiters/waitresses, chefs, and the owners. I've never, ever had a job where the owners have always treated me like equals. They help out with delivering plates, washing dishes, and just about anything. A lot of my former customers said that the manager was really nice and I had to inform them that he or she was actually the owner. The passion shows.
I've had Rosebud and Tuscany and a lot of other restaurants on Taylor street but this is far and away the best.
this place is so good that i want to cry!
xoxo
This is a very small and friendly place amidst some bigger Little Italy players. The food is terrific and really my only gripe is the $3 sharing charge. If I am paying extra to split a meal I would like it shared and plated in the kitchen and not just brought to the table for us to share. Having said that, we had a lovely meal - the tilapia over linguini. Service is informal, meaning you are treated like an old friend!
Wow....fried ravioli....wow.
Again, not what I was expected in the ricctota? sauce, but was one of the best dishes I have had in awhile. Very rich, and although it didn't seem that heavy I think I was full after eating it. Entrees were meh though....I blame myself for a rare mistep in ordering...I basically got a chicken and vegetable stir fry that anyone could have made easily enough at home. Date fared better with a spicy pasta dish that was much better the day after. Cheap wine as well....atmosphere was much better than the other Tri-Taylor restaurants.
I hope to go back, order better and raise the grade (an get more of the ravioli.)
My husband and I love RoSals! It is our favorite Italian place around here. The service is usually great, its a small quaint place that isn't overly pretentious. The owner has come out more than once to see how our dinner was going and thats a nice touch. I think it definitely beats out the other Italian spots in the neighborhood like Tuscany and Rosebud. I have had the pork chops, chicken marasala, and rigatoni. The baked clams are really good too. Honestly we haven't had a bad dish there. The prices are very reasonable for the portion size and the wine selection is good by the glass and bottle. The white chocolate mousse with strawberrys for dessert is too die for! Definitely give RoSal's a try and you won't be disappointed.
I give RoSal's 3.5 stars.
After living a block down from RoSal's for almost a year I decided to try it with my boyfriend. Of course I had to read the reviews from yelp before we went. Everyone was just bragging about this place so I thought for sure we would love it since we both loooove italian food.
I liked how basically all the workers worked as a team... two men... a waitress.. and jose the bus boy. Very welcoming place however I was caught between ordering the $13 "very spicy" rigatoni arribiata and the $15 rigatoni with artichokes. I decided to go with rigatoni arribiata since I love spicy. My bright idea was to ask for artichokes in it so I can get the best of both. One of the men who was taking care of us told me that it would be an extra charge, I said that was fine. When the meal came, it was a pretty large plate with about 5 little artichokes in it. It was not even MILD to say the least. I got the dish because it said " VERY spicy". To make it even worse, they charged me $17!!!!! I got charged four dollars extra for probably less artichokes then the rigatoni and artichokes had and a worse tasting dish since I was expecting a very spicy dish.
We also got the fried raviolis which were really good.
My boyfriend got the RoSal's chicken. I do not like chicken so I didn't try it, but it came with potatoes that I did try. They tasted sour and they were very hard. He thought the dish was just average.
we got the peanut butter pie for dessert. bad choice on my part. I ALWAYS get the peanut butter pie from wildfire so when I saw it on the menu I had to get it. Very poor, should have tried something italian like the taramisu.
Probably wouldn't go back for awhile, but I'd give it another chance some day.
I love visiting Rosal's for its Italian-American family charm. Tables are close together downstairs, you have to snake around the kitchen to get to the bathroom, and waiters are maneuvering around the door to the restaurant to get upstairs with hot food. Just sitting and watching the goings-ons at Rosal's are half the experience!
Wines by the glass are well-priced and generous and the warm bread is addictive with the olive oil and Parmesan blend for dipping. Portions are huge and are great for splitting or bringing home for leftovers the next day. I love their pastas but the chicken dishes (like the Marsala) are wonderful and come with a side of pasta. Desserts (mmm, the tiramisu) are worth saving room for if possible.
There are times I've been here and had fabulous service and other times (like on my most recent visit) when our waitress consistently came by and told us it would be by in one minute. She did that twice and it took about 10...we were hungry! Luckily when the food arrived we weren't disappointed.
Wow. This place is absolutely amazing. To sum it up:
The bad: Could use a better wine list, no cappuccino / espresso
The amazing: Everything else
We ate there last night at a business dinner. Our waitress was amazing. Probably the best waitress I've ever had. And for me, that makes a great meal spectacular. I don't remember her name, but she was the dark-haired Irish girl. Just the right mix of spunk, friendliness, and professionalism. She told us what was good on the menu, what her favorite dishes were, and what was not so good. In any other restaurant I've been to, when you ask what's good, the waiter will spew some bullshit, looking across the restaurant at who needs more water or whatever, just waiting for you to give your order. The honesty last night was impressive. She had no problems asking us to fill our own wine glasses when she was busy, and kept them full for us when she wasn't. She even thanked her runner, by name, when he brought us food, which was really classy. Would never find that in NYC. Met with our customer today and everyone is still raving about her.
Appetizers were great. Grilled calamari is so tender, you can literally cut it with a fork. Baked clams were excellent. Entrees were even better. I have never had such perfectly cooked, fresh pasta. I'm a big pasta guy. Love Little Italy in NYC. Rosals is half the price of any italian restaurant I've been to in NY, and with fresher ingredients. I had pasta and broccoli, sauteed in garlic and oil, over linguine. Needless to say they make their own pasta. Amazing. On the waitress' recommendation three people at our table got the eggplant parm, and they loved it. Dessert was also great, but overkill.
If this place were in New York, it would be in my top 5 rotation. Not only worth every penny, it's worth much, much more pennies.
I had just finished getting by butt thrashed at UIC in a tennis match when I decided I needed to treat myself. So, on a Tuesday evening, I walked into Rosal's a little sweaty and scruffy looking. Despite the sweat and scruff, the staff at Rosal's didn't bat an eye. They welcomed me like an old friend or family member.
Joe, the owner, was having a birthday party for his daughter. He warmly introduced himself to me and we chatted for a while. He told me this was the best Italian on Taylor and if I didn't agree he would buy my dinner. Did he know I was going to write a review? He can't have, could he?
In any event, the menu is an extensive list of old Italian standards. Carbonara, Vongole, Cacciatore, Parmigiana, Arrabiata, Scallopine..., you get the picture. Entrees are all in the $15 - $25 range, and portions are typically generous.
They served the rustic crusty bread warm with some oil and cheese. It was excellent, hearty, peasant bread. I skipped the appetizers and ordered linguine della fruitti di mare - scallops, mussels, clams and shrimp. I asked for garlic oil sauce instead of marinara, and the staff obliged.
Meanwhile, Joe was busily trying to host his daughter's party and host the rest of the restaurant at the same time. I believe he succeeded -- what a gregarious and charming host he is.
The linguine was perfectly cooked to al dente, and the sauce was light and garlicy. The seafood was excellent with one gripe -- the mussels were on the "half-shell", which tells me they were pre-cooked and not fresh-cooked. Only a minor complaint though.
After dinner I ordered a cognac, but they were out of my brand, so they poured my a very generous measure of grappa instead.
The room is small and cozy, decked out in old photographs and Italian knick-knacks. The service was hurried (even though it was early they were fairly busy) but very good nonetheless. And most of all the atmosphere was one that is hard to replicate -- easy-going yet professional, courteous yet informal, appreciative yet self-assured. It's very hard to explain, but that atmosphere is definitely a very, very good thing. Other reviewers seem to notice it too, so it must be something.
Anyway, I will return less sweaty and with friends, to try more of Joe's fare.
We went to RoSal's last night for my birthday. I chose this place because I wanted to learn more about Chicago's Little Italy, since my wife and I are both Italian and like everything Italian (except for greasy ones with gold chains). Wait, what?
The service was pretty good. Our waitress had a no frills, shoot from the hip attitude that was refreshing, believe it or not. We asked for a recommendation on a few things and she didn't hesitate with a "it depends what you like" sort of answer. The wine list was nice, short and affordable. Also, the ambiance is great. The floors are very old wood and it's just a cool little joint overall. The food, however, was just alright.
We ordered the fried ravioli to start. It comes covered in this parmesan cheesy sauce. I'd say it's just okay, but maybe it's because we're both partial to toasted ravioli appetizers. We shared a salad with a crazy-vinegar dressing that made us wince. Entrees: I had gnocchi with meat sauce and my wife had Linguini with clams. My gnocchi was average, but what bothered me was that they weren't drained well and it led to a watery plate. The Linguini with clams was also average.
RoSal's gets three stars. I'm hoping the other restaurants in Little Italy can bump up my initial opinions of its offerings.
Okay, okay, I'll admit it. I am a garlic whore. There. You happy? Yes, it's true, I would order a plate of RoSal's fried ravioli in their absolutely deletable creamy garlic sauce as an appetizer. And as an entree. AND as a dessert. The first time I had this velvety garlic sauce, I said I would bathe in it. I don't think that had anything to do with the really yummy chocolate martini I was enjoying at the time...
After the ravioli I was excited to have... um... more ravioli. What can I say, the girl likes her ravs! The house-made pastas come with your choice of sauce and when I wasn't quite sure what would pair well with duck ravioli (drooling already), our really friendly and knowledgeable server made a few suggestions. I ended up settling on a sweet red pepper cream sauce, not on the menu, but something they could whip up. I like having the option to personalize a dish to your taste. Very cool. Justin had the veal saltimbocca and both dishes were very good.
The prices are reasonable for dishes made to order and for portions large enough for leftovers. Made-to-order means food doesn't arrive lightning-quick, but RoSal's is a comfy place to just sit. The servers are warm and friendly, the environment is relaxed, casual and homey. It's the kind of place where you're bound to chat up the folks at the neighboring table. I don't find that terribly common in the city (maybe I'm just not that friendly, I don't know) and I actually really liked the whole feel of RoSal's. To me, food is about community. RoSal's, I think, makes an effort to build a feeling of family and community within their restaurant and that's a special thing. And so is that creamy garlic sauce...
My family's favorite pricey restaurant. Yeah, the food takes long, but its all prepared from scratch and its not a eat-n-go type of establishment either. Pasta dishes (which are homemade) are around $15 and meat dishes are near the $20 mark but you get a lot of food for the money. I'd recommend the fry ravioli in Alfredo sauce as an appetizer. I never had a problem with the service as the maitre-d/hostess was very knowledgeable about the place and seemed to enjoyed telling people about it too.
Our bus boy would always fill your water. As a matter of fact, it seemed like he would fill it as soon as it was half-full. They even gave everyone a shot of Sambuca on the house after our meal. With 8 people, our bill came to around $230.
The owner of this restaurant is very professional especially while listening to complaints.
We have been enjoying the fantastic food here for many years. However, the service is lacking. I'm… Read more »
Four-star food with *plenty* of room to improve on my experience.
{It was teetering on 3, and if I go back and it sucks again, it's getting a reduction}
Good: food, atmosphere. comfort
Bad: service, wait, transparency, service
Based on the other reviews, I'm hoping that I was there on an "off" night, because RoSal's does seem like a good place...just everything occurring from the seating onward contradicted that assessment.
Reservations are recommended. I didn't realize they were necessary and ended up walking about for 30, even though there were plenty of tables open that were never filled. This continued throughout the night as people came in hoping for dinner only to get turned away because they had no reservations even as tables sat vacant. The hostess' attitude left plenty to be desired, but the server was pleasant enough.
We were well-aware that made-to-order food takes time and were prepared to wait the 30-40 minutes the server indicated when she sat us. However, when things got slowed down, she advised us that we'd probably want to order an appetizer (said half-apologetically half-admonishingly).
A positive, the portions are more than twice (maybe 3x) larger than standard sizes, so you'll have leftovers. You'll have 80% of your food to take home if you order an appetizer. The "famous fried ravioli" is excellent and large enough to share with a friend.
The server appeared again at 45 minutes to tell us that their kitchen was very small, so it was taking longer...
[Server, now more than an hour after being seated]...Oh, that larger party of 8 that was seated after you? Well, your food was miraculously placed BEHIND their order so it got backed up. We should have it in 15 minutes....
Almost a full two hours after being seated, our food arrived. The linguine with peppers and scallops is a highly recommended dish--tender, huge scallops, best roasted red peppers you could wish for. The lasagna is lasagna; nothing blew me away about this one. The server said she "loved" it and usually gets meat and spinach in it. She asked if I would like spinach in it. I said yes. She then charged me $3 for a scrap of spinach thrown on top (failing to mention my scrap of spinach would be extra).
In summation: the wait was far too long, and I felt coerced into ordering an appetizer because *they* were slow. And $3 for spinach that wasn't clearly noted as an extra? Come on.
I'm bothered when restaurants have clear opportunities to make up for their blunders but do nothing. Usually when the wait is that obscenely long, a truly good restaurant will do something to make up for it: comp your appetizer, offer a dessert gratis, something. I wasn't impressed at all with how they handled the delay. Instead of being fed our food, we were fed excuses (the kitchen is small? I'm sure tonight was not the first time you were aware of that).
It seems like they don't turn over tables very fast, so plan to be sitting there for a while.
And ever in your server is the pits, tip her well (See: they don't turn over tables fast)
Do better next time, RoSal's.
Like the other reviews suggest, it's an old-school Italian place that's very cute. The decor is warm and inviting and the kitchen is so small that you're amazed they can fit more than one person in it. Everything is made fresh (hence the amount of time it takes to get your food) and the wait staff is delightful. Beware of the huge portions!
I recommend it highly. Very cute for dates!
RoSal's is kind of like a guy who goes on and on about how "nice" he is. Pleasant enough, sweet and nonthreatening, but just . . . not exceptional or sexy. Very warm and inviting, our server was the greatest. The garlic smell coming out of the kitchen was a very good thing. The wine selection . . . excellent.
Good place to go with a group, and if I was reviewing the group I was with they'd definitely get five stars. But I'm not reviewing my peeps. They already know what I think of them. *grins*
But you want to go there for the food . . . I had the Rigatoni Diablo, and while it was very tasty, it wasn't as hot as I thought it was going to be.
The decor - I am never a fan of the "clutter esthetic". Pull all that dusty crap off the walls.
*sighs* I really want to like the Taylor street restaurants, but I never really get above "very nice and charming". So, there you have it.
This place is small but excellent--the best on Taylor Street. The food is very good, and the deserts are phenomenal. Good service. The partially open kitchen gives you a glimpse of the action.
Great meal, great prices, great service. We had 2 appetizers, 2 meals a side and a desert - $68.00. Can't beat those prices at Olive Garden even. The baked clams were excellent. Sicilian spinach was to die for. The duck ravioli was o.k. - a little undercooked for my taste, but I understand the concept of al dente so I can't hold that against them. My husband had the rigatoni diablo, which he loved! Great cannoli. We will be back for their famous fried ravioli.
Who would've thought that the best dish was spinach in olive oil? I've tried it before in other places but this one won the price! The fried ravioli was delicious..eventhough was not really fried but anyway I loved it with the creamy sauce...I will totally go back and they tell you in the beggining of the meal that everything is made from scratch so of course is going to take a while....all worth it!
You feel like a part of the family. Great food. Old school.
It's been awhile since I've been here, but I remember it as one of the best Italian restaurants in Chicago. I loved it, the service was phenomenal, the food was incredible, and the ambiance was so cute, comfortable and cozy. I went with my then-boyfriend, and it was one of the most romantic little dates I've ever been on. This is truly a hidden gem of Chicago. Loved it!
This is the real deal of good Italian. A small family run joint. I've been coming here for 15 years and it never disappoints. I brought my mom for dinner on a Friday. She is very critical of eggplant. She ordered their eggplant parm and was raving about it. She says it's the best she's ever had. I ordered off the menu and the chef was happy to make what I was looking for.
Real Italian food...will basically make you anything you want if you ask. Very friendly, comfortable atmosphere...don't miss the white chocolate mousse. Sounds weird (I don't even like white chocolate) but this is the best dessert ever...
Totally overrated!! I have had some of the best Sicilian food all over the world (Married to a Sicilian so I know amazing food) and have found this to be mediocre at best. Not sure what style of cuisine this was trying to target, but by all means this was not Sicilian food. We had started out with the "Special salad" and there was nothing special about it. The lettuce was probably from the previous day's supply because the edges were brown and spoiled. Not a good sign to what is known as a respectable restaurant.
I had the baccala which was swimming in a pool of liquid of wine and oil. It was ok but nothing that was truly memorable. My husband had ordered the Veal Parm which was also just mediocre, the sauce tasted of doctored up Ragu. The meatballs tasted of green peppers, and no respectable Sicilian meatball should ever have the taste of green peppers. We also ordered the Sicilian Spinach which was horrendous! There was far too much lemon juice masking the purity of what should be spinach and garlic.
It was certainly disappointing as the aroma of the restaurant is very alluring but indeed very deceiving!
I can't believe I haven't rated RoSal's yet! This is the very best Italian restaurant in Little Italy - probably in all of Chicago. The service is consistently great, and the servers are very knowledgeable and friendly. They emphasize that the food is all made-to-order and they welcome special requests openly. As they say, it does take a little longer to get your food this way, but it's really not that much longer and it's worth the wait. The portions are really big, and you just can't go wrong with any of the specials. It is a bit on the more expensive end, but it's still reasonably priced. Five stars, for sure!
Pretty good place with homestyle food and sevice, Nothing special, Just a decent meal in a pleasant room, The people were very nice behind the counter, Service=Above average.
Small, family run place. Service was impeccable and the server was so nice when we had to wait for the final person to get there (30 minutes late!). The food was phenomenal and decently priced. One of the best Italian restaurants in the city.
Rosal's is a special place to go. The service was super warm and friendly even though we arrived a few minutes after they were supposed to close. The food was not quite as great as the atmosphere, but still quality. Many of the appetizers such as the calamari are much too heavy on the oil. The veal parm entree was huge and definitely better. The cannoli was tasty for dessert. We enjoyed the house wine as well. The space is very cozy--I like the sign in back that says something along the lines of "Welcome! You are now part of our family"
After living in Italy I had some high hopes, and those hopes were let down. Friendly service, but there was one waitress covering all the tables. The eggplant came out looking like a piece of Lasagna! Great atmosphere, but not a very good meal.
Brunch Today!
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
Football season specials
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Neighborhood: University Village
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: University Village
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: University Village
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: University Village
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: University Village
Category: Italian
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