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My husband and I were looking for a nice little romantic place to eat and this came recommended so we gave it a whirl.
I agree the decor is a little over the top but it was still very quaint romantic with our mood going in. We found them to be very friendly and accomodating and our waitress was very on the ball with service and suggestions which we always appreciate.
I was ODing from all the heavy food I had eaten over the weekend and decided to go lighter. James had some incredible tasting lasagna but I went lower carb with a portabello, chicken, spinach and fresh mozzarella layered creation. It was very flavorful and tasty but I admit I was jealous of the lasagna. I really liked the selections of wine by the glass (as James does not partake) and I chose a very nice pinot noir which made me happy.
Dessert made up for any sadness over lasagna, it was chocolate fondue with strawberries, bananas, blackberries, pound cake and Amaretto cheesecake for dipping. Gah, all my good intentions went right out the window. I did not regret a bite of it.
I could drink their olive oil. It looks like they're growing a small tree in the bottle, but that tree sure does deliver some amazing fruit!
The restaurant is very cute, if not a little a bit over the top (the decor was like a small scale version of "the venetian" in Vegas)
I got the duck tortellini because, well, because I was determined to try it after it's great reviews, and I love duck. It was good, but not great and that was my fault. I was craving ricotta and would've gotten something else. My bf got the seafood linguine and really enjoyed it.
The table next to us got the pumpkin soup (3.50) and it looked amazing! Such a generous portion.
Our waiter was good, very nice and pretty attentive, but the bus boy asked us 2 or 3 times whether we were done with our food, which isn't cool, especially when we've only had our food for 15 minutes!
So to sum it all up, great olive oil, cute place, and stupid customer for ordering the wrong thing....I was just too excited!
Atmosphere: quaint but lighting isn't perfect
Service: outstanding! Well informed, polite, communacative and fast.
Food: i would stay away from the grilled calimari. It wasn't good at all.
I would highly recommend the duck based pasta dish, which was deliscious. We were also able to amend one type of pasta so that it was served spicey rather than sweet.
Overall: a decent place to eat that I would recommend. Don't expect the best but it's definately worth eating at.
Where loose fitting clothes because you're going to want to eat so much , you'll be asking someone to politely ROLL YOU OUTTA There!! this is one of my FAVORITE Spots EVER!... I don't think there is one dish that I would complain about. Each item including the salad 2 people can share but Trust me.. You would rather be selfish and have them wrap it up so that you could finish it off for lunch or dinner the next day... Their desert. well.. Why don't you run an extra 6 miles the week prior to visiting this place. You will want to eat every single last bite so don't even bother trying to be cute! Wear loose fitting Clothing. You know those Cute babydoll dresses that you don't have to hold your tummy back in ? Those kind and you'll be quite all right! Don't worry about grocery shopping for the next few days either. You'll still be stuffed to the max! Enjoy!
It had been quite a long time since I had been here, but it was one of my favorite Italian places years ago. My boyfriend and I went there for dinner Saturday night, and I was surprised at how different it was from what I remembered.
I ALWAYS ordered the duck tortellini, without fail, so naturally I did again this time. It was still good, and looked the same, but there was far too much cognac in the sauce which made it too sweet. I was able to tone it down a bit at home by adding a bit more garlic and chicken stock, so the leftovers were fabulous.
However, I was quite surprised at my boyfriend's dish. He ordered the special ravioli of the night, which consisted of almonds and (what?) Michigan cherries. Not something I would have ordered, but he decided to be adventurous. It was a nut ravioli in a cream sauce and the cherries were mixed in to the sauce. The whole dish was drizzled with a cherry jelly on top (again, what??). He said it was ok, but probably not something he'd order again.
All in all - I think I'll reserve this place for takeout only, duck tortellini easy on the cognac. Not to mention - it's more of a romantic ambiance and it seemed as though almost every patron there was accompanied by loud, coughing children. Nothing against kids, this just isn't the place for them.
Words cannot express how highly I think of this place. The food is to die for and I have always had excellent service. I take my friends here, my boyfriend, my mom. Everyone is always amazed. Recently, we threw a baby shower for a party of about 20, which I know from experience is a server's nightmare. The guy who waited on us was patient, professional and fast. Thank you!
Rose angelis is a place that I found out about when they were featured on 190 north. It a house that has been turned into a fun and charming resturant. I like how you get to sit and eat in the different rooms of the "house".The one room of the house is fun becasue you get to sit and see the kitchen.
The food is so good,fresh and unique I just want to eat everything.Being a veggie makes it no problem to find something to eat.There are quite a few options for veggies. We usually start out with the crazy salad that is topped with like 10 million veggies includng a blue potatoes! They pretty much just tast like dirt but they look cute. Then I will get some sort of pasta dish. My fav dish is a pasta with blue cheese sauce ,grapes,and walnuts. You may be tempted to get it minus grapes but DONT they actually go well with the blue cheesieness.
The staff is really nice and they have great memory skills. Its really entertaining to hear them recite the specials. Each special could have 10-15 ingredients and they will remember all of them. Another thing I like there is when you order wine is comes in a small glass like it does in Italy.
Love love love. I felt like I was on the streets of Italy with the brick walls, plants. And the food was good too! I haven't been there in awhile, got to get back
My boyfriend and I stopped at this resturant for their Wednesday night special; dinner for 2 for $49. What a great deal! We ordered the grilled calamari to start...so delicious! You get a shared appetizer, 2 cesear salads, 2 entrees, and a shared dessert. The portions are a little big, but I can't complain because I had leftover for a week! The service was great, the food was spectacular. I will definitley be back! It's a great date spot.
Dang! This place was just not good. I have to say this is one of the first yelp letdowns I have experienced. I think you guys really missed the mark on this one. The best part of the meal was the house Chianti at $31/bottle and the Caesar salad -- lemony and crisp! The rest of the meal served up a major disappointment for this gal.
On the suggestion of our waiter I went with the duck filled tortellone with spinach (burned) tomato and fresh mozzarella with a wine and cognac reduction. A) I love love love cheese but this was ridiculous! If I wanted clumps of cheese (I am talking about blocks of cheese through out) I would have ordered a side of mozzarella B) the cognac reduction was hardly a reduction and maybe resembled a broth soup better C) the meal just wasn't hot. I want my plates of pasta to come out steamy.
My cousins had the Ravioli with the sun-dried tomato cream sauce AKA the Campbell's tomato soup sauce and the Portobello con Pollo . Blech for both. The chicken was dry and the sauce was an gross mucky-grey color. I understand that the makeup of the sauce was mushroom and balsamic but there must be something you can do to make it look like you aren't eating a hunk of chicken in the middle of a mud puddle.
I am so sad to be this disappointed about this place! On the brighter side, the outdoor seating is adorable and the service was very attentive. Stick with the bread, salads and wines and you'll be alright at this little neighborhood spot.
Great food, great service....I don't think there's such a thing as a bad meal here.
Last night was our 2nd wedding anniversary and we decided to dine here. We literally live around the corner from Rose Angelis and had been meaning to dine there. WOW! Tuesdays are half price bottles of wine! Gotta love that.
The portions are out of this world 4 people could have eaten my Zuppa di Pesce. I had the whole ocean in a tomato broth with spicy polenta!
My hubby had the Lasagne di mare! It was excellent. The calamari and shrimp were grilled. MMM We died and went to seafood heaven.
The Italian bread pudding with buttery caramel sauce is to die for and I had to take my pulse after tasting it. We had to take leftovers home even for dessert!
We are impressed with the vegetarian selection, Bravo Rose Angelis, we will be back!
This review was written by my brother-in-law.
My wife, friend and I went here for dinner lat night. This place has a good reputation, but I have… Read more »
I used to love this place. I can't say anything bad about the food, as I have never had anything that didn't taste good there. And if you do decide to go there, against which I advise you, save room for dessert and get the bread pudding. But make sure you share it with someone as it is too big. That being said, this place is not worth your time and integrity.
The reason I no longer wish to set foot in this place is because once it got on the map and allegedly Jennifer Aniston went there to dine with whoever she was dating that month, it suddenly became way more well-known. My friends and I used to go there all the time, because it used to be a nice quaint Italian restaurant with a nice crowd. Then once it got the celebrity bug, the crowd was suddenly a weird mix of star-wannabes, most of whom probably don't eat pasta if anything at all. The restaurant got caught up in all of that, and most of the staff became snooty with a horrible attitude.
We had a group of 12 people dine there once, coincidentally the last time I ate there. We ran a bill of nearly $600 if not more, and of course gratuity was included, which we happily paid. Once we paid, but while we were still eating our dessert and drinking our coffee, we were asked if we can take our dessert and coffee to the bar so they can seat other people. We were outraged. How convenient to ask us to do that AFTER we paid our bill. Most people don't go out to restaurants to just eat, but to spend time with their friends, and the fact that we were rudely asked to stop socializing makes this places a no-no for me. Apparently, we had been there for an hour and a half, and according to the staff that was a generous amount of time for us to come in, eat, and leave.
They have always been sticklers about reservations, which I think is rude. If you want to act like a top notch restaurant, behave like one. Telling people that they can't make reservations for groups less than 6 or whatever the number is, does not work in anyone's favor. But I suspect they love making the extra money off people who are waiting in the small waiting area, which in the winter gets too tight.
The restaurant experience is not just about the food, and while the quality of the food is important, the way the customers are treated is also very important. If I just wanted to eat good food, I can order from anywhere and eat at home or in the park, but I go to restaurants for reasons other than just the food. Rose Angelis gets a big F for the way it treats its customers now. We went there before it was this big of a deal, and I am sorry that I had ever spent a penny in that place. You can get just as good, if not better food, at other Italian restaurants, and without being insulted.
Overrated. I've had better in Chicago many many times. For better Italian food not far away try Via Carducci on Fullerton or Basil Leaf Cafe on Clark. The latter would beat Rose Angelis is a cage match every time.
I am not a ranter about restaurants, but I used to live down the street about two blocks away, so the idea of eating there was brought up every month by my then girlfriend, now wife.
Every time I went, I quietly speculated. Will it be better.... Will they finally convert me into a fan.
Nope. While my tapeworm lets out a silent cheer when a lasagna portion the size of a brick comes out, my taste buds are on red alert. One thing I've noticed with this place the larger the portion, the less I like the meal. As someone who likes to cook, I imagine a cooking staff that is just making sauces haphazardly.
Pass. Sure some buddy will call up and try to get the whole gang to go there, and the sea of big 10 sweaters will make most folks beam with pride. But the food is... well... like Olive Garden. No death threats please.
Oh and the restaurant is extremely noisy, and that one guy who works there who is gingery and has a beard... he's super loud. Bugs me. Rant off hehe.
Wine list %50 off on Tues (6/30) - the reserve list included! I thought the food was very well prepared (pasta seemed home-made). The portions are very large, so be prepared to take some home. 4 of us ate entrees, split 2 desserts and had 2 bottle of wine (1 @ $15 (a simple pinot grigio) and 1 @ $35 (Simi Cab reserve)) and the bill was $180.15 (w/o tip).
Pretty decent considering the amount of food and the quality of wine we had.
Ahhh lovely, lovely Rose Angelis!!! When I lived in the neighborhood, I'd visit and mangia at least once a week in your comfy and adorable confines. These days I'm no longer a Lincoln Parker, but still find myself dreaming often of your Tortellone Anatra Ubriaco - translation: absolutely fabulous duck filled tortellone with fresh tomato, mozzarella and shaved parmesan floating delicately in a boozy frenzy of the bold and beautiful wine and cognac reduction.
Orgasmic duck, duck, pasta aside... Rose Angelis serves up plenty more tasty, rustic fare in this off-the-beaten-path charming, comfortable setting. Set long and narrow in what almost appears to be an old living space, you'll find this to be a excellent and really versatile spot for making an impression... family dinners, first dates, special occasions, it just works here. Not fancy, but definitely muted and charismatic enough to be a really pleasurable experience.
Funny Carol K. mentions their penchant for pine nuts... it's so true!! Rose Angelis is nutty for the SS Pine Nut (ahoy!)... so yeah, I hope you like 'em! If not, just ask for them to be removed but here's a little taste of what you can look forward to, the "Brett favs" if you will...
I. Mezzalune al burro- spinach pasta half moons stuffed with ricotta and pesto served in a seasoned brown butter sauce with sundried tomatoes, toasted pine nuts and parmagiana // To Die For! Really! Creamy, cheesy, decadent, filling... everything a true pasta dinner should be, and more!
II. Zuppa di Pesce- fresh fish, mussels, shrimp, calamari and scallops simmered in a spicy tomato broth with polenta and farfalle // Ask for it extra spicy, I always do... Mmm the spicy is so sweeet, ya know? Let the sweat build up and bead on your brow; there's nothing like eating an Italian meal like a sweaty Goomba, with food like this you should, at minimum, look the part.
III. Gnocchi con Prosciutto e Albiococca Secca- potato pasta served in a mascarpone cream sauce with dried apricots, prosciutto, scallions and walnuts. // Mama Mia! Little pillows of love... like soft, zaftig Double D's... you know you wanna put your head up on 'em. Or shove 'em in your mouth. Nasty Girl! The perfect balance of tangy and sweet, just like someone else I know.
If that hasn't whet your appetite enough, you may want to scan their website for the recent addition of a weekday lunch menu and evening "recession relief" specials. Items like surf and turf ($12.94) or a full dinner for two including appetizer, entrée and dessert ($49) are a few of the tasty perks... looks like (good) sex on a plate just got cheap. Holla!
A word to the wise: Rose Angelis only takes reservations for parties larger than 8, and even then you're not guaranteed you won't be lingering in the bar for a bit prior to being seated. I guess what they say it's true, good things are worth the wait. Order a glass of Chianti and pull up a bar stool, Babe, you're in for a treat!!
I'm quite honestly perplexed as to how this restaurant has the reputation it does. I ordered the spinach ribbon pasta with grilled chicken and artichoke hearts. The flavor was flat and the chicken tasted like it had been reheated in a microwave. It was about what I would expect from the pizza place I ordered take out from in college, not from one of the top Italian restaurants in Chicago. My girlfriend had the chicken marsala, one of the chef's 'specials.' It was also one-dimensional and lacked seasoning.
I don't know how you can mess up Italian food but they managed. Seriously, if you know how to follow a recipe, you'll end up with better Italian than they serve here.
This place is many things, but probably should be considered a good date place....well a good casual date place....noise level subtracts from any possibility of a romantic aspect, but don't let that deter you.
Tucked away in a neigborhood...reminds me of places in NYC. This particular evening I has heading to a private party and my date has made a huge fruit pizza......yes, that is what I wrote....I never heard of a fruit pizza, but there we were....about to get a table and asked if they could store it in one of their coolers....which they said yes immediately.....add a star!
We got a table in the back of the establishment which I'd say you should sit there at all costs....tables by the kitchen allow for WAY too much traffic. The back is darker and more intimate in my opinion.
Wine to start....a light salad and then entrees...I had a pasta with chicken which was very good and my date had a pasta dish as well, though for the life of me I cannot remember what it was. She indicated it was good and I tried it and agreed.
The place is a buzz with conversation and activity and if you decide to hit this place at the last minute do it before 8pm....we made a last minute choice to come here and hauled butt to get there before 8...15 minutes before 8 we were seated....I had reservation at another restaurant at 8:30 so I walked out to call and cancel and the front was packed with folks waiting for tables.
The service was good, albeit not consistent except for the water refills. We asked for refills on wine only to wait a tad more than should be expected. Also, they had a lot of specials that night....like 7 and the waiter spouted all of them off....I cannot believe they remember all of those details...impressive.
Wine was served in tumblers which is cool in my opinion, though a yelp friend of mine disagrees. But I have to admit it allows for a much smaller glass of wine.
If I could give this place a half star I'd almost say this was a 3.5 rather than a 4....good food, but not fantastic...except for the portions.....service and noise took away, but still a place you should try.
Apparently I have been here before, but didn't realize it until sitting down in the back, darker half of the restaurant. I did enjoy my first visit as I did this second one, however I was not wowed enough to produce a 5 star review.
We arrived at 7:30ish on Saturday night and we immediately taken to our table. Sweet! The service began quickly enough and the waiter even recommended a nice wine. Kudos to Rose Angelis for having $6.50 by the glass wines. I can dig that!
The server rattled off a good number of specials (all of which sounded delicious) by heart. I ended up with a lovely dish off the menu: Tortellone anatra ubriaco- duck filled tortellone tossed with spinach, tomato
and fresh mozzarella in a wine and cognac reduction topped with toasted pine nuts and parmagiana for $17. It had great flavor, fresh ingredients, and the portion was more than generous.
I wish I had saved room for dessert. Maybe next time. Speaking of dessert, I had made a large tray of fruit pizza for my friend's going-away party and they generously scooped it up and took it back the kitchen cooler for me without so much as a grumble.
Nice all around, but please don't make me wait 20 minutes for my second glass of wine. That just makes me cranky!
I walked here for lunch and it was completely empty. I guess they only recently started serving lunch, but you should really go here, because I felt kinda bad for the solo server. Although he got to sit around and read a book, so I guess that's cool.
I got the gorgonzola tortelloni with walnuts and grapes. Yes, grapes. At first I was just going to ignore them, but they were just there, daring me to eat them. So I tried... and wow. Who knew grapes in pasta would be a taste sensation? Rose Angelis, I guess.
I also had the quite excellent soup... I can't get their lunch menu to open right now and I have no recollection of the name, but it was very--extremely--ridiculously garlicky. Which is good if (like me) you love garlic. Not so good if you're going to be having any one-on-one conversations the rest of the day.
Bonus: The olive oil is like liquid crack.
I had to make it quick and service was speedy. Everything was awesome, down to the iced tea.
I went here a couple of weeks ago for a friends birthday dinner, and I walked away very pleased. We came around 6:45 on a Saturday night and waited about 30 minutes for a table. There are tables in the lobby area and seating at the bar as well, so it wasn't a bad wait by any means. The restaurant is surprisingly large - we went through one huge seating area to get to our table, and there was another large seating area behind our section.
The food is outstanding. Two of the people in our party ordered caprese salads, and they were big enough for the table to share. I ordered one of the evening's specials - eggplant ravioli in a tomato cream sauce, with portabello mushrooms and spinach. Amazing! I had to force myself to stop eating it, it was so good.
The service was pretty good - it was incredibly busy, but our server was attentive.
I would definitely come back here. It seems like it would be a great date place - good lighting, great atmosphere, and fantastic food.
The food is great and the prices are fair, the place was recommended by a friend. the only bad part is the service a bit slow.
This is a great neighborhood place, and is REALLY affordable. I've gone here a few times with friends, but I most recently went this week for their "Recession Special", which is $12.99 surf or turf.
So I ordered the steak, and was greeted about 10-15 minutes later with a steak so large I wondered if I should look around for the cow-carcass somewhere in the restaurant. Remember that piece of meat that tips over Fred Flintstone's car at the beginning of the show? That's what they bring you when you get the "turf", along with mashed sweet potatoes and asparagus. After the first half of the steak I was full, after the next quarter of the steak I was just eating on pride, and I couldn't finish the last quarter of it. I am not a guy who usually leaves food on his plate, so this is impressive.
But it's not just a place to get cheap steak. Other times that I've been there, they had excellent pasta dishes, and great lasagna. They also have a great wine list with a few wines by the glass. I'd recommend any of the ports or riojas.
I came in at 8:30 pm on a Friday night with my tired, hungry family from out of town on my hands. Eight of us. I'd never been to RA and had no idea what to expect. Luckily, the place is so huge that we were seated in five minutes. This was my first trip to RA - it's a neighborhood gem...food is divine! The portions are so large that you can split or have a meal the next day. It's even better left over. Family was so happy! In the words of the Governor of California, I'll be back.
I am a big fan of the food and the service at Rose Angelis! :)
If you have never been here is some info:
1. If you have a party of less than 8 people, no reservations. On the weekend you either need to go Morty Seinfeld style (early bird), or really late. We were a party of two and arrived at 9:45 and there were 3 other couples that had already been waiting over an hour. We were all seated around 10:15.
2. The portions are HUGE! Two people could easily get an appetizer and split and entree. We got the Zuppa di Pesce, which was a huge thing of soup, lots of seafood. We also got the special: Manicotti stuffed with sausage and green pepper with a red sauce. The meal was a nice balance of light dish with a heavy dish.
3. No valet parking so take a cab, parking around there sucks.
4 You won't break the bank, two drinks, appetizer and two entrees only set us back $60. :)
I'm going to go eat my leftovers now!
Wow, it's either hit or miss on Yelp for Rose Angelis, isn't it?
While I just returned with my girlfriend to Chicago for a weekend visit, Rose Angelis was always my favorite Italian restaurant in the city (this would have been well before Jennifer Aniston apparently ruined it for at least one Yelper out there).
At least in my experience, the ambiance has always been cozy and wonderful, with all of these great little separate rooms in the converted house to eat in. I've been there a handful of times and have never sat in the same room twice.
Since it had been years since my last visit, I was worried that this time would be a let down, especially after reading some of the scathing reviews here. I mean, come on people, giving a restaurant ONE star when you admit the food was great just because you were asked to wrap things up? The staff must have been fuming at you.
Well anyway, a few nights ago I finally got to return with my girlfriend and a couple of other friends. Our cab was running late, so my friend and his wife were seated without us (which rarely happens at restaurants anymore... you usually get a whole lot of drama for something like that).
Upon our arrival, we ordered a few half bottles of a delicious Italian champagne and a carefully constructed tower of an appetizer salad for the whole table. I've always loved the salads on RA's specials menu because they are full of colorful, tasty vegetables (this particular salad even sold me on beets, for god's sake!).
The decision on my entree had been made months, even years before, though there were a few specials that almost swerved me. Regardless, I went with my old favorite, tortellini con salsa di noce (gorgonzola filled tortellini tossed with grapes in a walnut pesto cream sauce). Fantastic, even though it had more grapes than any human needs in one sitting.
The best thing about Rose Angelis is that the portion sizes allow you to share everything with your table. So, when the food arrived, we all plated up mini-dishes for everyone to share. My girlfriend had the chicken Marsala, which had to have been three pounds of chicken, perfect for sharing and combining with everyone else's pasta. My friend and his wife had, respectively, the gnocchi with prosciutto in a marscapone sauce, and the ravioli alla Luigi. While the ravioli was standard but still delicious, the gnocchi has knocked my tortellini out of the top spot of Must Have dishes when I return next time.
I was proud of my friends for being determined to save room for dessert, because I was dead set on having the bread pudding. A massive slab of chocolaty goodness soaking in a pool of warm caramel sauce... I have dreams of this dessert. My friend's pecan pie was good, if insanely rich. The coffee wasn't anything to write home about, but serviceable (it tasted a little burnt).
So, a massive appetizer salad, two half bottles of wine, a few other drinks, four entrees big enough to take home a couple of leftover meals, 3 coffees and an espresso, and two HUGE desserts for $150 pre-tip? Worth every penny.
I came close to deducting one star because you still can't make a reservation here. Coming in from out-of-town, I like having a little peace of mind knowing that I don't have to worry that we might get shut out of some of my favorite places. I guess I'd just tell the curious to go on a Sunday night, as it seems to be their least busy time.
I'm going to have to agree with Moe F.
I went to this quaint little place after my friend recommended it for Valentines day. I have to say, it didn't disappoint. I started my meal with Proscuitto wrapped asparagus that came with portabellos and roasted red pepper/ horseradish cream sauce. Mucho Awesome.
Then I had the Gorgonzola tortolloni with walnut pesto and grapes. Very tasty, and even better when I reheated the leftovers for breakfast this morning.
The portions are huge, and the price is very reasonable. They also have decent wines and fill your glass up to the brim, like they're trying to do some type of high school chemistry water tension experiment.
Honestly, wine to the brim? How can I write a bad review after that?
I will tentatively say this is my favorite Italian food in the city! I'm still exploring Italian food and thus far this tops the list. I just couldn't give 5 stars however because I have a looong list of other Italian restaurants to try before I can commit to 5 stars. Oh, and it's not just the food, the ambiance helps too!
It's in Lincoln Park in a cute brownstone building. Inside it reminds me of a house with different rooms with different decor. So cute! And don't forget about the outdoor seating in the summer. It's sweet and romantic and great for a date or even a group! I love sitting outside!
Then there's just the food... oh SO good! My favorite pasta entree is Tortellone con salsa di noce- gorgonzola filled tortellone tossed with grapes in a walnut pesto cream sauce
You have GOT to come here and try the food. I've even done carryout and the food is just as good (sometimes with carryout something seems missing but not here). Oh and prices aren't over the top either, which helps!
Do yourself a favor and get some Italian lovin at Rose Angelis
Fabulous. I somehow found extra room in my stomach for this place. The atmosphere is darling- I didn't feel like I was in Chicago anymore. Seems like a fun first date place; dim lights, just noisy enough, delicious food. The menu is a great size. I get frustrated with too many options. I had some portobello mushroom thing that was to die for. Seriously, to die for. My only gripe was that it took a little too long for our wine to get there. They were busy, but to me that isn't an excuse. I've been there, places need to make sure they have enough staff on hand for a Thursday night. I don't mind if it takes a while for my food to arrive, but 10 minutes for my glass of wine? No thanks.
That was my only complaint, though. I will definitely be back. Plenty of times, I'm sure.
Delicious!!!
I have been here three times (three consecutive Valentine's Days) and I always look forward to it. They have ample seating but it still has a romantic vibe, you dont feel like you are on top of other patrons. I have sat in three different parts of the dining room but I liked the furthest back the best. You can see the rest of the crowd but it is quite and very romantic.
Every year I get the salad from the specials menu. This salad is big enough for two and it something you wont get anywhere else. It is huge, with full pieces of cucumber, carrot and beet. The dressing is a Cesar type that has a nice bite. Once you figure out out to eat it, it is very good.
I have had the half moons with brown butter sauce and have also tried the salmon ravolini. Both are rich and delicious. Also, enough to share if you would like. The basil cream sauce for the salmon dish really complimented the fish well. Also the bread and olive oil they serve before your meal is very good (but dont fill up on it!)
Also, Sergio the waiter is funny and helpful when it comes to picking out a dish. This is a great place for a romantic evening for sure! Cant wait until next Valentine's Day!
My first visit to Rose Angelis came sometime in 2001. I have distinct memories of always leaving totally stuffed, hardly able to walk!! On my first visit I ate so much, I almost rolled out the door! Luckily, my friends and I lived nearby and we walked it off. A true sign that this place is delicious (or that I cannot stop myself from devouring the food).
Since then I make it a point to head back to the cozy house-like atmosphere and enjoy the fantastic Italian cuisine. Dining here is like no other Italian place in Chicago. The server, Brian, that waited on my friends and I time and again has always been excellent! Rose Angelis can be romantic if that's your aim, or just a good place to enjoy great food and wine with friends and family.
On to the food! I love eggplant and beefsteak tomatoes, so these lovely apps were pleasing - Melanzane miniature alla parmigiana - slices of baby eggplant baked with tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella and the Insalata di Caprese- fresh mozzarella and tomato slices topped with basil and drizzled with olive oil.
Without fail, I usually end up ordering my absolute favorite dish, Tortellone con salsa di noce - gorgonzola filled tortellone tossed with grapes in a walnut pesto cream sauce. I love the combination of the salty pesto cream sauce and the sweetness of the grapes. This dish is what does me in, but I somehow manage to squeeze in some of their amazing Trio of Chocolate Mousse in raspberry sauce and end it all with a cappucino!!
The portions at Rose Angelis are huge, so arrive with an empty stomach and prepare to fill up!! And when it's cold and snowy out, it's the perfect place to warm your belly at!!
I've never had a bad meal here. The desserts are amazing so make sure to save room. My favorite thing from here is the Portobello mushroom, spinach and chicken dish. The red wine cream is to die for. Sooooo good and I always have a ton of food left over. The servers here are always really nice and I always have a really nice time here.
Five years I lived in Chicago and never made it to Rose Angelis. Finally, this past week, I took my client there while visiting. The building is very deceiving... when you first walk in... the space looks so small. I asked the host if we were the only ones in the restaurant (it was a Tuesday night and no one was in sight). He said that there were a couple of people in the back. He led us through the many dining rooms, and finally we entered the last two remaining dining areas. All of a sudden we saw several tables filled with customers. I definitely recommend sitting in the back rooms if you can... it is so much scenic and cozy than the front dining areas.
The food, in my opinion, was nothing to rave about. Everyone claims how great the dishes are here... I thought mine was ok, but not fabulous. We had the baked baby eggplants as an appetizer (tasty). I had the linguine with seafood in a tomato sauce. My client had the stuffed chicken special. Both entrees were overflowing with food.
The service was excellent and on Tuesdays, the bottles of wine are half price.
Be warned if you head here, you will likely need to unbutton your pants and unbuckle your belt.
This place is a classic Italian restaurant built into someone's house. The menu is extensive and intimidating at first, but once you take some time to sip a little wine and relax, the choices become a little easier.
The mezzalune al burro is a favorite, the moon-shaped pasta never ceases to please my friends and me. However, the lasagna and manicotti have been known to spark fist-fights over who gets to take the left overs home. :).
A little on the pricey side, but the atmosphere is comfortable (though sometimes a bit noisy). Highly recommended for a date or family visiting in town. Every person who I recommend to eat there becomes an instant fan. Try it!
I went here on a Thursday night for a friend's birthday and was quite happy with my experience overall. Walking in was a bit bizarre as the restaurant goes back and back...and back. You notice the homey feel from the moment you enter the rear portion of the restaurant.
To start out, luckily we had checked out the website in advance and noticed on Thursday nights the "Recession Special" is $50 dinner for two that includes a shared appetizer, 2 caesar salads and 2 entrees of your choosing. This is a great deal, however, they don't tell you about at the restaurant (for obvious reasons!)
We started with the sauteed ravioli with Gorgonzola and pesto dip. This would not be my first recommendation for an app...it was simply sauteed cheese ravioli with nothing extra and an overpowering Gorgonzola dip. Too much strong cheese for me thanks. Our friends got the calamari which I found to be tremendous! Well spiced with a huge portion. The caesar salads that followed were standard...no points won or lost.
The entrees were what secured 4 stars in my heart. We actually both ordered tortellone (what they call tortellini) dishes. First was the tortellone stuffed with porcini mushrooms and marscapone (I believe) served in a red wine cream reduction along with baby broccoli, portabella mushroom strips and dried cranberries. These tortellone were something else. There were multiple layers of flavor and they were all delicious. Second we had the tortellone stuffed with duck and served in a sweet sundried tomato sauce. I may have actually preferred the second tortellone because at points I became overwhelmed with the first. Either way, both were phenomenal. Alright enough about the food...
The service was only ok. Our waitress was serviceable but I'm hoping she's only waitressing because of the economy. It is not her calling. Our water glasses were always filled and the food came out hot, but our waitress was not awesome.
Rose Angelis is a very versatile spot for dinner. It would work well for a date, even a first date, a family dinner, a birthday or whatever else.
Live about 4 blocks from here and didn't try it for almost a year. Every time I walked/drove past it on a weekend night, it was crazy packed with lines of people waiting. Finally I tried it on a random Tuesday night....and was BLOWN away on how amazing the food and service was. It was also not too packed, so perfect for a romantic dinner for two. TIP - All bottles of wine are half-priced on Tuesdays.
Our waiter was very passionate about the food and described the specials in so much detail and enthusiasm that you wanted to order everything he listed. He was more than happy to provide his recommendations on his favorites and what he think you would like based on inputs you give him. My husband and I both told him what we typically liked, and he was very assertive in giving us each personalized recommendations...the "Ravioli alla Luigi" for me...and one of the ravioli specials stuffed with pears for my husband. The food melted in your mouth...it was that good. We also ordered one of the salads, which was more than enough to share.
When our waiter asked us for desserts, we were too stuffed to order anything...even though we did let him go through the options. When we thought he was coming back to give us the bill, instead he presented us with one of the desserts on the house! He said he loved the strawberries with caramel sauce dessert so much and felt like we should try it. Wow, that's service. Well, sure enough we loved it...and ate every last strawberry and caramel sauce! Guess we weren't stuffed after all!!!
I definitely recommend Rose Angelis to anyone who loves pasta and wants an intimate setting. By far my favorite Italian restaurant in Chicago.
I have never been disappointed with the food or the service here. Parking is a 'B' but we got lucky on the Thursday before Valentines Day with a spot right in front.
The special of the season [weekends excluded] was dinner for two for only $49!!! It included one appetizer, two Caesar salads, two entrees, and a shared desert. This is a phenomenal deal considering you can order your choice from the categories.
We got a roasted veggie pizza appetizer that could have been enough for dinner. Absolutely delicious!
For my entree it was three breasts of chicken cut thin and stuffed with risotto, veggies and cheese. Plenty of deliciousness to go around.
My wife got the grilled salmon and grilled veggies. Can't go wrong with salmon.
Our desert was the RICE PUDDING. Made with risotto and swimming in a vanilla sauce. This is, by FAAAAR, the best rice pudding I have ever had and I consider myself a rice pudding aficionado. It was enough for about four or five people. We also got the bread pudding, which they said they were famous for but I beg to differ on this. I am also a bread pudding aficionado and this one sucked butt. It had a caramel sauce which was delicious but the bread pudding was a little bitter and off. Again there was enough for 5 people.
The wine list is extensive by the bottle and the per glass selections are very well picked out and affordable at about $6 each.
We could have split an entree and desert and been stuffed with no doggy bag. The bread and oil was warm and tasty.
Expect a long wait during prime times and weekends. There is a small bar in the front while you are waiting to be seated. No reservations.
Service can certainly be spotty at Rose Angelis, but the food more than makes up for it. I feel like they have such amazing unique Italian dishes, and I've loved each one I've tried.
The special salad of the day is a must. One is usually enough for four people to share. It's typically a foot high pile of greens and about half a dozen delicious, sometimes unique vegetables (purple potatoes?) tossed with wonderful homemade dressing. The appetizers are fantastic too (as is their bread and flavored olive oil), so I'm almost always full by the time the entrees arrive.
My go to dish is the Tortellone Con Salsa Di Noce, gorgonzola filled tortellone tossed with grapes and walnuts in a walnut pesto cream sauce. It's as special and delicious as it sounds. Cream sauces do not reheat well, so I usually need some help getting out of my chair after I've forced myself to finish every last bite of this giant plate of creamy, grapey pasta.
I've heard complaints of their red sauce. I've never had it, and if it sucks, I don't know what to say - that's pretty inexcusable for a well established Italian joint. But at the same time, there are too many other amazing options to even think about plain old tomato sauce when you go to Rose Angelis.
Party of five - arrived at 6 PM on a Saturday, seated around 6:40.
My entree (Portobello ripiene con pollo) was an excessive amount of somewhat dry chicken breast, but everyone else loved what they had (Gnocchi, Mezzalune, Mahi Mahi, Ravioli filled with granny smith apples & pecans).
I will echo others in that the service was very attentive and informative despite a full house - too bad a few of their menu items aren't available on Fri/Sat...
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Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Category: Italian
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Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Category: Italian
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