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Viaggio Ristorante & Lounge
- Nearest Transit:
-
Ashland-Lake (Green Line, Pink Line)
Racine (Blue Line)
- Hours:
Tue-Thu 4 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 4 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street, Valet
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Mon, Tue, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- Yes
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
182 reviews for Viaggio Ristorante & Lounge
Review Highlights
"The eggplant stack was my favorite dish of the evening."
(in 23 reviews)
"Eight finger cavatelli with Vodka Sauce."
(in 8 reviews)
"Marinated, Roasted Peppers in Olive Oil -- Check."
(in 6 reviews)
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182 reviews in English
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Review from Liz M.
1/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
BEST.ITALIAN.EVER.
I can't go to an Italian restaurant without comparing it to Viaggio's
I'm sure you've all seen the many specials about this place on TV. It's been on Check Please, Chicago's Best, and countless others. There's a reason for that... it's THAT good.
I've been here several times, even before all the hype.
Viaggio's looks like an unassuming place from the outside, but once you've experienced it... you'll never think about it the same again.
The guys that run the host stand are so great. They always welcome you so warmly.
Mike is by far the best waiter I have EVER had. EVER. I request him every time I go. Great personality, always makes you feel like a VIP, and he always has the best recommendations- wine and food. I absolutely love this guy!
The food is phenomenal. Huge portions, plan on leftovers.
Must have the meatball salad. Who would have thought that a bed of romaine lettuce topped with a meatball and a generous portion of tomato sauce would be so rock your world good. OMG.
Veal Marsala- whoa. Just whoa.
Chicken West Loop- sounds like nothing special, but its melt in your mouth amazing deliciousness.
Pork Chop Parm- the pork is pounded thin and it's so tender you would swear it was veal. Amaze.
Pasta with Vodka Sauce- mmmm. Creamy amazing.
Tortellini with Alfredo sauce- I can't get enough. I always get it as a side with my entree, and it's never enough.
Red Snapper- I don't even like fish and I liked this. It literally melted in your mouth. Mike recommended having it over pasta instead of the veggies and potatoes and once again, he was spot on. So good.
Tarimisu- even though I'm always so full, I can make a little more room for this. Yumm-o
Chocolate lava cake- chocolate heaven.
So... really, stop reading and GO! You won't regret it!!! -
Review from Natalie L.
Chicago, IL
1/20/2012
We had a group of 7 girls for a b-day party. It's small but has a nice ambiance. Not too loud. We had high hopes based on reviews. I would go back, but maybe with just the hubby for a date night or with another couple. Our group thought that the waiter was a bit abrassive at times. One girl commented that he was actually a bit intimidating. I thought the service was good in terms of the time between courses, knowledge of the menu and drink refills, etc. But there were times where he seemed impatient with 7 girls mostly drinking diet cokes and not being ready to order...
That said, the food was good. The eggplant stack was outstanding. I was less impressed with the caprese salad with overpowering red onion. I also was not blown away by my entree, linguini with clams. A couple people ordered the rigatoni with sunday pork gravy and it was outstanding. I wish I had gotten that. No one else really commented on their dishes (a ceasar salad, risotto special, and chicken vesuvio) and everyone had theirs wrapped up so I took that to mean they were good. A girl did order a side of pasta with marinara that she never received. Desserts were very good -- tiramisu and a chocolate lava cake.
I'll be back here, hopefully to update this review. -
Review from Suana W.
Colton, CA
1/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
3 stars. it's my 100th review! fitting, as this was my first meal after landing in Chicago for work. i didn't eat in though, but rather picked it up to eat at my hotel room later.
PROS:
- huge helpings, including a complimentary plate of peppers (too bad i don't like them) and slab of bread
- awesome meatballs, big and juicy (twss) and saturated in yummy red sauce
- awesome lemony salad dressing, helped along by my generous extra squeezes of lemons
CONS:
- salad came sprinkled with cheese. mrehhhh. i am probably too used to San Francisco, where you get nickled and dimed for every component of a plate.
- the carbonara was EXTREMELY creamy. i love pork fat and all, but every pasta strand was completely saturated with it, and not in a good one. i couldn't muster more than a few bites, even after dousing it with lemon. and for the next day, my tummy felt a little queasy. it's not just my asian lactose intolerance coming into play, as i eat and enjoy cheese regularly without any problems, but that cream was as dense as a brick.
oh, and i just need to remember that i'm in the midwest now, and i need to request to hold the cheese on salads. it ain't kansas (california) no more! -
Review from Alice M.
1/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
When you step into Viaggio, you can tell that you're in for an authentic Italian experience. I think other than my siblings and myself, everyone in the place was old-school Italian, and they all turned around, as if we were intruding their secret club.
The service was incredibly friendly though, and as we sat down, he offered us wonderful descriptions of the food and drink. We started with a fried zucchini appetizer that was well-seasoned and delicious while the table made their decisions.
I knew what I was ordering the whole time: Rigatoni with Sunday Pork Gravy. My sister ordered a spinach-stuffed gnocchi (a special), my brother ordered the steak, and my cousin ordered a sea bass with lemon/olive oil/white wine sauce.
The rigatoni was AMAZING. It really hit the spot, and it was how others had described it. Pork was tender, sauce was hearty, and the pasta was cooked well. The portion was also humongous so I ended up (happily) with leftovers.
The spinach-stuffed gnocchi dish sounded wonderful when described, but in practice, it was a bit flavorless. Something needed to be amped up in the dish. The steak was tough and chewy, and definitely not recommended (although the twice-baked potato it came with was quite good and flavorful).
The other standout dish of the night was the sea bass. It was beautifully cooked and the sauce complemented it well. This was the only dish that the table completely finished.
Along with drinks (a bottle of wine, and a separate glass) and food, the tab came out to be about $50 a person (including tax and tip). We did get two of the most expensive dishes, but regardless, this isn't a cheap place. Definitely an experience worth trying though! -
Review from Kwadjo G.
Chicago, IL
2/9/2012
Great Italian and great service from manager. Our waiter was trying his best to be pleasant but it was easy to see his frustration and his attempt to ignore hide from us. My girlfriend is a vegan and had a special request. Also, I didn't realize my dish had ham in it so I had to get a different dish. All the changes seemed to be too much for him. The manager came over to check on us and he was excellent. He even gave us a free dessert. I really liked the zucchini strips appetizer and the oil and peppers for dipping the bread. We went here for New Years and had a great time!!!!
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Review from Jason L.
Chicago, IL
2/7/2012
MMMMMM.... I literally lived next to this place for 3 years.... If there is a list of things I will miss about the city, this place is def. number 1. My all time favorite is the Sunday pork gravy. This dish is prepared exactly how it should be. The pork shank is great, and while it is somewhat prepared aesthetically, it is presented informally. It comes from a meal that Italian families would have together on Sunday's (there is a really long story my Italian Girlfriend's mom told that I can't really remember). I love it!!!! My Girlfriend on the other hand tries everything, and has never been let down. We loved getting Micheal for his colorful personality. It can run a little expensive here, but who goes to a nice restaurant with great food and doesn't expect to pay a little more. Oh, and don't forget to try the Canoli with the desert wine!!!!
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Review from Seth M.
Chicago, IL
12/23/2011
Viaggio's is a place where you feel like family as soon as you enter the door. When the waiter's come up to share the specials it feels as if they are telling a story, and while you might not understand every word they say, it will still sound delicious!
MUST HAVES: Eggplant Stack and Meatball Salad.
The eggplant stack is layers of thinly fried eggplant sandwiched between fresh mozzarella and topped with arugala, parm, and balsamic. There is a good reason it is the most mentioned item on yelp...ITS AWESOME!!
The meatball salad is one of those things that shouldn't be as good as it is, but something about it just works. You get the best meatball you've ever had topped with great tomato sauce and it all get's mixed in with salad. I know I know, your thinking "how could that be good". well it just is, so stop asking questions and enjoy it.
I had the chicken marsala and it is the best I've ever had. The sauce has a depth and flavor beyond any other marsala I've had. Also the second best thing about it...you're nearly guaranteed to have lunch the next day. The portions are huuuuge.
If I want a great itialian meal in this city without paying $500 bucks for a table at Spiaggia or Il Mulino, I'm coming back here first. -
Review from Dan F.
Chicago, IL
12/5/2011
I have been meaning to check this place out for a year and finally got around to it. And now I am incredibly disappointed...I have missed out on this amazing food for a whole year!
The service was impeccable. They make you feel very welcome.
Definitely try the meatball salad. -
Review from P A.
Chicago, IL
12/5/2011 1 photo
Viaggio promises high quality Italian food full of flavor and fresh.
We happen to be fan's of traditional spahgetti w/ meatballs - and heard that Viaggio's meatballs were some of the finest.
This is true - the meatballs were pretty excellent, the pasta.....pretty great, but we agreed, STILL doesn't beat Club Lucky (see previous review)
On a high note, this spahgetti was served SOOOOO HOOOOOTTTTT, the steam just wouldn't stop!! The meatballs were EXCELLENT.
Attached a photo of the "Caprese Salad" , very fresh and great with a cocktail while you wait.
I also had a French Martini, but sorry - too small.
Greeted with a genuine smile at the door, food service waiter passionate about his daily specials and a little too casual otherwise.
Prices higher than Club Lucky and food a notch below.
Buena Sera -
Review from Brian B.
Evergreen Park, IL
1/14/2012
The best Italian food of my life! I've eaten at many downtown Italian restaurants over the years and this place takes the cake. From the authentic male waiters who explain every detail of the meal, to the mouth watering appetizers, and mind blowing home made sausage and meat balls - this place is incredible! I've eaten here 4 times in the past 2 months and can't wait to go back. It's my new favorite restaurant. I've ordered catering for a new years eve party from here and their take out is just as good as dine in. This is a real gem! Oh MY! So, so good!!!
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Review from elle p.
Chicago, IL
12/9/2011
Viaggio's Is All Around Fabulous! Everything is great from the service, staff, atmosphere...and importantly the food!
Food:
I tend to stick to my pasta with Bolognese Sauce b/c it's consistently awesome. My boyfriend likes to venture out and try new things. So far....everything, the waiters have recommended, has been delicious including wine selections!
Atmosphere / Service:
It's a nice, cozy place to dine and relax; there's no feeling like you're getting rushed out so they can sit the next customer. Even if you're new to the restaurant, they treat you like they've known you forever.
Recently, I took my boyfriend there to do a small birthday surprise meetup with another couple and they made it an absolutely wonderful evening.
Sadly, we just stumbled upon the restaurant this past summer but now we have an Italian place to be regulars at. My only wish is that they are open on Sundays. Selfishly, I hate giving them a 5-star rating b/c this place is popular enough but it's so great, that it's hard not to share.
One suggestion: We ordered the fried calamari appetizer, it had the sauce already on it.....I recommend the sauce on the side. -
Review from Lily C.
New York, NY
10/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
It was 7pm on a Wednesday night and my boss gave me the task of finding a good restaurant to take our clients. Mind you, it's the first time I've been to Chicago and have no idea what's in the area. Yelp to the rescue! Viaggio was among the first recos from the search. I was worried that they couldn't fit us so last minute, but the person on the phone quickly took my reservation of 7 for 7:30pm. He didn't even bat an eye when only 5 of us showed and were even seated immediately!
Service here is amazing! Within 20 seconds of seating, we were given a plate of the most delish roasted peppers and a basket full of bread to start. Our glasses were always full and our waiter was always there to refill our wine glasses.
Now onto the food! We ordered their signature dish - meatball salad - and the fried mozzarella with tomatoes & prosciutto to share. Both dishes were amazing! The meatballs were perfectly seasoned with the right amount of kick and the salad was accompanied by gorgeous heirloom tomatoes. (Tip: use the meatball sauce as salad dressing. You'll never go back to traditional dressing!) The mozzarella was out of this world. Fried mozzarella topped with grated parmesan, sliced parmesan, diced tomatoes, and prociutto. Cheese topped with cheese that is topped with more cheese. Need I say more?
I ordered my ultimate Italian fave - linguine with white clams sauce - and it did not disappoint. Pasta was al dente, clams were freshly shucked, and sauce was perfect. Everyone else had the lasagna, buttersquash ravioli (special of the night), penne with peas and mushrooms, and veal something (forgot which veal, sorry!). Since everyone scarfed down their dish, I'm going to assume that they liked it.
We were beyond full, but can't go to an Italian restaurant, especially one this good, without getting the tiramisu... So we ordered one to share. It was UNBELIEVABLE! Definitely the best tiramisu I've ever had. Not too sweet, right amount of rum, and the surprise was the chocolate chips that were mixed into the mascarpone. Yum!
Thanks Viaggio for showing a girl from NYC how Italian food is supposed to be. Can't wait to return! -
Review from Mihir S.
Chicago, IL
9/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Easily the best classic Italian restaurant in Chicago. Basic parmesan dishes were breaded perfectly and were crispy. Chicken and veal is easy to bread but eggplant is stubborn. They breaded the eggplant perfectly - I wanted to ask how they did it. The tomato sauce was mild and needed more garlic. I loved that the those dishes were served with tortellini in a cream sauce.
Back to the apps:
- Eggplant stacks which were perfectly breaded discs with tomato, greens and fresh mozzerella. I prefer the eggplant parm preparation better.
- Caprese salad - VERY fresh. I could smell the freshness of the tomatoes from the center of the table. They also add red onion to the dish which gives it a nice spark.
Meatball - very moist but needed more spice
The service is outstanding. Our waiter was so enthusiatic and knowledgeable. I didn't see a glass of Montepulciano so I asked, if they had one. Without flinching he energetically replied "YES, of course sir, I will get one for you" I didn't see meatballs as a side dish. His response. "Would you like them with your appetizer or meal?"
I"m not much of a dessert person but my friends enjoyed the tiramisu.
This is a place that is not to be missed. -
Review from Michael N.
Winnetka, IL
11/20/2011
This place is all its hyped up to be and more. I saw it a few times on Chicago's Best and Check Please, and decided it was time to stop drooling at the tv and go. What made it even better was Ted from Chicago's Best walked in about 10 minutes after we arrived, as he was having dinner with his wife and son. It was a sign!
We had the meatball salad (5 stars) chicken parm (5 stars), pork parm (5 stars), and one of the best sausage and peppers appetizers I've ever eaten. We capped it off with tiramisu which I thought was ok, but that might be because I was so full that I couldn't really appreciate it.
To sum it up, this place is awesome. -
Review from Jacki P.
Chicago, IL
9/18/2011
We made reservations for Friday at 7. We arrived around 7:10 and we told that our table wasn't ready and to have a drink at the bar. This is a scheme that restaurants always do, but I am on to it, there is no fooling me!
We ordered two glasses of wine and we seated after we were half way through our glasses. To start we ordered the bruschetta, it was good not outstanding. I prefer fresh mozzarella instead of fontanella. I ordered the special, Lobster Ravioli with vodka sauce. It was great!! My boyfriend ordered penne in arrabiata sauce. He also ordered a side of meatballs. Our entrees were wonderful! Five stars for that. For dessert we ordered the chocolate lava cake which was the best lava cake we have had in a while. We will be back! -
Review from Brandon G.
Atlanta, GA
10/24/2011
Mediocre quality food for me and my guest. High ticketed dinner (especially without liquor included.) We visited Chicago for the annual marathon and were hoping for a great high carbohydrate dinner before the race and were quite let down.
The service and atmosphere is impeccable! If you can improve your recipes and be more creative with your sauces instead of tasting like 100% cream perhaps my rating could be improved. -
Review from Phil F.
Chicago, IL
12/9/2011
Hands down my favorite Italian place in Chicago. We had the pleasure of celebrating a special occasion tonight, and I couldn't imagine a better place to do it. Per usual, the food did not disappoint -- meatball salad and calamari are an unrivaled appetizer combo, Chicken West Loop is out of this world, and the lava cake was just oozing with chocolate goodness. Better yet,. Uncle Mike and the waitstaff really were tremendous. Thanks again for a great night!
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Review from Joe I.
Chicago, IL
12/15/2011
All I need to say about this place is.... MEATBALLS! Try'em and tell me your grandma makes them better. Nice ambiance, terrific serves, dynamite food.
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Review from Rick T.
Chicago, IL
10/16/2011
Now we're talking! I fell in love with Viaggio last December, shortly before it was featured on a local TV dining show. I can't stop raving about it!
How many "family owned" Italian places have you been to that leave you thinking that the "family" who founded the restaurant must be rolling over in their graves? Not at Viaggio. The family is on-site, very much alive and TCB!
Must-haves:
Meatball salad ($10). This was described by our energetic and helpful waiter, Michael, as "what's left on your plate as you get to the end of dinner at grandma's house: some meat, some salad, a little sauce." Probably not the most appealing thought, but we decided to dive in based on his promise that "if you don't like it, I'll pay for it." We loved it!
Rigatoni with Sunday pork gravy ($16. About a dollar a pound in my estimation! Lol!). Nope, it's not a gravy. It's a delicious red sauce made of San Marzano tomatoes and giant pieces of pork that have been slow-cooked all day. A generous dollop of Ricotta cheese is the finishing touch on this outstanding--and enormous--dish!
Not quite as good in my book, was the cavatellis shrimp & broccoli ($24), which seemed under-flavored and over cooked to me. That said, this dish was ordered by my dining companion and he loved every bite.
Viaggio is a bit out of the way--unless you're heading to a game at United Center--but the experience is worth every extra step you take to get there! -
Review from Tracey H.
Chicago, IL
12/22/2011
Viaggio is a fantastic restaurant. The service is wonderful and the owners/operators are clearly invested in their clientele, which is kind of old school...these days peopl tend to be so hands off, but the folks at Viaggio always engage with you. The food is very well executed. Delicious and NOT pretentious, which is a nice change of pace for Chicago. Go!
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Review from DeAnna P.
8/28/2011
Didn't live up to the hype. Service was good, but nothing spectacular. Our server seemed irritated with us that we only wanted water, no alcohol.
The Veal Viaggio was very tasty, but $24 seemed a bit high for the portion size. I did not care for the lasagna. This will sound weird, but there was TOO MUCH CHEESE. Usually, I would say that is not possible. However, the meat and sauce were tasty. The lasagna noodles were thin and perfect. The vast, VAST amount of cheese overwhelmed everything. A shame. -
Review from Jeff R.
Barrington, IL
1/23/2012
My wife & I 1st saw Viaggio's on WGN's Chicago's Best. When we walked in last night for dinner, Anthony immediately greeted us & we sat down at the bar for a drink that was poured quickly, strong!
When we were seated, Nick our server quickly greeted us & offered the wine menu, went over the MANY daily specials & left us to make our choices for our meal.
For our appetizers, my wives choose the Caesar salad which tasted fantastic. I choose the Mussels. OMG! I have never seen mussels this HUGE! The 14 mussels were every bit as big as the entire shell of mussels I have eaten elsewhere!
My wife had the Tortelloni special with beef & veal w/mushroom sauce that was AMAZING!
I choose the Pork Chop Parm. I was amazed the SIZE of it! Easily, this was the most unbelievable pork chop I have ever eaten! HUGE, tender & full of flavor, with melted cheeses and sauce generously covering the pork chop, accompanied with a healthy size serving of tasty little tortellini.
Naturally, after we had Nick wrap 50% of our entrees to go, we had to try dessert, so we choose the spumoni which came drizzled with Hersey's chocolate sauce.
When our bill arrived, I was happily surprised it was lower than I expected since my wife had 2 glasses of wine and I had another drink as well.
At the end of our meal, Uncle Vic, the Chef actually walked up to our table and spent a few minutes with us making sure we were happy and satisfied.
Let me just say this will be the last time we go to Viaggio's alone. Next time we will be bringing some friends to share this wonderful, friendly experience! -
Review from Melissa M.
Chicago, IL
9/1/2011
I checked out Viaggio for the first time on a Wed night and left satisfied with the food, service and overall dining experience.
When we got there around 6 there were a few others there, but it was full by the time we left. Since we were there on a week night, we enjoyed the luxury of special requests with our food, which was very nice.
Michael was our server and was very accommodating and entertaining as well. He started us out with a suggested bottle of red wine that we all really enjoyed (which means a lot coming from someone who usually only drinks white wines). We then had bread and sweet peppers for the table. Since Michael didn't let us down with the wine recommendation, we took him up on the meatballs with salad appetizer and it was SO good - who knew meatballs and lettuce would go well together?!
For dinner, 3 of us had different specials and 1 ordered from the menu and we were all very happy with our orders. For dessert, we tried some ice cream, sorbet, spumoni, and received complimentary homemade limoncello!
I'd definitely recommend this place for great Italian food with a home style feel and hospitality. -
Review from David K.
Chicago, IL
9/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
OK, I don't want to go over the top here, but I just had one of the best Italian meals of my LIFE at this place...and I'm a certified foodie!
Terrific service, outstanding food made from the highest quality ingredients -- one of Chicago's best Italian restaurants. I'm kind of reluctant to submit this review for fear of swamping the joint, but what the hell, the word's out already. -
Review from Marty B.
Chicago, IL
8/12/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I love this place. For nearly my entire adult life I have lived in Chicago's Little Italy, and West Loop neighborhoods (UIC guy), and I have eaten at many many Italian restaurants. This is my favorite. Everything I've had here is amazing.
I'm tired of bland Italian food, and frankly if you like Maggiano's you probably won't like this restaurant because you probably don't have taste buds, and may as well go to Olive Garden for your authentic experience.
I'm even reviewing this place right before I go again. I am so excited about the meal I am about to have.
Try the zucchini app as it is done perfectly. Make reservations on the weekend because this place is super busy. My only complaint is that I can't eat here daily.
Also, they have a gluten free pasta with a variety of sauces to go with it. This makes me super happy since my wife can join me. Date's without here just aren't the same. :(
I've read the other reviews about service, and I haven't had that experience at all. But, I've been in the service industry, and frankly people have bad days. It's just how it goes. All I can say is give them another chance the food is worth it. -
Review from Emily T.
Chicago, IL
8/11/2011
I've been here probably 3 times- the first, with my pool team to celebrate our championship win (we took ourselves out to dinner with the winnings to celebrate) and everything was so delicious and we were treated so well, that I've since been back with my dad and a date!
I LOVE Italian food. My mother is Italian and a fantastic cook, so I get super excited when a restaurant like Viaggio does it so well. meatball salad, (good, but not amazing) antipasto and bruschetta to start- and entrees have been: lasagna, the eight finger cavatelli, and chicken lemon (or chicken picatta, as I call it) All delicious!!
Our waiter's name was Micheal- we've had him as our waiter every time and he has always been nice, affable, and full of terrific recommendations.
Finally, prices are reasonable and I always leave stuffed! This place is a gem, and I would be dining here a lot more often if I didn't live all the way up in Edgewater!
Viaggio completes my holy trio of Italian restaurants- La Scarola, Topo Gigio, and Viaggio. Yummmmm.... -
Review from Anna Y.
Chicago, IL
8/2/2011
No, I don't care that all of your plates are meant to be shared or that they are on the smaller side. Tonight I want a good ole belt-busting Italian carbo-binge. And that's what brought me to Viaggio.
This place is a bit too west to be convenient but I walked over here to beat the United Center's after-event parking lot jam. We asked for a table by the window but the waiter explained that the table was 4-top+ only and we only had 2 ppl. They proceeded to seat us in the hallway next to a large birthday party when there were plenty of empty tables in the main dining room. When the only thing wrong with your meal is seating, you know you're in for a treat.
The meal started off with gratis roasted peppers and eggplant in olive oil with parmesan service on request. I could've made a meal out of that but no, tonight is not about moderation. The appetizer of baked clams and the veal scaloppini were deliciously satisfying but what you would expect from a good Italian restaurant. What really blew me away was the special of the day - risotto primavera with shrimp. Although the Arborio rice was a little bit more overcooked than I would've liked, the flavor of the risotto was the best I've ever tasted. It came with a generous selection of veggies (including asparagus!) and large, succulent shrimp. Maybe they just use more cream and butter than the other places but this was so good, I didn't care. Like many Italian restaurants, the portions are comically large (yay!), but there is a $3 split fee.
The service was also impeccable, much more than you would expect from a restaurant in this price range. The waiter was attentive (but didn't hover) and knew his wine and menu well. Next time I'm in the neighborhood, I would definitely be coming back. -
Review from Lv S.
Chicago, IL
8/5/2011
I really want to hear from others about this.
My experience was horrible since I walked in the door. The restaurant had just opened no one was inside we were the first customers all empty tables and we got sat all the way in the back right next to the kitchen. I mean literally the last table in the dang place. My husband had to push himself in every time staff was going to kitchen. BTW when we left the place was still empty SMH. I expected better service from this place. I asked two staff members about this and didn't like responses. Has anyone else gone thru this? Did you feel discriminated in a way? -
Review from Shradha A.
Chicago, IL
7/31/2011
I was recommended this restaurant quite a whiles ago and finally got a chance to check it out last night, not because of a Bulls game at UC but due to a friend's birthday party!
The place isn't classy or typical Italian in ambiance but the service was patient for a table for 11 loud celebratory people and the food was decent. The rigatoni in vodka sauce was quite creamy, but good for preparing for a night out!
The bruschetta was good too but my friends tell me that the highlight of the night was their calamari!
I was a little amused, I must say, by the garden chairs appointed to some of the tables in the back of the room! -
Review from Haley R.
Chicago, IL
12/3/2011
I live right down the street from here and by far is one of my favorite places to go. I always try something new because they have yet to serve me anything far from amazing. My favorite is still the veal lemon. Also a great starter is the meatball salad.
This place if definitely a must if you have never been before! -
Review from Scottie S.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 6/23/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Viaggio is the best Italian Restaurant in the City. Everything on their menu is made fresh, is authentic, and is delightful. I visit this gem at least once a month and have gotten to know the owner, the chef, and the waiters. Nick is our usual waiter and he does everything possible to make you feel at home. Just listening him describe the daily specials will make your mouth water.
There is literally nothing bad on the menu. I usually stick to the Chicken Parm with tortellini (Best Cream Sauce EVER!) and there is always enough for lunch the following day. One time while Mike was waiting on us, he encouraged us to try the meatball salad. We were so confident about their food that we took the plunge. We ordered the Meatball Salad.....
Nervously we waited for the salad to come out and to our pleasure the meatballs were slightly off to the side of the plate. However, Mike started mixing the Meatballs, their "gravy " in with the salad right before our eyes - I was terrified!
Regardless, we decided to take a bite of the strange concoction.......FABULOUS!!!! The temperature of the Meatballs and gravy contrasted to the cold crisp lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes and salad dressing was to die for! Its now my favorite thing on the menu! You HAVE to try it! I know it may not sound appealing but its out of this world!
This place does Italian right. Possibly the best food experience in the City!
SIX STARS! Nick, Mike, Uncle Vic, Sam - Can't wait to see you soon!Listed in: My Favorites!
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Review from Vivian T.
Chicago, IL
11/25/2011 Seated via OpenTable
My friends and I came here before a concert at the United Center and we were BLOWN AWAY.
First of all, Mike, our waiter, looked and sounded so authentically Italian that I felt like I was in an episode of The Sopranos. He was so legit.
The atmosphere of the restaurant is nice but not pretentious. Everything on the menu looks fantastic but we all decided to create our own pastas.
My own was penne and vodka sauce with a side of meatballs. Let me tell you... you've NEVER had meatballs like this before. Amazing! They give you two... and I couldn't finish it. Large, juicy, flavorful. The pasta itself was so delicious, so perfectly cooked and I wanted to take a jar of the vodka sauce home so I can drown all my food in it.
We split the flourless chocolate cake for dessert and believe me, it was so worth it. Perfect ending to a great meal. I'll definitely be back! -
Review from Kent B.
Chicago, IL
8/5/2011
I came here last week with my out of towner parents because they wanted a nice meal in a casual atmosphere. I remembered I saw this place on Check Please a few months ago and thought we'd give it a try.
The food was really good. I had penne with meatballs with oil and garlic. Huge meatball, and equally huge-ly awesome (if that makes sense). My parents got some lasangna and they loved it. My mom also had some lemoncello for dessert, which she enjoyed thoroughly.
Overall, a really good experience. I am happy to have checked it out! -
Review from Robin L.
5/7/2011
So I was really excited to try this place out...this town knows how to rock out italian food, right? Mmmmmostly.
I took my mom here when she was visiting, and like many others state, the atmosphere in here is warm and homey. The tables are placed awfully close together though. I'm all for efficient use of space, but when I run the risk of knocking over someone's glass of vino just by trying to wave down a waiter...there's a problem.
Anyway, let's talk about the grub.
Meatball Salad: Mmmmmyes! Delicious giant meatballs atop nicely dressed romaine. Awesome. Easily the best dish of the night.
Eggplant stacks: I'm not an eggplant fan at all, but this was tasty and not too eggplanty. Don't be fooled, but half this dish eats like a meal because of the friedliciousness.
Linguine with clams: Ugh. Salt city. It was a decent portion but I could barely eat this due to how salty the sauce was, which to be fair, had good flavor.
Now that I can recreate that meatball salad at home I probably won't be back...thanks Viaggio and best wishes. -
Review from Jen K.
Chicago, IL
5/29/2011
So my step-mom is Italian & she throws don in the kitchen. So, naturally, I compare all Italian restaurant food to hers. Viaggio comes the closest, especially in the meatball department! They have a Meatball Salad, as an appetizer, which is phenomenal!! It sounds strange & I too was skeptical. But, it is surprisingly delicious. I finding myself craving it, as I type this review.
The staff is extremely helpful and appropriately chatty. They are knowledgeable about the entire menu & offer great suggestions.
I originally wanted to check out this place, after seeing them featured on Check Please. I will return over and over. -
Review from Cristene M.
Chicago, IL
10/8/2011
We ate here last week, and we didn't get what all the hype was about afterwards. My boyfriend (who is not vegetarian) and I (the vegan) did not think the food was mind-blowing, which is what we were expecting given all the raving reviews here on Yelp. To start though, I did like the uniqueness that this restaurant had, I felt like the waiters were pretty authentic Italian guys (or they were doing a good job pretending to do so), but at some point it did get a little uncomfortable. The other thing I liked is that they're willing to whip something up for picky/special-diet eaters such as myself. Overall, my food was good, but something I'd expect to get at one of the medium to slightly higher-end Italian chain places (to remain unnamed) and not an authentic Chicago Italian place -- certainly not worth the price tag that came along with it either.
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Review from Linda H.
5/16/2011
Ok, after just one visit, Viaggio has become one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago.
After seeing them on Check Please for the second time, we decided to give them a shot. As I went to make reservations, I saw that they are not always open on Sunday, except when there is an event at United Center...but we were in luck since the Bulls were playing that night.
When we arrived, the place was packed, and even though we weren't going to the game, our reservations coincided with prime time for game-goers, but we were still seated instantly, after being greeted by the extremely friendly host.
The place was buzzing, with the energetic staff literally *running* to serve people (gotta love that!). We were served by Michael, who was SO extremely attentive, and had Personality Plus. We started by sharing the meatball salad, which he deftly split at the table for us.
The salad was fantastic, as was the bread and complimentary roasted peppers. I ordered the Eight Finger Cavatelli and BF got the Rigatoni with Sunday Pork Gravy. The entrees arrived and OMG, the portions were HUGE. Now I am not typically one to rave about portion size, as I prefer quality over quantity, but these entrees were the best of both. I have enough delicious leftovers for two lunches.
The Cavatelli was obviously handmade and OH SO FLIPPING GOOD...BF's Rigatoni was similarly delicious (and he who rarely has leftovers had his wrapped up too). For dessert we ordered lemon and pomegranate sorbets, also excellent.
I think every restauranteur in the city should go to Viaggio's and take notes...I cannot say enough good things about the food and the service at this place!
Thank you for a great experience, Viaggio! -
Review from Peter g.
Chicago, IL
6/5/2011
There is really only 1 thing I can say I was not impressed by on my first visit to this little gem. Were it of any significance consequence, this review would be glowing but might cost a star, but all I can say is this 5 star is not a gift in any way, they earned it.
If you have not tried this Ristorante, what in God's Green Earth are you waiting for???
The ambiance is not as small as 1 review indicates, this is actually comfortable by city standards, and in some cases quite roomy comes to mind. The waiter was very outgoing, friendly and just as robusto as some of the menu choices. They served the cooked peppers right away without asking, and it was quite tasty. When we said we had never been here and read a lot about the meatball salad, he offered that we had to try it, hands down a favorite of the palce. We were a little skeptical but he said if we did not like it he would not charge us for it. We ate our words, and every last bite. It was so very unique and tasty I was surprised that such a strange combo could tast this good, cold salad mixed with a little dressing, a red sauce and meatball, which was awesome by the way.
Dinner did not dissapoint at all, I had the marsala and my date had the carbonara, and some out of this world dense flour-less chocolate cake for dessert. Any itialian place should do these 2 dishes very well, but these were really old world great!
This place is a MUST try. My 1 issue was the bread at first, very crusty but not in a good way, other then that, for me, this will be a MUST re-visit! -
Review from Jackie K.
Chicago, IL
4/29/2011
Tried this place for a ladies' night out dinner. We were greeted warmly and the service couldn't have been nicer or more gracious. This was a sign of the excellent service that was to come.
We started with a Pinot Noir and the stuffed artichoke which was delicious. We ended up getting two fish specials which were terrific--mine was accompanied by fresh potatoes and green beans and my friend's had a DELICIOUS amazing risotto! Oh, was it good!
We had a leisurely dinner and were well-attended by staff who were not intrusive whatsoever. We enjoyed the chocolate lava cake and cappuccino for dessert. Next time--definitely we will try the limoncello--it looked amazing at the next table. Cute ambiance, love the exposed brick and the dark wood. -
Review from Lauren D.
Chicago, IL
3/12/2011
You know when you can sometimes tell the quality of a restaurant by the enthusiasm of its employees? Well, Viaggio is well worth its 5 stars and you can tell that even before you get a bite of their food.
It's been way too long since I've been back to Viaggio, but I had a taste for pasta last night and decided I need to go back as soon as I write a Yelp review.
I'd consider myself an expert in all things Italian, from sports cars to Limoncello, so I'm definitely skeptical whenever anyone tells me they had great Italian at a place I've not yet approved. Well, on one particular Friday, it was getting late and we had a taste for Italian so I called ahead to make sure there wouldn't be a wait, and the host was very pleasant and funny - when he asked how many would be in our party, I said 48, and he gladly obliged. When we arrived, he sat us at a table for 2 (I'm not sure how he figured out I was kidding), recommended a few things, and then left us to feast.
First: I'm huge on restaurants that bring you something to snack on because, well, I snack constantly. Viaggio brings this delicious, warm bread with olive oil and peppers! Yum.
We had a couple of glasses of wine, a Caesar salad (not too heavy on the dressing, very light and refreshing), and then I had hands down one of the most perfect meals of pasta I think has probably ever existed. It was an 8-finger cavatelli (by far the best kind of pasta) in a perfectly-spiced vodka sauce with the tastiest, most perfect sausage on top. WOW. Phenomenal. The chicken marsala was also incredible. We enjoyed the atmosphere and service so much that we stayed for not one, but 2 night caps (Baileys of course.)
Magnissimo. Can't wait to go back.
