Amano Bistro Chicago

This was a very small restaurant. The only drawback from our experience was the seating location for our party. We were seated next to the server entrance for the patio seating. It was very busy for them and the door kept being left open cause cold air to hit our table. I thought the food was very good and the plating was beautiful. The appetizers of Bruschetta were delicious!

We had a lovely experience at Amano for a birthday dinner. The space is small but not cramped, and has a cozy atmosphere, reminiscent of cafes in Italy and perfect for a neighborhood spot. The service was wonderful, our server was knowledgeable about the menu and very engaged with us which made us feel like regulars or family friends on our first visit. Great cocktails and nice wine list. The food we ordered was all delicious, with one of their specials, a feta gnocchi, as the standout. They have an open kitchen which is visible and contributed to the homey atmosphere. We will absolutely visit again and would recommend to friends!

I had an incredible dining experience at this charming Italian restaurant! From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with warm hospitality by Nikola and Nemanja. The menu offered a fantastic selection of classic Italian dishes, and everything we tried was absolutely delicious.The staff ( Peter and Jelica) were attentive and knowledgeable. If you’re looking for authentic Italian cuisine in a welcoming setting, this place is a must-visit

Everything about this restaurant was amazing. Owner is very kind! The bruschetta was the BEST I have ever tried! Such sweet tomatoes and tasty balsamic. We also started with cornbread which was very enjoyable, spread was very unique. We had the linguini with shrimp and gnocchi - both sauces were so flavorful! We finished with the strawberry dessert, which had a texture similar to flan. It was amazing! We devoured it in seconds! Our server was also very kind and did an amazing job making us feel comfortable. Highly recommend!

Spent Thanksgiving dinner here. The Caesar salad is incredible and the short rib Ravi was delicious! We split a bottle of nice Chianti. The food and the service was 10/10.

I recently visited Amano Bistro, and it was an exceptional experience from start to finish. Service: The staff was attentive and welcoming. From the moment we were seated, they made us feel like valued guests. Our server offered excellent recommendations and ensured our glasses were always full without being intrusive. Food Quality: Every dish was a celebration of authentic flavors with high-quality ingredients. Atmosphere: The ambiance was warm and inviting, with a modern elegance. Soft lighting and tasteful decor created a cozy yet sophisticated vibe, making it ideal for both romantic dinners and gatherings with friends. Overall, Amano Bistro delivers on all fronts – exceptional service, outstanding food, and a delightful atmosphere. I can’t wait to return and explore more of their menu. Highly recommended!

Amazing Italian place, very stylish, with great food. You must visit this place. The pork chop was outstanding. I can't wait to come back and try all the other dishes. 😉

We were absolutely BLOWN AWAY! Came early on a Saturday and had the Mediterranean salad, short rib ragu, and fettuccine with Gorgonzola sauce. Not even joking, all three were 10/10! The service was also excellent and everyone from the host to the busser went above and beyond to make us feel cared for. We really really loved our server (curly hair, tattoos, great accent when she pronounced the Italian dishes). The atmosphere was amazing too—felt like I was right back in a tiny restaurant in Rome. Cannot wait to bring my friends back to this fantastic spot!!!

AMAZING! I came for my anniversary dinner, and my boyfriend and I had the best time. Very small and intimate restaurant which was perfect for our date night. Everything was so tasty that I wish I had seconds of every dish. This was the best bruschetta I've ever tasted. The pasta was perfectly bouncy and the gnocchi just melts in your mouth. Our waitress was the sweetest and always made sure we had everything we wanted. Will definitely be coming back!

Went here on a Friday night for dinner. I had made a reservation but was late. Called the restaurant in advance and let them know. They were kind enough to wait for us. The restaurant is extremely cozy and cute compared to a commercial running restaurant. I loved the ambiance and staff were extremely polite and friendly. For appetizers got the Bruschetta and Amote pate. Bruschetta was extremely fresh. Amote pate was okayish and I could smell meat in it.In the menu it didn't mention if it included meat and when the cheque arrived i saw a mention of chicken liver but it was no where in them menu. I am a vegetarian briefly but if i had known i would have avoided it. The menu needs to highlight dietary options more clearly. For entree got the gnocchi and loved it. Dessert we got hazelnut cake and it was okayish could have more deep layer of palette . I gave 3 stars because of not having a clear menu on dietary restrictions and half of the dishes were not available and so we couldn't order much leaving with less options. There is lot of seafood and red meat options but very less vegeterian and chicken options. Overall decent and prices are also decent.

We are so glad we found this place, and we had a great dinner here for our anniversary. It's a very small and cozy space, with the dining room open to the kitchen right next to the bar. Nice wine list, and a revolving menu of special cocktails. We had the special appetizer, which was a crab cake with homemade giardiniera - loved it. For our entrees we had the bolognese and the gnocchi, both of which were top notch. The gnocchi were pillowy soft, with a sweet basil tomato sauce. The bolognese was incredibly rich and flavorful. We've (relatively) new to the neighborhood and have been searching for an Italian restaurant to replace our favorite from our old neighborhood, and we may have found it. Definitely will be returning soon. I recommend making a reservation if you're going on a busy weekend night since there are only ~10 tables inside.

Excellent service, food and ambiance. They catered to a group of 14 and everything came out absolutely wonderful and extremely tasty. Thank you !

Amazing ambiance. My pappardelle with short ribs and whipped ricotta was out of this world. The bruschettta was different than most and an absolutely excellent start to the meal. The bubbly selection perfect. I went with two girlfriends and had 7:15 reservation. The restaurant is cozy and tiny. For whatever reason our table was not ready for quite some time but they were gracious and acknowledged and offered the bruschetta and root chips for the additional wait. With so few tables none of the food took very long at all. I'd return here over and over.

This is a great new addition to the Northcenter neighborhood! It is a very small space so definitely make a reservation. There's also a lovely outdoor patio. Service was very good all night. Our table shared the fritto misto and celery chips for appetizers. Both were very good. I really liked the two different sauce options for the fritto misto and the celery chips were very unique and also had an awesome sauce, though I wish the chips themselves were a bit crispier. For dinner, I had the pappardelle short rib ragu, which was outstanding. My husband had the pork chop, which he liked but didn't love, although I think his opinion says more about his preferred style of pork chop than anything bad about the dish itself. We enjoyed wine and cocktails throughout the night, all which were very good. Perhaps the most awesome thing about this place is the value: frankly, I think everything on the menu is actually underpriced considering the quality of the food. I can't wait to go back here.

AMAZING! Great food, wonderful service, sweet vibe! Definitely try the grilled octopus ... potato leek base delish! Mussels good. BRANZINO a must!! !! Over all - awesome!!

I didn't feel rushed but everything happened quickly, for no good reason. The pacing was way too quick and not at all in response to me not being in any rush. This alone was disappointing as I mentioned I wasn't in a hurry and wanted things one at a time (fyi, I came at a very non-crowded time and not close to closing time). My drink came with my salad-no pause to just sit and enjoy my wine. My next course arrived moments (under a minute) after my salad plate was cleared. My check came shortly after I declined another drink. I was seated, ate, and headed home, within 45 minutes. My server and staff were quite nice; it's that the pacing of how things came out wasn't what I wanted. The food was also meh. The cornbread muffins were tough and not very flavorful. The Caesar salad was not appetizing. It had so much dressing on it-more like a mayonnaise in consistency-drowning the lettuce. The crouton 'crisps' weren't crisp and so were hard to manage/difficult to eat. The octopus was tasty and itself had a nice texture and flavor, but the purée under it was watery and more like soup than a purée. This was a big disappointment based how cute of a spot this is, and how I'd hoped to enjoy a quiet and relaxed meal.

Fantastic neighborhood gem. Great food and warm, friendly service. We will return in the very near future.

This is an absolute gem! Charming and warm. The staff is wonderful and the owner Nick was so attentive. Our sever, Emily was lovely as was our bartender Jelica. The food...FABULOUS! The octopus was so delicate and flavorful and the gnocchi is the best I have ever tasted. It was like little pillows that melted in your mouth! Nice wine selection too! And I am lucky enough to live near this delish destination!

Really delicious food and wine. Good service and nice atmosphere! We had the special zucchini fritters, mussels, steak and gnocchi. They also brought these cornbread bites and butter for bread service when we sat down that were perfect. Will definitely return to try more dishes!

Hands down the best Vodka sauce i've ever had. I literally wanted to take the sauce from the mussels home to put on pasta.... My husband's short rib ragu was equally incredible. The service was spot on; on top of things but not overbearing. The space is cozy, small and intimate but not too loud and has a really cool view of the chefs. Outdoor seating looked super cute and covered. An overall excellent experience and great addition to the neighborhood.

Absolutely top notch! On the first visit, I ordered the Branzino. This fish was cooked to perfection and the sides were delicious. it was served in an authentic European style (whole fish) On the second visit, we started with a greek salad. Everything on the plate was very fresh and flavored to perfection! For my entree I ordered the Pappardelle short rib ragu with whipped ricotta in the center. It was supreme! The multitude of subtle flavors was something you would expect from the highest level restaurants and the meat was seasoned so beautifully, I had to sit back and savor the moment. A Michelin star level feast. This neighborhood restaurant is the place we will take our friends and out of town visitors to impress with great food, ambiance and service. My husband & I have eaten here twice. The first time we sat outside in the protected outdoor tented area and the second time we ate inside in the quaint bistro interior.

Ordered the bruschetta, Greek salad, branzino and tiramisu. All were delicious! Would definitely come here to eat again and will be recommending to friends!

Had an amazing evening with friends at Amano. The food, ambience and service was excellent.

Fabulous from staff to wine to food! Intimate setting; classic Chicago neighborhood Italian!

What a gem in the neighborhood! The atmosphere was so pleasant and laidback, one of rare places that doesn't rush you out to get another customer in. The food was so fresh and well paired with cocktails and wine, truly an excellent experience. Definitely one of our new favorites in the neighborhood. Can't wait for them to add brunch on the weekends so that it becomes a family outing too.

Very nice restaurant. Our waiter recommended the specials, so, hey, why not. Appetizer, pasta, lamb chops. The wine choices are excellent. The staff is excellent. Lincoln Square is blessed to have several excellent Italian restaurants. Molto bene!!!

Three of us went to Amano Bistro tonight for dinner. I had called last week for reservations, though as of yesterday you can make a reservation on Resy. We started with the Bruschetta which is really amazing. Five stars for the appetizer. This is one dish you should definitely order. We split three main courses. The shrimp puttanesca was wonderful, five stars, with plump juicy shrimp and nicely spiced sauce. Not too spicy though, and the pasta was al dente. The gnocchi vodka was 4.5 stars because it wasn't particularly memorable. The gnocchi were not rubbery but not pillowy either. The sauce was good, not great. Maybe a different sauce would make this dish shine. The veal scallopini was maybe 4 stars. Not dry but not special either. The potatoes and sauce it came with were excellent, which is why I give it 4 stars. Wine was good and not too expensive. The wait staff was attentive and working hard. The place was full on a Thursday night. It's an intimate space, and the outdoor patio looks nice too. I would definitely go beck. A lovely addition to the neighborhood!

Nikola the owner was super friendly. The mushroom bolognese was incredible. Sat at the patio. Definitely going back.

This is a great addition to North Center! Food is delicious. The mediterranean flavors are fresh and vibrant. The bruschetta was one of the best I have eaten in a long time. The place is small and intimate. The service was great! The staff is professional but very friendly. I highly recommend.

We loved our meal at Amano Bistro. Everything was wonderful from the service to the food and drinks. Highly recommend trying this cozy spot.

Really great neighborhood Italian restaurant. The veal scallopini in marsala sauce was fantastic!

Food was terrific with fresh pasta and many wonderful options. Dessert consisted of hand-picked fruit. Service was wonderful. Zorana provided excellent service and the owner made two trips to check on us as well as providing a glimpse into future feature selections. On a perfect su.mer night, sitting in a quaint patio area made it feel as I had returned to Europe. We are local and plan on frequent returns.

Food is excellent! The inside is small and we were able to walk in early but definitely need reservations.

The food is high quality authentic and full of beautiful chef flavors. Their grilled octopus is the best we have had. Great food selection and the price points are reasonable.

I was excited to try Amanos for the first time and ordered the Filleto steak medium-well. When I received my order the steak was cooked well done and very chewy.Steak reminded me of Jewel Osco selection meat. Hoping to forget about the Filleto we also ordered the Gnocchi which I absolutely love. For the second time I was disappointed with the Gnocchi, as instead of a creamy dish I was placed a soggy and more soup-like plate. For almost $100 a person for dinner I rather keep going down the street to IL Milanese, for a more authentic and budget friendly experience.

I ordered the mussels, from this restaurant and after a few hours I started feeling sick. i started having stomach cramps and vomited a few times throughout the night, followed by some diarrhea that lasted about 2 days. Maybe it was a bad batch, but that scared me enough to possibly stay away.

this is the best ital in Chicago the service is so nice and the food taste so good best meal knockeys