Antico

I cannot say enough good things about Antico! The service was very attentive and prompt. We sat on the patio, which was lovely. The food was incredibly fresh and flavorful. Many of the herbs used could be seen growing in planters on the patio! The scallops and brown butter gnocchi were the best I’ve ever had. This place is truly special - we’ll be back for sure!

An underrated essential neighborhood Italian spot! Love the wine list and the great service – it's perfect for a last-minute date night reservation. The back patio has those authentic Italian vibes that make it extra special. Highlights for us were the cured meat, olives, and polenta to start, and the brown butter sage gnocchi was just *chef's kiss*.

I always go here for anniversaries, birthdays, holidays. It’s the most lovely place and everyone is so kind. The food is so delicious, I especially love the duck risotto. I always hope it’s the risotto of the day when I go! I always call and make a reservation. Just a classic place, the outdoor space is good no matter the season.

We enjoyed our meal at Antico! The restaurant is small and quiet and the service was great. As a party of two, we chose to share one four course special and order an extra pasta dish, which was the perfect amount of food. We loved the risotto special which was a smoked duck risotto and the scallops. Their gelato for dessert was lovely. We will return for patio season!

Hidden neighborhood gem. We have been here a few times and it’s consistently amazing. Delicious food and attentive service. It’s quiet and romantic. It’s also family friendly, I have seen families here with kids and the staff has been so accommodating and kind to family dining. Just order anything from the menu and you will be pleased. We LOVED our dinner. We ordered dessert but ate it before I could take a picture. So grateful we have this amazing restaurant in our neighborhood!

We had a great experience at Antico! We sat on the back patio on a rainy day and it was a great atmosphere. My boyfriend and I split the caprese salad for an appetizer and it was delicious! Next we tried the gnocchi with San marzano tomatoes and it was amazing! The gnocchi was house made and the tomatoes were such high quality. Lastly, we ordered the filet but given that this was an Italian restaurant, we should have stuck to true Italian dishes. Overall we had a great experience at antico and would return!

A northern Italian tribute, this restaurant is unique in its specificity. While a little off the beaten path there’s a lot to offer. We sat on the back patio which is absolutely perfect for a cool summer day or even better as we head into fall with their little cast iron stove to provide a comforting heat blanket. The diver scallops absolutely blew our mind. To the point we were ordering extra bread just to sop up what leftover sauce we could salvage. Had it been acceptable I would have drank straight from the pate! From there we went with a delicious yet not overly rich risotto and a much room pasta which shouted of its freshness. Oh, and the donut zeppelin at the end was the best throwback combination of a state fair sugar waffle. 😳😳😳A quaint Italian eatery that will be a more unique date location than some of the oft talked about alternatives.

If it were possible to rate Antico 10 stars I would! We had a group of 12 and between all of us enjoyed nearly everything on the menu. EVERY single item was delicious and prepared to perfection! From the caprese salad with the best mozzarella cheese, to the perfect scallops to the divine filet with marrow. We also enjoyed several bottles of excellent wine. The service was quick, friendly and incredibly attentive. Just a overall great experience.

Such a great experience here at Antico! It's an assuming restaurant from the outside but truly such a hidden gem. I think they have a super cute outdoor patio open in summer/spring too. The food here - chef's kiss. We came here on a whim with no expectations and were pleasantly surprised. We got the brown butter gnocchi, fig butter crostini, and rib eye. We also got their hibiscus spritz, espresso martini, and dirty martini. Brown butter gnocchi: 8.5/10. The gnocchi were so pillowy and fresh. The browned butter and crispy leaves were delicious with it, I just personally like it more saucy, or cream or tomato-based besides butter. Fig crostini: 10/10. Delicious. Came with fig butter, prosciutto, and melon. Absolutely delectable I could have 10 of these. Rib eye: 10/10. LAWDDD HELP ME. This was one of the best steaks I've ever had. Sooo juicy and flavorful. Cocktails: all 10/10. The service was superb- we had a server who was relatively new and he was GREAT! So attentive, gave us a great rundown of the menu, and overall just very friendly. Totally recommend this place for some fantastic Italian cuisine!

This restaurant is amazing. Every from atmosphere, service, and bread to dessert!! How is this place not more renowned? My entire party was wowed.

I've come here the last two years on my birthday. The food is exceptional. The atmosphere is perfect and moody and the staff are top notch. Love it.

Yummmmm! Welcome to the neighborhood! Outstanding service, ambiance and food. We just moved to Bucktown and for our last date night without a child, we tried this place for dinner and it was incredible. We did not make a reservation and it looks like you should. They have limited hours and everyone knows it. No issue, they sat us inside but lots of people came in and were taken to the patio which we cannot wait to try. Service was outstanding. The hostess and waitress made you feel at home. And it was obvious this is normal because the number of regulars that cycled in and received hugs was incredible. Waitress recommended the scallops which were not on the menu and forever I want these scallops! They were buttery, herby, so tender. And she told us to save some Of the bread for dipping and oh man was that the move. Looking for just. Small meal, the pappadelle with wild mushroom was outstanding. Fresh pasta and ingredients was obvious. Lasagna had bechamel which is always great and portion was enough to make you happy but not go into a coma. It did have sausage or some type of meat that wasn't my favorite but my husband was in love. The pasta was super fresh too. We would have loved dessert or to try one of the secondi items but that is for next time. Ambiance is dim so pix don't do it justice. Simply wonderful and worth the price! Keep up the great work. We are looking forward to getting on the regular hug list!

Really cute, intimate neighborhood spot. Service was 10/10! The staff was helpful, friendly and extremely attentive. The was really unimpressed by the cocktails, so I'd recommend sticking to the wine. The food was so delicious. I ordered a ribeye and ragu pasta to split with one other person. The ribeye was massive and cooked perfectly to medium rare. Crostini we're delicious. I'll definitely be back!

Delicious food, awesome service and an overall lovely feel to this restaurant!! we sat outside in the "garden" area which was well heated even in the early spring. the menu was broken into antipasti, primi, sec undo and dulce, each course was fabulous especcially the scallop special and the branzini, pastas were also super fresh!

Went here for out anniversary and didn't disappoint. Beautiful patio. Had the scallops on special, the polenta was delicious. Boyfriend had the short rib with polenta and it was juicy and flavorful. Great wine list and service. We were too full for dessert but saw around and they were amazing. Also good place for family style dinner and you get to try more dishes.

Antico is a prime example of why I rarely go to Italian restaurants. I went with a small birthday party on a very quiet week night; we six were the only patrons. We ordered most of the entrees - they were all pitifully small and flavorless. Chicken & Duck Pate: $15 for an ice cream scoop of pate on a bed of arugula (that's an odd pairing) with 4 "crostini." Low in flavor; the pate turned into liquid within 20 minutes. Risotto: made with basic white rice (not Arborio), not cooked using broth; it was just wet, flavorless rice. $16 for under 200 g of rice. Short Ribs & Polenta: the short ribs were overcooked to the point of being mushy and I'm very certain Adobo seasoning was sprinkled on it right before serving to give it a semblance of flavor. $36; and polenta is one of the cheapest foods in the world (it's just cornmeal). Marinated Lamb over Potatoes Gratin: Lamb was oversalted and tough; very difficult to cut (overcooked). The potatoes gratin were mushy and had no flavor; seemed as though they were quickly boiled together & had cheese dusted on them. Gnocchi: whoever taught Antico how to make gnocchi doesn't know how to make gnocchi. The gnocchi were basically hollow potato puffs; the red sauce was noticeably salty and the brown butter sauce tasted bland. Pappardelle: tiny portion, the pork ragu was pungent and tasted old. The sautéed mushroom serving had good mushrooms but that dish was basically oily pappardelle with mushrooms. $18 for about .4 a lb of pasta. Veal Rib Chop Milanese: not a true Milanese (veal prepared "al Milanese" is always a cutlet, not on the shank like we were served). This chop was not coated with breadcrumbs and lightly pan-fried like the traditional recipe. The Antico veal rib chop was coated in batter and deep-fried. Difficult to cut; tasted like deep fryer oil. $40 for one little veal chop. For dessert we ordered the $12 plate of zeppole/bomoboloni which were 4 shapeless lumps of dough that were deep fried. The "torta di limone" was exactly that: American mass-produced, store bought lemon sheet cake with artificial lemon flavoring & yellow food coloring plus inedible icing. Wines were average quality & overpriced. Most of the non-pasta dishes had copious amounts of arugula on the side to distract from the small portion of cooked food. Antico is billed as a "Northern Italian Restaurant." I'm of Northern Italian descent (Piemonte) and very little on the menu was authentic Italian, let alone Northern Italian. Just another expensive "Italian-Inspired" restaurant that caters to basic upper-middle class urbanites.

Antico is a lovely little restaurant I've been eyeing for many years, and I finally tried it for a special dinner. I couldn't quite give them five stars due to some minor disappointments, but overall it's a great restaurant that I would visit again to try some different dishes. I placed a carryout order by phone with a very nice staff member in the late afternoon for an early evening pickup. (Side note: I'd advise calling the restaurant for reservations or any questions; I tried using the email form on their website to ask a question about takeout, and no one responded.) I arrived at the pickup time, and my food was hot and ready. I ordered the fritto misto, a special scallop appetizer, and pappardelle with pork ragu. A square of homemade focaccia was included, which was a nice touch. All dishes were very well prepared. The scallops were perfectly seared and seasoned with a delicious sauce, but I was disappointed that only two came in the order (note: it was just the scallops and sauce with no accompaniments). I easily would have doubled my order if I knew, since they were so good. The pappardelle noodles themselves were spectacular, but I wish I'd opted for the mushroom ragu instead of pork. I didn't realize the pork would be smoky - but this is just my own taste because it's obvious it was cooked and seasoned very, very well. If you enjoy smoky meats, you will probably love it. Overall, I would come back to try some other things because clearly the cooking going on at Antico is top notch. I'm glad to see they are still going strong after all these years (and recent tough times) and look forward to being a customer again.

Awesome neighborhood Italian spot! Had some visitors from out of town and were craving some pasta. After not being able to secure a reservation at our usual go to, Yelp led us to Antico! Great find. We put in reservations the day before for dinner and no issues phoning in and securing a table. Street parking surrounding is free (yay) and had no issues finding a spot. Staff I have to say was great and accommodating. My little one is very into waving these days, and each staff member that passed by made a point to say hello. We had some pescatarians in our group and our waiter had some great options and alternatives to choose from that weren't on the menu. Interior I would describe as cute and cozy. Would definitely make a great low key date spot. Indoor dining is available, however the back patio seemed to be where all the action was as during our visit only there was only one other table seated inside with us. As far as food goes, this definitely isn't a large portion leave you feeling groggy Italian but smaller sharable lighter bites. For food, we did some pan seared scallops, frito misto, asparagus risotto, tagliatelle bolognese, pappardelle with sauteed mushrooms, gnocchi, and braised short rib with saffron polenta. Honestly everything was great and pasta is for sure fresh made. If I had to nit pick, I wish the tagliatelle had a bit more weight to it as it seemed overly delicate. Aside from that flavors were all great. If I had to pick must haves, frito misto (loved the fried lemons) and tagliatelle bolognese. To finish, we did also do some of their in house made gelato (chocolate, hazenut, vanilla, and lemon). Lemon came out a bit icy, but of all 4 options hazenut was the most interesting. Anyways, definitely see another visit here sometime in the near future. 'Til next time, cheers!

One of my all time favorite restaurants! Their outdoor dining space is the best! You are surrounded by herb planters and tomato plants that are used by the chef daily! You can't visit Antico without ordering the gnocchi. It is the best I've ever tasted! My favorite is the gnocchi in brown butter with crispy sage, but you can also get them with bolognese and one other way. Wednesday is half priced wine day...we didn't even know so that was an added bonus when we got our check! We had the scallops, the short ribs, and the veal Milanese, and all three were fabulous. Make sure you try the Parmigiano Gratin potatoes as they are killer! We had no room for dessert after dinner, but the desserts that were coming out looked wonderful! Ask to be seated in Nora's section...she is the best!!

Such a cute spot. Delicious pasta appetizer which we split. Followed by 2 entrees chicken and short ribs which unfortunately inedible precludes a return. Sorry

Reposting to link pictures. Antico is one of the few Italian restaurants I crave. I'm going to use a Yelp cliché and say, "I can't believe I haven't reviewed this place yet". I've been several times and tried most of the menu which stays fairly consistent. I was an exchange student in high school spending a few months in Italy. The authentic flavors immediately took me back. I don't know if this is Southern or Northern cuisine, but the chef is back there cooking with love. I particularly love their simple marinara. I always request and extra side to slather up with focaccia. Perfection... There's a nice wine list if you're interested in pairings. Service is always on point. The dessert menu is limited, but I don't care for Italian desserts like tiramisu anyway. I hope all my pictures link, because my review probably isn't doing Antico justice. If not, find them on your own and give this place a try. Let me know what you think.

Still got it after all these years. Great gnocchi, caprese, and lamb chops. The wine list is solid, too. I like the outdoor space in the summer.

Great spot hidden in a residential neighborhood just off Armitage. The food is excellent. Not a large menu, but a wide range of choices, and everything we have ordered in the last two years has been great. The staff is attentive and friendly. Great teamwork. The place is cozy and has a wonderful back patio that is covered (and heated when it's cold). Really lovely. Their seared scallops, mushroom polenta, and homemade pasta are always can't miss choices. They grow some of their fruits and herbs onsit, and you can really taste the difference, so fresh. Very good wine list. Highly recommended.

4 of us went and absolutely loved the food and the outdoor patio. Wait staff was extremely nice and helpful. Food was really really good. Had the braised short ribs, pappardelle with mushrooms, sea scallops, lasagna and the tagliatelle with bolognese. All were excellent and we highly recommend. All were excellent.

This ambiance is so amazing, been here for dates or to catch up with a friend. The outside space is temperature controlled. The staff is super knowledgeable about the wine list and menu items. I loved the duck risotto! Everyone here is always so attentive and kind. One of my favorite spots that never disappoints.

I've been living in wicker park/bucktown for 5+ years now and always seen this place but never actually made it in. Boy, have I been missing out! This is a neighborhood gem with the most friendly and personably wait staff. My friend and I came in on a Tuesday at 6pm and no one was in the restaurant yet so we had no issue getting a seat - which we did in their lovely garden patio area. We both went with the 4 course option where we could get one of anything under each course of the menu (Antipasta, Primi, Secondi, Dolci). My friend and I split all our items and for the appetizer we got their special which was pan seared scallops 10/10 possibly best thing there - perfectly cooked. We also got seasonal special which was a fig caprese which paired well with their house focaccia. For our Primi we split the Brown Butter & Sage Gnocchi and their special that night which was a lasagna in bolognese. Both were well portioned and delicious. For our Secondi we got the Marinated Lamb Loin Chops and the Salmon. The Lamb was great and well seasoned - honestly tasted basically like a steak. The Salmon has a nice crust and also perfectly cooked with a Greek salad type dressing on top super light and refreshing. For dessert we split a chocolate tart and Italian donuts. We were stuffed at that point but still found room for their generous portion sizes. We both were in agreement that the quality of the food and service is very much up there with every other nice Italian spot in Chicago that we were surprised this place isn't packed every night. Truly a hidden gem - very much recommend making this a destination for your next Italian dinner!

Fine Italian dining with the low-key unpretentious atmosphere of a neighborhood standby. We had the four course combination which is ALOT of food. Prices are high but ok for a special occasion. Servers were friendly. Dress code casual.

Husband and I know the Owner and decided to have a week night date this past summer. Although it doesn't look very busy from the outside, let me tell you, it's poppin' in the back patio area. It's a covered patio with fans and live plants growing throughout the space. Can't even tell you're wedged between two buildings in the neighborhood! Food was excellent and service was delightful. Love the Italian authenticity as well, reminded us of our honeymoon in Italy!

Yummy dishes that are thoughtfully plated. Many items are grown in their in house garden.

Great space! Very cozy and welcoming, and service was consistent. The food was mostly good, but a bit inconsistent. Items from the regular menu were great. The specials were hit or miss.

The definition of a hidden gem! This place is fantastic! The staff is polite and the food is excellent. Antico exceeded our expectations and we can't wait to return. The scallops were a 10/10 and the ribeye was also a 10/10. Just amazing.

the food and service are all good, plus it was great to sit outside on the enclosed patio

Neighborhood gem! This place has amazing service - super helpful and very attentive! Great recommendations. The food is the star of the show. Lots of small plates that were amazing. They had a special Lasagna that I am still thinking about 2 weeks later. the best i've ever had. Don't miss the short ribs, the risotto, and the gnocci in butter with crispy sage leaves. All were good. I would recommend Antico for any occasion.

Food was fantastic! Love the tagliatelle bolognese. Our server, Matthew, was attentive, knowledgeable, and overall amazing. And the beautiful patio is always so enjoyable. Can't wait to go back.

We really enjoyed eating in the enclosed outside space behind the restaurant, great atmosphere and great food. I had the short rib, it was excellent and my son in law the gnocchi with brown butter and sage- both memorable Appetizers were pate and cuttlefish misto fritto Great find near my daughters new home

My favorite neighborhood spot. So cozy during all seasons and the food is amazing! The service is great and every staff member is extremely personable & kind. Highly recommend coming here.

Went to this restaurant a few nights ago. We were 7 people and sat on the patio. It was a great atmosphere. Sid and Jessica, my family come here often. The servers went out of their way to serve us. We tasted many many items. Here goes...diver scallops..incredible. Truffled duck and chicken liver pate..served too cold, but fabulous flavor. Saffron polenta with wild mushrooms..some liked, some didn't, but cooked well...the right consistency. Fig caprese with fresh mozzarella tasty but need more fig for the right proportions in a single bite. Gnocchi sage and brown butter...so good we ordered a second one. Pork Raghu pappardelle was excellent and flavorful. Homemade lasagna with bolognese and bechemal....could have been a main course...out of this world. We had two risotto; blueberry and oak smoked duck. Both were tasty but we felt blueberry would be a great dessert. Pork Milanese was a very large portion and good. Grilled rib eye was cooked to perfection. Bone marrow is my favorite anywhere. The marinated grilled lamb loin was one of the stars on the table. We had zeppole and a pasta Choi cake with lady fingers. Both were good. I would recommend this restaurant.

I love this place, and even though I live in Bucktown, I ALWAYS forget about it because it's so tucked away. I highly recommend the pappardelle and the chicken entree. The wait staff is very friendly, and they have great drink/wine options, too.

This was very disappointing. I had such high hopes after reading the reviews and none of the meals met our expectations other than the arugula salad, which you really have to mess up not to be tasty. The most disappointing were the sautéed spinach, which had such overwhelming garlic that one didn't taste anything else, the polenta, which tasted like cardboard (sorry - I hate to diss food but this was awful) and the chicken, which lacked flavor and was dry. Very sad - was hoping for a good Italian find in the hood.

For a few years I have walked the stretch of Armitage Avenue and while passing Leavitt Street, I've only thought of Antico as being what looked like a cute little spot. So I decided to stop in one evening to see what offerings they had on their menu. Starting with the focaccia, it's nice getting something other than Italian bread, and the focaccia is soft enough for dipping in olive oil. I ordered mushrooms over polenta, which was really nice and I was able to use the focaccia on what was left. The lasagna had a creamy texture that I have come to prefer. Instead of a stacked lasagna, it was probably just a single layer. The bechamel sauce and parmesan and a hint of nutmeg in the Bolognese sauce really made the lasagna pop. The pork Milanese topped with an arugula and tomato salad was filling and I finished off enough and had the remainder packed for take-away. Oh, I went all out and had a pairing of wine with each dish. A complete winner. The service was outstanding. It was good that I arrived before the 7:00 PM dinner crowd because the restaurant did pack out quickly. I had skimmed the menu, but let my server handle the ordering and the wine pairing. There isn't an extensive menu, but what they do with the items on what they have is good enough.

A true Chicago gem. Great Italian food, ambiance, and service. Drinks were poured on the stronger side. I'll be bringing all out of town visitors here for the focaccia bread alone!

I had been there on one occasion and with so many restaurants in Chicago never went back. What a mistake! We sat on the patio, had a marvelous staff person who magically communicated the menu to us. The food was terrific and shareable. From the gnocchi to risotto to delightful pasta dish. Apps were great and 2 mains complimented a wonderful experience. Cannot wait to return for more food and a great wine list.

It's very hard to decide what was the best: Antico excels in service, quality of food, ambiance, and just a wonderful sense of well-being and enjoyment while you are there. Every person who works there was lovely; the food was absolutely delicious; the food and wine recommendations were spot on, and it was just a wonderful place to be. I could not recommend it more highly.

We ate at Antico last night after driving to the city for some business related needs. The meal that we had was 10/10, the service was impeccable and the wine was hands down the best we have had! If you get a chance to eat at Antico, make sure you try their gnocchi - it may be the best you've ever had! Thanks Antico for the most amazing meal!

Consistently great food and service. We first went in 2013 and have been back several times throughout the years. Reliably great, especially on their back patio in the summer.

Year after year this continues to be one of my moat favorite restaurants in Chicago. I've been coming here at least 10 years now and nothing (I mean nothing) is bad about this place. The food speaks for itself. The pasta is perfection. I love the chill vibe too. Nothing pretentious about this place at all. Great food. Great wine. Great service. Never change, Antico. You are perfection!

Delicious every time we come. Wonderful staff who make the best recommendations for our party every time. Coming back to celebrate my moms 50th because it's become her new fav!

Small, cute restaurant- love the exposed brick wall and lighting. I ordered a glass of Pinot bianco 2017, terlano. I ordered one of the special appetizers- an eggplant caprese salad. So good. My husband had the gnocchi with sage- amazing!! Ordered the scallop special. Best scallops I have ever had !!! Ordered the bread pudding for dessert- so delicious. Tastes like pound cake with almonds and marscapone cheese. This entire experience was amazing- the food, the service , the atmosphere. Nena was our waitress - helpful, fun, attentive. I actually ordered everything she loved and I loved it too. Would like to sit in the garden out back when it's nice out. Will definitely be back!!

My favorite Italian restaurant in Chicago. Pasta fantastic, particularly the gnocchi with butter and sage. Ambiance outside perfect. Polenta with mushroom, squisito!

A terrific restaurant. I have never been disappointed--excellent Northern Italian wine selection. The food is implacable and not a pretentious place, and the service is excellent.

A lovely, intimate place with delicious food & impeccable service. It's like a slice of Italian cosmopolitan culture integrated into a residential Chicago neighborhood. The scallop appetizer was divine and the fresh made pasta had the perfect tooth of texture combined with delicate sauces and perfectly cooked veggies. My dinner companions raved about the lasagna! We also shared a delightful, light & crisp white wine with dinner. We will definitely go back & hopefully sit in their darling "backyard" patio area. It was a great evening!

Good Italian food! Pappardelle bolognaise was unique and tasted great! Arugula Salad and Truffled Duck & Chicken Liver Crostini were great! Unique flavors and very authentic. Only complaint was the service was slow and not attentive. Had to ask for things multiple times and they are very stingy with their bread.

My family and I have eaten here and had pickup a number of times. The food is always great, every item we've tried so far. The staff is very friendly and accommodating for children. The food is more Italian italian than American italian, both of which are great in their own right but different. The cocktails and desserts are also excellent, and I'm not a dessert guy.

You cannot beat this place. The best food and most friendly staff. The outdoor tented patio was super warm!! It made our 4th anniversary both safe and amazing! We each had a four course meal. Calamari, house made sausage with fruit mustardo, lasagna (a special that is a must have!!), papadelle with pork ragu, lamb chops, veal milanese... and to end the most perfect meal was a red wine reduction panacotta!!

Chicago's most underrated gem. Amazing home made pasta, great meats/fish and great wine. Super nice backyard too. Whenever I visit my parents in Chicago I want to come here.

This place has already become a second home for me, and I have become a regular customer since discovering this resto. When I'm too lazy to move or cook, I'll come to this restaurant by myself to eat. The most recent time I visited this place was last week when I invited a coworker to join me for lunch. I often recommend this establishment to my friends and anyone I am close to, and he enjoyed it as well. We ordered lasagna, polenta, and pappardelle as our main courses. We sat at their table outdoors because it was cool and pleasant, and I enjoyed the atmosphere in that spot. And, by the way, their employees are so accommodating and pleasant; the level of customer service is exceptional, which is one of the reasons I enjoy coming here and have been a regular customer. Everyone must try it out when you guys have time! You should give it a shot, fellas!

Came here with my husband last night, the food was delicious. Lovely staff and feel to the place. Would defiantly recommend.