Gussie's Handmade Italian

I’ve been a loyal customer here for 4–5 years, and this place has never disappointed me. The food quality is consistently outstanding — fresh, flavorful, and clearly made with care. You can genuinely taste the difference. The pasta and bread are made from European flour (as the owner proudly shares), and it truly shows in the texture and flavor. My personal favorite is the Frutti di Mare pasta — it’s always my go-to and never fails to impress. The salads are equally amazing: always fresh, crisp, and beautifully balanced. What really sets this restaurant apart, though, is the owner. He is present on the floor every single day, personally greeting guests and making sure everything runs perfectly. That level of dedication speaks volumes. He ensures both quality service and exceptional food for every customer. This isn’t some massive corporate chain where guests are just numbers. It’s a place with heart, pride, and genuine hospitality — and that’s exactly why I keep coming back. Highly recommended.

Over all very good. Soup was excellent. The raw garlic was a bit much and why spice up lobster ravioli, more sauce please less heat. other choices on the menu so we will be back.

We really enjoyed our meal! The bread at the beginning is as good as everyone says! We tried a couple of pasta dishes that were very different. My favorite was the Pappardelle with Wild Boar Ragu. It was true comfort food with so much complex, savory flavor. My husband loved the manicotti; not my favorite, but we like different things. The dessert was nice but nothing I would order again. Our server was great but sometimes seemed like he was in a hurry - probably was, but I like to chat a bit. The guy hosting at the door was tall and walked around like he was hovering over the guests. It felt weird to us and detracted from the vibe. We’d go again, and would recommend, especially before or after catching a show across the street at The Second City. My grey goose cosmo was good! Not everybody can do that well even though it seems simple. My husband said his old fashioned was very good but not “excellent,” probably because it wasn’t top shelf liquor. It was served well with a nice nose balance with the orange and lemon peel.

Had a fantastic meal and found their bread they give you at the start of your meal was amazing! I had been hyped about it and it truly lived up to the legends! Find captions on the pictures to see which great items we enjoyed.

The started garlic bread was awesome. We had a 4:30 reservation which is when they open there was only one other group in the restaurant. They set five of us at a table for four when there was a couple tables that were for six that we could have said that that would be much more comfortable but they wouldn't offer it to us. The meal was mediocre the service was decent manager was rude the way he stepped in front of us to help people in the door and kind of blocked us when we were trying to get out the door overall wasn't as good as I expected. Maybe we just ordered the wrong dish but there was five of us three of us only thought it was okay to enjoyed it

Fantastic spot right across from Second City. The ricotta garlic bread, included as a starter, was delicious and a nice free touch. Brown butter ravioli and chicken piccata were 10/10. Great vibes, homemade pasta, excellent wine options. What more could you ask for?

Just amazing. The garlic bread is a must try. Got some shrimp and it was cooked to perfection. The server Brian was one of the best servers I have had. Im not a local but I would pay for the plane ticket just to get this food again.

We had a wonderful dinner. The bread was to die for and I would come back for the bread alone. We both had the fettuccine alfredo with chicken. The sauce was so light and wonderful. What a fantastic meal. Wish we lived closer by so we could come again. Great service as well.

Ambience was great, carbonara and the pesto were good. Favorite pasta was the butter ravioli. Star of the show was the bread

The ambiance was amazing, the table bread was to die for and everyone at my table had a different pasta and was satisfied! I loved the shrimp scampi. I I'll be back!

Five stars for the food and our lovely waiter, but you might want to avoid the windows... The house bread is absolutely amazing. Truly the best bread I've ever had at a restaurant! Our waiter was so thoughtful & thorough with his recommendations (I wish I could remember his name)! He definitely pays attention during pre shift :) the carbonara and lobster ravioli special were divine. After our meal some guys threw a plastic outdoor ashtray stand through the open windows at us/onto our table and ran away. It was really jarring! The team acted swiftly, but another waiter laughed it off saying it happened all the time mentioning they've thrown other objects like Gatorade bottles. Super odd thing to go on about considering one of us could've gotten hurt ??? I was even more surprised that they didn't do anything to make things right. Other than that, our experience was stellar. Five stars for the tasty food & our waiter!

I TELL YA WHAT!!! Stop by here and get: A Pineapple whiskey sour!!! A Halibut Special!!! A Veal Special!!!! and A slice of Limoncello Pie!!! You will LITERALLY DIE of SATISFACTION. (Well not literally) Of all my years going to Chicago, I have not had better food!

The dirty martini was good and so was the garlic bread but the pasta was overcooked and the carbonara was very liquidy... as if there were cream in it, which then made the guanciale soggy :(. We felt like it was more of an Italian American joint and not authentic Italian restaurant. Service was adequate.

It's a smaller space and does get rather loud on a Saturday night. Started with the complimentary garlic bread. It's not your typical bread. It's in the shape of a boule but stuffed with mascarpone. For my meal I had spaghetti all'Amatriciana. It was a heaping plate of spaghetti, definitely couldn't finish it plus the bread by myself. The tomato was what I needed, Calabrian chilies added a touch of heat. The spaghetti texture felt a bit off though, maybe overcooked? A little too soft for my satisfaction tonight. I'd call this a high 3, not quite 4.

I love Gussie's!! We went for dinner before a Second City show and absolutely loved it! Our server Luke was great and super helpful, and the restaurant itself had a nice home-y vibe to it. We started by ordering the mussels which were so good and they also bring out a complimentary bread that is just to die for!!! I want to go back solely for that bread! I ordered the Brown Butter Honey Raviolis and thought they were delicious, but I especially liked the Salmon special they had that night served with green beans (which my mom ordered). My sister got the Lobster Ravioli special and loved that as well. Overall, it was a great dinner and a perfect spot to eat before a Second City show! Highly recommend & I will be back for that bread!

Go Hungry! hahahaha! The dishes are generous and it's likely you will fill up on the bread. We were going to a Second City show so I wanted to eat dinner beforehand somewhere nearby. This place is right across the street so super convenient. The service is very good. We wanted for nothing. We shared a salad.... and ordered 2 pasta dishes. The salad was a "chickpea" salad.... there were chickpeas in it but it really was a green salad with some chickpeas. Don't get me wrong.... it was a nice salad that was fresh and crisp! I had the linguine with walnut pesto shrimp and my mom had the tagliatelle with meatballs. In all honesty... we should have shared 1 pasta dish. I hate leaving leftovers when I can't take them home. In any case... both pasta dishes were excellent. The pasta was fabulous. My pesto sauce was probably the best pesto I've ever tried. And I love pesto... it was wasn't super oily nor super green tasting. It was balanced and fresh. Shrimp were cooked perfectly... still plump. Mom's meatballs were big and meaty... she got 4 of them. We thought she'd get 2 since they were not dinky. They were meaty and flavorful. If we make it back to Chicago to go to another Second City show... we will definitely be back. Note: the bread... I think the secret as to why it's so addicting is because the cream cheese that is melted in the middle makes is super rich with all the seasonings on it.

Loved visiting Gussie's with my partner on our last night in Chicago. Delicious Italian food with simple sauces where you can taste the ingredients. The complimentary garlic bread was quite a fun introduction to the food, but it was reallly oily and quite heavy. It's also got a huge wad of butter inside. Very heavy and something we ended up packing home. Even then, it was so soaked in oil, it was not really edible. I enjoyed the salad we ordered and the mussels. It was a comforting dish of mussels and the broth was so flavourful. The carbonara tasted so good. Authentic and perfectly al dente. I had ordered the lemon pasta with scallops. Scallops were cooked perfectly and the pasta was great. The best hint of lemony- sour flavour and also al dente. Service was fairly quick. One thing I found odd was that they take your credit card when you pay... They maybe want to consider mobile payment machines. They shouldn't be taking people's credit cards away from their sight for security sake.

We really enjoyed our time here. The house bread is delicious. The service was a bit inattentive but friendly. Very busy and loud. We had the Pesto di Basilico con Gamberon, Linguine Puttanesca & Jumbo Seared Scallops and Spaghetti all' Amatriciana. The Puttanesca was likely our favorite. Great homemade pasta.

The food was very good and the service was quick. We mentioned that we were splitting the pasta so they brought it out in to portions which was amazing. The pesto pasta with shrimp was our favorite.

My boyfriend and I have been wanting to try Gussies complimentary table bread for awhile now, so we finally stopped in for a few apps!!! We walked in on a Thursday night around 7:30 and had no problem getting a table. We only ordered 2 appetizers, but the service was quick -- we were in and out of there in 45 minutes. The inside was cute, definitely a good place for a date. The bread was absolutely incredible. Worth the hype for sure and will definitely be the reason I go back. We also got 2 appetizers that were very good. The octopus was our favorite. It looks kind of freaky when it comes out, but it was sooo good. WAY better than any calamari I've ever had. The gnudi was good too, but nothing to write home about. I was a really big fan of the brown butter sauce that came on it though. We didn't order any, but I noticed on their menu that their cocktails were very affordable too. Definitely recommend this place!

Gussies had a great vibe. The place was popping which I guess makes sense given it was a Friday night. Service was good and servers were friendly and helpful. The night started off hot with the table bread but really stopped there. Octopus was decent but nothing worth raving. Pasta was also just fine (pesto which is usually my favorite didn't really do it for me). So maybe stop by for a table bread + cocktail during happy hour but I'm not sure this is standout spot given Chicagos culinary prowess, especially in Italian food.

I was pleasantly surprised by how great the service was. I also love how all the seating are booths, very cozy. The food was aight, the grilled octopus was fresh and tasty. My favorite was the complimentary bread, I recommend eating the bread together with the heirloom tomato and burrata salad. The burrata was excellent. The cod was mid, pretty dry, not too much flava. The spaghetti carbonara is also super mid. My favorite pasta was the fettuccine Alfredo with shrimp. The brown butter and honey ravioli was just aight too. The desserts were awesome, great tiramisu and cannoli. I came here w lowered expectations based on recent reviews, but had a lovely time actually. Parking near there is difficult so I'd say plan for that ahead of time.

My husband found this place while searching for a spot to grab a bite before seeing a show at Second City. It caught his eye because of the name since Gussie is what we call our cat Gus when it's dinner time. After looking at reviews, photos, and the menu we decided to give it a try and we were not disappointed. We were greated with big smiles, seated quickly, and our server was courteous and quite knowledgeable on the menu and wine selections. We ordered cocktails to start. My husband loved his Negroni and my Old Fashioned was fantastic. The bread lives up to the hype and was a good indicator for what to expect from the rest of the experience. We ordered the Arugula Radicchio Salad and Brown Butter Ravioli to split and the kitchen scored extra points for pre-splitting the plates. The Arugula Radicchio Salad was bright, tangy, fresh, and refreshing while the Brown Butter Ravioli was rich, tasty, and nutty goodness on a plate. My only nitpicky note is that Saltimbocca is pronounced salt ihm bow ka, not salt ihm bock ka... Regardless of that silliness, we will be making it a point to stop in the next time we visit Chicago.

My friends and I were drawn to Gussie's by their free pull apart bread, which was really great! However, I wasn't super impressed with the pasta itself. I got the papperdelle with wild boar and red wine reduction, which was fine, but I would not pay $28 for it again. The pasta was a good texture, but overall, it tasted just like beef stew to me. The bread is really great, however, so if you want to come for that, I would recommend getting something cheaper off the menu!

Came here on a Friday night around 6:30 PM. didn't have a reservation but another party didn't show up, so we got lucky. Overall, I thought the service was OK. The host at the front and our server lacked warmth and was impersonal. The food was okay. I tried the parpadelle, I thought the boar was a bit gamy. We also ordered the meatball and that was also gamy. I did really enjoy the complimentary bread though. It was of like a giant everything bagel that was garlic Maybe I would come back again, but not before I try other Italian places in the neighborhood

This meal/experience was great and I have no complaints! Service - Kind, helpful, and the info provided was spot on and very accurate. Drinks - I only had soda but my husband enjoyed his wine. They have a long list of wines, cocktails (which are very reasonably priced for Chicago!), and more! Food - oh my gosh THE FOOD! Every table gets bread service but this isn't your ordinary bread. This bread is sent from heaven. It's cheese-filled, garlicky goodness. FREE! *Mussels = amazing - save some bread to dip in the broth! *Spaghetti Carbonara - no frills just a delicious, creamy classic *Mushroom scallop ravilioli - I've never had anything like this and it was so good! There are a lot of different flavors and textures on the plate that create an adventure for your palette. *Vanilla gelato - a creamy, classy tasty treat My husband and I arrived very hungry and all the above was the perfect amount of food to fill us without feeling like we needed to be rolled out.

The bread alone is to die for I love the cheese inside and how crispy it is. Love the homemade pastas as well. The ambience is dress down casual. This place is best for date nights

still thinking about this amazing dining experience. The complimentary bread they serve is very delicious and cheesy. Might be one of the best bread in the city. I ordered the carbonara and it was creamy delicious! The portions are big. To top it off, an Aperol spritz on the side. Will be returning!

I cannot wait to go back here. The food was amazing! The complimentary bread is what dreams are made of and the sauce with the mussels was so good. Our server heard that we were celebrating my friend getting married so the manager sent over a complimentary glass of bubbly rose which was so nice.

My daughter and I enjoyed a lovely dinner here this week. She had raved about Gussie's Boule Bread, so I was anxious to try it. The bread was my favorite part of my meal. It's a round loaf, that's cut into pie shaped slices. The bread is stuffed with a cream cheese (and other cheeses I'm sure) mixture with garlic and herbs. It is so decadent! We both chose the Tagliatelle Arrabiatta as our entrees. I added Italian sausage to mine, and then shared with my daughter, as it was a very very generous portion of sausage . The dish was very good, with a definite punch of spiciness. We also shared a carafe of wine with our meal. Service was good. We didn't have a reservation, as my daughter was a little concerned I might have a flight delay into Chicago. As a result, we had a "not so great" table, so having a reservation might have prevented that. Overall, a lovely experience at Gussie's!

This place was good overall. Ambience was nice and service was attentive. I was not overly impressed with our cocktails (paper plane) - but once the bread came out - all was forgiven. As others have noted - the bread service is unique and was really tasty. We had the octopus appetizer which was very good and while I appreciated the spicey sauce that it was served - my dinner partner thought it was a little too hot. I thought it was spot on and one of the better prepared squid appetizers I've had in the city. Entrees were mixed - one of was good (pasta and meatballs was just okay really) and the other was exceptional (salmon). A good neighborhood spot that came across as an Americanized italian spot - but I'll likely be back.

Is there is better handmade pasta anywhere in the city it is a rare thing and doesn't throw any shade on the fantastic pasta and dishes being served here. I'd list what the good pasta dishes are but none are worth passing up! The arrabiatta the carbonara the gnudi all excellent. The staff was pleasant and while it can get too loud with the weekend crowd the weekday volume is fine.

Across the street from the Iconic Second City theatre, this place was a happenstance find, and it was fantastic, Their cheesy garlic bread was great, although it had way too much butter for my taste. The service was friendly and incredibly fast. We had three different kinds of pasta, soup, and dessert and every thing was fantastic. I specifically had the lemon pasta with scallops and it was exceptional. The tiramisu while looked and seemed unconventional was actually my favorite thing of all. this will definitely become a regular stop when in Chicago.

I didn't dine in here, but rather, got delivery - so I paid $6.95 for their special garlic bread which I heard comes complimentary if you dine in. I ordered their ravioli with ricotta cheese and marinara sauce. The latter was a bit too acidic for my tastes and didn't have great flavor. I also got the pasta carbonara which came with homemade linguini and pancetta bits w/ garlic. I enjoyed the latter more than the ravioli w/ marinara. The highlight of the delivery meal (via Doordash) was the bread. The ricotta/butter/herb mixture was sandwiched between two fat garlicky buns and sliced into either 1/4 or 1/5s. I may give them another chance and try a different menu item such as the brown butter ravioli which looked good.

My party came here for our first night out in Chicago since it was just a few blocks over from our place. It's aesthetically pleasing and has a warm & welcoming vibe. We came in the later evening so it was practically empty and our waiter was very attentive. The garlic bread was so creamy and delicious. Main dishes: Pappardelle with Wild Boar Ragu: the pappardelle was good, but the sauce made it difficult for me to enjoy it. The amount of salt in the sauce overpowered the whole dish. Brown Butter Honey Ravioli: Delicious- had a unique, sweet, and honey tinge flavor! Pork chop Special: my table agreed that it was the best dish ordered between our party. Desserts: Limoncello Pie: The table's favorite. If you like lemon tarts- this is a must! :) Tiramisu: A little light for my taste-I like mine firmer, but it was understandable since Tiramisu comes in so many different versions.

I always have a great experience here. On my most recent visit, I screwed up big time and reserved space at the bar by accident, which I didn't want, and the host made adjustments within seconds and had me seated at a table. As soon as you are seated, you are gifted with this giant bread and cheese appetizer, which is amazing. I skipped appetizers after that and enjoyed the tagliatelle with meatballs and arrabbiata: delicious with a delightful kick! My friend and I enjoyed tiramisu for dessert, which was good though nothing extraordinary. I had two good glasses of Pinot Noir with my meal. Service was good: friendly and lightning fast. Gussie's is always a good choice.

My husband and I strolled in here after searching for a dinner spot without a reservation in the area. We checked out the menu and decided to try this place out. We were able to be seated right away and our service was attentive through out. The complimentary garlic bread was fantastic and a great way to start our meal. We ended up ordering the arrabbiata and the brown butter ravioli for some spicy and sweet options. The arrabbiata tagliatelle actually had a kick and was good but could have used more sauce. The honey brown butter ravioli was also good and offset the spice well. Overall we enjoyed our time here and would recommend to anyone looking for a place for a meal!

Okay I went here for the bread it's true! The bread is killer & complimentary. The mains however?? Very ehhhh... all my friends got the cacio e Pepe & it was very mid. Just not enough flavor & really forgettable. The ambiance is fine, doesn't really feel cozy more of a date night place. Service fine. Personally I think Chicago has such great Italian that there's nothing special here.

Lobster ravioli was terrific - so much lobster in the ravioli and the sauce. Split that with the lemon pasta with scallops. Both delicious! We each tried a martini from other recommendations and they were perfect too!

The overall ambiance is aesthetically pleasing and had a cozy vibe. The free bread was the highlight of the meal. It was delicious, crunchy and the herb butter was yum. I got the shrimp with pesto linguine. The shrimp was perfectly cooked but the pasta was a bit hard and old. The pesto sauce lacked flavor. If I were to go back I'd likely try a different dish.

I brought a large group of colleagues from out of town to Gussie's because it had been on my list for a while and they were very accommodating to large groups. To start with the positive, they were very helpful with seating a large group, and the customer service was great. The servers were attentive, and everyone was pleasant throughout. Service was also prompt despite the large order size. The wine was also great, and our server was very knowledgeable about the options. He also made great appetizer (mussels!!) and specials recommendations. However, I don't think I'll ever return. Carbonara is my guilty pleasure treat whenever I visit an Italian restaurant with fresh pasta. This was the worst carbonara I have ever had. It was so rich and just tasted buttery rather than the amazing creamy and pancetta-y flavor I was looking for. Further, the noodles just felt like they were disintegrating as I tried to eat them. The level of butter-flavor made me feel sick even though I had less than a third of my meal. Overall, the carbonara ruined the experience for me, but everything else was great so steer clear and you may love it.

Bread to start was amazing!!! Service was fine. Ambiance was nice. I will say the Carbonara tasted EXACTLY like chicken flavor ramen noodles... interesting. The brown butter ravioli tasted more like oil than anything else.

The bread is as good as everyone says! And it's free! Would come back for the bread alone. The service was very attentive. We shared the Carbonara, mussels and papadelle Ragu pasta among 3 people and it was plenty of food. Everything was fabulous. We even got in same day for a Friday dinner reservation. My only complaint is it was hot as hell in here and never cooled down :( restaurant was packed so that didn't help either.

i think most would agree that the biggest draw to gussie's is the complimentary garlic and cheese bread. it's absolutely delicious, however this time (my second time at Gussie's) I noticed that the middle of the bread was a little cold which was a little disappointing. most at our table got the spaghetti carbonara which was okay. i feel like the pasta didn't have the most satisfying flavor and the pecorino was really salty in a way that starkly contrasted the flavor of the pasta. you would think it would blend together to balance out the flavors but i didn't find that to be the case for me. our server was wonderful though! she was very attentive, thorough, and took a video of our table just for fun. we were celebrating one of our friends' birthdays and they brought out a complementary slice of limoncello pie which was amazing! not my favorite pasta spot in the city and not sure if i would necessarily come back for a 3rd time but it's good and i would recommend giving it a try if not just for the bread! last time i came the espresso martini was good too.

Lovely dinner at Gussies! I absolutely love the interior of this space. It's cozy but but modern and updated. The restaurant was great for a group dinner because it was easy to hear everyone and had plenty of tables for groups. The service was excellent too - our waitress walked us through the many different specials of the night and even offered to take our picture because we were here for a birthday dinner. They even brought out a free birthday dessert! The menu is pretty small and straight forward; there are very few non-pasta options. The complementary bread was the best part for sure!! It is very unique and soooo good. 6/7 of us got the carbonara for our meal and it was quite simple carbonara and pretty eggy but good. The portions are pretty big so we all had leftovers. The limoncello cake was quite tasty too. The pastas are reasonably priced. You can also get a glass of house wine for under $10 which is a pretty good deal. They also have a Sunday dinner special with their lasagna that is also a great deal for all that comes with it. This is a great spot for a casual dinner with a nice atmosphere!

Gussie's is a happenin' spot in a happenin' hood, and I booked a reservation for a team dinner mostly because we'd heard so much about the bread! The vibe is right. It's a loud, brightly lit hot spot kinda place, so maybe not the spot to take Grandma when she visits. We got the mood going with a round of drinks that were all really good. We were in a great mood! Then the famous bread came and we were in love. I was expecting like a mozzarella cheese pull but it was like cream cheese inside. Super flavorful with a great garlicky topping. The good mood continued. But the pasta, though. I ordered the carbonara, and as soon as it hit the table, I thought the color was questionable. It wasn't the deep yellow I expect from an egg-yolk sauce, but more of a creamy color. Another member of our party got the carbonara with the gluten-free pasta and it looked pretty much the same, other than the different pasta. I thought my pasta was a little past al dente, aka soft, and it definitely lacked flavor. The guanciale, however, was perfect--crispy, fatty, porky goodness bombs that saved a dish that was thirsty for more parmesan and black pepper. The other 2 in our group both got like this burst-tomato/olive oil spaghetti, one of them adding sausage to it. Both had similar thoughts that I had to the carbonara--lacked flavor. We were all left confused about how a place that puts pasta in their name could deliver such disappointing pasta. But we had plenty of room for dessert, and that really saved the day. We tried both the limoncello pie and the tiramisu and both were outstanding. Truly heavenly desserts. Could've been an off night, who knows. Would I go back? I think I would. The drinks, the complimentary bread and the desserts were well worth the trip.

Our first meal in Chicago did not disappoint! I made a reservation online for 5pm, but at that time the restaurant wasn't crowded, so it could be a good time to walk in. It got more crowded as the night went on, so definitely recommend a reservation for later. Service was friendly and frequent. The garlic bread was wonderful and I will be thinking about that ravioli for a while! It was perfect, in portion, texture, and flavor. Right across the street from Second City, so it was a perfect spot for dinner before a show.

This garlic bread got me @gussiesitalian Old Town, Chicago Opened in Nov 2020, gussies handmade Italian is named after the owners grandmother Augusta aka "Gussie". They boast house & freshly made Italian food everyday - very approachable yet authentic. The owner also goes around Europe sourcing unique wines you can't find anywhere else. I had a glass of super dry white wine "vietti arneis" from Piedmont that was once almost extinct! I can't even begin to explain how good their COMPLIMENTARY garlic bread was . Literally made fresh, so hot we couldn't even pull it apart for a "pull apart "video driZledd with garlic olive oil and herbs, stuffed with creamy mascarpone. Crispy bottom and soft fluffy brioche Gussies "Sunday dinner" is $39 and you get a soup or salad (we got their delish bean soup), with Grandma Gussie's signature lasagna, and house wine. Lasagna is made with fresh pasta + a white Béchamel sauce. The pasta was soft and fluffy and meat was nicely browned and seasoned. So good Also got the Tagliatelle Arrabiatta , it was our servers favorite. Nice heat from the chilli + fresh tomato sauce with fresh tagliatelle added italian sausage that was really nice and smokey with a good bite & well seasoned. Excited to come back for their tiramisu _______ Located right across from the Second City (we came here at 5:30 before our 7pm show) 227 W North Ave, Chicago IL 60610 Book on @exploretock Generally open 5pm - 9pm (till 10pm on weekends) Closed on Monday

This place came up because of their outstanding table bread but their food is outstanding as well. The lasagna bolognese is part of their Sunday special which comes with a soup and mussels. We also got the Veal special of the night which was a bit on the saltier side but cooked very well. The drinks are also really fairly priced (for Chicago standards). Will definitely be coming back

Gussie's is the spot! My friends and I had a reservation for 6:30 pm on a Wednesday, which worked well because the restaurant was full by 7. Our waitress was great, and everything from food to drink was served quickly. I also loved the vibe - everything was elevated but comfortable. And finally! A restaurant that isn't too loud so you can actually have good conversation over your meal - hallelujah! We all loved the food, from the complimentary bread to the burrata salad to the fresh made pasta. I got the tagliatelle with Italian sausage and it definitely had a kick to it. Luckily, I had an aperol spritz to wash it down. My friends love sweeter drinks and they both raved about the Moscato. Between all of the drinks, appetizers and entrees, we didn't leave enough room for dessert. Next time for sure! Because Gussie's just became a staple in my rotation.

Legit best modern Italian in this city. Amazing service , amazing food and amazing vibes! The bread is insane!!!!

It's been a little over a year since I've last been to gussie's, so it's overdue for another visit. It's made from scratch Italian food in Old Town, and this place has the best complimentary bread in the game. It's garlicky, cheesy, and I could come here and eat this bread alone. I also miss the taste of a Peroni, so I had a non-alcoholic version of it which was lighter, but similar in taste. For the appetizers, we had the Gnudi in brown butter, and these are basically Italian dumplings and these were pillowy stuffed with ricotta. Highly recommend these in the brown butter too for some extra sweetness. The octopus was fantastic, and accompanied with a Calabrian chili for extra kick, followed by some refreshing side salad to cool down. For the mains, we had the brown butter raviolis which were sweet, and their lobster ravioli special had generous amounts of lobster in a creamy red sauce. These raviolis were outstanding. I also had the veal scallopini which was nicely pan fried and lemony. The asparagus was massive, so there were leftovers. For dessert, had an espresso to pair with the limoncello merengue pie. And the pie was the perfect way to end the meal.

Like other reviews have said, this place is just okay. We came here for a birthday dinner before going to second city across the street. Pros: the bread!! I could eat that over and over again. It is filling and heavy, but so good. Truthfully came here because I wanted to try this bread out and it lived up to the hype! Service was quick. Wednesday night and dinner took us about 1 hour. We only got drinks and entrees) Cons: it's small and the 2 person booths aren't very roomy. Homemade pasta is as just okay. My husband got the Alfredo with shrimp and I got the tagliatelle with meatballs. For homemade pasta mine ate kind of gummy and meatballs lacked flavor. My husband said his was okay. On tock where you make reservations we couldn't put any notes so if you're celebrating something I'd recommend you give them a call to have them aware just in case!

Fast and attentive service. Everything was so delicious, the grilled octopus appetizer was amazing! The cheesy table bread alone is reason enough to get here!

TikTok drove us here with clips of the "viral" complimentary cheese bread. It lives up to the hype!! The bread is so buttery and filled with soft marscapone cheese that is light and creamy. Fresh garlic and herbs add flavor and make this a must-try dish. As for the ambiance, it's very modern and cozy with brown leather chairs and smooth maple tabletops. The dim lighting at night sets the mood for a lovely relaxing evening. For appetizer, we tried the sweet pepper bruschetta. I really liked the pepper addition to the dish, as it made for a more complex flavor. For entree, we ordered 2 dishes - the seafood linguine and shrimp fettuccine alfredo. Each featured a standout ingredient: the jumbo shrimp. It was thick like a steak, no exaggerating. So good! The alfredo was one of the best I've ever had! It uses a peccorino romano cheese that has a delicious and distinctive bite, while also being creamy. A balanced amount of butter also infused the dish and put me to sleep, in the best way lol... pure comfort food. For dessert, the tiramisu was exquisite and pairs well with hot coffee. It's creamy but we had to take it home lol All in all, I highly recommend coming here for delicious homemade pasta and a lovely ambiance, perfect for a date night or group celebration.

They specialize in handmade pasta in all their dishes . A great vibe and first class service. The manager/owner is out and engaging patrons. Lots of fun

One of my friends in my running group said that this was one of the best Italian restaurants in Chicago. And I must say, it was extremely good! We had a group of 6 with a 6:30pm reservation on a Sunday night. The ambience was intimate, dimly lit, decently quiet, and a great date night spot. They were pretty busy, but there were a few open tables on a Sunday night. I ordered an Old Fashioned and it was pretty good. They give you some cheesy garlic bread, which is spectacular! Super gooey and very garlicky! I wish we would have ordered some more. We ordered some mussels to start and they were very good. Not as good as Hopleaf, but still very good! A little bit of a small portion though, but we also had 6 people. I ordered the Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo, which was also very good! The sauce was creamy and flavorful, the parmesan was fresh, and the shrimp was solid. It was a good portion size too. We shared some plates and I thought all of the pastas were pretty good too. We ordered a Tiramisu to share and I thought it was good. It was very sweet and my group said that it was almost too sweet and needed to be more bitter, but I thought it was good. I thought service was very good and prices were fair. Overall, I actually thought this was better than Torchio and the best Italian restaurant that I have had in the city. I liked Torchio's ambience better though. Just a heads-up, I have not eaten at many Italian restaurants in the city so yes, I think this was the best that I have had so far. I loved Gussie's! I am glad I had the opportunity to go and would love to come back and try again!