Ignotz's Ristorante

I went on a Sunday, and its a great choice to have a reservation. We got to sit outside and enjoy the weather. The dining in the street was so fun and the food was phenomenal. It was a little pricey, but you get what you pay for for sure. From the second I showed up it felt like just was a part of a big Italian family. The owner was chatting with me, and introduced me to his wife and daughter and stopped by several times to see if we were happy with our food. Absolutely incredible experience and I would go back time and time again

It felt like we were transported to Europe! A wonderful and delicious experience. A truly warm, welcoming, family friendly restaurant. The food is incredible and the service was extremely attentive! The owner stopped by our table multiple times and even gave my parents from California souvenir shirts! Highly recommend. We will be back!!

Busy busy busy!! Make reservations! We always go to Bruna's right next door but we decided to give this place a try. Came on a Thursday evening and it was max capacity. The wait time was 15 minutes for a table but we didn't want to wait so we opted to eat at the bar. The bartender informed us that you need to call in to reserve bc I stated that I did not see reservations on the website and she said they don't have it online it's call in only. A suggestion for management would be to make that obvious on the website bc I checked online to see if I could make a RSVP and it wasn't listed. Had I known I would have called in to reserve a table. The bartender was very professional and provided us with drinks right away and took our order promptly. We ordered an ice tea and lemonade ($3 each and free refills). The ice tea was unsweetened and was just okay kind of just tasted like water but the lemonade was good and not overly sweet. We received a loaf of warm bread with butter and roasted garlic to start off with and the roasted garlic with the warm soft bread was chefs kiss!!! I will say though I do prefer the crunchier harder bread at Bruna's but I do like that this bread was warm and came with that gooey roasted garlic which was sooo good slathered on the bread!! It's a matter of preference really, I prefer my Italian bread crunchier than softer. But it was still yummy. For our appetizer we got baked clams, they were just okay but I actually prefer the baked clams at Bruna's ristorante which is right next door. Bruna's are more moist and flavored with lemon, butter, and Parm and have so much flavor! The baked clams here were sort of dry and I say sort of bc only the bread crumbs were moist but they lacked flavor overall. Didnt taste like butter, garlic, or lemon or anything really. I had to squeeze so much lemon on them and Parm cheese to get some flavor. I wouldn't order the baked clams again. They were okay but Bruna's are better. For our main dish we ordered the chefs special which is the seafood linguini in a white wine sauce. It came with an option of soup or salad and we got the sausage lentil soup which was a smaller portion than expected it came in a small tea cup but it was very good. In terms of the actual linguini the white wine sauce was light and delicious and the seafood was perfectly cooked! I ordered the fettuccine Alfredo and added shrimp ($6 extra) and had a Cesar salad on the side. The fettuccine was way better than Bruna's next door! This Alfredo has the perfect amount of flavor and was not overly salty or under seasoned. The sauce was extremely creamy and delicious! My shrimp were a bit chewy I think they overcooked in the sauce bc the dish was piping hott which I appreciated but the shrimp overcooked in the sauce making them have a firmer bite than I expected. I compared the shrimp from the seafood linguini to mine and it was the perfect texture. Mine for the fettuccine dish were too chewy which was disappointing given that I paid extra for it. Definitely overcooked. A suggestion for the chef would be to add the shrimp at the very end when the dish is cooked and right before serving since shrimp only take a min to cook. Overall, I would come back, the service was excellent and the food is great quality except for the overcooked shrimp I paid an extra $6 for which is why I could not give 5 stars otherwise I would have. Bummer. We had one appetizer, a mini soup, small side salad, two large entrees, and two drinks all for $100 what a great value! I would come back again but I'll probably check out the other Italian restaurants next door before I do. I recommend this place but suggest making reservations!

Delicious Italian food and Roger is an amazing owner, very nice people here. I’m a traveling truck driver and decided to stop here to eat after reading many reviews on other restaurants. Sat at the bar Roger and the bartender me feel very welcomed and conversation was nice. I ordered fried zucchini, meat lasagna and tiramisu all very good!

Came here for dinner with my family. Wow!! Great food, awesome service. Owner is a very nice gentleman as well. Will definitely be back soon! Awesome place to eat and enjoy.

The food was delicious the service was great Roger the owner came out to great everyone and make sure everything was perfect will be coming back friendly family atmosphere

Great restaurants for authentic Italian food. The dishes are made by hand. The spaghetti and meatballs had a great taste. I'm not a big Tarimusu fan, but this place makes them great, not too sweet, made just right. And their old-fashioned drinks are amazing.

Roger & Joan run a FIRST RATE fine dining Italian restaurant. Excellent service, friendly faces, happy guests, etc. This is fine dining but it's not pretentious, because the owners - who are there busing tables, running drinks, talking to the guests - are not. The prices are UNBELIEVABLE based on the excellence of the dining experience. Pictured are veal saltimbocca, pasta with red sauce and stuffed shells.

Amazing ambiance, fantastic food, and attentive service with the owner there in person. Vodkka rigatoni, chicken parmigiana, veal scallopini - all were amazing

This is hands down my favorite restaurant!!! They bring a roasted garlic and bread to the table to start off and it is so amazing. We ordered the fried calamari as an appetizer and it did not disappoint. I had the chicken a la tippi and it was better than I expected! The vodka rigatoni was so flavorful. The portion sizes are great and the chicken was so good. I will definitely be back. Our server was very attentive, always coming by to check on us. My favorite is the chocolate covered cherry you get at the end of your dinner.

Charming neighborhood atmosphere. I felt like I was going home to see the grandparents. Cozy indoor/outdoor dining. Food delicious. The chocolate covered cherries in whip cream will curl your toes! Can't wait to go back n try another restaurant on the block!

Ordered the spaghetti with meatballs and it totally hit the spot. The sauce tasted homemade, rich with tomato flavor and just a hint of herbs. The meatballs were big and flavorful, not dry at all. It came with garlic bread, which was a nice surprise. Service was friendly and they brought everything out pretty quickly. The place had a warm, relaxed vibe. Great comfort food.

Food is excellent large portions and if you sit at the bar the patrons are so friendly but Karen the bartender is the best I can't wait to go back and shoot the $#!+ With her again

Absolutely a hidden gem and now one of my favorite Italian spots in the city! This place nails the Italian and Chicago classic ambience and everyone (including the owner) was very friendly. Service was slow-paced but there were special touches like complimentary bread with roasted garlic and chocolate cherries for dessert. The food portion sizes were large and we will have leftovers for days. Tiramisu was one of the best I've ever had. I like that the place is not pretentious and although prices are a little high there is a lot of value. Highly recommend for a night out (but make sure you have a lot of time)!

I arrived at 11:40 am. I had the ravioli with meat sauce and an extra meat ball. The food was excellent. A Coke too. My only issue was the bread. It tasted like yesterday's bread. It was flat and not fresh. I know quality cuisine and the bread was off.

Overall Thoughts: The service, hospitality, and personalized attentiveness in this spacious family-owned Italian restaurant are incredible. The owner Roger came out to greet each guest, our server was super sweet, and the whole experience came with complimentary bread and a small dessert. For just the warmth of the service and pleasant experience, I'd be down to come back. Food-wise, though some things were pretty good, there were overall more misses than hits. I'm more than willing to give other dishes on the menu a try though, as they look promising. The prices are reasonable, especially for the large, filling portion sizes. For a Friday night, there were a good amount of people, but there were still many empty tables in the restaurant. Food I tried: - Fried Calamari (3/5): Wasn't a huge fan of this one. The calamari didn't taste very fresh, and they were soggy. - 3 Topping Pizza with spinach, mushrooms, and sausage (4.1/5): Overall solid thin crust pizza, though I felt it was a little lacking in flavor. - Rope Pasta Special (4.2/5): This dish was one of the specials of the day-- it was a bit overcooked / mushy and I wish the flavors popped out more (it was mostly just salty). The sausage and chicken were cooked really nicely and flavorfully though. Overall, it was not bad, but I would want to try a different (perhaps more sauce/cream-based) pasta dish next time. - Clam Chowder Soup (4.9/5): This was the soup of the day that came with our pasta order. The small bowl was delicious-- rich, creamy, and full of flavor. Definitely a highlight. - Free bread service and frozen cherry treat (5/5): Always love to see complimentary bread and dessert. The bread was pretty fresh and tasty, and I especially enjoyed the full garlic head spread that came with it. The chocolate covered frozen cherry was a nice simple closing touch. -- Price (relative to peers): 4.3/5 Food: 4.1/5 Ambience: 4.8/5 Service: 5/5 Overall Value: 4.3/5

We sat in the best seat in the house OH! fogett about it !! Classic all the way , in my old school neighborhood even better , safe clean environment , lasagna to drool over , old fashioned hit the spot , service was fantastic, professional with a warm welcoming ! Thank you for a great experience , we will be back .

When you enter ignotz Ristorante you feel like you're being transported back in time to a better place. The Wrobleski family have created a welcoming environment perfect for family dining. The food is great! First we had while ordering our wine some bread and roasted garlic. Soft and warm to be spread on warm bread it's amazing! The menu is extensive. I had a special being offered that night. Sausage, chicken, pasta and tomatoes, covered in ricotta! The taste was beyond great! We also had gnocchi perfectly cooked! The sauce was prepared perfectly! For desert with coffee we had tiramisu! Light, flavorful! All in all we had one of our best meals as a family! Roger and Joan ( owners who make you feel like family) have created a place where great food is served and a great night is had! Five stars !

If you're looking for some of the best Italian food in Chicago, Ignotz's is the place to be! From the moment you walk in, you can feel the warm, old-school vibe that makes you want to settle in and stay a while. The food? Absolutely amazing. Their pasta dishes are perfectly cooked, full of flavor, and taste like they're straight out of a kitchen in Italy. On top of that, the portions are super generous, so you'll definitely be taking some home (or eating yourself into a glorious food coma). The service is friendly and laid-back, making you feel like a regular even if it's your first time. If you're a fan of great Italian comfort food in a cozy, setting, Ignotz's won't disappoint. Can't wait to go back!

Very good food and pleasant service. The atmosphere was cozy, and most dishes were flavorful. One appetizer missed the mark, but overall, a strong option I'd visit again.

It was my first time at this restaurant and I will be going back time and time again! The staff were very friendly. The restaurant is small but definitely gives cozy vibes which makes it more intimate. The food was excellent and the fettuccine Alfredo is a must for me!

We are from California and this is a hidden gem. The food was excellent and the servers were friendly and attentive. The portions are very good and you don't leave there hungry. The owner greets everyone who walks in the door.

This restaurant is a hidden gem in Chicago. While chatting with my wife and friends for a pasta place within a 3 mile radius, one of our friends recommended because of the variety of options. Not only were we impressed but the owner greeted us multiple times to make sure we enjoyed our options since this was our first time visiting. Ordering 3 different dishes to share, I've never been more impressed. This deserves a monthly visit.

Basically, Ignotz way too good to share on Yelp, but, it's the holiday season and I'm feeling charitable and benevolent to my fellow humans so here you go... I grew up in an Italian working class neighborhood in New York (Queens) and grew up eating authentic family style Italian food both at home, at my many relatives homes (and they all could cook!) and in the hood. I've been living in Chicago for 24 years and have yet to find a better, more authentic, perfectly prepared traditional Italian place than here. Everything, and I mean everything, is perfectly prepared in a family style traditional manner. The ingredients used are as authentic as they come. The venue is a charming home with a fireplace in a charming neighborhood. The staff are terrific, friendly, efficient and professional. The owner is often there and makes his way around the restaurant welcoming guests. Best-of-the-best! Can't wait to go back!

From the moment we valeted our car, to moment we left. Our experience was fabulous! The host greeted and treated us as if we were regulars. Our waitress, Pat, went above and beyond providing exceptional service and making our dinner a night to remember. The drinks were expertly crafted by Sasha which got us started. The appetizer came out promptly and the entrees were delicious! We throughly enjoyed our dinner at Ignotz's and will be back soon!

Wonderful experience. Great food. Interesting place. Super nice people. Chocolate cherries & cream for dessert!

It was a wonderful experience. It was wonderful food. The waiter was awesome and personable. I could not express how great my experience was. It is a must to come down here. The ambience is so cozy and so warm and inviting.

Amazing place from start to finish. Once we arrived, it immediately felt like home. The staff was very friendly. Amazing service, even better food. Very nice homecooked Italian meal. The chicken and shrimp with pasta was great. My lady had chicken Parmesan, everything was great. 10 out of 10.

The food is subpar at best. We were also denied service at the end of our meal because the manager thought we had too much to drink and were asked to leave. We had been there for almost four hours, the only people in that restaurant the entire time, and had three drinks each. All four of us are professionals and were completely offended. Our office went there regularly but we have now spread the word and will no longer be visiting this establishment. There are too many eateries in this awesome city to go back to a place that offends their guests.

For our last family vacation day, in Chicago, my spouse picked this place for lunch. It is located in a small neighborhood, in basically "restaurant row" (6 or 7 eateries here on the same block). We had a cheese pizza, chicken parm, and eggplant parm. Everything was great! The parms were perfectly cooked, with a generous amount of cheese as well. The pizza, a thin crust type and cut in squares, the kids loved. It was just "ok" to us adults. The owner was there, came over, and talked a bit. H8ghly recommend!!!

If I could give this place 6 stars, I would. From the kind welcome, to the fantastic food, Ignotz's went above and beyond.

Food was awesome! Service was amazing Ambiance was great Owner introduced himself and his wife.

They give you bread and a roasted head of garlic in olive oil in a little bowl. WHO DOES THAT??? WHO IS DOING IT LIKE IGNOTZ??? NO ONE, I TELL YOU. you tired of those silly trendy hip Italian spots and ready for a REAL family Italian spot? Come to ignotz's ristorante, a place rightfully crowded on an early Sunday evening with families and couples and friends. They have a lovely indoor space and outdoor patio and they were popping even though we got there at 430! The owner himself greeted us and checked in on all the tables! He apologized for the wait on the food as the kitchen was slammed but honestly it did not take long at all for us to get our food. The portions are generous and sharable so expect that two dishes could easily feed 3 if not 4 people depending on the dish!

If you're looking for a good pizza and beer what a better placer than this. Food was great

Great atmosphere, server was very attentive and our food was fantastic! I highly recommend. The only down side is parking so be sure to get there a bit early so you can find a spot but other than that the restaurant was wonderful

Awesome food and service. Loved everything about it. Fresh bread with baked garlic, great dinner salad, I had the steak Isabella and loved every bite. My wife had the chicken a la tippi.

This is one of my favorite Italian restaurants in Chicago. Very homie feel as soon as you walk in. Feels like I'm in the dining room having family dinner. The service is great. Waiters always give great recommendations and are able to break down everything on the menu. My absolute favorite dish on the menu is the lasagna. I normally order something completely different from my husband so that I can try his food as well, but we both have to get the lasagna. It's saucy, cheesy, robust, and a great portion size. You can't go wrong with this dish! Street parking is available and I never have issues finding a spot.

Casual Family atmosphere friendly people greet you and absolutely amazing food staff is excellent and helpful.

Where do I begin...this Italian restaurant is absolutely amazing...atmosphere makes it feel like your at grandmas house...the staff is loving and welcoming..this is where you want to take someone for some good Italian food. The food was 100% made with love and everything had such great flavor.. I wish I could've had more room to eat more because everything was just that good... I will absolutely be returning and with my whole family so they can experience this amazing food. This restaurant is located in the middle of little Italy and IS IRREPLACEABLE...We love Ignotz and will be my number one Italian food suggestion. Food,staff,atmosphere,location 100%

Enormous entree portions. Delicious good. Very good service. My table of four adults enjoyed everything we ordered. Meatballs are excellent. They have a building on the left (north) that has great atmosphere and decor but it's more crowded. Our choice was the south room/building which was quieter but still had loud music on the stereo so we asked for it to be turned down (and later someone else decided to turn it back up...). Decor in this other room is utilitarian and plain, which is disappointing but not as important as the food, so if I had to choose, this is the right trade off. Recommended.

Fabulous food, great drinks, and possibly the nicest owner and staff I have ever encountered! Roger and his team are the best! Even if it is your first time there, Roger makes you feel like a regular! If you have never had stuffed gnocchi before, or even if you have, this is a must at Ignotz! The most tender and light gnocchi ever, filled like little pillows of ricotta! Regulars like lasagna and chicken parm are fabulous as well!! Don't be nervous when you arrive, the entrance is down a narrow alley to the side of the building!

The food was phenomenal. Extremely filling, seems very authentic. Our server did a great job of explaining all the items and what we should try. I got the chicken Parmigiana and my wife got the Stuffed Gnocchi. We both had a minestrone before that. Dark Chocolate Cherries. The gnocchi melts in your mouth, best I've had thus far. Really nice atmosphere inside and out. Lots of other Italian restaurants on the street as well which adds to the ambiance. Oh also to start we had to Calamari, really great. After the meal was done they brought us chocolate covered cherries.

It's so sad and unfortunate that we live so far from this place. We have only been able to visit twice many years back. Fortunately, the food and service are still as great as I remember. We made reservations so when we arrived we were quickly seated. Our server was very kind and attentive. The environment is very welcoming as if you have been a long time customer. The food was delicious and perfectly seasoned. I think we will start coming here more often because of the welcoming hospitality and the great food. Thank you for maintaining your standards.

Sorry but quality has dropped pretty significantly since our last visit 7 mos prior No Bueno

Highly recommend this place! Owner comes out and says hi to everyone. Great food also!

While certain meals are a bit pricey, the cuisine is good, the environment is pleasant, and the service is prompt and accurate.

Ordered: Salad, Stuffed Gnocchi, Chicken A La Tippi, Cannoli, Chocolate Covered Cherries, Dirty Martini, Old Fashioned, Limoncello My Experience: Ignotz has withstood the test of time propped up by great italian food, service, and classic ambiance. The wait staff and host staff are constantly walking around to make sure your meal is experienced right. The place gets packed for dinner and I suggest you make a reservation. If you do not have one, head to the bar for a pre-dinner drink. Ignotz does the classic Italian food right without much on the menu that strays from your favorite Italian dishes. In my experience, every meal gets bread with a head of roasted garlic and chocolate covered cherries to accompany your dinner. Ideal Move: Make a reservation a week ahead and ask to get seated in the room with the fireplace (this is the livelier room which includes a bar at the back). Come with a date or with family. If you are a group of two, ordering a pasta and a chicken dish will be plenty!

This place was by far the best italian I've ever had! I saw this place on Yelp and saw the stuffed gnocchi and I really wanted to try it. When we got there, we were served with bread and roasted garlic which was delicious. These stuffed gnocchis were huge and are amazing. The servers were super friendly as well. Definitely recommend this place!

An awesome neighborhood place! So welcoming and wonderful food! They have a great space for parties. Don't snooze on the sausage pizza it is fabulous!

It's our 30th anniversary dinner and my husband is into Tik Tok. Can I just say, the only one in our family? So anyway, he sees a Tik Tok video about best Italian restaurants in Chicago and this made the list! Located in little Italy area of Chicago, it's a cute homey restaurant that felt like you're in your Nonno and Nonna's house replete with a fireplace. What better start to a meal than warm bread but even better a baked garlic bulb sitting in olive oil, yum! We ordered the chicken Parmesan, traditional Italian dish but we switched out the marinara for arrabiata sauce, adding a nice kick to it. Tasty but Nothing stand out. I ordered the lemon halibut which was served over spinach and was delicious. Both entrees come with soup or salad. The minestrone soup tasted homemade. Taking home half the chicken parm, we had a little room for dessert. I was only listening for spumoni so when I heard that first, I have no idea what else they served. Excellent spumoni. A nice touch of two chocolate covered cherries over whip cream was another nice touch. Hubby gets extra points for this find!

If repeat visits and take aways here at "Ignotz's" are meaningful, then this ristorante is important, consequential, worthwhile and valid for us, ie., family, guests, out-of-towners, neighbors. Chicago style pizza the way I know it. A good feeling place. +ambiance

Great food - great service - great ambiance! Old school people - old school business! Roger the owner was very personable walking table to table to check on food and experience. Love the Pilson family restaurants. So hospitable. We will definitely be back!

The food is excellent and the atmosphere is warm. The staff is very friendly as well.

Arrived Very Early in Afternoon Resturant Located in Very Residential Neighborhoody area offering Great Outdoors Seating with Music when Seated was met with Roasted Garlic in Oil with Bread ..Staff was Quick and Very Helpful Giving Off a Welcome and Real Feel Making Me Feel more Comfortable & At Home Great Service

A wonderful meal! A place to come to back too , many times! Service was spot on , we did not feel rushed during our meal, to proceed to the next course. The bread with roasted garlic was wonderful! We had oysters and the bruschetta and both were ever perfect! For a main entree I had one of the specials, the Chilean sea bass over a bed of spinach and it was a large portion and delicious! My husband had the veal with pasta, it was delicious in flavor. However it was extremely over breaded, to make it seem more than what it was. This location is small, and personal in service, and a great spot for a cozy couples dinner. We would definitely go to again.

Came here for a large family dinner. It's great Italian food served family style. We sat at a bunch of tables pushed together in a long table to accommodate our group. Lovely food and service!

Great place for an Italian meal. The food was delicious, and the service was fantastic. Came here with a small group to celebrate a birthday. The entire staff went out of the way to wish a happy birthday. A must if looking for some delicious pasta or pizza.