il Carciofo

Everything was amazing. We sat at the chefs counter. Eric as our waiter gave great recommendations and amazing service. Victor and Billy were so great cooking our various dishes. They were interactive and so fun to be there. Highly recommend and sit at the chefs counter if you can!

Everything we ate was so good but the lamb appetizer and rigatoni carbonara were our favorites! Our server was great and loved the Roman theme to the interior and menu choices. We will definitely be returning to this spot

We ordered the artichoke, suppli ragu, lamb ribs, carbonara, ravioli pomodoro, and mortadella pizza (it's really a sandwich). The artichoke, lamb ribs and mortadella pizza were the hits. All excellent and I would eat multiple orders of (especially the ribs). The carbonara was a bit on the salty side, which ended up pairing well with the pomodoro. The suppli was good, just not as good as everything else. For dessert we got gianduja gelato and the maritozzi. The gelato was excellent while the maritozzi was very plain and boring. Overall, I would easily go again, order the artichoke, lamb ribs, and mortadella and then try some of their other offerings. Great spot for a date night or a group of friends.

Such a great experience! The restaurant is beautiful and our waiter was extremely friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. The food was so good. We got the fried artichoke, beef arinchini, the lamb, carbonara, the spicy rigatoni, the potatoes and the pistachio gelato. The artichoke with the lemon was something I’d never had before and definitely something I’d recommend! The lamb was falling off the bone it was so tender. The pistachio gelato may have been our favorite even though everything was amazing. You could tell it was homemade and tasted very fresh and delicious.

The dishes use few ingredients, but that simplicity packs a lot of flavor. We didn't order the namesake and instead jumped right in with the Abbacchio alla Scottadito, which is one of the many dishes that I can't pronounce on the menu, but those lamb ribs were fantastic. The rosemary was subtle and didn't over power the dish. The highlight for me was the Roman style pizza, Boscaiola. The fennel sausage and maitake went so well together with the airy crust. In my never ending odyssey to try all of the fresh pasta in Chicago, the hand rolled pasta had hits and misses. The cacio e pepe was over salted to the point that I couldn't have more than a couple bites. This was the only dish I tried that the seasoning was too aggressive. The Gnocchetti Pesto was light and the pesto added a freshness to the dish. It was a little gummy. The ravioli was a pleasant surprise and had a nice amount of ricotta and spinach filling. Restaurant ravioli always seems so underwhelming, but this was my favorite of the three I tried. The lemon sorbet was fantastic. It is very rich and the portions were great. Best split with a date or the table. With a seasonal changing menu, I'm looking forward to what comes next. I'll definitely be back to order another one of the pizzas.

Loved this place. The fried artichoke was great. The salad I got was amazing with that cheese. Carbonara was too salty for me personally. The straciatella sandwich was sooo good. The chocolate gelato was phenomal.

Absolutely incredible! Nice big space, open kitchen and beautiful bar. Chef's counter was an awesome spot to dine. Everything was awesome including the seasonal Spritz,Fried Artichokes, carbonara, Boscaiola pizza and Pistachio Gelato! Look forward to returning here and also to Rosemary.

We dined here 3 days after their opening, so if you're reading this months from now- please keep that in mind. The food was all very good. We started with the artichokes, burrata, and lamb ribs. Next we moved on to the mortadella pizza and then we finished with two pastas, the carbonara and the oxtail tagliatelle. The artichokes were amazing- and i don't normally eat artichokes. The burrata and parma ham was average, the bread which accompanied it was excellent. The lamb ribs- beautiful- i could have eaten those all night. The mortadella pizza was really more of a sandwich of sorts- but i would come back just for that. it was great. The oxtail pasta was probably the best thing we had that night. The carbonara was not my cup of tea. i found the pecorino being used to be a bit too funky for my liking. However- the dish was executed flawlessly, i just didn't care for the taste. Chocolate gelato for dessert was great and the Cocchi Barolo Chinato is going to become a staple of my wine cellar. Service was a bit hit and miss, but is to be expected with a restaurant which just opened 3 days earlier. It did seem like our server had way too many tables. We waited at times more than 15 minutes for our wine order/refills. The dessert wine showed up 10 minutes after gelato. We asked that everything be coursed out but all three of our starters showed up at the same time, which on a tiny table, is my biggest pet peeve with restaurants today. I understand the need to get the whole order at once, but be realistic, there's not enough room on a two top for everything to show up at once. Also, the tables are extremely close together... like someone's ass is going to be in your face if they try to squeeze between the tables instead of walking around the row. Overall though, it was a great meal and we will be returning for sure. Street parking was plentiful.

The place: we had 4:30 reservations, along with a handful of others, but by 5:15 the expansive space was packed. Seeing the massive pizza oven and all the activity around the open kitchen makes dining here exciting. Some tables are v close together, but enough space to slide in and out. Service was excellent. We never had an empty water glass. They replaced our plates in between multiple courses. The taste: we shared the swordfish crudo (I could have used more Cara Cara segments, but overall was pleasant, balanced, a lovely dish), the Roman artichoke - I wish I could eat the center over and over again. The fried pieces, of course, were delightful, but the heart was simply scrumptious. The lamb fell off the bone and we could not get enough of the glaze. We shared the cacio e Pepe (too salty for me, so not my favorite) and the pesto gnocchetti - this was a nicely sized dish with green pillows of pesto-dusted bite sizes of yum. To keep with the green, we ended the meal with a hearty portion of pistachio gelato. My face: appreciative smile. $150 pre-tip for dinner for two, three drinks total. Prefer this to Rose Mary, but to each their own. Nicely done, Chef Flamm.

2 drinks , shared 2 apps and one shared pizza $85 each person including tip... all while sitting at the bar, while people are yelling behind you to get a drink.. Yes it was Friday night but it was 8:30 and still it was insane! People literally were yelling in our ears the whole damn time!!! Rude and obnoxious!! Our bartender was nice but the bar was so chaotic I literally had to speak so loud so my friend could hear me. Apps are $19-21 and drinks $16-19! They are good but not $17-$19 great There are just so many great Italian restaurants in Chicago ...so $85 per person for 2 shared Apps and one small pizza plus 2 small drinks are not what I would come back for!! Another super expensive restaurant in Fulton Mit....there's just so many here.. Glad I tried it but I definitely wouldn't be back.

I dined at Il Carciofo, and let me just say, as someone who loves trying new restaurants (and taking a few Instagram-worthy pics along the way), this place was good. The vibe is chic, a perfect for a casual dinner with friends. The lighting was warm, and the decor gave a subtle nod to Italy without being over the top. Now for the food: I started with the fried artichokes (because how could you not at a place named Il Carciofo?), and they were light, crispy, and perfectly Parmed. For my main, I ordered the rigatoni alla carbonara, and wow, this dish was everything. Creamy, rich, and with just the right amount of guanciale. The service was on point. My waiter was friendly, knew the menu, and gave excellent recommendations. Overall, Il Carciofo is a spot I'll definitely be coming back to. Great food, stylish ambiance, and perfect for catching up with friends.

The food and water bussers were amazing and so attentive! Our waiter was less attentive- we had to flag him down for every cocktail and it took a long time. Artichokes were fine but not anything I'd order again. The pasta that everyone raved about unfortunately came out undercooked for us and very salty. The halibut was overcooked and also salty. The pizza was the true star of the meal- the crust was pillowy and crispy, not greasy, with a perfect ratio of toppings that melded together in perfect harmony. Would come back just for their pizzas and the espresso martini. Pistachio gelato was generous for the portion and much appreciated for a complimentary bday celebration. May come back to give the pastas another chance.

The artichokes are a must!! Amazing. The gnocchi in pesto tasted very fresh with a very unique basil taste. The service was fantastic - would definitely have another date night here!

I read that it was next to impossible to nab a reservation, but I was able to walk in at 5 on a Monday at the bar. That said, there didn't seem to be many open seats, so it's well worth making a reservation. I believe the Rosso pizza is the most popular pizza, but I got the Boscaiola, a mozzarella pizza with fennel sausage and mushroom. It was excellent! I didn't notice a flavor difference between this pizza and another, well-made fennel sausage and mushroom pizza, but it's an exceptional pizza for a reasonable price. I highly recommend. I also got the Carciofo Alla Giudia, a signature appetizer and, according to Wikipedia, "is among the best-known dishes of Roman Jewish cuisine!" Definitely the best artichokes I've ever had. It was so tender. It was the perfect mix of salty and fatty. The flavor reminded me a lot of Lay's potato chips. I got the mango sorbet for dessert. It was creamy and has just the right amount of tang. They make the sorbet in-house! The portion was almost too generous--but I can't complain about that. However, I didn't like that they added a 4% surcharge, which didn't seem to be mentioned on the menu. Taking a star off for that.

We went on night 5 and I think they're still working out their menu and service... I'd say overall food was 3.5 but rounding up bc I adore joes other spots and know that we're still in early days, good service by Stephanie and the decor and spot is lovely! - suppli pesto - play on an arancini and was deep fried and delish. Shoutout to Stephanie for recommending that we order this, no regrets! - artichoke - given the restaurant namesake, I was not impressed with the artichoke and prob wouldn't order it again - rigatoni carbonara - super salty between the guanciale and the overall seasoning. Don't get me wrong, I ate every bite but I also drank a lot of water - ravioli - good flavor and chew - pesce - halibut cooked nicely, the clams and mussels were nice but would love more given the price point and that it was sold as a stew. Much more elevated play on a stew - zeppoli - the amarena cherry on this is DIVINE Drinks: - espresso martini - nice flavor - Romano - liked this - Americano - did not like the flavor profile here Place was packed for a Monday night as expected for chef Joe. I'll definitely come back to try other menu items and see how they refine menu and service. But so fun to be part of early start.

We love Rose Mary & so we're excited when we heard Chef Joe was opening another restaurant. A disclaimer is that my current 2 favorite Italian restaurants are Avvio (for the chicken parm) and Monteverde. With so many Italian restaurants in the city, you have to be next level to stand out and sadly, Il Carciofo does not. Everything we ate was fine (prosciutto, artichoke, mortadella panini, tagliatelle, and vanilla gelato - but nothing stood out. And for us, the artichoke felt a little overrated. It was greasy. The service was fine & the space is open and feels welcoming. But, this is not somewhere we'd go out of our way to go to again (especially so close to Monteverde). If someone else was super excited I'd try it again.

Another incredible restaurant by Joe Flamm! The ambiance/vibe was casual but still very nice and perfect for a date night. Service was attentive. I really appreciated our server explaining to us what some of the less common Roman/italian dishes are. Food and drinks: -we all loved the basil daisy. It was refreshing and not sweet. -suppli ragu 9/10 -crudo 8/10 -puntarella 9.5/10 (very acidic so if that's not your thing, you may not like this) -carbonara 7/10 (was too salty for my taste) -amatriciana 10/10 (the guanciale bits really elevated and brought the dish together) -pesto 9.75/10 (gives monteverde's pesto a run for their money) -aglio a olio 10/10 (light, fresh. Very unexpected dish we all LOVED)

I liked it. Mostly good service, nice people. They made a mistake on one of my dishes (bone in it when there shouldn't have been) so they gave it to us for free. Food was good, I think the artichokes may have been the best dish. Will try the pizzas next time too. Pastas were fine, nothing special honestly though. Wanted to love the pastas more. Some feedback for improvement: Don't think waiters should be asking us what we are having next (food wise). They ask after every dish. It's a little off-putting. I understand they want to give the right silverware but they should know without asking us. Shouldn't have to answer a question after every course. Definitely should improve this so they don't constantly interrupt our conversation. Also, bussers were way too eager to take plates and would start to grab before my GF was done. Should be improved. But good food. We went second day ever that is was open I think. So I know they'll work kinks out because ownership is good.

West loop's newest cozy Roman style pizza and pasta place far exceeded our expectations! The hospitality we experienced by the bar servers far surpassed any restaurant in the area, we had a lovely time. We ordered the vegetarian options of two pastas, and the fried artichoke. The best part was the pistachio gelato! There is a 4% restaurant surcharge added to all bills.

Absolutely amazing experience! The food was divine. Went for a special dinner before a concert at Salt Shed. Reservation was for 5:30 and we got there a little early and they were able to swat us right away. Street parking is plentiful and easy to find. The restaurant only opened a couple weeks ago, but everything flowed so well you wouldn't know it. Everything was absolutely delicious. Loved ordering the entire meal at once and letting them set the pace. You can tell they have an incredible system, as we were never without a dish or a drink. The service was impeccable. Our server was Reina and she was wonderful, answering questions and offering advice. The space is absolutely gorgeous and would be perfect for an event. The open kitchen was cool and next time we hope to sit and be able to watch the magic as they prepare the dishes. Can't wait for our next visit. You will not be disappointed.

Great food and drinks in a lively atmosphere. Service was friendly and great at explaining the menu. Still a little too quick on the draw taking plates away, but it's the first month and everyone is still losing. Definitely get the titular fried artichoke dish. Amazing. The pizzas were also very tasty. Don't eat too much of the mains though, because they have some of the best gelato I've ever tasted in America. Looking forward to making a return visit.

Overall, our meal was great! Everything we ordered was delicious. We got the artichoke, suppli, ribs, rosso pizza, carbonara, tagliatelle and gelato. No complaints about the food, it was all great! We were a bit worried since we saw reviews about things being overly salty, but it seems they have fixed that issue. The star deduction is due to the prices. Very small portion sizes for $$$$. We didn't drink, and our bill was still $200. Also a 4% surcharge added to all bills. Joe was walking around checking in on guests and bringing out different courses. It was nice to see him out on the floor, really shows he cares! He came over to our table to check in and was very kind. We'll be back for sure!

Pros - food was very well prepared, especially our starters, beautiful space Cons - very small portions, server wasn't attentive and we had to flag her down to get more drinks and our bill paid I really wanted to like this place given how much I enjoy Rosemary but it didn't live up to the hype.

It's hard to review Chicago Italian joints, because the reality is you're going to have a great time at dozens of them across different price points. Il Carciofo was fantastic. It's got this giant oven being put to good use, and the uniqueness of the restaurant was how that oven led to incredible char flavors while also maintaining the freshness of the ingredients. The best example is the zucchini pizza. Perfectly charred crust but barely cooked veg. Perfection. And order the gelato! Only criticism is red wine was served a little cold, which was surprising.

Our friends suggested this for a post holiday dinner. I'd never heard of it, but I might be the only one who hasn't based on the earliest reservation we could get being at 9:15. The space wouldn't remind you of an Italian place. That's an observation, not an insult; it's sleek, with a modern mid century feel. Our server was excellent, attentive, but not overbearing and knowledgeable. We started with both Supli and the Crudo. Both were excellent. Next we had the Rosso pizza. I was a bit nervous here as the table next to us had the mortadella pizza and that looked very hearty. This was not overly filling, as I feared, but a perfect bite in between dishes. For 4 people, it was just enough for a taste without overdoing it. For our pasta dishes, we got the Cacio e Pepe and the Oxtail tagliatelle. I don't eat meat, but the oxtail was a table favorite. The Cacio e Pepe was excellent with that nice salty parmesan finish. For our final course we did the Maiale and the Pesce. From a heartiness perspective the Maile was the heartier of the two with two distinct pieces of pork, one being pork belly. Again, rave reviews from the meat eaters including several comments about it being the best pork belly they've ever had. I liked, but didn't love the Pesce. The halibut and its sauce were excellent. Frankly, everything that came with a sauce, had excellent sauce. The clams and mussels were good, but something about this dish felt like the components didn't fit together as well as the other dishes. I didn't dislike it, I just wasn't waxing poetic. I didn't plan on dessert, but caved and got the gianduja (hazelnut) gelato. It was so good and the portion was huge. It was a nice way to cap off my meal. I'd definitely dine here again in the future.

Ahh! The D.O. Group has done it again. Their behind Rosmary, BLVD & etc. I had Brussel Sprouts. The staff and service is fantastic.

Il Carciofo definitely honors it namesake with their Carciofi alla guida - it was the best artichoke I've had outside of Rome. Everything we ordered was amazing though - the sleeper hit being the pane bianco- GET THE PANE BIANCO. Our server Ryan was fabulous and really our guide through this gorgeous menu and had some amazing wine recs. The restaurant is beautiful and so comfortable. It's giving high quality without pretense. My hope is to experience dinner at the bar next time - there will absolutely be a next time.

Service was pretty good, I appreciated that they sat me at a table by myself and were helpful with recommendations. The food was also good. I ordered two apps and a pasta dish: -Crudo: 4/10, this dish smelled fishy when it came to the table (I realize this is a raw dish but the smell was off putting) and was lackluster in its flavor. The only thing I could definitively taste was the olive oil. -Suppli Ragu: 8/10, I really enjoyed this appetizer and would order it again. -Amatriciana (Pasta): 9/10, really only docking a point here because the portion was smaller than I was expecting but the guanciale, spice, and tomatoes all worked together so well. I would order this again. Overall, the restaurant was very nicely decorated and felt warm / intimate. I will be going back to sample other menu items.

This places doesn't do any substitutions or alterations to any menu items. To each their own, but I think it should be added to their website to let people know before they come. We made reservations a month ago and we ended up leaving within 15 minutes because it was "impossible" to get a different pasta with my sauce of choice. The manager was nice enough to comp our drinks when we asked for the check. The venue is nice, and being able to sit at the chefs counter and watch everyone cook was entertaining.

Wanted to give it 5 stars and I think in due time it'll get there. Service was very good, but not prompt. Wait staff was knowledgeable, friendly, and patient, but took a long time to first be seen and receive our drinks. The restaurant itself is very pretty, and it was great to see it packed. GNOCCHETTI PESTO - pillowy, light, excellent. Would order again every time. SPAGHETTI AGLIO E OLIO - highly flavorful, complex, about 30 seconds away from being fully cooked. SUPPLI RAGU - excellent, salty, crispy. Would order again. CARCIOFI ALLA GUIDA - the leaves were salty fried heavenly perfection. The heart was good, but not mind blowing. That said, will recommend to everyone going. PIZZA ROSSO - very solid, very good SWEET CREAM GELATO - would not order again. Grainy, icy, and over churned. Cocktails were both solid. Looking forward to going back. All in all for a few week old restaurant was very impressed.

All of the food was delicious! We got the artichoke, suppli, a pizza, 3 pastas, pork, pistachio gelato, and a dessert pastry. Each dish was amazing. Would definitely recommend checking it out!

Wow, what a disappointment. Don't get me wrong. The food here is very solid Italian food and you'll enjoy what you eat. But considering the reputation of Joe Flamm, Rose Mary, and other projects, and the hype around this place, I am pretty baffled at the hype. The four pastas we tried could all be on any menu at any new, trendy Italian place in the city. The flatbread pizzas are fine. Nothing to write home about. The The Cariciofo appetizer was the only unique thing we had. The flavor combinations were all typical of any other restaurant. The carbonara was weirdly lacking in salt (hard to do with a carbonara...) and the gnocchetti was lacking in acid. Every dish lacked an "oomph." It was all good. Nothing was great. Nothing was a standout. There's nothing I'd tell a friend they had to try. The gelato is the only thing that was as good as the hype, and that's mostly because the serving was huge (unlike the other dishes which had very small portions). I tried very hard to get a reservation here and I am left underwhelmed. It is fine. The vibe is good. I wouldn't be opposed to going back if the opportunity came up, but I certainly I wouldn't put in the effort to get another reservation anytime soon.

I was excited to try this new restaurant but left disappointed/underwhelmed. While nothing was "bad" it just did not meet expectations and was very average. The one thing that was messed up was the carbonara - the noodles were very undercooked and I'm not referring to al dente, they were very undercooked. There are better places to spend your money.

6/5 for service and food! The artichoke, Amatriciana, and pizza bianca were all just as good--if not better--than some of my favorites in Rome. The waitstaff were also incredibly helpful and attentive. There were a couple of operational quirks that will need to be ironed out. First, the reservations are combined for both the bar area and dining room, so there's no control over where you'll be seated. I arrived with a reservation for a party of four, expecting to sit in the dining room, but we were seated at a high-top table near the door/bar area. We ended up waiting about 30 minutes until a table in the dining room opened up. I would suggest separating these reservations so guests can have a better idea of what to expect. Additionally, there's a 4% surcharge for increased operating costs added to the bill at the end. Considering the restaurant just opened and their operating costs are most likely the same as they were a few weeks ago, it would be better to just incorporate this surcharge into the menu prices. While the dining experience itself was fantastic, the surcharge left a really weird note at the end.

Everything was perfect. Amazing service and the pastas were so good. Loved the gnocchi pesto and carbonara!

Dined solo and had a reservation for a table, but the host surprised me with a seat at the kitchen counter! Loved that. My server was Jaclyn, and she made me feel right at home. I ordered: carciofi alla guida, gnocchetti pesto, rigatoni alla carbonara, and, for dessert, zeppole di san guiseppe. The artichokes' presentation was stunning and not in a cliche way. The petals were perfectly crisped without getting flaky, and the lemon brightened the flavors. For the pastas, I wasn't a fan of the rigatoni, because it was overly cheesy. A carbonara's silkiness should come from the egg yolks, not from sitting in queso. The gnocchetti, however, was heavenly. The softest pasta pillows ever. They were coated in a pesto reduction sauce that really amplified their softness. Finally, the zeppole was a nice balance of fried dough and custard. If I could, I would swap out the cherries for blueberries or blackberries. Overall I loved my time at Il Carciofo. The kitchen was lively but not boisterous, and the staff looked so skilled doing their craft. I could even see the scars on their hands and arms! That's how I knew this restaurant was built with true professionals. I'm thankful for the experience and will return.

I really loved the suppli ragu, but everything was amazing. Service was very thoughtful and great. Dessert pushed it over the top. -Felix

I absolutely love Rosemary. However, this place is mediocre, at best. From the room to the drinks to the dishes....not worth it!

Got sat at the "kitchen table" which was incredible because we got to watch all the food go out. It was a really special evening. Service was a bit slow but it's only their 3rd night.

Excellent! Be sure to try the Romanesco, ragu suppli, pesto gnocchetti, mortadella panini, artichoke, and hazelnut gelato! Will be back

Vegetarian friendly dishes are incredible. I cant wait to be back to try everything else on the menu

I really wanted to like this place because I live around the corner, but I can't in good conscience not warn people about the food. I want to make it clear that the service and ambiance are great, and I think this would be a good spot to get a drink, which is why I gave it two stars and not one. Now let me get to the food. We ordered the artichoke appetizer, the ravioli, the carbonara and the the vitello saltimbocca. The artichoke appetizer was pretty good. The rest was hot garbage...oh wait I mean cold garbage because all the food was cold. The ravioli had a very strange taste and was cold. I don't know how you mess up ravioli, I thought it was one of those foods like pizza where even bad ravioli is good. Guess this is not the case. The carbonara had an okay flavor, but also had a bit of a bizarre aftertaste. It was very cold, however, and quite off putting. Now let's get to the saltimbocca. They said everything was family style. This portion for 44 dollars would have been suitable for a family of ants. It was also very strange, had a weird taste, they tried to be overly gourmet and missed. All in all, do NOT waste your money here unless you are just going for drinks at the bar. The food often times looked good to the eye, but was cold, weird, and some of it gave vibes like my infant's poopie diaper.

Had a great dinner and time last night. The dining area is large and open which is great. There were four in our party and we could enjoy our conversation without feeling like we were sitting on top of others. The service was great and the food excellent. We went family style and had two starters, a pizza and three pastas. All were great but the Taglietelle with Oxtails was definitely a table favorite as was the Suppli Ragu and Prosciutto de Parma.

Excellent customer service, best espresso martini I have ever had. The food came quickly despite the restaurant being crowded. I tried several dishes. The spaghettoni al cacio e Pepe were too salty I couldn't finish them and the spaghetti al aglio e olio were served cold and undercooked. The pesce in guazzetto dish was excellent. Overall, the menu is overpriced, however I want to try their pizza next time. The restaurant set up is very appealing. Overall it was a great evening. Mara