Riccardo Osteria

Best Fried Squash Blossoms Ever! We had the Squash Blossoms, Pumpkin Ravioli w Sage Butter sauce and Trout w lemon, capers and Artichokes. For Dessert we had the Ear tart w Vanilla Gelato. Cute restaurant with plenty of seating. Great Italian music in the background. Excellent service. Thank you Danelle!

Second time trying out this West Loop Italian restaurant. Pretty large menu in comparison to the similar options in the neighborhood. Got there late so it was not crowded, but still fairly loud due to the proximity to the train right outside. We had a tagliatelle dish, risotto, and gnocchi with gorgonzola for the entrees. All were done well, not amazing, but solid. The only disappointment was the caprese appetizer, the tomatoes were not good, although it could just be too early in the season.

This review is based on the restaurant week menu 2025. The overall value and menus selection is not that great. I ordered the mushroom soufflé, it was OK. I didn’t see it on the original menu. I also ordered the fettuccine with lobster, I think that was the best dish I ordered that night. The salad was good and fresh, however, the eggplant Parmesan was pretty acidic and oily. The worst dish I’ve ordered is the New Yorker (New York strip) steak, I ordered it medium, but it came medium well, pretty dry, and two pieces of potato next to it. The restaurant did not have any condiments like Dijon, mustard or ketchup for the potatoes. The tiramisu was decent. Overall, the place is pretty mediocre, and this is based on the restaurant week menu, I did not try the main menu, which might be better. In most cases, the main menu is better than restaurant week menu. Finally, the service was OK, they delayed my drink. I wouldn’t go to this restaurant again unless it’s a meeting that I have to go to.

Wonderfully Dinner. The service was just really awesome and the food excellent. The Pumpkin Ravioli was a huge hit and the Squash Blossoms. Nice little neighborhood restaurant that feels very comfortable. Don't miss it!

My family and I went here for dinner while visiting Chicago from Toronto. The restaurant is cute and classy. Can get a bit loud as the train tracks go right above. Service was quick and friendly. Food was amazing! We got the lobster ravioli, octopus & carbonara dishes. Absolutely enjoyed our dinner there. Would highly recommend this restaurant.

Great Italian food in West Loop, the service definitely surpassed my expectations, and the food while not mind blowing definitely checks all the boxes. The soup of the day was fantastic, the Asiago gnocchi was also very creamy and delicious. I ordered the chicken Parmigiana with potatoes and was a very delicious plate as well. I loved the atmosphere of this place, not pretentious at all, servers were very quick and attentive, and although my voice was almost gone due to a cold they understood all my requests. Come here for a nice and relaxed Italian food experience!

My first experience here was during Restaurant Week January 2024. The experience was so positive I had to come back. The food is great and reasonably priced for the area. The service and atmosphere are accommodating and charming.

Came here with a party of four, one of them was here a couple of months ago. According to him, the portions and the entrees changed from last time. Portion size much smaller and quality of the food lowered. We all ordered the veal meatballs for an appetizer. I didn’t regret ordering them but it was a forgettable part of the meal. Similar to the below, I felt there wasn’t enough sauce on the dish. For my entree, I ordered the Pappardelle Alla Fiorentina. I enjoyed the meat, thought it was tender and tasted well. Although, I found the pasta to lack sauce and had to keep putting more Parmesan for taste. The rest of my party ordered carbonara and chicken parmigiana. They enjoyed the chicken parmigiana but said the carbonara was undercooked. For dessert we ordered a tiramisu, which was delicious would recommend. Good meal but wasn’t impressed if I’m being honest.

From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere and staff are nothing short of amazing! The food was immaculate. I have the grilled octopus with basil pesto and crushed potatoes. Everyone else loved their dishes from pasta to pizza to steak. I highly recommend checking out this gem in the West Loop!

I stepped into Riccardo Osteria with a sense of nostalgia, a place that once held a special place in my heart for its authentic Italian fare. However, my recent visit left me feeling a bit underwhelmed. While the ambiance remains charming, with its warm lighting and cozy decor, the food and service seemed to have taken a slight dip. The calamari, crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and seasoned to perfection. It was a delightful start to the meal, a glimmer of hope that the rest of the evening would be just as good. But alas, it was a fleeting moment. The burrata, a classic Italian dish, was decent but lacked the richness I've come to expect. It was as if the cheese had lost its soul, a mere shadow of its former self. The meatballs, while tasty, were disappointingly small. It felt like a tease, a promise of flavor that was never fully delivered. The branzino, a highlight in previous visits, was cooked well but the portion size was underwhelming. It was as if the kitchen had forgotten the meaning of generosity. The mussels, though flavorful, were a bit overcooked, leaving them tough and chewy. The service, once attentive and friendly, seemed a bit rushed and impersonal. It was as if the staff was going through the motions, lacking the passion and care that once defined the restaurant. While the food and service may have taken a step back, there's still hope.

Sweet little spot by all the action of West Loop / Randolph street. We walked by on a Thursday evening and were seated immediately, it wasn't too crowded. I really liked the bread that they brought out the beginning, it was soft and had veggies baked into the top. I definitely recommend the mushroom risotto - cooked very well and the portion was large enough for me to have leftovers for lunch the following day.

I came in with a group of 9 and we were all pleased with the food! It seems to be authentic Italian food. I wouldn't know, I'm not Italian but by looking at their menu, it seems authentic. I had a linguine dish with clams and it was great. They give plenty of small clams, tomatoes, and whole garlic. It looked like they only put parsley so I had to season it more with black pepper. Maybe that's not the correct way to eat this dish, but I found that it tasted better with black pepper. The expresso martinis are yummy here! I would love to come again to try other dishes. Everything sounded good, it was hard to decide on one dish. This is a great location because you can go to dinner here and go out to the bars in Fulton market.

Big menu, lots of options. Had great service! Everyone was so nice and knowledgeable. Overall nice experience

I really enjoyed a date night with my husband at this cute and cozy west loop restaurant. It is on the smaller side, and the vibe is intimate. Service was very helpful with questions we had about the menu, as it was our first time there. We ordered a chicken mushroom dish and a pasta and shared, we both enjoyed our dinners. Food came out quickly and everything was very fresh.

Lovely food, great service, nice venue. Carbonara was lovely! Could've used a bit more space at the table as it was pretty tightly packed but other than that it was a great time!

so my friend and i weren't actually planning on eating here - we kind of just stumbled across this spot while looking for a place to eat. the food was pretty decent (simple, straightforward flavors and dishes. nothing crazy or fancy), but the authentic and homey vibe was what i liked about this restaurant! there was a live singer (she was amazing) and the wood interior was cozy and welcoming (i forgot to take pics). i think this place would be even better in the winter! what we ordered: - milanese con polpettine (risotto) - trofie al pesto (pasta) - espresso martinis

Everything was amazing! Service and food. Appetizers we ordered in favorite ranking: -Tuna appetizer was really good and refreshing -Fried Arancini soo good -gnocchi these are amazing! So light and fluffy and yummy Entrees we split in order of my fav: -Papardelle Fiorentina 10000/10 my new fav dish will def be getting again so much flavor and the short rib pieces were perfectly cooked -chicken Parmesan was so crispy and had some potato wedge on the side it was amazing -Tagliolini Paglia Fieno light and good -Trofie Al Pesto light and good such a fun noodle If we go back I'm def getting the paradelle florentina, gnocchi or tuna for an app and the tiramisu. They also brought out a dessert for our bday gal!

We made reservations at the bar at 6:45 and we were supposed to have dinner before a show. When we arrived the hostess told us the bar was full. We asked for a table and were told they were full. I asked to speak to the manager who was available but refused to come talk to us. We waited for 15 minutes and then left. There were no apologies from the restaurant.

Food was very good with limited menu Service was very good but it was not busy French fries served with entrees which was strange Nice looking restaurant and very comfortable environment

When in Chicago, friends took us to this fantastic restaurant. We shared several appetizers that were cooked and seasoned to perfection. Dinner was amazing, I had the veal piccata, others had chicken parmigiana, Seabass, evening pasta special - all were delicious. Portions were large and flavors were shared across the table. Espresso martinis, fine coffees for dessert along with delicious lemon, tart and tiramisu. When back in Chicago, we will return as there were too many choices on the menu that looked great, we only tried six of them, all were cooked perfectly. Service was over the top, team service to keep waters full and spot on with wine pairings for the dishes.

3.75 - great date spot! A little more expensive but quality food and not outrageously priced. Our server was very knowledgeable and sweet as well and water was refilled consistently. Two gender neutral bathrooms in the back as well.

Every summer, we visit one of the Riccardo's locations for a date night. This year, we decided to venture out of Lincoln Park and try Riccardo's Osteria in West Loop. The food and service were both great, as usual. The decor and ambiance of this location felt more casual than the other two, but it was still nice for a date night. The bread basket contained both focaccia and traditional Italian bread. We enjoyed it with the fava bean antipasti, which I had never tried. It was very good and as a vegetarian, I was thrilled to have a plant based protein at an Italian restaurant. I had the spaghetti a la Kiki as my entree, which was a special. It was so good, with fresh pasta, summer tomatoes in their peak, and plenty of buratta cheese.

Literally the best gnocchi I have ever had. The pear martini was also good Waitress gave good, honest recommendations. Very cute and quaint little spot - would eat there again!

They start you out with bread service. The zucchini bread was really good. The olive oil they use for dipping could be better. We asked for balsamic and it definitely helped the taste. We got the lobster fettuccine and the gnocchi. The lobster fettuccine was phenomenal. The portion sizes are fairly large. The gnocchi itself had a little bit of a funky taste. Despite that the sauce on it was delicious. I still enjoyed them. Definitely will be coming back.

What a wonderful surprise entering Riccardo Osteria and seeing a full house both bar and restaurant, buzzing like a hornets nest during Chicago Restaurant Week. I must say, Riccardo's Restaurant Week menu was the most comprehensive and fair priced I've seen in years. These nice people tried to show case their food, not make a score; they wanted us patrons to come back and possibly be regular customers. They sure hooked me and I found this approach very smart. The only difficult thing about tonight's dinner was picking a starter, a main course and a dessert as everything they listed looked fantastic. I opted for: * Tricolore Endive, arugula, radicchio, aged balsamic & goat cheese as my first course and it was great * My second course was a grilled seafood platter that was fantastic * My wife ordered their Polpettine Puttanesca Veal and ricotta meatballs as her first crourse * Branzino Filet Piccata White wine lemon caper sauce, asparagus as her main One Tiramisu and One Torta Della Nonna and this feast was done! Riccardo Osteria's "Chicago Restaurant" week was a winner. I am sure we will be going back there very soon for their regular menu.

Such a great place! The Carbonara is so fresh and the gnocchi was the perfect texture - it was not too chewy; pillowy yet cheesy with the perfect amount of sauce. Both pastas gave a hefty serving. The pizza was great but a little undercooked. Highly recommend this place! Service was also exceptional!!

Made a reservation for a Sunday night dinner with a friend and the place was pretty empty. Started off with some wine and cocktails - got the Sangiovese Red and a friend ordered a Paloma and a Bellini. Nothing really special on the cocktail menu, pretty standard and the drinks were okay. Our waitress was very nice though and answered all of our questions nicely, but the food was not it. We ordered the Tuscan Fries, the Orecchiette the Tortelloni. The Tuscan fries were too crispy - you could tell the oil they were fried in wasn't good. The Orecchiette was really plain and wasn't seasoned at all. The ricotta in the Tortelloni also was not fresh - it was basically crumbling. None of the dishes we ordered had flavor. While the food was edible, I was disappointed in the meal and for the prices I was expecting more. Would not return.

A great Italian option in West Loop! I came here with a party of 12 for restaurant week in January and enjoyed the experience and food! Usually it's harder to get a reservation for this big of a group, but it wasn't a problem at Riccardo Osteria. The service was great and the staff continuously made sure we were doing alright. I ordered the Tuna Tartare, Grilled Mix Seafood, and the Panna Cotta, all which were great! No one from my table disliked their food! Would recommend!

Nowhere has my heart quite like here. I first came here 4 years ago on a date with my partner. I hadn't lived in a city long and had no concept of Fulton market or the area at all and thought this place was so cool because it was under the train tracks on Lake. Blah blah, sentimental! There are so few local joints in this area where you don't have to make a reservation a month in advance these days for an overhyped dish. I reviewed a certain such place recently, and let me tell you how much more amazing the ricotta dumplings with pink vodka sauce blew theirs out of the water. My god I will die thinking about that dish (the worst part was my bestie ordered it and not me!) We also had the arugula salad, which was exactly what I was craving. The peppery lettuce with the soft artichokes and delicious lemony dressing-- all topped with big fat shavings of parm. I wish I could have this daily. For my main I had the linguine volgole to have something fresh and light, and it hit the spot. If i'm being honest it was extremely light on flavor but I have a feeling it was a one off. I still enjoyed it immensely! The aforementioned ricotta dumplings with pink vodka sauce were on special, and I will unfortunately have to call and speak with the manager about when and where I can have them again, because they were out of this world. So pleasantly salty in the filling, zesty from the sauce, which also cut through the richness but also added to it with the cream in the sauce. Wow. We also shred a side of garlic rapini because we love our greens! It was so tasty and one of my favorite parts actually. For desert the torta della Nonna was pretty much the most fabulous thing I've ever tasted in my life if you can believe it. I haven't even talked about service! We sat at the bar and the bartender who served us was just so professional, on his game, never missed a beat, gave us unspoken privacy, kept wine glasses full. He was amazing. I would go back just to get some good attentive service. The quintessential neighborhood spot

Found this place when I was looking for a last minute reservation for 3 people on a Thursday night . When had a 8:30 reservation and two of us got there early , there were a lot of tables available but we were told we wouldn't be seated til our reservation time and once everyone in our party was present (we were waiting for one more person ) . Keep that in mind when dining here . Once my other friend arrived we were seated right away , we requested one of the inside tables next to the patio and they were very accommodating, loved the indoor / outdoor space . That night they also had live music in the patio . For food we ordered the burrata & prosciutto, beef carpaccio and risotto pescatore , everything was really good but the risotto was amazing !! For drinks we ordered old fashioneds but they were not good . I saw most people drinking wine , so maybe that's a better option here .

This place didn't live up to the hype and I was disappointed to say the least. We made reservations about 4 days in advance on a Saturday. The reviews seemed promising. Lots of outdoor seating available. Service: good from waiter but the bussers seemed like they had to get us out asap. Wasn't the most pleasing service I've had. Food: meh, maybe not worth the price. I ordered the risotto Pescatore. Lots of seafood but I felt like I could've been served this at Olive Garden. I expected better quality and a richer, complex taste. My friend wasn't a huge fan of the sauce on a gnocchi and my other friend said the bucatini could have been cooked a bit more. The pear tart was okay. Good flavor on the pear but I would have liked to see a flakier crust and less sweet esp when paired with the ice cream.

Actually, I made this reservation in error-- I intended to book at the Lincoln Park location, a favorite. But the food was equally as wonderful; ww were surprised that the arancini was served with a killer spicy Diablo sauce, but waiter generously brought a replacement with marinara. The bonus Panna cotta was sublime.

Was celebrating my friend's birthday, but I just remembered that I had to make reservations on a Saturday night. Looked at different restaurants on Google, and her preference was pasta. Called and got a reservation and I tell you they didn't disappoint. Service was great, the wine was good and the food was delicious. I highly recommend the eggplant and zucchini parmigiana, Bread and olive oil are so good. I had the lobster and pasta dish, my friend had the lamb shank. Topped it all off with the pear tart for dessert. Management made sure when asked to make my pasta dish without the cream. It was so good that we returned the next day and got carry-outs. The same care for excellence went into our carry-out just as if we were dining in. That's not always the case. Will be returning and recommending.

I am so glad I got to this third outpost from Riccardo Michi. I have been to Riccardo Trattoria, his first restaurant, in Lincoln Park, since it opened in 2006. I had not yet been to the West Loop location. What a delight! The food is delicious. EVERY dish. Our group of 7 people had: burrata, fried calamari and shrimp, tuna tartare, truffle risotto (done perfectly), lamb Milanese, salmon, mussels in pot, and 3 pastas (bolognese, sausage (forget the name), and short ribs). Plates were completely cleared. We finished with tiramisu. It's easy to talk here, too. There was 1 pre-teen and 3 teens in our group (with 3 adults). Go and enjoy!

Such a quaint little Italian restaurant! I loved the exposed brick inside and the twinkle lights strung from above for the holiday season. We came here on Tuesday night for a friends birthday and were seated right at our reservation time. At 6:45, it was fairly quiet, but continued to pick up to nearly a full house by the time by the time we left, so I definitely recommend a reservation or arriving earlier in the evening! We started with the fried calamari and caprese salad. The calamari is really the only menu item that let me down a bit. Instead of being fried in a crispy breading, it ended up being a heavier one that was a little bit on the soggy side and often fell off the actual calamari. The caprese was delicious and fresh with multi colored heirloom tomatoes. What really stole the show for me was the tortellini di ricotta. This dish was to die for with ricotta, parmesan, and spinach filled tortellini in a golden butter sage sauce. The sauce is heavenly with crunchy fresh sage on top and the pasta was cooked perfectly. It only comes with about 4 tortellinis which made me think it wouldn't feel me up, but I was the perfect amount without making me feel overly full like most Italian food does. Over server (who doubled as the hostess) was kind and attentive. Overall, excellent experience at Riccardo Osteria and would love to come back for one of their live music nights!

I came here with a large group on a weeknight and definitely did not need a reservation, even though we had one. We were seated inside as the outside was full since it was a nice night out and there was a live musician. We were able to hear just fine from the inside as the windows were all open. It was truly a city experience as the "L" train is right outside so as the waiter was telling us the specials, the train came by and he had to pause since it was so loud. We ordered a few appetizers, including the calamari and the burrata prosciutto. Both were great, but I especially liked the burrata. For my entree, I got the branzino, which they warned me was served whole. They brought the fish out with the head and everything to show me, but then took it back to slice it up so I had no owrk to do when it arrived back to my seat. The presentation was awesome, but the sauce was a bit light for me. I could have used more flavor! That said, it was still a great meal in a great atmosphere.

I'm not going to mince words. Don't come here if you are vegan, as they have almost nothing. It's old school italian, which means you're encountering cheese and meat or fish almost everywhere you look on the menu. I came here with a group and when I asked about options it was basically just a plate of pasta with plain sauce. There were fries too (old reliable), but these do not make a meal. I am giving two stars because at least the server humored my request and didn't flat out say they had basically nothing.

First off, I would like to say, we personally called the restaurant weeks before to place a reservation for a large party to celebrate a close friends birthday. They confirmed, called us on the day to make sure we were still coming at the scheduled time. Much to our surprise, when we got there, the hostess said our table WAS NOT ready and could NOT provide us a time for when it would be. Anyways, we went back 30 minutes later, and she rudely said, "I'll just text you whenever it's ready but you can come back in 15-30 minutes for more updates" and basically tried to get us out the door (just to give you an idea, we got the text at 10:40 pm over 3 hours after our scheduled reservation). The hostess said she could not help us even though, again we had a reservation. Considering we personally called to place a reservation, if they couldn't handle multiple reservations, they could have turned us down. We then asked for the manager, who honestly was MUCH nicer. The only reason I am giving this restaurant higher than 1 star is because the manager understood our frustrations and apologized for their mistake. He promptly and personally turned over a table for us. He offered to comp some of our meal and ensured that that the remainder of our service was phenomenal. Our party would like to personally thank management for being professional and upholding our reservation. Our server was also amazing and so nice. But what I will say is the hostess herself and her attitude will likely keep me from returning here, I understand customer service is a hard field to be in, but patronizing customers who have been nice but firm about having our reservation time protected, is NOT the way to go. For drinks, the pear martini, prosecco, merlot, and old fashioneds were delicious. As for the food, for appetizers we got were meatballs, zucchini blossoms and calamari - all which were enjoyed. For the main courses, the carbonara and shrimp scampi were favorites. For those of us who were vegetarian, we got the asiago gnocci in pink sauce and the brown butter sage ravioli which were ok. The ravioli was slightly undercooked but the flavors were good. The tiramisu was absolutely amazing, probably our favorite part of the meal. The lemon cake was also so good. Again, would thank management for their professionalism. As for the hostess, please do not patronize customers and roll your eyes when we were patient and gave you a grace period to get our table sorted.

5 stars for our bartender turned waiter, Felix! Great recommendations + a grand ole time!

We started with the Mussel Pot, it was everything I imagined it would be and more. The muscles perfectly cooked, the "spicy" broth (not spicy) was deep, rich, and incredibly flavorful. Good news: there was plenty of broth, and we just had to ask for more bread to dip the extra sauce. Here's the dealio...the most appetizing looking dish on the menu is actually the most mediocre. Without a doubt, you will see plates of the stuffed gnocchi being passed around to tables left and right. What I can assure you is that it's not worth it. The flavors are great, but unfortunately the texture is completely wrong and is just mushy (baby food?). Contrarily, the pappardelle was out of this world. It's genuinely authentic. The noodle quality is high and the dish feels like home. We'll definitely come again, but just note there aren't really any "great" seats. It feels a bit crowded and there are a lot of tables by the front door.

Had a fabulous time tonight here for restaurant week: $44 for a 3 course meal tonight. Everything was delicious!! Including the bread. The servers were sweet and very on top of things even when it was super busy and packed. It was an intimate setting as well which was nice! Not too loud either where we could hear each other!

Very exquisite and romantic Italiano restaurant. It It was not busy for a Sunday evening, which was good since we had a larger group and we were kind of loud :-). The wait staff was very hospitable, great recommendations and very attentive to us. Any questions we had were answered. The decor is very nice! Parking can be a little bit of a challenge on the street, be prepared to have the Park Chicago app to pay for the meters. Food came out very promptly and everyone was very satisfied with their meals. They even brought out two different types of desserts for the birthday girls.

Emanuel, the maitre D, helped us immensely which we appreciated. Thanks, Emanuel! The food was good. Would recommend.

Came across this place by accident after walking out of a taco joint that was nearby, and we were pleasantly surprised! The bartender was working his ass off and still managed to nail the service and was very nice to talk with. The pesto was the highlight, both in the minestrone and a pasta dish and the menu overall was great. I'm looking forward to visiting again; next time maybe we will enjoy a nice bottle of wine off the list or one of the fish dishes on the menu.

Aloha, when visiting Chicago with our Italian friends, you must eat authentic Italian cuisine. Riccardo Osteria is a home run. Perfect sauces, using fresh ingredients. I loved the entries so much I forgot to take pics, LOL. I did capture the appetizers, of which were amazing. The stuffed zucchini flowers and braceola with rocket and shaved parm were delicious. Generous portion of truffles on our risotto, pasta cooked perfectly. Lot's of bread to mop up all the sauces too. Great selection of Italian wines at reasonable prices. Wow, what a fine. I'll definitely be back to Riccardo's next time in Chicago. Enjoy!

This is such a cute, cozy restaurant! I went here with a few friends for my birthday on a Tuesday night. They had great festive decorations, and it was the perfect Italian spot. I loved the meal I got, and all of the apps we ordered were delicious as well. The service was a bit off--multiple employees came over to try and take our plates away when we were still eating. Strange. Overall, I really liked the food and I'm sure I'll be back eventually!

What an abysmal experience - truly a waste of time, money, and excitement. Riccardo Osteria poses as an Italian restaurant, but serves little more than bland attempts at Italian mimicry. Hard pass. My friends and I needed a semi-last minute reservation (booking on a Wednesday for a Saturday time for 3) so all the places we hoped to go were all booked up. Based on reviews, we decided to try this place out, but were reasonably skeptical as none of us had heard of it before. We arrived slightly before our reservation and were asked to sit at the bar. Instantly we didn't like the interior of the place. It was dark in a way that didn't set the mood, it had two strings of Christmas lights still up that were awkward and out of place, and nothing about the decor made sense, like the framed bird pictures that didn't set the scene for a nicer Italian dinner. When we were seated, we had a table close to the POS stations the waiters were using which wouldn't have been an issue if our table didn't get bumped into every 5 minutes or so. It would get very crowded in that area and impossible for them to move seamlessly back and forth - simply poor planning that came at a cost to us. For food, we started with the shrimp and calamari, and then the tortellini, gnocchi, and flat iron steak. They also brought us bread and olive oil. The bread seemed like a store-bought baguette and the olive oil tasted like water - already setting us up for a bad time but we tried to stay optimistic. The shrimp and calamari came out shortly after and it was just meh. There was a lot more calamari than shrimp and none of it tasted particularly good. Then, after waiting for about 30 minutes after ordering our entrees came out. None of us liked our meal. I had the steak and it definitely wasn't cooked medium like I had asked, it was well done. It was dry, and seemed like it had been sitting out a while. Edible, but definitely not worth $30. At least the Tuscan potatoes were good. The tortellini were actually ravioli and they were pretty tasteless and mediocre. The gnocchi was also unusually fluffy and tasteless. All the sauces felt store bought and then heated up on the stove. All in all, it felt like I could have cooked our dinner at home which is not the experience I want to have when going out. We did try to salvage the meal with dessert, and that did help. The panna cotta was tasty, but the "passion fruit coulis" was more like a lemon syrup. The pear tart was good as well. All things considered, I'm disappointed we ended up at Riccardo Osteria. The food was edible, but I can't say anything nicer about the experience. Do yourself a favor and pass on this place. I will say they might have just been having an off day when we visited, but I surely will not be back to find out.

Stopped by after work and decided to grab an appetizers & drinks. The hostess ask if I had a reservation although the place was completely empty. I requested to sit at the bar. The bartender was extremely rude. The beer, Paloma & Manhattan, calamari and shrimp were all horrible. The ambiance caught my attention but NEVER again. The prices were a little pricy but nothing ridiculous.

Unfortunately did not have a good experience here. We have our go to Italian spots in the West Loop, but decided to give this one a try based on the reviews. The server recommended the carbonara. The noodles were very yellow and had a strange aftertaste. Did not like it, but the server did not come back to check on us. My friend ordered the branzino and a side of plain noodles. She also wasn't a big fan of her dish, but to top it off they charged us $14 for PLAIN noodles! We will not be back.

We were excited to try this place based on the reviews but didn't have a great experience. We came for a date night, and the ambience is not great for that. It's very loud, almost a bar-like atmosphere, with loud music playing. Also, if you're seated by a window in the winter, it's quite cold. I would say it's a good casual spot for groups or maybe families, but isn't very nice for a date. We also didn't love the food. The gnocchi was different than traditional gnocchi, and (I can't believe I'm saying this) had almost too much cheese inside, so it was overwhelming. The lasagna was good, but portions were small. The cocktails were not great, so I would opt for the wine instead. The service was great though!

I had great service while dining in. Both waiters were Italian which made the restaurant feel more authentic. I ordered a special. It was a lobster linguini or fettuccini. It was so delicious. And look at how much lobster they gave for only $30. I went on a weekday and it wasn't crowded. It was kind of loud inside due to the music so it was hard to hear the people I was with. Highly recommend.

Can't say enough great things about this hidden gem in the west loop. Creative menu and like eating food prepared by your grandma but with amazing presentation!

Riccardo reminds me of the cozy Italian neighborhood restaurants around the Little Village area. Space is a little tight and a little dark, but the food was great value. I visited during Restaurant week and you can tell that the chef pre-selected balanced choices. The Calamari was right on point. The pork chop was so big that we finished only a quarter of it. The steak was a little too cooked for medium. The tiramisu had a little too much expresso, so I had to leave the bottom layer behind. The service was good and we had a great time dining.

Riccardos is the perfect blend of rustic Italian meets high end. Their food never disappoints and the menu is big enough for choices but not too big where you feel overwhelmed by choices. I love a dessert that's not too sweet, and the panna cotta is PERFECT! The restaurant has a small Italian restaurant feel which is nice, but tables can feel a bit too close together at times. However, the wait staff does a great job at being mindful about working around the space. If you're looking for a quality place for a decent price in the West Loop, this is it!

Food was great. Lovely atmosphere. Professional staff. We had never been there but it was a solid experience. Not cheap though.

Hadn't been expecting a lot, but was pleasantly surprised when this place was so good. I had been looking just for something decent before my reservations at the aviary and found this place. The waitstaff was friendly and attentive. The pasta was delicious and the sauces were flavorful. The food was rich in flavor but not heavy.

At first, I was unsure of how our experience would be. We had a reservation at 7:45pm, which I'm surprised because the restaurant closes at 8pm. We were told a table would be available in about 15 min and we could wait at the bar. After ordering our drinks, two seats became available and we sat at the bar. The bartender was very helpful and attentive. When our table became available we declined and decided to stay at the bar. The bartender gave us the restaurant week menu and made suggestions. We took his advice and got the calamari and arancini for appetizers. Both were delicious. My partner got the salmon in pesto cream sauce and I got the lasagna au gratin. Again, both were delicious. Also, the house bread with oil is delightful. For drinks, I had a dirty martini and the French martini. Both very good; the French martini reminded me of bubble gum. This was a great pick and their restaurant week menu is the most extensive that I've seen so far. We were told some of the dishes are exclusive to the restaurant menu. Great deal for $42. Would definitely recommend!