Siena Tavern

"While it’s fun to sit at lunch or dinner with your Shih-Poobradoodle beside you, the guilt starts to mount as Captain Olivia watches you shovel food into your face. That won’t happen at Siena Tavern, which has a separate patio menu just for dogs. So she can have chicken breast cooked in olive oil, while you have a wagyu meatball, lobster in squid ink pasta, and a big piece of cheesecake. It’s not quite even, but she’ll still be pretty excited." - adrian kane

"Siena Tavern is full of young professionals, people in town for business, and tourists who are driving across the United States visiting Top Chef restaurants (because, yes, this is one) crowding the enormous bar area. The good news is that all of the Italian food at this River North spot is solid, so you can’t really go wrong with a pasta or one of their creative pizzas. There’s usually a DJ playing in the evening, which adds to the club-like atmosphere, too." - adrian kane, veda kilaru

"On the surface, Siena Tavern has all the traits of a typical River North spot: it’s trendy, always crowded, and it has giant booths. And it also happens to be a really great Italian restaurant. You can order the pizzas here half and half, and you can’t go wrong with any of the pastas, like the gnocchi, or the squid ink linguine with lobster." - adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru

"You want a sceney spot in River North with giant booths—and you’re gluten-free. Like Ema, Siena Tavern makes things easy with a separate menu. Most of their antipasti and entrees are easily modified, so you won’t have to miss out on the DJ-spinning experience you went to River North for in the first place." - adrian kane, veda kilaru, john ringor

"Capacity: 14-50 depending on room Siena Tavern has all the traits of a typical River North spot: it’s loud, crowded, and has giant booths. But it’s also a really good Italian restaurant with great pizzas, pastas, and softball-sized meatballs. Book one of their secluded rooms, like the wine cellar, for a family-style meal with 14-16 people. Or try their semi-private elevated dining room (seats 20) that looks over the main dining area—you’ll be able to escape more easily when your least favorite cousin Bobby traps you in a conversation about his 14 rescue cats. " - veda kilaru