Everything about CENTRO is amazing - The venue is in a great location. I love their brussel sprouts, calamari, spaghetti and so much more. The serving sizes are very generous. My favorite dish on the menu is the EGGPLANT SALAD! It's absolutely perfect!
(5)
Dan R.
Great location, great food, and great value. We had a late lunch on Saturday afternoon and really loved everything there was to experience at Centro. We're all used to a complimentary bread basket, right? Well how about a complimentary antipasto basket of bread slices, hot peppers, and parmesan cheese? A great way to start a meal. We ordered two lunch dishes that were embarrassingly huge - a Meatball Salad ($10) and a Mona Lisa Salad with Chicken ($13). Go check out our photos if you want photographic proof- these dishes were monstrous. The Meatball Salad featured a meatball the size of a tennis ball and a big big portion of green salad. The meatball was excellent, the sauce was excellent, and the salad was fresh and crisp. The Mona Lisa Salad featured an equally large fresh salad with a generous portion of grilled chicken It came with big slices of roasted peppers and was just delicious. Our server was friendly and attentive, and the restaurant interior is gorgeous. I especially njoyed the portrait of Don Corleone on the wall...
(4)
Mai S.
Excellent fresh pasta! Try the square noodles -- they are fantastic! Also they are the only restaurant I know in the area that serves "fresh ricotta cheese cake"! May seem pricey at $10 - but very worth it! It is fantastic food!! I was bought here for my birthday celebration earlier this year by a foodie. My kids and I have been back and we love the wonderful pasta.
(4)
Teri A.
Lively, reasonably priced Good food and service Portions are enormous so splitting an entree is easy Decent wine list Only drawback. It's loud!
(4)
sean s.
The experiance and the food was good, however the host needs to be a bit more attentive, just left us haging by the door for several minutes not acknowledging us. we started out awkward but ended on a high note the speghetti with meat balls is great and the server was very friendly and attentive as well so maybe it would be a 4 starr experiance if it wasnt for the hostes!
We had dinner here the other night and have been talking about it ever since. I doubt we will be eating that heavy again for a long time but it was worth every calorie! I loved the bar area and the entire room to be honest. We were somewhat casual (had spent the day outside) and that's acceptable here. Everything about this restaurant is made to make you feel comfortable. The food was amazing! We shared lots of dishes and even ordered things that weren't on the menu. I just mentioned what I was craving and they made it happen. Items we shared... Meatball salad. I almost always order this anywhere I go. It's a favorite and this one didn't disappoint. It's a must have here! Calamari velasco. Excellent! But seriously don't order this if you can't handle spice! The jalapeño is probably too much for most people. Chicken picante. This is one of my favorite dishes anywhere. It's very good here. Chilean sea bass topped with crabmeat and hollandaise with asparagus. Heavenly! Pappardelle with marinara. So good! I'm so glad we ordered this even though I'm pretty sure my date thought I was fat for doing so. I honestly don't even know what we had for dessert. We asked out waiter to surprise us. It was amazing though. I met the pasty chef and I'm convinced there's nothing that man can't make! This was hands down the best dinner I've had in a long time. I'm so glad we decided to spend our evening here. I would recommend reservations. It's crowded! The service is phenomenal!!!
(4)
Tada Y.
I recently went to Centro in a medium sized party and had a very enjoyable time. While I sometimes worry that large parties suffer from inconsistent service, we had a fantastic experience here with very attentive service. The menu offers a variety of options at varying price points so you can make the experience a casual night out or for a celebratory dinner. The food was good, but nothing earth-shattering in my opinion. Just well executed basic Italian food. With the plethora of good Italian spots, I wouldn't stay this place stands out, but still is a solid choice for anyone looking for a good Italian meal.
(3)
Darcy W.
All I can say was what a weird dining experience. We were in late like around 11:30, so it's nice you can grab a bite late. There was 6 of us... The waiter promptly came by and we ordered drinks. We ordered a bottle of wine, a couple of cocktails, and a coors light. Now we all got our drinks minus the coors light. We had calamari, eggplant parm, the meatballs (out of this world) and pasta bolognese, and one more entree. We were all enjoying our dinner but still did not get that coors light? Strange because my friend asked 2 more times for his beer? I have no idea what was going on but he would not bring the beer to him? (He was not over served if you were wondering). He finally got up found the manager and came back with his beer... Finally! About 3 mins later the waiter apologized to him. It was clear he had a beef with him? It was the most bizarre experience! I enjoyed both the food and wine, however this situation made me uncomfortable. I am a fan of the Rosebud chain, but I think I will stay away from this location.
(2)
Mario D.
No that's pizza! Veal parm on the bone. Had great service. Best seat in the house. Late dinner with wine and good food No complaints. Bring enough money though.
(4)
Ashley C.
We recently went in for dinner and it was our second time in. It is expensive for Italian food and is nothing to write home about. We got a drink at the bar while waiting for our friends. Service was pretty attentive and the drinks were strong. To start we shared the calamari which was a solid starter and big enough to share for 4. Our waiter was friendly and helpful in giving recommendations. He checked on us but not too much to disrupt the visiting. He even took care of moving our table away from the patio because of excessive cigar smoke from the sidewalk. I ordered the shrimp diavolo. It comes with 4 jumbo shrimp but I still was looking for one more to round out all the pasta that comes with it. It was a huge portion (got another meal of it)! I found it a bit odd that it came with olives but that ingredient wasn't listed on the menu as an ingredient. Yet, it was good but not exceptionally memorable. My husband ordered the salmon with a backup of swordfish. The waiter took a note that he would sub tuna if they were out. My husband didn't realize that they were out until he got his order. He liked most of his meal and it was a huge portion. However, his fish was overcooked and dry. The pan sauce was delicious and not too rich, but we needed more to balance the dry fish out. Our dining companions seemed pleased with their veal choice. The tab was pretty nasty for 4 people with no alcoholic beverages - about 50-55 a person. For the price, I was expecting more. It is not the first Italian place that I would recommend, however, if someone else wanted to go I would give it another try.
(3)
Ide C.
Loud loud loud. If u like good food (not great) , not being able to talk without yelling and a big check at the end, this is the place. I won't be back.
(3)
Susan C.
I went here for brunch with my sister and a good friend. I must say all of us enjoy our food and the prices were reasonable. The waitstaff was friendly and attentive to our needs. The waitstaff provided good service. It's good to know this restaurant is affiliated with rosebud and Carmine's since I like both those places. I would definitely go back and try their dinner menu. I would recommend this place to others.
(4)
Alexandra W.
Loved everything about it--the spaghetti and meatballs (the best), sausage and peppers, and the enormously unexpected desserts. This is my go-to Italian restaurant for life.
(5)
Hope S.
Made the mistake of returning to Centro during Chicago Marathon weekend. Our 6pm reservation turned into 7, then 7:30 as they could not clear tables and reseat people and we were not the only ones struggling. The table they finally gave us was awful. A high 4 top next to the hostess station, so all the poor folks standing around waiting to be seated for their reservations were on top of us. Huge backup at the front door, and thus at our table. One guy literally stood and looked over my daughter's shoulder at her food while she was eating! The noise level was ridiculous, the area by the front windows was freezing cold and drafty, and overall it was an awful (yet expensive) dinner. The food was good when it finally arrived. The hostess did comp our appetizers, but we really just wanted an earlier dinner, which is why we made an early reservation. The one bright light was our waiter, Marcos. He quickly took my other daughter's order and served her within five minutes so she could eat and sleep before the marathon. He deserves high praise for his people skills and service.
(2)
Andrea K.
I recently went here for lunch with my husband and loved it. I actually used to work there back when it was VTK, a lettuce restaurant, so thought I would check out what they've done with the place. Way better, so different. The windows that open up to the patio are gorgeous, larger bar in a bigger place....they've really turned the place around and I love it. We sat inside along the patio on a summer day and it was so pleasant. The food is delicious and very large portions, the perfect size to share with someone but not so big that you'll still have left overs for days or will eat too much and feel horrible afterwards. We were perfectly satisfied off of splitting a caesar salad and penne vodka...both amazing. Service was impeccable....can't wait to go back.
(4)
David S.
We went in by chance, and it was a great experience. The fried calamari were just wonderful. Really meaty and soft and perfectly dine. The bean side dish was amazing, and the meatballs were very good too, but by then, we were already full from the huge portions. The service was also professional and pleasant. In general, great meal
(5)
Michele W.
You simply cannot get better service than this place! The menu has many great choices and the wine list is fine as well. I would suggest wearing elastic pants because each serving seemed to be enough for two! The pasta is exceptionally good and the sauces are oh so perfectly balanced. The only thing that I would have done differently is not to order extra Italian sausage. My dish already had a great Bolognese. It was just too much meat and I felt like the sausage was almost cooked to well done.
(4)
Ilona G.
It could not have been better. Started with grilled calamari octopus and shrimp. So happy that there are still places that choose not to deep fry. Perfect blend of oil and lemon and spices. The bolognese is the best I have tasted. And the donuts were HUGE and addicting. Enough for four people. The service was so attentive and friendly. They accommodated my special requests for to go as well. This is why I keep coming back.
(5)
Luke M.
Stopped here for a quick lunch. Ended up being a great meal. Shared baked clams to start. I had a great Caesar salad. Entree I killed a pasta bolognese with a glass of Chianti. We Paid roughly $60 per person. I will be back
(4)
Kaleithia P.
Went there last night for me and my husband's birthday and it was amazing! it wasn't loud and over powering. Our waiter George was great he knew the menu like the back of his hand and he was so attentive! You have to try this place and make sure you get a dessert!
(5)
Jan S.
Some of the best Veal Marsala I have ever had! They gave me a steak knife, for what I do not know. So tender I cut it with my fork.
(5)
Andrew R.
The service was bad, the dining room was a little crowded, and the food was good but not great (a couple dishes were very good and a couple dishes were very mediocre). Overall this felt like a chain restaurant (think Buca Di Beppo) trying to pass as a high end restaurant. For the price, there are many better Italian restaurants in Chicago.
(2)
Laura F.
Another great meal at Centro! Yes it was St. Pat's day and it was loud but the food was delicious and our server couldn't have been nicer. She managed everything with a smile. She was unruffled by some special requests. The front of the house is welcoming and the food is great. Big portions, nice flavors. I had the meatballs with spaghetti. Simple but delicious. And enough for meal number two at home. Thanks, Centro. I'm looking forward to a return trip soon.
(5)
Tiger T.
food was good, but passion was non-existent. The server/bartender was just there killing time and did not seem to really care about anything. They were not busy and everyone just stood around watching each other. I guess this is typical for the area? They make the burbs look good!
(3)
Mahsa T.
Huge portions, old-school Italian. Though a Rosebud restaurant, I thought the food was better here than at other Rosebuds. Stuffed peppers were amazing! Definitely order them. Calamari was good but a bit chewy. Pasta was good. Service was a bit unorganized and slow. The setup in the restaurant seemed a bit cramped.
(3)
Julian W.
A great place for groups and atmosphere: staff is very attentive: great selection of wines and Italian dishes: I had the Pisco Italiano (not the same as the original Peruvian kind, but very good), the calamari was lightly fried and fresh, the fresh ricotta was very nice --- but my main dish -- the Lobster Fra Diavolo with fettucine -- was amazing! And they brought it on two plates -- I had to take some home because I couldn't finish it. My companion had the veal chop Parmesan - flattened like a pizza and HUGE. Must. go. back!
(4)
Johanna D.
Very good, quaint atmosphere! Large portions, I got the spaghetti and meatballs. The service was great and my drink was even better! I got the Pimm's garden, it was very refreshing and not too sweet. Our only complaint was that the music didn't fit the aesthetics and Italian theme. I would go back!
(4)
Maria P.
Pasta , pasta and more pasta The place is booming with action, love the atmosphere, service is great. Our waitress-Krina was on top of her game, pleasant and patient, explained the specials and "guided" us over the menu like a pro. We will be back and we will try and request her as our server
(5)
Jennifer M.
I Came here with some friends for brunch. The Prices are reasonable and the food is good. The waitress was very nice to us. I would recommend this place to other people. I will be back to try Dinner.
(4)
Doug O.
Excellent! Chef Farina continues to impress. Must start out with the meatball salad. The best in the city. Can't compare to others. Next was Nana's gravy and rigatoni. Add this to your meal and it's just like growing up Italian with old school Sunday pasta dinners. It was just like home cooking. I also had the fried calamari. Great appetizer choice. Fresh, tender, and just the right amount of crunch. Tried the polenta as well. Another old school Italian favorite recreated. Very good taste and texture. I'll be back for more. Ended with a cannoli. Perfect. Centro also had a great wine and drink menu. The restaurant has a very nice ambiance, especially on warm weather days when the doors are open to the city and the outdoor dinning area is buzzing.
(5)
Basil D.
Centro is a bit disappointing. It has all the glam and glitz of a fine restaurant. Viewing it from my building it looks like a fun restaurant in the Latin Quarter of Paris with the colorful awning and the way the outdoor seating is situated. It proposes to be something it is not. I first had the grilled calamari upon my original visit. It was a sad experience. It was tough to eat and very chewy. It was an improvement on my last Rosebud (who owns Centro), experience at Carmine's (also gone down hill). The food was alright, but for the price point, go elsewhere. The cavatelli was no doubt home made. It was chewy as it should be. The sauce just didn't do it. It was missing some flavors to round it out to make it a true bolognese. The presentation was very nice. They served a skirt steak which was incredibly underwhelming and extraordinarily over priced. One would think, judging by my Italian friend and Italian experience, they would have served it breaded as one would find in an Italian-American home (right Enza? if you're reading!). The outdoor atmosphere is absolutely wonderful. It has great location and the overhang makes it a very quaint experience. This is a tablecloth and silverware restaurant, but I'm very sad to report...disappointing beyond belief. I might add that the wait staff are all very friendly and helpful, but honestly, some can be much too chatty to the point of overwhelming the dining experience. One hates to harp on this because it's rare to find a server so involved and eager, but they need to pull it back a bit. I'm sad to say that Rosebud restaurants have poor quality control. They have great ideas, but executed poorly.
(2)
John G.
If you remember the old Centro, this will be like visiting an old friend, with a new wife! It has many of the foods we liked plus some delicious new ones. The menu is a tour through the best recipes of Italy. We had one of the most delicious and colorful salmon dishes we've ever had. It was perfectly cooked surrounded with perfectly tender ripe tomatoes with sliced avocado on top. We also had the soft shell crabs that were spectacular in a lemon sauce. The 8 finger cavatelli were aldente with a rich bolognese sauce. For dessert we had the dolce fritto which were little dough pillows with cinnamon and vanilla gelato. A big pile of them so we'll have some with coffee in the morning. It also had whipped cream that was as light as air with a touch of sweetness.
(5)
Gina F.
My ladies dinner club chose Centro for our June outing. Based on the other Yelp reviews, I was a little nervous, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by our experience yesterday. In fact, we all were. We had hoped for outdoor seating, but none was available. Our party was fairly large (seven people) so I understand. We were seated on time at a large, round table near the door. The restaurant itself was cute enough, but it is incredibly loud. In spite of the fact no one was seated more than 3-4 feet apart, you needed to speak very loudly to be heard. The volume of other diners is the primary reason, but the other was that they were trying to play music over the din, so people were competing with other people and music to be heard. It was tough for us to catch up with each other without near-yelling. It would be better for a smaller group since you'd be seated more closely. Definitely not a romantic date spot. The drinks were very good, though pricey, but the food was really reasonable. On the face of it, it may not seem to be, but everything is family style so you don't really order a dish per person. For our table of 7 we ordered 3 apps (brussels sprouts, the grilled seafood special, and the meatballs with ricotta), 3 entrees (cavatelli arrabiatta, radiatore vodka, and oriechette with sausage and rapini), and a side of rapini. We really enjoyed all of it and thought it was well-prepared. It was pretty standard Italian fare. The one down side was that they were already out of 2 specials before 8 on a Saturday. Our server was nice-- enthusiastic. He was attentive as were the bussers. The drinks were a but slow, but that probably had more to do with the volume of patrons and the cocktail heavy menu. I don't mind waiting for a well-made drink, though! Overall, we enjoyed ourselves and I would recommend it. I'd probably rate it a 3.5, but I'll round up since a feel bad that they have all these negative reviews.
(4)
Jill M.
This was our first visit to Centro. We arrived with an early reservation so we had a very quiet meal in a beautiful room, decorated for the holidays. The ambiance was perfect, our table with tablecloth, candle, a flower...lovely. The food was outstanding. They made our ceasar salad at the table, very fresh, crisp, large portion to share. The shrimp diablo was delicious, not too spicy but with a good kick and large fresh shrimp. Our waiter, Salvatore, was delightful. He was very professional, attentive and friendly. We will be returning soon!
(5)
Shayna R.
I had a great time at this restaurant and unlike the other reviewers, was seated on time, up front and had a great bar experience to start with. The food is old school Italian, large portions and presented just as it should be. This isn't a minimalist restaurant, so if you think you're going to get fru-fru Italian, this isn't your scene. I had two apps for my dinner--the meatball with canneli beans (to die for) and the eggplant parmesan. Both delectable. Could not even begin to think about finishing. I had plenty of left overs for late night snack in the fridge. The wine list is so-so, nothing special, which is a shame because they could really spice things up with their selection. The mixed cocktails were made perfectly though. I tried a mango martini which was delicious. Then the dessert came--fried dough with ice cream and real whipping cream. Let's just say you can never go wrong with old school favorites like this. I made room in my tummy for as many bites as possible. The ambiance is very catered to the neighborhood. Everything on Hubbard looks the same to me, big old filament light bulbs on reclaimed industrial chic looking chandeliers. Tables appropriately spaced. The open air windows to the beautiful seating area outside are a nice touch. Loved the lighting, not the noise, but really anywhere trendy you will find the same. Really liked the people. I was dining with Candace Jordan, so that may have helped my experience. Overall great waiter, bartender and hostess staff. They are clearly working out kinks, but the manager seems to be pulling it together as quickly as possible with the crowds. Another great addition to a burgeoning see and be seen neighborhood.
(5)
Madeline W.
I have been to Centro a few times with my family. Their outside dining area is nice in the summer for people watching but it can be hard to get a table (Don't take reservations for the outside area). The food was decent but nothing too impressive in my opinion. For the price, I think it should be better. HUGE PORTIONS, so be aware of that when ordering. I would come back for the good service and the baked clams.
(3)
Joseph P.
Very slow service. It took nearly 30 minutes to receive our appetizers. Our waitress asked us if we wanted desert after we finished our appetizers...Because she forgot to put our entree orders in! Also, the food was nothing special. Our table all found the flavor to be lacking. What a waste of money. You can do much better for the price range. I'd never go back.
(2)
Sandi B.
Fabulous! I am extremely PICKY. I want to enjoy the food that goes into my temple! Well.....we did. The risotto, rigatoni. Mmmmmm aladente to perfection. Give this 5 stars.
(5)
Clint T.
In from out of town. We stopped in for a second time and have gotten great service and drinks both times. Highly recommended!
(5)
Dimitris K.
Very average food yet extreme prices. That's the best way to summarize this place. I would have given the place 3 stars were it not for the prices and maybe 3.5 were it not for the server. The server was extremely pushy and tried to upsell everything. We had clearly ordered plenty of food yet she was pushing even more (and more expensive versions of the same dishes). We got the veal parm (decent), fried calamari (chewy), polenta with sausage (too salty), meatballs (too dry), eggplant rolls (decent), flourless chocolate cake (more like a brownie and not the proper kind - dry too), coconut cake (moist but not coconut-y enough). The ice cream scoops that came with the desserts were the best part. Huge portions - it's a Rosebud restaurant after all. BTW the steak prices are so high that you could easily go to a proper steakhouse and eat for less. Overall - you can get better food elsewhere for less money. It's not as if Chicago doesn't have a deluge of Italian restaurants...
(2)
Jeff D.
We were greeted warmly but the experience went downhill from there. The server arrived promptly and we both ordered minestrone soup since we were at an Italian restaurant. The soup had no taste and under cooked massive chunks of vegetables. I have had better minestrone soup at college pizza joints pretending to serve Italian food. Salt and pepper were not on the table and retrospect made no improvement. We sent the soup back and to the waitress' credit it was removed from the bill. Someone came from the kitchen with a tray with our entrees, plates, and serving utensils sitting directly on the tray. The person delivering the food promptly disappeared and our waitress eventually showed up after we speculated if the food was self-service. We were not offered Parmesan cheese and had to ask for it. Instead of fresh grated, which I expect at this price level, the waitress brought a bowl and sprinkled it on our dishes. I got one of homemade pastas which was ok but the sauce was again relatively tasteless. My colleague had "The Best Spaghetti and Meatballs Ever" according to the menu. Far from it while I have had worse meatballs they were mediocre. The manager in a sport coat that was at least 2 sizes too small who had greeted us at the door came to the table to ask us how was our food. We said it was just OK, and he left the table without paying attention. To top it all off the manager later stepped into the kitchen dried his sweaty head with a napkin. He then threw the napkin into the kitchen toward the food prep area. If we had seen before we got our food we would have left then.
(1)
Casey M.
I don't feel like writing a long review at this moment, but the food is excellent! The meatballs are amazing! The fried calamari and steamed mussel appetizers are wonderful as well! Our waitress was very attentive and the staff made us feel very welcomed. We dined on a slower Monday night, so I don't know if it is always like that, but everything was great! Thank you Centro :)
(5)
Julia J.
I live in Chicago and have been to all the Rosebud restaurants. The decor of Centro was a bit more hip than the others, yet still maintained that traditional 'Chicago Steakhouse' touch. Perhaps this is very 'American' of me, but I hate the way the tables are packed together so closely. Because I feared messing up the hairdo of the woman sitting at the table behind me, I didn't scoot my chair back an inch! Our table was along the window, so I wouldn't recommend sitting in that area if you can avoid it. (Unless you have a chiropractor visit the next day!) On a more positive note-- the food was GREAT! I ordered a salad with chicken and my portion was enormous. The veggies were unbelievably fresh and the chicken was hot and seasoned well. My husband and I shared an order of grilled calamari and they cooked it just as we requested and were meticulous about making sure that we were happy with it. My husband's steak was also perfectly prepared. Our waitress, Christina deserves FIVE stars for her outstanding personality and service. The busboys were quick to bring the bread and to sweep up dirty plates and crumbs. I'm torn. If dining out were just about the food, I would certainly be back in a heart beat... But.... I'm trying to keep my chiropractor bills on the down-low...
(3)
Ron G.
I attended the grand opening of Centro, which was completely slammed. In all honesty I have to say it wasn't what I expected from a Rosebud Restaurant. The menu had dishes I've never tasted at a Rosebud before, not to mention signature cocktails that were insanely good. I was even more surprised with all the seafood options - stone crab dipped in a pesto sauce, fried shrimp and oysters were all delicious. And as you would expect from a Rosebud Restaurant the pasta was home cooked to perfection - the baked cavatelli was my favorite but you can't go wrong with the square noodles. That atmosphere was very hip... Great date spot or even just to grab cocktails with friends. I'm looking forward to going back now that it's officially open.
(4)
Geoffery H.
I really love this place, we were there for lunch on Saturday for lunch in the rain. We go here all the time, it is our favorite place in the city for Italian. For a starter we had the shrimp and crab claws and as usual they were amazing. I had the spaghetti and meatballs and they are amazing. My wife had the mussels and she was very happy too. I had the cheeses cake it was a little freezer burnt but I there was no need to complain because the service was great.
(4)
Daniel G.
This is my second time at Centro (State & Hubbard). Another of the Rosebud restaurants. I ordered wheat pasta with Marinara sauce. A glass of wine starts @ $9.00. I ordered an Allegrini Soave, Veneto.The wine list is very extensive. My pasta was penne. The specials sounded scrumptious. The restaurant was beautifully decorated with wreaths, a Christmas tree and white and red poinsettias. The server/bartender, Bridget, was very informative and gracious. The Marinara was delicious. It took a while. I took the rest home. I'm looking forward to some of the other menu items.
(3)
D A.
I was traveling for work, and stopped in here mainly because it was really close to my hotel. The place was recommended by the hotel staff, and the reviews seemed to be pretty good. So, I tried it. Atmosphere: It's what you'd expect for an Italian restaurant in Chicago. Darkly lit. White linen table cloths. A couple TVs around the bar to watch a game. And, a really cool sign inside the restaurant of Centro. Service: I felt very taken care of and never wanted for anything. The staff was very attentive ... quickly took empty plates ... plated my food when arrived ... adding extra cheese. Food: I ordered two things. First, I got polenta with a sausage sauce. I love polenta, and this was pretty good. I would recommend them to try a grilled polenta option, but overall it was worth trying. Next, I had 'The world's best spaghetti', which was really good. It came with two meatballs the size of a large man's fists. They plate it at your table. It could almost feed two people. I ended up with leftovers. Overall, I would recommend this place. One of the better places in thie area of Chicago.
(4)
Lisha S.
Came here the Saturday after Christmas around 10pm. There was a party celebrating a 50th bday party. Very loud and rude. Took the server longer than normal to greet us. Ordered, bread was brought out and ten minutes later someone realized that we were missing oil and cheese. Server was not well versed on liquor options and seemed rushed and uninterested while taking our orders and attending to us. Meal was mediocre at best. Not interested in coming back.
(2)
Christina M.
Centro made for a nice night with great Italian food and ambiance. We were seated in a corner booth, which was a huge plus. Wines were great there, the fancy pinot by the glass had great flavor. We ordered the 12 veggie chop salad to start, and let me tell you, that salad will feed 4-5 people! The same goes for the pastas, they'll probably feed 2-3 people depending on how hungry everyone is. But overall, this restaurant was very accommodating to my vegan/plant-based diet and I left quite satisfied. I'll definitely go again.
(4)
Alyssa E.
I came here to meet a friend for lunch and was very disappointed in the quality of the food, especially for it being a new restaurant. To start, our waiter was too attentive in a way that became rather annoying throughout the meal. We barely sat down and he wanted to know what we were drinking then proceeded to rush through the salad descriptions, making us feel we had to order immediately. Note to restaurant, include what is in each salad on the menu. A name alone does not give an adequate indication of what the salad is composed of. After we placed our order, our salad came out in a timely manner, however it was very mundane for $14. The dressing was a type of vinegar, but was missing in acidity and brightness. Also, there was supposed to be shavings of pecorino cheese and instead there were two long, soggy pieces of cheese laying on top. To accompany the salad, I ordered the slider sized lobster roll with fries. The lobster roll contained two pieces of lobster and a soggy, mayonnaise coleslaw mix. It definitely lacked flavor and expectations. I have been to other Rosebud restaurants downtown and have come away from a decent meal, but Centro unfortunately will not be a place I will revisit.
(2)
Jeffrey W.
Beware, this is the 3rd try for Rosebud at this location in 18 Months and again they fail. I live in the neighborhood and always enjoy trying new restaurants, 8PM reservation on a Saturday night and by 8:45 we were still standing at the bar waiting for a table, saw a table get sat and asked the hostess what time their reservation was at, 7:30. If you want to wait an hour and 15 minutes past your reservation time feel free, we did not and left. Food did not look that great, 4 hostess that had no idea what was going on, and a GM walking in between the tables the entire time I was there wearing a paper boy hat. Much better food in the neighborhood, if Rosebuds past 3 attempts at this location or the fact they just shut down their other River North restaurant is any indication of what is to come, just run.
(1)
B W.
I went into Centro for a quick bite after a meeting. I was seated at the bar where the waiter, I think his name was Darko, recommended the Cuban sandwich. It was excellent! The staff were all very nice. Darko was knowledgeable about the food and spirits and was very attentive even though he had to step in for another server to help a couple at the other end of the restaurant. I would definitely go back!
(5)
Ernesto L.
I went to Chicago for a wedding that got called off but I decided to go anyway and have a good time. This place was at the corner of my hotel, so it deserved an opportunity. The service was nice and friendly. The decor is nice although the music was super loud and didn't fit with the kind of place. The tables were my biggest complaint in that department, since it seems that they tried to fit as many as possible and it's uncomfortable and doesn't make sense. The wine selection is small and they didn't have the wine I requested, so that wasn't a good start either (foodwise) The bread was pretty good and it came with cheese on the side instead of butter. This earned my heart. Sharp tasteful cheese and good bread. Calamari were OK but not memorable. The main dish was tasteful but the serving is insane, borderline offensive. It could feed an army. The waiter said that servings were large but that's an understatement. The square pasta with bolognese sauce was above average but not impressive. Would go back, it's a good call if you're in the neighborhood but wouldn't crave to go back. BTW, not cheap. Cheers
(3)
Chuck S.
I absolutely had a great time at this place. The food was amazing! We got there a little bit ahead of the rush, it was semi-busy when we walked in but by the time we left the place was crazy. The food is served family style and our waitress did a good job of describing everything. I went with a group of five, so we all ordered something and we shared it. A buddy of mine and I both ordered Manhattans, which were not that good. They had onion and pumpernickel bread that was delicious. We also ordered a plate of Italian sausage, which was spicy but also very good. I don't remember everything we ordered but I know we had Chicken Lemon, 8-finger cavatelli with Bolognese sauce, 8-finger with something else, something in a vodka sauce, a steak and a few other things I don't remember but everything was delicious. The Chicken Lemon was so juicy and tasted great. The bathrooms are in a strange place, but that has been the way for the places before as well. Overall, really enjoyed the experience and will definitely be back.
(4)
Derek D.
Wow this place is horrible! I went there recently and it makes me wonder if Rosebud is aware the bare the name. Not the quality I come to expect from a rosebud place. When I first got there the show me food on an iPad. That might be impressive to a 90 year old women with an AOL account but to anyone in there 20s it reeks of an interactive Denny's and makes me pity the apple device for being used in such a cheap wAy. The wait staff is armature and the food is often raw! Don't go!
(1)
Bonnie P.
My boyfriend and I had dinner here about a week ago. The meal was absolutely fantastic. I had the tomato and cucumber salad to start and then the lemon chicken for the main meal. The salad was really great and the chicken was absolutely perfect. Additionally, the portions were really big and we had a lot of left overs. The decor and atmosphere is very nice and comfortable. The wine list is very reasonably priced. The waiter came by with an iPad showing us pics of the night's specials. I'm sure we'll be back for another great meal!
(5)
Lea R.
Aziz & Ana are incredible!!!! FYI - This review is about the talent not the food - thought the food is yum ( skip to the bottom). This is a review that I should have written long ago. First off we met Aziz the manager at another local restaurant. Aziz from day one has always treated us like a friend. He is warm and friendly and sincerely cares about your experience. He is not a "how is it going while you just took a bite manager". Seriously, what is that??? Who asks a question when you obviously can't answer due to a full mouth other than your dentist??? Someone who cares less on the answer does. I've watched Aziz and he times his table check up which I think is very respectful on his part, he cares that you are having a good time and waits for a good time to interject his query. He then treats you like he's known you forever. His personality makes a huge part of the entire dining out experience, from when you see him at the door to his table visit to goodbye. There are a shocking number of restaurants in the area that could learn from Aziz on how to treat customers. I should mention that there have been many occasions when we show up to watch sports on the tall tops we are pretty casual with baseball hats, and not one person has ever made us feel like we were out of place. The restaurant is business casual, but sometimes we just want a quick bite without the whole "dress for dinner" and love a neighborhood place we can feel comfortable in. We sit at the tall tops to not only watch sports but to not class down the place as it is a bit dressy (business casual) in the main dining area. Servers... honestly... we have had so many wonderful servers but Ana is a standout. From the first time we met her she treated us like her friend's. She is so warm and friendly and is totally genuine. Every time we see her she is effervescent, it's not just us she is the same way with everyone. I would recommend you to ask for her as she is just a sweetheart. I feel there are a good many servers out there that need to emulate Ana's skill and craft. I say skill & craft because being a server is not an easy job and she makes it look easy even on a crazy busy night (seriously she remembers everything you ordered verbatim) she gets it right. She also is friendly when you know there might have been a few "high maintenance" tables, she doesn't let it get to her. As for food, we tend to eat very lean and I find that the chopped salad works well for me, dressing on the side with some grilled chicken and my hubby likes the brick chicken. Both are yum!!!!!
(5)
Michael M.
Great service and good food. Split two half orders of pasta, the bolognese was the standout, the spinach sausage a half step behind and the Caesar salad to start was sharp and mouthwatering. If you're havin' a hankering for fresh pasta and want to keep it light, Centro hits the spot.
(3)
Jessica Ping H.
This place is underrated. We sat belly up with mike. We has the Brussels sprouts which were the best Brussels sprouts we've ever had. They were roasted with red onions, capers and bacon. Yes bacon! Then we had the prime meatballs with sweet and hot peppers. It was terrific mike plated everything. We thought that was an awesome special touch. Top notch food and service with a trendy atmosphere.
(5)
Katie N.
After a couple weeks of waiting for my boyfriend to make a Valentine's Day reservation, and then realizing that was just not going to happen, Centro ultimately became our (my) restaurant of choice! The food was absolutely fantastic, and that's coming from a chick that is not normally a fan of Italian cuisine. We started out with the meatballs. In all honesty, that could have been a meal in itself. They were MASSIVE. Like the size of my baby niece's head massive. Not only were they large in size, but they were packed in flavor too. Definitely get the balls. We also got 4 of the Jumbo Cocktail Shrimp. Not lying about the jumbo part, and we only could eat 2. Also very tasty. For our main course I got an 8 oz. filet, and he got the 12 oz. Now I AM a huge steak girl, and this steak was cooked to perfection. I actually said "Oh my God" after my first bite. It was that good. Sadly, I could not finish it after all of our starters. As for drinks, I went with the waitresses recommendation of some sort of strawberry-lime Cosmopolitan. Very weak. Just tasted like a strawberry lime-ade. I then went for my regular vodka water lime. She up-sold me on some "3 time gold medal winning" vodka that was "only about $1 more than grey goose". Whatever. I just watered it down anyway... but props to that waitress! He stuck with a couple Old Fashions. Very strong. If you're coming here on a date and don't like to get cozy with your neighbors, I would say this isn't your place. Not even a foot between the two person tables, and I almost felt like I should be introducing myself to the couples sitting to my left and right. This is the only reason why I took away a star. Regardless, we had a great time and will be returning!
(4)
Jeff S.
Server was cool, but the appetizer we ordered was gross. It was the octopus, squid, and shrimp. Recommended by server and most expensive, however it tasted like char and propane and the octopus was over cooked. The char made everything pretty bitter
(2)
Jeff N.
Typical Rosebud standards, which by the way are consistently tasty. Nothing unique about this particular Rosebud variation. If I was really craving Italian in this area, I would divide my time up with Divanti Enoteca which is right across the street.
(4)
Kenneth R.
We're here from LA and had an outstanding meal tonight. Service was great and both entrees were the best my coworker and I have had all week. I don't understand why there are so few reviews and why this isn't a 5 star.
(5)
Kevin H.
As a local hotel manager i was hoping Centro would be knock my sox off and become a great go to restaurant for my team to refer guests to. Was i wrong... do yourself a favor skip this place. Go to the many other Italian restaurants in the area which appreciate their customers (quartinos/rpm/trattoria no 10/etc). The food was average here but the service was by far one of the worst in Chicago. servers are all rather arrogant (like all rosebud restaurants..) and talk to you like you are doing them a favor for dinning with them. The same mentality carries upward to the management of this restaurants. I spoke with manager Marcello about a problem we experienced during our meal and he could care less. At no point did he apologize or even introduce himself. I had to extend my hand and introduce myself to him mid conversation even though he was the one who came over to our table to discuss our issues. He was extremely defensive the entire time and didn't even seek to ask what actually was going on. he spoke his mind and then stored away with out even letting us actually speak with him... I give this place less then 16 months before it closes.
(1)
Katerina S.
Had so much fun here with a group of 20 +. George, our server, was great!!! The sangria was delicious.
(5)
S L.
Amazing experience!! Service was fantastic, wine list was great, managers were all over the table, and food couldn't be better. Crab salad and Calamari Calabrese were the starters and then went to Cavatelli Rosebud and Pappardelle. Ricoota Cheesecake and Tiramisu ended our meal. And some Sambuca of course. I'm a huge fan of LaScarola on Grand, but Rosebud has amazing food.
(5)
Sid G.
If I could give this place zero stars I would. Let me start off by saying that I don't ever post on yelp but had SUCH a lousy experience here that I felt compelled to inform others. 8 PM reservations--we were seated at 9 PM Ordered dinner at 9:30 PM. No dinner served over an hour and a half later. The idiot Manager with a fedora comes out after complaining at 11 PM with the response "we gave your order to another table..." We complain again and tell him this is unacceptable and that we just want to leave and do not want dinner. A meat head bald man at this "restaurant" comes up to us and tells us to step outside because he's a "cop" and if we keep complaining he'll arrest us. Are we in Afghanistan or Iraq?? Bottom line: I had high hopes for this place because its two blocks from where I live and really wanted to love it. Reality: this place is doomed like every other place that's occupied the space. The douchebag "cop" isn't a plus.
(1)
Theresa Y.
Although I love Rosebud, I would not recommend this place. I eat out in the city a lot and this may be one of the most disappointing restaurant experiences that I've had. Aside from the oysters nothing we tried was very good. I'm not extremely picky or big on sending back dishes but the arugula salad was so salty I couldn't even pretend to eat it. They were very nice about it and tried to accommodate me by bringing a new salad but this time it was dry with absolutely no dressing. My Boyfriends steak was RAW and the meatballs were just edible.
(1)
Ben N.
I'm young enough to still know what's up, but still old enough to remember good meals at the original Centro. Unfortunately, this is a very poor reproduction. I wanted to like this restaurant simply based on history, but this was not to pass unfortunately. In general, the extensive menu is loaded with the usual Southern Italian fare everyone else has done for the past 100 years, with most of it being fair at best. I've never been a fan of large and extensive menus, because bets are more than half of the choices will not be properly executed. I'm not sure how many times the same formula has to fail before someone actually realizes that it's clearly not working. Show me 10 things you can do better than anyone else, and you've got a winning recipe here. I did find that service was good and attentive, and I didn't mind being often checked on. However, I didn't understand why an iPad was needed to explain the 15 daily specials (again, WAY too many here - focus on key dishes and prepare them well). Our server fumbled back and forth and almost dropped it three times. Well guess what? I've got an iPad too, and I can use it to book a reservation right here in my seat at your bar with your competitor directly across the street, which serves FAR better food, and in a more unique and welcoming atmosphere. I agree with other reviewers here, the Rosebud Group of restaurants isn't known for consistency. Now, in their defense, I do think that the Rosebud on Taylor Street and Rosebud Prime on Dearborn are far superior to ANY of their other restaurants, but maybe because they are held more accountable for results in these locations, who knows? But here's an example as far as inconsistency goes - Carmine's used to be one of my favorite dining choices, but the food and service have dramatically declined over the past 7 years. And don't even mention Rosebud on Rush - that's an even more disappointing misfortune. These two locales are more focused on the troll and hooker set, as food and service have fallen to the wayside. If I want to eat a heavy Italian meal that leaves me feeling sick, swollen, and bloated, I'll go to my grandmother's house for dinner. At least she's got bigger bathrooms, and no irritating restroom attendant to contend with, in a space no larger than a linen closet.
(1)
Abby K.
Ate dinner here on Saturday night and was very impressed with what Centro has done with this space. The atmosphere is great, the food was really good and our service was top-notch. A few restaurants have come and go in this space that is really in a business district. But, with the hotels and the energy of Hubbard Street, I think Centro can be the perfect fit here. I hope it stays for a long time, because I'm already looking forward to getting the pasta bolognese that I enjoyed again soon!
(4)
Joss P.
I loved this place! Staff was super nice and very helpful. The food was great. They had music and the atmosphere was great. I had a delicious Jumbo shrimp spicy. Definitely will go back when I return to Chicago.
(5)
Chris Q.
A good amount of horrible food. The service is okay but it is not worth the money I paid for. I would not suggest any one go to this place if you are a food lover.
(1)
Hilary W.
The only reason I gave Centro two stars is because we thought the food was good. Let me start from the beginning of our Centro experience: 1. We had an 8:30 PM reservation. We didn't get seated until 9 PM. 2. After waiting over 10 minutes for our server to appear, it took 20 minutes to get our first round of drinks. 3. Someone at my table ordered a dirty martini and asked for blue cheese olives. The waiter said he "didn't know" if they had them. A dirty martini with blue cheese olives is a pretty popular drink. He was also unknowledgeable about the menu when asked about it. 4. We were brought the wrong appetizer, and then charged more money for the wrong appetizer when the bill came. 5. They neglected our table and failed to clear plates, etc. as we moved through the meal. They also served our dessert and failed to bring us silverware for several minutes after. 6. Last but not least, it was my birthday. My friend approached the server mid-meal and told him to bring a dessert with a candle for me. He came and brought us a dessert menu and we picked something to share. It was brought to the table with no candle. 20 minutes later, at the table next to us, a dessert was brought out and happy birthday was sang by several staff members to someone at their table. As an afterthought and after our dessert was DONE, they came over to our table after and sang happy birthday....it just made us all really uncomfortable. At the culmination of this meal, the server brought us the bill. I asked to speak to the manager, who I had seen walk past our table multiple times during the course of the evening but who never thought to check in with us. After explaining our experience that evening, he said give me a few minutes and walked away. About 10 minutes later he came back with simply a business card with his name on it - and said if we came back we'd get better service. They didn't offer anything else. He also told me he didn't want to make excuses, but then proceeded to make excuses! After this experience, I would be hard-pressed to return to Centro. We may attempt to contact the restaurant to figure out exactly what this "promise" means but in the mean time we won't be returning to Centro anytime soon.
(2)
Liz M.
My husband and I went to Centro Saturday night. We had the best time ever, the food was outstanding. Our server Robert recommended the Shrimp Dijon for an appetizer and he also let us know about the large portions so we didn't over order. Thank goodness, because he was spot on. For our entree we had the veal Parmesan which was to die for. The drinks were good too and I highly recommend this place!
(5)
Kimberly E.
Amazing food!! Brussel Sprouts are to die for! Don't know why there are so many bad reviews. Food was excellent.
(4)
Joe L.
While the service was a little lacking, the food was amazing. I highly recommend the mozzarella app and the chilean sea bass dinner!!!!!! If you need to eat in a hurry and relish the service more than food.....better go to another restaurant.
(4)
Mike D.
The restaurant has tremendous meatballs. My friend and I had the seafood special (sea bass,mussels, clams and a single overcooked shrimp). The seafood special was $60 each, yikes and not good at all. The sea bass had no taste and the mussels and clams were awful; very fishy. The service was good and after we spoke to the manager about the inedible meal, he offered to take it off the bill. You should stick to what you do best, meatballs!
(1)
Jennifer B.
We actually dined there on October 11, 2013, after it was recommended by the Concierge at our hotel. It has an upscale ambience but the food was not very good. The bread they bring to the table is cold, and is served with small chunks of parmesan cheese. I'd much prefer butter or olive oil and herbs. Plus warm your bread! The green noodles were overcooked and was extremely salty, which is so very disappointing for an Italian restaurant. My dinner partner had the chicken marsala and it was actually pretty decent. The diet cokes came in cute little glass bottles. The waitress showed us fish and seafood dishes on an iPad AFTER I specifically asked her what dishes she liked that did not include fish and seafood. Apparently she had a short memory or wasn't listening to me. For dessert the ricotta cheesecake was acceptable, but the flourless cake was really not very good. The wait staff takes WAYY TOO MUCH TIME serving up each person's meal from a bowl onto a plate. Completely unnecessary. Just serve the darn food in a pasta bowl and call it good! Then things wouldn't go so darn slow! Plus your tables are so crowded that it infringes on your diners at other tables to have the servers constantly standing with their rear ends in their face dishing up plates of pasta. I was bumped three times during my meal.
(2)
Nina G.
This was the worst restaurant experience of my life. I had an 8:00 reservation. When we got there, they said they were behind on reservations and that we would have to wait a little. So we went to the bar. 45 minutes later, I asked the hostess how much longer it would be. She kept ignoring me and telling me to hold on, and never answered the question. Finally, my friend asked one of the other hostesses what the problem was. She said she had to check on our table and that she would be right back. Well she came back, and completely blew us off, seating other people before us. An hour and 25 minutes after our reservation, we stopped one of the managers as he was walking by. Explained that we were waiting for such a long time, and he sat us. Oh, and while we were waiting at the bar, I tried to order 3 different drinks, all of which they were out of!! We got to our table, ordered food, ate and drank. In the mean time, the waiter forgot several things, and we had to keep reminding him. He wrapped up our leftovers, which was about half of our meals. We never saw them again! And after all this trouble, they didn't so much as buy us a drink. Almost the worst part: Valet was $11.99 but in fine print, it said "$17 for 3 hours or more".... Ah ha, so that's why they make you wait so long. Absolutely ridiculous. Worst part: the food was just OK. nothing special by any means. The "vodka sauce" tasted like canned tomatoes, it even had the seeds in it still - gross! If you're looking for good Italian food, this is not the place to go. Extremely mediocre food and a bad experience in every other aspect. Highly advise against eating here!!
(1)
Richard C.
Stumbled across this place with family and just walked in. They sat us at bar area. The wait staff was unbelievable with us and accommodating for the kids. Food was outstanding! Cioppino on special had an enormous amount of fish and the pasta dishes were so large that two kids could split one and not finish it. An extremely friendly place to eat with great food. Best meal we had during our trip to Chicago.
(5)
L R.
Sometimes you read reviews and wonder if everyone is taking about the same place. Second time I ate there this year, as a result of attending two conventions in Chicago. Both times I thought it was great. Real old school Italian place. I have traveled all over and have eaten at numerous Italian places, and have spent a fair amount of time in Italy,, and this is a place I will go to every time I am in Chicago. The servings are not only supersized, but really, really good. The sausage and peppers rocked. My wife had the veal marsella, and it melted in our mouth. The chopped vegie salad was fantastic and we could not even finish it. Service was very good. The only improvement I would suggest is more wines by the glass at a more reasonable price. Last time I had the spaghetti with meatballs and that was out of this world. I really like the way they use an Ipad to show the specials. Great place for a real Chicago/Italian experience. Right near Andy's Jazz Club or the Chicago Blues Club just down the street, so makes for a geat evening. Nice feel to the place as well. Wish they had a place this good in San Francisco's Little Italy. Went back twice in August 2014. Two more fantastic meals. Upgraded my rating to 5 stars. This place alone in a great reason to visit Chicago! Its part of the Rosebud group but still has its own character. Sausage and peppers cannot be beat!
(5)
L B.
I will start by saying this is my first yelp review. I am annoyed enough that I came straight home from our dinner to write this. Let's start with ambiance...stale and boring. Like every other Italian steak place in the city. Average, nothing to write home about. People....old!!!!!! Or "mature" as the bathroom attendant described to someone that used to frequent the "old" (my description) Centro "back-in-the-day". Reservations...made them for 8, didn't get seated until 9. But in their defense they did offer for us to sit with a party of 6 already in session, they just happened to have 2 empty seats at the end of their party. No offense but didn't want to sit with another family, so we waited. Bar....CHAOS!! So many bartenders so little knowledge. I ordered one of their "cocktails", 20 min later after she found the ingredients gave to me what I was confident was the wrong cocktail. After we we declined to offer to dine with another party we stayed at the bar with Wayne Newton and his friends from back in the day to have another drink only to have the bartender ask us what we actually were drinking so he could close out our tab. ??? Dinner.....bread on table, each had a piece and they took the basket. Had to ask for water and another drink because no one was there to help. Finally ordered grilled calamari. Delicious, best I've ever had! Get the cherry peppers to go with it but ask for your bread basket back bc the sauce is delicious! Husband got the prime filet medium rare (per chef suggestion) and it was cooked perfectly and tasted great. I got the orchiette with sausage and rapini. Came as cavetelli AND COLD ( didn't order that pasta type for particular reasons...too doughy for what I was wanting tonight). When I asked the waiter if they ran out of the correct pasta he tried to convince me that it was the right one. Completely different shapes buster! You say line I say circle. I could go on further but you may have gotten the point so I won't. If you are determined to try it then go but just wait several months for them to get their flow (not sure they will ever find it) or just don't go. Rosebuds on rush is actually better I feel. Also, if you are not 50+ and "connected" (if you know what I mean) then don't expect good service. Our night ended with another patron marching into the kitchen and throwing a few words around so we clearly weren't the only ones with a bad experience.
(2)
MmeMorticia D.
I am a fan of old school Italian restaurants that are actually frequented by old school Italians. I also recognize and appreciate stellar customer service and unique experiences and that's why I have followed Yvonne and Marcos to 3 different locations in the Rosebud family. First time visiting this location courtesy of a dear friend, for my birthday. Instantly greeted warmly, led to the table, handed the menus and seconds later water and bread were delivered by separate individuals. Next comes Marcos, waiter extraordinaire, who explains the contents of the bread basket: baguette, Italian bread and a wheat bread with stuffed carmelized onions. Also served with Pecorino Romano cheese (heaven) and pickled cherry chile peppers. Knowing that we had a couple more stops that night and after eyeballing the Flintstone sized portions at other tables, we opted to share our dinner to avoid a food coma. Marcos educated on the salad and brought over samples of all 3 dressings: Italian, Balsamic and a lemony one. Next we split what we thought would be a simple spaghetti and meatball dish which was actually a serving platter and a small planet! My friend's eyes were like saucers after biting into it and insisted I try it. I am not a fan of ground meat but I took a small bite and was shocked I liked it. It was VERY flavorful. I have to mention how cute it was that we were served each and every item we ordered, once it arrived at the table, by Marcos. Very nice touch. It wasn't just plunked down in front of you. It would be served by one person, then Marcos would serve it to us on our plates. After not even making a dent in our meal (and not wearing Extend-o pants!), we smartly decided to stop eating while we could still sit upright. What happened next was mortifying for me, but hysterical for my soon to be eulogized friend. Out of nowhere Gregory (another friendly server) stands in front of our table smiling (warning sign #1) I feel a gust of wind behind me, turn around to see Marcos holding a plate with a candle and dessert (warning sign #2) and turn back around to see a parade of singing waiters approaching me!? (flatline) The dessert was Cannoli, with sweet ricotta. Huge and impossible to finish, but very delicious. All in all a great experience, even if it ended with death-glares from me, lol.
(5)
George C.
Ample servings. Knowledgeable and attentive wait staff. Fabulous marinara sauce. Great white fish. Wonderful mussels in white wine butter sauce. Brought the leftover sauce home. Tossed it with capellini. Mmmmmmm.
(4)
Marc P.
A poor excuse for a restaurant. One of us had a hamburger which was over-seasoned. It was supposed to be cooked medium rare, but was raw on the inside and over-cooked on the outside. I guess if you combined the two, it WAS medium rare. The mozzarella tomato salad was generous, but the mozzarella was tasteless. Prices were high. Service was fine at lunch.
(1)
Lauren Y.
Wonderful food, service and ambience! Just as good as it was before, but w/a better location. Can't wait to go back...and very soon at that! (Request a table with Tina R. !)
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Gregory C.
Everything about CENTRO is amazing - The venue is in a great location. I love their brussel sprouts, calamari, spaghetti and so much more. The serving sizes are very generous. My favorite dish on the menu is the EGGPLANT SALAD! It's absolutely perfect!
(5)Dan R.
Great location, great food, and great value. We had a late lunch on Saturday afternoon and really loved everything there was to experience at Centro. We're all used to a complimentary bread basket, right? Well how about a complimentary antipasto basket of bread slices, hot peppers, and parmesan cheese? A great way to start a meal. We ordered two lunch dishes that were embarrassingly huge - a Meatball Salad ($10) and a Mona Lisa Salad with Chicken ($13). Go check out our photos if you want photographic proof- these dishes were monstrous. The Meatball Salad featured a meatball the size of a tennis ball and a big big portion of green salad. The meatball was excellent, the sauce was excellent, and the salad was fresh and crisp. The Mona Lisa Salad featured an equally large fresh salad with a generous portion of grilled chicken It came with big slices of roasted peppers and was just delicious. Our server was friendly and attentive, and the restaurant interior is gorgeous. I especially njoyed the portrait of Don Corleone on the wall...
(4)Mai S.
Excellent fresh pasta! Try the square noodles -- they are fantastic! Also they are the only restaurant I know in the area that serves "fresh ricotta cheese cake"! May seem pricey at $10 - but very worth it! It is fantastic food!! I was bought here for my birthday celebration earlier this year by a foodie. My kids and I have been back and we love the wonderful pasta.
(4)Teri A.
Lively, reasonably priced Good food and service Portions are enormous so splitting an entree is easy Decent wine list Only drawback. It's loud!
(4)sean s.
The experiance and the food was good, however the host needs to be a bit more attentive, just left us haging by the door for several minutes not acknowledging us. we started out awkward but ended on a high note the speghetti with meat balls is great and the server was very friendly and attentive as well so maybe it would be a 4 starr experiance if it wasnt for the hostes!
(3)Chris G.
So many wonderful dishes here at a reasonable price include the delicious sautéed walleye sandwich, huge meatball and spaghetti with fresh basil, deliciously rich vodka penne and salmon spinach salad. They make one hell of an excellent, light cannoli. But what I can no longer recommend is the Niçoise salad... which is still a huge, delicious salad overall. However, the quality of the tuna is no longer to my liking after trying more than once recently. It still looks like the photo I snapped a while back, but it does not taste like it at all. And to their credit, they offered to allow me to pick another dish but I just couldn't waste the rest of the salad, which was quite fresh. (See my pics.) Here's an excellent example of how the dish SHOULD come to the table. From my Nick's Fishmarket visit: tinyurl.com/q3jteoj While I will no longer order this dish, it won't prevent me from enjoying other tasty selections and Centro's laid back lunchtime atmosphere. Was happy to see this old Eatt location revamped a year or so ago and have been enjoying their great River North patio and wine selection. It's one of the few places in this section of River North that opens at 11am and offers friendly sidewalk dining with white table cloth covered upscale and comfortable outdoor furniture. Besides Shaw's, Centro is easily still one of my favorite places to have a nice glass and a bite on this section of Hubbard Street.
(4)Melissa B.
We had dinner here the other night and have been talking about it ever since. I doubt we will be eating that heavy again for a long time but it was worth every calorie! I loved the bar area and the entire room to be honest. We were somewhat casual (had spent the day outside) and that's acceptable here. Everything about this restaurant is made to make you feel comfortable. The food was amazing! We shared lots of dishes and even ordered things that weren't on the menu. I just mentioned what I was craving and they made it happen. Items we shared... Meatball salad. I almost always order this anywhere I go. It's a favorite and this one didn't disappoint. It's a must have here! Calamari velasco. Excellent! But seriously don't order this if you can't handle spice! The jalapeño is probably too much for most people. Chicken picante. This is one of my favorite dishes anywhere. It's very good here. Chilean sea bass topped with crabmeat and hollandaise with asparagus. Heavenly! Pappardelle with marinara. So good! I'm so glad we ordered this even though I'm pretty sure my date thought I was fat for doing so. I honestly don't even know what we had for dessert. We asked out waiter to surprise us. It was amazing though. I met the pasty chef and I'm convinced there's nothing that man can't make! This was hands down the best dinner I've had in a long time. I'm so glad we decided to spend our evening here. I would recommend reservations. It's crowded! The service is phenomenal!!!
(4)Tada Y.
I recently went to Centro in a medium sized party and had a very enjoyable time. While I sometimes worry that large parties suffer from inconsistent service, we had a fantastic experience here with very attentive service. The menu offers a variety of options at varying price points so you can make the experience a casual night out or for a celebratory dinner. The food was good, but nothing earth-shattering in my opinion. Just well executed basic Italian food. With the plethora of good Italian spots, I wouldn't stay this place stands out, but still is a solid choice for anyone looking for a good Italian meal.
(3)Darcy W.
All I can say was what a weird dining experience. We were in late like around 11:30, so it's nice you can grab a bite late. There was 6 of us... The waiter promptly came by and we ordered drinks. We ordered a bottle of wine, a couple of cocktails, and a coors light. Now we all got our drinks minus the coors light. We had calamari, eggplant parm, the meatballs (out of this world) and pasta bolognese, and one more entree. We were all enjoying our dinner but still did not get that coors light? Strange because my friend asked 2 more times for his beer? I have no idea what was going on but he would not bring the beer to him? (He was not over served if you were wondering). He finally got up found the manager and came back with his beer... Finally! About 3 mins later the waiter apologized to him. It was clear he had a beef with him? It was the most bizarre experience! I enjoyed both the food and wine, however this situation made me uncomfortable. I am a fan of the Rosebud chain, but I think I will stay away from this location.
(2)Mario D.
No that's pizza! Veal parm on the bone. Had great service. Best seat in the house. Late dinner with wine and good food No complaints. Bring enough money though.
(4)Ashley C.
We recently went in for dinner and it was our second time in. It is expensive for Italian food and is nothing to write home about. We got a drink at the bar while waiting for our friends. Service was pretty attentive and the drinks were strong. To start we shared the calamari which was a solid starter and big enough to share for 4. Our waiter was friendly and helpful in giving recommendations. He checked on us but not too much to disrupt the visiting. He even took care of moving our table away from the patio because of excessive cigar smoke from the sidewalk. I ordered the shrimp diavolo. It comes with 4 jumbo shrimp but I still was looking for one more to round out all the pasta that comes with it. It was a huge portion (got another meal of it)! I found it a bit odd that it came with olives but that ingredient wasn't listed on the menu as an ingredient. Yet, it was good but not exceptionally memorable. My husband ordered the salmon with a backup of swordfish. The waiter took a note that he would sub tuna if they were out. My husband didn't realize that they were out until he got his order. He liked most of his meal and it was a huge portion. However, his fish was overcooked and dry. The pan sauce was delicious and not too rich, but we needed more to balance the dry fish out. Our dining companions seemed pleased with their veal choice. The tab was pretty nasty for 4 people with no alcoholic beverages - about 50-55 a person. For the price, I was expecting more. It is not the first Italian place that I would recommend, however, if someone else wanted to go I would give it another try.
(3)Ide C.
Loud loud loud. If u like good food (not great) , not being able to talk without yelling and a big check at the end, this is the place. I won't be back.
(3)Susan C.
I went here for brunch with my sister and a good friend. I must say all of us enjoy our food and the prices were reasonable. The waitstaff was friendly and attentive to our needs. The waitstaff provided good service. It's good to know this restaurant is affiliated with rosebud and Carmine's since I like both those places. I would definitely go back and try their dinner menu. I would recommend this place to others.
(4)Alexandra W.
Loved everything about it--the spaghetti and meatballs (the best), sausage and peppers, and the enormously unexpected desserts. This is my go-to Italian restaurant for life.
(5)Hope S.
Made the mistake of returning to Centro during Chicago Marathon weekend. Our 6pm reservation turned into 7, then 7:30 as they could not clear tables and reseat people and we were not the only ones struggling. The table they finally gave us was awful. A high 4 top next to the hostess station, so all the poor folks standing around waiting to be seated for their reservations were on top of us. Huge backup at the front door, and thus at our table. One guy literally stood and looked over my daughter's shoulder at her food while she was eating! The noise level was ridiculous, the area by the front windows was freezing cold and drafty, and overall it was an awful (yet expensive) dinner. The food was good when it finally arrived. The hostess did comp our appetizers, but we really just wanted an earlier dinner, which is why we made an early reservation. The one bright light was our waiter, Marcos. He quickly took my other daughter's order and served her within five minutes so she could eat and sleep before the marathon. He deserves high praise for his people skills and service.
(2)Andrea K.
I recently went here for lunch with my husband and loved it. I actually used to work there back when it was VTK, a lettuce restaurant, so thought I would check out what they've done with the place. Way better, so different. The windows that open up to the patio are gorgeous, larger bar in a bigger place....they've really turned the place around and I love it. We sat inside along the patio on a summer day and it was so pleasant. The food is delicious and very large portions, the perfect size to share with someone but not so big that you'll still have left overs for days or will eat too much and feel horrible afterwards. We were perfectly satisfied off of splitting a caesar salad and penne vodka...both amazing. Service was impeccable....can't wait to go back.
(4)David S.
We went in by chance, and it was a great experience. The fried calamari were just wonderful. Really meaty and soft and perfectly dine. The bean side dish was amazing, and the meatballs were very good too, but by then, we were already full from the huge portions. The service was also professional and pleasant. In general, great meal
(5)Michele W.
You simply cannot get better service than this place! The menu has many great choices and the wine list is fine as well. I would suggest wearing elastic pants because each serving seemed to be enough for two! The pasta is exceptionally good and the sauces are oh so perfectly balanced. The only thing that I would have done differently is not to order extra Italian sausage. My dish already had a great Bolognese. It was just too much meat and I felt like the sausage was almost cooked to well done.
(4)Ilona G.
It could not have been better. Started with grilled calamari octopus and shrimp. So happy that there are still places that choose not to deep fry. Perfect blend of oil and lemon and spices. The bolognese is the best I have tasted. And the donuts were HUGE and addicting. Enough for four people. The service was so attentive and friendly. They accommodated my special requests for to go as well. This is why I keep coming back.
(5)Luke M.
Stopped here for a quick lunch. Ended up being a great meal. Shared baked clams to start. I had a great Caesar salad. Entree I killed a pasta bolognese with a glass of Chianti. We Paid roughly $60 per person. I will be back
(4)Kaleithia P.
Went there last night for me and my husband's birthday and it was amazing! it wasn't loud and over powering. Our waiter George was great he knew the menu like the back of his hand and he was so attentive! You have to try this place and make sure you get a dessert!
(5)Jan S.
Some of the best Veal Marsala I have ever had! They gave me a steak knife, for what I do not know. So tender I cut it with my fork.
(5)Andrew R.
The service was bad, the dining room was a little crowded, and the food was good but not great (a couple dishes were very good and a couple dishes were very mediocre). Overall this felt like a chain restaurant (think Buca Di Beppo) trying to pass as a high end restaurant. For the price, there are many better Italian restaurants in Chicago.
(2)Laura F.
Another great meal at Centro! Yes it was St. Pat's day and it was loud but the food was delicious and our server couldn't have been nicer. She managed everything with a smile. She was unruffled by some special requests. The front of the house is welcoming and the food is great. Big portions, nice flavors. I had the meatballs with spaghetti. Simple but delicious. And enough for meal number two at home. Thanks, Centro. I'm looking forward to a return trip soon.
(5)Tiger T.
food was good, but passion was non-existent. The server/bartender was just there killing time and did not seem to really care about anything. They were not busy and everyone just stood around watching each other. I guess this is typical for the area? They make the burbs look good!
(3)Mahsa T.
Huge portions, old-school Italian. Though a Rosebud restaurant, I thought the food was better here than at other Rosebuds. Stuffed peppers were amazing! Definitely order them. Calamari was good but a bit chewy. Pasta was good. Service was a bit unorganized and slow. The setup in the restaurant seemed a bit cramped.
(3)Julian W.
A great place for groups and atmosphere: staff is very attentive: great selection of wines and Italian dishes: I had the Pisco Italiano (not the same as the original Peruvian kind, but very good), the calamari was lightly fried and fresh, the fresh ricotta was very nice --- but my main dish -- the Lobster Fra Diavolo with fettucine -- was amazing! And they brought it on two plates -- I had to take some home because I couldn't finish it. My companion had the veal chop Parmesan - flattened like a pizza and HUGE. Must. go. back!
(4)Johanna D.
Very good, quaint atmosphere! Large portions, I got the spaghetti and meatballs. The service was great and my drink was even better! I got the Pimm's garden, it was very refreshing and not too sweet. Our only complaint was that the music didn't fit the aesthetics and Italian theme. I would go back!
(4)Maria P.
Pasta , pasta and more pasta The place is booming with action, love the atmosphere, service is great. Our waitress-Krina was on top of her game, pleasant and patient, explained the specials and "guided" us over the menu like a pro. We will be back and we will try and request her as our server
(5)Jennifer M.
I Came here with some friends for brunch. The Prices are reasonable and the food is good. The waitress was very nice to us. I would recommend this place to other people. I will be back to try Dinner.
(4)Doug O.
Excellent! Chef Farina continues to impress. Must start out with the meatball salad. The best in the city. Can't compare to others. Next was Nana's gravy and rigatoni. Add this to your meal and it's just like growing up Italian with old school Sunday pasta dinners. It was just like home cooking. I also had the fried calamari. Great appetizer choice. Fresh, tender, and just the right amount of crunch. Tried the polenta as well. Another old school Italian favorite recreated. Very good taste and texture. I'll be back for more. Ended with a cannoli. Perfect. Centro also had a great wine and drink menu. The restaurant has a very nice ambiance, especially on warm weather days when the doors are open to the city and the outdoor dinning area is buzzing.
(5)Basil D.
Centro is a bit disappointing. It has all the glam and glitz of a fine restaurant. Viewing it from my building it looks like a fun restaurant in the Latin Quarter of Paris with the colorful awning and the way the outdoor seating is situated. It proposes to be something it is not. I first had the grilled calamari upon my original visit. It was a sad experience. It was tough to eat and very chewy. It was an improvement on my last Rosebud (who owns Centro), experience at Carmine's (also gone down hill). The food was alright, but for the price point, go elsewhere. The cavatelli was no doubt home made. It was chewy as it should be. The sauce just didn't do it. It was missing some flavors to round it out to make it a true bolognese. The presentation was very nice. They served a skirt steak which was incredibly underwhelming and extraordinarily over priced. One would think, judging by my Italian friend and Italian experience, they would have served it breaded as one would find in an Italian-American home (right Enza? if you're reading!). The outdoor atmosphere is absolutely wonderful. It has great location and the overhang makes it a very quaint experience. This is a tablecloth and silverware restaurant, but I'm very sad to report...disappointing beyond belief. I might add that the wait staff are all very friendly and helpful, but honestly, some can be much too chatty to the point of overwhelming the dining experience. One hates to harp on this because it's rare to find a server so involved and eager, but they need to pull it back a bit. I'm sad to say that Rosebud restaurants have poor quality control. They have great ideas, but executed poorly.
(2)John G.
If you remember the old Centro, this will be like visiting an old friend, with a new wife! It has many of the foods we liked plus some delicious new ones. The menu is a tour through the best recipes of Italy. We had one of the most delicious and colorful salmon dishes we've ever had. It was perfectly cooked surrounded with perfectly tender ripe tomatoes with sliced avocado on top. We also had the soft shell crabs that were spectacular in a lemon sauce. The 8 finger cavatelli were aldente with a rich bolognese sauce. For dessert we had the dolce fritto which were little dough pillows with cinnamon and vanilla gelato. A big pile of them so we'll have some with coffee in the morning. It also had whipped cream that was as light as air with a touch of sweetness.
(5)Gina F.
My ladies dinner club chose Centro for our June outing. Based on the other Yelp reviews, I was a little nervous, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by our experience yesterday. In fact, we all were. We had hoped for outdoor seating, but none was available. Our party was fairly large (seven people) so I understand. We were seated on time at a large, round table near the door. The restaurant itself was cute enough, but it is incredibly loud. In spite of the fact no one was seated more than 3-4 feet apart, you needed to speak very loudly to be heard. The volume of other diners is the primary reason, but the other was that they were trying to play music over the din, so people were competing with other people and music to be heard. It was tough for us to catch up with each other without near-yelling. It would be better for a smaller group since you'd be seated more closely. Definitely not a romantic date spot. The drinks were very good, though pricey, but the food was really reasonable. On the face of it, it may not seem to be, but everything is family style so you don't really order a dish per person. For our table of 7 we ordered 3 apps (brussels sprouts, the grilled seafood special, and the meatballs with ricotta), 3 entrees (cavatelli arrabiatta, radiatore vodka, and oriechette with sausage and rapini), and a side of rapini. We really enjoyed all of it and thought it was well-prepared. It was pretty standard Italian fare. The one down side was that they were already out of 2 specials before 8 on a Saturday. Our server was nice-- enthusiastic. He was attentive as were the bussers. The drinks were a but slow, but that probably had more to do with the volume of patrons and the cocktail heavy menu. I don't mind waiting for a well-made drink, though! Overall, we enjoyed ourselves and I would recommend it. I'd probably rate it a 3.5, but I'll round up since a feel bad that they have all these negative reviews.
(4)Jill M.
This was our first visit to Centro. We arrived with an early reservation so we had a very quiet meal in a beautiful room, decorated for the holidays. The ambiance was perfect, our table with tablecloth, candle, a flower...lovely. The food was outstanding. They made our ceasar salad at the table, very fresh, crisp, large portion to share. The shrimp diablo was delicious, not too spicy but with a good kick and large fresh shrimp. Our waiter, Salvatore, was delightful. He was very professional, attentive and friendly. We will be returning soon!
(5)Shayna R.
I had a great time at this restaurant and unlike the other reviewers, was seated on time, up front and had a great bar experience to start with. The food is old school Italian, large portions and presented just as it should be. This isn't a minimalist restaurant, so if you think you're going to get fru-fru Italian, this isn't your scene. I had two apps for my dinner--the meatball with canneli beans (to die for) and the eggplant parmesan. Both delectable. Could not even begin to think about finishing. I had plenty of left overs for late night snack in the fridge. The wine list is so-so, nothing special, which is a shame because they could really spice things up with their selection. The mixed cocktails were made perfectly though. I tried a mango martini which was delicious. Then the dessert came--fried dough with ice cream and real whipping cream. Let's just say you can never go wrong with old school favorites like this. I made room in my tummy for as many bites as possible. The ambiance is very catered to the neighborhood. Everything on Hubbard looks the same to me, big old filament light bulbs on reclaimed industrial chic looking chandeliers. Tables appropriately spaced. The open air windows to the beautiful seating area outside are a nice touch. Loved the lighting, not the noise, but really anywhere trendy you will find the same. Really liked the people. I was dining with Candace Jordan, so that may have helped my experience. Overall great waiter, bartender and hostess staff. They are clearly working out kinks, but the manager seems to be pulling it together as quickly as possible with the crowds. Another great addition to a burgeoning see and be seen neighborhood.
(5)Madeline W.
I have been to Centro a few times with my family. Their outside dining area is nice in the summer for people watching but it can be hard to get a table (Don't take reservations for the outside area). The food was decent but nothing too impressive in my opinion. For the price, I think it should be better. HUGE PORTIONS, so be aware of that when ordering. I would come back for the good service and the baked clams.
(3)Joseph P.
Very slow service. It took nearly 30 minutes to receive our appetizers. Our waitress asked us if we wanted desert after we finished our appetizers...Because she forgot to put our entree orders in! Also, the food was nothing special. Our table all found the flavor to be lacking. What a waste of money. You can do much better for the price range. I'd never go back.
(2)Sandi B.
Fabulous! I am extremely PICKY. I want to enjoy the food that goes into my temple! Well.....we did. The risotto, rigatoni. Mmmmmm aladente to perfection. Give this 5 stars.
(5)Clint T.
In from out of town. We stopped in for a second time and have gotten great service and drinks both times. Highly recommended!
(5)Dimitris K.
Very average food yet extreme prices. That's the best way to summarize this place. I would have given the place 3 stars were it not for the prices and maybe 3.5 were it not for the server. The server was extremely pushy and tried to upsell everything. We had clearly ordered plenty of food yet she was pushing even more (and more expensive versions of the same dishes). We got the veal parm (decent), fried calamari (chewy), polenta with sausage (too salty), meatballs (too dry), eggplant rolls (decent), flourless chocolate cake (more like a brownie and not the proper kind - dry too), coconut cake (moist but not coconut-y enough). The ice cream scoops that came with the desserts were the best part. Huge portions - it's a Rosebud restaurant after all. BTW the steak prices are so high that you could easily go to a proper steakhouse and eat for less. Overall - you can get better food elsewhere for less money. It's not as if Chicago doesn't have a deluge of Italian restaurants...
(2)Jeff D.
We were greeted warmly but the experience went downhill from there. The server arrived promptly and we both ordered minestrone soup since we were at an Italian restaurant. The soup had no taste and under cooked massive chunks of vegetables. I have had better minestrone soup at college pizza joints pretending to serve Italian food. Salt and pepper were not on the table and retrospect made no improvement. We sent the soup back and to the waitress' credit it was removed from the bill. Someone came from the kitchen with a tray with our entrees, plates, and serving utensils sitting directly on the tray. The person delivering the food promptly disappeared and our waitress eventually showed up after we speculated if the food was self-service. We were not offered Parmesan cheese and had to ask for it. Instead of fresh grated, which I expect at this price level, the waitress brought a bowl and sprinkled it on our dishes. I got one of homemade pastas which was ok but the sauce was again relatively tasteless. My colleague had "The Best Spaghetti and Meatballs Ever" according to the menu. Far from it while I have had worse meatballs they were mediocre. The manager in a sport coat that was at least 2 sizes too small who had greeted us at the door came to the table to ask us how was our food. We said it was just OK, and he left the table without paying attention. To top it all off the manager later stepped into the kitchen dried his sweaty head with a napkin. He then threw the napkin into the kitchen toward the food prep area. If we had seen before we got our food we would have left then.
(1)Casey M.
I don't feel like writing a long review at this moment, but the food is excellent! The meatballs are amazing! The fried calamari and steamed mussel appetizers are wonderful as well! Our waitress was very attentive and the staff made us feel very welcomed. We dined on a slower Monday night, so I don't know if it is always like that, but everything was great! Thank you Centro :)
(5)Julia J.
I live in Chicago and have been to all the Rosebud restaurants. The decor of Centro was a bit more hip than the others, yet still maintained that traditional 'Chicago Steakhouse' touch. Perhaps this is very 'American' of me, but I hate the way the tables are packed together so closely. Because I feared messing up the hairdo of the woman sitting at the table behind me, I didn't scoot my chair back an inch! Our table was along the window, so I wouldn't recommend sitting in that area if you can avoid it. (Unless you have a chiropractor visit the next day!) On a more positive note-- the food was GREAT! I ordered a salad with chicken and my portion was enormous. The veggies were unbelievably fresh and the chicken was hot and seasoned well. My husband and I shared an order of grilled calamari and they cooked it just as we requested and were meticulous about making sure that we were happy with it. My husband's steak was also perfectly prepared. Our waitress, Christina deserves FIVE stars for her outstanding personality and service. The busboys were quick to bring the bread and to sweep up dirty plates and crumbs. I'm torn. If dining out were just about the food, I would certainly be back in a heart beat... But.... I'm trying to keep my chiropractor bills on the down-low...
(3)Ron G.
I attended the grand opening of Centro, which was completely slammed. In all honesty I have to say it wasn't what I expected from a Rosebud Restaurant. The menu had dishes I've never tasted at a Rosebud before, not to mention signature cocktails that were insanely good. I was even more surprised with all the seafood options - stone crab dipped in a pesto sauce, fried shrimp and oysters were all delicious. And as you would expect from a Rosebud Restaurant the pasta was home cooked to perfection - the baked cavatelli was my favorite but you can't go wrong with the square noodles. That atmosphere was very hip... Great date spot or even just to grab cocktails with friends. I'm looking forward to going back now that it's officially open.
(4)Geoffery H.
I really love this place, we were there for lunch on Saturday for lunch in the rain. We go here all the time, it is our favorite place in the city for Italian. For a starter we had the shrimp and crab claws and as usual they were amazing. I had the spaghetti and meatballs and they are amazing. My wife had the mussels and she was very happy too. I had the cheeses cake it was a little freezer burnt but I there was no need to complain because the service was great.
(4)Daniel G.
This is my second time at Centro (State & Hubbard). Another of the Rosebud restaurants. I ordered wheat pasta with Marinara sauce. A glass of wine starts @ $9.00. I ordered an Allegrini Soave, Veneto.The wine list is very extensive. My pasta was penne. The specials sounded scrumptious. The restaurant was beautifully decorated with wreaths, a Christmas tree and white and red poinsettias. The server/bartender, Bridget, was very informative and gracious. The Marinara was delicious. It took a while. I took the rest home. I'm looking forward to some of the other menu items.
(3)D A.
I was traveling for work, and stopped in here mainly because it was really close to my hotel. The place was recommended by the hotel staff, and the reviews seemed to be pretty good. So, I tried it. Atmosphere: It's what you'd expect for an Italian restaurant in Chicago. Darkly lit. White linen table cloths. A couple TVs around the bar to watch a game. And, a really cool sign inside the restaurant of Centro. Service: I felt very taken care of and never wanted for anything. The staff was very attentive ... quickly took empty plates ... plated my food when arrived ... adding extra cheese. Food: I ordered two things. First, I got polenta with a sausage sauce. I love polenta, and this was pretty good. I would recommend them to try a grilled polenta option, but overall it was worth trying. Next, I had 'The world's best spaghetti', which was really good. It came with two meatballs the size of a large man's fists. They plate it at your table. It could almost feed two people. I ended up with leftovers. Overall, I would recommend this place. One of the better places in thie area of Chicago.
(4)Lisha S.
Came here the Saturday after Christmas around 10pm. There was a party celebrating a 50th bday party. Very loud and rude. Took the server longer than normal to greet us. Ordered, bread was brought out and ten minutes later someone realized that we were missing oil and cheese. Server was not well versed on liquor options and seemed rushed and uninterested while taking our orders and attending to us. Meal was mediocre at best. Not interested in coming back.
(2)Christina M.
Centro made for a nice night with great Italian food and ambiance. We were seated in a corner booth, which was a huge plus. Wines were great there, the fancy pinot by the glass had great flavor. We ordered the 12 veggie chop salad to start, and let me tell you, that salad will feed 4-5 people! The same goes for the pastas, they'll probably feed 2-3 people depending on how hungry everyone is. But overall, this restaurant was very accommodating to my vegan/plant-based diet and I left quite satisfied. I'll definitely go again.
(4)Alyssa E.
I came here to meet a friend for lunch and was very disappointed in the quality of the food, especially for it being a new restaurant. To start, our waiter was too attentive in a way that became rather annoying throughout the meal. We barely sat down and he wanted to know what we were drinking then proceeded to rush through the salad descriptions, making us feel we had to order immediately. Note to restaurant, include what is in each salad on the menu. A name alone does not give an adequate indication of what the salad is composed of. After we placed our order, our salad came out in a timely manner, however it was very mundane for $14. The dressing was a type of vinegar, but was missing in acidity and brightness. Also, there was supposed to be shavings of pecorino cheese and instead there were two long, soggy pieces of cheese laying on top. To accompany the salad, I ordered the slider sized lobster roll with fries. The lobster roll contained two pieces of lobster and a soggy, mayonnaise coleslaw mix. It definitely lacked flavor and expectations. I have been to other Rosebud restaurants downtown and have come away from a decent meal, but Centro unfortunately will not be a place I will revisit.
(2)Jeffrey W.
Beware, this is the 3rd try for Rosebud at this location in 18 Months and again they fail. I live in the neighborhood and always enjoy trying new restaurants, 8PM reservation on a Saturday night and by 8:45 we were still standing at the bar waiting for a table, saw a table get sat and asked the hostess what time their reservation was at, 7:30. If you want to wait an hour and 15 minutes past your reservation time feel free, we did not and left. Food did not look that great, 4 hostess that had no idea what was going on, and a GM walking in between the tables the entire time I was there wearing a paper boy hat. Much better food in the neighborhood, if Rosebuds past 3 attempts at this location or the fact they just shut down their other River North restaurant is any indication of what is to come, just run.
(1)B W.
I went into Centro for a quick bite after a meeting. I was seated at the bar where the waiter, I think his name was Darko, recommended the Cuban sandwich. It was excellent! The staff were all very nice. Darko was knowledgeable about the food and spirits and was very attentive even though he had to step in for another server to help a couple at the other end of the restaurant. I would definitely go back!
(5)Ernesto L.
I went to Chicago for a wedding that got called off but I decided to go anyway and have a good time. This place was at the corner of my hotel, so it deserved an opportunity. The service was nice and friendly. The decor is nice although the music was super loud and didn't fit with the kind of place. The tables were my biggest complaint in that department, since it seems that they tried to fit as many as possible and it's uncomfortable and doesn't make sense. The wine selection is small and they didn't have the wine I requested, so that wasn't a good start either (foodwise) The bread was pretty good and it came with cheese on the side instead of butter. This earned my heart. Sharp tasteful cheese and good bread. Calamari were OK but not memorable. The main dish was tasteful but the serving is insane, borderline offensive. It could feed an army. The waiter said that servings were large but that's an understatement. The square pasta with bolognese sauce was above average but not impressive. Would go back, it's a good call if you're in the neighborhood but wouldn't crave to go back. BTW, not cheap. Cheers
(3)Chuck S.
I absolutely had a great time at this place. The food was amazing! We got there a little bit ahead of the rush, it was semi-busy when we walked in but by the time we left the place was crazy. The food is served family style and our waitress did a good job of describing everything. I went with a group of five, so we all ordered something and we shared it. A buddy of mine and I both ordered Manhattans, which were not that good. They had onion and pumpernickel bread that was delicious. We also ordered a plate of Italian sausage, which was spicy but also very good. I don't remember everything we ordered but I know we had Chicken Lemon, 8-finger cavatelli with Bolognese sauce, 8-finger with something else, something in a vodka sauce, a steak and a few other things I don't remember but everything was delicious. The Chicken Lemon was so juicy and tasted great. The bathrooms are in a strange place, but that has been the way for the places before as well. Overall, really enjoyed the experience and will definitely be back.
(4)Derek D.
Wow this place is horrible! I went there recently and it makes me wonder if Rosebud is aware the bare the name. Not the quality I come to expect from a rosebud place. When I first got there the show me food on an iPad. That might be impressive to a 90 year old women with an AOL account but to anyone in there 20s it reeks of an interactive Denny's and makes me pity the apple device for being used in such a cheap wAy. The wait staff is armature and the food is often raw! Don't go!
(1)Bonnie P.
My boyfriend and I had dinner here about a week ago. The meal was absolutely fantastic. I had the tomato and cucumber salad to start and then the lemon chicken for the main meal. The salad was really great and the chicken was absolutely perfect. Additionally, the portions were really big and we had a lot of left overs. The decor and atmosphere is very nice and comfortable. The wine list is very reasonably priced. The waiter came by with an iPad showing us pics of the night's specials. I'm sure we'll be back for another great meal!
(5)Lea R.
Aziz & Ana are incredible!!!! FYI - This review is about the talent not the food - thought the food is yum ( skip to the bottom). This is a review that I should have written long ago. First off we met Aziz the manager at another local restaurant. Aziz from day one has always treated us like a friend. He is warm and friendly and sincerely cares about your experience. He is not a "how is it going while you just took a bite manager". Seriously, what is that??? Who asks a question when you obviously can't answer due to a full mouth other than your dentist??? Someone who cares less on the answer does. I've watched Aziz and he times his table check up which I think is very respectful on his part, he cares that you are having a good time and waits for a good time to interject his query. He then treats you like he's known you forever. His personality makes a huge part of the entire dining out experience, from when you see him at the door to his table visit to goodbye. There are a shocking number of restaurants in the area that could learn from Aziz on how to treat customers. I should mention that there have been many occasions when we show up to watch sports on the tall tops we are pretty casual with baseball hats, and not one person has ever made us feel like we were out of place. The restaurant is business casual, but sometimes we just want a quick bite without the whole "dress for dinner" and love a neighborhood place we can feel comfortable in. We sit at the tall tops to not only watch sports but to not class down the place as it is a bit dressy (business casual) in the main dining area. Servers... honestly... we have had so many wonderful servers but Ana is a standout. From the first time we met her she treated us like her friend's. She is so warm and friendly and is totally genuine. Every time we see her she is effervescent, it's not just us she is the same way with everyone. I would recommend you to ask for her as she is just a sweetheart. I feel there are a good many servers out there that need to emulate Ana's skill and craft. I say skill & craft because being a server is not an easy job and she makes it look easy even on a crazy busy night (seriously she remembers everything you ordered verbatim) she gets it right. She also is friendly when you know there might have been a few "high maintenance" tables, she doesn't let it get to her. As for food, we tend to eat very lean and I find that the chopped salad works well for me, dressing on the side with some grilled chicken and my hubby likes the brick chicken. Both are yum!!!!!
(5)Michael M.
Great service and good food. Split two half orders of pasta, the bolognese was the standout, the spinach sausage a half step behind and the Caesar salad to start was sharp and mouthwatering. If you're havin' a hankering for fresh pasta and want to keep it light, Centro hits the spot.
(3)Jessica Ping H.
This place is underrated. We sat belly up with mike. We has the Brussels sprouts which were the best Brussels sprouts we've ever had. They were roasted with red onions, capers and bacon. Yes bacon! Then we had the prime meatballs with sweet and hot peppers. It was terrific mike plated everything. We thought that was an awesome special touch. Top notch food and service with a trendy atmosphere.
(5)Katie N.
After a couple weeks of waiting for my boyfriend to make a Valentine's Day reservation, and then realizing that was just not going to happen, Centro ultimately became our (my) restaurant of choice! The food was absolutely fantastic, and that's coming from a chick that is not normally a fan of Italian cuisine. We started out with the meatballs. In all honesty, that could have been a meal in itself. They were MASSIVE. Like the size of my baby niece's head massive. Not only were they large in size, but they were packed in flavor too. Definitely get the balls. We also got 4 of the Jumbo Cocktail Shrimp. Not lying about the jumbo part, and we only could eat 2. Also very tasty. For our main course I got an 8 oz. filet, and he got the 12 oz. Now I AM a huge steak girl, and this steak was cooked to perfection. I actually said "Oh my God" after my first bite. It was that good. Sadly, I could not finish it after all of our starters. As for drinks, I went with the waitresses recommendation of some sort of strawberry-lime Cosmopolitan. Very weak. Just tasted like a strawberry lime-ade. I then went for my regular vodka water lime. She up-sold me on some "3 time gold medal winning" vodka that was "only about $1 more than grey goose". Whatever. I just watered it down anyway... but props to that waitress! He stuck with a couple Old Fashions. Very strong. If you're coming here on a date and don't like to get cozy with your neighbors, I would say this isn't your place. Not even a foot between the two person tables, and I almost felt like I should be introducing myself to the couples sitting to my left and right. This is the only reason why I took away a star. Regardless, we had a great time and will be returning!
(4)Jeff S.
Server was cool, but the appetizer we ordered was gross. It was the octopus, squid, and shrimp. Recommended by server and most expensive, however it tasted like char and propane and the octopus was over cooked. The char made everything pretty bitter
(2)Jeff N.
Typical Rosebud standards, which by the way are consistently tasty. Nothing unique about this particular Rosebud variation. If I was really craving Italian in this area, I would divide my time up with Divanti Enoteca which is right across the street.
(4)Kenneth R.
We're here from LA and had an outstanding meal tonight. Service was great and both entrees were the best my coworker and I have had all week. I don't understand why there are so few reviews and why this isn't a 5 star.
(5)Kevin H.
As a local hotel manager i was hoping Centro would be knock my sox off and become a great go to restaurant for my team to refer guests to. Was i wrong... do yourself a favor skip this place. Go to the many other Italian restaurants in the area which appreciate their customers (quartinos/rpm/trattoria no 10/etc). The food was average here but the service was by far one of the worst in Chicago. servers are all rather arrogant (like all rosebud restaurants..) and talk to you like you are doing them a favor for dinning with them. The same mentality carries upward to the management of this restaurants. I spoke with manager Marcello about a problem we experienced during our meal and he could care less. At no point did he apologize or even introduce himself. I had to extend my hand and introduce myself to him mid conversation even though he was the one who came over to our table to discuss our issues. He was extremely defensive the entire time and didn't even seek to ask what actually was going on. he spoke his mind and then stored away with out even letting us actually speak with him... I give this place less then 16 months before it closes.
(1)Katerina S.
Had so much fun here with a group of 20 +. George, our server, was great!!! The sangria was delicious.
(5)S L.
Amazing experience!! Service was fantastic, wine list was great, managers were all over the table, and food couldn't be better. Crab salad and Calamari Calabrese were the starters and then went to Cavatelli Rosebud and Pappardelle. Ricoota Cheesecake and Tiramisu ended our meal. And some Sambuca of course. I'm a huge fan of LaScarola on Grand, but Rosebud has amazing food.
(5)Sid G.
If I could give this place zero stars I would. Let me start off by saying that I don't ever post on yelp but had SUCH a lousy experience here that I felt compelled to inform others. 8 PM reservations--we were seated at 9 PM Ordered dinner at 9:30 PM. No dinner served over an hour and a half later. The idiot Manager with a fedora comes out after complaining at 11 PM with the response "we gave your order to another table..." We complain again and tell him this is unacceptable and that we just want to leave and do not want dinner. A meat head bald man at this "restaurant" comes up to us and tells us to step outside because he's a "cop" and if we keep complaining he'll arrest us. Are we in Afghanistan or Iraq?? Bottom line: I had high hopes for this place because its two blocks from where I live and really wanted to love it. Reality: this place is doomed like every other place that's occupied the space. The douchebag "cop" isn't a plus.
(1)Theresa Y.
Although I love Rosebud, I would not recommend this place. I eat out in the city a lot and this may be one of the most disappointing restaurant experiences that I've had. Aside from the oysters nothing we tried was very good. I'm not extremely picky or big on sending back dishes but the arugula salad was so salty I couldn't even pretend to eat it. They were very nice about it and tried to accommodate me by bringing a new salad but this time it was dry with absolutely no dressing. My Boyfriends steak was RAW and the meatballs were just edible.
(1)Ben N.
I'm young enough to still know what's up, but still old enough to remember good meals at the original Centro. Unfortunately, this is a very poor reproduction. I wanted to like this restaurant simply based on history, but this was not to pass unfortunately. In general, the extensive menu is loaded with the usual Southern Italian fare everyone else has done for the past 100 years, with most of it being fair at best. I've never been a fan of large and extensive menus, because bets are more than half of the choices will not be properly executed. I'm not sure how many times the same formula has to fail before someone actually realizes that it's clearly not working. Show me 10 things you can do better than anyone else, and you've got a winning recipe here. I did find that service was good and attentive, and I didn't mind being often checked on. However, I didn't understand why an iPad was needed to explain the 15 daily specials (again, WAY too many here - focus on key dishes and prepare them well). Our server fumbled back and forth and almost dropped it three times. Well guess what? I've got an iPad too, and I can use it to book a reservation right here in my seat at your bar with your competitor directly across the street, which serves FAR better food, and in a more unique and welcoming atmosphere. I agree with other reviewers here, the Rosebud Group of restaurants isn't known for consistency. Now, in their defense, I do think that the Rosebud on Taylor Street and Rosebud Prime on Dearborn are far superior to ANY of their other restaurants, but maybe because they are held more accountable for results in these locations, who knows? But here's an example as far as inconsistency goes - Carmine's used to be one of my favorite dining choices, but the food and service have dramatically declined over the past 7 years. And don't even mention Rosebud on Rush - that's an even more disappointing misfortune. These two locales are more focused on the troll and hooker set, as food and service have fallen to the wayside. If I want to eat a heavy Italian meal that leaves me feeling sick, swollen, and bloated, I'll go to my grandmother's house for dinner. At least she's got bigger bathrooms, and no irritating restroom attendant to contend with, in a space no larger than a linen closet.
(1)Abby K.
Ate dinner here on Saturday night and was very impressed with what Centro has done with this space. The atmosphere is great, the food was really good and our service was top-notch. A few restaurants have come and go in this space that is really in a business district. But, with the hotels and the energy of Hubbard Street, I think Centro can be the perfect fit here. I hope it stays for a long time, because I'm already looking forward to getting the pasta bolognese that I enjoyed again soon!
(4)Joss P.
I loved this place! Staff was super nice and very helpful. The food was great. They had music and the atmosphere was great. I had a delicious Jumbo shrimp spicy. Definitely will go back when I return to Chicago.
(5)Chris Q.
A good amount of horrible food. The service is okay but it is not worth the money I paid for. I would not suggest any one go to this place if you are a food lover.
(1)Hilary W.
The only reason I gave Centro two stars is because we thought the food was good. Let me start from the beginning of our Centro experience: 1. We had an 8:30 PM reservation. We didn't get seated until 9 PM. 2. After waiting over 10 minutes for our server to appear, it took 20 minutes to get our first round of drinks. 3. Someone at my table ordered a dirty martini and asked for blue cheese olives. The waiter said he "didn't know" if they had them. A dirty martini with blue cheese olives is a pretty popular drink. He was also unknowledgeable about the menu when asked about it. 4. We were brought the wrong appetizer, and then charged more money for the wrong appetizer when the bill came. 5. They neglected our table and failed to clear plates, etc. as we moved through the meal. They also served our dessert and failed to bring us silverware for several minutes after. 6. Last but not least, it was my birthday. My friend approached the server mid-meal and told him to bring a dessert with a candle for me. He came and brought us a dessert menu and we picked something to share. It was brought to the table with no candle. 20 minutes later, at the table next to us, a dessert was brought out and happy birthday was sang by several staff members to someone at their table. As an afterthought and after our dessert was DONE, they came over to our table after and sang happy birthday....it just made us all really uncomfortable. At the culmination of this meal, the server brought us the bill. I asked to speak to the manager, who I had seen walk past our table multiple times during the course of the evening but who never thought to check in with us. After explaining our experience that evening, he said give me a few minutes and walked away. About 10 minutes later he came back with simply a business card with his name on it - and said if we came back we'd get better service. They didn't offer anything else. He also told me he didn't want to make excuses, but then proceeded to make excuses! After this experience, I would be hard-pressed to return to Centro. We may attempt to contact the restaurant to figure out exactly what this "promise" means but in the mean time we won't be returning to Centro anytime soon.
(2)Liz M.
My husband and I went to Centro Saturday night. We had the best time ever, the food was outstanding. Our server Robert recommended the Shrimp Dijon for an appetizer and he also let us know about the large portions so we didn't over order. Thank goodness, because he was spot on. For our entree we had the veal Parmesan which was to die for. The drinks were good too and I highly recommend this place!
(5)Kimberly E.
Amazing food!! Brussel Sprouts are to die for! Don't know why there are so many bad reviews. Food was excellent.
(4)Joe L.
While the service was a little lacking, the food was amazing. I highly recommend the mozzarella app and the chilean sea bass dinner!!!!!! If you need to eat in a hurry and relish the service more than food.....better go to another restaurant.
(4)Mike D.
The restaurant has tremendous meatballs. My friend and I had the seafood special (sea bass,mussels, clams and a single overcooked shrimp). The seafood special was $60 each, yikes and not good at all. The sea bass had no taste and the mussels and clams were awful; very fishy. The service was good and after we spoke to the manager about the inedible meal, he offered to take it off the bill. You should stick to what you do best, meatballs!
(1)Jennifer B.
We actually dined there on October 11, 2013, after it was recommended by the Concierge at our hotel. It has an upscale ambience but the food was not very good. The bread they bring to the table is cold, and is served with small chunks of parmesan cheese. I'd much prefer butter or olive oil and herbs. Plus warm your bread! The green noodles were overcooked and was extremely salty, which is so very disappointing for an Italian restaurant. My dinner partner had the chicken marsala and it was actually pretty decent. The diet cokes came in cute little glass bottles. The waitress showed us fish and seafood dishes on an iPad AFTER I specifically asked her what dishes she liked that did not include fish and seafood. Apparently she had a short memory or wasn't listening to me. For dessert the ricotta cheesecake was acceptable, but the flourless cake was really not very good. The wait staff takes WAYY TOO MUCH TIME serving up each person's meal from a bowl onto a plate. Completely unnecessary. Just serve the darn food in a pasta bowl and call it good! Then things wouldn't go so darn slow! Plus your tables are so crowded that it infringes on your diners at other tables to have the servers constantly standing with their rear ends in their face dishing up plates of pasta. I was bumped three times during my meal.
(2)Nina G.
This was the worst restaurant experience of my life. I had an 8:00 reservation. When we got there, they said they were behind on reservations and that we would have to wait a little. So we went to the bar. 45 minutes later, I asked the hostess how much longer it would be. She kept ignoring me and telling me to hold on, and never answered the question. Finally, my friend asked one of the other hostesses what the problem was. She said she had to check on our table and that she would be right back. Well she came back, and completely blew us off, seating other people before us. An hour and 25 minutes after our reservation, we stopped one of the managers as he was walking by. Explained that we were waiting for such a long time, and he sat us. Oh, and while we were waiting at the bar, I tried to order 3 different drinks, all of which they were out of!! We got to our table, ordered food, ate and drank. In the mean time, the waiter forgot several things, and we had to keep reminding him. He wrapped up our leftovers, which was about half of our meals. We never saw them again! And after all this trouble, they didn't so much as buy us a drink. Almost the worst part: Valet was $11.99 but in fine print, it said "$17 for 3 hours or more".... Ah ha, so that's why they make you wait so long. Absolutely ridiculous. Worst part: the food was just OK. nothing special by any means. The "vodka sauce" tasted like canned tomatoes, it even had the seeds in it still - gross! If you're looking for good Italian food, this is not the place to go. Extremely mediocre food and a bad experience in every other aspect. Highly advise against eating here!!
(1)Richard C.
Stumbled across this place with family and just walked in. They sat us at bar area. The wait staff was unbelievable with us and accommodating for the kids. Food was outstanding! Cioppino on special had an enormous amount of fish and the pasta dishes were so large that two kids could split one and not finish it. An extremely friendly place to eat with great food. Best meal we had during our trip to Chicago.
(5)L R.
Sometimes you read reviews and wonder if everyone is taking about the same place. Second time I ate there this year, as a result of attending two conventions in Chicago. Both times I thought it was great. Real old school Italian place. I have traveled all over and have eaten at numerous Italian places, and have spent a fair amount of time in Italy,, and this is a place I will go to every time I am in Chicago. The servings are not only supersized, but really, really good. The sausage and peppers rocked. My wife had the veal marsella, and it melted in our mouth. The chopped vegie salad was fantastic and we could not even finish it. Service was very good. The only improvement I would suggest is more wines by the glass at a more reasonable price. Last time I had the spaghetti with meatballs and that was out of this world. I really like the way they use an Ipad to show the specials. Great place for a real Chicago/Italian experience. Right near Andy's Jazz Club or the Chicago Blues Club just down the street, so makes for a geat evening. Nice feel to the place as well. Wish they had a place this good in San Francisco's Little Italy. Went back twice in August 2014. Two more fantastic meals. Upgraded my rating to 5 stars. This place alone in a great reason to visit Chicago! Its part of the Rosebud group but still has its own character. Sausage and peppers cannot be beat!
(5)L B.
I will start by saying this is my first yelp review. I am annoyed enough that I came straight home from our dinner to write this. Let's start with ambiance...stale and boring. Like every other Italian steak place in the city. Average, nothing to write home about. People....old!!!!!! Or "mature" as the bathroom attendant described to someone that used to frequent the "old" (my description) Centro "back-in-the-day". Reservations...made them for 8, didn't get seated until 9. But in their defense they did offer for us to sit with a party of 6 already in session, they just happened to have 2 empty seats at the end of their party. No offense but didn't want to sit with another family, so we waited. Bar....CHAOS!! So many bartenders so little knowledge. I ordered one of their "cocktails", 20 min later after she found the ingredients gave to me what I was confident was the wrong cocktail. After we we declined to offer to dine with another party we stayed at the bar with Wayne Newton and his friends from back in the day to have another drink only to have the bartender ask us what we actually were drinking so he could close out our tab. ??? Dinner.....bread on table, each had a piece and they took the basket. Had to ask for water and another drink because no one was there to help. Finally ordered grilled calamari. Delicious, best I've ever had! Get the cherry peppers to go with it but ask for your bread basket back bc the sauce is delicious! Husband got the prime filet medium rare (per chef suggestion) and it was cooked perfectly and tasted great. I got the orchiette with sausage and rapini. Came as cavetelli AND COLD ( didn't order that pasta type for particular reasons...too doughy for what I was wanting tonight). When I asked the waiter if they ran out of the correct pasta he tried to convince me that it was the right one. Completely different shapes buster! You say line I say circle. I could go on further but you may have gotten the point so I won't. If you are determined to try it then go but just wait several months for them to get their flow (not sure they will ever find it) or just don't go. Rosebuds on rush is actually better I feel. Also, if you are not 50+ and "connected" (if you know what I mean) then don't expect good service. Our night ended with another patron marching into the kitchen and throwing a few words around so we clearly weren't the only ones with a bad experience.
(2)MmeMorticia D.
I am a fan of old school Italian restaurants that are actually frequented by old school Italians. I also recognize and appreciate stellar customer service and unique experiences and that's why I have followed Yvonne and Marcos to 3 different locations in the Rosebud family. First time visiting this location courtesy of a dear friend, for my birthday. Instantly greeted warmly, led to the table, handed the menus and seconds later water and bread were delivered by separate individuals. Next comes Marcos, waiter extraordinaire, who explains the contents of the bread basket: baguette, Italian bread and a wheat bread with stuffed carmelized onions. Also served with Pecorino Romano cheese (heaven) and pickled cherry chile peppers. Knowing that we had a couple more stops that night and after eyeballing the Flintstone sized portions at other tables, we opted to share our dinner to avoid a food coma. Marcos educated on the salad and brought over samples of all 3 dressings: Italian, Balsamic and a lemony one. Next we split what we thought would be a simple spaghetti and meatball dish which was actually a serving platter and a small planet! My friend's eyes were like saucers after biting into it and insisted I try it. I am not a fan of ground meat but I took a small bite and was shocked I liked it. It was VERY flavorful. I have to mention how cute it was that we were served each and every item we ordered, once it arrived at the table, by Marcos. Very nice touch. It wasn't just plunked down in front of you. It would be served by one person, then Marcos would serve it to us on our plates. After not even making a dent in our meal (and not wearing Extend-o pants!), we smartly decided to stop eating while we could still sit upright. What happened next was mortifying for me, but hysterical for my soon to be eulogized friend. Out of nowhere Gregory (another friendly server) stands in front of our table smiling (warning sign #1) I feel a gust of wind behind me, turn around to see Marcos holding a plate with a candle and dessert (warning sign #2) and turn back around to see a parade of singing waiters approaching me!? (flatline) The dessert was Cannoli, with sweet ricotta. Huge and impossible to finish, but very delicious. All in all a great experience, even if it ended with death-glares from me, lol.
(5)George C.
Ample servings. Knowledgeable and attentive wait staff. Fabulous marinara sauce. Great white fish. Wonderful mussels in white wine butter sauce. Brought the leftover sauce home. Tossed it with capellini. Mmmmmmm.
(4)Marc P.
A poor excuse for a restaurant. One of us had a hamburger which was over-seasoned. It was supposed to be cooked medium rare, but was raw on the inside and over-cooked on the outside. I guess if you combined the two, it WAS medium rare. The mozzarella tomato salad was generous, but the mozzarella was tasteless. Prices were high. Service was fine at lunch.
(1)Lauren Y.
Wonderful food, service and ambience! Just as good as it was before, but w/a better location. Can't wait to go back...and very soon at that! (Request a table with Tina R. !)
(5)