Osteria De Pizza Metro
2863 N Clark St, Chicago, IL, 60657
Osteria De Pizza Metro Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Chicago for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant blood pressure menu details.
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
2863 N Clark St
Chicago, IL, 60657 - Phone (773) 472-6411
- Website https://www.osteriadepizzametro.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :5:00 pm - 10:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : No
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
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.
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Alaina N.
The staff was absolutely awesome at this place. We had a very large, somewhat noisy group and they were extremely patient with us, and very attentive. The pizza was good, not the best I've had, and there were some good pasta dishes ordered. Food-wise, it was more of a 3 star place, but b/c of how great the owner and wait staff were with our group of 12, they definitely deserve at least 4 stars. Extremely reasonable BYOB option as well - only $2pp corkage fee!
(4)Jonathan T.
Great place!! Very welcoming and cozy vibe inside. Service was very good. I ordered the calamari which was perfect, light and crispy. I also had the tortellini alla bosciaoli which was extremely tasty and rich. I definitely reccomend this place if you like Italian food, ill definitely be coming back here.
(4)Ryan B.
Best Roman pizza I have had since living in Rome. And they have Suppli, which actually tastes like the real thing. Really happy this place opened up, will be back often.
(5)Nancy K.
To the last reviewer- I don't think the previous reviews were fake. We had a delightful dinner at Osteria on Saturday, and will definitely be back. We liked the cozy atmosphere and fresh pasta. It's a simple place with simple food - much like the Osterias you'd find in small towns in Italy. The prices were so reasonable I almost couldn't believe it. We had 2 appetizers, 2 pasta entrees and a dessert for $75 including a very generous tip. I'm looking forward to going back to try the pizza.
(4)Sopla R.
Have yet to dine in.. this is our pizza delivery-go-to..each time we are always very happy.. lots of flavor thin-sqaure pizza ingredients and the dough perfect!
(4)Jenna I.
At first I was excited to check out this new spot since a. its right by my place, b. its BYOB, and c. it seemed to get great yelp reviews. Now this is where the confusion begins...how in the heck did they get good reviews (I'm starting to think their employees were the ones yelping)?? The service was TERRIBLE and the food was standard to say the least. Working in the hospitality business myself I know how important service is and the fact that it took our party to have to flag down a server to get their attention to give us glassware for our wine and even water after an HOUR is insane. I actually at one point got up to get give our bottle of wine to a server to open and proceeded to grab the pitcher of water and fill up my friends glasses because our server was never around. I'm still actually uncertain who our server was because we had to flag them down multiple times. This place is super small too, so they CLEARLY knew we were there. And the food....hmmmm, I would rather order in pizza from Domino's then deal with the awful service. Its a shame too since I was excited that this little Italian place opened up in our neighborhood. Never going again...
(1)Sally V.
My boyfriend and I ate here this evening for the first time. We had the capricosa (sp?) pizza which was thin, crispy and delicious with a buttery crust. Next, we had the seafood salad -- arugula, cherry tomatoes, shrimp, octopus and calamari. While I loved the taste of the arugula, I was not impressed with the seafood -- it did not have a lot of taste to it (and we don't care for octopus). Finally, we had the profiteroles and coffee. Wow! We were blown away. Our server then brought us hot milk for our coffee....just like in Italy. We enjoyed the intimate and neighborhoody feel of this restaurant. I will be back!
(4)Mark O.
Went on an early Saturday night before heading over to the Century for a movie. The place wasn't very busy and that should have made things really good. Alas not so. Our pizza was delivered cold and chewy because the cheese had actually hardened up; it was sparse on the topping too. One of our friends got her entre on time, but the other got his spagetti and meatballs late. We won't go back - better places to go. Kitchen clearly needs to get its act together.
(2)Sheri M.
As far as the food and prices go, Osteria is absolutely 5 stars. The only thing sometimes lacking is the service. The waitresses are often awkward or space cadets. And you usually have to ask 3 times to get parmesan cheese and crushed red peppers for your pizza. That aside, it is totally worth it. Osteria is BYOB and you literally cannot beat the price for a great Italian meal.
(4)Carly M.
We just went to Osteria De Pizza Metro for a girls night and it was FABULOUS. The people were so sweet (and authentic Italians!) and the food was delicious. I lived in Rome for four months and can honestly say the thin crust, square style pizza is based off the real deal. We had bruschetta, great salads with goat cheese and fresh veggies, a pasta dish that was recommended -- all great! The prices are very reasonable and we love BYOB places so that is also a plus. We had a great night and will definitely be going back regularly.
(5)Amy S.
My favorite "real italian" pizza in the city. The crust is amazing, and I love getting the tomato, prosciutto, and arugula. Typing this review is making me hungry.
(5)Paul P.
Had a family dinner at Osteria last Thursday evening. The food and service were outstanding. This is genuine Italian cuisine. Expertly prepared with just the right balance of spices and herbs with homemade pasta. Simply and purely delicious. Go to this place if you want an old country cuisine that will transport you back to Tuscany while relaxing on Clark St..
(5)Katie A.
Their pizza is a lot like Pizza Rustica and it's BYOB!
(4)Katia G.
First off, I don't normally write reviews. In fact, this is the first review I have ever written. But this restaurant is 3 weeks old, and I sincerely hope they stick around for a long long time. I went with some girlfriends and dinner ended up lasting almost 3 hours because we were having so much fun. The food is Italian, fresh delicious and VERY reasonably priced. Think red, ripe tomatoes on bruschetta, chunks of goat cheese on heaping plates of spinach, or the smell of fresh basil coming off a square Margherita pizza. The fact that it's BYOB makes it that much more affordable and fun. The staff are friendly and you truly feel like you're having dinner with an Italian mama looking after you from the kitchen from the moment you sit down. I know I'll be back!
(5)TN T.
Terrible and laughable service. They were pissed b/c the entire party was not on time. Fine. I get it. But I guess this offense means you are to be ignored completely. Not one waitress stopped by our table for over an hour - even after the entire party showed up. We didn't have waters, my friend got up and grabbed a pitcher to fill our waters herself. They didn't offer bread but proceeded to give every other table bread. It's byob but I had to flag a server down to open my bottle. Apparently it takes over an hour for a margarita pizza - which was soggy anyway. I would have liked to try or order food but you can't really do that when you don't know who your server is and the entire restaurant staff is purposely avoiding your table. keep in mind this restaurant is TINY and probably has less than 15 tables so they knew we were there. My friends and I will never come back EVER - and fortunately for them i have loose lips so I'll let everyone i know not to go there too. Service is everything and the way they handled themselves last night was embarrassing for them.
(1)Steph M.
How great to find a neighborhood spot thats near shopping (What girl doesn't work up an appetite at Akira?), yummy pizzas and pasta, AND its byob! Yes, there is a $ 2 corkage fee (per person) but this is a warm little spot to grab dinner. Service was good, attentive yet not pushy. The good was good and simple. Nothing too fancy, but hit the spot. Oh, and the pizzas are perfect for sharing. So get a pasta and some pizza... and get ready for a fun meal!
(4)Kristy C.
Quiet cute place, dimly lit... BYOB! I was bummed to see we were charged an uncork fee $2 per person tho, still better then paying by the glass but this is the first time i've ever actually been charged uncork for byob, esp when it wasn't clear there was one. The staff was really attentive, they were super patient when we took a while to order. The menu was versatile, they served bread and oil while we ordered, and the food came out hot the way we wanted. The portions were a little smaller then expected for the price tho.
(4)Anne K.
My girlfriends and I have a Girls Night Dinner every Wednesday, and we find ourselves coming here a lot of the times! Both the pastas and the pizza are great, and they always have special dishes for the evening. The wait staff is laid back and friendly and do not mind us hanging out for awhile. Usually do not have an issue getting a table during the week, and it is BYOB! All around great little place.
(4)Alex C.
Nice little place on Clark street that's BYOB, has great pizza, pasta and most importantly excellent service.
(5)Nina F.
The best BYOB Italian place in they city!!!! Great food with a small corkage fee! Doesn't get better!
(5)Casey B.
Literally had better pizza from a gas station... Sad because I was really looking forward to it. Oh, and it was about 5,000 degrees Celsius in that bitch.
(2)Kara W.
We wanted to like this place because it looked cute and it was in the neighborhood. But it was awful. Everything we had was nearly inedible. The one star goes to the service, they were nice and attentive.
(1)Ashley L.
Tasted like true Italian food, if you've ever been to Italy you will agree. BYOB but there is an $8 cork fee. Service was friendly and quick! We made reservations for dinner on a Thursday night and we were happy we did because it was crowded by the time we got our food. It is a hidden gem.
(4)Fabiola S.
Absolutely love this place! Friendly staff, BYOB & yummy authentic Italian dishes /pizza. My favorite pizza is the Pizza Metro (has a little bit of everything)! Amazing salads as well, love the Apple Gorgonzola salad. Also if you love custard, I'd def get the Panna cotta, you will fall in love & will def come back for it. I know I do!
(5)Ripley W.
This place kinda sucks, which is too bad - because the food was alright - but more on that later... I HATE when a restaurant charges a service fee / corkage when they don't even have a liquor license. It's one thing if you're losing out on your own beer/wine/liquor sales by allowing me to bring my own...but you're not. You're just ripping me off at $2 a head. On top of that, there's a fee for paying with too many credit cards and another fee for sharing entrees. If their intention was to make me feel unappreciated as a customer, they did it effectively and quickly. The service was average, perhaps even worse because there were only 4 or 5 occupied tables in there, but whatever. And to be fair, their bread was shit, but we had 2 pasta dishes (spaghetti with shrimp and a vegetarian orecchiette) that were both pretty good. Regardless, I'm still not coming back.
(2)Brianna K.
I have no idea why this place has received bad reviews. The pizza and pasta are both very good, very reasonably priced, and it's BYOB. They even once held our table while we ran to Walgreens as we did not realize it was BYOB. I mean it's not the best Italian restaurant in Chicago but have not had a bad experience yet and have ate here at least five times now.
(4)Ivanna S.
Nice place to eat! Been here twice.. Good service and the food is really good and full of flavour! Original Italian taste. I do have to say that is a little bit slow though. The amount of food is not too much, which is actually perfect. The tiramisu and panna cotta as desert are highly recommended. The location is cozy and reminds me of the nonna kitchen back when I lived in Italy!
(5)Pria H.
This place has the best Italian food in the city! The fact that it is BYOB, makes it a must EAT!!
(5)Ken O.
I have seen this neighborhood restaurant several times during travels on Clark Street but I just keep forgetting about it until recently. I decided to try it. Made a reservation via Opentable.com at 5pm - early dinner. When I had arrived, I was the only one there. No big deal - it's early. I was seated in front of the windows which was great. Time to watch the world go by. Samuel had brought a bread plate and introduced himself. So far okay. I had decided to just order a sprite and then ordered the Cheesy Garlic Bread for an appetizer and for the main entree, I had ordered the The Pollo al Limone. Samuel had brought the bread in the right amount of time. The bread was nice and garlicey (if it's a word) WOW garlic, It was good. Here we go...... it was taking awhile between the courses. From couple of the other reviews, it was noted there maybe a delay, however, the food was very good. Unfortunately, not my experience. When I had received my entree, I had received a chicken breast, with couple of stalks of broccoli and about five slices of VERY VERY thin slices of potatoes and lots lots of white wine and lemon juice. Order to the description on the menu, I should have received chicken breast sauteed with capers, white wine and lemon juice with a side of roasted potatoes and broccoli and carrots. I truly believe few things were missing. I had wish Samuel had followed up with me after he give me the plate. Then I would let him know that the chicken was extremely tough. I barely could cut it with the steak knife that you receive. SERIOUSLY. Please note.... I'm still the only one in the restaurant. When he finally came over, I had asked him to cut the chicken. He just took it back to the kitchen. When he came back, he brought the check and let me know he took 50% discount. When I had try to pay.... guess what? The credit card system was down. Luckily, I had enough cash with me. Would I go back? I really wanted to like the restaurant since it's only two blocks away from my apartment.
(2)Kris B.
This is one of our favorite neighborhood spots. The pizza and pasta are delicious, and they have a great (cheap!) lunch and yummy daily/seasonal specials. We've had the same waiter almost every time we've gone there, and he's always super nice and attentive. Bonus: BYOB!
(4)James K.
In response to managements comment, please observe they took 3 paragraphs to explain their fees yet the food is only mentioned once. Being preoccupied with their fees instead of the food is likely what caused this issue in the first place. Further, the logic used to explain their fees is faulty in each case. To save everyone time I will not break this down but will do so if management responds on this review again. I originally left off the picture of the pasta but this weak excuse/explanation has caused me to change my mind (please see pictures).
(1)Elissa L.
We came here with our out of town friends who have a 2 year old. They needed to eat early to try to get close to her East Coast usual dinner time and the staff were very accommodating, friendly and efficient. They were also SO patient when the travel proved overwhelming and the darling toddler crashed. Thankfully, at 5:30pm on a Friday, we were the only ones there at first, so at least we weren't disturbing other customers. Overall, the food was tasty and the service was great. Would recommend for a straight forward Italian meal with lovely and flexible service.
(4)Tia B.
Meh. The food and service were just meh. Not bad but not the best either. Service is sloooowwww. However, this place is supposed to be authentic Italian. So having dined in Italy many times where dinner is a 4 hour production the service here matched that. But the food leaves a little bit to be desired. The robust flavors of Italian food just aren't there. Here's what we got for $30/person: Caesar salad- you can't really mess this up so it was ok Caprese salad- the fresh mozzarella was yummy. Patate e Rosmarino pizza- Potato and rosemary pizza - yuck! The pizza dough and potato mix grossed me out. Dry and oily. Osteria Pizza- sausage, peppers, pepperoni and onion pizza. It was ok. Dough was still dry and the slices were small. Penne Quattro Formaggi- 4 cheese pasta. As I write this my stomach is already regretting eating this. Tagliatelle alla Bolognese- meat sauce and pasta. This was the best dish I ate. I had to add A LOT of Parmesan cheese to help with flavor. Overall, I've had better food at Olive Garden. Small portions but it is all you can eat. So I would recommend as soon as they put down some food reorder immediately. The staff is very friendly and it's BYOB. Maybe they figure if they serve you slow you'll get super drunk waiting for your food and won't realize that it really doesn't taste good.
(3)Michael D.
Lovely and simple! A great place to go when you have cabin fever or before the movies. Bring a nice bottle of wine worthy of tasty light Italian food. Rarely busy but they do have their moments when its packed. Not so nice with more than 4 people groups because the place is small.
(4)David G.
Well priced, delicious, and excellent service make this cozy spot ideal for a laid back dinner out. Everyone so far that has waited our table knows the menu very well and are more than willing to give a recommendation. Food comes out quick and beforehand they drop off fresh bread with olive oil. Also, it is BYOB. Not just your typical "Let's grab a bottle of the wine and be chicks." kind of BYOB, you can bring anything. I usually bring Jim Beam and ask for Diet Coke. Other people seem to enjoy bringing liquor as well so I don't feel like a raging alcoholic when I whip out the whiskey.
(5)Jacob H.
Typical crap pizza in Chicago. Ordered this delivery -- crust is awful and bland. Cheese is awful and bland and my half pizza had 7 slices of pepperoni on it...7. I would have rather spent $25 on Digiorno Since then I've purchased 1 Digiorno pizza and one other Frozen pizza. Both had more slices of pepperoni than my pizza had. I won't order form this joint again.
(1)Claire S.
Delicious! Delicious! Delicious! First time here and loved it! Fresh varied tasty Italian! Andrea Bocelli music contributed to a nice atmosphere!
(5)Denise N.
We go to Osteria all the time as we love the food and Sam and Marcos take great care of us. Not only is the food and service good but it is also a BYOB. We highly recommend the pizza and pastas. Enjoy!
(5)Damian C.
I like pizza like I like lovin' - multiple times a day, every day, til I can't handle any more. Thick crust, pan crust, deep dish... topped off with piles of gooey cheese and plenty of toppings... ah, foodgasm. It's easy to be... easy. Unfortunately, too much pizza adds too much lovin' to the handles, so I try to suppress my cravings and nom sparingly. This past Saturday, I had to give in to my urges when two of my college friends suggested this fairly new Italian BYOB for dinner. I have passed this place multiple times and have never seen it too crowded, but we called and made a reservation (which was smart since the restaurant ended up being packed when we arrived), and headed on over. 3 friends, 3 bottles of wine in tow! When we walked up, the windows were full of moisture, and when we walked in, we were met with a hot, smoky restaurant. The restaurant is fairly small, the tables are scrunched together tighter than hot pants, and the ventilation is practically non-existant, so dress lightly and have your Febreze handy. We were sat at a front corner table and our very Italian waitress (her accent was so thick I could hardly understand her!) popped open a bottle of our wine. We took a look at the menu and, although the pastas and main dishes sounded amazing, our eyes were drawn to the pizza list. I went for the Patate e Rosmarino (adding chicken) while my friends went with the Vegetariana (adding goat cheese) and Margherita (adding prosciutto). Even though we weren't overly hungry, the waitress told us the pizzas were "9 inches - roughly the size of a small pizza." Ok, so I can easily handle 9 inches, but I believe the waitress meant to say it was 9 inches wide, and, like, well over a foot long. That's just a little too much to handle all in one sitting, unless you're some sort of freakish bottomless pit. The pizza is Roman-style, but since I have never been to Rome, and you may not have either, it was rectangular, cut into small squares, and had a super crunchy crust topped with cheesy-meaty-potato-y goodness! I don't think I have ever had a crust quite like this before, and I may have to find a recipe to try out at home. I was sufficiently full after eating about half of it and was able to take the rest back with me. Bonus: the crust is still crunchy even after reheating! The service is European-style, or pretty much anywhere-else-in-the-world-except-America-style, so you will get appropriate attention but not feel rushed. The waitress was constantly tending to our wine glasses, so it was no surprise that 3 bottles of wine went down our throats pretty quickly. The prices are reasonable, and the corkage fee is $2 per person total, so while it's not gratis, it is cheap, so get your favorite bottle(s) of wine and head on over. Once I recover from this pizzagasm, I'll be back for more! *Also, the prices in the restaurant and the prices on their online menu vary by a couple bucks here and there. Since they did not offer different portion sizes at dinner, I am not sure if the sizes are adjusted appropriately by cost between lunch and dinner.
(4)Rachel S.
Friendly staff, good food. We were here on a Saturday night and it wasn't too crowded - we were seated right away and had a very attentive server. Our food actually came out pretty quickly, but we had time to kill before a movie across the street. We took our time finishing our bottle of wine and didn't feel pressured to leave. I enjoyed the food - I thought the orecchiette alla spinaci was delicious. I've also heard good things about their pizza, and will have to try some next time!
(4)Alan H.
Food was barely so so and way overpriced. Nothing close to Roman square pizza, let alone Italian. Bread was atrocious. BYOB means $2 per person even if someone doesn't drink alcohol with the rest of the table. Staff was friendly but disorganized. If you want an authentic italian dining experience try Spacca Napoli.
(1)Meredith P.
I just did a order for delivery and the staff could not have been more friendly. It is refreshing to see traditional great service with a family oriented feel in a restaurant. Keep up the great customer service and props to your staff that you have answering your phone. That's the staff you keep around to build your business to the next level : )
(5)Laura E.
I came here on Saturday with family and thought it was pretty good. The salads were ok (garden and Caesar), but the pizza was fabulous. I enjoyed the margherita and mushroom pizzas, and they were so filling that I didn't need to order an entrée. As of now, this place is BYOB so our party enjoyed bottles of red and white wine, courtesy of dad's sister. Our server and the rest of our staff were very nice. The main reason this place doesn't get 5 stars is that the music was a bit noisy. Otherwise, I'll be back next time I'm in Chicago!
(4)Sarah P.
My friend and I were planning to have a quick bite before a movie across the street. We randomly stopped in here after overhearing a woman state that the place was amazing while we were parking the car. We were not disappointed by where our eavesdropping brought us Every recommendation our server gave us was spot on. We had the soup, salad and pizza specials. The servers were attentive (multiple people attending to our table) and the food came out perfectly timed. I know a lot of new restaurants have come and gone through this area but really hope this one is here to stay!
(5)Denise K.
Sat in the new outside patio - the plantings create a barrier from the street that make it surprisingly quiet. The Calamari was amazing - some of the best I've ever had - I will order it again next time! We also ordered pizzas that were delicious, and loved the different toppings! We will definitely go back soon.
(5)Anna B.
I was so impressed with this place. First of all - the atmosphere is so warm, so inviting, and so incredibly friendly. It makes you not want to leave. I have never seen so many friendly and smiling restaurant employees in one place. We had a reservation and it ran a bit late. The owner/manager kept us updated on when we would be seated and was super nice throughout the entire process. Second - the food - so good and the portions are huge. If this is your first stop of the night and you don't want to carry a doggie bag, I suggest sharing entrees and apps. We split the Crocchetta with potatoes and rice to start. The potato version tastes like mashed potatoes with cheese and then fried. Yes please! The rice version tastes a bit sweeter and is slightly more cheesy. Their marinara sauce is incredible. Light and tasty, without being overpowered by the acidity of the tomatoes. For our main, we split the Margaritta pizza. Generous on the basil, so I was very happy. Their crust is incredible. So light and buttery and wow. The tables are provided with fresh bread and olive oil to much on. Love this place!
(5)Kay S.
The only reason I give this place 2 stars rather than 1 is that our server was awesome. She was nice, attentive, and she wasn't a lingerer. Lingerers creep me out. Anyway, I went here with my man recently for a casual dinner because we saw that it was BYOB. It has a cozy atmosphere which is cute but it was filled with noisy drunk people. I ordered a Caesar salad with chicken and the boyf ordered something off the special menu which consisted of shrimp and risotto. I didn't think it was possible to mess up a Caesar salad. It's simple! Lettuce, parmesan, Caesar dressing, croutons and chicken. Well, the lettuce was wilted, the croutons were stale, and the chicken was cold and cut up into little dime-sized pieces. It tasted like it was from last week. I paid $4 extra for old nasty chicken! Turns out that I had the better of the two meals. My boyfriend's meal was inedible. The shrimp came out on top of the risotto with everything still attached. EVERYTHING! You could see the head, the eyeballs, the legs, the veins, the long whisker thingies, the excrement that most restaurants are nice enough to remove for you so you can pretend it was never there, etc. (I bet my chicken would have come with the feathers still on it too if they didn't buy it from the frozen food section at Jewel two months ago.) So he started picking them apart and stopped after about 30 seconds because the sight of the whole thing was so disgusting. Our waitress was very nice and I knew none of that was her fault so we politely asked for the bill, tipped her generously, and left never to return again. Now I lose my appetite whenever I think of this place.
(2)DBIGCAT C.
Awesome pizza!
(4)Matthew B.
Is this what Chicago thinks pizza is? I wasn't impressed and especially for $17 for ONE small pizza... I would have expected more.
(2)Tina M.
Great staff, good food. No rush to leave the restaurant - we stayed for almost 2 hours. Loved that they took a reservation less than 30 minutes before we showed up. Beware: they charge $1/card starting with the third credit card. BYOB.
(3)Julie A.
The unfortunate part is that I LOVE the pizza. I have ordered many times because I live across the street. I decided to try dine in the other night. I will never do that again. The pricing for dining in is completely different from ordering to-go. They only make one size pizza in the restaurant. We asked how many people it fed (there was 3 of us) and the waitress couldn't really give us a straight answer. You should ATLEAST be able to tell us how many people your pizza feeds. She said "it depends how hungry you are" and basically talked us into 2 pizzas that cost $14 each. And we definitely could've gone with one. The kicker is at home we order an 18" for about $18. We were told in the restaurant it was "against their policy" to make us the same pizza for dine in. The waitress told us it would knock over the table if they brought out an 18" pizza......yet it was perfectly fine to bring out two 9" pizzas ( for $16 each) and put them side by side. Don't worry the table didn't topple over. We also ordered 3 Diet Cokes. We were brought 8oz glass bottles that cost $2.50 each! That's not even a CAN of Coke. It might as well have been a Dixie Cup. Great pizza....awful dining experience. Save yourself the trouble---order it to go and pay 1/2 the price.
(2)Mironda R.
I believe this might be one of the hardest reviews to write. So let me start here Pizza: 5 Stars Ambiance: 3.5 Stars Service: 1 Star (generous rating) Calamari: 3.5 Stars Lobster Ravioli in a Asparagus Cream Sauce: 3 Stars Ambiance: 3 Stars So as you can see above, everything except the pizza was a home run. It was the perfect crust and right amount of toppings. You could get full off the pizza and not just bread or sauce. I would absolutely do carry-out or delivery for pizza alone. Everything else was ehh and sighs kind of moments. When we sat down, we were not offered any menus or given a run down of specials or asked if it was our first time. At one point, I felt like I was inconveniencing the waiter. We decide to grab the paper takeout menus to start perusing . Finally, someone brings us real menus but doesn't even introduce himself or offer up any goods. So finally, I stop the waiter and I'm like uhm are you are waiter. He says yes, I say can we start with an order of calamari. He takes the order and still no follow-up! He leaves and comes back and I offer up the goods by saying.. this is our first time, what do you do well? what are you about? what do people order? He said that we have daily specials that are on the board but its not accurate because it was a busy weekend but we have this and this. *scratches head to why this has not been updated since it was not busy* So we decide on the pizza and lobster. I already reviewed the pizza (mahvelous) and then there was the ravioli. It came out room temperature, which is soo unfortunate. For what we paid and the idea of a daily special (1 thumb down). What was also strange was the quasi-server opening the door and keeping it open without asking any of the patrons was that okay and then he was cutting bread from a bag at the door, loading it up and then serving it. The kicker was there was no hand washing in between. I understand they are new, but goodness.. such BAD service. Yikes. The pizza is such a winner. I hope to revisit and can update my review. As of now, takeout only.
(3)Gabriela R.
Great Pizza - Hands down! and BYOB
(5)James D.
Had us waiting for 25 mins even though we made a reservation and left our phone number, and were assured that they would contact us if anything came up. It was also like a sauna in there and we were all sweating, very awkward because there was no where to stand. The service was completely disorganized and 3 people came up asking what we wanted to eat even though we already ordered. I mean come on guys there's 10 tables, it's not that hard to keep track of.. Italian places typically pride themselves on homemade bread and I'm 90% sure our bread came from jewel or Dominics. It was very chewy and seemed stale, and old! The pizza promised to be thin crust but I'd say it was medium. It had an aftertaste of something that was freezer burned. We had such high hopes for this place because of the aforementioned yelp reviews but needless to say we will not be returning, highly disappointed.
(1)Matt S.
Crust was good, toppings were good, no complaints whatsoever. Good thin crust pizza.
(4)Lucy N.
Great BYOB neighborhood pizza place. Had the entire restaurant to ourselves on a Sunday afternoon. We ordered the 3 cheese pizza and the spicy one. Both were consumed in their entirety :) The crust is perfectly crispy throughout and not too thick or too thin.
(4)Rick T.
Upon entering Osteria De Pizza Metro for our second visit, the staff welcomed us with the traditional Italian greeting that has echoed through the streets of Rome for centuries: "You looking for the restroom?" Ahhh! Good stuff from the place where our last waiter incessantly referred to me as "my man." We were underwhelmed by their overpriced, low quality pastas last winter, so we opted for pizza this time. After all, the word pizza is the third word in their name, so they must do *that* right, right? Wrong. The crust has that nasty sponginess that has been perfected by DiGiorno. Yuck. The toppings were flavorful but sparce. After dining, the staff's unique greeting made perfect sense. They probably have far more people walk through the door to use the facilities than dine. My guess is they were just playing the odds.
(1)Michelle M.
My best friends, several bottles of wine, and buttery, delicious flat bread pizzas? DUH, I'M IN! My friends and I visited this restaurant on a cold, wintery Saturday night because we love trying out BYOB places. Our server was super nice and the warm and inviting atmosphere is perfect for groups and for loud conversations. Our table of 7 ladies ordered 3 flat bread pizzas (my favorite was the Vegetariana)... Authentic, tasty, and the perfect amount. The best part? Only $11 per person, even after tip! Then we were full, buzzed, and ready for a great night out. I will definitely visit Osteria De Pizza Metro again, especially because I'd love to try out some of their pasta dishes.
(4)J G.
Great pizza!! Very good thin crust, excellent mozzarella and fresh toppings. Caesar salad was really really good as well. Service was very good. All around this is a solid spot.
(5)amanda j.
Come for the food not the ambience nor the service. Their sign outside says pizza by the slice but when we went in to order both the man and woman working seemed confused. They also don't appear to be kid-friendly. The girl raised her voice to tell my daughter not to come near the counter. When I explained she'd just thrown her tissue away she talked down to me and said she'd rather touch her dirty tissue than risk her getting hurt...as if I'd allow my daughter to get hurt?! It was quite slow at the time so I'm not sure who she thought would be scurrying by with a hot plate anytime soon. She also took several calls and rang up someone else's bill for the waiter before finalizing my order even though we were obviously standing waiting. Nothing great about this experience at all. Pass.
(2)Diana R.
Good pasta plates, BYOB. However they have fees for bringing your own booze, $2/person. They also have $2.50/receipt for running more than 1 credit card per table. Street parking $4/hour. Basically you end up paying for a simple plate in a small casual restaurant, the price of going to a fancier place in downtown. The place is very small, only few tables. Over all OK, definitely not going there again.
(2)Ashley L.
I had a craving for pasta, so we ordered takeout from Osteria since it had such high reviews on Yelp. I have to admit, my fiance and I were both very disappointed with our order. I got Penne Arabiata with meatballs since I had a hankering for them. The pasta by itself cost $12.95 and the meatballs cost an extra $4. Totally not worth it - the portion of the pasta was small and the two meatballs were basically inedible. They were tiny (each smaller than a golf ball), overcooked and burned with way too much garlic and not much other taste. I got through one meatball, but couldn't finish the other since it was so tough and burned. My fiance got lasagne with meat sauce. The outside of the small portion was totally burned and the sauce did not have much taste. The food was not horrible, just not very good and not worth the price it cost. Would not try it again.
(2)Scott A.
$4 Cork Fee. Really? Meagre, all right pizza. Go to Troy Grill, a block away on Broadway, just north of Diversey. It's MUCH better for the money.. (No, I have no business interest in Troy, just easy to compare to. And no cork fee).
(2)Jim J.
Super fast and absolutely delicious. Calamari was some of the best in the city. There is no bar so it is BYOB which always makes for a fun time. I will definitely be back.
(5)Gregory J.
There is plenty to love at Osteria and I can't wait to go back. First of all the pizza is amazing. Its a nice diversion from typical Chicago pizzas. It is a very authentic roman style pizza served up from authentic Italians! I find myself not being able to stop eating the pizza until it is gone. Their ingredients are excellent and it really makes a big difference. We have also had most of their salads, which are great and a few of their appetizers too. We have never been disappointed with the quality of the food. BYOB also makes Osteria it an attractive choice for a night out!
(5)Debe W.
exceeded all expectations!! delicious and flavorful authentic cuisine and helpful service! truly a neighborh
(4)Emily Y.
The service here is nice. I hate giving negative reviews, but I hate even more getting shafted on a carryout order. I asked for garlic bread and minestrone soup. They packaged up 5 garlic crostinis, which I assume was supposed to be the garlic bread? And their minestrone soup had no tomatoes or pasta in it. Either I don't understand what minestrone soup is, or someone got confused and gave me vegetable soup (it's pretty good vegetable soup for what that's worth). I'd give this place another dine-in try for pizza, but I'm not aching to do it.
(2)Carol J.
I am a sucker for all things Italian; the food, the men, the culture, the wine and not necessarily in that particular order. I mean how can you resist combination of the four? So imagine my delight when this intimate little place opened down the street from my pad. They say "all roads lead to Rome" but in this case its the Clark 22 or my broomstick that gets me there pronto. My standard is pretty high for "authentic" Italian, and those of you that know me, know my background and history with the food and wines of my favorite place on earth. I have always been a huge fan of Pizza Metro and loved I Monelli so when I heard the due behind the two were joining forces to open a hybrid of the two, I RAN to Osteria De Pizza Metro. The pizza is Roman style and served by the yard (ish). The crispy, buttery crust is sinful but the fresh vegetables and amazing sauce will seduce you. A 1/4 is probably enough for one person but you might want to go big if you want some to go home. Just a heads up. Bruschetta, salads, panini, entrees and desserts comprise the menu. Offerings run the gamit from Polpetti to my personal fave Pollo Limone. Delish lightly breaded calamari fritti is a crowd pleaser app as is the bruschetta. All items that I saw on the menu were under the $15 mark and portions were HUGE. The chewy warm table bread was a nice way to begin the meal but be warned: its addictive. The ragu is anything but standard American red sauce. The Bolognese is rich and meaty with the perfect meat to tomato balance. The marinara is exceptionally light and equally wonderful. This is a BYOB so take a look at the online menu before so you can bring the perfect bottle. They graciously chilled our whites and opened our reds. I am not sure what the corkage fee is but I don't think it was more than $2 per person which is the standard "coperto" in all of Italy. I was with a large group and the host felt it was cheap, considering how much wine we brought for a tasting party...... The place is small, clean and bright with the lilt of Italian coming from the tables and the counter. This is the real deal. I was so removed from the dreariness that is this strip of Clark Street that I caught my self responding in Italian. Desserts are standard and I tried not to indulge however, when someone ordered a few for the table, I did dabble in the Tiramisu and Panna Cotta which are the standard bearers for any respectable Italian place. Absolutely perfetto! I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a laid back casual atmosphere with traditional Italian food and service style. If you don't want to take my word for it, trust the room full of Italian chefs that were there on their night off. Always a good sign in my book.
(5)J D.
AFFORDABLE AUTHENTIC AND CASUAL. This is real italian at an affordable price. The food is fresh, authentic and the service is great. If you like the small cafe setting to have that feeling like you are IN Italy, this is the place. Newly painted and neat setting. You really get more than what you pay for here. The staff is friendly. The pasta carbonara was out of sight! They also have an amazing prosciutto and toast with basil appetizer that I loved....I ate most of it on my own. I think this is a great place to bring friends, family or a date! BYOB...need I say more. If you love good food, friendly service, Italian love and your OWN wine...then this is the place for you! Ciao!
(5)Ariana S.
First impressions are usually telling but even though the restaurant was completely empty when we walked in, we had a really great experience here. (I should also mention we went in for dinner at around 6 pm on a Monday when it was raining which may have had something to do with the lack of clientele). Anyway- first and foremost- and if you have read any of my reviews- I am a HUGE fan of BYOB places. Bring your own vino and sit at the checkered table-top while you peruse the menu with traditional Italian fare. Greeted by a very friendly server, he graciously recommended a course from each section; we took every recommendation. For starters the calamari. It wasn't my favorite of all time but I appreciated the fact it wasn't overfried or overcooked. Next came the Margherita pizza. NOTE: these pizzas are huge so if you are not that hungry, you will be just fine splitting one. Very good and actually a pretty authentic taste. Moving on to the Orechette pasta dish with spinach. A solid choice and really nice flavors. Overall a really fun place to casually grab a bite and enjoy a wallet-friendly dining experience.
(4)Jordan R.
Ordered delivery from here for the first time last night. Came in about 45 minutes which I was very happy with. We had the lasagna, some soup, a margherita pizza and a rum cake dessert delivered. I personally only had the pizza, which was phenomenal. Great crispy crust, it was still really hot when it came, and everything on it was fresh and delicious. I was picking off the tomatoes and eating them on their own. My girlfriend ate the lasagna and said that it was great, especially for delivery. So why only three stars? Well, I had a margherita pizza delivered, but that wasn't exactly what I ordered. I had added proscuitto and mushrooms, neither of which were included on the pizza but each of which I had paid almost $2 extra for. I ordered on Grubhub so maybe something got lost in translation in the order, and I was still extremely pleased with the pizza, but I wish I had my $4 back. That being said, the pizza was really good and I'm looking forward to giving this place another shot so they can get it right.
(3)Laura H.
Osteria De Pizza Metro is another great addition to the Lakeview East neighborhood of Chicago. This is just not a pizza place they have authentic Italian dishes that are fabulously prepared! They run daily specials as well, fresh creative salads. I have to say I am in love with their Roman pizza. My usual fare is one of their creative salads that always has fresh spring mix, with fresh fruit, veggies & fresh mozzarella. The salad is a meal with in itself but I can't resist the ham, artichoke, mushroom, black olive Roman pizza so I get a slice, which is a little over 5 inches to accompany my salad with a San Pellegrino Limonata. The dining area is small but inviting, the staff are very friendly and attentive. They bring fresh bread and olive oil to table when you arrive. The prices are are reasonable and with this establishment being BYOB it makes it even more affordable, you can hit Binny's beforehand to pick out your favorite vino to go with your meal. With all the chain dining places, Panera, Jimmy Johns, Subways in the area, it is always a risk opening a business in the neighborhood but it establishments such as this, that makes Chicago neighborhoods. Let the chains sit there- support your local businessman and preserve the neighborhood's character.
(5)Shradha A.
The pizza was good, the pasta was a little under-cooked. The service was not as bad as some other Yelpers experienced, but our server was on her Day 1. Nothing I'll return for or recommend for..
(3)Ves C.
We tried this place after a thoroughly rotten experience at a nearby Italian joint. Being that it is very close to the Landmark Century theater just to the south and stores and shops to the north, we figured it'd be a great place to try. The food, overall, was solid. Not the greatest in the world, but not bad either. They have no "typical" pizzas on the menu, just gourmet pizzas. Drinks come in cans/bottles, which usually screams cheap (aka Gino's East), but the food was overall pretty good, between the bruschetta loaded with tomatoes, the roman (square, thin) pizza and a large bowl of saucy meat tortellini. Service was attentive, although there was no one else in the place when we were there. The area between Diversey and Halsted on Clark where this is located is less active than the surrounding areas for whatever reason, so if you need to get in someplace quick, this is a great option. Street parking is moderately easy. You can also park in the garage across the street if you're going to go to the theater or anywhere else for up to 4 hours. Brown/Purple lines are a 6 block hike. Recommended.
(4)Claudia R.
So you can probably pick out the dining companions that shared my bad experience at Osteria De Pizza Metro last night. Lucky for me, the company was great and the wine a perfect Tempranillo but the good stopped there. We arrived late because we didn't plan for the extra 30 minutes we spent looking for a spot, so the wait staff and owner were understandably perturbed but the way they handled it downright sucked. We were completely ignored for about an hour and a half. We did have a chance to order a pizza but nothing else. Like my friends mentioned, we couldn't get water, weren't offered glassware and were snubbed on the bread every other table seemed to be getting. It was really bazaar. They were irritated because some of the party was late which meant they couldn't turn the table as quickly as they would have liked to. The difficult part to understand was that then they purposely ignored us and refused to take our orders which resulted in a loss (of our additional orders and of turning the table sooner for the party who was waiting to be seated). Well Osteria, looks like you cut off your nose to spite your face. I left feeling kind of bad about myself. Ugh.
(1)Jen B.
I came here today for lunch with my boyfriend. We both had the 5" quarter pizza. If you and your party all want different types of pizza, the 5" quarter size pizza is plenty of food and a great option for you. My boyfriend created his own, and I had the Margherita pizza and added prosciutto di parma. We both thoroughly enjoyed it! Cute little restaurant, the waitress was nice, and it was VERY reasonably priced. We will be coming back for sure (probably in the evening as they are BYOB!).
(4)Simone C.
I've been to Osteria de Pizza Metro twice and I'm glad to say that this is a nice addition to the neighborhood. The place is cozy, warm and welcoming and the staff is friendly. The pizza that you can find here is exactly like the pizza "al taglio" (by the slice) that you can find in Italy, so, coming from that country, I have definitely a soft spot for it. In addition, the price is right and I like the fact that this place is a BYOB, so you really can enjoy good food with your favorite drink for a very reasonable price. The only complain about this place has ironically to do with the authenticity of the place. Not only the food is authentic Italian food, so is the service. Which, unfortunately, it's not a nice fit in a country famous for its customer service. For example they forgot to refill our water both time. Overall, I recommend this place. And I'm confident that, as soon as they fix the service, it will deserve 4 stars.
(3)Yolanda Z.
Pizza is DELICIOUS! pricing is a little high but the taste is great. We had the vegetarino pizza which like I said delicious and we had the salmon and pork chop and chicken. All of it was super tasty. The waiter we had was not bad like the other reviews. The one we had was nice and made suggestions and constantly checked on us. My only draw back is the pricing. All there is bread but nothing else is offered with entree such as salad or soup. The place is nice and all in all a good experience. We will be going again soon!
(4)Hannah E.
This place is typical for a small nice Italian restaurant: nice atmosphere good food. I went with a party of 6 and we had a reservation for 6pm. We were seated right away; the restaurant seemed to really fill up at around 7pm. We ordered chicken, salmon, pizza, lasagna, spicy pasta and a soup. I was told that the chicken and salmon were good. I had the cheese lasagna and thought it was very good, however it was 15 dollars. The spicy pasta dish was such a small portion it didn't fill the person that ordered it and it was also way overpriced, I believe 13 dollars. They should have included a salad with it or something. I tried a piece of the four cheese pizza and I thought it was nothing special and it had hardly any tomato sauce. For the byoy they charge 2 dollars per person for an uncorking fee, which I think is pretty ridiculous. I can understand an uncorking fee for a bottle to be 2 to maybe 4 dollars, but 2 dollars per person seems unreasonable. All and all this restaurant didn't stand out in my mind the food was good but overall the place was overpriced.
(3)Anne L.
Cozy, quiet restaurant. The food was excellent. I had the orecchiette spinach pasta, which was phenomenal. My husband had the minestrone soup and tortellini, which he said was amazing! The service was fantastic! The prices seemed a little high, but still worth the phenomenal food and service. I would highly recommend!,
(5)Mark P.
Wonderful home made pasta. Authentic Italian restaurant located in Lakeview. They offer BYOB with a $2 per glass fee. Spaghetti pomodoro with shrimp is not on the menu but is excellent. Love eating at this small, locally owned restaurant.
(5)Lindsay B.
Excellent! The location is fairly small and they were very busy when we went on a Saturday night. We didn't have reservation (I would recommend making reservations) and waited about 15 minutes for a table. The staff was incredibly nice. We came for pizza but also ordered the mozzarella and prosciutto appetizer. Both were delicious! Next time I'll get an entree. The meals of the diners around us looked great. Note: It is BYOB and there is a $2 corkage fee person person.
(5)Gina D.
this has to be the most authentic Italian pizza I've had outside of Italy, and let me tell you, I'm pretty picky when it comes to pizza. ordered the capricciosa pizza and was not disappointed in the least; it was perfectly thin, crispy, cheesy, and delicious. they also have some pretty awesome daily specials which are definitely worth checking out. bottom line: friendly staff, comfortable atmosphere, and mouthwatering pizza. all around great place!
(5)Carolyn E.
I've only gotten delivery there once so my review is just on the one thing I tried. I got the Quattro Formaggi with black olives, sausage, and mushrooms added. SO GOOD! My parents usually hate pizza but we were all fighting over it. Definitely recommend.
(5)Uli J.
Great cozy restaurant with authentic italian food and friendly service. Reminded me of trips to Italy! :-)
(5)Laura B.
I ordered a cheese and sausage for delivery. Base on the pictures, I was expecting the larger pieces of sausage and loads of cheese; however my order consisted of one layer of cheese and ground up sausage. Not my preference. Delivery was quick.
(2)Cam L.
A great local Lakeview East Italian place. Nice ambience and a menu with good variety. Try one of the specials... I'd definitely recommend! Also, service was attentive, counter to what other reviewers have said.
(4)Bridget D.
This place is truly authentic italian pizza and food! Ive been here about 5 times and everything is affordable and delicious. Definitely recommend!!!
(5)Gio S.
Update from review when first opened: this authentic Italian cafe continues to offer the best Italian food in the city. The pesto pizza is amazing, as is the minestrone, pastas and specials (as in Europe, best bet is the specials; fresh, creative, interesting and best value). Owners care deeply, passionately about their food, and are there monitoring what leaves the kitchen. We've brought dozens of different people to Osteria over last year or so, and all return on their own. Servers are friendly, open (none of that stupid and unjustified hipster arrogance you see in some places in the 'hood), and thoughtful without hovering. BUT as an authentic place (closest thing to an Italian osteria we've ever experienced in the States), visitors should not expect this wonderful cafe to be Vappiano or Mangiano's, dishing out mass-produced formula Italian fast and cheap. This is Italian--not Italian-German or Italian-American. So pizzas aren't piled high, sodas come in little glass bottles not giant plastic bottomless cups, climate is temperate but never ice cold or boiling hot, space is cosy not stadium-like, and service is professional and good but not intended to be rapid-fire. Food is top quality, fresh as can be, and the meal is an event unto itself, not something you rush through to do something else. When it's jam-packed it can be chaotic waiting (smaller place), but well worth the wait. Relax, roll with it. Pretend your chilling in Italia (piano, piano)...because in a way, you are.
(5)Hieronymus B.
I've eaten here a couple of times and been more than happy about the whole experience. But this review is about the pizza, which is unusual and based on the one I got, quite tasty. I had the 18 inch 4 cheese pizza, with added sausage, delivered. Since I live a block away, there were no issues with delivery time or the pizza not being hot. The pizza itself is square if you get the 9 inch version. The 18 inch version consists of two 9 inches - that is, it is 9 x 18. The pizza crust is unlike any other I've had. While now & then you might find a squared off pizza, the crust is normal pizza crust. This particular crust is a bit more substantial. This was a delicious pizza, and I'll be back to try other versions.
(5)Otoniel M.
Pizza was good. The appetizer I tried I was not impressed with. Service very attentive.
(4)Gloria W.
After receiving an email from Yelp about the great new Chicago restaurants, I was dying to try Osteria De Pizza Metro. I drive down Clark two or three times a week. How is it I never saw this place? Yelp reviews were favorable and the prices sounded right. After my first visit with my husband and daughter, I feel compelled to write this review. I should mention that this is my first review. I have not been much inclined to write reviews on Yelp, because I usually have nothing to add to previous reviews. But, in this case, I think the Osteria was great and deserves a break. Don't anyone say that this is a fake review!!! Especially if you haven't been to this restaurant! We went to the Osteria on the coldest night of the year. We were the only customers for a while, but were enthusiastically greeted by people who seemed to be authentic Italians. (Later when I asked, they said they were from Florence and Rome. Their conversation sounded like real Italian.) We ordered the fried calamari. I was not expecting much given the so so comments of a previous reviewer. Wrong! The calamari was lightly breaded and perfectly cooked. For our entrees, my husband and daughter had the gnocchi and I had the orchiette. We agreed - all very good! The staff says that the Osteria has been open for 3 weeks. I'm giving it 4 stars because there is room for improvement, which I'm sure will happen over time. The service is little slow- European perhaps? And we were given 3 pieces of bread, one for each of us. But the Osteria has my vote of confidence. We will be back!
(4)Victoria R.
Uh, yeah...these 4 & 5 star reviews??? Its about as 5 star as Noodles and Company. (Which I think I kinda like better :/) My fiancee and I thought we would try this just to do something a little bit different, since its new to the area. This was definitely cheap fast food Italian. We ordered: Garlic Bread--"Garlic" flavored cracker on old wilted lettuce (like it kinda looks like they pulled it off someones' discarded plate?) Lasagna--Microwave dinner reheated. Was edible after we doctored it up with seasoning. And isn't ricotta supposed to go in lasagna??? Chicken Limone--Lemon and salt with just a hint of chicken. In short, I wouldn't call it disgusting, but it definitely wasn't worth spending the money and I would not go back. Maybe the pizza is better?
(1)Jeff K.
Very good overall from appetizer to main course. BYOB with a 2 buck per head charge, which is nice. Authentic Italian enough for Chicago and a good price at that. The servers are great and don't rush you at all, but dont leave you having to flag them down. Solid 4, could take a date there, prob not on a first one though, relatively casual, but a good amount of home made food. Specials always sound good.
(4)Mike S.
dined here last night for valentine's day. we made a reservation about a week ago with no problem. i was a little pessimistic after reading the reviews and especially seeing what happened to a few ladies over the weekend. i do agree that the early reviews are a bit questionable coming from people that have had minimal reviews. anyway, we arrived about 10 mins before out reservation time and were given the option to sit near the door of wait for another table (there are about 20 tables for 2 in the restaurant). we chose to wait which was no problem and a table was ready within 10 minutes. the waitress promptly greeted us, served us water, and opened our wine. she came back a few mins later to take our order so we have no complaints on the service. they were offering a couples deal that included an appetizer, 2 soups, 2 salads, 2 main dishes and a shared dessert. the food was pretty good. i wouldnt go as far to say that it was classic rome (was in rome 3 months ago) but it was good italian food. we both commented when paying our bill that it was a nice dining experience and it did not feel like we were in chicago. it is unfortunate what happened to the group that dined over the weekend. i have nothing bad to say about this place and would recommend it.
(4)andrew s.
So close and so good. Pizza amazing!
(5)Rosie S.
After reading an article about Chicago's new Italian restaurants, my friend and I decided to give this place a shot last night. And I am so glad that we did!! It also helps that this place is within walking distance from my place. Upon walking in, we were immediately greeted by one of the owners. There were a few other people in the restaurant but we were able to pick our own table. Once seated, the owner came over and opened up our bottles of wine (this place is BYOB) and served us. He was extremely friendly and welcoming. Since we were both newbies, we asked for suggestions...but didn't go with any of them...we are rebels like that. We ordered the 4 Fromaggi Pizza and Sphagetti alla San Giovanni. The pizza was amazing!!! I love cheese and this had gorgonzola, goat cheese, mozzerrella and paramigiano...so yummmmmm!!! The sphagetti was delicious as well...it had a cherry tomatoes and fresh basil in extra virgin olive oil sauce thing...and let me tell you...this totally reminded me of my mother's cooking and one of my favorite dishes that she makes!! (And just for reference, I am 100% Italian...with a father named, Vito!) The reason I am writing this review though...is that not only was the food delicious, but everyone who worked there was fun! They have a bunch of personality and were great to joke around with. I didn't feel like I was in a restaurant, but instead, I felt that I was hanging out in my relative's kitchen!! I have already recommended this place to 4 people and will keep on doing so. (By the way, I used to be an extreme yelper but lately I haven't had much to yelp about until today.)
(4)